Testing the Best Combat Knife in the World - FS1 Endurance Testing
I had just got into a YouTube crawl about knife sharpening. That led me to Murry Carter, and then Carter Cutlery. The example here is His FS-1, which stands for “Field Stalker 1.” Then… well, watch the video. If yours can do these, it’s a great knife. If not; hey, what a great performance set to aspire to.
Cheers!
Excellent video and I know for sure the Kershaw Emerson which I purchased from the USCCA with the logo will not do that. But I still love it and remains my EDC.
Not to be critical, but with around 7 minutes of intro before the actual testing started, I almost stopped watching thw video. I am also proud to announce that the little CRKT Squid folder I normally carry, opened two UPS-delivered boxes this week. Life is good. 
There is a BIG difference between a Survival/Combat blade and an EDC self protection or fighting blade. One is meant for heavy use and should be able to slice tires, cables, leather, canvas, make tent spikes and cut through the pelvis of a large game animal. A camp or Survival knife CAN be used for SD but it is less than optimal.
A true fighting knife only need to sever muscle, tendons and blood vessels SWITLY. I sent the video to one of my mentors, an actual SF guy with a lot of worn out t-shirts and he said it was “cute” (sorry, he’s a little dry in his comments).
I’ve asked him his idea of the best “fighting” knife and he said a thin bladed razor sharp commercial boning knife, and that at true close quarter he would even take that over a gun any day. His EDC knives are mostly assisted opening folders of some sort (HE LOVES Kershaw Blurs) and they are RAZOR sharp and they NEVER get used for mundane tasks like opening boxes and such, he carries a small Case knife for opening boxes or cutting up an apple. “They don’t scare the crap out of everyone standing by me”. Edge durability takes second place to the ability of taking a surgical edge, as he said “Knife fights don’t last a week.”
In short, professionals do not fight with cable cutting Bowie knives. Just passing the info along for what it’s worth.
I think Misters Carter & Weimy would completely and ‘without wax’ (sincerely) agree with your special forces friend. Since we’re speaking about a fighting knife and not the woodsman’s survival blades designed to perform feats of woodcraft associated with building homes and cutting firewood, I think somehow you missed something in the “build-up” of that cute video.
Granted, the video is more like something you or I would have shot back when consumer “beta” was the best thing going. That is, outside the day’s broadcast industry. No one had a clue 20 years later the 4 to 8 k ultra-high definition which was the purview of NASA at the time would ever become ubiquitous in everyone’s cellphone and Google would buy code to translate such extreme definition into low bitrate data that could easily transit old DSL circuits!
But the point I really want to make is, that the FS-1 knife is 5 ounces unsheathed. Maybe that’s a bit heavier than my first fighting knife, a 7-inch Fiskers fileting knife; but then, I wouldn’t ask that first blade to do everything they demonstrated and take a 40-second field strop to pierce and slice through a ripe tomato in a drop test. (Rather the equivalent of easily sawing through Levi’s and severing the arteries on the inside of the thigh or upper arm.)
So, I suppose your friend and Mr. Carter were speaking about very much the same functionality - plus a lot of the needs Emerson points out his blades are designed for a day in day out utility service.
Anyway, if anyone would like to see how Murray Carter gets to his blade performance, check out Blade Sharpening Fundamentals . (which is a hell of a lot longer video!) And do some research about this guy - very interesting life lived/living.
Cheers!
Actually mine is one of my favorite EDC SD knives. With a little practice it opens LIGHTNING fast. The short lanyard helps to get it out of the pocket fast and it takes on a wicked keen edge.
Beautiful knife.
I think Emerson went one step better when he went here:
I bought Fox as price and reputation seemed satisfactory with the addition of Emerson’s Karambit training DVD and the 479 Tk.
No doubt though, each will do the job if we do ours.
Great video…though I do often find myself asking why. I’ve used my knife to do “nearly” everyone of those things but it’s over the course of a lifetime…not a short day use.
The most important things to me is that the knife is strong, keeps an edge so I don’t have to keep resharpening, and is convenient so I can carry it regularly otherwise what’s the point.
But it is fun to watch what people can come up with to abuse products.
I will take these at bad breath range over anything. They or their predecessors have kept me up and moving my whole life
I have a few of these in different configurations (LowVz, NoVz, and the folder). They are designed to be used as if you are throwing a punch. Despite getting a lot of attention they are not currently in production. I hope someone picks up the design and puts them back out on the market.
Did you see the blade edge? During or after abuse. Did anyone try to pry anything? It cut a tomato. Really. Remember Gensu knives? Only $29.95 but wait… Order now & blah, blah, blah…
Carter Cutlery - Push Cutting Toilet Paper
and, amazingly! I still have a Gensu chefs my significant other brought into the house, she had it 20 years before we met and it’s been 12 years since. That damn thing will process a chicken carcass nearly as fast as my Shun boner. Maybe they had something in that bit of spring steel and pressed serrations?
oh, and if anyone is confused, perhaps what I’ve been trying to say is - this guy has a skill in sharpening blades and his theory about blade profiling is on the mark to teach people how to make a very sharp and useful tool. The “product” (the FS-1 developed based upon Murray Carter’s experience and collaboration with retired SEAL, Brendon Wiemholt), is incidental.
I carry a 580 Barage Benchmade. generally I am a dominant right hand. I converted the knife clip to left hand. Right draw for handgun,Left hand draw for left withn my carry knife. This idea came about with me looking at the 21 ft rule. If I were to be unable to draw my primary quick enough . It would secondary weapon to deal with threat. Also I like the Axis assist open fro one hand operation.
Have a great day
A.Nice.
That assembly is very much like the later 365 Outlast (circa 2019) I’ve carried when I’m not anticipating a very bad day. I did the same thing and moved the belt/pocket clip to my offhand pocket for ease of deployment. But I have to take it off every so often and re-tension the clip to stay snug. As you note, very easy to deploy the primary blade and be ready. Not quite as fast as the “Emerson wave” in presentation but the hardware’s action is easily worked and smooth.
In my humble opinion, when it comes to knives and knife fighting, it is definitely and Indian and not the arrow kind of thing.
Indisn still need a good sharp knife.
And the Indian knows how to keep his knife sharp 