Michael Janich Joins Spyderco

[VashHash]

Micheal what are you thoughts on hawkbill blades for SD purposes? I'm sure they do well but I would think you have better knowledge on this subject than i would. Have you ever tried them on your porkman dummy

[Michael Janich]

Micheal what are you thoughts on hawkbill blades for SD purposes? I'm sure they do well but I would think you have better knowledge on this subject than i would. Have you ever tried them on your porkman dummy

Dear VashHash:

Hawkbills are awesome cutters and typically perform very well on PorkMan (still one of the lesser-known superheroes). The concave shape of the cutting edge "collects" the material being cut--like an animal's claw--and on soft materials it does great. Like a wharncliffe, it also cuts with full power all the way to the tip.

On the down side, many hawkbills curve so radically that you lose the utility of the point--especially as a thrusting tool. While I am a firm believer that properly targeted cuts are a more effective and responsible way of stopping an attacker than repeated thrusts (particularly with small, legal-to-carry knives), sometimes a thrust is necessary to penetrate clothing so you can then cut the parts that will make the attacker stop. That's where most hawkbills fall short because they don't have the proper handle-to-blade angle to complement a natural wrist angle.

Also, hawbills can be prone to snagging on things that are not soft tissue. When that happens, they're more difficult to recover than a straighter blade configuration.

I hope this answers your question. If I fell short on anything, let me know and I'll try to fill in the blanks.

Stay safe,

Mike

[VashHash]

Thanks again for the speedy response michael i appreciate your knowledge and i saw the porkman in a knife magazine recently. I have yet to build one myself but i understand what you mean. I usually carry a leaf blade and a hawkbill on me at all times. But in a dire situation the leaf blade can just as easily be deployed. I don't have a folding wharnecliffe yet but i do have two spins coming in. Of course size matters but when something can easily be concealed in the hand one tends to barely notice it or see it as a threat. I feel deception is very very important in SD i would of course prefer not to use a knife but if i ever were in such a situation where i had to i'd prefer my attacker not know it until it's too late. Again thanks very much.

[Manix Guy 2]

Please give us a drop point Chinook ! MG2

[Michael Janich]

Thanks again for the speedy response michael i appreciate your knowledge and i saw the porkman in a knife magazine recently. I have yet to build one myself but i understand what you mean. I usually carry a leaf blade and a hawkbill on me at all times. But in a dire situation the leaf blade can just as easily be deployed. I don't have a folding wharnecliffe yet but i do have two spins coming in. Of course size matters but when something can easily be concealed in the hand one tends to barely notice it or see it as a threat. I feel deception is very very important in SD i would of course prefer not to use a knife but if i ever were in such a situation where i had to i'd prefer my attacker not know it until it's too late. Again thanks very much.

Dear VashHash:

You're welcome.

One thing to remember: Edge geometry plays a huge part in the cutting performance of ALL blade profiles. If you get the geometry right, your knife will cut. Spyderco does that exceedingly well. As such, leaf-shaped blades and other blade designs can still make extremely potent personal defense tools. If we assume that all edge geometry is equal, then the other aspects of blade profile come into play and things get even better.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Michael Janich]

Please give us a drop point Chinook ! MG2

Dear Manix Guy 2:

I'm happy to relay messages and support worthy causes, but please understand that my powers are limited. If I truly had such magical powers, I'd have a full head of hair...

Stay safe,

Mike

[sarguy]

Dear Manix Guy 2:

I'm happy to relay messages and support worthy causes, but please understand that my powers are limited. If I truly had such magical powers, I'd have a full head of hair...

Stay safe,

Mike

I thought that was for aerodynamic tactical advantage.

[psychophipps]

Just keep one thing in mind, Mr. Janich. God does not put marble tops on cheap furniture! :cool:

[dialex]

A belated welcome to Mr. Janich. Not only he is a great proffessionist and knife designer but a special person as well. I am very glad to see quality people gathering around Spyderco - it can only be beneficial for all of us :D

[MCM]

I am just waiting to find out if its going to be something old, something new? something borrowed or something blue..... :D

[sarguy]

I am just waiting to find out if its going to be something old, something new? something borrowed or something blue..... :D

Were you planning on buying one, or marrying one?

[ozspyder]

LOL, great comment.... I would marry one if it were legal :D

[Blue72]

So will we see spyderco DVD series featuring Michael Janich.

[MCM]

I think many here would like to know if an older model of his will get a freshening up, or a new model all-together will be created, or one of Sal's or Eric's models will get tweaked, or if the Yojimbo will come back in Blue with a CBL in S90v. :D

Hence my comment.........

[sarguy]

, or if the Yojimbo will come back in Blue with a CBL in S90v. :D

Hence my comment.........

I figured that's what you were talking about, but i couldn't pass up the humor.

[Michael Janich]

Just keep one thing in mind, Mr. Janich. God does not put marble tops on cheap furniture! :cool:

Well said! I'll have to borrow that one--with proper credit, of course.

Stay safe,

Mike

[Michael Janich]

So will we see spyderco DVD series featuring Michael Janich.

Spyderco has always been very supportive of my efforts to teach MBC and its related disciplines. We've always maintained a very positive relationship on that topic because we share the same commitment to responsible, ethical self-protection. However, because of the liabilities involved in the training business, we keep the two activities separate.

The "official" source for my DVDs and training materials is Stay Safe Media (http://www.staysafemedia.com), which is operated by my good friend Mike Rigg--who is also one of the few fully certified MBC instructors. He understands my approach to tactics better than anyone and I trust him to accurately and faithfully represent that information on video.

With all that said, my original video series--"Fighting Folders"--no longer represents the state of the art in MBC. Stay Safe and I will transcend it with newer, better material.

Stay safe,

Mike

[sarguy]

With all that said, my original video series--"Fighting Folders"--no longer represents the state of the art in MBC. Stay Safe and I will transcend it with newer, better material.

Is this referring to the existing MBC and CBC videos?

[JohnAPA]

Spyderco and Michael Janich go together like peanut butter and jelly. And we the consumer are the happy beneficiaries. Congratulations to Mike, Sal, Eric and the whole crew. I can't wait to see what you guys cook up for me!

[Michael Janich]

Is this referring to the existing MBC and CBC videos?

The "Martial Blade Concepts" video is by far the most accurate representation of the current state of the art of the MBC system. Very soon a revised version of it will be available exclusively from Stay Safe that includes a bonus section on how to get the most out of solo training.

The CBC video is also solid, though there have been some quantum leaps in the evolution of that system as well. Once Stay Safe documents those (probably next year), the new version will transcend the old.

"Fighting Folders" and "Advanced Fighting Folders" reflect the initial drill-based approach of MBC and do not fully reflect the current evolved understanding of knife stopping power. Serious students still do all the drills, so these videos are a useful reference for drill mechanics and transitions; however, the core applications of the skills have been refined and simplified. That information will be covered in future volumes of the "Martial Blade Concepts" series.

I hope this helps.

Stay safe,

Mike