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This video felt like a well written and very detailed explanation on why I need to start wearing a boot knife. Tips, suggestions, pros, cons, everything. Thank you for the awesome video!
I have a Ka-Bar TDI LDK laced up right in front of the tongue of my pair of Bates boots. It works very well, and you don’t even know it’s there. Personally I’d rather go with that than putting a knife inside of my boots. If you are looking for a nice little last ditch knife, look at the kabar tdi ltk. It’s also got a really nice point to it. I gave the skeletonized handle a paracord wrapping as well, and it fits great in the hand!
That's precisely what I do when I'm wearing lace-up boots, as well. Unfortunately, I prefer cowboy style slip-on boots, so it's a bit of a balancing act as to which I pick for the day. Ain't nothin' like a KA-BAR.
KABAR TDI LDK is definitely the knife to fit most footwear. I’ll wear a boot knife when hiking and for that I usually use a Cold Steel Bird&Game. Small, light, cheap, good sheath, and finger retention hole are big winners in this category. Be aware and be well my friends 💯🦾🤙
Zac, I genuinely love the fact that within the first thirty seconds of the video you got to the point and were already showing us the first knife. I genuinely love you for that.
The gerber mark I (and the valor knockoff) was damn near a must have fashion accessory back in the late 70s early 80s. If you were really dedicated you had a custom sheath sewn into your boot
Some boots came from factory already with a knife sheath. It are standard issue here in Brazil for some EMT/Fire Departments and Highway Patrol units. But, more often, this sheath is used for rescue scissors instead knives.
I appreciate how you admitted your fascination w/ boot knives stems from your childhood & while I would never carry one I too was in love w/ the idea as a kid.
@Late to da Game that you have a boot knife? Or are you asking if you forget to bring it? If the latter then that's why you should have 2 knives in case you forget one. If the former I think you'd remember if you really needed it
I bought the tac 2, was not very happy when I first held it. BUT when I clipped it to my boot and wore it all day long. In and our the car, lots of walking. No rubbing, didn't even notice it most of the time. Who knew.. I'm a boot knife guy. Thanks Zac, fantastic review.
I'd rather focus on carrying an ankle medical kit..lots of other places to fit a fixed blade I've found. Most of my favorites involve a loop of paracord.
The Kershaw Secret Agent looks like a modern version of the old Special Agent which I carried for 30 something years. This had a leather sheath with a reliable dome fastener. Great knife! I now have a Smith & Wesson compact knife that is really unobtrusive.
Hi Zac, I haven´t watched the entire video yet but I did want to share that back in the 80´s I got a Western brand boot knife with a leather sheeth and I did cary it for a long time in a boot. However, for ease of access I switched the location of the knife to the small of my back (the sheeth inside of my pants) and slightly tilted towards my dominant hand. I still have the knife. I don´t carry it on a daily basis anymore (there´s no more need for it anymore) but I sometimes still stick it there while camping just for old times sake. I love that knife. Now, back to the video. Kind regards Alain
Nice variety of knives! I had a boot knife back in the 80’s, I don’t remember the brand but it fell out of my boot, I didn’t think about using the lace to secure it, anyway the place where I lost it had a bunch of ivy in the yard and when they removed the ivy they found my knife. Of course, it was rusted and all messed up but at least it got back to me!
I just started carrying a boot knife a few days ago. I went with the Axial Alpine with an Ulticlip. The clip works great in my boot and has no movement. I am very impressed with the Alpine and Axial as a company. I anticipate great things from them in the future!
WTF are you doing stabbing wood?!? Unless you think you will be attacked by Treebeard….🙄. This is a weapon, not a general purpose edc. Used as intended, it’s fine.
I carry the Cold Steel spike in spear point. Good general use, takes a good edge, thick enough to clean fish, back up dive knife. I carry on day pack boot carry fair. Thanks for the video. As a knife sharpener always good to see people thinking. StaySharp...Never a dull moment.😊
Love this video! I've been trying to decide on a good boot knife for when I'm out on my motorcycle. I'm planning some longer bike camping trips later this year going down the west coast and to visit friends in the southwest. Usually I just scout carry a Bradford Guardian, but getting that out in leathers while seated is a real bear. Boot carry just seems like the right way to go. Thanks for sharing!
I got the Counter TAC 2 simply because I wanted a dagger. My boots aren't any good for boot carry, but for carrying under armpit or appendix on a stiff belt its size and sheath are amazing. It might not be the best at straight cuts, but it's a fast, nifty little blade. That tip loves to dig into anything, your hands included if you're not careful.
The Kershaw Secret Agent looks nice.. although a knife in the boot seems sort of uncomfortable and not a good idea if you carry for defense out in nature.. me personally i would like a video that shows different scout knives that sit horizontally.. whoever created the vertical fixed blade sheaths obviously never wore one themselves and realized how uncomfortable they are when sitting/driving.. thanks for the video ✌️
My army boot use to hold a boot knife while I was a soldier in Desert Storm. Sure I had my machine gun, but I wanted that extra edge in case things ever got down and dirty. Thank God I never had to use it! With crime the way it is now.... I decided to buy a couple of boot knives and carry one in each boot. You never can be too careful in your old age.... lol.
They're essentially daggers, sharpness is irrelevant as they are geared more for combat/piercing objects. Any knife can be a boot knife with the right sheath. From Ka-bar to a bowie. These are basically designed for fighting and piercing purposes.
Cool topic - thanks for sharing. Did you try out one of the CRKT Minimalist knives with a clip as a boot knife? A compromise for the Smith & Wesson could be to take off the scales and wrap it with paracord - might be more comfortable as well.
I have no idea why I like boot knives. I've never once used it. Self defense? The firearm comes first, then the EDC is more accessible. Out in the woods? Already a useful fixed blade on me. Unprepared? Unlikely, I have more fixed blades in my truck or laying around the house. I suppose living in a big city with retarded gun laws would make it more useful.
Thanks for the video, Zac. Boot knives have always mystified me. I have tried out a good many just for fun and never found one that is comfortable at all. Most of them in my experience are just incredibly uncomfortable, painful even. I have bad ankles though, have had surgery on both of them, so maybe my leg just isn't shaped right for it. I also currently only have boots that have a pretty thick padded portion around the top, which makes it hard to find anything that will clip at the right spot; and because of my ankle problems it's really difficult to find just any boot that works for me. So, I really want to carry a boot knife, but it just seems like it'll never be a thing for me. Not to mention that in my state it would be illegal since it's concealment! Can't conceal anything here but an "ordinary pocket knife", whatever that means lol. I'm guessing there are no laws against it where you are? Or do you just do it anyway and say damn the consequences? 😂
Rules are for people who need them🤣. Luckily in my state everything is legal. Sorry to hear about the ankles. If you were in a place you could carry them I bet the Kershaw Secret Agent or the Cold Steel might be great knives for boot carry even with those wider topped boots.🤘
@@zacinthewild Thanks! I have actually been interested in the Counter Tac 1 for a while, but I might take your advice and try the smaller one for boot carry, see how it goes... 🙏
I’m in CA and as long as the handle is seen, it’s not concealed according to the laws here. And the counter tac 2 is under 4” so I can carry it in a public building. Maybe you should reread your laws because I was misinformed about my state for a long time even though I kept rereading the laws lol
@@MLGB0Yz I appreciate the comment but unfortunately like I said above, the law in my state very explicitly says you can’t carry anything concealed except an “ordinary pocket knife carried in a closed position”. It also specifically lists daggers as something that can not be concealed. And boot carry is definitely concealment unless you’re wearing shorts…which I generally don’t, and certainly never would while wearing the kinda boots I’d need to wear to have a knife in them lol. Wow that would be quite a look!
97% of people buy boot knives exclusively because they wanted one when they were kids and couldn't have one. I think the same probably goes for Italian stiletto switchblades, especially the ones with floating crossbars. I always thought they were badass, I did have a couple ones without the floating guard, but at soon as I could but them online, I did. It was cool…all but useless as an actual functioning knife, but cool.
With the exception of the 2nd knife shown, I own each of these models. One, the silliness of bashing AUS-8 is yawn-inducing at this point. I have a great deal of experience with various blade steels. AUS-8's edge retention is not the best in the world. But neither is it barely acceptable. It does a very good job of edge retention. You can sharpen it to that of a razor blade. Good luck with that on some of the so-called better stainless steels out there. Unless you have access to specialized sharpening equipment, you're not putting a razor edge on something like VG10. Not happening. Also, dare you to wash your Stainless steel bladed knife with soap and running hot water. AUS-8 has that extreme corrosion resistance to pull that off without developing surface rust. A lot of those costlier stainless steels simply aren't capable of that. So which one of these do I EDC? None of them. Really irresponsible to make a video like this without even mentioning the legal issues involved in EDCing a double-edged boot knife in a staggering number of jurisdictions. Let's count the ways using the Kershaw. Double-edge, length, carrying a fixed blade concealed (even partially visible in a boot still counts as concealed). Three separate charges right there. These traditional types of knives are great for the collection. Not so much for EDC. Personally the Cold Steel is my favorite with the Kershaw a close second. I use the S&W as a letter-opener because I find it the least comfortable in hand. Once used my Kershaw years ago to puncture a tire. Short version: Very drunk friend. No one could convince him not to drive home. I took my Kershaw, went outside while his other friends distracted him. Did the deed. Works great on tires. He sobered up the next day. I told him the truth. Paid for a new tire. Told him friendship was done. He needed help. We weren't THAT close. I wasn't a family member of his. Never saw him again.
Nothing wrong with a boot knife as long as you dont carry it in your boot. Makes for a slow if not impossible draw unless you are rolling around on the ground.
the handle on that thing would drive me nuts for more than one reason as a boot carry. ill take a karambit or push dagger the profile and draw style both lend themselves better to the bootcarry. knife in the video would be better deployed from the shin/thigh with a leg holster since its already three qquaters of the way up his shin
For those people who are not boot knife fans, these knives especially the cold steel is easy to make a paracord shoulder rig for them. I use the system for my cold steel safe Maker 1.
Great timing, I've been looking for a knife that will work in my Red Wings. I wish Kershaw would move to a 14C28N steel but I guess for under $40 8cr will have to do. I just ordered it '-)
Never carried a boot knife until I became an Army Paratrooper and ALWAYS had a knife on the inside of my left foot for a jump after I left jump school. I would remove it when I hit the ground and put it somewhere else due to wait-a-minute vines.
Good review. One major consideration is whether the plastic sheath contains glass fibers. Glass fibers in the plastic will dull the edge when you sheath and unsheath the knife. CRKT started using glass fibers a few years ago and Cold Steel has followed more recently. Mora and Glock do not use glass fiber in their sheaths and never have, so their sheaths do not damage the edges of the blade. Have you found you need to resharpen your boot knife when you drew it from your sheath?
I got a short dagger from budk. I sewed a nylon strap to the nylon sheath. I strap it to my calf and put my boots on. Works well. I paid less than $15.00 for it. I live in 10 acres in Texas in a rural area. So I always carry many knives in me as well as a firearm of some sort. In Texas every man carries knives and one out of every 5 people are packing heat. So if you come here you're welcome to carry. If you pull out your weapons be prepared to have weapons pulled on you. Unless you're showing your weapons then all the men will stand around and want to take a look at it. We like reviewing each other's items. That's always acceptable.
The schrade needle is what I currently have. It’s a bit on the small size, but that means you barely notice it in your boot. Good kydex sheath, good handle, nice retention. Really it has it all unless you want a bigger knife.
Benchmade SOCP Dagger would make a good one as well. You need taller boots for it, but it does look like they sell a mini as well. It is ambidextrous as to which way it fits into the sheath. Can get it to sit really deep in the boot so it doesn’t protrude up above the boot very far.
That's my favorite as well. Works great in cowboy boots (I hate even having type the "cowboy", to us they're just boots LOL). I don't think many people want to spend the money for a Benchmade for this purpose.
I have the smith and Weston, it's been great in my jungle boots, only cost me around 17$USD, I live in Florida an we tend to get alot of rain and humidity here but with my usual upkeep (light coat of mineral oil) it hasn't rusted on me like a few other ones have, the only downside so far is the fact that It wasn't as sharp as I would of liked straight out the box and it's a little small for my hands, mind you I'm 6.4 so the ladder isn't a issue for most people...
I don't understand how this method of carrying a knife can be convenient. Except from the outside of the boot and if you spend two-thirds of your day riding in the saddle
I had a couple of cheap Gerber MkI copies in succession years ago. Think they were $10 knives. Traded them with the last one going even-up for a real Gerber Guardian that I still have - luckily. Almost lost the Gerber when carrying in my boot and running. It popped out of the scabbard and gravity cause it to impale my trouser cuff. Thought about finding a Kydex sheath, but decided instead it should be retired along with my MkII. Haven’t really been ito boot knives since, but that Civici looks promising. I lost interest in Cold Steel after encountering a complete total lack of response from customer service over replacing minor parts such as clips on folders. Anyway, this was a good presentation.
I saw in a couple of your older videos you mentioned the cold steel counter 2. So I bought one and I love the damn thing. Its comfortable, affordable, and fun to just throw around Haha.
I just bought the Tac 2 and I love it !!! I have a micro tech utx-85 ,trodon , Benchmade 940 ,Exo reate , kershaw launch 11 , Clinch Pick 2.0 but damn this lil guy hits different and way cheaper then any of those 😂⚔️
My favourite, and well worth a look if you ever come across one, is an original 80s Gerber Guardian Backup with the first series leather sheath. Originally designed by R.W. Loveless, it's very compact, with a flat handle that rides well and a secure low riding leather sheath that fits very comfortably inside a boot top without any top heavy wobble..
This is an interesting, albeit specific, use case for boot knives (and a specific way to wear boots). It's unlikely I'd want to tuck it *inside* my boot...the whole point of a tall boot is that I have a sturdy carapace that the knife/sheath won't rub on...and a boot that fits around my leg protecting me and keeping debris out. I much prefer a knife strapped to the outside of the boot, like a diver's knife on their thigh.
There's probably an obvious answer to this question but why would you want a knife in your boot instead of on your belt? I keep a knife in my belt and I use it pretty much every day. Not really sure why would want to bend down to get my knife.
My personal favorite boot knife is a gerber guardian. My wife bought it for me 30 plus years ago nothing says I love you like double edge blade I knew she was a keeper.
I'm a blacksmith in Kentucky, I'm actually working on a small, fixed blade that'll work for an EDC belt dangle carry. Along with boot carry, personally a small sword in your boot just seems useless and stupid Haha Should have a pic posted by the end of the week, doing final touches now.
Seems like the only reason to carry one is to be different. They’re not practical, easy to access and people expecting to get into a self defense situation with a knife are training to die
Great video once again Zac! I've been thinking about getting a boot knife and so I'm going to give a couple of these knives a shot. Thanks for the content and information.
Just checked out nicks handmade boots. Really like the urban logger but man 600$!!! Idk I’m tempted to try them cuz I destroy every pair of work boots I ever owned.
I don't understand the hatred towards Aus 8. The simple fact that it'll take a screaming ass edge and without a whole lotta trouble doing so, kinda gives it bonus points for me. But I don't really care as much I guess as others about edge retention. I enjoy sharpening my blades.
Nice presentation. I disagree with you about the aus8 steel I find it to be a very good steel. That being said no its not as strong as many super steels that's out but a lot of super steels is next to impossible to sharpen.
Loving the content, I don't always carry a boot knife but if I do its my SOG Mini Pentagon (shaved down and wrapped the handle), the sheath is a bit bulky though. You sold me on the Tac II, picked one up off the site and cant wait to carry it!
Thank you for making this video it will help me in my decision for a boot knife. I only wish the best knife wasn't a cold Steele. I had a cold Steele that rolled it's edge the first day I used it and their customer service said too bad. I will try one of the others though. Thanks again for the information.
Yeah I just expected it to be better than the basic beater Gerber that it was going to replace which has never rolled or chipped. I think I am going to try the Civivi this time. Thanks again.
You missed out on the Gerber Guardian 2 which i have been EDC since 2000 from a boot to neck, belt carry vertical or inverted on webbing with para certification too; it is able to withstand salt water immersion 2 weeks without any effects, no cleansing even. Mine is a serial numbered.
Cold steel spike with an ulticlip (small zip ties to put the clip on the sheath b/c the CS spike sheath holes are tiny) and i have the CS drop forged boot knife. They both work great. Very thin and the sheaths are thin. Been carrying 1 or the other on my boot for like 6-8 yrs and i have never had the unti clips damage the boot.
You arent wrong! Owned one of them, and a Kershaw Special Agent and G96 boot knife, which are 2 others that were more than decent. Kershaw also made the amphibian, which would actually have been my choice. Very slim, stainless and razor sharp.
We are headed to SHOT Show 2023 make sure you are following the channels for coverage of all the best new stuff! fortwild.com/pages/get-ready-for-shot-show-2023
You inspired me to go back to school and I just joined my local Carpenters union of Detroit. Thanks for being an awesome badass man🤘🏼
I still want that purple kalashnikov though….
Thanks Another fine informative one That’s all I ask
70k subscribers congrats dude🎉🎉
@zacinthewild
What kind of boots are you wearing?
I’ve never considered a boot knife before. My wife thanks you for another totally necessary knife purchase.
Lol glad to hear I could help!
Most, if not all knife purchases are totally necessary. Anyone who says otherwise is misinformed.
ugh me too now 😂
Every man should carry a knife. Exceptional men should carry multiple. Sounds like your wife is at fault for marrying an exceptional man.
@@edwardmarshall2035 TIL I'm exceptional, and all it took was an extra knife in my pocket!
This video felt like a well written and very detailed explanation on why I need to start wearing a boot knife. Tips, suggestions, pros, cons, everything. Thank you for the awesome video!
Thanks! Really means a lot🤘
I have a Ka-Bar TDI LDK laced up right in front of the tongue of my pair of Bates boots. It works very well, and you don’t even know it’s there. Personally I’d rather go with that than putting a knife inside of my boots. If you are looking for a nice little last ditch knife, look at the kabar tdi ltk. It’s also got a really nice point to it. I gave the skeletonized handle a paracord wrapping as well, and it fits great in the hand!
Ka-Bar is tried and true
That's precisely what I do when I'm wearing lace-up boots, as well.
Unfortunately, I prefer cowboy style slip-on boots, so it's a bit of a balancing act as to which I pick for the day.
Ain't nothin' like a KA-BAR.
KABAR TDI LDK is definitely the knife to fit most footwear.
I’ll wear a boot knife when hiking and for that I usually use a Cold Steel Bird&Game. Small, light, cheap, good sheath, and finger retention hole are big winners in this category.
Be aware and be well my friends 💯🦾🤙
Zac, I genuinely love the fact that within the first thirty seconds of the video you got to the point and were already showing us the first knife. I genuinely love you for that.
And still gives 12 minutes of good content
Hallelujah
I love you Zac 😂 the dedication to carry a boot knife for two years to make such a comprehensive video. I’m gonna try one just because of this!
The gerber mark I (and the valor knockoff) was damn near a must have fashion accessory back in the late 70s early 80s. If you were really dedicated you had a custom sheath sewn into your boot
This is the way
Some boots came from factory already with a knife sheath. It are standard issue here in Brazil for some EMT/Fire Departments and Highway Patrol units. But, more often, this sheath is used for rescue scissors instead knives.
leaves all these wannabes, especially the cold steel ripoff, crying
I appreciate how you admitted your fascination w/ boot knives stems from your childhood & while I would never carry one I too was in love w/ the idea as a kid.
The concept of the boot knife as an edc utility is great. Even if it's not the BEST knife, the knife you have is always better than the one you dont.
But what if you don't remember?
@Late to da Game that you have a boot knife? Or are you asking if you forget to bring it? If the latter then that's why you should have 2 knives in case you forget one. If the former I think you'd remember if you really needed it
I bought the tac 2, was not very happy when I first held it. BUT when I clipped it to my boot and wore it all day long. In and our the car, lots of walking. No rubbing, didn't even notice it most of the time.
Who knew.. I'm a boot knife guy. Thanks Zac, fantastic review.
Might be a niche for Ben to design a good utility boot knife. If I reach for a self defense tool in my boot it would probably be a .38.
Galco ankle glove is a great rig. (S&W 640)
@@charlessalmond7076 440. Lol
I carry a knife cause it doesn't draw attention
@@Hammer1978 That's what concealed carry is for.
@@flaco5581 nice. My 640 in .357mag was my fathers. Its a great gun.
I'd rather focus on carrying an ankle medical kit..lots of other places to fit a fixed blade I've found. Most of my favorites involve a loop of paracord.
Great alternative for sure! I’ve tried in the past and it always feels bulky. Any suggestions?
The Kershaw Secret Agent looks like a modern version of the old Special Agent which I carried for 30 something years. This had a leather sheath with a reliable dome fastener. Great knife! I now have a Smith & Wesson compact knife that is really unobtrusive.
I've been carrying a Gerber MK 1 for over 45 years. I love it.
Hi Zac, I haven´t watched the entire video yet but I did want to share that back in the 80´s I got a Western brand boot knife with a leather sheeth and I did cary it for a long time in a boot. However, for ease of access I switched the location of the knife to the small of my back (the sheeth inside of my pants) and slightly tilted towards my dominant hand. I still have the knife. I don´t carry it on a daily basis anymore (there´s no more need for it anymore) but I sometimes still stick it there while camping just for old times sake. I love that knife. Now, back to the video.
Kind regards
Alain
Nice variety of knives! I had a boot knife back in the 80’s, I don’t remember the brand but it fell out of my boot, I didn’t think about using the lace to secure it, anyway the place where I lost it had a bunch of ivy in the yard and when they removed the ivy they found my knife. Of course, it was rusted and all messed up but at least it got back to me!
Have carried my Kershaw Secret Agent for over 10 years. Great knife!!! Thanks for the confirmation.
This seems like a great vid, but no matter how hard I try, I just can't take people that dress like hipsters seriously.
I just started carrying a boot knife a few days ago. I went with the Axial Alpine with an Ulticlip. The clip works great in my boot and has no movement. I am very impressed with the Alpine and Axial as a company. I anticipate great things from them in the future!
Rad! I love the look and feel of that Alpine. Totally agree that Axial is a company to watch🤘
got me a buck 616 about 2 years ago and I absolutely love it. I go from neck carry and boot carry with it. Absolutely beast of a little knife.
I don’t wear boots, so I keep my boot knife in my pocket.
When I was deployed, my favorite boot knife was the Gerber Guardian. That knife was perfect for me. I sadly lost it, wish it was still in production.
I have carried a Gerber guardian, literally for decades I have a couple of spares. I find them at gun shows, and swap shops quite reasonably.
@@missourirebel9669 Me too. A great R.W. Loveless design.
I've got one somewhere. It was a nice little knife but it really really really rattled in the sheath.
Smith and session HRT is my go to. All the advantages of the one you mentioned, same sheath, but much less handle heavy. Plus very budget friendly
The hrt sucks, I stabbed some wood with it a couple tunes and the tip broke off.
WTF are you doing stabbing wood?!? Unless you think you will be attacked by Treebeard….🙄. This is a weapon, not a general purpose edc. Used as intended, it’s fine.
My daughter carries one in her Justin's. Can't beat it. Won't cry if you loose it.
I carry the Cold Steel spike in spear point. Good general use, takes a good edge, thick enough to clean fish, back up dive knife. I carry on day pack boot carry fair. Thanks for the video. As a knife sharpener always good to see people thinking. StaySharp...Never a dull moment.😊
Love this video! I've been trying to decide on a good boot knife for when I'm out on my motorcycle. I'm planning some longer bike camping trips later this year going down the west coast and to visit friends in the southwest. Usually I just scout carry a Bradford Guardian, but getting that out in leathers while seated is a real bear. Boot carry just seems like the right way to go. Thanks for sharing!
I got the Counter TAC 2 simply because I wanted a dagger. My boots aren't any good for boot carry, but for carrying under armpit or appendix on a stiff belt its size and sheath are amazing. It might not be the best at straight cuts, but it's a fast, nifty little blade. That tip loves to dig into anything, your hands included if you're not careful.
Very true in the blade profile. It makes a great neck knife too!
The Kershaw Secret Agent looks nice.. although a knife in the boot seems sort of uncomfortable and not a good idea if you carry for defense out in nature.. me personally i would like a video that shows different scout knives that sit horizontally.. whoever created the vertical fixed blade sheaths obviously never wore one themselves and realized how uncomfortable they are when sitting/driving.. thanks for the video ✌️
My army boot use to hold a boot knife while I was a soldier in Desert Storm. Sure I had my machine gun, but I wanted that extra edge in case things ever got down and dirty. Thank God I never had to use it! With crime the way it is now.... I decided to buy a couple of boot knives and carry one in each boot. You never can be too careful in your old age.... lol.
They're essentially daggers, sharpness is irrelevant as they are geared more for combat/piercing objects. Any knife can be a boot knife with the right sheath. From Ka-bar to a bowie. These are basically designed for fighting and piercing purposes.
I suggest an ulticlip instead of the clip that comes with the knife.
Cool topic - thanks for sharing. Did you try out one of the CRKT Minimalist knives with a clip as a boot knife? A compromise for the Smith & Wesson could be to take off the scales and wrap it with paracord - might be more comfortable as well.
I did try the minimalist a few different ways. It sits a little wide and couldn’t find a clip that worked well
@@zacinthewild OK - thanks for letting me know. Enjoy Shot Show!
Remember, even having a conceal carry permit doesn't allow you to conceal a knife.
Depends on the state
I have no idea why I like boot knives. I've never once used it. Self defense? The firearm comes first, then the EDC is more accessible. Out in the woods? Already a useful fixed blade on me. Unprepared? Unlikely, I have more fixed blades in my truck or laying around the house. I suppose living in a big city with retarded gun laws would make it more useful.
Great video! Might try and carry a boot knife now. I feel like Jakebcreates chickadee would be a cool boot Knife if only it had a proper sheath.
Yo, it seems like you enjoy boots and other heritage/ work wear . Consider making a video on some of the gear you wear regularly !
Thanks for the video, Zac. Boot knives have always mystified me. I have tried out a good many just for fun and never found one that is comfortable at all. Most of them in my experience are just incredibly uncomfortable, painful even. I have bad ankles though, have had surgery on both of them, so maybe my leg just isn't shaped right for it. I also currently only have boots that have a pretty thick padded portion around the top, which makes it hard to find anything that will clip at the right spot; and because of my ankle problems it's really difficult to find just any boot that works for me. So, I really want to carry a boot knife, but it just seems like it'll never be a thing for me.
Not to mention that in my state it would be illegal since it's concealment! Can't conceal anything here but an "ordinary pocket knife", whatever that means lol. I'm guessing there are no laws against it where you are? Or do you just do it anyway and say damn the consequences? 😂
Rules are for people who need them🤣. Luckily in my state everything is legal. Sorry to hear about the ankles. If you were in a place you could carry them I bet the Kershaw Secret Agent or the Cold Steel might be great knives for boot carry even with those wider topped boots.🤘
@@zacinthewild Thanks! I have actually been interested in the Counter Tac 1 for a while, but I might take your advice and try the smaller one for boot carry, see how it goes... 🙏
I’m in CA and as long as the handle is seen, it’s not concealed according to the laws here. And the counter tac 2 is under 4” so I can carry it in a public building. Maybe you should reread your laws because I was misinformed about my state for a long time even though I kept rereading the laws lol
@@MLGB0Yz I appreciate the comment but unfortunately like I said above, the law in my state very explicitly says you can’t carry anything concealed except an “ordinary pocket knife carried in a closed position”. It also specifically lists daggers as something that can not be concealed. And boot carry is definitely concealment unless you’re wearing shorts…which I generally don’t, and certainly never would while wearing the kinda boots I’d need to wear to have a knife in them lol. Wow that would be quite a look!
You missed the best option for a boot knife from Smith and Wesson. The SW HRT series, specifically the 3BF model.
97% of people buy boot knives exclusively because they wanted one when they were kids and couldn't have one. I think the same probably goes for Italian stiletto switchblades, especially the ones with floating crossbars. I always thought they were badass, I did have a couple ones without the floating guard, but at soon as I could but them online, I did.
It was cool…all but useless as an actual functioning knife, but cool.
Not really a boot knife guy since I wear Vans a lot but this is all super useful information. Cold Steel has always been a go to brand for me anyway.
With the exception of the 2nd knife shown, I own each of these models. One, the silliness of bashing AUS-8 is yawn-inducing at this point. I have a great deal of experience with various blade steels. AUS-8's edge retention is not the best in the world. But neither is it barely acceptable. It does a very good job of edge retention. You can sharpen it to that of a razor blade. Good luck with that on some of the so-called better stainless steels out there. Unless you have access to specialized sharpening equipment, you're not putting a razor edge on something like VG10. Not happening. Also, dare you to wash your Stainless steel bladed knife with soap and running hot water. AUS-8 has that extreme corrosion resistance to pull that off without developing surface rust. A lot of those costlier stainless steels simply aren't capable of that.
So which one of these do I EDC? None of them. Really irresponsible to make a video like this without even mentioning the legal issues involved in EDCing a double-edged boot knife in a staggering number of jurisdictions. Let's count the ways using the Kershaw. Double-edge, length, carrying a fixed blade concealed (even partially visible in a boot still counts as concealed). Three separate charges right there. These traditional types of knives are great for the collection. Not so much for EDC. Personally the Cold Steel is my favorite with the Kershaw a close second. I use the S&W as a letter-opener because I find it the least comfortable in hand. Once used my Kershaw years ago to puncture a tire. Short version: Very drunk friend. No one could convince him not to drive home. I took my Kershaw, went outside while his other friends distracted him. Did the deed. Works great on tires. He sobered up the next day. I told him the truth. Paid for a new tire. Told him friendship was done. He needed help. We weren't THAT close. I wasn't a family member of his. Never saw him again.
I've always been interested in a boot knife but I always feel like it's going to slide off.
Maybe just EDC a dive knife? Lol
Cool video. I'm not a boot knife guy, but I liked seeing the pros/cons and hearing the thoughts of someone with years of experience.
You must be on the left coast. Here in TN, we carry our knives clipped to the pocket, and pistols in the belt and or boot.
Nothing wrong with a boot knife as long as you dont carry it in your boot. Makes for a slow if not impossible draw unless you are rolling around on the ground.
Usually when people talk about “a knife you use all day” they don’t mean for combat
@@alecwolff4761 Depends on your hood.
the handle on that thing would drive me nuts for more than one reason as a boot carry. ill take a karambit or push dagger the profile and draw style both lend themselves better to the bootcarry.
knife in the video would be better deployed from the shin/thigh with a leg holster since its already three qquaters of the way up his shin
For those people who are not boot knife fans, these knives especially the cold steel is easy to make a paracord shoulder rig for them. I use the system for my cold steel safe Maker 1.
The real question is what boots are you wearing? They look really comfy.
Nicks Handmade. Expensive but best boots I’ve ever worn hands down🤘
This is only for 6th graders. Then you grow up and carry a real knife.
Great timing, I've been looking for a knife that will work in my Red Wings. I wish Kershaw would move to a 14C28N steel but I guess for under $40 8cr will have to do. I just ordered it '-)
A liberal with his beanie , glasses, and probably has a scarf on his moped…..
8CR is more than adequate for the intended use.
Bro looks more likely to carry a backup Gameboy with starwars games
Never carried a boot knife until I became an Army Paratrooper and ALWAYS had a knife on the inside of my left foot for a jump after I left jump school. I would remove it when I hit the ground and put it somewhere else due to wait-a-minute vines.
Good review. One major consideration is whether the plastic sheath contains glass fibers. Glass fibers in the plastic will dull the edge when you sheath and unsheath the knife. CRKT started using glass fibers a few years ago and Cold Steel has followed more recently. Mora and Glock do not use glass fiber in their sheaths and never have, so their sheaths do not damage the edges of the blade. Have you found you need to resharpen your boot knife when you drew it from your sheath?
I've been carrying a boot knife for probably 7 years. Cold Steel Hideout, hilt down, on the outside of my boot.
I got a short dagger from budk. I sewed a nylon strap to the nylon sheath. I strap it to my calf and put my boots on. Works well. I paid less than $15.00 for it. I live in 10 acres in Texas in a rural area. So I always carry many knives in me as well as a firearm of some sort. In Texas every man carries knives and one out of every 5 people are packing heat. So if you come here you're welcome to carry. If you pull out your weapons be prepared to have weapons pulled on you. Unless you're showing your weapons then all the men will stand around and want to take a look at it. We like reviewing each other's items. That's always acceptable.
The schrade needle is what I currently have. It’s a bit on the small size, but that means you barely notice it in your boot. Good kydex sheath, good handle, nice retention. Really it has it all unless you want a bigger knife.
Benchmade SOCP Dagger would make a good one as well. You need taller boots for it, but it does look like they sell a mini as well. It is ambidextrous as to which way it fits into the sheath. Can get it to sit really deep in the boot so it doesn’t protrude up above the boot very far.
That's my favorite as well. Works great in cowboy boots (I hate even having type the "cowboy", to us they're just boots LOL). I don't think many people want to spend the money for a Benchmade for this purpose.
I have the smith and Weston, it's been great in my jungle boots, only cost me around 17$USD, I live in Florida an we tend to get alot of rain and humidity here but with my usual upkeep (light coat of mineral oil) it hasn't rusted on me like a few other ones have, the only downside so far is the fact that It wasn't as sharp as I would of liked straight out the box and it's a little small for my hands, mind you I'm 6.4 so the ladder isn't a issue for most people...
I don't understand how this method of carrying a knife can be convenient. Except from the outside of the boot and if you spend two-thirds of your day riding in the saddle
Watch Big Trouble in Little China.
Any chance you’ll do a video of appendix carry?👀
I just keep a 12 inch custom Case knife in my jacket.
LMFAO.... "Boot Knife Mall Ninja".
I had a couple of cheap Gerber MkI copies in succession years ago. Think they were $10 knives. Traded them with the last one going even-up for a real Gerber Guardian that I still have - luckily. Almost lost the Gerber when carrying in my boot and running. It popped out of the scabbard and gravity cause it to impale my trouser cuff. Thought about finding a Kydex sheath, but decided instead it should be retired along with my MkII. Haven’t really been ito boot knives since, but that Civici looks promising. I lost interest in Cold Steel after encountering a complete total lack of response from customer service over replacing minor parts such as clips on folders. Anyway, this was a good presentation.
I saw in a couple of your older videos you mentioned the cold steel counter 2. So I bought one and I love the damn thing. Its comfortable, affordable, and fun to just throw around Haha.
The Counter Tac II makes an incredible forget-until-you-need neck knife. I can’t wait to try it in my boot. Great video!
Totally agree!
The top shirt button does not get buttoned without a tie.
#Adulthood
I just bought the Tac 2 and I love it !!! I have a micro tech utx-85 ,trodon , Benchmade 940 ,Exo reate , kershaw launch 11 , Clinch Pick 2.0 but damn this lil guy hits different and way cheaper then any of those 😂⚔️
Awesome…….I have 2 of these and I’ll be checking out the Circulus CIVIVI soon. Thanks
I used a Gerber Mark 1 and a Valor copy for many years
My favourite, and well worth a look if you ever come across one, is an original 80s Gerber Guardian Backup with the first series leather sheath. Originally designed by R.W. Loveless, it's very compact, with a flat handle that rides well and a secure low riding leather sheath that fits very comfortably inside a boot top without any top heavy wobble..
What were the knives that were discontinued?
IMO your boots are too short for a boot knife.
Moce along buddy
This is an interesting, albeit specific, use case for boot knives (and a specific way to wear boots). It's unlikely I'd want to tuck it *inside* my boot...the whole point of a tall boot is that I have a sturdy carapace that the knife/sheath won't rub on...and a boot that fits around my leg protecting me and keeping debris out. I much prefer a knife strapped to the outside of the boot, like a diver's knife on their thigh.
There's probably an obvious answer to this question but why would you want a knife in your boot instead of on your belt? I keep a knife in my belt and I use it pretty much every day. Not really sure why would want to bend down to get my knife.
Yeah I carry all my boot knife('s) in my pocket or on my belt. I find it's more accessible and quick to deploy, especially if your jammed up.
My personal favorite boot knife is a gerber guardian. My wife bought it for me 30 plus years ago nothing says I love you like double edge blade I knew she was a keeper.
Never got to carry one but I’ve heard they were great!
Great Video ... Cold Steel Counter TAC 2 order inbound!
Yeah!🤘
Really cool to see you go in-depth for boot knives!
I'm a blacksmith in Kentucky, I'm actually working on a small, fixed blade that'll work for an EDC belt dangle carry. Along with boot carry, personally a small sword in your boot just seems useless and stupid Haha Should have a pic posted by the end of the week, doing final touches now.
What's the purpose of a boot knife as opposed to just carrying a knife on your belt or a folding knife in your pocket?
I was hoping to see a video about the counter tac! Super awesome, guess I need one now 🤷♂️
Man you’re good at making me buy knives. Just one video and I already have 3 knives in the cart
I really love my Kershaw Secret agent, I also like S&W "descret" boot knife for a very small and low vis carry, and final the S&W HRT3 boot knife.
Seems like the only reason to carry one is to be different. They’re not practical, easy to access and people expecting to get into a self defense situation with a knife are training to die
I know it’s not technically a boot knife, but I use the Gerber Ghoststrike as a boot knife. Most comfortable for me
Can work pretty good for sure. I’ve never had much luck with it personally.
Great video once again Zac! I've been thinking about getting a boot knife and so I'm going to give a couple of these knives a shot. Thanks for the content and information.
I didn't know I needed a boot knife until now!
No one needs one of these, ridiculous.
Just checked out nicks handmade boots. Really like the urban logger but man 600$!!! Idk I’m tempted to try them cuz I destroy every pair of work boots I ever owned.
I have been hearing the arguments for high quality work boots and it seems convincing to me.
I don't understand the hatred towards Aus 8. The simple fact that it'll take a screaming ass edge and without a whole lotta trouble doing so, kinda gives it bonus points for me. But I don't really care as much I guess as others about edge retention. I enjoy sharpening my blades.
Nice presentation. I disagree with you about the aus8 steel I find it to be a very good steel. That being said no its not as strong as many super steels that's out but a lot of super steels is next to impossible to sharpen.
Have you ever tried the Buck 616?
Great little knife!
One of the ones I loved that got discontinued from what I can tell.
Loving the content, I don't always carry a boot knife but if I do its my SOG Mini Pentagon (shaved down and wrapped the handle), the sheath is a bit bulky though. You sold me on the Tac II, picked one up off the site and cant wait to carry it!
Thank you for making this video it will help me in my decision for a boot knife. I only wish the best knife wasn't a cold Steele. I had a cold Steele that rolled it's edge the first day I used it and their customer service said too bad. I will try one of the others though. Thanks again for the information.
I’ve had great luck with mine using it as the back up blade I use it for. I’ve chipped it a bit here and there but it buffs right out.
Yeah I just expected it to be better than the basic beater Gerber that it was going to replace which has never rolled or chipped. I think I am going to try the Civivi this time. Thanks again.
You missed out on the Gerber Guardian 2 which i have been EDC since 2000 from a boot to neck, belt carry vertical or inverted on webbing with para certification too; it is able to withstand salt water immersion 2 weeks without any effects, no cleansing even.
Mine is a serial numbered.
lovw boot knnives so usefull when working in the ranch.
Cold steel spike with an ulticlip (small zip ties to put the clip on the sheath b/c the CS spike sheath holes are tiny) and i have the CS drop forged boot knife. They both work great. Very thin and the sheaths are thin. Been carrying 1 or the other on my boot for like 6-8 yrs and i have never had the unti clips damage the boot.
Awesome!
Bro that S and W is massive
Id love to carry a small fixed blade but if I'm not mistaken I think VA law doesn't allow any fixed blade to be concealed.
P.s. have you tried the broker Barlow bff? That is the ideal edc fixed blade for me
the old gerber mark 1 left all of them in the dust
You arent wrong! Owned one of them, and a Kershaw Special Agent and G96 boot knife, which are 2 others that were more than decent. Kershaw also made the amphibian, which would actually have been my choice. Very slim, stainless and razor sharp.