Knives Illustrated May/June 2022

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…

1. CRKT M16 Deadbolt Series Although some of our readers are probably too young to remember this, Kit Carson really kicked off the flipper trend when he released his original M16 folder back in 1999. While Kit passed away in 2014, his legacy lives on with his many remarkable designs that are still being carried by cops, soldiers, and sportsmen today. For 2022, CRKT is freshening up the M16 series while still keeping the design true to Kit’s style and vision. The most obvious outward change was the switch from a liner lock to Flavio Ikoma’s Deadbolt locking mechanism. It’s a very strong and very simple lock that allows you to disengage without putting your fingers in the blade’s path. When you go to flip it open, you’ll…

“THESE FLEXCUT KNIVES ARE ATTRACTIVE, SIZED RIGHT, SOLIDLY BUILT, WELL CONFIGURED IN BOTH BLADE AND HANDLE, AND THEY’RE MADE IN THE U.S.” I shun things that are all show and no substance. That’s especially true when it comes to the knives I select. Sure, I appreciate fine art, but trinkets that dazzle the eye quickly pale in my estimation if they can’t also perform the work I demand of them. Recently I had a chance to put a couple of Flexcut fixed blades to the test. Both the Seeker and the Nomad models are attractive, yes, but not in a Hollywood phony glitzy sense. Each comes in a wooden presentation box with plexiglass lid, but don’t let that fool you. You can tell from the start these are no-nonsense blades…

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.…

What’s going on in the knife world? We spoke with people from several companies who told us that the past year was perhaps their best ever for knife sales. And a couple told us that they’re not bringing out new designs because they’re at full production capacity producing existing models. That being said, we did find quite a few recent additions to the blade lineups at several companies. SPYDERCO For Spyderco, this seems to be the year of the Wharncliffe blade. The company has several of its popular models now available with that blade configuration. Lightweight versions of the Cara Cara 2, Endela, Harrier 2, Robin 2, and Meadowlark 2 will all be available with Wharncliffe blades. The Stretch 2 XL Lightweight is another new version of a perennial favorite.…

“KEEP IN MIND THAT IN ANY DEADLY CONFRONTATION YOU’LL BE DEFENDING YOURSELF TWICE: ONCE AGAINST YOUR ATTACKER AND A SECOND TIME IN COURT.” Preparing for a possible self-defense situation takes some serious thought. Because a deadly physical force attack can come in many forms, one key is to be multi-dimensional in your defensive training and the tools you choose. Don’t rely solely on brawn. Don’t believe one martial arts system provides all the answers. The firearm you bought but don’t carry because you think it’s too inconvenient to tote every day won’t help you if it’s home collecting dust in a nightstand drawer. Because we’re focused on knives here, know too that the scary-looking blade you bought is of little use if you fumble it under stress when trying to…