Best Fighting Knives

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

1. Gerber Mk.II Commanddo  Style 1.

 

2. Fairbairn-Sykes (Atlas Cutlery made by Windslass Knives in India.)

 

3.  Original K-Bar USMC (Camillus).

 

4. Linder Solingen 8" Bowie.

 

5.  Randall model 1-8.

 

6. A no-name 4" fake Damascus blade double edged slim stiletto boot knife that is very much better that the $30.00 dollars I paid for it.

 

7. A real 11" Gurkha Kukri that I bought in Vietnam.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2025 by Forty Rod SASS 3935
merged from duplicate post

[watab kid]

ive got no 2 & 3 , i rather like the FS /V24 type these are a rather formidable instrument , that K-bar is as well but much heavier and bulkier , if i was to carry - id carry both , as it is my vintage Kbar is in a colection display , my vintage FS is in my truck kit for emergency use 

[Rip Snorter]

The fighting style the user is trained in is the critical factor.  Edge vs. point.  As fond as I am of daggers, SF or Gerber, there is a great deal value with Bowies, and Tanto Jitsu as well - I lean to the latter two.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

11 hours ago, watab kid said:

ive got no 2 & 3 , i rather like the FS /V24 type these are a rather formidable instrument , that K-bar is as well but much heavier and bulkier , if i was to carry - id carry both , as it is my vintage Kbar is in a colection display , my vintage FS is in my truck kit for emergency use 

K-Bar is a belt tool.  It can be used to drive nails, cut tent stakes and wood to start fires or twist tournequets (SP?), cut ropes ,light wire and almost any fabric, dig trenches, and many other "not fighting knife" sort of things.

Edited November 23, 2025 by Forty Rod SASS 3935

[Chantry]

The Gurkha kukri, a pretty good general purpose utility knife in peacetime and an extremely effective weapon during wartime.  The Germans, Turks, Japanese and the various Afghan tribes found that out the hard way.  Gurkhas preferred the kukri over a rifle with a bayonet for hand to hand combat.

[Pat Riot]

Something in the 9mm / .357 Magnum persuasion. Then it’s whatever knife I have on me. 

When I was a kid my Dad taught me to knife fight. Sometimes we used dulled steel blades which could still cut you with enough pressure. 
The one thing I learned that served me well in really bad neighborhoods and bad situations later in life is show no fear and do not be afraid to get cut. 

My Dad hated guns and he was generally in a bad mood. He was a big very strong guy. He often made extra money in bare knuckle fist fights, like the ones shown in those Clint Eastwood movies. 
His favorite fighting knife was his KABAR that was identical to the one issued to him in the Marines. 

Once when he decide he needed a punching bag, I mean, a sparring partner, he told me to grab the rubber knives and meet him outside. 
I also grabbed two stubby revolver cap guns and stuck them in my pockets. 
My Dad came out, grabbed a rubber knife and said “Let’s go” and got into his USMC fighting stance. 

I produced my rubber knife in my left hand then approached him. As he swept his blade past me I pulled my cap gun and shot him. The look of surprise was funny. The look of anger that followed was not.

”Boy, drop that gun and quit messing around!”

I laid the gun down and he came at me. I reached in my back pocket and pulled my second cap gun “Pow!”

”You’re dead. Throat shot! Lay down and bleed out. Fight’s over.”

Thus ended the lesson…that day.
Boy, was he mad. 
 

All kidding aside, I carry lock blade knives that I can handle and use in a confrontation if need be. I have become very partial to CRKT M16 & M21 lock blade knives as carry knives that I would have no problem using as a weapon. The blades are 3.5” and 4.25” respectively. 
Carrying around a large fixed blade fighting knife attracts unwanted attention. 
A folding knife with a pocket clip attracts no attention at all. 

 

 

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

Fighting Knives:

Confederate Bowie - upper left.

Fairbairn-Sykes  - upper right

Kukri - middle bottom

Kabar USN MK2 - to the right of the Kukri

 

The rest are bayonets and a Colonial jack knife

 

 

 

Forty - I don't know if you remember Dakota Hipshot. This was his WWII knife when he was a landing craft operator in the Pacific. He knew I had a few bayonets and he gave this to me. It is next to the Kukri in the photo above.

 

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

I wouldn't have a clue as I don't fight with knives. If it comes to that, I'll get my cc out.

[Three Foot Johnson]

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

3 hours ago, Three Foot Johnson said:

That's just stupid.  If you're close enough to use that why would you botch up the knife by hanging useless garbage on it?

[Buckshot Bear]

My Dad's Commando badge that is with his war medals -

 

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

I don't claim to be a knife fighting expert but when I travel to places I can't bring a gun, I keep this around.

JHC

Cold Steel Recon Tanto, laminate steel.

[DeaconKC]

1 hour ago, Capt. James H. Callahan said:

I don't claim to be a knife fighting expert but when I travel to places I can't bring a gun, I keep this around.

JHC

Cold Steel Recon Tanto, laminate steel.

I like Cold Steel's stuff too!

[Mossy Horn Gent]

KA-BAR full size and short

Cold Steel SRK

SOG Seal Pup

Gerber Strongarm

ESEE 4, 5 or 6

[watab kid]

23 hours ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

K-Bar is a belt tool.  It can be used to drive nails, cut tent stakes and wood to start fires or twist tournequets (SP?), cut ropes ,light wire and almost any fabric, dig trenches, and many other "not fighting knife" sort of things.

yes - i was told by FIL all the chores he had put his to - it was issued to him in navy with the gray scabbard he navy used , its in pretty good shape for its age - it dates to WWII 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Sounds like a pretty fair heirloom.  Cherish it.

[watab kid]

dont often post much of collections gone particularly since the photos only show a fraction , 

 

 

[TN Mongo, SASS #61450]

I was a knife guy before I ever owned a gun. I don't even want to try and guess how many knives I own. I do own a Randall 1 and several Benchmade and Microtech OTFs, but what I carry every day is a 4" Boker auto that's half serrated with a D2 steel blade. I can't bring myself to carry one of my collectable blades. I would be heartbroken if I lost or damaged one of my really good knives. What I carry is dependable, works well and can easily be replaced. 

[Texas Maverick]

Since I would bet that most haven't had any knife fighting training I would say the answer should be the same as the gun. It is whatever you happen to be carrying is the best answer. I carry a SOG and have had some training but not a lot. I have about 200 knives in my collection but this is my EDC as well as a small pocket knife for other needs.

 

 

TM

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

On 11/23/2025 at 12:18 PM, Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L said:

Fighting Knives:

Confederate Bowie - upper left.

Fairbairn-Sykes  - upper right

Kukri - middle bottom

Kabar USN MK2 - to the right of the Kukri

 

The rest are bayonets and a Colonial jack knife

 

 

 

Forty - I don't know if you remember Dakota Hipshot. This was his WWII knife when he was a landing craft operator in the Pacific. He knew I had a few bayonets and he gave this to me. It is next to the Kukri in the photo above.

 

I don't remember him. Sorry.

 

That's one of the better knives for rugged all around use.   There were some that had longer blades and that just threw the balance off.  Mine has a 7" that I have found to be perfect for me.  It seems that 7" is right for a fixed blade knife and a 5" folder works best...again, for me.  Your milage may vary.

 

I'm looking for a 5" lever lock (aka side lock) switchblade with stag scales to replace one that simply vanished about a year ago.  I had carried that knife for close to 40 years and one day it was gone.  I have a 2 1/2" Hubertus that is a pretty good knife but it just doesn't fit my needs.

[TN Mongo, SASS #61450]

If a similar knife is currently available, you will probably find it on the site listed below. They have a wide selection of switchblades (side opening and out the front). I get in trouble every time I get on this website.

 

Knives and EDC - Knife Store with Huge Selection | Blade HQ

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

For home use my best fighting knife would be ..........  and spear!

[The Blarney Kid]

Scottish dirk and Ames Riflemans knife