Posts tagged Tactical

A tactical knife is a high performance knife; it’s a type of knife the user can employ quickly and forcefully. It may be used as an everyday tool or a survival weapon; it can have a fixed or folding blade. Quality tactical knives are very sharp, in order to accomplish their major purpose of cutting or separating one thing from other. There’s no strict definition of what is and what is not a tactical knife because what is tactical for a suburban civilian is different from what is tactical for person in the military. The basic requirement is that you can get to it, open it, and use it quickly and easily with one hand.

Because of the great variety of tactical knives, you need to consider a number of options before deciding what knife is best for you and your purposes.

Plain vs. Serrated Edge. The application determines whether a plain or serrated edge will do the job better. A plain edge is better for push cuts, where you push the blade through whatever you are cutting. A plain edge is also the better choice when accuracy, clean cuts, and extreme control are required to do the job. The serrated edge works better with slicing cuts, where you make the cut by dragging the edge of the blade.

Blade Shapes. The clip, modified clip, and drop point are the most popular blade shapes. The sharp point of the clip blade is ideal for detail work, but not very strong. The modified clip comes in a variety of shapes; it’s good for high-tech knives. A drop point blade has a thick point that is good for heavier jobs, but does not penetrate easily.

Automatic knives. Also known as switchblades, automatic knives open at the push of a button, a particularly important feature if you are unable to access and open a traditional knife. If you expect to be in situations where you can’t put down something in order to open up your knife, an automatic knife may be the best choice.

Survival vs. Rescue Knife. Survival knives have sharp points and work well for general purposes. They usually have clip blades and are double bladed. The blunt tips of rescue knives make it safer for rescuers to cut seatbelts or clothing without injuring the victims. Some rescue knives even have glass breakers to assist in automobile rescues.

Pocket vs. Folding Knife. A pocketknife is a small knife with a number of blades, small enough to fit in a pocket, like a Swiss Army knife. It folds, but general does not have a locking mechanism. A folding knife is larger, usually has only one blade, and has a locking mechanism and a clip for carrying.

There is considerable crossover when it comes to knife types and uses. A traditional fixed blade hunting knife, for example, can be a fine knife for everyday use. Many tactical knives serve multiple purposes. When you buy a knife, consider the quality and what you want the knife to do.