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what is a fighter?
- Thread starter Seb
- Start date
glockman99
RIP Dann, you were a good guy.
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2000
- Messages
- 21,269
A "fighter" is whatever sharp, pointy tool (knife) that you happen to have available to you, when someone is trying to kill you.
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- Joined
- Oct 26, 2000
- Messages
- 6,104
Something light, fast, with a neutral balance, protection for your hand (guard, dropped edge, finger cutout, etc.), good ergonomics, lots of belly for slashing, a "pointy" tip for thrusting, and a thin edge (and thin behind the edge) for deeper cleaner cuts with less effort.
That's what I think of when I think "fighter", anyway.
Go to www.hossom.com and take your pick
I'd love to handle some of those knives in person...
That's what I think of when I think "fighter", anyway.
Go to www.hossom.com and take your pick
I'd love to handle some of those knives in person...
- Joined
- Oct 8, 1998
- Messages
- 5,403
I think the two answers are very good.
Many times when one talks about a fighter, they are referencing a bowie pattern.
Though other knives do the trick too.
Check out www.szaboinc.com
Many times when one talks about a fighter, they are referencing a bowie pattern.
Though other knives do the trick too.
Check out www.szaboinc.com
- Joined
- Feb 19, 1999
- Messages
- 2,959
Oh no Owen, don't handle a Hossom Fighter EVER!
Once you do, you'll be done for. There will be no hope for you and you will be filled with an all consuming lust to own one. Marital bliss will take a distant second to your "need." Your children will wonder why they're eating beans and rice three meals a day and your dog will wonder what he did to make you so angry with him.
They feel even better than they look!
Jerry has a grip style, dunno what it's called, but it's assymetrical. Wider on one side of the tang than the other, when you first see it, you wonder if maybe he had a few brews too many when he was shaping your grip. It looks a little (Sorry Jerry) "odd." But once you put your hand around it, you feel it "sock in" to your palm, you feel how fluid it is without losing any retention and you feel just how blazingly fast the tip moves due to the PERFECT balance.
Uhhhhh.....
So endeth the Hossom commercial.
WHOOPS?
Seb,
To try and answer your original question, <b>"What is your definiton of a fighter?"</b>
About the only requirements I can think of that a knife (IMHO) must have to be considered a "true fighter" are;
1. Fixed blade 5.5 inches or longer.
2. Double edged blade. (Either dagger or false edge)
3. An excellent grip with the qualities mentioned above.
4. Superlative balance.
There are other things I'd like to have on my "ultimate fighter" but they're not requirements and they make for a more difficult "discreet carry."
Once you do, you'll be done for. There will be no hope for you and you will be filled with an all consuming lust to own one. Marital bliss will take a distant second to your "need." Your children will wonder why they're eating beans and rice three meals a day and your dog will wonder what he did to make you so angry with him.
They feel even better than they look!
Jerry has a grip style, dunno what it's called, but it's assymetrical. Wider on one side of the tang than the other, when you first see it, you wonder if maybe he had a few brews too many when he was shaping your grip. It looks a little (Sorry Jerry) "odd." But once you put your hand around it, you feel it "sock in" to your palm, you feel how fluid it is without losing any retention and you feel just how blazingly fast the tip moves due to the PERFECT balance.
Uhhhhh.....
So endeth the Hossom commercial.
WHOOPS?
Seb,
To try and answer your original question, <b>"What is your definiton of a fighter?"</b>
About the only requirements I can think of that a knife (IMHO) must have to be considered a "true fighter" are;
1. Fixed blade 5.5 inches or longer.
2. Double edged blade. (Either dagger or false edge)
3. An excellent grip with the qualities mentioned above.
4. Superlative balance.
There are other things I'd like to have on my "ultimate fighter" but they're not requirements and they make for a more difficult "discreet carry."
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2001
- Messages
- 1,218
To me a "fighter" is simply a knife designed almost solely for fighting purposes, where no concessions to utility are made at the sacrifice of the combat prowess of the "fighter".
From what i've seen though, it seems like the term "fighter" only pertains to a fixed blade knife, though under my definition and to my mind, there is such a thing is a "folding fighter".
From what i've seen though, it seems like the term "fighter" only pertains to a fixed blade knife, though under my definition and to my mind, there is such a thing is a "folding fighter".
Ivan Campos
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Apr 4, 1999
- Messages
- 2,508
How to define a fighter?
In my opinion it is a knife with a strong thick edge that allows maximun flesh damage and that can get through light armour (like jackets, etc. it also should have a strong tip, not that kind of thin tip but one that will be pushed into the target, again causing maximun damage. No need for a razor like edge and thin point as you won't be making precise, smooth surgical cuts on a standing object.
Regarding the handle, it must allow a firm grip in the chose position and be safe to handle, keeping your fingers away from the blade, being not necessarily a comfortable too-type handle, as you will not see yourself whittling with this knife at all.
If we are talking strictly about concepts, the best fighting knife would be something like a D-guard short cutlass, but we also have to consider the practical everyday carry of it, so it better be of a reasonably small size, light and have a good sheath system that allows confortable carry.
Can folders be classified as fighters? Sure! So much that the fighter I described above is much like a folder that doesn't fold in size.
It is also good to mention that, for this matter, even a metal rule can become a fighter if that is what you have with you when need arises and that there is a huge difference between fighters and combat knives, the first being very specialized tools and the later much more verstaile, tool-like blades.
Well, these are my concepts, and they of course they don't take into account the fight style you practice, the way you dress and what is acceptable to carry where you live. This is the philosophy you see in the knives I make, and more or less in many others makers like Nealy, Ed Chavar, etc, and some others who prefer a beefier piece, like Piorek, Polkowski or Mike Snody. These are just examples of people whose work I am more or less familiar with.
Of course, some people will stand by a 12" bladed bowie with big quillons, others will swear by a khukuri, others still will consider carrying multiple knives, but I won't discuss this - all I am trying is to define an average fighter.
Or this short one: a fighter is made to fight with as much as a razor is made to shave with - it is a VERY SPECIALIZED, SINGLE PURPOSED tool.
Just my R$ 0,02...
In my opinion it is a knife with a strong thick edge that allows maximun flesh damage and that can get through light armour (like jackets, etc. it also should have a strong tip, not that kind of thin tip but one that will be pushed into the target, again causing maximun damage. No need for a razor like edge and thin point as you won't be making precise, smooth surgical cuts on a standing object.
Regarding the handle, it must allow a firm grip in the chose position and be safe to handle, keeping your fingers away from the blade, being not necessarily a comfortable too-type handle, as you will not see yourself whittling with this knife at all.
If we are talking strictly about concepts, the best fighting knife would be something like a D-guard short cutlass, but we also have to consider the practical everyday carry of it, so it better be of a reasonably small size, light and have a good sheath system that allows confortable carry.
Can folders be classified as fighters? Sure! So much that the fighter I described above is much like a folder that doesn't fold in size.
It is also good to mention that, for this matter, even a metal rule can become a fighter if that is what you have with you when need arises and that there is a huge difference between fighters and combat knives, the first being very specialized tools and the later much more verstaile, tool-like blades.
Well, these are my concepts, and they of course they don't take into account the fight style you practice, the way you dress and what is acceptable to carry where you live. This is the philosophy you see in the knives I make, and more or less in many others makers like Nealy, Ed Chavar, etc, and some others who prefer a beefier piece, like Piorek, Polkowski or Mike Snody. These are just examples of people whose work I am more or less familiar with.
Of course, some people will stand by a 12" bladed bowie with big quillons, others will swear by a khukuri, others still will consider carrying multiple knives, but I won't discuss this - all I am trying is to define an average fighter.
Or this short one: a fighter is made to fight with as much as a razor is made to shave with - it is a VERY SPECIALIZED, SINGLE PURPOSED tool.
Just my R$ 0,02...
Ebbtide
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 20, 1999
- Messages
- 7,969
Horus, please tell me more about the 3rd knife down. I'm betting it is
German...
I think Ken Cook hit it on the head (about the Hossom's too... TheMartialWaly brought his Texican to the show here in NYC)
The only thing I'd add is Finger protection for the thrust.
German...
I think Ken Cook hit it on the head (about the Hossom's too... TheMartialWaly brought his Texican to the show here in NYC)
The only thing I'd add is Finger protection for the thrust.
- Joined
- May 19, 2001
- Messages
- 166
I don't like fighters that much, for the reasons listed above.
I go 1/4" thick to begin with, then keep strength in mind as I design them.
So I call them Combat knives. I remember all those knives we broke in the field, then make these so they don't fail a test.
Keeping balance in the mix, they do make good fighters. Most of them balance at the guards, by adding the right amount of 416 on the butts.
http://www.ICCKnives.com
I go 1/4" thick to begin with, then keep strength in mind as I design them.
So I call them Combat knives. I remember all those knives we broke in the field, then make these so they don't fail a test.
Keeping balance in the mix, they do make good fighters. Most of them balance at the guards, by adding the right amount of 416 on the butts.
http://www.ICCKnives.com
- Joined
- Aug 1, 1999
- Messages
- 3,036
Thanks for the nice comments guys. A fighter really doesn't have to be a kill-only knife though. Here is a pic of a 5-1/2" Texican which will serve most purposes, but certainly is a fighter.
On that grip issue, concerning security in a thrust, it's my philosophy that most of the security in a handle should come from the grip itself and not a barrier, like the guard. The rear two fingers, if they have a good anchor as they do behind the palm swell, will prevent the hand from sliding forward, even when wet. This handle is designed to focus the force applied by the fingers into the center of the palm, thus locking the handle in place.
Also, since a fighter should be fast, it's my belief that the best way to make a knife balance is to remove all unnecesary weight, while keeping a strong spine for strength. I do that with deep hollow grinds, and on this knife the full 3/16" thickness of the steel runs to within 1-1/2" of the point. It doesn't matter if the blade starts out 1/4" thick, if it's ground down to 1/8" or less halfway to the point. Light weight, speed and strength can easily co-exist, especially with a steel like CPM-3V.
On that grip issue, concerning security in a thrust, it's my philosophy that most of the security in a handle should come from the grip itself and not a barrier, like the guard. The rear two fingers, if they have a good anchor as they do behind the palm swell, will prevent the hand from sliding forward, even when wet. This handle is designed to focus the force applied by the fingers into the center of the palm, thus locking the handle in place.
Also, since a fighter should be fast, it's my belief that the best way to make a knife balance is to remove all unnecesary weight, while keeping a strong spine for strength. I do that with deep hollow grinds, and on this knife the full 3/16" thickness of the steel runs to within 1-1/2" of the point. It doesn't matter if the blade starts out 1/4" thick, if it's ground down to 1/8" or less halfway to the point. Light weight, speed and strength can easily co-exist, especially with a steel like CPM-3V.
- Joined
- Aug 1, 1999
- Messages
- 3,036
Here's my new 7" Retribution, designed for combat, with the full 3/16" thickness of the steel running to within just 1" of the point. Both of these knives weigh about 9-10 oz. and balance exactly on the forefinger. Both knives would work equally well on whitetails or terrorists.
- Joined
- Jul 2, 1999
- Messages
- 1,347
Ebb,
My Texican has a very large finger guard. It is absolutely impossible to slide towards the blade.
