Question- Fixed Blade or Folding Knife? - Page 3

SF West · 12-27-2004, 04:11

I just got a folding gerber,
I'm not in the military yet,
but I keep it on my hip for self defense purposes.
I like folding knives for fighting, but they do have their drawbacks.
As a martial artist who has learned how and when to use knives as
a weapon, this is my take.
Pros
-----
-Small
-usually legal
-can be used to make your fist harder by clasping it.
-decent blades (not restricted to folding, just want to make
it doesn't show up or thought of in the cons as having bad blades)

Cons
------
-Usually heavy on the handle (bad for fighting)
-Not as strong as fixed blade sometimes.
-YOU HAVE TO OPEN IT

I have a folding on my waist at all times though,
and I am just as comfortable with a good folding as I am with a good fixed blad..
If it's quality, you have nothing to fear either way.
Although, military fixed blades, i.e. bowie knives definately show some superiority over most fixed blades.
My weapon of choice though, heavy on the blade, sturdy, 6 inch blade (curved), fixed blade, blade on front and back of blade.

A knife like this when held in the normal "stabbing" grip can come down and slice a mans chest open with little effort. With the curve it makes for a good slash, and easy stab on the way back, if your stab on the way back is parried, all you have to do is turn the blade and you can slash at the arms or neck, and come in at a stab to any major organ. Very effective if you know how to use it. Knives usually win when they meet guns, keep that in mind.

**The Reaper** · 12-27-2004, 04:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by SF West

I just got a folding gerber,
I'm not in the military yet,
but I keep it on my hip for self defense purposes.
I like folding knives for fighting, but they do have their drawbacks.
As a martial artist who has learned how and when to use knives as
a weapon, this is my take.
Pros
-----
-Small
-usually legal
-can be used to make your fist harder by clasping it.
-decent blades (not restricted to folding, just want to make
it doesn't show up or thought of in the cons as having bad blades)

Cons
------
-Usually heavy on the handle (bad for fighting)
-Not as strong as fixed blade sometimes.
-YOU HAVE TO OPEN IT

I have a folding on my waist at all times though,
and I am just as comfortable with a good folding as I am with a good fixed blad..
If it's quality, you have nothing to fear either way.
Although, military fixed blades, i.e. bowie knives definately show some superiority over most fixed blades.
My weapon of choice though, heavy on the blade, sturdy, 6 inch blade (curved), fixed blade, blade on front and back of blade.

A knife like this when held in the normal "stabbing" grip can come down and slice a mans chest open with little effort. With the curve it makes for a good slash, and easy stab on the way back, if your stab on the way back is parried, all you have to do is turn the blade and you can slash at the arms or neck, and come in at a stab to any major organ. Very effective if you know how to use it. Knives usually win when they meet guns, keep that in mind.

Hey, hero, thanks for the expert advice. You ever stabbed anybody? With a real knife?

You need to drop out of site and lurk for a while.

This will save you a lot of pain here.

TR

NousDefionsDoc · 12-27-2004, 07:57

I will be happy to change your user name for you as soon as you pick another one, just PM me with what you would like it to be. You have an hour to decide, then will assume you couldn't decide and I will do it for you with one of my choosing.

brewmonkey · 12-27-2004, 08:44

Quote:

originally posted by CPTAUSRET

Army issued with a sharpened hook on one end to cut through risers

I would have figured the blades of the helicopter would have taken care of any issues with your risers.

CPTAUSRET · 12-27-2004, 13:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewmonkey

I would have figured the blades of the helicopter would have taken care of any issues with your risers.

Brew:

That's funny.

I kept that particular knife because I thought it was cool that the Army would issue me a switchblade.

Terry

swatsurgeon · 12-28-2004, 06:55

hijack or new direction.....for folders, auto vs manual open????
I'll start....on our last practice, one of our operators had to cut through something he got tangled in. I was right behind him watching from 8-10 feet away. He deployed his very expensive "CDI" (chicks dig it) auto folder and the blade hit the rope he was stuck on, didn't fully open hence no lock back and he then has to take more precious time to manually open it fully. All of this took <10 seconds but he's out of action concentrating on the knife instead of his environment......great debrief, he got his ass chewed for not avoiding the tangle and 2 for remaining a potential target alittle too long while playing with a non-deployed knife.
So, stick with manual deployment or 'double-action' rather than auto openers? someone up for this one?
IMHO, the positive manual maneuver is trusted, reliable and not prone to breaking or non-deployment, no loss of spring tension, etc. My Harsey T-2 folder isgreat as a manual and I think would be a 'slightly' less perfect folder had it been auto (no offense Bill...it's with me everywhere!!)

**Bill Harsey** · 12-28-2004, 08:40

Swatsurgeon,
Not to be smart but speaking directly, If I wanted the T-2 to be an auto (switchblade), it would have been an auto.

You gave me something to consider that I'd never thought of before, the auto knife blade being stopped during opening and not continuing to full open and locked position. This is an interesting reason against the auto in an emergency situation.

Auto openers are very popular. There are makers who are very good at building them. In the state of Oregon where I live it is legal to manufacture, own, sell and carry NOT concealled an auto opening knife. It is legal to sell an auto opening knife to confirmed members of the police and military. This is a problem unto itself. How do I know that some guy or gal didn't borrow someones department letterhead? I don't have the resources or time to do confirmations on police or military.

It would be against the law for me to ship an auto opening knife to a citizen residing in a state that bans auto opening knives. Same goes for Canada. Personally, to date, I have never wanted to make them for several reasons and the legal ones are the least of these.

An auto opening folding knife with a good strong spring that opens smartly is also hammering on internal components every time the button is pushed. Springs break, internal shear pins wear and then the knife just doesn't work at all.
This is the main reason I don't custom make auto openers, it is the dependability over long period of time issue. They don't fail gradually, if they do it's all at once and I don't want an operator in a life critical situation to need a knife and find the one on him just decided to quit working.

**Bill Harsey** · 12-28-2004, 08:52

Post script on auto openers,

On some auto opener knives, if the button was pushed to swing the blade to the full open position and the blade hits something and was stopped like Swatsurgeon described, the blade would just flop freely until it was "re-loaded" by compressing back into the handle frame and the switch was pushed to open again. This of course takes two hands to do. On some auto designs you could not just manually rotate the blade full open and have it lock.

Other types of auto opener designs called "double action" can be either opened manually and lock just fine or the button (or other switch feature) can be pushed to open "auto."

I'd always thought it curious to have a fast opening mechanism on an auto with a little tiny button that was hard to locate in a hurry.

The manual opening folding knives can often be opened faster than an auto because of the "find the button and push it" time.

swatsurgeon · 12-28-2004, 12:20

Bill,
the meaning of my statement was that the manual is my prefered mechanism and that I was glad it was not an auto...so the 'no offense' was so you didn't think I would speak negatively if there was an auto on your list of offerings
quote from previous post :"My Harsey T-2 folder isgreat as a manual and I think would be a 'slightly' less perfect folder had it been auto (no offense Bill...it's with me everywhere!!)"[/FONT]

mumbleypeg · 12-28-2004, 13:18

The gadget factor on auto's is very high. In shtf situations where I need to deploy a tool fast, the less I have to worry about the better. There are all kinds of threads here about fine motorskills and the way they diminish under stess. Finding the button or manipulating the scale is one more thing to worry about, and remember.

Cold or injured hands, stessful environment, I want simple.

I have never been convinced that Manual or even Assisted opening knives offer advantages at those times when something needs to be cut right now.

While I would prefer a fixed blade most of the time, my work and social activities necessitate a knife that bends at the waist. I don't want it to be so fancy that it malfunctions and I can't use it when I need it.

ZoneOne · 01-24-2005, 12:33

Question about Fixed Blade

Looking for opinions
_____________________

http://bugei.com/product_873_detailed.htm

James Williams, the designer of the Hissatsu, is a former Army officer and martial arts practitioner/instructor with over 40 years of experience. He knows cutlery as President of Bugei Trading Company, producer of fine Samurai swords. As one who has trained tactical law enforcement and military forces for the Surefire Institute, he has developed a unique and powerful approach of unarmed combatives. His system of defensive tactics, known as The System of Tactical Strategy has its origins in the ancient Samurai military systems as well as the Russian military art of Systema...

Hissatsu in action

_______________________

Basically, my question is to see if anyone has seen this knife or heard anything about it.

Constructive criticism is appreciated b/c it could save me time and money in the long run.

Thanks in advance

Back to lurking

**Razor** · 01-24-2005, 16:22

You're going to carry a 12" OAL knife around campus?

**The Reaper** · 01-24-2005, 16:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZoneOne

Question about Fixed Blade

Looking for opinions

Basically, my question is to see if anyone has seen this knife or heard anything about it.

Constructive criticism is appreciated b/c it could save me time and money in the long run.

Thanks in advance

Back to lurking

I have one and know James, what specifically are you looking for?

TR

DanUCSB · 01-24-2005, 16:52

Call it instinct, but red flags pop up as soon as I hear about a knifemaker who makes "Samurai swords", "fine" or not. I know that there are some craftsmen out there who do make quality katanas, but the -vast- majority are junk made for kiddies and wannabes. All of the knifemakers that I have personally experienced as making quality product tend to stick with knives.

Mr. Harsey?

ETA: Disregard. Experience with the craftsman trumps natural suspicion.

ZoneOne · 01-24-2005, 17:07

Quote:

I have one and know James, what specifically are you looking for?

I'm looking for the quality of the knife in all aspects.
The steel, the grip and how it feels in the hand.
Overall, I'm hoping for someone's "review" on this knife. But anything is a help.

plus - anyword on the "folder" version?

Quote:

all it instinct, but red flags pop up as soon as I hear about a knifemaker who makes "Samurai swords", "fine" or not. I know that there are some craftsmen out there who do make quality katanas, but the -vast- majority are junk made for kiddies and wannabes. All of the knifemakers that I have personally experienced as making quality product tend to stick with knives.

Mr. Harsey?

Exactly your point is why I came here seeking some advice and opinions.
plus everyone on Bugei forums seem a little biased - but still good info.