- Joined
- Apr 29, 2013
- Messages
- 143
Hello all,
I am in the market hopefully soon for a new tactical knife. Let me be the first to say I don't like the term "tactical" when it comes to a knife, the style and looks of the knife that I like gets lumped in that category.
My requirements:
Heavy knife. I have a Gerber F.A.S.T. 06. I have handled a few kershaws and some cheap smith and wessons and they just feel light compared to the Gerber. I am a big guy and like a heavy knife. Lightweight may not always mean cheap or poor quality, but it feels like it to me.
Assisted opening. Must have. I like it and even with a smooth thumb opening manual I like spring assist better. I do a lot of activities that I need to open the knife with one hand and its much easier doing it without having to move my entire hand or without worrying about it not opening all the way with a manual thumb stud. Must be spring assist and that must be a stout spring assist. The gerber's spring is a bit weak compared with others.
Color must be black. Not only do I like black knives for the looks, I wear either dark blue or black pants for work. I don't want it to stick out like a sore thumb.
Blade style, I like tanto. Not only will this be my edc, but it will be, while at work and just out and about, my only piece of self defense past my hands. I work in a secured facility that does not allow firearms, even from carry permit holders. We are not even allowed to have them in our cars, so when on the road to and from work and at work this knife will be all I have past what I have in my bag. I don't anticipate any problems at my work, but you never know. I also work about 3 blocks from a very shady part of town. Some late nights lend themselves to robberies in the area and I want something that can be in hand at a moments notice. So on to my next requirement...
Steel. I would like something that is a good steel that retains edge but also has some strength to it. The Gerber I have seems like it needs to be sharpened way too much. It is greatly noted to have a mystery steel, and from what I can tell it must not be that good.
Grip. It must have some good grip. I have recently bought a cold steel GI tanto and the handle on it is horrible. I tried to paracord wrap it and that only helped a little. I ended up wrapping it with tennis racket grip tape. That works very well. I don't need it to be that sticky, but I do want something that isn't plastic. The g10 I have handled on various knives seems to be acceptable.
Size. Blade 4" or shorter. Handle about the same. I am a big guy at 6'4 and about 280 lbs so I can handle a big knife.
Price. This is not something I am in a huge rush to get. I work in a government job that isn't that high of a salary so I don't want to spend over $200 if at all possible. Unlike a lot of people on this forum I will have to work a bit of overtime to convince the wife of spending that much on a knife.
Also I would rather it have a side safety. The Gerber I have is very easy to open as well as close one handed without much chance of cutting fingers while closing. I like being able to close one handed also.
I do like zero tolerance knives, but am not opposed to something else.
I am in the market hopefully soon for a new tactical knife. Let me be the first to say I don't like the term "tactical" when it comes to a knife, the style and looks of the knife that I like gets lumped in that category.
My requirements:
Heavy knife. I have a Gerber F.A.S.T. 06. I have handled a few kershaws and some cheap smith and wessons and they just feel light compared to the Gerber. I am a big guy and like a heavy knife. Lightweight may not always mean cheap or poor quality, but it feels like it to me.
Assisted opening. Must have. I like it and even with a smooth thumb opening manual I like spring assist better. I do a lot of activities that I need to open the knife with one hand and its much easier doing it without having to move my entire hand or without worrying about it not opening all the way with a manual thumb stud. Must be spring assist and that must be a stout spring assist. The gerber's spring is a bit weak compared with others.
Color must be black. Not only do I like black knives for the looks, I wear either dark blue or black pants for work. I don't want it to stick out like a sore thumb.
Blade style, I like tanto. Not only will this be my edc, but it will be, while at work and just out and about, my only piece of self defense past my hands. I work in a secured facility that does not allow firearms, even from carry permit holders. We are not even allowed to have them in our cars, so when on the road to and from work and at work this knife will be all I have past what I have in my bag. I don't anticipate any problems at my work, but you never know. I also work about 3 blocks from a very shady part of town. Some late nights lend themselves to robberies in the area and I want something that can be in hand at a moments notice. So on to my next requirement...
Steel. I would like something that is a good steel that retains edge but also has some strength to it. The Gerber I have seems like it needs to be sharpened way too much. It is greatly noted to have a mystery steel, and from what I can tell it must not be that good.
Grip. It must have some good grip. I have recently bought a cold steel GI tanto and the handle on it is horrible. I tried to paracord wrap it and that only helped a little. I ended up wrapping it with tennis racket grip tape. That works very well. I don't need it to be that sticky, but I do want something that isn't plastic. The g10 I have handled on various knives seems to be acceptable.
Size. Blade 4" or shorter. Handle about the same. I am a big guy at 6'4 and about 280 lbs so I can handle a big knife.
Price. This is not something I am in a huge rush to get. I work in a government job that isn't that high of a salary so I don't want to spend over $200 if at all possible. Unlike a lot of people on this forum I will have to work a bit of overtime to convince the wife of spending that much on a knife.
Also I would rather it have a side safety. The Gerber I have is very easy to open as well as close one handed without much chance of cutting fingers while closing. I like being able to close one handed also.
I do like zero tolerance knives, but am not opposed to something else.
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