Knives Illustrated - November 2016

knivesillustrated.com NOVEMBER 2016 •DISPLAYUNTIL: 10/18/16 VOLUME 30, NO. 6$5.99 • U.S.

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®

FEELS RIGHT. RIGHT AWAY.

26291 • POCKET WORN® 20th ANNIVERSARY MINT SET

26298 MINI COPPERLOCK®

POCKET WORN DENIM BONE ®

Some things get better with age. From its smoother surface to its slightly rounded edges, this family commemorates the 20th Anniversary of our first Pocket Worn® knife. A careful hand finishing process gives each knife a worn look and feel like its been in your pocket forever. Collect all eight patterns! CASE, , , CASE XX, Pocket Worn, Feels Right. Right Away., Mini CopperLock, Sod Buster Jr. and other marks used herein are registered trademarks of CaseMark, Inc. and used under license to W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company in the USA.

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NOVEMBER 2016 VOLUME 30, NO. 6 www.knivesillustrated.com

12

COVER STORY 18 TRIBUTE TO AN AMERICAN LEGACY The limited edition Spartan/Ek Dagger picks up where history left off and gives us a solid remake of the Ek Commando Knife Company dagger. BY GARRETT LUCAS AND

JOSHUA SWANAGO N

FEATURES 12

COLLECTIBLE CRAFTSMANSHIP Will Morrison utilizes his own personal style to bring us traditional Bowies with a classic look. BY LES ROBERTSON

26

TOUGH JUST GOT TOUGHER ESEE Knives have revamped their flagship knives to create a solid survival duo in their new HM Series bushcraft knives.

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BY REUBEN BOLIEU

36

ENTROPY WITHOUT CHAOS Kershaw’s EDC blade is anything but chaos and brings order to every task from the mundane to the most demanding. BY JIM HOUSE

42

THE C.U.M.A. PROTECTOR Built American-tough from DayOne Gear, it pushes the limits of edged self-defense weaponry and crosses into dominating force. BY CLINT THOMPSON

50

EDITORS’ TOP FINDS The 2016 Blade Show is under wraps and our Field Editors went above and beyond to bring you some of the best offerings displayed. BY KI EDITORS

kn ive s illus t r at e d.co m NOV E MB E R2 0 1 6 •DIS P L A Y UNT IL:1 0 /1 8 /1 6 V OL UME 3 0 ,NO.6$5. • 99 U. S.

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KNIVES ILLUSTRATED (ISSN 0898-8943) is published

7 times a year, January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November and December, by Engaged Media, Inc., 22840 Savi Ranch Pkwy., #200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887. Periodical postage paid at Anaheim, CA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER:send address changes to KNIVES ILLUSTRATEDc/o Engaged Media, Inc. VSI, Inc., 905 Kent St., Liberty, MO 64068. © 2016 by En gaged Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. GST#855050365RT001 Canadian Post: Publications Mail Agreement PITNEY BOWES, INC., PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2

4 KN IVES ILLUSTRATED •

NOVEMBER

2016

KNIFE: Spartan/Ek Dagger PHOTOGRAPHER:Joshua Swanagon DESIGNER:Eric Knagg

knivesillustrated.com

EDITORIAL Doug JeffreyEditorial Director Joshua SwanagonEditor Margaret KavanaghManaging Editor Henry Z. De Kuyper Senior Staff Photographer

DESIGN Claire Morales Art Director Eric Knagg Design Director

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62

ROAMING THE BADLANDS The TOPS Knives Desert Nomad makes its home in the harshest environments on Earth and never settles for an easy day.

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BEHIND THE SCENES 70

FORGED BY WAR The CRKT program takes it to a whole new level when welcoming our returning combat veterans home. BY JOSHUA SWANAGON

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EDITOR’S LETTER

9

POINTS OF INTEREST

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EXPERT’S

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KNIVES ILLUSTRATED •

NOVEMBER

2016


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EDITOR’S

LETTER

N O G A N A W S A U H S JO Y B O T O H P

A Part of You

everyday carry (EDC), and it occurred to me that EDC is really different for

laws and ordinances and it has to be something that you enjoy using. However, someone living in a rural farming community is going to have a

multi-tool. Which folder I carry often depends on where I am going and what I am doing. I have a nice gentleman’s knife that I carry when I am dressed for a formal occasion, a custom Texas Toothpick slipjoint I carry at deer camp, and a hard use folder for regular daily chores. With so many different walks of life and so many different needs, selecting EDC knives is a very personal task. We all have knives in our collections for our various jobs and hobbies, such as camping, hunting, self-defense, and so on, but your EDC blade is the one that

everyone and tends tobe based a lot on where you live, work or play. Obviously the same rules apply to everyone when it comes to what you carry on a day-to-day basis;you want a knife thatis going to become almost part of you without being unwieldy or uncomfortable, it has to be able to perform typical daily tasks without failure, it has to conform to local

completely different view of what EDC is than someone living in the city. EDC blades can range from bushcraft or tactical knives (for people who live in areas where carrying a large knife on your hip is acceptable) to simple, small pocket knives. I personally have EDC knives that include my trusty Swiss Army Knife, belt buckle knife, folder and sometimes a

will always be on you and will perform the most tasks during its lifetime. For many, their knife is a part of them and is begrudgingly not with them only while they are sleeping or in the shower. As for me, I always get a slight chuckle when someone asks, “Does anyone have a knife?” Stay sharp and keep it real. KI

BY JOSHUA SWANAGON

This past weekend I got to spend some time in beautiful northern Michigan with family and friends. Anyone who has ever been in that area knows that it is heavily rural and mostly farming communities. While there, I pondered this issue of Knives Illustratedand the topic of

8 KNIVES ILLU STRA TED • NOVEMBER 2016


POINTSof

INTEREST

Doug Ritter of Knife Rights presents Jim Bruhns (left) with the 2016 Freedom's Guardian Award.

Commitment to a Sharper Future KNIFE RIGHTS RECOGNIZES NEIL HOGUE AND JIM BRUHNS As Knife Rights’ founder and chairman Doug Ritter noted when we talked at this year’s Bl ade Show, “We couldn’t possibl y accomplish all that we have, without the support of those who generously donate time, money, knives and other valuable prizes to the cause.” At the start of Blade Show, Ritter surprised two of Hogue, Inc.’s owners, Neil Hogue and Jim Bruhns, with its 2016 Freedom’s Guardian Award. Ritter said, “Although Hogue is relatively new to the knife business, delivering their first knife just seven

the Second Amend ment. You have our support and appreciation.” You can view a video of the

years ago, they have stepped up big

presentation at: http://tinyurl.com/

time to support Knife Rights’ efforts

hogue-freedoms-guardian

to forge a Sharper Future. With over four decades of experience in the firearms industry, fighting for their Second Amendment rights, they appreciate what it takes to fight for knife owners’ rights and we sincerely appreciate their generous support.” When presented with the award, Bruhns said, “We are certainly proud and honored to be recognized in this way. We are just grateful to have an organization like Knife Rights; they are the second front in the fight for knivesillustrated.com

FREEDOM’S GUARDIAN ANGEL Knife Rights’ annual Freedom’s Guardian Award honors a production knife manufacturer or industry partner that has demonstrated their commitment to a Sharper Future™, by leadership in the fight to protect or enhance our knife rights.

2016 FREEDOM ’S EDGE AWARD RECIPIENTS Wisconsin State Representative Kathleen Bernier and SenatorTer ry Moulton are the recipients of Knife Rights 2016 Freedom’s Edge Award. They sponsored AB 142 that repealed Wisconsin’s switchblade ban and that also added knife law preemptionto Wisconsin statutes. The new law was signed by Governor Scott Walker on February 6 of this year, making Wisconsin the eleventh state in which Knife Rights has repealed a switchblade ban, and the ninth in whichwe have passed Knife Law Preemption.

2016 FREEDOM’S POINT AWARD RECIPIENT TravisC. Hakes is therecip ient of KnifeRight s 2016 Freedom’s PointAwar d that honorsan individualcitizen.Hakes is a Lake Hallie Police Officer andElk Mound Chief of Police in Wisconsin. Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter said,“Travis is being recognized forhis personal initiative in addressing Wisconsin’s antiquated, burdensome and irrationalswitchbladeban. Travis brought the issue tothe attentionof hisstat e Representative whichultimately resulted in repeal of Wisconsin’s banand in enactmentof knife law preemption in February of this year. Travisis proof that one

individual can make a difference in our freedom.” Hakes said in accepting the award, “I am truly humbled that an orga nization such as Knife Rights would present me with an award. I also would like to thank Knife Rights for fighting the battle right alongside us to help bring some common senseto the great state of Wisconsin.” Apparently Hakes was so empowered by participating in the legislative process through to its successful conclusion, that he recentlyannounced that he is a candidat e for Representative of Wisconsin’s 67th Assembly District. KI NOVEMBER

2016 •

KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

9

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COLLECTIBLE CRAFTSMANSHIP AUSTRALIA’S WILL MORRISON KNIVES SHARES HIS VISION OF THE CLASSIC BOWIE BY LES ROBERTSON

O

ne of the unique aspects of collectibles is the variety of people they bring together. Custom knives are no different. The spectrum of society from which makers and collectors emanate is surprisingly diverse, and the aspect that ignites the passion for these edge collectibles is seemingly never ending.

Samurai and Ninja

Will Morrison’s passion was ignited by the martial arts movies he watched as a 13-year-old boy in Australia. His primary interests were the swords used by the Samurai and Ninjas in these movies. So, as Will puts it, “Armed with just enough information to get me in trouble,” he proceeded to build and use a Japanese-style box-bellows in front of a charcoal forge. He was trying to smelt his own “Tamahagane,” a type of high-quality steel made in the Japanese tradition. While he doesn’t remember finishing anything during that time, he enjoyed the process. As he was searching for information about Japanese sword-smithing, he would often come across articles and online forum posts by American bladesmiths. This wealth of knowledge made available online, along with the knifemakers’ willingness to share their knowledge, is what started him along the path to becoming a custom knifemaker. Will was quick to point out those makers who provided this help via the internet. Makers he mentioned specifically were Don Fogg, John White, Bruce Bump and Burt Foster, along with others. One maker he gives special thanks to is Nick Wheeler. Nick goes to great lengths to provide videos on the internet on many aspects of forging and building custom knives. Will feels those educational videos provide an invaluable contribution to the global knifemaking community.

12

KNIVES ILLUSTR ATED • NOVEMBER 2016


“TODAY MY FOCUS LIES CLOSER TO THE BOWIE END OF THE SPECTRUM.” —WILL MORRISON

WILL MORRISON RINGED GIDGEE FIGHTER

BLADE LENGTH:8.5 inches 14 inches OVERALL LENGTH:

HANDLE MATERIAL: Ringed gidgee Black G10 and stainless steel SPACER MATERIAL:

BLADE MATERIAL: W2 with Hamon

SHEATH:Leather sheath by maker

BLADE FINISH:Etched and polished to show Hamon

PHOTO:Chuck Ward

416 stainless steel GUARD MATERIAL:


NOVEMBER

2016 •

KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

13

WILL MORRISON IRONWOOD FIGHTER BLADE LENGTH:8.5 inches

14 inches OVERALL LENGTH: W2 with Hamon BLADE MATERIAL: BLADE FINISH:Etched and polished to show Hamon

416 stainless steel GUARD MATERIAL: Desert ironwood HANDLE MATERIAL: Black G10 and bronze SPACER MATERIAL: SHEATH:Leather sheath by maker PHOTO:Chuck Ward

“IT WAS WILL’S LOOK AND STYLE THAT ATTRACTED ME TO HIS KNIVES.”

from, made photos of Will’s knives

changes to make the knives reflect his

available to others who have an interest

style. Within the world of forged blades,

in quality forged blades. Seeing these

this is no small feat.

—AUTHOR

knives.

His Own Style The same internet he used to learn

Most successful knifemakers have, over

Styles and materials Will almost exclusively forges to shape

many years, developed their own style,

these days, although he is quick to point

while many makers who build forged

out that he will occasionally make

blades in the U.S. have the ability to learn

smaller knives purely by stock removal.

directly from other knifemakers.

His feeling is “Better to be able to do

Consequently, early on, many adopt the style or look of their mentors’ knives.

both.” Will’s style covers the spectrum of

Perhaps the combination of gaining much

fixed blades; Bowies, choppers, fighters,

of his instruction from master

hunters, utility knives and even kitchen

knifemakers on the internet allowed Will

knives. While he can build a wide variety

to interpret these looks and styles to

of knives, Will points out that “today my

make them his own.

focus lies closer to the Bowie end of the

attracted me to his knives. While there KNIVES IL LUSTRA TED • NOVEMBER 2016

came from, he made just enough subtle

photos certainly drew my interest to his

It was Will’s look and style that

14

was no doubt where the root of his style

spectrum.” He primarily uses W2 and 80crv2, feeling that they are both knivesillustrated.com

WILL MORRISON JUNGLE BOWIE: BLADE LENGTH:10.75 inches

16 inches OVERALL LENGTH: BLADE MATERIAL: W2 FINISH:Satin, etched to show Hamon

416 stainless steel GUARD MATERIAL: Green canvas Micarta HANDLE MATERIAL: SHEATH:Black veg tan leather lined with

green goat skin. PHOTO:Mag M.A.


NOVEMBER

2016 •

KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

15

WILL MORRISON FAT BELLY FIGHTER BLADE LENGTH:7 inches

12.25 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 80CRV2 BLADE MATERIAL: BLADE FINISH:Satin GUARD MATERIAL: 416 stainless steel

Ringed Gidgee HANDLE MATERIAL: Copper and brown canvas Micarta SPACER MATERIAL: SHEATH:Leather sheath by maker PHOTO:Chuck Ward

16


NOVEMBER 2016


fantastic performers for a range of applications if heat treated properly. If he had to pick a favorite it would be W2, “simply because it can be differentially hardened to create a Hamon (temper line).” Will enjoys the extra creativity the Hamon allows. For his handle materials he primarily uses woods and synthetic composites (G10 or Micarta), while he plans to start utilizing more exotic handle materials, such as ancient Ivories. Currently, his

expect one of his coppers to slice sushi effectively. Blade design and edge geometry are utilized to provide each knife the ability to be the right tool for the job. Much as we would like to think that there is a knife that will fill the bill no matter what the task, such a knife does not exist.

favorite wood to use is Ringed Gidgee. This wood is native to Australia, one of the hardest woods in the world, and beautiful. Should someone want a knife purely for performance, he feels that a composite like Micarta or G-10 is hard to beat. Guard and pommel material are primarily made from stainless steel. Testing his knives is a common-sense, one-size-does-not-fit-all approach. He doesn’t expect a finely ground kitchen knife to chop through a 2x4. Nor does he

will take orders, but points out that, as a rule, he doesn’t take a true custom order. He will work with you to incorporate your desires into something that fits in with his style and abilities. This is a policy that generally ends up making both the buyer and the maker satisfied. The only show he attends is the Australian Knifemakers Guild Show in Melbourne Australia. He hopes to attend more shows in the future and will be attending the Sydney knife show later this year. The good news for

Pricing and Shows His prices range from $350 for a basic hunter, up to $800 for a large Bowie. He

those of us outside Australia, is that his current delivery time is three to four months.

Final Thoughts I have had the opportunity to handle several of Will’s Bowies. Even the most critical eyes would be pleased with what they see. The design of the knives flow from the tip to the end of the handle, and I found them to be well-balanced, quick in the hand, and have great handle ergonomics. Will’s knives have one more thing going for them that many of the U.S. makers have difficulty with — value for the money. Will’s knives are priced for all budgets and you will most assuredly get your money’s worth out of any Morrison knife you purchase. KI CONTACT INFORMATION: EMAIL:

[email protected] ONLINE:

www.Facebook.com/WillMorrisonKnives/

CONQUER YOUR WORLD.

Expertly designed for all of your outdoor adventures, Camillus knives are titanium bonded and built to perform. No matter the challenge, consider it conquered.


NOVEMBER

camillusknives.com/victory

2016 • KNIVES ILLUSTRA TED

17

The limited edition Spartan/Ek Daggerbringsa new perspective TEXT AND PHOTOS BY GARRETT LUCAS AND JOSHUA SWANAGON

Tribute to an AMERICAN

LEGACY

Sometimes it’s hard to start a story just the right way, and this one is particularly difficult to sort out because of the significance of each part, and how closely the threads of the story intertwine. Mainly, it’s a story about a man and a knif e, and the desire to make something that is beautiful in function and imbued with the heartfelt pride of a patriot. Oddly enough, this has happened time and again. As they say, there’s nothing new under the sun… We’ll begin with a rec ent quest to find

“THE CONSTRUCTION AND FINISH OF THEIR KNIVES ARE IMPECCABLE, AND THE EK NAME, OF COURSE, IS LEGENDARY IN THE KNIFEMAKING INDUSTRY.”

a new concealed-carry knife. Here in Kentucky, the holder of a Concealed Deadly Weapons License can legally carry just about anything concealed — as long as it’s legal to own. So, a last-resort carry weapon was up for consideration, and during a late-evening search on the net, a new offering was found on the Spartan Blades website. It was the Spartan/Ek Dagger. I was already familiar with Spartan Blades, having used a couple of their knives in the past. The construction and finish of their knives are impeccable, and the Ek name, of course, is legendary in the knifemaking industry. Seeing those two names together instantly got my attention, and within about 10 minutes of first seeing it, I had placed my order.

The Spartan/Ek Dagger The knife I saw on the screen (and have with me today) is a beautiful and extremely well-made fighting knife, though it might be rather scarce by the time you read this, or in the near future. The Spartan/Ek Dagger is a limited-edition knife designed and manufactured by Spartan Blades in cooperation with KA-BAR Knives, which bought the John Ek Commando Knife Company in 2015. The agreed number of knives for this particular run was 200 knives for Spartan Blades to market and sell, and 200 for KA-BAR Knives. Dubbed the EK101 by KA-BAR, the Spartan most closely resembles what was srcinally known as a Model 7, though more recently referred to as a Model 4. While Spartan Blades took design cues from some of the srcina l Ek knives, it has brought the basic design into the 21st century, with high-end materials that weren’t previously available. 20

KNIVES ILLUSTR ATED • NOVEMBER

2016


(top) The Spartan/Ek Dagger comes with a ballistic nylon sheath with a plastic insert, belt loop, and cordage on the back to lash the sheath to packs, vests and other gear.(below, left) The pommel features a nicely designed skull crusher with lanyard(below, hole. right) The Spartan/Ek Dagger incorporates the traditional X-Head grip fasteners that eventually made their way into the construction of Ek knives by the srcinal Ek Commando Knife Company. This is the reverse side.


NOVEMBER

2016 • KNIVES ILLUSTRA TED

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“WHILE SPARTAN BLADES TOOK DESIGN CUES FROM SOME OF THE ORIGINAL EK KNIVES, IT HAS BROUGHT THE BASIC DESIGN INTO THE 21ST CENTURY, WITH HIGH-END MATERIALS THAT WEREN’T PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE.” The Specs

As described by Curtis Iovito, coowner of Spartan Blades, the Ek style doubled-edged dagger is a “…purpose-built knife that was intended to do one thing, and it does it extremely well.”

The Spartan/Ek Dagger is a full-tang, double-edged dagger (hollow ground) with a brass cross-guard and scalloped G10 grip slabs. The steel is CPM S35VN,

the srcinal Ek Commando Knife Company. The oversized flathead slot is large enough that you could use a small coin or thin zipper pull if you were in a pinch and had no other tools. The pommel

which is a highly celebrated steel in the knife industry because of its extreme toughness (resistance to chipping) and its wear- and corrosion-resistance, as well. The blade sports a very subtle and classy fuller that runs almost the full length of the 6-inch blade, directly in the center and following almost all the way to the tip on both sides. The steel is3/1 6 ofan inchthi ck— thicker than original Ek knives — to add strength and ensure tip integrity. The finishing touch performed by Spartan Blades is a black PVD, Tungsten DLC coating. With a full length of 10.75 inches, the balance of the Spartan/Ek is just behind the hilt, right about where the

features a nicely designed skull crusher with lanyard hole for increased grip. The sheath is an overbuilt, Mollecompatible nylon sheath with a solid Kydex insert. The front of the sheath features Molle webbing for additional add-on options. As with all of Spartan Blades’ sheaths, it is built as sturdy as the knife itself and will withstand heavy use. Despite the materials update for the grip slabs and steel comp osition, one interesting and compelling feature of the Spartan/Ek Dagger is that it uses legacy brass cross-guards from the srcinal John Ek Knives Company. So, there’s actually a piece of physical history incorporated into each of the limited-edi tion knives.

index finger sits, making it very fast and agile in the hand. The G10 grip slabsare attached to the Spartan/Ek with heavy-duty, brass traditional X-Head grip fasteners used by

Since I was interested in the historical perspective and how the collaboration with KA-BAR knives ensued, I called the

The Back Story

SPECS

OVERALLLENGTH:10.75INCHES BLADE LENGTH:6 INCHES BLADE THICKNESS:3/16INCHES STEEL:CPM S35VN GUARD MATERIAL: BRASS(LEGACY GUARDS

FROM THE OLD EK COMMANDOKNIFE COMPANY) HANDLE:BLACK G10 ROCKWELL HARDNESS: 58-60 RHC (DOUBLE DEEP CRYO TREATED) COATING:PVD, TUNGSTEN DLC (BLACK) WEIGHT:9.5 OUNCES

22

KNIVES ILLUSTRA TED • NOVEMBER 2016

An especially nice touch on Spartan’s version of the srcinal Model 7 is the inclusion of legacy brass guards produced by the old Ek Commando Knife Company. These guards were found by KA-BAR once the old Ek stock was inventoried. knivesillustrated.com

The G10 handle scales feature a scalloped design for additional grip.


NOVEMBER

2016

• KNIVES ILLUSTRA

TED

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“…ONE INTERESTING AND COMPELLING FEATURE OF THE SPARTAN/EK DAGGER IS THAT IT USES LEGACY BRASS CROSS-GUARDS FROM THE ORIGINAL JOHN EK KNIVES COMPANY.”

folks at Spartan Blades to get the back story. Curtis Iovito and Mark Carey are the owners, and Curtis was the one who walked me through how they became involved with this project. At the 2014 International Blade Show, he was taking a break and heard a conversation taking place about military blades — daggers in particular — and he stopped to listen in, eventually joining the conversation. He quickly realized the discussion was being led by John Stitt, the president of KA-BAR Knives, and part of the conversation was about the resurrection of the John Ek Commando Knife Company. After listening for a while, Iovito eventually had to leave, but before he did, he mentioned to Stitt in an offhand fashion that he and Mark wouldn’t mind doing some sort of project with the Ek brand. Just a few short weeks later, they got a call from KA-BAR and the project was underway. When asked why they specifically wanted to participate in a limited-edition run of the Spartan/Ek Dagger, Iovito sounded almost wistful as he explained. Both he and Carey served in the military for over 20 years; both were in the

The blade features a very classy, subtle fuller that runs almost the full length of the 6-inch blade.

Special Forces, and they had an affinity for Ek knives. Iovito owned and used several Ek knives during his service, and he talked about the honor of being involved with at least part of the Ek legacy by helping to extend the brand’s recognition. After seeing action during WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan, it appears that more Ek

EK COMMANDO KNIFE COMPANY The deeper history behind the design of blade failures occurring during use. performed superbly in the field. In fact, Ek’s the Spartan/Ek Dagger began in 1939, when Unable to serve in the military because of knives had to be tested and approved by the John Ek designed his first prototype knife, an accident that injured his hand, John Ek wasU.S. Government War Production Board in which was named the Model 1. In 1941, Ek still very patriotic and decided to see what heorder for Ek to have access to the steel, since began mass production of his knives and theycould contribute to the cause, and the genesisit was scarce and military usage had priority. soon found favor among servicemen serving of Ek Commando Knives began. The Model 1 The Model 2 was essentially the same knife during World War II. was a full-tang knife with a single full edge, that also had no cross-guard, but both edges I contacted Gary Ek, John Ek’s son, and and three inches of a false edge on the were fully sharpened to help with ease of spoke with him over the phone about his opposite side. The only other feature on the penetration. It wasn’t until the Model 6 and 7 father’s company. He stated that his father knife was a wood handle held in place by (single- and double-edged, respectively) that had heard various complaints about the rivets made from pouring in hot lead. a cross-guard was incorporated due to knives that were issued to service members. A couple of advantages of the Ek designs customer demand, and this is the general Ek’s son mentioned that complaints were the full-width-tang construction and template by which the Spartan/Ek dagger revolved around leather grips rotting and the use of nickel-chrome-moly steel, which was designed.

24



knives will be carried into battle in the future. Each company has 200 limitededition knives to sell, and each set of 200 is serialized. The Spartan Blades serial numbers begin with an “SB” and the KABAR set begins with “EK”. I asked him what it was about the Ek template that he liked so much, and as though he was describing a beautiful woman, he replied, “Because it’s a purpose-built knife that was intended to do one thing, and it does it extremely well.” Iovito added that it was important for anyone that saw the Spartan/EK Dagger to be able to immediately recognize its lineage. To truly honor John Ek’s legacy, Iovito and Carey wanted people to see their creation and say, “That’s an Ek.” Conclusion For many, owning a piece of history

RavenT M 2

CrowT M 2











USA-Made CTS® BD1 Blade Steel Skeletonized Stainless Steel Liners with Textured G-10 Scales Sturdy LinerLock Mechanism Lef/Right Tip-Up Carry (Crow 2) 4-Position Carry (Raven 2)

gives you the opportunity to relive days gone by each time you look at it. With the Spartan/Ek Dagger, you get to own a piece of functional h istory

For more inormation visit www.spyderco.com or your local Spyderco dealer.

with a knife as solid as its past. Following on a recurring theme with Spartan Blades, the Spartan/Ek Dagger is a beautifully crafted knife that feels solid in the hand, maintains amazing balance, is quick and agile and is pleasing to the eye. When you first take hold of it you come to an immediate realization that it just understands you. With only a limited amount being made, it is an understatement to say that this knife will become as historical as its namesake.

KI

CONTACT INFO

SPARTAN BLADES USA

www.SpartanBladesUSA.com 625 S.E. Service Road Southern Pines, NC 28387 Phone: (910) 757-0035 KA-BAR KNIVES, INC.

www.KaBar.com 200 Homer Street Olean, NY 14760 Phone: (716) 372-5952 knivesillustrated.com

NO VE MB ER 20 16 • KN IV ES IL LU STRATE D 2 5

2 6 KNIVES ILLUS TRATED •

NOVEMBER 2016


Tough Just Got FLAGSHIP KNIVES STORY AND PHOTOS BY REUBEN BOLIEU


NOVEMBER

2016

• KNIVES ILLUS TRA TED2 7

Compared to the srcinal ESEE-3 from 2007 (left) it’s obvious there is more handle space without the choil, which gives it a similar amount of real estate as the Camp-Lore RB3 knife.

28


NOVEMBER 2016


Ten years in the making. In the early 2000s, the world was introduced to the RAT-3 knife from Randall’s Adventure & Training (RAT), made by the Ontario Knife Company. Soon after that, a whole new breed of iconic knives appeared on the scene, designed by Randall’s Adventure & Training for the Ontario Knife Company, including the RTAK, TAK, RAT-7, RAT-5, Model 1 folder and the Model II folder. In February of 2010, Rat Cutlery changed their name, but not their quality or dedication to producing hard-use survival gear derived from years of dirt-time and

Besides making a wet pile of wood into a bed of cooking coals, the ESEE-3HM cut peppers, onions, sausages, mushrooms and garlic with absolute ease.

real-world experience. ESEE Knives was the new name. ESEE is pronounced “SE” and is an acronym for Escuela de Supervivencia (School of Survival), Escape and Evasion (ESEE). Donning the ESEE name, their knives and gear have been extremely popular with military and law enforcement personnel in many parts of the United States and abroad. Nearly a decade later, the flagship knives of RAT Cutlery and now, ESEE Knives, are back with a new spin. New Breed From the Ontario RAT-3 and TAK knives spawned the RAT Cutlery RC-3 and RC-4. Until this day there are many prominent

outdoorsmen who have publically stated that they started out with the RAT-3 knife, now called the ESEE-3. The new face of the ESEE-3 and ESEE-4 knives have been the answer to many customer’s wishes and some obsessions, mine included. They are called the ESEE3HM and ESEE-4HM. The ESEE HM series knives were designed to be outdoors knives for field dressing game and other outdoor field-craft work. The modified version does not have the finger choil, and the handle design is longer and more rounded. ESEE still uses 1095 high carbon steel (RC 55-57) and the cutting edges of the blades have the same dimensions as the regular ESEE-3/4 knives. Both knives feature black powder coating, as well. The handles are fitted with canvas Micarta. In addition to the handle and choil, the sheathing is different too. They now will come with a black leather belt sheath, also made in the USA. The new ESEE-3HM has an overall length of 8.13 inches and 3.38-inch cutting edge. Maximum thickness for the ESEE-3HM is 0.125 inches and weighs 5.6 ounces for the knivesillustrated.com

ESEE-3HM SPECS: 8.13 INCHES OVERALL LENGTH:

BLADE EDGE:PLAIN EDGE

BLADE LENGTH:3.63 INCHES

CANVAS MICARTA HANDLE MATERIAL:

3.38 INCHES CUTTING EDGE LENGTH:

HANDLE THICKNESS:0.50 INCHES

0.125 INCHES MAXIMUM THICKNESS:

WEIGHT:5.6 OUNCES (KNIFE ONLY)

BLADE STEEL:1095 CARBON STEEL

WEIGHT:9.3 OUNCES (KNIFE AND SHEATH)

BLADE FINISH:BLACK TEXTURED POWDERED COATED

MODIFIED HANDLE

BLADE HARDNESS:55 - 57 RC

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

NOVEMBER

2016

• KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

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“THE ESEE HM SERIES KNIVES WERE DESIGNED TO BE OUTDOORS KNIVES FOR FIELD DRESSING GAME AND OTHER OUTDOOR FIELDCRAFT WORK.”

knife only. The ESEE-4HM has a longer 4.13inch cutting edge and thicker 0.188-inch

ESEE-4HM SPECS:

blade, with an overall length of 8.88 inches.

8.88 INCHES OVERALL LENGTH:

55 - 57 RC BLADE HARDNESS:


BLADE EDGE:PLAIN EDGE

4.13 INCHES CUTTING EDGE LENGTH:

HANDLE MATERIAL: CANVAS MICARTA

MAXIMUM THICKNESS: 0.188 INCHES

HANDLE THICKNESS: 0.86 INCHES

BLADE STEEL:1095 CARBON STEEL

WEIGHT:7.7 OUNCES (KNIFE ONLY)

BLADE FINISH:BLACK TEXTURED

WEIGHT:9.7 OUNCES (KNIFE AND SHEATH)

POWDERED COATED

MODIFIED HANDLE

It weighs 7.7 ounces for the knife only. The Work

For the sake of tradition, when field testing the ESEE HM series knives I decided to test them in the same way we would in a Randall’s Adventure & Training survival class. Although it has been many years since my days as a student, I’ve had the honor of

3 0 KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

• NOVEMBER

2016


ravaged my camp and knocked over a table, destroying it along with some camp implements, while mother nature had done her damage as my tarp was hanging on by two bindings of jute twine. The worst part was, it was raining and was expected to continue for the next few days. After a lengthy scout around, assessing the damage, location and expected activity this time of the year, I opted to move my camp to a more secluded location. Just like when looking for any good survival camp location, it was time to pay attention to my surroundings and the terrain. I had a tarp, roll of jute twine, 21-inch bow saw, wooden mallet, and the ESEE HM knives to help build my new camp over the next few days. However, I needed to be aware of the 4 W’s, so I had to be close to water and a good wood supply that didn’t require too much effort. In addition to that, I had to look up for widow-makers near my camp and try to determine which direction the wind would be coming from in the day and at night. Once I decided on my location, I strung up my tarp and started the construction of my raised log-bed. The ESEE-4HM was used as a plane-type tool in conjunction with a heavy maple mallet to level out the surface of the logs and remove as many knots and protrusions as possible. Both knives took their turn cutting jute twine and 550 paracord to lash tripods, chairs, fire reflector stakes, tables, and bed logs in place. Fire-starting and making some camp implements were left to the ESEE-4HM. After lots of rain and humidity in the air, I was left with the tedious task of splitting wood — lots of wood — for a fire. Not just a fire, but a good cooking fire, meant to boil water when it was ablaze and then die down Only a fine 750-grit diamond steel was used to touch up the edges of the ESEE knives. The sheaths could also be used to strop the blades as a final step.

to coals for slow roasting. Naturally, the ESEE-4HM was great at batoning through dead poplar and maple for tinder and kindling. I used pieces no thicker than my

teaching classes for them and helping out

wrist; in fact, they were about 2-3 inches

over the years. So, making trap & stake

wide. How is splitting poplar a test of any

notches, fire craft, cord cutting, making food

kind on a knife? Simple, although poplar is

implements, making survival spears, utility around camp, limbing small saplings,

soft wood, it’s also very knotted wood. Soft wood like pine, hemlock, spruce, and poplar

sharpening points on dry wood, slicing

all have hard knots that can easily chip or

vegetables and maybe some puncture

roll an edge. Any thicker, harder wood like

testing would all be on the list of survival

oak and maple was simply used as fuel.

knife chores for the testing process.

That’s what using your brain is all about —

Arriving in my private camp nestled in the Northeastern woodlands, it seemed after a couple of months away, the animals have knivesillustrated.com

that’s true survival! The knife also had the task of making a few hardwood stakes for the tarp and carving a NOVEMBER 2016 •

KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

31

“THE NEXT TWO DAYS, WHILE CONTINUING TO BUILD THE CAMP, I USED THE ESEE-3HM ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE UTILITY AND FIELD-CRAFT WORK.”

(top) In wet weather, wood needs to be processed down to its driest elements. The author used the ESEE-4HM to split and fuzz out wood for a much-needed fire. (below) Splitting a long, straight, green stick is another field-craft chore performed in the camp. This is in addition to all the fire preparation needed for the cook fire.

pot lifter/fire poker. This involved cross-grain batoning on dead wood since it was abundant and much less work than seeking out a green sapling and felling it. The cutting edge seemed fine with all the work and when it was time to create tinder from the dry inner wood, it performed like a champ, shavingwood with absolute ease. Once the fire was up andgoing I needed a long, green sapling, about broomstick thickness. I used the ESEE-4HM to make a controlled split about 10inchesdown from the end to insert a large ham steak for roasting over the fire. Icarved a simple sharp point on the end of a Y-joint and stuck it in the ground to prop up the roasting stick. Afterwards, I found an old metal ammo canister left over from some geocaching in the woods and wasted no time pounding the ESEE-4HM through it with a piece of oak, then yanked it around a little before calling it good. The next two days, while continuing to build the camp, I used the ESEE-3HM almost exclusively for the utility and field-craft work. 3 2 KNIVES ILLUSTRATED •

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2016


There was more lashing of camp benches

thin, full flat grind. All that was left now

good job at shedding water. The tight fit

and chairs to be done and more fire

was to reap the benefits of a hard days’

does help keep out water and debris.

preparation because it was raining again.

work and call this camp done.

Although the leather retains moisture and grit, I never found the sheaths soaked or

After all, it was spring. I spent some time huddled under my tarp performing small fire preparation work for my coffee can wood

Leather Sheaths

too dirty inside. I often will use a knife on

I found the stock sheaths to be quite

food and then put it back in the sheath. I

burning stove. This means small splits and

snug at first, but they are leather and will

guess I am not a person who cares about

even smaller splits to mimic match stick and

eventually wear-in, so to speak. The outer

these things, but some people are finicky.

pencil-sized pieces of wood which were all

part of the sheath is smooth and does a

Still, I prefer the leather sheaths on these

soaked in the forest. I used finger-thick sticks to create thin, curly, superfine fuzz sticks that would need to take a spark from my ferrocerium rod. Mind you, I had birch bark and dry poplar bark stored under my raised bed, but this was for emergencies. As for now, I was simply camping. This was the size and weight of knife I was used to for about 10 years using the ESEE-3, but now with more handle real estate and much better ergonomics. I was using leather gloves most of the time and the extra room was much appreciated. In the survival classes, spears are made out of wood and bamboo, which are designed to be frogging spears or small game spears. However, they can be used for roasting meat over a fire too, caveman style. Making these spears requires a mallet or baton to split approximately a wrist-thick sapling four ways with a knife, then using two small sticks to spread out the prongs. At this point, or even before splitting, the ends could be sharpened. I like to split the wood using the knife in a tip down fashion about 7 inches from the tip, holding the knife in an icepick grip. Then, I hammer the butt end into the wood carefully until it splits, then rotate the wood and repeat the process until there are four separate points. The edge of the ESEE-3HM was still keen enough to sharpen the prongs of the spear and the separate trident spear I made. While in the mood for making traps, I quickly made a figure-four deadfall trap with the knife and just as I guessed it would, the handle stayed comfortable the entire time. Food preparation was the last chore of the day. I had to slice mushrooms, garlic, bell peppers, onions and sausages for kabobs. First, was the fire making, then the sharpening of a fi nger-thick stick that I whittled down to a thin, smooth roasting stick. The V grind of the ESEE knives is toothy, I feel it aids in slicing through vegetables and meat in general. The knife performed well on food, mostly due to the knivesillustrated.com

NOVEMBER 2016 • KNIVES ILLUSTRA TED

33

The butt of the knife has an exposed piece of steel that makes a very good hammering surface. On the HM series, the butt is rounded, while on the srcinal ESEE-3 there is a sharp glass breaker on the end.

BOR N INTHE JUN GLE IfirstmetMikePerrinandJeffRandallbackin themaboutowningtheTAKandRTAK,butwantedtobuy inside , fielddressin g a deer, cleaningpiranha,as well as Nov emb erof 2007 inLima,Peru . Af ter10yearsoflookin g somet at hingmore comp act,like theold Ontario RAT-3.While man y oth ercampchor esthata lar gemache tewoul d be advertisementsandphotosoftheirepicjunglesurvival onthetrip,Igottoseetheknifeinactioncuttingvinesused cumb ersom e for, unless youare from cla sses,I fin all y sig nedup forone.I rem emb ertalki ngto forlashing,pryingopen nutsto extractthe grubworms there!

The ESEE-4HM was pounded halfway through the canister with the help of a piece of wood (oak). It suffered minimal edge damage that was easily fixed with a short sharpening session. 3 4 KNIVES ILLUSTRATED •

NOVEMBER 2016


knives over the molded plastic sheaths; I feel it suits these knives.

Those who have followed RAT-designed knives over the years may already be accustomed to the speed and feel of the molded sheaths and how quickly they could be deployed. However, in a woods setting (camping, hiking) there is never a realistic need to quickly pull out your knife as there may be in a self-defense or tactical scenario. I always carry knives slung over the shoulder or like a neck knife, so I need two hands to get the knife out. I need one to hold the sheath and the other to pull the knife out. This is done intentionally and in no rush at all, which is fine with me.

Maintenance and Sharpening The edge-holding qualities of ESEE Knives have always been one of their strong points. These knives were no different. I keep a small Smith’s Edge Stick Knife & Broadhead sharpening diamond steel (Fine 750 grit) in my camp and use it to touch up my edged tools before they get dull. I gave a few passes on the diamond steel with the ESEE-3HM and it was fine, not that it was ever that dull in the first place. The ESEE4HM suffered a little bit of edge rolling and some micro chipping after being stuck into the metal ammo canister. The Smith’s sharpener fixed that easily and work ensued. The leather sheaths have a smooth front and back, while the belt loop has a rough side to it. I also used the sheaths to quickly strop the knives while working in the camp. Try doing that with plastic! At this time the knives are only offered with a plain edge, but that may change. In the near future, the ESEE-6 is due to have the same modification options. The new ESEE HM series knives are still the same dependable cutting tools they always were, but less tactical, with a couple of modifications that really hit home with the outdoors crowd who enjoy hunting, camping, fishing, and all forms of fieldcraft! KI

Inkosi The

Zulu: Chief Giving you more features in a smaller knife Large Hollow Grind Technology 2.75” Blade Length S35VN Blade Steel

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CONTACT INFORMATION ® TransEquatorial Solutions, Inc. ESEE® Knives / Randall’s Adventure Training® P.O. Box 99 Gallant, AL 35972 Phone: (256) 613-0372 Email: [email protected]

Ceramic Ball Lock Interface Oversized Washers Large Pivot

chrisreeve.com knivesillustrated.com

NOVEMBER 2016 • KNIVES ILLUSTR ATED

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3 6 KNIVES ILLUSTRA TED • NOVEMBER 2016


ENTROPY WITHOUT CHAOS TEXT AND PHOTOS BY JIM HOUSE


NOVEMBER

2016


37

“SPRING-ASSISTED OPENING KNIVES HAVE BECOME VERY POPULAR BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE ONLY ONE HAND TO MAKE THE KNIFE READY TO USE.”

Although not recommended for a folder, the Entropy was able to achieve some light batoning.

ENTROPY DEFINED From Oxford Dictionaries: 1. a thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a system’s thermal energy for

Entropy is a thermodynamic term that relates to the degree of randomness or disorder of a system. For example, a collection of knives

convers ion into mechanical work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness may be arranged haphazardly in a pile in the system. (high entropy) or they may be 2. lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder: “a marketplace where entropy reigns supreme” arranged in a well-aligned row (low synonyms: deterioration · degeneration · crumbling · decline entropy). When it comes to knives,

some very creative names have been applied, and Kershaw must be a leader in this area. Then again, a product may be given a name that has no connection to physical reality. Such names as Neon, Dart, Gremlin, Laser and Seville have been applied to cars. One of the newest of Kershaw’s models is the Entropy, and it is a very good choice for general use. There are many times when a knife is either necessary or at least handy.

The Entropy is the perfect companion during normal day-to-day tasks.


• NOVEMBER

2016

The type of knife may not be critical but it should always be available. Such knives are referred to as everyday carry (EDC) knives and sometimes it seems that there are almost as many choices as there are people who carry them. When selecting a knife for EDC, thought should be given to such aspects as knivesillustrated.com

blade length, weight, and type of opening mechanism. Spring-assisted opening knives have become very popular because they require only one hand to make the knife ready to use. That can be very convenient when holding a box to be opened or a cord to be cut with the other hand. Kershaw’s term for such knives is SpeedSafe®, and the blade is opened when a tab on the top rear of the blade is pulled backward.

(top) Like many other folding knives, the Kershaw Entropy utilizes a liner(below) lock. The posts are red, which provides a touch of color.

Entropy Attributes

One of the newest Kershaw models that features SpeedSafe opening is the Entropy. This little jewel was designed in collaboration with Todd Rexford, a designer and maker of custom knives. It is a liner lock model that features a 3.25-inch drop-point blade made of 8CrMoV stainless steel. Kershaw advertises that the stainless steel blade receives special heat treatment to enhance its edge

Sharpen up your car ving with Flexcut ® The Carvin’ Jack has six locking

edge tools, it’s a complete carving kit in your pocket. At just over 4 inches (closed), Carvin’ Jackcomes with a leather belt mounted sheath and a custom fit SlipStrop® for keeping edges sharp.

Flexcut offers the LARGEST selection of fixed-blade carving knives in the world. With comfortablewhite ash handles, ergonomically designedto allow a strong grip for long periods of carving with minimal hand fatigue. Blades are made from edge-holding steeland shaped to suit whatever you’re carving.

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NOVEMBER

2016


39

Entropy is fitted with a clip that lets the knife ride low in the pocket, and like many other Kershaw folding knives, the Entropy has holes on each side so the clip is reversible. It is held in place by two small screws that can be removed by means of a T6 driver. However, I confess to not liking knives held in pockets by clips, so my Entropy will be carried in a small pouch-type sheath. Perhaps it is just my specimen, but out of the box, the sharpness of the Entropy blade was not quite equal to that of some of my other knives. It was by no means a dull blade, but it needed some attention. However, it did not take long working with a small stone to have the blade shaving sharp and the edge super smooth.

Entropy Demeanor With the overall size and weight of the Entropy, it has that subjective quality that is generally summed up as having a good “feel.” I have one knife that was once described in the brochure as “pleasing to the hand and eye,” and that description also fits the Entropy. Not only do the scales have a The Entropy easily removed sizeable chunks from this seasoned hardwood.

surface that gives excellent traction, but also the curvature of the handle is

“NOT ONLY DO THE SCALES HAVE A SURFACE THAT GIVES EXCELLENT TRACTION, BUT ALSO THE CURVATURE OF THE HANDLE IS JUST RIGHT.”

just right. It doesn’t have an exaggerated arc, but the overall handle shape makes it comfortable to hold and easy to control. The bottom side has a large finger groove in the forward end, and that really results in

SPEEDSAFE®

retention and strength. The blade on

a good, non-slip grip. It functions

the Entropy is given a stonewash

superbly as a built-in hand guard.

finish so it is bright but not shiny. The

Some “flipper” knives are activated

SpeedSafe is an assisted-

blade pivot screws require a T8 driver

by very little pressure on the tab.

opening mechanism designed

for removal.

From the box, the Entropy required a rather firm pull on the tab to activate

Closed, the knife measures 4.5

by Hall of Fame knifemaker, Ken Onion. It allows a user to

inches in length and it weighs a very

Kershaw’s SpeedSafe mechanism. A

quickly open a knife with the

portable 3.7 ounces. Scales are made

couple of drops of silicone oil on the

push of the thumb stud or by

of black glass-filled nylon, a material

pivot solved that problem.

pulling on the blade protrusion on the back of the grip.

widely employed for knife grips and handles. Moreover, it has ribs and a

Blade configuration on the Entropy makes it suitable for general use. It

SpeedSafe is not an automatic

texture that makes the knife easy to

could use a little more curvature on

opening system and requires

hold and grip securely. The handle

the bottom of the blade, if skinning

the user to actuate it manually.

gives good traction, and it is more

work is to be performed. The point is

SpeedSafe is found on many of

pleasant to hold than some knives

perhaps a little sharp if the knife is to

Kershaw’s best-selling knives.

that have metal handles, particularly

be used to gently pry open

in un favorable weather.

containers. For that type of work, I

For convenience in carry, the 4 0 KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

• NOVEMBER

2016

prefer the Kershaw Clash, which has a knivesillustrated.com

Turning the pivot screws requires a T8 bit.

CREATE YOUR OWN KNIFE J a n t z

KERSHAW ENTROPY OVERALL LENGTH:7.2 INCHES

BLADE STEEL:8CR13MOV

CLOSED LENGTH:4.5 INCHES

HANDLE: TEXTURED GLASS-FILLED NYLON


CARRY MODE:REVERSIBLECLIP

WEIGHT:3.7 OUNCES

OPENING:SPEEDSAFE®

very sturdy blade. But for general use,

very welcome companion. One could

the Entropy is a good compromise.

do a lot of things with this knife.

Exercising the Entropy A computer expert once told me that one never really understands a program until it is used extensively. To some extent, it is through use that any tool becomes familiar. In the case of a knife, on a daily basis, one is not likely to be making shavings to start a fire or to process a large game animal. It is in performing chores such as peeling and slicing a potato or cutting sticks to hold a hotdog over a fire that the EDC knife is likely to be used. When using the Entropy in these types of activities, it became apparent that it was a very capable and versatile cutting tool. It will do all the little things that a knife should do and more. If one were faced with having to be in a remote area until help arrived, the Entropy would be a knivesillustrated.com

The Finale When it is all said and done, the Entropy can be summed up in this way; it is neither too much nor too little. It is just about right. The Entropy has sufficient blade strength for most cutting operations, but it is of suitable size and weight for EDC. When you need a knife, the Entr opy may be just the right choice and with the MSRP of $39.99 and a retail price of approximately $10 less, it is an excellent value. I leave my Kershaw Blur at home most of the time now that I have the Entropy.

KI

CONTACT INFORMATION

KERSHAW KNIVES 18600 SW TetonAvenue Tualatin, OR 97062 (800) 325-2891 www.KershawKnives.com

Pattern blades are flat ground and cryogenically processed during heat treating for optimal edge holding capability. Choose your favorite handle material, color and texture along with hardware such as guard, screws or pins to complement your chosen USA Jantz Pattern blade. Shown: Pattern 37 #J3708 440C Stainless Steel $31.95, #K374 stainless bolster $6.95, #A846 stainless pins $1.99 and #G3750 Olive Drab sandstorm pattern handle material $19.95. Overall length 6 5/8 ”, Bla de Length 2 5/8”, Blade Width 7/8”, Blade Thickness 1/8”. Bolster hol es 1/8”, Handle Holes 1/8”, Thong Hole 3/16”. Available in D2, CPMS 30V, 440C, 1095 High Carbon and Damascus.

See other patterns of Jantz USA blades along with our supplies and download full color catalog at

knifemaking.com JANTZ SUPPLY 309 W MAIN DAVIS OK 73030 1-800-351-8900 NOVEMBER 2016 • KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

41

THE C.U.M.A. PROTECTOR BY CLINT THOMPSON — PHOTOS BY KATE THOMPSON

Let’s talk about a bad-boy knife made at the request of an American Hero to complement his equipment for the serious times coming.

As one who has been overseas dealing with Islamic terrorists, I can say more dangerous and harder times are coming to the States. It seems we have some really bad people here now and many more still seeping through our Southern Borders. Terrorists respect just one thing — brute force. Our military is our first line of defense, our Federal Border Agents are our second line of defense, our local

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KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

• NOVEMBER

2016

law enforcement is our third line of defense and “we the people” are the last line of defense. The C.U.M.A. Protector was born out of a need and request from an American Hero. This Agent contacted Waysun Johnny Tsai in Chicago. Waysun Johnny Tsai, known to friends as Johnny, is a Kung Fu Master, instructor in survival including street survival, knife designer, actor … the list goes on. The American Hero is currently involved in counter terrorism assignments which requires us to not reveal his name. For this article we will call him Agent.


“AS ONE WHO HAS BEEN OVERSEAS DEALING WITH ISLAMIC TERRORISTS, I CAN SAY MORE DANGEROUS AND HARDER TIMES ARE COMING TO THE STATES.”


NOVEMBER 2016 •

KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

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This Agent handed Johnny a project to

C.U.M.A. PROTECTOR

design a knife which must meet three requirements. This special duty fixed blade knife must be able to cut seatbelts, break glass and, when called upon, be able to assist with weapon retention. The first two requirements are fairly straightforward, but the third needs some further clarification.

Weapon Retention

Horizontal Sheath can be worn in the

The term “weapon retention” means

middle of your back or mounted vertically on your “Battle-Rattle.” It’s a great sheath and a bargain at just $40.

the physical act of an officer or person under arms, to keep total control of a weapon. The fact is, bad people try to take an officer’s sidearm to use against the officer and others. For this reason, as officers, we practice drills in weapon retention. These drills are serious and at full speed. In training, I have seen several $100 holsters ripped right off a gun belt. One option in weapon retention is to carry a backup pistol or knife. With his or her gunhand elbow, an officer clamps down on the duty weapon and holster. Then, with the offhand, draws the gun or knife and does whatever it takes to make the dirtbag let go. The C.U.M.A.

The 710 Custom Sheaths www.The710CustomSheaths.com

Protector is designed as such a knife.

Built American Tough While researching and studying various knife designs, Johnny dropped by his friend and co-designer Matt Szbuka’s house. Matt showed Johnny he had roughed out a hawkbill blade design on some well-used 1095 steel. Johnny liked the overall design, so Matt went to his grinder and ground out the prototype of the C.U.M.A. Protector. This prototype was shown to the requesting Agent who gave them two thumbs up. From this point the prototype was sent to TOPS Knives for production.

The C.U.M.A. Protector in a custom sheath made by The 710 Custom Sheaths Company.

44


NOVEMBER 2016

In receiving my C.U.M.A. Protector sample, I took time to carefully examine this duty fixed blade knife. I could see the practicality of the design and liked the fact that this knife was built by TOPS Knives, a premier knife production company, while DayOne Gear is t he exclusive retailer. I found the hawkbill design to be very knivesillustrated.com

Unique is the word to describe the C.U.M.A. Protector’s overall design. With functions beyond self-defense, the Protector is equipped to cut seatbelts and break glass.

“THE TERM “WEAPON RETENTION” MEANS THE PHYSICAL ACT OF AN OFFICER OR PERSON UNDER ARMS, TO KEEP TOTAL CONTROL OF A WEAPON.”

DESIGNER C.U.M.A. Protector was designed by Kung Fu Master Waysun Johnny Tsai. Johnny, as he’s known by his friends, is a native of Chicago. In addition to his martial arts accomplishments, Johnny is an accomplished freelance writer, published author, and has produced 9 DVDs in practical street defense. Johnny currently designs blades for several knife producers and retail vendors. www.CumaSurvivalSchool.com

functional and liked the sharpened slot on the spine of the blade — it is well-placed for a very effective seatbelt cutter. The C.U.M.A. Protector is welldesigned. I like the sturdy construction with the 0.19-inch thick 1095 steel and

G10 and red G10 accentuation. You can also order a Protector with Blue/Black G10 handle. This badass knife weighs in at 14.5 ounces and come with a straight line Kydex Sheath. This has become one of my favorite Anti-Dirtbag knives.

a sidearm, slung rifle and toting a rucksack. My thinking is when you have tools which are used to keep you alive, you would want them near at hand. When I would stop to rest or make camp, thereby dropping my rucksack, my C.U.M.A. Protector and sidearm

4.63-inches cutting edge. The overall length of 10.88 inches includes the 5.25-inch total blade length. The finish of the C.U.M.A. Protector is a very hard “Black Traction Coating.” After some serious field testing, this Black Traction showed no sign of wear. My sample sported a fantastic handle which is complemented with Black

For the purposes I had planned for this knife, I felt a need for a specialized Kydex Sheath. I called my friend J.D. of The 710 Custom Sheaths and explained how I wanted this bad-boy to be carried. My idea was to carry it in the small of my back. In this way, the C.U.M.A. Protector would be accessible to my reach when carrying

would still be on my person. I shipped off my C.U.M.A. Protector to J.D. with some instructions. A week later, I received the knife and one fantastic Kydex Sheath. The Kydex sheath and knife fit perfectly in the middle of my back and was designed for a right-hand draw. The reason for this is I am ambidextrous, a curse and

46



The C.U.M.A. Protector was born out of a need for a specialized fixed blade knife for those who go into harm’s way. Law enforcement and military warriors would do well to be equipped with this knife.

blessing at the same time. J.D. did a great job in making this sheath, as with the high quality of all sheaths he has made for me in the past. If you have a favorite fixed blade knife that deserves a great sheath and carrying system, The 710 Custom Sheaths is where to

on the si dearm and holster. I then drop my right hand out of the fray, and reach for the terminating factor resting in the center of my back. With the attacker using both of their hands, the first blow is unopposed. If and when one wou ld be called upon to use the

go. You will have to ship the k nife to J.D., as every knife design is unique and requires his hands-on touch.

C.U.M.A. Protector in this type of scenario, I believe one good blow will terminate the attack. In my man y years of law enforcement, there have been only two or t hree times where there was a need to cut a seatbelt loose from a driver or passenger. The reason is, most of my career has been in

Fulfilling Requirements In weapon retention situations, I clamp down with my right elbow, and then turn into my attacker, reaching around with my left hand for a full grip knivesillustrated.com

SPECS BLADE LENGTH:5.25 INCHES CUTTING EDGE:4.63 INCHES BLADE THICKNESS: 0.19 INCH OVERALL LENGTH: 10.88 INCHES BLADE STEEL:1095 RC 56-58 BLADE FINISH:BLACK TRACTION COATING HANDLE MATERIAL: BLACK G10 OR BLUE/BLACK G10 KNIFE WEIGHT:14.5 OUNCES SHEATH MATERIAL: BLACK KYDEX MANUFACTURER:TOPS KNIVES INC.

NOVEMBER 2016 • KNIVES ILLUSTR ATE D

47

In one of my cutting exercises, I went to slashing live bamboo. The Protector is not made for cutting bamboo, but it did a full two inches with ease.

“I … LIKED THE SHARPENED SLOT ON THE SPINE OF THE BLADE — IT IS WELL-PLACED FOR A VERY EFFECTIVE SEATBELT CUTTER.”

investigation and International policing, and when I was on patrol I was not assigned to accident investigation. For those law enforcement officers who do deal with motor vehicle accidents and boating type enforcement, I can say the C.U.M.A. Protector’s seatbelt cutting device is very functional. If your duty requires the occasional nylon rope use, the cutting device on the back of the C.U.M.A. Protector’s blade works well for this too. On the base of the grip of the

One of the requirements of the C.U.M.A. Protector was for it to have a pommel designed to break glass. With the proper force and a leather glove the windows will break.

4 8 KNIVES ILLUSTR ATED •

NOVEMBER 2016

C.U.M.A. Protector, there are two 90degree points which could be used to break glass. With enough force, one could use the entire blunt end of this knife to pop some side-window glass. However, if you were to use any glassbreaking device, including the C.U.M.A. Protector’s pommel, I highly recommend you put on some decent knivesillustrated.com

leather gloves. The high impact of the glass-breaking device on the pommel of this knife could cause flying glass to injure your hand. I would recommend using some other tool to break glass, but if none are to be had, the C.U.M.A. Protector is very sturdy and capable enough to accomplish this task.

Functional Defense In the cutting and slashing department, I talked with many of my friends and neighbors, but none would volunteer as a test subject. So, the next best thing was to cut some living bamboo. This knife cut at a steep angle and severed over two inches of bamboo. I then stabbed the C.U.M.A. Protector two inches into a 4x4 treated post. With gloved hands and an overhand, downward striking motion into ¾-inch plywood, I penetrated ¼ of an inch with a curved hawkbill blade; the blade and point were not


damaged. Pushing down hard, I then dragged the point multiple times across the same plywood, making deep cuts. After the cutting and hardwood test, I went to the meat- and-jeans test. I put a large chunk of meat in the leg of a pair of jeans. With this target, I took one strong, slashing strike. The C.U.M.A. Protector cut through the denim leg, leaving a four-inch-long, two-inch-deep cut in this chunk of

built and perfect for first responders and gun-toters. For those warrior citizens who go about their lives fighting the good fight, keeping wolves away from the door, the C.U.M.A. Protector is a hefty knife tipping in at close to a pound. I am sure a proud owner could carry this knife inside their waistband using the basic Kydex sheath which is included. I love this knife, as I do all of Johnny’s designs. This is a man’s knife, a warrio r’s knife,

meat. I was amazed at the deadliness of this truly badass, lethal knife. The C.U.M.A. Protector laid the jeans leg and meat wide open. On inspection of the C.U.M.A. Protector’s point, I found it not damaged and as razor sharp as when it was shipped to me.

a knife one would take going into harm’s way. The C.U.M.A. Protector is sold exclusively at DayOne Gear — a great online company with great people. KI CONTACT INFORMATION DAYONE GEAR

Final Thoughts My overall evaluation of the C.U.M.A. Protector is that this fixed blade knife is one bad boy. It is strong, excellently

241 Elgin Ave Forest Park, IL 60130 (800) 421-7015 www.DayOneGear.com


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N O G A N A W S A U H S O J

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KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

• NOVEMBER

2016

knivesillu

strated.com

SOME OF THE BEST OF 2016 BLADE SHOW

E

achyear Atlanta Georgia plays host to hun dreds of the knife indust ry’s finest. Everything from custom makers to large production and distribution companies — there is something for everyone. Although the doors didn’t officially open until afternoon on

the first day, people were lined up outside the main event room early in the morning, and the anticipation from the crowd was electric. As we do every year, we had a group of staff editors attend the show and report back on some of the cool new knives coming out from some of our favorite manufacturers. This year did not disappoint.


NOVEMBER

2016


51

CRKT – KAREN HOOD CHOPPER WWW.CRKT.COM “You can do a small job with a big knife, but you can’t do a big job with a small knife.” Words of wisdom from survival expert, Karen Hood’s late husband, renowned survival instructor, Ron Hood. So it is only fitting that the latest knife to join Karen Hood’s line of knives with CRKT would be a large chopper. The 9.125-inch-long, 1095 high carbon steel blade features a nice recurve that gives it a well-balanced forward weight for chopping, while the choil at the index finger allows for increased control during finer tasks.

SPECS OVERALL LENGTH:15.199 inches BLADE LENGTH:9.125 inches WEIGHT:15.5 ounces BLADE STEEL:1095 high carbon HANDLE:Polished resin-infused fiber MSRP: $375.00

5 2 KNIVES ILLUSTRATED •

NOVEMBER 2016


TOPS – TAC RAZE

CAS IBERIA – CASSTRÖM

WWW.TOPSKNIVES.COM

WWW.CASIBERIA.COM

There is just something

From Sweden CAS Iberia brings you

about a friction folder that I

the excellent Casström line of

have always liked, maybe it’s

bushcraft knives. They discovered the

the history. The new TOPS

Casström line while at the IWA trade

Knives TAC Raze is eye-

show in Germany and are the first ones

catching, even before you

to bring this line of quality knives into

reach their booth. Featuring black G10 handle scales with

the country. CAS Iberia is bringing in both the No. 10 Swedish Forest Knife

the new Cryptic Cyber pattern,

and the No. 14 Woodsman. The kni ves

the TAC Raze is very grippy in

come in both flat and Scandi grinds in

the hand with a very

either high carbon Böhler K720 or

ergonomic design. The 1095

stainless Sandvik 14C28N, and with a

high carbon steel blade is

variety of handle materials such as

reminiscent of the old straight

Micarta, Bubinga, curly birch and

razors, but with a flair all its

ancient bog oak. High quality leather

own. The deep friction lock

sheaths with firesteel and dangler

and finger choi l help the TAC

options are provided depending on

Raze stay open during use.

which model you choose.

SPECS OVERALL LENGTH:7.63 inches BLADE LENGTH:3.25 inches WEIGHT:2.7 ounces BLADE STEEL:1095 high carbon HANDLE:Black G10 MSRP: TBA


SPECS OVERALL LENGTH:8.75 inches BLADE LENGTH:3.875 inches WEIGHT:5 ounces BLADE STEEL:14C28N Sandvik stainless

steel HANDLE:Curly birch MSRP: $230.00


53

CAMILLUS - MORPH

CRKT – HOMEFRONT

WWW.CAMILLUSKNIVES.COM

WWW.CRKT.COM

Drawing from an impressive prostaff of designers — ranging from Special Forces veterans to wilderness survival experts — Camillus always strives to find solutions. The Morph is a good example of that. For those who need a higher leverage cutting point, the Morph has an offset blade of Titaniumbonded AUS-8 steel designed for just that purpose. High offset blades are not new in themselves, but Camillus has engineered this profile into a folding blade for EDC, so you have it

Anyone who has seen, held or operated a Ken Onion design knows that he is no stranger to innovation. Ten years in the making, Ken, along with CRKT, has developed the Homefront, a folding knife that has to be experienced to get the full impact of just how cool it is. The Homefront is the first to feature CRKT’s new “Field Strip” technology, allowing you to completely disassemble the knife, clean it and put it back together without any tools whatsoever. Definitely on the leading edge.

when you need it most.

SPECS

SPECS

OVERALL LENGTH:8 inches

OVERALL LENGTH:8.313 inches

BLADE LENGTH:3.5 inches


BLADE STEEL:Titanium-bonded

WEIGHT:4.8 ounces

AUS-8

BLADE STEEL:AUS-8

HANDLE:Stainless steel and G10

HANDLE:6061 aluminum

MSRP: TBA

MSRP: $150.00

54



ESEE KNIVES – TERTIARY WWW.ESEEKNIVES.COM Born of a need for hard-use knives for their adventure and training school, ESEE Knives has been a popular staple for bushcrafters and wilderness survival enthusiasts since their days as RAT Cutlery. Breaking from their traditional bushcraft knives and forging their way into the law enforcement realm (of which they are also responsible for providing training courses), the Tertiary is a strong takesurvival on the push dagger. The 2.5-inch blade and sharpened top edge make for the perfect weapon-retention tool.

SPECS OVERALL LENGTH:5 inches BLADE LENGTH:2.5 inches WEIGHT:5.7 ounces BLADE STEEL:1095 high carbon HANDLE:G10 MSRP: $162.00

CONDOR – MAINZ GLADIUS WWW.CONDORTK.COM If your blade play favors Western designs, then you may want to check out Condor’s Mainz Gladius. The Mainz Gladius uses a traditional pattern grip of walnut with a stout double edged 18.75-inch blade of 1075 high carbon steel. The scabbard is made of walnut with steel fittings and makes for a rugged and utilitarian, but attractive appearance.

SPYDERCO - ROC WWW.SPYDERCO.COM It’s not every day that you see a cleaver-style blade in a folder. This design has a very sleek look when closed, but when open, there is just something menacing about it. The 3.07-inch VG10 stainless steel blade is held open by a liner lock, and the handle, made of skeletonized stainless steel and G10 scales, is very ergonomic and includes a reversible pocket clip. Featuring Spyderco’s Trademark Round HoleTM, the ROC is very easy to open singlehandedly.

SPECS

SPECS





WEIGHT:2 pounds, 13.6 ounces

WEIGHT:4.2 ounces

BLADE STEEL:1075 high carbon

BLADE STEEL:VG-10 stainless steel

HANDLE: Walnut

HANDLE:G-10

MSRP: $249.98

MSRP: $259.95

56



HELLE – MÂNDRA WWW.HELLE.NO For 2016, Helle brings usanother collaboration from Les Stroud and Anders Haglund, this time in the form of a compact belt or neck knife. The Mândra features a full tang, Scandi ground, 2.5-inch droppoint blade of triple-laminated stainless steel. The Mândra is a compact but powerful cutter, perfect for the outdoorsman who wants performance.

SPECS OVERALL LENGTH:5.75 inches BLADE LENGTH:2.5 inches WEIGHT:2.4 ounces BLADE STEEL:Triple-laminated

stainless

HANDLE:Curly birch MSRP: $209.00



57

CHRIS REEVE – LARGE INKOSI WWW.CHRISREEVE.COM While I do not believe anyone was surprised at the release of the Chris Reeve Large Inkosi, there were many fans in line to get their hands on it. While the Large Inkosi looks identical to the Sebenze 25, it has the integral lock features of the Small Inkosi, using a single ceramic ball bearing for the blade detent that also serves as an extremely stout locking detent, which fits into a groove cut into the blade face. This knife also features the same washer system as the Small Inkosi, with large twin washers and large lube reservoirs.

ZERO TOLERANCE – ZT 0427 LIMITED EDITION HTTPS://ZT.KAIUSALTD.COM While Zero Tolerance introduced most of their 2016 knives at Shot Show, they were wellrepresented at Blade Show. ZT offered the 0427 as a contender for American-made knife of the year; a collaboration piece between Zero Tolerance and Dmitry Sinkevich, which offers a dual-opening capability. As a flipper, this knife flies open, but there is also a hole in the blade that will assist in opening. Additionally, there is a new innovation called the TDS or Tuned Detent System, putting the detent ball in the front scale rather than in the hybrid lock; available as a limited edition sometime in 2017.

SPECS

SPECS

OVERALL LENGTH:8.4 inches BLADE LENGTH:3.6 inches

OVERALL LENGTH:9.5 inches BLADE LENGTH:4.2 inches

WEIGHT:4.96 ounces

WEIGHT:6 ounces

BLADE STEEL:Crucible S35VN

BLADE STEEL:CTS XHP cutting

HANDLE:6A14V titanium

edge/CPM154 spine HANDLE:Titanium, bronze PVD, carbon fiber inlay MSRP: $600.00

MSRP: $445.00

58



CONDOR – MAYFLOWER KNIFE SPECS

WWW.CONDORTK.COM

OVERALL LENGTH:7 inches

If you are a fan of bushcraft blades, another standout at the Condor booth was the

BLADE LENGTH:3 inches

Mayflower knife — a collaboration between Condor designe r Joe Flowers and custom knifemaker Charlie May. The Mayflower features a 3-inch 420 HC stainless steel blade and a nicely contoured Micarta handle. The Mayflower comes with a high-quality leather sheath and would make for a great bushcraft and camp blade.

WEIGHT:3.16 ounces BLADE STEEL:420 HC Stainless HANDLE:Micarta MSRP: $69.98

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59

SPARTAN BLADES – SPARTAN HARSEY FOLDER

BENCHMADE – 940-2 WWW.BENCHMADE.COM

WWW.SPARTANBLADESUSA.COM Popular among outKnown for high quality knives that look good enough to fit into any serious collection, but tough

door enthusiasts, martial artists, law enforcement and military personnel, Benchmade

enough for the hardest combat, Spartan Blades are built

Knife Company is known for solid EDC

for hard use professionals

knives that stand up to

and combat elite. The Spar-

hard use. This year,

tan Harsey Folder comes

Benchmade releases

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the 940-2, a 2.65-

tween Spartan Blades and

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ly disappears in your

Harsey. It’s a knife sleek

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enough for EDC but tough

handle and CPM-S30V

enough for any field of ac-

blade promise to stand

tion, with a body construct-

up to any task. The 3.4-

ed completely of 6AL-4V Ti-

inch reverse tanto

tanium and a blade of CPM

blade is held open by

S35VN. The Spartan Harsey

Benchmade’s AXIS®

Folder is built to last while

lock mechanism and

remaining light in the pocket

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or on your rig.

versible for right- or left-handed carry.

SPECS OVERALL LENGTH:8.81 inches BLADE LENGTH:4 inches WEIGHT:5.89 ounces BLADE STEEL:CPM S35VN HANDLE:6AL-4V Titanium MSRP: $460.00

6 0 KNIVES ILLUSTRA TED • NOVEMBER 2016

SPECS OVERALL LENGTH:7.87 inches BLADE LENGTH:3.4 inches WEIGHT:2.65 ounces BLADE STEEL:CPM-S30V HANDLE:G10 MSRP: $200.00


KA-BAR – JAROSZ GLOBETROTTER WWW.KABAR.COM A newcomer to the KABAR designer lineup is custom knifemaker Jesse Jarosz. Jesse’s public introduction through KABAR is his eminently practical Jarosz Globetrotter fixed blade. The knife has sleek lines, a comfortable handle and a 3.5-inch blade and 7.5-inch overall length. Perfect for just about any use, from EDC to hiking and hunting, and even as a solid tactical utility blade that won’t take up much space on your vest. If you haven’t had a chance to check out a Jarosz custom yet, the Globetrotter is a great, affordable way to see Jesse’s style.

KI

ath

MADE IN THE U.S.A.

Model: 751

ut SPECS OVERALL LENGTH:7.5 inches BLADE LENGTH:3.5 inches WEIGHT: 6.4 ounces BLADE STEEL:1095 Cro-Van, HRC 56-58 HANDLE: Ultramid® MSRP: $97.98


GET YOURS AT www.bearandsoncutlery.com


61

TOPS’ DESERT NOMAD IS READY TO TAKE ON THE HARSHEST ENVIRONMENTS STORY AND PHOTOS BY LUKE CAUSEY


• NOVEMBER

2016


“IN USE AS A GENERAL CAMP IMPLEMENT, A SURVIVAL TOOL AND AS A COMBAT WEAPON FOR ALL MANNER OF CHORES, VERSIONS OF THIS KNIFE HAVE BEEN GETTING THINGS DONE FOR OVER 150 YEARS.”


“ONE THING I NOTICED, WAS THAT I COULD CHOKE UP ON THE KNIFE, PUT MY INDEX FINGER IN THE CHOIL, AND DO DETAIL WORK IN A VERY CONTROLLED MANNER.”

64

KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

• NOVEMBER

2016


(top) Although not technically a “chopper,” the Nomad was able to stand up to the (opposite) task. A full-grain, black leather sheath is included with the knife. Built to last, it features a full welt, lashing holes in the belt loop, and black hardware.

the Desert Nomad is “combat oriented”

deal of work, but can be brought back to

He knew it, all his buddies knew it, and

Jim Bowie was clearly on to something.

and has “smart features.” After using the

shaving sharp with everyday sharpening

ever since the legendary Sandbar Fight near the bustling metropolis of Vidalia,

knife extensively, I’d say they’re right.

tools. No need to plug anything in, or hook a draft horse to a mill grinder.

Louisiana, the world knew it. A well-made Bowie knife is a formidable tool to have. In

Purpose Built

The handle of the Desert Nomad is

The knife has a blade length totaling 6.5

black G10 slabs over red liners and is well-

use as a general camp implement, a sur-

inches. The choil at the base of the blade

shaped with no square edges or useless

vival tool and as a combat weapon for all

results in a cutting edge of 5.6 inches, with

designs; just plain grippy, as it should be.

manner of chores, versions of this knife

an overall length of 11.75 inches. The knife

The G10 scales are secured with three

have been getting things done for over 150

is very stout, with a spine and tang thick-

years. Enter a new model from TOPS

ness of 0.190 inches. The knife has a full,

Allen-head bolts. All the exposed metal is stonewashed with a very light gray finish.

Knives — the Desert Nomad.

exposed tang all the way around, with a

All of this is contained in a high-quality

pommel protrusion that measures 0.75

leather sheath, reminiscent of more tradi-

knife as a Bowie, I thinkyou’d agree that the

inch and can be used for everything from

tional combat Bowies, being a pancake

similarity is obvious. The DesertNomad’s

cracking nuts to chipping ice. The cross

design with open belt loop. The belt loop

straight spine, clip point, and cross guard

guard is aluminum, quite thick, and is nice-

has holes punched in it, which enable it to

pretty well put it in that camp. But the

ly shaped, making it very comfortable in

be easily lashed to a Molle platform, or a

Desert Nomad wasn’t just designedto look

the hand. The steel is 440C stainless, and

loop tied through it to add a second layer

the part, it was designed to function well in

seems to be heat treated spot on. This

of security around the handle. The sheath

any chore you throw atit. TOPS Knives says

combination holds an edge through a great

is dyed black entirely, and has a tie-down

While Tops Knives doesn’t describe the

BLADE THICKNESS: 0.190 INCH

WEIGHT W/ SHEATH: 16.0 OUNCES

BLADE STEEL:440C RC 58-60 CRYO TREATED

SHEATH INCLUDED: YES

OVERALL LENGTH: 11.75 INCHES

BLADE FINISH:TUMBLE FINISH

SHEATH MATERIAL: BLACK LEATHER


HANDLE MATERIAL: BLACK G10

SHEATH CLIP:BELT LOOP

CUTTING EDGE:5.60 INCHES

KNIFE WEIGHT:10.8 OUNCES

DESIGNER:TOPS TEAM

SPECS



65

(top) Quick, dry firewood is necessary for a fire in an emergency. Most often, that's found inside the wood you have available. loop at the bottom. This is a nice feature if The Desert Nomad is up to the task of getting to (below)Here, it. the knife is driven through 5-inch diameter juniper that is extremely knotted. It accomplished this with no damage and retained its shaving (opposite)The edge. finger choil was perfect you’re tying the knife to a pack, but I prefer for choking up on the blade for finer tasks.

to let the knife swing freely while it hangs

on my belt. I’ve found lashing it to your leg only invites trouble when the entire affair gets caught on something, especially if you’re moving quickly on a dirt bike or ATV. Preferences aside, this is a high-quality sheath that will last for generations.

Getting the Job Done I took it along on a backcountry dirt bike ride in the Colorado Rockies to stretch its legs. Miles from the nearest road, I set about building a lunch fire in a favorite spot. The Desert Nomad threw huge chunks of juniper and aspen. The factory edge shaved easily, and the knife cut small curls as well as the big ones. Splitting open a 5-inch juniper logthat was three-foot-long with a baton was a significant chore. Juniper is knotty,twisted, and generally difficult to

BOWIE’S SANDBAR FIGHT OnSepte mbe r 19, 1827 JimBowi e att endeda due l ended without injury, Bowie was inadvertently shot clubbing. Bowie was eventually helped to safety by on a small sandbar near Vidalia, LA, directly across when an altercation erupted between other Col. Crain, the man who srcinally shot him to begin the Mississippi river from Natchez, MS. Not being a attendees. Bowie, not taking to the idea of being the affair. Bowie is recorded as telling Col. Crain while participant of the duel himself, Bowie was present to struck with a bullet, fought back. In the end, he being helped to aid, “Col. Crain, I do not think, under support dueler Samuel Levi Wells III. After t he duel suffered two gunshots, seven stab wounds, and a the circumstances, you ought to have s hot me.”

6 6 KNIVES ILLUSTR ATED •

NOVEMBER 2016


work. It took a lot of batoning, but ina few minutes it was split in half. Splitting the halves went easier, then thequarters even easier still. In less than 10 minutes’ time, I had enough firewood to boil water for the meal and coffee, and keep things burning over the duration of lunch. Moving on to more detailed work, I used the Desert Nomad to build a trigger for a twitch up snare. This trigger is simply two sticks with shelves that interlock for a tripwire or snare. The fine work was easy with the Desert Nomad, and the trigger was ready for practice set-up. One thing I noticed, was that I could choke up on the knife, put my index finger in the choil, and do detail work in a very controlled manner. The upper part of the guard wasn’t in the way as much as you would expect. It’s not quite as comfortable as a knife without one, but the guard is designed with this use in mind.

AMERICAN MADE


TOPS Knives has been making knives completely in the USA since 1998 in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. If you have a specific question, send them an email at [email protected]


67

“THE DESERT NOMAD HANDLED EVERYTHING I ASKED IT TO, AND I WOULD BE PERFECTLY COMFORTABLE WITH THIS AS A ONE-KNIFE OPTION.”

68


NOVEMBER

2016


(top) The pommel can be used for everything from cracking nuts to chipping (opposite) ice. The Desert Nomad is very reminiscent of the old Bowie-style with a modern feel.

58 60 ROCKWELL 3 3/8” BLADE LENGTH

On a second trip into the backcountry, I worked on more bushcraft style skills. I’m no bow drill expert, but I’ve made several

and so was the tea. A solid performance

5 3/8” CLOSED LENGTH

from the Desert Nomad.

4.5 OZ. WEIGHT

Back in the shop, all the normal chores

sets in the past. Splitting out dry, sea-

were handled by the DesertNomad. From

MADE IN

soned juniper got me the hearth board

opening boxes, breaking down cardboard, to

THE U.S.A.

and the spindle. The bearing was a lucky find, really. I came across a flat metal cap

plastic packages, garden hose, and milk jug, the Desert Nomad handled it all. I even used

used for iced tea bottles. The pommel of

it for some electrical work when running line

the Desert Nomad dented in the center

for a new water heater. The Desert Nomad

with a few sharp whacks. The bow was a

cut insulation on 10x4 wiring, stripped it back,

convenient branch and the cordage was

and trimmed the excess. This would normally

paracord. The starting divot was made by

be abusive to a blade to cut and trim ten-

twisting the tip of the knife into the

gauge wire, but in the spirit of the test, I didn’t

hearth board and I was in business. Burn-

let it bother me. With a 2x4 as an anvil, quick

ing the divot in went quickly, then the

chop cuts got the job done just fine. The

notch had to be cut to collect to the hot

smallest of edge rollsresulted, but life was

dust; again, choking up on the choil made

right again after a date with aceramic rod.

this detail work go quickly. On the first at-

The Desert Nomad handled everything I

tempt I got smoke, but no ember. The

asked it to, and I would beperfectly comfort-

second was the same. Resetting into a

able with this as a one-knife option.

thicker section of the hearth board that I wouldn’t burn through easily was the

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P.O. BOX 86 UCON, ID 83454 USA PHONE: (208) 542-0113 WWW.TOPSKNIVES.COM


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HIGH DEFINITION DAMASCUS STEEL BLADE WITH T6 AIRCRAFT ALUMINUM HANDLE.

Final Thoughts

trick. Attempts both three and four

The folks over at TOPS Knives have built a heck of a knife in the Desert Nomad. It’s

both produced

fit to roam wherever, and handle things

coals, the last of

when it gets there. If you’re in the market

which was put into

for a general-use knife that’s tough-as-

some char cloth,

nails and built to last decades, give the

then into a juniper-

TOPS Desert Nomad a look. Because you

bark bird’s nest.

just never know when that next sandbar

The flame was on

fight will come around.

KI

GET YOURS AT WWW.BEARA NDSONCU TLERY.COM


69

BEHINDthe

SCENES


• NOVEMBER

2016

vesillustrated.com

KT GIVES BACK TO HOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH STORY BY JOSHUA SWANAGON PHOTOS BY CRKT

Typically, our “Behind the Scenes” column serves the purpose the name indicates: to go behind the scenes of different knife companies and check out their processes and other aspects of the company itself. We also like to place a special emphasis on veteran-owned companies and makers. However, while speaking with a rep for CRKTat the 2016 SHOT Show, I learned of a very unique program CRKT has started with their “Forged By War” program and I thought it was worth going behind the scenes of this special program and see what they are doing for our veterans and veteran-related non-profit organizations.

Left to right: Elmer Roush, Darren Sirois & Austin McGlaun



71

Sangrador

THE PROGRAM

SANGRADOR SPECIFICATIONS

Background

OVERALL LENGTH:10.5 INCHES

GRIND: DUAL

WEIGHT:7.4 OUNCES

STYLE:SPEARPOINT

BLADELENGTH:5.54 INCHES

EDGE: DUAL- VEFF SERRATIONSAND

THICKNESS:0.183 INCHES

HANDLE MATERIAL:G10

MATERIAL:SK5

CARRY SYSTEM:NYLON SHEATH

BLADE-HRC:54-56

WEIGHT:2.6 OUNCES

FINISH:BLACK POWDER COAT

MSRP: $150.00

PLAIN

In 2013 Ryan Johnson of RMJ Tactical and designer for CRKT, approached CRKT to discuss work he had been doing with returning combat veterans. For a few years at that point, he had been working with combat vets who have returned with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have turned to steel to work through their trials, by designing and forging their own tools. As I spoke with a CRKT rep, it was very apparent to me thatCRK T has a profound respect and concern for our returning combat veterans, and in 2016 launched the “Forged By War” program, where they are working with these designers/makers and bringing their designs to a production level. By doing this, the designers brought on board are sharing the designsthey wished they had in the field with the general public at large. Also, more importantly to the designers, they are sharing their creations with active military personnel, currently in harm’s way, who can use all the help they can get from back home. It has not been an easypro cess for CRKT — the struggles did not lie on the

Darren Sirois grinding one of his sr cinal Sangrador’s. 7 2 KNIVES ILLUSTR ATED •

NOVEMBER 2016

logistical side of things, but on the selection side. While speaking with CRKT I was told that the selection process was very challenging because there were so many great designs shared with them, it was difficult selecting the right models to bring to production. With so many great designers and relationships they have built, they wish they could make them all. knivesillustrated.com

Maybe that is a good sign for the future of

so that these tools can be in the hands of

this program.

those who need them the most. To find out more about this discount or to take

Philanthropy Not content with resting on simple

advantage of it, visit www.crkt.com/militarysales.

PURPLE HEART HOMES

laurels, CRKT is not only helping returning combat veterans bring their visions to a

www.PurpleHeartHomesUSA.org

A SOLID START

broader market and getting them into the

At the moment, there are only two

hands of those who need them most, they

knives and an axe in the Forged By War

are also helping other returning veterans

program, but this is only the start of the

by donating 10% of the CRKT net profits

good things to come. After speaking with

to the veteran’s charity of choice. While

CRKT about the Forged By War program, I

the two current charities supported by this

was assured that they will have more to

program are Purple Heart Homes and Green Beret Foundation, there are so

debut at the 2 017 SHOT Show. From everything I have been able to gather

many more charities that CRKT would

about this program, it looks as though it is

really like to support, every one that is out

gaining traction.

1551 Salisbury Road PO Box 5535 Statesville, NC 28687 (704) 838-4044 855-PURPLE-9

there, as I am told. I believe that this program will eventually be able to go a long way toward accomplishing a large

Sangrador Ten and a half inches of mean, the Sangrador is a dual-edged dagger with

GREEN BERET FOUNDATION

one purpose, and it does it well. The dual

www.GreenBeretFoundation.org

causes, CRKT also provides a

edge gives you the benefit of a plain edge

14402 Blanco Rd., Suite 101

professional discount for military, law

on one side and the Veff Serrations on the

San Antonio, TX 78216

enforcement and logistics professionals

other, providing the best of both worlds.

(844) 287-7133

part of that goal. Along with their donations to veteran’s

THE SCHRADE SUR E-LOCK. Self-sufficiency is more atta inable with all your digits. Blade lock rated to 300 pounds. Razor-sharp high-carbon AUS-8 stainless steel blade. Aluminum handle. Pocket clip.


NOVEMBER 2016 • KNIVES IL LUSTRA TED

73

Clever Girl

“AFTER SPEAKING WITH CRKT ABOUT THE FORGED BY WAR PROGRAM, I WAS ASSURED THAT THEY WILL HAVE MORE TO DEBUT AT THE 2017

CLEVER GIRL SPECIFICATIONS OVERALL LENGTH:10.125 INCHES

GRIND: HOLLOW

WEIGHT:6.3 OUNCES

STYLE:PERSIAN


EDGE: PLAIN


HANDLE MATERIAL:G10

MATERIAL:SK5

CARRY SYSTEM:GLASS-REINFORCED NYLON

BLADE-HRC:54-56

WEIGHT:1.6 OUNCES

FINISH:BLACK POWDER COAT

MSRP: $125.00

SHOT SHOW.” Austin McGlaun forging an srcinal Clever Girl.

74

KNIVES ILLUSTRATED

• NOVEMBER

2016


The aggressive spear point tip on the 5.54-inch blade is ideal for maximum penetration, yet sports a slightly broader tip for strength. The Sangrador is constructed of black-powder-coated SK5 high-carbon steel and finished with G10 handle scales, giving it a great feel in the hand, while being strong enough to withstand the harshest environments. Weighing in at only 7.4 ounces (10 ounces with sheath), the Sangrador easily makes itself a permanent part of your belt or kit.

steel blade features a hollow grind for ultimate slicing capabilities. The G10 handle scales feature a grooved pattern to enhance the grip when wet or dirty, and are built to withstand hard use in hard environments. At 6.3 ounces (7.9 ounces with sheath), the Clever Girl will disappear until you need her to appear and get the job done.

Clever Girl

makes its home in the field or in combat. The 16-inch axe features a head constructed of 1055 high-carbon steel sporting a 5.165-inch blade. At 10.3 ounces, the Birler Axe is heavy enough to work its way through the toughest job, but still light enough to not be a burden in your kit. The Hickory handle features a nice throat at the base for increased control that is reminiscent of Viking designs of the past, while the long beard allows you to choke up deep behind the

If you saw the movie Jurassic Park and remember the scene where Bob Peck’s character, Game Warden Robert Muldoon, had a velociraptor sneak up on him while hunting her, then you’ll remember the now famous line spoken seconds before being devoured — “clever girl.” As aggressive as a velociraptor, the 10.125-inch Clever Girl sports a 4.6-inch Persian-style blade designed to get the job done with extreme prejudice. The black-powder-coated SK5 high-carbon

Birler Axe Harkening back to the old lumberjacks, who were tough as nails, the Birler Axe

bit for finer work. It has a nice, flattened

DARRIN SIROIS – SANGRADOR From CRKT.com Coming from a Special Ops background, Darrin doesn’t design knives that just work in theory. They need to work in action, too. And he knows the missing element to any great blade: human input. That’s why you’ll often find him hounding his Special Operations teammates and asking them what they like and don’t like about their knives. Now as part of the Forged by War™ program he’s fine-tuning until his knife-making mission is complete. Along the way, he’s earning nods from awards shows and fellow soldiers all around the world.

create a quality sheath for your quality knives

AUSTIN MCGLAUN – CLEVER GIRL From CRKT.com There are those who fight with knives. There are others who design them. And then…there’s Austin. Having served in the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq, and as a street cop in Columbus, GA, he knows that a knife has to work as both a weapon and a tool. As part of the Forged By War™ program he applied his skills as both a combat vet and knife maker to develop the Clever Girl™. Not to mention a new way to bring his fellow soldiers home. When asked about his design philosophy, he’ll tell you that if a knife is ugly but effective, it’s not ugly. It’s perfect.

All the supplies you need at tandyleather.com FREE Buyer’s Guide available TLF_KNIVESILLAD_0315



75

Birler Axe

BIRLER AXE SPECIFICATIONS OVERALL LENGTH:16 INCHES

BLADE-HRC:50-55

WEIGHT:10.3 OUNCES

FINISH:SATIN


HANDLE MATERIAL:HICKORY


MSRP: $89.99

MATERIAL:1055 CARBON

Elmer Roush putting some finishing touches on a custom Birler Axe. 76


NOVEMBER 2016


ELMER ROUSH – BIRLER AXE From CRKT.com Elmer has spent his fair share of time on the battlefield. But these days, what really gives him excitement is battling hot steel with a hammer as a blacksmith. He enjoys hand forging functional edged tools and brings over 4 0 years of experience to the Forged By War™ program. Axes, froes, hatchets, and historical replicas, such as Viking axes, are his speci alty. Though his designs look modern, they’re actually based on tools and implements that go back thousands of years. poll protruding slightly away from the

of patriotism and support for those who

shoulder allowing for hammering jobs

put themselves in harm’s way for us all.

without being in the way in your kit.

The Forged By War program not only helps our returning vets deal with issues

Conclusion

Being a big supporter of our returning vets

such as PTSD and integrating back into society, but it also helps other organizations

and all that they have done for us as a country, I am always quick to do whatever I

that are helping our vets on alarger scale.

can to support them in whatever way

program and the designsyet to come,

possible. What the Forged By War program

Forged By War shows a lot of promise, that it

is doing speaks volumes to me about where

will be around for years to come and help

CRKT stands on the topic of veteran

countless lives. For more information about

support and I find that to be just another

the Forged By War program visit

With the three current models in the

great thing about CRKT as a company. More www.CRKT.com/forged-by-war. KI than just CRKT as a company, but each individual that I have spoken with about this program has spoken about it with a great deal of pride and enthusiasm, demonstrating that CRKT fosters a culture

CONTACT INFORMATION COLUMBI A RIVE R KNIF E & TOO L

www.CRKT.com 183 48 SW126thPlac e Tualatin, OR 97062 USA Phone:(503) 685-5015

® F.A.S.T.

FAST ACTION SOFT TOUCH FIXED BLADE

Solid one-piece tang with soft-touch Mo ssyOak® gr ip an d la nyar d ho le Black Oxidize d Stainle ss Steel Blade 10 1/2 " Ove ral l Length 5 3/4" Bl ad e Le ngth Heavy-duty Ballistic Sheath with Belt Loop Included

GET YOURS AT WWW.REMINGTONCUTLERY.COM

Keeping the

CUTTING EDGE A QUICK GUIDE TO SHARPENING STORY BY STAN WATSON, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, DMT, ACME UNITED CORPORATION PHOTOS BY DMT, ACME UNITED CORPORATION

D

uring my29 yearsat DM T, I’ve gaineda variety of knowledge and experien ce in theart of knife sha rpe nin g. I often hea r people say they’re afraid to sharpen their knives. Usually they’re worriedthey’ll either ruin theknif e or hur t the mse lves in theproc ess . While it is a very refinedskill , anyone can learn to sharpen a knife accurately,effici ently,and most importantly,safel y.Knowin g what sharpener to use,how to properly sharpen andwhen tosharp en your knives will notonlyhelp you buildyour skill s, but alsoimprov e the qualityof your cutlery.

Before You Begin Sha rpe nin g the blade is a cru cia l par t of kni fe mai nte nan ce. Always rem emb er, a sha rp kni fe is a safe kni fe. Usi ng a dul l kni fe req uir es far mor e force, inc reasin g the likelih oodyou’ ll sli p — hur tin g you rse lf or som eon e els e. That bei ng sai d, sha rpe nin g is an inh ere ntly dan ger ousactiv it y.Even the mos t season ed profes sio nal s canmake a ver y costly and pai nfu l mistake if they aren’t paying careful attention . Whenever sharpe ning knives or any oth er tool, fin d a qui et are a tha t all ows for gre at conce ntr at ion . Kni ves sho uldnever be shar pen ed if you are upset , distracted or ill.

Choosing a Sharpener Choosing the proper sharpener is a critical piece of theproc ess . Thereis no sho rt age of sha rpe ners on themark et , each with its own unique features. Popular types include water stones, bench grinders, oil stones, grinding wheels, Arkansas stones and diamond sharpeners. While each tool has itsown mer it s, I have a st rong preference for diamondsharpener s, like those from DMT. Whi le oth er st one s req uire mes sy oil s or pet roleum , dia mon d st one s req uire no lub ricant asi de from a fewdrop s of water. The se tools are longlasti ng and offer the cleanes t, mos t consi st ent sha rpe n on the mar ket. I consi der a dia mon d sha rpe ner’ s gre atest asset to be itseffic ien cy. What may take 30- 40 strokes on a convent ion al whe tst one takes only 5-7 str okes on a DMTdiamo nd ben ch stone. 78

KNIVES ILLUSTRA

TED • NOVEMBER

2016

N O G A N A W S A U H S JO Y B O T O H P


“WHILE IT IS A VERY REFINED SKILL, ANYONE CAN LEARN TO SHARPEN A KNIFE ACCURATELY, EFFICIENTLY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SAFELY.”


NOVEMBER

2016


79

It’s also important to consider the type of knife you are sharpening when picking out the proper tool. If you are looking to sharpen a serrated or concave blade, a curved sharpener that can address each individual serration is ideal. Conversely, if you are sharpening a straight edge or convex blade, a flat sharpener would be best. The final and most important thing to consider when choosing a diamond sharpener is grit. The grit of a sharpening stone indicates how coarse or fine the

Diamond sharpeners are durable and provide an extremely clean, consistent sharpen on knives and other tools. GRIT: The structure of theston e that adaptsit

GLOSSARY

tosharp ening andgrind ing a blade’scutti ng edge CONCAVE: Curving inward(lik e theinsi de of a bowl) CONVEX: Curving outward (like theouts ideof a bowl) BEVEL: The slantof

stone is. The finer the stone’s grit, the smoother the blade cuts. When deciding the proper grit, think about how the knife is used. Is it an everyday carry (EDC) or pocket knife you use to cut rope or cardboard? If so, use a sharpener with a coarse grit that produces a rougher finish. If you are looking to sharpen kitchen cutlery you use to slice meats or fish, a much finer grit would be the right choice.

Sharpening a Knife People often ask about the proper angle to use when sharpening a knife. While using the correct angle is undoubtedly important, maintaining a consistent angle is the key to success. Constantly adjusting and shifting

“WHENEVERSHARPENING KNIVESORANYOTHER TOOL,FINDAQUIETAREA THATALLOWSFORGREAT CONCENTRATION.KNIVES SHOULDNEVERBE SHARPENEDIFYOUARE UPSET,DISTRACTED ORILL.”

the knife between strokes, even if it’s only a few degrees, makes it difficult to produce a good, straight edge. Slowly adjusting the blade to the proper position is an easy exercise to help maintain a consistent angle. First, place the blade at a 90-degree angle with the stone. Next, adjust the knife to a 45-degree angle and then a 22.5-degree angle. Take note of the position and stroke the blade into the cutting edge across the stone multiple times. Continue to begin the stroke at a 90degree angle and adjust every time you switch sides. Using a magic marker can also help you visualize the proper sharpening angle. BENEFITS OF DMT DIAMOND SHARPENERS: P P

Using a diamond steel on your kitchen cutlery at least once a week helps keep blades in perfect working order between monthly sharpenings.

80


P

P

NOVEMBER

2016

Clean, consistent sharpen Far less time-consuming Doesn’t require messy applicants, like oil Extreme durability


 A sharp knife is a safe knife. ALWAYS  Practice makes perfect. REMEMBER  Always match the stone’s grit to the knife’s job.

DMT diamond sharpeners come in a variety of shapes and sizes. It is important to choose the proper sharpener for the task at hand.

Simply draw a line along the bevel edge of the blade and take one stroke across the diamond whetstone. If the marker is

only helps maintain a knife’s quality,

removed, you matched the bevel angle. If

but also makes the process less time-

not, adjust the angle and continue the

consuming. It is far easier and much

exercise.

more efficient to sharpen sharp knives

Be sure to maintain even pressure and

as compared to dull ones. After

long, consistent motions when running the

initially sharpening your cutlery,

blade along the stone. Flailing and flipping

consistently doing so keeps them

the knife like you often see on TV only

performing at a high level. Kitchen

creates an improperly sharpened and

knives should be thoroughly

shaped blade. A well-maintained knife

sharpened every few months and the

generally requires five to seven strokes per

blade touched up with a diamond

side on a diamond stone, while a dull knife

steel once a week or more. A utility or

may take between10 and 14 per side.

EDC knife should be sharpened at

It is important to remember that practice

least once a month.

makes perfect in knife sharpening. Sharpeningis like any other skill; it requires

Knife sharpening is an art and an invaluable skill. While it may take serious

both practice and patience in order to create muscle memory. I often recommend that

concentration and precision, it is very

those who are new tosharpening or are

perseverance, anyone can become a

using a DMT stone for the first time purchase

seasoned sharpener. With a safe

an inexpensive set of knives to practice with.

environment as well as the proper tools

This prevents any novice slipups that could

and technique, you’ll be sharpening blades

damage a more costly cutlery set.

like a pro in notim e.


rewarding. Through patience, practice and

KI

AD INDEX

A d ve r t i s e r

Sharpening Schedules Creating a sharpening routine not

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on the

EDGE Rising Talent

Navarrete Knives Materi al Prefer ence Josh prefers to work with 1095, O1, CPM 3V, S35V and Damascus. For his handle scales he likes to work with exotic woods such as Amboyna Burl, African Ebony, Snakewood and Mexican Cocobolo, but he has recently started making his own Micarta, and it is quickly becoming his favorite.

4

5

Creat ive Proces s When getting ready to start working on a design, Josh likes to sit in his shop and play with a few of his knives for a while and think about the design. He then begins sketching, focusing on the customer’s needs.

6 busy mind and creative drive can drive some people crazy, but for others, like Josh Navarrete of Salem, Oregon, it can drive them into a new passion.

A

Having made his first knife, after

and get that under control. However, he is still battling his tendency to overthink things.

2

Finding Fulfillment

Personal Favorites When asked what his favorite designs to work on are, he said thathe likes making drop point with a high flat/saber, straight clip point and straight point with a Scandi/saber or Scandi/convex hybrid grind.

Josh finds great joy in the knife

watching a do-it-yourself video back in

community as a whole and finds that it is

2014, Josh says “it was the ugliest thing

one of the strongest communities he has

you have ever seen,” but when he looked

7

ever belonged to. The relationship

production model of one of his knives and

at it, he saw the most beautiful thing in

between knifemakers has become a

will have it available soon. He is also

the world. This began his walk down the

brotherhood and his relationship with his

hoping to get into forging someday and

path of a new calling.

customers is more than a business

plans to use that process to make neck

transaction and has resulted in some great friendships.

knives.

1

The Challenges As with many knifemakers, Josh has

struggled with time management. But lately he has been working to prioritize

3

Finding Inspiration Doing mostly custom work, he works

directly with his customers to help bring Website:www.NavarreteKnives.com Facebook:www.Facebook.com/NavarreteKnives

8 2 KNIVES ILLUSTR ATED • November 2016

their vision to reality. He finds his greatest inspiration during this process.

Loo kin g to the Fu tur e Josh is currently working on a

8

Ordering Josh considers his customer requests to be his bread and butter and his favorite work to do. For that reason, when ordering a Navarrete Knife, the wait time is approximately 16 weeks. KI


E V E R Y T H I N G

A N D

A N Y T H I N G

R U G E R

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knife line includes designs for everyday carry, hunting, tactical uses and

self-preparedness. Designed and built by CRKT

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master knife-smiths who combined their knowledge of the art with aesthetic details from Ruger firearms, the line is comprised of unique knives with the important features that every good knife should have. These knives are purpose built to be durable and highly functional in the environments where Ruger customers will expect them to perform.

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Knives Illustrated - November 2016

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