Indholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2022 i Knives Illustrated

For many of us, that ubiquitous folder with the brass bolsters and woodgrain scales was our first real knife. Simple, understated, but a definite workhorse. It can do everything from cutting fruit for your lunch to field dressing a deer. Even non-knife people know what you mean when you call it a “Buck knife.” The Buck 110 isn’t just one of the most common folding knives in the world. It is also one of the most copied. Any flea market or pawn shop is all but guaranteed to be swimming in clones, many of them stamped Pakistan and all of them of dubious quality. But even the most casual once over will tell you whether you’re holding a real Buck knife in your hand. HISTORY OF THE 110 Buck Knives…

While it’s certain that many of the diehard here among us hike and camp all year long, the summer months remain the most popular for heading to the woods. Of course, you wouldn’t think of embarking on any outdoor adventure without taking a favorite knife or two with you. In this special section, we offer a selection of blades to consider as well as tips on how to use them. “YOU WOULDN’T THINK OF EMBARKING ON ANY OUTDOOR ADVENTURE WITHOUT TAKING A FAVORITE KNIFE OR TWO WITH YOU.”…

There are many good knives out there, and I pick my favorites from among those that best suit my particular tastes. But I know too that some knives simply are better for certain uses than others. When it comes to an all-around fixed blade for camping, hiking, and general woods wandering, the White River Firecraft FC 3.5 Pro is one that I’m becoming increasingly fond of as I work with it more and more. “IT HAS GREAT HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS, THE IDEAL CARRY SIZE, AND WELL-DESIGNED FEATURES.” THE RIGHT DIMENSIONS Jason Tietz designed this model, the smallest in the White River Knives Firecraft series. It measures 7.75 inches overall with a 3.5-inch blade of S35VN steel that’s 0.13 inch thick. It weighs 3.8 ounces; it was a bit lighter than that…

If you’ve been reading the Gear Up column over the past few issues, you already saw a preview of the Scalpel +. I’ve gotten one in hand since that time and have been able to work with it for a while now and see what it can do firsthand. The Scalpel+ is made from one piece of AEB-L stainless steel with a Rockwell of 60-61. I’ve used that steel on other knives and have been pleased with it. It takes and holds a good edge but is still easy enough to sharpen. The whole knife is just 5 inches long, with 1.65 inches of that being the blade. It’s finished with a matte acid stonewash. The handle has a recessed center with a large oval lanyard hole at the base.…

It always amazes me how many people love knives, carry knives, and use knives but are completely baffled when it comes to keeping them sharp. As a reader of this magazine, one who tends to be a bit more serious about edged tools, this probably doesn’t apply to you. Still, if you’re like me, you’re always interested in easy, fast, and effective ways to maintain the edges on your knives. There are many sharpeners and sharpening systems on the market. Recently, I had a chance to work with a couple of good ones from Work Sharp Tools, namely the Precision Adjust Sharpener and the Knife & Tool Sharpener Mk.2. KEEP THEM SHARP Naturally, the easiest way to keep your knives and other tools in top shape is to make sure…

1. Honey Badger Knives Honey Badger knives initially came in only 8Cr13Mov stainless steel, in line with founder Marc Ager’s vision of making an affordable knife for everyone. Due to user demand though, the company also makes D2 versions now as well. All the Honey Badgers follow the basic design with a flipper operating on a ball-bearing pivot and a liner lock engagement system. They use nylon and glass fiber handles available in an array of colors and a honeycomb pattern that is attractive and provides a good grip on the knife. You can pick from Drop Point, Wharncleaver, Hook (guthook), Claw, Leaf, or Tanto, which just recently became available. Each model comes in three sizes—small with a 2.81-inch blade, medium with a 3.19-inch blade, or large with…

One day, in the fall of 2016, my beautiful bride said to me, “We should get outside more often.” As is usually the case, she wasn’t wrong. At the time, we were both working office jobs. Add to that having three kids in school, each with afterschool activities, house chores, and all the other various and sundry things that kept us on our toes, and we rarely spent much time soaking up sunshine. So, we decided to do something about it. Beginning in mid-November that year, we made a commitment to go on at least one hike per week. It was only planned to last a year, but we’ve been at it ever since, recently hitting 275 weeks in a row that we’ve gone on at least one hike. These…

What are some of the qualities that make the White River Firecraft FC 3.5 Pro a general-purpose outdoor tool suitable for backpacking, hunting, camping, hiking, and everyday carry? Easy to carry. It’s lightweight (3.8 ounces) and compact (7.75 inches overall), making it easy to take with you anywhere. The sheath allows you to attach the knife to a belt or pack in numerous ways. It will fit in most pockets (if it doesn’t, you chose the wrong pants) or can be worn around the neck. Survival worthy. Pair a good, sturdy knife with a way to make fire, and you have a good basis for a survival kit. This knife fills that role very well. Good hunting companion. While this knife is excellent for use when hiking and camping, don’t…

The Fallkniven R2 Scout would make a great knife for camping and general outdoor use. I only hope I can get over my reservations about its sheath so I can put this blade to good use. “I THINK IT WOULD MAKE A GOOD COMPANION ON BACKPACKING AND CAMPING TRIPS, AND FOR BUSHCRAFT DUTY WHEN TRAVELING WITH MINIMAL GEAR.” SMALL KNIFE ADVANTAGES I really like small, well-made fixed-blade knives. Because the blade doesn’t fold, they’re simple and strong with little that can go wrong with them. You can use them without fumbling with thumb studs or nail nicks. The blade can’t fold on your fingers, and they have no lock mechanism to get clogged with gunk or debris. They’re easy to clean after messy chores such as field-dressing game or food…

“…THESE INCIDENTS CAN LEAD TO ENTRAPMENT WHERE YOU NEED TO BREAK FREE FROM A BUILDING, VEHICLE, OR DEBRIS, OR WHERE YOU NEED TO BREAK IN TO RESCUE SOMEONE ELSE.” It seems like every day we see some part of the country being affected by wildfires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, or ice storms. That’s not even factoring in things such as civil unrest or something from left field such as the major bridge collapse that recently happened in my hometown of Pittsburgh. All these incidents can lead to entrapment where you need to break free from a building, vehicle, or debris, or where you need to break in to rescue someone else. In a perfect world, emergency service providers are on their way to assist in those jobs, but especially in a…

Leggenda is the Italian word for legend. While it takes time for a knife to become a legend, the Woox Leggenda has what it takes in the way of quality build, good looks, and flawless performance to be a very good knife. So, let’s just say it’s off to a good start in living up to its name. NOT MY FIRST WOOX I was looking forward to getting my hands on the Leggenda. Last year, I reviewed the Woox Forte Axe and was very impressed with that brute of a mid-sized axe in an age when more products in that arena tend to be built to be slim and lightweight rather than heavy duty, real-world performers. “WITH THE LEGGENDA, YOU HAVE A WORKING TOOL THAT COMES WITH A CERTAIN PRIDE…

While the 110 is the most well-known knife in the lineup, if we’re going to talk about Buck, we should also mention the 119. If you were to ask the average person to sketch out a fixed blade hunting knife, odds are that picture would look pretty close to the Buck 119 Special. Hoyt Buck produced his first knife in 1902 using an old file that he fashioned into a workable blade. Over the next four decades, he dialed in the design, tweaking it here and there. Then, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government requested donations of knives for troops heading to war. Hoyt began making knives in the basement of a church in 1942. The design was intended to be a do-it-all field knife, suitable for…

I don’t like to weigh myself down when I go hiking. But, I do always want to have at least a certain level of kit with me, just in case things go sideways. • Fire kit, which includes a BIC lighter, a ferrocerium rod and striker, and tinder • Small water filter, such as a Sawyer MINI • Emergency blanket • Compass • Flashlight • Hank of paracord • Whistle If those items won’t fit in my pockets, like when I’m wearing lightweight shorts on a hot summer day, I’ll use a small bag or pack of some sort. Survival Resources sells one called the Canteen-Water Bottle Shoulder Bag that works great for this purpose. It isn’t much larger than an old-style camera case, about 7 inches high and 5…

One of the drawbacks of being a professional knife person, meaning someone who earns at least part of their living reviewing, writing about, and otherwise playing with knives, is that you’re regularly discovering new-to-you makers and brands. Why is this a problem? Because I neither live in nor own a warehouse in which I can store knives. J.E. Made Knives is a small shop in China. I know what you’re thinking—but hold on. These aren’t mass produced, stamped out of sheetmetal, and tossed at a grinder for a second before being boxed up and shipped out. J.E. Made knives are run in small batches and produced by an actual knifemaker who has spent years perfecting his craft. J.E. Made has a fairly extensive line of knives, well over a dozen…