The Cutting Edge

Badass Knife of the Week: SOG SEAL Pup Elite

December 6, 2014 / Tim / 0 Comments

With a long list of missions and successes that date back to WWII, the Navy SEALs are among the most badass special units ever to exist. Since the members of the force constantly put their lives at risk, it only makes sense to use nothing but the best equipment. SOG has built a knife worthy of the Navy SEALs themselves: the SEAL Pup Elite.

The Badass Knife of the Week is impressive in every way. Its laser focus on high performance in the toughest situations separates the SOG SEAL Pup Elite from other knives.

Parker River Knife Company Embraces the Past with Classic Pocket Knives

December 2, 2014 / Tim / 5 Comments

Even though the knife market is continually dominated by huge brands like Kershaw, Buck, and Spyderco, smaller companies also make fantastic knives and offer personal touches that those larger companies simply can’t. That’s where the Parker River Knife Company comes in.

Parker River Knife Company’s story began nearly 100 years ago along the banks of Parker River in Newbury, Mass. A restaurant and gift shop opened right on the water, but after many years it was converted into a marina. Once the owners decided to retire, Jim Bowes and his wife decided to take over the family business and write a new chapter in the family story.

Here’s more about the start of the company from the Parker River site:

Drawing on years of experience working along the Parker River, we’ve designed a line of knives that are as beautiful as they are functional. The river has taught us to respect and love nature. Our products are designed to last a lifetime and to be cherished as much as we love this little river.

What really sets Parker River knives apart from some of the other knives you see on the market is just how much these knives look and feel like the same ones your granddad might have carried. This ensures the knife not only features a handsome design but also boasts a look you know will never go out of style.

Badass Knife of the Week: Ontario RAT Model 2

November 28, 2014 / Tim / 1 Comment

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.

Knives Save Lives: Trapped Baby in a Sunken Car

November 26, 2014 / Tim / 0 Comments

A picture of the crash provided by Maine State Police.

“They come in handy, I guess. Monday night really proved it,” Moody said.

That’s a quote from a 44-year-old logger from Maine named Leo Moody describing pocket knives.

Not long ago, Moody was driving home from work when he saw an SUV flipped upside down in the water. He called 911 and rushed to the vehicle where one of the passengers said there was a baby trapped in the back seat.

As only a special type of person would do, Moody immediately swam through the cold water to the vehicle where he saw the 3-month-old stuck in the child seat.

At this point, the average person would be helpless and incapable of ripping a jammed seat belt with bare hands. Fortunately, Moody is not your average person. He pulled out a pocket knife and began cutting away.

Badass Knife of the Week: Spyderco Pacific Salt

November 21, 2014 / Tim / 0 Comments

With its vast amounts of salt and water, the ocean has destroyed countless knives with rust and ruin. But no knife can brave the elements of the sea like the latest Badass Knife of the Week: the Spyderco Pacific Salt.

The Spyderco Pacific Salt is not only the ultimate diving knife but it is also perfectly designed for everyday carry.

Knife Rights Releases Rankings of 10 Worst Anti-Knife Cities

November 20, 2014 / Tim / 13 Comments

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Since its inception in late 2006, Knife Rights has worked hard to lobby against those with an anti-knife agenda. The organization has done a ton of advocacy for knife rights and has made a huge impact with knife legislation. We covered just a little of what they’ve done in an older blog post.

At the NASC Annual Sportsman-Legislator Summit in Oregon, Knife Rights released their first annual review of the worst and best knife laws in America.

Here’s more from Knife Rights on the ranking:

The ten worst anti-knife cities stand out for their outright persecution of honest knife owners and extraordinarily restrictive anti-knife ordinances, far more severe than even the state laws in those areas.

You can see the rankings over at Knife Rights but we thought we’d share it here as well. Some of the information about the laws in the cities are taken from Knife Rights.

Here are the 10 worst cities for knife owners.

10. Aspen, Colorado

In Aspen, it’s illegal to carry a concealed knife of any type in a car, unless you have a concealed weapons permit. It’s perfectly legal to buy marijuana in Aspen, but don’t even think about driving with your pocketknife hidden somewhere.

9. Corpus Christi, Texas (Update: removed from list in 2015 with the passage of Texas’ knife preemption law)

Limited Edition Kershaw Ruby Sells Out in 1 minute 3 seconds

November 18, 2014 / Tim / 0 Comments

For 40 years, Kershaw Knives has been at the top of its game, putting out some of the most respected knives on the market. The Leek, Blur, Clash, Amphibian, Cryo, Shuffle, Blackout, and Knockout have garnered cult followings over the years.

Kershaw is a perennial winner at the annual BLADE Show and remains one of the most respected brands out there. So it’s not surprising that Kershaw pulled no stops with its 40 year anniversary model: the Ruby model 4040.

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The limited edition knife was produced to commemorate the four-decade anniversary and integrated many of Kershaw’s patented designs and features.

Badass Knife of the Week: Gil Hibben Survivor Bowie

November 13, 2014 / Tim / 1 Comment

Like the classic Bowie knives of the Old West, the Gil Hibben Survivor Bowie is the ultimate warrior. This Badass Knife of the Week is 15 inches of pure power and can handle any hard-core tasks you throw at it.

Badass Knife of the Week: Gerber LMF II

November 7, 2014 / Tim / 0 Comments

Whether you’re smashing through a window to save a trapped loved one, chopping up kindling for a campfire, or escaping from behind enemy lines, this week’s Badass Knife of the Week is the tool you want by your side.

The Gerber LMF II Infantry is one of the most popular and respected military/survival knives of the past few decades and consistently lives up to its reputation as a solid all-around knife.

Knife Myths: More Expensive Knives Are Always Better

November 6, 2014 / Tim / 18 Comments

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We’re continuing our series on knife misconceptions with another prevalent myth: More expensive knives are always better than less pricey ones and don’t need to be sharpened as often.

When people see an exorbitant price tag on something, most assume that it’s the best in its class. In general, more expensive knives are typically made with better materials and feature better craftsmanship, but that’s not always the case.

Let’s take a quick look at a “cheap” knife that will stand up to some higher end models. Mora of Sweden is notorious for making some of the best low-cost knives on the market and the Mora Clipper 840 will only set you back about $14, despite being considered a highly respected knife with quality that’s above par.

The Mora Clipper won’t break your wallet but still gets rave reviews.

You can also get knives like the Old Timer Sharpfinger, Kershaw Cinder, or Smith & Wesson H.R.T. Boot Knife for under $20. All of these have great reviews and reputation for their build quality.

So why are some knives more expensive than others despite having similar features or craftsmanship. A few things can explain the difference in price:

Marketing: We all know that Beats headphones are priced higher than Sony headphones, despite having similar specs on many models. So what’s the difference? Marketing, of course. Beats by Dre is just cooler and therefore you will pay more for that brand name. Sometimes, the same thing goes for knives.
More expensive materials: Why is one Case Jack Knife $200 more than another Case Jack Knife? Mother of Pearl. Other than the more expensive handle material, the knives have the same craftsmanship and general design.
Custom: A custom-made or limited edition knife will generally cost more. The reason for that is you’re paying for exclusivity and in some cases a name. However, I should say here that a custom knife does frequently feature better craftsmanship than an inexpensive factory folder.

Mother of Pearl and other rare materials can raise a knife’s price.

So now that we know that the more expensive a knife is doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better, we’ll tackle the second part of the misconception: more expensive knives don’t need to be cared for as much as cheaper knives and never have to be sharpened.