Waki Alternative?

J

JNieporte

Joined
Nov 1, 2004
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3,352
A friend of mine is about to go to Iraq on his fourth combat tour. He has the essentials: a Leatherman Wave, a Spyderco Military, and a standard Kabar, but he wants something longer. He really liked the Swamp Rat Rodent Waki, but the price is just too high. His CO gave him (and a few others) to use a machete-length blade, so that's what he's looking for.

A wakasashi-style blade would be perfect, but he only has $200 to spend. I know very little about swords, other than a traditional Japanese wakasashi might not be the best tool for combat in Iraq; more like the modern Swamp Rat version would be ideal. Any ideas?

Oh yeah, he's in the Infantry and will probably be doing house-to-house with some Rangers. He won't be a medic carrying around a sword :)
 
Ontario makes a carbon steel waki with a cord wrapped handle. 15" blade with a 8" handle. I think they can be had for $100 or so.

BZ27vgBmkKGrHgoH-DkEjlLly9hRBKotm2Y.jpg
 
Cold Steel has a "Two Handed Katana Machete" at $39.99 MSRP. It's no Roden't Waki, and not nearly as pretty but being Cold Steel it will be at least functional. The only problem: it's backordered.

Edit:
If I may make a comment: the traditional wakizashi was designed to be carried at all times (including indoors), which means the shape and length has also been optimized for indoor engagements. If you can't find any wakizashi-styled implement, then a spear point machete as sold by Cold Steel will be a good substitute. In cramped quarters you will likely have less space for chopping motion, so thrusting/stabbing becomes more important.
 
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grybsh7 said:
Ontario makes a carbon steel waki with a cord wrapped handle. 15" blade with a 8" handle. I think they can be had for $100 or so.

BZ27vgBmkKGrHgoH-DkEjlLly9hRBKotm2Y.jpg
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You don't want that. They discontinued it for a reason. It was crap.

You might try either:

Hanwei Tactical Wakizashi (not yet available)
SH2432.jpg


Cold Steel Katana Machete (available soon):
csstoreonline_2093_7247915


Condor Bush Cutlass (available soon):
ctk356-22hcH.jpg


Also the Cold Steel 1917 Cutlass (has been available for years):
csstoreonline_2094_9038710


The above cutlass is based off of a pattern used by the Dutch in WW1. In their wars against Indonesian rebels, who were armed with traditional edged weapons. Obviously at long range they posed no threat to the Dutch, who were armed with rifles, but due to the native's propensity for sudden close-range ambushes the rifle often could not be brought to bear in time and the klewang was the weapon that saved the day. The way prepared for either eventuality was by carrying the rifle in one hand and the sword in the other--if the rebels were at a distance, the Dutch dropped the sword and used the rifle, but if it was a close-range ambush they dropped the rifle and used the sword.
 
Hanwei Banshee. I don't have one, but I'd like to... I've read they're quite tough and only around $200.

It's patterned after dha/darb rather than wakizashi, but they're not so dissimilar that your friend shouldn't have a look.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
You don't want that. They discontinued it for a reason. It was crap.
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Really ? I've been eyeing those for a little while now. My Ontario machete is tough as nails , something I would depend my life on if need be.

What about those is crap , I'd like to hear your opinion.


That CS one looks pretty cool.


Tostig
 
I have the CS 1917 Cutlass and I think it's formidable weapon but it's not exactly light. Nevertheless, some American infantry apparently carried them [the old issue of course] in the Pacific in WWII.
 
Unless your friend has actual training with japanese style swords, he might be better off with a "tactical" machete or Kukri. Katana and wakizashi require draw cuts, rather than the more simple and intuative chopping action that works with Machetes and Kukri.

Cold Steel's Magnum Kukri Machete or the Hanwei Banshee are two in that catagory that might be worth looking at.

Magnum%20Kukri%20Machete.jpg
_Banshee_Cutting_Sword.jpg


However, there is a reason that soldiers no longer typically carry swords into combat so I'm not how useful either one will really be on the modern battlefield. Still, he's a soldier and I'm not so if he wants one...
 
Is a tomahawk out of the question?You can get anything from a V-tac to several cold steel tomahawks well within the 200$ limit you set.They are a proven weapon system even in the modern wars of today.
what about a BRKT Golok?or any Golok for that matter.tough and sharp.
 
I don't know how a modern infantry soldier would use a cutlass or wakizashi sized sword in modern CQC either, but hey, I'm not said soldier. This is probably along the lines of "use of force continuum". If a guy comes after you with a pointed stick and you have nothing but M4 carbine or M9 pistol, you have no option but to shoot him. If you have a wakizashi/machete/cutlass, you have the option of neutralizing his attack while keeping him alive (and still shoot him if it doesn't work).
 
what the hell he think he can do in war with a wakizashi? is he kidding? if he want a tool for hard works a small axe is the right choice (a wakizashi can't do that kind of job)

i hope he dont think to use it to fight...
 
Himalayan Imports
SHORT TIBETAN SWORD BY YOUNG SHER KAMI?

Overall lenght--31.5''
Weight --42 oz
Spine thickness --3/8''
Steel guard
Brass bolster, buttcap and tip
Walnut wood handle
Standard leater scabbard
Excellent boy at $175 YBB

2-18-10%20001.jpg
 
Sep said:
I don't know how a modern infantry soldier would use a cutlass or wakizashi sized sword in modern CQC either, but hey, I'm not said soldier. This is probably along the lines of "use of force continuum". If a guy comes after you with a pointed stick and you have nothing but M4 carbine or M9 pistol, you have no option but to shoot him. If you have a wakizashi/machete/cutlass, you have the option of neutralizing his attack while keeping him alive (and still shoot him if it doesn't work).
Click to expand...

if you are carring an M4 that guy will think twice before point a stick at you :D
 
wolv said:
if you are carring an M4 that guy will think twice before point a stick at you :D
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Well, some of the people they're gonna face are known to be suicidal...

Let's say you enter a house. You just shot a guy for pointing his AK-47 at you, then his hysterical mom comes running at you with a sharp object. If you got nothing else in your hand, you'll be shooting her too. Do this too often and you're not gonna endear yourself to the villagers.

Besides, if you just shoot anything that moves you're not gonna have anybody left to extract information from.
 
Sep said:
Well, some of the people they're gonna face are known to be suicidal...

Let's say you enter a house. You just shot a guy for pointing his AK-47 at you, then his hysterical mom comes running at you with a sharp object. If you got nothing else in your hand, you'll be shooting her too. Do this too often and you're not gonna endear yourself to the villagers.
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But the villagers will be endeared of your stabbing or chopping the widow with a short sword? Can't follow your logic here.

Likewise, people known to be suicidal are the last ones you want to be engaging in hand to hand combat with, better to get them at a distance.
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I don't really see much practical use for this waki either, but I'm not going over to the sandbox. Suggesting large swords, cutlasses, and even more so items that are not even currently available seems off target.

Try the Hisshou from CRKT, it is of waki length, design is a little different from a waki in that the tip is more optimized for stabbing. Supposedly some troops are using it and like it. AND it's currently available, on sale you can probably get one for $200 or a little more.
 
I'll recommend the Hanwei Banshee as an option. From what I know, he wants something with a 16"-20" blade and able to be held / used with two hands of needed. No larger, no smaller. I know that almost nobody uses a blade to kill people in modern warfare, as does he, but it's not my place to tell him what to spend his money on. A Cold Steel 18" Bowie Machete might also work.
 
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