So what style of blade, type of metal, mounting position and sheath combo's do you guys recommend? -OP
For centerline carry there are several considerations to make.
-Stainless steel or coated (Cerakote, DLC) carbon/tool steel blades are preferable. A few Nitrided blades are out there as well as some non-metallic offerings for special purposes. Blades carried IWB will be constantly exposed to sweat and many carbon and tool steels will corrode rapidly. STAINLESS means STAINS-LESS not STAIN FREE as these steels will rust too if neglected. Especially avoid knives made from 3Cr13MoV and 5Cr13MoV, these are cheap Chinese stainless steels that are typically heat treated to be too soft to hold an edge and can be prone to rust.
-You are looking for a knife that will be comfortable enough to be carried constantly and seldom if ever used for it's intended purpose. A high dollar custom may/may not be suitable for you but there are appropriate knives at varied price points which I will list. Some of the blades listed below are considered disposable or "ditch" blades.
- A centerline blade is a dedicated SD/ Worst case GTFO knife and should be paired with a dedicated utility EDC knife if at all possible.
-Stabbing/Thrusting>Slashing. Research this and see some of the absolutely horrendous slashing wounds some folks have survived vs the seemingly tiny stab wounds to major organs and/or blood vessels that have put folks down permanently.
-Knife wounds are rarely instantly incapacitating. Just like firearms, shot placement is crucial.
-Blade shape/design: depending on what technique/school of thought/training you come from, many options exist. Dagger/Double edge, Drop point, Clip/Bowie, Skinner/Trailing/Persian, TRUE Tanto/Kwaiken (the historically accurate Japanese design).. It depends on preference and technique. Clip points and Kwaikens tend to penetrate best, even through soft armor. You want to walk a balance between having an acute point and having enough steel at the tip to ensure the tip doesn't snap off... Or maybe you want it to. In my opinion, "American Tanto" blades as popularized by Cold Steel, Emerson, and others are not as effective at penetration due to their tip design but some folks love them.
-SHEATH:
-Get a good quality custom Kydex rig from a professional shop. Not the cheapest but even for disposable knives it is worth it. Leather works but is prone to absorbing and holding moisture and can contribute to corrosion problems. Kydex offers light weight, good retention via friction fit, and numerous mounting options. Some companies and smiths offer kydex with the knife but most production knives have oversized sheaths with less than optimal retention and fit.
- Carry methods/attachments. Spyderco G clip, J-hooks, soft IWB Loops (Blade Tech), sash carry/static line. Personally I prefer static line carry as it is almost no weight penalty and moves with you, but have had good results with the soft IWB loops as well. Research each option and see what works for your needs.
BLADES
-The previously mentioned Watson knives, Special Circumstances, Cold Steel Push/Punch Daggers, and Colonel Blade are good choices.
-Ban Tang makes his own version of the Clinch Pick as well as a number of his own designs, very high quality blades.
-Bud Nealy: Pesh Kabz
-Cold Steel: Spikes, Sgian Dubh.
-CRKT: Bear Claw models, Burnley OBAKE.
-Victorinox: Fruit/Paring Knives (no joke)
-Daniel Winkler: Dynamis, Spike/Walker Spike
-Ben Tendick: Kraiken
-KA-BAR: TDI Series
-Artificum Solis
-American Kami
-Matt Helm Knives
-Bastinelli Knives
-Bradshaw Blades
Many more out there but those are what come to mind quickly.
SHEATHS
Good Kydex Shops:
-Buy Brown
-Zulu Bravo
-River City Sheaths
-Panther Concealment
Many more here as well.
Hope this helps.
