The Camillus caught my eye while I was searching for something else at BQM. Lots of soldiers buy gear from BQM, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a few of these daggers show up on active duty.

I am not a big fan of the Ricasso because I don't use it. I have a nice second pattern which does not have the ricasso but does have the nice knurled grips and I think it is the best one BUT I did not have a first pattern to compare it to(at least not yet). The Camillus should be a nice substitute.

There is a real push to revise the history of the FS dagger and make it nothing more than a morale booster by the PC contingent in the UK. British Blades will not even let you discuss the use of the dagger or it's history for fear of a crack down of some sort.

Is there a place for the FS in a modern army?

I think so but it is quite limited. In many cases it has been replaced by the suppressed pistol. However a FS is a much much lighter and cheaper and less complex piece of equipment. I could see one or 2 guys in a unit having a FS type dagger for when they want to put off making noise until the last minute.


Being on the SWAT team in Shanghai was about as good as it gets for hand to hand experience although I grew up as the only white kid on an Indian reserve which was not bad either. My parents were social workers <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif" alt="" />

I have mentioned it before but the perfect book to go with that dagger is Kill or get killed by col Applegate who designed the Camillus knife based on the
FS. You can download it free from Stevespages.

One of my favourite things about the FS daggers is they are completely useless
for anything but murder. It is very unPC and is actually quite rare.

Unsub,

If you like that Hattori, look into Junglee knives.

Some of the newer ones are made with cheaper steel, but the older ones made with MVS-8 are pretty good.





I ground the top guard of the Baby Hattori Fighter and put a little bit of an index finger recess into it. They are both quite nice and some deals can be had on some older Junglee stuff on ebay.

The large Hattori fighter is pretty awesome and impressive. But, the Baby Hattori fighter balances and feels better in the hand IMO. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

.

I like the baby one but I do think the ebony hattori is way better looking. There are not exactly "deals" but they are between Scrapyard and Busse prices.
It certainly looks like a fighter though.

The serrations on the Jungalee looks a LOT like spyder edge serrations and Spyderco makes a lot of knives in SEKI city where I am pretty sure Hattori is located and makes knives for many other companies including Fallkniven.

I have a hunch Hattori makes knives for Spyderco.

To get us kind of back on topic what knives ,one fixed and one folding would you buy for a soldier deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan?

I can't even answer that without some thought.

I have the Junglee Waterloo, a wicked little double-edged dagger. I have been impressed with the Junglees.

You guys are really bad influences on me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I am really liking the look of the baby fighter.

Getting back on topic and answering Unsub's question....
the folder would be for me a lockable Leatherman like the
Wave and from it's keyring attachment I would add the small
key chain SAK as the scissors/tweezers and toothpick are
good for personal admin....you can use the SAK like a knotted
lanyard to draw the Leatherman from the pouch.
That way you have one folder system that covers everything...
although I personally find the magnifying glass very useful
on the larger SAK and you don't get these on a Leatherman...
but you can make do with the same feature on a Sunto type
compass but the clarity is not as good.
Alternatively just carry a seperate jewellers loop.

The fixed blade is the hard part.....not just the
knife but thinking through the type of grind on the
blade and the ability to sharpen it.

For ease of sharpening and paricularly if Iwere as
Unsub states....buying something for someone else....
as opposed to making your own mind up knowing your
sharpening skill levels/preferences...
I would say for me I am very much attracted to the
ease and simplicity of a scandi grind bushcraft knife.
The bevel makes it very easy to field sharpen to a
razor edge all the time....using simple kit.
If taking a Scandi grind I would take a mixed
double sided 1000/6000 japanese water stone cut down
to half length and put it in a plastic tea caddy box
which you can fill up with water to enable the stone
to be soaked before use. It easily stores in a belt
kit pouch. Steel choice would have to be 01 tool steel.
I have two of these type knives and the 01 Woodlore
Bushcrafter sharpens far quicker and easier than the
Wardell Damascus steel. The later may hold an edge
longer but compared to how long it takes to sharpen...
but the Woodlore is no slouch in this department either.
The Woodlore sharpens like my Skinny Ash 1 which in Infi
is also easy to sharpen and also takes a hell of an edge.

This nicely brings me to my other choice. I like the
Skinny Ash 1 as it is just that bit more substantial
for chopping and having convexed the blade and edge
it is way more of a performer than the Woodlore.
You would need to use a batoning/chopping technique
a/la Bear Gryllis to chop through a tree with the Woodlore.
The Ash could be used by itself.

The issue with the Ash is the complex kit needed to
field sharpen the edge. My choice would be to take a
Spyderco sharpmaster with the ceramic rods and glue to
the base of the plastic box a cut out section of mouse
mat and fold and carry in the box on top of the ceramic
rods some wet and dry grit paper. The size is cut so that
when applying the paper to the base there is sufficient
overlap at the sides to enable the lid of the sharpmaker
to be closed thus trapping the paper so it can be used
like a sanding block. I have modified mine like this and
it works well. You can then restore a convex grind without
any issues so long as you have the time and skill base to
do so.....and so long as you don't run out of paper. If you
do you will just have to use the ceramic rods in the Sharpmaker
to touch up the edge and accept that it will be going back
to a straight grind secondary bevel with the convex main
grind on the sides. This would still be a very powerful
cutting combination. The benefit of the ease of sharpening
Infi steel over the other Busse-kin steels makes this
my choice amongst the "family". Infi performs so well in
all the categories which you asses a steel choice .....
that it would be my choice of steel if they did a
Scandi grind knife for someone more of a novice
to knife sharpening.

The only alternative to a Skinny Ash is for me another
Busse....probably a bit bigger....but also a lot heavier
.....and whilst you gain as a chopper you lose out in the
carving/delicate task arena. Hence if there was only
"one" fixed blade it would be the Skinny Ash. Two fixed
blades and I would have a larger knife on my Bergan or
on a Tac Vest.

A knife I would like to see made is a Skinny FSH 8 or 9
inch blade with a LE finish in convex grind like the NMFFBM..
basically just a little longer than the present Skinny Ash
with a convex grind instead of saber grind....

If Busse have ever done one can someone let me know?
I am not a fully conversant with all the models?
This would be the first knife I asked the custom
shop to do if it was not available and I had the
time to wait for it before deploying. My second knife
would be a Scandi Bushcrafter.

Anyone else interested in these two concept knives ?
Maybe we could get a group buy project price? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

I just love my new convexed Skinny ASH-1, but as a user, those Scrapper 6s are hard to beat. At a third the price, they can do anything the Skinny can do and carry just as well. The ASH1s are prettier, though.

INFI is one of the nicest steels to polish and sharpen for sure.

I think I actually have the knife you asked for.
The old SH-E is exactly what you described. It is an 8 inch long blade that is not as wide as the ASH. It is not quite as thin as a skinny but the full flat grind version I have is not bad at all. It even has a convex edge although only on one side. The other side is totally flat for an asymmetrical grind.

Might as well post a pretty one.

Here is a nice new Bushcrafter that would also be a good choice. It will also be O1.

I got bit by the spyderco bug (well spider actually)bad recently.

I am having a heck of a time with my own question. Right now I would say my Caly3 and my Rosarms bayonet. Roo mentioned it looks like the Ames Rifleman knife and I thought that was brilliant. I had this feeling like it reminded me of something and he nailed it with the riflemans knife.

Oh my god, there are some seriously nice blade pics here! Steel Fan, sweet looking collection you got there!

Thank you kindly! I get a lot of pleasure from it ....interspersed with guilt at the cost.....but definately I need to find more time to enjoy them!

Great thread that needs to be brought back up for the new guys.