Walther P99 Tactical Knife, One Size

I field tested this knife against a cold steel recon Tanto, a cold steel GI Tanto, and an older field knife that I have used for 40 years. (And later a cold steel SRK). I started off by sharpening all the knives to make it a fare test. This knife sharpened well and holds an edge very well. It would shave both before and after the testing. It has a false edge that is just that, (false). However, it is easy enough to put an actual edge on it. Which I did so after the testing. For the tests I cut small limbs from thumb size to wrist size. Wood feathering, batoned 4” oak logs, and then did a throw and stick test. This was done to all the knives in the testing. This knife excelled at all except for the batoning. For batoning, It slowly sank into the oak log until the blade was flush. I was able to continue batoning by hitting the top false edge section of the blade until it worked its way through. It had to be Bayonned the entire way through. It is Definitely not a log splitter. But WOW did this knife take a beating. Amazingly enough it didn’t even show any signs of damage. While this is definitely not a bushcraft knife (nor did I expect it to be) it is very tough and durable. I believe it is 420 HC steel with a hardness around 58-60 from what I’ve read. I believe it. The handle feels like it is probably a TPU type plastic. It is nice and comfortable with light grip bumps and a rubber coating. It stays in place when used and throughout the tests it did not make any hotspots on my hands. I use this knife as an EDC with a scout carry. If you are looking for a tactical knife I would highly highly recommend this knife. It is a BEAST. If you are looking for an all around outdoor and tactical knife combo, I would recommend something different like maybe the cold steel recon Tanto or (SRK which I tested at a later date as I did not own one at the time). I would recommend either of those over this one if that is what you are looking for. As for a straight up tactical knife, ABSOLUTELY recommended! I love this knife. It carries better than any of the other knives that were tested. I plan on buying another one just to add to my collection. I couldn’t imagine ever wearing this one out. I just want another one that will be new in box.

This knife was once (late 1990s) a Chinese knock off of an Applegate Fairbairn, made with a different, better sheath. I had one. Walther picked it up and put their logos on it for mall ninjas. Logos are cheesy. The steel seems to be 7cr13 or probably 440A. I would guess 440A at least, because steel is not as brittle as 7cr13 normally is and edge doesn't chip and roll as easily. Could it be 440C? Chinese variety quite possibly. Blade is stamped "440" and that's it. The knife is solid, quality, hair shaving sharp. When you wield it, it fits well in your hand and points, cuts, slashes, pierces intuitively. Sheath is OK: the Chinese Applegate knock off kydex-like sheath was better. The way the serrations are done is cheap and makes them mostly decorative: Walther should have opted to market this as a dual, straight edge dagger, but the spine is useful with a ferro rod. As a tactical/light utility/hunting - fishing knife for the money it can't be beat. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of this knife. It will hold up to use and can be counted on. It is more solid than something like a Gerber Mark II. No, it is not a Boker Applegate Fairbairn, but it is 1/5 the price. And this knife will fulfill its intended function+. A good buy. 4.5 stars and I rounded up.

It's a little absurd but I'll admit that I like this knife for hiking and camping. For whatever reason it seems to work well for most tasks I apply it to. The reviewer who showed how the serrated part has change was 100% accurate. The serrations are no longer appropriate for cord-cutting or similar slicing-like tasks. It's more of a saw like surface now; fine for notching but that's about it. Still. I find it comfortable. I bought this because I gave my first one away to a friend. I like the balance and function but figure I'm a weirdo to use it for camping like I do. You are not going to butter toast with this thing but you will - in my experience - be able to abuse it. The sheath has grown on me as well. I replaced the sheath on my first P99 knife with a Rothco sheath that worked great. I haven't done that with this one. It's kind of a stupid design and I threw away the useless strapping immediately. I'm not carrying this under my armpit. But the belt loop is solid. The belt clip allowed me to affix it to a 72-hour pack I use that has molle on it (secured it on the side with a compression strap over top). Not my favorite sheath but at least it's robust and useable. Time will tell if the velcro retaining strap will wear out. Overall, I'm glad to have the replacement and love the design.

Nice and heavy. Well made, great price for a camper knife.

Many years ago, I bought an official Applegate-Fairbairn fighting knife. The cost at the time was around 85-100 dollars depending on the seller. This was in the early 1990s. It's a nice knife but I was a little underwhelmed. Yes it was made in the USA. Yes it came with a leather sheath. It was sharp and had a very good balance for slashing and thrusting. Today I received this Walther knife. It's a direct copy of the original. Same length, same balance. I like it better though because the grip is rubberized, not smooth, well whatever it was on the original. The blade is sharp and feels nice and sturdy. I agree the "saw edge" is kinda dull. Don't care. I would not hesitate to use this in a fight. The original, because of the price and the handle material, I would hesitate. It's a good knife and the price means you won't stress about damaging it. The sheath is nylon. Don't care. The blade is a spear point with a saw edge. Don't care. If you want an Applegate-Fairbairn without the high price, get this. It's just as good.

The Walther P99 has a bit of an unfortunate reputation as a mall ninja knife, but it does have some utility, is not badly overpriced for what it is, and its worst immediate flaw is fixable. The design is neither fish nor fowl. It superficially resembles an Applegate-Fairbairn fighting knife, which are double-edged combat daggers not meant for field utility, but here the sharp upper edge of the P99 quickly terminates in a broad flat ("batonable!") back with a brief serrated section. It is not a fighting dagger nor is it ideal for field/survival use. The sheath is stiff Cordura or something similar, uses a hook-and-loop retaining strap, and has both a belt loop and a belt clip. It also comes with some light-duty straps that are meant, I think, to be assembled into a "tactical" shoulder rig. I discarded them. The sheath lacks holes for a leg strap. Aftermarket Kydex sheaths are available online, but cost more than the knife. On the plus side, the blade was reasonably sharp out of the box, I found the balance O.K., and the meaty non-slip grip is pretty decent. The knife is made in China and the blade is advertised as 440C. The build quality on mine was commensurate with the price. Aside from the design compromise, the rudimentary, abbreviated serrations are the main flaw. They seem to be largely cosmetic. Mine were not smooth enough for jimping (and too far forward for that anyway), but too dull for cutting. As-is, they might do for a ferro rod. Happily, I found the serrations are easily sharpened with a round chainsaw file. They're still not ideal but now will saw through rope and webbing. For just a few dollars more, I think most people would find the Glock FM 81 sawback bayonet/utility knife better suited for anything they might reasonably expect the Walther P99 to do. The rugged, durable Glock also has decades of proven field use with the Austrian army.

Well constructed and delivered shaving sharp. This knife has a great balance and feel in the hand.

Excellent value for a tactical self defense knife. Steel is 440 SS and is excellent for this budget friendly knife. Blade is thick, sharp, and robust, as it compares to its much more expensive European counterpart. The serrations are criticized for not being that functional, but would work well for trapping an opponent in a defensive situation. The sheath is functional, and there are Kydex aftermarket ones available. I have the European counterpart and this knife would serve just as well for defense. I highly recommend it.