- Joined
- Dec 18, 2009
- Messages
- 248
I carry A Spyderco Endura 4 FFG with a Ziptie wave mod for SD (though it kills more oranges than bad guys)
My criteria is 3 and 1/2 inch blade minimum, 4 inches optimum and >4 inches preferred.
As for something that I would actually carry for both SD purpose and utility I find that a 4 inch blade suits best, anything bigger would be too big for utility and anything smaller is not big enough IMO for SD.
If I know i'm going into a fight knife vs gun or knife vs knife would I like to carry a Rajah or Espada? Yeah, will I have it? Probebly not.
The Endura 4 is basically perfect especially if you get the G10 Version. Light weight, 4 position pocket clip to suit anyone deployment style. Spyderhole allows for wave modification via ziptie or grinding. Steel liners give side to side rigidity. Fast deploying, thumb hole is better for high stress deployment IMO then thumb studs. Stronger lock than liner locks (lock back). and good jimping and ergonomics for reverse and saber grip.
My only gripes would probably be that the blade shape is not as optimal for slash cuts as other traditional designs. If you look at the curvature of an Endura, it's 75% warren cliff and 25% drop point in its belly. It's a very heavy drop that doesn't give it that much belly or curvature.
To make it simple this is what you should look for.
If your looking for a pure fighter it's easy, go for an Emerson Karambit or a Spyderco Civilian, any of those hawkbill style blades are DEVESTATING in a slash, but offer low utility at a heavy weight cost. Tantos are also not bad like the XL Voyager in Tanto by Cold Steel.
If you want an EDC Self Defence utility knife look (which IMO is basically what most people would actually CARRY) these are my opinions.
Ergonomics
Assisted Openings: Anything that lessens the chance of you half way opening the blade is a plus. If you try to pull out your blade and open it traditionally under stress you'll find about 25% of the time you'll mess up your deployment (on a spyderco Endura anways) it'll half way open and you'll have to flick out the rest. NOT GOOD. Assisted openings help lessen that a lot.
Jimping: I think jimping is REALLY exaggerated by people like Nutnfancy, a SD knife doesnt live or die by the existance of jimping. Under that stress your griping the knife so hard that the chances of you coming forward from stabbing into flesh is basically impossible unless you got real butter fingers. But it's nice to have if you prefer the sabre grip (thumb on top) Some also say "Well what if you stab a brick wall?" Then the chances of you going straight dead on is basically none, your going to deflect off the wall and the energy is going somewhere else. Plus a Sabre grip is a less secure grip that might cause your blade to come off your hand. Not good. Though if it has it then get it. I find Benchmade's jimping to be antiquity if you bear down on it, it's functional unlike what Nutnfancy keeps saying >.>
Handle scales; Again oversold but I'll take it wherever I can. I like my FRN texturing on my endura but I really love the fine G10 of a Military. I'd say avoid the chinese cheap G10 found on the Byrd and Tenacious, they dont give you a lot of traction and IMO they feel uncomfortable.
Handle design: Make sure it feels comfortable if you grip it hard, and if you want, check if you can reverse grip it well. Steel liners are nice but not necessary. Take it if you can though but FRN is tough too.
Pocket clip: Make sure it keeps up to how you deploy blades naturally
Blade Shape: Sharp tip for piercing and belly for slashing. Important because you're going to go through clothing and perhaps heavy leather.
Blade Length: 3.5 or over in blade length is optimal
Blade Steel: Doesn't matter since it's an SD knife but for utility purposes as well I say 440C and above will do you fine, I wouldn't go ZDP-189 or any of those super hard steels except for CPM M4 since they are brittle and with a fine tip can snap during hard use. (YES I KNOW THE TESTS. They are still not as tough as other steels, if we're stabbing through and hitting bone with a delicate Spyderco Military style of tip, the side loading can possibly break the tip if not the blade)
Wave: At least have this as some sort of option. Spyderco blades make this attractive since the wave feature is modifiable using a zip tie. Of course emersons have this covered.
Contenders:
CS AK-47
Spyderco Endura, military, police, chinook
Emerson (almost all of them)
Benchmade 940, 710, 550, 741 (<3)
SOG Trident, Aegis, Flash 2
Kershaw: Blur, LAHAR(Still kinda big and wide), 302ZT
probably more but going to sleep.
My criteria is 3 and 1/2 inch blade minimum, 4 inches optimum and >4 inches preferred.
As for something that I would actually carry for both SD purpose and utility I find that a 4 inch blade suits best, anything bigger would be too big for utility and anything smaller is not big enough IMO for SD.
If I know i'm going into a fight knife vs gun or knife vs knife would I like to carry a Rajah or Espada? Yeah, will I have it? Probebly not.
The Endura 4 is basically perfect especially if you get the G10 Version. Light weight, 4 position pocket clip to suit anyone deployment style. Spyderhole allows for wave modification via ziptie or grinding. Steel liners give side to side rigidity. Fast deploying, thumb hole is better for high stress deployment IMO then thumb studs. Stronger lock than liner locks (lock back). and good jimping and ergonomics for reverse and saber grip.
My only gripes would probably be that the blade shape is not as optimal for slash cuts as other traditional designs. If you look at the curvature of an Endura, it's 75% warren cliff and 25% drop point in its belly. It's a very heavy drop that doesn't give it that much belly or curvature.
To make it simple this is what you should look for.
If your looking for a pure fighter it's easy, go for an Emerson Karambit or a Spyderco Civilian, any of those hawkbill style blades are DEVESTATING in a slash, but offer low utility at a heavy weight cost. Tantos are also not bad like the XL Voyager in Tanto by Cold Steel.
If you want an EDC Self Defence utility knife look (which IMO is basically what most people would actually CARRY) these are my opinions.
Ergonomics
Assisted Openings: Anything that lessens the chance of you half way opening the blade is a plus. If you try to pull out your blade and open it traditionally under stress you'll find about 25% of the time you'll mess up your deployment (on a spyderco Endura anways) it'll half way open and you'll have to flick out the rest. NOT GOOD. Assisted openings help lessen that a lot.
Jimping: I think jimping is REALLY exaggerated by people like Nutnfancy, a SD knife doesnt live or die by the existance of jimping. Under that stress your griping the knife so hard that the chances of you coming forward from stabbing into flesh is basically impossible unless you got real butter fingers. But it's nice to have if you prefer the sabre grip (thumb on top) Some also say "Well what if you stab a brick wall?" Then the chances of you going straight dead on is basically none, your going to deflect off the wall and the energy is going somewhere else. Plus a Sabre grip is a less secure grip that might cause your blade to come off your hand. Not good. Though if it has it then get it. I find Benchmade's jimping to be antiquity if you bear down on it, it's functional unlike what Nutnfancy keeps saying >.>
Handle scales; Again oversold but I'll take it wherever I can. I like my FRN texturing on my endura but I really love the fine G10 of a Military. I'd say avoid the chinese cheap G10 found on the Byrd and Tenacious, they dont give you a lot of traction and IMO they feel uncomfortable.
Handle design: Make sure it feels comfortable if you grip it hard, and if you want, check if you can reverse grip it well. Steel liners are nice but not necessary. Take it if you can though but FRN is tough too.
Pocket clip: Make sure it keeps up to how you deploy blades naturally
Blade Shape: Sharp tip for piercing and belly for slashing. Important because you're going to go through clothing and perhaps heavy leather.
Blade Length: 3.5 or over in blade length is optimal
Blade Steel: Doesn't matter since it's an SD knife but for utility purposes as well I say 440C and above will do you fine, I wouldn't go ZDP-189 or any of those super hard steels except for CPM M4 since they are brittle and with a fine tip can snap during hard use. (YES I KNOW THE TESTS. They are still not as tough as other steels, if we're stabbing through and hitting bone with a delicate Spyderco Military style of tip, the side loading can possibly break the tip if not the blade)
Wave: At least have this as some sort of option. Spyderco blades make this attractive since the wave feature is modifiable using a zip tie. Of course emersons have this covered.
Contenders:
CS AK-47
Spyderco Endura, military, police, chinook
Emerson (almost all of them)
Benchmade 940, 710, 550, 741 (<3)
SOG Trident, Aegis, Flash 2
Kershaw: Blur, LAHAR(Still kinda big and wide), 302ZT
probably more but going to sleep.
Although for the sake of the OP I will add that I would have to say that the particular knife I had on me, my normal edc, would be the knife that I would use. In this case it is a custom Mike Irie Tactical Model 11 with a 4.0" blade, but I would surely HATE to end up losing it to the police!!
