A Lesson on Combat Knives, in Two Parts: The MOD XSF-1, and the Mil-Tac CS1

The Mil-Tac Combat Survival 1 (Left) and the Blackhawk XSF-1 (Right)

There is, in the knife community, an undue fascination with “fighting” and “combat” knives. Lots of collectors, enthusiasts, and makers specialize in these types of blades. Some of them are fine people, but most with an interest in, or god save us an opinion on, such knives lack the weight of need or experience to lend their ideas validity. Yet it is often this lot who have their voice raised above those of the truly experienced and it is their cacophony which drives a large part of the "tactical" knife world. Not because they are right, but often because they have, if nothing else, immense buying power.
However, there remain voices and talents in the industry who, on the weight of their background or the strength of their products, have every right and reason to speak up. Not that they always do, some of these talents seem to prefer letting their products do the talking, and keep their voices low. Some are out-spoken, and on the vocal forefront of the industry, but have earned their place there. In either case it is to these talents that people of an experienced need and background go for cutlery. They do so trusting that what they are buying is not hype, is not a “name”, is in fact nothing but a well designed, well executed performance tool.
These opposing forces are not in balance however. The demand for knives to suit the enthusiast market is much higher than for knives to actually be used, particularly in the “tactical” field. There is money to be made from the fancy, the different, the new and shiny. Hype and gadgetry have made more people money than reliability and proven forms...

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