Click HERE to learn more about Gripknife.
Edged weapons have been paired with firearms since French boar hunters began affixing knives to their muskets in the 17th century. Since then, the bayonet has seen almost continuous use in warfare for its ability to allow soldiers to fight in close quarters even after discharging their weapons.
The Ohio-based company Gripknife believes it’s invented the next evolution in the bayonet’s story, and we caught up with them at SHOT Show 2020 to see for ourselves.
The name says it all: Gripknife is a vertical grip that affixes to a rifle’s forend and doubles as an “out-the-front” (OTF) knife. Users deploy the edged weapon by pressing a button located on the rear of the mount, and the knife springs forward and locks in the extended position. To return the knife to the grip, users place the blade in the mount, push the button, and depress the knife back into the handle.
Gripknife claims their Patriot model is the strongest OTF knife in the world. It features a four-inch blade constructed from M2 High Speed Steel—the kind of metal used to make tools, bits, and blades that cut other steels and metals. The mechanism that locks the blade is Gripknife’s design, and the company claims it can compete with the strength of folding-knife locks.
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We found the Gripknife to be easy to deploy, but there’s enough resistance that users shouldn’t worry about ejecting the knife accidentally. The grip texturing feels good in the hand, and the knife has a solid, reassuring heft.
Gripknife reps described a variety of instances in which their product might be useful. In a home defense scenario with multiple attackers, a user might need a knife if an intruder(s) gets close enough to grab his/her rifle. Law enforcement personnel may also benefit from the Gripknife in a similar scenario if they aren’t able to deploy their sidearm.
Gripknife has produced a training video for their product, and you can check out an excerpt below.
Along with their original Patriot model, Gripknife is ready to ship a lighter, cheaper option constructed with A2 rather than M2 steel. This model, called the Defender, saves customers about $200 and about 2 ounces of weight.
Gripknife also plans to develop a version with a shorter blade, and they had a prototype model at their booth we got to check out.
The Patriot is on sale right now for $495 and the Defender is on sale for $290.
Full specs on the Patriot are below:
Gripknife – 4” Patriot
Knife Type: Foregrip
User: Ambidextrous
Mechanism: Out-The-Front
Action: Magnetic Assist ™ Spring Assist
Overall Length: 8.10″
Overall Mounted Length (From Tactical Rail): 5.50″
Blade Type: Spear Point, Single-Edged
Blade Grind: Flat
Blade Length: 4.00″
Blade Material: M2 (54-56 HRC)
Blade Width: ≈1.06″
Blade Thickness: .187″
Blade Finish: Black Nitride
Handle Material: Zytel
Handle Color: Black
Handle Texture: 60 Grit
Handle Width 1.50″
Handle Thickness: .96″
Blade Lock: Linear Cam™
Blade Lock Material: 17-4ph CNC Machined
Blade Lock Coating: EXO
Chassis: Model 7
Chassis: 2-Piece Dovetail, Interlocking
Chassis Material: 17-4ph CNC Machined
Chassis Coating: EXO
Chassis Lubricant: Self-Lubricating
Sheath: Rail Mounting Sheath
Weight Overall: 11.50oz. / Knife Only: 7.80oz.
Best Use: Defense & Survival
Design Type: Heavy Duty
Made: In USA
Click HERE to learn more about Gripknife.
This is a great idea that is obscenely priced and will either die on the vine or someone else will come up with a better cheaper implementation.
For five hundred bucks, you could just buy a second gun.
Anyone else notice the deployment button situates your thumb perfectly for a band aid (at the least)? I think it’s gimmicky but they’ll sell a ton of them to the Airsoft crowd and 40 y/o’s living in mom’s basement.
I came up with this idea for this over two years ago. I even have sketches and everything. Day late and a dollar short. It is realy not needed for civilians. Just think the usage for the military guys in tight rooms clearing the bad guys out. You get jumped you might not be able to turn your rifle or pull a side arm. This you already have your hands on just pull it out.
Not a novel idea at $50. Completely off-the-rocker nuts at $500. IF… someone is close enough to grab for the carbine, I have to think I can whack them with it hard enough to produce the split-second delay it takes to deploy the sidearm.
If the blade is enclosed in the foregrip, why does it need to be an out-the-front switchblade? I could see some nitpicker cop confiscating the knife and leaving the rifle. As the price of AR pattern rifles continues to drop the costs of the bizarre accessories are passing in the opposite direction. This looks like a James Bond gadget that had to be invented first, then a scenario written into the script so the hero could use it. Sort of like the old DB5 Aston Martin with the ejector seat. It’s hard to tell from the images on the website, but this could be an upgrade of the old Chinese Armed Police knife of a couple decades ago, which featured a partially retracting blade that extended as it was pulled from the scabbard.
Wow…$500 for a gimmick that would Not be legal in many states. It would probably fall under most states
Laws as concealed …..although it’s at the threshold for illegal blade length (4”) OTF knives are illegal in many states, some to conceal, some to carry, Some to buy or sell and even in some to Just own.
We can now carry OTF’s in Missouri. I have 3 Microtechs and since the law changed haven’t carried them once out of habit. I carry a Hogue/Elishewitz folder. If I’m spending more than $300 it’s going to be on a quality limited edition Microtech, not this gimmick. I spent $400 on a Spartan Harsey II and am pleased with its quality. This thing doesn’t compete with grips or knives of any kind at that price point. After watching a YouTube video of it in action it’s only a matter of time before someone cuts the shit out of themselves deploying it.
$20 – yeah, I can maybe get two, eventually, maybe. $45 – I might be tempted to get one and try it out. But, $495 ? $290 ? What is that? A case of twelve? I would be surprised if they ever sell more than a half-dozen total at those prices (as collector’s items or just curiosities – like a gyro jet pistol).
I wouldn’t pay $495 even if the knife came with a complete upper receiver. Seriously. This must be some sort of joke or lampooning of the most ridiculously priced piece of . . . something . . . . at the Shot Show.
“Spirit of the Bayonet ” this thing ain’t. No one can take your long gun away if you’ve had proper bayonet training. Blade fixed or sheathed.But that would entail actually walking the walk instead of buying a cool new bobble.
Wow! $495.00 for this gimmick!
I can buy lots of ammo with 500 bucks…
🤣😅🤣😅🤣 price!?!?!?
Why no pictures of the 4″ version? What is anyone going to do with a 2″ knife..
You can water it, fertilize it, nurture it and one day it will grow to a full 4 inches.
Or just feed it some Viagra.