Wander Tactical Barracuda knife

November 3, 2017 - 12:21am

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Knives

Italiano

The Barracuda tactical fighting knife is the latest prototype from the Milan (Italy)-based Wander Tactical knifemaking company

A GUNSweek.com global exclusive: a sneak peek on the prototype Wander Tactical Barracuda fighting knife!

Wander Tactical's prototype Barracuda fighting knife

The Wander Tactical company is the offspring of the synergy between two young knifesmiths: expert survivalist Alex Wander and fishing and outdoors enthusiast Dino Greymoose who's also a bow builder. The use of high quality materials, a constant dedication to engineering and improvement, and handcrafting of all their products has made Wander Tactical knives particularly sought after by collectors, military operators and outdoors enthusiasts in the turn of a relatively short amount of times; as of today, Alex Wander and Dino Greymoose have been showcasing their creations at the Atlanta Blade Show for two years in a row.

The knife you see pictured on these pages is the Wander Tactical Barracuda, a Fighter knife conceived in close collaboration with personal defense instructor Alessandro Padovani, owner of the Safer Faster Defense training company in the U.S.; the Barracuda knife was specifically conceived for the U.S. market and for those jurisdictions that allow concealed carry of fixed-blade knives.

The blade of the Wander Tactical Barracuda prototype combat knife is manufactured out of D2 steel

While the sample we were able to handle was a prototype conceived specifically for U.S. distribution, it sure has what it takes to appeal buyers and enthusiasts more or less worldwide.

Just like all Wander Tactical's knives, the Barracuda model features a carbon-based D2 semi-stainless steel blade that's cryogenically treated to reach a hardness level of 59 to 61 HRC. The knifemakers behind Wander Tactical favour this type of steel over other stainless steel types of similar mechanical qualities because D2 steel is easily sharpened "on the field" with any tool or improvised solutions – something that outdoorsmen, survivalists and professionals may find themselves in the condition to do.

The blade of the Wander Tactical Barracuda fighting knife is Gun Kote treated for protection against scratching and the action of natural elements. The sample we were able to lay our hands on featured a somewhat rough treatment, but the Wander Tactical company offers a wide choice of colors and designs, allowing users to obtain a personalized finish on their knife.

The Wander Tactical Barracuda fighting knife is a full-tang design vaguely reminiscent of the Pesh Kabz – a traditional Persian and Afghan knife – of which it can be considered a modern reinterpretation. The main feature of this design is that the back of the blade is flat in its initial portion, then it thins down towards the tip, simulating a double edge.

Wander Tactical's Barracuda fighting knife

Click on the PICTURE to visit the official Wander Tactical website!

The Wander Tactical Barracuda knife features a 10 cm (3.9 inch) blade with a plain edge and a perfectly symmetric V-grooving and chamfering – a feature that definitely caught our attention, considering that the blade is entirely hand-crafted out of a 6 mm (0.2") thick piece of metal.

The rearmost portion of the back of the blade features a series of deep grooves dubbing as a thumb grip; a prominent cross-guard prevents the user's hand from accidentally slipping on the edge.

A close-up of the Micarta grips

The grip of the Wander Tactical Barracuda knife is composed out of two hand-made Micarta scales, securiely fastened to the tang by a series of steel screws; the color of the grip is left to the user to choose.

The rough surfaces and texture of the Micarta scales, along with the thickness of the knife itself, contribute to offer a great, solid grip in almost all conditions.

Each Barracuda knife is issued with a Kydex sheath, manufactured by Wander Tactical, featuring a belt clip for IWB carry.

As stated above, the Wander Tactical company currently enjoys a significant level of popularity among knife enthusiasts both in Italy and abroad. Each and every one of their knives comes from factory with a certificate of authenticity and is backed by a lifetime warranty. The fact that every Wander Tactical knife is hand-made and that the user can select the grip color and the blade finish is definitely an added value, making all Wander Tactical knives basically unique.