Cold Steel FGX Skean Dhu, Black

Exactly what I expected. A plastic/polymer blend knife self defense last resort knife. This was not designed to cut through soda cans, and thick rope. This was designed as a self defense weapon, this is very obvious when holding it in your hand. Do not expect to be able to stab through body armor, or even someone who was wearing a thick motorcycle jacket(i wouldnt bet my life on it). It is designed to inflict severe wounds on the softer areas of the body of someone, or something. Its one sided, with cerrades that are relatively sharp(for plastic),and given enough force and speed could cause a severe gash/flesh wound, however this particular nightshade blade was designed for stabbing more so. And that is where its sharp, the tip is near needle sharp, and would have no problems whatsoever going through someones t shirt, polo, or against a rabbid animal(thats not a boar or bear), it would cause a life threatening injury.The grip is firm, and provides quite a good feel for the blade, and could be used a variety of ways. The blade itself is rather strong(if you try to bend it in the same direction its meant to cut, this thing will not flex period.), and has little flex up until the last inch of it, and unless you use it wrong, shouldn't break. The tip would probably break relatively easy, but thats fixable with sandpaper, and again this knife is designed for cutting soft things, not bone. The knife isnt balanced, but is light, and has enough weight in the grip to feel comfortable.Do not give this knife bad reviews because you thought it was something else. Before blaming someone for your mistake, research the item your planning on buying a little next time.

I just received three plastic knives: the Fury Tactical 3 Angle, the Cold Steel Cruciform Dagger and the Cold Steel FGX Skean Dhu with Kraton handle.If you're looking for a sharp, triangular-shaped blade for puncturing then spend two extra dollars and get the Fury Tactical 3 Angle. If you're looking for a flatter, more traditionally slashing dagger that happens to be made of plastic Cold Steel has a better product: the Cold Steel FGX Skean Dhu with Kraton handle. It's a lethal, sharp defense weapon for yet again only two bucks more than the Cold Steel Cruciform Dagger.I ordered all three at the same time. The Fury and the FGX Skean Dhu are sharp weapons. The Cold Steel Cruciform Dagger is more of a sharp defense "tool" like those lumpy plastic keychain things you can use as Brass knuckles.IF you know self-defense, IF you are strong, IF you need something that looks like a non-threatening tent peg and not draw too much attention then you might want the Cold Steel Cruciform Dagger. The Fury Tactical 3 Angle is deadly sharp and works how people **assume/hope/pray**" that the Cold Steel Cruciform Dagger would.However, if you want to have a weapon hanging in your shower/bathtub that you can randomly jam into an attacker like a steak knife to back them off: get the Fury Tactical 3 Angle (spike) or the Cold Steel FGX Skean Dhu with Kraton handle.I don't want to duel/wrestle/fight with an intruder. I want to stab them and make them bleed copiously! The Cold Steel Cruciform Dagger won't do that. The point IS sharp, but so is the point of a ballpoint pen. The others might break after the first stab, this won't break... but in the REAL world you get one shot to surprise someone and I have a feeling this might escalate a situation for the worse. The Fury Tactical seems like it would kill someone, where the Cruciform Dagger might, just maybe stun them. The FGX Skean Dhu would gut them like a fish.In person, the Cruciform Dagger doesn't look like a weapon. The Fury Tactical and the FGX Skean Dhu look like pure evil and people would back off without being stabbed. The Cruciform Dagger would be like grabbing any random item off your desk: go ahead and prove you can fight with it!Of course, the handle is great on Cruciform Dagger. If you're a big guy with strong arms and fighting skills you could probably crack someone's skull open, but then nobody would mess with you in the first place. The handle on the Cold Steel FGX Skean Dhu is really, really nice so if you know how to use a normal knife your could use it and break it off into an attacker. The Fury Tactical is something anyone would be able to grab with a terrified death grip and smash away at any part of an intruder that gets too close.In a real, scary situation I think most untrained people would lean away or just flail a weapon around. Works with a steak knife and ok with the Fury Tactical and the FGX Skean Dhu, that would NOT work with a plastic tent peg or the Cruciform Dagger.However, the Cruciform Dagger is way more workplace/boss friendly (because it looks silly and non-threatening). It's like those blackjacks that are a lump of lead in a piece of leather to smack people with: if you're a bar-brawler or other tough guy then fine. The Cruciform Dagger is a boring item that could deter an enemy with a few hits. The Fury Tactical and the FGX Skean Dhu would pierce their brain/lung/major artery or spill their guts onto the floor.Cold Steel Cruciform Dagger: "what IS that, an orange/lemon juicer? LOL, why do you have a hand juicer?"The other two: "OMG why do you have a knife? Don't hurt me!"The police might be a ***little*** friendlier about the Cruciform Dagger, like those plastic cat-shaped plastic keychain Brass knuckles on sale here. Honestly, through: just carry a wrench/ratchet made of metal.All these issues are about your fighting style (you'd need one with the Cruciform Dagger) and plain sight unobtrusiveness. Actual materials of the Cruciform Dagger are 5 Star like most Cold Steel products. One of the other two knives I prefer over it is also made by Cold Steel and costs two dollars more.For me: the FGX Skean Dhu is going in the shower since that would be a face to face attack.The Fury Tactical is going by my gunsafe: if someone is forcing me to open it I can swing around and downstroke jab into their neck/face/skull.The Cold Steel Cruciform Dagger, will be going by the back door at work (a library) where we enter and shut off the alarm: swing and slam, won't upset the boss hanging there, if it's taken by the assailant they can't really threaten me with it since it's not scary like a knife would be. I would wrestle with a assailant for the Cruciform Dagger, or ignore them and grab a stapler to slap them upside the head with. The other two would probably make me freeze and comply.Ponder: You, your strength, your skills, the area you have to fight, your fear level, your willingness to get closer to an attacker rather than back up while slashing the air.All three are plastic (once your take off the keychain ring) and would probably last a long time hiding behind the soap dish in your shower waiting for the old "Reverse Psycho/Reverse Anthony Perkins" move.

I bought this because I wanted it for my knife collection and I wanted to see what Cold Steel could do with plastic as a knife making material.Pros: Super lightweight, sharper than you'd expect, nice grippy handle.Cons: Tip isn't durable, not many uses, no sheath.It's certainly sharp, I cut myself just a little bit with it taking it out of the packaging. It would work in a pinch for self defense, much more for slashing than for stabbing. One side of the blade is cut into Cold Steel's nice scalloped serrations. The other side has a good spot to brace your thumb for a slicing cut. The handle is slim but comfortable and grippy.It came with a big plain steel ring through the lanyard hole which is useless except, I suppose, for making this thing metal-detector compliant or something. I removed it immediately, as I'm sure 99% will. Nobody in their right mind will try to take this knife aboard a plane or anywhere else illegal anyway.It would need a sheath of some sort to be useful as a neck knife on a lanyard. It's sharp -- this isn't a plastic butterknife -- so it would cut up you or your shirt if worn without some kind of covering.I think its best use will be to sit in my collection as a novelty, albeit a potentially functional one. And as far as additions to a knife collection go, this one is dirt cheap. For how interesting it is, it's a bargain. But it's not going to be anyone's utility knife or even self-defense carry without a sheath. I'll buy the next version that has a nice snap-in sheath. Or could there even be a functional plastic folder? Kudos to Cold Steel for thinking outside the box.

Yeah sure it's a plastic shiv, but a really fun one to play with. The thumbprint grip has a nice feel to it and it's pretty good as a tool to clean your nails with. Other than that, I don't really buy into the LARPy kinda "home defense" notion since nobody breaking into your place of living is gonna be unarmed. Seems silly on the face of it to think you're gonna be in some jason bourne style knife fight. As a toy, though, it fits the bill of a knife you can play with without the risk of cutting yourself (within reason, it is sharp-ish and pointy so you have to be a little careful)