This heavy 29-3/4-inch sword wields a wide, double-edged blade 19-1/2 inches long and 3/32 inches thick. A rat-tail tang extends completely through the turned wooden grip and ends in a threaded pommel of cast brass. Brass also plates the front face of the wooden bladeguard. Made from high carbon steel, the blade shows some signs of genuine hand workmanship. Expect some asymmetry and other small imperfections.

The sheath is hardwood with a leather cover and fittings of brass plate. Rings on the sheath hardware allow suspension from a belt or display on the wall. This sword recreates one of the shortest styles of the Roman gladius, called the Pompeii. Original Pompeii swords were about two inches wide with blades about 20 inches long and an overall maximum length of 25-1/2 inches. Some Pompeii swords were a few inches shorter and weighed about 1-1/2 pounds. Over the years, better metal and improved forging techniques allowed smiths to increase the length of the gladius without decreasing blade strength. Longer swords which kept the parallel edges and triangular point of the Pompeii pattern became known as semi-spatha.

See the Valiant Armory Praetorian Sword -- a different but still authentic ancient Roman sword -- for another hand-forged modern version of the gladius.

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Authentic Hand Forged Roman Sword Real Brass Sheath US $49.99   Auction Ends: 27d 3h 17m

Authentic Reproduction Hand Forged Roman Sword Real Brass Sheath NEW US $85.00   Auction Ends: 2d 17h 27m

In saltwater conditions, titanium outperforms stainless steel, offering edge retention and blade strength comparable to steel knives but with less weight and much better corrosion resistance. The 4-3/8-inch blade will need regular but ordinary maintenance, dulling at a normal rate during use, but you won't need to worry about the titanium edge rotting in the sheath. Titanium doesn't corrode even if stored in seawater.

The Promate Diving Knife was designed by scuba divers and includes special features professional divers find handy. The sharp tip and plain cutting edge handle stabbing and slicing tasks, and on the blade spine, you'll find a serrated section for tougher cable-cutting chores. The diving knife's spine also holds a deep notch for quickly severing smaller lines. A rubberized grip fully encloses the knife's tang, and bolsters keep your hand on the grip whether you're cutting with the blade or smashing and banging with the titanium hammerhead in the butt of the handle.

The Promate Titanium Diving Knife comes with an adjustable sheath made to strap securely to arm or leg. The knife snaps into place for secure carry in any position. Although designed especially for divers, the knife offers many features equally useful in survival situations on land.

See the Barracuda Sharp Tip from Promate for another good titanium knife in a larger style.

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PROMATE Snorkeling Scuba Dive DRY Snorkel PURGE Mask Gear Set Titanium US $42.98   Auction Ends: 28d 17h 35m

Promate Sharp Tip Titanium Scuba Dive Snorkeling Backup BC Knife 3 Blade US $49.95   Auction Ends: 6d 1h 37m

The basic kit includes three approaches to making fire. There's a spark-generating permanent match, actually good for over a thousand high-energy strikes, plus a firestarter to help turn that spark into flame. On sunny days, you can save the permanent match and use the fresnel magnifier instead. Other handy items include a stainless steel signaling mirror and an emergency whistle that actually works. There's an inexpensive liquid-filled bubble compass, a scalpel blade, a six-foot length of stainless steel wire, and ten feet of braided 100-pound test nylon cord.

The kit holds a sewing needle, thread, and a few safety pins for patching clothing. Waterproof paper and pencil allow writing those important signal notes if you have to abandon camp. You won't find a lot of useless stuff in this kit -- it doesn't fill every empty space with Band-aids, sugar cubes, or teabags, and does leave a little room for adding important items of your own choosing. Most people choose a folding water bag and water purification tablets, which are already included in the more expensive Pocket Survival Pack Plus. Although there's only a bare minimum of supplies here, the kit does include a waterproof survival booklet full of tips on how to use the gear. You won't use up the steel wire figuring out snares on your own if you just follow the step-by-step instructions.

The Pocket Survival Kit Plus includes a skeleton-handled knife, a water bag, and a small supply of water purification tablets. For anyone who normally carries better versions of fundamental equipment, the original Pocket Survival Pack still offers the best deal.

See the Bear Grylls Survival Knife for a set of survival tools that's more knife and less kit.

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NEW Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pack US $31.25   Auction Ends: 24d 1h 59m

Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pack US $32.54   Auction Ends: 19d 50m

This compact multi-tool offers several useful tools in addition to a hollow ground, combo-edged drop point blade of high carbon 420 stainless steel. The one-hand opening lockback knife is still the primary blade of the tool and with three inches of cutting edge, it's enough to get you by. Hunters and fishermen will want more, but for the average backpacker it's a reasonable choice.

Since everyone today carries something high-tech, it's always helpful to have some mechanical tools along -- in case a fitting on the pack or tent or boots breaks and you have to be creative. The X-Tract includes a small pair of pliers, a Phillips and flat-head screwdriver, and wire cutters -- all of which could come in very handy when unexpected things go wrong. There's also a bottle and can opener if you've forgotten the most important part of your mess kit. All tools in the Buck 731 open with one hand and lock in place for use.

Under the rubber-coated thermoplastic handle cover lies another useful feature, an LED light powered by two flat coin-sized batteries. It's not the lamp you'd depend on for the long walk home, but it's a great backup to have around. Power-saving circuitry turns off the LED after three minutes. Access to the battery compartment requires a small Phillips screwdriver, so if you need to install new batteries, do it before you hit the trail.

The 4-1/4-inch Buck 731 doesn't include a pocket clip, but a tough nylon belt pouch is part of the deal. The base of the knife provides a stainless steel lanyard loop big enough to string a wrist lanyard or clip on a carabiner.

For the same multi-tool without the LED option, see this Buck X-Tract Multi-Tool.

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Buck Knives X Tract Platinum MultiTool LED 64oz 731PLX US $41.95   Auction Ends: 23d 9h 21m

BUCK 735 X TRACT ESSENTIAL BLUE MULTI TOOL KNIFE SCISSORS SCREWDRIVERS NEW US $24.50   Auction Ends: 20d 23h 48m

The Trail Hawk weighs 1 pound 3 ounces, and you won't have a problem justifying all of it. In fact, you can leave the big Bowie knife at home and take something smaller for the light cutting work, because the Trail Hawk is better at just about everything else. From hammer poll to blade edge, the axe measures 6-1/2 inches with a cutting edge 2-1/4 inches wide. The high carbon steel is properly tempered with a hardened hammer face and resilient blade. Common sense uses of the hammer side would include driving nails or wooden tent stakes.

The American hickory handle is plain straight-grained wood, smooth but unfinished. That's the kind of handle I like to see, since lacquer ordinarily just hides poor materials and dissolves if you wear DEET. A little sweat and elbow grease will give the handle all the shine it needs.

The set screw which helps hold the handle in the head seems pointless, and if the handle doesn't fit properly, it makes sense to get rid of the screw and put in a new handle. Otherwise, Cold Steel's Trail Hawk is an economical choice and well-designed for today's needs.

See the SOG Fusion Tactical Tomahawk for a modern, lightweight trail axe.

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NEW Cold Steel Trail Hawk American Hickory Handle US $32.35   Auction Ends: 24d 56m

Trail Hawk High Quality Sheath Tough Black Cordura Nylon Made By Cold Steel US $11.00   0 Bid Auction Ends: 4d 3h 34m

In today's world, the Spartan is well designed for field dressing game. The 4-1/2-inch blade's point is shaped for penetrating, and the deep belly of the knife aids in shallow skinning cuts or deeper butchering cuts. The recurved plain edged blade of AUS8A high carbon stainless steel draws the knife deeper into anything that passes over it, including rope and straps. If you don't like the feel of G-10, you'll appreciate the hard ribbed Grivory of the Spartan's handle. Grivory often substitutes for metal in the automotive industry with the feel of iron or steel but not the weight. By shape alone, this unusual knife stays firmly in hand. Stainless steel liners beneath the six-inch Grivory handle slabs add even more strength. The Spartan's Tri-ad blade lock is equally tough and clearly able to survive more punishment than the average user deals out.

Technically, the 7-1/2-ounce Spartan is a one-hand opener, using a thumb plate on the back of the blade as a leverage point. Action of the knife typically is stiff, especially when new. That limbers up with use, but one-hand opening may not be as reliable as the two-handed method. Cold Steel suggests hooking the thumb plate on the lip of the pants pocket and opening the blade that way. Owners are confirming that this isn't as simple as it sounds. Combine that with the extra stiffness of the stainless steel pocket clip, and there's some heavy wear and tear on pants.

You wouldn't notice the link to Greek history unless someone explained it, and there are a few quirks -- but if you like large folders you'll like the Spartan.

See the Cold Steel Espada for an even larger folding knife inspired by ancient weaponry.

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Cold Steel New Spartan Folding Blade Knife 21S US $51.89   Auction Ends: 10d 6h 18m

Cold Steel Spartan Lockback Knife AUS 8A Blade 21S US $59.99   Auction Ends: 20d 12h 57m

Weighing just 2.8 ounces, counting the small Secure-Ex sheath and dogtag style neck chain, the Point Guard can be tucked away beneath clothing or lashed in place in easy reach. Arrange it properly and it's a handy tool you'll not even think about. If you need it, the high carbon AUS8 stainless steel Point Guard provides 4 inches of plain hollow ground cutting edge. The overall length of 6-3/4 inches doesn't leave much for the grip, but the design improves on features experimented with in other knives, and turns out to be very usable.

Inspired by a Fred Perrin custom knife design, the large hole accommodates an index finger and the open pistol style grip allows a fairly comfortable and secure three-finger hold. Held solidly in the hand, there's nowhere for the blade to go except where you point it. The system should fit the hands of nearly every user. The finger hole doubles as part of the sheath's latching mechanism -- a rounded tab friction-fits into the hole and keeps the knife secure in any position, even upside-down. Grab the hilt and give the knife a firm pull, and it slips easily from the sheath. This is one neck knife you don't need to worry about bouncing loose.

See the Cold Steel Double Agent knife for a similar neck knife in a karambit style.

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Cold Steel Point Guard Plain Edge Neck Knife Sheath 49 US $44.99   Auction Ends: 18d 12h 52m

COLD STEEL 49FPS POINT GUARD FIX BLADE KNIFE NEW KNIFE US $45.89   Auction Ends: 22d 42m

With the adjustable Seven Step Fillet Knife, you'll get a narrow and flexible fillet blade of 420J2 high carbon stainless steel, notched to set firmly at half-inch stages from a short 5-1/2 inch cutting edge -- small enough for pan fish -- to a full-sized 9-inch blade for that fish you've only imagined. The construction is simple and not quite foolproof. Depress the locking lever in the back of the handle to lift the locking pin from the slot cut in the spine of the blade. Carefully adjust the blade length by manually shifting it in or out of the hard plastic handle. Make sure the locking pin seats solidly in the blade notch before resuming work.

Effectiveness will depend very much on the care you give this interesting knife. If you let filth accumulate in the handle, the lock won't be as reliable, and this style of construction will definitely take more time to clean than a fixed blade with solid components. The size and effectiveness of this new grip also doesn't quite match the Kershaw fixed blade solution, but considering the versatility of this knife, it's an acceptable trade-off.

The Kershaw Seven Step comes with a hard plastic ABS belt sheath built to hold the knife at its minimum length of 10-1/4 inches.

See the Dexter Russell Fillet Knife for a simple fixed blade style that's easier to clean.

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NIK KERSHAW one step ahead 7 b w when i grow up nik12 pic slv uk mca 1988 US $11.70   Auction Ends: 29d 37m

NIK KERSHAW one step ahead 12 3 trk dj promo b w 7 version and when i grow up US $13.41   Auction Ends: 29d 3m

At 12 inches in overall length, this is about as much knife as you'll want to carry on your belt, and Kershaw does provide a hard plastic ABS sheath for that. Since the blade is a little light for anything more than filleting fish, you'll probably find it fits better in the tackle box, where the tough sheath protects the fine seven-inch cutting edge from harm. Ground and tempered for uniform flexibility, the knife's edge will need regular maintenance if you want it razor sharp. Pack a honing steel or whetstone in the tackle box and be prepared.

For slippery work like cleaning fish, the quality of the handle is as important as the blade. The co-polymer grip molded around the Kershaw fillet knife's tang provides a deep bolster in front and a smaller dropped heel in the rear to prevent slips in either direction. The wide oval of the palm section is ribbed for better traction and allows firm control of the knife, even when hands are cold and clumsy.

The knife cleans up easily and does resist corrosion well, but modern stainless steel is a compromise between edge-holding and rust resistance. After the fishing trip, clean and dry the knife and don't store it in the sheath where moisture could still be trapped.

See the Kershaw Fillet Knife with 9-inch blade if you need a strong but economical knife built for larger fish.

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Kershaw kai cutlery Clearwater Fillet Knife Model 1237 TF US $.99   1 Bid Auction Ends: 2d 3h

Kershaw 7 Fillet Knife for Fishing or Hunting ClearWater 7 step US $30.00   Auction Ends: 2d 9h 11m

This 38-inch sword includes 31 inches of curved steel cutting edge, shaped but not sharpened to allow safer use in dance. The forward-weighted blade shows a short blood groove and a dagger style upswept point. This light sword was swung from horseback in a slashing attack. The hardwood grip surrounds a strong rattail tang and sits solidly between a cast brass cross-guard and a traditionally styled cast brass hawksbill pommel. With high quality materials and historically correct details, the CAS Hanwei scimitar also makes an excellent sword for the collector of ancient weapons.

The kilij was just one of many different types of scimitars used in the Middle East. A false edge or yelman on the upper edge of the flared point increased its cutting ability, and the moderate curve of the blade made thrusts possible but more awkward than with a straighter blade. Other types of Arabian scimitars were formed with even more curve than the kilij. Late in the 18th century, the kilij evolved into a stiffer form with even less curve and a reinforced spine. Turkish styles of scimitars called mameluks became popular in Europe as well as the Middle East. One mameluke -- awarded to Marine First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon in recognition of his heroism during the Battle of Tripoli Harbor -- inspired the sword which is still part of the Marine dress uniform.

For a combat quality scimitar, see the Cold Steel Shamshir Ottoman Sword.

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SCIMITAR SWORD by HANWEI SH2354 NEW US $109.95   Auction Ends: 26d 4h 54m

CAS HANWEI SCIMITAR SH2354 US $106.57   Auction Ends: 23d 17h 13m