The GUNTING!!!

Driscoll · May 14, 2000

Alright, from what I've read there's lots of interest and various levels of understanding/knowledge concerning the Gunting, so hopefully we can clear up a few things, ask away!

Just a few basics:

The knife designer is Bram Frank.
Are Training Tapes available? Yes!! very soon to be released!
The Gunting is being manufactured by Spyderco.
Where can I see a pic of it? http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum35/HTML/000288.html
That last link can probably answer quite a few questions as well.

How much is it going to cost? Around $150

That's just a few, feel free to ask anything!

I heard people remark that the Gunting is a "special purpose knife", let me be the first to agree and disagree, the Gunting will do anything that any other knife of equal size will do, then it will do a whole universe of things they can't, if fact I'll go far enough to say that will do things that no other knife has been able to do, ever. One of the most obvious is the Kinetic Opening.

I've also heard people say that you have to know "this" or "that", art/system/whatever to use it effectivly. Not true!! Anyone that trains with a knife can use the Gunting, I've seen people with massivly different style pick one up and once they learn a few easy basics can translate it into thier stuff with ease. It's all common sense, and practical.

Now for my personal opinion: It's my favorite knife, totally unbelievable the things you can do with it. I haven't even scratched the surface of all it's applications. And that's just it's use, the knife itself is well made, incorporated with many user friendly features. In short, I have nothing bad to say about the Gunting.

Let the quesitons begin!

Driscoll

[This message has been edited by Driscoll (edited 05-14-2000).]

edrozen · May 14, 2000

Let me just ask, in what capacity are you respenting the Gunting? Are you a friend of the designer? A martial artist/ knife reviewer that has gotten his hands on the knife, or are you A Spyderco representative? Just curious. Thanks.

Also, you claim that this knife will be able to do thing that no other knife has ever been able to do. Please elaborate. thanks.

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EdRozen - On the cutting edge of finding out what the cutting edge is.....

[This message has been edited by edrozen (edited 05-14-2000).]

Crayola · May 14, 2000

Will the knife be packaged with the training tape?

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"Come What May..."

bart · May 14, 2000

I thought REKAT made this. Guees I missed something.

-Bart

BRAM · May 15, 2000

My original design was made for a time by them. No longer. The new improved version the GUNTING is made by SPYDERCO.Look for it at the upcoming Blade Show!
Thanks "MR Driscoll" for using and reviewing the knife!

osvaldo · May 15, 2000

Edrozen:
I don't know if Mr. Driscoll is Bram's friend or if he is a Spy representive but I can sure you that I'm not any of this thigs (well, I'm a "friend" of Bram due to I meet him in a tape of video and he has answered me a pair of emails), and I love the Gunting Knife.
I think like Driscoll but my bad english don't allow me to explain all that I think about this lovely knife. Please, read Driscoll's Post and believe all that he has wrote.

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"Sea el cuchillo el que cae sobre el melón, o el melón el que caiga sobre el cuchillo, el que siempre sale perdiendo es el melón".
Un abrazo desde España.
Osvaldo.

Driscoll · May 15, 2000

edrozen,

Yes, I'm a friend and student of Bram's, as well as a certified Gunting Instructor. Bram has given me the opurtunity to play with/test out the proto-types, and I have been around the design since the days of the older (obsolete) model, the Escalator. No, I do not represent Spyderco. With all these things one might think I have a biased opinion, which is why I'm clear to state what is "my" take, and what is fact. To say the least, as a martial artist I was extremly impressed with the design at my first exposure to it, before I met Bram.

Also, you asked about the unique features of the Gunting:

Are you familiar with the Kinetic Opening? If not, we can go into some detail.
The Gunting is also capable of all sorts of targeting, manipulation with pressure points, not to mention the sheer PAIN (pause while I shudder at the keyboard), it can cause.

Another thing although not really an "ability" of the knife, is the new lock developed my Spyderco.

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Crayola,

Will the tape be packaged with the knife?

Remains to be seen, I do know that the tape will be available for everyone. And will probably be packaged for specialized training (police, military, etc). As for the sale of every single knife, only time will tell. Although I doubt every Spyderco dealer will have a stock of tapes on hand.

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Ok, I just recieved an email saying:

"You said the gunting could do anything a knife of similar size could do. What about my skinning knife, its smaller than the Gunting and has a hook on the end. I can shuck a rabbit in no time....."

Story: During a flight over a secluded wilderness area my 747 began to plummet towards the earth. I immediatly applied the FEAR acronym (F**k Everthing And Run), grabbed the one and only chute and lept out the gaping hole in the side of the plane. During my peaceful drift to the ground I watched the plane crash into a mountain side in a hugh explosion. As soon as I landed I immediatly began to use my Gunting to apply pain control and pressure point manipulation to get all the little tree monkeys and bears to tell me where thier secret stash of nuts and berries were hidden. After gorging myself on the ill-gotten gains I started to "shuck" every rabbit in sight until I had the equivilant of a furry three-piece suit.............

Ok, let's be realistic, THERE WILL NEVER BE STORIES LIKE THIS! (probably), and I do concede the point somewhat. The knife in question is special purpose (rabbit shucker). No, the Gunting does not have a hook on the end for "shucking" rabbits. The Gunting is not a hunting knife, but yes, I guess you could use a Gunting to "shuck" a rabbit if you had to. So yes, it can do the same thing, you just can't "shuck" a rabbit as well with the Gunting as with an actual "rabbit shucker".

No I do not condone the hurting of animals in anyway, nor is the Gunting intended for any malicious/illegal actions.
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Oh yeah, something I forgot to mention, that original link I posted has MANY pics of the Gunting throughout the whole thread, showing the many different carries, and the holster. So please check them out.

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Osvaldo,

Thanks!!

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Hope I could be of help, thanks for asking.

Driscoll

[This message has been edited by Driscoll (edited 05-15-2000).]

Cliff Stamp · May 15, 2000

What is a kinetic opening? About the lock, how easy is it to engage/disengage. How secure is it? What about strength?

-Cliff

Sal Glesser · May 15, 2000

Cliff - I believe that two of the trainers are on their way to you now. There were some questions relating to the lock and reliability.

sal

Cliff Stamp · May 17, 2000

Thanks Sal, I look forward to working with them.

-Cliff

BRAM · May 16, 2000

Cliff, I believe the newest video on the GUNTING Volume #1 is on its way to you as well from George at VIDEO QUEST..It will show you all those cool openings ( Kinetic) and pressure point stuff etc,,ENJOY!

[This message has been edited by BRAM (edited 05-16-2000).]

Cliff Stamp · May 17, 2000

Thanks Bram, should be interesting.

-Cliff

Art M · May 17, 2000

Forgive my ignorance but can someone briefly explain to me the purpose and applications of the "hump" on the Gunting?

Thanks,

Art

BRAM · May 17, 2000

The HUMP as you call it is the "ramp" and its used for Nerve striking.. in such things as DTL..Detroy Trap & Lock..from Filipino martial arts, JuJitsu and Pressure point work...if the GUNTING is closed..
It( the ramp, can be used to kinetically open the knife, upon contact with the opponent, or used as a "SHO"-Ramp opener...
OK????

Art M · May 19, 2000

Thanks Bram! I sort of thought that's what the purpose of the ramp was but just wanted to be sure. I'm lookin forward to getting my hands on this knife as well as appropriate training.

Art

Sal Glesser · May 20, 2000

Bram demonstrated the Gunting to the Spyderco crew yesterday. They were favorably impressed.

sal

TRAV · May 20, 2000

So the big question is:

When will it be available?

It sounds like it will be released soon with the videos ready to order and the Blade Show coming up. Also, how does one become a certified Gunting Instructor?

-Travis

Sal Glesser · May 21, 2000

Travis - the knife is scheduled for 1 SEP 00 to begin delivery.

Regarding becoming a certified Gunting instructor, you have to contact Bram (Tactics forum - Common sense self defense)

sal

Sal Glesser · May 21, 2000

double post...sorry.

[This message has been edited by Sal Glesser (edited 05-26-2000).]

BRAM · May 22, 2000

well after much actual testing and abusing the GUNTING; we made several small changes. The trainer drone ( red G10)is now very smooth..no sharp edges! ( no points..same profile though..still hurts just no pieces or blood! LOL!)I can hear the sigh of relief from the group of willing victims! The CRMIPT ( Blue G10)is sharp edges-points and trainer drone blade..great for Self defense with no cutting!!and the GUNTING knife (black G10) itself is very very sharp! great for edged tool usage as well as other things.
ahh color coding for safety....
new breakway color coded holsters as well..
The guys at SPYDERCO are the best..