Blades & Such
DAGGERS
A dagger is commonly defined as a double-edged fighting knife. Fighting knives with only a partial top-edge are usually categorized as dirks. Daggers and dirks with short blades are usually referred to as “boot knives.”
Daggers are nasty weapons, designed to be stabbed deeply into an enemy’s vital organs. They usually have blades at least 6″ in length, so as to easily pierce the heart by way of stabbing up under the sternum. Both military and medieval versions exist. They are favored by serious knife fighters who carry their blade for the sole purpose of combat. Daggers have no utilitarian applications and are specifically prohibited as deadly weapons in many jurisdictions.
Most of the daggers encountered on the streets are cheap imported garbage that amounts to little more than an extended shank. They tend to have dull blades with broken tips, and the blade often wobbles in the handle. Most daggers based on the “Fairbairn-Sykes” design fall into this category. Daggers are often worn at the belt, although a number of unusual sheaths, harnesses, and rigs are available.
TANTOS
Based on an ancient Japanese design, tantos are single-edged combat knives with a chisel-like “armor-piercing” point. They vary greatly in quality. A properly made tanto can repeatedly be driven into a car door or steel drum without significant damage to the blade. A Kevlar vest offers minimal protection against such a weapon.
Cold Steel makes a number of top quality versions of the tanto, with rubberized grips and “skull crusher” pommels. Most of the cheap imported knock offs of this fine product feature dull brittle blades that easily separate from the handles they’re epoxied to when subjected to stress.
Unlike daggers, this combat knife can effectively be utilized as a tool for heavy work, and is as legal as a hunting knife of similar length. Tantos are usually worn at the belt.
SAWBACK KNIVES
Sawback knives (commonly referred to as either “survival” or “Rambo” knives), as described in this section, are large (over 6″ blade) fixed-blade sheath knives with a row of saw-teeth along the spine. Most sawback knives are designed with hollow handles for storing matches, fishhooks, and other “survival gear” (although, much more frequently, these water-resistant compartments contain money and drugs).
Sawback knives are surprisingly common on the street. This is due primarily to their menacing appearance combined with their (typically) low cost. The most frequently encountered version incorporates a bottle-opener behind the saw-teeth and is distinguished by the large bulbous compass set into the threaded end-cap. This travesty’s cheap stainless-steel blade is affixed to the aluminum handle with a drop of epoxy, and can detach if subjected to strong lateral pressure. This version has been seen offered for sale at flea markets, on sidewalks, and in magazines for prices ranging from five to twelve dollars.
Cheap sawback knives are valued by street people due to their wicked appearance. They are dangerous primarily due to their blade length (typically between eight and twelve inches), although the edge is usually rather dull, and the clip point is unsuitable for deep penetration. While it is possible to be ripped by the sawback, it is primarily for show (and often proves to be unfunctional). However, in the unlucky event that you are stabbed in the belly, if your attacker chooses to pull the blade back out the saw-teeth will snag on your guts and disembowel you.
Sawback knives are rather large, and are generally concealed under a long coat. Although they are sometimes carried on one’s person, they are far more frequently stowed in one’s vehicle or home, within easy reach. Most sawback knives are shoddy imported garbage. Top quality sawback survival knives typically start at well over a hundred dollars, and thus are unlikely to be encountered on the street (except in the hands of a woodsman).
PUNCH KNIVES
Also known as “push daggers (or dirks),” “palm knives,” and “T-handled knives;” punch knives provide an impressive combination of penetration and retention. The blade, commonly double- edged, projects between the knuckles of the fist, stabbing and withdrawing with each punch. It can be used effectively by any unskilled person.
Punch knives come in a variety of sizes, from miniature key chain versions to the huge medieval katar designed to pierce armor while providing protection for the wrist against sword strikes. Typically, blades vary from two to five inches in length. Key chain knives, with their inch-long blades and puny grips, will do far more damage than a jagged “punch ring,” but will not kill and do not provide a sure grip; furthermore, they are difficult to unsheath quickly. “Belt buckle knives” are poorly designed, difficult to draw quickly, prohibited in many jurisdictions, and are to be avoided. Some small boot knives lock into “T-handle” configuration at the push of a lockblade-type release button.
The common punch knife has a substantial grip that absorbs the force of impact into the palm, provides for easy withdrawal, and will not be dropped under circumstances that could result in the loss of a straight handled blade (slippery handle, wrenched blade, forceful impact, or injury to weapon hand). Often, they are designed with a shock absorbing rubberized grip for added comfort. The Safe keeper from Cold Steel is one of the best punch knives available.
Any punch will result in a stab wound. With practice, slashes and attacks from various angles can also be delivered effectively. Since the punch knife is commonly used by unskilled persons to deliver only straight-line stabs to the upper body, it is sneered at by many knife fighters. It is not nearly as flexible as a straight handled knife in the hands of a novice, but can deliver a variety of attacks once one gains familiarity with it. The punch knife requires learning an entirely new method of knife fighting to gain versatility.
It is illegal to carry a concealed punch knife in most jurisdictions, as it is designed primarily as a weapon. Anywhere on the trunk can be attacked, as contact with bone will not cause you to inadvertently drop this weapon. Due to the secure grip and amount of force an attacker can direct into a thrust, most double-edged versions can easily penetrate a leather jacket, as well as soft body armor. These are incredibly dangerous knives.
KNUCKLE KNIVES
“Knuckle knives” are an unusual class of exotic weapon, not to be confused with “trench knives” (which are discussed later). There are many varieties, typically consisting of an unconventionally designed set of metal knuckles with a small blade (or series of blades) attached. This used to be an extremely rare weapon, which was invariably homemade, but recently a number of “fantasy designs” have been marketed to “collectors” at inexpensive prices through flea markets, gun shows, and mail-order catalogs. As a result, they have become rather popular amongst the criminal element.
Nearly all commercially available knuckle knives are poorly constructed imports which fail to take a good edge. Their attractiveness lies in their menacing appearance, as well as their perceived ability to puncture with each crushing blow. Due to their odd shapes, they tend to be fitted with unusually large belt sheaths which would preclude a quick draw, and would also be difficult to conceal even under a light jacket. Their primary strength is that, due to their design, they are nearly impossible to drop, which makes it difficult to disarm an attacker so armed.
The “original” knuckle knife is probably the kerambit, a weapon indigenous to Malaysia. It consists of a crudely designed set of brass knuckles (lacking palm brace) with a small curved blade protruding from the bottom of the wielder’s fist. It is intended for extremely close combat (grappling), and the “spur” is meant to tear out an opponent’s throat.
Contemporary knuckle knives typically consist of artistically designed cast aluminum grips (which cover one’s knuckles), which have a small “punch knife” type blade on top, and possibly smaller blades (or spikes) set into either side. They are often quite impressive looking, but have proved to be a poor choice of weapon. If side blades (or spikes) are included, they can easily interfere with deep penetration.
Another version is simply a flat knuckle bow which has been sharpened so that an edge lies across one’s knuckles much like sharpened metal knuckles (although they often lack finger holes). This edge can be convex (like an ulu chopper) or concave (like a crescent knife), and often may be scalloped (forming a series of small points) or have projections. Sometimes small blades will jut out of either end of the grip, turning it into a “double-knife.”
This weapon is illegal to carry on one’s person in all 50 states. In some jurisdictions, you could be prosecuted simply for having one secured in a display case hung on your wall! If a cop finds one of these on your person, you are definitely going to jail for a very long time. It would be stupid to choose such a weapon when so many other options exist.
