I’ve been a knife guy for quite some time and have carried one on me since the 90’s. Over time my preferred knife changes as does my philosophy of use and reason for carrying. We have published several articles on the Loadout Room pertaining to carrying a concealed fixed blade for personal defense. Although this may not be for everyone, it does have its pros and cons. One of the major cons for me has always had to do with training. Carrying a fixed blade is cool and all, but unless you really know how to employ it and use it against an attacker it won’t do you much good. Add in the surge of adrenaline and your mind going into a primal state for survival and it becomes even more difficult.
The most common form of edged weapons training you see with regards to fixed blade knives is Sayoc Kali. This is a great system and if you are consistent with the training and practice often you will become quite skilled at being able to use a fixed blade for personal defense. The issue most of us run into is time. Life is busy, especially if you work a full-time job and have a family to be a part of. That leaves little time for dedicated Sayoc training, or any formal training for that matter.
The military runs into the same issue when sending guys to training schools; time. Depending on deployment schedules and operational tempo, units can’t afford to send guys to long-term schools or training systems. There is a solution to this problem though. Most military units have had some type of CQB hand-to-hand combat training such as boxing or some type of combatives. They also have the muscle memory built-in for drawing and employing handguns and other small arms. That’s where the Colonel Low-Vz blade comes into the picture.
The Colonel Low-Vz blade was designed to take advantage of the existing skills of the operators and trained civilians. If you already know how to draw and present your pistol, then you know how to draw and present the Colonel Low-Vz blade; it’s that simple! Watch the following video to get a better understanding of what I mean before we get into the specifics of the knife.
Handle
The handle of the Colonel Low-Vz is shaped as that of a pistol with jimping in two key locations offering increased grip in wet or damp conditions. With this design, if you’re comfortable drawing a pistol, then you’ll be comfortable drawing this knife. The handle material is a black G10 offering good grip and retention.
Blade
The blade of this knife is a purpose driven design. This is not meant for slashing, but for stabbing using the same motion as if you were boxing. The blade length is 2.75″ which with a strong punch or thrusting motion will reach vitals. The steel is N690 which offers great edge retention.
Sheath/Carry System
The sheath is a quality kydex sheath with an IWB clip. the specific IWB clip used will fit up to a 1.75″ belt. The negative angle of the clip keeps the knife close and tight to the body.
