In a close-quarters lethal-force encounter, we may not have the time or ability to deploy our firearm. A dedicated knife for personal defense is an essential component of everyday carry for anyone serious about self-defense. We not only need to carry a knife but must also be able to deploy and use it effectively. I
Axes have served as a tool and weapon throughout history, from the dawn of toolmaking through today. The hand axe or tomahawk is a diverse instrument with multiple applications from general utility to tactical. It’s a true multi-mission tool. In a survival scenario, it can be your best friend. Tomahawk is a derivation of the
SOG Specialty Knives & Tools was founded in 1986 by designer and toolmaker Spencer Frazer. Named after the elite Vietnam-era Special Forces military group known as the Studies and Observation Group, the company’s first knife was a replica of the original SOG Bowie knife. The SOG Strat Ops Auto is an impressive recent addition to
Heckler & Koch and Hogue, Inc. have partnered to release a family of high-performance knives designed and built for law enforcement, military, and first responders. Hogue is now the exclusive knifemaker for Heckler & Koch. The first three knives of the HK Knives series collaboration were unveiled at SHOT Show 2018. They’re the HK Exemplar,
TOPS Knives Mini Pry Knife (MPK-01) is a hardcore tool for hardcore tasks. It was designed at the request of a group of law enforcement officers, many of whom were involved in high-risk warrant service and fugitive recovery. They weren’t looking for a team tool but a smaller pry knife for individual carry that could
The 101BK Follow-Up is one of the newest members of Benchmade® Knife Company’s Black Class of professional-use knives. The Follow-Up is a compact fixed-blade knife designed for back-up, self-defense, and utility applications. Designed for discreet carry, the Follow-Up has an overall length of 5.99 inches. It has a black Cerakote® coated 2.6-inch long, 0.14-inch thick
TOPS Knives recently provided me with its much-awaited Hammer Hawk tomahawk and Backup fixed-blade knife combo for evaluation. It’s a very impressive combo that will meet the field requirements of many readers. Designed by TOPS Knives president Leo Espinoza, the Hammer Hawk and Backup combo is a versatile paired-blade system for the outdoors that’s capable
The Spyderco® Matriarch™ 2 folding knife has its origins in the C12 Civilian™—one of Spyderco’s oldest and most unique designs. The Civilian was developed at the request of a U.S. federal law enforcement agency that wanted for its undercover agents an easily concealed knife that could serve as a potent defensive weapon when wielded with
Ask any cop what they use a knife for at work and you will get a variety of answers. Some will talk about how they used it to pry open a small window on a building search or some mope’s glove box during a car search. Maybe they scraped a license plate tag off to
Special Forces officer LTC Nick Rowe was one of the few U.S. POWs to escape from VC/NVA captivity during the Vietnam War. Based on his experiences, he helped establish the U.S. Army SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) training program in 1981 for special operations personnel as well as air crewmen who might be captured after
