Indholdsfortegnelse for May/June 2019 i Knives Illustrated

“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…

Whether you call it “reverse” grip, “icepick” grip, “earth” grip or something else, grasping a knife with the blade extending from the little-finger side of the hand is nothing new. It is also not a panacea; and, as with any other choice you make in self-defense tactics, it has both advantages and disadvantages. For the purposes of this article, let’s keep things simple and consider the reverse grip in its “edge-out” configuration—with the cutting edge of a single-edged knife facing away from the person wielding it. We’ll save “reverse-edge” or “edge-in” tactics for another time. Reach The most obvious difference between reverse grip and standard grip is the effective range—especially when it comes to delivering the power necessary to cut or puncture a target with fight-stopping effect. Although practiced body…

Categorizing Mickey Yurco as a “knife maker” is a bit like describing Leonardo da Vinci as a “painter.” Yes, it’s an accurate statement, but it falls way short. Although Mickey is fully capable of creating stunningly beautiful art knives, his best work combines his skills as a craftsman, his knowledge as a martial artist and his in-depth understanding of real violence. A perfect example of this powerful synergy is his Tene mini ginunting. I recently had a chance to try it for myself. Design Origins The genesis of the Tene design was actually an aluminum training version of a Filipino ginunting sword I designed for the 2016 Martial Blade Camp training event. Yurco successfully tested there for the associate instructor ranking in my system of martial blade concepts (MBC). Although…

Get ready for the next level of ESEE knives. Fresh off its successful lineup of Camp-Lore designs, ESEE Knives adds another great design from outdoors professor James Gibson. After his first design with ESEE Knives, the JG3, Gibson then designed the Pinch, which is a small survival-tin-sized knife, as well as the JG5 fixed-blade knife. ESEE Knives has found great success with its Camp-Lore line—designed by a few of the designers and instructors in the company’s cadre—with the RB3, JG3, CR2.5, PR4 and JG5. The time has come for the next evolution: the long-awaited ESEE Gibson Carving Axe, based on James Gibson’s own personal custom version. " ... THIS IS NOT A ONE-TOOL-DOES-ALL; IT’S A SPECIALTY TOOL FOR THE CRAFTS THAT KEEP A CAMP THRIVING AND COMFORTABLE." The Gibson Carving…

It’s hard to talk about bushcraft without talking about Mors Kochanski. He was the one who popularized the term, “bushcraft,” and he coined the saying, "The more you know, the less you carry.” This basically means that if you learn the skills to survive and thrive in the outdoors, you won’t need to bring as many things with you. Nevertheless, one thing that even Mors agreed you should carry is a good knife ... and he had certain thoughts on what made the best bushcraft knife. Ben Piersma of Ben’s Bushcraft and Jason Gustafson of Lester River Bushcraft were both students of Mors, so when they sat down to design a knife for outdoors use, they were directly influenced by their work with Mors, along with the knife he described…

There’s just something alluring about clean, sweeping lines and exquisite materials. When I stumbled onto Hammer Down Forge, I found myself asking how I had missed this company for so long! It was immediately evident to me that the knives being produced by Kieran Klein were right up my alley. With aesthetics paralleled only by stunning profiles, finishes and materials, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to delve a little deeper into Hammer Down Forge. So, it just seemed like the right thing to do to introduce you to Kieran and his craft. 01 A Simple Start Having an interest in blacksmithing, Kieran was presented with the opportunity to purchase a home with a shop large enough to house his interests. While he was learning blacksmithing, a friend of…

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,…

High-quality knives don’t have to break the bank. Steel Will began as an offshoot of Sport Manufacturing Group in 2012. The intention was to create a line of tactical knives that would stand up to real-world use. Over the years, it has earned a solid reputation for great quality and excellent workmanship. Steel Will’s knives are designed in the United States but are largely manufactured overseas in Italy or China. One area in which Steel Will consistently excels is the budget- priced knife, notably in the sub-$75 range. While the company does have a few high-end models—both fixed-blades and folders that retail well north of $200—many of its offerings are easy on the wallet without sacrificing quality. And a number of its budget knives are of much higher quality than…

Mickey Yurco is a true craftsman. While many knife makers are only skilled at making knives—and perhaps sheaths to accompany them—Yurco’s talents go far beyond that. He also specializes in making hand-turned custom pens (many of which are crafted from rare or historically significant woods and other materials), rings and other jewelry made from antique coins ... and even handmade yo-yos. In addition to his outstanding custom knives—several of which have been adapted to production models by Boker—Yurco’s consummate craftsmanship and “evil genius” mindset have also spawned a vast array of other tactical gadgets and self-defense items. On the subtle side, he makes jewelry-quality titanium pendants that are also potent striking and pressure-point tools, as well as a stainless steel “bubble blower” that includes elements of a yawara stick/kubotan and…

Without a doubt, there are some really great blades being made today. Shows such as Forged in Fire and Knife or Death are two prime examples of the increased interest in knives and knife-making. It is this increased interest that pushes knife smiths to up their game. Many of the articles being written today focus on the new blades that are coming out—and rightfully so—but there are some blades that will forever hold a special place in our hearts. These are knives that might (or might not) have a dollar value attached to them. Some are knives whose entire value is only known to the owner ... that sentimental value. 01 The First We all remember our first knife. It is like your first girlfriend (or boyfriend). In my…

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.…

A gentleman is always prepared. Have you ever gotten dressed for a formal event, only to find that your regular knife is just too heavy for your dress slacks? Or the clip is big and gawdy and distracts from the clean lines of your suit pants? "THE ZIEBA MS3 IS A BEAUTIFUL AND ELEGANT DRESS FOLDER WHOSE PLEASING AESTHETICS ARE RIVALED ONLY BY ITS EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE." Me too. But I cannot see myself going without a knife, regardless of the occasion or how nicely I need to dress. Pocket knives are an option, but I have grown accustomed to a clip knife that is easily accessible. I guess I am just a creature of habit and a little set in my ways. For that reason, I am always keeping my…

A good knife is simple and simply does what it is meant to do. I first met Ed Kim roughly five or six years ago as I stood outside the Holiday Club, a popular inner-city drinking hole on the north side of Chicago. He was bouncing at the time, and we were standing at the door trading bouncer stories when I learned he was friends with one of my closest cousins, Danny. I put two and two together and let him know that Danny had mentioned his knife-making buddy who was an ex-military contractor, a martial artist and a doorman. We joked about how Chicago was such a “small” big city. That's when Ed pulled out a prototype—a solid flipper that was kind of crude in build but a really…

A knife is always a great tool to have in any survival situation, but it is only as good as the capable hands it finds itself in. The other aspect of survival that needs to be as sharp as your knife’s edge is your will to survive. What Is Survival? When you think of a survival situation, I bet the first thought that crosses your mind (and most of the world’s for that matter) is that survival is mostly a physical endurance event. In my opinion, it is quite the opposite: Survival is actually more 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical. I’m not saying that one’s physical capacity doesn’t come into play in a survival situation, because fitness level, physiological makeup and overall health do…