"Vindicator" Custom Counterterrorism Knife
"Vindicator" Custom Tactical Combat Counterterrorism Push/Punch Dagger
- Size: Length overall: 8.0" (20.3 cm), Blade Length (to quillons): 5.5" (14.0 cm), Thickness: .248" (6.3 mm)
- Weight: Knife: 12.5 oz. (354 grams) Sheath (Coyote Kydex): 8.5 oz. (241 grams), Sheath (Black Kydex): 8.5 oz. (241 grams)
Leather, Inside Waistband: 5.7 oz. (162 grams), Leather, Dress, Exotic Inlay: 5.7 oz. (162 grams)
- Blade: ATS-34 High Molybdenum-Chromium Stainless Tool Steel, Hardened and Tempered to Rockwell C59, Media Blasted
- Fittings/Bolsters: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, Media Blasted
- Handle: Camo (Black, Coyote, Olive Drab) G10 Fiberglass/Epoxy Laminate Composite
- Sheath 1: Coyote Kydex, Anodized Brown 5052H32 Aluminum Alloy, 6AL4V Anodized Titanium Alloy, Brown Oxide Stainless Steel
- Sheath 2: Black Kydex, Anodized Black 5052H32 Aluminum Alloy, 6AL4V Anodized Titanium Alloy, Blackened Stainless Steel
- Sheath 3: Inside Waistband, 9-10 oz. thick Leather Shoulder, Nickel Plated Spring Steel Clip, polyester sinew, (inside belt or waistband angled wear, right)
- Sheath 4: Dress/Fine, 9-10 oz. thick Leather Shoulder, Hand-carved and inlaid with tan rayskin, stitched with black polyester, sealed
- Knife: The "Vindicator" is a modification
of my original "Grim Reaper" push/punch dagger design, created
with the input of a US Army Intelligence Officer for his defense
and protection serving in the Middle East. The push/punch dagger
is a simple yet extremely robust knife, and when held in the
fist is an unstoppable weapon. The Vindicator is designed with
an extra long blade with 5 inches of razor-keen cutting edges
for piercing through the multiple layers of clothing and gear
the enemy wears. I made the blade in ATS-34 high molybdenum,
high chromium martensitic stainless tool steel, the same
super-tough and wear resistant steel most of my counterterrorism
knife blades are made of, simply because this is an extremely
strong and durable stainless tool steel. I hollow ground the
double edges with a 3" contact wheel, something few, if any,
other makers do, simply because it's very difficult to achieve.
What this tight grind geometry produces is a blade that is
extremely thin at the cutting edge, yet very thick and
substantial down the central spine, critical for support of a
double-edged knife blade. This symmetry produces a blade that is all
razor edges, with a well-supported point, and a very strong
spine for complete application of force without worry about
movement, lateral flexion, or fracture. The blade has no
choils to become trapped or snagged in any clothing or gear, and the
cutting edges simply taper to a stop in the grind for smoothness in
thrusting motion. The blade has substantial quillons that are 2.75" (7.0
cm) at the widest that serve four purposes: one is to stop
penetration of the blade at its limit, the second is to protect
the fingers from any metal, edges, or projections, and the third
is to provide a smooth, rounded, contoured surface for the
fingers for maximum grip security, and the fourth is to engage
in the sheath retention methods, whether hybrid tension-lock or
leather. The blade is supported by a thick and heavy central
neck-ricasso to provide transfer of force from the hand to the blade
edges and point, and the handle tang is full thickness in the
palm for a solid, complete support. The tang is internally
milled for weight reduction so the knife is balanced, and the blade has my striking
and bold "sunrise" filework throughout the thick tang to aid in
grip potential and offer handmade distinction. The handle is
bolstered with zero-care 304 high nickel, high chromium
austenitic stainless steel bolsters, secured with zero-clearance
peened 304 stainless pins for absolute security. The bolsters
are rounded and dressed on all external surfaces for comfort,
and they are dovetailed to bed the handle scales permanently and
securely. The scales are camo G10 fiberglass/epoxy composite
laminate, a premier manmade material that offers extreme
durability a smooth and comfortable feel, and absolute rigidity
for many generations. It's also completely colorfast, so the
colors are here to stay. The scales are secured with four 304
stainless steel through-tang pins, and nicely ground and
finished for matching color and pattern display. The balance
point of the knife is exactly at the narrow neck of the ricasso, and
the knife feels extremely solid and molded to the hand when
gripped in the fist. This knife was designed for the wearer to
be able to immediately put it in his hand, in closed-fist form,
without elaborate grip technique, and to defend his life with
simple punching and and thrusting motion natural to human
movement. No matter where the enemy is attacking, the blade will
yield an extremely aggressive point and razor sharp cutting edge
with enough power behind it to drive through heavy clothing,
around gear and equipment with tremendous force.
- In close quarters battle, if defense is absolutely necessary,
and a firearm or large knife is not available or useful, this is
the very tool that is needed to save a life from an attacker.
- Sheaths: With all my tactical combat
counterterrorism knives, the sheath is just as important
as the knife, for without it, the knife is not convenient, not
comfortable, not accessible, and not useful. So my client
requested several sheath options, depending on the wear
environment, gear, accessibility, visual queues, and individual
mission needs. The sheaths needed to secure the knife well, yet
allow it to be easily accessed by the professional in a
heartbeat if necessary.
The Tension-Lock Sheath
(2-Coyote Brown and Black): This is my own design,
and it's been a great one for tactical counterterrorism use
where my more secure locking sheath would be too large, or
access and unsheathing too slow. The tension locking sheath holds the knife
securely with no rattle, play, or movement via a spring
retention method that will, simply, last as long as the knife.
The sheath is constructed of double-thickness kydex, that is,
twice as thick as most kydex sheaths made by anyone else in the
world, and twice as thick as all firearm holsters. The sheath is
build on a frame of 5052H32 high strength corrosion resistant
aluminum alloy, and I've meticulously anodized all of the
surfaces, even through holes, of each welt
component for extremely high durability, ultimate corrosion
resistance, strength enhancement,
and muted appearance. If you're not familiar with anodization,
it's a chemo-electric process that creates a near-ceramic hard
surface on the aluminum alloy, a surface that increases wear
resistance tremendously, and a surface that can accept permanent
dyes that are sealed in place. For my black kydex sheaths, the
anodized aluminum color is black for low reflectivity and matching appearance.
The Coyote brown sheath gets my medium brown color. The
process is works so well that I'm anodizing all of the
other aluminum components of the sheaths: the mounts, the belt
loops, the flat straps, the clamps, belt plates and all aluminum
parts. The surface is hard to scratch, extremely corrosion
resistant, non-glare, flat in
reflectivity, and highly durable. The 6AL4V titanium spring is
also anodized a deep blue-black or dark straw brown for muted appearance and a
hardened surface, and all fasteners are highly corrosion
resistant stainless steel that is chemical surface treated for
a dark gray-black muted appearance or oxide treated for a
medium straw color while retaining all of the extremely high corrosion resistance
only available in stainless steel. The tension lock sheath comes
with two pairs of belt loops (footman's loops) that are die-formed and anodized aluminum
alloy. One pair is high profile for .250"
x 1.5" belt sizes and the other pair is low profile for
thinner .190" x
1.5" sized belts. I also include heavy vertical straps and horizontal
straps in anodized aluminum that allow the sheath to be rigidly
clamped to belt, webbing, PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System),
straps, body armor gear, and anywhere there is a need. All of
the mounting assemblies are reversible, as is the spring
retention for the tension-lock sheath, so the versatility of
this sheath is unsurpassed. It's also completely and absolutely
waterproof, for zero worry about exposure. The knife can be
unsheathed by finger pressure against the spring tab, or by a
hard pull in an emergency. Included are two extra titanium
springs, so my client can choose
the tension he desires, light, medium, or heavy, depending on
the gear he mounts it to, the angle and orientation, and his
personal preference for a pull-to-release tension. What a
versatile package!
- Leather sheath (IWB): My client requested
an Inside Waist Band sheath specifically designed for inside waistband wear,
yet with reasonable retention and security. This is necessary to
keep a low visibility profile in tactical situations and in the
public sphere, typically behind the back and under a jacket or
shirt. With most knives, this is not something I encourage, but
these are counterterrorism professionals, and like our military,
need specialized equipment for their and our defense. The
sheath is made of 9-10 oz. leather shoulder, very thick and
stout, yet it is not hardened like most of my sheaths so that
the leather is as comfortable as possible. The leather is
not dyed and is left its natural color, because dyes can bleed into clothing with moisture and
sweat, but the leather is sealed with acrylic sealer for
moisture resistance and longevity. I stitched
the sheath with polyester sinew, the toughest, most mold and
rot-resistant fiber on the market, and all of the surfaces are
rounded, smoothed and finished. The IWB leather sheath is designed
to be worn inside the waistband or inside the belt line, and the
nickel plated steel belt clip secures the affair to the belt or
band at a convenient angle to allow quick and easy access to
the handle. The knife is retained in the sheath with a unique leather d-shaped stud, stitched
permanently in place, that requires the sheath to be pressed and
flexed out of
position before the knife can be removed. This prevents the
knife from falling out, even during active moments, yet the
knife is easily unsheathed by a user familiar to its operation.
Since blade and edge safety are my main concern, the sheath
is built with heavy, thick welts protect the owner from the point and
cutting edges.
- Leather sheath (Dress/Fine): My client
requested a fine leather sheath, one that would work with the
design for display and classy wear, and I built this one in
heavy leather shoulder with 9 inlays of tan rayskin. I dyed the
leather black and with the tan rayskin, it matches the colors in
the handle quite well. This is a sturdy, beautiful sheath that I
hand-stitched with black polyester, and even the belt loop has
multiple inlays of the rayskin. It's sealed with acrylic sealer
for longevity and is a work of independent art suiting the
Vindicator quite well.
- This is a professional tactical defensive knife, and it's my
hope that (as with all my combat knives) it never needs to be
used. But if it is necessary, this knife is built as durably and
intelligently as possible, with useful and necessary wear and
carry options, for the counterterrorism professional who may
trust it in the most dangerous environment.
- Learn much more about my
Counterterrorism Knives at this link.
Thanks, J. A.!
Hey Jay:
I just opened my package and am completely blown away!!! Your craftsmanship and symmetry are incredible.
Your sheath work is fantastic. I absolutely love the inlaid ray skin and the IWB variant for the Vindicator.
Your tactical sheathes are perfect. The balance on each blade is so beautiful. Easy to translate grips and
move back and forth to the sheaths.
I enjoy showing off your detailed filework. Sets
each knife off for sure and shows how absolutely a perfectionist you are.
I am truly honored to own your blades. I will use them and protect them to ensure they remain ready for my
next generation!
Thank you so much for your work.
Best,
J
Please click on thumbnail knife photos