Innholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2019 i Knives Illustrated

While EDC is a definitive acronym for “everyday carry,” EDC itself is very personal and different for everyone. If you were to go onto Instagram and search the hashtag #EDC, invariably you would get photo after photo of “pocket dumps” containing the items people like to have on them regularly. Typically, you have the regular fare: watch, wallet and knife. But then each person adds their own flare and you will see variations to the mix, with additions like a firearm, pen, handkerchief, flashlight, knuckle duster, custom bottle opener, multi-tool, mini keychain multi-tool, etc. The possibilities are endless when it comes to EDC. EDC is a personal expression, and everybody has their own idea of what is worthy of carry. Some people like an elaborate collection and some are minimalistic.…

Recently my cohort, Amber Hargrove, and I had the opportunity to visit with Peter Kohler of Dark Timber Custom Knives in his shop, overlooking an incredible Rocky Mountain landscape. Having the opportunity to spend a couple of days with Peter gave Amber and I the opportunity to learn more about the man behind the knives that have an entire industry taking notice. If you have not had the chance to watch the live Facebook interview we did with him, I highly recommend it. You can find it in the Knives Illustrated Facebook videos (@KnivesIllustrated). It was interesting to note that Peter’s character matches the quality of his knives, making my and Amber’s time with him very much worth the trip. “IT WAS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT PETER’S CHARACTER MATCHES THE…

To many people, the term “knife fighting” means two people with knives, fighting with each other. While a knife-versus-knife encounter isn’t impossible, if you carry any weapon for self-defense, your goal should be to apply that weapon in the broadest possible circumstances — as long as it’s legally justified. When carrying a knife, that means having the potential to use it against any contact-distance attack that presents a danger of death or serious bodily injury. It’s a Close Call According to the study “Weapon Use and Violent Crime” conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) from 1993-2001, “about 26% of the estimated 8.9 million violent crimes in the United States were committed by offenders armed with guns, knives, or objects used as weapons.” Specifically, 6% of attacks involved edged…

There aren’t many makers in the knife industry who are quite the household name as Ken Onion. Onion’s knife designs have greatly influenced Kershaw Knives and Columbia River Knife and Tool, both of which have constructed a staggering number of knives that are direct results of Ken Onion’s extensive work. I had the pleasure of meeting Ken, his son, and a few other knifemakers on a trip to Hawaii. My wife had business to do there, so I was left to my own devices for several days. Hiking was at the top of my list, but I decided to reach out to Ken on a whim. He invited me over to his shop to talk and capture some photos. It was a pleasure to observe the inner workings of his…

A great knife may not be great in every situation. The rural workman’s fixed blade with gut hook may look out of place in the glass-walled boardrooms of the big city, and a city slicker’s 3-inch gentleman’s knife with fine alabaster scales may not stand up to the farmhand’s daily job duties. Likewise, it’s even harder for a blade to fill the bill of being a competent woods companion and a trusted battle blade. However, the Amtac Blades Northman, like its Viking namesake, can just as easily handle cutting through mountains and fjords on route to razing and fighting in the town square, as it can slice through cardboard boxes in the office mailroom. The Birth of the Northman Created by Bill Rapier, a sought-after shooting instructor at his school…

Clean lines and hard use materials make for a sharp presentation. Jonathan Miller, of Sick Boy Knife Works, has worked hard over the years, making the move to a full-time career in knifemaking — and the journey shows in his work. Looking like knives that might be seen in the next big Hollywood blockbuster hit, but functioning like a high-quality custom knife, Jonathan is making strides into the world of highly recognizable cutlery. Blending style with function, Sick Boy Knife Works has something for the inner Rambo in all of us. 01 Big Screen Inspiration After seeing the movie “The Hunted,” with Tommy Lee Jones — and having already gotten the knife bug from the “Rambo” movie franchise — Jonathan began making knives in 2008-2009, just messing around in…

01 The Activity Group Pocket Emergency Wallet Bleeding Control Kit Let’s face it, we’re knife people and one thing we all have in common is that we’ve cut ourselves at least once in our lives. The severity of the cut may vary, but you can’t handle knives with as much regularity as we do without cutting yourself at some point. That’s where the Pocket Emergency Wallet Bleeding Control Kit comes into play. Ideally you have never cut yourself deeply enough to need military-grade bleeding control products, but if you’re out in the middle of the woods, and you do incur that level of injury, you’ll be pretty glad you have them. FEATURES Contains military-grade bleeding control products 4 x 5 x 1.25 inches, 5.5 ounces Easily carried in a…

When a Paysan (farmer) has the sophistication of an aristocrat, it is a beautiful thing – function enhances form. I’ll admit, I’m a Spyderco fan as it is, I tend to keep an eye on their products regularly. The only hardship is that they are always coming out with really great knives, so it can be tough to land on a standout. However, when a knife like the Paysan comes out, it makes the decision much easier. Known for his integral (solid piece) frames, Peter Rassenti first collaborated with Spyderco in 2015 with his Nirvana Integral Frame Lock Knife and introduced Spyderco users to another level of craftsmanship. Continuing with this relationship, and utilizing Spyderco’s robust and strict manufacturing processes, Peter’s latest collaboration – the Paysan – adds yet another…

I’m glad we live in a world with boundless cutlery options and some pretty amazing designs, from out-the-front autos to massive tactical frame locks. But not everyone needs something that exotic for day-to-day use, especially if you’re an urban or suburban dweller who spends most of his time on the pavement and in areas where you aren’t likely to get mugged. For many folks, a pocketknife simply acts as a handy tool for cutting the mundane stuff you run across in your daily travels, or maybe fixing some stuff here and there if it has some extra features on it. If it looks good while doing that, well then, that’s a bonus. If that’s the kind of tool you need, then you might just want to take a look at…

Ken Onion’s shop is nestled the garage of his quiet Hawaiian suburb. He not only designs and makes knives here, but is also the local knife sharpener and teacher to all who come by. During my visit, I was able to meet with some other Hawaiian-based knifemakers, like Jeff Park. Knifemaker Robert “Herbie” Herbert travelled far from his Australian home, taking time in Ken’s shop to potentially learn something new about the trade, share a thing or two himself, tell stories, laugh, and have a grand time. It wouldn't be uncommon to see Brian West learning some knifemaking skills, or Kevin Eri, the shop’s new apprentice. Ken is not shy about discussing his experiences and troubles. While he admits to having made design mistakes in the past, he shares the…

Like most kids, I wanted a U.S. Air Force pilot’s survival knife as long as I can remember. I don’t recall when I first saw one, but the repeat appearances in Army/ Navy stores, movies, and on my G.I. Joes made it a highly desirable knife of my childhood adventures. When I was given the opportunity to review the new Wenger Blades Pilot Knife, I jumped at the chance. Designed as a modern pilot’s survival knife, I wanted to give it an honest shake and see how it would handle real-world scenario-based tests. I took it to the high desert of Colorado and the damp springtime New England forests for a wide range of conditions suitable for a survival knife evaluation. “DAVE WENGER HAS EARNED A REPUTATION FOR MAKING HARD-USE…

Knife Rights continues to unwind what its members believe are bad knife laws, this time in Montana, Texas, and New York. Board member Ethan Becker represented the grassroots lobbying organization at a signing ceremony for Knife Rights’ Montana Switchblade Ban Repeal and Knife Law Preemption bill. Becker presented Governor Steve Bullock his first ever automatic knife, a specially inscribed Protech SBR, to recognize him signing the bill. Montana is the 16th state to repeal its ban on switchblade (automatic) knives and the 11th state to enact Knife Rights’ signature Knife Law Preemption since since the organization began its state legislative efforts in 2010. This effort follows up on Montana’s 2017 repeal of the prohibition against concealed carry without a concealed weapons permit for a “knife with blade 4 or more…

Combat knife thrower Jason Willard Johnson burst onto the scene via YouTube, back in 2015, when he posted a video of himself throwing a knife through a soda can he tossed down range, pinning it to the target from 20 feet away. It generated a buzz in the knife-throwing community and in the general knife community alike, as people shared the footage and even attempted the stunt themselves. A friend of mine was in contact with Jason and introduced us, since we both hail from Omaha, Nebraska. It wasn’t long before Jason and I met up at one of my Martial Blade Concepts classes. We hit it off right away and found we had a lot of common interests, especially knives. Since then, we have trained together on several occasions,…

Form, Fit and Function for Every Day Carry. That’s the tagline of Kopis Designs and the Valiente embodies these qualities very well. The Valiente is the brainchild of Jon Bahlatzis, owner of Kopis Designs. Valiente means brave or courageous in Spanish and that’s a particularly apt name for this knife, as any defense situation requires courage and confidence. “VALIENTE MEANS BRAVE OR COURAGEOUS IN SPANISH AND THAT’S A PARTICULARLY APT NAME FOR THIS KNIFE …” Jon began his journey into knife design and creation several years ago. He apprenticed under Matt Martin from Vehement Knives at their Colorado shop for a few years, starting with sweeping floors and working his way up to design and grinding. When Matt and his team pulled up stakes and headed east to establish their…

Water is life’s blood, especially when you are on the Edge of Survival. It can be a matter of life or death, and that’s no different when a survival situation hits in the big city. While trying to find water in the wilderness can have its difficulties and challenges, an urban-survival scenario offers its own unique set of issues … and solutions. The Law of 3s about not being able to survive more than 3 days without water still applies. What you do to prepare for an urban-survival situation, plus the know-how contained in these great tips will help you with your water management. I always advise folks to “jug-up” water and keep enough on hand and ready for an emergency. That translates into 1 gallon per (active) person per…