Knives Illustrated September/October 2018

“WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS AND THE RIGHT KNOWHOW, YOU CAN PACK FAR LESS STUFF IN AND GET FAR MORE OUT OF YOUR TRIP.” Look to the outdoors for inner peace; this has been a philosophy that has always worked for me. Growing up in Colorado, I had the distinct pleasure of backpacking the Rocky Mountains for a good portion of my life. During that time, I gained a true understanding of the emotional and spiritual effects that getting out into creation can have on a person. Although I am a multifaceted person, with many diverse interests and hobbies, the one constant in my life has always been getting out into the wild and enjoying the abundance of nature. From the Colorado Rockies and the beautiful Northwoods of Michigan to the…

Recently, London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted, “No excuses: there is never a reason to carry a knife.” It certainly made headlines. We asked Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter if the Mayor’s tweet and subsequent pronouncements have impacted his efforts over here in the U.S. “It’s been good for Knife Rights,” Ritter said. “When I recently spent a week in D.C. lobbying for passage of our Knife Owners’ Protection Act, including repeal of the Federal Switchblade Act, the news from Britain was one of the first subjects brought up in meetings and the Mayor’s tweet was universally panned. It was a great way to start off a meeting on our bill.” Ritter also said that queuing off that news, a lot of folks searching about knife laws here have also discovered…

The Knife Rights’ Ultimate Steel Knives, Guns & More Spectacular is coming to an end shortly. We encourage you to support the organization that is getting it done for knife owners, literally rewriting knife law in America. There are more than $150,000 worth of truly extraordinary prizes in the Main Drawing and a separate Tail End Bonus Drawing for those who donate at this time, with thousands of dollars in prizes as well. Being winner’s choice drawings, you get to choose your prize from all that remain when drawn, so you can win what you want. Support Knife Rights and you support freedom for knife owners: UltimateSteel.org.…

01 Ben’s Backwoods/Lester River Bushcraft/L.T. Wright Knives LAGOM BUSH KNIFE A collaborative effort between Ben’s Backwoods, Lester River Bushcraft and L..T. Wright Knives, the Lagom (Swedish for “just right”) is a nice twist on the traditional puukko. The palm swells on the handle fill the hand nicely and provide for additional grip and comfort for extended use in the field. The blade profile and Scandi grind found on traditional puukkos provide for effortless carving, cutting and whittling tasks. The Lagom is also available in brown Micarta and comes in a well-made, dangler-style sheath. SPECS Blade Material: O1 tool steel Blade Length: 3.75 inches Overall Length: 8.25 inches Handle Material: G-10 Weight: 6.7 ounces Sheath: Leather dangler MSRP: $182.98 BensBackwoods.com 02 Zenbivy ZENBIVY The debate rages on: sleeping bag or quilt?…

Savage heat, untamed land and the unthinkable happens. I remember sitting on the edge of survival in the 115°F heat of Tanzania, on the very first filmed episode of “Naked and Afraid,” working away on a tree to make a wooden sandal for my partner, when disaster struck and my one chosen item—my survival knife—broke. I felt terror creep into me, knowing I was on a 21-day extreme survival challenge with 11 days to go, and my only tool was just severely damaged—it made for a seriously uneasy feeling. When I got back home, I decided that I needed to design a survival knife that would be extremely durable and meet all of the demands expected of a survival blade. But exactly what are those demands? What kinds of tasks…

The master has entered the forge. Although J. Neilson likes his solitude and the peace and quiet of his “shop in the woods,” he has made more than just a splash on the international stage. Being one of the select few to bear the title of Mastersmith with the ABS (American Bladesmith Society), J. has been turning heads with his refined style of knives—of which every detail of the knife-making process is done in-house—for some time. Add to that his keen eye judging the knife-making process of “Forged in Fire” on the History Channel, along with including some coaching during the process on this year’s season, and it is not difficult to see why he is a sought after Mastersmith. I got to speak with J. about his Mastersmith journey,…