Pistol grip knife

Abstract

The device discloses a thrusting knife of improved design which provides for an angled handle to allow more natural thrusting movements in hand to hand combat situations. The knife is comprised of a pistol grip-like handle which is more natural for a user to hold and provide a striking action with more natural wrist position when in use. The invention is more readily adaptable by individuals already trained in fist fighting tactical pistol drawing and placement or other self defense or combat arts. An index finger opening at the interface of the pistol grip and blade provide for improved control. An alternate embodiment is configured for use with a gloved hand.

Claims

1. A pistol grip knife fabricated from a single tang comprising: a handle for gripping by a user's hand, said handle being an integrated part of said tang of said knife for receiving fingers of said knife user when said user is holding said knife; a blade extending outwardly from the handle forming an acute angle with the handle for said knife; and a finger opening located approximately at the vertex of said acute angle between said blade and handle to accept the finger of said knife user; further including an area at the tip of said knife blade containing a contrasting color to serve as an aiming point of said knife when pointing said blade at the intended target.

2. The pistol grip knife of claim 1 wherein said contrasting area is comprised of a luminescent material to provide a sight capable of guiding the tip of said blade toward the intended target in the absence of ambient light.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 is a side view of the invention in its basic embodiment.

(2) FIG. 2 is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) And now the invention will be described in detail with reference to the various figures wherein like numerals describe like parts. Two embodiments of knife 10 are shown in various views in the several figures. Knife 10 is forged or otherwise created from a single piece of steel angled in a fashion such that the tang of the knife is in the basic form of a pistol grip 18 whereby the hand of the user of knife 10 grasps grip 18 in a comfortable grasp as if the user of knife 10 is holding a firearm pistol. Tang 12 is comprised of undulations 40 such as to provide a comfortable grasp for the user's hands.

(4) Blade point 14 is centered around blade center axis 32 with blade 30 containing sharpened edges on each side of the blade. Tang cover 20 acts as an enhancement to pistol grip 18, each cover bolted through tang 12 with tang cover fasteners 22. Index finger ring 26 is a hole or opening through the shoulder area where blade 30 meets handle 18 to allow the index finger to be placed therethrough when gripping the knife. Ring 26 is formed by finger guard 26 which is configured like a trigger guard on a firearm.

(5) Index finger guide 28, shown in FIG. 1, provides a means for the user to more quickly find index finger ring 26 when grasping the knife from a holster or belt sheath without the need to look at the knife while positioning it. Index finger guide 28 allows the user grasping the knife from a belt sheath to guide the user's index finger along blade 30 at approximately the blade center axis 32 similar to use of a pistol firearm when one is drawing the firearm from a holster and always taught that the trigger finger, being the index finger, should remain outside the trigger guard opening and instead aligned with the barrel of the firearm until the user is ready to fire and/or has brought the firearm to the chest area and thrust it forward in order to gain a good sight picture before firing the weapon. In a similar fashion, the present invention allows such firearm training to translate immediately to the use of the disclosed knife. A user's index finger slides rearward along blade center axis 32, coming in contact with the impression or concave area of index finger guide 28 allowing the user to feel his way by tactile senses into index finger ring or opening 26 and thereby placing the index finger, as with the trigger of a firearm, through the opening 26.

(6) FIG. 1 also discloses tether hole 34 as well as a handle finger guide 42 which would allow proper placement of the pistol grip knife when the knife is held in an inverted fashion with the bottom of tang 12 nearest tether hole 34 being in the upright position essentially grasping knife 10 in an inverted or upside down fashion. It can be appreciated by considering the figures that even in such a reversed, inverted grip, blade center axis 32 remains in a forward position with blade point 14 pointed towards the adversary though positioned below the user's fist around which knife pistol grip handle 18 is held. In such an alternate use, the user's pinky finger would be normally extended through index finger ring 26 by sliding across finger guard 24 with the user's index finger thereby being closest to tether hole 34. Handle finger guide 42 is designed and placed on handle 18 at the lower end of tang 12 to allow easier indexing and orientation of the pistol grip knife when used in this alternative method.

(7) FIG. 2 is an alternative embodiment of the pistol grip knife whereby extended finger ring 26 is elongated in the extended finger guide area 38 by eliminating the material which is normally used as the index finger guide 28 in FIG. 1. It has been found that by extending or enlarging the opening which comprises extended finger ring 36 to include the area shown as finger guide 38, gloved hands sometimes found in service by the military or others fits more readily through finger ring 36 where one's gloved hand may not fit through index finger ring 26 shown on FIG. 1.

(8) Continuing with FIG. 1, it can be seen that there are three undulations 40, each forming a comfortable area for the user's fingers to grasp knife pistol grip 18 while holding the knife in the intended position. It can be seen from FIG. 1 that the angle used in the preferred embodiment is approximately 45 degrees when measured between the blade center axis 32 and the average center line of pistol grip 18. It can be appreciated that this angle can be adjusted somewhat in either direction as long as the basic design provides for a comfortable handle in which the user can grip knife 10, extending the user's wrist inline with the outstretched hand such that thrusting motions with knife 10 can be generated in the forward position to pierce or thrust knife 10 without any lateral movement.

(9) The method of fighting with knife 10 is best understood if one visualizes a straight punching action in a combat scenario where a user is thrusting one's hand forward as if to punch an opponent. By holding the knife in the clenched hand of the user as if the user was throwing a punch at an opponent, the invention presents blade point 14 as perpendicular to the opponent as possible. This is in contrast with more conventional knives in which the gripping action of the user requires the user's wrist to be at other than a straight line position with the user's forearm. Grasping a typical knife will require the user to hold the tang or handle of the knife with the knife point 14 or blade point sight 16 pointing in a vertical or downward direction when the user of a conventional knife extends when the hand grasping the knife forward as if throwing a punch. It is for this reason that conventional knives are sometimes used in a slashing action or a stabbing action from a downward thrust as opposed to a more natural punching action which is not comfortable or available for the user of a conventional knife without the design disclosed in the present invention.

(10) Blade point sight 16 is a contrasting color such as bright white or red which acts very much in the way that a barrel sight on the end of a pistol or rifle allows the user of that weapon to line up and point the weapon towards the intended target. During a fast draw of the present invention from a holster or a sheath and drawing the knife upwardly then outwardly towards an intended target, it can be appreciated that having a bright contrasting sight-like device on the end of blade 30 directing blade point 14 is advantageous. It would not be necessary for the user of the knife to focus on the knife itself but rather the intended target while allowing the peripheral vision of the user to stay in contact with contrasting blade point sight 16 more easily. In fact, use of the present invention in a dark environment is greatly enhanced by providing that blade point sight 16, an area which may take advantage of luminescent materials to provide a night sight system somewhat similar to what one may find in firearms that use so called night sights.

(11) It can be appreciated that with sight 16 in the vicinity of tip 14 of blade 30, the invention can be drawn from a holster in the same fashion and with the same reflexes in training one would withdraw a firearm pistol from one's belt, drawing the knife up the strong side of the user's torso in a pistol-like tactical draw, bring the knife to the mid chest or upper torso area of the user and then thrust outward looking behind the top edge of blade 30 just as the user would also look down the barrel of a firearm as he or she extends that firearm outwardly towards the intended target.

(12) Many firearm users would also recognize that in such a tactical stance, users will bring the opposite arm and the hand of the opposite arm to meet the strong arm and grasping hand of the knife, clasping both hands together around grip 18, thereafter thrusting knife 10 outwardly towards the intended target using the same motions of tactical pistol draw and aiming of the pistol. It has been noted that this method of use of the present invention allows fast learning by tactical operatives who are well trained in tactical pistol draw. The design of the invention, specifically with the index finger ring 26 defined by finger guard 24, being much the same as the trigger guard on a pistol, provides an excellent blending of pistol and knife fighting skills using the same biomechanical action.

(13) One of the advantages of the present invention along with the method described in using the invention is the power of the thrust which may be placed in the action of an edged weapon such as knife 10. The biomechanical dynamics of a boxer or martial arts fighter is such that the maximum energy from a thrust in striking an opponent is realized when driving the human arm straight in a punching action towards the opponent. Although in certain martial arts and other fighting techniques, leverage and angled approaches may be used to throw an opponent off balance first, maximum energy imparted to the opponent occurs when there is a direct thrust from the arm outstretched in a punching motion directly on the opponent. Therefore, with an edged weapon properly designed as set forth in this disclosure, a punching action with the pistol grip knife 10 allows the thrust of the user to impart maximum energy through the tip 14 of knife 10 to the opponent by providing the ability of the user to thrust forward as if punching the opponent yet imparting the additional advantage of an edged weapon like knife 10. In actual use, it is seen that this direct thrusting action without twisting or angling the user's wrist outside the motion vector of the arm provides the maximum effect of the use of an edged weapon and therefore is preferred in close quarters combat.

(14) In the embodiments of the invention disclosed, it is also beneficial to consider having a retention strap attached to knife 10 so that when the user is gripping the knife, the pistol grip-like structure of tang 12 covered by tang cover 20 can be attached to the wrist of the user by a strap attached to tether hole 34. It allows knife 10 to be attached to the user much as one may have a pistol retention strap on a firearm. Other knife retention techniques can be used if desired so that the knife would not easily be knocked away from or out of the hand of the user.

(15) In so far as a description above and the accompanying drawing disclose any additional subject matter that is not within the scope of the claims below, the inventions are not dedicated to the public and the right to file other applications to claim any additional inventions is reserved.