RMJ Tactical Lets Slip
the Dogs of Steel
There’s a reason RMJ Tactical has the word “tactical” in their name. Their designs and craftsmanship exemplify the art of war wherever it occurs, whether it be a takedown in a dusty town in the Middle East or the mean streets of New York City — RMJ knives are there to protect, defend and overtake. These are “grail knives” among many military, tactical and serious user communities. RMJ’s founder, designer, part-owner and edged weapons historian Ryan Johnson is the guy who lets slip these beasts — each one with a mission in mind.
Based in Chattanooga since 2005, RMJ Tactical gained their reputation making the baddest tactical tomahawks in the business and grew from there. Johnson honed his knowledge of knives by becoming a forger of steel and added his concepts for tactical cutters and tools. His designs are crisp and acute, with no wasted curves or frills to waylay their charge.
Left: Unmei Right: Utsidihi
Combat Africa
Form Follows Function
RMJ’s Japanese-inspired Unmei exemplifies Johnson’s purpose-driven design in a nutshell. An RMJ favorite, the Unmei — with its wicked 4.0″ Persian blade — presents the combat knife in its unsullied, faultless form. The handle is 4.0″ as well and flows off the backside of the blade in pure poetry. The forward grip has a deep finger choil and there’s jimping on the backside of the blade for added purchase. RMJ offers the Unmei in a wide range of handle options in both solid and layered G10. The Urban Gray layup is shown here.
Upscale Nitro-V stainless steel does the slicing and dicing chores on the business end and you can have it coated or uncoated. The Unmei weighs in at a light 3.5 oz. sans sheath — and on this order, RMJ provides a MOLLE-compatible Kydex scabbard with two MAD straps for multiple carry options.
The Utsidihi (Cherokee for mankiller) was conceived as a mid-size field knife that can also serve as an EDC. At 7.75″ overall with 3.5″ of the total in a deep-bellied drop-point blade, it’s the overwhelming favorite blade style for processing game. The Utsidihi’s blade is Nitro V stainless with a tough Tungsten Cerakote finish, and there’s light jimping on the rear thumb ramp for enhanced grip. The 4.25″ handle is a simple, flared-based stick style with a guard at the top for finger protection and choking up on the blade. The scales are G10, which can be had in Black, Blaze Olive and the Hyena Brown version shown here. The company’s favored Black Kydex sheath with dual straps comes delivered.
In addition to skinning, the Utsidihi is well suited for field chores like debarking and carving wood, cutting rope and paracord and preparing a firestarter. As an EDC, this knife will be glad to provide protection (many tacticals employ a drop-point blade) and tackle tough daily duties such as cutting heavy packaging and whipping through oversized zip ties. The Utsidihi is a versatile performer.
The Coho is a compact fixer that excels at both self-defense and utility. Employing a 3.0″ Wharncliffe-style blade of 52100 High Carbon Steel, the Coho has an ideal blade style for workhorse chores while also being valued by many users for combat duty. At 6.5″ overall, this is a compact carry that packs a punch. The 3.5″ handle is a bag style with a deep index finger groove for superb grip, further aided by a nice length of notching at the rear of the blade. Practically and tactically speaking, it would be hard for someone to dislodge the Coho from your hand without getting shredded.
Weighing in at a svelte 2.0 oz., the Coho is easy to conceal and is delivered with RMJ’s dual-strap black Kydex sheath for multiple carry options. If you need a stealthy backup knife that will be glad to serve up lunch, the Coho will oblige. Handle options include Black (shown here), Dirty Olive and Hyena Brown.
At 6.625″ overall, the Jackdaw is a compact cleaver with a 3.25″ blade sporting styling cues of the Chinese Dao Sword. The blade is a slicer at heart and can split time performing utility chores and providing self-preservation. Utilizing RMJ’s oft-favored Nitro V steel with a Tungsten Cerakote finish, the Jackdaw is a versatile cleaver that can handle field duties such as slicing rope, webbing, paracord and leather strapping, not to mention doing a little light meal prep.
The knife’s 3.6″ handle is very much like its Coho brethren and available in the same scale offerings — the Urban Gray is featured here. Here again, RMJ provides their black Kydex sheath with dual straps for multiple carry options.
Jackdaw
Neo-Classics, Too
The cutlery historian in Johnson is readily apparent in the RMJ Combat Africa. A tribute to the fighting knives that helped win the wars of yesteryear, Johnson has designed a modern-day version well fit for carrying on the tradition today. The Combat Africa is 12.0″ overall with a quarter-inch thick 7.0″ Clip Point blade of 80CRV2 High Carbon Steel and, to add to its character, features a Fuller groove parallel to the spine. A Tungsten Cerakote finish keeps the corrosion bugs away. This juggernaut’s handle is 5.5″ with a stylized guard topping a curvaceous grip and deep finger guard. The handle scales are 3D contoured, diagonally grooved G10.
RMJ equips the Combat Africa with a black Kydex sheath and MAD straps typical of all their sheaths. The rugged Combat Africa is built for extreme hard use in the wilderness or on the battlefield, your choice.
RMJ’s Dragonfly Blackout is a modern version of the 19th-century push daggers used by politicians and gamblers who preferred an easily concealed edged weapon. Johnson’s design is 4.75″ of top-shelf CPM-S45VN stainless steel topped with a non-reflective Cobalt Cerakote finish. The Dragonfly Blackout’s dagger blade is 2.375″ of dastardly delight with two finger grips at its base. A black Kydex sheath with double straps, designed to accept popular clips and mounts like the Discreet Carry Concepts Clip and UltiClip, is included.
There’s a lot more to be found at RMJ Tactical’s website, including optional handmade leather sheaths for their knives, a host of tactical and wilderness tomahawks, tactical tools and swag. Shades are recommended; it can be an eye-popping experience.
For more info: RMJTactical.com
