The Cutting Edge

The official blog of Knife Depot

Category: Knife Stuff (page 15 of 16)

What sort of blade should you get the knife lover in your family?

Knives for Christmas

So, you’ve made the decision to buy a knife for Christmas for a friend or loved one.  That’s terrific, but now comes the hard part: what sort of knife should you get them?  To make things easier, we’ve created four archetypes of the modern knife fan along with a few suggested models.  Have some additional ideas?  Then, let us know below.

The Jack of All Trades

Do you have a brother, father, mother or lover who can fix the toilet, gut a deer, whittle a masterpiece and prepare a delicious dinner all without breaking a sweat.  Lots of handymen and craftsmen fall into the jack-of-all-trades category.  These knife lovers are constantly dabbling in different projects and pursuing various hobbies.  They love to learn on the go and aren’t worried about making a mistake or two along the way.

Recommended Knives: For such a diverse set of tasks, you’ll need a knife with a lot of range.  Consider a 3-blade or 4-blade pocket knife, which combines blade types such as pen, sprey, sheepsfoot and others, providing an excellent range of tools perfect for those who like to do everything themselves.  Multi-tools and Swiss Army knives are also great choices.

The Minimalist

He wears the same pair of faded blue jeans every day.  He only owns one pair of shoes.  He eats the same cereal every morning, occasionally drinking his orange juice out of the carton.  When he goes on trips, he never, ever checks a bag. All of us have a minimalist in our life, someone who likes to keep things as simple as possible, including when it comes to knives.

Recommended Knives: Single-blade folding knife is at the top of the list. This kind of fellow is looking for a knife with one good blade that’s functional, strong and versatile, and that fits efficiently in his pocket.  A neck knife, which is conveniently suspended from a lanyard, will also appeal to him, especially if he’s often on the go.

The Show Off

Did he wear a light-blue tuxedo to the prom when everyone else was in black?  Does he always have the biggest truck and the most badass T.V. for watching the game on?  When it comes to blades, the Show Off needs something big and burly that will set himself apart from the pack.

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Four Knives That Make Great Stocking Stuffers

This Christmas, why not give the sharpest gift one can give:  a knife. Whether it’s your mom, your dad, your crazy uncle or your fishing buddy, you’ve undoubtedly got a knife fan in your family.  Here are five knives that make fantastic Christmas gifts.

Gerber Prodigy Survival Knife:  $58

This award-winning knife measures 9.75 inches and has a full-tang high-carbon stainless steel blade that’s coated with black oxide for ultimate corrosion resistance. The handle is soft and ergonomic and the knife comes with a high-quality sheath in addition to a leg strap, ensuring that carrying is always convenient.

Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops Pocket Knife: $22.49

If you’re looking for the ultimate tactical folding knife, check out this Smith & Wesson masterpiece. With its reliable framelock, it can sustain a tremendous amount of pressure in any extreme situation. The sturdy thumb stud on the blade allows you to open it quickly and effortlessly with one hand when you need instant access to your knife. This finely crafted knife is ideal for everyday tasks or intense use in the heart of a jungle.

Carbon Steel Gurkha Service Kukri w/ Sheath & 2 knives: $39.99

This heavy-duty service Kukri is a woodsman’s best friend. Measuring in at a whopping 18-plus inches, with an 11.75-inch blade, this giant carbon-steel beauty slices through small brush with ease.  Not only does this knife come with a classy-looking brass-tipped leather sheath, but it is also accompanied by two extra 3-inch knives, great for stocking stuffers for your family’s knife fans.

Personalized Smith and Wesson  Military Police 2nd Generation M.A.G.I.C. Assisted Opening Pocket Knife : $59.99

If you’re looking to give a truly individual gift this year, consider picking up this Smith and Wesson military knife and having it stamped with a personal message.

This military police pocket knife is off the charts when it comes to its cool factor. Not only is this extremely sharp and practical, but it also comes equipped with a M.A.G.I.C. assisted-opening mechanism that will leave you and your friends in awe. With the release of a safety switch and the flick of a thumb, the partially-serrated blade will literally spring into action.

Got a favorite of these four?  Let us know which knife you’d prefer to find under the tree in the comment section below.

Wanna Buy Lawrence of Arabia’s Pocket Knife?

If so, you’re in luck.

The trusty pocket knife of T. E. Lawrence, as he was formally known, will be going on auction in England next week and is estimated to be sold for approximately 300 pounds ($467).

According to a piece in the Mail, the knife was constructed by Royal cutlers Underwood and Farrant and pre-dates the long-popular Swiss Army knife.

If you’re not familiar, T.E. Lawrence became famous after he helped wage an insurrection in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. He was later immortalized in the film “Lawrence of Arabia,” staring Peter O’Toole.

The knife, below, was found near his former estate near Dorset, and is thought to have been carried during his Arab campaigns. It’s pretty sweet, but would you pay $450 for it?  Let us know if the comment section below.

Rusty Pocket Knife Held in Palm

Miss Manners Gives the Low Down on Knife Etiquette During the Holiday Season

This Thanksgiving millions of Americans will sit down at the dinner table with their friends, loved-ones, and on some occasions, people they barely know or only pretend to like.  They will eat, drink and sporadically run to the living room to get updates on the score of the Packers-Lions game.

And, if the world’s most eminent scholar of dining decorum, Miss Manners, gets her way, they will conform to the basic rules of table etiquette and remember to always set the table with the knife facing in.  Rather than poorly paraphrase her witty comment, which provides information on everything from eating etiquette to historical stabbings, I’ve included it with the question below.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: In setting the table for the Thanksgiving repast, there is some debate about which way the knife should face. One of the family recalled that in time of war, the blade faces outward; in time of peace, it faces inward. Another opinion suggested that it always is toward the plate. Your guidance please, sage lady?

GENTLE READER: It is always good to be prepared, and in case of attack you wouldn’t want to have to take the time to turn your knife around.

However, at the Thanksgiving table, any attack is likely to come from one of your relatives. And we want to discourage patricide (even of fathers whose carving destroys the turkey and who keep the drumsticks for themselves), infanticide (even of babies who have been crying steadily for half an hour), and aunticide (even for those whose idea of conversation is, “Isn’t it about time you got married?” and, “I see you’ve put on some weight”).Mealtime stabbings are considered bad form, even at Thanksgiving. In 1669, Louis XIV of France decreed that knives must be rounded at top, not threateningly pointed. (Oh, wait, that was to stop people from using their knives to pick their teeth.)

The rule is that regardless of what else is going on in the world, the table is set with knife blades facing in.

5 Badass knife trick videos

I don’t have to tell you that knives can be dangerous if used incorrectly, but sometimes when people use knives in a not-so-smart way, you get some pretty cool tricks. If you’re reading this, you’re probably old enough to know that you should not try this at home. These are crazy people doing crazy things that are potentially harmful and have probably cut themselves countless times.

1. Double Butterfly Knives

This guy may not be the smoothest, especially when his friends butt into his video, but he sure knows how to yield butterfly knives.

2. The Home-Made Switchblade

This is less of a trick than it is an awesome creation. Since switchblades are illegal, this guy created his own device that opens a knife quickly.

3. The Old-Fashioned Knife Trick

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Always Use Knife Safety When Carving a Pumpkin

There are few things more symbolic of fall than bright orange pumpkins sitting on doorsteps and the toothy grins they begin to wear around Halloween. Carving those jack-o-lanterns is a fun part of Halloween and an activity greatly enjoyed by the kids.

Without knife safety, pumpkin carving can turn into a nightmare. Research shows that Halloween is a top holiday for ER visits – and it’s all due to hand and finger injuries.

The outside of the pumpkin is uneven, hard and slippery. This is a horrible combination for making smooth, safe cuts. Additionally, when you start pulling the pulp out of the pumpkin, your hands, the knife and the outside of the pumpkin can become slimy.

When said like this, it almost seems safer to avoid pumpkin carving altogether. But, of course, there’s a safe way to go about it. The first step is to use the right knives.

A serrated knife works best for cutting through the hard pumpkin skin and soft flesh. Many injuries come when the knife unexpectedly breaks through the skin and slices your hand on the opposite side. For this reason, choose a small blade, like a serrated steak knife. Also, avoid holding your other hand directly opposite of where the blade could come through.

Like in any other situation involving knives, you want to have complete control of the blade. When you’re carving, this means you need to keep the pumpkin clean and dry. Scoop seeds and pulp into a bag to keep it away from the pumpkin. When you finish removing the pulp, wash and dry your hands and the knife; slimy hands or a wet knife handle can lead to an accidental slip of the blade.

Most Halloween hand injuries occur in children between the ages of 10 to 14. For this reason, doctors recommend that children don’t do the actual carving. While this may be disappointing to the kids, you can still keep them involved in the activity. Let your child pick out the pumpkin, draw the entire design and help clean out the inside of the pumpkin. They’ll get to participate in everything except the actual handling of the knife, and you’ll have the reassurance that only a responsible, knowledgeable adult has the blade.

Rambo knife contest winners announced!

Our Rambo knife contest was only scheduled to go on for a week, but at some point I got locked in my room with nothing but a 10-pack of bandannas and four walls of Sly Stallone posters and lost track of time.

Nevertheless, the moment has come to announce the winners. As you may remember, entrants were initially required to submit a photo of themselves dressed as Rambo to win, but due to a lack of macho submissions, we changed the contest to advising Rambo on how to get out of the following situation.

Rambo is hanging from his feet while being lashed with a razor-sharp switch by a chain-smoking soldier.  In addition to disposing of the soldier who is torturing him, Rambo must paddle across a moat full of crocodiles, scale a 16-foot electric fence, kill ten guards, release POWs, perform minor surgery upon the wounded, subdue a wild boar and flag down a helicopter for his escape.

In his possession is his trusty survival knife, a scorpion pocket knife with real scorpions encased in the blade, a lighter, some rope, bubble gum, an 8-ounce Budweiser can, a pair of brass knuckles, a Taser, a Glock, a dart gun and a grenade.  If he can only bring three of these items with him, which ones should he bring and how should he use them to finish his mission.  

Yes, it was the sort of situation only a man like John Rambo could escape from.  We had a number of worthy submissions and props to everyone who gave it a shot.  Without further delay, the winners are as follows:

In second place, picking up a tricked-out pocket knife with real scorpions encased in the blade, in exchange for his fierce survival advice is Dartus Hopper, who advised Rambo to:

Pour gun powder on the POW’s wound and use the flint and steel in his SURVIVAL KNIFE to ignite the powder in order to cauterize the wound. Then, use the glock to kill the boar for food along the way to the landing zone, where he again uses his knife’s flint-n-steel to start a pig fat smoke fire/signal for the chopper. When the helicopter lands, they all jump in and enjoy some great wild boar ribs durning the ride home!!

In first place, winning the world’s most badass 9.5-inch signature-edition Rambo survival knife is Matthew Rygus, whose 1,112 word manifesto was unmatched in its ingenuity, style, and creative use of wanton bloodshed. Here’s a highlight

He paddles across the moat, just as he approaches the other side, he takes another sip of beer. Right as he’s drinking the king of beers, another crocodiles jumps out at him. He delivers a deadly uppercut on the croc’s jaw and sends it flying back into the water. He finishes his sip and smiles because he know he didn’t spill a single drop.

Thanks to everyone who entered  and check back soon for more great contests from The Cutting Edge!

Help Rambo escape a sketchy situation and win a signature-edition Rambo knife!

Rambo, as many of you are already aware, never fails at anything, especially when it involves combat. Throughout the First Blood series, Sly Stallone’s character, John Rambo, shoots, stabs, punches, kicks, head-butts, incinerates and terrorizes his foes, always with his trusty survival knife in tow.

How many bad guys does Sly slay?  Only God knows, but as pointed out in our earlier post on The evolution of the Rambo knife, he wipes out a total of 236 evildoers in the fourth and final installment of Rambo.

Last week, we announced a Rambo-look alike contest to win a signature edition Rambo knife with second place pulling in a sweet-looking scorpion knife.  Participation has been, frankly, a bit lame, with only  a few worthy Rambos entering.


We figure maybe many of our fans don’t have their Rambo gear handy, so we’re offering another way to win.

Give Rambo a Hand, Win His Survival Knife

Rambo is always getting in sketchy situations, that’s just kind of the way he rolls, but he’s always getting out of them as well, due to his huge selection of badass weapons. Tell us how Rambo should dominate the following scenario by writing in the comment section below and you could win either a signature edition Rambo knife or a scorpion pocket blade (pictured on left).

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The Evolution of the Iconic, Badass Rambo Knife

This post is part of of our Rambo look-alike promotion.  Learn how you can win a limited-edition Rambo signature survival knife, here.

While Sylvester Stallone has access to a seemingly endless supply of high-power gunnery in the Rambo series, it is his knives that have become icons. Each of the four movies has its own blade, which Rambo keeps for the entirety of the film. But at the blades don’t make the jump from one movie to the next. The Rambo knife undergoes a dramatic evolution throughout the series, growing from a relatively small survival knife to a machete.

First Blood

In First Blood, we meet John Rambo, a mentally unstable Vietnam vet trying to pass through Sheriff Will Teasle’s small town. With his stone-cold demeanor and no-nonsense blank stares, it probably should’ve been easy for viewers to deduce that a bizarre arrest for vagrancy would end with Rambo waging a one-man war on a Teasle and his town. With the best survival skills in the country and a badass blade as a sidekick, Rambo single-handedly beats the cops and the National Guard, until Colonel Sam Trautman, the man who trained him, convinces him to turn himself in.

Jimmy Lile designed the knife that showed the world what a badass knife was meant to be. Lile wanted it to contain everything a person would need to survive in the wilderness, and so he came up with what is truly a survival knife. The 9” long steel blade was sharp enough to cleanly cut through paper, so it obviously had no problem dealing with anything else Rambo needed to see sliced. In case he needed to chop down a tree rather than threaten Sheriff Teasle’s life, the knife’s spine had 14 saw teeth. The cross guard featured both a Philips and slotted screwdriver. In the rare situation that Rambo got hurt, all he needed to do was open the airtight handle and get out his first aid kit. The pommel also featured a compass so Rambo could navigate through the wilderness around Teasle’s town.

First Blood Part II

In First Blood Part II, Rambo has been sentenced to a labor prison camp because of the events of the first movie. Colonel Trautman visits him in camp and offers him release and full clemency. The catch? Rambo must return to Vietnam and search for American POWs. He is told to only take pictures of the POWs, but, of course, Rambo tries to rescue them. Marshal Murdock, the corrupt bureaucrat in charge of the mission, abandons him in Vietnam, and the North Vietnamese capture Rambo. Rambo escapes and then returns to rescue all the remaining POWs. Once he succeeds, Rambo leads them towards the American camp in Thailand, where he threatens Murdock with his knife and tells him to rescue other POWs from Vietnam.

The First Blood Part II knife was nearly identical to the original Rambo knife. The difference, of course, was the size. To raise Rambo’s badass aura, the knife grew to 15” in overall length, with the blade measuring in at 10”.

Rambo III

In Rambo III we learn that Rambo stayed in Thailand after his last mission and became a Buddhist. Colonel Trautman asks Rambo to join him on a mission to deliver weapons to the Mujahedeen rebels of Aghanistan who are battling the Soviets in the Soviet-Afghan War. Dedicated to his new peaceful faith, Rambo refuses to help. Trautman goes without his trainee and is captured and imprisoned by Soviets. Not one to see his friends in danger, Rambo sets out to save the Colonel. He does, of course, save Trautman and other prisoners. Together with the rebels, the American duo defeats the Soviets and kills the evil Soviet commander.

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What do you use your knife for the most?

The great thing about knives is just how versatile and functional they are. A knife can easily attach to your belt with no effort and do nearly any task you run into.

I just moved into a new apartment, so I’ve been using my knife to open boxes, cut cardboard, slice twine and do other various jobs around the house. I can’t imagine what it would be like if I didn’t have my knife.

That’s why we at Knife Depot were wondering what you use your knife for the most that makes it invaluable to you. For example, do you use it for work, at home, hunting, building things or other specific tasks?

Let us know in the comments section. We look forward to reading them.

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