Hi all:
I've been using the Force One for a few months now in my FMA training. The styles I practice are Inosanto Blend and Lameco Escrima. I've been studying them for about 2 years. While I'm no expert, I believe I'm competent enough to evaluate its use in a fight.
I've been using my Force One since they were initially shipped from the Shop. I had an aluminum trainer made for it and have been using that in partner drills and sparring for a few months. While the trainer weighs less than the real knife and has a cord-wrapped handle, many of the things I observed about the shape/behavior of the knife were later evaluated during solo drills and cutting practice.
1.) Thrusting: The knife is designed for the thrust, no question. I've practiced cuts and thrusts on freestanding watermellons and coconuts. It takes almost no effort to sink the blade to its hilt. When it goes deep, removal isn't easy unless you know the trick. A slight twist is needed to open up the channel and release suction. The wound channel it leaves is extremely nasty and would lead to massive bloodloss.
2.) Cutting: Cuts are decent, but it's not primarily a slicer/chopper. The sweet spot on it is very small as it is just below where the slant to the tip is. It will cut sapplings and green bamboo with a single blow, but if you are not exactly on sweet spot it won't go completely through. In short, it'll do good damage, but don't expect to lop off limbs with this. Personally I feel that a Stab/Tear motion would be more applicable in a self defense situation. However the Bandbreaker does offer some additional cutting ability. In using my aluminum trainer, people did not immediately realize it has a back edge and they fell for back cuts using it almost every time.
3.) Balance/Weight: As it stands, the point of balance is in the hilt. In running through the Lameco, Inosanto and Illustrisimo numbering systems (essentially knife forms that lead you through the main lines of attack with a knife) the Force One Shines in the low and high thrusts as well as vertical and diagonal downward cuts. Horizontal and upward cuts are no where near as fast. The Force One could stand to lose a little weight. I'd suggest tapering the tang a little bit and putting a little more distil taper or perhaps an additional fuller in the blade. I'd consider experimenting with moving the point of balance forward 1-2 cm. This would improve the cutting ability while still keeping the balance "in the hand" for thrusting. Lightening it would also improve its maneuverability. I believe 1/4 stock is best for this knife, but more tapering or fullers are needed for maneuverability.
4.) Grip: I do believe the grip is the weakest part of the knife design. As primarily a thruster, the grip is too big. 90% of the time I find myself using the choil for the grip in both icepick and hammer grips. This leaves a good 2-3 inches of grip that can be used against you by a cagy opponent. I would suggest cutting an inch or two off of the bottom. The knife is a thruster, changing the grip between a "choked up" grip and gripping it lower had little effect on its chopping ability against freestanding targets so there would be a minimal loss of utility there. Holding it lower also allows your opponent to use the choil area gainst you for disarms, etc. Granted disarms are very hard to get off in a real, or in this case sparring, situation. However, when I was disarmed, this was how they did it.
3.) Offensive Applications: Thrust, thrust, thrust... It's very fast in the thrust and hard to knock offline. I found that the icepick (pakal grip) is the best grip to use. Downward diagonal stab into a back cut works extremely well. The grip actually increased the cutting ability as it allows you to start the cut lower on the blade.
4.) Defensive Applications: The knife is large enough to use to parry larger weapons effectively. The weight is an issue though, so don't expect to use it like a fencer. The Band Breaker turns several defensive applications (such as trapping) into nasty, nasty cuts to your oppenents. These cuts, while not necessarily be enough to put someone down right away would be very, very disabling. Very well done design there.
5.) Edge Retention:I haven't needed to do anything to sharpen it besides an occasional stropping since I've purchased it. Busse Quality that shines through.
6.) Overall: The Force One is a great, great knife. It's very deceptive in use and the more you use it the more you appreciate it. The design is specialized for the thrust and works extremely well in that application at the cost of cutting ability. The only way to improve it would be to further specialize in the thrust and reduce the size of the grip.
I've been using the Force One for a few months now in my FMA training. The styles I practice are Inosanto Blend and Lameco Escrima. I've been studying them for about 2 years. While I'm no expert, I believe I'm competent enough to evaluate its use in a fight.
I've been using my Force One since they were initially shipped from the Shop. I had an aluminum trainer made for it and have been using that in partner drills and sparring for a few months. While the trainer weighs less than the real knife and has a cord-wrapped handle, many of the things I observed about the shape/behavior of the knife were later evaluated during solo drills and cutting practice.
1.) Thrusting: The knife is designed for the thrust, no question. I've practiced cuts and thrusts on freestanding watermellons and coconuts. It takes almost no effort to sink the blade to its hilt. When it goes deep, removal isn't easy unless you know the trick. A slight twist is needed to open up the channel and release suction. The wound channel it leaves is extremely nasty and would lead to massive bloodloss.
2.) Cutting: Cuts are decent, but it's not primarily a slicer/chopper. The sweet spot on it is very small as it is just below where the slant to the tip is. It will cut sapplings and green bamboo with a single blow, but if you are not exactly on sweet spot it won't go completely through. In short, it'll do good damage, but don't expect to lop off limbs with this. Personally I feel that a Stab/Tear motion would be more applicable in a self defense situation. However the Bandbreaker does offer some additional cutting ability. In using my aluminum trainer, people did not immediately realize it has a back edge and they fell for back cuts using it almost every time.
3.) Balance/Weight: As it stands, the point of balance is in the hilt. In running through the Lameco, Inosanto and Illustrisimo numbering systems (essentially knife forms that lead you through the main lines of attack with a knife) the Force One Shines in the low and high thrusts as well as vertical and diagonal downward cuts. Horizontal and upward cuts are no where near as fast. The Force One could stand to lose a little weight. I'd suggest tapering the tang a little bit and putting a little more distil taper or perhaps an additional fuller in the blade. I'd consider experimenting with moving the point of balance forward 1-2 cm. This would improve the cutting ability while still keeping the balance "in the hand" for thrusting. Lightening it would also improve its maneuverability. I believe 1/4 stock is best for this knife, but more tapering or fullers are needed for maneuverability.
4.) Grip: I do believe the grip is the weakest part of the knife design. As primarily a thruster, the grip is too big. 90% of the time I find myself using the choil for the grip in both icepick and hammer grips. This leaves a good 2-3 inches of grip that can be used against you by a cagy opponent. I would suggest cutting an inch or two off of the bottom. The knife is a thruster, changing the grip between a "choked up" grip and gripping it lower had little effect on its chopping ability against freestanding targets so there would be a minimal loss of utility there. Holding it lower also allows your opponent to use the choil area gainst you for disarms, etc. Granted disarms are very hard to get off in a real, or in this case sparring, situation. However, when I was disarmed, this was how they did it.
3.) Offensive Applications: Thrust, thrust, thrust... It's very fast in the thrust and hard to knock offline. I found that the icepick (pakal grip) is the best grip to use. Downward diagonal stab into a back cut works extremely well. The grip actually increased the cutting ability as it allows you to start the cut lower on the blade.
4.) Defensive Applications: The knife is large enough to use to parry larger weapons effectively. The weight is an issue though, so don't expect to use it like a fencer. The Band Breaker turns several defensive applications (such as trapping) into nasty, nasty cuts to your oppenents. These cuts, while not necessarily be enough to put someone down right away would be very, very disabling. Very well done design there.
5.) Edge Retention:I haven't needed to do anything to sharpen it besides an occasional stropping since I've purchased it. Busse Quality that shines through.
6.) Overall: The Force One is a great, great knife. It's very deceptive in use and the more you use it the more you appreciate it. The design is specialized for the thrust and works extremely well in that application at the cost of cutting ability. The only way to improve it would be to further specialize in the thrust and reduce the size of the grip.
