Bawidamann: Art knife or tactical?

C

capoblades

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Nov 11, 2023
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I love some of the Bawidamann Blades designs and have the Pogn L acid etched. I think it’s highly functional blade. I was having a conversation with someone who felt they are more Artsy!?! What’s your take on Bawidamann Blades?


Not my photos….

https://imgur.com/a/TvlpRNM
 
They say they are owned and operated from the U.S. No mention where they are made on their own website.

They reek of contracted to China or Pakistan. The designs look uncomfortable to hold, the edges too obtuse to cut well, and $450? Get out of town.

I smell a scam. I’m sorry if you took the bait, the steel probably isn’t what’s listed (S35VN).
 
None of the above. That handle does not properly line up with the steel. There is steel protruding both above and below it. It would be horrendously uncomforable in the hand for use. So, not tactical.

And it is ugly as sin, so not an art piece, either.

I do think it qualifies as "a curiosity". But that's about it.
 
They say they are 100% American but the phone number listed for the business headquarters is assigned to a small house on Coventry Rd in Dayton Ohio......
 
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No offense taken. I really like the blade. If I was home I’d take a better picture of it. Maybe a bit overpriced… yes. Three sides of the blade have cutting edges. It can definitely do some damage if needed.
 
Oops!!! That’s not my knife now that I look at what I posted. I got it off MonkeyEdge and it’s available on ACK. I have the Pogn L. Not that dagger shaped thing I posted
 
jux t said:
They say they are owned and operated from the U.S. No mention where they are made on their own website.

They reek of contracted to China or Pakistan. The designs look uncomfortable to hold, the edges too obtuse to cut well, and $450? Get out of town.

I smell a scam. I’m sorry if you took the bait, the steel probably isn’t what’s listed (S35VN).
Click to expand...

As far as I know it’s a 1 man shop that outsources waterjetting etc (…to US vendors) and does the finishing etc in-house. I know they get some handle materials from VZ Grips, do lots of business with RMJ and Chattanooga Leatherworks.
 
Bawidamann Blades are designed and made in Ohio by brothers Andrew and Ben Bawidamann; it's a US owned and operated family business "specializing in custom tactical blades built for hard-use." They are carried by multiple well known vendors that I trust (ACK and Monkeyedge included), some of them BF sponsors. The knives have a small but loyal following.

IMO: Tactical is mostly a marketing keyword; if a knife is tactical or not depends on the fighting technique that the knife designer had in mind. Butter knives excluded, for defensive purposes, depending on the user most blades are "tactical" (or for me personally, none, I'd rather use other tools). While your friend's use of the term "artsy" probably didn't mean to compliment your knife, if a designer spent time optimizing form vs. function, his/her knives are (industrial) art.

Here is an old thread on the POGN: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bawidamann-blades-pogn-overview.1244136/
 
Speaking only to that design, I would say that the handle appears to have been designed for the knife to be held primarily in one way/orientation. Most tactical knives work to have a design that allows the knife to be held in multiple orientations, so that basically anyway you grab it, it's locked firmly in the hand. It definitely looks like it was designed by someone who's received zero training in any martial art that utilizes knives for fighting and was instead trying to make something that looked cool. These knives have always seemed to be very stylized designs that are more about form than function to me, so that tracks.
 
The general aesthetic (perhaps because of the etch pattern?) reminds me of the Kiku style. Not that I've ever had one of those in hand - just from pics.

Any Kiku fan will, of course, point out any number of differences... like I say, just a general at-a-glance impression.
 
That extra metal past the handle is jumping for the finger. To be honest with you, much damage could be done with this knife in a tactical situation. There are quite a few others I’d pass up and prefer this one with. Like I said, three sides are sharpened, you can get a great grip on the blade and IT IS ergonomic. Those stock photos do no justice. A video would’ve been better on my part.


https://imgur.com/a/7C09XIU

https://imgur.com/a/KcrwiZv

https://imgur.com/a/uii4Dc8
 
Well here's a subject I can speak to..
Bawidamann blades are US made.
I used to travel quite a bit and I was in ohio back in maybe 2009🤔. I called up that number and was invited to the house by they're dad and toured the lil one man shop in the backyard(Dayton, Ohio). Grinding dust and knife blanks everywhere! They even sold me a knife..
I'll find it and post a pic.
So I can attest to one man shop, US MADE.... they're designs have evolved from back then.
 
capoblades said:
That extra metal past the handle is jumping for the finger. To be honest with you, much damage could be done with this knife in a tactical situation. There are quite a few others I’d pass up and prefer this one with. Like I said, three sides are sharpened, you can get a great grip on the blade and IT IS ergonomic. Those stock photos do no justice. A video would’ve been better on my part.


https://imgur.com/a/7C09XIU

https://imgur.com/a/KcrwiZv

https://imgur.com/a/uii4Dc8
Click to expand...
One slip holding the knife like that would give the term opposed thumbs a whole new meaning.....
 
Never heard of the company or their knives. It looks like an American specwar style tanto blade, with a not so comfortable handle. Not a fan of the sharpened top edge. Aside from that I am always in favor of the little company trying to make it. So I hope they do well.
 
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