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CRKT Honors Knifemakers with Commemorative Knives

July 15, 2016 / Tim / 1 Comment

In 2014, the knife community lost two amazing knifemakers. First, Kit Carson passed away in September; then it was Ed Halligan in September.

These two knifemakers were huge figures in the knife community and played roles in helping CRKT become what it is today.

So to honor these legends, CRKT is releasing two commemorative knives that perfectly sum up the ingenuity and workmanship of each knifemaker. Both of these knives have production numbers topped at just 200. Let’s take a closer look.

CRKT K.I.S.S. Ed Halligan Commemorative

crkt-kiss-commemorative

Ed Halligan was the second noted knifemaker to work with CRKT, and his biggest imprint on the knife world was his K.I.S.S. design. Standing for “Keep It Super Simple,” this series of knife designs became a staple of CRKT.

Halligan was an aircraft technician for 37 years before he founded Halligan Knives in 1985. Here is an excerpt from the product description of the knife:

As the story goes, Ed first etched this design on an airplane napkin while flying home from a knife show. Today, there are many copycats, but Ed’s re-mains the only true original.

As its name suggests, the knife is simple but highly effective. This knife is a reconstructed version of his original design with a blade that rests against a frame. The handle of this frame lock knife is titanium. But the real special trait of this knife is the Damasteel Damascus DS93X blade with an acid etched Hugin pattern.

Spyderco Matriarch 2 – Badass Knife of the Week

July 11, 2016 / Tim / 0 Comments

Self-defense is usually at the lower end of why people carry knives. That’s because most knives aren’t designed for protection like our latest Badass Knife of the Week.

The Spyderco Matriarch 2 is a ferocious knife with an aggressive Reverse-S blade design and lightweight handle scales that’ll leave you ready for anything.

The Matriarch 2 traces its roots back to the Spyderco Civilian. Back in the 1990s, a specialized branch of U.S. law enforcement approached Spyderco to make a knife for their undercover agents. The result was the longer more intimidating Civilian.

When a South African distributor requested a more economical version of the largely self-defense folder, Spyderco created the Matriarch.

10 Knives with Bottle Openers

July 8, 2016 / Tim / 2 Comments

It’s been a long day. You finally made it down to the lake to have a few beers with your buddies. You’re ready to throw back a cold one when you realize no one has a bottle opener.

Sure, there are ways to open bottles without a dedicated opener, but using a bottle opener is quick, easy, and so satisfying.

To ensure you’re always ready for a good time, many knives feature a bottle opener. We’ve assembled a collection of some of the best.

1. Kershaw Shuffle

First up is the Kershaw Shuffle. This inexpensive folder has a dedicated opener built into the back of the knife. Its blade is 2.38 inches and made from 8Cr13MoV stainless steel. The Shuffle comes in a variety of colors to match up with your personality. This little knife is beloved by knife lovers of all types and acts as a great EDC.

2. DPx Gear HEST

The DPx Gear HEST is another great option. This fixed blade has a 3.13-inch blade and green canvas Micarta handle scales. The blade is 1095 high carbon steel, and a notch on the spine of the blade acts as a bottle opener.

As a matter of fact, a number of DPx Gear knives feature bottle openers. Unlike the HEST, the HEFT 4 Assault has a bottle opener built into the butt of the knife. It’s a fixed blade with an extended tang and G10 handle scales.

3. Gerber Epic

The Epic from Gerber is another fixed blade knife, only this one has a bottle opener integrated right into the handle. The blade is 3.45 inches long, and the knife itself is 7.3 inches long. The bottle opener actually gives the knife a little more length and a place for the back of your palm. It fits into a nylon sheath.

4. Buck Metro

More similar to a keychain tool than a fixed blade, the Buck Metro is a compact tool with a small blade and bottle opener.

5 Reasons to Ditch Your Pocket Clip

July 5, 2016 / Tim / 69 Comments

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.

sebenza-25

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.

Hogue EX-04 – Badass Knife of the Week

July 4, 2016 / Tim / 0 Comments

Today is the Fourth of July, which just happens to coincide with our weekly Badass Knife of the Week selection, so it’s only pertinent to choose a knife made in the USA.

Hogue Inc is a company with a family tradition of American quality and innovation dating back to 1968. The company may be best known for its guns and gun accessories, but the Hogue EX-04 is a knife to be reckoned with.

The Hogue EX-04 is the next generation in the Extreme Series. These uniquely designed knives are aesthetically appealing and reliably functional.

Designed by Allen Elishewitz with cues from his Jekyll and Hyde custom knives, the EX-04 comes in two different blade styles. The one we’re highlighting here is the 3.5-inch modified Wharncliffe version. The blade profile is simultaneously angular and curvaceous, giving the user a deep belly for slicing and a hook-like point.

Spyderco Tool Used in Ongoing Effort to Free Blue Whale

June 30, 2016 / Tim / 6 Comments

Whale entanglements are on the rise. In 2015, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported 61 incidents of whale entanglements along the West Coast. That’s the most since the NOAA started keeping records in 1982.

On Monday, an 80-foot blue whale entangled in crab traps and lines attached to buoys was spotted off the coast of Orange County. Blue whales are endangered after being hunted mercilessly by whalers for decades, so it’s a shame for the whale to be stuck.

That’s where Spyderco comes into the picture.

DPx Gear HEFT 4 Assault – Badass Knife of the Week

June 27, 2016 / Tim / 1 Comment

DPx Gear knows a thing or two about making a badass knife. The brand reshaped what a survival knife can be with its designs called HEST (Hostile Environment Survival Tools).

Our latest Badass Knife of the Week takes the HEST idea to the next level. Meet the HEFT 4 Assault.

The DPx Gear HEFT 4 Assault upgrades the HEST concept and makes the knife bigger, harder, and more versatile. The HEFT, which stands for Hostile Field Environment Field Tool, boasts a truly badass design.

The HEFT 4 Assault features a 3.94-inch blade made from high-performance Lohmann Niolox steel. If you’re unfamiliar with this largely German steel, Niolox is known for its excellent stain-resistance, superb edge retention, and overall durability.

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The blade is coated with black satin Titanium Carbo-Nitride (TiCN) PVD coating to remove the blade’s reflective properties. Its blade profile is an understated yet versatile drop point.

Knife Myths: Knives from China are always cheap and inferior

June 23, 2016 / Tim / 126 Comments

tenacious-china

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.

Schrade SCHF52 – Badass Knife of the Week

June 20, 2016 / Tim / 1 Comment

Think you can’t improve on something that’s already great? Our latest Badass Knife of the Week proves otherwise.

The Schrade SCHF52 Frontier is an updated version of the SCHF37, which was widely hailed as a great all-around survival knife.

The SCHF52 retains the same 7.04-inch 1095 carbon steel blade, but it features an upgraded blade coating. The thick powder coating of the previous iteration created drag while batoning, but the SCHF52 uses a Teflon-like coating that not only holds up better to rigorous use but also adds an extra layer of rust-resistance to the steel.

Kershaw Select Fire – Badass Knife of the Week

June 13, 2016 / Tim / 0 Comments

It’s rare for people to strive so relentlessly for innovation and originality. It’s even rarer for those people to consistently hit the mark on so many levels. But that’s what you get from the knifemakers behind the latest Badass Knife of the Week.

With Father’s Day only a few days away, we thought it would be apropos to look at a knife designed by the creative father/son duo of Grant and Gavin Hawk.

The Kershaw Select Fire is one of those knives that punches well above its weight class in so many ways. The folder is an honest and reliable pocket knife with a few features that every handyman should have nearby.

The Cutting Edge

The official blog of Knife Depot