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If you are talking the modern day tactical folder, I have read that the original Al Mar SERE folder from around 1980 is considered by at least some to be the first of this genre.
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What was the first "tactical" folder?
- Thread starter GarageBoy
- Start date
I am going to have to say that the Spyderco "worker" got the ball rolling on the current trend toward pocket clipable, one hand opening knives with an eye towards possible self-defense use.
There might be other knives that could qualify in some historic sense of the term "tactical folder," but the "worker" is really a landmark -- the knife industry changed rapidly and now looks completely different than it did prior to Spyderco's innovation.
There might be other knives that could qualify in some historic sense of the term "tactical folder," but the "worker" is really a landmark -- the knife industry changed rapidly and now looks completely different than it did prior to Spyderco's innovation.
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We probably need to consider some of the older Case knives too. I remember Case was making the Mako Shark Lock back when I was a kid in the 60s because I wanted one. There may be an old Case that predates all of those mentioned so far, even the 110.
The first modern tactical folding knife was the AMK SERE co-designed by Al Mar and LTC James "Nick" Rowe founder and commanding officer of the U.S. Army SERE School at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. This was the first specifically designed, developed, produced, then distributed folding knife meant for tactical application and utility work via a design and mission matrix. It was first provided to selected members of our special operations forces then released as a general public cutlery item.
Fighting Knives Magazine was the first publication to coin the now common use term "tactical folder" and to promote this term. Ernest Emerson, Alan Elishewitz, and Al Mar were among those noted and promoted early on as tactical folding knife gurus.
One of the first production folders to be formally promoted and encouraged by a writer on bladework was a Gerber folding knife carried by SOF writer David Steele. Steele's work with this folder, and advocacy of it as a "tactical" knife encouraged my purchase of this model (FSII?) in the mid 1970s.
The Buck 110 certainly can claim a rightful place as perhaps the best known "tactical folder", or perhaps more accurately as a folding fighting knife. However, it was not the military that encouraged and popularized this aspect of Buck's big utility folder but the Hell's Angels during their heyday of the 1960s and their preference for carrying, to include creating a speed opening sheath for the folder, the 110.
Kasik sends -
Fighting Knives Magazine was the first publication to coin the now common use term "tactical folder" and to promote this term. Ernest Emerson, Alan Elishewitz, and Al Mar were among those noted and promoted early on as tactical folding knife gurus.
One of the first production folders to be formally promoted and encouraged by a writer on bladework was a Gerber folding knife carried by SOF writer David Steele. Steele's work with this folder, and advocacy of it as a "tactical" knife encouraged my purchase of this model (FSII?) in the mid 1970s.
The Buck 110 certainly can claim a rightful place as perhaps the best known "tactical folder", or perhaps more accurately as a folding fighting knife. However, it was not the military that encouraged and popularized this aspect of Buck's big utility folder but the Hell's Angels during their heyday of the 1960s and their preference for carrying, to include creating a speed opening sheath for the folder, the 110.
Kasik sends -
Another earlhy and definetly tactical folder was the Aitor Commando. I don't know when it was released but it was early eighties anywayand was marketed specifically as a fighting folder. I know SOF did a write up on it at some point.
Another that deserves to be mentioned in the realm of early custom tac folders is the Crawford leapord. Certainly not the first but early and very cool.
Sam
Another that deserves to be mentioned in the realm of early custom tac folders is the Crawford leapord. Certainly not the first but early and very cool.
Sam
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Esav Benyamin said:
Let me second that. It's not easy to name just one folder that started it, it was more of an evolution that took many years to develop. Spydercos first Clip-Its and Al Mar's SERE are definitely in there somewhere.