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Byrd Hawkbill – Badass Knife of the Week

April 1, 2019 / Tim / 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.

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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.

See 10 New Spyderco Prototypes Revealed by SpyderCollector

March 29, 2019 / Tim / 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.

CRKT Introduces Premium ‘XOC’ with Deadbolt Lock

March 27, 2019 / Tim / 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).

Virginia Governor Vetoes Switchblade Commerce Bill

March 26, 2019 / Tim / 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.

Kershaw Barge – Badass Knife of the Week

March 25, 2019 / Tim / 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.

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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.

Forgotten Knives: Imperial Schrade ‘Swiss Army Knives’

March 21, 2019 / Tim / 2 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.”

Gerber Bear Grylls Folding Sheath Knife – Badass Knife of the Week

March 18, 2019 / Tim / 0 Comments

Think you can tough out the harshest conditions just like Bear Grylls — the star of various television survival series like Man vs. Wild? Before you try, make sure you have this great pocket knife in hand so you can tackle the elements with confidence.

A few years back, Gerber teamed up with Bear Grylls to bring a line of inexpensive but functional tools that could excel in the outdoors. If you think these knives are nothing but gimmicks, you’re sorely mistaken. One of the best-received models is the Gerber Bear Grylls Folding Sheath Knife.

The Folding Sheath Knife is a robust folder with a 3.6-inch blade made from high carbon stainless steel. A drop point blade with partial serrations makes this folder versatile for all types of situations. Ambidextrous thumb studs facilitate easy opening while the reliable back lock keeps the blade engaged through all types of abuse.

Spyderco Offers Sneak Peek at New Sage Lightweight

March 15, 2019 / Tim / 1 Comment

The IWA OutdoorClassics is an international trade show that takes place every year in Germany.

It is one of the leading trade shows for guns and knives in the world. Although there is not as much buzz as SHOT Show or BLADE Show, major companies do showcase some of their upcoming knives.

When Eric Glesser of Spyderco sat down with YouTuber Artur Saulin (ARHADYR) to talk about the new knives of 2019, they were all knives we’re familiar with — including a few that appeared in the first 2019 Reveal Catalog.

UK Politician Advocates for GPS Trackers on Every Knife

March 14, 2019 / Tim / 0 Comments

I’ve been sympathetic to the complicated relationship between the United Kingdom and knives. There’s no doubt knife crime is a major issue in the country and that something needs to be done about it.

I even wrote a nuanced conversation about how to look at knife crime in the country in a moment when everyone was poking fun at the mayor of London for tweeting that there was never any reason to carry a knife (despite my article listing 101 uses for a pocket knife).

But sometimes people go a little too far. Take a look at this tweet from member of Parliament Scott Mann:

Every knife sold in the UK should have a gps tracker fitted in the handle. It’s time we had a national database like we do with guns. If you’re carrying it around you had better have a bloody good explanation, obvious exemptions for fishing etc.

— Scott Mann MP (@scottmann4NC) March 14, 2019

That’s right… he just said that all knives sold in the UK should have GPS trackers built into the handle. Think about that because Mann certainly didn’t.

How many knives are currently in the UK? There are roughly 27.2 million households in the UK. Let’s be conservative and say each household has four kitchen knives (which is about a dozen less than I have). That’s more than 108 million knives just in the kitchen.

Add the countless pocket knives and fixed blades — both those used legitimately and illegitimately — and you get hundreds of millions of knives already in the country. On top of that, what exactly would putting a GPS tracker on a knife accomplish? Then you’d have to make sure they were all charged all the time.

What is Loctite and is it Necessary?

March 12, 2019 / Tim / 5 Comments

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Reviewers on YouTube have made disassembling knives very popular (much to the chagrin of many knife manufacturers I’m sure).

No one is more guilty of this than Nick Shabazz — though his disassembly videos are a public service to teach those about the inner workings of the knife and general maintenance.

You’ll likely notice that when Nick and others put knives back together, they use a substance called Loctite on the screws.

So what exactly is Loctite and is it really necessary to use when putting a knife back together? Read on.

What is Loctite?

Loctite is the brand name for a threadlocker. Loctite is to threadlocker what Kleenex is to facial tissue or ChapStick is to lip balm. Although Loctite is the most popular threadlocker, there are other brands available like Permatex.

The Cutting Edge

The official blog of Knife Depot