Why no blade guards?

[mlr1m]

I have noticed that many of the popular so-called fighting knives have no blade guards. Is this just for looks or is there a reason?

Wouldn't the lack of a guard on a knife covered with blood be more likely to allow ones hand to slide down the blade when used in a stabbing motion? I even know of folks who cut themselves using kitchen knives when the handle becomes slippery.

Has looks become more important than function?

Michael

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[DontTreadOnI]

Can you maybe show us a couple examples of the knives you're talking about?

[mlr1m]

This would be one example. While this one has finger groves I doubt that they offer much anti-slip protection when the handle becomes slippery. Others I've seen do not even have finger grooves.

Michael

[DontTreadOnI]

I see what you are saying, but I disagree the finger grooves are going to let your hand slip to the blade even when wet. A lot of pressure is applied when one makes a fist and grips something. Older knives that have a hand stop were usually smooth on the handle.

[QKShooter]

I carry a SOG Pentagon Elite (PE II) II & while it sports no physical guard the rough checkered gripping surface is quite good and secure.

[mlr1m]

No disrespect intended. Just gathering information here. There is a huge difference between simply wet and bloody. I have found that blood makes even rough surfaces slippery. Blood is generally more slimey than wet.

Michael

[true grit]

I thought that carry folding knives are for slashing not stabbing. The fixed blade tactical knives with the blade guards are used for stabbing and cutting. My knife has other uses than defense like opening my mail and boxes.

[QKShooter]

I would say that the vast majority of scenarios where SD folder is actually used are not extended knife fights.
So the knife handle is gripped initially and then things get messy very quickly and then its all over.
I say that because you never want to engage in a protracted knife fight if it's at all avoidable.
The idea is to inflict enough severe, rapid, damage to allow you to put distance between yourself and the deadly threat.
AKA Get The Hell Outta There ASAP.
There is not much blood that is going to migrate that quickly between the hand and the handle to the degree that your hand would ride up onto the blade.
Of course that COULD happen if things were really messy and it was necessary to shift the grip away from an initial firm grasp.
It's not the same thing as butchering bloody carcass meat where you are putting the knife down multiple numbers of times & picking it back up again. That tends to get very slippery.

There are SD folders available that do have a reasonable semblance of a blade guard.
You'll need to do some looking but, you will find one out there.

Example: CRKT Desert Cruiser

No disrespect intended. Just gathering information here. There is a huge difference between simply wet and bloody. I have found that blood makes even rough surfaces slippery. Blood is generally more slimey than wet.

Michael