The term tactical knife applies to almost any knife that is
designed specifically for military or combat use. The first tactical
knives specifically designed for the military were introduced during the
Second World War. The original design for the KA-BAR, The most common
tactical knife used throughout several branches of the military, was
introduced in 1942. The prototype model was originally rejected for use
by the armed forces. A reworked model was produced in 1945 that met
combat requirements and the KA-BAR was quickly ushered into circulation.
Many of these knives both original and replicas are still in use today
and the KA-BAR remains the primary knife of choice for the USMC.
During
the Vietnam War the Special Operations Group, (also called the Studies
and Observations Group) division of the military was formed. This new
elite group of fighters requested a knife that was unmarked and
untraceable to a country of origin and the SOG knife was born. The SOG
knife was designed by Benjamin Baker, who at the time served as the
Deputy Chief of the US Counterinsurgency Office. The SOG knife features a
convex false edge on the clip point of a Bowie knife. It was crafted of
hardened steel known as SKS-3 and hardened to meet the Rockwell
hardness factor in the range of 55 to 57.
These knives were
produced solely in Japan and several thousand found their way into
service throughout the 60's and 70's. In the 1980's the SOG Knife
Company was formed and began to produce replicas of the original SOG
knife. Most replicas were created to the original specifications of
those produced during the Vietnam War, but stainless steel commemorative
counterparts to the original knife bearing the insignia of the branch
of service were also produced.
KA-BAR and SOG knives remain
popular throughout the armed forces today, however, other non tradition
manufactures such as Gerber are beginning to develop their own versions
of tactical knives.
Bowie knives have a rich and colorful role in American history;
they are associated with some of the most epic moments, ranging from the
Alamo to the Civil War. Let's separate fact from fiction and discover
the history of the bowie knife.
What is a bowie knife?
The
bowie is believed to be originally a series of designs created by Jim
Bowie over a number of years. The "standard" historical bowie knife can
be considered to meet these specs:
Blade Length: 6-12 inches
Blade width: 1.5-2 inches
Blade thickness: ~1/4 inch
False edge (or sharpened edge) along backside of blade
Large quillon or guard
Jim Bowie
James Bowie was a
pioneer and soldier best known for being among the soldiers who died
defending the Alamo. There is debate over who actually made the first
bowie knife, as well as who actually designed it, and there does not
seem to be a definitive answer. It is likely that Jim Bowie was involved
in designing it, and it is quite certain that Jim Bowie was the one who
made it famous.
What is certain is that Jim Bowie's knife design
became popular after the sandbar duel of 1827. Jim Bowie was supporting
one of the duelers when he was attacked by the opposition. Despite being
shot and stabbed, Jim killed his primary attacker with his knife. After
this incident, Jim Bowie became known as one of the best knife fighters
in the world, and others began to want copies of his knife.
Modern Times
Currently,
the term bowie knife can be used to refer to any large sheath knife.
However, true bowie knives are still being made. SOG Knives and Cold
Steel Knives are two companies that make several modern bowie knives.
Skinning game is not an art exactly, but it does take practice, a certain amount of skill, and most importantly the right knife.
What
is the right knife? The right knife is one designed specifically for
skinning, appropriately called a skinning knife. The blade of the
skinning knife is thinner, allowing for slight bending for working the
hide. The skinning knife also has a curved tip, as opposed to a pointed
tip, to keep it from accidentally puncturing the hide or damaging the
meat.
Over the years, knife makers have tried to meet the desires
of hunters by producing tougher knives. They have created super tough
knives of stainless steel and surgical steel. According to Doug Holcomb
of Northside Fishing in Hillyard, Washington these knives are great when
you have them first sharpened, but once the edge starts to dull, it is
very difficult to re-sharpen them. Doug has professionally skinned both
large and small game. He prefers a "good carbon steel blade" that he can
sharpen himself in the field if necessary. Of course, in the end, it is
a hunter's preference.
For the hunter that desires both the hide and the meat, it is best
to have a good field knife as well as a skinning knife. The skinning
knife is not meant to get in between the bones, or cutting the bones
when necessary.
A hunter should also have access to what is called
a sharpening steel. Working on certain types of hides can dull even the
best of knives and being able to sharpen your knives in the field saves
a lot of time. Are you unfamiliar with how to properly use steels? Make
a trip to your local butcher and tell them that you want to be able to
sharpen your knives in the field. Ask them if they would show you how to
properly sharpen your blades against the steel.
It sounds like a
lot of stuff to be carrying around with you, especially when you are
also carrying you're your rifle or bow. Just think about how much time
and money that you can save yourself by being able to field dress that
big buck you just brought down, by doing everything yourself. Not to
mention all the weight you do not have to pack out.
As we
mentioned before, skinning well takes practice. Try your hand at
skinning smaller game until you are more proficient and feel comfortable
with the process. The last thing that you want to do is mess up in the
field.
How does a ballistic knife work? This is an interesting question. How does it work? Actually ballistic knife has a different types of
mechanism for its working. Its power source could be spring loaded or air
pressure or explosives. Using air pressure or explosive is quite dangerous but
is the most powerful option. Spring loaded ballistic knife is effective only up
to the range of five meter. You can use
ballistic knife for close range combat and in case you can fire it to finish
your enemy. Since this knife is made for sole purpose of killing, it is
considered very dangerous and is banned in United States.
Spring loaded ballistic knife might not be as powerful as
compressed air or gas propulsion system to fire the blade. This is because
spring loaded ballistic knife will suffer from spring fatigue over time period.
Ballistic knives do not have aerodynamic blades. Its design is made for slicing
and stabbing but not for propulsion. Custom made ballistic knife could be made
more aerodynamic to make it more effective for propulsion. Since the ballistic
knives are not aerodynamic, they tremble after traveling short distance.
The trigger to release the blade from ballistic knife is
normally at the base from the top of the handle for making it easier to pull by
the finger. It could also be customized to be placed at the base or at the side
of the handle.
Ballistic knife is awesome. It is different from those other
simple knives found in the market. The most distinguishing feature about ballistic
knife is that it can shoot out blade from its handle. This weapon is really
dangerous so it is banned in most of the countries.This knife could be really handy in needed time.
Ballistic knife are not so easily found in the market. It is mostly illegal/
only authorized distribute can sell these awesome and dangerous knife.
The ballistic knife is spring loaded and can shoot out knife
from its handle through a trigger. This knife could be used for short range
combat. It is made for ease of hand. It can also be used for long range combats.
In time of need you could shoot out its blade. Seems really awesome. Just because
it is awesome does not mean it is not dangerous. Why do you think it got
banned?
To look at the history of ballistic knife it is believed
that these ballistic knives were developed for the soviet special force. The closest
weapon to these knives is the NRS-2 knife with a built-in firearm in handle. Spring-powered
ballistic knives were developed in 1985. These knives werecapable of shooting knife up to the range of
5 meters at a speed of 63 km/h. more powerful ballistic knives could be
made using compressed air or gas propulsion to fire the blade. Since most of
the blades of ballistic knives are not aerodynamic, the blade would frequently
tumble after traveling a short distance. Soviet training doctrine of the day
emphasized the use of the thrown knife as a silent weapon. It has got pretty
cool history. The man behind this ingenious design must be really proud of his
invention.
Ballistic knife was made for the soviet special forces to
accomplish special ops. Since this knife can be used for short and middle range
combat, it is a very effective and dangerous weapon for this range. This knife
can easily inflate heavy and serious wounds. The blades are military grade and
are very sharp. What I am trying to say is that it is not a child’s toy. You need to be sure about all the dangers of owning
this dangerous tool. Though it is dangerous it feels cool to have one of those.
These things are rare and illegal. If you do get one of these then handle it
with care.
The other thing you need to be careful is about the dealer
from whom you are buying it. There are a lot of scams going around in the
market. You need to find out more about the dealer before buying it. They could
trap you in a scam. Find out more
information about the company before handing them your money.
Also be sure that you are buying the right type of ballistic
knife. Check it properly. This is because ballistic knife using gas or air
pressure for propulsion is dangerous. If the product is poorly made then there
could occur an unfortunate accident. I suggest spring loaded ballistic knife is
the best choice because it can be reset manually and does not possess threat of
explosion. It could result nasty.
what i am saying is be careful of scampers, check the product properly and understand the risks of these products. these are illegal is many countries. united states is one of the country included. if you are a citizen of the country where it is illegal then owning this knife could lead you to jail.
I was surfing the internet to see what was the best way to choose the best survival knife. I found this article. this article is really interesting. Hope you will enjoy it too. Constants You Should Look For In All Quality Knives Fixed Blade
The
first constant that you should look for is a fixed blade knife, all
good survival knives should have a fixed blade. These types of knives
can handle much more punishment and hard use than a folding knife and
will be a much better tool for chopping and cutting. Full Tang
The
second constant is that your fixed blade knife should be full tang. The
tang refers to the extension of the blade metal all the way through the
knife handle. Essentially the entire length of the knife should be
constructed out of one piece of steel with the handles either bolted on
to either side of the tang or otherwise covering the tang. Many good
survival knives will also have an exposed tang butt cap on the end of
the knife for hammering. Good Steel
The
third constant is good steel. This one is a biggie and separates the
cheap knives from the good knives and the good knives from the great
knives. There are two main categories of steel, Stainless and
Non-Stainless. Stainless steel is generally softer than non-stainless
but is more resistant to corrosion. There are many different types of
stainless that range from complete junk to some of the most expensive
knives on the market. Stainless steel can be a very good blade material
but the good stuff can be expensive. For brevity I will list some
stainless steels that are very hard, keep an excellent edge and will
last a lifetime. I would buy a survival knife made out of any of the
following steels.
· AUS- 8
· AUS -10
· AUS-12
· 440 C
· BG-42
· VG- 10
· S30V
Non-Stainless
Steel is generally tougher, harder, takes a better edge and retains
that edge longer than stainless steel however it is more susceptible to
corrosion. I am a big fan of Non Stainless steel and most of my knives
are made of 1095 High Carbon or better. These are knives that take a
beating, hold an excellent edge and are very hard to break or bend.
There are a number of different types of Non Stainless Steel that are
extremely strong and that I highly recommend.
· 1095 High Carbon Steel
· 1050 High Carbon Steel
· D2 Steel
· 5160 Steel Personal Considerations
The
"best survival knife on the market" may not be the best survival knife
for you personally. There are a number of things that you have to take
into consideration to find the right blade for your needs. Here are some
things to consider:
What are the main functions of the knife that
you will be using? Do you want it for chores around the house, camping,
heavy chopping, skinning game or for bush crafting? These are all very
different style knives, although some great survival knives close the
gap and are great at a number of these uses, no knife that I have found
is great for all of them. So let's categorize them and put them into a
few buckets. Bush crafting
Bush
crafting fixed blades normally are a small to medium sized knife that
have about a 3" - 4" blade and are made with a high end steel that will
retain a VERY good, razor-sharp edge like D2. These knives will have a
relatively thin drop point blade which increases the ability to make
detailed cuts. You will want to stay away from anything that is
serrated. A couple great knives in this category are the following:
· Fallkniven F1
· Swamp Rat Vex Outdoor survival
Generally
your larger more beefy knives, outdoor survival knives range from a 5"
blade to a 9" inch blade depending on how much chopping you will be
doing. These knives are generally made of 1095 High Carbon or D2 steel.
You will want a blade with no less than a full ¼ inch thick blade and
tang. The tang should remain thick and wide throughout the handle. These
knives are made to be beat on and are every much a "tool" as they are a
knife. You should avoid serrations and look for a drop point blade
shape. Some great knives in this category are as follows:
· Becker BK 2
· Becker BK9
· ESSE RC 5
· Ontario RTAK II Hunting
Hunting
knives are a whole different breed of knife, they may look similar to
an outdoor survival knife but they are strikingly different. Generally
Hunting knives have a 3" -5" blade and are made of a top stainless
steel. Since edge retention and corrosion resistance are major factors,
look for a knife made out of VG-10 or S30V. You will want to choose a
knife with a thinner blade both in the thickness of the tang and the
thickness from the edge to the spine. There are a few distinct types of
points you will find such as a drop point, clip point and a skinning
point. A couple good hunting knives are as follows:
· Fallkniven Pro Hunter knife
· Buck Alpha
Some
other important considerations in choosing your best survival knife are
the handles and the sheath. Both of these considerations can play a big
part in your overall satisfaction of the knife that you choose. Handles
Just
like every other topic in the world of knives there is a lot to be said
about the handles that you choose on your knife. There are many
different materials that are all really good, however are different to
the touch. Some of the popular knife handles are Krayton Scales, Micarta
Scales and Grivory. Krayton and Grivory are less expensive but
personally I think that they are just as good as Micarta.
The
handle thickness should be comfortable for the size of your hands and I
would suggest ensuring that you have a lanyard hole at the base of the
handle. Another great feature that many of the Best survival knives have
is removable handles. Normally the handle will be "bolted" on either
side of the Tang. This allows you to clean your knife and change out the
handles for a different material. The Becker Series knives are known
for this feature and it is a HUGE plus. Sheaths
There
are a lot of great knives out on the market that come with pretty
crappy sheaths. It can be a big letdown if you do not know what you are
looking for. Many popular knives have a pretty big following and you can
find great quality custom sheaths for them but if you do not want to go
that route then look for a few things. Kydex sheaths are generally very
good quality and will last for a long time. They don't absorb water or
dull the edge of the knife when they are sheathed often. Another solid
sheath construction is a ballistic nylon sheath with Kydex insert. These
last a long time and usually have several carry options. Lastly, good
old trusty leather. As long as the sheath is made well and of a good
grade of leather it will last you a life time.
