Magnum Opus

“Magnum opus (plural: magna opera, also opus magnum / opera magna), from the Latin meaning "great work",[1] refers to the largest, and perhaps the best, greatest, most popular, or most renowned achievement of a writer, artist, composer or craftsman.”  Source Wikipedia

Here we have a pairing of Magnum Opus, great works, the Anaconda .44 Magnum by Colt Industries and the Crossada by Bob Dozier. The James Keating designed Crossada is beyond the pale (in a good sense) surpassing the standards of most common fighting knives.

My first impressions were mixed as I picked it up and hefted it. I say hefted because it is a stout knife intended to drive through muscle and bone. Once again I cussed my small, short-fingered hands. The micarta scaled handle is well contoured and pleasantly shaped but just a tad too big for me. I will adapt, because the knife is awesome and cries out to be worked with. The name engraved in the blade is descriptive of the knife’s other unique attribute, the screw-in cross guard (quillons). Once installed, the blade and guard, as seen from the pointy end, are cruciform in shape

Having re-watched the Crossada DVD by James Keating I am anxious to give it a go. I bought the DVD many years ago but for some reason I bought many knives other than a Crossada. My Lamey Bowies are works of art and serious fighting knives and the Crossada is very utilitarian looking by comparison. Well that is what it is, a tool, a functional weapon that has something no other knife has, “blade catchers.” So why is that a big deal? The blade catchers provide you with a mean of catching and stripping your attacker of his own weapon. Would you not agree that is monumental?
Check here for some fine training DVDs on this knife and other related topics:

http://www.alliancemartialarts.com/dvd%20catalog/All%20Pete%20Kautz%20Alliance%20DVDs.htm
My next move is to order a trainer from Laci Szabo and then find someone willing to practice against a Crossada trainer. http://szaboinc.com/home.asp  I'll do a full report once I have spent some meaningful time with the legendary Crossada. Thanks Master Keating for a knife with such potential.