TEST: Emerson Persian vs. BM Bedlam 860. Kevlar test

Edwood7

Edwood7

Joined
Mar 31, 2010
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I carry a knife as a backup weapon, so any advantage my knife can give me is welcomed. A lot of the bad guys down here use body armor, so having a blade that can defeat body armor is something I look for in a blade.

I have edge weapons training and know about all the good un protected targets on the body, y also have enough experience to now that all that training sometimes goes out the window when you find yourself in an extreme CQC situation.

I recently got to met and talk to Mr. Ernest Emerson at the “California Custom Knife show”, he really is a very well versed combat instructor, experienced fighter and a genius knife maker. I show him the Bedlam 860 I carry, and he proceeded to explain to me the advantages that the Persian has over the Bedlam as far as penetrating heavy clothing or body armor.” This knife is made for people plain and simple” he told me. The only other knife I can compeer the tip of the Persian with is the Hissatsu folder.

Neutralizing an active attacker with a deep stab is what I go for in an extreme CQC type situation, so penetration is a very big factor for me. There are many opinions stabbing vs. slashing as a fight stopper.

This test is to compare stabbing capability against Kevlar.

I used a level IIIA Kevlar vest for this test. This vest is not made to protect against piercing weapons, but some knives penetrated deeper than others on it depending on the shape of the blade; imagine trying to stab a moving target or one that is actively attacking you, it’s harder than it seems. There is also this thin plastic coating that some of the newer vest have that actually do make it a bit harder to penetrate.

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I did a full force stab to the center of the vest using a reverse grip wile I supported the bottom of it.



First some info on the knives.





Benchmade Bedlam 860
Blade length: 3.95”
Overall length: 9.71”
Blade material: 154CM Stainless Steel
Blade style; Modified Bowie with Ambidextrous Thumb-Studs
Locking mechanism: Axis lock
Pocket Clip: Tip-Up, Reversible





Emerson Persian
Blade length: 4.10”
Overall length: 9.60”
Blade material: 154 CM
Blade style: Persian style, v grind blade
Locking mechanism: Titanium liner lock
Pocket Clip: Tip-Up

First up, the BM Bedlam 860.


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The knife itself felt very solid when it went through the vest, but I did feel the knife as it stopped mid stab, leaving only half of the blade inside the target.
Next up, the Emerson Persian.


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A very solid grip and feeling as it went through the vest, I did not feel any resistance at all as it went in, it only stopped going through because of the thumb stud.


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The Persian is the clear winner in this test; you can see the back of the vest in this picture. The top one is the Persian and the bottom one the Bedlam.

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They both are very good blades, I think the Bedlam is more of a multiple use knife, the Persian all weapon.
 
How did the knives compare in terms of your hand staying on the knife at impact? Thanks.
 
powernoodle said:
How did the knives compare in terms of your hand staying on the knife at impact? Thanks.
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The handle scales on the Persian are way better; they stick very well to your hand. The ones on the Bedlam are not as textured as the Persian, and you can feel the deference when you make contact with something like Kevlar.
 
Turbo Tension said:
Does the Bedlam still have the factory edge?
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Yes it does still have de factory edge, I don’t do much utility cutting with it, and I try to use it only as a weapon (specialized weapons deserve that respect, so they work when you need them). I have a small case knife for utility.
 
I'm curious to know how the Gentleman Jim would stand up in the same test, considering the extremely sharp point it has. If by chance you can get a hold of one, I would really like to see how it performs against the same Kevlar.

Thanks for the demonstration!
 
For max penetration have you tried something like the ti-lite? Straight up stabbing is what you want I would think a dagger style knife would be better but I could be totally wrong plus the deployment speed with the ti-lite from pocket is nuts.
 
There's a fixed blade Persian out there too, but that's even rarer than a folding one :)

The Persians are sure nice... just not the sort of thing to open mail and boxes with!! (which is why I sold my folder)
 
socaliowa said:
For max penetration have you tried something like the ti-lite? Straight up stabbing is what you want I would think a dagger style knife would be better but I could be totally wrong plus the deployment speed with the ti-lite from pocket is nuts.
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Well... it was recently discussed somewhere around here that the Persian blade style actually is more efficient at penetrating materials than a straight blade, since its curve allows the blade's movement to follow the natural arc of the hand/arm's movement. Makes sense to me; try it out for yourself... it's kinda difficult to "stab" in a perfectly straight line.
 
Thanks Edwood7.
Good work and very informational, Makes me want a Persian even more.:thumbup:
 
mucho respecto for taking the time and effort to show off both knifes. And using some real armor, props to you good sir, props indeed. Persian is all business.
 
I don't think even Benchmade Black Class knives are as "Black" as your average Emerson haha... thanks for the thread man that test couldn't have been cheap!
 
Chris_Himself said:
I don't think even Benchmade Black Class knives are as "Black" as your average Emerson haha... thanks for the thread man that test couldn't have been cheap!
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Pretty much any Agency (Military & LE) rotate ballistic vests out (Mine does it every 4-5 yrs, others may be different, but probably only a yr or so). So, if the knives are ones the OP already owns, it shouldn't be that expensive. Of course, there's always the chance the knives might break during testing. However, my guess would be that Mr. Emerson would warranty his knife considering the circumstances. I also talked to Mr. Emerson at length during that custom knife show as well as prior (Training) & he's always been very supportive of Military/LE & their use of his knives. I can't speak for BM, personally.
 
I have been looking for an Emerson Persian but I have not been able to find many, has anyone had any experience with the Spyderco Persian? The small version is more in with he CCW laws in my state, and is a little cheaper.
 
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