Only Knives » Tactical http://www.onlyknives.com Knives, Swords and Blades Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:44:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Ka-Bar Last Ditch LDK TDI w/ Pistol Grip | Tactical Law Enforcement Neck Knifehttp://www.onlyknives.com/ka-bar-last-ditch-ldk-tdi-w-pistol-grip-tactical-law-enforcement-neck-knife/ http://www.onlyknives.com/ka-bar-last-ditch-ldk-tdi-w-pistol-grip-tactical-law-enforcement-neck-knife/#comments Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:05:08 +0000 JT Hats http://www.onlyknives.com/?p=9946 Ka-Bar Last Ditch LDK TDI w/ PistolThe smallest knife so far in the Ka-Bar TDI series, the Tactical Defense Institute LDK neck knife could actually be stored in your wallet. The Last Defense Knife isn't much larger than a credit card and wields a wicked cutting edge just 1-5/8 inches long.

The flat build uses the same pistol handle theory as TDI's larger knives, but the grip only accommodates two fingers. The jimped spine of the blade allows some backup pressure from your thumb, but there's very little knife here to hang on to. The hard plastic sheath of the LDK could be worn on a necklace, with the knife hanging upside down in the friction lock scabbard. A firm tug on the handle pulls it loose, but the bouncing and vibration of a hard run should leave it in place.

The small size makes the knife easily concealed. Ka-Bar suggests that the LDK tucks discreetly away under harness straps -- stitched on through the edges of the sheath -- if you're suited up for tactical assault. Tucked away in a civilian pocket or purse, or strapped to running gear, the LDK could be a confidence builder for some. TDI's fighting concept regards the knife as a claw, and the unique handle orientation presents the blade in that instinctive way. Made from 9Cr18 high carbon steel, hollow ground at a shallow 15-degree angle, the tiny LDK holds a razor-sharp edge.

The small size is also the knife's biggest problem -- the LDK isn't large enough to grip securely. You'll want something bigger as a primary defense, and something bigger as a backup. As a backup for the backup blade, the LDK is still borderline, but it might be all you have left. At 0.15 lbs, it won't drag you down.

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]]> http://www.onlyknives.com/ka-bar-last-ditch-ldk-tdi-w-pistol-grip-tactical-law-enforcement-neck-knife/feed/ 0 Ka-Bar FIN Folding Knife, Tactical Black 5551 | Comes In Drop Point, Tanto, Serrated, Combo or Plain Edgehttp://www.onlyknives.com/ka-bar-fin-folding-knife-tactical-black-5551-comes-in-drop-point-tanto-serrated-combo-or-plain-edge/ http://www.onlyknives.com/ka-bar-fin-folding-knife-tactical-black-5551-comes-in-drop-point-tanto-serrated-combo-or-plain-edge/#comments Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:01:54 +0000 JT Hats http://www.onlyknives.com/?p=9943 Ka-Bar FIN Folding Knife, TacticalKa-Bar made the FIN Folding Frame Lock Knife in both drop point and tanto blade styles and offered a choice of combo-serrated or plain edges on each version. This combo-serrated drop point FIN offers very little plain edge for fine cutting. Make sure it fits your purposes.

Open length of the knife is 6-7/8 inches, but only 2-3/4 inches of that is blade. The short but stout drop point blade of AUS-8 high carbon stainless steel is hollow ground and tempered to Rockwell 57-59. Edge bevel is a sharp 15 degrees made for slicing but not built to cut through nails. That actually makes this knife handy if you're looking for a good utility blade. If you really want a knife to cut well, you'll gradually hone a 20-degree bevel down a few degrees until it works. This one's already there.

The FIN's all-stainless-steel handle doesn't look comfortable, but the arched back does fit the palm well, and the grip includes a shaped bolster for extra security. Notches on the spine of the blade allow safe thumb pressure. This tactical style knife offers features convenient for everyday use as well as emergency situations. The large thumb loop in the blade allows one-handed opening without an awkward thumb stud, and the blade locks solidly into open position with a sturdy frame lock. A stainless steel clip allows secure pocket carry.

If you need a good emergency knife for the car, this model offers the basics of a good harness cutting blade and a pommel stiff enough to bash windows. Backed by Ka-Bar's excellent warranty, this tactical black folder is manufactured in Taiwan to meet Ka-Bar's high standards.

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]]> http://www.onlyknives.com/ka-bar-fin-folding-knife-tactical-black-5551-comes-in-drop-point-tanto-serrated-combo-or-plain-edge/feed/ 0 Cold Steel Camping & Hunting Shovel | Russian Military Spetsnaz Combat Replicahttp://www.onlyknives.com/cold-steel-camping-hunting-shovel-russian-military-spetsnaz-combat-replica/ http://www.onlyknives.com/cold-steel-camping-hunting-shovel-russian-military-spetsnaz-combat-replica/#comments Fri, 18 Jun 2010 23:48:38 +0000 JT Hats http://www.onlyknives.com/?p=9791 Cold Steel Camping & Hunting Shovel Built to exceed Russian Spetsnaz specifications, this tactical combat shovel from Cold Steel makes a great camp tool for the hunter, fisherman, and canoeist. With about a pound and a half of medium carbon tool steel and a durable hardwood handle, the Cold Steel tactical shovel is a good reason to throw away the old folder. Chances are your folding shovel didn't work very well anyway.

If you're base-camping and hiking instead of through-hiking, it makes good sense to bring enough tools to live well. No base camp is complete without a sanitary latrine and a good firepit, not to mention all the other things you can build if you have time and not too many rules in the way. Folding shovels may be compact, but with all those threaded fittings and swivel joints, it's hard to find one that actually holds up to anything but sand.

The Spetsnaz Special Forces shovel is simpler and better. The flat shovel blade is almost six inches wide with three cutting edges ground for heavy work rather than slicing. Cold Steel revised the Russian design only slightly, using heat-treated steel twice as thick as the Spetsnaz version. The heavier steel cuts down the combat speed of the shovel but gives it extra strength for more common chores. If you want razor-sharp edges, you need to add those yourself.

Historically the combat shovel probably dates back to the trench warfare of WWI, when soldiers were rumored to prefer a sharpened entrenching tool over knives, bayonets, or clubs for close combat. Verified combat use tracks back to the Russian Spetsnaz, whose soldiers are routinely trained in the use of the short shovel as knife, club, non-lethal baton, axe, and throwing tomahawk. Cold Steel's handle quality is unpredictable -- test the shovel when you get it and use the five-year warranty if any problems show up.

A practical belt sheath is also available but at extra cost.

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]]> http://www.onlyknives.com/cold-steel-camping-hunting-shovel-russian-military-spetsnaz-combat-replica/feed/ 0 Dark Ops Stiletto Tactical Stratofighter Knife | Pocket Clip Point Folder w/ Aluminum Handlehttp://www.onlyknives.com/dark-ops-stiletto-tactical-stratofighter-knife-pocket-clip-point-folder-w-aluminum-handle/ http://www.onlyknives.com/dark-ops-stiletto-tactical-stratofighter-knife-pocket-clip-point-folder-w-aluminum-handle/#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:36:53 +0000 JT Hats http://www.onlyknives.com/?p=9902 Dark Ops Stiletto TacticalThe Stratofighter might slip past your notice if you saw it on a display shelf. It's angular and ungainly and not designed with beauty in mind, but there are some excellent tactical features in this heavy folder. In fact, if you need a pocket clip folder with the functionality of a bayonet, this is it.

One of the heavier folding knives made today, this knife opens to 10-1/2 inches and weighs a respectable 8-1/2 ounces. Considering that the handle material is T6160 aircraft aluminum, not stainless steel, you might wonder where that much weight comes from. If you think it's the working end, you're right -- the clip point dagger blade is ground from CTV2 high carbon stainless steel a full 1/4-inch thick. Tempered to Rockwell 58 and then ice-hardened, the knife holds an edge well but obviously wasn't intended for light work. Steel this thick penetrates.

The rest of the knife was built to support that purpose. Swing the blade open with the one-handed opening thumb stud, and it locks solidly into place with a primary locking system called RaptorLock. Based on a fifty-year-old (and field tested) fighting knife design, the primary lock is backed up with the CrisisCross cross-bolt lock. The first lock gives full support to the blade, and the second lock prevents accidental closure. Open and double-locked, you might as well call it a fixed blade.

With modern military needs in mind, Dark Ops avoided the usual handle materials and stayed with T6160 aluminum for both frame and handle slabs. Machined to provide a stable grip, the metal handle cleans up easily after contamination with any sort of chemical or biological hazard. The small handle inserts are replaceable. Coated with TiCN or titanium carbon nitride, the Stratofighter is non-reflective. The corrosion resistant treatment also sheds dust and sand -- a genuine plus for an extended stay in the desert.

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]]> http://www.onlyknives.com/dark-ops-stiletto-tactical-stratofighter-knife-pocket-clip-point-folder-w-aluminum-handle/feed/ 0 Cold Steel AK-47 Tactical Folding Knife | High Carbon Stainless Steel Locking Blade w/ Pistol Grip Handlehttp://www.onlyknives.com/cold-steel-ak-47-tactical-folding-knife-high-carbon-stainless-steel-locking-blade-w-pistol-grip-handle/ http://www.onlyknives.com/cold-steel-ak-47-tactical-folding-knife-high-carbon-stainless-steel-locking-blade-w-pistol-grip-handle/#comments Tue, 25 May 2010 23:35:24 +0000 JT Hats http://www.onlyknives.com/?p=9772 Cold Steel AK-47 Tactical Folding Knife Inspired by the assault rifle adopted by the Russian Army in 1949, the Cold Steel AK-47 Knife's most obvious resemblance to "the People's Rifle" is the bayonet groove in the four-inch AUS-8 blade. Add to that the kind of rugged construction that you can drop in a muddy puddle and come back to later knowing it still works, and you do have some of the true AK-47 character in this tough tactical folder.

With stainless steel liners and a 4 mm thick AUS-8 high carbon stainless steel blade, the AK-47 Knife starts out strong and gets stronger. Thick handle slabs of grooved aircraft quality aluminum form the grip, and the blade lock mechanism is extra solid. Instead of thumb studs, the knife opens with a unique Cold Steel thumbplate. Now a standard feature on many of Cold Steel's tactical folders, the thumb plate allows opening from either side. The thumb plate also hooks on the seam of a pocket for a different kind of one-handed opening which shouldn't be attempted without some serious study and practice. The bead-blasted handle holds down the knife's shine, and the stainless steel folding clip mounts to either side for right or left-handed deployment.

The pommel of this eight-ounce knife is built from Grivory, another Cold Steel product with the company's trademark durability. Though the AK-47 isn't built to be a hammer, the company says it'll hold up to moderate bashing. The pommel also provides two holes for a wrist lanyard. The knife's lock has been tested against failure in both full-force strikes and missed strikes -- the ones that place unexpected forces on otherwise reliable blade lock systems. In both instances, the knife excels.

What catches the eye isn't the blocky pistol grip handle style but the wide, hollow ground blade. Heat-treated in a vacuum for uniform tempering and then put through a sub-zero hardening process, the polished blade's fine edge shows the refinement of a good skinner but was built for tougher jobs.

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]]> http://www.onlyknives.com/cold-steel-ak-47-tactical-folding-knife-high-carbon-stainless-steel-locking-blade-w-pistol-grip-handle/feed/ 0 Spyderco Byrd Meadowlark Folding Knife, Right Handed | High Carbon Stainless Steel with G-10 Handle BY04GPhttp://www.onlyknives.com/spyderco-byrd-meadowlark-folding-knife-right-handed-high-carbon-stainless-steel-with-g-10-handle-by04gp/ http://www.onlyknives.com/spyderco-byrd-meadowlark-folding-knife-right-handed-high-carbon-stainless-steel-with-g-10-handle-by04gp/#comments Fri, 21 May 2010 14:45:36 +0000 JT Hats http://www.onlyknives.com/?p=9744 Spyderco Byrd Meadowlark Folding Knife,The Byrd Meadowlark with G-10 handle combines one of the best tactical knife handle materials with a popular pocket folder design. G-10's good insulating qualities and resistance to all types of chemicals add to the Meadowlark's already practical features.

Crosshatched jimping on the G-10 handle slabs makes the grip of this well-shaped knife even more secure. A finger choil formed from the base of the open blade and the forward part of the handle gives better index finger control and prevents slipping. The handle material is still the thing you'll notice least about the Meadowlark. What attracts attention is the blade with the trademark eye-shaped thumbhole used for one-handed opening.

Large enough to snag easily with a thumb tip and open without slipping across the cutting edge -- an occasional issue with thumb stud opening systems -- the thumb loop also provides a safe pressure point for hard cutting jobs. A three-inch blade of 8Cr13MoV high carbon stainless steel locks firmly into place with a strong liner lock mechanism. Released by a locking lever, the blade folds easily back into the 3-15/16-inch-long handle. The recess or dent in the release lever prevents accidental folding when gripping the handle tightly.

The Byrd Meadowlark is pre-assembled for right-handed users but does convert to left-handed carry. Predrilled holes for the stainless steel pocket clip allow shifting the clip to either side of the handle, in either tip-up or tip-down position. Filework on the spine of the Meadowlark handle adds more traction than decoration.

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]]> http://www.onlyknives.com/spyderco-byrd-meadowlark-folding-knife-right-handed-high-carbon-stainless-steel-with-g-10-handle-by04gp/feed/ 0 United Cutlery Kommando Knife, Tactical Black | Full Tang Bowie with Kraton Handle M48http://www.onlyknives.com/united-cutlery-kommando-knife-tactical-black-full-tang-bowie-with-kraton-handle-m48/ http://www.onlyknives.com/united-cutlery-kommando-knife-tactical-black-full-tang-bowie-with-kraton-handle-m48/#comments Thu, 20 May 2010 14:30:15 +0000 JT Hats http://www.onlyknives.com/?p=9738 United Cutlery Kommando Knife, TacticalThough it's better known for its many styles of fantasy and replica weapons, United Cutlery also designs knives in a tactical style. Imported from China, the practical offerings from United Cutlery include the M48 Kommando Fighter Knife. With the makers and most of the technical specifications somewhere on the other side of the world, we're left with a few doubts about this knife.

United Cutlery provides very little detailed information beyond identifying the steel as 440. Assuming that's the low grade of 440A doesn't eliminate the possibility that a good knife could be found here for a bargain price. With a massive Bowie-style full tang blade 7-3/4 inches long, an overall length of 13-1/4 inches and a fighter style grip of black Kraton with dropped bolsters, the price per ounce is attractive.

A black tactical coating does give the knife a professional look, but the bolted Kraton slabs laid over the full tang handle don't show the perfect fit you should find in a professional knife. Fastenings are minimal and probably will need some adjustment occasionally. There's a respectable amount of steel in this large blade, but also some uncertainty about quality control.

More clues come from United Cutlery's warranty and exchange service, which isn't generous. If buyers do have issues with this knife, the only recourse will be customer service at the retail level. Made by a company more expert at producing knives and swords destined for the wall or costume, the M48 Kommando Fighter has to build a reputation as the real thing. Many other brands of knives in the same price range already have that.

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]]> http://www.onlyknives.com/united-cutlery-kommando-knife-tactical-black-full-tang-bowie-with-kraton-handle-m48/feed/ 1 Boker Hyper Knife by Chad Los Banos Subcom | Tactical Black Plain Edge Blade, Pocket Cliphttp://www.onlyknives.com/boker-hyper-knife-by-chad-los-banos-subcom-tactical-black-plain-edge-blade-pocket-clip/ http://www.onlyknives.com/boker-hyper-knife-by-chad-los-banos-subcom-tactical-black-plain-edge-blade-pocket-clip/#comments Sat, 15 May 2010 21:04:06 +0000 JT Hats http://www.onlyknives.com/?p=9727 Boker Hyper Knife by Chad Los BanosDesigned by Chad Los Banos and manufactured by Boker, the Hyper streamlines one of Los Banos's earlier knives -- the Subcom. Built thinner but just as solid, this 3.2-ounce, one-handed opening knife slips neatly into the pocket with a barely noticeable profile.

Dual thumb studs allow opening from either side of the blade, and the wide stainless steel pocket clip reverses for tip-up or tip-down carrying. The Hyper's tactical black coating eliminates the shine of the AUS-8 high carbon stainless steel blade and all other visible metal parts. An internal frame lock holds the blade securely in the open position and releases easily.

The Hyper extends to a full length of 6-1/4 inches with a wide handle and a comfortable grip of fiber-reinforced dark nylon. Textured handle slabs provide a non-slip surface enhanced by grip-zone notches and shallow finger choils. There's considerable strength in the wide blade of the Hyper and an improved cutting design. Length of cutting edge is actually slightly longer than the 2-3/4-inch blade because of the slight recurve at the base. That shallow concave section focuses cutting pressure near the handle where the leverage advantage is greatest. When cutting heavy material like rope or seat belt webbing, the material sinks deeper against the cutting edge as it moves forward on the blade. Even with a plain edge, the knife grips as it cuts.

Even the Hyper's stainless steel pocket clip seems better than average, wider than the standard clip and strong enough to actually keep the knife in place. Conservative in size, the Hyper packs a lot of quality into a small package.

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]]> http://www.onlyknives.com/boker-hyper-knife-by-chad-los-banos-subcom-tactical-black-plain-edge-blade-pocket-clip/feed/ 0 Smith & Wesson Linerlock Knife, Combo Edge SWMP5LS | MAGIC Assisted Opening Automatic M & Phttp://www.onlyknives.com/smith-wesson-linerlock-knife-combo-edge-swmp5ls-magic-assisted-opening-automatic-m-p/ http://www.onlyknives.com/smith-wesson-linerlock-knife-combo-edge-swmp5ls-magic-assisted-opening-automatic-m-p/#comments Sat, 15 May 2010 14:59:02 +0000 JT Hats http://www.onlyknives.com/?p=9724 Smith & Wesson Linerlock Knife, ComboThe biggest attraction of the Smith & Wesson SWMP5LS Linerlock knife isn't the upgraded design. What makes this five-inch (folded length) beast popular is the MAGIC Assisted Opening system. Currently, it's one of the closest substitutes for an automatic opening knife that civilians are allowed to own.

Possibly a company could build any decent knife around that selling point and find a market -- without the MAGIC system, this unusually styled knife might be more of a curiosity. But release the slide lock and push the knife blade forward with the thumb stud at the base of the blade, and the MAGIC spring-loaded opener swings the blade forward to lock securely in place. To close, release the knife's liner lock and press the blade back into the handle, locking the action with the slide. If it does that well, it doesn't need to be pretty.

With the rest of the knife, the company went a bit wild. The extremely sculpted blade features an upswept point, false upper edge, and a wicked combo-serrated cutting edge. The knife's handle still has the pistol grip look of its predecessor, but the machined aluminum frame with rubberized inserts shows fewer of the blocky edges that made the old model less than comfortable in use. Rounded contours in the handle of the SWMP5LS allow a solid grip and powerful control without all the unfriendly corners.

The 3-1/2-inch tactical black blade of 4034 high carbon stainless steel does have enough plain edge up front for normal uses and rips easily through cord or seat belt harnesses with the serrated portion. The folding clip M&P could be a good emergency knife for drivers -- a glass breaker hilt for pressure-smashing car windows is part of the deal.

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]]> http://www.onlyknives.com/smith-wesson-linerlock-knife-combo-edge-swmp5ls-magic-assisted-opening-automatic-m-p/feed/ 0 SOG Salute Folding Tactical Knife | Stainless Steel Black Blade FF-11, Pocket Cliphttp://www.onlyknives.com/sog-salute-folding-tactical-knife-stainless-steel-black-blade-ff-11-pocket-clip/ http://www.onlyknives.com/sog-salute-folding-tactical-knife-stainless-steel-black-blade-ff-11-pocket-clip/#comments Tue, 11 May 2010 14:45:02 +0000 JT Hats http://www.onlyknives.com/?p=9687 SOG Salute Folding Tactical Knife SOG's FF-11 Salute -- which the company refers to as their first Fusion tactical folder -- puts all the technical expertise of that innovative manufacturer to good use. The result is a high-tech knife that isn't tough to understand, with a few unusually good features.

Full-length steel liners and machined slabs of durable and easily gripped G-10 composite make up the handle of this 4.2-ounce knife. With a folded length of about 4-1/2 inches, it fits the pocket neatly -- enough knife to grip comfortably and not too much to carry unobtrusively. The blade itself is a familiar Bowie-style dagger point with a false upper edge on the last third of the 3.62-inch Cr13MoV stainless steel blade. All the shiny parts have been toned down with tactical black non-reflective coating -- essential for some people and never a bad idea for the rest of us.

The blade itself is the first really good idea in the FF-11. This simple design works well as a tactical backup knife, but for owners who need a good camp knife or utility blade instead, it's just as efficient. If a clip point pocketknife is your usual blade, you'll find the FF-11 familiar and handy. Locked back, it's as solid as a light fixed blade.

Two other small things about this knife really stand out. SOG places the stainless steel pocket clip far down at the end of the handle for the most secure carrying system possible with a pocket clip folder. There's no heavy chunk of handle sticking out the top of the pocket to catch brush or attention. The other nice idea is the adjustable thumb stud, which seats in a slot in the blade. Reposition it where you want for more leverage or for faster action.

Minor problems would have to include the several right-angled edges of the grip, which can't be a good thing for extended use. Soldiers design knives like this one. Farmers design comfortable handles.

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