Knives Illustrated December 2022

“How did I get here?” Did you ever ask yourself that question? Or maybe, “How am I going to get out of here?” Most of the time when I’m hiking, I stick to marked trails, although mostly less traveled trails or abandoned snowmobile trails—anywhere I’m less likely to encounter easily offended folks who equate wilderness areas with city parks and might suffer nervous breakdowns at the sight of my unleashed dogs. When I’m hunting remote areas, it’s a different story. I’m usually alone and, while I might begin or end my day on a marked trail, most of the time I’m navigating by map and compass and the only trails in sight are game trails. Traveling off of established trails is sometimes called bushwhacking. It’s a very appropriate, and many…

1. 5.11 Med Pouches In these crazy, sometimes chaotic days of natural disasters and civil unrest, it pays to be prepared. Having access to a good med kit is one of those necessities, and it can come in handy even when things aren’t completely sideways. 5.11 has a couple of newer options available including the Flex Med Pouch and the Flex TacMed Pouch. Both are designed to give you quick access to medical gear and can mount on a belt, pack, or armor with the 5.11’s Flex-HT Mounting System. The pouches come in a variety of colors including Ranger Green, Black, Storm (gray), Kangaroo (tan), and Dark Navy. They’re made of tough 500D nylon, and the primary difference is the size. The Flex Med is fairly compact and can hold…

Rustic simplicity meets modern materials is what you get when you handle any products from Tavern Hill Blades. Jason Lowe makes them all, from large choppers to EDC woods knives with his southern flair. TAVERN HILL BLADES Jason Lowe has been following his passion for creating blades that will stand the test of time, making stock removal and hand-forged knives in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Both the Talon (hand-forged) and Badger (stock removal) are made of 80CrV2 steel and equipped with stabilized mango-wood scales. The finish is sandblasted with a gun-blue topcoat. I caught up with Jason to get under his skin and ask him how he started the journey that led him to be a contestant on the History Channel’s “Forged in Fire.” “I WANT MY BLADES TO BE WORKHORSE BLADES…

“EDC KNIVES…NEED TO BE COMFORTABLE FOR CARVING AND PROVIDE DECENT CARRY OPTIONS TO WORK IN AN URBAN SETTING AND STILL BE WOODS READY.” The theme is small, compact knives worth carrying in the city or the woods. The options are endless. However, the choices have been made easier due to a few new releases from Morakniv, Reiff, and Bear Forest Knives. CAPABLE WOODS KNIVES Rather than one knife to do all, these are more of the “one-knife-to-do-most” variety. If a sharp knife for knife tasks is what you’re looking for, these will do it—except chop. EDC knives come in all forms and styles, but they need to be comfortable for carving and provide decent carry options to work in an urban setting and still be woods ready. EDC utility cutting…

Small, light, and concealable are great qualities, but when you’re talking about knives, there are times when only a big blade will do the job. A good length of steel can be a comforting companion, whether you must blaze a trail, defend your life, build a bushcraft camp, butcher an elk, or improvise other tools you need to stay alive in a survival situation. In this special section, we take a look at a selection of knives and machetes that provide the ways when you have the will.…

When a company’s mission statement reads, “To provide you the ONLY knife you need when the world goes to hell,” the hard-use-knife junkie in me sits up and takes notice. A brief look at the Stroup Knives website revealed several interesting blades, all with a distinctive look. Of course, mission statements are just words, and plenty of knife companies talk the talk. Wanting to see if Stroup Knives could bring the heat or if it was just another internet sensation, I contacted the company owner, Chris Stroup, to find out more about his company and his knives. THE MAN BEHIND THE METAL Chris Stroup grew up in California, hiking and camping with his family and developing a great love for the outdoors along the way. While working as a Communications…