Looking for something new for EDC

Jayne

Jayne

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From sometime in the 90s until just a few years ago, I carried a Spyderco Delica. The same one... tip has been reground because I busted it off, it's been dulled doing stupid crap like cutting insulation, had some silver inlayed in the blade (for use against vampires/werewolves... trying to impress a ex-goth chick which worked), etc. Faithful companion for a long time. I have a spare Delica still new in the box, and a SOG mini-xray (which is too nice for me) I got in a trip where I was flying without a checked bag and had to buy something when I got there and couldn't find a Delica.

Then I started getting into arnis a bit and switched to a karambit folder with the 'wave' feature that deploys really, really fast. @Sneakymedic said I'm like a ninja with it but he was just not expecting me to pull a blade on him. :) I like that it deploys fast and secure, but the more I do the less I like the reverse grip style of fighting. Go figure.

IMG_4028.jpg

So now I'm looking for something new. The delica feels too small, I do more thrusts than slashes and it doesn't feel like a good stabbing blade, not enough 'something' to keep it from slipping when it hits something hard. The Dart has that extra finger rest (I'm sure there is a term for that) that prevents it from sliding in the hand, but it feels awkward flipping it around. Maybe I'm just being whiny.

Push daggers are not the answer, I've tried them and while I say I prefer thrusts, sometimes slashes/cuts are required.

So, what's your recommendation and why for something that is:

- 3-ish inches long, up to 4"
- easy to deploy FAST
- not an auto (vaguely not lawful to carry and damn they scare me flipping open or poking out the front)
- pocket carry folder or kydex sheath
- forward grip fighting style
- won't be used as a utility knife at all, will never see cardboard, tape, etc.

Assume I wear 5.11s most the time so I have nice pockets front and back. Recently switched to a 2 AA cell light in the rear 'slash' pocket, rides right behind the karambit:

IMG_4029.jpg
 
The Delica 4 has the wave on it, since you are familiar with the blade.

Honestly, I go for speed of deployment over worrying about stabbing. How deep do you think you are going to get anyway?


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chiefjason said:
How deep do you think you are going to get anyway?
Click to expand...

I do more Muay Thai than I do Arnis, so most of my blade strikes look more like "guy who punches with a knife in hand" than any sort of blade fighter. I don't want the blade coming back in my hand, which I feel would happen easily with the Delica I have and even the karambit in a forward grip.

I'm still new to the knife fighting arts, so I could be totally off base here.
 
chiefjason said:
The Delica 4 has the wave on it,
Click to expand...

Wondered why that sounded familiar... got these from a forum member back right before I switched to the karambit, so they would be "free" to try again. I do like my front pocket free now though in case I want to pocket carry for some reason.

IMG_4033.jpg
 
I like my Kershaw Blur with S30V stainless blade. I am way too low speed/high drag to give you any thoughts about using it with fighting techniques, but it has a thumb stud assisted open that might be your happy medium. A minor complaint is that the thumb stud comes with a somewhat sharp milled texture... It doesn't stick out past the grips, but you need to smooth it down a bit so it won't wear through your pocket.
 
Sounds like you might like the Spyderco Military ... just under 4” S30V with G-10 scales. If you want a little smaller the ParaMilitary 2 is just under 3 1/2” S30V with slim G-10 scales. Both would be similar to your Delica in opening but are liner locks ...
 
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I really love my benchmade CLA. It’s the perfect pocketknife to me. But it’s an auto.
 

CRKT Shizuka NOH Ken

I have one of these and it's pretty badass. The tip is designed to be inserted through the neck and pulled forward through the throat.
I ended up carrying a Kershaw though due to the thinness of the package.
 
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J R Green said:

CRKT Shizuka NOH Ken

I have one of these and it's pretty badass. The tip is designed to be inserted through the neck and pulled forward through the throat.
I ended up carrying a Kershaw though due to the thinness of the package.
Click to expand...

The James Williams series of tantos is very nice. CRKT offers that blade profile in a number of models both fixed and folder in various blade lengths. I have both the Hissatsu and Heiho which are a bit longer and shorter respectively. The Heiho blade is just over 3" and the Hissatsu just under 4.
 
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The Kershaw that @Diverdad has pictured there has a nice deep bolster, that's the technical term for 'thing that keeps your hand from going forward onto the blade'. I didn't know that until today. The Dart I have had one too, but the handle is a bit too short to hold it the way I want if I flip it around for a forward grip.

The Delica 4 wave that I already have deploys ok, but you do have to do some fancy finger work to let it deploy without hanging up and then get your solid grip on the knife. It's just how folders unfold. However, I found this:

Wise-Men-Company-Signet-ring-delica-BHQ-52120-er-open-side.jpg

BladeHQ sells a ring that replaces the spine of the Delica. So using the longer Delica I can have a better grip with a deeper bolster in a forward grip, yet still get the karambit style deployment if I'm in a real big hurry. Additionally, with the standard spyderco 'hole' that I'm already used to it's easy to deploy the old fashioned way if I want to or if the wave fails to do it's thing (that's something the Dart doesn't have).

So while I'm waiting on the ring to arrive, I can see what else there is out there.
 
The good news:

- the ring fits nicely
- deploys like it should

The bad news:

- busted one of the screws (head snapped off) when reassembling the knife, so now I'm trying to find replacements
- now I have to order the model one for the Endura. :)

One I get the replacement screw I can start testing it out a bit. I'm tempted to set this one up for 'rear pocket' draw and the Endura for 'front pocket' draw. Easily done moving the clip around to change the orientation.

IMG_4062.jpg
 
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Jayne said:
@Sneakymedic said I'm like a ninja with it but he was just not expecting me to pull a blade on him
Click to expand...

True. my takeaway from that little training session was a few things 1) even a skinny, emaciated, IT nerd can kill you pretty quickly (they have a lot of pent up frustration) . 2) Kill said IT nerd at length with a handgun.

But no kidding.... He was all up in my space fast, granted, I was just standing there wanting to see what his training was all about. But, a lot of the crazy killings these days are just random, the victims never say a word to whomever killed them, and there might never be an "altercation" to prepare yourself for such an attack.. just a fast moving dude toward you...
So, this knife thread is valid, and reiterates constant situational awareness.
 
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