Page 85 of 115

Zero Tolerance Unveils New Knives at SHOT Show

January 22, 2013 / Tim / 3 Comments

As stated last week, there’s a lot to look forward to in the world of knives. Manufacturers are posting the products for 2013 on their websites and showing off new prototypes at the famous SHOT Show. Now it’s time to parse through the information and give you a rundown of some knives you should look forward to.

If you’re a fan of knives, one thing you should have on your radar is the new Zero Tolerance knives showcased at this year’s SHOT Show. You can get a much better preview from Stuart at Tool Guyd, but here’s a quick look at the ZT models.

ZT 0566 (Rick Hinderer Design)

Backside of the o566. Image taken from BladeForums.com

Backside of the 0566. Image taken from BladeForums.com

Rick Hinderer is a tactical design hero around these parts, so we were really looking forward to this knife. The 0566 doesn’t disappoint. It features a 3.25-inch blade made from Stonewashed Elmax. One side of the handle is textured G10 while the other side is made from stainless steel. It’s an assisted-opening flipper with a stainless steel frame lock, which makes the knife a bit more affordable. The MSRP is set at $180.

ZT 0770

Image taken from BladeForums.com

This is another similarly sized flipper made from Elmax. What jumps out is the apparent plainness in the aluminum handle, but it retains the workhorse attitude expected from Zero Tolerance. The ZT 0770 is basically the simplified and efficient version of the award-winning (but very expensive) 0777. The MSRP is $180.

ZT 0801 (Todd Rexford Design)

Image taken from BladeForums.com

Finally, we have yet another stonewashed Elmax steel blade on the ZT 0801, which is designed by knife-maker Todd Rexford. The blade is 3.5 inches and the knife is 4.7 inches when closed. The MSRP on this model is a bit higher at $240.

New CRKT Knives for 2013

January 18, 2013 / Tim / 2 Comments

It’s the beginning of the year and a ton of new knives are coming out, including some great sneak peeks at the 2013 SHOT Show. We’ll be bringing you the latest knife models featured at the SHOT Show, but in this post we’re going to look at the best new knives from CRKT.

On Wednesday, CRKT announced on its Facebook page that the new product specs are up on their site and you can check out the whole 2013 product lineup on the “What’s New” page.

Here are some of the highlights from the new CRKT products.

Otanashi noh Ken – Designed by James Williams

Otanashi-noh-Ken-SKU-web-image_xlarge_544

Probably one of the most anticipated knives of the lineup, the Otanashi noh Ken is a badass tactical folder designed by martial artist James Williams.

Kangee T-Hawk – Designed by Ryan Johnson

Kangee-T-Hawk-SKU-web-image_xlarge_543

Another piece of tactical gear we have to look forward to is the T-Hawk, which comes in two different models: Kangee and Chogan. The ‘hawk has an overall length of 13.75 inches and a glass-filled nylon handle.

Continue reading

Weird Knives: Alps-Serrated Bread Knifves

January 15, 2013 / Tim / 0 Comments

There are many unique knives that resemble things, including the cleverly designed watermelon knife and the always frightening shark knife. But this design from these smart knife makers is utterly brilliant.

Someone had the great idea of recreating mountain ranges from the serrations of a bread knife. Right now there are only three knives replicating the range of the Swiss Alps, but it seems like there is a desire to do the same for ranges around the world. I would love a nice bread knife with parts of the Sierra Nevada range or the Rocky Mountains.

As I’m not too familiar with the Swiss Alps, though I did hike along the Alps near Mürren a few years ago, I’m curious how geographically accurate these knives are. If they are correct, it only makes this idea and execution even better.

"Knife Guys" Will Ferrell and Ryan Gosling on Jimmy Kimmel Live

January 11, 2013 / Tim / 0 Comments

Will Ferrell is a perennial funnyman who can seem to do no wrong (well…except for the awful “Land of the Lost” movie). Earlier this week, he took his talents to “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to poke some fun at knife lovers.

Normally I would take offense or just ignore this over-the-top portrayal of knife salesmen, but Will Ferrell and fellow actor Ryan Gosling seem to really take it to the next level with accuracy. Take a look at the hilarity in the clip below. The good stuff really starts at about the 48-second mark if you’re the impatient kind.

Four Best-Selling Gerber Knives

January 6, 2013 / Tim / 4 Comments

Gerber Gear has a long and storied history that spans back to the late 1930s when Joseph R. Gerber sold handmade cutlery. Gerber has grown into a prolific company that’s made its name with durable and innovative knives.

In this post, we’re going to take a look at some of the top selling Gerber knives.

Gerber LMF II

The LMF II is arguably one of the best survival knives out there. Any list that documents the top 5 survival knives is simply inaccurate without the inclusion of the LMF II, so there’s no wonder why it’s one of Gerber’s top sellers.

Gerber EVO

With its titanium nitride coated blade and sturdy framelock, the Gerber EVO is a functional and beautifully designed tool.

Continue reading

Serrated Blade Sharpening Guide

January 1, 2013 / Tim / 5 Comments

Gerber Hinderer Rescue

We’ve talked a lot on this blog about sharpening straight-edged knives, but we haven’t focused much on serrated blades. While we always encourage those with serrated knives to get them sharpened professionally or by the manufacturer, it is possible to sharpen one yourself. You just have to know what you’re doing.

For a straight-edged blade, you would take a sharpening stone and simply run the knife across it, but doing that with a serrated knife will only grind off the serrations. This might give the blade a specious and temporary feeling of sharpness, but it’s very bad for the blade and you should avoid it at all cost.

Instead, you will need a sharpening rod—either made from steel or ceramic. The size you get is really important, but it also depends on the size of the serrations. If you’re using a large cooking knife with wide serrations, opt for something like the DMT Ceramic Steel. For most pocket knives with small serrations, go for the DMT Diafold Serrated Sharpener. This works with made types of small serrations because the rod tapers down at the end, so it fits various sizes.

Two Knives to Look Forward to in 2013

December 23, 2012 / Tim / 1 Comment

C156GBN_L
Despite all the grand fears and grumblings about the end of the world, it’s two days after the prophetic end of the Mayan calendar and we are all still here.

Whether you were hoping for the apocalypse or looking for things to follow the status quo, we still have a lot to look forward to.

In the short-term, the start of the new year in a few weeks means the arrival of a whole host of brand new knives. One new knife you can set your sights on is the CRKT Otanashi Noh Ken.

The first I heard of this knife was in a review over at The Edge Observer. Available after the 2013 SHOT Show, the Otanashi Noh Ken is a thin, combat folder designed by James Williams. The name of the knife translates to silent sword because it takes cues from Japanese-styled swords. I’m not putting it as eloquently as The Edge Observer, but it looks like a truly badass knife. You can see the video review embedded below.

Calif. Court Strikes Down Extensive Anti-Knife Ruling

December 18, 2012 / Tim / 0 Comments

The proverbial ship was righted a few weeks ago after the California Court of Appeals reversed an overreaching ruling from a lower court that deemed any knife that could be flicked open with a wrist a switchblade.

According to Knife Rights, “the lower court made the faulty ruling despite an explicit provision in California law that distinguishes and protects one-hand opening and assisted-opening knives with a bias towards closure and despite prior Appellate Court rulings upholding that exception.”

What that lower court in California was saying was that the 80 percent of the knives sold in the United States are illegal.

Fortunately for knife carriers throughout California, the judges in the higher court reversed that expansive ruling and brought things back to the status quo. Here’s an excerpt from the judge’s opinion:

“Switchblade knife” does not include a knife that opens with one hand utilizing thumb pressure applied solely to the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to the blade, provided that the knife has a detent or other mechanism that provides resistance that must be overcome in opening the blade, or that biases the blade back toward its closed position.

Top 5 Pocket Knife Gift Ideas

December 11, 2012 / Tim / 0 Comments

Everyone has been there. You must buy a close relative or distant friend something for the holidays, but you have absolutely no clue what to get. The best gift of them all is the pocket knife. Its versatility, long-lasting construction and feeling of tradition is unmatched by other items. Unfortunate (or fortunately, depending on how you think), there are tens of thousands of pocket knives available.

To simplify things for you, we’ve assembled this list of the five diverse pocket knives that make perfect gifts.

My Tighe by CRKT

If the person you’re giving a knife to is a sucker for sleek designs and the latest technology, nothing tops the new My Tighe. This knife is the creation of knifemaker Brian Tighe, who uses his knives for pretty much any hard-core thing you could think of. The quality of construction on this knife will blow any knife enthusiast or amateur away. It also boasts the latest technology, such as Torx fasteners, OutBurst assisted opening mechanism, Triple-Point serrated edges and more.

Even if none of these specs mean anything to you, you’ll fall in love with the My Tighe the minute you hold it. You might need to buy two, so you could keep one for yourself.

Continue reading