The Cutting Edge

Behold the Ultra Premium Utility Knife from Hawk Knives

October 24, 2022 / Tim / 1 Comment

It’s no secret that Grant and Gavin Hawk are among my favorite knifemakers. Their designs aren’t always the most practical but they constantly push themselves to make truly innovative designs.

So I was excited when they announced a brand new design that’s sure to ruffle feathers.

Behold the Hawk Knives Shortcut.

Images from Mitchell D Cohen Photography

The Shortcut is an ultra premium utility knife made with top-notch materials and a trailblazing design not normally reserved for simple utility knives.

Cold Steel SR1 Lite – Knife of the Week

October 18, 2022 / Tim / 2 Comments

The Cold Steel SRK (Survival Rescue Knife) is one of the best all-around survival fixed blades you can buy at an affordable price. So Cold Steel transferred much of what made it successful and made the premium SR1.

Now, you can get everything that the robust folder has to offer in a more affordable package with the Cold Steel SR1 Lite.

Take a look at this review from Pete (and Bricky) from Cedric & Ada Gear and Outdoors:

The SR1 Lite boasts a 4-inch blade with affordable and durable 8Cr13MoV stainless steel. This version has the same clip point blade found in the SRK, but you can also get the tanto SR1 Lite if you prefer.

Spyderco Pacific Salt 2 – Knife of the Week

October 12, 2022 / Tim / 0 Comments

Most knives are like Mogwai from Gremlins: if you get them wet, something terrible will happen.

Well, the latest Knife of the Week doesn’t just tolerate water, it excels in damp and briny conditions. (Plus, it’s already green!)

Behold the Spyderco Pacific Salt 2.

Here is a knife overview from one of the best knife YouTubers out there:

Spyderco’s Salt series has undergone a pretty impressive evolution from its first iteration with yellow scales and H-1 steel. But this new iteration of the Pacific Salt blows those out of the water.

KA-BAR TDI Pocket Strike – Knife of the Week

October 4, 2022 / Tim / 0 Comments

Concealable, reliable, and flexible.

Those are the three attributes that work well in a self-defense fixed blade. And the KA-BAR TDI Pocket Strike is all of those things and more.

Designed by John Benner of the Tactical Defense Institute, the Pocket Strike is a cross between Benner’s earlier Law Enforcement models and a karambit.

Victorinox Compact – Knife of the Week

September 20, 2022 / Tim / 0 Comments

There are Swiss Army Knives for every occasion, with some models featuring two tools and others boasting over 70 functions.

But there is only one knife you can arguably call the very best for everyday tasks: the Victorinox Compact.

The Victorinox Compact is a unique knife in that it has one of the highest functions-to-size ratios of any Victorinox, thanks to its two-layer construction and plus scales.

This is the only knife or multitool I’ve consistently carried with me on a daily basis the last 5 years. Folding knives comes and go, but the Compact has seen the most carry (and use) time in my personal EDC.

Do Knife Companies Lie About Their Steel?

September 15, 2022 / Tim / 2 Comments

It’s a common concern among knife collectors. You spend just over $150 (if you’re lucky) on a brand new knife with the latest steel, only to second guess whether it’s the steel you paid for.

It may be because the steel is starting to rust in some spots, dulls quicker than you expect, or isn’t as tough as you thought it should be.

That’s when you start to ask yourself: do knife companies mislabel or lie about the type of steel they’re using?

The truth is that sometimes they do.

Yes, Some Brands Intentionally Mislabel Steel

I decided to write this post after watching a video knifemaker and former Cold Steel collaborator Andrew Demko did on a YouTube channel in November 2020.

When the interviewer mentioned that people were ambivalent about the use of AUS10A steel in one of Cold Steel’s knives, Demko said that the reason certain steel gets a bad reputation is because some knife companies are intentionally passing off lower end steel like AUS6A for AUS8A.

Ohio Knife Preemption Bill Becomes Law

September 13, 2022 / Tim / 3 Comments

If you live in Ohio, we have great news for you.

The Knife Rights’ Ohio Knife Law Preemption bill officially went into effect on September 13, 2022. This means vague and complicated local laws across the state have been eliminated.

Originally, Ohio had a firearm preemption law that prevented local municipalities from regulating firearms. Knife advocacy groups like Knife Rights worked to change the term from firearm to arms. This expanded the law to include knives as well as firearms.

According to Doug Ritter of Knife Rights, “knife law preemption is a criminal justice reform that repeals and prevents local ordinances more restrictive than state law which only serve to confuse or entrap law-abiding citizens traveling within or through the state. Preemption ensures citizens can expect consistent enforcement of state knife laws everywhere within a state.”

ESEE Pinch – Knife of the Week

September 12, 2022 / Tim / 0 Comments

When you’re in a pinch, reach for the ESEE Pinch.

This tiny Wharncliffe blade may not seem like much, but it can mean the difference between life and death. Every survivalist will tell you the same thing: the best survival knife is the one you have on you.

Unfortunately, you might not always have one of the best survival knives on your person at all times, especially because some of them can be pretty big. That’s where the Pinch comes in handy.

The Pinch has an overall length of a mere 3 inches with a blade length of 1.3 inches. So how will the knife help you? Well, it’s small enough to carry easily concealed and the perfect size to stick in an Altoid Mint container for emergencies.

Kershaw XCOM – Knife of the Week

September 8, 2022 / Tim / 0 Comments

What happens when you turn a classic M3 trench knife into a modernized folder? You get an eye-catching knife with excellent ergonomics and superior cutting capabilities.

The Kershaw XCOM boasts a unique design with a shape that works surprisingly well as a hard-use folder.

Designer Les George wanted to pay homage to the World War II fighting knife. So he took the spear point blade and condensed it into a 3.6-inch black-coated folding blade that locks open with a liner lock. Only one side is sharpened but the blade still pierces and slashes like no one’s business.

Condor Cavelore – Knife of the Week

August 29, 2022 / Tim / 0 Comments

The Condor Cavelore is an ingenious design from Joe Flowers. Not only does it look like it comes straight from neolithic times but it also works flawlessly as a modern bush crafting tool.

So how did Flowers achieve such mastery? He essentially combined the look of the popular Otzi knife with the design of the Bushlore, which is among Condor’s best knives.