Military Muscle

INSPIRED BY A WORLD WAR II KNIFE, KERSHAW’S XCOM IS AN IDEAL SELF-DEFENSE CHOICE FOR A MODERN WARRIOR

- Michael D’Angona

Talk about amazing. With its XCOM knife, Kershaw has created a powerful blend of the old and the new. Inspired by a classic traditional military knife, the Oregon-based company and custom maker Les George updated the XCOM for today’s unpredictable modern world. The result is a simple, yet efficient design for both everyday tasks and life-and-death applications.

For those utility uses, the knife performs basic cuts to most of the materials you have around your house, but will it save your skin when push comes to shove? After all, there are some important factors to consider. For example, can the knife be easily secured and quickly opened? And how does it perform offensive and defensive self-defense techniques? You’re about to find out how XCOM stacks up when things go down in the street.

LOOK AND FEEL

At first glance, the XCOM appears to be a double-bladed dagger, but it only has one sharpened side. To avoid accidental injuries when closing the knife, this is especially useful. Plus, you can carry it as a concealed weapon in states that don’t allow you to carry a double-edged knife. The symmetrical blade ends with a prominent spear tip while the sharpened bayonet grind runs down the entire length of the blade.

Both the handle and blade are black, which is ideal when you are carrying at night because there are no reflective surfaces to give away its presence. Created from all-weather, glass-filled nylon, the handle has segmented grooves that keep the knife firmly in your hand. Although the literature says the handle fits a wide range of hand sizes, it was an inch or so too short to provide a solid and comfortable fit for me. As I moved the knife about, I continually had to reposition my pinkie finger on the handle. This hindrance didn’t prevent me from gripping the knife; however, it was a distraction as I performed various tests.