Blades & Such
SPIKES
Spikes come in a variety of designs. Some are similar to a large headless nail. Some have handles or knurled grips. Some have a point on either end. Most are round with a simple point at the end, but a few are triangular or square with sharpened edges and blood grooves. They are simple, but nasty, weapons.
Double-pointed spikes are intended for throwing, and are referred to as shuriken. It takes months to gain a reasonable degree of proficiency at sticking them in targets, but in actual combat situations even an expert has only about a 50% chance of sticking one in a moving target with accuracy. Heavy spikes can sink deep into soft tissue, and even stick in bone, easily delivering a disabling strike. Double pointed spikes can also be grasped in either hand and used for ripping and gouging. They are commonly carried in groups of three or four in forearm rigs.
Single-point spikes, including those with handles, can also be thrown but a high level of mastery is required to get them to stick with regularity and power. Single-point spikes are almost exclusively used to stab with. In some ways the spike is superior to the blade; for instance, it is more durable, provides better penetration through heavy clothing and bone, requires only a minute with a piece of sandpaper to re sharpen, and is far less expensive. Some spikes are composed of either fiberglass or titanium, which would enable them to bypass magnetometers.
Spikes with handles include ice picks, awls, and sharpened screwdrivers. They provide a much more comfortable and reliable grip than the knurled and grooved grips on the solid metal versions. Better grip means better penetration and less likelihood of drop page. Affixed to a lanyard, they become like a “rope javelin” which can be swung, thrown, and retrieved. Many awls are fitted with a “T” handle, and can be used as a punch knife.
Rigging knives have a blunt-tipped sheepsfoot blade, as well as a curved “marlinspike” (designed to loosen knots) which is thick enough to be repeatedly driven through a car door without sustaining any discernable damage. Simply pressing on a hinged “shackle” releases the spring tension on the marlinspike, allowing it to be flipped open with one hand, after which it will lock firmly in place. Being both legal and unobtrusive, a quality rigging knife is a fine choice of weapon.
Spikes are sometimes hidden within common objects. Spring loaded spikes which lock into position have been built into pens and combs. An umbrella is available with a handle that detaches to reveal a spring steel spike over a foot long. Spikes are often found hidden within pens, sometimes fabricated from an empty ballpoint with a thick nail wrapped with masking tape stuffed inside.
Triangular spikes with blood grooves and sharpened edges were designed by the Allied clandestine services of WWII as a hidden weapon for their agents. Not only would it both stab and cut, but the suction-busting blood grooves allow for easy extraction, and the triangular wound cavity is self-supporting (it will not close, bleeding freely). Reproductions of the “OSS sleeve knife” can cost over a hundred dollars, but are well made and have value to collectors. Lower quality copies, in both triangular and square versions, are available for around twenty bucks.
Unlike most cheap knives, spikes (particularly those with substantial handles) are capable of piercing bone as well as armor. Spikes can be driven through the cranium to attack the brain (usually resulting in a “quick kill”), or slammed through the sternum to attack the heart. Heavy clothing, leather jackets, and even soft body armor will do little to protect one against a forceful thrust from a sharpened spike. Furthermore, the puncture wounds from a spike attack usually results in minimal external bleeding, giving the appearance of a superficial wound which might be overlooked by harried emergency personnel conducting triage.
RAZORS
Straight razors are nasty weapons. They will part heavy clothing like paper, will cut flesh at the lightest touch, and weigh next to nothing. However, they seldom cut more than an inch deep even with the most forceful slashes. Often, cuts from this thin blade heal without leaving a scar. Razor attacks are terrifying and bloody, but seldom result in death.
Razors are commonly dropped in one’s front pants pocket, but can also be slipped in a boot or taped behind the neck. Professional bad asses who favor the razor may sew hidden pockets into their clothing or even fabricate a “behind-the-neck” rig to carry their razor(s). They are nearly weightless and incredibly fast. They can be extended to their full length for extra range, but the deepest cuts are inflicted by folding the razor back across one’s knuckles and delivering grazing punches, dragging the blade hard across your opponent.
Viable targets include the forehead, face, arms, groin, and throat (the only lethal target). A hard strike to the arm can cut blood vessels, muscles, and nerves; possibly resulting in a “flail arm” which will be paralyzed forever. A hard strike to the groin can result in massive blood loss. A powerful horizontal slash to the abdomen has the potential to disembowel (although this is unlikely). Even though a razor is unlikely to kill, it can maim quite easily. Very few assailants faced with a razor would attempt to take it away from you. It is much more of a deterrent than a pocketknife, but is illegal to carry concealed nearly everywhere.
A related weapon, the “box cutter” utility knife (sans guard) has an inch-long, single-edged triangular blade that can be used to poke, gouge, and rip flesh. If it has a metal handle, the butt can be used to hammer with as well. It is a cheap and nasty weapon, favored by street punks due to its availability and low price, but is nowhere near as effective as a deftly wielded straight razor. Disposable utility knives, particularly those with breakaway blades, tend to be far too flimsy to be effective for more than a single cut, but they are often encountered on the street. Razor scrapers are nasty, and highly portable, but are awkward to bring into action.
Loose single-edged razor blades are sometimes carried concealed. They are relatively safe to transport provided their protective cardboard cover remains in place. Typically, a single razor blade is held between the fingers and used to slap with, although retention is tenuous, and one is likely to inadvertently slice deep into one’s one finger, possibly resulting in paralysis. On rare occasions, razor blades have been clenched in the teeth, melted into a plastic toothbrush handle (commonly referred to as a “sissy shank”), or fitted into a slot on one’s footwear (usually just prior to an altercation). Loose razor blades tend to cause only superficial wounds, and rely primarily upon psychological shock to be effective. Their chief danger is their ability to be concealed virtually anywhere. Razor blades are most commonly dropped in one’s pocket, but they’ve also been discovered: in hat bands, in wallets, under sweatbands, taped to the skin, sewn into shirts, and concealed within footwear.
BUTCHER KNIVES
For our purposes, the term “butcher knife” shall include chef’s knives, carving knives, and meat cutting knives with blades exceeding 6″ in length.
Butcher knives are typically of sturdy construction, and tend to be much sharper than any other blade you might encounter on the street (with the exception of razors). This, combined with its length and sharp point, make it one of the most formidable weapons you can encounter on the street. If you’re ever faced with a butcher knife, and don’t have a magnum revolver on your person, my advice to you would be: run!
Sheaths are often improvised by folding a piece of cardboard over the blade, or wrapping it in rags, then covering it with a thick layer of tape. The sheathed blade can then be stuck in one’s waistband or back pocket.
