The Cutting Edge

S&W SWFR2S Extreme Ops – Badass Knife of the Week

November 9, 2015 / Tim / 2 Comments

Ever since we founded this great company of ours more than a decade ago, one knife has found its way into people’s pockets more than any other: the Smith & Wesson SWFR2S Extreme Ops Tanto.

So what does that tell us about this folder from Smith & Wesson? That it’s one badass knife.

When a knife feels good in your hands, you never want to let go, and that’s the sensation you get whenever you hold this knife.

The rubberized aluminum handle is easy on the hands and extremely comfortable, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Watch Cold Steel Go Head-to-Head with Competitors

November 6, 2015 / Tim / 4 Comments

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Cold Steel has taken some hits over the years from hard-core knife enthusiasts.

First, some people were turned off by president Lynn Thompson’s proclamations of the best knives around. Then, others complained about issues with quality control. Many are not on board with the fact that the knives come from places like Taiwan and China. Finally, Cold Steel’s recent lawsuit against CRKT for making unfounded marketing claims riled up people even more.

Say what you will about Cold Steel, but the company does put out some durable knives. Cold Steel just has to put their heads down and let their knives speak for themselves (something I said in the article about the lawsuit).

Well, it looks like Cold Steel is taking my advice and letting their knives speak for themselves instead of going after other company’s marketing tactics.

Schrade SCHF51M and SCHF52M Now Available

November 3, 2015 / Tim / 1 Comment

The new for 2016 items from Schrade are still trickling in. The SCHF51M and SCHF52M models are now available at Knife Depot.

A few weeks ago we announced the availability of the SCHF51 and SCHF52 (which were updates on the well-received SCHF36 and SCHF37). So what’s the difference? For starters, the SCHF51M and SCHF52M both feature awesome Micarta handle scales as opposed to the TPE handles of the base models.

SCHF51M

Micarta is praised for being extremely tough and strong, which makes it a no-brainer for any survival or outdoor blade, such as these two Frontier models from Schrade.

ESEE-4 – Badass Knife of the Week

November 2, 2015 / Tim / 1 Comment

If you want a survival knife that will make it to hell and back, look no further than our latest Badass Knife of the Week.

The ESEE-4 from ESEE Knives is one of the best all-around blades for outdoor tasks, earning high marks from bushcrafters and campers alike.

Schrade SCHF42D Now Available

October 31, 2015 / Tim / 1 Comment

Our slate of brand new Schrade Knives continues with the highly anticipated Schrade SCHF42D.

Based off the design from Brian Griffin, the SCHF42D is an update on the SCHF42. Make no mistake about it though, the SCHF42 (yes, the naming system can get confusing) is a hugely popular knife among those in the bushcrafting world. It was nearly universally acclaimed.

As with anything out there, there were a few suggestions for the knife that would make it near perfect.

The first was with the blade edge. The SCHF42 has a recurved blade, which can be a pain to sharpen, especially if you’re out in the field. Schrade listened to a lot of the feedback and made the SCHF42D a knife with a non-recurve blade. That means the 5.12-inch 1095 steel blade of the SCHF42D is nice and straight. For this reason alone, I can see countless people making the jump to this budget bushcrafting knife.

7 Knives With Carabiner Clips

October 29, 2015 / Tim / 2 Comments

The carabiner is a simple yet important tool that was first used back in 1911. The metal loop with a spring-loaded gate is widely used in rope-intensive activities like mountain climbing and window cleaning, but the tool has also been adapted over the years to accomplish smaller, less extreme tasks.

Aside from mountaineering and similar activities, the carabiner has become most commonly known for clipping keys to one’s belt loop.

Since these are becoming more and more common, the carabiner has begun to make it on knives (and vice versa). If you’re interested in attaching your knife to your bag or your keys to your knife, these knives with carabiners will do the trick. Note: Bear in mind that these aren’t designed for actual hard-core use.

Gerber Curve

The Gerber Curve is a unique multi-tool with an interesting design and a clip resembling a carabiner. Its spring-loaded gate is a dead giveaway. The knife itself comes with a few tools, including a knife, screwdrivers, nail file, and more. The tools lock with a cool device.

Again, this isn’t something you’d want to use while rope climbing, but it is something you could clip to a bag or a belt loop.

Leatherman Crater C33

Leatherman made more of a proper knife with a carabiner than the Curve. The Leatherman C33 Crater features s 2.6-inch blade made from 420HC stainless steel with a glass-filled nylon sheath. The Crater has a proper liner lock that makes it a functional knife for harder tasks.

Buck 119BR Special Cocobolo – Badass Knife of the Week

October 26, 2015 / Tim / 1 Comment

Is there any brand that elicits the feelings of tradition and history like Buck Knives? Our latest Badass Knife of the Week is evidence that not many can match the acumen of Buck.

The Buck 119 Special is everything you want in a great hunting knife. It’s simple, downright good-looking, and highly versatile. And the Buck 119BR Special, with its handsome cocobolo dymondwood handle and shimmering brass guard and butt, will make even the most stoic man turn his head in awe.

New Schrade SCHF43 (Jessica-X) now available

October 24, 2015 / Tim / 16 Comments

Hot off the heels of the release of the new SCHF51 and SCHF52 models comes yet another Schrade exclusive at Knife Depot: the SCHF43.

This Schrade SCHF43 is a knife that’s been teased around the web for a while, with a whole host of video reviews popping up around YouTube. If you’re not familiar with the knife, it was designed by Chris Tanner of PreparedMind101. Although the official Schrade name is SCHF43, it’s commonly called the Jessica-X. The reason is that Jessica is the name of Chris Tanner’s Becker BK7. He set out to create his own design based off the knife and fondly called it Jessica-X. That name stuck.

New 2016 Schrade SCHF51 and SCHF52 models now available

October 21, 2015 / Tim / 7 Comments

The much anticipated Schrade SCHF51 Frontier and SCHF52 Frontier are now available at Knife Depot.

So why are these two models so coveted?

Let’s break it down a bit. The SCHF51 and SCHF52 are updates on the old SCHF36 and SCHF37, which were already highly respected knives. In fact, the SCHF36 received the Blade Magazine People’s Choice of the Yeard award in 2015. Except for a few minor quibbles, those two survival fixed blades were widely hailed as great knives for any outdoorsman.

The SCHF51 and SCHF52 take things to the next level.

Taylor Brands LLC took all the criticisms and wants from reviewers and customers and made great knives even better. Let’s start with some of the specs.

Here’s the SCHF51.

The knife has the same 5.05-inch drop point blade as the SCHF36. The major change comes in the coating. Many complained that the coating was way too thick and caused some drag when batoning. Taylor Brands took the criticisms to heart and came back with a better, Teflon-like coating that’s thinner. With the new coating, the 1095 carbon steel blade is better protected and more visually appealing.

Benchmade 581 Barrage – Badass Knife of the Week

October 19, 2015 / Tim / 0 Comments

When the Benchmade 580 Barrage was first introduced in 2009, it was well-received. Not only was it the first AXIS-lock folder to include an assisted-opening mechanism but the folder helped further solidify Benchmade as a quality brand.

How could Benchmade possibly improve upon the impressive Barrage? Our latest Badass Knife of the Week shows how.

The Benchmade 581 Barrage is an updated version of the knife with premium flourishes that up the ante on what a knife can offer.

Designed by custom knifemaker Warren Osborne, the 581 Barrage features a 3.6-inch drop point blade just like the 580. What sets the two knives apart is the blade steel. The 581 Barrage uses Bohler M390 steel, which is esteemed for its very high wear and corrosion resistance. Along with its strength, the steel is also praised for holding an edge like nobody’s business.