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Skill Set: Cool Knives
By Tiger McKee
Usually when you think tactical knife everyone thinks about large fighting blades. But one of the coolest tactical knives I've discovered lately is an extremely interesting design, available in three blade shapes, produced by a new company, Triple Eight Professional. The design concept is similar to a balisong or butterfly knife, only smaller and a lot different. Unlike a balisong it takes two hands to open, and it's built for rugged service. The 440 stainless steel blade is 1.25 inches long, with a closed length of only 3 inches and weighing in at 1.9 ounces. This means you can carry it almost anywhere - on a keychain, inside the small 'watch' pocket of your jeans, or around even your neck.
Although a blade that short doesn't sound very tactical, there are plenty of places on the body where a cut that deep will disable an attacker. Since it's easy to carry you'll actually have it with you when you need it, making it a lot more tactical than the 'Rambo- pigsticker' you have in the footlocker at home. Plus when you do pull it out in public nobody withdraws in fear. Snapping out a folding knife with a 4-inch tanto-tipped serrated blade to open a box will likely draw unwanted attention. To fully appreciate this knife and its unique design features you'll have to go to the website, www.888professional.com and check out their video.
My other new knife is by R.A.T. Cutlery, (www.ratcutlery.com), which has been producing blades since 1997. The model RC-3 knife is a fixed blade heavy-duty knife capable of doing any task necessary to "survive," regardless of the situation. The blade is made from high carbon 1095 steel, it's .125 inches thick and 3.88 inches long, with about an inch of serrations. It also has "thumb-grippers" cut into the top of the blade, which is a feature I've always liked. The size and shape of the knife, which has micarta slabs, feels extremely comfortable in my hand.
The sheath system for the RC-3 is another big plus, and can be adapted to fit a variety of carry styles. When it comes to large sharp knives my main concern is not about being able to getting it unsheathed quickly, but rather that it will come out at the wrong time. I don't like getting cut, especially by my own knife. With the RC-3's sheath system, which uses a sturdy synthetic sheath with a Velcro strap, the possibility of the knife working it's way out of the sheath is highly unlikely.
To me knives are a lot like flashlights. You can never have enough of them; I have them in all my gear bags, vehicles, and about anywhere else I can stash one. You also need knives for various purposes. A knife is a tool, and you choose your tool based on application. And, if your blade's application might include fighting, then you need to learn how to use it before you need it.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama, author of The Book of Two Guns, a staff member of several firearms/tactical publications, and an adjunct instructor for the F.B.I. (256) 582-4777 www.shootrite.org
