Knives Illustrated July - August 2017

“IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE DEFINITION OF AN EDC KNIFE SHOULD BE DETERMINED BY SIMPLE DEMOGRAPHICS AND/OR OCCUPATION.” We often look to the definitions others place on a given subject to determine what we feel is acceptable practice. It’s human nature. It seems that no matter how much we try to be individuals, we still find ourselves falling into a category. The same goes for knives. There are tactical knives, bush-craft knives, EDC knives, and so on. However, what really makes a knife an EDC knife? It seems as though the definition of an EDC knife should be determined by simple demographics and/or occupation. If you were to go to a deeply rural and wooded town, you would probably find a lot of people carrying bushcraft- or hunting-style knives on…

Beginning in August, it will be legal for Colorado residents to carry automatic and gravity knives for the first time in many years. In March, Knife Rights reported that Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed the bill repealing the state’s absolute switchblade and gravity knife ban. Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter credits sponsors Republican Senator Owen Hill and Democratic Representative Steve Lebsock for their effective leadership in moving this bipartisan bill thorough the legislature with overwhelming votes in both houses. Of course, the on-the-ground lobbying by Knife Rights’ very effective Director of Legislative Affairs, Todd Rathner, also deserves its share of credit. Something noteworthy about Knife Rights’ legislative efforts is how they almost always gain bipartisan support and backing from organizations that may surprise you. In this case, the bill was…

Our second installment of Outside the Wire features retired Army Delta Force Operator and former Army Ranger Tom F., who served 20 years of active duty, mostly with SOF units. I. Active Duty QUESTION 1: WHAT KNIFE DID YOU CARRY ON ACTIVE DUTY AND WHY? When I first enlisted, I wasn’t much of a knife guy until someone gave me a Buck Knives Crosslock as a gift from the manufacturing family. I was like, “I’ll try it.” When it came to tasks that required a serrated and sharp blade, the Crosslock, which was always in my kit, worked perfectly. The Crosslock’s serrated edge, especially in Iraq, wound up cutting things open—from items like bags to burlap. Other tools didn’t meet the same capacity as my Crosslock because the serrated edge…

01. 5.11 TACTICAL IGNITOR BACKPACK Able to adapt to any situation—5.11 maintains that reputation with its Ignitor Backpack. The Ignitor Backpack is constructed of an 840D nylon bottom and rugged 300D ripstop polyester to overcome any obstacle and terrain. Deep in the field is not the time to find out that your gear is not up to the demands of your trip and the solid construction combined with the durable materials of the 5.11 Ignitor Backpack are a good way to ensure that you and your gear make it back home after a rugged trip. SPECS: Dimensions: 21 inches (h) x 11 inches (l) x 9.5 inches (w) Capacity: 1,617 cubic inches and 26.5 liters Materials: 300D ripstop polyester/840D nylon base MSRP: $175 511Tactical.com 02. TOPS APACHE DAWN ROCKIES EDITION…

Knives play an important role in any survival situation. The type of knife to put by your side depends on what your survival style is, what you believe you will need to meet that intent and what you are most comfortable using. As you know, there are many options out there, and the primary uses vary. As a retired Army combat vet of 25 years and a survivalist, I have grasped many different types of knives, blades, axes and tomahawks over the years, and I possess a huge collection of them. I also happen to be a multiple-tool-for-the-job kind of guy, and I always want backup options. Usually. My thinking on this changed drastically after being thrust into an extreme 21-day survival challenge in which I could only select one…

“… AT LEAST I GET TO TELL THE STORY OF THIS AMAZING KNIFE AND THE WORK RANDY IS DOING FOR OUR VETERANS—EASING THEIR PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS THROUGH HIS XTREME COUTURE G.I. FOUNDATION. ” Ten minutes. A lot can happen in 10 minutes. You can organize your sock drawer, read a good article, cook a pack of ramen noodles, or miss out on a chance to meet UFC Hall of Fame member Randy “The Natural” Couture. I have to admit, that l st one stung a bit. During my rounds at the 2017 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, I headed over to the Emerson Knives booth to take a look at their new products. I was shown the Freedom Defender Flipper CQC-7, done in collaboration with Randy Couture and…