Do All the Reverse “S” Blades have Fragile Tips?

N

Nalapombu

Joined
Oct 26, 2001
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298
Hey all.

I’m curious about a few of the knives made for self defense purposes. I’m talking about the curved and serrated reverse “S” blades like the Civilian. I don’t know the names of the others but I seem to recall seeing 4-5 of them when going thru the catalog.

I had never really been interested in getting a Civilian, but after reading a bit about it, I am interested. It is said to be a self defense specific knife. I watched a few videos on it and I specifically heard it said that the downside to this and other similar blade Spydies is that their tips are fragile and will break or snap. It was cautioned to NOT use them for daily cutting or other chores you’d use your EDC knife for.

Is the tip that fragile on the Civilian? What about the other models that have these types of serrated curved blades? Are they all prone to breakage if used for normal daily type cutting chores?

I wouldn’t mind carrying one and only using it for a self defense situation as I would have another smaller blade in my other pocket to use for cutting chores. I would prefer if I could carry one of these for daily carry like my Endura that I have carried for many years. I understand though that they are made for a different purpose.

What are your thoughts on these blade shapes? You have to admit though that the Civilian is a great looking knife, as are a few other others with similar blade styles.

Thanks for your time.
 
Although they are designed primarily for self defense purposes, you can use them for other things... It's a recurved hawkbill.

If you look at a traditional karambit, that's a classic hawkbill where instead of an "S" curve. You get a "C" curve with the inside of the "C" sharpened. While people primarily use it as a weapon now, traditionally, it was a utility and farming tool for cutting roots or long stalks like rice. This shape is great for hooking type cuts, so it shines at utility tasks like cutting rope, opening packages, etc.

Yes, the tip isn't as strong as other designs like a tanto or drop/clip points, because there's just not as much material behind it. But I have a carried a karambit for utility purposes in the past and have never broken a tip. Of course I wasn't prying anything with it, and I feel I'm gentler on knifes than a lot of people... I've never broken a tip (of any knife) due to prying or twisting because that's not what knives are generally designed for... So YMMV regarding how fragile the tip will be for what you're doing.
 
lmcq784 said:
Although they are designed primarily for self defense purposes, you can use them for other things... It's a recurved hawkbill.

If you look at a traditional karambit, that's a classic hawkbill where instead of an "S" curve. You get a "C" curve with the inside of the "C" sharpened. While people primarily use it as a weapon now, traditionally, it was a utility and farming tool for cutting roots or long stalks like rice. This shape is great for hooking type cuts, so it shines at utility tasks like cutting rope, opening packages, etc.

Yes, the tip isn't as strong as other designs like a tanto or drop/clip points, because there's just not as much material behind it. But I have a carried a karambit for utility purposes in the past and have never broken a tip. Of course I wasn't prying anything with it, and I feel I'm gentler on knifes than a lot of people... I've never broken a tip (of any knife) due to prying or twisting because that's not what knives are generally designed for... So YMMV regarding how fragile the tip will be for what you're doing.
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Agreed. I carry a Civilian(and carry a smaller knife too) but carry an appropriate knife for the day too. The Matriarch might be a little stronger(I carry a waved one) and definitely cheaper than the Civilian.
 
What you really have to watch for is lateral loading. The combination of negative blade angle , long hooked tip and narrow blade (with serrations cut into it no less) make it very easy to torque the tip. And, since the serrations are chisel grind, the tip will tend to turn in a cut, making it even more likely to torque. They figure if you use it for its intended purpose, the tip will most likely snap off when you do so. The good news is, they make the tip on the Civilian stronger than they used to. As long as you keep in mind the way it works, you can use it for anything you want. If you forget, it's still pretty easy to break.
 
Thank you all.

I was thinking of trying the 2 knife daily carry with one of those Civilian type blades and a smaller that I’d use for daily chores. Maybe another Spyderco with a Spydie edge.

A plain edge Endura has been my EDC for 20 years or so. Right after I got it, I went ahead and got a stainless Delica in the Spydie edge. I carried both for a couple years until I lost my Delica. Haven’t carried 2 since and that’s been about 10 years ago.

This time I might go with a Swiss Army ALOX or one of the Swiss Army EVO GRIP models as my 2nd knife.

Too many nice knives and not enough pockets!
 
Check out Cold Steel Black Talon II, don’t have to worry about the tip on that one. It’s a much better civilian.
 
insta9ves said:
Check out Cold Steel Black Talon II, don’t have to worry about the tip on that one. It’s a much better civilian.
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Its also cheaper, I have the PE one, can wave it too. I like the serrated edge on Spyderco's better. Not that it matters but CS copied the Civilian for it. The CS has a larger handle too if your hands are big. I can conceal the Civ better.I have both.
 
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