Doug Marcaida is one of the first names that comes to mind whenever “edged weapons” get mentioned. If you don’t know Marcaida, aside from being one of the nicest guys on the planet, he’s also a blade and hand-to-hand combat specialist who will carve you up quicker than Freddy Krueger. You may also recognize him for History’s “Forged in Fire,” where he is a judge. On top of all that, Marcaida is a knife designer. He just partnered with 5.11 Tactical for the all-new 5.11 DM Talon series.
5.11 DM Talon Details
We first got a look at the new DM Talon knives at SHOT Show 2020. The quick run-through allowed us to see that a lot of thought went into the karambit-style knives. Firstly, there are two models of the new DM Talon: Fixed and folding. No shocker there. Both models act as convenient CCWs, as both are compact, lightweight and easy to conceal.
Featuring D2 Steel blades, the Talons have “Doug Marcaida” written all over them (metaphorically). 5.11 says the blades draw their design from Marcaida’s practice of Filipino Martial Arts of Kali. The duo based the blades on “fast and flowing movements, like that of an Eagle.”
That might sounds like a hokey marketing line, but it’s actually not. Marcaida and 5.11 actually designed the knives to mimic a retractable Eagle’s talon, which allows for a more angled blade for thrusting and slashing. However, it is still slightly curved enough so it does not lose the ability to hook and control in its use. Again, a lot of thought went into the knives.
Rounding out the design is the skeletonized handle with clear scales. Why clear? To blend in with the clothing. The folder version had the patented “Bramp” feature from knife designer Bram Frank that allows for different kinetic openings of the blade.
Lastly is MSRP, which comes in $94.99 for both models. Expect availability in September 2020. Check out the specs below. For more information, keep your eyes peeled on the 5.11 Amazon page.
Fixed Specs:
- Open Length: 7.1 inches
- Blade Length: 2.7 inches
- Blade Thickness: 0.157 inches
- Handle Thickness: 0.45 inches (not including pocket clip)
- MSRP: $94.99
Folder Specs:
- Open Length: 6.71 inches
- Closed Length: 4.36 inches
- Blade Length: 2.22 inches
- Blade Thickness: 0.157 inches
- Handle Thickness: 0.45 inches (not including pocket clip)
- MSRP: $94.99
