Small Blade For A Parkour Athlete

[BenSpaloss]

Hey Guys,

My name is Ben. I am new to the spyderco forum but I am a huge spyderco fan.

I am a parkour athlete. I have been training for about 8 years now.

Here is a clip from my Instagram of me competing on World Chase Tag: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKJ1o35D2JW ... _copy_link (I am in Green BTW)

WCT is basically a competition where the best parkour athletes across the world gather into teams and play a game of tag. The whole thing was filmed and showed on NBC Sports and is on youtube as well. Here is the full match: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKJ1o35D2JW ... _copy_link

Spoiler alert: I am humbly NOT one of the best parkour athletes in the world and the competition fairly reflects that.

I used to be really interested in knife sharpening. I can thank many for helping me learn how to sharpen, from Michael Emler, to Jason Stone, Jef Jewell, and many more, but Michael Christy was my main teacher. He basically taught me how to sharpen. I posted about sharpening a lot on my instagram (@makethepre)

I am less involved in sharpening nowadays, but I love still carrying knives. I am interested in carrying self defense knives, moreover because it's fun than anything else. When I train parkour, carrying knives can provide complications.

I think I have the issue solved with folders. I have a delica in vg-10 that I can train in with the pocket or inside the waistband. That works well for training but it can be sketchy at times. My delica is really old and beaten up though, and I think the lock has been compromised somehow because it doesn't take much for the lock to disengage. If I wanted, I think a warncliff lc200n delica would be a perfect tactical knife that I can train with. It is Rust proof, good blade shape, light knife, good handle design, (hopefully, the lock will be better) and as a sweet bonus, I can't wait to sharpen lc200n.

I am on the search for fixed blades now. I want a fixed blade because 1. they are faster to deploy and 2. folders can still come out of the pocket. One time I was training in my backyard with a police 4 in my back pocket, (which was surprisingly unintrusive while training). After I was done training though, I realized the knife wasn't in my pocket. I went back outside and found it completely buried in the dirt. I pulled out a patch of grass trying to get the knife out. After getting the grass out, the pocket clip was at a full 45 degree angle. The clip must have caught on the dirt while I was sliding and pulled the knife out of my pocket.

A CRKT minimalist on the belt can work, but it's ergonomics aren't great for my smaller hands. I was thinking of a swick 6, but it still needs to come out. Additionally, I don't know about the sheath retention with that knife. It doesn't have a lock for retention so I don't know if it would be dangerous to train with it. I imagine the handle design makes it capable of hooking onto something as I train.

I have a serrated ARK knife, which is good for just having a 5th knife on me (Lol) but having it around my neck is problematic when I move around because it slams into my face and teeth when I train. I was thinking of getting a G-clip and wearing the arc on my belt.

If you guys have any suggestions of knives I could carry either on my belt, or in my pocket or waistband that could be good for training, let me know! It doesn't have to be spyderco, but I like to rep my favorite brand.

Thanks!

[vivi]

I carry a Pacific Salt 2 in my waistband while being physically active. Kayaking, skateboarding, rock climbing, trail running etc. The LC200N versions are only 2.5oz, which is as light as a Delica. I haven't had any issues with it coming unclipped.

When it comes to fixed blades you can use a cheap heat gun to target the sheath entrance and warm it up enough to re-form it. You can adjust the tension of the draw in seconds this way.

I've tried carrying a fixed blade clipped IWB in shorts but don't enjoy doing so without a belt. Too much of the weight rides above the waistband and makes it feel unstable during activity compared to a clipped folder.

[Wartstein]

Hey Guys,

My name is Ben. I am new to the spyderco forum but I am a huge spyderco fan.
...
Thanks!

Welcome to the forum, Ben! :)

I was aware of Parkour as a sport and always found it pretty cool, but the "chase variant" is new to me!

Tbh, I don´t know if I´d want to carry a fixed blade for the training you do, but obviously you do know this better than I do (I do "just" climbing and trailrunning in a sometimes a bit more "jumping around remotely parkour-ish" form ,) )
IF I´d carried a FB in such a scenario I´d want it to be rather small and flat (handle / sheath), so some larger neckknife with just a paracord-wrap on the handle or something like this. Tbh, this would be a non Spyderco right now (White River backpacker).

If the Waterway came in a smaller format, that would be pretty perfect too: Very slim and flat profile, but, as said, in the current size a bit long (for what YOU want, for a general utility knife it has the perfect size!)

I think the 'Pac Salt ffg in LC200N Vivi recommended or the smaller upcoming Salt you mentioned as Delica LC200N would be what I´d take. ALL Seki backlocks I have and had (many...) had no lock problems at all but actually for me this is the safest and strongest Spyderco locktype
AND: You can always rebend the clips a bit so the knives have more retention in the pocket! I do this with all my mountaineering Spydies!

Let us now what you´ll choose in the end! :)
IF

[JRinFL]

If I were doing a sport that might entail a fall from height, I'd choose a folder. You could use one of the after-market neck sheaths in a different manner. Instead of hanging around the neck you would tether it to your belt or belt loop, then clip the knife to your pocket as normal. The sheath is released because the tether pulls it off on the draw. The sheath makes sure you have a knife that stays closed and is an extra layer if you take a spill. The tether does double duty, it keeps the knife with you and removes the sheath on the draw.

[Ric]

The best little knife is the dragonfly.
Maybe the Snapit is something for you.

[Avocado]

For a folder to meet your athletic needs I'd suggest a serrated Rockjumper. I carry one when I go distance running in my city, and it's not been any bother.

For a fixed, I'd also suggest a Swick model, as above, but in plain edge, with the smaller hole of the two models.

Where I live in Los Angeles, the legality situation points towards a folder clipped somewhere, rather than a fixed blade on the belt.

[prog_knife]

Cool thread, Ben. Thanks for bringing us in on this interesting use case. I also carry a serrated ARK when I'm out running :cool:

If we're talking Spyderco fixed blades, it kind of sounds like a Street Beat might suit. Or perhaps a Ronin? Am I correct in surmising that self defense is a consideration?
We come up against a limit when in-sheath retention is a factor. I don't know of any Spydies other than the ARK with a sheath lock.

Expanding the scope a bit, have you checked out the Picoeur (or its sibling, the PiKa) by Bastinelli Knives? A little expensive for the materials and size, maybe, but I think the Ulti-Clip carry setup would work well.

[James Y]

Hi, Ben.

TBH, if I were a Parkour athlete, I don’t think I’d carry any knife clipped. I would probably carry it unclipped, down inside a pocket; preferably a pocket that at least Velcro’s shut.

As far as your Delica’s lock being compromised, have you checked the well of the lock to make sure there’s no buildup of lint or gunk in it, which may prevent the lock bar from fully seating in the notch?

Jim

[Sumdumguy]

What about a Swick?

It's super small, super thin and can be carried any way you can imagine. There should be an LC200N model coming very soon.

[VooDooChild]

Kinda seems like theres some stuff where you wouldnt want a knife on you. But if you must...

I surf and am a former beach lifeguard. I usually have a small to medium salt series knife on me. Getting slammed by a wave is one of those times you dont want a knife coming open since it could stab your leg. Its also one of those times where if you can lose a knife (or keys or whatever) you will.

As far as not getting lost, I would also recommend carrying in a pocket that closes with velcro or a zipper or something. Or carry it clipped but attatch it to your belt loop near the pocket or something.

As far as the knife staying closed goes I recommend,
1. Backlocks
2. Tightened pivots if you can. The seki pivots can be tightened down.
3. This little hair tie mod that I do. On some models it doesnt really work, but on other models, like the native 5, it works very well.

No idea on a fixed blade. Hard for me to imagine tumbling, rolling, twisting etc with a fixed blade just about anywhere.

Maybe you could take a page from older dive knives and try and find a thin flat knife, with a thin flat sheath, that isnt too long, that you could strap to the side of your calf/thigh/forearm.

Except maybe smaller than this. And maybe on the leg too. Someone doing parkour with a fixed blade strapped to the insidr of the forearm is way too Assassins Creed.

[sal]

Hi Ben, Avocado,

Welcome to our forum.

Hey Ben, Thanx for the support and thanx for the thread. There are few suggestions that make sense to me, like VooDoo's. But I think I would like to take it to the next level. Hopefully Mike J, will join in.

As an aside, We make a type of Challenge coin for Military and Law enforcement. When I was creating the coin, on the Spyderco side of the coin, I put the lines: Never give up. Never back down. Never back up. Those lines were inspired by Parkour. An activity that I personally appreciate.

I agree that a zipped or velcro pocket is probably the most secure. It could be a small fixed blades or a folder. A small fixed blade that can have the sheath popped off with one hand while in the pocket would work. First thoughts are a "Swick", Perrin's "Subway Bowie" with a lanyard for purchase or Perrins "LaGriffe" with a lanyard for purchase and a thumb push off sheath.

What I'd really like to do is to get together with Mike J and Fred P and design the ideal Parkour blade.

Thoughts?

sal

[Cl1ff]

I would be very interested in that Sal!
Thanks for the insight as always, btw. Never less special to here stuff like that from you.
I’m often doing a bit of “exploring” where I’m around and I could see it being handy while climbing as well.
My friends know me as the dude who’s always monkeying around, but I’m not sure it really counts as legit parkour(?)! :p
Much of my climbing is in trees and mangroves or an area that may be similarly prone to snags like a fence or tight space.
I like to carry a knife with me in the mangroves, where I’ll climb for hours without ever touching the ground or water, to cut man made material in the way or that is strangling the wildlife.
Folders like the Rock Jumper will work, but a fixed blade like the Subway Bowie is better for me.
Preferably close to my body carry. Like on/in the waistband rather than a pocket. Clothing tends to hang and flop around, so connecting directly to the body via straps or the most stable part of the clothes, the waist, is important to me.

I like serrated edges and/or the wharncliffes Michael Janich popularized for what I usually cut and Fred Perrin’s handle design on top of that would be icing on the cake!
Sounds like an awesome knife in the making!

[Doc Dan]

For a small fixed blade something like this Morakniv Eldris comes to mind. It has an additional security strap that goes entirely over the end of the knife to keep it in the sheath.

You might get a Spyderco Swick and put a rubber band on it.

Otherwise, a Delica, Salt 2, or Native 5 LW would be my choices. I would use only a back lock as other locks would likely come open in your pocket and stab you or someone else. Even then, I'd tighten the pivot a bit.

I think the suggestions of a zipper pocket are good, too. If you use velcro, use the stronger kind (it comes in various strengths).

[Wartstein]

Ben, I assumed you want an LC200N or at least very rust proof knife, so I did not mention MY preferred IWB running knife, since it is not really rustproof:

The Chaparral FRN. Its XHP steel might show some corrosion if carried IWB frequently (but I do so all the time when running and it has developed just one darker spot yet), but other than that it is just perfect.
Very slim (perhaps the "flattest" Spyderco out there?), extremly robust built, still rather light, and the most amazing thin, slicey, but strong enough blade.

The Chap FRN is great as it is, but n SE and perhaps wharnie shape (and LC200N, tough I would not need that) it would be an even "meander" slicer.

Anyway, should you consider the Chap FRN: DON`T listen to voices that say it is "just" a gents knife and just for "light duty".
I feel entitled to firmly say, since I really tested it: NOT true. This is a real, solid cutting tool, also for harder tasks.

[Wartstein]

Another suggestion:
The new UKPK Salt.
It is extremly light, looks to have great ergos and does not really need a lock since a finger will be in the choil most times anyway.
Still, in outdoor use I personally would always want a solid lock. For one there are certain tasks where the blade still could collapse, and additionally being in a more remote place getting a deeper cut is more annoying than in a more urban enviroment (concerning possible infections and so on)

[Michael Janich]

Hey, BenSpaLoss:

Thank you very much for starting this thread and a cool discussion.

In my opinion, the question here is a lot more about sheath design and carry platform than knife design. You mentioned carrying a Police 4, a Delica, and a CRKT Minimalist (one of my favorite fixed blades), so it seems the specific parameters of the knife itself are still not fully defined. Those three are pretty different.

When people ask me about choosing a knife, I tell them to first research the applicable carry laws and then take a hard look at their closets and how they dress. I purposely choose clothes that provide the same carry "platform" for my tools. Your situation is very different, so determining where to carry will largely define what to carry.

For fixed blades, there are also a lot of B.S. carry methods that seem great, but aren't really practical. For example, horizontal, small-of-the-back seems great, until you draw your knife and have to re-sheathe it.

Please continue to share information about what you want the knife for, what you want it to do, and where you think you might be comfortable carrying it. That should fuel some good discussion and some creative thinking.

Stay safe,

Mike

[carrot]

I am an active person and I like spring clip lockback Spydercos best for carrying IWB (in waistband). That's my preferred way of carrying a knife unless I am wearing a big pack with a lumbar strap. For me most recently that's been a Delica, RockJumper, or Native.

I also often carry small fixed blades at 2ºclock or 4ºclock using either a spring steel boot clip or the very strong Ulti-Clip.

Right now I have an Enuff with custom sheath that holds the knife very securely. Spyderco does provide a decent sheath and an excellent clip but for my needs I wanted something with even stronger retention and a lower profile clip. I carry that a lot, although careful carry placement is required because the FRN scales are quite textured.

I recommend exploring IWB carry with a lockback before considering fixed blades, fixed blades have an easier draw but have more carry/concealment nuances.

[Sumdumguy]

I'm going to double down on the Swick.

I just took mine out and it's still the easiest FB to carry and conceal, that Spyderco makes.

Also, the finger hole gives you a 100% positive grasp when drawing.

The Subway Bowie that Sal spoke of would also be a contender. But, you'd either have to get it straight from Perrin, or wait for the Spyderco version to come out.

Basically, anything designed for concealment, by Perrin, is a great starting point.

[Sumdumguy]

I'm going to double down on the Swick.

I just took mine out and it's still the easiest FB to carry and conceal, that Spyderco makes.

Also, the finger hole gives you a 100% positive grasp when drawing.

The Subway Bowie that Sal spoke of would also be a contender. But, you'd either have to get it straight from Perrin, or wait for the Spyderco version to come out.

Basically, anything designed for concealment, by Perrin, is a great starting point.

It can be put in just about any pocket, strapped to any part and be unnoticeable, aswell as comfortable.

Edit: this was supposed to be an edit...

As it turns out, there was a Micro Dyad in that pocket, holding the knife up higher than normal.

[JakeXman]

I run 6 days out of the week, and often on trails. Where I live mountain lion/cougar/big-scary-cat attacks can be a legitimate concern. I’ve gone through a few knives for IWB carry. Currently my favorite is the SE Tasman salt.

1) It’s rustproof: I’ve rusted s30v and 8cr13mov with my sweat, so something in the salt line was necessary for me but may not be for you.

2) Backlock: Very solid lockup and little chance of opening IWB or in pocket.

3) Aggressive cutting: Say what you will about how it looks, but the hawkbill serrated blade CUTS.

4) Lightweight/Compact: While I typically carry IWB while running, I tried it clipped to my pocket yesterday and had no retention issues. You could even bend the clip to be stronger.

Even though it’s not a fixed blade, maybe it’s a knife to work into a rotation! That’s my recommendation :D