New Maxpedition Fixed Blade Knives

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Wilson

Maxpedition Fixed Blades Tim Tang founded Maxpedition Hard Use Gear in his parents’ garage after dropping out of med school in 2003.  The Los Angeles company began designing, contracting, and selling nylon everyday carry equipment such as backpacks, bags, and accessories.  Tang has said that he has always been a “knife guy” and knew he wanted Maxpedition to eventually reflect that.

At SHOT Show 2014, Maxpedition displayed some of their existing folder and future fixed blade offerings.  Following SHOT, Maxpedition followed through with information on their line of D2 fixed blade knives.  Here are some photographs and copy from their press release.

Continue reading →

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Hogue EX-F03 Neck Knives Have Arrived

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Wilson

imageThe Hogue EX-F03 is available at some outlets now.  I saw the hawkbill on a site for about $60.00.  I first viewed the prototypes for these knives at last year’s Blade Show.  These production models have the same basic profiles and construction as the ones I was able to hold.  One difference was that the protos had a really dark stonewashed or tumbled finish.  That made them striking.  I would love to see the particular treatment on future production EX-F03’s.  Below are the prototypes I photographed. Continue reading →

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New Benchmade Stryker 904SB

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Wilson

Benchmade Stryker 904SB ReverseI could not wait to order the new 2014 Benchmade Stryker.  Since I have been wearing business casual of late, I decided to buy a Stryker 904SB because it was the “gentleman’s folder” of the line.  USPS kindly delivered on time and I was made very happy on the anniversary of my birth.  I talked about the Benchmade/Elishewitz Stryker’s lineage in a previous post, so here are my impressions of the latest version and its comparison to the original 905 Stryker.

I slid open the butterfly-adorned black Benchmade box and smiled that the 904 was enveloped in a microfiber cloth bag with drawstring.  When I shimmied the knife out, it was more like meeting a new friend than revisiting an old one.  The 904’s handle shape is somewhat edited from that of the 905.

Benchmade Stryker 904SB Continue reading →

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Spyderco’s Amsterdam Meet 2014

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Wilson

Spyderco ARKEach year, I look forward to coverage of the Spyderco Amsterdam Meet by Wouter, known as Mr. Blonde on Spyderco Forums.  He is web-published as Spydercollector.com.  Sal and Eric Glesser and the crew make the annual journey to the Netherlands, where prototypes are revealed.

Wouter has high quality photographs and commentary of Golden, CO’s latest. Click on the hyperlink above and visit his site over the next few weeks. You will not be disappointed.  The proto for Spyderco’s ARK neck knife is up right now.

by Wilson

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Cold Steel’s Roach Belly Fixed Blade Knife

Posted on March 1, 2014 by Wilson

Cold Steel Roach BellyThe Roach Belly was an 18th Century knife pattern used by British, French, and Colonial American traders of that era.  Generally, the blade consisted of a straight-spine, acute point, and a pronounced curve, or belly, along the cutting edge.  Cold Steel Knives makes a really inexpensive modern version that cuts like mad.  Really!

I bought a Cold Steel Roach Belly for several reasons.  I liked its sleek fighter looks.  There is enough metal at the choil to act as a lower finger guard for serious work.  The $12.95 price meant I could take it on a trip to Zion without worrying about losing it from my luggage.  A 2.6 ounce weight made for extremely light carry in my hiking pack.

Roach Belly’s 4 1/2″ Krupps 4116 stainless steel blade can pass for a kitchen knife.  And I have used it as such.  The hollow grind has an effective edge geometry.  It cuts meat, veggies, or cardboard equally well.  A Rockwell hardness of 56-57 makes for ease of sharpening.

Cold Steel Roach Belly Reverse Continue reading →

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Szanto Displays New Watches at SHOT Show

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Wilson

Szanto Display 2Once again this year, I had a chance to converse with Jennifer Leonard, the brand manager for Szanto Watches, at their SHOT Show booth.  The display had new designs by owner Barry C0hen which were in keeping with his vision of vintage timepieces “rediscovered.”  While all the watches you see here may not make it into production, they definitely show a progression from the first offerings from last year.

Szanto ChronometerMore photos after the break… Continue reading →

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New Benchmade 909 AXIS Stryker II

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Wilson

Benchmade 909SBK StrykerBenchmade Knife Company‘s 910 Stryker debuted in the late 1990’s.  Designed by Allen Elishewitz, the original Stryker won the Shooting Industry Magazine’s Knife of the Year in 1998.  Back then, titanium liners, G-10 scales, ATS-34 steel, black blade coatings, and designer collaborations were reserved for Benchmade’s upstart folding knives such as the CQC-7, AFCK, and the Stryker.

Stryker was at the jump-off point of Les de Asis’ tactical assault on the late 90’s marketplace.  It has gone through a few upgrades and the Stryker is back for 2014 with some new boots.  Benchmade’s ambidextrous McHenry & Williams AXIS lock is incorporated into the Stryker.  The strong and secure lock is the center point for this current interpretation.

The 909’s 3.57″ blade of 154CM steel has the same modified tanto grind of OG Strykers.  Elishewitz’s design leaves plenty of steel at the tip and an eye-pleasing profile.  The 154CM will be hardened to 58-60 HRC.  As opposed to the original’s thumb disk, the new blade opens with dual thumb studs, like the Stryker Nitro-assisted 912’s. Continue reading →

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Brous Blades Bionic Folder

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Wilson

Brous Blades BionicJason Brous has created a new semi-custom flipper called Bionic.  I have written about Brous’ penchant for biomechanical design and this latest knife wears his artistic signature.  An anodized 6061 aluminum frame is machined in what I see as a millipede shape (South American?).  The outlines of the handle are organically curved.

I do see a single offsetting straight line in the groove at the top of the Bionic’s D2 stainless steel blade.  This groove serves as a opening device for the thumb.  The blade’s shape can be called either steep drop point or modified Wharncliffe.  It is deeply hollow ground and Cerakoted in satin or black. Continue reading →

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Traser’s New Red Combat Watch

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Wilson

Traser red combatThe ink had not yet dried on the blueprints for Traser’s new Red Combat model, set for intros at SHOT Show 2014.  When I asked the Traser booth rep if I could see the new watch, she smiled and pointed to a color flyer in a plastic frame.  None here in Vegas.  Dang.

Red Combat is a variation of Traser’s 6600 series.  For an MSRP of $440, you get a Ronda caliber 517 day/date analog quartz movement, sapphire crystal, and Traser’s trigalight tritium tubes.  You choose:  NATO strap or rubber strap. Continue reading →

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New ESEE Camp-Lore Series

Posted on February 8, 2014 by Wilson

Esee Camp-Lore BolieuESEE Knives has announced a new brand of outdoors knives called Camp-Lore, which will be aimed at the bushcraft market.  Each knife will be designed by a different outdoorsman and reflect their own personal likes in a field knife.  Made in the USA, the Camp-Lore knives will be built by Rowen Manufacturing in Idaho Falls, ID.

At SHOT Show 2014, Jeff Randall of ESEE Knives/Randall’s Adventure & Training said that their previous sharp offerings tended toward the “tactical” user, but Camp-Lore would explore the popular bushcraft scene.  Randall predicted that Camp-Lore would develop into a brand as large as ESEE itself.

Noted survival instructor and writer Reuben Bolieu came up with the Camp-Lore name, so his knife will be the flagship of the brand.  The Camp-Lore Bolieu, seen at the top, has a Scandi grind on its uncoated 1095 carbon steel blade, which Randall said Continue reading →

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