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Szabo Knives: A New Angle on Edged Weapons

By Chris Zaccara

Have you ever seen such a happy group
of Szabo knife owners?

Edged weapons: We train to fight with them; we train to
fight against them. We train to access them in the middle of a fight. We train
to use them to save our lives when all the cards are down, and you can bet the
bad guys have them too. If you’ve ever asked yourself if you’re carrying the
best possible defensive blade you can find, if you’ve ever spent time shopping
for the highest quality piece you can afford, if you take your selection of
defensive blades seriously, you owe it to yourself to check out
Laci Szabos line-up of
mayhem.

Szabo Rad (top) was featured in one
of Jerry Van Cook’s
Executioner novels. Szabo kerambit (bottom) shows real style.

Ive been a fan of Lacis work for over five years and I now
own several of his knives. I will be basing this review on my personal
collection, which is diverse enough to provide you with a good idea of the
kind of work Laci does. One look at the line-up and many words spring to mind:
Evil-looking, exotic, mean, weird, out there,
and wild, to name a few. The knives that spring from the design board
of Laci Szabo may be all of these things, but one thing they’re not is fantasy
pieces. Each and every Szabo blade is purpose-driven and made to perform. They
work, too.

The author’s personal collection of
Szabo knives.

Let’s not beat around the bush here, people: Laci makes
fighting knives, pure and simple. For those of you who are offended by
that term, Laci designs functional tools made to give the user an advantage in
a potentially life-threatening situation. This includes scenarios in
which you are faced with a poor unfortunate soul who has decided that society
has given him no alternative but to attempt to rob, beat, rape or murder
you.

Szabo knives in action. You’d
think twice about facing this guy.

Having filled my semantics quotient, lets move
on and get to the knives. In putting this article together, I had the
opportunity to ask Laci many specific questions in regard to his design
philosophy and why he does things the way he does. The most important thing
about his knives, Laci stresses, is ergonomics. He does not build
knives for their looks, evil or otherwise. Each knife is designed for a
specific role with the end user in mind. Every feature on a Szabo knife must
have a purpose or its not included.

Laci believes that the handle is the most important part of
a knife. The blade is secondary. The tool should conform to the body; the body
should not be made to conform to the tool. The knife should be easy to grab
and it should follow the lines of the body. Ergonomics, my friends this is
what Szabo knives are all about.

The UUK by Laci Szabo. Looks cool,
doesn’t it?

With that in mind, lets take a look at the
primary design of Szabo knives, the UUK. The UUK is that big knife with the
canted blade, the strange arch on the top, and the weird guard on the bottom.
Its also double edged. All in all, it looks a bit like a pistol in execution.
If you hold the knife in a forward grip position, the blade points almost
directly at your target. Your wrist is aligned much better than it would be
with a standard straight-handled knife. When you thrust, the motion is the
equivalent of a punch. This design allows for powerful overhand chops.

UUK held in a forward grip.

UUK held in a reverse grip.
There is minimal reduction in reach.

When the blade is held in reverse grip, two benefits become
apparent: First, you dont lose reach like you would with a normal blade. The
reach of the UUK in reverse grip is the same as it is in the forward grip.
Secondly, in reverse grip, the UUK is capable of a powerful uppercut-like
stroke.

“More Yang than Yin,” indeed.

Remember that odd arch at the top of the blade? In reverse
grip, it facilitates passing motions by catching the offending limb. Laci
tells me the arch may also be used as a lever for use in digging or prying
situations.

A particularly pleasing line-up, no?

Remember the guard at the bottom? Its called a stick guard
and it offers the weapon hand some protection from incoming attacks directed
at the fingers. It may also be used to entrap a stick or blade and either
disarm or redirect. Yes, the design takes some getting used to in practice,
but once you understand the reasoning behind the blade it will become easier
to use.

Wielding the “Kamitachi.”

Laci has been designing knives professionally
for the past twelve years, though he tells me by the age of three he was
already drawing knives and swords. Drawing on his experience in the United
States Marine Corps and on historical references, Laci designs combat tools
made to work in the real world. By my count, he currently has forty-one
designs listed on his website. They run the entire gamut, from massive (check
out the Szabowie at over seventeen inches long) to the tiny (see his cats
claw with an overall length of only four inches) and everything in between.
Did I mention that Laci has also designed a kitchen knife set? Between
different sized variations of his work and an amazing array of original
designs, there is definitely a Szabo knife out there to fit your needs.

Over the years, Laci has contracted several different makers to produce his
designs. Earnest Mayer of
Black Cloud knives
was the first one to make Szabo designs. John Greco has made knives for Laci
as well as Wendell Fox, Fred Perrin, Bud Nealy and James Piorek. Rob Newton
currently produces most of Lacis designs, though Perrin, Nealy, and Fox are
also current makers as well.

Szabo knives by Rob Newton.

What this means to you is that if youd like to see a knife
done in a different steel or finish, you have that option. All of these makers
have put out quality products and Laci wouldnt have it any other way. I feel
fortunate to own examples of Perrin’s, Newton’s, Earnest Mayer’s, and John
Grecos work. I can tell you from experience they are all top notch. Rob
Newton currently employs 5160 steel in his Szabo designs, though any steel is
available. Laci feels that 5160 offers exceptional impact resistance, which is
a desirable characteristic in a fighting blade. Laci also employs Charlie
Porter to make training versions of his blades. If you believe in taking your
training seriously (shouldnt we all?) theres a companion trainer out there
to match your Szabo knife.

Szabo Rad is a two-stage knife, the
blade of which extends
from the handle when closed. It is carried in a sheath.

Open, the stylish Rad is a full-sized
fighting blade.

What should you expect when you call Szabo
Inc.? Youre not going to get a clueless receptionist who will put you on
permanent hold; I can promise you that. Laci himself answers the phone most of
the time. The rest of the time, Ren will handle the calls. Ren is an absolute
delight to talk to and a 100% cool person. Laci refers to her as his right
hand. It has been my experience that between these two, you can get answers to
all of your questions. Ordering is done quickly and professionally. No wasted
time here, folks.

Szabo kerambit (bottom) in action.

Among other things, Laci is also available for
training in hand-to-hand, stick, and knife work. He has trained the 124th
Infantry Brigade and the 221st Mobile Infantry prior to their deployment. Laci
trains combat personnel most of the time, but he is available for civilian
seminars or private study. Laci promotes weapons work as a primary means of
self-defense. Someone with little or no experience in personal defense will
need an edge in combat. If a person is familiar with and comfortable with
weapon work, then anything within reach can quickly be used for defense.

“Passing” with a Szabo knife.

A Christmas tree with Szabo knives
under it makes for happy holidays.

Laci puts out a no-frills method of hand-to-hand training
that reminds me of the Applegate and Fairburn methods. Eye gouges and palm
strikes, among other nasty techniques should be expected, as these techniques
are designed to quickly end any fight in which a soldier may have to engage.

What does the future hold for Szabo knives? Expect
production versions of some of his more popular designs. Laci tells me that
Spyderco is already working on a prototype of one of his designs and that
Strider Knives is planning to produce a UUK sometime in the near future.

Besides designing knives, having commercial pilots licenses, skydiving, and
training military personnel, Laci also does a little acting from time to time.
He recently completed filming on a movie called The Vault. (Hint: Expect to
see Szabo knives on the screen very soon. Laci tells me that he used a UUK in
the film and the bad guy is swinging a Spec-Ops Fugu.)

They’re not movie stars, but the
applications are the same regardless of celebrity.

In closing, let me make a few other points. These are all
well-designed and seriously built knives, competitively priced in the
mid-range. Lacis web page,
www.szaboinc.com, is also a good source for a wide variety of other tools
and knives. You will find a diverse selection of impact weapons, Fred Perrin
knives, and resource materials. Laci also sells the instructional videos of
Master at Arms James
Keating and will recommend a specific tape or series of tapes for each of
the knives he sells. Go check out the website and give Laci a call if you have
any questions.

Take some time to understand the evolution
of the blade, and see for yourself how Laci has merged ergonomics and
modern-day materials to create a superior line of tools for self-defense.

The author may be contacted at: thesharp1@juno.com
Laci Szabo may be reached at:
www.szaboinc.com

Laci Szabo
Phone: 1-305-253-7598
Address: Szaboinc.com
13283 SW 124th Street
Miami, FL 33186

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