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The Main Differences Between a Knife and a Dagger You Must Know About

March 31, 2020 / admin / 4 Comments

Bladed tools have been used all throughout history, and range from weapons to something you’d find in your average household.

The terms ‘knife’ and ‘dagger’ are often used interchangeably. But, there’s a handful of differences between the two that not everyone is aware of.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about a knife and a dagger.

The Two By Definition

As previously mentioned, many people tend to think of a knife and a dagger as the same object. But, given the unique characteristics of each, there’s a clear difference between the two:

A knife is seen more as a tool (such as for cooking, cutting rope, etc.)
A dagger is designed with self-defense or combat in mind and has more tactical uses

Let’s explore the main differences between each and how they affect the object’s overall utility.

The Overall Design

Both knives and daggers have their specific uses, but they aren’t always obvious. In fact, it can be difficult for someone inexperienced to tell what either one is supposed to be used for other than cutting.

Luckily, all it takes is a closer look to find out for yourself.

Knives

Although similar in shape (and sometimes size) to a dagger, knives are manufactured to be far safer to use. These design specifications are what makes something like a butterknife a relatively harmless household utensil.

Cut Like a Chef: Effective Methods to Improve Your Knife Skills

March 27, 2020 / admin / 0 Comments

Prepping and cooking food at home is the top way to save more money and eat healthier. Yet, this doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on chef-inspired meals.

To cook like a culinary master, it’s essential to learn how to use kitchen knives. Certain techniques make it faster, easier, and more efficient to prep food.

So, ready to learn how to cut, chop, slice, and dice like a chef? Read on to learn more about how to master your knife skills.

Choose the Right Knife for the Job

It’s key to know the difference between your knife types. A kitchen knife set includes pieces for almost every job in the kitchen.

A few knife types include bread, steak, paring, and fillet. Boning knives, carving knives, and butcher knives are other styles a chef should own. You should hone your chef knife skills for each of these knife types.

Yet, there is one knife style that is king when it comes to prep work. A chef’s knife is a multi-functional knife that is used for more than one task in the kitchen. It’s ideal for chopping, slicing, dicing, and mincing foods like meat and vegetables.

Chef Knives

This style of knife has a pointed tip with a longer blade design with a slight curve. The blade’s tip allows a chef to create a rocking technique as they cut. This is ideal for the quick chopping of fresh herbs, garlic, and onions.

The design allows you to keep the tip of the knife touching the cutting board as you chop. Chef’s knives are a bit heavier, which makes it easy to cut and score meat.

Santoku Japanese Chef Knives

A Santoku knife is ideal for creating fine clean cuts at a fast speed. It lets you master knife techniques for cutting seafood, meat, vegetables, and fruits.

The knife has a flatter and wider blade design and is lighter than a chef’s knife. Its tip is down more towards the end of the blade.

Santoku knives help remove food from the cutting board into your cooking pan. Some of these knives also have depressions on the blade called a “Granton edge.” This works to create less friction to stop food from sticking to the knife as you cut.

Keep Your Blades Sharp

Any knife guide for better care will tell you to always keep your blades in top condition. Sharp blades make it easier and more efficient when chopping food. A dull blade will lead to a much longer food prep process and can also be unsafe.

Experts recommend sharpening your knife every few months. You have a few different knife sharpener options to consider for this. You can use a manual knife sharpener tool or an electric knife sharpener.

Chef’s knives may call for more sharpening sessions. They are often made from softer steel than Santoku knives.

Proper kitchen cutlery storage options are also important when caring for your knives. You can use a knife block to protect the blades when not in use. This also keeps your kitchen environment safer.

Magnetic knife strips, knife bags, and sheaths are other options. When cleaning your knives, hand-wash them with mild soap and hot water.

Hold the Knife in a Comfortable Position

Proper knife cutting techniques also include learning how to hold a knife. This is key for having confidence in the kitchen.

Be sure to use the right grip when handling your knife. The hold should not be too firm and should fit comfortably in your hand. This allows you to perfect your cutting method and be as quick and safe as possible.

It’s best to use your index finger and thumb to grip the handle of the blade. Hold the handle up higher with your two fingers touching the base of the blade. The rest of your hand then holds onto the actual knife handle.

Holding the knife at elbow-height will also give you better control. When holding food to be cut, be careful of the way you keep your hand.

Use a claw-like grip to hold food as you cut with the knife in your other hand. This keeps your fingers out of the way of the knife’s blade.

Use Consistent Cuts

Certain knife cuts call for different techniques to prepare food. It always helps to cut round food in half, like onions and potatoes. This gives you a flat surface to work with making it easier and safer to cut.

A slicing technique involves long thin pieces. Position the knife’s tip on the cutting board at an angle. Then move the food toward the blade as you bring the knife down in a repetitive chopping or sawing motion.

Chopping is less consistent than other cutting methods. The chunks are made a bit larger and more bite-sized.

Dicing can be done in large, medium, or small pieces. Yet, the key is to keep the food cuts as consistent in size as possible. Aim for cubes about a quarter-inch in size.

When mincing, you want to cut the food up as fine as possible. It’s most often used for garlic, ginger, and onion.

Preparing food julienne means making matchstick-sized cuts. These should be about an eighth of an inch thick.

For brunoise style, you dice foods that have first been cut julienne-style. The result is small cubes about an eighth of an inch in size.

The chiffonade technique is most often used for greens and herbs. It cuts them into thin ribbons for a salad or garnishes.

Perfecting Your Knife Skills With the Right Set of Tools

These knife skills will teach you to be a master chef in no time. The right tools, techniques, and knife care are key when learning to prep food like a professional.

A quality chef’s knife is one of the main tools to have in your kitchen. Browse the full collection of chef’s knives to find one that suits your cooking style.

Choosing a Tactical Knife for Survival, Emergency, or Self Defense

February 18, 2020 / admin / 5 Comments

If you’re in the market for a knife that will serve you in any situation, it’s not a subject to be taken lightly. The fact of the matter is, a good tactical knife can save your life in a myriad of ways.

Whether you’re looking for a knife for survival, self-defense, or any potential emergency, you need to take your time and find the right one for every day carry. The ideal tactical knife will be able to handle whatever you throw at it. It should have a strong blade that holds its edge and a solid handle.

However, that only just begins to cover the criteria. Keep reading for an in-depth look at how to choose the best tactical knife for your needs.

Concealability

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a tactical knife is how you want to carry it. For example, if you’re looking for a knife to carry around town that’s relatively subtle if not entirely undetectable, your best bet is a pocket knife. This is especially important if you’re carrying the knife for self-defense, as the element of surprise is always a good thing to have on your side.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a knife to serve you well in the bush (hunting, fishing, camping, general survival) then there’s nothing wrong with strapping a big fixed blade to your belt like this Ka-BAR Heavy-Duty Warthog. Some people carry it on their hip, others on their thigh.

Regardless, consider where and how you want to carry your knife, as well as whether or not you want anyone to know about it.

Size

Size is another vital component in choosing the right tactical knife for your needs. As stated above, if you plan to use your knife as a daily concealed carry, you’ll want to lean on the conservative side in terms of size.

A big, girthy knife could start to get uncomfortable. However, too small of a knife could be relatively useless in most scenarios. We recommend a minimum of 3.5 inches for blade size.

On the flip side, you can also end up buying a knife with too much size. While we all love the idea of carrying around a massive blade, keep practicality in mind, as with this Cold Steel Demko. Unless you’re talking about a machete, no one needs a two-foot-long tactical knife.

Folder or Fixed Blade

Now you need to decide if you want a folder or a fixed blade. Both have their pros and cons. Folders are easily concealable and more publically accepted, but fixed blades are stronger and more durable, such as the Schrade Frontier.

In terms of fixed tactical knives, we recommend looking for a full tang blade. That means there’s one solid piece of metal from the tip of the blade to the base of the handle. The handle is then fitted over the top of the tang.

In terms of tactical folders, you have several options:

Regular folders – opens using both hands to unfold the blade
Gravity folder – uses the force of gravity and a flick of the wrist to open the blade
Assisted opening folders – uses a spring assist to open the blade one opening is initiated
Automatic Knives and Switchblades – opens automatically at the push of a button (spring-loaded)

Depending on where you live, some of these types of openers may be illegal.

Blade and Tip

Next, you need to consider what type of blade you want on your tactical knife. Both folders and fixed blades come with the same basic options.

First, do you want your knife to be a combo blade (partially serrated)? A serrated blade is your best option for cutting through softer materials such as fabrics, ropes, belts, and other flexible materials. However, it does decrease your total cutting edge and can be difficult to sharpen.

You also need to consider what type of tip you want your tactical knife to have. A tanto tip provides an incredible stong point for stabbing through touch objects but loses some of its slicing ability.

A gut hook is designed to help hunters skin wild game without damaging the internals like on this Damascus Steel Hunting Knife. A spear point is ideal for thrusting into soft targets. A drop point (one of the most common) is great for slicing and provide a strong tip.

Quality

One of the absolute essentials in picking out the right tactical knife is choosing one of high quality. A high-quality blade will be tough and hold it’s edge well.

For example, not all blade materials can withstand the same abuse. If you ever have to use your knife to pry something open, will it bend the blade or break the tip?

Pay attention to the grade of steel used in stainless steel knives to ensure you’re getting a strong blade. Typical carbon steel blades, as well as those infused with other metals such as chromium, can prove to be highly durable.

Quality is also important when it comes to picking out the right handle. Regardless of if you’re looking at fixed blades or folders, the handle needs to fit firmly in your hand (people are often surprised how easily a knife gets knocked out of their hands in a fight or other emergency situation).

The handle also needs to be tough and durable, after all a good blade nearly useless without a handle.

Extras

Finally, when looking for a tactical knife, pay attention to any of the perks that come along with it. For example, if you’re choosing a field or survival knife, what type of sheath does it have, will it hold up to snagging on trees and being dragged through the mud?

Additionally, does the survival knife come with any extras? A sharpener on the back of the sheath can give you a sharp edge in the field. A flint and steel combo can help you light fires.

For example, the United Cutlery Bushmaster Survival Knife comes with matches, a small compass, an animal snare, snakebite kit, and even a flashlight. Though, these knives with hollow handles for storage obviously don’t have full tang blades, which may be a negative aspect in your mind.

Looking for a Tactical Knife?

If you’re in the market for a new tactical knife, we personally recommend the Gerber Propel Automatic Knife, the Smith and Wesson Spec Ops Bayonet, or the CRKT Desert Big Dog.

We also have a massive inventory with everything from hunting knives to every type of folder imaginable. For ultimate survivor mode, check out our Zombie Apocalypse Survival Knife collection.

9 Spyderco Knives to Consider Buying in 2020

February 14, 2020 / admin / 1 Comment

You may not know it, but every manufacturer sure does: The knife industry is no joke.

Business is booming, so endless brands are competing for your buck. No matter how many times you’ve shopped, if you’re really a knife fan, you’re not sticking to one brand. Naturally, you try as many as you can.

So before you choose your next knife, you have to decide. But there are so many brands out there—how do you choose?

Don’t even worry about it. This is what you want right now: Spyderco knives.

These are the facts: For over 40 years, Spyderco has been an innovator. Offering the best in both form and function, they’re a knife fan’s dream.

Now that you know your brand, what model will you choose? Whether you’re new or a seasoned expert, it’s vital to get all the opinions you can before you make a purchase.

To help you out, here’s a list of nine of the best Spyderco knives to buy in 2020.

1. Paramilitary 2

The Spyderco Paramilitary 2 is arguably the best Spyderco knife out there. It’s gotten rave reviews from knife lovers everywhere, and here’s why:

Your Everyday Spyderco Flipper

The Paramilitary 2 is beyond easy to open and hold
Its full flat ground blade makes for effortless cutting
It’s become a basic necessity for any knife aficionado; you don’t want to be caught without one

2. Dragonfly 2 Salt

Do you spend a lot of time around water? Will you be bringing your knife on a boat?

Spyderco Civilian First Look

March 8, 2018 / admin / 4 Comments

When they say size doesn’t matter, “they” have never held a Spyderco Civilian Folding Knife.

Spyderco Civilian Blade Length

This knife is one of the biggest, meanest pocket knives on the market with an overall length of almost 9.3 inches. It was created more than two decades ago to fill a need for undercover agents who had no way to protect themselves other than to carry a knife. Spyderco wasn’t afraid to the unleash this beast to the public but you should know that this is not an everyday carry. It is for self-defense only.

One look at the reverse “S” SpyderEdge VG-10 steel blade, and you’ll see why.

The pin point tip is intended to penetrate with ease and the intimidating serrated edge is meant to slash the skin down to the bone, causing significant injury. With a strong back lock there is no doubt the blade will stay open in a worst-case scenario situation.

The sandpaper texture on the scales makes the large G-10 handle easy to grip and hold. One-handed opening is a breeze with the trademark Round Hole in the blade. Out of the box it is ready for tip-down carry but can be changed to tip-up carry with a Torx tool.

SOG Flash II Knife Review

March 15, 2016 / admin / 5 Comments

The knife community has its stable of opinions, but if I always listen to what they have to say, then there’s a good chance I would have already missed out on a number of great knives.

Today’s review is on the SOG Flash II, a slick budget folder that could have easily passed me by had I not started formulating my own carry knife criteria. This knife isn’t just tacti-cool, it’s tacitly practical.

For a long time, I had openly resisted the SOG Flash II, mostly because of how the knife looked on paper. But we have to get away from this style of thinking. Paper opinions or even YouTube reviews can’t compare to how things really apply to your daily life.

sog-flash-ii-2 Many in the knife world claim the Flash II to be lame, cheap, or something only a novice would carry, but I’ve been trying to challenge those opinions head on. Despite some of the opinions about this knife, I believe the SOG Flash II is the perfect knife for getting shit done.

My preference for carry knives swings back and forth from bushcraft style blades at one side to tactical knives at the other. Needless to say, the pendulum is currently swinging toward the tactical side of things. I wanted to add a level of contrast to my daily routine by trading in my Ontario RAT 1 for something a little more aggressive and badass.

That’s where the Flash II comes in.

The Flash II packs quite the versatile punch. It has an overall blade length of 3.5 inches, half of which comes equipped with very stout and useful serrations. Its FRN frameless handle makes the Flash II’s weight almost immeasurable. The assisted-opening mechanism makes one-handed or gloved-operation a breeze.

CRKT Squid Review

September 24, 2015 / admin / 4 Comments

I recently started to take notice of the simple fact that people age, that the older we get the more we begin to lose. For some, the body goes first—maybe we start packing on a few more pounds than what we had in high school. For others, the mind begins to fade—remembering faces and facts isn’t quite as easy as it was when we were kids. Our vitality, health, and creativity slowly start to drift away from our once youthful selves.

But with age also comes a whole new host of feelings that our younger and sometimes dumber selves can’t quite tap into yet. Feelings like tradition, nostalgia, and an understanding of just how important the little things in life can be. The CRKT Squid is a knife that single-handedly channeled those emotions in me and somehow played time machine like a small piece of childhood memorabilia.

First Look

Right off the bat the CRKT Squid has a great overall look to it. A look that is simple and understated yet still grabs your attention with both hands. This amazing design comes from the mind of Lucas Burnley, a very popular up-and-coming knife maker with an almost cult-like following for what he has done in the knife community. The Squid has been one of his custom designs for a long time, but with his work in such high demand, getting your hands on one was almost impossible… until now.

The great thing about Burnley partnering up with a production knife company is that we the consumers get to experience knives that we otherwise never would due to budget, materials, or availability. With this partnership, we now get a glimpse into what owning a custom design feels like. Besides the Squid, CRKT and Lucas are making other knives, which can be a win-win situation for both parties if done right.

Kershaw Emerson CQC-6K Knife Review

July 24, 2015 / admin / 4 Comments

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I’m not sure who deserves the credit. Is it the peanut butter or the jelly that makes the sandwich complete? Is it the spaghetti or the meatball to whom the praise belongs? Does a perfect collaboration have only one crucial ingredient or is it the yin and yang that brings two ideas together? In the case of the Kershaw Emerson CQC series, I believe it’s both.

When Kershaw and Emerson Knives announced its collaboration back in 2014, I figured there was no way to successfully pull this marriage off. Building a quality Emerson design on a Kershaw budget seemed like a long shot. Still, I’d be lying if the original idea didn’t have me chomping at the bit.

Tips for Sharpening Hunting, Tactical, and Pocket Knives

October 9, 2014 / admin / 4 Comments

Our friend Mike over at Cutler Road was kind enough to write a post for us detailing the best way to sharpen your knives. You can find more of his tips on his blog.

SharpeningImage

The majority of factory-sharpened knives come with a relatively steep bevel angle of approximately 25 degrees. This gives them an acceptably sharp edge, which retains its sharpness with considerable use, and ultimately keeps the consumer happy.

Improvements can be made to the sharpness of most factory-finished knives by decreasing the angle of the bevel edge slightly. Having a shallower angle will give a sharper edge; the downside is the edge will become blunt more quickly.

Machetes and axes have the steepest angle at approximately 35 degrees. A cut throat razor, at the other end of the scale, is approximately 15 degrees. An angle of 20 degrees is a very good compromise between sharpness and edge retention for pocket knives, tactical knives, and hunting knives.

The Cutting Edge

The official blog of Knife Depot