Tactical Folding Knife

A unique knife design and prototype was the result of a senior design project in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD. The innovative knife was awarded a US Patent and is designed around three key requirements: strength, accessibility/security and safety. Other fundamental qualities were also incorporated into the design: cutting ability, edge retention, durability, and ergonomics allowing rapid deployment and secure locking as well as aesthetics. The resulting knife is a product fully suited for the demanding needs of military use.

There are a variety of commercially available folding tactical-style knives on today's market. Many of these knives have design shortcomings in the areas of ease of use, safety, and durability. A Naval Academy independent study chartered the development of a folding knife that would be optimized for these shortcomings, providing a high-quality product for use in the field. Unique aspects of the knife are two separate sharpened areas of the blade that include a primary cutting portion, a portion that enables simple cutting applications without unfolding the blade, a sturdy unsharpened prying portion, an innovative locking mechanism that does not require the user to place his or her thumb in the line of blade rotation and a clip that is both easy to access and secure when in use.