What makes a knife NOT a Tactical?

FWIW, most of the recommendations I've seen on "rapid" deployment of concealed neck knives take two hands - one to get clothes out of the way and the other to get the knife. Guess neck knives aren't "tactical."

I'm also not clear on why embellishments, when they do not hinder the function of the knife, render it non-tactical. They are almost certainly inappropriate, but that's another matter. An M-1 would still be the finest tank in the world even if it had embroidered plush cushions for the crew.


Otherwise, excellent list, Lynn.

-Drew
 
Touche' David!
I like Lynn's list. Sums it up rather nicely and has saved me some typing.
Thanks Lynn!
smile.gif


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The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will inevitably become the captive of others.


 
The Kabar and Randall are not tactical knives as we should honor how the makers choose to describe their knives; Kabar calls theirs a USMC fighting/utility knife while Randall calls their #1 an all purpose fighting knife. As it should be.
 
Doesn't "tactical" define a way of using a knife, or a particular attitude that an owner has for his/her knife, rather than a set of properties or characteristics per se? I imagine most "tactical" knives get used routinely for non-tactical purposes, and are possibly never used in a "tactical" situation. After all, how many folks into tactical knives would buy them if they significantly sacrificed more general utility? (Like, would you carry that double-edged knife as your everyday?)

From another angle: kitchen knives are about as "non-tactical" as they come. Thin blades, softer steels, and no sheath! (OK, Rinaldi's TTKK is excepted here...) Yet in the US (and presumably elsewhere), kitchen knives are used offensively and defensively more than ALL other knives combined, probably ten times over. (Sad reality of the prevalence of domestic violence...)

My own sense is that the features which define a knife as tactical, or not, are ultimately less important than how you use or regard it, no?


As a final example -- Lynn:
"If you go to your family reunion to pick up chicks, Oops I got that one confused."

Definitely NOT a "tactical" move!

Glen

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“The piano has been drinking” -Tom Waits

 
If 'tactical' merely describes the intent and/or use by the owner then it doesn't have any value as a description of the knife itself. 'Tactical' does seem to have value if it describes the intended use by the maker, just as a maker not describing his knife as tactical has value if we consider the Kabar/Randall example previously noted.
 
"Tactical", itself, means "capable of being used to gain an end by skillful methods or procedure".
Therefore if it is not tactical, it's not a knife.
Any knife can fit this definition for they all have a purpose.
I think "tactical" in the sense used to promote knives was probably referring to "military tactics", and basically this is just propoganda to sell a product to a target audience. Every one of us has a different opinon of what would, or would not, make our ultimate tactical knife.
The "tactical knife" propaganda was more than likely initiated by Lynn Thompson. The target audience is the armchair warrior that has fantasies of being on a S.E.A.L. team mission or at the very least warding of an attack by a mugger with a pocket knife. Any knife that these type of people do not find desirable is not a tactical knife.
In the end, the intent of the user is what ultimatley defines the knife's tactical ability. You can stab someone with a letter opener........

Orion
 
The "tactical knife" propaganda was more than likely initiated by -----. The target audience is the armchair warrior that has fantasies of being on a S.E.A.L. team mission or at the very least warding of an attack by a mugger with a pocket knife. Any knife that these type of people do not find desirable is not a tactical knife.
In the end, the intent of the user is what ultimately defines the knife's tactical ability.
Click to expand...

Very well said.
 
Since I believe that the key characteristics of a Tactical Knife are:
Strength
Versatility
Accessability (Easy to carry, Easy to deploy)


A Fillet Knife is not Tactical
A Gut Hook Skinner is not Tactical
A Slip joint Folder is not Tactical

Someone has pointed out that Tactical knives are used for various utility purposes far more often than for Combat.

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AKTI Member No. A000370
 
To me Sylvester Stallone is tactical while Sean Connery not.

Conan is tactical, Spyderman is not

Both can do the job one is just much classier and sassier than the other. Both way cool.One a brute one a refined brute.

Excaliber vs Katana

 
Okay, I've read all these posts and kept my big mouth shut. But I'm afraid one of you has stepped over the line, and I have to call you out on it. You know who you are, and you know darn well what you said. If you think we're going to put up with this nonsense, you better find another forum, my friend. Ken Onion-Spiderman not tactical? I'm surprised you can eat with the fingers that typed that! Did you ever see him battle The Shocker?! Spydie DEFINES the word "tactical"!
 
Every Knife above can be considered a tac knife if you use them for that purpose (DULL OR NOT) If you stab someone with a butter knife thats a good definition of a tac knife . :]
The term came from the gun industry .
I feel its also that LOOK that a tac gun has..

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Ptpalpha,

You got me on that one and your right Spiderman is tactical.Poor analagy I was going for it and pulled one out of the air and it was bad. sorry , it's a yin yang thing , but closer than that how about Zorro and Rambo. funny response I appreciate that .
I wish everyone shared our sence of humor .This can be a fun thing .And I surely don't want to loose any friends over this trivial issue .

I've been reading on the other post "why not a new category" and someone wrote "why start another category to confuse things further" ? my feeling is that everything pretty much has a category and knives have been categorised long befor you and I were born were not going to stop that . that bieng said whats happening is inevetable like it or not it's happening we can either roll with it or put blinders on .

Our choice. I also feel that they are like a road map for someone new in the industry . case in point A boot Marine just got orders to Kosovo and is leaving in 24hrs he needs a knife he calls his local knife store and says I need a combat knife or survival knife (categorised) at which the store owner can look through his inventory (which he/she has categorized)and suggest something the young Marine goes to the store and all the knives that will suit his purposes are CATEGORIZED together for ease of selection .

Aloha Ken

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KenOnion
 
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