Spartan Blades on Cover of Blade Magazine

[Barbarian]

Got this issue in the mail the other day. Thought it deserved sharing.
Pictured is Spartan Blades' recent collaboration with 5th Grp. MSG. (Ret) Kim Breed.

Congratulations gentlemen.

[swatsurgeon]

So, knife makers....
I saw this as well on my copy and had a thought:
A dagger design has ?? limited or better to say specific uses that offer a narrow wound channel (permanent cavity analogy). Other than a suboccipital, submental or orbital stab to get the brainstem, where else is this design intended to be used.....does it fit between ribs better to reach the heart? The general stab wound anywhere on the body that a broader blade offers more potential wounding internally I understand but if you might be specific on the dagger design would help educate me.
Thanks

ss

[Dusty]

Originally Posted by swatsurgeon

So, knife makers....
Other than a suboccipital, submental or orbital stab to get the brainstem, where else is this design intended to be used
ss

Subclavian artery, same as a pig.

Kidney, too.

[Barbarian]

I can only speak as to the design of the general dagger and not this particular design's purpose.

The primary concept of the dagger, is to project the same amount of force, but have less surface area "out front" to improve penetration. So while requiring more precision to effect quickly-debilitating wounds, it lessens the amount of work necessary to make the hole.

[swatsurgeon]

Originally Posted by Barbarian

I can only speak as to the design of the general dagger and not this particular design's purpose.

The primary concept of the dagger, is to project the same amount of force, but have less surface area "out front" to improve penetration. So while requiring more precision to effect quickly-debilitating wounds, it lessens the amount of work necessary to make the hole.

That is an understandable reason but......if the resistance of tissue along a blade is proportional to the 'work' needed to penetrate, wouldn't any double edged blade with a tapered point penetrate just as well as a dagger design? The chances of hitting bone are obviously less with a more tapered blade but with enough 'force' thin bone may be less of a barrier to continued penetration than with a broader blade??

ss

[Barbarian]

if the resistance of tissue along a blade is proportional to the 'work' needed to penetrate, wouldn't any double edged blade with a tapered point penetrate just as well as a dagger design?

If I understand correctly ,the taper only spreads the same amount of force required, over a longer time interval. The longer the taper, the further spread-out the force requirement, and the less required at any one instant.

So the wider the blade is, the longer the taper must be to achieve the same result.

[DJ Urbanovsky]

From this maker's perspective, daggers just look cool. But they're a single purpose design and aren't inherently strong. A full tang version such as Mark and Curtis have made is a step in the right direction, and that's how I approach mine as well when I build them, but at the end of the day, it's still a dagger. In my opinion, there are better blade patterns out there that will perform the same duties as a dagger, in addition to being better suited for a wider array of tasks.

Humans are made of meat. We aren't particularly puncture/cut resistant. This isn't news to any of you guys.

If you're talking about targeting structures, how is indexing the tip of a 6" dagger on a target any different than the tip of 6" tanto or 6" bowie? If the ergonomics of the knives and the tip location in relation to the handle is the same on all three knives, there's no difference.

Obviously, narrower blades are going to be more efficient at punching holes in things. But we've all at least seen pics of people with big fat 6-9 inch chef's knives sticking out of their skulls/chests/backs. In the heat of the moment, you're probably not going to notice any appreciable difference in ease of penetration between a 1" wide blade and a 2" wide blade.

That's my opinion based on seven years of knife making and a lifetime of being obsessed with blades and cutting/stabbing things (sorry, no humans, but plenty of meat).

But yeah, I love daggers.

[Barbarian]

Had to take care of some things. Sorry for the delay.

The chances of hitting bone are obviously less with a more tapered blade but with enough 'force' thin bone may be less of a barrier to continued penetration than with a broader blade??

The real difference, in my experience (which is less than DJ's) is in harder materials like bone, as you said.

[Team Sergeant]

Congrats gents!

[mcarey]

Thanks guys! Article and cover was a nice surprise.

As for utility of design, it has an intent and it works for it's intent. Handle indexes well without looking for most presentations.

[x SF med]

Originally Posted by mcarey

Thanks guys! Article and cover was a nice surprise.

As for utility of design, it has an intent and it works for it's intent. Handle indexes well without looking for most presentations.

It sounds like you guys make knives with intent... evver thought of using that as a tag line? Knives with intent is a catchy phrase.

(Mark... and or Curt... I may see you at OKCA, gots me a job and will be home by then.)

[Surgicalcric]

Originally Posted by mcarey

Thanks guys! Article and cover was a nice surprise.

As for utility of design, it has an intent and it works for it's intent. Handle indexes well without looking for most presentations.

I need one of those for my leg...

As a matter of fact, I have a local holster maker working on a kydex mount for the SOC knife you guys blessed me with. Once it is done I will put up a pic...

Magazine and blade look awesome Mark.