Showing posts with label KA-BAR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label KA-BAR. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Review: Appalling Mall-Minja wall hangers!


Originally posted as part of Breach Bang Clear's ongoing Monday Night Knife Fights series.   

I talk about good knives, swords and axes a fair bit. I'm fan of dense steel with an edge. There's a lot of it out there, some good, some amazing, and some unspeakable trash. It's the latter stuff I want to discuss for a bit.
Lets talk Mall-Ninja wall-hangers. First you might ask, what's a mall-ninja?
A mall ninja is a breed of weapons and combat enthusiast characterized by being so ungrounded in reality as to make even the most hardcore gun nuts shake their heads. Equal parts naïveté, delusion, and obnoxiousness, the mall ninja contributes to countless ill-informed online debates concerning arms, armor, and warfare, and is a common consumer of assorted paramilitary woo, broscience, and shared misconceptions about history and the world. The term "mall ninja" is pejorative; no one self-identifies as such. We hope.
If you're worried there's a simple test you can take to assess your-mall-ninja status.   Good luck.
Now, if you're an avid Master Ken of "Enter the Dojo" disciple, you've probably had all the training and experience you'd need to make your own correct choices when purchasing your own pointies.
When it comes to some real Mall-Ninja wall hanger blade there are some key aspects that seal the classification:
  1. Black. Real Ninja's need black weapons for their Tier One Wet Ops. Powder coated, painted, teflon coated, oxidised, it doesn't matter.
  2. Cord-wrapped handle. Every real street-samurai wants their blade wrapped samurai style, and that means cord-wrapped.
  3. Curves. Like every bad-lady out there it has a curves and every mall-ninja want's a bad lady of their very own.
  4. More curves. See Above, but unnecessary curves are even better.
  5. Extra cutting surfaces. Primary edges aren't very high speed-low drag. For true body-dropping power, you need blades on all faces.
  6. Unnecessary serrations.   It's not a sharks mouth, buddy, its a knife. You need a chainsaw, get a Husky!
  7. Tactical sheath. Drop-leg, back-scabbard or just "ballistic nylon".
  8. A scary name. "No one would surrender to the Dread Pirate Westley."Add a few "NINJA, ZOMBIE or DEATHs in there for good measure.
However; there's a lot of shiny bling out there. Here's a quick guide to some examples.


A - Zombie ass kicker. This is a bad-assed blade, but a serious wall-hanger. Extra serrations, extra edges to catch and snag, it's styled after the Aztec war swords to look extra scary. Ribbon-wrapped rather than cord, and a pretty thin, light steel. I don't have much faith in it's utility.
B - Living dead apocalypse full tang ninja sword.  Twin blades are better than one, obviously. Extra curves and serrations along the non-striking edge of the blade, as well as holes cut into the blade to lighten it, adding weakness.
C -"Hunting Knife." Perhaps if you're the Predator tracking Dutch and the other Rescue Team members.. This no-name piece  actually performs pretty well, regardless of its extra curves, useless serrated spine and extra holes. Its "full-tang, one-piece construction" is quite sturdy and the cord wrap handle well done. It's pretty well balanced, well finished, and were not for the extra holes and the saw on the spine, it might not even qualify as a Wall-hanger for Mall-Ninja's were it not for the dual shoulder strap back-holster  and the extra holes.
D - Black legion undead machete. Scary name, and wicked post-apocalyptic hammer finish. Now just add to the list the impressive looking spiked knuckle-guard, the "zombie-green' cord wrap and the drop-leg sheath and you've a "take-em-all-out before they getcha"special to scare mom with if she ever busts in on you practicing kata in the basement. water-bottles and melons of the world beware. To be fair, the blade appears to be well made, but the fitting are a tad flimsy for my tastes.
E - Z-hunter-axe. Not really an axe. Not really a hunting knife. Unnecessary saw-back serrations, extra curves and hooked edges. Great cord-wrapping and a single piece of steel for resilience, with sick jolly roger logo for extra-scary pirate aesthetic. Maybe if you're going from to room on a beached Somali cargo ship? I have a feeling it wouldn't  serve too well dressing a water-buffalo either. But zombies? narp.
F -KA-BAR War sword On first glance, this one looks like a prime candidate for Mall-Ninja wall-hanging.   It's got some curve to it, a lurid green scale grip, for extra zombie killing power, and a fully decked out nylon thigh sheath. However, its a serious work horse of a knife, but the scary name, and green scale gives them the potential for Mall-Ninja wall hanging.
G - Ontario Black Wind. Not every Mall-ninja wants a blingtastic katana straight out of Highlander or Blade. Some might prefer a more-or-less traditional "ninja-to style" short, straight and heavy sword, which is exactly the kind of blade that the Ontario Knife Co. put into Army Disposals and into the pages of martial arts catalogues. This is a bad-ass blade, undeserving of any scorn, and is in fact one of my go-to blades in the event of Apocalypse or civil unrest.  Even with its high-speed looking kydex scabbard,  just too good to be a wall-hanger.
H -Cold Steel Gladius. Last up from my own collection is the hungry-for blood Gladius from Cold Steel. Now, even the mighty Roman armies had their own groupies and  modern-day hangers on, thanks to a steady stream of "sand and sandals" action pictures. The humble Roman ground-pounder was issued one of these Gaul-stickers and bade go forth and pacify the Empire. The modern version hanging on my wall would have been a high-tech marvel of construction but fit in nicely in the shield-wall. I don't recommend trying to take that angle when trying to explain why you have one lashed to your hip with your Company First Sergeant, but, if you wanted a big ass blade for defending the empire "outside the wire" you could do a lot worse than one of these.



Lets take a moment to talk thickness. Cheap blades are often cut or pressed  from sheets of thin steel. This doesn't offer much cutting mass, strength or rigidity, all things I would want in a fighting blade. Different steels have different densities so its hard to gauge what steel is in the kick-ass zombie slayer you found at the disposal store, but the thickness of the blade can be a good indicator. I've found the thinner the blade, the less likely to be a practical tool (unless you're cutting sushi or shaving).



So. My last bit of advice to prospective blade collectors: Buy quality. It needn't be expensive, but should be from a reputable maker, be it a big company or a small smith. Be sure to give your new-found tool a run through its paces, before staking your life on it, (and get some formal training if possible). Don't be a mall-ninja.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Home Front: Stabbing Lcpl Schmuckatelli

Here's a bit of fun I had a weekend or so ago. I have used polyethylene cutting boards as faux armour inserts for some time for my roleplaying and MilSim purposes. They're about the right sized and shape, are cheep, durable and stiff enough to add some realism without being either heavy, difficult to come by, or plain illegal for a Regular Aussie Bloke to have in their possession, unlike folks in other Western World nations with newly elected governments.

I've used polyethylene boards in the kitchen for a long while now, and have often marveled how they hold up to cuts, hacks and stabs. I have even on occasion, slipped one under a jumper when I've been "expecting some trouble" and helping out a friend in a possibly stabby situation, Ned Kelly style.

So to test this, I loaded up my very under-inspiring Zombie Outbreak Grunt plate carrier with one of the boards I typically use, a Legitim from Ikea, which at 500g, (1lbs2oz) and 8mm (1/4") thick, has always served me well in the kitchen.

Up against it, I pitched an assortment of blades.
  1. Schrade US Army knife
  2. KA-BAR Famine Tanto
  3. American Kami Super Colubris
  4. Boker Tomahook (front and back)
  5. United Cutlery M48 Tomahawk (front and back) 
  6. Ontario Black Wind sword
  7. United Cutlery M48 spear 
 I loaded the cutting board into the front of the plate carrier, which I had loaded up with 10 2L bottles of water, giving it a mass of 20kg (45lbs) and suspended it on a Tough Hook, with side-supports, in the hope of mimicking a free standing human target. Hitting a board laying on a block of wood or even free standing wouldn't be a very good simulation of being stabbed, but I hoped that this set-up would, as well as giving me a penetration "bleed" effect, if anything managed to make it through the board.

Here is the video we made of the testing.



I gave each stab or thrust a "I want to do you harm" amount of effort. Taking from my 16 years of kendo I have a fairly good idea of what these impacts would have on an armored target, as well as stabbing a bunch of things over the years for the hells of it. I was pretty happy with my strikes.

Here is the board once we removed it and married it up to the footage.


The two main "bleeder" shots were the back of the M48 tomahawk, the American Kami Super Colubris and the maybe M48 spear (if it actually punched that hole of its own accord).

So, in conclusion, unless someone is coming at you with a spear, or the pointy breaching end of an axe, you will probably be able to shrug off some stabs, and certainly all the slashes that land on a cutting board under your shirt. The good thing about polyethylene is that it is heat-labile, meaning you could mold it to be more chest-shaped.

Obviously there are commercially available, professionally made and certified stab proof inserts and garments you could use, if they were legally available to you, but for my purposes, they sem to fit exactly what I need from them. Won't stop a bullet, sure, but will turn a blade wielded by someone as strong as me.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Review: how much knife is too much knife?


As you might have guessed, I'm rather keen on my edged tools. There is something very satisfying about a well honed blade cutting smoothly, and even more so when having a blade on hand means that a task or obstacle is swiftly completed or overcome. I've covered a variety of knives here previously, but something prompted me to ask myself "how much knife is too much knife?"

First lets address some local laws that I live subject to:

New Weapons Laws
"Release date: Thu 3 June 2010
Last updated: Fri 13 August 2010
The Victorian Government has introduced new laws to target knife crime.
From 22 August 2010 you can be searched for knives in a public place anywhere, anytime, with and without notice.
 
If you are 16 and over and get caught carrying a controlled weapon such as a knife, you face an on the spot fine of $1,000, or you may have to go to court and face a fine of over $14,000 or one year imprisonment.
This penalty is doubled if you are inside or within 20 metres of a pub, club or bar."

and some further clarification and explanation:


Controlled Weapons

Controlled weapons are weapons that can be used for legitimate purposes but require regulation because of the possible danger they pose to the community. This category of weapon includes knives that while not considered prohibited weapons, still are a potential danger to the community.
A person must not possess, carry or use a controlled weapon without lawful excuse. Lawful excuse includes:
a) the pursuit of any lawful employment, duty or activity
b) participation in any lawful sport, recreation or entertainment, and
c) the legitimate collection, display or exhibition of weapon.

Lawful excuse does not include for the purpose of self-defence
. [Bold by author]

Now, as it happens, I hold an exemption to the Weapons Control Act, as a collector, and am also a member of several collector organizations, as well. I happen to carry a couple of knives on or around my person as part of my EDC, and I make damn sure that in doing so, I have good reasons quick to mind.

In making the choice to carry a knife on my person, I am aware of the risks, both legal and to health and safety. So, that being said, what do I carry, when, and why?

In the picture above is a small sample of my collection

  1. Victorinox Swiss Army Knife - I keep this in the sun-visor of my car, good for opening things, picking teeth, fixing small tasks and personal grooming. I have had one these little guys since I was 5. About as inoffensive as a knife can get.
  2. CRKT folding KISS - This is my every-day knife, I keep it in my Hazard 4 harness, and have used it for everything from cutting fruit and salami, to cables, opening boxes, cutting rope and picking splinters. Its my go-to utility knife for work cutting and first aid needs. Seeing as it sits well out of the public eye, and I have a variety of uses for it, I'm content with my ass-covering.
  3. SAR Globaltool OddJob - Just as the name says, I use this little knife for odd-jobs. I usually wear it on my belt when I know I will be needing to do a lot of little cuts, unpacking furniture or parcels, or when I know I'll need to make one or two little cuts, quickly. Makes a great camping / hiking knife, and I also wear it when I know I'll be on First-Aid or safety Officer duties at events. Unobtrusive but getting a little "technical" for street-wear.
  4. Schrade Army 10 - Totally a tactical knife. I've never actually used this other than during the review process, it falls out of my user-category. If I were an avid hunter or active duty Armed Forces, it might well fill I niche I would need, but as it stands, its too much knife for my little needs, and not enough for the bigger ones. There's nothing wrong with it at all, but it's "a soldier knife" and I have other needs and tools.
  5. HHA LFK01 - Tactical all the way, this blade I gave to my partner as a gift a couple of years ago, as she has a thing for back-swept blades, but neither she nor I would wear it out in public, unless society had fallen. It's a very effective, rugged and sharp tool, but it wants to be in combat, so it lives in the collection only.
  6. Hibben style throwers - I have several of these. They balance well, throw nicely and make for good box-openers, but don't believe what Under Siege teaches us, they don't actually make for good kitchen knives. Throwing knives are also listed as "prohibited items" in Victoria. Be advised.
  7. American Kami Super Colubris - My beloved combat kitchen knife, this is my go-to outdoors knife, whether it is camping, BBQ'ing (though sometimes I fall back on my MSM KA-Bar knife for the same task) or just kitchen and household cutting needs. This is weighty, long and sharp enough to tackle bigger tasks, but fine handling enough for delicate fileting and slicing. Again, I wouldn't wear it on the street, but it doesn't leave my hip when out bush.
  8. Boker 343 Scalpel folder - This interesting little blade lives in my bag, in a pen-slot, usually, or fitted in PLAS-MOLLE channels on my other gear, when I feel the need. It's long handle and thin, narrow and long blade make it an excellent precision slicer, and it is plenty pointy enough to make an excellent probing cut. It looks kind of scary, so it falls under my "first aid and technical precision tool" category, and rarely sees light of day. 
  9. MichaelJ Fechner utility-blade - This beast is a serious industrial tool. I've worn it as a camp-knife, but really, its primary function is almost agricultural. Chopping woody branches and cutting through heavy canvas, breaking up pallets and prying up boards. This is a knife that wouldn't look out of place in a tradesmans toolbox or on a pipe-hitters belt. As with the Super Colubris, I wouldn't wear it to the shops, but when I'm gloves and goggles on, doing work, its perfectly suited.
  10. KA-Bar Pestilence - Now, if I ever have to clear my way through some bad-assed bush I would be tempted to break out the Pestilence, there is a time and place for cane-knives and machetes. Any other time? You are showboating. It's a surprisingly spry blade in the hand, but unless I were needing to clear a field or lop some limbs, I wouldn't be going to this one.
So there you have it.  There certainly is occasion where the tool at hand may well me "too much knife" just as it might be "too little" but odds are, you can probably get away with less, in most settings, if you know what you are doing. This is why kitchen knife-blocks come with a variety, and all the knives have names and uses.

Be clever with your cutlery, be aware of any laws and legislation you are subject to, and always, always, be ready for anything!

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Review: Tactical BBQ apron


I've been holding off posting on this one till an appropriate juncture, and I think this day has arrived.

This is the Tactical Chef Apron by ThinkGeek, and I just had to tell you about it today.

I'm all for being equipped, and being caught out at the fire-line without the right loadout can mean the difference between slabs of hot steaming, bleeding meat, and charred inedible ruination.  That is when having this kind of kit is essential, if not life-saving.

Made of 100% cotton, you can expect the apron to protect your thorax and groin from all but the worst boiling-oil splashbacks, and flare-ups, and perhaps even the exploding kernels of maize.

Featuring a top section of 6 rows of MOLLE loops, with 6 usable channels in the mid chest, and 10 channels at the rib-line, and a further three rows of 10 at the bottom of the apron, this is a modular combat chef's dream.
Twin sets of triple D-rings, mounted  at the upper regions allow for a variety of hung items, and twin snap-clasps at the the waist line give direct attachment and retention options. Three PALS/MOLLE compatible hook-hand-loop fastening pouches, one triple set and two larger sets, one with a look-filed for ID, unit or morale patches offer a variety of mission specific load-outs.

The lower section of the apron features three dump-pouch pockets, for a variety of accessory and brain-grenade carriage capacity.  Watch out for the pocket stitching cutting through MOLLE loops though.

The wide shoulder straps are not adjustable, but come "hero-sized". Fastex style clasps secure front and back, with webbing sliders expanding to allow for the more substantially proportioned combat-chefs.

The back features even more MOLLE loops as well as a broad loop-field for further ID and insignia.
Tactical Chef Apron 
Click the picture to be taken to ThinkGeek to buy one!

This is a fun piece, which I enjoy throwing on whenever I face flames, steaming flesh and the wailing of mouths, screaming for blood.

Friday, March 28, 2014

Review: MSM KA-BAR knife

This is an exciting piece, the first collaboration between gear-maker, patch creator and all around barrel of fun MilSpecMonkey and world famous knife makers extraordinaire KA-BAR . The moment I saw it come up, I jumped on the chance to get one, via a fun bunch of people, TacticalShit, and was delighted when it arrived.

This is the KA-BAR / MSM 001 knife.

The first thing I noted was that, not unlike the KA-BAR Zombie Killer line of knives, is the weight. This is a dense, broad blade, weighing in at XXXXX which is surprising given its size, at 9cm (3.5") blade-length, 21cm (8.5") overall and 8cm (2") broad. This is a solid piece of SK5 steel.

Thicker than pretty much every knife in my collection, even the "Famine" tanto, it features some really nice design points. The large crenelated thumb ramp, which gives excellent grip, both in a forwards grasp, and also against the knife edge of the hand, in a reverse grip.

This is a hefty blade made for hard use, and one of the occasions where I wouldn't cringe in using a knife as a pry-bar. SK5 steel is reported to come with a Rockwell hardness of between 52-54, which is nice for a high-carbon steel knife, without getting into the brittle side of things.

Essentially this means this blade can take a beating but still stay sharp. I like the sounds of that. The blade is powder coated with a black bead, for rust-prevention and glare-reduction, much like the Zombie Killer knives

Also included is a polymer sheath, Short Malice clips, mounting hardware along with a Torx tool, and webbing loop for a PALS/MOLLE mounting, although I haven't worked out what to do with this yet.

This view shows off both the thumb ramp and the width of the blade, as well as the second set of crenelations midway along the spine of the blade, beside the false-edge, which MSM suggests would be easy to sharpen after-market, but that they didn't, to avoid local legal issues for users.

I liked the mounting options, the sheath has holes and options for mounting left or right handed, horizontally, vertically, blade-up or blade down, and even diagonally. The thumb-ramp is accessible immediately on the draw, and the foreguard is significantly curved and projects nicely to catch the hand into a good grip on the draw. Twin lanyard holes in the butt-end, which is also textured for gripping on a reverse grip, offer more customization options. Thew paracord wrap adds a great body and a good grip.

With its robust design, keen edge, and well thought out functional production, this is an excellent piece, especially considering the price, and people behind it. If you need a small, rough-use knife, this is an excellent piece.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Apocalypse Equipped, no, really.


So, the Mayan Long Count Calendar is widely believed to clock-over today.

It's also the Solstice...

AND the last workday before my FAMILY XMAS (Que dramatic spooky music)...

Apart from having to be at work, I wanted to give you all a quick insight into my "it's all hit the fan" load-out.

When the sirens and screams start, this is the kit that I would be strapping on, and similar to what I'd be dishing out to my family to load up and be ready. Fortunately I have quite the collection at the ready.

To be fair, this is my full "there is no help or law coming" gear, not just a "house-on fire, leave for mum's" and I would strive to abide by the laws on my land wherever needed. Wearing swords and the like "without reasonable cause" is frowned on here. In fact, the whole get-up would arouse considerable consternation for LEO's.


That said .... here is a break down of my "end of the world",  kit, because I want to be Apocalypse Equipped.....

















  1.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-platatac-mac-plate-carrier.html
  2.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/08/review-strike-industries-tactical-sling.html
  3.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-platatac-meop-medic-pouch.html
  4.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/08/review-countycomm-dropline-carabiner.html
  5.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-platatac-sr25-utility-double-mag.html
  6.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2011/12/platatac-fup-pouch.html /
    http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/02/review-platatac-60-round-mk1-pouch.html
  7.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-countycomm-breacher-bar.html /
    http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/09/review-countycomm-breacher-bar-sheath.html
  8.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/11/review-zulu-nylon-gear-caos-admin-pouch.html
  9.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-gerber-strap-cutter.html on a single-shingle I use for my 2-way radio
  10.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/09/review-countycomm-premium-emt-combat.html
  11.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/12/review-platatac-headstock.html
  12.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/04/review-under-armor-shirts.html this one from Tough Mudder
  13.  http://www.pro-tec.net/classic-skate-helmet.php
  14.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-platatacgerber-branded-cap.html
  15.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-platatac-bullock-echo-daypack.html with http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/06/review-dead-on-annihilator-superhammer.html  3L Source bladder and MOLLE zipper strips to mount it to the MAC
  16.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-platatac-csi-folder.html
  17.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/02/review-sigg-1l-bottle.html
  18.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/12/review-snow-lizard-slxtreme-iphone-case.html
  19.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-platatac-half-med-pack.html
  20.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/12/review-zombie-tools-deuce.html
  21.   not yet reviewed PRR Pouch
  22.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/02/review-215-gear-sling.html
  23.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-ironclad-landscaper.html
and that's on my top half, and not even what IN those pouches and bags....

now on to my lower half ....

24. Danner Striker II boots, replacing my http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/01/review-bates-delta-8-boots.html
25. http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-platatac-young-guns-belt-braces.html
26. http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/05/review-lazerbrite-tactical-pouch.html
27. http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/11/review-platatac-3x-40mm-pouch.html on 90 degree mounts
28. http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/02/review-platatac-modular-radio-pouch.html
29. http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/02/review-platatac-drop-gas-mask-bag.html on a platatac-half-leg-rig
30.  http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/08/review-schrade-army-10-knife.html
31. http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-countycomm-micro-grappling-hook.html
32. http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-black-hawk-kneepads.html
33. as yet un-reviewed prototype Platatac EDC trousers: WATCH THIS SPACE, these are ace!
34. http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/09/review-511-tactical-tdu-belt-175.html
35. http://apocalypseequipped.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-ka-bar-zombie-sword.html
36. multitool ..... because MacGuyver demands it!

So there you have it....

There are a few more things that may or may not make it into my kit, and of course, the contents of those pouches and packs, but that's my expected load-out.

EDIT: Stupid predictions ... it's1130am 21/12/12 and STILL no flaming jade jaguars ....















Sunday, July 29, 2012

Video Review: Ontario Black Wind vs meat & bone

In the final of these three posts demonstrating the abilities of the KA-BAR Zombie Killer knives, Dead-On Annihilator, Stanley FUBAR and Ontario Blackwind, I will leave you with the abilities of the Blackwind, which I reviewed a while back. This now out-of-production blade is loosely based on a Japanese sword, being a single edged, two handed blade. This one is considerably shorter than a "standard" katana, and far less curved, being all but straight. It does lend itself to techniques that I am familiar with however, and I have used it extensively as a horticultural tool, hence my nickname for it, my "tree-chopping sword"


1 Ontario BlackWind vs beef leg-bone, following the KA-BAR Zombie Killer collection. Watch for flying bone fragments, which impressed the hell out of me. That's why I wore safety glasses!

2 BlackWind vs pig head. Now, this head already had some damage done, in the form of penetration tests from the KA-BAR's, but the damage dealt by the Blackwind goes way beyond this. I only have a little experience test-cutting, and have been away from kendo training for some time with an ankle injury, so my form was off, but it certainly got the job done, from a standing cut-chop point of view. (We generally practice a moving cut-slice in kendo) but fairly happy with how these two cuts felt, given the targets and placements.

All in all, I was very happy with these tests, the items I tested, and lastly, the great stocks I made from the leftovers. I hope you liked this series of posts, feel free to comment and make requests for my next video demonstration and review.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Video Review: KA-BAR ZombieKiller blades

I wanted to do some practical testing of the
Ka-Bar Zombie Killer Knives
that I have been reviewing of late, and felt the best way to do this was to do some practice cutting. Rather than invite strangers into my back yard for tsujigiri - the act of testing a sword on a chance passer-by, or tameshigiri- on rolled, wet, tatami matting, I chose to use a variety of meat and bone sources. Beef brisket off-cuts (with both bone and cartilaginous ribs), a beef leg bone, and halved pig head were my targets of choice.I could have used cardboard, bottles of water, bamboo, tatami-rolls or even, horror of horrors, fruit and vegetables but I wanted a more authentic performance test.

I hung the beef sides from a beam, to give it the opportunity to swing and move freely and also did static tests with the the beef sides, leg bone and pig head on stacked logs. This was my first attempt at target cutting on meat, but was a very rewarding experience.

I tried to limit myself to the cuts, strikes and thrusts that I would use in a fighting situation, rather than what I might use in a demolition or handy-man type situation, in that I wanted to avoid over extension, and sufficient commitment to each cut to complete it whilst being in a follow-up position as well.

All the meat was retrieved and used to make some really delightful stocks, the fat rendered for lard and the remnants fed to my chickens to supplement their pellet, grain and vegetable scrap diet.



1 Hanging beef-sides Vs the "Death" Dagger and "Famine" Tanto are the smaller two, with the "War" Sword and the "Pestilence" Chopper being the larger two.


2 Stabbing penetration beef-sides Vs the "Death" Dagger and "Famine" Tanto, along with the "War" Sword. The "Pestilence" Chopper did not have a stabbing tip so was not used for this test.


3 Beef leg bone the "Death" Dagger and "Famine" Tanto, with the "War" Sword and the "Pestilence" Chopper . I also tried out my "Tree Chopping Sword", the Ontario BlackWind which I reviewed a while back.


4 Finally, I tested the three stabbing capable KA-BAR's against the pig head for penetration.

I was really pleased with how each of these knives (and my sword) worked out. They did indeed wreak devastation onto the targets, effortlessly cutting and stabbing, chopping bone without a noticeable blemish to the edges or coatings.

I hope you enjoyed watching as much as I liked making these, and stay tuned for some hammering from the Annihilator and FUBAR, next!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Review: KA-BAR Zombie Killer sheathes

Having now reviewed each of the Four Horsemen of
Ka-Bar Zombie Killer Knives
, I wanted to give some attention to the sheathes that each came with. The reason being that these are not just simply somewhere to hold your knife, but significant kit in their own rights.

There are two sizes, one for each of the two sizes of blades, the "Death" Dagger and "Famine" Tanto are the smaller two, with the "War" Sword and the "Pestilence" Chopper being the two larger two.

The front of the sheathes features a hook-and-loop field for patches, drawstrings to close the large front pouches on each. A couple of grommets at the bottom to allow it to be lashed to your thigh whilst worn on a belt. The back of the sheathes feature three distinct MOLLE regions; a 2x2 and two 2x3 sets, for fixing it to other MOLLE kit, like a plate carrier, battle belt, pack or drop-leg rig. The MOLLE loops are just that, simple loops, the sheathe offers no PALS attachment straps to feed into whatever you are mounting it to, for that you'd have to look to something like the Maxpedition 3"or 5" TacTie to do so.

Each of the sheathes features a twin press-stud closure to secure your primary blade, the lower of the two clasps also features a hook-and-loop backing so you can flatten it down, out of the way if only the top one is in use. You can see a second set of eyelets through the back of the belt-loop here if further lashings are desired. That versatility is a very desirable component, and I was totally not surprised that KA-BAR had thought about it.
The scabbard part of this piece is made of the same GFN-PA66 plastic that the scales of the blades these are made for are fitted out with, and you can see here that as well as the main scabbard, for the big blade, the complementary Acheron blade has its own integrated GFN-PA66 scabbard, complete with press-stud closing flap. Again and again, KA-BAR shows that even in the little details, they have thought out ways to make a good accessory.




Lastly is the large outer pocket, which is fitted with a drawstring closure, and ships with this hank of the same toxic/radioactive green showstring seen in the drawstring, which matches the green scales on the handles of the big blades themselves. The pocket is spacious enough to fit several tennis balls. If you don't think that is hard-core enough, well, let Henry V fill you in as to why this is important. That said, it gives you an idea of the capacity of this pocket. It seems to me a good place to stow a small medical kit, fire-starting or sharpening tools, a spare magazine if you are that way inclined, or a snack.

The heavy Cordura type fabric is well finished, heavily stitched and reinforced and the length of the sheath is stiff, both from the internal fixed scabbards, but also from its construction, which gives a very sturdy, dependable and rugged tool in and of itself. Standard black, it may well stand out from the rest of your kit, unless that's the colour scheme you are going with. I really like these sheathes, they are perfect for the Zombie Killer knives they are designed for, and look forwards to fitting them to my kit, especially in the event of an occasion to make full use of them. Let's see if they stack up like Gerber's Apocalypse Kit seen in AMC's Walking Dead


Ka-Bar Zombie Killer Knives
Click to see them in ThinkGeek
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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Review: KA-BAR Zombie "Pestilence" Chopper



To finalise my review of the big blades of the
Ka-Bar Zombie Killer Knives I wanted to leave the biggest till last. Where the "Death" Dagger is slick, slash and stab blade, I found that the "Famine" Tanto is a brutally hungry hacker, and the "War" Sword is an angry and savage beast, the final (or First) Horseman's tool, the "Pestilence" Chopper.

Again, I placed the blade up against one of the Hibben-esque throwers I reviewed a while back, and the Acheron companion knife that ships with each of the Zombie Killer blades, and you can see that this is indeed a big blade. It's no sword, as with the other blades in the series, but it is certainly no butter-knife either. The broad, gently forwards-curved blade is reminiscent of a bill-hook knife this is a tool not to be taken lightly. Functional and simple, this blade is the longest of the set, at 40cm (15-3/4") with a whopping (or chopping, as the case may be) 26cm (10-1/4")blade edge.

As with the rest of the line, it features the same 5mm (0.205") thick SK5 steel blade, bead-coated in non-reflective matte black, which offers both rust-protection, but also improves the cutting/withdrawing action of the blade. The back of the blade is tapered at the spine, presumably to afford some head-space for deep penetration withdraw of the blade, an important factor whether you are chopping sugar cane, banana trees, green wood or human skulls (in kendo, we practice a kata which explicit relates to the efforts needed to extricate your sword from your opponents skull.)

As heavy as the "War" Sword, at 450g (1 lbs) but with a considerably different balance, the "Pestilence" Chopper is heavy in the hand, without feeling cumbersome. The same GFN-PA66 and pebbled ray-skin like texture in the scales of the grip, as well as the protruding knuckles kept it secure in my hand. The agricultural heritage of this blade comes through in how it handles and I felt the forward sweeping blade would make this ideal for snedding branches and probably make for good coconut opening and blackberry bush clearing. Even for its length the blade had no perceptible flex, but given the width, breadth and geometry, I wasn't surprised to not feel it manually.



This is a rough, rugged and practical tool, a formidable knife and a fitting homage to the Rider of the White Horse.

Ka-Bar Zombie Killer Knives
Click to go to ThinkGeek




Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Review: KA-BAR Zombie "War" Sword

In my third installment of the
Ka-Bar Zombie Killer Knives
series, and following on from the "Death" Dagger and the "Famine" Tanto I bring to you KA-BAR's rendering of the formidable tool of the bloody-handed god, rider of the red horse War. In fitting fashion, the KA-BAR "War" Sword, whilst being more of a big knife than a short sword, to my mind (the line is often hotly debated by blade enthusiasts) its lines harken to the ancient Greek Kopis swords, which featured a heavy forward sweeping, chopping head to the blade.

KA_BAR's take on this blade is a big and beefy blade, a logical progression from the Dagger and Tanto, and again as different to these two. Featuring the same SK5 steel, lurid green GFN-PA66 scales (again, with black versions included to take the glare off) and tough bead coated anti-glint finish as the other blades in this series, the "War" Sword stretches out to 38cm (15-1/8"), 24cm (9-3/4") of which is gently curving edge. The blade weighs in at 450g (1 lbs) but given the balance, feels much livelier in the hand than the Tanto, I found. The edge geometry is the same 20 degree taper-grind seen in the rest of this line, but the primary grind runs all the way from the spine of the blade, with a length of the back of the head of the blade having a secondary grind, for about the third of the width, presumably to reduce the weight slightly, a very subtle addition.

The whole of the blade "sits back" of the mid-line of the handle, as seen in the "Death" Dagger, with the edge sitting close to the finger line, with the spine of the blade sitting beyond the back of the handle. This allows for the back of the blade to feature a deeply crenelated thumb-grip much like that seen in the "Death" Dagger, allowing for a choked up, "thumb-on-top grip" useful for a variety of styles. I should add that these crenelations are very comfortable on the hand. Big enough to grip, not so big as to gouge. Similarly the front finger guard is a good size, and certainly gives the feeling of stopping fingers slipping forwards onto the blade.


I really like how this blade feels in the hand, combining a hefty but not heavy slashing and cutting blade, with a tip capable of stabbing. It certainly feels lively in the hand, as if it were willing slashes and strikes.


Ka-Bar Zombie Killer Knives
Click me to go to ThinkGeek
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