Some of the best designs come from having to fill a need, even on a simple utilitarian object such as a knife. Whenever it seems like we’ve seen everything that can be done to perfect mankind’s oldest tool, life throws us a curveball. Such is the case with the Tracker Dan Bloodshark Knife.

Dan’s experience spans about three decades with the past two as a wilderness survival and tracking instructor, and more than half of that time as Navy SEAL. Dan is currently serving in the active reserve on SEAL Team 18.

Dan’s Bloodshark was engineered from the ground up to be an ideal concealment weapon. It sports a single edged 3.25″ 154CM blade with a false edge and a 3.5″ handle. Reminiscent of a Scottish Sgian Dubh (sock knife), its small size and light weight allows it to be carried as easily as a pocket knife, and the handle design uses every last square centimeter to make it an actual working knife. It has that right balance of length, comfort and retention. The Guadaña™ Blade is for a full fledged fighting knife and can hook, rip, tear with the best of them.

Dan’s philosophy, like that of many others, is that a thin, light and easily carried knife will be with you when you need it. That Randall Bowie your granddad gave you for graduating boot camp will most likely spend more time in your foot locker than on your plate carrier. We went through this in the 1980s as a Marine and left our Gerber BMF behind so we could carry an extra canteen, and never once regretted it.

The real genius in the Bloodshark design goes beyond the blade and into the sheath.

They may look like simple Kydex affairs, but if you look a little closer, the belt clip can attach anywhere: pocket edge, belt, MOLLE, etc. It can be worn as a neck knife, under the armpit, or if you’re a lad that wears a kilt, in your boot or sock.

Training versions are available as well, and can be simple affairs or matched outright to your carry blade. When taking an edged weapons class would you prefer a 14″ D-Guard Bowie rubber knife or something closer to what you will actually use in a real-world situation?

Speaking of real-world use, Dan’s latest evolution is a special piece designed in collaboration with Ed Calderon of “Ed’s Manifesto” fame. If you have not checked out Ed’s stuff, you’re missing out!

There are larger versions of the Bloodshark available (Battleshark), and Dan makes other quality edged tools such as Kukris and axes that we hope to check out soon.

-M