Tactical Knives--A Business Viewpoint.

[arnisador]

There is a very interesting article in today's Wall Street Journal about the business side of tactical knives ("How New, Deadly Pocketknives Became a $1 Billion Business"). It discusses tactical knives, including keyring knives, from the business side of things. People like Jim Ray, Mike Janes, Dave Vanderhoff, David Kowalski, Ernest R. Emerson, and others, and companies like Spyderco, Cold Steel, Benchmade Knife, Buck Knife, and others, in the context of the popularity of tactical knives and efforts to avoid having a knife being labeled a switchblade. One-handed opening and the legal problems it brings is a big topic; Leatherman Tool Group's "Blade Launcher" is mentioned, for example. The FMAs get an explicit mention ("Modern tactical knives are rooted in the 1980s, when some martial artists became practitioners of a Filipino style of knife-fighting"--hey, that could be Modern Arnis!). It discusses blade length and the 9/11 hijackings. Disturbingly, at the end of the article it mentions that some companies are pushingh plastic and ceramic blades, including assisted-opening knives that are described as capable of being taped anywhere on the body.

Some items from this very worthwhile article (which should be available for purchase at www.wsj.com (http://www.wsj.com) in one week):

-The FBI says that knife-related crime is up (15.5%in 2004 vs. 15% in 2000), while violent crime overall is down
-In March, the FBI's monthly bulletin for LEOs warned of the dangers of the newer knives, with their tactical designs and ease of concealment;
-One shop owner in Calif. states that 75% of the pocketknives he sells are tactical;
-Industry lawyers have worked to keep any blade that requires manual assistance to be opened from being labeled a switchblade;
-Emerson has sales of $10 million per year;
-There is disagreement over how to market the knives--whether or not to tout their deadliness;
-"Technology has made blade length almost irrelevant" (the newer designs are deadlier--serrated; ergonomic, etc.), and in Atlanta, for example, the blade length limit is 2 inches;
-More knife sellers are adding training in tactical use of these knives.

If you can find this article, I think you'll find it interesting reading!

[Brian R. VanCise]

Interesting! The knife business is booming and not just here look over at the UK! Heck, look at me I bought six knives just last week. :biggrinbo

I am exactly the type of consumer that the knife business loves!

Brian R. VanCise
www.instinctiveresponsetraining.com (http://www.instinctiveresponsetraining.com)

[JohnJ]

Interesting facts Arnisador!


Disturbingly, at the end of the article it mentions that some companies are pushing plastic and ceramic blades, including assisted-opening knives that are described as capable of being taped anywhere on the body.

One name pops to mind when it comes to plastic knives with assisted opening...Blackie Collins. And yes, they are easy to conceal and undetectable. While I am a knife enthusiast, there is no need to promote that crap.

[arnisador]

Yes, that's what got to me--that they seem to be promoting such uses. From the article:


...some companies are competing to make more durable ceramic and plastic knives that can pass through metal detectors. Plastic "assisted-opening" knives that flick open with a slight nudge of the blade can be purchased on eBay for $20.

Cold Steel sales director Rick Valdez describes the company's $15 "Night Shade" plastic knives as "letter openers." Nonetheless, the company's Web site has a film clip of men attacking slabs of meat and decapitating plywood people, and it notes that the knives can be "taped just about anywhere" on the body.
(I almost hesitate to repeat this information here, but as it was in a national newspaper and they're on eBay, I suspect the news is out.) There's no holding back technology, of course, but this is worrisome. Airplanes, courthouses, schools...lots of places with metal detectors will suddenly be vulnerable.

[Tarot]

Heck, look at me I bought six knives just last week. :biggrinbo

I am exactly the type of consumer that the knife business loves!


Brian you are my new hero! :cheers:

I love blades (any and all types tend to get me hot and bothered) and I love collecting them for a couple reasons. I would be right bummed if some sort of crack down started happening in relation to blades. I'm currently mulling over purchasing a tactical knife myself. :)

[arnisador]

Make sure you know the local laws (http://www.packing.org/)! They do vary from state to state and sometimes from locality to locality. According to that site, "Ohio's knife laws are very vague."

[Tarot]

I will definitly stay legal. :D That's a very handy site you posted, thank you!

[kabaroan]

Back in October 2001, Business Week had a short article on non-metalic knives and specifically mentioned the Mad Dog Frequent Flyer. Kevin McClung was also quoted in the article.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/01_40/c3751002.htm

[arnisador]

Thanks for that link. "Frequent Flyer"? That's...bothersome.

[Brian R. VanCise]

Brian you are my new hero! :cheers:

I love blades (any and all types tend to get me hot and bothered) and I love collecting them for a couple reasons. I would be right bummed if some sort of crack down started happening in relation to blades. I'm currently mulling over purchasing a tactical knife myself. :)

Well Tarot,

You are definately in the right art then! Do not worry about a crack down in the states though. We love our knives to much! :biggrinbo

Brian R. VanCise
www.instinctiveresponsetraining.com (http://www.instinctiveresponsetraining.com)

[arnisador]

I moved some of the discussion on knives on planes here (http://www.fmatalk.com/showthread.php?t=832).

-Arnisador
-FMAT Admin

[kabaroan]

Geez, it seems to me that many of the knife makers today design a mean looking knife, throw some black on it and call it "tactical" without regard for use, shape, etc. Many of the knives I've seen are too big, too small, don't fit the hand, have sharp corners that poke and prod you when you are carrying it and on top of all that are rediculous.

Owning a expensive knife does not make one an adept knife fighter no more than owning a get of sticks make one a grand master. Training is key.

I remember when Ernie Emerson's CQC-6 was first released. Nice knife, beautiful infact. I think it got extremely poplular when Richard Marcinko wrote about it in his Rogue Warrior series. Same with MDK's Taiho and several other Mad Dog knives. (Heck, a stamp from the Rogue Warrior is good enough for me; I also have a matching serial # Mad Dog ATAK 2 with Kevin's proprietary black coating. )

I really like my Chris Carricci designed, Benchmade produced AFCK. When I don't have it, I feel naked. I use it at least once everyday as it was intended: as a tool.

I've also got my eye on a Charlie Ochs knife that was made for SEAL team trials (it never made it)...big (not that that is bad) but it did not have a clip to help carry it, it needed a case and if you are going to carry it in a case, why not carry a fixed rather than a folder (that will make a little noise when openned).

Sorry for the ramblings. I like my tools a lot!

[arnisador]

Not fully related, but there is an article here on the business side of martial arts more generally:
Martial Arts Industry Flexes Muscle (http://www.conntact.com/article_page.lasso?id=40131)

[Cinder]

Well I was reading the knives discussion. Andie I am with you on knives.

I don’t want to upset any one but it really tweaks my chain when people are upset over an inanimate object. I don not believe in restriction of any right because of one being an idiot and using a tool for the wrong purpose. Make the punishment fit the crime. It is not the object that is in question. It was not the knife that killed or the fire arm; it was the one wilding the weapon. That does not mean sell to any 16 year or there should not be some code of ethic on who a business should sell to but let’s face it there are all kinds of low life’s out there, some live on the street and some were suits to work every day.

I personally like knives as a self defense weapon. It takes a highly skilled person to draw and fire a fire arm and beat a knife, especially if the person is trained to use knives or sticks. There is only 2 to 5 seconds of time and from 15 to 20 feet away, well lets just say there is a reason way the military has the 15 foot rule and the LEOs have a 20 foot rule.

Thanks
Cinder

[HANGAWAY]

i like knives too i have several but i only carry all the time the one that is legal like a folding pocket knife about 3 inch long. But if i know somebody after me i carry a longer one probably 10 inches double blade.