Any P'Kal users here?

tacticooledc · #1

I'm considering diving into the $150 price tag after seeing the speed of the first stab+slash after deployment...As it is now, any waved knife generally takes a primary draw back behind your body to deploy, and then a movement to bring the knife back in front of your body. With the p'kal, it's basically one draw forward that links into the first stab-punch followed by a cut.

My question is, how limited is this knife in an SD role? It seems that you really only get the first two strikes and after that it's basically a dagger- how wrong am I with this assumption?

Also I heard some plastic part on it is known to break, hopefully not the lock?

chuck_roxas45 · #2

You can actually do that with a ghetto wave and a reversed clip. If you want to carry right side configure the clip for left hand carry. If you want left side carry right hand carry configuration will do it. Here's how I do it with a manix 2.

[url=<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OndEVzgo9mI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>]<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OndEVzgo9mI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/url]

Pete1977 · #3

tacticooledc wrote:I'm considering diving into the $150 price tag after seeing the speed of the first stab+slash after deployment...As it is now, any waved knife generally takes a primary draw back behind your body to deploy, and then a movement to bring the knife back in front of your body. With the p'kal, it's basically one draw forward that links into the first stab-punch followed by a cut.

My question is, how limited is this knife in an SD role? It seems that you really only get the first two strikes and after that it's basically a dagger- how wrong am I with this assumption?

Also I heard some plastic part on it is known to break, hopefully not the lock?

The P'kal knife is designed around a specific methodology, i.e. reverse grip, edge in. It is point driven, concentrating on the thrust, and using the edge in a shearing capacity to clear limbs and open a pathway for another thrust.

The knife gives no more or no less amount of strikes than the user permits. It is far from a one shot deal.

Reverse grip, edge in, can be accomplished with any waved folder by transferring the clip to the left hand carry position and carrying it in the right pocket, or leaving it as is and carrying it in the left pocket. It will wave open forward and can be rolled into a RGEI grip with a little practice.

I don't know what you mean by "basically a dagger" after one or 2 strikes. A dagger is a type of knife with a straight profile and usually a double edged blade. The Pkal is a folding knife with a single edged blade and a slight hawkbill/wharncliffe profile.

What martial art do you train in? The P'kal is mainly geared towards Pekiti Tirsia Kali (the primary style of the designer, Southnarc) and other reverse grip methods.

The lock is not plastic, it is a steel ball bearing. There is a plastic "handle" to make disengaging the lock easier. The Ball Bearing Lock is a pretty secure locking method along the same principal as the Axis Lock.

ETA- the P'kal is not meant to be drawn forward, used in one stab followed by a cut...it is meant to be used by drawing into a thrust, another thrust, another thrust, another thrust, shearing a limb out of the way to create an opening for, yes, another thrust. Like a sewing machine. One stab, thrust, cut, etc, is highly unlikely in a real life self defense situation to be a fight stopper.

It probably could be used reverse grip edge out but it was not designed for this. If I remember correctly the blade shape and overall design puts the point at an optimum line with the handle for the pikal style and is meant for pulling cuts used when extricating the blade from the last thrust.

Blerv · #4

There are dozens of in-depth threads on the knife and methodology on this forum alone. I hate being the guy to say "search" but a thread a couple months ago on the topic got to like 7 pages.

Search for reverse grip too. Half the threads are on RGEI.

Goodluck.

unit · #5

Dang!!!

I was hoping that this was going to discuss the potential for this knife to be used in an EDC task capacity.

There have been some in depth discussions on this blade in the past (here and elsewhere). I would recommend a Google (or Bing, or whatever engine you like) search....those old conversations covered a lot of ground over a lot of time...you can get it instantly by searching, but a new thread will take time to develop.

If you want my opinion (and even if you don't, I am giving it anyway), I do not generally recommend a knife that is so vastly skewed toward SD that is rarely used in every day tasks. If you are not REALLY familiar with it, it will be almost worthless when that REALLY RARE situation arises that you need it. Further it will be of limited value if you are not trained to use it....therefore you need to buy the TRAINER also. If $150 seems like a lot, you should realize that your expenses have only begun with the live blade, if you actually want it for SD (other expenses include a trainer, and some training).

A lightening fast deployment is of little value if you have no training regarding what to do after the knife is in play...yet it seems most people fixate on this step.

It is a very interesting knife though...I have considered putting one on my shelf several times...but that is where it would spend its life.

Michael Cook · #6

:spyder: You'll fight like you train on your worst day of training. If you train rgei and can't carry a disciple or clinch pick the p'kal is next best. :spyder:

Joe Talmadge · #7

tacticooledc wrote: My question is, how limited is this knife in an SD role? It seems that you really only get the first two strikes and after that it's basically a dagger- how wrong am I with this assumption?

I believe that reverse grip methods are the most effective realistic defensive systems there are, and the "only get the first two strikes" assumption is wrong. That said, if you don't train with someone schooled in the system, force-on-force, you're almost certainly much better off with standard forward grip. Untrained, it's worse than being "basically a dagger" -- in untrained people, hammer strikes tend to be slow, telegraphed, and feel unnatural.

Dr. Snubnose · #8

What Joe said...+1....Doc :D

Joe Talmadge · #9

chuck_roxas45 wrote:You can actually do that with a ghetto wave and a reversed clip. If you want to carry right side configure the clip for left hand carry. If you want left side carry right hand carry configuration will do it. Here's how I do it with a manix 2.

The waved endura, with clip set up in the right configuration, works great for this also.

unit · #10

Joe Talmadge wrote:The waved endura, with clip set up in the right configuration, works great for this also.

And I would add, it is a fantastic EDC choice for those that want a working knife that also will serve well in a SD situation.

Joe Talmadge · #11

Exactly -- and works well in an SD situation, in any and every grip. Just a great knife overall.

Onionman · #12

Shivworks has two videos on youtube that go over the intended deployment and application methods. Here is the link to the first video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-p4YmUJ ... er&list=UL

I practice the techniques on occasion, but since I carry knives primarily for utility purposes, I rarely carry my p'kal.

chuck_roxas45 · #13

Joe Talmadge wrote:The waved endura, with clip set up in the right configuration, works great for this also.

Agreed, it was just that I only had the zip tie on the manix 2 when I made the vid.