Opinions on Smith & wesson HRT boot knife (SWHRT9B) ?

Sorry it wasn't my intention to splinter the discussion...you will find a lot of varying opinions on this subject. I own a Counter TAC and had visions of what I would use it for but it turns out to be more a novelty for me and I never carry it. So my opinion...
I think we all have visions of how things might go down in that split-second moment where an attack is imminent or some reason you would need to use a knife to injure or kill someone. The truth of the matter is...it doesn't go down quite as expected. A boot knife is supposed to be a backup means of protection...maybe second or third down the line if all else fails. Most encounters don't make it that far. If someone is trained properly on how to defend themselves with a handgun (and ok with the liabilities), of course that is probably the most effective means of protection. However, anyone who is not properly trained to use a handgun (or not ok with the liabilities) would be much better suited with pepper spray or a collapsible baton as their first line of defense and then a decent knife just in case...leaving the boot knife as a tertiary option. If it was legal to carry my collapsible baton where I live...it would be my first line of defense.
 
waverave said:
Sorry it wasn't my intention to splinter the discussion...you will find a lot of varying opinions on this subject. I own a Counter TAC and had visions of what I would use it for but it turns out to be more a novelty for me and I never carry it. So my opinion...
I think we all have visions of how things might go down in that split-second moment where an attack is imminent or some reason you would need to use a knife to injure or kill someone. The truth of the matter is...it doesn't go down quite as expected. A boot knife is supposed to be a backup means of protection...maybe second or third down the line if all else fails. Most encounters don't make it that far. If someone is trained properly on how to defend themselves with a handgun (and ok with the liabilities), of course that is probably the most effective means of protection. However, anyone who is not properly trained to use a handgun (or not ok with the liabilities) would be much better suited with pepper spray or a collapsible baton as their first line of defense and then a decent knife just in case...leaving the boot knife as a tertiary option. If it was legal to carry my collapsible baton where I live...it would be my first line of defense.
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Ok, thanks for your answer. Legality put aside (it depends on where we live), a collapsible batton might be hard to carry. I have one, it's kind of heavy and bulky. A small dagger is more practicale I think, especially under casual cloth like a suit, something you wear a lot when you're a bodyguard, a bouncer or work like those.


Legendary_Jarl said:

If Skallagrim tested it and approved of it it is durable. I wonder if my S30V mk1 could resist the same abuse.
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Pretty good review of it. It seems there is nothing really wrong with this knife. It's all goes down to wether you want to support a shady company (S&W knives) and go the cheap way or if you want to be the real deal (Counter TAC I or II) and pay the price for it.
 
sXePhenomenal said:
That it’d work for its intended purpose
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Yep, something to have and not need.
You won't be cutting stuff with it so it doesn't matter.
As long as it's pointy and there when you need it, this seems pointy enough and the sheath seems like your knife would still be in it when you need it.
 
I just wanted to clear up a matter about this knife. After a little investigating I discovered there are 2 models of this knife. There is the model SWHRT9B in which both edges are sharpened and then there is the model SWHRT9BF which has only 1 sharpened edge. (This is the model I have) I sharpened the false edge myself on my Edgepro and it took quite a bit of work and elbow grease. What ever the blade steel they're using is quite hard and very abrasion resistant.
 
unwisefool said:
A) what's a skallagrim
B) that dude basically waved it around and cut a thin piece of paper with it.
C) I don't trust random YouTube weirdos
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A) His nickname.

B) Yeah he didn't include any test footage with that one but he abuses swords and knives like I've never seen before. Check this one:

C)He's not just a random youtuber. He's highly respected in the youtube sword community with almost a million subscribers and is widely known for his abusive tests on weapons including knives and swords. He is respected to the point Neil Burridge himself sent him a bronze sword all the way from the UK free of charge for testing. As far as the weirdness... to non-knife people you and I are weirdos for liking blades. So, that's very relative.
 
This leads to another question. Are Smith and Wesson knives (also Schrade) any better under the new owners than they were when Stewart Taylor had the license?
 
vwb563 said:
I just wanted to clear up a matter about this knife. After a little investigating I discovered there are 2 models of this knife. There is the model SWHRT9B in which both edges are sharpened and then there is the model SWHRT9BF which has only 1 sharpened edge. (This is the model I have) I sharpened the false edge myself on my Edgepro and it took quite a bit of work and elbow grease. What ever the blade steel they're using is quite hard and very abrasion resistant.
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The S&W uses 7CR17, knife and steel made in China. The Cold Steel Counter Tac II people talked about is VG1, knife made in Taiwan, Steel in Japan. Not that all that matters really, particularly with a dagger. I "think" 7CR17 is fairly close to Aus6, could be wrong. I think you might be looking at good heat treat rather than any high end steel.
 
In what scenario could you use a knife in self defense in his line of work?Pepper spray and a pistol is what he need's.
 
I actually have a dual edge HRT. I also have a Gerber Guardian again with a dual edge. The Gerber I consider average in an underwhelming sort of way for the price. The HRT I consider exceedingly average for the price. :confused:

Both knives will stab things as intended.

As for a means of self defense, Neither would even be my 3rd or 4th choice, much less my 1st. No knife would. A louisville slugger ranks higher.
 
Dan of Bazz Clazz said:
I actually have a dual edge HRT. I also have a Gerber Guardian again with a dual edge. The Gerber I consider average in an underwhelming sort of way for the price. The HRT I consider exceedingly average for the price. :confused:

Both knives will stab things as intended.

As for a means of self defense, Neither would even be my 3rd or 4th choice, much less my 1st. No knife would. A louisville slugger ranks higher.
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Sure , but hard to CC a bat !
 
unwisefool said:
Same answer, get someone else to do it! Or pepper spray.
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mabrowns said:
In what scenario could you use a knife in self defense in his line of work?Pepper spray and a pistol is what he need's.
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Pepper spray is a joke. I’ve hit people with it who were able to easily fight through. My buddy in SWAT tells me the only time it’s worked for him is with dogs. My Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor(3rd degree black belt) is head of security for multiple night clubs. They hired a new guy who brought in the gel spray. A fight broke out and the new guy sprayed a dude. My instructor was standing next to the new hire. The gel spray took a silly-string ricochet and hit my instructor right in the face. Instructor subdued and handcuffed both of the guys involved in the fight. He did this while shaking off the effects of the pepper spray.

The best thing you can do is get him into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, or good old fashioned American boxing.
 
I bought one from the px on base about 15 years ago. It came with a pretty decent edge. I don't think I've ever sharpened it since I never used it enough for it to really get dull. It's not exactly a useful blade shape for every day tasks.

If your brother already carries a knife daily he'd probably prefer something that would be more useful on a daily basis. There are a few budget folder options that are just as quick to deploy as a fixed blade.

The Kershaw/emerson collabs have a wave feature that opens the blade as you pull it from your pocket. You can do the same thing with spydercos by putting a zip tie in the thumb hole, and they have quite a few knives in your price range (tenacious, byrd line).
 
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