New Tactical Combat Design: Argiope

Joined
Jul 15, 2003
Messages
385
A pic for the gallery:

The design is an evolution of combat knife input from my military clients in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is a real combat knife, a primary edged weapon for CQB.

FOArgiopeAfricanBlackwood1.jpg

"Argiope" Tactical Combat Knife

Size: Length overall: 12.25" (31.1 cm), Blade Length: 8" (20.3 cm), Thickness: .250" (.635 cm)

Blade: O-1 High Carbon Tungsten-Vanadium Tool Steel, Hardened and Tempered to Rockwell C59, Bead Blasted and Hot Blued

Fittings/Bolsters: Nickel Silver, Satin Finished

Handle: African Blackwood Hardwood

Sheath: Forest Camouflage Kydex, Aluminum, Steel

Named for a huge "banana" spider in the southeast U.S., The "Argiope" is a monstorous tactical knife, seriously aggressive and battle ready. It is designed it to be a combat Primary Edged Weapon for Close Quarters Battle. It has a devastating sharp, stout point for piercing through many layers to deliver fatal wounds. The blade shape is a modified recurve bowie, with a deep hollow grind from a 10" diameter wheel and a third length top swage to increase piercing profile without sacrificing spine strength. It is very thin at the cutting edge and point, to be able to deliver maximum energy to the smallest area possible, but with a thick spine that makes the knife very strong overall. The spine and thickest part of the knife is a full 1/4" and has a large and substantial front quillion and gentle thumb rise for maximum safety to the user. The slight recurve yields a very sharp area closer to the ricasso for slicing cuts through rope or textiles. The knife was designed to be unsheathed and held in a tactical grip style, but is also comfortably held with a traditional grip style. The knife has no filework that can capture and hold debris, and is very clean-lined. The steel is O-1 oil hardening high carbon tungsten-vanadium tool steel, chosen for its great reputation as a fine knife steel and ease of sharpening. The blade is bead blasted for a flat texture, and hot blued for over 40 minutes for maximum penetration of the passive oxidation for corrosion resistance. The bolsters are 1/4" thick nickel silver and satin finished for a flat appearance and ease of maintenance. The exotic hardwood is African Blackwood, actually a rosewood, a very hard, tough proven long-lasting hardwood. The sheath is a combat sheath, made of double thickness forest camouflage kydex over an 5052H32 corrosion resistant aluminum frame secured with blued steel Chicago screws. It has pair of standard 1.75" belt loops that are reversible for right or left side, edge front or edge back wear.


Get more information, see more pictures and details on this fine Primary Edged Weapon here.
 
Thanks for posting the hold postion with your Bulldog. I was wondering about that huge hole but the picture showed me the light. Very aggressive in close hand-to-hand. The design is radical but serves a purpose for our military members. Thanks for your contribution to keeping our men and women safe.

In His Service,
Reid Allen, Ret USAF
 
I like the blade shape, but the handle looks pretty slippery. Wouldn't something tougher with a bit more texture be in order for a serious combat blade? Like Micarta or G10? Without bolsters? Just my 2 cents.
 
I like the blade shape, but the handle looks pretty slippery. Wouldn't something tougher with a bit more texture be in order for a serious combat blade? Like Micarta or G10? Without bolsters? Just my 2 cents.

Hi, Moonwilson.

Yes, I make those too, micarta, G10, composite, delrin and bead blasted, sometimes with cuts into the bolsters and handle material to increase the grip strength. Many materials (like the African Blackwood) actually do get "tacky" when wet.

But "slippery?" I've never encountered that issue in the hundreds of combat knives I've made and supplied to active duty military. You can see my "serious" combat knives and who I make for here.

There seems to be a traditional slant that is perpetuated about "rough" textures on knife handles. Truth is, a rough texture is easier to make, cheaper to finish, and is of advantage to mainly factory type knives where not much invesment is spent in finishing, and I, too, charge less when a knife is finished this way. But in the field of combat, more grip certainty is derived from the shape of the handle than the roughness of the finish. If you take a close look at the Argiope, you'll see deep curves around the front quillion, actually creating a guard, a substantial thumb rise, and a radical curve foreward of the rear finger ring, which will positively lock the hand into the handle. Not to mention the forefinger ring alone, which for some, is too much security!

When held in the tactical grip style, this knife is not leaving your hand, and the grip is terminal.

You can see a picture set of the tactical grip here.
 
Thanks for posting the hold postion with your Bulldog. I was wondering about that huge hole but the picture showed me the light. Very aggressive in close hand-to-hand. The design is radical but serves a purpose for our military members. Thanks for your contribution to keeping our men and women safe.

In His Service,
Reid Allen, Ret USAF

Thank you for your comments, Reid. And thanks most of all for your service.

Jay
 
Thanks for all the positive responses. That is exactly why I make knives, so I can share the enjoyment. I've been out of town for a week acquiring new materials, so be sure to check my site for the list and new knives!

Jay
 
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