The difference between the tang of a manual Axis Lock and the tang

My interest in switchblades began
way back when I was in the fifth
grade. The school year was almost
over and the weather was exceptionThe well designed
ally hot, making staying awake in
handle
of
the
class a real chore. Rather than
Benchmade Auto Axis ofwatching us doze off every afterfers an excellent grip and
noon, my English teacher decided
natural indexing of the point
to spend the last few hours of each
and edge.
day reading to us. Her book of
choice was The Outsiders, the classic story of social classes, youth
gangs, and coming of age by S.E.
the design flair of noted knifemaker of what I consider “third generation”
Hinton.
Although we all enjoyed the Mel Pardue with the engineering tactical folding knife locks (in my
story (and the fact that it kept us genius of Axis-Lock wizards Bill opinion, the first generation was the
from doing real schoolwork), what McHenry and Jason Williams, the lockback, the second generation was
captivated me most were its descrip- Model 5000 is, to put it simply, the the liner lock, and the third generations of the switchblades that were ultimate synergy of auto knife form tion includes locks with upward-facing tang ramps, like Benchmade’s
carried and used by the main char- and function.
The heart of the Model Axis Lock, Spyderco’s Compression
acters. Every afternoon as the
5000’s
action is the patented Axis Lock, and SOG’s Arc-Lock). The
teacher read, I carefully sketched
drawings of switchblades and Lock – the first and arguably the best brainchild of auto-knife wizards Bill
McHenry and Jason Williams, this
dreamed of the day when I would
extremely stout lock
have my own perfect
mechanism consists
switch – a high-quality,
of a hardened steel
lightning fast knife that I
bar that slides back
would be willing to bet
and forth in matching
my life on in a fight.
slots milled in both
I finally got my
steel liners. Two
first switchblade several
omega-shaped
years later (a vintage
springs apply a conShur-Snap) and have
stant forward pressure
owned ands used dozens
on this bar. When the
of others since. Howknife’s blade is roever, none of them – intated to the open pocluding many modern
sition, the bar slides
high-tech autos – have
forward over an upever lived up to my viward-facing ramped
sion of the perfect
notch milled into the
switchblade – until now. The difference between the tang of a manual Axis
tang of the blade,
The knife I’m re- Lock and the tang of the Auto Axis. Note the hook
locking the blade seferring to is the new
on
the
lower
knife
that
enables
the
lock
bar
to
lock
curely in place. To reBenchmade Model 5000
the
knife
in
the
closed
position.
lease the lock, the
Auto Axis. Combining
JULY 2003
KNIFEFORUMS
33
user simply slides
the bar (which is
capped by a thumbstud-like cap on
each end) to the rear
and rotates the blade
to the closed position.
In
Benchmade’s
manual Axis-Lock
The heart of Benchmade’s Model 5000
knives, the lock bar
Auto Axis is the revolutionary Axis Lock.
engages a shallow
notch in the opposite side of the tang
when the knife is closed. This notch in the blade, which functions like a sear.
acts as a detent that keeps the blade As the bar clears the hook, the coil
closed until it is overcome by rota- springs drive the blade open. The
tional pressure on the blade. In the omega springs then push the bar forModel 5000, a crescent-shaped hook ward over the tang ramp to lock the
replaces the shallow groove. This knife in the open position. In this way,
hook locks the blade firmly in the the Model 5000’s Axis Lock acts as
closed position and holds it there both a locking mechanism and an autoagainst the pressure of dual coil- knife trigger mechanism. Better yet, it
shaped drive springs. When the accomplishes both goals with extreme
locking bar is pulled to the rear, it strength and flawless precision.
To further secure the lock in
works like a trigger against the hook
Since the lock bar on
the Auto Axis can be
accessed from both
sides of the handle,
the Model 5000
can be opened
(and unlocked)
using the
thumb and/
or index finger of
either hand – the ultimate in ambidextrous
operation.
34
KNIFEFORUMS
both the open and closed positions, the
Model 5000 includes a sliding secondary safety on the back of the handle.
Pushing the secondary safety forward
lowers a metal tab behind the lock bar,
preventing it from moving to the rear
and releasing the action. Sliding it to
the rear raises the tab and frees the
action to open or close the knife. With
this feature, the knife can be very securely locked closed (for transport or
shipping) or open (for near-fixed-blade
security during hard use).
To provide a strong foundation
for the Axis Lock – as well as the
user’s grip – the Model 5000 handle is
constructed of two thick 410 stainless
steel liners covered with very distinctive machined 6061 T-6 aluminum
handle scales. These scales feature a
“two-directional tread” – a milled pattern of steps that provides an extremely
positive grip. Both sides of the handle
are drilled and tapped for a clothing clip
that provides ambidextrous tip-up
carry.
On the business end, the
blade of the Model 5000 is 3.42
inches of 154CM stainless, hardened
to 58-60HRC and available in a plainedged satin finish, a satin-finished
market, it is also the first automatic knife
design in decades that truly qualifies for
a patent. Although there have been
some quantum leaps in auto knife design in the past 20 years, the vast majority of the design technology has
been public domain. The Auto Axis is
clearly different and therefore claims a
significant place in switchblade history.
However, the Model 5000’s
the most significant achievement is
that it transcends mere knife status
The Benchmade Model 5000 in the closed posiand truly qualifies as an ordnancetion – coiled and ready to spring
grade tool. In a hard-use environment, it is possible for an auto
ComboEdge, and a black BT2 coated much of an accomplishment until knife’s drive spring to fail. The dual
ComboEdge.
you’ve actually tried to deploy and use springs of the Auto Axis provide a
My introduction to the Model right-hand autos with your left hand. built-in backup for this. If both
5000 came at the 2003 SHOT Show Although not the first ambi-auto, the springs did fail, the knife would still
courtesy of Bill McHenry, one of the Model 5000 clearly provides the most function as a manual Axis Lock
designers of the Axis Lock. Clearly elegant and functional solution to the folder. If one of the Axis Lock
omega springs failed, once again, the
beaming with pride, Bill explained that problem.
According to McHenry, the knife’s redundant design provides a
the Model 5000 is an extraordinary
development in automatic knives. First Model 5000 is also unique in that its backup. In the almost impossible
of all, it is a truly ambidextrous side- use of the Axis lock not only makes it event that both drive springs and
opening auto. That may not seem like one of, if not the strongest autos on the both omega springs failed, the knife
could still be manually opened, the
Axis Lock pushed forward, and the
lock secured with the secondary
lock. This type of over-engineered,
system-redundant design makes the
Model 5000 an ideal choice for military, law enforcement, and special
missions personnel who operate outside normal resupply channels and
must trust their equipment to work
every time. As for the rest of us, I’m
sure we could quickly get used to
carrying a near-perfect knife if we
had to.
Although the Model 5000 has
The clothing clip on the Model 5000 is reversible for
been mentioned in a few publications,
left or right tip-up carry. Note that the milled steps of
I was extremely honored to be able to
the textured handle are angled to prevent snagging
do the first in-depth evaluation of this
knife. As I write this, I have been carwhen the knife is drawn from the pocket.
rying my Model 5000SBT (blackJULY 2003
KNIFEFORUMS
35
My second
coated ComboEdge
criterion for a tactiblade) for about a month
cal folder is that it cut
and using it almost to the
and puncture things
exclusion of my regular
efficiently. Once
carry knives. To put it
again, the Auto Axis
simply, I am extremely
passes with flying
impressed.
colors. The high flat
In my opinion,
the first requirement of a
The Model 5000 com- grind on the 5000’s
tactical knife is strength.
bined the design flair of blade provides outstanding edge geomIn this regard, the Auto
custom knifemaker Mel etry, enabling it to
Axis has few if any
equals in today’s market. Pardue with the engineering brilliance of Axis-Lock cut with almost no
drag. The dropIn both casual cutting designers Bill McHenry and Jason Williams.
point profile aligns
chores and several sesmost
impossible.
I
am
constantly
the blade tip with the center axis of the
sions of ballistic cutting on denim-covered foam training targets I have put amazed at the number of so-called knife, making utility work with the point
some serious strain on the Model tactical folders available today that can very controllable and energy transfer
5000’s lock. Despite this hard use, the be accidentally unlocked by either during ballistic thrusts direct and powlock is completely unaffected and op- squeezing them tightly or allowing them erful.
My third requirement for a
erates as smoothly and positively as the to twist slightly in the hand during use.
The worst thing in the world is a fold- tactical folder is ease of carry and
day I got it.
I should also note that the ing knife that lives up to its name at the deployment. In this regard, the
Axis lock design makes accidental wrong time. This is not an issue with Model 5000 comes closer to perfect
than any other auto knife I’ve ever
closure of the knife during use al- the Axis Lock.
used. To explain why, let me first
describe my usual defensive knife
carry and drawstroke. I carry a linerlock folder tip up in my strong-side
(right) pocket. To draw it, I reach in
deep with my right thumb and hook
the bottom of the clothing clip with
the tip of my right index finger. This
gives me a good, solid purchase on
the knife and allows me to draw it
with very positive control. Better
yet, it enables me to bring the knife
out of my pocket with a grip that is very
close to my final using grip. Nevertheless, if I choose to thumb the knife
open, I still have to shift my grip slightly
to reach the thumb stud. As such, I
usually prefer an inertial opening that
The Auto Axis (bottom) is an outstanding evolution of
does not require that I touch the blade.
Benchmade’s manual axis lock, like this Axis Lock
With the Auto Axis, all the posiAFCK (top) from the author’s collection.
tive aspects of my draw are preserved,
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KNIFEFORUMS
while the actual opening is enhanced.
Thanks to the brilliant two-directional
tread pattern on the handle, the downward-facing edges of the treads allow
my thumb to get a very positive grip
on the knife. Curiously, the downward
angle of the treads also allows them to
slide past the edge of the pocket on
the clip side of the knife, keeping the
knife from snagging and offering an
ideal compromise between carry security and a rapid draw. As the knife
clears the pocket, both my thumb and
my index finger end up poised either
on or just below the lock bar release.
Using either or both of these digits, I
can easily release the lock to open the
blade. Shifting the knife into either a
saber grip or my preferred Filipino grip,
my thumb comes to rest within easy
reach of the secondary lock, which I
can engage for even further security if
desired.
Best of all, by switching the
clothing clip to the opposite side of
the handle, I can do everything I just
described in exactly the same way
with my left hand. As I’ve recommended many times before, if you’re
really serious, you could get a second Model 5000 and set it up for offside carry so you can have identical
left and right-side access and deployment skills.
To sum it all up, Benchmade’s
Model 5000 Auto Axis is the new standard in serious-use automatic knives.
That’s probably why it already has a
GSA contract number and is in high
demand by some of our government’s
high-speed agencies and individual operators. At a suggested retail price of
$220 ($230 for the black- blade version), its pricing is consistent with
other modern automatic knives.
However, the value you get for your
money is far, far greater.
For more information, contact: the Benchmade Knife Company, 300 Beavercreek Road, Oregon City, OR 97045, phone: 1-800800-7427, 503-655-6004, fax: 503655-6223, 503-655-7922, e-mail:
[email protected], web site:
www.benchmade.com.
The heart of Benchmade’s Model 5000 Auto Axis is the revolutionary Axis Lock.
JULY 2003
KNIFEFORUMS
37
38
KNIFEFORUMS
Those of you who read the article on
the Lonewolf Loveless, in last month’s
issue, got introduced to my hunting adventures on my ranch in Kansas. What
a great place to put these fine knives
to the field test. In my world there is
only one way to judge a knife, and that
is to use it as its maker intended for it
to be used. If it is a hunting knife, then
the only rational test is whether it does
its job when submitted to flesh and
blood. If it comes to me sharp to begin
with, and has a sturdy usable design
sheath, it has passed the first tests. If it
skins, guts, and cuts meat, then it has
passed most all of what it was designed
for.
Blades sent me a package containing
3 Gator designs. They were two folders, one high carbon stainless steel with
a guthook, and one ATS-34, drop
point, half-serrated folder and one
fixed blade high carbon stainless steel
guthook.
The fine folks up at Gerber Legendary
After enjoying limited success
hunting, Susan and I proceeded to put the Gerber Family of fine knives to work. First
off, the guthook models were
used to open the skin, and then
to open the abdomen. After
several years of grouching
about the looks of a guthook
knife, I won a Colt knife with a
gut hook in a big buck contest.
I had it, so I used it, and I must
admit I came to like it.
Most guthook knives favor
the same humped back pattern. There is only one
guthook knife that I have run
across has an integral gut hook
that actually flows with the design and those are the knives
JULY 2003
KNIFEFORUMS
39
made by Nolen of Estes Park,
Colorado. Watch for my article on the Nolen Family.
One thing I noticed right off
about these Gator knives was
that they are not shiny. They
have a bead blasted finish
which does not reflect light. I
find that an added feature.
Now, don’t go getting your
glands in any uproar; I am not
against shiny knives in general,
because I like nice shiny knives
as well as the next guy. In fact,
I put a mirror finish on the
knives I make, but for an—in
the field utility knife—like the
Gerber Gator, I like that dull
finish.
Another thing that I noticed right off
was that the blades are thin. Noticeably thinner than a lot of other knives.
What do we make of that? Well, if
you look at these blades right off, you
will see that they are designed for hunting knives. Two have guthooks that
stick up on the back, and the other is
my favorite shape, the drop-point.
They have a certain amount of sweep
to the blade without having a gut snagging point sticking out there. Now
when I say thin, I mean in thickness of
the blade, not the depth of the blade.
All the Gators I received had good
deep blades. They had the belly necessary to get under the hide and separate it while still having enough straight
length to function while slicing. The thinness is a definite advantage when you
are cutting meat. Thick blades tend to
stick and have to be kept very sharp
to do thin slices such as slicing jerky
meat.
40
KNIFEFORUMS
The thin blades of the Gerber have
functioned flawlessly even in hot
meat because of the thin blade, and
the flat ground design. If you study
the knives of the Frontiersmen, the
Mountainmen, the fur traders, and
the buffalo hunters, you soon notice that the knives that they used
were typical of the Green River
knives, a high carbon, thin bladed,
kitchen type of butcher knife. If
you go to a slaughter house or meat
packing plant, the professional
butchers use thin bladed knives. It
is hard to argue with success.
gloves are compared to doctor’s bills.
As you can tell by the photographs
the deer that I used these knives
on was fat beyond imagination.
She carried over an inch and a half
of back fat and three quarters of
an inch of belly fat. She was also
full of abdominal fat. For those of
you who do not harvest fat deer,
you are missing the thrill of a lifetime in getting the hide off them.
Skinning fat deer is somewhat like
skinning beaver. You cut every
inch of it off. Bucks who have
gone through the rut and have used
One thing I always want to empha- up their stock of fat, peel like a basize in my articles is to wear rub- nana. These barren does hang on to
ber gloves when you handle this wild that hide. That is where the design of
game. Even though these animals ap- the knife either works or not. As you
pear to be healthy and all that, it isn’t can see in the photo which compares
worth the risk of catching some funky them side by side, they all enjoy an
disease or parasite from an animal you equal amount of belly and sweep to the
are butchering. Especially when you blade. Any of the three were adept at
consider how cheap a box of rubber the skinning process. The idea is to
it to the back porch to age. I
advise that if you hang your
meat outside over night that
you hang it high enough that the
resident animals cannot get to
it. I have a canoe hoist in the
beams of the carport, so it was
a simple matter to just hoist it
out of reach of the neighborhood dogs. We live in a 3000
sq. ft log home which has an
unheated, enclosed back
porch. It, having a northern exposure with nothing between it
and the North pole other than
a couple barbed wire fences,
enjoys the full blast of the winter wind. It makes a wonderful cooler to age meat.
The next weekend, when I had
keep the flat of the blade at such an the folks up there at Gerber would just time to mess with that meat after it had
angle that you cut between the hide and put the ATS-34 in the other knives, hung close to freezing for a week, Suthe meat. Cutting big holes in the hide, they’d have a winning combination. I san and I processed it. She favored
or cutting slices in the meat is a sign of personally prefer blades with a known the Gator knives because of the soft
an amateur.
composition, especially ATS-34. I use sticky Kraton® handles. Even when
the ATS-34 and D2 in my knives be- completely slimed with blood and fat,
Using the Gator, Susan was able cause it stands up to a lot of abuse and the Kraton® did not slip in our hands.
to remove most of the hide with holds the edge. The ATS-34 in my ex- I had some fears that while wearing the
very few nicks. Most of the pic- perience is stainless and rust-free in rubber gloves and encountering the
tures in my articles are taken by both salt water and blood. I used my blood and fat that my hands would slip,
Susan, as what we do, we usually ATS-34 blades to clean fish when fish- but they didn’t. I’ve seen and instance
do together, and in the case of this ing off Vancouver Island a couple years where a knife slipped through a boys
kind of activity, I usually am in the ago. The combination of fish blood and closed hand and cut him very badly. I
midst of things, and she takes the salt water did no harm to them. Like- am always at attention when evaluatpictures. But in this instance, she wise the deer blood did no harm to this ing knife handles. No matter how they
wanted to skin that doe. Susan one either. However it did no harm to look, I never trust one until I try it cauhas hunted most of the North Ameri- the others either, other than they did tiously. Now this is not to say that you
can species. She lived in Alaska where not hold an edge to the extent that the should go say that this handle could
she taught school and hunted for sev- ATS-34 blade did.
never slip in your hand. I don’t know
eral years. She has a number of deer,
what you might do with it. I’m saying
antelope, elk, moose, caribou and a After breaking the carcass at the ranch, that in the environment of using it where
bear on her tally sheet.
we wrapped the large cuts in pieces of and how it was designed to be used, it
game bag and returned to New Mexico did not fail.
My favorite of the knives was the where we hung the meat on the car port
serrated ATS-34 Folder. Now if over night to lightly freeze, then moved The ATS-34 Drop Point is offered
JULY 2003
KNIFEFORUMS
41
by Gerber at $44.95. The Fixed
Blade Gut Hook is $34.95. Both of
these prices are from Gerber’s
website. The Folding Gut Hook Knife
is new and not featured on the website
yet, and I do not have a price on it, but
you can easily figure it is in the same
range of the other knives. You can find
these knives at many of your local
sporting goods centers, or you can order them directly from Gerber. I like
doing articles on knives like these, as
they show high quality at an affordable
price. I like fine knives as well as the
next guy, but not everyone can afford,
as one writer called them the “Hammer of Thor” Customs.
This line of Gerber knives features all
the qualities that a hunter would need
in a using knife. They have blades under 4 inches long, they have quality steel
in the blades, they have comfortable
non-slip grips, and most of all, they are
under $50. We all know that in the
42
KNIFEFORUMS
course of events, stuff happens. As
much as I’d hate to loose a knife, it
wouldn’t hurt me as much as if it were
a pricey custom. I like my pricey customs don’t kid yourself, but I carry
them where they don’t get lost. For
$35, I’d buy a Gerber and hang it on
my belt and go hunting. In fact I did
just that. For 8 days I tromped all
over North Central Kansas. In and
out of the truck, through fences,
across steams, and up and down
steep canyon walls. The Ballistic
Nylon sheath never let that knife
wiggle. Unless you take it out and
lay it down and walk off and forget
it, I would doubt that
you could loose it.
All of this for less than
$50. I think that is
what we, the working class of America
are looking for.
For more infomation
Fiskars Inc.
Gerber Legendary Blades Division
14200 SW 72nd Ave.
Portland, OR 97224
www.gerberblades.comlades
The Benchmade Mini Griptilian
Model 556 is another in the series of
knives made with the axis locking
mechanism. It is a very solid locking
mechanism and one worth taking a
look at. I believe a big strength of the
Axis locking mechanism, besides its
obvious strength, is the fact that these
knives can be opened or closed easily
with one hand. I always prefer to close
my knives without having to put my
thumb under the blade to release a
liner lock. I realize liner locks work
great, but I still like to keep my
fingers away from the blade when
possible.
The knife itself has a Mel Pardue
designed 2.91 in. modified drop
point blade made of 440C hardened to 58-60. The knife weighs
at in a mere 2.56 oz. The blade can
be had with an oval hole for opening or my preference: a thumb
stud. In either case, it is well suited
for a right or left-handed person.
The blade is available with a plain
JULY 2003
edge or a combination edge with partial serrations. When opened there are
serrations on the upper back edge of
the handle that continue onto the bottom edge of the blade. This feature is
a real plus when really applying downward pressure. Besides the obligatory
black molded handle material, this
knife is available in blue, green,
purple, yellow and olive. I’m not sure
why anyone would need a knife in a
color other than black, but I am sure
there are people out there excited by
all the available colors and blade
options. There is also a reversible
pocket clip. That dispenses with the
vital statistics for this review, now
lets move on to what counts: is this
knife worth a look.
I have used my Griptilian for several months now and it has replaced
KNIFEFORUMS
43
that it seems to easily keep the
edge that it came with. I am not
an expert at sharpening knives. I
prefer to keep blades sharp with a
little work occasionally than to
have to work hard to put an edge
back on a knife. I use a small
Normark tool that has fine and
coarse ceramic sticks mounted in
my other knives as my daily carry knife. The Griptilian it. A couple of quick pulls of the blade through the sticks
is many of the things that original Benchmade McHenry and I’m back in business. This Griptilian works as well
and Williams Axis lock knife wasn’t. The
original Axis locks had all the visual appeal of a 2 x 4. They worked fine, but there
wasn’t anything smooth or aesthetically
pleasing about it. The thumb stud on the
Griptilian is also easier to get at, due to the
fact that it doesn’t rest directly on the frame
of the knife when closed. In fact I have
found that it seems to open better, even
when dirty, than the original Axis lock ever
did. Even as uncoordinated as I am, by holding down the locking mechanism and flicking the wrist, the blade will come open quite
easily. So use the thumb stud or don’t, with
a quick flip of the wrist the knife can be
whipped into service.
Does the blade work? It sure does. Now, I am one of now as it did six months ago when I bought it.
those guys who wear a suit by day and my Levis by With a suggested retail of about 85 bucks, it is money
night. As a printing salesman I don’t get to cut up a ton well spent. Is it the perfect knife? No. Is it a good all
of crazy things in the course of a day. I haven’t cut down around value worth the money, Yes. What would I
any trees with this knife or dressed any of my hunting change? I do like the shape and size of the blade and
kills with it. I do however use this knife for any and all
tasks I come across in a day’s time and it has served me
well. I have had knives with partially serrated edges,
556 Mini Griptilian™ Specifications:
but this knife has the plain blade and I like it better that
Blade Length: 2.91"
way. I cut paper, cardboard boxes and various packing
Blade Thickness: 0.1"
materials. I cut apart the packing on my kids Christmas
Blade Material: 440C
presents and anything most people would use scissors
Blade Hardness: 58-60
on or just tear, I cut instead. I recently had to custom fit
Blade Style: Modified Drop Point
some floor mats for my car and found the blade tip up
Weight: 2.56oz.
to the task.
Clip: Reversible SS
While hunting or fishing, anything that needs cutting
gets handled.
The one thing I have noticed about this 440C blade is
44
KNIFEFORUMS
Lock Mechanism: AXIS™
Overall Length: 6.78"
Closed Length: 3.87"
For more information
Contact:
the basic shape of the knife. I wouldn’t mind if the
handles were made of something more substantial than
the light metal liner and molded outside. I would like
to see aluminum or possibly Titanium. Otherwise, job
well-done Benchmade.
Benchmade Knife Company
300 Beavercreek Road
Oregon City, OR 97045.
Phone: (503) 655-6004
Toll Free: (800) 800-7427
Fax: (503) 655-6223
E-mail:
General [email protected]
David Schmitt, AKA tallguy, is a salesman for a printing company. He likes
to hunt and fish when time permits.
David enjoys knives, but hasn’t made
them an obsession yet as it cuts into
his handgun budget.
The knives I own are knives I use.
Handguns, whitetails and smallmouth
bass are my favorite pursuits.
Never go anywhere without a knife!
JULY 2003
KNIFEFORUMS
45
Reminiscent of 1950’s styled
switchblades, Cold Steel TiLites™ tactical folders echo the
swift lines of memorable classics. Custom knife maker Phil
Boguszewski contributed his design
influence and helped
in the creation of the
Ti-Lites.
The AUS 8A stainless steel blades
feature razor sharp
edges and sturdy,
needle sharp points.
The handles are
made of forged Titanium. They are also
available with the
Cold Steel original
finish or with a polished blue anodized
finish new for 2003.
They have been CNC
milled for a visually
46
KNIFEFORUMS
appealing look, and for maximum
strength and safety. The TiLites™ are also equipped with full
length Titanium leaf spring locks.
Another nice feature of the TiLites is the small, unobtrusive
steel pocket clip.
A custom quality folding knife, especially one that’s manufactured
with a Titanium handle and a Titanium leaf spring lock is undeniably
strong, lightweight, and beautiful
to look at, but it’s also quite expensive
If you love the Ti-Lite, but find the
price is a little steep, there is an
affordable alternative. The Zytel®
Ti-Lite mimics the look of its more
expensive counterpart. Instead of
Titanium, Cold Steel substitutes
43% glass filled Zytel for the
handle.
440A Sub Zero
Quenched stainless steel is used
for the leaf spring lock and liners.
The result is a lightweight knife that
is remarkably strong, sharp and
good looking,
affordable
for almost
everyone.
Claiming to be the Maker of the
world’s “Strongest, Sharpest
Knives”, Cold Steel was founded
in the 1980’s by Lynn Thompson,
renowned martial artist and
hunter. The company manufactures high performance knives,
daggers, tomahawks, throwers
and survival tools for tactical, hunting, utility and specialty applications. As documented by the
PROOF video and MORE
PROOF dvd, all Cold Steel knives
are subjected to strenuous tests
to ensure repeatable, quality performance in the field. More information and online ordering is
available at
www.coldsteel.com
For more information, contact:
Lynn Thompson
President, Cold
Steel, Inc.
1-899-255-4716
3036-A Seaborg
Avenue
Ventura, CA 93003 USA
accidentally occurs. Usually it’s
the spike on the tomahawk that
hooks someone or something
during a workout or movement
set. The axe has less tendency to
catch you off guard, but it can
happen. Much of early tactical
work that has came down to us
via history was with the axe. And
as much as I love a hawk, there
is still an allure to the axe. I know
many feel the same way as I.
Tomahawks and axes have been a
fact of life in the Americas for several centuries. They have proven
their worth as tools of survival, of
discovery and of war. To focus upon
any one of these areas to the exclusion of the others is too short-shrift
the venerable devices. And such a
volume of information already exists about the tomahawk and the axe
it is difficult to write more about it
without going into repetition at
some point. But, every ten years or
so it seems that a new wave of interest in the tomahawk breathes life
back into it’s core being. That’s
when a new, fresher presentation
needs to come forth to further
stimulate the minds of those participating in the re-generation of
these respected weapons.
erences! In this brief article I am
going to cover some of the
highpoints about the family of hand
held choppers we call tomahawk
and axe. So get in - sit down, buckle
up and hang on! We’re going to take
a terrific tactical tour of the tough,
trusty tomahawk and it’s cousin, the
awesome assassin of battle, the axe!
Understanding the Concept Behind
These Weapons
Tomahawks and axes are different
from weapons such as sticks,
knives, swords and spears. They
differ because they operate on two
planes of motion simultaneously.
Sticks and knives conversely operate on only one plane of motion.
Now, I am not suggesting we turn
this into rocket science, just a tip
I sense that we are presently en- to the wise. It is merely something
gulfed in one of those “waves of to be aware of as you as you
public interest” in the axe & toma- progress. Go slow in your early
hawk. So this article is timely and training until this aspect of dual
on target with our readerships pref- planes is fully grasped lest injury
JULY 2003
The axe can thrust with the butt
of the weapon, the broad head
can strike linear also. But no real
point exists so penetrations are
difficult. The tomahawk has its
spike. That spike absolutely
makes the hawk a far deadlier
weapon. Deviating perforations,
penetrations and punctures on command. It’s the holes, not the whacks
that stop attackers dead in their
tracks. Moral: learn to rotate the
hawk so edge or spike are both
readily yours. On using the axe or
the tomahawk, remember they
themselves are “attack oriented”
weapons.
They can serve you best as aggressive weapons. In defense, they lack
sophistication. So Attack!
When getting a “feel” for your axe
or hawk, try out snapping movements. Strike slowly and then pull
it back a little faster than it went
out. Like a snap cut with a knife,
you’ll soon realize what must be
done. Next attempt some slow follow through strikes. These strikes
are powerful, play safe, and train
smart. Use continuous circles, keep
flowing. The snapping blow is relative to a one and one encounter. The
follow through blows are nice for
KNIFEFORUMS
47
ons. The stick being an impact
weapon is designed to produce
blunt trauma.
The stick is also an extension
weapon, but lacks true authority
by having no true point or edge.
The axe and tomahawk combine
the properties of the knife, the
stick, the lever all in one. Ranges
include the long range. This is
seen when the lower haft is held.
In the close quarter the haft can
be choked up on and the butt
comes into play. And last, the distant range. Here the weapon is
thrown, with great accuracy. That
is the main thing to develop, accuracy! The weapon then acts the
role of a “hurlbat” and does it’s work
which ever way it strikes an opponent. The weight and design of the
weapon combined with the power
of the thrower work to harm anything that is in it’s path. Seek accuracy initially, then add strength and
speed to get some real authoritative
“power”. You’ll get it too if you build
your skills intelligently!
multiple adversaries and multiblow type of all-out assaults. They
are also able to act as “respect getters”. These two energies or movement bases are common. Just explore them casually on your own,
use common sense. The rest is instinctual. I know you’ll get this
stuff, no doubt. Have fun in the process!
some ideas about different “grades”
(or levels) of weapons which coexist within the same conceptual
bases. These classifications are (but
limited to):
When throwing these weapons don’t
worry about sticking them. If they do
stick in the target that’s super! If not,
no biggie either! Some damage would
still be done! I know many men don’t
like the idea of throwing their weapon
A lever (developmental/training/at- away. They say “tossing away your
tribute enhancement)
weapon is foolish”. I concur about 95%
An edged wapon (Edge & point)
of the time. But, throwing is a selective
An extension weapon (club/impact) skill. So I say “know the how and the
A flying weapon (thrown/a hurlbat) WHEN to throw an axe or hawk. Then
A Closer Look
A crushing weapon (flat/blunt)
it becomes less of a risky “stunt” and
Striking with the butt (end/punyo) more of a last ditch tactical option. You
Either weapon / tool offers you
must make the final call on this stuff,
unique benefits which I shall soon You see a knife plays on a single no one can tell you the answers. Tailor
outline. The knowledge of such plane of action. Folders lack the your terrible tomahawk tactics to suit
benefits should increase your per- size (length) to be extension weap- your own requirements!
sonal confidence. It should give you ons. They are solely edged weap48
KNIFEFORUMS
Attitude
As mentioned earlier the
attitude of an axeman or a
tomahawk man must be
one of aggression. Notice
I did not say “should be
one of aggression”. Must
be one of aggression, that
word MUST is the key
term! Attack gets you further than does attempting
a form of defense. Trying
sword or knife manuevers
with an axe or hawk is a serious mistake. These tools
play on a different field of endeavor from the rest. This is why patterns like figure eights, circles and horizontal slashing should be understood
and practiced. Changing their lines
(angle of attacks) is one of the keys to
successful use of these patterns of motion. The tomahawk and axe are blurring whirlwinds of destruction. Then
combine this buzzsaw-like formula with
faking, setups and well honed ruses....
wow ! You’ve got one heck of personal defense system going!
Since attack is the strongest mode
for a tomahawk or axe wielding
man, that means big energy expenditure too! Stamina and cardio-fitness figure in to this equation more
so than it does in swordplay, knife
fighting or pistolcraft. A hawk
weighs more than a knife and that
also takes a toll on stamina during
prolonged usage. The wrist can be
punished severely if it is not first
conditioned so it can deal with the
almost overweighted balance of the
tomahawk once in motion. Control &
power come from familiarity and repeat practice & exsposure to the weapons you intend to employ. (Yes, the
hitting a variety of targets with dead-on
accuracy. Power
moves are fun when
done correctly because they “feel”
right. You’ll see for
yourself if you try this.
I like training in this
manner. I employ
multiple targets for my
personal workouts.
best way to learn to swim is to get in
the water.) The best way to learn to
use a weapon is to begin working with
it daily in an earnest manner.
Targeting
And another thing,
when making your
target, allow about an
inch and a half clearance on either side of the weapons
head. That’s about a four inch wide
gap, open on one end. Depth is also
about four inches. I think just about
anyone can hit hard enough with an axe
or hawk. But, many fail on the accuracy test. So if you are serious about
learning these tools then by all means
give these simple tune-up tricks a go!
The proof is in the doing. A nice aspect to this is that once you “get it”,
then IT never leaves. The targets may
be discarded.
Time now to move on, mission accomplished. One of the ugly symptoms of the martial mania crowd is
their persistence on “basics”. Over
and over again, for years! Listen,
this stuff should be learned in less
than a week. So I say sincerely, give
your hawk & axe stuff about four
days of intense attention. Then call it
good, move on to reality. THAT’s why
you trained to start with. It was never
to permenently dwell in the semi-real,
twilight zone world of the dojo.
An Easy Test (just for fun)
Ah yes, the crux of the matter lies
here. I cannot overstate this
enough! Accuracy, hand -eye coordination, timing and edge alignment figure in dramatically to create the thing we call victory. How
can you get accuracy? Simple,
here’s how: First build cheap targeting devices that challenge and
enhance your skills. I use heavy
cardboard and simply cut “U”
shaped areas out of the end pieces.
The open end allows the hawk or
axe head to pass through cleanly.
This cardboard may be mounted on
a fence post or door jam with tape
or thumb tack. (Remember, this is
an accuracy target, go through the
opening, do NOT hit the target). If you
employ a training partner, then be sure
to allow ample cardboard for them to
safely hold on to. By adjusting this tar- In case you still may be wondering why
get (angles) you can become skilled at an axe has only a blade edge and the
JULY 2003
KNIFEFORUMS
49
tomahawk has an edge
and a spike (point) try
this simple test. Aquire
some heavy gauge
cardboard such as
freezers, copy machines
and
refridgerators come in.
Get a large enough
piece to insure safety
also. Cut out a rectangle
about six inches wide
by about two feet long.
Hang that piece
longwise from a tree.
That will do. Take your
sharp hawk and chop
(strike w/ the edge) the
vertical surface of the
hanging cardboard.
Check the damage
done, probably a a
rather shallow cut will
be seen even though you struck fairly
hard. Now, try the same with a hawk,
BUT... use the spike this time, NOT
the edge. Wow again huh! Presto! A
ninety caliber hole appears like magic
in the thick material! The spike is the
deadly part of the tomahawk equation,
not the edge. The axe was originally
built for utility purposes first, as a
weapon second. Only later in history,
the utility axe was adopted / modified
into a true weapon. The killing, disabling potential of the axe and hawk
are great, this is the upside. To know
the limits of a weapons performance
must be seen as a strength also. The
downside is having no awareness of a
weapons operating parameters. This
stuff must be realized in order to “stay
between the lines” so to speak. There
is no second place winner in life and
death combat, eh?
indestructable models of tomahawk in
their new catalog for your personal
I’ll give you some ideas in this sec- preference. These are synthetic
tion as to where you may purchase handled beauties offering durabiliy and
some quality axes and tomahawks. superb performance! Almost
I’ll offer suggestions on both the indestructable, these two tomahawks
custom and the production weap- represent what is possibly one of the
ons which are currently on the mar- best values around on quality hawks.
ket. Also a wide price range shall These are the “super hawks” of tomorbe offered (something for every- row for the warriors of today! Conone) From there you and your pock- tact the helpful folks at Shomertec via
etbook must come to terms regarding these contacts:
the reality of your purchase. In those Shomertec#360-733-6214
moments of decision, enlightenment http://www.shomertec.com
shall burst forth, the path will be shown,
the weapon will be chosen. The jour- #2. Cold Steel Inc. offers a full line of
ney of a thousand miles begins with one weapons related to this article. Sevstep. So, let us continue forward to- eral different axe designs & spare
gether!
handles. Tomahawks from Cold Steel
have been respected for years now so
#1. Coming in leading the way with you can’t go wrong there either. Lynn
their high tech fighting hawks is
Thompson is a historian and practicing
Shomertec Law Enforcement Sup- martial artist himself and that speaks
Points of Purchase/Weapons ply. Offering
two nearly volumes about his superb lineup of
50
KNIFEFORUMS
Aquisition
edged delights. For more information
please contact the Cold Steel team at: In closing, I’d like to thank you dear
reader for staying with me throughout
Cold Steel# 1-800-255-4716
http://www.coldsteel.com
this article. It’s been my pleasure to
share insights, secrets and time worn
facts about the venerable hand weapCUSTOMS:
#3. Custom fighting axes, belt axes and ons known as axe and tomahawk with
neat variations to the theme make Fox you. I hope that in some small way this
Forge another unique resource to con- sharing of information has enhanced the
sult when seeking axes & hawks. Even quality of your life or added to your
small war hammers are available from base of knowledge. If a ray of light has
Fox Forge. Listen, if you can employ been shed even if but for a moment,
a tomahawk or axe as a weapon, then how wonderful it is, eh? Train safely
a warhammer is no stretch to play ei- and respect property and life. Respect
ther! At the various shows on the west the well being of those who train with
coast the Wendell Fox table has be- you. They trust your moves, judgecome a favorite point of purchase for ments and decisions to be correct lest
axe buffs world wide. Being a regular harm come to them via accident or anat the now famous Riddle of Steel has ger. Be honorable when you can. If you
also exposed the Fox Forge weapon contact any of the fine vendors I have
arsenal to a wide array of
serious players globally.
Fox Forge #541-747-2126
listed please dear readers tell them
where you heard about their wares...
Knifeforums Magazine and James
Keating. That would be deeply appreciated. To get the vendors to support
this magazine we must earn their business. They must know we are doing
them so good. Thanx my friends and
I’ll see you next issue!
Sincerely,
Jim K.
www.wfoxknives.homestead.com/
wfoxknives.html
#4. Ed Caffrey Tomahawks
are also worthy of any man’s
collection of fine arms. Long
have I known of the classic
lines and performance
Caffrey hawks provide. Ed
Caffrey can be reached here
for more information Caffrey
#406-727-9102
www.caffreyknives.net/
#5. Our friend’s at American Tomahawk offers their
unique versions of the tomahawk as well.
They can be found at this
URL:
www.americantomahawk.com
Conclusion
JULY 2003
KNIFEFORUMS
51
52
KNIFEFORUMS
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JULY 2003
KNIFEFORUMS
53
The Case
family has been
involved in the cutlery
business for well over a
century. Much of the antique cutlery, which is so desirable and collectable today, comes from cutlery
businesses owned and operated by
the descendents of Job Case.
Cattaraugus Cutlery Company, Case
Brothers Cutlery Company, and W.
R. Case & Son Cutlery Company are
examples of the earliest cutlery companies started by these Case family
entrepreneurs. When an avid antique
knife collector sees these vintage
knives, the adrenalin starts flowing.
One of the most coveted knives a
collector can have in their collection
is the Wharncliffe Whittler. Named
after Lord Wharncliffe, a noble
English patron of
Joseph Rodgers &
Son of Sheffield,
England, the Wharncliffe blade is the master in the whittler configuration. The Case fam54
KNIFEFORUMS
ily has been
making these
popular vintage whittlers
for well over 100
years.
Cattaraugus Cutlery
was
started in Little Valley, New York in 1886 by J.B.F.
Champlain and his son, Tint, and
Job’s four sons: Jean, John, Andrew,
and William R. Case. Cattaraugus
Cutlery’s spin on the Wharncliffe (or
“Warncliffe”) Whittler is pictured in
The Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Identification and Values book by Roy
Ritchie and Ron Stewart. The pattern codes (13 or 15) for these knives
are indicated with the third and
fourth digit in the pattern key.
After the Case Brothers left the
Cattaraugus Cutlery Company,
they formed their own company,
Case Brothers Cutlery Company of
Little Valley, New York in 1900.
John, Jean, and Andrew Case were
the primary persons in Case Brothers with William R. involved as a
stockholder and subscriber. A copy
of the Case Brothers Cutlery catalog donated to the Case archives by
Bob Wurzlebacher, President of National Knife Collector’s Association,
shows a Serpentine Whittler with a
clip master blade, pattern #56, and
the Wharncliffe Whittler, pattern
#55. This same Case Brothers’ stag
Wharncliffe Whittler, 5355 is listed
in James Parker’s book, Pocket
Knife Traders Price Guide with a
mint value of $3,500. (Wow! I wish
I had a few of these in my collection!)
W. R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company has followed in the footsteps
of their forefathers with their version
of the Wharncliffe Whittlers, the
“Seahorse Whittler”. The new
Seahorse Whittler revives a centuryold design that we’ve reworked for
the 21st Century. The
versatile
Wharncliffe blade is crafted from heavygauge steel, making the Seahorse more
than a match for the toughest cutting tasks.
Detail work can be easily handled with
the fine coping and pen blades. With rich
handle material, such as Mother-of-Pearl
and Autumn Bone, the Seahorse Whittler
is as elegant as it is useful.
So if you are looking for a knife to add to
your collection, or for your every day
knife, look for the Case Seahorse Whittler.
With over 100 years of history and craftsmanship behind this “horse”, it’s a winner!
W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co.
PO Box 4000, Owens Way
Bradford, PA 16701 USA
800-523-6350.
Fax: 814-368-1736
Shirley Bosier, at work... How
lucky can a knife nut get?
You can meet and visit with
Shirley Bosier, the WR Case
Historian, at the following
events over the next few
months.
Smoky Mountain Knife Works
Case Extravaganza
Sevierville, TN
5-Jul-03
Chairman of the Board, President, Legends, Historian
National Zippo Day, 2003
Bradford, PA
19-Jul-03
President, Historian
Basham Lumber Company
Radcliff, KY
27-Sep-03
Legends, Historian
Parrish Ace Hardware d.b.a.
Case Knife Outlet
Parrish, AL
4-Oct-03
Historian Only
Cosner’s Gun Shop
Bedford, IN
1-Nov-03
Legends, Case Artisans, Historian
JULY 2003
KNIFEFORUMS
55
While we are at it!
Staff Report
One of the ideas behind the
Model 520 is to take all the benefits
of the Model 5000 AUTO-AXIS and put
it into a package that more people can appreciate. Because it lacks the firing spring, the Model
520 does not fall under any automatic knife restrictions.
The Model 520 can be opened as easy as any other of the Axis
Lock knives in the line-up. The dual thumb studs are placed in such a way on the blade that the blade opens
almost effortlessly once the geometry of the tang is defeated. It also incorporates the bi-directional scales that
give exceptional grip on the Model 5000.
It is not often that less is more but in the case of the Model 520, the exception IS the rule.
The Benchmade 520 with the
Auto 5000.
Note the
Thumbstuds on the 520, which
is the only visible difference.
56
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