What Makes A Knife "Tactical"?

[hso]

Excuse me?

Seriously, I wouldn't trust the grip on either knife (110/710) for any stabbing task.

One criteria of the five that the venerable 110 lacks. As you point out the grip shortcoming. It lacks the subdued bolster and blade for yet a third and the one-hand opening for a fourth failure to meet the "tactical" criteria.

I'm not throwing shade on the 110 by pointing out it meets almost none of the criteria of a "Tactical Knife" (I have a couple amongst the dozens (of dozens ) of practical knives in my collection), just that it doesn't fit the criteria. Interesting that Buck makes no attempt to make a version that does.

I want to be clear so there's no talking past each other miscommunication..the Buck 110 is not a tactical knife. Good practical folding knife, but not a "Tactical Knife".

 

[The Night Rider]

I want to be clear so there's no talking past each other miscommunication..the Buck 110 is not a tactical knife. Good practical folding knife, but not a "Tactical Knife".

I agree it's not a tactical knife. It's a good field knife (duh) but not tactical

 

[The Night Rider]

So if I were going to design a knife specifically for use in a tactical environment I would want the following criteria.

No automatic knives. They make noise and it's one more moving part to break.

One handed ambidextrous opening locking blade.

Subdued finish, noise and light discipline.

Textured grip with some type of guard to prevent my hand from slipping forward on the blade.

No serrations. too hard to sharpen in the field

No double edged blade (I seem to remember such knives being banned for combat under Hauge).

I'm pretty sure I just described an Emerson.

 

[JohnKSa]

I've seen traditional 110s with an aftermarket pocket clip, they were hideous.

Right, but personal preference wouldn't affect whether a knife was "tactical" or not. Someone might, for example, strongly prefer a Boker Magnum Damascus Duke Gentleman's folder to a Sypderco Military G10, refusing to consider carrying or using the Military while the Boker is a favorite. In spite of that, the features of the two knives would clearly favor the Spyderco over the Boker Magnum. The 0.08" blade stock of the Boker makes it a poor choice for any sort of heavy work while the Military's 0.145" blade spine thickness clearly outlcasses it in that regard. The smooth handle of the Damascus Duke isn't going to provide nearly as firm a grip as the Military's G10 textured handle, even though the Boker is a better looking knife. The Spyderco's 4" blade is a better choice for a "tactical" knife than the Boker's blade which doesn't even reach 2.5" And so on.

Seriously, I wouldn't trust the grip on either knife (110/710) for any stabbing task.

Yes, neither one is a great choice for that. I would want a true guard, probably on a fixed blade knife in an ideal world. Seems that we're talking mostly about folders on this thread, and while I wouldn't say any are wonderful choices for stabbing, that's not to say that some aren't much better than others.

The most "Tactical" thing I could envision myself doing with a knife is cutting a seatbelt at work and I never had to do that.

Ah, but there are others who can envision many uses for "tactical" knives and therefore want features that support those uses.

I'm concentrating on the 710 because that's the knife that I saw described as tactical and wondered what makes that knife a tactical knife.

Well, there's no official definition, so any company can call a knife "tactical" if they think it will sell more knives. That said, there certainly are a number of features that one would expect to see on a knife that could accurately be described as "tactical" based on the general idea that one would expect a "tactical" knife to be specially suited to self-defense or military/police type applications.

I think your list of features is a good one. I would add some kind of attention to corrosion protection and a clip. I'm not a huge fan of serrations, but the utility of serration is hard to deny for some applications. Maybe a 50/50 mix for the best of both worlds.

 

[plainsdrifter]

Fixed blade is the only knife I'd want for combat.

 

[Bcwitt]

IDK The word "Tactical" does not appear one time on that magazine cover

Look again

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

So what does make a knife "Tactical"?

In my opinion, "marketing" is what makes a knife "tactical".

If "tactical" sells better, then suddenly it's "tactical".

 

[The Night Rider]

In my opinion, "marketing" is what makes a knife "tactical".

If "tactical" sells better, then suddenly it's "tactical".

 

[The Night Rider]

Look again

Day late, Dollar short Bro

 

[hso]

So if I were going to design a knife specifically for use in a tactical environment I would want the following criteria.

No automatic knives. They make noise and it's one more moving part to break.

One handed ambidextrous opening locking blade.

Subdued finish, noise and light discipline.

Textured grip with some type of guard to prevent my hand from slipping forward on the blade.

No serrations. too hard to sharpen in the field

No double edged blade (I seem to remember such knives being banned for combat under Hauge).

I'm pretty sure I just described an Emerson.

The criteria for a "tactical knife" are one hand opening, subdued surfaces (blade, bolster, scales/handle) to not "flash", non-slip grip (this can include features on the bolster or even on the blade at the handle to prevent sliding onto edge), 3.5+ inch blade with tip in line or nearly with handle, robust blade and handle. Double edged, serrations, and "noise" are not core criteria (I have no idea where the idea that double edged knives were "banned by the Hague" comes from. You may be thinking of saw edge which were an issue in WWI due to the notion they made more terrible wounds.).

Terzuola started the style and coined the term, Allen Elishewitz was on his heels with his fixed blades, Emerson, along with many others capitalized on the concept.

 

[Bcwitt]

Day late, Dollar short Bro

Sorry

 

[tjmga]

View attachment 1161562

This is Benchmade 710. I read a review of it tonight that described it as a "Tactical" folder/fighting knife.

I certainly wouldn't want to fight someone with this(or any) knife but I can't fathom what would make it "Tactical".

So what does make a knife "Tactical"?

What would a "Tactical" knife look like?

The manufacturers marketing department.

 

[The Night Rider]

Sorry

You weren't wrong. You were just a little slow on the draw

 

[The Night Rider]

The criteria for a "tactical knife" are one hand opening, subdued surfaces (blade, bolster, scales/handle) to not "flash", non-slip grip (this can include features on the bolster or even on the blade at the handle to prevent sliding onto edge), 3.5+ inch blade with tip in line or nearly with handle, robust blade and handle.

Did I miss a post in here somewhere? Where are these five criteria codified? Where can I find them? I know you just listed them but where did you get them.

Double edged, serrations, and "noise" are not core criteria

Noise would be core criteria if I made the list. The Army taught me Nosie Discipline well. I've seen noise blow a (training) mission. Metal on metal is not a noise that occurs in nature.

 

[westernrover]

I thought it was the glass breaker and seat-belt cutter that made it tactical, and of course that it is black,

 

[Jonah77]

Did I miss a post in here somewhere? Where are these five criteria codified? Where can I find them? I know you just listed them but where did you get them.



Noise would be core criteria if I made the list. The Army taught me Nosie Discipline well. I've seen noise blow a (training) mission. Metal on metal is not a noise that occurs in nature.

For some reason, there seems to have been a real lack of actually reading and understanding some of the key posts by hso (and others).

From the "DUH-marketing" and other attempt at humor posts, to the above post asking where the criteria for a knife to be considered "tactical" comes from...a simple point has been (aggravatingly missed). That point is this:

The knifemaker credited with the concept, and indeed the moniker, was Bob Terzuola. He laid down the "criteria" in his designs, coined the phrase and produced the first "tactical" knives. We're talking late 70s early 80s, and it grew from there. In the BEGINNING no one had any trouble understanding the concept and which knives fit the profile. THAT information alone pretty much answers the question "what makes a knife tactical". (At least the historical side of the question).

All the crapola and marketing that grew up around it was, and is "BS". Similar to the "Scout Rifle". Cooper gave us the moniker and design concept. Steyr made one, and every other rifle maker re-defined it and put the "Scout" label on it.

I intend to dig out some of my late 80s early 90s catalogs and magazines that show what was going on before Smith and Wesson and others started pushing junk knives under the "tactical" umbrella...

 

[JohnKSa]

Where are these five criteria codified?

They aren't "codified" in any formal sense--that's why any company can call a knife tactical without fear that some consumer protection organization is going to contradict them.

I listed some characteristics in an earlier post that I feel logically arise from the general idea of "tacticality" and that are, not coincidentally, present in many "tactical" knives.

Noise would be core criteria if I made the list.

Since there is no universally agreed upon list, you can certainly make your own. I thought that was kind of what the thread is about.

Noise discipline is a good thing for covert operations, and it could reasonably be argued that it's a worthwhile addition to the list. I think most self-defenders wouldn't be overly concerned with a click when a knife opens as by the time it gets to the point where they are pulling a knife for self-defense everyone involved likely knows the score and the click isn't telling anyone anything they don't already know.

 

[Jonah77]

May be of some help...borrowed from "Arizona Knives"....

Terzuola, Bob
Bob Terzuola was born in Brooklyn, New York and attended New York University. Upon graduation in 1967 he went to Panama as a Peace Corps trainer and later became a jade carver and gemologist in the Montagua River Valley, Guatemala. In 1979, Terzuola began making knives and joined the Knifemakers' Guild in 1981 on an endorsement from Bob Loveless. Terzuola's first knives were fixed blade designs made for soldiers in Guatemala. Later that year moved to New Mexico and began making folding knives. Seeing a need for a knife that could be carried discreetly, he developed a model featuring black micarta for the scales and bead-blasted titanium bolsters. Innovations in design for which he coined the term "Tactical Knife". Bob attends many of the largest and well known custom knife shows across the world. Bob Terzuola Knives are known for their trademark design and high quality workmanship. Terzuola's most popular model is the ATCF, a folding knife design. This was his first tactical folding knife, although he also makes it with non-tactical materials. Other knife models that Bob Terzuola is popular for are the 3A, TT-1, Model 7, Eagle Rock 514, TTF3A, Model 26, Starmate, TTF3B, Pathfinder, Century Starfighter, Starmate, Battle Guard, TTF6, Model 18 Combat Master, WEE T, and Battle Mate, just to name a few. Bob Terzuola also designed a very popular knife for Spyderco, the SLIPIT. The SPLIT is made of the finest non-locking tactical folders on the market. Bob Terzuola has authored a book about the design of tactical knives named, 'The Tactical Folding Knife.' When you hear people say that Bob Terzuola literally wrote the book on tactical folding knives, he really did! Many custom tactical knifemakers have his book in their shop, and highly value his opinions and designs. Bob Terzuola has also authored articles about tactical knives and knifemaking for Blade, Soldier of Fortune and other publications.

 

[Jonah77]

Terzuola "ATCF"-

 

[Jonah77]

ATCF with the Micarta Scales-

 

[The Night Rider]

Noise discipline is a good thing for covert operations, and it could reasonably be argued that it's a worthwhile addition to the list. I think most self-defenders wouldn't be overly concerned with a click when a knife opens as by the time it gets to the point where they are pulling a knife for self-defense everyone involved likely knows the score and the click isn't telling anyone anything they don't already know.

That's the other problem with words like Tactical. They mean different things to different people.

In my mind a "Tactical" Knife is for Military Use. So the noise of an auto or assisted opener might make a difference. The "click" of a lock blade locking might too but it would be quieter than an auto opener.

 

[The Night Rider]

I thought it was the glass breaker and seat-belt cutter that made it tactical, and of course that it is black,

That's a First Responder knife

 

[JohnKSa]

The "click" of a lock blade locking might too but it would be quieter than an auto opener.

True, and it's also possible to open a typical locking blade without making any noise by manipulating the lock while opening the blade although it usually takes two hands. It's a little trickier with an auto and not possible with some types.

That's a First Responder knife

My guess is that most folks would group self-defense, police and military together when it comes to "tactical" in its common usage. There are some differences in those three applications:

Police and self-defenders probably aren't as interested in quiet operation.
Military might be less interested in seat belt cutting and glass breaking.
Police and self-defenders might not be as concerned with keeping the knife very low profile in terms of dark colors and subdued finishes.

When it comes to blade size, locking capability, one-handed opening, "grippiness", clip, suitability for heavy duty use, resistance to corrosion, there's probably little difference between general police, military and self-defender requirements.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Laser? Check. Light? Check. Bipod? Check. Ninja Wrap holding laser and light? Check.

Tactical Knife.

 

[ilbob]

as best I can tell, for the most part "tactical" means it is black.