Indholdsfortegnelse for May/June 2022 i Knives Illustrated

Several years ago, my wife and I were in a department store. I needed a new suit—not something I wear very often. I tried one on and as I stood in front of the mirror to check the fit, my wife snickered. “Make sure you like it,” she said. “You’ll probably have it a long time. I’ll probably have you buried in it.” She thought it was funny, but I failed to see the humor in her envisioning my demise. I could have vowed right there to outlive her just so I could have the last laugh and make sure she spent eternity wearing an outfit that she always thought made her butt look fat. Instead, I started thinking about all the things I would leave behind eventually. Many of…

Flexcut knives are handmade in Erie, Pennsylvania. While the company might not be a household name with many knife enthusiasts, that might change if the company keeps producing affordable blades of the same quality as the Seeker and Nomad. The company was founded in 1986 as Falls Run Woodcarving with a custom carving shop and woodcarving school. In 1992, the company began to manufacture knives and other tools. These days, Flexcut Tools makes more than 300 products, many of which are tailored toward the woodcarving community.…

No edged tool is perfect. The machete is no exception, but it definitely has more advantages than disadvantages. For those living in urban settings, let’s tackle the first supposed con right off the bat. Home Defense Hero: You might scoff and say, “Machete for home defense? Ha! That’s what my gun is for.” True. It’s hard to beat a firearm when it comes to sheer speed and stopping power. But a bullet could easily pierce thin drywall and enter an adjoining room where your loved ones are. And if you live in an apartment, the projectile could even go through several dwellings, putting your neighbors at risk, too. You don’t have that problem with a machete. Close-Quarters Combat: Others might ask, “But I do live in an apartment—how am I…

The first run of the Mark II back in 1967 had a blade that was canted at about a 5-degree angle from the handle This was a design feature that served multiple purposes. First, it was to keep the handle bent slightly away from the body when in a belt sheath, both for comfort as well as making the knife easier to deploy quickly. Second, when the knife was in the hand, the blade would be angled upward, something similar to a fencing foil. However, Gerber received many complaints from customers who bought the knife and then wanted to return it because they thought the blade was bent and thus defective. So, they discontinued the canted design and moved forward with just keeping the blades straight.…

If you’re a regular reader of Knives Illustrated, there’s a good chance you’re already familiar with Bill Harsey and his work. Even if you aren’t sure, you’ve probably run into his work without knowing it. Bill started making knives in 1980 after being inspired by Bob Loveless. Not long after, he met and became friends with Al Mar and did custom and prototyping work for him. Mar was a Vietnam Vet and a Green Beret and, in turn, introduced Bill to Col. Rex Applegate. I didn’t realize until doing some research for this article that Bill worked on the Applegate-Fairbairn dagger and ground blades for him and prototyped other designs. The two of them introduced Bill to the Special Operations community and he’s worked closely with those folks ever since.…

The weather was getting cooler by the day. The leaves were changing as if I were walking into an autumn painting. Because the temperatures weren’t too low, I opted for a small campfire, but first had to hang my tarp before starting the much-needed work that lay ahead—with a bit of help, of course. SOL The acronym SOL stands for Survive Outdoors Longer. When it comes to purpose-driven equipment for adventures and survival, SOL gear is the first company that comes to mind. Known for its innovative survival kits, emergency shelters, fire kits, and signaling devices, the SOL brand is synonymous with pure adventure. Adventure Ready Brands owns and operates about 10 popular brands besides Survive Outdoors Longer, including Ben’s, Natrapel, and Adventure Medical Kits. Adaptability and change are two…

The story goes that noted Danish knife designers Jens Ansø and Jesper Voxnaes got together with American entrepreneur Jim Wirth one night back in 2015 during a knife show in the U.S. From those informal discussions around the table, GiantMouse Knives was born. Ansø and Voxnaes design every knife in the GiantMouse lineup. The two work closely with their production partner from development to prototype testing and all the way through to the finished product. Knives in the company’s GiantMouse line are produced in limited runs of 400 units. One hundred of those are special versions marked with the company’s Pirate Mouse logo. When the 400 knives are gone, the company discontinues the design. Those limited GiantMouse knives become highly sought collector’s items as soon as they’re announced. For those…

You can see in the photos, and will notice immediately in hand, that the EOD and TBL folders have very square scales. Les breaks the sharp edge, but that’s about it. It’s a departure from what we’re used to seeing these days, but there’s a very good reason for it. A square profile is much less likely to turn in your hand. Les Adam’s came to this conclusion through all his years working in law enforcement and on the Miami-Dade County Explosive Ordinance Disposal team. It’s also something that his customers on other EOD teams and numerous Federal law enforcement tactical units have requested. One of the things to keep in mind is that folks in these fields operate wearing Nomex gloves most of the time so they need something…

While there are a ton of poorly made machetes on the market, there are also plenty of good ones. There’s no way to cram them all into these pages. But here are three of my favorites: CRKT Clever Girl Kukri: This sexy blade updates the iconic Nepalese kukri by lessening the curve and slightly shrinking both the weight (14 ounces) and overall length (13.25 inches), but without limiting chopping or piercing power. The Japanese SK5 carbon steel blade holds up to serious abuse while the G10 scales provide a virtual non-slip grip. Plus, it comes with a stellar glass-reinforced nylon sheath that can be attached to a belt or drop-leg rig. This is an ideal choice if you’re looking for a short machete. Just keep in mind that it does…

John Sabol has put together an outstanding resource on the Gerber Mark II knife. Online since 2008, this site contains hundreds of photos of these knives, documenting the myriad variations produced over the years. Countless hours were spent compiling information from a wide range of sources to provide a one-stop-shop for information. The site is easy to navigate and loaded with details. From the jungles of Vietnam to the belts and boots of countless civilians across the country, these knives have seen plenty of carry time. Every knife has a purpose, and while a double-edged dagger’s raison d’etre isn’t exactly bushcraft or food prep, there’s no denying the impact the Gerber Mark 1 and Mark II have had on the knife industry over the years. ( Author’s note: Special thanks…

“THE FIRST THREE WORDS THAT CAME TO MIND WHEN I PICKED UP THE ALTAIR FX WERE COMPACT, SLIM, AND USEFUL.” OK, confession time. I’ve never owned a SOG knife before now. Being someone who has collected knives for many years, that might be difficult to believe or understand, but it’s the truth. No real reason for it. It wasn’t like I was actively avoiding them. Now that I’ve spent some time with these three models, I’ll definitely be picking up a few more. SOG has proven to me that the company knows what it’s doing when it comes to knife design and manufacturing. Not that I needed much convincing, given its longstanding reputation in the industry. These models, the Altair FX, Aegis FX, and Recondo FX, debuted this spring. All…

The headquarters of Adventure Ready Brands is located in the heart of the White Mountains in Littleton, New Hampshire. The company was founded in 1973, incorporated in 1977, and manufactures a full line of well-known insect repellents such as Ben’s and Natrapel, and the world-famous insect bite treatment, After Bite. In addition, the company offers first-aid items such as Adventure Medical Kits and Easy Care First Aid kits along with survival products from Survive Outdoors Longer (SOL) and burn remedy products such as AfterBurn. Many products are packaged in innovative ways that allow them to be convenient to use and environmentally friendly.…

The Bravo Machete from Bark River Knives is what we might call a hybrid style. When I asked Mike Stewart about the design, he said, “I think it is not 100% typical of Central and South American Machetes. By having the blade get wider and the cutting edge go deeper, you are increasing the angle of attack without having to drop the handle out of the center line of the blade. I definitely used some Filipino/Indonesian influence. The cutting curve with the weight forward gives it the velocity needed to be more like a heavier knife without being heavy at all.” Putting that blade design on the company’s classic Bravo handle resulted in a wildly popular machete that’s well-suited for most environments.…

If you’re reading this magazine, there’s no doubt you love knives of all types. But I’m willing to bet there’s one valuable edged tool you’re neglecting despite the fact that it’s as strong as an ox, as deadly as a lightsaber, and almost as versatile as a Leatherman. And that tool is the good ol’ machete. Nope. This is not an Indiana Jones joke or a commercial for another Danny Trejo movie. The humble machete might be viewed by some as fit only for farmers, bushcrafters, and Hollywood antiheroes. But almost anyone can benefit from this big blade because it’s basically an axe, a shovel, a short sword, and a big survival knife all rolled into one. And there’s a good chance you have one of these hidden gems lying…

It was right after Christmas, 1983. I was a newly minted teenager, and for some reason lost to the mists of time, I’d gone with my mother to the Mayfair Mall. We didn’t go there often, as it was the mall that was farthest from home, but whenever we did, I made sure to stop in and check out the wares at Cutlery World. It was fairly small as far as mall stores went, but it had all sorts of sharp and pokey goodies. On this particular trip, I found a boot knife called the Mark 1. It was double-edged, quite sharp, and I was hopelessly smitten with it. If memory serves, sticker price was around $50 or so. For perspective, that’s about $140 today. To this day, I don’t…