Jay Fisher - World Class Knifemaker

Real Tactical Knives

Tactical is a word with Greek origins, meaning to put in order or to arrangement of or pertaining to military or naval tactics. Specifically defined, it means "pertaining to arrangement, relating to, or characterized by ordered procedure to an end." It also means "skillful, or characterized by skill in tactics or adroit planning or maneuvering."

While the word tactical is thrown around the knife world these days as a description of the appearance of a knife (flat, painted, camouflaged, squarish, and plain), I follow the more specific and defined purpose and nature of the tactical knife. My tactical knives are meant for military, naval, law enforcement, and associated combat and rescue use. They are made with specific arrangements relating to their procedure to an end. This means that when designed as close quarters battle (CQB) weapons, they are weapons with all the features and designs that will make them the best combat weapon they can be. When designed as combat search and rescue (CSAR) tools, they have all the features they might need for the ordered procedure to produce a specific end that are within the scope of their requirements.

Most other tactical knives in the world are made or manufactured for visual and advertising appeal to the masses who would like to visualize themselves as great warriors. The makers and manufacturers of this type of knife apply styles, forms, and ideas that look good to the general public for the purpose of mass manufacturing and widespread public appeal. While most people have never seen or participated in any serious tactical conflict in the military, naval, law enforcement, defensive, or rescue field, their concepts of what makes a knife useful in these situations is obviously limited. This is not the kind of knife I make.

I communicate and work with professionals in these fields to help design and create the specific weapon or tool that they ask for, offer every option that I can, receive feedback and tuning from their participation in combat, street, and rescue situations, and offer continual refinement and improvement of these critical types of knife. I accept commissions, make what they ask for, and have a decades long history of making knives that are actually used in the active field of battle, arena of conflict, streets of crime, or chaos of disasters. I make the real thing.

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These Can't Be Tactical Knives!

As a professional knife maker who has made literally hundreds of knives that have been not only designed with the input of military, law enforcement and tactical professionals, but also carried and used in combat, I can assure you that these are combat and tactical knives. In our culture, it is unfortunate that most people do not recognize fine knives, and doubly tragic that those who may depend on a knife to save their life or those lives of their victims, charges, and buddies are not aware that very fine tactical knives exist.

It is my job as a professional and custom knife maker to educate, listen to, and fulfill the needs of my clients, including military and law enforcement professionals. In doing so, I am committed to make the very best knives out there for their purpose. This is what I do.

For more on this subject, please take a look at it in detail on my Business of Knifemaking page at this bookmark.

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The Links and What You'll See

This portal page has all the links to the pages on my site that feature the tactical, military, combat, and professional duty knives I make and the pages that apply to this type of knife. I am confident that when you have looked at the knives and read through the topics, you will have a much greater understanding of the modern warrior and knife maker, the tool and weapon of the modern world, and the widespread applications of man's first tool. Though you will see knives that span the range from modest working to commemorative collector's grade custom handmade knives, they are all distinctly tactical.

• 1. The Main Tactical Knife Page: You'll find hundreds of pictures and links to all the usual suspects in my tactical, combat, rescue, close quarters battle (CQB) and CQC (Close Quarters Combat) knives here. Combat Search and Rescue, (CSAR), custom handmade knives made for the military, police, rescue services, tactical squads, PSD Units, emergency response teams, EOD Specialists, from plain tactical working models to high detail commemoratives, all designed to be used in the field, yet fine enough to be retired to a place of honor or handed down to the grandchildren. You'll read many serious questions and answers, with specific details and reasoned information.
• 2. Commemorative Tactical and Personalized Knives: On this page you will see some of the many military, naval, law enforcement, professional, and personal knives that I offer in commemorative versions. Any knife can be offered as  commemorative with the inclusion and skilled application of custom etching, engraving, electroforming, carving, and recognition of service, personal details, units and campaigns in graphics and text. Most of these are combat, tactical, and military rescue service knives that will or have seen duty and will ultimately be handed down. Specific types, methods, applications, styles, arrangements, and answers on this page.
• 3. United States Air Force Pararescue Knives: For many years, I've had the honor of making knives for our nation's top military rescue service, the PJs. See many of the various types of knife I make for the best combat rescue service in the world. Topics, discussion, details, and definitions on this page as well as my photographs of Pararescuemen in training.
• 4. The PJLT : See my most popular combat search and rescue (CSAR) knife, the Pararescue Jumper Light (PJLT). Originally designed for specific USAF Pararescue use, this is an extremely durable, combat ready knife and tool, proven in over a decade of military missions.  Details, description, features, components, and accessories on this page.
• 5. Khukris: Originating from the legendary warriors of Nepal, the khukri has developed a substantial presence and following in tactical, rescue, and combat situations, well-deserved. See various styles of khukri I make, with discussion, history, accessories, and applications of this formidable weapon and tool.
• 6. Tactical Knives for Sale: Finished knives ready for immediate sale with links to pages of photos of the knife, specifications, and detailed description of materials, components, accessories, design, and use.
• 7. Purchase or Order Your Tactical, Combat, Military or Professional Knife here: Links to finished knives purchase page and custom ordered knives purchase page. Payment details, waiting period, sales policy, shipping, order queue.
• 8. Locking Tactical, Combat, Military Knife Sheaths: Get the details and see many photos of my locking combat sheath, simply the best locking sheath made in the world today. Read the topics on this page and see for yourself!
• 9. Accessories for my Tactical Knife Sheaths: Various and reasonable wear options for my tactical knife sheaths in actual service. Topics, details, materials, advantages, descriptions, and photographs of these components.
• 10. Tactical Knife Grip Styles and Hand Fitting Your Custom Knife: Topics and photographs of the many grip styles, their origin, purpose, history, advantages and disadvantages, and options. Special topic on how to size your hand for a custom knife. 
• 11. Care of the Tactical, Military, or Combat Knife: details on how to care for the professional tactical knife, components, materials, corrosion protection, sharpening, and operation.
• 12. Serrations on fine handmade custom tactical, combat, rescue, and survival knives are an important adjunct. Learn more about serrations, their use, maintenance, sharpening, tools, advantages, and limitations on this dedicated page.
• 13. Custom Knife Patterns: See over 400 individual custom knife patterns I currently offer, many tactical, combat, rescue, CQB, CQC, CSAR, law enforcement and professional patterns with links to annotated photos of the finished knife and pages of featured knives with detailed specifications, measurements, descriptions, and photos.
• 14. Contact Me About Your Tactical Knife: Interested in ordering but do not see what you want? I make custom knives, knives made to order, to a client's specifications.

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