The KA-BAR LDK, or Last Ditch Knife, is a sneaky stabber designed to be carried discreetly and employed when you are all out of other options. This micro slasher is roughly the same length as a credit card and no taller than one either. The blade is ultra-short, but the handle design makes the most out of it. The LDK was designed by a veteran police officer and martial artist who wanted an option for low profile carry.
The LDK Carried
The idea was that the LDK could be carried almost anywhere, including states and countries with restrictive rules on guns. The LDK was designed with foreign travel in mind. Some countries can be quite dangerous for travelers, and the ability to carry a genius completely out of the question. The LDK’s small size and design make it easy to hide in various ways. The included sheath is a polymer design with seven lashing points to allow for various attachment methods.
The KA-BAR LDK can be worn on the belt, on your tactical gear, or tucked into your waistband with an IWB loop, around your neck, on your boot, in your pocket, or just dang near anywhere else. The LDK was designed to be roughly the same size as a credit card, so it even squeezes into wallet credit card slots with ease. The little knife weighs roughly 2.4 ounces, and that’s superbly lightweight and nearly invisible when concealed.
Punch, Stab, Slash
The KA-BAR LDK isn’t your traditional fighting knife or traditional EDC knife. It’s not made to be deployed to cut the rope, open boxes, or do the variety of admin tasks that your normal pocket knife is supposed to handle. It can, but that’s a waste.
KA-BAR’s LDK is a fighting knife, but as mentioned, not a traditional design. The handle has a sharp curve inward, and the handle is quite short. However, retention isn’t an issue when held correctly. You hold the knife in a fist-like grip with the blade coming in between your thumb and trigger finger. In that position, the handle’s length hardly matters. The LDK adds a decisive sting to your punches.
The blade was designed to replicate a scalpel, and as you know, scalpels slice through human flesh quite efficiently. The blade stabs well, and you can slash outwards, creating major damage. This is a fighting knife that isn’t necessarily designed to fight the same way a KA-BAR is. Instead, you can strike, slash, stab, and put distance between you and your threat. The fact it’s used as a punch dagger means no fancy techniques are needed. It’s a caveman’s weapon.
In my mind, the best way to use this system would be to attack, slash, gain distance, and escape. The KA-BAR LDK gives you the ability to take the fight out of an attacker and escape when safely. If you find yourself in foreign lands, this might be the safest option. Sure, you can stick around and win the fight, but at what cost? Getting your ass kicked by the guy’s buddies? Or just by people who see a foreigner attacking a local with a knife? You might be in the right, but good luck explaining that to someone who doesn’t speak your language.
Pocket Stinger
The KA-BAR LDK might be a tiny blade, but it sure as hell punches up, or I guess, slashes up. The LDK is not contained in its weight class by any means. It’s a fearsome tool designed to be easily hidden and quickly deployed. The LDK allows you to slash, stab, and escape when you can’t shoot it out. Check it out here.
