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Boot knife? Which are the better tactical use knives?

david.ross

Regular Member
Joined
May 24, 2008
Messages
1,241
Location
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
imported post

I'm looking for a boot knife to carry(where lawful), and was wondering if anyone had a favorite brand or blacksmith.

I've seen a few knife knives which are made by hand along with a kydex holster, but I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for in a boot knife. I also want a common carry bootknife which I can stick in my boot for daily use. I've tried carrying pocket knives which clip on my pocket and end up losing it. Every time I've lost a pocket knife, I think, "I hope a kid doesn't find it."...

Favorites? Kydex holsters which don't irritate? While some 5.11 boots do have a built in bootknife holster, they are certainly not my favorite. Much of 5.11 tends to be designed to be trendy, which I absolutely don't care for in a product.
 

Shotgun

Wisconsin Carry, Inc.
Joined
Aug 23, 2006
Messages
2,668
Location
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
imported post

I recommend without hesitation a Cold Steel "Safe Maker." I have the Safe Maker II.

You can wear them as a neck knife or boot knife... neck knives actually make more sense. But don't use it as either. Wear it on your belt, opposite your gun.

I also have a Kershaw Military Boot Knife, not bad and inexpensive.
 

Dreamer

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Sep 23, 2009
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Grennsboro NC
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I have owned a few SOG knives in the past and like them. They are well-made and hold an edge well. SOG knives, however, tend to be a little on the spendy side.

Check out the SOG "Pentagon Mini". It's got a kydex sheath with a clip, and is made as a backup/boot knife. Looks like it might fit your needs...

http://sogknives.com/store/M14.html
 

Michigander

Regular Member
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Aug 24, 2007
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4,818
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Mulligan's Valley
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If you're looking for a weapon, and a weapon only, Applegate Fairbairn daggers are about as good as it gets for daggers. As tools, they are lacking. The small surface size of the cutting edge, and the thick width of the middle of the blade make them poor slicing knives, best suited for stabbing.

If you want a weapon and a tool, a good Bowie knife is probably among the best options. Just make sure the blade is ground so that it has a nice wide bevel that goes most of the way or all the way across the width of the blade. That will make for a good slicing knife. Something with a teensy little cutting edge will suffer from the same deficiencies as a dagger, except it will only have one edge.
 

david.ross

Regular Member
Joined
May 24, 2008
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1,241
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Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Appears knife rights need to work on weapons for carry when they're not just a folding pocket knife. Anchorage, which I do visit, has an ordinance against anything other than a folding pocket knife in regards to carry.

Having a complete preemption on daggers, ka-bars, assisted and ordinary pocket knives, and other knives which are useful for every day carry(car, person, home, etc) would be nice.
 

rmansu2

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2009
Messages
325
Location
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
imported post

I carry a Gerber Springed Pocket knife. Easy access in pocket and I can have it opened in the same amount of time it takes most people to reach and draw a boot knife.
 

ODA 226

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Feb 26, 2008
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Etzenricht, Germany
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I carry a Cold Steel "Black Talon" clipped on my pocket. I NEVER carry a weapon anywhere near my ankle.

I was chasing a BG and suddenly and much to my horror, watched as my backup pistol was launched through the air IN FRONT OF ME AND TOWARDS THE BG! Thank God he was too busy running away from me to notice.

After that, my BUG was placed into a holster that was sewn onto my vest.

My advice: KEEP it attached to your belt or clipped to your pocket!
 

Gator5713

Lone Star Veteran
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
591
Location
Aggieland, Texas, USA
imported post

Look into 'diving knives'... They tend to be designed to work well when strapped to an ankle or any where really, and their sheaths are also designed to be more comfortable against the skin... In my opinion (which seems to reflect what some of the others here have hinted at) even a 'boot knife' is best attached to the person moreso than the boot...
 

Bustelo5%

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2009
Messages
474
Location
kent, Ohio, USA
imported post

Depending on its use make sure you go for something with a high quality metal. Now if its just defense 440 is alright steel but the higher you go the higher the performance is,in my opinion Spyderco makes some of the best knifes at some pretty reasonable prices.
 

wheelwrench

New member
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
Messages
6
Location
Alexandria, Virginia, USA
imported post

Cold Steel's Brave Heart is a great boot knife. The sheat clips securely to the boot and nestles comfortably just above the hollow of the achilles tendon. The knife stays shaving sharp and comes to a needle point. Boot knives are meant to be hold-out weapons, and the Brave Heart works wonderfully.
 

Vandal

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
557
Location
Spokane, Washington, USA
imported post

For a boot dagger/punch dagger I carry a Cold Steel Safe Maker II. I carry it just behind my mag pouch on my belt. I don't carry anything on my boot as I have found it very difficult to get to in a hurry.

I also carry a Benchmade Griptillian as my work knife. Gotta have one for each purpose.
 

BreakingTheMold

Regular Member
Joined
May 1, 2009
Messages
298
Location
Niles & Lawton, Michigan, USA
imported post

I'll put in another vote for SOG. I carry the Aegis tanto, i cut through anything and everything. Copper wire to field dressing game(it was hot this fall and there was no time to lose!) to thick plastic tarps.

I really like the SOG AUS 8 blades are masterfully heat treated,but not brittle. Go somewhere where you can try them on before you buy, Especially if your thinking of spending more then $60 on an EDC boot knife.
 

45acpForMe

Newbie
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
2,805
Location
Yorktown, Virginia, USA
I realize this thread is a bit old but I didn't want to start a new thread since I was researching the knives mentioned in this thread.

1) the Cold Steel "Black Talon" is no longer produced. Bummer!

2) I was looking at SOG knives and found one that I liked only to find that it was not sold to civilians! I didn't know that knives had a military/LEO-Civilian restriction! Has anyone heard of this before? Below is the link to the knife I was looking at.

http://sogknives.com/store/ST-06.html
 

jeeper1

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2008
Messages
692
Location
USA
I was looking at SOG knives and found one that I liked only to find that it was not sold to civilians! I didn't know that knives had a military/LEO-Civilian restriction! Has anyone heard of this before? Below is the link to the knife I was looking at.
_______________________________________________

No surprise there, it's an automatic knife and illegal most places.
 

VFORVENDETTA

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
222
Location
Death Valley, Nevada, Utah, Idaho
Are you CrAzY...

I realize this thread is a bit old but I didn't want to start a new thread since I was researching the knives mentioned in this thread.

1) the Cold Steel "Black Talon" is no longer produced. Bummer!

2) I was looking at SOG knives and found one that I liked only to find that it was not sold to civilians! I didn't know that knives had a military/LEO-Civilian restriction! Has anyone heard of this before? Below is the link to the knife I was looking at.

http://sogknives.com/store/ST-06.html
$200 for a knife!!!!
 
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