Knives Illustrated December 2020

This is my second time around as a guest editor for an issue of Knives Illustrated. Both times I’ve learned a little more from the writers who have contributed their articles to share their views and their expertise. I’ve had a life-long passion for knives of all kinds, fixed and folders both large and small. I’ve had at least one knife in my pocket nearly every day since I was about 8 years old. When I was young, I never really considered them as weapons. They were tools that allowed me to repair or improvise anything I needed as I journeyed through my daily adventures. Rarely was there a day when I didn’t need a knife for one or more simple cutting tasks. As an adult, I never understood how…

1. Griffin Adventure Tool The Griffin Pocket Tool set the standard for small keychainsized pry tools. If you doubt that, take a look at all the places that have copied it and its features; imitation being the sincerest form of flattery and all that nonsense. Well Griffin isn’t one to sit on its laurels, and the company just released the new Griffin Adventure Tool. The Adventure Tool is a bit wider than the original tool and incorporates some new features. In addition to the bottle opener, flat head screwdriver, scoring tool, 1.4-inch bit driver, and 8-, 9-, and 10-mm hex wrench of the original Pocket Tool, you also get a new proprietary carabiner built in that lets you quickly fasten the tool to your keys, pack, or belt loop,…

“THE MAIN ROLE I SEE THE JENNY WREN FILLING IS THAT OF A GENERAL-PURPOSE CAMP AXE WHEN SPACE IS AN ISSUE.” I’m always a fan of collaborations between custom makers and knife factories. I see it as a win-win for all parties involved. For the consumer, you often get a chance to try a custom maker’s work either at a price you can more easily afford or without a long backlog waiting for custom work. The makers get a chance to spread the word about their work and get it into the hands of people who might not otherwise have a chance to own one of their custom pieces. The production companies get a feather in their cap by signing on a noted maker, which brings favorable attention to them.…

We treasure our individuality. To show it, we like to customize our gear too, especially things we carry every day. Benchmade has recently added its popular Bugout knife to its Custom Knife Builder. This area of the company’s website allows you to build your own Benchmade knife by choosing from a number of different options. For instance, you can choose from 17 different handle scale colors; two different handle materials (G10 and Grivory); a dozen hardware colors; and a choice of different blade steels, including the super-premium M4 steel. With these options, Benchmade calculates there are 414,720 different combinations that could be created. The Benchmade Bugout was originally designed for backpacking, with its slim, lightweight design. Over the past three years, knives in the Bugout family have become an everyday…

As long as I can recall, TOPS Knives has always been associated with big, heavy duty-sized knives, tactical in the early years and more, well-rounded, outdoorsy in the last decade. Leo Espinoza and Craig Powell have transformed TOPS Knives to reach the masses. No longer are they just for the tactical crowd. Two small cutters in particular—the Little Bugger and the Mini Tanimboca Puukko—are paving the way for a new era of TOPS Knives. LITTLE BUGGER The Little Bugger was designed by primitive survival skills guru Matt Graham to have a sharp, full-tang fixed blade that can be carried when everything else is left behind. For a knife that weighs in at 2.4 ounces alone, 3.7 ounces with a super-light, multi-purpose sheath, why wouldn’t it be taken everywhere? The thin,…

LITTLE BUGGER Overall Length: 5.75" Blade Length: 2.38" Cutting Edge: 2.38" Thickness: 0.090" Blade Steel: 1095 Carbon Steel RC 56-58 Blade Finish: Tumble finish Handle Material: Tan canvas Micarta Sheath: Kydex/injection-molded nylon Weight: 3.7 oz. (w/Sheath); 2.4 oz. (knife only) Designer: Matt Graham MSRP: $120 MINI TANIMBOCA PUUKKO Overall Length: 4.00" Blade Length: 1.63" Cutting Edge: 1.63" Blade Thickness: 0.090" Blade Steel: 1095 RC 56-58 Blade Finish: Tumble finish Handle Material: Black canvas Micarta Sheath: Brown leather Weight: 2.6 oz. (w/Sheath); 1.4 oz. (knife only) Designer: Goran Mihajlovic MSRP: $90…