Modern takes on a Stone Age standard come in a spectrum of styles.
Daggers have been a favorite go-to blade of humans for many millennia. Before the advent of metals, symmetrical blade styles such as daggers and spear points, as well as projectile points, were the earliest formal cutting edges of Stone Age peoples. It was only natural these forms carried over into the Bronze Age and, indeed, through to today.
The knife with the decidedly pointed tip and double edge* played a prominent role in both World Wars and continues to be a prime choice of many operatives. Some prefer one for self-protection in the home or as an EDC, and many cutlery enthusiasts collect them for sheer sentimental value. As an everyday working knife there are better-focused blade options, but in a pinch the dagger can perform basic functions. Where it shines, however, is when used for stabbing and slicing. Let’s look at several factory options and put them through their paces.
KA-BAR Ek Commando Presentation Knife

KA-BAR Ek Commando Presentation Knife Specs
Blade length: 6.625”
Blade steel: 440C stainless
Handle material: Walnut
Weight: 8.8 ozs.
Overall length: 12.625”
Sheath: Brown leather belt model
Country of origin: USA
MSRP: $351.64
Pros
- Historic Design
- High-Quality Materials
- Secure Grip
Cons
- Weight Toward Tip
- Expensive
The Ek Commando Presentation Knife is a high-grade commemorative in KA-BAR’s historic John Ek Knife Co. series. It features a double-ground, slightly waisted spear point blade in a mirror finish. The blade has a long, flat ricasso etched with the Ek Commando Knife Co. shield logo plus KA-BAR Olean, NY above the guard. The handle is lacquered walnut and the guard and lugs are brass with copper-washed accents.
Fox Knives Tactical Elementum Dagger

Elementum Dagger Specs
Blade length: 3.94”
Blade steel: Bohler N690 stainless
Handle material: Black polypropylene and Thermorubber (PP and TPE)
Weight: 3.53 ozs.
Overall length: 8.11”
Special feature: One side plain, one side serrated
Sheath: Kydex w/dual MOLLE mounts
Country of origin: Italy
MSRP: $123.40 at press-time exchange rate
Pros
- Durable Finish
- Ergonomic Handle
- Compact
Cons
- Niche Utility
Italian knife manufacturer Fox Knives originally designed the Tactical Elementum Dagger for flight crews of French combat helicopters. The knife boasts hidden-tang construction and a short blade in a matte black Idroglider finish. The two blade grinds meet in the middle at a small ricasso marked with the Fox logo, company location and blade steel. The handle has a ribbed double-guard at the top and six beefy diagonal ribs on the lower half terminating with a lanyard hole in the base.
Spartan-George Raider

Spartan-George Raider Specs
Designer: Les George
Blade length: 7”
Blade material: SK5 carbon steel
Handle material: Black thermoplastic
Weight: 7.1 ozs.
Overall length: 12”
Knife to know: Tribute to U.S. Marine Corps Raider stiletto of World War II
Sheath: Black injection molded
Country of origin: Taiwan
MSRP: $150
Pros
- Great Edge
- Comfortable Handle
- Durable Finish
Cons
- Narrow Blade
Knifemaker/United States Marine Corps veteran Les George designed the Spartan-George Raider as a tribute to the U.S. Marine Corps Raider stiletto of World War II. The sleek dagger sports a double-ground, black-powder-coated blade. The opposing blade grinds meet in the middle, leaving a small ricasso at the base upon which a small Spartan and George logo are tastefully imprinted. The handle incorporates a double guard and a large ovate checkered section on each side of the grip for enhanced purchase. The sheath includes a 1.5-inch-wide black nylon hanger.
SOG Pentagon FX Covert

Pentagon FX Covert Specs
Blade length: 3.41”
Blade steel: Crucible Cryo S35VN stainless
Handle material: G-10, flat dark earth
Weight: 3.9 ozs.
Overall length: 7.52”
Special feature: Customizable grip
Sheath: GRN (Glass Reinforced Nylon) thermoplastic, SOG Universal Mount
Country of origin: Taiwan
MSRP: $189.95
Pros
- Removable Scales
- Full-Tang Construction
- Enhanced Grip
Cons
- Specialized Design
The FX makeover of the SOG Pentagon is both innovative in its cosmetics and versatility. The blade is black titanium nitride coated. The grinds meet in the middle and there is a section above the short ricasso grooved two-thirds of the way up. The name of the knife is finely imprinted on the top front grind and the steel type and country of origin on the back. The blade and full-tang handle are fully exposed around the perimeter of the scales with gimping below the guard and on the base. The scales can be removed by a single lug on the base, allowing them to be swapped out, or the skeletonized steel frame can be used without them.
Testing The Daggers
I tested the Ek and Spartan-George Raider for stabbing prowess by plunging them down through the core of fresh apples. The Ek took no prisoners, not only piercing through top to bottom but laying the fruit out in two neatly cleaved halves. The Spartan-George provided similar results, penetrating the apple but not quite splitting it in half due to the narrower blade width and thinner blade steel—though wicked nonetheless.
Pork tenderloin was the slicing medium. Using rapid, single strokes, I took the Spartan-George to task. The dagger is extremely sharp on both edges, so I took turns on each side of the blade doing pull-throughs on the hapless tenderloin. The knife sliced off perfect pork medallions at will, passing the slice test with flying colors.

After cooking the tenderloin, I tested the Ek in similar fashion and got similar results. The waisted blade profile shifts with more weight toward the tip and gives it excellent grab similar to a recurve. Like the Raider, the Ek performed quick pull-throughs with ease.
What the two smaller test knives, the Fox and the SOG, lack in size they make up for in ease of concealment. Both have EDC potential for a high degree of self-protection with a modicum of utility.
I tested the Fox’s serrated edge slicing standard 2-inch nylon seatbelt webbing and achieved excellent results. Likewise, the plain edges on both knives handled paracord in one pull stroke, and 3/8-inch rappelling rope laid flat on a wood surface in two strokes. Both daggers passed the pork tenderloin stab test with aplomb. Because they’re smaller, it’s easier to do detail and utility work with blades in their size range than with blades twice their length.
Dagger Sheaths

The Fox has a MOLLE-compatible sheath with two simple DOTS gates that can be modified with a myriad of readily available aftermarket attachments. The SOG uses a proprietary setup—the SOG Universal Mounting System—developed for a group of the company’s fixed blades. Both of the smaller daggers can double as boot knives as well.

The Raider’s black injection-molded unit is durable and versatile, while the Ek captures the period as it was intended. The Raider sheath lends itself to converting to a concealed inside-the-jacket shoulder rig as well.
Going Large Or Small
Daggers come in many shapes and sizes but all are primarily geared for self-defense, with any utility abilities a bonus. The first question you need to answer is whether a large or small dagger suits you best. Large daggers like the Ek and Spartan-George excel at sheer combat because they reach out and touch someone, aka an assailant, more easily. If ease of carry, especially concealed, is a top priority, both the SOG and Fox will serve you well. Choices abound in the world of the dagger.
*Despite recent advances in pro-knife legislation, check your local and state ordinances for laws concerning knives with double-edged blades. The same goes for concealed-carry knives.
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