The Cutting Edge

Knife Community Says Goodbye to Two Pioneers

October 13, 2012 / Tim / 0 Comments

edgecraft-corporation-founder-daniel-d-friel-passes-away

Daniel Friel

The past few weeks the knife community has suffered the loss of two influential men in the world of knives: Ted Dowell and Daniel D. Friel. So we’re going to take some time to honor some of their achievements and innovations.

Daniel Friel, who died on Sept. 21 at the age of 92, didn’t become an influencer in the knife community until he was 65. Prior to then, he worked on the Manhattan Project, which produced the first atomic bomb, and then went to work for the DuPont company.

His most notable knife-related achievements came when he founded the company EdgeCraft. His decision to found the company was actually sparked by his inability to find a knife with a proper edge to cut his Thanksgiving turkey.

Here’s more from the Philadelphia Inquirer:

He attempted to sharpen them with what tools he had, and he found they didn’t work. He basically made a mess of the turkey,” Mr. Friel’s son, Daniel Jr., said.

That experience led Mr. Friel Sr. to his life’s Act II: founding EdgeCraft Corporation in Avondale, Pa., and developing the popular Chef’sChoice® line of culinary tools, including knife sharpeners, food slicers, and waffle makers.

Thanks to the hard work of Friel, Chef’s Choice has become the go-to company for quality knife sharpeners.

Then, Ted Dowell, one of the founding members and past presidents of the Knifemaker’s Guild, passed away on Oct. 5. He set out with the other founding members to establish an ethical community of custom knifemakers and help promote the knives.

Top Knives Designed by Ethan Becker

October 9, 2012 / Tim / 1 Comment

If the name Ethan Becker doesn’t ring a bell in your head, you’ve been missing out.

Becker, who is a knife designer and an amazing cook, founded Becker Knife & Tool in the early ’80s, after he spent years designing unique outdoor equipment like the durable Becker Patrol Pack. Although BK&T shut its operations, Becker himself kept designing knives.

Fortunately, KA-BAR picked up Becker’s creations, including some pretty cool new designs. Here are some of the best Becker knives:

Becker Tac Tool

This Becker Tac Tool is more than a knife. This tool can cut like a knife, pry like a crowbar, shatter glass like a hammer and anything else you might need in an emergency.

Becker Tac Machax

One of the most well-known Becker tools is the Tac Machax. This tactical machete will blow your mind. Even though the handle looks uncomfortable, it feels great in your hands even after hours of use.

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5 Features to Avoid on a Survival Knife

October 2, 2012 / Tim / 6 Comments

A survival knife is a piece of equipment that can literally save your life if all else fails. This tool can be used for hunting, building shelter, cleaning fish and even self-defense.

And for those looking to pick up a solid, all-around survival knife, the choices are plenty. While many of the survival knives being sold today are great quality tools, not all of them are perfectly designed for survival situations. So if you’re trying to buy the best knife for surviving in dire circumstances, these are the five features you don’t want on your survival knife.

Folding mechanism

The last feature you want on a survival knife is the ability to fold. A folder, while much more convenient, is also much more likely to break when used in survival situations. You want a knife that does not have moving parts or bits that can be easily broken. Even if it does have a lock, extreme pressure will sometimes break a knife. Instead, opt for a fixed-blade knife.

Serrations

Serrated and partially serrated knives are all the rage these days. While there are plenty of good uses for serrations on certain knives, a fully serrated blade is a bad way to go. Serrations are mainly good for cutting rope, among a few other specialized activities. Everything you will be doing in the wilderness would require a plain edge. Also, serrated blades are impossible to sharpen on the fly, so if your blade dulls while you’re trying to survive, you’ll be out of luck. Instead, go for the plain-edged blade.

Gut hook

It might make sense to try to pack all the features into your survival knife like a gut hook. Wrong. You want a simple blade that will not make doing some of the important tasks, like slicing things, more difficult. You would likely rarely if never need a gut hook in survival situations.

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Best Kukri Machetes from Knife Depot

September 28, 2012 / Tim / 0 Comments

Similar to how some African countries, especially a place like Ghana, use a machete as an everyday tool for basic tasks, the Nepalese people also use their own version of a machete for everyday tasks: the kukri.

Resembling a machete in nearly every aspect, the main different between the two is that the kukri has a blade that curves inward, so it looks like a boomerang.

The kukri has been historically used as both a weapon and an everyday utility tool. It’s great for clearing brush, chopping wood, skinning animals and, of course, self-defense. That’s why kukris make such great camping companions.

If you’re interested in picking one of these up, here are some of the best ones from Knife Depot.

Cold Steel Knives PVC

This Cold Steel Kukri features a 13-inch blade and comes with a cordura sheath.

Smith & Wesson Bush Hog Kukri

This S&W has a 12-inch plain edge blade and a rubber handle, which is comfortable on your hands during repeated use.

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In the Military? KA-BAR Wants to Honor You

September 21, 2012 / Tim / 0 Comments

A few weeks ago, KA-BAR announced the creation of the KA-BAR Military Appreciation Program, which aims to give thanks to the members of the U.S. Armed Forces by giving away one fighting/utility knife to an active-duty member each month.

KA-BAR is well known for being a staunch supporter of the military and has been adopted by the military as the knife of choice, first for the Marine Corps and then for the Navy.

If you want to be entered into the drawing, you should send an email to promotions@ka-bar.com from an address with a “.mil” ending to show them you’re in the military. In the email, be sure to include your name, stateside shipping address and an explanation of what the knife will be used for.

According to the site, winners will be picked the last Friday of every month, with the first drawing Sept. 28.

Knifemaker Daniel Winkler Shows the Art of Making a Bowie Knife

September 18, 2012 / Tim / 0 Comments

The Bowie knife—named after Col. Jim Bowie—is as American as a knife can get.

The large, fixed-blade fighting knife boasts a gritty construction and durable design, which is what made it so notable at the infamous Sandbar Fight.

For some more insight on the Bowie knife, check out this great video of knifemaker Daniel Winkler walking through how an original Bowie is made, why it’s so significant and some of the knife’s history.

Best 9/11 Commemorative Knives

September 14, 2012 / Tim / 1 Comment

Earlier this week, we all took an opportunity to reflect on the tragic events that took place 11 years ago. It’s impossible to take those images out of your head.Nor should you try. It’s important to remember.

And to honor those who perished that day and those who were affected with the loss of a family member or friend, knife companies have created numerous commemorative knives. Here is a compilation of some of those knives.

KA-BAR 9/11 Commemorative Series

In the years following 9/11, KA-BAR has created three commemorative 9/11 knives. One the the Marine Corps, another for the Army and a final one for the Navy.

Boker 9/11 “Justice is Done”

For nearly 10 years, the US pursued the perpetrator behind the attacks until he was finally killed in May of 2011. To simultaneously remember 9/11 and honor the sense of closure, Boker created the 9/11 “Justice is Done” knife with those words etched into it.

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Knife Rights’ Case Against NYC Marches On

September 11, 2012 / Tim / 1 Comment

Late last year, the New York City district attorney tried to throw out a knife-related civil rights suit against him and the city on the basis that there is no standing. Well, a judge has just announced that Knife Rights, which brought up the lawsuit, does in fact have a valid case and the suit will proceed.

As a refresher for anyone who’s late coming to this story, DA Cyrus Vance Jr. cracked down on knives in New York City by doing two things that Knife Rights claims is illegal. First, they prohibited retail stores from selling certain types of knives that aren’t usually considered gravity knives (which are illegal in NYC). Second, police arrested people carrying these same pocket knives, which, again, these should be considered legal.

Gravity knives, which is a legal term, are defined by being able to be opened with only the use of gravity. Unfortunately, the DA has broadened that definition to also mean knives that can be opened by the flick of a wrist.

So, Knife Rights teamed up with companies and citizens affected by this broad use of force. But the courts aren’t letting the DA get out of this one so easily. Here’s more from Knife Rights:

“Despite their attempts to make this case go away, NYC and DA Vance will now be held fully accountable in federal court by Knife Rights for their disgraceful attempts to demonize the most widely-owned pocket knives in America as contraband, and to intimidate honest knife retailers into making six-figure forced ‘contributions’ to the City, under threat of criminal penalty, in order to avoid prosecution,” said Knife Rights Chairman Doug Ritter.

An S&W pocket knife designed to save lives

September 7, 2012 / Tim / 0 Comments

With more than 10,000 products in our e-commerce store, it’s easy to pass over some stunning products you might not have noticed. That’s why we’re making an effort to bring you a featured spotlight of the Smith & Wesson First Response Drop-Point Serrated Pocket Knife.

Whether you’re a first responder or someone who just likes to be prepared, this knife keeps you ready for any situation. This knife, which has an overall length of 8 inches when open, deftly alternates between ordinary duties and extraordinary life-saving tasks.

The 3.3-inch stainless steel blade has a serrated and straight edge ideal for all types of activities and uses. The durable drop point blade is secured by a liner lock that stays in place despite extreme amounts of pressure.

Along with G10 inserts for maximum grip and control, the stainless steel handle features a seat belt cutter and window punch in the event of an unexpected accident or disaster.

The accompanying pocket clip allows the first response knife to remain within arms length at all times because you never know when you’ll need to rescue yourself from a dangerous situation or simply cut an apple for your lunch.

Right now this knife is an affordable $24.99 and is worth every penny. If you’re interested in learning more about the knife or picking it up, check it out here.

Gil Hibben’s Knives Featured in the ‘Expendables 2’

September 5, 2012 / Tim / 3 Comments

The Expendables 2, the star-studded, action-packed, shoot ’em up film of the year, won the box office a week ago and received pretty favorable reviews from critics.

While you may be most familiar with the huge stars of the film, including Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jet Li to name a few, another group of players in the film deserve a spotlight: the knives.

Knifemaker Gil Hibben created knives for the movie in order to give the film more attitude. Hibben’s bowie knife from the first Expendables movie was one of the most memorable aspects. You can even get a replica of the famous knife.

Here are the knives from the sequel taken from Hibben’s website.

The Legion Fighter