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Copyright © 2003-2004 Phil Elmore, all rights
reserved.
Sharkee Training Blades
A Product Review by Phil Elmore
Morgan Thomas of
Sharkee
did not hesitate to send me several examples of the plastic trainers his company
produces. He has every reason to stand behind his product, too.
Available in gray or black, the sharkee blades are well made, with thoughtful
designs that reduce the concept “knife” to a simple and somewhat
iconic product. Plastic is my preferred tool for introductory knife work, so the
Sharkee blades fill a valuable niche in my training gear.
Morgan’s tanto, for example, was the tool I chose to teach a friend the
basics of knife defense with his
Cold Steel
Kobun. It is the right size for a full-size tanto fighter. The
triangular cutouts point towards the blade edge, while the tanto tip is blunt
enough not to puncture anyone.
It is Morgan’s daggers that I like best, however. With obvious
“guards” and pronounced blades, they are great for introducing a
student to blade deflections and disarms. The wide, round
“points” are very forgiving, while the double “T” shape of
the handle and pommel feel very comfortable.
As with
aluminum trainers, I do
not recommend rigid simulated blades for active sparring practice. For
learning other aspects of knife attack and defense, however, there are times
when a light plastic blade is preferable to a heavier, pointier aluminum
trainer.
Sharkee training blades are perfect for this
task.
I recommend them.