# Knife for kit.



## ShockWave (Aug 7, 2011)

I am looking at buying a Benchmade Nimravus Tanto to put on my vest. I was wondering if anyone had one and could give me their opinion on it.
What do you like/dislike about the knife?

Or if anyone has a suggestion for a better knife it would be greatly appreciated.

I plan on using it for normal everyday field use, but if the need ever arises, self defense also.

Thanks


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## Marauder06 (Aug 7, 2011)

I hear a guy named Gary Melton makes a good knife ;)

Might want to talk to The Troll that frequents this site as well.


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## Gary Melton (Aug 8, 2011)

ShockWave said:


> I am looking at buying a Benchmade Nimravus Tanto to put on my vest. I was wondering if anyone had one and could give me their opinion on it.
> 
> Or if anyone has a suggestion for a better knife it would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> ...


The one issue that would make this a No Go in my book is the fact that this knife is .115 thick. Thats not even an 1/8". That would make it a poor choice for a field/combat knife IMO. Also I am not a fan of a field knife with serrations, it's a lot harder to sharpen serrations.
I would suggest my Bravo Smash. This may appear to be flagrant self promotion but I designed and made that knife to be what was everything that I thought was needed for a combat knife. So its truly is (IMO) what I believe to the best choice. With that said.. also check out Spartan Blades, Chris Reeves, and Busse. Invest some money in a kit knife. If you do it will repay you many times over, be ready when you need it, AND you will have a knife you will be giving to your grandkids. I hope this helps and if you have any other knife ?'s feel free to pm me or email.
Hope this helped.


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## x SF med (Aug 8, 2011)

Fielsd use...  that covers a lot of ground....  chopping, busting 55 gallon drums, splitting stuff...  definitely need a beefier knife in the spine department.

The Nimravus is more of a tanto fighter...  serrations are great for cutting rope or going through meat, but as Gary said serrations are a pain to sharpen, even when you know how to work with them.

I own one Busse (long story, but Gary finally made me a sheath for it), a bunch of Harsey/Reeve, a couple of Spartans, a Melton small field, Gerbers, an al Mar/Gerber, a Buck, and even an old Wilderness Explorer...  those are a portion of my fixed blades.   Fixed Blades are generally for the 'big' jobs and should be coupled with a _*good*_ folder  (my EDC is a Chris Reeve Sebenza Clasic 2000).

The Bravo Smash is an excellent all around knife for a field soldier - it is heavy enough to chop, sharp enough for semi- detailed work, long enough to use as a fighter if needed, and short enough to fit on your kit without rearranging your anatomy.

A knife is a personal choice...  and needs to fit your mission...  Are you going to use it as a fighter mainly, or as a chopper, or so you need a machete?

the Pacific by Chris Reeve is a good all around field knife, The Green Beret (civilian version of the Yarborough) comes in  5.5 and 7 inch versions; The Spartan/Harsey is a monster (probably the best all around field/fighter I can think of); the Melton Combat Bowie will take down a tree, The Melton 'Sword of God' is another monster with finesse....   a pukka style knife is all most people need....

FIT...  there is the key to what makes a great knife for you...  does it fit your hand?  does it balance properly for you?   the coolest knife in the world will be a safe queen if it doesn't balance and the handle doesn't feel right...

Ok....  I'm stopping now...  I'll go through my collection and smile because any one of my fixed blades fits properly and balances for me....

(Melton knives....   Melton Knives....  Melton knives....   Chris Reeve knives....  Melton knives....  Spartan Blades....  anything Harsey Designed...  classic Al Mar...  Melton, Harsey, Spartan. Reeve...   not like I'm biased or anything....  Melton, Harsey, Spartan, Reeve...)


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## TLDR20 (Aug 8, 2011)

I love my Yarborough, but I am afraid to use it, so I just buy folders. I tend to lose em anyways.


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## ShockWave (Aug 8, 2011)

x SF Med, Thank you for your insight. I want a good knife that can withstand chopping and splitting if needed, but will also be good if I absolutely must use it for self defense. I have looked at all the above mentioned/suggested knife designers and see a lot of good knives of which most seem a lot better than the nimravus.

Mr. Melton, I really like your Brava Smash knife, but I think I am leaning towards your NAQAM a little more.

I honestly don't know that much about the different types of steels used to make blades so would anyone mind telling me the difference between S35VN and ELMAX, preferably in stupid people english so I can understand lol. I tried to read on the websites what they are, but I just don't understand the difference.

Sorry I am asking so many questions, but I really like to know what I am getting and how well it stacks up against the competition

Thank you all for your help.

        -ShockWave


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## x SF med (Aug 8, 2011)

S35VN and Elmax are both powder matrix steels and have additions to the steel that make the grain of the steel finer, more corrosion resistant, tougher, and stronger than molten matrix steels.

I am more familiar with the S30V and S35VN are fairly fine grain strong, tough, corrosion resistant steels that sharpen well and hold an edge.  Gary is going to Elmax and S35VN for the workability and getting a good hard but not brittle blade.   Without going into the nitride/cabide/austensiting and martensiting properties of the steels based on the heat treating and quenching, that's as close to plain english as I can go...each steel compound has it's own fingerprint of how the parts come together and interact.  Shortest answer - S35VN and Elmax are stellar knife steels for the applications you are looking at...  a good 440C *heat treated properly* would be a little less corrosion resistant but still a good steel for the applications.

Now to really muddy the waters - a well designed knife of a good steel can be ruined by an improper heat treat/quench, and a poor design of mediocre steel can be better by a proper 'finishing' ...  there is a balance of the brittleness/hardness/toughness for a blade design that is due to the steel and its final heat treat/quench series...   think about the difference of an inexpensive production folder versus an ' expensive' folder...  you'll pay 3-5 times (at the outset) the cost of the production for the expensive knife....  but only pay that once (barring loss) by the time you are done it'll be 3-5 times less especially in time spent keeping an edge on it.


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## Kraut783 (Aug 8, 2011)

PLEASE refrain from speaking about the bravo smash knife......until mine comes in :)


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## Gary Melton (Aug 8, 2011)

Kraut783 said:


> PLEASE refrain from speaking about the bravo smash knife......until mine comes in :)


Ummmm... I finished that and sent a month ago...:-"

 ha ha ok.. probably not funny to you but a very much so. Will send a PM to you because it is finished!!


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## Kraut783 (Aug 8, 2011)

HOT DAMN!!  Christmas comes early!!!

....unless that dang troll is still lurking around your shop  :-|


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## x SF med (Aug 8, 2011)

Kraut...  I have connections in DFW...  SF and others....   does this make you feel any safer?:-|


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## Kraut783 (Aug 8, 2011)

Dang it....at least let me play with it for a week before you and your "connections" break in and steal it


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## x SF med (Aug 8, 2011)

Gary Melton said:


> Ummmm... I finished that and sent a month ago...:-"
> 
> ha ha ok.. probably not funny to you but a very much so. Will send a PM to you because it is finished!!



Friday sometime for photos then... I'm going to be working my butt off at KPs setting up for Saturday's picnic and need to drive you your place (kinda sorta but not really) on the way there...


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## ShockWave (Aug 9, 2011)

Thanks x SF for the explanation. I am 99% sure that I will be buying the NAQAM. Thank you guys for the help.


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## x SF med (Aug 9, 2011)

ShockWave said:


> Thanks x SF for the explanation. I am 99% sure that I will be buying the NAQAM. Thank you guys for the help.



My name for the Naqam is better...  in Troll world it is known as "the Sword of God"  but, you have to have held it to understand why...  it truly turns you into St. Michael and you can slay Satan with it.


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## ShockWave (Aug 9, 2011)

=( I wanted to be St. John.  Oh well.     lol


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## Marauder06 (Aug 9, 2011)

ShockWave said:


> Thanks x SF for the explanation. I am 99% sure that I will be buying the NAQAM. Thank you guys for the help.



I guess you'll have to buy both.  It's the only way to be sure.


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## ShockWave (Aug 9, 2011)

I like your theory Marauder...


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