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I would have a hard time with the price as well.

Its design is legit, as Rapier was known as a top killer with both firearms and knives, so it's been tested in actual hand-to-hand...so there's the tears and virgin thing...

I don't think there's a THE BEST knife, just like gear...you'll have to find a design that works in harmony with how you operate.

I'm right handed...carry the pistol on the right side and the Amtac blade on the left side in front, like a aiwb holster, but at a strong angle that puts the handle towards the center line. I still carry a folder as well, but that's for the everyday use thing...opening mail, boxes etc.
I am curious, as someone who sometimes makes knives, what makes that particular knife work for you? What makes it special? What is it's "it" factor? Literally I am just trying to understand what things people look for in a knife.

I typically carry automatic folders that lean more towards scalpel sharp than longevity of cutting edge. (The sharpening angle I tend to use is rather steep, and self aware that it definitely impedes how long a blade will stay sharp.) Post moving, I may switch to a belt knife. Largely because I could carry something I made. But I am curious what gives people the it factor for a particular knife.
 
First off, anatomically speaking we all have the same parts...other than a few plumbing differences between male and female, but how we use those parts is different for everyone. Those things affecting the use of limbs etc., can be from age, physical condition, medical, injury, birth defect etc., so like training firearms...choosing a knife, where to carry and how to employ it is not a cookie cutter thing.

There's some things I look at when considering a knife. A defensive knife is way different from a skinning knife, so we need to set the parameters from the start.

As for defensive knife...I find a fixed blade is way faster to employ and use than any folder or auto knife out there. With a folder and auto knife used for defensive purposes, there's always the question of durability. Will the components collapse under heavy defensive use, and cause the user quite a bit of injury as what's being applied to the perp. Can the package hold up when impacting bone with adrenaline backed brute force?

Is the blade made for penetration through cartilage and some bone that which is encountered most often in the upper body and neck...without getting stuck so hard as to not be able to continue. Having a hook on the end of the handle, such as the Amtac blade helps with control during many aspects of employment...odd that more fighting knives don't have that, or something of the like.

As you mentioned, it's sharpening angle must have a balance of durability...so it can't be too steep.

Then there's the sheath and how it's mounted. As I previously mentioned, I carry my Amtac on the left side of the belt buckle in a aiwb type carry, but with the handle angled sharply towards the center line or belt buckle. The way the arms and appendages are arranged, they work very well with angles. Look at competition shooters that have their magazines at angles instead of straight up and down...same concept.

Not saying the Amtac blade is THE way to go, no blade is...but it works for me, and has been proven tough in actual use.

There's a few videos out there about the Amtac blade...here's one...

 
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First off, anatomically speaking we all have the same parts...other than a few plumbing differences between male and female, but how we use those parts is different for everyone. Those things affecting the use of limbs etc., can be from age, physical condition, medical, injury, birth defect etc., so like training firearms...choosing a knife, where to carry and how to employ it is not a cookie cutter thing.

There's some things I look at when considering a knife. A defensive knife is way different from a skinning knife, so we need to set the parameters from the start.

As for defensive knife...I find a fixed blade is way faster to employ and use than any folder or auto knife out there. With a folder and auto knife used for defensive purposes, there's always the question of durability. Will the components collapse under heavy defensive use, and cause the user quite a bit of injury as what's be applied to the perp. Can the package hold up when impacting bone with adrenaline backed brute force?

Is the blade made for penetration through cartilage and some bone that which is encountered most often in the upper body and neck...without getting stuck so hard as to not be able to continue. Having a hook on the end of the handle, such as the Amtac blade helps with control during many aspects of employment...odd that more fighting knives don't have that, or something of the like.

As you mentioned, it's sharpening angle must have a balance of durability...so it can't be too steep.

Then there's the sheath and how it's mounted. As I previously mentioned, I carry my Amtac on the left side of the belt buckle in a aiwb type carry, but with the handle angled sharply towards the center line or belt buckle. The way the arms and appendages are arranged, they work very well with angles. Look at competition shooters that have their magazines at angles instead of straight up and down...same concept.

Not saying the Amtac blade is THE way to go, no blade is...but it works for me, and has been proven tough in actual use.
The training I have had in knife fighting has leaned towards cuts rather than stabs for the most part. (More interested in causing blood loss to slow your threat down by not closing the distance if possible) The other thing is that while the blades I carry are good steel, I do not expect any knife to really survive a defensive use in good order. A little experisnce when younger and lots of practice giving forced IMs to people trying to kill me, gives me a little idea of how I react. The hook thing really makes sense though, as does the sheath thing. As I alluded to, I will be forging a carry knife most likely for personal use, so it will likely be unique. My goal is to design it with various features in mind. (I am by no means world class as a knife maker, but competent enough to trust my life to my work.)

This by the way will have a less steep edge than my folders.
 
just wondering if there is such a thing,
There isn't.

Like many "things", there is no "best", only "things" with pros and cons.

Almost any tool that fits in your hand is going to be subject to ergonomics. Any tool that is used for so many different purposes is going to have many many variations that work better for a given purpose.

I have knives for a general purpose and knives for specific purposes - they are quite different from each other. There is no "best".
 
I use the BM Steep Country for my field dressing work. I considered the meatcrafter, but decided it was not the right blade for skinning deer and elk due to the length and curvature of the blade. Do you use a different knife for skinning? I only want to carry one knife, so for me the Steep Country is the do-it-all for me for hunting. I have been very happy with it.

Totally get that the meatcrafter would be great for deboning where the sharp curved tip could be great to avoid leaving meat on the bone when harvesting.
So.... I broke the tip on the meatcrafter- and accept the fact that I was using it "beyond it's intended purposes"- but have been very happy with it. When I am carrying a knife in the field- it is the BlackJack. I do have a skinning knife- the Buck 103 is just a sweetheart for that purpose. Short, thick blade with a slight sweep. It stays in the vehicle until the animal is harvested and we have finished evisceration.

You might say I have a golf-bag approach to my hunting/prep knives! :)
 
What is the best knife???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????///




Every single knife I own and none of what anybody else likes.

;)
 
So.... I broke the tip on the meatcrafter- and accept the fact that I was using it "beyond it's intended purposes"- but have been very happy with it. When I am carrying a knife in the field- it is the BlackJack. I do have a skinning knife- the Buck 103 is just a sweetheart for that purpose. Short, thick blade with a slight sweep. It stays in the vehicle until the animal is harvested and we have finished evisceration.

You might say I have a golf-bag approach to my hunting/prep knives! :)
Many ways to skin a cat (no pun intended).

I'm a one-knife guy because my family harvests all the meat at the kill site. Nothing comes back to the vehicle other than meat. And they did this long before CWD.
 
I know this isn't what you want for an answer but in both my wifes' car and my truck we carry what I call the salami and cheese knife. They both are standard Swiss Army knives, you know the kind with the cork screw bottle opener. We've been known to stop at some little farm stand and buy a hard salami, chunk of cheese and some bread then find some place interesting to have our lunch.
 
I carry folder for utilitarian purposes and a fixed blade to make the grass grow. Both are carried daily.
 
I have more knives then guns and they are all over the house…

I use different ones for different things.

If there was just 1 knife to rule them all there wouldn't be so many different knives for cooking…..

Stuff I find appealing to my eyes and fit well in my hand are the ones I tend to buy and keep. I don't have any 'safe queens'.
 
I grew up with Swiss Army knives and still have them BUT I would never carry another one - I have seen to many people get 'bit' when they folded up on a finger…

Leathermans filled the multi tool needs and everything else is either a fixed or a lock folder of some kind.
 
Look what came in the mail today!

D3E1DA2D-D444-45B4-A099-745298041F01.jpeg
 

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