Did anyone catch the BlackHawk news release today?
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BlackHawk® Products Group™
4850 Brookside Court
Norfolk, VA 23502
Phone (800) 694-5263
Fax (888) 830-2013
www.blackhawk.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Norfolk, VA -- Mike Noell, President and CEO, of BlackHawk Products Group announced that Michael Janich will be joining Masters of Defense as the Director of Product Development and will head up the MOD Training Alliance initiative. “Michael Janich is a recognized expert in the field of knife design and one of the industry’s premier instructors in edged-weapon tactics.” stated Noell. “ MOD has always approached introducing new products by matching innovative product design with user needs and progressive training doctrine. Mike joining the team will really accelerate these initiatives. We will incorporate his expertise as a trainer very early in the design concept phase of product development projects. The addition of Mike also allows us to create the foundation of both MOD’s and BlackHawk’s Training Alliance programs,” Noell said.
Jim Ray, Founder and MOD Brand Manager explains, “When we started looking for the best in the industry to join the MOD management team, we immediately went to Michael Janich. He really understands the tactical knife industry. He has authored six books and 11 instructional videos on self-defense. Mike has worked within the knife industry in collaboration with design teams creating prototypes and has studied martial arts and defensive tactics for over 25 years. This extensive experience has allowed him to develop a training doctrine that will greatly influence our product line and insure other trainers receive from MOD both the tools and the support they require.”
“I am joining BlackHawk because MOD represents the epitome of what should be happening in the tactical knife industry. Where most knife companies rely on makers vs. users, MOD collaborates with expert trainers up front in the design process thus elevating the state of the art,” states Janich.
Mr. Janich’s career includes 15 years of distinguished military & civilian service including service with the DIA and NSA as well as leading teams during field investigations to determine the fates of American Prisoners of War / Missing in Action (POW/MIA) from the Indo China Conflict. Mike founded the Martial Blade Craft & Counter-Blade Craft defense edged-weapons programs and has 10 years of experience as Video Production Manager at Paladin Press.
BlackHawk's news release
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soupsandwich
- Member
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Kabul, Afghanistan
Blackhawk and Master of Defense made a very wise choice.
Blackhawk Products Group is well known for state of the art engineering and production teams, so I am looking forward to superb Janich designed knives in the very near future. My Janich Masters of Defense Tempest has been my constant companion for the past seven years and it is far and away the finest knife I own, regardless of price. It is as solid today as the day I got it.
I gather Blackhawk is heavily into the government, military and spec ops market, and there have been unconfirmed rumors that Mr. Janich has, from time to time, trained personnel from agencies with three letter names. Does anyone know what the future holds for his training program in the civilian sector? I was pleased to see, from his web site at:
www.martialbladecraft.net
that he is still offering a Martial Blade Camp at the end of the summer.
Way to go, Michael.
Qship
Blackhawk Products Group is well known for state of the art engineering and production teams, so I am looking forward to superb Janich designed knives in the very near future. My Janich Masters of Defense Tempest has been my constant companion for the past seven years and it is far and away the finest knife I own, regardless of price. It is as solid today as the day I got it.
I gather Blackhawk is heavily into the government, military and spec ops market, and there have been unconfirmed rumors that Mr. Janich has, from time to time, trained personnel from agencies with three letter names. Does anyone know what the future holds for his training program in the civilian sector? I was pleased to see, from his web site at:
www.martialbladecraft.net
that he is still offering a Martial Blade Camp at the end of the summer.
Way to go, Michael.
Qship
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brownie0486
- Member
- Posts: 46
- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
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travis quaas
- Member
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- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:00 pm
- Location: Denver USA
UN-REAL!!!
WOW!!!
Talk about the beginning of a new era!
Mr. J congrats on this new venture. It couldn't happen to a better guy. You are truly gifted in your art. I am not like a lot of other guys that post here, with all their decades of MBC training and experience. But I still feel that you are the best out there (I already know that you will turn this compliment away, being the modest person that you are). I can say this without any hesitation, my life is fuller because of your inspiration. Thanks for the kind words, the massive hemoraging, and EXPERT Training that you have given me. I walk all the more taller from just knowing you.
Travis
WOW!!!
Talk about the beginning of a new era!
Mr. J congrats on this new venture. It couldn't happen to a better guy. You are truly gifted in your art. I am not like a lot of other guys that post here, with all their decades of MBC training and experience. But I still feel that you are the best out there (I already know that you will turn this compliment away, being the modest person that you are). I can say this without any hesitation, my life is fuller because of your inspiration. Thanks for the kind words, the massive hemoraging, and EXPERT Training that you have given me. I walk all the more taller from just knowing you.
Travis
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Michael Janich
- Member
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- Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:33 am
- Location: Longmont, CO USA
- Contact:
Thanks to everyone for the kind words and support. It's great to have so many folks in my corner. I'm really looking forward to this opportunity and hope to take both MOD and my curriculum to new heights.
Thanks also to Spyderco and its staff for the support they provided during my association with them and for giving me the opportunity to share my knowledge. Although my career is taking a new direction, I am glad that I still have many friends in the Spyderco camp.
Stay safe,
mike j
Thanks also to Spyderco and its staff for the support they provided during my association with them and for giving me the opportunity to share my knowledge. Although my career is taking a new direction, I am glad that I still have many friends in the Spyderco camp.
Stay safe,
mike j
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Michael Janich
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Given Spyderco's production delays, do you suppose we might get a MOD version of the Yojimbo? I know that Mr. Janich and Mike Snody already have a design:
http://www.snodyknives.com/MS_Knives_yojimbo1.htm
http://www.snodyknives.com/MS_Knives_yojimbo2.htm
Perhaps MOD could make a production version of that design if Spyderco is unable to deliver.
Qship
http://www.snodyknives.com/MS_Knives_yojimbo1.htm
http://www.snodyknives.com/MS_Knives_yojimbo2.htm
Perhaps MOD could make a production version of that design if Spyderco is unable to deliver.
Qship
Among geardos, BPG has a spotty reputation. Much of this stems from their nylon gear being made in Viet Nam. Its mostly political. I've got some BPG gear, and while its not necessarily my favorite, it works. Its never failed me, although there are reports of gear failure. The bottom line is this, though: in the gear arena, BPG is huge. They are one of the few companies that can produce enough to fill government contracts and still fill aftermarket/civilian sales, too. That fact proves at least one thing: their distribution channels work. This means that the MOD line will be much more widely distributed, and opportunites for Mr. Janich to get filthy rich with training opportunities will abound, and I'm all for it!
"Among geardos, BPG has a spotty reputation. Much of this stems from their nylon gear being made in Viet Nam."
It is a big download, but at:
http://www.bob-oracle.com/SWATreport.htm
you should find a reference:
PROJECT MANAGER SOLDIER WEAPONS
SOLDIER WEAPONS ASSESSMENT TEAM REPORT 6-03
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
It deals with what works, and what does not work, and it notes individual soldiers are buying Blackhawk gear with their own money, which is an endorsement I trust.
Qship
It is a big download, but at:
http://www.bob-oracle.com/SWATreport.htm
you should find a reference:
PROJECT MANAGER SOLDIER WEAPONS
SOLDIER WEAPONS ASSESSMENT TEAM REPORT 6-03
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
It deals with what works, and what does not work, and it notes individual soldiers are buying Blackhawk gear with their own money, which is an endorsement I trust.
Qship
I'm not gonna argue that soldiers are buying BPG gear. They're also buying out everything that SOE, SO Tech, Paraclete, Tactical Tailor, TAG, Eagle, and Arktis makes, so that statement can be spun however one feels about Blackhawk. The bottom line is, Blackhawk has a huge distribution network, and their aquisition of MOD is great for MOD, and for anyone who's having a hard time sourcing MOD products. I think BPG is going to make the line much more accessable than its ever been before. That, in turn, will get the name of Michael Janich known to more people than ever before. That's gonna be a good thing, too. I'm hoping it means that Mr. Janich is booked solid for as long as he cares for it to be that way.
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dialex
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- Location: Campina, Romania, Europe, Terra
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Good luck in your new venture, Mr. Janich. Thank you for the knowledge you shared with us at the Forum.
<a href="http://users.pcnet.ro/dialex"><font color=blue>(my page)</font></a>
<a href="http://users.pcnet.ro/dialex"><font color=blue>(my page)</font></a>