Innehållsförteckning för September/October 2018 från Knives Illustrated

In an effort to help further the craft that he loves and advance interest in it, J. has worked with Chris Crawford Knives to put out an instructional DVD library to assist knife makers in their journey to perfecting their trade. There are five DVDs available currently that can be purchased on ChrisCrawfordKnives.com. • Advanced Hunters with J. Neilson • Bowie Knives with J. Neilson (new) • Basic Hunters with J. Neilson • Canister Damascus with J. Neilson (new) • Tips and Tricks with J. Neilson For anybody who is interested in being a contestant on “Forged in Fire,” these DVDs would be a great way to gain an understanding of what J. looks for in a blade. Even if you are not planning a run on the show, but…

When you first look at the Gossman Survival Tool (GST), you might say to yourself, “That’s just a piece of steel.” It’s much more than that though. Gossman created this knife accessory to complement his other blades as a sharpening device as well as a wood-processing tool. Made out of D2 steel and measuring 6 inches long by .200-inch thick, it is textured with a 36-grit ceramic belt. The flats of the steel can be used like a sharpening stone, and the sides can be used much like a butcher’s hone. In the field, a keen edge is vital for efficient cutting. Spend enough time in the outdoors and your knives will need upkeep. The GST will help keep your edge sharper longer, before major sharpening is needed. The value…

Also referred to as DEVGRU or Task Force Blue by JSOC, SEAL Team Six is an elite counter-terrorism unit. Although most information regarding SEAL Team Six is classified and rarely commented on by the DOD or White House, it is known that other than their operations in counter-terrorism, targeting high-value targets, they have become a multi-functional special operations unit serving in many roles, including hostage rescue, special recon, direct action, personal security and other specialized missions. Getting its start in 1979 during the Iran hostage crisis, SEAL Team Six has a very stringent application process, including physical and psychological testing, followed by an interview process to evaluate if applicants are suitable to continue on to the selection phase. The typical attrition rate is around 50%, and one selection course of…

Badger Claw Leatherworks is a full featured leather-working outfitter that has been in business since 2011. Its list of adventure products far surpasses a short list of knife sheaths and includes items such as leather and canvas dump pouches, firesteels, leather field strops, canteen carriers, leather sleeves for UCO candle lanterns, etc. However, when it comes to its knife sheaths and axe masks, they are built with serious, hardcore field use in mind. You can order anything from a standard belt sheath or dangler to custom-detailed sheaths and full-featured sheaths with all of the bells and whistles.…

Recently, London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted, “No excuses: there is never a reason to carry a knife.” It certainly made headlines. We asked Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter if the Mayor’s tweet and subsequent pronouncements have impacted his efforts over here in the U.S. “It’s been good for Knife Rights,” Ritter said. “When I recently spent a week in D.C. lobbying for passage of our Knife Owners’ Protection Act, including repeal of the Federal Switchblade Act, the news from Britain was one of the first subjects brought up in meetings and the Mayor’s tweet was universally panned. It was a great way to start off a meeting on our bill.” Ritter also said that queuing off that news, a lot of folks searching about knife laws here have also discovered…

Savage heat, untamed land and the unthinkable happens. I remember sitting on the edge of survival in the 115°F heat of Tanzania, on the very first filmed episode of “Naked and Afraid,” working away on a tree to make a wooden sandal for my partner, when disaster struck and my one chosen item—my survival knife—broke. I felt terror creep into me, knowing I was on a 21-day extreme survival challenge with 11 days to go, and my only tool was just severely damaged—it made for a seriously uneasy feeling. When I got back home, I decided that I needed to design a survival knife that would be extremely durable and meet all of the demands expected of a survival blade. But exactly what are those demands? What kinds of tasks…

DPx GEAR is known own for for the the Mr. DP Laughing ing Skull Skull logo and hard--use use knives kniv that have been en in in pretty pretty much every warzone since nce 2008 2008.. So it was exciting when n Robert Robert Young Pelton’s DPx Gear ar took took the the American-made knife plunge plunge and and went full urban on Kickstart kstarter,, using the crowdfunding g progr program to finance his first American erican--made made knife. Robert, founder of of DP DPx Gear,, is known for his award--winning winning knife designs, which for or the the most most part are produced by the he Italian Italian--based LionSteel knife comp companyy.. His designs have always ys been been innovative and hardcor ore,, and and he he holds 24…

Created with a nominal alloy formulation that includes 1.6% carbon, 16% chromium, 0.5% manganese, 0.8% molybdenum, 0.4% silicon, 0.4% vanadium and 0.3% nickel, CTS XHP rivals the corrosion resistance of D2 and the hardness of 440C. Originally used as a formulation for durable bearings for the aerospace industry, CTS XHP has found solid use in implements for surgery, food processing, recycling equipment, ice skates, scissors and hand tools, as well as bladed tools for sporting, hunting, self-defense and military applications. A reasonably priced steel, CTS XHP excels in the qualities that knife makers like: wear resistance, high-performance reliability from batch to batch, edge retention and corrosion resistance. Spyderco first began using CTS XHP on a knife that went into pre-production in 2012, slated for nearly 5,000 Carpenter employees at the…

The Knife Rights’ Ultimate Steel Knives, Guns & More Spectacular is coming to an end shortly. We encourage you to support the organization that is getting it done for knife owners, literally rewriting knife law in America. There are more than $150,000 worth of truly extraordinary prizes in the Main Drawing and a separate Tail End Bonus Drawing for those who donate at this time, with thousands of dollars in prizes as well. Being winner’s choice drawings, you get to choose your prize from all that remain when drawn, so you can win what you want. Support Knife Rights and you support freedom for knife owners: UltimateSteel.org.…

The master has entered the forge. Although J. Neilson likes his solitude and the peace and quiet of his “shop in the woods,” he has made more than just a splash on the international stage. Being one of the select few to bear the title of Mastersmith with the ABS (American Bladesmith Society), J. has been turning heads with his refined style of knives—of which every detail of the knife-making process is done in-house—for some time. Add to that his keen eye judging the knife-making process of “Forged in Fire” on the History Channel, along with including some coaching during the process on this year’s season, and it is not difficult to see why he is a sought after Mastersmith. I got to speak with J. about his Mastersmith journey,…

Years ago, when we went on a snake hunt, Goran was particularly interested in the TOPS knives that I had on me: a Shango and a BOB Fieldcraft knife. We got along so well, especially on the subject of knives, that eventually Goran and I started Bushcraft Global, a knife-based jungle adventure company that focuses on learning skills from bushpeople and tribespeople. TOPS Knives is the official sponsor for Bushcraft Global, and we put its knives to the test so that the company can get hardcore feedback. Not long ago, TOPS sent its General Manager Craig Powell down to the jungle with Bushcraft Global to gain some insight into blade use in the outdoors. While on the expedition, over a dinner of crocodilians, fish and the buzz of mosquitos, Craig…

“Sharp hardware for big timber,” with a company motto like that, you know Gossman stands behind his product. Gossman has always believed in testing his knives in realistic conditions and has received assistance from professional hunters, fishermen, survival instructors and military personnel who have used his knives in harsh conditions. Despite incredible feedback, Gossman is never satisfied and is always seeking to improve his heat treat and blade performance. S7 is perhaps his most abused steel. We don’t like using the word “abused” as it denotes negligent treatment, but for Gossman, it’s better to test steel harder than the average user ever will. Gossman has taken S7 knives and shot them multiple times with his .41 magnum at only 15 yards away. He has also repeated that ballistics test with…

“All American” is a tagline that any knife company would be proud to say about a new release. It’s true, American-made products can be extremely costly to produce, however high production cost was not going to deter DPx from moving forward with the HEST/F Urban Ti. After investing the past 10 years into knife design and manufacturing high-end products, Robert Young Pelton was ready to release this tough-as-nails, patriotic pit bull of a pocket knife into the world. I spoke to Robert on the day that his first batch of knives was finished, and I can honestly say that he sounded like a proud papa ready to unveil his wares at the 2018 BLADE Show in Atlanta. The HEST/F Urban Ti has many features. • American bearing pivot hardware: Stainless…

Being a completely custom maker gives Adam the ability to give you the knife you want, every time. You can select the look of your knife all the way down to the pins. He offers two different grind types, flat Scandi and convex, and he also offers two choices for blade finish, polished or hammered. Once you have selected the model, pins, grind and finish, he offers a variety of handle scale options, from beautiful woods to burlap Micarta, and there are multiple colors to choose from. The options are only limited by your budget and imagination.…

Whether full on backpacking and bushcrafting or just car camping for the weekend, a good knife is a must-have. When it comes to having the right knife for the job, you can’t beat a good custom-made blade. Custom makers go to great lengths to ensure their knives are purpose-built and dialed in for specific functions, and the right custom makers will craft a knife that not only performs above expectations but looks really good doing it. SPECS TIM WITHERS Model: Camp KnifeBlade Material: CPM 154CMBlade Length: 8.5 inchesOverall Length: 14 inchesBolster Material: 303 SSHandle Material: Brown MicartaWebsite: WithersKnives.com ELI JENSEN Model: Camp Knife Blade Material: AEB-L Blade Length: 3.875 inches Overall Length: 8 inches Bolster Material: 416 Handle Material: Amboyna with G-10 liners Facebook: Eli Jensen Knives EVGENY KHOKHLOV Model:…