Knives Illustrated May/June 2019

“WHATEVER YOUR BUDGET, THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO EVER AGAIN HAVE TO WALK AROUND WITH DROOPY POCKETS IN YOUR DRESS SLACKS.” WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE A FORMAL OCCASION BUT YOU DON’T WANT TO LEAVE HOME WITHOUT YOUR KNIFE? I am the kind of person who always has at least one knife on my person at all times—but the reality is that it is more like two or three ... maybe four. But the problem comes with the fact that I typically carry knives that are ready for actual use, not so much anything in the fancy variety. Unfortunately, this sometimes makes it difficult when dressing for church, a business meeting or a nice evening out with my wife. Truth be told, I’m really not one for dressing…

01 MPOWERD Luci Solar String Lights Whether you are backpacking, car camping or staying in a camper, having light around camp in the evening always helps add a touch of comfort and illuminate whatever project you undertake. The Luci Solar String Lights provide 20 LED lights on an 18-foot stretch of cord, allowing you to light up a fairly sizeable area. Although its 5-inch-diameter packed size is designed more for car camping, it is still small enough to fit in a backpack if you want to be able to light up your tent or camp during your stay. SPECS 20 warm white LEDs in 10 nodes 4 Light Modes: base-unit LED on String LEDs on low (15 lumens) Medium (50 lumens) High (100 lumens) Lasts up to 20 hours…

While I was attending SHOT Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, I had an opportunity to speak with Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter. I caught him as he was on the run between meetings, which were aimed at shoring up support for his continuing efforts to create what he refers to as "a sharper future for all Americans." And, there's no arguing that he's accomplishing exactly that for all of us. Doug noted, "This is our 13th year since our founding, and we are entering our 10th year of passing legislation, repealing knife bans in the states. When you consider that the majority of folks in the industry told me we were tilting at windmills and that we'd never get a single ban repealed, I think we're doing okay.…

Ultimately, Knife Rights’ efforts require funding. One of the tangible results of running around SHOT Show can be seen in the extraordinary prizes that are available in Knife Rights' 2019 Ultimate Steel Spectacular. We encourage you to support Knife Rights with a donation to the Ultimate Steel, via which you could win knives, guns and more with a total value in excess of $200,000. As Doug explained, "When you get right down to it, rewriting knife law in America would be impossible if we didn't have the support of both the extremely generous companies and knifemakers who donate prizes and the generous supporters who make donations and get a chance to win those incredible prizes."…

It’s no exaggeration that Matt Wright is Naked and Afraid’s alpha hunter. Time and time again, Matt, needing sustenance to keep his body and mind performing at top capacity, could be seen carrying a large, wild game animal over his shoulder or a string of fish secured within his hand. Every catch gave him the energy to continue on—whether grouped with his fellow survivors or running solo—while in the wilds of a foreign land. "'A FIXED-BLADE IS ALWAYS WHERE MY HEART LIES. IT CAN BE USED IN A GREATER RANGE OF SITUATIONS.'" In addition to being self-sufficient in the outdoors, Matt is also a custom knife maker. He uses his experiences in real-life scenarios to help him perfect the knives he creates and maximize their multiple uses in the outdoors,…

For Matt Wright, the path to his present-day lifestyle has been varied and full of unexpected twists and turns. Yet, it eventually brought him to where he was destined to be. At a very early age, Matt loved the outdoors and all aspects of nature. While other children played with toys, he was exploring the natural world. As a result, his amazement and passion for it grew exponentially. However, as Matt got older and the carefree life of a child disappeared, he took many opportunities not directly related to his zeal for the great outdoors. From being a baseball player in college to installing bank vaults to working on cruise ships, Matt tackled many odd professions ... until the military called out to him. In an effort to better serve…