Gordon
Member
Maybe, I'm no longer a soldier almost 40 years. Camp defender for me is in Camping .
What Makes A Knife A "Fighting Knife"?
- Thread starter The Night Rider
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gila_dog1
Member
My brother was a Marine in Vietnam. Here is his Kabar. He bent the top of the guard forward a little so he could tell which side was up, using his thumb, in the dark. I don't think he ever used it on anybody. The original leather sheath rotted away, and a friend gave me this new-fangled plastic one. I still use this knife for some chopping chores.
lemaymiami
Member
A classic... my favorite Ka-bar style knife (if I owned one...) would be the smaller sized one (Type One?) that was issued to the Navy all those years ago. It just seems to be a handier design that would be far more likely to be with you in a variety of situations - not necessarily combat related. Believe post #64 shows a very early version - that likely did see service in WWII...
Well, combat deployment is not necessarily the same thing as fighting. I've used knives a lot during deployments, often on the job, and haven't knifed anyone yet. And I've used knives to help me shoot at the enemy, so have used knives "in combat".
At close range, even if your weapon (rifle) is malfunctioning or out of ammo, it's still generally more effective at stopping a threat than a knife. On my second deployment, though, my primary weapon was an M9. A full-sized knife might be a more effective weapon than an unloaded M9.
At close range, even if your weapon (rifle) is malfunctioning or out of ammo, it's still generally more effective at stopping a threat than a knife. On my second deployment, though, my primary weapon was an M9. A full-sized knife might be a more effective weapon than an unloaded M9.
Speedo66
Member
I think people also tended to be smaller 150+ years ago.
Coyote3855
Member
This is an interesting and informative thread, especially the excellent commentaries by JShirley. The museum where I volunteer has a collection of shanks seized from correctional facilities around the state. None fit the definitions of a fighting knife in this thread but I suspect that some of them may have been used for that purpose.
Coyote3855
Member
I agree that shanks are not for fighting, but for stealthy attacks. My first tour of a maximum security prison was educational. Seems somewhat easy for prisoners to acquire the materials for a weapon.
aaaaa
Member
That's a nasty looking knob on the heel of that knife.
upptick
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Yeah, I was wondering about that myself. You could definitely crack open someone's skull with that protruding tang.
aaaaa
Member
I'd rather run away, but if I can't, the 12 gauge sounds really nice.
Against a knife, distance is your friend.
Shanghai McCoy
Member
Long ago I was told,"You can charge a gun but run from a knife."
Shanghai McCoy
Member
I'd wondered but, outside of classroom training scenarios, I thankfully never had the opportunity to test the "advice"...
My only personal experience with a knife against me was well over 50 years ago. It was one of those gas station freebie steak knives and it was thrown. Still got the scar...
theotherwaldo
Member
The only knife fighter that I've ever known used a weapon that had a two inch blade.
His usual targets were exposed skin - faces (especially foreheads), hands and lower arms.
His usual practice weapon?
A Sharpie.
His sparring partner always wound up looking like a giant hash tag... .
His usual targets were exposed skin - faces (especially foreheads), hands and lower arms.
His usual practice weapon?
A Sharpie.
His sparring partner always wound up looking like a giant hash tag... .
LaneP
Member
Knife novice here, but two I have that come to mind would be my Gerber Strongarm and Ontario military knife. I've had the Ontario for over 30 years and brought it with me on numerous road trips and hiking excursions. The Strongarm seems built like a tank with a very thick spine and a little easier to port than my venerable Ontario.
OP
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The Night Rider
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May be of interest to you as a Strongarm owner. It's a fix for the sheath that makes it sturdier.
Sharp, Long, Light-for-weight for a slasher, a Bowie would be a good example of this. Otherwise a heavy recurve like a Kukri.
Length is king as long as you can wield it quickly and with agility.
The main thing is will you have it on you ?
I sometimes carry a Buck Hoodlum as part of my kit. Light and long:
+1 for the Hoodlum. Love my Hoodies:
Here's my Buck Hoodlum kit:
Length is king as long as you can wield it quickly and with agility.
The main thing is will you have it on you ?
I sometimes carry a Buck Hoodlum as part of my kit. Light and long:
+1 for the Hoodlum. Love my Hoodies:
Here's my Buck Hoodlum kit:
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gila_dog1
Member
I think if I had to fight with a knife, a cutlass would be a good choice.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutlass
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3342463934...1291&msclkid=84fcb333b4ca170e3f2dd185c8ae901a
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutlass
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3342463934...1291&msclkid=84fcb333b4ca170e3f2dd185c8ae901a
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