Elwood Shelton, Author at BLADE Magazine

Spartan-Nemec Folder: Czech Design Delivers Tactical Sophistication

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December 13, 2023

Spartan-Nemec Folder: Czech Design Delivers Tactical Sophistication

Collaboration between Spartan Blades and Ondřej Němec is sleek, slender and ready to serve.

Hard-use, tactical tools—Spartan Blades‘ designs are generally as conspicuous as a hand grenade in a sewing circle. That happens when the mucky muck has a Special Operations background.

But simply because the North Carolina concern favors brute superiority over frivolous aesthetics doesn’t mean it’s devoid of a sense of style. The freshly minted Spartan-Nemec Folder is more than proof.

Release in early December, the straight-back folder is a dashing addition to the Spartan Blade’s catalog. And while it appears more James Bond than Rambo, the knife offers up the same exceptional tactical performance for which Spartan is renowned.

Spartan-Nemec Design Background

For those who follow European knifemaking, the moniker of the new blade is a tip-off of its origins. Boasting a slightly Americanized play on Ondřej Němec’s surname, the knife is a collaboration with one of the Czech Republic’s premier designers. His company—Acta Non Verba Knives (ANV)—has become known for knives that have a desirable balance between modern lines and tactical practicality. Overall, his portfolio teams with clean design, with just enough swagger to catch the eye, without crossing over too gaudy. Which, in so many words, sums up the Nemec Folder.

Spartan-Nemec Folder Design Points

spartan-nemec-carbon-fiber — Spartan-Nemec with carbon-fiber handle.

Right off the tick, the Spartan-Nemec Folder grabs attention with its overall svelte design. Intentional, the 3.5-inch blade knife is meant to nearly disappear on the person and prove as unobtrusive as possible in carry. Along with its thin lines, Spartan and Němec have opted for lightweight scale materials, with the choice of titanium and carbon fiber. The scale is enhanced with attractive diagonal millwork—certain to improve the purchase of the knife.

The blade is S35VN, a well-rounded top-end stainless-steel, with a long drop-point profile and sporting the choice of finishes. Well, at least for the carbon-fiber model, which is offered with a tumbled or Black PVD blade. The titanium iteration is only available with a stone-washed blade.

The Nemec’s blade is deployed via an understated kicker, which blends in well with the rest of the design. Getting it into action is quick and smooth, thanks to a caged-bearing pivot system. Finishing off the package, a deep-carry wire clip (tip up), which makes the knife nearly disappear on person.

As for cost, the Spartan-Nemec folder falls in the toner end of production knives, with the carbon-fiber model boasting a $275 MSPR and the titanium a $295 MSRP.

Spartan-Nemec Folder Specs:
Designers: Ondřej Němec
Blade Length: 3.5”
Blade Thickness: 0.125”
Overall Length: 8”
Blade Steel: Premium CPM S35VN
Blade Hardness: 58-60 HRC
Blade Style: Folding-Straight Back-Flat ground
Blade Finish: Stone Washed (titanium); Tumbled or Black PVD (carbon fiber)
Frame: Liner Lock, Satin Titanium Finish with Black Hardware or Sculpted Carbon Fiber
Weight: 2.624 ounces (titanium); 1.984 ounces (carbon fiber)
MSRP: Titanium $295; Carbon Fiber $275

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CRKT Clever Girl And Stylus Drop In November

Buyer's Guides

Elwood Shelton

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November 15, 2023

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CRKT Clever Girl And Stylus Drop In November

Just in time for Christmas, CRKT adds a pair of sleek and stylish options.

Little surprise, CRKT’s insatiable march of designs continued in November with a couple of wickedly lithe designs.

The Clever Girl Fixed and Stylus most certainly cut different profiles from each other and seem different as night and day. However, the new release certainly mimics each other in their sleek and slender designs, with their nimbleness apparent even out of hand. Additionally, both are in time for the impending Yuletide season, making them both perfect additions under the tree.

Let’s take a look at what each of these new CRKT drops brings to the table.

Clever Girl Fixed

This knife somewhat returns to its roots, taking the Clever Girl back to the fixed-blade configuration. However, the Austin McGlaun design has some new twists that keep the Persian-style trailing point fresh. In particular, partial serration of the blade.

These are a series of three large, scalloped Veff serrations (CRKT proprietary and created by professional sharpener Tom Veff) running near the midpoint of the 4.6-inch blade. This enhances the knife’s sawing power, particularly against materials such as rope or fabric—think seatbelts. But let’s face it, it also takes a pretty menacing original design and makes it look a dash more ominous.

The other change on the Clever Girl Fixed is the handle, with CRKT bidding adieu to black G-10 scales and replacing them with marbled blew G-10. Not a huge switch-up, but one adding a touch of flair to the knife, particularly when offset by the black powder-coat finish on the blade.

As to the finer points of the knife, the blade is made from SK-5 steel, providing a good balance between toughness and ruggedness. It comes with a molded Kydex sheath for ease of carry. And it the Clever Girl Fixed watches her weight, tipping the scales at a very nimble 6.3 ounces. CRKT lists the knife at $114 on the company’s website and a portion of every sale—as with every knife in Columbia River’s Forged By War collection—is donated to the Green Bret Foundation.

CRKT Stylus

A Ken Onion classic CRKT brought to the masses a few years back, the Stylus has proven a popular addition to the company’s catalog. Unable to leave well enough alone—lucky for knife nuts—CRKT has released an updated version of the classy and svelte, assisted-open. In particular, the new version of the Stylus offers several upgraded materials, including a titanium handle and powerful CPM S35VN blade steel. The handle is especially nice, accentuating the crisp lines of the knife, making the already clean and sleek design seem even more so

The updated Stylus offers the points that have made the flipper a favorite of many, such as an IKBS ball bearing pivot for a silky blade deployment, a thick locking bar to secure the frame-lock’s blade and an extremely low profile. At present, CRKT lists the new Stylus listed at $195 on the company’s website.

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2023 BLADE Show West Custom Knife Award Winners

Elwood Shelton

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October 17, 2023

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2023 BLADE Show West Custom Knife Award Winners

See Who Took Top Honors In Salt Lake City For The 2023 BLADE Show West Custom Knife Awards.

BLADE Show West took place Oct.13-14, 2023, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was the show’s second year in Utah and drew custom makers, manufacturers and collectors from around the county and world.

It also drew an impressive cadre of entrants for the BLADE Show West Factory and Custom Knife Awards. For Factory Knives, awards were given in six categories, while the Custom Knives awarded nine categories.

The Custom section was evaluated by a panel of undisclosed industry experts who judged the blades on a number of factors, including utility, design, creativity, materials and other traits.

BLADE Show West Custom Knife Awards

Best In Show & Best Slip Joint: ESNYX Knives

Best Folder: Rhidian Knives

Best Damascus: Apple Valley Forge

Best Kitchen Knife: Apple Valley Forge

Best Fixed Blade: Shane Atwood

Best Hunter: Ramm Bladesmithing

Best M.A.C.K.: Heretic Pariah

Best Of The Rest: Jared Williams

See Past Knife Of The Year® Awards Winners:

2022 Factory Knife Of The Year Award Winners
2021 BLADE Show Knife-Of-The-Year® Award Winners & Custom Knife Award Winners
2019 Knife of the Year® Award Winners & Custom Knife Award Winners
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2023 BLADE Show West Factory Knife Award Winners

BLADE Show

Elwood Shelton

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October 17, 2023

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2023 BLADE Show West Factory Knife Award Winners

See Who Took Top Honors In Salt Lake City For The 2023 BLADE Show West Factory Knife Awards.

BLADE Show West took place Oct.13-14, 2023, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was the show’s second year in Utah and drew custom makers, manufacturers and collectors from around the county and world.

It also drew an impressive cadre of entrants for the BLADE Show West Factory and Custom Knife Awards. For Factory Knives, awards were given in six categories, while the Custom Knives awarded nine categories.

The Factory section was evaluated by a panel of undisclosed industry experts who judged the blades on a number of factors, including utility, design, creativity, materials and other traits.

BLADE Show West Factory Award Winners

Best In Show &Best Factory Import: WE Equivik

Best Factory Folder: QSP Rhino

Best Factory EDC: Mr. Mr. Designs D-Cipher Folder

Best Factory EDC: Mr. Mr. Designer D-Cipher Folder

Best American Made: Microtech Knives MS1

Best Factory Fixed Blade: Giant Mouse GMF4

See Past 2023 Factory Knife Of The Year® Awards Winners:

2022 Factory Knife Of The Year Award Winners
2021 BLADE Show Knife-Of-The-Year® Award Winners & Custom Knife Award Winners
2019 Knife of the Year® Award Winners & Custom Knife Award Winners
2018 Knife of the Year® Award Winners & Custom Knife Award Winners

Work Sharp Rolling Knife Sharpener A Smooth Operator

Buyer's Guides

Elwood Shelton

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October 11, 2023

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Work Sharp Rolling Knife Sharpener A Smooth Operator

The dynamic system offers a host of advantages to knife sharpening.

Where do you need a sharpener most? Chew on it a bit. Unless you’re a professional wood carver or mending fishing nets is part of your gig, most of us dull our knives puttering around the kitchen. Be it chicken bones or pepper skins, the sheer amount of time a majority of us spend on culinary pursuits our food prep knocks the edge off our most utilized knives.

Recently expanding its kitchen sharpening collection, Work Sharp cobbled together an intriguing system to keep galley cutlery at its best.Dubbed the Rolling Knife Sharpener, the manually operated sharpener is designed to take the guesswork out of applying an edge to whatever kitchen knife requires honing—and likely more.

Rolling Knife Sharpener System

The Rolling Knife Sharpener system has two main components, a magnetic angle block and a rolling sharpener. As it suggests, the block has preset angles for the most common edges found— 15, 17,20, and 25 degrees—making it function on everything from common stainless steel to the acute edges found on Japanese chef’s knives. The roller holds the rotating 2.5-inch abrasive heads, with three grit sizes shipped along with the unit—a course 320 diamond grit, a find 600 diamond grit, and a ceramic polishing head. To use the system, the knife is attached to correct angle is found in the block, then the abrasive head is placed on the edge, from there it’s simply a matter of rolling the sharpener forward while maintaining contact with the knife.

Straightforward as it may sound, it’s a rather ingenious procedure. First off, given the sharpening surface is dynamic it ensures constant contact with the edge, always at the proper angle. Those who prefer the long and swooping bellies of traditional chef’s knives know, maintaining both facets proves tricky on each stroke. However, there’s another subtle feature at play in the Rolling Knife Sharpener—the entire length of the edge is honed with a fresh abrasive surface. Outside of Work Sharp’s belt-based sharpening system, there are few sharpeners that have this ability, which makes sharpening quicker and more precise, as well as extends the life of the abrasive itself. Pretty slick.

Final Cut

Honestly, sharpener seems like a whizz for most kitchen implements and other medium and large blades. Additionally, might be just what the doctor ordered for a more exotic blade style. Potentially, kukri owners might find it a godsend. But the Rolling Knife Sharpener does seem have its limitations.

Given its size, the unit is going to live in your kitchen or workshop—it’s certainly not designed for the field and needs a uniform surface to do its job properly. Furthermore, it could prove a bit tricky to get the most out of it with your smaller blades. Could it touch up a spey blade on a pocketknife? Absolutely. But it might be a bit awkward.

At present, Work Sharp has the Rolling Knife Sharpener listed at $149.95 on its website, which puts it toward to tonier end of its catalog. For folks who always want to keep their edge—in the kitchen and out—that might prove a small price.

For more information, please visit worksharptools.com.

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CRKT Redemption: Gambling On Several Firsts

Uncategorized

Elwood Shelton

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September 12, 2023

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CRKT Redemption: Gambling On Several Firsts

CRKT’s first MagnaCut blade and Ken Onion’s first crossbar lock the maker looks to come up aces.

As always, Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT) is innovating—and releasing its innovations—at a mind-boggling clip. The latest up for the Oregon-based company is a USA-made collaboration with another well-known knife concern, made with some top-notch material. It’s also a looker to boot.

Meet the Redemption, a sleek folder developed in conjunction with Hogue Knives and based on the legendary designer Ken Onion’s Deadman’s Hand custom. As a side note, the Onion’s custom takes its name from the cards Wild Bill Hickock supposedly held when shot—aces and eights. Living up to its inspiration and its own moniker, the Redemption has an Old-West gambler’s feel to its lines and profile.

Yet, made with cutting-edge steel—the first time CRKT has utilized CPM MagnaCut for a blade—it’s up on the times and offers contemporary performance. For those who might not know, MagnaCut is among the hottest blade steels, with exceptional toughness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance. To boot, its microstructure also makes edge management easy.

Redemption Mechanics

Another inaugural of the Redemption is its locking mechanism—at least for Onion. Hard to believe, but this is the first time the prolific designer has incorporated a crossbar lock into one of his creations. But it does broaden the knife’s appeal, not only offering silky-smooth deployment of the spear-point blade and a strong lockup but also making it ambidextrous. For the nimble and quick of hand, it opens the potential of fast deployment with a flick of the wrist.

Blade Points

In addition to using top-shelf steel, the CRKT Redemption has an interesting blade design. Stiletto-like, the 4.06-inch blade should prove a piercing pro, particularly with its fine tip. Nevertheless, the knife has enough edge for general cutting tasks and at .15-inches thick should have enough backbone to handle semi-rugged jobs, if your opportunities for perforation are limited. Overall, it is very reminiscent of the Deadman’s Hand’s blade, however, the CRKT knife has a stonewashed finish, whereas the custom had a high polish.

Handle Design

Not dead nuts, but the shape of the Redemption’s handle suggests a coffin handle—more so with the stainless-steel bolsters setting off the dark scale. To this end, CRKT has opted for G10 with nice texturing to it, giving the knife a measure of all-weather aptitude. The pocket clip is engineered for deep carry and is reversible, furthering the knife’s appeal to righties and lefties.

Final Cut

Clocking in with a $225 MSRP, the CRKT Redemption teeters on the premium end of the production knife price scale. But given the name behind its design, the materials the company has chosen and the fact it’s domestically made, it is by no means out of bounds. And given the knife is based on an Onion classic and has a wicked throwback look, it’s more than likely to catch the attention of more than one knife aficionado.

CRKT Redemption Specs
Blade Length: 4.06″
Edge: Plain
Steel: CPM® MagnaCut
Finish: Stonewash
Thickness: .15”
Overall Length: 9.19”
Closed Length: 5.10”
Weight: 4.9 oz.
Handle: G10 w/ Stainless Steel Bolster
Style: Folding Knife w/ Crossbar Lock
Retail Price: $225

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Vosteed Mayhem: The Compression Lock Rides Again

Elwood Shelton

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August 1, 2023

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Vosteed Mayhem: The Compression Lock Rides Again

A top-end offering, the Vosteed Mayhem takes a run at proven, yet challenging locking mechanism.

Prolific in its offerings, they must not sleep much over at Vosteed Knives. Yet, the company’s productivity has generally been knife buyer’s gain—at least those attracted to mid-priced fidgety options that by and large have fairly decent lines. Though, one of its latest releases should turn heads if only to see if Vosteed indeed has been able to pull off what few other companies have dared.

Christened the Mayhem (a prototype was showcased at their table at the 2023 BLADE Show), the collaboration with Rob Saniscalchi of R.S. Knifeworks boasts what the firm defines as a hybrid frame/compression lock. Some might recognize the latter aspect of the system as the same mechanism developed and used to great effect by Spyderco. The Colorado company’s patent on the mechanism ran out a few years ago, making it fair game and clone fodder. But given the tight tolerance required for the lock to operate properly, few companies have given it a run.

The Sypderco system is operated by a leaf spring wedging laterally between a ramp on the tang and a stop pin. The system was smooth and easy to operate, as well as strong as the dickens—given pressure is exerted directly down on the spring’s vertical surface, preventing potential bowing. Vosteed appears to operate almost identically, though a bit of the geometry on the blade’s lock elements differ. At arm’s length, Vosteed’s attempt appears on track, but only time and plenty of fiddling by owners will prove if the company truly got it right.

Vosteed Mayhem black and gray finishes — Photo: Instagram

As to its operation, the lock is actuated by a push button on the spine. The system allows for wrist opening, but as has been Vosteed’s OM for some time, it outfitted the Mayhem with multiple deployment options. In this case, both a thumb hole and a kicker; a pair of caged ceramic ball bearings aid in a smooth and fast deployment.

Vosteed offers the Mayhem with a couple of different options. Perhaps the imperative one is the choice between a Wharncliff or sheepsfoot blade, each coming in a 3.3-inch in length and constructed from the highly desirable M390 steel. Each blade has a compound grind, but this appears a play at aesthetics, given the thicker rear grind seems too small for practicality. The blades also feature a choil, so you can choke up, even though the titanium scale is ample enough to land all five fingers of a large hand. The scale itself is clean, with a closed rear and texturing across its back, not to mention a nice taper up to the blade to allow for a firm grip.

The other choice buyers have to make on the Mayhem is finish, with a stonewashed black PVD coating and gray satin options on the menu. The gray version is gray from top to bottom—outside a gold pivot collar—accentuating the knife’s tidy design, while the black iteration is a bit more boisterous boasting gold hardware. Note, the knife offers tip-up carry with a non-reversible titanium clip.

The Vosteed Mayhem is a break from what most have come to expect from the company, which has made its bones at the affordable end of the market. The new knife—no matter options—runs $250. However, if it proves well executed, most likely will find this money well spent.

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Elwood Shelton

Collaboration between Spartan Blades and Ondřej Němec is sleek, slender and ready to serve.

Check Out Our Knife Reviews:

Just in time for Christmas, CRKT adds a pair of sleek and stylish options.

Clever Girl Fixed

CRKT Stylus

More On Fixed Blades:

See Who Took Top Honors In Salt Lake City For The 2023 BLADE Show West Custom Knife Awards.

BLADE Show West Custom Knife Awards

Best In Show & Best Slip Joint: ESNYX Knives

Best Folder: Rhidian Knives

Best Damascus: Apple Valley Forge

Best Kitchen Knife: Apple Valley Forge

Best Fixed Blade: Shane Atwood

Best Hunter: Ramm Bladesmithing

Best M.A.C.K.: Heretic Pariah

Best Of The Rest: Jared Williams

See Past Knife Of The Year® Awards Winners:

See Who Took Top Honors In Salt Lake City For The 2023 BLADE Show West Factory Knife Awards.

BLADE Show West Factory Award Winners

Best In Show &Best Factory Import: WE Equivik

Best Factory Folder: QSP Rhino

Best Factory EDC: Mr. Mr. Designs D-Cipher Folder

Best American Made: Microtech Knives MS1

Best Factory Fixed Blade: Giant Mouse GMF4

See Past 2023 Factory Knife Of The Year® Awards Winners:

The dynamic system offers a host of advantages to knife sharpening.

Rolling Knife Sharpener System

Final Cut

Check Out More Buyer’s Guides:

CRKT’s first MagnaCut blade and Ken Onion’s first crossbar lock the maker looks to come up aces.

Redemption Mechanics

Blade Points

Handle Design

Final Cut

Check Out More Buyer’s Guides:

A top-end offering, the Vosteed Mayhem takes a run at proven, yet challenging locking mechanism.

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