Tennessee Gun

Tag: knives

  • How to Modify a TDI Knife with Tek Lok

    How to Modify a TDI Knife with Tek Lok

     

    Modifying A TDI Knife with Tek Lok
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    I love my Ka-Bar TDI, it is very ergonomic and designed to be used weak-handed to help defend against gun grab situations.  I modified it to make it easy to carry.  Additionally, if you need a smaller EDC knife, I have a post on how to conceal the Ka Bar LDK.

    The problem with the TDI is not the knife.  It is an extremely well designed knife, with a nice Kydex sheath.  In order to keep it inexpensive something had to give.

    What “gave” was the belt clip.

    I am not the only person to hate the mounting system on this knife.  Ka-Bar even sells replacement mounting hardware to replace the belt clip when it invariably bends.

    This post shows how I went about modifying a TDI knife with Tek Lok

    The belt clip is just a thin piece of tempered steel.  If the knife ever catches on something the loop will open up.  Unfortunately, it will never bend back to hold the knife tightly again.

    This problem with an otherwise fantastic knife has created a small cottage industry of custom sheathes for this knife.

    However, I like the sheath that came with it so I decided to see if I could engineer a solution.

    Introducing Tek Lok

    Modifying A TDI Knife with Tek Lok
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    I happened to have some Tek-Lok belt clips in the shop from an earlier project. It seemed like a perfect fit.  A good knife mounted to a well thought out belt clip.

    Its such a good idea that I was not the only person to think of if, however, most people used the large Tek-Loks, and drilled holes through their sheaths to mount the two together.

    Looking at the sheath, the mount, and the two sizes of Tek-Loks, I saw that a small one fits flush against the old belt clip.

    I cut off the belt clip from the mounting bracket and used my grinder to smooth everything out.

    I then used a punch to mark out the 4 mounting holes.

    After drilling out the 4 holes, I mounted the tek-lok to the mounting bracket made from the old belt clip, and then mounted the bracket to the sheath.

    It does stick out a little more (about 1/8 inch) than the old system, but it is MUCH more secure.

    One thing I need to mention is that the small tek-lok was not designed for use on wide belts like my 5.11 rigger belt so it does not “slide on”, I have to force the belt into the tek-lok, and then clamp it shut.

    While this is not that difficult, it is an extra step when getting dressed. On the other hand, this makes the knife fixed and it does not move on your belt.

    I am very pleased with this project, and it is one that I use quite a bit.

  • Tactical Does NOT mean What You Think It Means

    Tactical Does NOT mean What You Think It Means

    Tactical Does NOT mean What You Think It Means
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    While talking with some prepper friends, I was shown a picture of the kit of a particular survival instructor. This man had  skills, no doubt.  However I was amazed at the magnitude of his gear.

    He had 3 different shovels – from a small backpacking trowel, to a large sharpened cold steel shovel.  He carried no less than  5 different ferocium fire starter.  Somehow he also made room for more than 9 knives. He seemed to have every piece of gear that personalities like Bear Grylls, Dave Canterbury, and Geko45 have ever spoke about. Some day I am going to take a 75 cent lighter, spray paint it black and green.  I will then call it a Nash Tactical mechanically activated emergency fire starter.  Manufacturer suggested retail for the NTMAE model II Mark 5 will be 29.95.

    The More You Know the Less You Have to Carry

    I like Grylls, and I have made a Canterbury sling bow, so please don’t think I am disparaging them. The point of this article is to point out that gear, in itself, is not tactical. The word is routinely misused.  I would like to help define it, so that the word becomes useful.  At least useful as something other than a marketing term.  Basically, for most people, the word Tactical Does NOT mean What You Think It Means

    To understand tactics, and tactical, you first have to understand the difference between strategy and tactics.  Tactics are used to achieve strategy. Strategy is a plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result. Tactics are the specific actions used to achieve the success of your strategy.

    Strategy vs Tactics

    In WWII the Pacific strategy was obtain air bases close to Japan.  This was to support a complete blockade of the island.  The goal was to allow B-29 and B-17 bombers to bomb the enemy into submission.  They wanted to soften it up for an invasion. The close by islands would then act as logistical bases.  This strategy involved the invasion and occupation of the islands of Saipan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa (called island hopping).

    The tactics that allowed this to be done was to “send in the Marines”.  These Marines employed small unit tactics such as fire and maneuver, close air support, suppressive fire.  Tactics included using flamethrowers to advance on defensive structures.  It also included the basic fundamentals of Marine Corps Marksmanship. Their tactics were to “locate, close with, and destroy the enemy, by fire and maneuver”.

    Example

    Another example is my two fold retirement strategy. I plan on building an adequate 401K that with supplemental income from my website and training classes that I can afford to own and maintain a small homestead.

    The tactics I use to achieve this are keeping my boss happy by being extremely productive at work so that I can eventually earn a promotion so that I can increase the money I invest, and writing cool articles in my spare time so that you keep coming to the website to read my ramblings.

    Tactics without strategy is like running down a dark hall, you may have great form and be moving fast, but you have no idea where you are going.

    It’s the same with buying gear with the tactical label. Just because it is black and created by an ex-special operations warrior does not mean it is useful to your situation.

    Another example:

    My GHB (Get Home Bag) is a worn but sturdy book bag. It has the bare necessities I would need if I had to walk the 50 miles from my work to my home. Luckily my work uniform is based on a field response so I wear khaki cargo pants, a dark shirt, and boots. If I wore a suit to work, I would keep a change of clothes in the car. I know some like to keep camouflage clothes, a molle or other military bag, and an AR or other rifle in their car in the event they have to hoof it home. While their gear may LOOK more tactical, mine will allow me to blend in and appear the same as every other guy trying to make it home.

    Walking through Nashville in camo and carrying a rifle would gain undue attention and would probably get them arrested, accosted, or killed before they could make it out of town. (I know the AR/AK/SKS lets them fight back, but they will not be able to carry more ammo than the Nashville PD – much less the gangs).

    My Get Home Bag Example

    My strategy is to blend in, hide, and get home as fast as I can with as little drama or confrontation as possible. The kit in my car does this, so it is a good tactical solution to my problem.

    Anything is tactical if it solves your problems, fits within your plans, or helps you achieve your long term strategies. But just because something is marketed as “tactical” does not make it so. Make sure that the gear you buy, the skills you acquire, and the people you associate with fit within YOUR strategic plans. Preparedness is not about impressing people, it is about making the best of bad situations. Too many people have too much ego invested in intimate objects, but that is for a later article.

    Just remember, it does not matter what something looks like – If it looks stupid but works, then it is not stupid.

    (The fury kickers below are an example of extreme mall ninja equipment, I am amazed at what sells when labeled “tactical”

  • Modification of the Cold Steel Bird and Trout Neck Knife

    Modification of the Cold Steel Bird and Trout Neck Knife

    New Neck Knife
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    Recently while working outside I misplaced my neck knife, it was a CKRT Neck Peck.  This was a huge loss for me.  I really like having a neck knife, its easy to carry, and always there.  I do know that there is a lot of tactical questions about a neck knife.  Questions come mostly from those with a ground fighting perspective.  However,  my opinion come from a middle aged fat guy that works from a desk.  I doubt I will be ground fighting near as much as I will be cutting open amazon.com packages….

    My Favorite Neck Knife was Discontinued

    What made the loss so painful was that I could not get a replacement.  In its infinite wisdom Columbia River Knife and Tool has discontinued the Neck Peck knives.  I was forced to find a suitable replacement.

    After searching online and in a couple different stores I decided on a Cold Steel Bird and Trout.  I did not come out of the box as sharp as the I wanted, but it sharpened easily.  What I really love about it is the finger ring on the handle.  Being able to dangle it on my pinky while performing tasks is nice.  That will keep me from setting it down in the woods and getting it lost in the leaves (like its predecessor).

    Turning a Good Knife into a Better Kit

    While searching online for good neck knives I found a couple of you tube videos about mini survival kits that were attached to different models of neck knives.   I must admit I like the idea, but its more important for me to have my neck knife small and concealable rather than have a EDC (everyday carry) wilderness survival kit.

    Something I did like with the survival kits was the flashlight idea.  So I purchased a small blue led light (I think it was a photon microlight), and while I was at it, I also decided to install a sailcloth needle with about 10 ft of mono-filament line since it takes up almost no space and adds negligible weight.

    First I added the sewing needle, then I electrician taped the light over the sheath.  For added security, I ran the chain through the flashlight so it would not be able to fall out.  I then used a Ranger Band (cut up bike inner tube) to waterproof the sheath and electrician taped it tightly to the sheath.

    You Must add Para-cord

    Next I took out the innards of some para-cord and used a stiff wire to thread the ball chain necklace in the center of the paracord.  I did this mostly for looks but in deference to the idea that somebody may try to choke me to death with my chain, I did it in two sections after putting the chain on the knife sheath so that it can break at the clasp, or at either hole of the sheath.

    Lastly I wrapped about yard of 7 strand para-cord around the handle.  While this makes the knife easier to hold, and gives me some cordage, it does tend to overcome the friction fit of the bird and trout sheath.  Unlike the Peck, which had a raised dot that “locked” into a dimple in the sheath, the Bird and Trout relies on friction only.  This makes it extremely easy for the knife to fall out of the sheath.

    Still Not Done

    Since I have been planning on experimenting with Kydex sheaths for some time, I am going to have to make a new sheath that has a more positive lock on the knife.  If Cold Steel’s sheath held the B&T better, this would be a near perfect knife for my usage.