Ok apologies to everyone not on my side of the pond, we just like putting Us in words... In the recent tomahawk vs knife thread it was pretty much unanimous that the knife is preferred. So which knife style do you prefer? I always had an affinity for the Fairbairn & Sykes dagger popularised by the Special Air Service A thin stiletto dagger with a needle sharp point and a double edged blade, fits comfortably in many locations on your body, can be drawn quickly and fcuk me does it plunge easily into dead pigs (I never tested it on a person) Recently however, (ok 8 years ago!) I was given a kukri by a Gurkha I'd taught to box (well tried, he was so conditioned by eastern martial arts he couldn't quite grasp the "flow" of boxing and I only had a month with him and I don't speak Nepalese) he and others showed me some kukri katas and even some techniques with a wooden training kukri. And while it's harder to carry concealed (not that I ever would of course!) I'd much rather have one of these bad boys in my hand than a tiny dagger if I had to get busy. So there's my 2 favourite knives. One small, concealable and very deadly. The other larger, more damaging and just as deadly. What are your favourite knives and why?
I am partial to Henckels myself. If I had to narrow it down to just one and not just the whole set, I would say the chef's knife is the most versatile and the one I use the most:
I am a big fan of the Ka-Bar, I have a few around the house, a 5" and a 7" I also carry a 3" folder with me. I am also pondering the purchase of a Karambit to start training with, but I have never used/ owned one.
http://www.kabar.com/knives/detail/25 http://www.kabar.com/knives/detail/78 http://www.coldsteel.com/recon-i.html (tanto, partially serrated) http://www.coldsteel.com/gukupl.html (though, I wouldn't mind this one with a partially serrated edge as well) These are the only knives I want, and also the only knives that I feel like I need at the moment also.
My four top choices" Gil Hibbens 8.5" throwers (I wish he would put out a high carbon version of these though) Benchmade Model 42 Kukri 12" blade hand made in India Karambit (though I have not fallen in love with a particular model yet)
As much as I would like to say I don't have a favorite knife. Because I believe that you train with several different types for adaptability. From expert crafted bladdes to crap "throwaways". Folders, mini folders, Tactical fixed blades, pushdaggers, bowies, double edged, single edged, blah, blah,blah. I have to admit I have this tactical tanto I got from a school I worked for. I like the angular point. When maintained this particular knife has punched threw the door of a Honda Passport with minimal damage to itself,. Slashing or thrusting it has repeatedly penetrated leather biker jackets in a pinch, when not so maintained. Its been with me for about 13 years or so. I "retired" it 2 years ago to preserve its surprisingly good condition and now carry an assortment of throw aways. One is a mini-folder tanto, one mini-folder serrated skinner, one ring skinner (not a throw away), a clipped tactical folder, and of course a Ka-Bar in the car.
My favorite knife is a curved blade switch-blade I purchased in Spain on a Mediteranean "cruise", in the Navy, circa 1988? I had to hide it in my shoe when I came back onboard the ship. That messed up the release button a little (have to press it harder now). But it is a nice 5" curved stainless steel blade... still keep it in my toolbox, next to my first pocket knife I got as a kid around 1973? Man I am old...
my favorite knife is usually the one that is closest to me when i need one, past that, any of the one that i have made. I tended to prefer beaver-tail patterns. I sometimes i carry a small utility blade i made from an old file:
i like the pattern, it's rather elegant and the handle looks comfortable too, have you had to do much maintenance on it?
I was at a Kali seminar once and someone asked the lead instructor what was his favorite knife. Being a confessed gear whore, I got closer to hear the answer. Paraphrasing: "the closest most available sharp thing when I need it." That about sums up my feeling now too. It took a bit of paradigm shift, but I now see the utility in the thinking. Sure I have things I look for when I am buying a knife (something I have not done for myself in a long time) but when I train, all that I need of my trainer is a passing similarity to what I will carry. Namely being the Sharkee found HERE (highly recommended). Sure I carry a ZT 300 series knife, but I don't feel under armed when I carry my CRKT folders, cuz they are plenty sharp, and available . jim
It is a Rostfrei. There is maintenance on knives??? LOL No, I have only used it on occasion over the years, but if I actually took it apart and maintenanced it, the "switch" might not stick and require the extra pressure then. It has been that way since I had to sneak it onboard in my shoe
