What's the best practice (training) knife?

[ChungSan]

What's the best practice knife to use for self defense training. Currently I'm using the red plastic knives manufactured by PPCT. I've tried the wooden ones, but I'm leaning toward something metal.

 

[Gollnick]

Benchmade and Spyderco are both offering high-quality trainers that fold and everything so you can train a whole response from draw and opening all the way to closing and throwing in the river (if you want to).

Of course, you pay for these about what you'd pay for a "real" knife. But why shouldn't you? The materials are all the same. The manufacturing processes are all the same except for sharpening. But, in a factory with machinery and jigs and all, sharpening takes less than five minutes. So, there's less than five minutes of labor difference between a good trainer and a real knife.

Belive me, these trainers add a whole new dimension to training experience and are well worth their price.

 

[ChungSan]

Since I don't have a BM 40 yet I think I will have to get one, but does anyone know where I can find a fixed blade trainer?

 

[rawhide_clyde]

I'm liking the stuff from Edges2. I've seen some good stuff from other folks (Warrior Craft?) but have the links on the home puter.
Stay Safe,
Clyde

 

[Gollnick]

Be wary of trainers with Aluminum blades. After just a few sessions, they get nicks and bumps on their edges which can become almost like a serrated edge and deliver some nasty cuts and scratches. Trainers need hardened steel blades just like "real" knives.

 

[Samurai6]

Actually steel blades also develop burrs if you train steel on steel. It is easier to match the balance of a real blade with a steel practice blade though. Aluminum blades usually have the advantage of being thicker, and therefore more blunt. Aluminum is easier to file smooth after or during each training session. I have been using the plastic trim they use to protect automobile door edges to protect the edges of my metal training knives. It works pretty well.