Occasionally a tool comes along that I can only admire from afar. In this case the latest iterations of such tools are the Technicals from Delta2Alpha. There may or may not be more models to come (I would not be shocked if there were), but these first two are the Tengu Technical and the 8.5 Inches of Danger Technical. Both of these are silica fiber composite versions of steel blades offered by the company.
The silica fiber composite material is light — very light. It weighs less than a quarter of the weight of the steel versions of these blades, in fact. Billed and sold as “probes,” the tools are sharp but not razor sharp out of the box. They are non-magnetic, non-conducting, and of course contain no metal.
Each tool is 8.5 inches long and 3/8 inches thick (making them quite substantial in cross-section. While the silica fiber composite is smooth, it can be wrapped with a Hoodrat Snap Wrap to afford more traction in the hand.
I should point out from the outset that these are NOT throwing knives. They’re far too light to be thrown and stuck effectively. They are, however, extremely quick, expedient tools. While they don’t ship with a sheath, it would be easy enough to make one from Kydex or even from melting a plastic bottle around it.
While the tips are relatively blunt compared to, say, a steel knife tip, both Technicals will penetrate stacked cardboard media and leave large holes in the target.
If you DO want to sharpen the silica fiber composite, you can whittle it with a steel knife blade. I imagine you could also grind it quickly with a Dremel or other rotary tool, or even sand it. (If you do start producing dust from sanding or grinding this material, you had better be wearing proper breathing protection. Silica fiber composite is nothing you want to breathe.)
Leveraging previous designs of the company’s steel knives was a smart move. The Tengu, in particular, has to rank as one of my absolute favorite knife profiles (it’s essentially a kwaiken). The 8.5 Inches of Danger is a bit less “sexy” and more purpose-built. Both are extremely effective in both steel and synthetic. Obviously, the synthetic material has limits, but trades weight. It offers enhanced concealability (a single piece of duct tape could stage one of these tools anywhere) and will never rust or corrode in contact with your perspiration or the elements. Highly recommended.
Both Technicals are available right now from Delta2Alpha‘s website.