Recently I was in the market for a high end quality fixed blade that would cover a wide range of situations – from a utility/tool use-type environment, emergency escape knife to personal protection weapon. 

 

After a vast search and after taking soundings from several people that I respect highly about they’re choice of edged weapons, I had the good fortune to become the owner of the second generation version of the Crucible fixed blade knife.

 

Now there are lots and lots of production made knives out there for the utility/defensive weapon/escape tool market. Some can cover some of those bases, there are fewer still that can tick the majority of the boxes, and there are even less that get it all 100% correct (and I’m talking about a handful). But somehow the Crucible knife has managed it – at least for my needs!! Blackhawk’s Crucible knife has a good pedigree before you even take it out of the box.

 

Designed by World renowned security consultant J. Kelly McCann, adapted and “tweaked” by defensive edged weapon instructor Mike Janich, and picked up by high end tactical knife manufacturer Blackhawk Blades. With credentials like that expectations were truly high.

 

So it was with some high hopes that I opened the packaging from a US based supplier. The Crucible knife was designed to be a 3 part series, comprising a fixed blade, a folder and an exact copy training knife, in theory making them an interchangeable tool covering a variety of options depending on what the operator using them required. Because of my individual work requirements and combative preferences I opted for the Crucible FX2 with the partially serrated blade. The Knife itself is something to behold.  

 

 

According to reliable sources the first batch of the Crucible knives were made in Seki City, the cutlery capital of Japan, by G. Sakai. The first 500 pieces of each knife were laser engraved with Kelly McCann’s signature and a serialization number. Original Japanese production was ATS-34, then was switched to VG-10. Several years later, production was moved to Taiwan to yield the Crucible II and Crucible FX2—more affordable and made from AUS8.

Now I’m not a big one for “sexy tactical black” weapons, but the top rate finish on the blade sits well with the overall design. It feels like it belongs, without coming across as showy.

It is ergonomic to hold with excellent grip material, feeling stout and strong, but not overly “weighty” that doesn’t give it a sluggish inertia that slows you down during knife combative applications. The actual blade itself is a dream to work with, having a spear-point profile and deep serrations for heavy ripping work.

 

Over a period of several weeks during combative training sessions I tested it out on our clothes clad training dummy and target “arms” with a series of full force thrusts, snap cuts and slashes, and I’m happy to say that it held up remarkably well with only the need for a light sharpening. It was flexible, easy to retain and quick to use – all vital ingredients for combative edged weapon applications.

 

As I have written in the past – and its something that I rant on about frequently on our knife combative seminars that I instruct on – there are some excellent knives out there that are beautifully crafted and well made, but the sheaths and carry systems absolutely SUCK!!

 

 

 

Not so with the Blackhawk Total Concealed Carry System (TCCS) sheaths. Again designed and crafted under the expert eye of the professional Mr. Janich, the TCCS offers the end-user a wide range of carry and access options ranging from IWB loop to paddle holster, neck carry, horizontal belt-line carry and on and on. In fact the blurb states that it offers the user over 70 differing carry positions. Impressive.

 

These various carry options are made that much easier due to the fact that it holds a multitude of holes and eyelets enabling the user to “rig” the various sheaths in a variety of angles and configurations to make it “the most complete turn-key system available” to quote the designer.

 

For me I had some specific requirements of what the knife should be, and I’m glad to say that the CFX2 doesn’t disappoint. Over the past few months I have seriously road tested this knife. Everything from assisting cutting open heavy bags, severing rope and prying open a variety of containers during building work, to working with it during combative training sessions. 

 

 

Maintenance, as stated above, need only be kept to a minimum with the wiping off with a rag and a light sharpening to keep the edge sharp. However, if more extensive cleaning is needed the Crucible is constructed with standard cross-head screws fitted in the handle that can be removed with a standard Phillips style screwdriver (rather than specialist pins requiring various tools as can be found on the majority of production knives). 

 

This to me smacks of a well thought out piece of hardware that caters for the reality of the operators needs. Lets face it, no matter where you are in the world – Basra, Algiers or Alicante – the operator is more likely to have a bog standard utility tool such as a Leatherman with him than specialised cleaning kit!

 

At the end of the day a knife is a tool that does a job…or it doesn’t do it at all. Its as simple as that! So forget the McCann/Crucible tag-line hype and even the “tacticool” black finish that gives it that covert operator look. No.

 

What you have, fundamentally, is a robust utility blade that with the flick of a button (or a change of mindset…and grip!) can quite easily adapt to your personal defensive carry needs for self protection, in short becoming a purebred fighting knife.

 

It’s the real deal.

 

* Note:

Special thanks must go in the writing of this review to Mr. Mike Janich of Martial Blade Craft (MBC), USA, for his assistance in providing extensive background material and positive support in getting this article finished. So thanks again Mike from all your “Blade Brothers” at the MCG.

 

 

Copyright – Modern Combatives Group/2010