When did "tactical" become a selling point?

J

Jesse B.

Joined
Oct 23, 2009
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I don't have enough knife experience to know when the word "tactical" came into vogue, but I am curious about when that was. Personally I find the nomenclature almost completely absurd, as the average man-on-the-street would want to do everything possible to stay out of a knife fight for a number of reasons (practical, legal, etc..)

An extension of the first question is: Why did "tactical" become the buzzword it is? Does it relate to the United States military? Does it come from too many movies where knife or sword fights seem plausible? Is there a secret ninja in all of us?
 
I notice every knife, gun, and gear has either the word "tactical" or "mil-spec".

My guess its a marketing tool to sell this cool gear to all the mall ninja types.
 
banana-clip said:
I notice every knife, gun, and gear has either the word "tactical" or "mil-spec".

My guess its a marketing tool to sell this cool gear to all the mall ninja types.
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That would be my guess, too. Look up the word "tactical" in the dictionary; now, please tell me how that can possibly be applied to knives? I find it simply absurd, and it's an immediate turn-off for me. I wouldn't buy anything that uses the word "tactical" in its name or description.

This "tactical" thing has generated some of the most bizarre — and useless — knife designs in history, suited only for mall ninjas . . . at best.
 
Gees, long time ago.

I think it tunes into the youngest knife buying demographic, and urbanites. That's why you never hear the term, "country-boy-ninja".
 
about 20-25 yrs ago. it seems like it got popular just about the time of or shortly after "Rambo"
 
IIRC, Lynn Thompson played a roll in the creation of the tactical marke when he popularized the American tanto. I could be wrong though.
 
Is there anyone, anyone at all, who can tell us what the heck "tactical" actually means when applied to a knife?

Back in my day, when I actually was running around being "tactical," a "tactical" knife was any knife you happened to have on you for such "tactical" things as opening C-rat cartons, and other such "tactical" endeavors.

What does it mean now? Anyone?
 
I wouldn't know but it's just some form of synonym for every other selling point used in history.
 
In these days, anything that can be related in any way to police or military is called tactical. Sometimes it is because the items (knives, multitools, flashlights, watches, backpacks, gloves, etc.) are colored completely black or have a camo pattern, in other cases it is because it looks like something that is used or has been used by the police or military, or it did appear in a movie with special forces or elite police teams. It's just marketing.
 
Just can't wait for tactical marshmallows, or tactical potato chips, because some member of a swat team munches them for a snack. Makes just as much sense to me as tactical knives.
 
People want tactical, military, etc. for the same reason they want AR-15s and AR-10s.

I like the tactical blades.
 
dawsonbob said:
Just can't wait for tactical marshmallows, or tactical potato chips, because some member of a swat team munches them for a snack. Makes just as much sense to me as tactical knives.
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bacon_tactical.jpg
 
Harayasu said:
In these days, anything that can be related in any way to police or military is called tactical. Sometimes it is because the items....multitools........
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The only Tactical multi tool has det cord cutter, blasting cap crimps, and a .25" punch. :D
 
dawsonbob said:
Just can't wait for tactical marshmallows, or tactical potato chips, because some member of a swat team munches them for a snack. Makes just as much sense to me as tactical knives.
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Damn! I wish that I had thought of that. I can see it now, desert camo marshmallows...black potato chips...the mind boggles. :D
 
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