Training knife advice

[David Rose]

I'm going to make a training version of the defensive knife I've been carrying for the last few months.
My questions are:
1 What is considered rounded enough for the point? (safe but stil shaped relatively like the real thing, or does that matter?)
2 What material do people prefer and why? (steel, aluminum, wood, plastic, rubber,...)

 

[Pale Rider]

I made one out of a plastic cutting board from Wally world. Traced the knife then used a small hack saw to cut it out. I used sand paper to clean the edges and ended up with a nice little trainer. No clue on the tip or edge question, not sure it matters that much, but I'm not a training expert

 

[riverman67]

I'm no expert but my endura trainer has about a 3/8" radius on the tip and no edge bevel. It still hurts if you get poked with it but I dont think there is any way to make it cut.
It also has several holes through the blade and a wierd looking red/orange handle.
The material is AUS8.

 

[David Rose]

Thanks for the info/ideas.

I hadn't thought of UHMW (cutting board) material. For the quantity I need that might be the cheapest place to get it.

A 3/8 tip would make the trainer shorter than the real thing. Did they redesign the tip so it maintained the reach of the real knife, or is it shorter?

 

[iChokePeople]

If you're going to go hard, 'spar' with them, train at full speed and power, you're going to want something different for that. Plastic, steel, hard stuff is good for learning techniques, and for light drilling, but if you're going hard, you need something that won't penetrate or do real damage on HARD stabs.

 

[Sylvain]

If you're going to go hard, 'spar' with them, train at full speed and power, you're going to want something different for that. Plastic, steel, hard stuff is good for learning techniques, and for light drilling, but if you're going hard, you need something that won't penetrate or do real damage on HARD stabs.

This.

Or at least use protective gear, eye protection and stuff.

A plastic knife thru your eye ball is just as bad as a sharp steel one.

 

[tradertator]

If you're going to go hard, 'spar' with them, train at full speed and power, you're going to want something different for that. Plastic, steel, hard stuff is good for learning techniques, and for light drilling, but if you're going hard, you need something that won't penetrate or do real damage on HARD stabs.

Agreed. Even the blunt tipped plastic knives feel like they could break a rib when jammed into you hard enough.

 

[riverman67]

Thanks for the info/ideas.

I hadn't thought of UHMW (cutting board) material. For the quantity I need that might be the cheapest place to get it.

A 3/8 tip would make the trainer shorter than the real thing. Did they redesign the tip so it maintained the reach of the real knife, or is it shorter?

My trainer is slightly shorter

 

[David Rose]

My trainer is slightly shorter

Thanks again for the info.