The Cutting Edge

Knife Myths: Stainless Steel Doesn’t Stain

October 25, 2014 / Tim / 7 Comments

We’re starting a brand new series that tackles some of the most prominent knife myths out there. Many will be false and some will be true, but all will be steeped in facts.

What better way to kick off the series than with one of the most prominent myths out there: Stainless steel won’t stain.

As much as we’d like that to be true, it turns out stainless steel is simply a misnomer. No one sums it up better than our friend Zvi over at zknives.com. Here’s an excerpt from his must-read kitchen knife steel FAQ:

“Technically and precisely speaking, there is no such thing as stainless steel. What has became an accepted term in the industry isn’t correct. All steels will rust, if proper care is not taken. Simply, some steels resist corrosion better than others, and that’s all there is to it. Thus, the correct term is stain-resistant.”

Evidence of rust on a stainless steel blade from UnluckyHunter.com

So where did stainless steel get its decidedly misleading name? It’s true that sometimes things are just endowed with partially true names (many a disgruntled wife will tell you that “morning sickness” should instead be called “all day sickness”), and the naming of the steel is no different.

Badass Knife of the Week: Victorinox SwissChamp

October 24, 2014 / Tim / 3 Comments

An old aphorism proclaims that a jack of all trades ends up being a master of none. This week’s Badass Knife of the Week begs to differ.

With 33 different tools and features, the Victorinox SwissChamp is essentially a complete toolbox that easily fits into your pocket, proving that a jack of all trades can be a master of everything.

‘Man at Arms: Reforged’ Competes to Create the Best Zombie Weapon (Video)

October 21, 2014 / Tim / 0 Comments

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Are you suffering from zombie fatigue yet?

Let’s hope not because with the return of the Walking Dead‘s fifth season, Halloween quickly approaching, and the ever-present zombie video game, zombies ain’t goin’ nowhere.

That doesn’t mean we have to suffer though. Even if you are tired of the flesh-hungry hordes, you can still get some pretty cool stuff out of it.

That’s where the latest Man At Arms: Reforged video from the AWE Me Channel comes in.

In Monday’s video, Sam, Matt, and John each set out to create the ultimate weapon for a zombie apocalypse. The weapons included a katar, a spear, and a war hammer.

To make the competition fair, the guys brought in a third-party judge from over at Zombie Go Boom, which we’ve shared on social media a few times.

Badass Knife of the Week: Fallkniven F1

October 16, 2014 / Tim / 2 Comments

A wise man once said that “simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication.” That astute proclamation perfectly describes the latest Badass Knife of the Week: the Fallkniven F1.

Fallkniven (pronounced felk-nee-ven) is well known for its straightforward designs that opt for functionality over presentation, and the Fallkniven F1 is that philosophy at its best.

Badass Knife of the Week: Emerson Mini CQC-7

October 10, 2014 / Tim / 1 Comment

If there’s one knife that perfectly defines the tactical folder, it’s the Emerson Mini CQC-7. For that reason alone, the knife deserves to be the latest Badass Knife of the Week, but it also offers so much more.

The Emerson Mini CQC-7 is a reasonably sized folder with a black 2.9-inch 154CM steel blade that packs as much punch as any knife out there. This version comes with a versatile partially serrated tanto blade and a chisel grind that puts other knives to shame.

Tips for Sharpening Hunting, Tactical, and Pocket Knives

October 9, 2014 / admin / 4 Comments

Our friend Mike over at Cutler Road was kind enough to write a post for us detailing the best way to sharpen your knives. You can find more of his tips on his blog.

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The majority of factory-sharpened knives come with a relatively steep bevel angle of approximately 25 degrees. This gives them an acceptably sharp edge, which retains its sharpness with considerable use, and ultimately keeps the consumer happy.

Improvements can be made to the sharpness of most factory-finished knives by decreasing the angle of the bevel edge slightly. Having a shallower angle will give a sharper edge; the downside is the edge will become blunt more quickly.

Machetes and axes have the steepest angle at approximately 35 degrees. A cut throat razor, at the other end of the scale, is approximately 15 degrees. An angle of 20 degrees is a very good compromise between sharpness and edge retention for pocket knives, tactical knives, and hunting knives.

Badass Knife of the Week: Buck Model 110

October 3, 2014 / Tim / 1 Comment

From its recognizable brass bolsters to its striking clip point blade, it doesn’t get more badass than the Buck Model 110 Hunting Folder.

Since its inception way back in 1963, this Badass Knife of the Week has been one of the most influential, mimicked, and best-selling knives on the market. Even after 50 years, it’s still at the top.

How to Get Tape Residue Off Your Knife Blade

October 2, 2014 / Tim / 11 Comments

We’ve entered the bizarre and convenient era of online buying. Thanks to companies like Amazon and Knife Depot, I get packages sent to my doorstep almost every day. Whether by a preprogramming from childhood or a general excitement, I simply can’t wait to tear open the box to see my new prize, even if it’s just a nonstick cake pan.

In my rush to open the box, my knife is what takes the most abuse. Whether because I’m impatient (or my wife is doing the opening), my knives always end up with a pile of tape gunk that doesn’t come off in warm water.

So what’s a man to do?

We’ve got that answer for you below.

Method 1: WD-40

Even though tape residue seems to be embedded on a blade, it’s actually fairly easy to remove. You have a number of options to take them off, but we’ll show you two different ways to remove the residue and the pros/cons. The first method we’re going with is the WD-40 way.

Say Hello to the Brand New Spyderco K-2 Folder

September 30, 2014 / Tim / 2 Comments

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There are countless reasons why you’d want a nice small folder. They’re portable, convenient, and legal to carry openly in most places. But sometimes a small folder simply won’t cut it.

For those heavy duty tasks, the new Spyderco K-2 is your knife. Spyderco continues to make its foray into the large folders market with this hefty knife designed by Farid Mehr.

Mehr is a British custom knifemaker whose knives are known for being downright tough. His first collaboration with Spyderco continues that trend. The K-2 boasts a 4.54-inch full-flat grind blade made of CPM 10V steel. Here’s what Spyderco says about the steel: “the first high-vanadium tool steel made using Crucible steel’s Powder Metallurgy process.” The high-vanadium levels give it a much stronger wear resistance.

Badass Knife of the Week: CRKT Carson M4-02

September 26, 2014 / Tim / 2 Comments

A few weeks back, the knife world suffered a huge blow with the loss of legendary knifemaker Kit Carson. In honor of Kit, we’ve selected the CRKT M4-02 as the Badass Knife of the Week.

Although Kit Carson is probably best known for creating the revered M16 series with CRKT, the M4 had become Kit’s most consistent selling custom knife since 1990 and for good reason. The knife was a work of art.