Blading About

I had a chance to look at two very interesting knives recently.  In retrospect they represent the extremes of the knife industry.  One is a folder, factory made overseas, small, lightweight with a lot of bells and whistles built in.  The other is a fixed blade, elegantly simple, but effective.  It’s a heavy, thick knife but I can’t get over its sharpness.

The folder is from Blackhawk MOD (Masters of Defense).  MOD started as a high-end company making custom designed knives by people like Graciela Casillas, Chief Jim Watson, Michael Janich, Massad Ayoob and others.  I seem to remember MOD was connected with Microtech knives.
    

The knives were designed specifically for fighting.  I remember listening to Ayoob describe how his knife was designed to fit between the rib’s intercostal spaces to reach vital organs like heart and lungs.
   

Blackhawk, a tactical equipment company now owns the brand.  I own some BH equipment and have been happy with it, but I will say the adjective tactical is code for black.
   

The knife is the CQD mark II Type E.  It has a lot I like about.  On the sides of the handle the hilt has a ridge flared out perpendicular to the flat side of the blade.  It acts as stop to prevent you from sliding onto the blade should a stabbing motion suddenly stop because you hit something hard, like a bone.  In a knife fight you’re going to get cut, period.  Cutting yourself is doubly painful.

MOD's  
CQD mark II Type E

The knife sports a secondary lock where your thumb normally sits.  The knife is also available as an auto.  The pattern of locks and openers on the manual knife suggests BH didn’t install the spring.  I’m not saying you can take it apart and convert it to an auto, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you could. 

    

The clip is reversible but the knife has to be carried tip down.  The blade is a sharpened slice of AUS 8 steel 3.3 inches long.  

CQD Blade Lock.  The entire knife gives the impression it needs a spring to go auto on you.

The grip is reinforced with 420J steel and has textured panels for grip.  Despite the fact that it has a fixed carbide glass breaker spike that jabs me in the palm, it’s a nice knife.
   

I said this in my Jan 10 posting.  http://knifesearch.blogspot.com/2013/01/striving.html

“So I’m pretty excited.  I just got my hands on a knife made by Brian Davis.  It’s an early attempt, in fact it’s his second attempt.  But it’s a glorious attempt!” 

That's a knife!

Well, Brian stuck with it and I just got to see a newer model.  I’m still excited about this fixed blade.
  

It’s a slab of sharpened steel and is it sharp!!!  I like to test sharpness by shaving paper.  It cut nice little curly q’s and shaves paper like nothing I’ve seen before.  

Sharp!   My friend, Derrick, lent me this knife after he took it winter camping and quartered frozen fire wood with it.  He said it just needed a little touch-up. 

 I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at its sharpness.  Brian enters cutting contests and if there is one activity that will not tolerate a less-than-razor-sharp knife, it’s cutting contests. 
  

All my little bitches and complaints about the knife have evaporated.  Check out the grind, it’s very well done.  The black micarta handle is well executed.  It has that well defined look and feel people like in a knife handle.  It even has a lanyard hole! 

No, it's not his fifth knife made.

 Best of all, Brian electro-etches his mark into the blade. 

  

I’ve never met Brian.  Both knives were passed to me through a third party, so I don’t have a dog in this fight.  But I hope Brian continues to make knives.  I think he has an eye for it.  He represents the individual striving to excel.  I wish him well.

   

You can reach Brian at thehatedone@sbcglobal.net.  I'm sure he'd be interested in talking about future projects.