Weight: Knife: 7.9 oz. (224 grams), Sheath: 10.7 oz. (303 grams)
Blade: ATS-34 High Molybdenum Martensitic Stainless Tool Steel, Hardened and Tempered to Rockwell C59, Bead Blasted
Sheath: Hybrid Tension-Locking in Black Kydex, Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Titanium
Knife: Answering requests for an ultra light,
yet ultra strong and functional tactical combat knife, the Viper is
the latest evolution of my fine tactical counterterrorism combat knives. When some
Navy SEAL team members requested a speedy, quick, yet formidable
knife capable of quick and lethal function, they also asked me to do
everything I could to lighten the weight while preserving
functionality and durability I'm known for. The Viper
series is a great example of the cooperation between warrior and
weapons maker, and I offer these same knives to my clients so that
they, too, can benefit from this refinement, when in need of a
lightweight, small footprint, and thin knife and sheath combination.
I'm certain that these knives will be highly desirable and sought
after by many branches of service and professional users of tactical
equipment as well as civilians who need a lightweight yet extremely
durable knife capable of a variety of cutting tasks.
I started with a steel that could offer great toughness (resistance
to breakage) at a high hardness and high wear-resistance, while
being corrosion resistant enough for harsh, marine (salt water), and corrosive
exposures. This knife is made of ATS-34 a high molybdenum, high
chromium (chrome-moly) tool steel that has a long-proven reputation
for its tough character. The blade is a design derived from my other
combat and Principle Security Detail blades, with a
hollow ground blade and half-length top swage that offers a
devastating point for piercing. The blade has 2 1/4" of my
microblade serrations, which are small and aggressive, while keeping a
smooth edge set for less snagging, ripping and hanging in a cut. The
spine and blade stock is very thick for this size of knife, and I
used a special new pattern milling process that removes most of the
handle weight while leaving a stout and substantial spine to support
the handle-to-blade junction. This milling is done by hand, not with
a CNC machine, which makes it easier to create many custom handmade
designs and patterns at a reasonable cost and time frame, keeping
the knives completely handmade. For the knife user, it means a
skeletonized knife that is substantially robust and tough, yet
light, quick, and sharp. All of the surfaces in contact with the
hand are rounded, contoured, radiused and dressed so that the handle
is as comfortable as possible with such a thin knife. The inside cut
in the handle has a unique shape, and it's even possible it could be
used as a shackle breaker or pinch zone for certain tools, bolts,
fasteners, and equipment. On this particular Viper, the milled cut extends
past the quillon and thumb rise, so the knife is also comfortably held in a
saber grip with the thumb pressed into the narrow forward area of
the cut for control. The handle milling is lightly chamfered so
there are no sharp or abrasive corners to contact the user's hands. The
thumb rise and the forward quillon is substantial enough to keep a
sure grip, while the spine flat is heavy enough for impact such as
in aided cuts used in survival (example: using a tree limb to
lightly tap the serrations through wood to make kindling). The entire knife blade is
media-blasted for zero glare, and my maker's mark is deeply
diamond-engraved for permanence. A nice feature of the skeletonized
knives is cleanliness, as there is absolutely no area for dirt,
chemicals, or debris to remain, and the knife can be dropped into a
dive rinse tank with detergent cleaners for a thorough scrubbing
when needed. The gentle slope of the knife butt accommodates the thick area of the palm,
and the rear quillon can double as a persuader or talon if needed.
Of course, a lanyard is an easy option. The knife feels extremely
light and effective in forward or reverse grip, and the balance
point is exactly at the thumb rise. More about
skeletonized knives on this special page.
Sheath: The sheath is very special, a new and
exciting development made just for my skeletonized knives, and an
example of my commitment to the entire knife experience, from design
to working service. This is a proprietary design, and without giving
away the exact details of the build, I will claim that (like my
other sheaths) it is the best possible sheath of its type available
in the world today. Actually, it is the ONLY type of this sheath
available in the world today! The sheath is built of double thickness (.125"
thick) kydex (methyl acrylate and polyvinyl chloride) over a
welt-frame of 5052H32 corrosion resistant high strength aluminum
alloy. The sheath is bonded with waterproof cement and bolted
together with all 304 stainless steel Chicago screws for zero care
and extreme corrosion resistance. The sheath (like most of my
sheaths) has die-formed aluminum belt loops that are able to be
moved to multiple locations as well as either side of the sheath
frame. On this particular knife, the belt loops have 16 optional
locations for versatile wear.
My newest and most exciting development is my hybrid tension-locking
mechanism. This device is custom made to fit each knife, and allows
a lock pressure of 15 pounds to hold the knife in the sheath, with
an optional thumb or finger release. There are two options to
unsheathe: 1. placing your hand on the knife handle in forward
(traditional) grip and use the finger or thumb to operate the release
and
unlock the knife for a slow, controlled, or quiet extraction of the
knife.
OR 2. grabbing the knife handle and pulling hard, with at
least 15 pounds of tension, the knife is unsheathed.
Simply put, the knife can be unlocked manually, or yanked hard and
unsheathed. 15 pounds is quite a bit of force, so the knife is
locked into the sheath unless it encounters 15 pounds of pull. This means that in most circumstances, the knife stays
locked in the sheath, and the assembly can trustfully be mounted
upside down or used in highly active movement with relative security. To be
certain that the knife is locked in the sheath properly, it takes a
thumb operation to re-engage the locking mechanism. All of the
components in this proprietary system are corrosion resistant
stainless steel or titanium, and the entire assembly is even
reversible by the owner! It's simple, it's lightweight, it's fast,
and it's clean, and it's all non-glare. I'm certain that it will be a leading sheath for
the skeletonized knife made for our tactical combat
professionals for many years to come.
Accessories: Since the bolt pattern of the
sheath matches our 2.5" bolt pattern for our accessories, most of
our accessories can be used on this sheath, including any new ones
we develop. While heavy and bulky accessories like our extenders and
HULAs are not practical, accessories like the horizontal belt plate
adapters may be a useful adjunct.
This knife defines quick, light, useful, and substantially
large and lethal. It has a very flat profile, with the assembly weighing less
than half of comparably sized knives, and brings wonderful sheath
options to the forefront. This is a knife that begs to be worn and
used where speed and light weight are critical and is in use in
the counterterrorism field.
My thanks to G.T.,
US Navy SEAL Team member, for this suggestion and direction for the
Viper line!
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