DUTY F0LDER - Ka-Bar

DUTY F0LDER
TACTICAL
DEFENDER
TERRILL HOFFMAN PHOTO
KA-BAR/TDI
Don’t let the bend throw you, this last-ditcher can keep you from singing the S.O.L. blues!
by
Dave Spaulding
J
ohn Benner, president
and founder of the Tactical Defense Institute
(TDI), has been my friend for
over 20 years. I first met him in
a class taught by John Shaw,
founder of the Mid-South Institute for Self Defense Shooting, where we both realized we
were not as good at shooting
as we had previously thought.
Benner was just getting his
training company up and running, and I found him to be
both knowledgeable and fun to
be around. Our paths crossed
repeatedly through the years
as we took several training
courses together (he beat me
into the ground at a Defensive
Tactics Instructor course where
I found he was not susceptible
to pressure points and I very
much was) as well as both of us
being in command of drug task
forces funded by the same federal grant.
Our methodology for teaching the combative application
of the handgun is so similar
that it is almost scary, even
though we developed our
doctrine separate from one another. I contracted John to train
the members of the task force I
commanded and I have had the
54 TACTICAL KNIVES/July 2011
good fortune to be a student in
a number of TDI courses. I only
say this to let the reader know
that I have great respect for
John, but I once thought he
was out of his gourd.
Convincing KA-BAR
A number of years ago, he
showed me a prototype knife he
designed as a weapon retention
tool for uniformed cops. It was
a goofy-looking curved knife
with a pistol style grip. John felt
it would be easy to draw and
use as a last ditch close-quarter
weapon for a a police officer
who might be fighting for pos-
session of his gun. He tried to
sell the idea to a manufacturer
(no longer in business), but did
not get very far. Admittedly, I
was not surprised—I thought
the idea was dumb but did not
have the heart to tell him. Boy,
was I wrong! This was not the
first time in my life that I lacked
the foresight to see a good idea
when it was presented to me.
Not only did John convince the
legendary KA-BAR Knife Company to manufacture his design, there is now an entire line
of TDI products manufactured
by KA-BAR, designed by John
and his TDI instructors.
I should not have doubted
him, as John is a man with a
great deal of real-world military
and police experience. A former police lieutenant, as well
as a drug task force coordinator and SWAT team field commander, John has more than
30-plus years of experience in
the street and on the battlefield. He has developed courses
in raid tactics, hand-to-hand
skills and knife programs that
are currently taught to law enforcement, military and civilian
groups from around the world.
As stated, the TDI knife was
originally designed for police
officers, to be worn on
the off-hand side and drawn
like a pistol. In extreme close
quarters, where a suspect is
attempting to take an officer’s
handgun, the TDI knife would
be available as a last ditch defense option. When coupled
with a friction-fit sheath, the
unit is easily mounted on an
officer’s inner-pant belt and
concealed behind the various
gear worn on his uniform duty
belt. The TDI knife is made with
a non-reflective black powder
coated AUS 8 stainless steel
blade and a textured Zytel handle. When paired with the ambi-
Phot cap here
TACTICAL KNIVES/July 2011 55
would not feel like the
owner had dropped their
wallet as well.
Make It Fold!
Since the original knife
came along, several larger versions have been
introduced as some felt
the short 2.31-inch blade
was not big enough to
do the job. Considering the knife’s original
intent, this view may
not be accurate. But “to
The TDI knife was born from the training school of the same name. TDI is a each his own,” so lonfull-service institution that offers training in hand-to-hand, impact weapger, larger versions were
ons, edged weapon and every level of firearm. The folding TDI knife is the
introduced. Since its insame as the large TDI fixed blade in size and shape.
troduction, the TDI knife
dextrous hard plastic sheath, the total unit has been used in four documented weapon
weighs only 0.26 pounds, so it is very easy retention situations, all with successful reto “carry and forget” until it is needed. The sults. More importantly, the TDI knife has
knife measures 5-5/8 inches overall, with proven to be an excellent general patrol
a blade that is 2.31 inches long and avail- knife with many additional uses being creable in straight or serrated versions. The TDI ated as needs/demands develop. John was
knife was designed to sell at a low price so continually asked to introduce a folding
that if the knife were lost or left behind, it version, something he was reluctant to do,
as a folding model would nullify the simplicity in drawing that the original model
achieved. However, as demand grew, John
reconsidered and sat down with the folks
at KA-BAR and developed a folding version
of the TDI knife. In his own words, “The primary reason I wanted the folder was we at
TDI encourage people to carry more than
one knife. You need to have one for ‘chores’
and one for possible combat, depending on
the situation. I felt it would be good to have
a folder with the same blade angle, feel,
weight as the fixed blade knife—that way
everything is the same. It’s based on ‘The
SIG Principle’–simple is good—I’ve heard
that somewhere!” John is making a reference to a section from my book Handgun
The liner lock on the TDI folder is robust and solidly
Combatives, which I appreciate.
locks the blade in place.
Holes have been drilled into the handle to reduce weight. Notice the
solid checkering on the grip surface.
56 TACTICAL KNIVES/July 2011
Around The Bend
Like all TDI knives, the TDI folder has a final configuration that is bent so it sits in
the hand like a pistol, but it is this bend
that gives the TDI knife its capabilities. The
new folder is similar to the large TDI knife
in length, weight and feel. These larger versions feature drop-point and Tanto blades
that are black powder coated AUS 8A
stainless steel and are available partiallyserrated or with a plain edge and measure
3.68 inches. Overall length is 7.56 inches
and each knife weighs 0.4 pounds. A lightly
textured and ergonomically shaped Zytel
handle provide a comfortable, secure grip.
Packaged with a hard plastic friction sheath,
fitted with nylon/Cordura MOLLE straps, the
knives can be mounted on a standard pant
belt, a duty belt, or any other gear that uses
the daisy chain system. The straps are reversible and can be attached so that the knife can
be worn horizontally or vertically. The folder
will be available in a drop-point configuration only, either plain or with a serrated edge.
A spring steel belt clip allows the knife to be
carried in a tip-up configuration, the mode of
carry that I prefer due to simplicity. Why simplicity, you ask? To draw a tip-up folding knife,
all you have to do is insert the thumb of the
drawing hand behind the knife’s body and
allow your remaining fingers to wrap around
the clip. Once the knife pulls clear of the
pocket material, the fingers can then secure
a more positive position on the handle while
your thumb moves to the hole on the blade
for rapid deployment. The clip is reversible for
right- or left-side carry. In the case of the TDI
folder, the hole cut into the top of the blade
has a flat bottom with an elongated semicircle at the top which seems to engage the
skin on the thumb positively. I had very little
problem getting my thumb into the opening
hole and deploying the knife.
My test knife had a smooth opening action that locked solidly via the liner lock
The jimping on the top of the blade and grip solidly
locks the gripping thumb in place.
The TDI folder rides securely in the pocket, tip up, while offering a low profile.
The saber grip allows the TDI folder to be used as either
a stabbing, chopping or slashing weapon. The grip surface is quite secure.
device that KA-BAR uses on this model. The
liner lock moved to the halfway point on
the back of the blade and could not be unlocked by striking the knife’s spine on a solid object, a test that is used by many knowledgeable knife enthusiasts to test a folders
locking strength. The liner lock bar has a
nice series of serrations that make it easy
to unlock while the back of the blade and
handle have deep jimping to help hold the
thumb in place when using a saber grip. A
series of holes have been cut into the knife’s
handle to help reduce weight while giving
it a very space-age look. A deep, round cut
has been placed in the grip to make it easier
to slide the thumb onto the opening hole
and this cut doubles as a finger groove for
the index finger once the blade is deployed.
When combined with the checkered grips,
this finger groove helps the TDI folder lock
solidly in the hand, even when wearing
gloves or when the knife is wet.
Field/Street Use
In most knife articles I have read, the end
is reserved for field testing and this article
is no different. However, the term “field”
test would be the wrong way to look at it.
The TDI folder was designed to be used for
close quarter combat, primarily weapon
retention, so I decided to focus on this application. To do this, I broke out a 3-D firearm training target called the Tac-Man that
I received from Law Enforcement Targets
(www.letargets.com). I then took some cuts
of meat, wrapped them in plastic wrap and
strategically placed them on this 3-D torso
and did a series of slash tests that would
mimic what the knife would be used for in
the street. I covered the target with a wool
jacket that would simulate the type of clothing popularly worn in cold weather. Not surprisingly, the TDI folder ripped through the
wool coat and meat underneath with little
problem. For those interested in cutting
Continued on page 85
TACTICAL KNIVES/July 2011 57
KA-BAR
Continued from page 57
A wool winter coat was used to cover the meat for a
more realistic test medium.
The author slashing and hacking away with the new
TDI folder.
tests like this, check out the TDI website for
the videos they filmed in cooperation with
KA-BAR. These may change your opinions
on the capability of small knives.
Will the folding TDI Knife replace the fixed
blade version? Not likely, as the simplicity of
the original design is outstanding—no matter how much you practice drawing and
opening a folder. Like John, I see the folding
model as a supplement to the fixed model,
or as a replacement for the fixed model,
for the off-duty or plainclothes officer who
wants the knife’s capabilities but doesn’t
want to carry a sheath knife when in soft
clothes. Like all of the knives in the TDI line,
the folder will surely be a huge hit. It fills a
TK
need that few others, if any, can fill.
For More Information
KA-BAR Knives
200 Homer St., Dept. TK
NY, 14760; 800-282-0130
www.ka-bar.com
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