Category: Knife Stuff (page 8 of 10)

Image from Abomb520

We’re in the age of mods (or modifications for you older folk). Whether we’re talking about modding video games to defy gravity or modding cars with chrome, people want to put a stamp on what they own.

This sentiment also extends to knives.

If you’re interested in adding a personal touch to your knife via some easy modification, we’re here to help.

These five knife modifications are projects most people can do. Just be aware that things can go wrong and these mods may void your warranties. But in the end, you’ll have a knife that’s not only unique but reflects you in a personal way.

Zip Tie “Emerson Wave” Knife Mod

Ernest Emerson is one of the most influential knife makers ever. Known for helping popularize tactical folders, Emerson has made some darn good knives. One of his many innovations is known as the Emerson Wave Feature. This is a little protrusion at the base of the spine that facilitates a fast and seamless opening of the blade when it’s pulled from the pocket. Check it out on the Kershaw Emerson CQC-6K or the Endura 4 with Emerson Wave.

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Here’s a shocking fact for you youngins: The pocket clip is a relatively new invention in the history of knives.

Depending on how you define it, the pocket knife was invented more than 2,000 years ago. By comparison, the pocket clip on knives was introduced in the early 1980s. Sal Glesser of Spyderco created the “Clip-it” Worker, which was essentially the first tactical folder ever and the first to use a pocket clip. That knife went into production in 1981.

Although pocket clips are on pretty much every single folding knife these days, people went without clips for thousands of years. Here are five reasons you may want to ditch your pocket clip.

1. Some clips create hot spots

One of the most common complaints people levy against pocket clips is the fact that they create “hot spots.” No, that doesn’t mean you’ll get better WiFi. A hot spot on a pocket clip is when there’s unwanted tension or discomfort in a specific area of the grip.

For example, a pocket clip may put some pressure right in your palm, causing pain during regular use. Some complain about the clip on the Chris Reeve Sebenza 25 because the tip bends up right where the middle finger grips the choil. Take a look at this complaint thread over at bladeforums with an image.

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If you have a few conversations with some of the most ardent knife fans, you’ll usually come to the conclusion that all knives from China are pieces of junk. Some people won’t even look at China-made knives because nothing can beat a quality American-made blade.

Strap yourself in because I’m here to bust the myth that all knives from China are cheap and inferior to knives made in the United States.

Let me start with a disclaimer: If you only buy knives from the United States because you believe in supporting the local economy and encouraging American businesses that employ Americans, that’s fine and commendable. I can’t argue with that moral approach to things. But if you refuse to buy any knives from China because you think they’re junk, you’re simply wrong.

Why Everything is Made in China

Unless you’re diligent, nearly everything you own comes from China. Most parts on the computer or phone you’re looking at were made in China, most clothes you’re wearing were made in China.

So when did China become so engrained in our manufacturing? Let’s take a look.

The Korean War in the early 1950s (yes, we’re going back far) was essentially a proxy war between the United States and Soviet communist-supported allies like China. During the Korean War, all trade between China and the United States was frozen. This embargo would go on until 1970, when the Nixon administration began laying the groundwork to lift the ban on US-China trade.

Richard Nixon with Mao Zedong

In 1972, President Richard Nixon made a historic visit to China to improve relations between the US and China. In the following years, the two countries signed agreements to improve trade.

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By all accounts, Special Warfare Operator First Class (SEAL) Matthew J. Leathers was an amazing human being. Not only was he a highly decorated SEAL but he was also someone his friends and family describe as a nice guy who would give others the shirt off his back.

When Leathers was lost at sea during training exercises off the coast of Hawaii in 2013, the military suffered a huge loss.

But thanks to a recent agreement with Buck Knives and Leathers’ father, his legacy will live on in a knife designed by Leathers himself called the 245 Matt Would Go.

During his nine years with the Navy SEALs, Leathers designed a knife that met his high standards and caught the eye of some of his fellow SEALs.

The original knife was made by using steel from a coil spring scrounged out of a scrapped Humvee and tempered using an old mailbox. Still, despite the makeshift nature of its creation, the knife was reliable and undeniably badass.

The new one from Buck is not made of scrapped Humvee but instead uses 5160 steel and custom multi-colored Micarta handles. It also comes with a textured Kydex sheath with a TEK-LOK belt clip.

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It doesn’t matter how much you’ve practiced or how skilled you are, there is absolutely no way in hell I’d ever let you throw a knife in the vicinity of my head.

There could be an earthquake at the last second, the knife thrower could get a sudden bout of the hiccups, the knife could slip out of the hand, or, as was the case on a Lithuanian reality show, the person could simply be awful at throwing knives.

Lithuania’s Got Talent featured one of the worst knife-throwing acts around and an assistant nearly met his end. Throwing knives is a fun and respectable hobby, which we love, but that doesn’t mean you should have people near your targets.

You can watch the full, terrifying video below, but let’s break down a few of the highlights (or lowlights, really) in gif form.

The act started off fine as the thrower haphazardly launched some knives at objects close to an assistant, but it wasn’t until the assistant was tasked with holding up a target for the thrower that things started to get dicey.

You see the assistant getting sliced by the knife and sort of nonchalantly playing it off. He moves on to a card on the other side.

The thrower fails to get the knife to stick and the assistant looks to see if he still has a hand, likely petrified. Yet the show goes on.

Here again we have a narrow miss, although it’s possible he was actually nicked. At this point, the assistant is likely rethinking his life choices and would probably run for his life if he wasn’t on TV.

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A motorcycle taxi driver in Brazil was at a party in a local bar drinking a bit and chilling. As one occasionally does, the man happened to get in a fight with someone. One thing led to another and he ended up getting stabbed with a knife four times.

You probably don’t need a reminder, but don’t misuse knives. Not only does it give the tool a bad name but it also has the potential to do harm.

Because one of the stab wounds perforated one of his lungs, Juacelo Nunes de Oliveira went to a hospital for treatment. But there was a slightly bigger problem he needed to worry about: a large kitchen knife was jammed in his head and only the handle was sticking out.

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Survival and rescue operations are no joke. When the clock is ticking and someone’s life is at stake, nothing less than the most badass tool should ever be used. That’s where the latest Badass Knife of the Week comes in: the Cold Steel SRK.

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Your long search for the perfect everyday carry knife is finally over. Meet the Benchmade 940.

Our latest Badass Knife of the Week is billed as one of the most quintessential EDC knives ever created, and with universal acclaim coming from all corners of the knife world, it’s hard to argue.

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With all the critical acclaim that the RAT Model 1 received, it seemed impossible for Ontario Knife Company to improve on perfection. However, the latest Badass Knife of the Week manages to recapture all the magic of the Model 1 while simultaneously being 20% smaller. That makes the Ontario RAT Model 2 a flawless EDC.

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We at Knife Depot have always promoted knife safety, so let’s get this disclaimer out of the way: Do not try any of this at home.

With that out of the way, it’s time to move on to a serious topic: battle bots!

Two of my favorite shows growing up were Robot Wars and BattleBots because nothing beats seeing two robots strapped to the teeth with weapons battle to the death. (Though ironically, my favorite battling bot had no knives and was called Blendo, which was created by the two guys behind Mythbusters.)

The folks over at the production company Rooster Teeth, which has more than 7.5 million subscribers on YouTube, created a Happy Hour series that follows the drunken journey of three people. In the first episode, they drunkenly thought of the idea to strap knives to two Roombas and let them battle.

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