Pygmy Warrior and Pocket Hobbit?!?

[224477]

Thanks Sal :)

[THFH]

The Skinny
While working on the Warrior Book. Sal and I left Mike to shoot pictures as we made a pizza run. When we returned Mike was looking at the Pigmy and I told him that was not in the Warrior History therefore not to be photographed. If you have spent any time around Mike you know that glassy eye gleam he gets when a knife excites him. While feeding our faces with Pizza the conversation turned to the Pigmy Mike infused his opinion and the conversation went close to this.
Sal “Bob was REKAT going to produce the Pigmy”
Bob “That’s moot Sal REKAT is like dinosaurs ancient history and long dead”
Sal “Bob how having about Spyderco the Pigmy? But first I need you take on holes?”
Bob “I like Ho’s Sal, some of my fondest memories in my youth were with Ho’s”
Sal “I said holes not Ho’s “
Bob “Ho’s have holes what good is a Ho without holes?
Mike Laughing his *** off.
Sal “Seriously anything Spyderco does has to have the Hole Trademark”
Bob “Take it with you and I only have three considerations. I don’t care about country of manufacture it’s your *** if the designed gets ripped. Two no fancy steel I will let you know about H1 after I torture a Spyderco Warrior and the Rock Salt. Three is in direct relation to number two the price has to be where an American Serviceman can afford it. You can put a hole in it as long as the integrity of the design isn’t affected. I am not analy retentive about my designs if you can improve it go for it.
We are now past the improvements and Sal’s take and moving to a live prototype. My standard test for the Warrior line is dipping the handle in STP and coating my hand with STP and destroying a tire. Every Warrior I have ever produced will allow you to do this and the next day still be able to flip someone off all your fingers will be functional
According to Sal it will be made in Golden and the steel to be used is still up in the air I will defer to Sal’s expertise. He got upset when I called him a “Steel Snob” but H1 so far has lived up to the hype and is as advertized I am impressed with H! but far too expensive for the “Pigmy Warrior” Refer to number three.
As to pictures NO WAY when Spyderco is ramped up for production and ready to fly then Sal can do whatever he wants as to release dates and pictures. I appreciate Sal and Mike keeping the lid on this. Mike Sastre did the sheaths on the Pigmy Prototypes in 1999 and it's stayed a secret all these years. When people used to ask my father questions they didn't need the answerer to my father use to say "can you keep a secret" They would lean close and say “yes of course”. His reply was always "good so can I" Some didn't catch his wit and would look at him expecting more. I know MikeSastre can keep secret and it appears Mike Janich and Sal can also keep one.
When I test a couple of what Sal and Mike call MBC rated locks there is a chance of the Pocket Hobbit being reborn in the Spyderco line. So far Mike Janich and Mike Sastre tell me the compression lock is sufficient and though I value both their opinions I need to break out the stainless steel glove and test drive the lock.
Someone in a post stated the Pocket Hobbit is ugly. So what, so is Mike Tyson neither of which do you want to be on the bad side of. Slimming down the handle would mean losing the teeth and that’s like a hole less ho. No I haven’t changed throughout the years the good news I haven’t gotten worse.
I plan a trip to Golden hopefully in July to introduce Sal to the Advanced Field Utility Combat Knife another REKAT project tossed on the shelf and with any luck look at the working prototype of the Pigmy.
THFH

[VashHash]

Well it's nice to hear this from THFH himself. The comp lock is a great lock and so is the CBBL. Either would suit the pocket hobbit nicely i think. My vote goes for the comp lock for simplicity. The CBBL has shown me GREAT results but it has more moving parts and more chances to fail. Not saying it will I've used the cbbl hard. Just the comp lock is easier to maintain and simpler. Can't wait to see what the A. F. U. C. K. looks like. Hopefully sal will pick up that design as well. Also just adding in the CBBL is more ambi than the comp lock.

[224477]

Someone in a post stated the Pocket Hobbit is ugly. So what, so is Mike Tyson neither of which do you want to be on the bad side of. Slimming down the handle would mean losing the teeth and that’s like a hole less ho.
THFH

I guess that someone was me :) The beauty is always in the eye of beholder, and what I consider as 'ugly' may be a state of art for someone else. My comment was design related, not purpose driven. I understand that PH can handle the job. So can almost any blade you have once SHTF.

What grip was the PH /pocket hobbit/ designed for, mainly? Ice pick, hammer grip? I understand the teeth on the back of the blade being used for trapping moves. I know, as said before, that a wide both sides sharpened blade needs a wide handle to get it covered. However, I still think that making the design sleeker is possible. If you take, for example the SPIKE series from CS, they have a blade variation called scimitar spike, where the middle part of the back of blade is sharp too. The blade is 5-6MM thick and very sleek. I think that a blade like this could have a ramp with hole and and a handle to fold in, and still be able to do the same job as its bigger bros. I see the folding version of a knife as a 'compact' version of the fixed blade, that means allows you almost to do the same job, but carried in smaller package.

What I dont get is the tire test. I see specialized combat knives as meat cutters primarily. I would not consider that as a general utility blade for a guy in service at the same place. Special jobs desire special tools, and most of the SF guys carry multiple blades on them, starting from multitool pliers ending with stuff like Mike`s Ronin.

What I like on the Warrior, is the shallow S overall line of the knife, the downpointing curved handle in combination with upswept edge.

Thats something simillar with ancient oriental blades like Pesh Kabz from Persia.
I can see similarities of the basic shallow S line in many nowadays designs, Meyerco Pinkerton Persian, Spyderco Schempp folding Persian, Scimitar design from CS, etc.

[THFH]

All good points you brought up. The method is usually called reverse grip. And the teeth are for both trapping and creating a nasty wound channel one that causes rapid loss of blood which knives and arrows achieve their desired effect.
Cutting meat is a good standard for a combat knife if you attacking people in a nudist camp. The late Mike Echanis used to dress beef carcasses in field clothing and web gear. It makes a world of difference when you do a downward strike and run into a shoulder strap.

The STP and tire test is for both grip retention and effectiveness of the blade against something more resistant than flesh. In a high stress situation the palms sweat up and blood is slicker than snot on a doorknob.

Sal commented on that being a gold standard for testing a MBC knife. Don’t try this with most knives driving a knife into a tire with a STP coated handle and then withdrawing it cutting through the teeth isn’t a cakewalk. I have seen people and have a tape of them thinking it was parlor tricks get some nasty cuts with a tanto blade and a dry handle trying to puncture a tire.

Get a copy of Mike Janich’s book just off the press and available through Spyderco and you will understand more about the theory and why the Warrior Knife is what it is.

Hope that answers your questions and yes the Pocket Hobbit is ugly. If you snap one out of Mike Sastre’s break front holster where it deploys with a fast motion, no one expects you to pull an apple out of your pocket to peal it.

THFH

[Dr. Detroit]

Sal, thanks again for the input. It sounds like **** brining a new design to market.

THFH, thanks for chiming in. I really appreciate your designs and the information. I'm waiting on my Spyderco Warrior form Sastre in an IWB. As for your kind of toys,I also have a REKAT PH, SIFU, Escalator, Pikuni and an Al Mar Warrior. All good stuff, and looking forward to the new stuff as well.

[mark greenman]

Here's a pic I found of the pocket hobbit- looks awesome!
http://www.pbase.com/rotorhead70/image/38228224

Since this knife is designed for MBC/ reverse edge stuff, I'd love to see a P'kal style removable wave post.

[Dr. Detroit]

Good pic Mark. Mike Sastre makes a break front belt sheath for the Pocket Hobbit that allows you to come right out in reverse grip with an inertial open. It's very fast to deploy.

[Tribune]

As soon as I got the booklet on the Warrior in the mail [ I bought the knife back in Dec.] I thought it would be a no brainer for Spyderco to bring out any previous versions of the Warrior. I for one, would snap up any version that comes out.
By the way, I also just got my kydex sheath for the Warrior from Mike Sastre. Great sheath, but I still think Spyderco should offer a kydex sheath so buyers could have a choice between a kydex sheath for discrete carry and the existing spec-ops sheath.
Personally I think the spec-ops sheath is inappropriate for civilian carry and is just not in character for a knife like the Warrior. It's like putting roof racks on a Porsche.

[THFH]

Tribune
Just out of curiosity what is you opinion of the book. Mike worked his butt off and we did at least three major edits and a few minor edits here and there. We could have done a couple of more but enough is enough. Was the history what you heard through the grape vine and were there any major revelations?

As to your thinking Spyderco should offer both sheaths having been there as a manufacture you often have to look at the reality of the economics and your capabilities. The Spyderco version was meant for the military and IMHO it’s an excellent sheath for that purpose. REKAT only offered one sheath the kydex version so I can appreciate the Spyderco decision on the sheath.
Thanks for your imput.

THFH

[Tonie Nichols]

I have heard rumors about the Warrior/Hobbit line and I must say it has gotten me excited about Spyderco again.

Sorry guys, but I'm just not into exotic steels and weird ethnic designs. And I have really thought that most of the blade shapes that have come out over the last few years have really been little more than repackaging of already successful designs. Though there has probably been a couple that I suspected were superior refinements. Not that they aren't good high quality knives, they just don't excite me.

I have the big black Warrior, a Hobbit Warrior and I had a folding Hobbit, which I sold to a friend and am negotiating with him for it's repurchase; so I am close to ecstatic over the series! Purchasing the Hobbit Warrior led to me finding the best friend I have ever had so it has a really special meaning for me.

THANK YOU ALL to those who are involved in making this come to fruition!

[Dr. Detroit]

THFH,
are there any other old REKAT designs possibly up for re-manufacture? I'd even like to see a fixed blade Sifu.

[Mike Sastre]

Dr. Detroit,
There's another member of the Warrior family called the "Stealth Warrior" that I'd love to see produced because i want one, there was only one made, and I haven't been able to talk Bob out of it yet. It is a guardless Warrior with an 8-9" blade that he's worn on the belt, handle down under a cover garment. Curvature of the blade insures that it doesn't "print" while seated, and the draw is almost invisible as it is coming up from a low line - and it comes out cutting immediately on the drawstroke. Sneaky, but that can be a good thing. Any of the Warrior line, including the H1, can be carried this way with the correct type of sheath. I'll post some illustrating pictures when I get a chance. I do know that both Sal and Mike were shown the Stealth, so who knows, maybe it'll happen if there is enough demand to do the whole Warrior series. By the way, Michael Janich did a great job with his booklet on the development of the Warrior series!! Highly recommend getting it - comes free with the H1, but is worth getting even if you don't purchase the knife.

[Dr. Detroit]

Mike, do you have pictures of the Stealth, the rig, or both? It sounds interesting. How well does it stay in the hand for thrusting without the guard? Is it mainly a trap and slash weapon, or do the finger grooves allow you to do insertions and not shred your own hand?
Thanks in advance for any info.

[THFH]

Dr. Detroit
Mike won’t release the pictures. When Mike Janich sent me the photos for the Warrior Path book he had a picture of the Stealth and at my request was removed. If the knife never makes it to production then it will remain a mystery. All of Mike Sastre’s Warrior sheaths can be worn inverted. At the 1999 Shot Show Mike and I were hanging, talking sheaths and knives, concealment and all the fun stuff. When I asked Mike if we wanted to see something real cool he said “always”.
When the Stealth Warrior was out and next to his belly in a split second, after changing his knickers. He said “where did that come from and how are you concealing it under a fitted suit coat”. When I removed the coat and handed him the rig and the knife Mike asked if he could borrow the concept for other Warrior Style knives, EMTA (evil minds think alike). When Mike helped Spyderco develop the G Clip (not to be confused with the G Spot) the inverted concept was there. The same technique can be applied to any fixed blade. I carry the Spyderco Rock Salt which I love inverted or horizontal both in a way to be drawn in reverse grip. Kudos to Ed Schempp the man does understand ergonomics and blade design.
The theory behind the inverted carry is pure economy of motion drawing and striking is one single circular motion making it the fastest deployment. Inverted carry is great for street carry. Almost every Solider or Marine who carried a knife inverted on their field ala John Wayne eventually ended up with just a sheath. Field carry and street carry are two completely different worlds. Gravity is defiantly a woman and she is a heartless unforgiving *****.
The Spyderco sheath that comes with the Warrior should be carried upright on the weak hand side with the curve of the handle to the center of the body. The knife can be drawn in correct grip and is secure, the heartless ***** doesn’t come into play the knife is very accessible.
As to the future of the Stealth that’s a good question. Sal passed on the Stealth and went with the Pigmy liking the smaller compact version. It is my understanding I will have a working prototype of the Pigmy in a week and we will go on from there.
I am planning on a short trip to Golden in July or August with the Advanced Field Utility Combat Knife and the Advanced Folding Utility Combat Knife there are two versions of this particular skew to see if Spyderco is interested. I will take the Stealth along and see if they want to attempt that version also.

THFH

[Dr. Detroit]

THFH, thanks for the input. Have there been any other parties interested in producing the Stealth? Will it remain a mystery like the G spot? Where do we send the bribe money to see the picture?

Do you wear the Warrior inverted behind the strong side hip? That's where I am picturing it. I have a Warrior coming in one of Mikes' sheaths, I may have to give that type of carry a try. Thanks again for the info, take care.

[Jim Malone]

........

[Roshi]

Tribune
Just out of curiosity what is you opinion of the book. Mike worked his butt off and we did at least three major edits and a few minor edits here and there. We could have done a couple of more but enough is enough. Was the history what you heard through the grape vine and were there any major revelations?

THFH

I bought a Warrior recently am very impressed with it. The book was a great idea and perfect companion to the knife. I'm 62 and have heard a lot of rumors about the knives over the years that were covered in the book. It's good to hear the story from those who were involved. I sure hope Spyderco brings back the Pocket Hobbit. I always felt the Warrior series of knives and REKAT knives were way ahead of their time and under appreciated.

[Michael Janich]

Dear Malcolm:

Thank you very much for the kind words on the book. It was a unique opportunity to "set the record straight" concerning the history of the Warrior and the contributions of those involved. I'm glad you enjoyed it and felt that it complements the knife well.

Stay safe,

Mike

[P40_Warhawk]

It was a unique opportunity to "set the record straight" concerning the history of the Warrior and the contributions of those involved. I'm glad you enjoyed it and felt that it complements the knife well.

Michael,
I have to agree with Malcolm, and I am sure minions of other, that the book was a great read.

I hope that at some point you can right a big fat book about all Spyderco knives. Well all might be too far reaching. Maybe you can pick a few dozen (lol) knives and right about them.

Again, Thanks for a great read, and please right more,
-Joe