The Todd Group has just released its specialist knives after years of design and development. Tank Todd the chief instructor of the Todd Group following in the footsteps of his mentor the late Colonel Rex Applegate has been involved with the designing of knives for over 20 years.
From the top – large knife with work pick; small knife;
large knife with hammer head
Johnny Foxton and Dave Ross made his original designs in his hometown of Dunedin New Zealand and Col Applegate had a collector’s edition with his family crest on it in his collection.
In the past several years since acting as a consultant to the military of a foreign country in regards to close combat and knife design Tank has had the great fortune to meet up with leading expert cutlers.
Samuel Staniforth knives have a history of excellence in knife making dating back to 1864 and the owner Chris Hopkinson and head knife maker George Holden have combined efforts with Tank to produce the Todd range of specialist knives.
Todd Specialist knives and machete, blanks and finished products.
George Holden, Master Knife Maker
Samuel Staniforth knives involvement with military knives includes World War II involvement with the manufacture of the Fairbairn Sykes commando daggers.
Sheffield has a history of excellence in knife making and Samuel Staniforth knives have not only a long history but also a commitment to producing the most current and specialist designed knives.
Staniforth of yesteryear
Sheffield Cutlers manufactured the Fairbairn Sykes knives to the design of their military combative master instructor designers and history is repeated with the Todd Brand knives following the same path.
Chris Hopkinson pictured with Fairbairn-Sykes dagger.
The Todd range of knives has been carefully designed developed and tested to incorporate the most up-to-date features and design aspects to enhance usage and extend capabilities.
An early Todd design knife.
The knives have been designed in relation to elite forces requirements and specifications in relation to design features materials finish and tactical sheaths.
The civilian models are single edged and come with a basic belt attached sheath. They are excellent for hunting fishing and survival usage and include serrations for scaling or rope cutting.
The military and tactical models are double-edged with rope cutting serrations and come with a tactical sheath designed to attach to the latest tactical vests and webbing.
The military tactical knives come in a smaller black role model and the larger green role model.
The larger green role model and the civilian large hunting and fishing model come with either a hammerhead handgrip end or a work pick end to the handgrip.
All models of the knives have a hole in the handgrip to feed a bungy cord through for secure fastening and added retention as well as ease of taking from the sheath.
The military tactical models also have injection moulded retention clips made into the tactical sheath as a secondary means of retention and four fast re-sheathing.
All models come with lanyard holes and thumb grooves on the handgrip for additional retention and control in lateral usage.
The knives are full tang and have a new angled retention guard design that replaces the previous attached guard. This design is streamlined and makes the finished knife one piece and a new look and feel and very balanced.
The sheaths are being made by Paul Cross a Brit expert holster and sheath maker now living in New Zealand.
Every aspect of the design has been carefully thought out to ensure the end-user gets a specialist tool designed by a master instructor and made by master tradesmen.
The knife is made of French steel, British handgrip scales and American coating with the sheaths being made in New Zealand.
No time or effort has been spared in this combined project by a group of committed experts in their respective fields. The knives have already been described by collectors as revolutionary in their design and excellent in their materials and manufacture.
The large hunting fishing and survival model has been field-tested and produced excellent results on game in the field and in skinning and butchering.
There have been inquiries already from police and military interested in this new specialist design and a request has been received from a former Brit serviceman with their elite forces to present and show the knives to operators.
Pre-orders and sales even before the knives have been advertised have been incredible. The knives will be available from the Todd Group in New Zealand and from Samuel Staniforth knives in the United Kingdom.
We have also received an inquiry of interest from a New York distributor as well as from Germany.
The blade length of the large knife is 18 cm and the smaller knife 9cm. The handgrip on the smaller knife is longer than the blade for increased retention and ease of handling in low to no light employments for tactical roles.
The work pick provides a means of chiselling Levering and pinning down objects and reduces the likelihood of damaging the point of the knife if used for such work tool practices.
The steel is 420C stainless steel and is designed for ease of sharpening in the field; it is supplied from Bonpertuis a very specialist French steel maker. The steel is 13/14 chrome and 0.5 Molybdenum, which helps, reduce rusting.
The larger knife weighs 500grams and the smaller knife 300grams. The smaller knife has the required 60mm of rope cutting serrations and the larger knife 80mm.
The Todd Group are professionals in the military close combat field and have been providing instruction in armed and unarmed combat since 1927 when the late Harry Baldock established the then Baldock institute and the now Todd Group.
Proto-type design for small Todd knife
An early Todd designed small knife
Harry was a WW11 Army close combat chief instructor and Tank holds the same position now and has for the past fifteen years. Tank believes to be a leader in the field you must live close combat and every aspect of the trade including weapon and equipment design and manufacture. He has followed in the footsteps of the legendary pioneers in the combative field and operates the oldest European close combat training facility in the world.
His work is constant and extensive and he also produces and publishes DVDs and manuals on combative subjects and is the inventor of the TSB 45 baton soon to be released to internationally, it is a tactical safety baton that incorporates revolutionary features in a tactical device of no other baton.
These knives have been designed for the specialist and the professional and order information can be obtained by emailing the Todd Group at [email protected]
Remember to ensure that before ordering you check the regulations in regards to importing knives into your country.
Remember the civilian hunting fishing and survival models are single edged and the military models double edged.
The TSB 45 expandible rotating double hand grip
tactical safety baton.
UPDATE: Grey Role Tactical Knife
The Todd Knives now include a Grey Role model suitable for a wide range of applications.
Blade Length: 13.5cm
Blade Material: French-made 420C stainless steel (hardened to RC 56)
Blade Coating: Flouralon BP5505 for increased corrosion resistance
From Top – Grey Role Knife, Black Role Knife, and Green Role Knife
For more information see the Todd Group Todd Knives page.
Interested in Close Combat Training? Todd Group Depots are located throughout New Zealand and at various overseas locations.
For more information on Todd System of Close Combat see the following books, dvds and cds:
- Close Combat Books
The Do's and Don'ts of Close Combat – Tactical C&R – Control and Restraint – No Nonsense Self Defence – Military Close Combat Systems Phase One – Combative Masters Of The 20th Century - Close Combat DVDs
Self Defence of the Elite – 80 Years of Combative Excellence – Primary Option Control & Restraint – Military Unarmed Combat – Phase 1 - Close Combat CDs
Technique To Command – Combative Code of Conduct
