Did reiterate some things a couple of times, getting near the end of the year so kinda tired and missed it in editing PS: everybody saying they are better with punching are missing a crucial point, Thrusts are multiple times more deadly and effective so punching and slashing with these doesn't make them better at all compared to a regular blade especially since these are offset in thrusting but what makes it not possible is the curve doesn't present the edge you have to offset your wrist to get the cutting edge to hit while punching risking serious injury to your wrist and hand. also Riddick doesn't punch with them either he slash's and Stabs.
I think it's a bit of a skill issue. But I noticed you were doing a reverse knife slashing but I see if you were doing a off set punch instead of that slashing action you may have got better results. I do have these blades mounted on a stand.
Also Riddick doesn't care about keeping distance. He wants to be in the face of his enemies. So, practical, no but for a character like Riddick the unconventional nature of the blades works.
I think some designer looked at the way Riddick fights (all close up and at weird angles, like hitting people slightly behind him because he's turning away from them to target the next person) and thought it matches his style, so it makes sense they look that way, but I agree that it makes little sense for a normal person fighting with them.
I think the whole idea is Riddick's fighting style is super close quarters - he gets so inside people's reach he's basically crawling up their a$$ and slashing his way out their throat. He kind of claws his way through groups of people, almost like a burrowing animal. He's inside the group so they can't use swords or guns. He's constantly moving around, suddenly he's beside them or behind them, they turn around and get his blades stuck in em while his eyes are inches away from there's. And he fights in the dark, and in a close group like that you don't know if that's your buddy bumping past you or Riddick, so you hesitate to respond and he takes advantage of that confusion and chaos. Also, I think the fact the blades are hard to use is kind of a tribute to how skilled he has to be. It also confuses the opponent because they're so unconventional they don't know what kind of fighting style they're going to be met with or how to counter it.
Tyranth: puts it through sword tests at dueling distances "ah, this weapon's terrible, you can only use it like this this and this" Riddick: literally only using it like this, this, and this, deep inside against dudes wielding big, two handed, blunt and blasting weapons, wearing armor with very specifically located, massive gaps.
@@davefletch3063 I dont think you realize how deadly knife fights are and if someone has a blade presented forward and your trying to get even closer to punch them with these you will lose , as thrusts are far more deadly and punching with these they barely cut as cutting needs more speed and movement than a punch
@@ScreenTested I have many years of training and experience with knives and blade for combat. You are making a lot of assumptions on the use of these blades. They are not intended for self defense, they are designed to be used as an attacker. Even so, they provide a means of hooking limbs and deep penetration. Consider down through behind the collar bone for instance. In unarmed vs a sword, getting closer is the best strategy. Take away the advantage of distance that the longer weapon provides. You should study some martial arts and practice with the weapon a bit prior to making a video of it
I once again remembered how my brother went through 80% of the Riddick game shooting all the light bulbs, because he missed the hint on how to put the sunglasses on.
Riddick is a close in fighter who knows how to fight against opponents with bigger, longer weapons. Not to mention he’s the main character so he has plot armor.
that was like the IGN of weapon reviews. "kitchen steak knife is better", "no reach", "can't slash", "only better then being literally unarmed"... 7/10
7:47 thats part of the beauty of this weapon, if you need more reach, and cutting power, flip it around. Or, youre in a tight hallway and need to basically throw hands, flip em to the normal holding position, you basically have brass knuckles thats a blade. They arent knives, they a brass knuckes that can be used as a knife. Very versatile
@@marhawkman303 i mean yeah, but if you look at the character, his entire skillset is basically fighting with tiny weapons in very enclosed spaces like prison cells and choke points while in the dark. Not to mention he has monsterous strength compared to a human. Look at Johns, a well trained man with a baton managed to best him when Riddick was out of his element.
@@Jexorz86Very true, Riddick thrives in extremely close combat. And seeing as the blades are named it's not unreasonable to assume they have a familiarity and expected fighting style to go with them, so Riddick's frankly impractical use of them could be considered him attempting to throw his enemies off as well. For the kind of psychological tactics he employs it's totally the kind of thing he's known for.
I've always felt part of the utility of those blades were that they benefit the user for utilizing the landscape while fighting. They seem like they might be useful for climbing, and maneuvering higher places while still leaving a blade in your hand. Or crawling through deep brush, digging in the dirt, holding oneself above a sharp gravel bed, etc. They're not meant to be just knives, but a utility extension of one's own fist, a bit more like brass knuckles or armored gloves, while still also presenting a cutting edge. Also maybe Riddick is holding it the way he does, because he likes the up-close and personal fight, if he wanted to keep his opponents at distance, he might hold them the other way. It's certainly intimidating to be fighting someone who's stance says they're going to be up close and personal when they finish you.
For a knight's fighting technique? yeah, pretty useless. Maybe they are intended for assassination, or something? Use it like an ice axe to scale a wall with your inhuman Furian strength(except more easy to draw than an ice axe), then like a talon while jumping down on an unexpecting person. I can pretty easily imagine Riddick doing something like that.
I always saw them as so,e kind of climbing pick turned shiv. Afterall, prisoners in the real world can turn toothbrushes and the like into shivs, so it's not too far a leap.
agreed i think its a tool that was sharpened into a blade out of necessity that was extremely good for gorilla warfare sneak attacks in the dark that they became proficient with
Seems like something more used in a karambit-meets-knuckles sort of way. Meant to be a force multiplier for unarmed-style fighting as opposed to fighting a dude with a sword or spear. Basically think less like a standing pre-firearms military and more like a street fight in a back alley.
I think every redesign of a weapon will be worse than the standard counterpart for one simple reason, over the hundred years we have developed the most ergonomic designs, the failed ideas and projects were abandoned and ones that worked were improved over generations.
@@Angelic_Hero For real, between Weapon Nepotism and pop culture weapons that stick around don't even have to be above average to stick around for a century.
@@Angelic_Herodepending on the setting the nunchuck is good! There can be a fantasy setting where by separating the sticks with the string it's easier to put multiple enchantments, then put an enchantment on the string that can make so the sticks share their enchantments basically allowing you to multiply your enchantments over that of a stick
@tomraineofmagigor3499 that's why I said unless you ask shad with his anti nunchuck bias (though it feels more like a anti anything not historical European bias lately)
As someone who absolutely loves the franchise and I regularly watch the films and play the video games, I believe the in lore use of these ulaks (which I believe are pronounced oo-locks) is that they are a hand to hand weapon. Think of them as bladed brass knuckles. If I remember correctly the martial art style for the ulaks were from monks somewhere, but anyone who is proficient in boxing would be able to pick these up and with a little modification be familiar with how to use them. Which is why in the games you often see a bunch of haymakers, jabs, hooks, and other classic boxing moves. That and Riddick almost never goes against any other bladed weapon with these, it's always close and personal combat. And Riddick isn't human, he's Furyan, basically just a stronger and faster human with some supernatural abilities. Which could be why it works for him. Mall ninja or not, I would love to have a pair myself but almost all the ones I've found in person have always been made for small hands.
It seems like the whole lesson learned from this video is that reverse grip is bad. As soon as you use it the "wrong" way, it's a decently cromulent knife.
IRL actually reverse grip knife is one of the best grips when fighting with a knife. In some situations it's indeed the best... The issue here is that having a reverse grip on a curved knife that curves into you is a realy dumb decision since a blade like that is specialized for something different than what you want to achieve by reverse gripping. PS: actually, for example Karambits are designed to be reverse gripped, and they also have a curve, but there is a clear difference in design and purpose... PS2: Sword reverse grip is troll 99.99999% times, and I know there is a specific example of a dude who does it and proved it works for that specific situation and whatever, I think shad made a video on it in which tyranth appears, but yeah, except that, it's trolling cuz leverage
@@DemoniumSama I think we can simplify it to "reverse grip is bad for slashing" It's awkward and doesn't generate a ton of force. And it's double bad for swords because size makes them hard to thrust with in reverse grip too. Though maybe a Gladius or something could get away with it
@@DemoniumSama Used to reverse grip swords for LARP..... to make sure that the newer/less experienced members of the group weren't always losing. Course when up against someone equally practiced switched right back to standard grip.
Bought a pair several years ago for the collection. I was shocked how sharp they were as well as easy to maneuver. My son made sheaths for them but they would be awkward to carry.
Treat them as melee parrying (not "catching") weapons. They don't need reach because the point is to deflect the enemy's weapon and close distance. When you are close enough, the enemy's weapon is close to useless, unless they are rocking a shorter weapon, such as a gladius. Not every weapon needs to be used the same way as a sword analog. These would be best for duels or assassinations, but not battlefields (obviously). Edit: Also, if you are duel-wielding with these, the shape makes it easier for one to latch onto a shield's edge, prying open an opening for the other to strike.
I really like Tyranth's Initial Thought Scores. I make a game of guessing the number before you say it, and also what my opinion is. Usually I'm spot on or quite close.
Maybe it's meant to be used point up but Riddick uses a reverse grip like some people used a knife or dagger reverse gripped. One of the things I look at is what kind of tool a weapon may have been. In history a lot of weapons originated as a tool. This blade may have been some kind of leatherworking tool.
I feel like they make more sense as a close-quarters survival weapon/tool and considering Riddick's people being a Warrior/Hunter culture that is something i could see them having. To me they are similar in principle to Sokka's Boomerang where it is meant to double as a tool and weapon....noticing the hole cut outs in Riddick's blades i wonder if you could use them to feed rope through to throw them as to latch on to things or even people.
@ScreenTested You can. But as a stated in another comment that the shape reminds me of the Brazilian dance fighting style knife. Which if you watch Riddick while fighting with the blade, reminds me of the hand motions within that style.
Agreed, i dont consider them knives but rather knucles, imagine a boxer using them, not only their punches become deadlier, adding the cutting capability, but dodging gets harder as well since the AOI get longer.
@@malucoblz588 No they wouldn't the curve and edge is not in line with a punch meaning if you try to punch with them your wrist is extended risking injury
I have a few pairs, some replicas from the movies that I keep on the wall and a real pair you can buy from forged in fire, I asked them to add index finger rings for this exact issue though lol.
@@SassyCassie89 Oh shit I’m tripping lol sorry, I got them from Man At Arms on RUclips, after the episode where he forged some he did take request and made an X amount but I’m not sure if he still makes them now.
People used to fight with a duelist knife as an off hand weapon. I'd imagine this would be better equipped to block strikes thanks to the design being a hilt. There's also another use we didn't see, I mean using them like a boxer. It might not ever be the best weapon for the job, but I can imagine a boxer finding something like this right up his alley.
it was a fun video to watch. the question i have is the fighting style what makes them worse then a normal knife? i always seen blades like that use more of a boxing motion like what a person would do with a karambit. i'm no expert however just my thought. thanks for giving your review and thoughts on them its good food for thought.
Very deadly, boxers tend to dodge away or to the outside of the attacker, the elongated blade makes it so the "hitable" area becomes greater so they have to dodge further.
A Knife is more effective than brass knuckles for killing, and if you want a knife you would go for a better one then Riddicks. The knives do look hella cool though.
Wow. I'm sad I did not think of that one myself. Brilliantly done. (I think I used all my brain power this morning saying I was Stoked for Stoke Aerospace's newest rocket design)
This would be good in a tight urban environment where you are fighting with stealth and ambush tactics. Like some kind of shopping center, and you like striking from the shadows and dropping right on top of enemies. Like a mall ninja.
I had a pair of these that I wanted to make more practical. I chopped off the handle, used the "speed holes" as a tang to pin them into some wooden hafts. I called them my "throwing picks" and they were awesome. I'd love to see you give that a try!
I think you're right on all your points. And I must say, I always thought I'd use them backwards (from the way Riddick uses them) if I ever picked them up. That said, in universe, Riddick (and Furyan's probably - not that we see any other Furyan's to compare him with...) he is used to facing multiple opponents with guns, so getting up very close would make sense, and it's less about fight an enemy that's right in front of you and more about getting amounts them and slashing two people on either side of you, and it's probably pretty good at hitting someone behind you - especially when you are flexible enough to lift your hands up behind you and over your head when your hands are cuffed. Even though in the movie, when he do use them, the enemies he attacks more or less run at him so he can hit them (much like the people fighting Howard the Duck run at Howard so he can hit them with a pie to the face), I think the idea is extreme close quarters against multiple enemies. It was just shot that way due to filmmaking limits - Vin Diesel isn't actually Furyan and him standing relatively still is easier for a camera to shoot.... In universe, I still think it's a very good character weapon... in reality, yeah, not so much, haha
@@milire2668 I was more thinking about preventing the hand slipping off the grip. If you'd want to end someone rightly with that thing, the pommel would have to be at the tip of the blade.
I feel like these knives fill a similar niche as the Hidden Blade, where it's got some situations where they'd be good (like in a brawl, for example), or an assassination. But these kind of remind me of knuckle dusters, and I I think they'd honestly be better as a strange sort of sharp handguard meant to cut up opponents when you throw a punch. Basically inflicting bleeding to enemies so they get more and more tired from blood loss as the fight goes on, until you can go in for an easy kill.
I have a pair of these I got years ago from a con. From the looks and feel I would imagine aggressive close quartered combat with push cuts, stabs, hooks, twists and other nasty business. Functional rule of cool I guess, yet for me the handles are simply too small for my hands.
Crazy how much the grip changed things. At first I thought maybe there was something wrong with the edge or the metal or it wasn’t sharpened enough, and then you hold it “wrong” and it works fine. Sorry for doubting your sharpening skills, won’t happen again.
Hi Tyranth! Richard b riddik was a up close type of guy I suppose. I've had 2 sets of these about 20 years now. They are just kinda cool to look at and hold.not my first choice.
I would say they're pretty iconic. I mean I've never even watched Riddick but I can picture the cover of the movie in my head as well as Vin Diesel holding those knives.
I think that a full-length saber made in the same style would be an interesting weapon for a sci-fi/fantasy weapon. Gives a very distinct aesthetic while still being able to use orthodox technique.
The thing that struck me when you were slashing with those blades with the original method. You not only have to be within punching distance and using hard/strong punches, you have to purposefully miss just the right amount with those punches in order to bring the slashing into effect. So you'd definitely have to be really skilled in close range fighting to use them, and if you're that close, and that good, why would you use these vs say punching them?
AT LAST! I was very interesting about Ulaks. It's "Mall Ninja" weapon with a bit of usefulness, as expected. I commented on Shads channel, asking to review it.
I wrote a character who had blades like this as a side weapon. But they used them like brass knuckles that just happened to be able to slash as well when they were being mobbed, once they created space they went back to their main weapons
From what I understand they're considered more like cestii in universe, meant to maximize the lethal potential of a fighter's empty hand skills. From that perspective they're actually quite neat. You have the blades which can turn hooks and uppercuts into vicious draw cuts, the talons the blades form can be used to hook and pull, the points would turn a hammer fist into a nasty stab, and those serrations above the hands are in a perfect position to jab and rake.
You ask "what would you compare them to" - something I asked myself when I was a kid and the riddick movies encouraged me to buy some of these myself. My answer was "Brass knuckles" or punching daggers. As a punch modifier instead of just normal knives. Still not the greatest, but I felt they compared better to those than they did to a normal every day knife.
I think they would be better as a climbing tool and for opening vents. those spikes, I think that you sould have designed them for screw sizes. Riddick is better in vents and really close combat. this is for dragging people. This is a hook. Could you try the video but give it to a rock climber? and get tinto a really tight and enclosed space?
Thanks for watching and supporting, thing is at no point does Riddick use them that way he uses them as regular blades simple downward strikes and large slashes
I have seen all the movies a few times, I honestly don't remember these, even after seeing the clips you have included of them... I consider these blades as an interesting and more deadly take on brass knuckles.
brass knuckles and parrying daggers come to mind. It's clear they can aid in blocking, especially against slower bigger weapons like a pike, claymore, or spear. Paired together it seems the goal is to parry with one hand and move in to attack like a Praying Mantis with the other. Close Quarters Combat Mall Ninja weapon. The yin yang spiral display effect looks nice too.
The Chronicles of Riddick is a cult classic in my book. I like the video like to see more stuff like this. What about looking at some of the Chinese swords as well?
I always thought of those as “suprise assassin” weapons. “Come let me whisper my objections in your ear...”. A suprise assassin could get so close that the “negatives” of the weapon were themselves negated. Indeed, being almost body-to-body an assassin could strike a dozen times and no one who wasn't paying close attention would see anything. Ex.: draw slashing⑴ belly, ⑵lead arm, ⑶ belly, ⑷lower throat, ⑸right/left side, ⑹ jugular. Target collapses. It gets even *more* interesting if the inside third of the blade, from the tip down, is sharp - you makes available all sorts of “stab & pull” strikes - where you bury the 1ˢᵗ third of the blade into the target (the throat or in the liver region, perhaps) and pull the blade back. Pulling, not along the wound track, but instead pulling perpendicular to it. *ALSO* Along a non-assassin line of thought: I could see it suddenly “appearing” in a fighter's hand in the middle of a scuffle or brawl. To many in the melee the change to this weapon from fisticuffs wouldn't register. These knives remind me of the bladed “brass knuckles” that eventually evolved. The knives also seem easier to draw w/o drawing attention to the draw than a sword - the big sweep of the arm pretty much announces a sword-draw. The “draw & strike” or “draw/strike” seems swifter, too. The draw & strike (using a knife) uses 2 movements: draw & thrust/slash; this weapon requires only 1 movement: drawing punch/uppercut/rising slash... etc. I could go on there are a ton of scenarios w/cross-draw, quick-draw, hidden weapon draw, etc... but it is pretty tiring typing on an android phone. ;u)
Hey love your videos I do have a suggestion and that’s gyomeis wepon from demon slayer it’s a short axe with a ball and chain attached it could be useable but also very stupid I would like to see your opinion
It is a weapon for his fighting style. You noticed in movies, he fights like always on top of someone. He goes up close and personal. So the weapon is simply a kind of ice pick grabbed dagger/knife with hand protection also double as slashing blade edge.
Actually, when you reversed the grip, like you did, so that it cuts better, like a normal knife, it actually becomes a bit of a knuckle knife. So that you can also box with that extra part of the knife that goes over your fingers, like a duster. So a little extra way of using it maybe? To make it more versatile. Musical greetings from Belgium, Gunther (singer and lyrics writer of Gabriel Scar)
I think the knives are designed for to keep you opponent in close. the top of the knives have two jobs, one to act as a sort of brass knuckles and two to catch and manipulate bladed weapons. The blade part of the knives are more meant for hooking and pulling in close , ideally for the slitting of throats or stabbing through gapes in armor.
5:15 With my Bearded Ulus I like to hold One "Upside-Down" and One "Right-Side-Up" that way I Defense and Attack with the Option of Just Controlling the Opponent. (7:55) Great Minds Think alike... 6:20 Like Cyberpunk Mantis Blades. 7:20 You want to do a Hook Punch basically into your opposite shoulder - Above it but it's not really going to hurt you if you do punch yourself. 10:10 Riddick's Ulaks are supposedly Climbing Tools - Real North American Ulus are Leather Tools, kitchen tools, and self defense weapons - *side-note* Just "Climbing" your Opponent seems like a tactic you could try.. 13:15 It's a Great Tool if Your Primary Concern *Isn't* Combat - Planning on Creating a Fire and Processing an Animal you Hunted - Bring an Ulu, it can reduce the need to bring 6 tools..
1:36 No need to backtrack lol these blades are iconic, while only making a few appearances in the movies they were used a lot in the assault in dark Athena game once you killed the guard for his and even have a few of their own execution moves.
I think it is important to note. Riddick uses whatever he can find as a weapon. The shivs he made in the first film, the Irgun's dagger in the second. And In the last film he made several edged tools from bone and claw. So I think its safe to say the Ulaks are less a weapon of choice and more a weapon of opportunity. Riddick himself plundered the Ulaks from one of the mercenaries he killed and was familiar with them. The commentary on the weapons highlights that they are meant as defensive martial arts weapons.
I think the issue here is that Riddick usually fought in really close combat in tight spaces. He was trying to cut but also not to get stuck. So this blade sort of did fit the narrative.
Would think a drawback compared to say the kitchen knife, is that as you apply force in say a thrust the weapon is pushing itself out of your grip. The knife as you thrust ( or say a dagger with a guard) the whole weapon and arm lines up in a unified direction
Do remember that furious prefer close up in your space fighting. Think of them more as extensions of the fists. Slicing while punching through the target. The end nubs are more like brass knuckle spikes
It does have the potential of being improved upon. Having the blade come down around the wrist very cool but as you said it doesn't give you extension so if you had a extension of the blade coming out of the top. It would kind of look like the edge of an axe
Bladed brass knuckles with downward stabbing potential is what I'm seeing. The benefits would be low weight, ability to transport, concealment, and ease of use in tight spaces.
You should do a basic improv weapon scoring episode. Do things like sticks, rocks, and other things that would be easily accessible. You could then use these scores as a foundational comparison for other weapons. Since these would be the baseline for "better than nothing", you could then actually compare things against it. Basically, if a rock or stick scored higher than this weapon, you could actually call it.
It combines a brass knuckle with a knife. I think this would be a better defensive weapon when used like in the movie. The other grip adds more offensive range.
Trench knives feel like a better approach to that idea. It's a convential knife, with a guard you can punch with. More comfortably and mechanically sound than punching with these I imagine
Gonna be honest...from the start of the video my impression of these weapons was simply they're likely more effective as a stabbing weapon more than anything else and may at most feel ideal when in enclosed spaces where you're essentially forced to be within arms length of an opponent...so probably an effective weapon for an assassin who's in a situation they need to kill with a melee weapon more than a warrior on the battlefield tbh (say they entered the target's bedroom while they slept and stabbed into their throat/chest). Hell they mainly make me think of stabbing more than slashing/slicing/hacking due to the fact the shape reminds me more of a Saber tooth Tiger's canine teeth more than anything so a downward stabbing motion when on top of an opponent looks like it'd be the most natural with it. The main reason it works for Riddick if I'm right is the same reason a lot of weapons on this channel work in their source material: superpowers (in Riddick's case if I'm right he's somewhat superhuman)/magic/future tech/etc.
Did reiterate some things a couple of times, getting near the end of the year so kinda tired and missed it in editing
PS: everybody saying they are better with punching are missing a crucial point, Thrusts are multiple times more deadly and effective so punching and slashing with these doesn't make them better at all compared to a regular blade especially since these are offset in thrusting but what makes it not possible is the curve doesn't present the edge you have to offset your wrist to get the cutting edge to hit while punching risking serious injury to your wrist and hand. also Riddick doesn't punch with them either he slash's and Stabs.
I feel you Tyrath
You have become a Raptor.
I will let you off - THIS time mate!!!! jk LOVE YOU you convict lol (im UK btw)
I think it's a bit of a skill issue.
But I noticed you were doing a reverse knife slashing but I see if you were doing a off set punch instead of that slashing action you may have got better results.
I do have these blades mounted on a stand.
Oh I'm sure you are you've been putting out a ton of content
Remember Riddick killed a guy with a tea cup. Riddick is the weapon, he doesn't need a weapon.
He was going to kill the next guy with... a pull tab.
Till Chuck Shows up.
Also Riddick doesn't care about keeping distance. He wants to be in the face of his enemies. So, practical, no but for a character like Riddick the unconventional nature of the blades works.
I really wanted Tyranth to say, "that's not a knife," holds up kitchen knife, "that's a knife."
To be fair, id call them "bladed" knucles rather than knives.
@@malucoblz588 Wolverine enters the chat!
That seems like a very Shad way to start a video.
Paul Hogan enters the chat.
Sailor song reference?
I think some designer looked at the way Riddick fights (all close up and at weird angles, like hitting people slightly behind him because he's turning away from them to target the next person) and thought it matches his style, so it makes sense they look that way, but I agree that it makes little sense for a normal person fighting with them.
I think the whole idea is Riddick's fighting style is super close quarters - he gets so inside people's reach he's basically crawling up their a$$ and slashing his way out their throat. He kind of claws his way through groups of people, almost like a burrowing animal. He's inside the group so they can't use swords or guns. He's constantly moving around, suddenly he's beside them or behind them, they turn around and get his blades stuck in em while his eyes are inches away from there's. And he fights in the dark, and in a close group like that you don't know if that's your buddy bumping past you or Riddick, so you hesitate to respond and he takes advantage of that confusion and chaos. Also, I think the fact the blades are hard to use is kind of a tribute to how skilled he has to be. It also confuses the opponent because they're so unconventional they don't know what kind of fighting style they're going to be met with or how to counter it.
Tyranth: puts it through sword tests at dueling distances "ah, this weapon's terrible, you can only use it like this this and this"
Riddick: literally only using it like this, this, and this, deep inside against dudes wielding big, two handed, blunt and blasting weapons, wearing armor with very specifically located, massive gaps.
And a regular ass dagger would be superior in every case imaginable.
If you use them as Riddick does then your fighting style changes to more of a brawler. So essentially they should be used like brass knuckles.
I would argue to stop viewing them as knifes, and to see them as “ slashing brass knuckles “
that makes them worse compared to literally any dagger.
100%. Thats what the nubs on top are for
@@ScreenTested you should try punching style. I think it is a technique driven weapon that is not within your training experience
@@davefletch3063 I dont think you realize how deadly knife fights are and if someone has a blade presented forward and your trying to get even closer to punch them with these you will lose , as thrusts are far more deadly and punching with these they barely cut as cutting needs more speed and movement than a punch
@@ScreenTested I have many years of training and experience with knives and blade for combat. You are making a lot of assumptions on the use of these blades. They are not intended for self defense, they are designed to be used as an attacker. Even so, they provide a means of hooking limbs and deep penetration. Consider down through behind the collar bone for instance. In unarmed vs a sword, getting closer is the best strategy. Take away the advantage of distance that the longer weapon provides. You should study some martial arts and practice with the weapon a bit prior to making a video of it
I once again remembered how my brother went through 80% of the Riddick game shooting all the light bulbs, because he missed the hint on how to put the sunglasses on.
Haha, but it helps to be able to see when your enemies can't
I'm just here for the T.I.T.S, like any normal man.
Word. 😎
T.I.T.S. at 10:49
Riddick is a close in fighter who knows how to fight against opponents with bigger, longer weapons. Not to mention he’s the main character so he has plot armor.
that was like the IGN of weapon reviews. "kitchen steak knife is better", "no reach", "can't slash", "only better then being literally unarmed"... 7/10
7:47 thats part of the beauty of this weapon, if you need more reach, and cutting power, flip it around. Or, youre in a tight hallway and need to basically throw hands, flip em to the normal holding position, you basically have brass knuckles thats a blade. They arent knives, they a brass knuckes that can be used as a knife. Very versatile
5:58 so the knives aren't that bad, Riddick is just ridiculous and insisting on reverse grip
Gotta go for that cool factor.
@@Andri474 Yeah Riddick uses reverse grips on daggers way too much too.
@@marhawkman303 i mean yeah, but if you look at the character, his entire skillset is basically fighting with tiny weapons in very enclosed spaces like prison cells and choke points while in the dark. Not to mention he has monsterous strength compared to a human. Look at Johns, a well trained man with a baton managed to best him when Riddick was out of his element.
@@Jexorz86 yeah he loves getting in your face and if you're out of arm's reach he's gonna have to chase you down.
@@Jexorz86Very true, Riddick thrives in extremely close combat. And seeing as the blades are named it's not unreasonable to assume they have a familiarity and expected fighting style to go with them, so Riddick's frankly impractical use of them could be considered him attempting to throw his enemies off as well. For the kind of psychological tactics he employs it's totally the kind of thing he's known for.
We can all agree they look cool in that early 2000s way where if you look at it too long it stops being fun.
Nah. Even back then I thought they looked like they had erectile disfunction.
I've always felt part of the utility of those blades were that they benefit the user for utilizing the landscape while fighting. They seem like they might be useful for climbing, and maneuvering higher places while still leaving a blade in your hand. Or crawling through deep brush, digging in the dirt, holding oneself above a sharp gravel bed, etc. They're not meant to be just knives, but a utility extension of one's own fist, a bit more like brass knuckles or armored gloves, while still also presenting a cutting edge.
Also maybe Riddick is holding it the way he does, because he likes the up-close and personal fight, if he wanted to keep his opponents at distance, he might hold them the other way. It's certainly intimidating to be fighting someone who's stance says they're going to be up close and personal when they finish you.
You see those warriors from Furya? They've got curved knives. Curved. Knives.
"you're not afraid of the dark are you? The light hurts my eyes" -Riddick
Same here. You won't believe how disappointed i was when child me found out i'm not Furyan.. but autistic instead.
Good video. Always loved Chronicles of Riddick as a kid. Really appreciate how you not only analyze the weapons but make them yourself.
For a knight's fighting technique? yeah, pretty useless.
Maybe they are intended for assassination, or something? Use it like an ice axe to scale a wall with your inhuman Furian strength(except more easy to draw than an ice axe), then like a talon while jumping down on an unexpecting person.
I can pretty easily imagine Riddick doing something like that.
yeah, it's probably not actually designed for warfare if the RW analogues are anything to go by honestly.
I always saw them as so,e kind of climbing pick turned shiv. Afterall, prisoners in the real world can turn toothbrushes and the like into shivs, so it's not too far a leap.
@@RayvenQ that's true. he's in a situation where he often just grabs stuff too.
agreed i think its a tool that was sharpened into a blade out of necessity that was extremely good for gorilla warfare sneak attacks in the dark that they became proficient with
Seems like something more used in a karambit-meets-knuckles sort of way. Meant to be a force multiplier for unarmed-style fighting as opposed to fighting a dude with a sword or spear. Basically think less like a standing pre-firearms military and more like a street fight in a back alley.
I think every redesign of a weapon will be worse than the standard counterpart for one simple reason, over the hundred years we have developed the most ergonomic designs, the failed ideas and projects were abandoned and ones that worked were improved over generations.
unless you ask shad, since the nunchucks still managed to survive all those generations
Weapon Nepotism is a thing... and of course Medias wild habit of bringing wild shit from the past up and keeping it alive for YEARS.
@@Angelic_Hero For real, between Weapon Nepotism and pop culture weapons that stick around don't even have to be above average to stick around for a century.
@@Angelic_Herodepending on the setting the nunchuck is good! There can be a fantasy setting where by separating the sticks with the string it's easier to put multiple enchantments, then put an enchantment on the string that can make so the sticks share their enchantments basically allowing you to multiply your enchantments over that of a stick
@tomraineofmagigor3499 that's why I said unless you ask shad with his anti nunchuck bias (though it feels more like a anti anything not historical European bias lately)
As someone who absolutely loves the franchise and I regularly watch the films and play the video games, I believe the in lore use of these ulaks (which I believe are pronounced oo-locks) is that they are a hand to hand weapon. Think of them as bladed brass knuckles. If I remember correctly the martial art style for the ulaks were from monks somewhere, but anyone who is proficient in boxing would be able to pick these up and with a little modification be familiar with how to use them.
Which is why in the games you often see a bunch of haymakers, jabs, hooks, and other classic boxing moves. That and Riddick almost never goes against any other bladed weapon with these, it's always close and personal combat. And Riddick isn't human, he's Furyan, basically just a stronger and faster human with some supernatural abilities. Which could be why it works for him.
Mall ninja or not, I would love to have a pair myself but almost all the ones I've found in person have always been made for small hands.
It seems like the whole lesson learned from this video is that reverse grip is bad. As soon as you use it the "wrong" way, it's a decently cromulent knife.
IRL actually reverse grip knife is one of the best grips when fighting with a knife. In some situations it's indeed the best... The issue here is that having a reverse grip on a curved knife that curves into you is a realy dumb decision since a blade like that is specialized for something different than what you want to achieve by reverse gripping.
PS: actually, for example Karambits are designed to be reverse gripped, and they also have a curve, but there is a clear difference in design and purpose...
PS2: Sword reverse grip is troll 99.99999% times, and I know there is a specific example of a dude who does it and proved it works for that specific situation and whatever, I think shad made a video on it in which tyranth appears, but yeah, except that, it's trolling cuz leverage
@@DemoniumSama I think we can simplify it to "reverse grip is bad for slashing"
It's awkward and doesn't generate a ton of force.
And it's double bad for swords because size makes them hard to thrust with in reverse grip too. Though maybe a Gladius or something could get away with it
@@DemoniumSama Used to reverse grip swords for LARP..... to make sure that the newer/less experienced members of the group weren't always losing. Course when up against someone equally practiced switched right back to standard grip.
Thank you for testing that one I also have unreasonable amounts of nostalgia for Riddick :D
Bought a pair several years ago for the collection. I was shocked how sharp they were as well as easy to maneuver. My son made sheaths for them but they would be awkward to carry.
Treat them as melee parrying (not "catching") weapons. They don't need reach because the point is to deflect the enemy's weapon and close distance. When you are close enough, the enemy's weapon is close to useless, unless they are rocking a shorter weapon, such as a gladius.
Not every weapon needs to be used the same way as a sword analog.
These would be best for duels or assassinations, but not battlefields (obviously).
Edit: Also, if you are duel-wielding with these, the shape makes it easier for one to latch onto a shield's edge, prying open an opening for the other to strike.
I really like Tyranth's Initial Thought Scores. I make a game of guessing the number before you say it, and also what my opinion is. Usually I'm spot on or quite close.
"If you don't believe me, go ask people in the UK" I gotta admit, I wasn't convinced, but this very piercing argument won me over XD
Maybe it's meant to be used point up but Riddick uses a reverse grip like some people used a knife or dagger reverse gripped. One of the things I look at is what kind of tool a weapon may have been. In history a lot of weapons originated as a tool. This blade may have been some kind of leatherworking tool.
I feel like they make more sense as a close-quarters survival weapon/tool and considering Riddick's people being a Warrior/Hunter culture that is something i could see them having. To me they are similar in principle to Sokka's Boomerang where it is meant to double as a tool and weapon....noticing the hole cut outs in Riddick's blades i wonder if you could use them to feed rope through to throw them as to latch on to things or even people.
Something to consider, Riddick did use them more for fighting inside the reach and also Hit and Run
you can’t do that with a regular dagger?
@ScreenTested You can. But as a stated in another comment that the shape reminds me of the Brazilian dance fighting style knife. Which if you watch Riddick while fighting with the blade, reminds me of the hand motions within that style.
Agreed, i dont consider them knives but rather knucles, imagine a boxer using them, not only their punches become deadlier, adding the cutting capability, but dodging gets harder as well since the AOI get longer.
@@malucoblz588 No they wouldn't the curve and edge is not in line with a punch meaning if you try to punch with them your wrist is extended risking injury
All the punching comments make me want to see more Punch dagger/Katar content
This was close, the Energy Sword was close... We're almost there
The way he stabs Tony ( 3:40 ) in the shoulder just reminded me of that one scene from Kung Fu Hustle xD
It's like a punch knife, it does both things, pushes the opponent and slices them too... a bit... little... barely.
I own the replicas of these things, they roll in the hand like a b*tch lol. They look badass though!
I have a few pairs, some replicas from the movies that I keep on the wall and a real pair you can buy from forged in fire, I asked them to add index finger rings for this exact issue though lol.
@AiColonel ooh i bet they look cool! Wait Forged in fire do requests?
@@SassyCassie89 Oh shit I’m tripping lol sorry, I got them from Man At Arms on RUclips, after the episode where he forged some he did take request and made an X amount but I’m not sure if he still makes them now.
As a fencing weapon they are definitely sub-par.
I wonder how they would fair when combined with a grappling fighting style
People used to fight with a duelist knife as an off hand weapon. I'd imagine this would be better equipped to block strikes thanks to the design being a hilt.
There's also another use we didn't see, I mean using them like a boxer. It might not ever be the best weapon for the job, but I can imagine a boxer finding something like this right up his alley.
it was a fun video to watch. the question i have is the fighting style what makes them worse then a normal knife? i always seen blades like that use more of a boxing motion like what a person would do with a karambit. i'm no expert however just my thought. thanks for giving your review and thoughts on them its good food for thought.
Just one point to consider: you can throw a knife if you need to. Or even a dagger. Can you throw those?
You could throw them in the trash and go get a proper knife
The reason why these are important is to perry. Also PLEASE consider testing the bagua deerhorn knives in pairs.
*What, this?! This is just a personal grooming appliance!* - Riddick 🤣
Yeah... IDK why Tyranth showcased them as weapons They are clearly made for close shaving.
Could you consider them as bladed knuckle dusters?
that how always saw them, sharp knuckle Dusters, i wonder how effective they could be in the hand of a boxer or MMA fighter
Very deadly, boxers tend to dodge away or to the outside of the attacker, the elongated blade makes it so the "hitable" area becomes greater so they have to dodge further.
A Knife is more effective than brass knuckles for killing, and if you want a knife you would go for a better one then Riddicks.
The knives do look hella cool though.
I find them quite Riddickulous
Wow. I'm sad I did not think of that one myself.
Brilliantly done.
(I think I used all my brain power this morning saying I was Stoked for Stoke Aerospace's newest rocket design)
Here's the usual full support for channel growth.
This would be good in a tight urban environment where you are fighting with stealth and ambush tactics. Like some kind of shopping center, and you like striking from the shadows and dropping right on top of enemies. Like a mall ninja.
🤔
I had a pair of these that I wanted to make more practical. I chopped off the handle, used the "speed holes" as a tang to pin them into some wooden hafts. I called them my "throwing picks" and they were awesome. I'd love to see you give that a try!
I think you're right on all your points. And I must say, I always thought I'd use them backwards (from the way Riddick uses them) if I ever picked them up.
That said, in universe, Riddick (and Furyan's probably - not that we see any other Furyan's to compare him with...) he is used to facing multiple opponents with guns, so getting up very close would make sense, and it's less about fight an enemy that's right in front of you and more about getting amounts them and slashing two people on either side of you, and it's probably pretty good at hitting someone behind you - especially when you are flexible enough to lift your hands up behind you and over your head when your hands are cuffed.
Even though in the movie, when he do use them, the enemies he attacks more or less run at him so he can hit them (much like the people fighting Howard the Duck run at Howard so he can hit them with a pie to the face), I think the idea is extreme close quarters against multiple enemies. It was just shot that way due to filmmaking limits - Vin Diesel isn't actually Furyan and him standing relatively still is easier for a camera to shoot....
In universe, I still think it's a very good character weapon... in reality, yeah, not so much, haha
Wow what a throwback I wasn't even sure anyone else even saw that movie
You have to be furyan to use them properly
Or a muay Thai fighter
Or just FURIous… and fast
MY ABSOLUTELY FAVORITE MAN!!! RIDDICK!!!!!!! THANK YOU TYRANTH!
I love when you get into a weapon and are able to safely show us how it actually works.
Would this be more practical with a pommel?
for ending them foes rightly?
ofc!
@@milire2668 I was more thinking about preventing the hand slipping off the grip. If you'd want to end someone rightly with that thing, the pommel would have to be at the tip of the blade.
The screen used ones from what I’ve seen have a far better handle design that what I got so not exactly a pommel but better grip
@@ScreenTested Thank you!
I feel like these knives fill a similar niche as the Hidden Blade, where it's got some situations where they'd be good (like in a brawl, for example), or an assassination.
But these kind of remind me of knuckle dusters, and I I think they'd honestly be better as a strange sort of sharp handguard meant to cut up opponents when you throw a punch. Basically inflicting bleeding to enemies so they get more and more tired from blood loss as the fight goes on, until you can go in for an easy kill.
I have a pair of these I got years ago from a con. From the looks and feel I would imagine aggressive close quartered combat with push cuts, stabs, hooks, twists and other nasty business. Functional rule of cool I guess, yet for me the handles are simply too small for my hands.
Crazy how much the grip changed things. At first I thought maybe there was something wrong with the edge or the metal or it wasn’t sharpened enough, and then you hold it “wrong” and it works fine. Sorry for doubting your sharpening skills, won’t happen again.
Your stuff is interesting and entertaining man, hope your tested series keeps going.
Holy cow! First video youtube recommended me! keep up the good work, it's very interesting to see how these crap weapons would actually perform
I forged a pizza cutter shaped like a blunt-ended of one of these. Works well as a pizza cutter, and better as a flesh/hide scraper.
Well done and well made video. I loved Riddick as a kid especially Pitch Black!
Hi Tyranth! Richard b riddik was a up close type of guy I suppose. I've had 2 sets of these about 20 years now. They are just kinda cool to look at and hold.not my first choice.
In the King Arthur film starring Clive Owen, Ray Winstone has a very similar dagger that only gets shown 3 times.
3:46 What if you invert the grip?
I would say they're pretty iconic. I mean I've never even watched Riddick but I can picture the cover of the movie in my head as well as Vin Diesel holding those knives.
Love your work T! Keep it coming!!
Never thought these would actually work nor be practical…. but they sure do look cool
I think that a full-length saber made in the same style would be an interesting weapon for a sci-fi/fantasy weapon. Gives a very distinct aesthetic while still being able to use orthodox technique.
The thing that struck me when you were slashing with those blades with the original method. You not only have to be within punching distance and using hard/strong punches, you have to purposefully miss just the right amount with those punches in order to bring the slashing into effect. So you'd definitely have to be really skilled in close range fighting to use them, and if you're that close, and that good, why would you use these vs say punching them?
Lord Tyris, king of all the britians. Impressive with that kitchen knife.
AT LAST! I was very interesting about Ulaks. It's "Mall Ninja" weapon with a bit of usefulness, as expected.
I commented on Shads channel, asking to review it.
I wrote a character who had blades like this as a side weapon. But they used them like brass knuckles that just happened to be able to slash as well when they were being mobbed, once they created space they went back to their main weapons
From what I understand they're considered more like cestii in universe, meant to maximize the lethal potential of a fighter's empty hand skills.
From that perspective they're actually quite neat. You have the blades which can turn hooks and uppercuts into vicious draw cuts, the talons the blades form can be used to hook and pull, the points would turn a hammer fist into a nasty stab, and those serrations above the hands are in a perfect position to jab and rake.
Ahhhh. Bringing back memories with this one.
You ask "what would you compare them to" - something I asked myself when I was a kid and the riddick movies encouraged me to buy some of these myself. My answer was "Brass knuckles" or punching daggers. As a punch modifier instead of just normal knives. Still not the greatest, but I felt they compared better to those than they did to a normal every day knife.
They look like some kind of gourmet very specific kitchen stuff, made to carve something very unusual. Great video.
I've seen a very similar design for cutting fresh herbs with a rocking motion.
I think they would be better as a climbing tool and for opening vents. those spikes, I think that you sould have designed them for screw sizes. Riddick is better in vents and really close combat. this is for dragging people. This is a hook.
Could you try the video but give it to a rock climber? and get tinto a really tight and enclosed space?
Thanks for watching and supporting, thing is at no point does Riddick use them that way he uses them as regular blades simple downward strikes and large slashes
I have seen all the movies a few times, I honestly don't remember these, even after seeing the clips you have included of them...
I consider these blades as an interesting and more deadly take on brass knuckles.
They were also used in the movie "King Arthur" with Clive Owen.
I enjoyed the video and seeing the practical application of these weapons.
brass knuckles and parrying daggers come to mind. It's clear they can aid in blocking, especially against slower bigger weapons like a pike, claymore, or spear. Paired together it seems the goal is to parry with one hand and move in to attack like a Praying Mantis with the other. Close Quarters Combat Mall Ninja weapon. The yin yang spiral display effect looks nice too.
I like them. They look good actually.
The Chronicles of Riddick is a cult classic in my book.
I like the video like to see more stuff like this. What about looking at some of the Chinese swords as well?
I always thought of those as “suprise assassin” weapons.
“Come let me whisper my objections in your ear...”. A suprise assassin could get so close that the “negatives” of the weapon were themselves negated.
Indeed, being almost body-to-body an assassin could strike a dozen times and no one who wasn't paying close attention would see anything. Ex.: draw slashing⑴ belly, ⑵lead arm, ⑶ belly, ⑷lower throat, ⑸right/left side, ⑹ jugular. Target collapses.
It gets even *more* interesting if the inside third of the blade, from the tip down, is sharp - you makes available all sorts of “stab & pull” strikes - where you bury the 1ˢᵗ third of the blade into the target (the throat or in the liver region, perhaps) and pull the blade back. Pulling, not along the wound track, but instead pulling perpendicular to it.
*ALSO*
Along a non-assassin line of thought:
I could see it suddenly “appearing” in a fighter's hand in the middle of a scuffle or brawl.
To many in the melee the change to this weapon from fisticuffs wouldn't register. These knives remind me of the bladed “brass knuckles” that eventually evolved.
The knives also seem easier to draw w/o drawing attention to the draw than a sword - the big sweep of the arm pretty much announces a sword-draw. The “draw & strike” or “draw/strike” seems swifter, too.
The draw & strike (using a knife) uses 2 movements: draw & thrust/slash; this weapon requires only 1 movement: drawing punch/uppercut/rising slash... etc.
I could go on there are a ton of scenarios w/cross-draw, quick-draw, hidden weapon draw, etc... but it is pretty tiring typing on an android phone. ;u)
Hey love your videos I do have a suggestion and that’s gyomeis wepon from demon slayer it’s a short axe with a ball and chain attached it could be useable but also very stupid I would like to see your opinion
It is a weapon for his fighting style. You noticed in movies, he fights like always on top of someone. He goes up close and personal.
So the weapon is simply a kind of ice pick grabbed dagger/knife with hand protection also double as slashing blade edge.
Actually, when you reversed the grip, like you did, so that it cuts better, like a normal knife, it actually becomes a bit of a knuckle knife. So that you can also box with that extra part of the knife that goes over your fingers, like a duster. So a little extra way of using it maybe? To make it more versatile. Musical greetings from Belgium, Gunther (singer and lyrics writer of Gabriel Scar)
The blades in the movie/books are made from spaceship armored hull, making them almost unbreakable, so that may help somewhat
I think the knives are designed for to keep you opponent in close. the top of the knives have two jobs, one to act as a sort of brass knuckles and two to catch and manipulate bladed weapons. The blade part of the knives are more meant for hooking and pulling in close , ideally for the slitting of throats or stabbing through gapes in armor.
5:15 With my Bearded Ulus I like to hold One "Upside-Down" and One "Right-Side-Up" that way I Defense and Attack with the Option of Just Controlling the Opponent. (7:55) Great Minds Think alike...
6:20 Like Cyberpunk Mantis Blades.
7:20 You want to do a Hook Punch basically into your opposite shoulder - Above it but it's not really going to hurt you if you do punch yourself.
10:10 Riddick's Ulaks are supposedly Climbing Tools - Real North American Ulus are Leather Tools, kitchen tools, and self defense weapons - *side-note* Just "Climbing" your Opponent seems like a tactic you could try..
13:15 It's a Great Tool if Your Primary Concern *Isn't* Combat - Planning on Creating a Fire and Processing an Animal you Hunted - Bring an Ulu, it can reduce the need to bring 6 tools..
1:36 No need to backtrack lol these blades are iconic, while only making a few appearances in the movies they were used a lot in the assault in dark Athena game once you killed the guard for his and even have a few of their own execution moves.
I think it is important to note. Riddick uses whatever he can find as a weapon.
The shivs he made in the first film, the Irgun's dagger in the second. And In the last film he made several edged tools from bone and claw.
So I think its safe to say the Ulaks are less a weapon of choice and more a weapon of opportunity. Riddick himself plundered the Ulaks from one of the mercenaries he killed and was familiar with them. The commentary on the weapons highlights that they are meant as defensive martial arts weapons.
I think the issue here is that Riddick usually fought in really close combat in tight spaces. He was trying to cut but also not to get stuck. So this blade sort of did fit the narrative.
Would think a drawback compared to say the kitchen knife, is that as you apply force in say a thrust the weapon is pushing itself out of your grip. The knife as you thrust ( or say a dagger with a guard) the whole weapon and arm lines up in a unified direction
They make me think fantasy monk weapons were you just want to make tiny cuts to bleed someone.
Do remember that furious prefer close up in your space fighting. Think of them more as extensions of the fists. Slicing while punching through the target. The end nubs are more like brass knuckle spikes
It does have the potential of being improved upon. Having the blade come down around the wrist very cool but as you said it doesn't give you extension so if you had a extension of the blade coming out of the top. It would kind of look like the edge of an axe
Bladed brass knuckles with downward stabbing potential is what I'm seeing. The benefits would be low weight, ability to transport, concealment, and ease of use in tight spaces.
I'm 3 kinds of tired and 10 kinds of cold right now so I have to save this to Watch Later, but thanks for making this video dude!
You should do a basic improv weapon scoring episode. Do things like sticks, rocks, and other things that would be easily accessible. You could then use these scores as a foundational comparison for other weapons. Since these would be the baseline for "better than nothing", you could then actually compare things against it. Basically, if a rock or stick scored higher than this weapon, you could actually call it.
Always thought of them as grappling or escrima type weapons, but they honestly were just made to look cool.
It combines a brass knuckle with a knife. I think this would be a better defensive weapon when used like in the movie. The other grip adds more offensive range.
That's what I was thinking.
Trench knives feel like a better approach to that idea. It's a convential knife, with a guard you can punch with.
More comfortably and mechanically sound than punching with these I imagine
Gonna be honest...from the start of the video my impression of these weapons was simply they're likely more effective as a stabbing weapon more than anything else and may at most feel ideal when in enclosed spaces where you're essentially forced to be within arms length of an opponent...so probably an effective weapon for an assassin who's in a situation they need to kill with a melee weapon more than a warrior on the battlefield tbh (say they entered the target's bedroom while they slept and stabbed into their throat/chest).
Hell they mainly make me think of stabbing more than slashing/slicing/hacking due to the fact the shape reminds me more of a Saber tooth Tiger's canine teeth more than anything so a downward stabbing motion when on top of an opponent looks like it'd be the most natural with it.
The main reason it works for Riddick if I'm right is the same reason a lot of weapons on this channel work in their source material: superpowers (in Riddick's case if I'm right he's somewhat superhuman)/magic/future tech/etc.