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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Smith & Bradley Watches

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Wilson

Smith & Bradley Atlantis BrownI thought I had walked straight into a Hollywood buddy film.  You know, two dissimilar dudes with a singular goal.  One is a cop and the other is a regular guy.  They have to cooperate and overcome adversity to win the day.  And there is a moderate amount of snark along the way.  Welcome to Smith & Bradley’s SHOT Show booth!

Jerommie Smith is a police officer.  Ryan Bradley is an attorney.  Ooooo, natural enemies in the wild.  As watch fanatics, the men spent years buying, selling, and repairing many brands of wristwatches in Central Illinois.  The time came when they decided to make a reliable watch that had the features and design they wanted, at a reasonable price.  Smith & Bradley, Ltd. was founded.

Bradley was quick to tell me that there was no professional enmity between Continue reading →

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New CRKT Flavio Ikoma Fossil

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Wilson

CRKT FossilFlavio Ikoma is a Brazilian knifemaker that, to my eye, is able to balance mechanical with biological styling cues.  There is an unmistakable flow to his work in lines and in texture.  His new design collaboration with Columbia River Knife and Tool for 2014 is called Fossil.  Its name captures the knife’s powerful presence.

The Fossil is a framelock folder with the solid structure of an archeological relic.  It is excavated from a pocket at a weighty 6.1 ounces.  At 8.88″ open, with a 3.65″ blade, this is a serious find.  The blade is 8Cr13MoV stainless steel.  The Ikoma Korth Bearing System efficiently rotates open the hollow ground drop point blade via a flipper.  IKBS and a flipper are natural Continue reading →

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Ontario Knife Company Blackbird Noir

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Wilson

OKC Blackbird NoirBlackbird SK-5 is one of the Ontario Knife Company‘s fixed blade knives.  Paul Sheiter’s, the Blackbird’s designer said, “I believe the more complicated a product becomes, the more likely it is to fail when your life depends on it.  For this reason I designed the Blackbird SK-5 Knife to achieve maximum function delivered through pure simplicity. You won’t see gimmicks or gadgets on this knife.”

New for 2014 is the black-bladed Blackbird Noir.  OKC said the knife steel is subdued with a Special Operations Capable (SOC) black powder coating.  The original knife comes in satin finish.  Crucible Material’s 154CM, at 0.13″ thick, is the basis for the full tang blade.  It is hardened to 58-60 RHC.  The Blackbird’s blade has a flat grind with a tapered cross-section.  The butt is flat for pounding. Continue reading →

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New SOG Zoom Assisted Folders

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Wilson

SOG ZoomOut on the dusty range at Media Day, SOG Knives had new wares.  Next to the SOG Kiku fixed blade were some new folding knives.  SOG representative Chris Cashbaugh showed off a new folder in the Zoom series of knives.  Using SOG’s assisted technology (S.A.T.), this knife was tuned to find the right balance between speed and force in opening the AUS-8 blade.  I manipulated the knife and found that Cashbaugh was right, indeed.  The Zoom had a nice snap without being too harsh.

SOG Zoom Reverse Continue reading →

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Zero Tolerance Also Cozies Up With Emerson

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Wilson

Zero Tolerance EmersonKAI Group’s Kershaw Knives has spun up a collaboration with Ernest Emerson and his resources.  KAI’s upscale brand Zero Tolerance (think Nissan/Infiniti) also gets a turn.  At SHOT Show 2014, ZT introduced its new Emerson collaborations, the models 0620CF and 0620.

The 0620CF, shown above, has a 3.6″ tanto blade of Böhler M390 powdered steel.  The blade flats are stonewashed, while the bevels get a contrasting satin finish.  A wave shaped feature or disk opens the blade.  The pivot point appears to be substantial.

This ZT/Emerson is a titanium frame lock.  Hardened steel inserts ensure the lock’s strength and longevity.  The 0620CF’s left side scale is smooth carbon fiber; the right side’s titanium is bead blasted.  There are a lot of Continue reading →

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New Timberline BattleHog Folders

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Wilson

Timberline BattleHogGATCO/ Timberline had a few new knives at their SHOT Show 2014 booth.  The Butch Vallotton-designed BattleHog series was so recent, Timberline’s new-for-2014 catalog insert did not contain the knives.  The BattleHogs are a 3″ bladed tactical knife with a reasonable size and price.

A spearpoint blade and a tanto blade are available, as is plain or serrated versions of either style.  The steel is 9Cr13MoV.  Subduing and protecting the blade is a titanium nitride coating.  Liner locks hold the knives fast in the open position.  I found the examples they showed me had good clean lock up.  BattleHogs have Timberline’s KickStart opening assist technology, which find the sweet spot between Continue reading →

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Assembling a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Wilson

IMG_4074I had to stop at the Victorinox booth at SHOT Show 2014.  Dontrese Brown was assembling Victorinox Swiss Army Knives!  Integral to the construction of a knife is the special mechanical press that mates the component parts together. Only two of these special presses exist:  one in Europe and one in the United States.  Both are for demonstrating how a Victorinox knife is built.  Obviously, production knives are made on large industrial machines.

Brown, who is actually a creative director for the Victorinox company, said he began learning how to build the knives for events and shows about two years ago.  He told me he made nearly 500 knives before he was able to assemble one that he would actually give to someone.  The process looks simple, but it takes some practice to ensure the parts are fitted properly.

IMG_4067 Continue reading →

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