Tactical Knives of the 90's

"Thetactical knife is a knife with one or more military features designed for use in extreme situations, which may or may not include a design capability as a fighting or combat weapon."
Not sure of many folders I'd really put in this category.
 
To me, the personification of 90s era tactical knives is any Emerson
(Yes, even the modern day ones.)

Design, build quality, steel, fasteners, fit&finish, nothing screams "I'm sticking with the early 90s forever!" quite like an Emerson.
 
I still have my Applegate-Fairbairn Combat Folder that I bought working on base in Fairbanks back in the 90's. Considering the history of the design, I think this fits the OP.
 
i would go so far in saying that the benchmade emerson cqc 7 was THE production tactical folder.
but eventually not everyone clamored for a one sided chisel amarican tanto.
post emerson benchmade was the elishewitz benchmade stryker.
there were many collaborations from spyderco.
but Anthony Marfione's Microtech SOCOM brought about a whole new level of finess.
Not to be outdone, Blackhawk Knives CQD was just as awesome..
The 90's saw the raise of many fine but rather expensive folders.
 
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Yes. The Socom was a proper end to the 90s.
 
I remember a few of them. I tried some and liked some features and disliked others as it turned out. The expensive and fabled Specwar made of ATS 34 and marveled over in magazines of the day. Didn't turn out so well. ATS 34 was the first "super steel" and we now know the high carbide stainless knives aren't always best for hard use with large knives. The Specwar was actually not large though but it sure didn't do anything for me except hold it's value . Probably still does though we have much better knives now.

Benchmade CQC 7. Large and small. Even a Ti variant with a carbide edge IIRC. I had the large one in ATS 34. It looked cool but not much else. I actually liked my old Imperial Jackmaster 803 Barlow in carbon steel better. I believe it was $120-140 back then. Not small change to a lowly state employee like me.

Benchmade Bogazewski ( spelling) "Spike". I had the large one. ATS 34 and a little more useful than the CQC7 but not enough to keep. Sold that after a few years of not much use. I liked my Schrade Old Timer 340T better.

There were many others and likely will be more as long as I have the ability. In 1992 I bought my first Spyderco Endura ( G2 = Gin 1= moreorless same as BD1) for $30 at a gun show. That found a home and I have carried one since then though my current one might be in Hap 40 or Super blue, or maybe Vg10 or ZDP 189 even. I still have the first and it still works great. The Endura(s) remain a constant and it became my reference standard for new designs. If a new knife can get pocket time along with or in place of my Endura it's a success . I still like the old Imperials and Old Timers and still carry them. I fight with other Ebayers for choice NIB NOS models paying now what I could have bought several or a box of them for back in the 70's or 80's. I have a display box of Jackmasters from the 70's ( bought empty on Ebay and filled it with knives from my collection that are pretty enough to look like they did from the factory in 1978) that has the old prices next to the knives. I think the average is about $3.59 on the sticker. What a fun but horribly expensive ride this knife collecting hobby has been since I began collecting knives in the 60's.

Who ever cleans up my estate will find boxes of old corroded, pitted and over sharpened knives they will have to deal with. Should have spent the money on booze and hookers! Heh!

Joe
 
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Charlie Mike said:
BM970
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Hell yeah. Large and heavy because it's full of AWESOME.

Rode proud in the pocket of my torn denim jeans, which came pre-ripped off the rack in the day.

When I got out of the Navy I was gonna buy me a 970, or a Nintendo 64, or an Acura NSX.

I made the right choice. Really enjoyed that SpecWar... should buy me another one really.
 
Cold Steel Tanto Voyager
Benchmade Spike
Spyderco Endura and Delica (they were so tactical they had trainers)
Spyderco Civilian I believe dates to the 90s

Some attribute the tactical folder's birth to the Buck 110 which came in the 1960s. It might have been marketed as a hunting knife, but it was not used that way. Where I was from, it was a "biker's" knife.
 
I always thought the chunky Emerson handles was dated, makes sense if they originated in the 90s.

Can't believe the Delica was considered "tactical", I always wondered why they had trainers! :D
 
Benchmande+Emerson%2C+AFCK+and+Spyderco+Millie
 
Something in my lane since I served in the Army during the 90s.

Production Folders
The Benchmade 970 is probably the most well known. The book "Rogue Warrior" played a big part in popularizing any knife made by Ernest Emerson. The Benchmade AFCK was another popular model. The Spyderco Endura & Delica were popular on base, along with the Cold Steel Voyager, mostly due to being less expensive than the Benchmade knives. I also saw a lot of the Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn folders, again mostly due to price. Lots of Gerber Gators and Buck 110s were still spotted. The Microtech knives I saw were few and far between, but they were sweet and I wanted one badly. My 1st Platoon leader carried an Al Mar SERE folder his parents had given him upon completion of Ranger school.

Production Fixed Blades
I saw a lot of Ka-Bar pattern knives along with the Camilius/Ontario issue Pilot's Knife. I had a Ontario Spec-war Pilot's Knife as my beater field knife. The Glock field knives were pretty popular too.

Custom Knives
Most times I saw a custom knife it was a Randall fixed blade of some sort. Usually it was one of the guys in 5th SFG. SF Medic I knew owned 2 - one was awarded to him by the unit for completing a language course. Funny thing is he usually took Ka-Bars or Glock field knives on deployment and used them as trade barter for locally made stuff. Saw a couple (maybe 2?) of Emerson folders - again SF guys. Saw an old EK knife that had been handed down in the family. I also saw a couple of Newt Livesay knives - mostly his Woo Necker.

I rotated through a Spyderco Delica & Remote Release, and a Benchmade 970 for folders. Briefly carried a Paragon Auto until it accidentally opened in my pocket. Fixed blades I started with an Al Mar Warrior, then a Ka-Bar till I broke it, then an Ontario Spec Plus Pilot's Knife, then downsized even more to a Bob Dozier Agent. There was a SAK Huntsman and a Gerber & SOG multi-tool put to quite a bit of use. Various other Spyderco & Benchmade folders passed through, but did not stay as long as those mentioned.
 
Great post Halfneck Halfneck , makes me miss the 90s!!
Halfneck said:
Something in my lane since I served in the Army during the 90s.

Production Folders
The Benchmade 970 is probably the most well known. The book "Rogue Warrior" played a big part in popularizing any knife made by Ernest Emerson. The Benchmade AFCK was another popular model. The Spyderco Endura & Delica were popular on base, along with the Cold Steel Voyager, mostly due to being less expensive than the Benchmade knives. I also saw a lot of the Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn folders, again mostly due to price. Lots of Gerber Gators and Buck 110s were still spotted. The Microtech knives I saw were few and far between, but they were sweet and I wanted one badly. My 1st Platoon leader carried an Al Mar SERE folder his parents had given him upon completion of Ranger school.

Production Fixed Blades
I saw a lot of Ka-Bar pattern knives along with the Camilius/Ontario issue Pilot's Knife. I had a Ontario Spec-war Pilot's Knife as my beater field knife. The Glock field knives were pretty popular too.

Custom Knives
Most times I saw a custom knife it was a Randall fixed blade of some sort. Usually it was one of the guys in 5th SFG. SF Medic I knew owned 2 - one was awarded to him by the unit for completing a language course. Funny thing is he usually took Ka-Bars or Glock field knives on deployment and used them as trade barter for locally made stuff. Saw a couple (maybe 2?) of Emerson folders - again SF guys. Saw an old EK knife that had been handed down in the family. I also saw a couple of Newt Livesay knives - mostly his Woo Necker.

I rotated through a Spyderco Delica & Remote Release, and a Benchmade 970 for folders. Briefly carried a Paragon Auto until it accidentally opened in my pocket. Fixed blades I started with an Al Mar Warrior, then a Ka-Bar till I broke it, then an Ontario Spec Plus Pilot's Knife, then downsized even more to a Bob Dozier Agent. There was a SAK Huntsman and a Gerber & SOG multi-tool put to quite a bit of use. Various other Spyderco & Benchmade folders passed through, but did not stay as long as those mentioned.
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Buck/Strider 880. Spear point or tanto. I carried an 880 spear point for over 10 years in my waist band.

The other edc was my Spyderco Military in 440. Bought in 96 for the duty in the Atlanta Olympics. 880 was for regular knife tasks. Millie's was serrated, seatbeltst/people.
 
REKAT/Pat Crawford Carnivore Cub.I might be cheating here and be stepping into the year 2000 but the Buck 885 Taclite is an honorable mention as well.
 
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