Synthetic knives: good or bad ?

D

Devilmutt

Joined
Nov 30, 1999
Messages
29


Does anyone have any experience with synthetic material knives? Such as carbon fiber or various plastics? Are they worth anything at all in terms of use? I've been looking at one purely for self defense. Am I wasting my money?



------------------
Mutt

Indeed, if thou hurteth in thy efforts and thou
suffer painful dings, then thou art Doing It Right
RW
 
Carbon fiber doesnt make a realknife, now
G10 makes an ok knife.

I have one of Mad Dogs non metallic knives,
and have no complaints.

I'm getting a couple of the G10 knives
being made by a bladeforums member, and
am awaiting their delivery.
 
The only justification I can see for knives made from synthetic materials is that they allow you to break the law with a lessened chance of being caught. If you DO get caught, you are not going to talk your way out by acting indignantly and crying "its a tool".
No way you are going to convince the law that it is usefull for anything other than stabbing flesh.
That is not to say that I would not consider carrying one of mine under extreme circumstances....but I would ,probably. carry my ceramic MD Operator in that case. It is more like a real knife.

Note: I do not regard ceramics and Talonite as "synthetic materials" ...more "alternative materials".

------------------
BrianWE
ICQ #21525343


 

Brian,

I'm not worried about breaking the law. I've a little chunk of metal in my wallet that covers that problem. I am just looking into light weight, and concealment and price. My only intent is as an emergency weapon. And to Unholy pirate, G-10 as a material? Sounds interesting? Who makes them in here?

Thanks




------------------
Mutt

Indeed, if thou hurteth in thy efforts and thou
suffer painful dings, then thou art Doing It Right
RW
 
The $5 zytel (glass-filled nylon) daggers will not cut anything (especially not a seat belt) but they are serviceable thrusting weapons. They will cut meat to some extent after they are thrust into it. IMHO the Cold Steel Delta Dart is the best of that lot; a triangular stiletto works as well in zytel as in steel (a steel one won't cut either, angles too blunt), and the handle sticking out of your pocket looks like a pen.

The G-10 and carbon fiber knives will cut seat belts and clothing as well as meat, and they can penetrate bone. They dull too quickly to be utility knives.

Even the Delta Dart works fine as a letter opener. They are also good tent pegs for hard ground, and can be hammered into a tree and tied to, though I'd rather tie directly to the tree as a rule.

-Cougar Allen :{)


[This message has been edited by Cougar Allen (edited 13 December 1999).]
 
I emailed Newt Livesay about his NRG synthetic neck knives, and he said that they wouldn't really cut, but the would do lots of damage to an animal. Basically you thrust the NRG blade into the animal and twist and the blade breaks off in the animal, creating a very wicked wound. If that is your purpose, then I would recommend looking into those knives.

~Mitch
 
Devilmut, send me private email, as I dont
have the gentlemans addy handy right here,
but he's in New York, there was a thread here on bladeforums about them, and he has a website (I dont have the URL anylonger),
but I do have his email addy at home.

Nice guy, will make changes you request...
 
Ho, Evil Canine :

Have a look at the Beretta ad on page 2 of Tac Knives for Jan 2000
It is a Tanto folder...carbon fibre with a thin sheet of sharpened VG10 steel bonded to the carbon fibre blade.....
combines the light weight of carbon fibre with a blade that should, actually cut.
Probably will trip security detectors but your "piece of metal" should fix that.
But I concur with C Allen on the Delta Dart. Light weight, fairly decent stabber and disposable. I imagine some Departments might have "moral" objections to a piece designed to stab and, absolutely, nothing else.
I have one for interest's sake. Don't even consider a CAT tanto by CS.....useless and too large for a real hideout weapon IMO.

------------------
BrianWE
ICQ #21525343


 
Hi Devil....

I'm going to have to agree with Brian on this one...

Plastic blades really serve only one purpose and that is to kill. They are usually only made to do the job once or twice and thats it...Just like Newts plastic type knives,, they are made to stab, then break off inside increasing the severity of the wound.

They are designed to go through metal dectection devices without fear of setting them off,, and for a reason. Last ditch effort or something..

Just like Brian said,,if you get caught with it, you won't be able to talk your way out of it,,because it has no other purpose than to kill.
Here in Canada,, you will go to jail if you are caught with it. Because of the fact it has no particular value as anything. It would be like having a sharpened nail inbeded into a wooden handle,, inmates call them Shiv's!

I've got a few kicking around and do make non mattallic rigs for them,, but don't sell them to the general public for this very reason...

ttyle Eric...

------------------
Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom made, High Quality
Concealex Sheaths and Tool Holsters
Canada's Only Custom Concealex Shop!

 
I disagree with some of the sentiments expressed in this thread. IMHO they have no other purposes but self-defense and emergency cutting of seat belts etc. Of course they can be used to murder. So can a lot of other things that weren't designed for murder ... typewriters, ballpoint pens, ashtrays, newspapers....

They can be used to open letters, too, and I suspect that's what the vast majority of them are used for, but that's beside the point.

-Cougar Allen :{)

P.S. I'm reminded of a tag line I wrote for rec.guns:

First they came for the machine guns and sawed-off shotguns, and I said nothing because I didn't own a machine gun or a sawed-off shotgun ...
 
Cougar...

Agreed...

But...
smile.gif
smile.gif

Over here in Canada,, we'd be talking a Offensive,,if not Prohibited weapon...

Different for you guys I suspect,,but maybe not if it's carried in a rig,,depends where you are and what you are doing at the time I guess..

As for self defense,,why carry plastic,,when you can carry razor sharp steel..? In a case like that, weight is irrelevant IMHO,, unless you are talking pounds...

ttyle Eric...

------------------
Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom made, High Quality
Concealex Sheaths and Tool Holsters
Canada's Only Custom Concealex Shop!

 
"why carry plastic"

If you have to ask, the answer is, "No reason at all." If you had a reason to carry plastic instead of steel you would know it already....

-Cougar Allen :{)
--------------------------------------
This post is not merely the author's opinions; it is
the trrrrrruth. This post is intended to cause dissension and unrest and upset people, and ultimately drive them mad. Please do not misinterpret my intentions in posting this.


[This message has been edited by Cougar Allen (edited 14 December 1999).]
 
I don't see any advantage to the G-10 knives except for metal detectors, and they are very cheap. If you want a solid using knife that will actually cut, go for steel. Not all well built knives are heavy. My "Patrolman" for example is just 2.5 ounces or about 3 ounces in the sheath. I am sure there are many other well built knives in the 7.25" size range that are just as light.

Good luck, and stay safe,

------------------
Lynn Griffith-Knifemaker

My website
GriffithKN@aol.com


 
When speaking of the wicked wounding of a plastic knife... why would one of Newt's knives broken off inside flesh be any worse than a nice, hi-velocity bullet imbedded in one's intestines?

------------------
"Absolute safety is for those who don't have the balls to live in the real world."
St. Mary's County, Republik of Marilundt

 
Hi Rock...

First off we are talking knives,, not guns..

Secondly a chunk of plastic broken off inside, will do more damage...

Other than that,,I don't know,, ask Newt...

ttyle Eric....

------------------
Eric E. Noeldechen
On/Scene Tactical
http://www.mnsi.net/~nbtnoel
Custom made, High Quality
Concealex Sheaths and Tool Holsters
Canada's Only Custom Concealex Shop!

 
The only reason I would carry a G-10 knife would be while traveling via air. Security people in certain airports will give you a lot of grief over your folder. Sometimes it's just easier to have something they aren't going to know about, and thus not hassle you over. I have an Emerson Ti La Griffe, but have yet to test it with a metal detector. Just my opinions...G-10 and carbon fiber knives DO have a purpose, but it is a very limited one.

"Steel is real. Plastic is...recyclable?"

------------------
"They sicken of the calm, who know the storm."
RFrost5746@aol.com or Robert_Frost@risknetworldwide.com

 
rfrost

If the La Griffe Ti is titanium, don't test it on a detector where you are not supposed to have a knife.....real METAL detectors will find it. Titanium's non-magnetic capability will not hide it.



------------------
BrianWE
ICQ #21525343


 
OK, so why will a synthetic knife broken off inside you be any worse than the same size knife inserted and extracted? In either case I'm assuming that you are going to have to have emergency care to repair the damage, something more than just 'taping' over the slice. Also, I have been told, and read, that if you impaled on something (for whatever reason), leave it for the surgeons to remove. Don't just pull it out yourself. With this in mind, wouldn't a broken-off blade follow the same principle.

I'm not trying to be contrary or challenging. I just want to know why it's worse.

------------------
"Absolute safety is for those who don't have the balls to live in the real world."
St. Mary's County, Republik of Marilundt

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top