Monday Night Knife Fights: The Shiv
Craig Metzger
The term “shiv”, as most of us know, relates to a stabbing instrument fashioned from ordinary objects usually found in prisons. The classic shivs are fashioned from toothbrushes, broken glass, found metal and for the artisans, rolled paper (arts and crafts for the criminally inclined).
(Check out CorrectionsOne for some great examples)
Sometimes we get a bit caught up in fancy folders and limited edition stabbers, but there’s something interesting about these “homemade” single-purpose instruments. I’ve always been intrigued by the design and ingenious approach to fashioning these “blades”. Disturbing and frightening as they might be, it’s still worth understanding the concept to further build your knowledge base for, if nothing else, self preservation. Yes, there are instructors out there who have studied and been surrounded by those in society’s underbelly and are willing to teach the dark arts, whether it’s for understanding your opponent or as just another building block in your training.
(You can buy this collection for a “small fee”, shipping is extra)
I had picked up a “shiv” or a boot-knife that was fashioned from an old saw blade and made by Ru Titley a year ago. The blade is 3.5mm high carbon saw blade steel 175mm overall (6.8 inches) with 70mm edge (2.7 inches). The handle is wrapped in Technora cord. Technora cord is abrasion resistant, UV resistant and doesn’t stretch.
The kydex sheath was designed for multiple carry options. The extra rivet holes allow for various belt clips so you could customize how you carry. It’s also thin enough to disappear or run along the belt.
Yeah it’s a bit more refined than a sharpened piece of fence with a torn bed sheet for a handle, but those are the benefits of not being locked up.
What’s really nice about the size is that it can be tucked away in really sneaky places. Behind mag pouches, between a pouch and chest rig, or of course strapped to your ankle or tucked into a high boot. The great thing about prison shivs is their adaptability and ease of concealment.
Those were the main inspirations in choosing a piece like this. Now, who makes a good rolled paper knife?
-Craig
Comms Plan:
Primary: Subscribe to our newsletter here or get the RSS feed.
Alternate: Join us on Facebook here or check us out on Instagram here.
Contingency: Exercise your inner perv with us on Tumblr here, follow us on Twitter here or connect on Google + here.
Emergency: Activate firefly, deploy green (or brown) star cluster, get your wank sock out of your ruck and stand by ’til we come get you.
The post MNKF: The Shiv appeared first on Breach Bang Clear.