Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

"Guardian" Custom Tactical Combat Counterterrorism YAMAM Israeli Defense Force/National Police Force Push/Punch Dagger

• Size: Length overall: 7.0" (17.8 cm), Blade Length (to quillons): 4.5" (11.4 cm), Thickness: .248" (6.3 mm)
• Weight: Knife: 12.5 oz. (354 grams) Sheath (Kydex): 9.0 oz. (255 grams), Leather, Inside Belt Left: 5.5 oz. (156 grams), Leather, Inside Belt Right: 5.5 oz. (156 grams)
• Blade: ATS-34 High Molybdenum-Chromium Stainless Tool Steel, Hardened and Tempered to Rockwell C59, Media Blasted
• Fittings/Bolsters: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, Media Blasted
• Handle: Black G10 Fiberglass/Epoxy Laminate Composite
• Sheath 1: Kydex, Anodized Black Aluminum, 6AL4V Anodized Titanium, Blackened Stainless Steel
• Sheath 2: 9-10 oz. thick Leather Shoulder, Nickel Plated Spring Steel Clip, polyester sinew, (inside belt or waistband angled wear, left)
• Sheath 3: 9-10 oz. thick Leather Shoulder, Nickel Plated Spring Steel Clip, polyester sinew, (inside belt or waistband angled wear, right)
• Knife: Answering a need for an extremely durable, ultimately functional, and devastating defensive tool for close quarters combat, the Guardian was designed with the direct input of counterterrorism YAMAM Israeli Defense Force/National Police Force professionals, and made for their professional use. This is a knife that is extremely versatile, functioning as an extension of the human fist, with tremendous grip security during the most critical of moments, offering an intensely sharp and lethal blade with an additional heavily fortified hammer-fisted persuader point. It is, simply the most direct, effective and speedy knife form built for lifesaving defense. I'm proud and honored to be making these for one of the world's most effective and well-trained professional counterterrorism forces, using their ideas, guidance, and input combined with my professional knifemaking experience. The Guardian was created because, while more lengthy and elaborate double edged counterterrorism knives like the Ari B'Lilah may be great for most CT use, the need was presented for a lighter, more versatile knife that was made for just one thing: immediate defense from a physical close quarters attack. There are times where a larger knife may be too unwieldy, may create too visual of a presence, or may be of too much weight to wear, or there is not significant gear to making wearing a larger knife practical. Still, there is a need for a critical emergency survival defense, particularly when under physical attack when a firearm can not be drawn, much less collateral cleared. This knife was designed for the wearer to be able to immediately put it in his hand, in closed-fist form, without elaborate grip technique, and to defend his life with simple punching and hammering motion natural to the human movement. No matter where the enemy is attacking, the blade will yield an extremely aggressive point and razor sharp cutting edge with enough power behind it to drive through heavy clothing, around gear and equipment with tremendous force.
  
  The Blade: The blade needed to be long enough to punch through what the enemy is wearing, and remain sharp and tough through many years of use. It needed to be stainless for minimal care, and it needed to be reliable, extremely sharp, and heavily supported. I chose ATS-34 for this job; this turbine blade steel is extremely tough due to the addition of a large amount of molybdenum, while being very hard and wear resistant. I hollow ground the blade with a 3" contact wheel for a very thin and super-keen cutting edge while retaining the strength of a thick, heavy central spine to support the blade's double edges. ATS-34 has a great reputation for high wear resistance and high toughness, and while not as corrosion resistant as 440C, it's a great stainless steel that will not rust and corrode with the simplest of care. The blade doesn't have any serrations or choils, so that thrusting movements will not be hindered by any geometry of cutting edges or features hanging up or snagging. The edges are stopped in penetration by large, significant quillons that protect the user's hands and fingers, while creating an essential shape to engage with the sheath retention of both the kydex and the leather sheaths. The central spine of the ricasso rides between the two largest, strongest fingers of the hand, the index and the middle finger, and is thick enough for absolute support and all contact areas are rounded, smoothed, contoured, and blasted for a comfortable feel. The knife is full tang, that is, has a solid core of tool steel throughout, and has deep and accurate bold hand-filework, distinctive and aiding in grip.
  
  The Handle is shaped in a unique fashion, not because of a desired look, but because this was the shape that was most secure in our testing of this particular knife design and size. The steps of the handle shape solidify the grip in the palm, and the handle is bolstered in the critical areas with zero-care 304 high nickel, high chromium austenitic stainless steel. The bolsters are permanently and solidly attached with zero clearance pins that are so tight, they are invisible. The bolsters reinforce, protect, and strengthen the handle and are dovetailed to bed a pair of G10 fiberglass/epoxy composite laminate scales. The scales are blasted for texture and are locked, sealed, and bedded under the bolsters overhanging dovetailed fittings. They are then secured with four heavy through-tang 304 stainless steel pins for the ultimate in mechanical as well as adhesive strength. The bolster at the heel of the hand is contoured and front-finished, and supports the persuader (skull crusher) point. This is not a razor-sharp point (so it won't slice the owner), but is an extremely heavy geometry, so that hammer-blows with the fist are amplified to deliver many hundreds of pounds per square inch. While the persuader can be used for life threatening defense, such as a blow to the head, face, or neck, it can also be used for less lethal persuasive means on the soft tissues and bones of the limbs with simple hammer-fisted movements. The handle is entirely rounded, contoured, smoothed, and finished so it feels natural and comfortable to the human hand gripping it. The balance point is exactly at the neck of the ricasso, and the knife feels stable and powerful.
  
  In close quarters battle, if defense is absolutely necessary, and a firearm or large knife is not available or useful, this is the very tool that is needed to save a life from an attacker.
• Sheaths: With all my tactical combat counterterrorism professionals, the sheath is just as important as the knife, for without it, the knife is not convenient, not comfortable, not accessible, and not useful. So my clients requested several sheath options, depending on their wear environment, gear, accessibility, visual queues, and individual mission needs. The sheaths needed to secure the knife well, yet allow it to be easily accessed by the professional in a heartbeat if necessary.
  
  The Tension-Lock Sheath: This is my own design, and it's been a great one for tactical counterterrorism use where my more secure locking sheath would be too large, or access and unsheathing too slow. The tension locking sheath holds the knife securely with no rattle, play, or movement via a spring retention method that will, simply, last as long as the knife. The sheath is constructed of double-thickness kydex, that is, twice as thick as most kydex sheaths made by anyone else in the world, and twice as thick as all firearm holsters. The sheath is build on a frame of 5052H32 high strength corrosion resistant aluminum alloy, and I've meticulously anodized all of the surfaces, even through holes, of each welt component for extremely high durability, ultimate corrosion resistance, strength enhancement, and muted appearance. If you're not familiar with anodization, it's a chemo-electric process that creates a near-ceramic hard surface on the aluminum, a surface that increases wear resistance tremendously, and a surface that can accept permanent dyes that are sealed in place. For this olive drab sheath, the dye is dark olive drab for low reflectivity and matching appearance. The process is working so well that I'm now anodizing all of the other aluminum components of the sheaths: the mounts, the belt loops, the flat straps, the clamps, belt plates and all aluminum parts. The surface is hard to scratch, extremely corrosion resistant, non-glare, flat in reflectivity, and highly durable. The 6AL4V titanium spring is also anodized a deep blue-black for muted appearance and a hardened surface, and all fasteners are highly corrosion resistant stainless steel that is chemical surface treated for a dark gray muted appearance with the high corrosion resistance only available in stainless steel. The tension lock sheath comes with two pairs of belt loops (footman's loops) that are die formed and anodized aluminum. One pair is high profile for .250" x 1.5" belt sizes and the other pair is low profile for .190" x 1.5" sized belts. I also include heavy vertical straps and horizontal straps in anodized aluminum that allow the sheath to be rigidly clamped to belt, webbing, PALS (pouch attachment ladder system), straps, body armor gear, and anywhere there is a need. All of the mounting assemblies are reversible, as is the spring retention for the tension-lock sheath, so the versatility of this sheath is unsurpassed. It's also completely and absolutely waterproof, for zero worry about exposure. The knife can be unsheathed by finger pressure against the spring tab, or by a hard pull in an emergency. Included is an extra stout titanium spring, so the user has a choice of 15 or 25 pound pull to release, depending on the individual preference.
• Leather sheaths (2): My clients requested a pair of sheaths specifically designed for inside waistband wear, yet with reasonable retention and security. This is necessary to keep a low visibility profile in tactical situations and in the public sphere, typically behind the back and under a jacket or shirt. With most knives, this is not something I encourage, but these are counterterrorism professionals, and like our military, need specialized equipment for their and our defense. The sheaths are made of 9-10 oz. leather shoulder, very thick and stout, yet they are not hardened like most of my sheaths so that the leather is as comfortable as possible. The leather is not dyed, for dyes will bleed into clothing with moisture and sweat, but the leather is sealed with acrylic sealer. I stitched the sheaths with polyester sinew, the toughest, most mold and rot-resistant fiber on the market, and all of the surfaces are rounded, smoothed and finished. The leather sheaths are designed to be worn inside the waistband or inside the belt line, and the nickel plated steel belt clip secures the affair to the belt or band. The knife is retained in the sheath with a unique leather d-shaped stud, stitched permanently in place, that requires the sheath to be pressed and pushed out of position before the knife can be removed. This prevents the knife from falling out, even during active moments, yet the knife is easily unsheathed by a user familiar to its operation. The reason for including two sheaths is so that the professional can wear them on any side and in a multitude of orientations and locations, while the heavy welts protect him from the point and cutting edges.
• This is a professional tactical defensive knife, the very last defense possible, and it's my hope that (as with all my combat knives) it never needs to be used. But if it is necessary, this knife is built as durably and intelligently as possible, with useful and necessary wear and carry options, for the counterterrorism professional who may trust it in the most dangerous occupation.
• Learn much more about my Counterterrorism Knives at this link.

Thanks, S. and the Unit!