“There is no such thing as a knife fight, there is a guy getting a stabbed and a guy doing the stabbing.” These words were screamed at my platoon as we learned the basics of knife fighting from one of the best MCMAP instructors I’d ever worked with. MCMAP, of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, has a focus on knives, batons, and improvised weapons. Using training knives we quickly learned this lesson. Most of the sparring was over in less than 30 seconds. It might have lasted a minute at most when the instructor made us fight over one knife. Knife fights are a work of fiction. No one squares off and takes turns slashing at each other. You learn to hit hard, hit fast, and always have a knife. In the civilian world knives like the Cold Steel Hideout makes that possible.
No Perfect Knife
Knives are a lot like guns. There is no perfect one. Each has its own role, and this is especially true when it comes to carrying a knife. While my Emerson CQC-7 has become my EDC knife that doubles as a weapon I can’t carry it everywhere. Certain environments and styles of dress make this impossible. This is especially true for women who often don’t have the luxury of pockets. Carrying a smaller folding knife is an option, but few folders are good fighting weapons. The solution is often a neck knife.
Neck knives are small, lightweight, fixed blades that are designed to be carried on a necklace. This places them under a shirt and makes them appropriate for anything from the beach to church. My Cold Steel Hideout has been my go-to knife when I hit the gym, or go for a run. To me, it’s invaluable for times where I simply don’t have to pockets to reliably carry a larger knife.
The Cold Steel Hideout
Neck Knives come in all shapes and sizes and the Cold Steel Hideout is a faithful rendition of the neck knife. It’s also unique in its own design. The blade looks like the tip of a spear. Not just a spear point, but the entire blade is spear-like. The blade is made of AUS8A steel, so it is strong and sharp. The stainless used in the blend helps resists rust, which for me is important. I get soaked in sweat when I work out and plenty gets on the knife. If it was quick to rust I’d be screwed.
The steel has Vanadium to give it increased strength and hardness. This knife is made for stabbing, and the harder it is the better. This steel is known for dulling fast, but its not the type of knife you use for opening boxes, cutting rope, or other EDC tasks.
The blade is a full tang and covered in the soft synthetic material known as Kray-Ex. Kray-Ex from cold steel is textured heavily and soft in the hand. It gives you a good grip and feels nice at the same time. It’s a very small handle, so all the extra grip you can get is vital. There is a small, and sharp handguard to prevent any slippage.
How to Use It
It’s designed as an emergency weapon, weapon being the keyword. It allows you to hopefully be the guy doing the stabbing and not the guy getting stabbed. Its polymer sheath retains the blade well and allows to wear it blade up or blade down. I keep it blade down so I can retrieve it from under my shirt with ease. A quick and sudden pull releases the knife and lets you get to work.
A neck knife properly worn is easy to grip and rip with either hand and quick into action. The knife weighs a scant 1.9 ounces and is nice and thin. The 3-inch blade allows for plenty or penetration and the 3.5 inch handle does fill the hand. The Colt Steel Hideout is easy to carry, easy to conceal, and always on hand.
It’s not the perfect knife, but there is really no such thing.
Photos by author
