PMCI - May 2021

Blade Thickness – 0.1875″
Blade Hardness – 59 – 61 Rockwell
Weight – 5.3 oz
MSRP - $395
Over the past four months, I have been working with both the
Darter and its trainer regularly. Not only do I use it for my own
training but for our Swanson Training Group (STG) defense courses
as well. Unlike the popular myth of needing a large Ka-Bar for
fighting or survival, the Darter / trainer brings reality into context.
It indexes well, moves quickly inside tight spaces, and still
offers enough blade length for feathering wood for fire tinder and
even larger branches for kindling. Deep serrations in the jimping
along the spine offer a purchase point for the thumb to apply
needed pressure for notching wood or starting a fire using a ferro
rod. The serrations along the spine sever thicker branches to fuel
fires or create other survival tools.
Not only do I carry this blade on my gear when training, but
I often include the Darter as part of my EDC (everyday carry) as
well, opposite of my SIG 365 XL 9mm. From my law enforcement
experience, I know all too well how valuable a tool accessible
to your weak hand can be when fighting to get to a firearm on
your strong side during a fight for your life. Small, fixed blades
are the fastest and most effective tools for immediate results.
The contour of the Darter’s pointed blade profile can easily pierce
between ribs or slice through tendons and muscle with its razorsharp
edge.
TRAIN AND CARRY
Perhaps my favorite aspect of the HSP Darter is that each knife
comes with a dedicated training blade. This top quality, basic
trainer is provided as part of the Darter package to promote it
being extensively used to develop subconscious memory (often
erroneously referred to as “muscle” memory”) of how the blade
feels and reacts in the hand during fast, deliberate strikes. I am
often dismayed how blade makers charge premium prices and
then charge over US$100 for a lightweight aluminum trainer. The
Darter comes with a heavyweight trainer that feels like the live
blade.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I found several aspects of the HSP Darter that I really
liked. The grip felt very natural while the edge was extremely
sharp, and the tip pieced deeply into meat and several fabrics
without breaking. Despite its smaller size, the knife had a solid
heft to it which aids in performance throughout a wide range
of tasks. The balance falls just under the index finger and rides
securely inside its Kydex sheath regardless of the orientation
mounted.
Unfortunately, these blades are a limited product project with
each blade bearing a unique production number. If I broke or
lost the knife, I would not hesitate to replace it with one of the
many similar Toor standard production blades offered if another
Darter were not available. If I were to focus more on Bushcrafting
specifically, I would bring a mission specific designed blade such
as the Toor Field 2.0 outdoor knife. In a perfect world, most
people would agree with me to always use the right tool for the
job, but the simple fact is that you may never know when one
dynamic may change into a totally different situation. For this
reason, I choose the Darter as my EDC.
Retailing for US$395, the Darter is priced along with other
top performing blades in the industry. Unlike the others, the HSP
/ Toor collaboration ships with the previously mentioned trainer
inside the presentation box. This makes the combo package even
more of a value for those in the market for a solid
performing EDC knife. To find out more about the HSP
Darter and other great products from Toor Knives, visit
www.HaleyStrategic.com and www.ToorKnives.com.
Until next issue, keep your blades sharp and your
minds sharper!
KNIVES: HSP DARTER