Tell me about blade steel...

[sm]

I'm rather curious what a "fighting knife" is to you?

John, hso, and some others know I am dead serious when I share, a "fighting knife" to me includes, though not limited to:
-Single edge razor blade.
-Carton cutter , the slim one, that takes a single edge razor blade
-Small penknife, such as SAK Classic SD, Peanut, Ladybug...
-Cut nail , or any nail

Something small, easy to conceal, still accessible to fight my way out of a bad situation.
Being out numbered, overwhelmed, and being tied up. Gun, larger knives will be removed, 'hopefully' Lady Luck will show, in the criminals missing any small , concealed "edged" tools, the ability to free myself and evade.

-Cut tape, rope, that bind my hands and/or feet.
-Being able to jimmy a trunk open and exit at a stop...
-Punch hinges on a door I am locked behind to evade.

etc.

 

[Valkman]

I feel bad when some can't buy my knives, I really do. I have one fighter I can discount heavily because of the finish but I still can't get down to $100. Shoot.

 

[Gordon]

I was only in one knife fight. I had a 8" Randal #1 and the loser had an M-14 with a sharpened bayonet. I almost severed his arm-cut the tendons. He was not after me exclusively so I had 3 other senior NCO witnesses. Just stepped to the inside and sliced, I wasn't out to kill. If I had to do it again I'd rather have a fast handling 10 incher.
The other knife fights I was in later I won again,with a gun!

 

[Timthinker]

Thanks for the response about the knives you considered. I was curious if a dagger, which some consider the quintessential "fighting knife" blade design, was among your choices. Thanks again for sharing that information with us.

The related topic of what constitutes a fighting knife is one that can-and has-received encyclopedic discussion on various internet forums. One way of approaching this topic is to examine what laws have been enacted against various blade designs. While those regulations may not use the term "fighting knife" explicitly, it seems those enactments implicitly target knives the legislators view as potential fighters. With that lengthy prologue behind us, at least two knife designs fall into that category: daggers/dirks and bowies. Indeed, laws against those two knife designs have been discussed on THR and www.bladeforums.com in the past. Again, this topic is one that has received a great deal of discussion in the past. I thought I would address this issue briefly as a potential way of introducing this subject for further consideration.


Timthinker

 

[KBintheSLC]

People don't fight with knives. If used as weapons, they kill with them.

Well... I'm not about to get on a public forum and start asking people what knife is best for killing with. Anyway, killing someone is not my intention... is it yours?

So, the term "fighting knife" will have to suffice. After all, it is a widely accepted term, and I assume you all know what it means.

I was curious if a dagger, which some consider the quintessential "fighting knife" blade design, was among your choices.

I have thought about that, but I would prefer a single-edge blade so it can double as a working knife. I assume that a bad guy wont know the difference, and it might help limit my liabilities.

 

[scotjute]

Probably you'd like the k-bar best. I have several knives with 1095 steel. I prefer it for general use because of edge retention and ease of resharpening.
Also have several stainless knives. Use them where rust may be a problem. But my 1095 blades have the sharpest edges. Get them both. Buy one now, the other later. Sooner or later you'll need them.

 

[J. Jay]

A Dagger is a thrusting weapon and definately not suited for general purpose knife. (chopping wood, skinning game, etc.) Get a Ka-bar for $50 and a Leatherman with the other $50.