Traditional vs Tactical

One thing I see mentioned is "Tactical" is a name given to promote sales. Dare I say, wait for it, kind of like......"Bushcrafter"?
 
Traditional looks more simpler, do the job, and the designs have stood the test of time. They also catch my attention faster because they look old. I like a few tactical fixed blades, but they do have the looks of a classic (i.e. Randalls and Kabars and Eks) but to answer John's question, I think they are more utility or work knives rather than calling them tactical. For some reason, and just my opinion, when I hear the word tactical applied, I immediately think of tantos and different grinds and folders with modern high tech materials and latest locking mechanisms, and how bomb proof or this or that proof they are. I like the term utility knife a lot better than the term tactical. Just my two cents.
 
Tactical does not HAVE to be military, to me it just means built for a specific purpose or purposes.

If you look at it that way, and I am sure most people don't, then many traditional knives are tactical.

For instance, what is more tactic oriented than a Boy Scout Knife?

How about a Kephart? It was his tactical woods blade, no?

best

mqqn
 
mqqn said:
Tactical does not HAVE to be military, to me it just means built for a specific purpose or purposes.

If you look at it that way, and I am sure most people don't, then many traditional knives are tactical.

For instance, what is more tactic oriented than a Boy Scout Knife?

How about a Kephart? It was his tactical woods blade, no?

best

mqqn
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Bingo! I could not agree more!
 
I think that was one of the reasons the Randall Model One was called "The All Purpose Fighting Knife." It was not only designed as a fighting knife, it could be used for any number of purposes.
What could be more "tactical" than a Swiss Army Knife? It was designed for the military.
Just my opinions.
 
There, in my opinion, is a differene in Tactical and Martial.

Take the M1911 in it's original form. It was designed and used most successfully as a military arm, but most today would not consider it "tactical" because it lacks a light rail, cheese grater grips, night sights, extended controls, etc. That doesn't make it any less effective for it's intended use. It just doesn't fit the modern interpretation of "tactical".

I will qualify my opinion by saying that I think the over use of the word and concept of "tactical" has placed it just, in my mind, one step away from zombie hunting.
 
YoungCurmudgeon said:
There, in my opinion, is a differene in Tactical and Martial.

Take the M1911 in it's original form. It was designed and used most successfully as a military arm, but most today would not consider it "tactical" because it lacks a light rail, cheese grater grips, night sights, extended controls, etc. That doesn't make it any less effective for it's intended use. It just doesn't fit the modern interpretation of "tactical".

I will qualify my opinion by saying that I think the over use of the word and concept of "tactical" has placed it just, in my mind, one step away from zombie hunting.
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What are your feelings on the over use of the word and concept of "bushcraft knife?"
 
Perhaps "ALL PURPOSE FIGHTING FIGHTING KNIFE" means, it's for all kinds of fighting,(offense/defense, day/night, stealth/assault), as well as all types of foes.

Or maybe it was to indicate that you could use your Randall to kill a sentry quietly and then use your knife to open cans later?

Bo knows!
 
I have a Bushcraft knife that I use when I visit Great Britain, Australia and South Africa. For North American use I have some Woodscraft or Woodsman knives.

For South and Central America, it's just me and my Machete, until I reach the Pampas, then it's my Gaucho Knife.
 
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JK Knives said:
One thing I see mentioned is "Tactical" is a name given to promote sales. Dare I say, wait for it, kind of like......"Bushcrafter"?
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I think you have summed up a lot with that statement. Sheeple like labels and being told what they need rather than seeking out the truth for themselves.
 
JK Knives said:
What are your feelings on the over use of the word and concept of "bushcraft knife?"
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"Bushcraft" is the same thing to me, but doesn't illicit the same negative response and avoidance. To me bushcraft was what we called camping as a kid, cause we were to broke to have nice/fancy/good camping gear.
 
Exactly! I think most any knife can be used for any purpose without being labeled. I also hope that everyone has also figured out that I'm being argumentative to keep the discussion lively!
 
Well geeze guys your makin' me all self conscious about my tactical zombie hunting knives.:D I agree that tactical and bushcraft are just words that can realistically be applied to any knife.
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If I had a really strange urge [and a small amount of brain damage] I could carry this into the woods for splitting wood, making feather sticks, and other outdoor tasks and now it becomes a bushcraft knife. I do think however that there is a commonly accepted criteria for each. Tactical knives are usually in a modern steel with polymer based handle scales. Bushcraft knives are usually carbon steel and wood handled with a few exceptions like mora's.
 
Whenever this comes up, people on here get sucked into the very boxes they claim to think outside of.

"Tactical" does not mean "combat."
"Traditional does not mean "no fighting."

As for me, I prefer modern materials on a simple carbon blade with a medium stock for strength and high saber or full flat grind for cutting.

I'll use it for cutting things, relying on the toughness and ease of sharpening of the 1090 blade to do the work. A comfortable g10 handle will save me in worry and maintenance.

If I get attacked, I will use said knife to incapacitate my attacker through properly targeted SLICES. Since my goal is to survive, and not to kill the enemy, I don't need a "combat blade" to stab vital organs. I can accomplish the same directive with an Emerson or a box cutter.

Tactics are just that. Tactics. Therefore the label of "tactical" should just maybe apply to one's intended use, instead of intended knife.

Thx.
 
To me, tactical and bushcrafter are both marketing terms used to sell knives to a specific target audience.
look at DPX -- they have both tactical and bushcraft versions of the same blade - the only differences are blade coating and wood vs synthetic handle materials.

or compare the Navy mk 2 (i.e. Kabar F/U knife) and the Buck 119 -- one is marketed as a hunting knife that's been carried by a lot of soldiers, the other was designed as a military fighting knife and has spent a lot of time in the woods. personally, if the Navy mk 1 had a longer handle and a straight clip instead of a concave one, it'd be nearly perfect for camping/woodswalks.
 
When I think of tactical the Spyderco Civilian comes to mind. Something with an extreme design with a very specific purpose. Compare this with an HK Pooka, which for me anyway, falls into the traditional category. Not necessarily designed for a specific task, but one that has a variety of uses. That's my 0.02.
 
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JK Knives said:
One thing I see mentioned is "Tactical" is a name given to promote sales. Dare I say, wait for it, kind of like......"Bushcrafter"?
Click to expand...

A couple years ago I listed a "hunting knife" for sale on ebay with a starting bid of $135. It was S30V, black micarta scales, black leather sheath and after a week it had no bids. The following week I increased the starting bid to $150 and called it a "tactical knife". It had bids in the first day and sold for $210!
 
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