Re-Examining the Neck Knife: Mall Ninja Garb or Street Practical Shiv?

Posted on by The Tactical Hermit

necker

I have discussed on this blog before how I favor the carry of a small fixed blade knife carried horizontal in addition to a pocket folder of some type. The point being: AMBIDEXTROUS ACCESSIBILITY or Can you access both blades with either hand easily?

When we think about having access to a weapon during a fight, we have to not only consider LOW line and where our hands NATURALLY fall when at rest; but also the HIGH line. Neck knives are designed and marketed to fall into this category. But is a concealed HIGH line knife PRACTICAL for the CO?

First, as with any concealed weapon, before you begin deciding what kind of HARDWARE you intend to carry, you need to give some thought to CARRY and PRESENTATION because that is going to determine HOW FAST you can DEPLOY IT. Typically, as the name implies, NECK KNIVES or “neckers” are carried on a chain or cord around the neck, concealed under clothing. Now, if things got hairy and you needed that knife in a hurry, the speed at which you can deploy it will heavily depend not only on how much you have practiced this presentation, but mostly on the TYPE of shirt you are wearing. I mean if you are wearing a simple t-shirt, no worries, simply reach under or down the collar of the shirt and deploy. But with a button up or some other type of shirt that is tucked in..well, your only access now is down the top of the shirt, and I don’t care how much you practice that move, it is not a natural movement..it takes time and worse yet, the telegraph is so obvious, you might as well tell the perp to take a number while you get a weapon to defend yourself. So ultimately, to really set the odds in your favor when you carry a necker, you need to always adapt your clothing to it. That in my book, makes it a pain in the ass and therefore, an impractical weapon in my book.

But, alas, I have not given up on the neck knife completely. As with my feelings on carrying BOTH a small horizontal fixed blade and a folder, I think as long as the neck knife is NEVER carried as the primary knife, but as a 2nd or 3rd backup, that is fine. That way, the CO has at a minimum (2) LOW line and (1) HIGH line knives.

SOFTWARE BEFORE HARDWARE

In training with FOF (Force-on-Force) Knife drills, I want to discuss a couple of things I have noticed.

1. Any time your opponent goes hands on with you, either by default or by accident, any concealed weapon you have not yet deployed, but discovered by the perp during the tussle, becomes a liability. A neck knife presents a very serious liability, since it is located well, near your neck and your carotid arteries. This is one of those “tactical not practical” nuggets of truth that force-on-force drills tend to reveal about the man who carries several concealed weapons on them thinking this will help keep the bad guy “at bay”; but when that plan falls apart due to Mr. Murphy, all those weapons thought to be an asset, now become a very serious liability, if discovered by the perp.

So does this mean we should not carry any concealed weapons? including neck knives? No. It only means we need to re-evaluate our “CQB” skill set’s. I have talked at length on this blog about the need for the CO’ to flush the “Weapon” mentality  and replace it with the “Combative” mentality instead. Having the mentality that your training MUST focus more on the FIGHT rather than the TOOL to win the fight will open up techniques to help you see the bigger picture such as creating and maintaining space to access and use a weapon before it can be turned against you.

2. Make sure the chain or cord you carry your neck knife on has some type of break-away latch. I have found any jewelry hanging around the neck always turns into a very convenient garrote for your opponent to choke you with in a CQ, hands on fight. Of course, if the perp has any sense, he will discover that attached to that garrote is a knife and that all leads back to the point made above in learning how to pre-empt issues like this in our combative training.

THE HARDWARE

My personal opinion is you do not have to drop a small mint for a quality NECK knife that will do the job…all of my suggestions you can get from Amazon for around $30 to $40. Of course there are those out there that like their CUSTOM knives (and sheaths), me included, but these are just some economic suggestions to get you started. If anything, once the knife bug bites you, these $30 jobs can be back-ups, because I guarantee you, if you do not keep your priorities straight, the “KNIFE” bug, like the “GUN” bug, can get expensive, but damn it’s fun!

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1. The Cold Steel Spike

The thing that sold me on this for a neck knife was it had a 4″ blade but it was still compact. It is also very well suited for thrusting and stabs. I like the older version with the cord wrapped handle better, but that’s just me. (You can find them on Amazon).There are 4 blade types: Tanto, Tokyo, Bowie and Drop point. I like the Tokyo myself, but again, this comes down to taste. The Secure-Ex Sheath is functional and comes with a black heavy-duty ball chain.

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2. CRKT Minimalist

I own a couple of these now and am a big fan. For what you get for the price, you really can’t beat it. They are so light you won’t even notice you are wearing it, and the finger groove handle design is uber-ergonomic. The sheath is very functional, with the ability to be mounted on a belt or boot, depending. Three blade styles: Bowie, Tanto and Wharncliffe to choose from.

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3. SOG Snarl

I am a huge fan of “one finger talons”  like this; to me, they are as utilitarian as push knives,and just as fast to deploy, but smaller and lighter. Ever since the Emerson La Griffe hit the market, there have been a flood of these in every shape, size and price range. These are as easy and simple as it gets technique wise: pull and then slash and burn. The kydex sheath it comes with is fantastic and ready out of the box with a belt clip for horizontal belt carry. Add a heavy duty Ball Chain or para-cord necklace with a break away and you got yourself a necker. You can also think out of the box a bit and have a custom kydex sheath made for like $30 so you can carry it not only  horizontal OWB but also IWB if the situation calls for it. Remember: Walk softly but carry a Velociraptor talon around your neck (or on your belt).

Stay Armed, Stay Alert, Keep your Knives Sharp and Stay Dangerous!

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