Knives capable of pikal style?

[Fay]

Hello All,

I'm new to the spyderco forums and spyderco in general. My wife got me a Dragonfly 2 and a Delica 4 for the past 2 Christmas's and I love them very much. I'm a huge fan of the simplicity of the back lock and I carry my Delica most days I don't have a leatherman for work in the lab.

Working in the lab I can't take a firearm due to pressurized gas cylinders which would turn very ugly for a lot of people if they get punctured. I would like a folding knife to be able to use in the lab and flex into some self defense if needed since I can't carry a firearm, and a folder is easier to conceal regularly and physiologically in my environment.

I've taken some basic martial arts and the pikal style of using a knife for defense makes a lot of sense to me. I've gotten good enough with my delica to be able to swap between grips (FGEU, FG, RGEO, RGEI) using the divot in the clip as a rotation point. The Delica point doesn't really end up in the right place when held in RGEI however. So, I've been looking at knives I could carry in these situations that's more pikal in nature and it seems like there are some purpose built knifes but also some knives I could flex into this role if the grip is fairly neutral (straight rather than curved).

I've been looking at the Spyderco P'Kal and Lil Temperance 3. Are there any other spyderco blades I should be looking at for RGEI work that could flex into EDC? Does anyone have an image of the Lil Temperance 3 in a RGEI grip? None of the reviews I've seen never show that.

[Michael Janich]

Dear Fay:

Welcome to the Spyderco Forum.

For RGEI, handle shape is a primary concern. It must be neutral enough to be comfortable when gripped in that way, or, like the P'Kal, purpose designed for that grip. Many Spyderco designs are biased toward edge-out grips, but the neutral handle shapes like the Lil' Temperance 3, Tenacious (and other Value Folders), etc. could work well.

Stay safe,

Mike

[GT99]

The P'kal is your best bet if you can find one, nobody has them in Canada as I have been looking for awhile now. There is fixed blades that are not spyderco that are specifically made for this style like shivworks clinch pick.

I would feel odd using my smock in this way but due to the handle being neutral its actually somewhat comfortable held this way,

if a knife you can use as an EDC as well as for SD you can take a look at the Canis and Yojimbo 2 as both were made for that, also you could get a Endura/endela/delica wharncliffe and it works great, different style but I am a big fan of wharncliffes for SD and they are such a great blade style for my work.

the civilian and matriarch are also SD based knives and pretty fool proof for slashing, not stabbing thought and not great for other tasks, I still want to grab one down the road just for collection sake as I find the blade shape interesting but id probably never carry it. Same with the P'kal if I ever find one, I might carry it at times but I will probably still stick with one of my wharnies as they are just so good for everything else (save for food prep but I use a kitchen knife for that anyways)

[Jim Malone]

Fixed blades
Shivworks Clinch pick
Shivworks Disciple
Tops unzipper
Ironside edge works from S.A.
Elvia C from t_cnc_inc
Bastinelli anomaly
Spyderco Reverse
Pinkerton Smilidon

Folders
Twosun ts 384
Emerson Elvia
Spyderco P'kal
Pinkerton Inversion

[Fay]

For RGEI, handle shape is a primary concern. It must be neutral enough to be comfortable when gripped in that way, or, like the P'Kal, purpose designed for that grip. Many Spyderco designs are biased toward edge-out grips, but the neutral handle shapes like the Lil' Temperance 3, Tenacious (and other Value Folders), etc. could work well.

Stay safe,

Mike

Mr Janich, thank you, I'll check out the Tenacious as well. I hope to come out to MBC sometime in the future and learn your style. I like the disabling rather than killing nature of MBC techniques from what I can find online. Also thank you for making me, a brand new person on the forum, feel at home.

The P'kal is your best bet if you can find one, nobody has them in Canada as I have been looking for awhile now. There is fixed blades that are not spyderco that are specifically made for this style like shivworks clinch pick.

I've had my eye on a clinch pick but I don't think I can pull off having a fixed blade hanging on my belt where I work.

I would feel odd using my smock in this way but due to the handle being neutral its actually somewhat comfortable held this way,

The smock does look like it would work for both styles of defensive blade use. I'll keep that one in mind. Do you ever find yourself hitting that compression lock button when you don't want to? It seems like it sits fairly proud of the scales in a way that might be easy to inadvertently close when using the knife in a stressful situation.

if a knife you can use as an EDC as well as for SD you can take a look at the Canis and Yojimbo 2 as both were made for that, also you could get a Endura/endela/delica wharncliffe and it works great, different style but I am a big fan of wharncliffes for SD and they are such a great blade style for my work.

The Yojimbo 2 had my eye for a while. I just don't think I can use it like Mr Janich teaches without going to a class. Grad school won't be forever so this is a definite possibility in the future.

Folders
Twosun ts 384
Emerson Elvia
Spyderco P'kal
Pinkerton Inversion

Thank you for the list! I've never heard of Twosun before, I'll give that one a gander.

[mikey177]

Does anyone have an image of the Lil Temperance 3 in a RGEI grip? None of the reviews I've seen never show that.

I don't train in martial arts anymore, so apologies if I'm holding it incorrectly.

[Fay]

...doubled up the same post. Still figuring out all the buttons.

[Giygas]

Thank you for the list! I've never heard of Twosun before, I'll give that one a gander.

To clarify, he probably meant the TS348, not 384. This is the 348:



That's not my pic, but I have one on the way. I should have it tomorrow.

[Fay]

To clarify, he probably meant the TS348, not 384. This is the 348:



That's not my pic, but I have one on the way. I should have it tomorrow.

Thanks for the clarification! That's a beautiful knife. I hope you like it when it comes in.

[Fay]

I don't train in martial arts anymore, so apologies if I'm holding it incorrectly.
20231003_102036.jpg

That’s perfect! Thank you for the image. No flying back kicks required.
[/quote]

[Skar]

Swayback seems like a good fit for this role.

[Fay]

Swayback seems like a good fit for this role.

That's an interesting one and classy looking in that titanium. It's only right hand opening though right? Seems like the more opening options the better for a potential defensive folder.

[Jim Malone]

[/quote]

To clarify, he probably meant the TS348, not 384. This is the 348:

[/quote]

Yes sorry. Made a typo

[Skar]

Swayback seems like a good fit for this role.

That's an interesting one and classy looking in that titanium. It's only right hand opening though right? Seems like the more opening options the better for a potential defensive folder.

It is titanium, yet the swell is comfortable in rgei and would can be opened gravity wrist flick rgeo quite easily imo. Maybe I’m biased

[Fay]

Swayback seems like a good fit for this role.

That's an interesting one and classy looking in that titanium. It's only right hand opening though right? Seems like the more opening options the better for a potential defensive folder.

It is titanium, yet the swell is comfortable in rgei and would can be opened gravity wrist flick rgeo quite easily imo. Maybe I’m biased

The angles look just right for a pikal rgei grip. I'd love to hold one and check it out.