Tactical Knife: Definition?

[SpyderEdgeForever]

What is the true definition of a so called tactical knife? Is it more about how the knife is used rather than certain design features? For example, can a Buck 110 folder or one designed for edc and hunting be a tactical knife, and can the reverse be true? A knife with combat like features be used for utility use?

Imagine using the Warrior or Janisong for processing fresh caught trout or breaking down cardboard?

[Scandi Grind]

My take on knife categories and what traits they have:

Kitchen Knife:
Thin edge, thin blade stock, designed to cut food only. Some are stout enough for other work at the expense of food cutting ability.

Hunting Knife:
These knives are designed specifcally to cut hide well for a long time without dulling. Unlike a kitchen knife they don't need to have thin blade stock, but should have a thin edge. Not designed with woodworking or bushcrafting in mind.

Bushcrafting Knife:
Woodworking and general utility is the primary purpose of these knives. They typically prioritize durability over food cutting ability, but they don't have to be overbuilt. However they are often overbuilt anyway.

Fighting Knife:
Built for speed and cutting efficiency in a fight. Most knives designed for fighting are overbuilt these days, but a dedicated fighter doesn't always need to be.

Tactical Knife:
An overbuilt, multi-purpose knife with a fighting cant. Most overbuilt fighters probably actually belong in this category. These can be used for many knife tasks but sacrifice a lot of efficiency for durability.

Survival Knife:
This might be a Tactical knife, a Bushcrafting Knife, or General Utility Knife depending on the person/scenario.

General Utility Knife/EDC:
Knives in this category are designed to do most task fairly well without a particular specialty. They are less likely to be overbulit.

Any knife can be used outside it's category; how well it does so depends on the design. A general utility knife can make a very good short fighting knife if designed well. A tactical knife can be used on food but will typically do a very poor job. Many knives make perfectly good hunting knives even if they are not designed specifically for the task.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Thank you for this! I like and agree with your categories.
And your point that nearly any knife can be used for tasks outside their actual design purpose, but there are tradeoffs and costs.
For example, I saw a construction handyman use a sharp kitchen paring knife to cut large cardboard boxes down to manageable size, even though there are much better knives for that. That was likely what he had at the time.

There is a whole online thread about how good is the Fish Scaler blade on Victoriinox Swiss Army knives, for actual fish scaling. Most users say they never and would never use it for removing fish scales because it would dirty the knife with fish guts.
One guy said he did it and had no problem cleaning it. Others said they used it to clean tobacco pipes.

Most said to descale fish they would use a sharp specialized tool for that.

[Naperville]

I have no idea what a tactical knife is.

When you have taken martial arts and you start to study weapons every object becomes a study in how to use it as a weapon.

It all depends on your mentality and how deep down that rabbit bole you want to go.

[Aladinsane]

Definition 1:
A. One hand opening
B. Locking blade
C. Pocket clip

Definition 2:
Whatever knife you have with you when crap goes down.

[aicolainen]

What is the true definition of a so called tactical knife? Is it more about how the knife is used rather than certain design features? For example, can a Buck 110 folder or one designed for edc and hunting be a tactical knife, and can the reverse be true? A knife with combat like features be used for utility use?

Imagine using the Warrior or Janisong for processing fresh caught trout or breaking down cardboard?

Take a knife from any other category. Make it all black. Add a black molle compatible sheath. Increase the price.
It's now a tactical knife.

[James Y]

I'm willing to bet that, if speaking in terms of use as a weapon against another person, then cheaply-made kitchen knives have most likely been used as weapons more than all of the purpose-built tactical knife designs.

Jim

[Ankerson]

I'm willing to bet that, if speaking in terms of use as a weapon against another person, then cheaply-made kitchen knives have most likely been used as weapons more than all of the purpose-built tactical knife designs.

Jim

Jim,

You would win that bet easily.

Jim

[Naperville]

I'm willing to bet that, if speaking in terms of use as a weapon against another person, then cheaply-made kitchen knives have most likely been used as weapons more than all of the purpose-built tactical knife designs.

Jim

YES absolutely true, and they can be great weapons. Do not leave them out because a home intruder can get a hold of them.

[Doc Dan]

A tactical or tacticool knife is one that makes you want to run through the mall ninja or spec ops style, killing zombies as you go.

Real guys I knew carried a Buck 119 or 120, or something similar. A few carried expensive Randall made knives, some carried Cold Steel RSK. They were knives that would stand up to hard use and defense, but were practical, too.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Great points.
Doc, why do you think Randall Made knives does not make folders?

[James Y]

A friend of mine who owned a knife and gun shop back in the '90s/early 2000s once showed me a 1960s-era Randall knife that he kept in its own display case, that a fellow Vietnam vet had given to him. That vet had used it to unalive more than one Vietcong soldier.

The knife itself looked very basic and unremarkable, and it wasn't a particularly large model. Part of the blade had discoloration on it.

This friend said that he kept it in the display case and didn't handle it much, because it had a 'weird energy' or vibe to it. And because of that, he kept it for display only, and not for sale.

Some people out there might think that sounds like nonsense. I believed him. He was a no-nonsense vet who always wore a cowboy hat and liked talking firearms, and about different knife steels.

I guess the point I'm making is that the vast majority of knives that have actually been used for 'tactical' work in a combative sense are mostly unremarkable-looking, not 'zombie killer' designs.

Jim

[Ankerson]

A friend of mine who owned a knife and gun shop back in the '90s/early 2000s once showed me a 1960s-era Randall knife that he kept in its own display case, that a fellow Vietnam vet had given to him. That vet had used it to unalive more than one Vietcong soldier.

The knife itself looked very basic and unremarkable, and it wasn't a particularly large model. Part of the blade had discoloration on it.

This friend said that he kept it in the display case and didn't handle it much, because it had a 'weird energy' or vibe to it. And because of that, he kept it for display only, and not for sale.

Some people out there might think that sounds like nonsense. I believed him. He was a no-nonsense vet who always wore a cowboy hat and liked talking firearms, and about different knife steels.

I guess the point I'm making is that the vast majority of knives that have actually been used for 'tactical' work in a combative sense are mostly unremarkable-looking, not 'zombie killer' designs.

Jim

Jim,

Randalls are absolute classics.

It just doesn't get any better really.

I am partial to the Model #14 and #1.

Also the #12-9 #14 grind.

It's a 7+ year wait now directly from Randall.

Jim

[James Y]

A friend of mine who owned a knife and gun shop back in the '90s/early 2000s once showed me a 1960s-era Randall knife that he kept in its own display case, that a fellow Vietnam vet had given to him. That vet had used it to unalive more than one Vietcong soldier.

The knife itself looked very basic and unremarkable, and it wasn't a particularly large model. Part of the blade had discoloration on it.

This friend said that he kept it in the display case and didn't handle it much, because it had a 'weird energy' or vibe to it. And because of that, he kept it for display only, and not for sale.

Some people out there might think that sounds like nonsense. I believed him. He was a no-nonsense vet who always wore a cowboy hat and liked talking firearms, and about different knife steels.

I guess the point I'm making is that the vast majority of knives that have actually been used for 'tactical' work in a combative sense are mostly unremarkable-looking, not 'zombie killer' designs.

Jim

Jim,

Randalls are absolute classics.

It just doesn't get any better really.

I am partial to the Model #14 and #1.

Also the #12-9 #14 grind.

It's a 7+ year wait now directly from Randall.

Jim

Yes, they are classics. That friend was a Randall Knife dealer (he was also a Spyderco, Benchmade, Chris Reeve, Emerson, etc. dealer). But that was many years ago.

Jim

[Scandi Grind]

I guess the point I'm making is that the vast majority of knives that have actually been used for 'tactical' work in a combative sense are mostly unremarkable-looking, not 'zombie killer' designs.

Jim

Simple knives are often the best. I think actually fighting with knives has become far more rare in modern combat and as a result "tactical" knife designs became less and less knife like. It seems like many of the modern tactical knife makers design around the idea that the knife has to be a pry bar, shovel, and a cutting tool, all while being virtually impossible to break. That seems to make it very inefficient specifically for cutting things, and not the most effective option for a pure fighting implement either. I don't have a lot of context on how soldiers tend to use their knives in modern warfare, but perhaps the overbuilt nature is more practical for the way they tend get used in a modern context. I can certainly see wanting to know that your knife isn't going to break on you even when abused.

I think a good example of what I would call a tactical knife that isn't too extreme is the Gerber Strongarm. It is thicker than I would want for EDC, camping, or general utility, but if I want something with reasonable cutting ability that can take a beating, it seems pretty well thought out. Very practical length too.

Others options that I would like are the Buck 119, Cold Steel SRK and certain options from TOPS, Winkler, RMJ Tactical, and Dawson. My TOPS Fieldcraft seems like it would work alright as a tactical knife. Reasonably sized, not the best cutter, but basically indestructable I think.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

From what you all know what would have been used as a folding tactical knife in the era before modern polymers and exotic locks became commonplace? Say 1975 and back, 1950s, 1940s, and onwards?

Here are some I can think of:

1 Earlier Buck folding hunters
2 Spanish Clasp Lock Navaja Folders
3 French, Italian and other versions of Number
2
4 Italian Switch Blades
5 German Henckels lock blade hunting knives
6 Large American made lockblade folding hunters
7 Any custom made large lockblade knives
8 Balisong knives
9 Gravity knives

This excludes military and civilian fixed blade knives.

[James Y]

I guess the point I'm making is that the vast majority of knives that have actually been used for 'tactical' work in a combative sense are mostly unremarkable-looking, not 'zombie killer' designs.

Jim

Simple knives are often the best. I think actually fighting with knives has become far more rare in modern combat and as a result "tactical" knife designs became less and less knife like. It seems like many of the modern tactical knife makers design around the idea that the knife has to be a pry bar, shovel, and a cutting tool, all while being virtually impossible to break. That seems to make it very inefficient specifically for cutting things, and not the most effective option for a pure fighting implement either. I don't have a lot of context on how soldiers tend to use their knives in modern warfare, but perhaps the overbuilt nature is more practical for the way they tend get used in a modern context. I can certainly see wanting to know that your knife isn't going to break on you even when abused.

I think a good example of what I would call a tactical knife that isn't too extreme is the Gerber Strongarm. It is thicker than I would want for EDC, camping, or general utility, but if I want something with reasonable cutting ability that can take a beating, it seems pretty well thought out. Very practical length too.

Others options that I would like are the Buck 119, Cold Steel SRK and certain options from TOPS, Winkler, RMJ Tactical, and Dawson. My TOPS Fieldcraft seems like it would work alright as a tactical knife. Reasonably sized, not the best cutter, but basically indestructable I think.

You make some great points there.

I generally prefer simple (or simpler) knife designs. If a design is too gaudy or too "overly-mall ninja," I prefer to avoid it. Same with overly-thick blade grinds. The most specifically "tactical" type knives that I own are ones I bought a long time ago (late '90s to early 2K), from another company that likes relatively thick chisel grinds. I tried them out. I found that although comfortable in hand, those knives did not cut well for me, for the kinds of utility cutting I do. I prefer knives that are primarily good cutting tools that suit my own types of uses. Because that's mostly what they're going to be used for.

Jim

[shunsui]

I think tactical is not a term you would use to describe a knife.

It would be more accurate to say: all knives are tactical (for their intended use).

But, people use the term anyway.

[Ankerson]

A friend of mine who owned a knife and gun shop back in the '90s/early 2000s once showed me a 1960s-era Randall knife that he kept in its own display case, that a fellow Vietnam vet had given to him. That vet had used it to unalive more than one Vietcong soldier.

The knife itself looked very basic and unremarkable, and it wasn't a particularly large model. Part of the blade had discoloration on it.

This friend said that he kept it in the display case and didn't handle it much, because it had a 'weird energy' or vibe to it. And because of that, he kept it for display only, and not for sale.

Some people out there might think that sounds like nonsense. I believed him. He was a no-nonsense vet who always wore a cowboy hat and liked talking firearms, and about different knife steels.

I guess the point I'm making is that the vast majority of knives that have actually been used for 'tactical' work in a combative sense are mostly unremarkable-looking, not 'zombie killer' designs.

Jim

Jim,

Randalls are absolute classics.

It just doesn't get any better really.

I am partial to the Model #14 and #1.

Also the #12-9 #14 grind.

It's a 7+ year wait now directly from Randall.

Jim

Yes, they are classics. That friend was a Randall Knife dealer (he was also a Spyderco, Benchmade, Chris Reeve, Emerson, etc. dealer). But that was many years ago.

Jim

Jim,

And they actually still perform better than most.

They are actually made for real use so they have good cutting geometry. They are actually pretty thin behind the edge and with hollow grinds they cut very well.

Models do very as do the options given they are custom made to order knives.

In general however they do still perform better than MOST other knives in the same categories. I would put a Randall made knife up against just about anything from any other manufacturer or maker.

Jim

[Manixguy@1994]

I'm willing to bet that, if speaking in terms of use as a weapon against another person, then cheaply-made kitchen knives have most likely been used as weapons more than all of the purpose-built tactical knife designs.

Jim

I agree ! Most altercations using a knife are a kitchen knife . I have read articles of domestic disputes for years and a kitchen knife is always the most attainable weapon . While working a Caterpillar years ago I knew two guys who were stabbed and sliced by spouses , one didn’t make it . The other had scars that looked like a bad crossword puzzle. MG2