The Cutting Edge

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Ontario Utilitac

Ontario Utilitac II – Badass Knife of the Week

May 20, 2019 / / 0 Comments

If you ask anyone what the best budget knife for the common man is, they will almost always point to the Ontario Knife Company RAT models. But our latest Badass Knife of the Week shows that Ontario has yet another contender for best budget folder.

The Ontario Utilitac II is an impressive folder that excels at its purpose as an inexpensive work knife you don’t have to think twice about using.

Designed by Joe Pardue — son of Mel Pardue of Griptilian fame and father of knife designer Robert Carter — the Utilitac II represents form and function over everything else.

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SOG Spec Elite II Auto – Badass Knife of the Week

May 13, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Automatic knives are becoming more and more mainstream as laws prohibiting the carry of switchblades fall around the country. Now we all get to reap the benefits of a good automatic knife like the SOG Spec Elite II Auto.

The Spec Elite series from SOG was designed for military and law enforcement personnel as a back-up and versatile tool. Its simple design and functional construction show the intent of the knife.

The 4-inch drop point blade features a long slicey edge and is coated with hardcased black TiNi (titanium nitride). Not only does the coating help damper the reflective qualities of the steel but it also adds an extra layer of durability to the AUS-8 stainless steel.

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Smith & Wesson SWHRT3 Boot Knife – Badass Knife of the Week

May 6, 2019 / / 0 Comments

The boot knife is an underrated type of fixed blade. Not only are they versatile and lightweight but they can also be carried in multiple ways.

Our latest Badass Knife of the Week is the perfect example. The Smith & Wesson SWHRT3 H.R.T. Boot Knife is a deceptively robust boot knife that you can conceal on your person without much effort.

The full tang blade stretches 3.5 inches long and features dual-sharpened edges that culminate in a piercing spear point. Its steel is functional 7Cr17 high carbon stainless steel, an alloy that’s resistant to corrosion and easy to maintain.

Using a black TPR (thermoplastic rubber) handle, the boot knife is comfortable to hold and stays in the hand when wielding.

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spyderco sage 5

Spyderco Sage 5 – Badass Knife of the Week

April 29, 2019 / / 0 Comments

The latest Badass Knife of the Week is the culmination of the iconic brand’s efforts to make the best all-around everyday carry knife.

Let’s back up a bit first. When Spyderco first came out with the Sage series of folding knives, they wanted to offer the same EDC-friendly design with different types of locking mechanisms to allow the user to choose which one they like best.

On all the knives in the series, the design is essentially the same. The leaf-shaped blade is 3 inches long, which makes it legal in most places and small enough for easy carry. S30V steel is often overlooked as other, newer steels have entered the market, but the alloy remains one of the best premium steels around.

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Cold Steel Master Hunter – Badass Knife of the Week

April 22, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Can you really be a master hunter without a knife? Probably but a knife can be an essential tool to hunters.

The Cold Steel Master Hunter proves that carrying a well-designed and well-built hunting knife makes your life just so much easier.

The 4.5-inch drop point blade has a strong point. Although hunting knives are commonly clip point blades, the drop point profile offers its own advantages like excellent balance and functionality. This version of the Master Hunter has VG-1 San Mai III steel — laminated steel with a VG-1 core.

The edge is razor sharp and features a sharpening choil to get it back to shaving sharp easily after putting it through the ringer. The spine is 3/6-inch thick to help strengthen the blade.

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Knife Rights Gives Updates on WA & TX Knife Bills

April 19, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Knife Rights is hot off the heels of helping get a switchblade ban repeal and knife law preemption bill passed in the state of Montana.

In fact, the knife advocacy organization held a signing ceremony for the bill, which was attended by Ethan Becker, Governor Steve  Bullock, activist Joe Paschal, ACLU of Montana Director of Advocacy and Policy S.K. Rossi, and more.

Even cooler, all involved received an inscribed Pro-Tech SBR (Short Bladed Rockeye) automatic knife.

Texas Knife Bill Moves Forward

While all of this was happening, a bill in Texas that would remove location-based restrictions on knives in the state moved forward after it was passed out of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee. This bill — along with its companion House bill — are still in the early stages of passage, so it would still need to pass a committee and both chambers.

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What is Lock Stick and How Do You Fix It?

April 16, 2019 / / 3 Comments

It’s happened to almost all of us.

You get a brand new framelock folding knife in the mail and eagerly engage it. Everything seems fine as the knife opens smoothly and effortlessly. But, just as you’re closing it, you notice the framelock is extremely difficult to disengage.

This is known colloquially as lock stick.

Unfortunately, it’s an all-too-common issue in framelocks and even liner locks. The good thing is that there are several ways to go about fixing it.

What Causes Lock Stick?

In the most basic terms, lock stick is when a framelock or liner lock feels sticky when trying to unlock it. This makes it more difficult and sometimes even painful to disengage.

That’s the definition of lock stick, but what actually causes the major knife annoyance?

Galling

The cause of the issue is multifaceted. One of the reasons has to do with the lockbar material and the blade steel. Lock stick happens most prominently in knives with titanium handles because titanium is susceptible to galling and tends to stick to dissimilar metals.

For example, if you have a titanium lockbar contacting with the tang of an S35VN blade, they have the tendency to stick to one another. That’s why this issue isn’t reserved only for budget knives but also affects pricier ones.

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Boker Plus Kwaiken – Badass Knife of the Week

April 15, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Boker calls the Kwaiken one of the most influential designs of the 21st century. While that may sound like hyperbole, it’s not too far from the truth.

The Boker Plus Kwaiken, designed by Lucas Burnley, took the concept of a functional and crisp knife that’s made to cut to the extreme. Based on the clean Japanese knives of old, this folding version of Burnley’s Kwaiken Classic fixed blade appeals to nearly everyone — from the groom at a wedding to law enforcement personnel.

The knife has a long and slender 3.5-inch blade that opens effortlessly with the flick of the flipper tab. A piercing point and a long cutting area make using this knife a dream. Its VG-10 stainless steel provides solid rust resistance and ease of sharpening.

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Legislation on ‘Gravity Knives’ in NY Moves Forward… Again

April 11, 2019 / / 1 Comment

The arrests of knife owners in New York continues.

More than four years after the Village Voice published an exposé on how vague wording in the statutes have led to thousands of arrests against mostly minority knife owners in New York City, the arrests are still going on.

Even after lobbying from Knife Rights and the passage of two bills by the state’s legislature clarifying the law (which were ultimately vetoed), police are still using gravity knives as an excuse to arrest law-abiding citizens.

But, “tenacious dems” — as Knife Rights puts it  — have continued to work on stopping the arrests in New York City. The state assembly just passed a bill that would completely remove “gravity knives” from New York criminal statutes. It passed unanimously. The state senate will soon vote on a companion bill, and I expect it to be passed near unanimously as well.

What happens after that remains a question.

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Most Expensive Models From 20 Popular Brands

April 9, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Knife collecting is a rich man’s game.

Although you can have a robust collection of great knives without putting out a second mortgage on your house or doing Uber as a side hustle to pay your knife addiction, you have to spend quite a bit to really get all the tiers of knives, even from the name brands.

To see just how much you have to spend to see the top-tier knives from each brand, I assembled a list of the most expensive models from some of the most popular brands. I’ve been kicking around this idea in my head lately, but the recent release of the ultra-premium CRKT XOC motivated me to finish this post.

This was kind of tough to do because most of the brands have a special edition premium knife in the offerings or they have a large sword that costs a pretty penny. I decided to limit it to knives and tried to mention the most expensive regular production knife when applicable. These are also only the models in current or recent production.

Take a look.

CRKT XOC

MSRP: $750

Let’s start with one of the most recent announcements: the CRKT XOC. Pronounced “shock,” the XOC was a shock to most of the knife world. Not only is this knife huge, but it also carries a huge price tag. It comes in at $750.

This is a special edition knife though and is only tied for the most expensive the brand has put out. A few years back, CRKT released the limited edition Buy Tighe (a double-bladed folder) and also has the CRKT Motley currently available with an MSRP at $750.

I decided to put the XOC on here instead of the Motley because the Motley can be had for a street price of $425 but it’s unclear what the XOC will ultimately go for.

The most expensive knives are the mini swords from James Williams (the Hisshou at $375 and the Shinbu at $350).

Spyderco Paysan

MSRP: $800
Street Price: $520

In 2018, Spyderco discontinued its then-most expensive knife — the Nirvana with an MSRP at $739.55. But another Peter Rassenti integral frame lock knife took the mantle.

The famous knife brand only recently announced the knife and it hasn’t officially been released but it has an MSRP of $800 and a street price of $520.

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KA-BAR BK7 Becker Combat Utility – Badass Knife of the Week

April 8, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Sometimes you just need a big honkin’ knife to get the job done. Enter the Badass Knife of the Week.

The KA-BAR BK7 Combat Utility Knife is billed as the ultimate, all-purpose fixed blade designed specifically for soldiers and hard-core adventurers. It does not disappoint.

When we say the knife is huge, we’re not joking. The BK7 comes in at a total length of 12.75 inches. The 7-inch clip point blade is made from 1095 Cro-Van steel, an alloy that’s easy to sharpen and takes tons of abuse. Black coating also helps the high carbon steel better stand up to the elements.

The blade has a few more things going in its favor. A swedge along the spine near the tip helps give the knife even more penetrative power. Jimping, a sharpening choil, and a flat grind are all little things often ignored on larger knives.

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Montana Repeals Switchblade Ban

April 5, 2019 / / 1 Comment

Knife Rights secured yet another victory — this time for the people of Montana.

A switchblade ban repeal and knife preemption bill was officially signed into law by Montana Governor Steve Bullock this week.

This means that switchblades (also known as automatic knives) are now legal to own and carry in the Treasure State. The knife preemption part of the bill ensures that the law is clear throughout the state. Local knife ordinances no longer apply if they are stricter than the state-wide knife law.

Unlike some bills, HB 155 takes effect immediately, so if you’re in Montana and want to buy an automatic knife, there’s no need to wait.

The legislation was really pushed by bill sponsor Rep. Casey Knudsen who argued that the initial ban was unnecessary. Here’s more from a January story in the Great Falls Tribune:

“There is no good reason they were banned in first place other than 1950s Hollywood movies depicting them as a weapon for delinquents and such,” Knudsen said.

…

Knudsen described switchblades as one “of the safest knives on the market,” adding they can be opened and closed with one hand. He said they are convenient for people with disabilities.

Like most knife bills that get passed, this was also supposed by libertarians and defenders of civil rights, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

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15 Best Lightweight Fixed Blade Knives

April 4, 2019 / / 2 Comments

The old saying goes that the best lock mechanism on a knife is a fixed blade.

Back in the day, fixed blades were mostly robust outdoor tools, but the trend has been increasingly toward lighter and lighter fixed blades. That’s a plus for everyone.

A few years back, I wrote a post on the best EDC fixed blade knives. While all the knives performed well at EDC tasks, many of them were quite hefty.

So I decided to take the concept of an EDC fixed blade and narrow it down even more to the best lightweight fixed blades. All of these knives are at least under 3 ounces — with many of them being under 2.

Check them out.

CRKT Minimalist Wharncliffe

Weight: 1.1 oz
Blade Length: 2″
Overall Length: 5″

OK, I know my love for the CRKT Minimalist permeates everything around here, as this model makes it onto many best-of lists (including the aforementioned best EDC fixed blades). But it deserves another mention here. In the best EDC fixed blades post, I highlighted the Bowie version, but the Wharncliffe version is even lighter at a mere 1.1 ounces.

This is one of those knives you can feel confident carrying anywhere you go and feels big in the hand, despite the — well — minimalist handle.

Spyderco ARK

Weight: 0.9 oz
Blade Length: 2.56″
Overall Length: 4.98″

A Spyderco made it on the best EDC fixed blades, but the Street Beat is a pretty heavy folder. Enter the Spyderco ARK. Standing for “Always Ready Knife,” the ARK was designed as a personal defense knife by U.S. Army combat veteran John Shirley and his friend Sam Owens.

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Roundup of the Best 2019 April Fools Jokes

April 2, 2019 / / 1 Comment

Another April Fools Day is behind us and so are a bunch of hilarious jokes companies and brands pulled.

Instead of moving on, we thought it’d be funny to take a look back at all the best knife-related jokes and pranks for April Fools Day 2019. Here are the main ones we saw and enjoyed. Let us know your favorites in the comments.

Victorinox Survival Rx Glasses

I admit that this one initially got me. First because it was sent out in an email on March 29 and second because it’s something I’d actually buy.

Victorinox teased special edition Survival Rx reading glasses with built-in tools like those found in a Swiss Army Knife. There were scissors, a bottle opener, tweezers, a toothpick, and a corkscrew that come off the frames of the glasses.

They even made a video in conjunction with GlassesUSA.com. Check it out:

As a glasses-wearer and daily carrier of a Swiss Army Knife, I was excited to see something like this. Sure, it’s crazy but then I saw the price tag starting at $129 and knew it was a fake.

Still, good idea and great execution. Well done Victorinox and GlassesUSA.com.

Blade Magazine Finds Original Bowie

Blade Magazine is not above having some fun on April Fools Day either.

On April 1, they tweeted this:

Anyone who follows the magazine knows that the original Bowie knife has been an elusive treasure that has yet to be found. Could this finally be it?

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Byrd Hawkbill – Badass Knife of the Week

April 1, 2019 / / 0 Comments

When you want to try a Spyderco design without spending too much, you turn to Byrd Knives.

Byrd is a value-focused subbrand of Spyderco that features designs inspired by many of its iconic flagship models. The Hawkbill is a perfect example. Using the same handle shape and design of the Meadowlark 2, which itself is inspired by the handle of the Delica 4, this Byrd folder is an excellent entry option for a hawkbill blade folder.

The hawkbill profile has its roots in the commercial fishing industry where the curved tip and serrations help cut lines and fibrous materials in a pinch. The edge of this knife features the SpyderEdge, a two-step serration pattern that increases the edge’s surface area by 24 percent. The best part of the SpyderEdge is that it cuts and doesn’t just tear.

The 2.875-inch blade has the benefit of being great on the open waters but also providing a ferocious ally in life-threatening situations. It uses a variation of the Spyderco Round Hole that works in a similarly reliable fashion.

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See 10 New Spyderco Prototypes Revealed by SpyderCollector

March 29, 2019 / / 0 Comments

It’s that time of the year again — the Spyderco Amsterdam Meet.

The Spyderco Meet in Amsterdam is a small event in which Eric Glesser brings about a 100 prototypes and concept models to discuss with the public. Many of the models never see the light of day or are too early in the design phase. But Spyderco typically allows a handful to be shared with the public.

The person who usually does the sharing is one Spydercollector.

In case you’re unfamiliar with Spydercollector, he is a diehard Spyderco collector and enthusiast who goes by the handle Mr Blonde on the forums. I did a two-part interview with him way back in 2011 (part 1 here and part 2 here), so check those out if you’re interested.

For the 2019 meet, which took place March 17, Spydercollector was able to photograph and reveal 10 prototypes. He gave us permission to share them with you here and use some of his images. I’ll link to his own blog which has far more images of these knives. I also highly recommend following Spydercollector on Instagram and YouTube.

Anyway, here are the 10 models from the 2019 Amsterdam Spyderco Meet. There is no info on availability but Spydercollector thinks these could be seen in upcoming reveals this year.

Spyderco Endela

First up is the Spyderco Endela — the missing link between the Endura and the Delica (I guess the name Delidura wasn’t good enough). The blade has a rough measurement of 3.38 inches. For comparison, the blade on the Endura is 3.75 inches and the blade on the Delica is 2.875 inches.

This is a happy medium that doesn’t reinvent the wheel but does fill a gap in the Endura/Delica lineup.

Spyderco Sage 5 LW

For followers of this blog, the Sage 5 Lightweight isn’t new. Eric Glesser gave a very early preview in a YouTube video a few weeks back. Take a look:

The Sage 5 is frequently called an excellent EDC design and this lighter weight version that should be a little more budget friendly further makes the case. Spydercollector weighed this in at around 1.86 ounces. Now that’s lightweight.

Spyderco Native Chief

From what we’ve seen at this meet, it looks like Spyderco is filling in missing parts of existing lines (as we’ll see later). We already have the regular G-10 Native and the Lil Native, so now we get its big brother in the Native Chief. The standard Native has a sub-3-inch blade, but the Native Chief has a roughly 4-inch blade.

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CRKT Introduces Premium ‘XOC’ with Deadbolt Lock

March 27, 2019 / / 5 Comments

Prepare yourself for a shock because CRKT has introduced a brand new folder called the XOC (that’s pronounced shock, according to CRKT).

The brand famously known for budget folders with unique innovations is veering off course with this limited edition and ultra premium pocket knife from the mind of frequent collaborator Flavio Ikoma.

Let’s see what this knife has to offer.

The blade is a massive 4.258 inches and boasts a blade thickness of 0.181 inches. It’s essentially a thick slab of CTS XHP, a material I don’t think CRKT has ever used on its knives. The handle is weaved carbon fiber with a titanium inlay. Gold accents can be seen in the pivot collar and pocket clip (which doesn’t seem to match the robustness of the knife).

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Virginia Governor Vetoes Switchblade Commerce Bill

March 26, 2019 / / 3 Comments

Despite bipartisan support from the Virginia General Assembly, the bill to allow switchblades to be made in Virginia and sold to other states was vetoed by Governor Ralph Northam.

The switchblade commerce bill — known as SB1251 — had passed the Virginia House of Delegates 57 to 42 (with one no vote) and passed the Senate of Virginia 25 to 15. It was sent to the governor’s desk for a signature, but Northam announced that he would veto the bill Thursday.

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Kershaw Barge – Badass Knife of the Week

March 25, 2019 / / 0 Comments

There is really only one golden rule when it comes to knives: Don’t use your knives to pry!

If you pry with a knife, it’s going to break. That is unless you have the latest Badass Knife of the Week — the Kershaw Barge.

The Barge is an interesting little folder from Kershaw because it’s one of the rare knives with a dedicated pry bar at the butt of the knife. But instead of just being a pry bar with a blade or a blade with a pry bar, this knife excels at both tasks.

The modified Wharncliffe blade is 2.6 inches and opens manually with dual thumb studs. The 8Cr13MoV stainless steel with stonewashed finish won’t win any awards, but it gets the job done.

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Forgotten Knives: Imperial Schrade ‘Swiss Army Knives’

March 21, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Right now there is only one true maker of the Swiss Army Knife — Victorinox.

However, it wasn’t long ago that Victorinox had some competitors, including the esteemed and just as old Wenger. But what most people don’t know is that another company wanted to make a multitool that could rival the Swiss Army Knife.

That company was Schrade.

The story about the former owner of Schrade, sometimes known as Imperial Schrade Corporation depending on the time, trying to make a Swiss Army Knife has been out there for a while. But a recent story published in the February 2019 edition of Knife Magazine gave some additional details about the knives.

Here’s an excerpt:

In the early 1980s, these knives with their corkscrews, screwdrivers, can openers, cap lifters, hooks, and who knows what else were becoming ever more popular. Yes, ‘Scout’ and ‘Utility’ knives had been around for many years, but that red handle, iconic logo, mirror-polish, and tight-fitting tools that closed with an audible snap — that was the knife that Albert Baer [then-owner of Schrade] wanted to produce.

I became obsessed with this story and attempted to dive even deeper.

Early Swiss-Like Schrade Multitools

Before Schrade developed the series of knives that would become a near identical copy of a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife, the company had already come out with a few multitools.

I wasn’t able to go too far back, but one of the earliest Schrade versions of a folding multitool can be seen in a 1957 catalog with a model known as the 906 Officer’s Knife.

This specific model was interesting because although it was inspired by the Swiss Army Knife, it had a different designe and a unique “beverage piercer.”

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