Escrima
Jan/29/2004

Escrima Knives

The Technician programmes in Escrima also include combat using bladed weapons, and in this case we have usually had recourse to various knives which have not always proved entirely suitable in the past. Many of these knives are either too awkward to handle for our techniques, of low quality or even forbidden under new German weapons legislation (from 2003). Accordingly Grandmaster Bill Newman (London) have got together with the two police and Escrima instructors Frank B. Metzner and Joachim Friedrich and knife designer Dietmar Pohl and and produced various designs which have taken on a more and more specific shape in recent months.

The result is a knife that is probably unique on the world market. It is available in a civilian version under the name A.F.D (Advanced Folding Dagger) and in a version where the combat-oriented features are even more heavily emphasised. This model (which will probably be issued to a number of special units) is called the E.F.D. (Escrima Folding Dagger).

These tactical combat knives are produced (partly by hand) by one of the world's best-known specialist companies, Böker in Solingen, to meet the most stringent requirements of professional users.

The hilt of CNC-machined 6061-T6 aluminium has numerous indentations and grooves for a secure grip during any movement. To protect the surface the hilt is hard-anodised in olive. The belt-clip integrated into the hilt allows the knife to be carried in the "tip-down" position. Thanks to the "sideguards" the dagger-shaped blade of 4mm thick CPM-S60V steel can be swung open instantly or unfolded silently under the control of a raising mechanism.

These "sideguards" also prevent the user's hand from sliding from the hilt to the blade, i.e. they also act as a cross-guard. In the folded position the knife is large and robust enough to be used as a palm-stick in close combat.

The knife is supplied with only one sharpened edge, however the hilt design allows the upper edge to be sharpened as well without the risk of injury when carrying the knife in the closed position. The overall length is 23.9 cm., the blade length 10.2 cm and the weight 180 g.