Article by Gautam Punjabi
Tactical knifes are handy tools for some while it is a survival necessity for others. These knifes differ widely in their folding style, edge pattern, size, opening method, and blade shape. Clip point, drop point, double-edged, and Bowie are among the better-known blade shapes in tactical knifes.Policemen and army men invariably carry their own brands of tactical knifes with them, and mostly in a concealed fashion. Besides that, gardeners, butchers, hunters, fishermen, rescue workers, housewives, and chefs have all their specialty knifes, which are indispensable for their jobs. Since each set of people use it for different purposes, the edges of the knifes and shapes of the blades are modified a lot to aid the users in their performance.Clip point is among the most popular of blade shapes in tactical knifes and is so called because the knife has a slight concave curve or ‘clip’ at the tip. This makes the tip thin and sharp, and enhances the effectiveness of the thrust. Some of the clip point blades will have what is known as a ‘false edge’, which the user can sharpen and turn to an additional edge. This is the design found most commonly in tactical knifes that are used for yard work, kitchen work, repairs, and sundry other odd jobs.A drop point blade is similar to a clip point blade except in that there is a slight convex curve towards the tip. It is less suitable for piercing than the clip point style. It is very good as a cutting knife and so is the preferred type of blade in the tactical knifes used by hunters. The sharpness of the tip will vary in different types drop point blades. This is the style seen in the main blade of Swiss army pocket knifes. The double-edged blade style is most commonly seen in fighting knifes. Tactical knifes with double-edged blades are similar to a dagger, being sharp on both sides. The blade tapers symmetrically from both sides towards the tip and is very effective in stabbing and thrusting. Tactical knifes with double-edged blades are mostly of the fixed blade style.The blade design of a bowie knife is similar to the clip point design and a wide variety of tactical knifes are produced in what is known as the Bowie design. The name of the design is connected with the true story of James Bowie. James Bowie, despite being severely wounded, killed some of his opponents with a large knife during a duel known as the Sandbar Fight. After that the tactical knifes that used that blade pattern are known as Bowie knifes though there is a range of knifes within that definition itself. They make good fighting knifes and people use it a lot while camping in the woods and for similar rough work.Besides these, there are blade patterns like spear point blade, skinner blade, bird hook blade, fillet blade etc. A spear point blade will have a straight shape and one sharp edge. It is a pattern usually seen in pocket tactical knifes. The skinner blade has got a sharp edge with a wide curve and is good for skinning game. The bird hook style in tactical knifes gets its name not so much from the shape of the blade but because of a hooked steel rod that is part of the knife. This type of knife comes handy for cleaning the entrails of birds and the fillet blade is a type of long narrow blade designed to clean and cut fish.