The Ultimate Guide: What Is a Spiral Knife? A.K.A. Jagdkommando TM


A spiral knife is a tri-edged knife that is typically crafted from genuine metal, stainless steel, or aluminium. The manufacturing tools utilized to form the blade are designed to create the individual edges we see on the product. 

Appearance-wise, the knife is curved in a spiral form, similar to a long screw. The three individual edges connect at the end of the knife to allow for a sharp and pointy tip. 

For a little history, these knives were so effective and merciless that they were banned in wars. 

Any use of the Jagdkommando™, whether by the hands of a civilian or even a soldier would be considered to be illegal and a war crime in cases of war. 

Evidently, the purpose of this knife in use would solely be to eliminate the being in question, hence why the attempt or active use of the said product would result in their death and your sentencing. 

However, Owning or possessing the Jagdkommando knife is not illegal. For example, the Jagdkommando knife has been legal to own in all of the American states except for California.

History of the Jagdkommando

The Jagdkommando was officially invented in 1962, where the logo and company would be founded as well. Through Austrian special operation forces, the renowned and feared design would be produced and eventually deemed immoral and inhumane by numerous organizations; legal/protective acts. 

The knife itself would be named after the special operations group known as the Jagdkommando, who served as a part of the Austrian Armed Forces. The soldiers who trained to be a part of said forces were highly skilled, with knowledge and tactics that enabled them to pursue high-risk situations and missions with ease. 

Along with a multitude of weaponry and warfare resources, the tri-edged dagger was created in 1961 by Austrian manufacturing.

And thus, the infamous tri-edged dagger that was developed and utilized by these agents is now referred to as a Jagdkommando. 

Jagdkommandos – Austria-Hungary’s Special Forces in WW1 I THE GREAT WAR Special

Top Best Spiral Knives

Since the Jagdkommando knife, there have been other spiral knives crafted for the same intended purposes. Here are three of the best spiral knives you can access, some brief description and core attributes: 

Last update on 2024-07-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

M48 Cyclone

The M48 Cyclone is a Jagdkommando style tri-edged twisted knife. It is considered to be one of the most dangerous knife designs ever.

As a result, the M48 cyclone is typically purchased to be a sort of collector’s item or art piece, for the sake of historical and cultural reminiscence. 

The M48 Cyclone is classified as a spiral knife, being a dagger, solely with the purpose of stabbing. You cannot cut/slice anything regularly with this knife. 

The edges of the blades are very sharp. The knife itself is typically black on the indie and on the handle, and gray where the blade is. 

The tip of the M48 cyclone spiral knife could cut you by merely resting your fingertip on it. That’s how sharp it is! 

Stabbing an individual with this dagger would have the same effect as the original Jagdkommando knife. The only purpose of this knife is to attack and induce significant damage onto a target. 

In order to recover from the sort of wound an M48 blade would leave, you would require the immediate medical attention of a team of surgeons under the best-case scenario. The inflicted wounds are brutal and irreversible. 

On the handle there is a glass breaker, giving the knife the versatility of being deemed a survival knife by certain legal standards. 

The blade is 5.75 inches in length, and the overall length of the dagger is 10.5 inches. This knife weighs 13.5 ounces/380 grams. This knife was designed by United Cutlery. 

Attributes: 

Price range: $50 – $60 on average on Amazon.

Steel: Stainless Steel

Purpose: To Stab/The product is a dagger

These knives come with different finish options as well.

K Exclusive

The K exclusive spiral dagger knife is leaner and longer than the other spiral knives on this list. The K exclusive typically comes in Gray Titanium with the appropriate sheath, constructed with stainless steel and other secs you’d find desirable on a spiral knife. 

Notably, the knife is gray titanium coated, not entirely cut from titanium. When inserting this knife into a target or product, it will turn on its own as expected from a spiral knife. 

The stainless steel handle allows for slip resistance. 

Unlike the average spiral knife, this knife is quad-edged. Rather than inflicting a triangle-shaped hole into the target, you would leave an even more significant and circular gabbing hole.

It is far more aesthetically pleasing to a wider range of people, with its shiny and traditional appearance. There is also a compartment within the handle that you can screw open as you please. 

The tip of the knife itself is considered to be significantly sharp. By simply placing your fingertip on the tip of this knife, you could easily puncture the flesh. The blades themselves however are not very sharp in comparison to other blades. 

Attributes: 

Price range: $65 and free shipping on amazon.

Steel: Titanium coated and Stainless Steel

Purpose: To Stab/The product is a dagger. 

Overall, it is a wonderful collector’s item and is an ideal knife for anyone who is getting into collecting knives or would like to add a spiral knife to their collection. Appearance-wise, it looks as if it means business (and it sure does!). 

It is aesthetically pleasing yet basic and practical in consideration of the average knife collection. 

Jagdkommando

The original Jagdkommando is considerably expensive in comparison to most collectible daggers and knives. It is the original design and the primary dagger referenced when discussing banned weapons for war practices. 

We’ve discussed the Jagdkommando in-depth, however, the question remains: Why is it that it is so expensive? 

The Jagdkommando knife is crafted with a different level of expertise and precision than that of the aforementioned knives. With it being the original brand, manufacturing, and design for the spiral knives we collect now, as well as the excellent quality.

People purchase these knives for collection purposes, and so, to own an original Jagdkommando knife with the same metals, design, and manufacturing you anticipate whilst researching them is worth the price in question. 

A cheaper knife runs the risk of not being as sharp, well designed, or simply being cheap in appearance. In-person, you can really tell the difference between a good and bad knife. 

These knives can typically come in two different materials and thus, the price range changes as well. Both the stainless steel and Titanium danger will come with a certain level of sharpness and aesthetic that you’d expect coming from a Jagdkommando knife. 

Attributes: 

Price range: $1000 – $1200 on average via certified vendors.

Steel: Titanium/ Stainless Steel

Purpose: To Stab/The product is a dagger

M48 Vs Jagdkommando:

When comparing the M48 and the Jagdkommando, it should be known that the core differences are authenticity and quality. 

As you’d expect, a knife that costs $60 to $70 dollars is not likely to have the same traits and quality as the original 1000 dollar product. 

The original is a collector’s item that is revered by those who collect hunting and battle weapons. To own the original means a lot more than owning a product that came out in the 2000s. 

This does not in any way dismiss the quality of the M48 because it certainly does the job. As for functionality, it takes on the role of being a spiral knife effectively. It is found that, in numerous exemplary tutorials/walkthroughs, the people demonstrating the product can use it on the “mock target” without putting much strength into it. 

When it comes to collecting, the M48 is a good starting collector’s knife as it is not a huge investment. 

Even so, the core difference is the historical value and quality; the Jagdkommando is known to be sharper and more capable than the M48, regardless of the M48’s competencies. 

Is the spiral knife illegal?

What is Spiral Knife

Overall, the spiral knife is not illegal to own. There are no laws that state that a regular spiral knife is illegal to own. In some places, it is illegal to carry, but that is all dependent on which country and state you are in. 

Some spiral knives are not legal to order in certain states because certain manufacturers create the product with details that would allow them to inflict greater harm. Within said countries or states/provinces, it is hardly practical to distribute these knives based upon laws that are already in place. 

For example, it specifically states on the amazon website that the K EXCLUSIVE dagger cannot be legally shipped to MA and NJ. Keep this in mind when spiral knife shopping. 

It is obviously illegal to use on a human being because the use of this knife would only result in the killing of that individual. 

Is it banned by the Hague/Geneva convention?

The Geneva Conventions dealt with the issues and treatments of the multitude of roles and individuals that had a part in the functions of war. 

The case is that they go against the Geneva Convention, as a result of how inhumane they were considered to be even for war activities. This is why they were banned. 

Despite it being considered a war crime to use at one point in time, it was never made internationally illegal by the Geneva Convention to own. 

Is the Spiral knife categorized as knife or dagger?

The spiral knife takes on a dagger-like shape and appearance, as well as not having the cutting and stabbing ability of a knife. 

This is why, in cinema, when you see someone stabbing another individual with a bigger knife, one that might seem thicker or more textured, they may twist the blade further to actually allow for the individual to fall and die. 

This is because a dagger is not as sharp as a knife. Spiral knives align with the aforementioned attributes and are categorized as daggers for this reason. 

Do they cause someone to bleed more than a standard knife?

The spiral knife does cause someone to bleed more than a standard knife. This is because an ordinary knife would allow for the body to heal on its own. 

If the body cannot heal it naturally, stitching up a standard knife wound is no problem; neither is covering one up on your own. It gives you more time to seek medical attention than a spiral knife.

A spiral knife will leave a gaping hole in the body. This is significantly more difficult for the body to heal naturally. Historically speaking, it is far more difficult to stitch up as well. 

It was because of this that the individuals who were stabbed by spiral knives would technically bleed out more because they bled out for longer periods of time (and in most cases, to their deaths). 

Is the wound from a spiral knife impossible to stitch?

The wound from a spiral knife is not impossible to stitch, but it is considerably difficult. Especially during the time period they were originally used in and banned during, health workers would find themselves having a far more difficult time stitching up patients with wounds from the spiral knife. 

This was a result of the triangular nature of the wound created by a spiral knife. 

Soldiers who were stabbed by them would die not so long afterward because although the wound itself was not lethal in some cases, they would not be treated or stitched back up. 

This is why the use of the spiral knife was deemed inhumane by the Geneva Conventions and considered to be a war crime. 

Is the spiral knife effective?

The spiral knife is incredibly effective, especially when targeting more volatile areas of the body. This is why it was deemed a war crime to utilize, as the use of this knife is bound to result in death. 

Alternatively, some knife enthusiasts and experts state that the use of a spiral knife may be counterintuitive.

Why you may ask? Some people fail to realize how utterly painful and effective a standard or well-crafted knife can be in battle or whilst hunting. 

By stabbing any creature, no matter the area, it will result in bleeding and significant pain. Suppose you stabbed them in a volatile area, where the liver, heart, stomach, or lungs may be, internal bleeding and other complications may arise that would work in your favor. 

It is with that being said that during battle, the act of stabbing should be a one and done. You want to stab the opponent in theory and runoff, or stab the animal and trudge it over to your desired location.

The problem here is that if you were to use a dagger, you may find it far more difficult to take the dagger out of the flesh of the target. 

We see this in the film, as stated that the act of removing a dagger after stabbing the target involves twisting and significantly pulling back. The amount of time you will spend doing so is not long, but it is long enough to land yourself attacked by the target who is still conscious or another potential threat. 

This knife was considered to be outstandingly effective during times when they were used on opposing soldiers, who would find themselves unable to stitch up a typically simple wound. 

However, since your only purpose for using a knife or dagger today would be to hunt an animal, it’s not like a deer was doing to hitch a ride to the nearest hospital in the first place. 

Where to buy a Spiral Knife?

Spiral knives are so easily accessible and available that you can purchase one from Amazon, as well as the original company websites of your desired knives. Here are some of our recommendations:

Last update on 2024-07-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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