Recommendations for “mean” knives

[brancron]

A new mean knife just arrived yesterday (Spyderco Massad Ayoob, pictured with a folder by Walter Wells):

 

[luethge]

A new mean knife just arrived yesterday (Spyderco Massad Ayoob, pictured with a folder by Walter Wells):

View attachment 1987556

Those are both great. That wells is beautiful! Looks like a great Utility knife

 

[brancron]

Those are both great. That wells is beautiful! Looks like a great Utility knife

Thanks! The Wells is a special one to me because I got to work with him on the design. I also had the crazy idea of using the thinnest stock of steel it was possible to buy, and he obliged me. It is .044” M2 steel at around 64 Rc with a full flat grind. Thinner than an Opinel! It cuts like a laser.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

Thanks! The Wells is a special one to me because I got to work with him on the design. I also had the crazy idea of using the thinnest stock of steel it was possible to buy, and he obliged me. It is .044” M2 steel at around 64 Rc with a full flat grind. Thinner than an Opinel! It cuts like a laser.

Now, I just love it More!!!

 

[King of the Cheese]

View attachment 1984422

Sugary sweets will kill ya!

 

[kwackster]

The Emerson Elvia.
Can't say that i find it particularly beautiful, but it definitely scores very high in the "mean" category.

https://emersonknives.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Elvia-4.jpg

 

[Jeeeen!]

Matriarch2

https://imgur.com/HDUfaLI

 

[Cwilliams563]

My meanest looking knives I own.

I used to carry my Harpy quite a bit, it is very handy utility wise and makes quick work of rope and straps.

Actual scariest (if I had to use to defend myself) is my Civilian or my Ruko-Fox Kermabit. Albeit it is a Kerambit, it is a scary knife and crazy sharp with its hollow grind and shape. Somehow I just cut myself by slightly grazing the blade by accident

 

[Owen K.]

I don’t know why, but recently I’ve taken a liking to “mean” knives, for no particular reason than that I like them. I don't carry them for self-defense really, I just think they're fun.

So far I've got a growing Spyderco Matriarch collection, and have a Spyderco Massad Ayoob and Civilian on the way. Any recommendations along these lines would be greatly appreciated.

These three Spyderco models are certainly special purpose knives designed for causing bodily harm, but I wouldn't necessarily characterize them as "tactical" if you know what I mean. I am not a fan of overbuilt, chunky tactical knives in general. And I've always disliked karambits for some reason. I don't know if these rambling thoughts will make sense to anyone, but hopefully someone knows what I'm getting at!

Ideally, 5 ounces would be at my upper limit as far as weight goes.

Just for fun, here's a family photo:

Dont know how much it weighs but the spyderco yojimbo 2 is nasty.

 

[sharp_edge]

Should get a rambo fixed blade. Those hawk bill tips especially the spyderco ones look to fragile to me rather than intimidating.

 

[Tafkaag]

Should get a rambo fixed blade. Those hawk bill tips especially the spyderco ones look to fragile to me rather than intimidating.

Maybe not, unless you were joking and obliquely referencing these videos:

 

[GB940Rookie]

How about the Spartan.

 

[mrfields]

this is the only mean one i have on me right now, an old benchmade 910. i can’t remember how much if weighs but it feels nice & light with the ti liners & all

 

[craytab]

My recommendation was going to be the spyderhawk but it looks like you already have one. I doubt it is within your weight limit but the bedlam is a mean looking blade!

 

[POCEH KOCEB]

My first choice would be the Black Talon, closely followed by the (serrated) Bedlam, Talwar, Vaquero, Voyager XL Kris blade and any of the large Espada… I understand that most of those are CS models, naturally they may be slightly heavier for your taste but they are some mean (and useful) mofos…
Being nuts about Tantos, I would offer the IMO meanest Custom series of CS, the little bit more heavier and expensive Black Sable…

It will go great with other CS models as the XL Espada and Talwar, also the Hatamoto, all brutal models.
‘If you not familiar, Hatamoto is second from the top, alone with other sort of “mean” models

Congrats for the Ayoub model, very nice knife and he is also a good guy, I know him from the GT forum for years.
‘They are of course very many other models, some already mentioned here as the Yojimbo, maybe the Emerson’s Seax and so on.
‘Good luck, I hope you’ll find a mean knife I’m not familiar with, so I can at least check the pictures ha, ha ha

 

[Herr geiser]

I've been carrying a toor karsumba in the woods for a few months
Bought it because i was struggling to get excited about more normal knives I've had so many...
But it's actually much more useful than i thought it would be... might do a full review and cut demo test etc when i havetime!