Here are BLADE Magazine’s Featured Knives of the Week. Browse through these articles to find the best knives available from both custom knifemakers and factory knives.
Tactical Pens Allow You To Have A Self-Defense Multi-Tool On You Even In Places Where A Knife Isn’t Allowed. These Are Five Pens That Will Keep You On Top Of Your Work And Can Keep You Safe.
The tactical pen is the perfect protection tool to have when you’re going somewhere where knives simply aren’t allowed. A tactical pen is great to take to the airport, to the big game, or to have in your pocket every day simply: it is a pen, after all.
Beyond just writing, tactical pens usually come with a glass-breaking tip, but many have additional features that make them far more than just a rugged pen.
Why Should I Buy A Tactical Pen?
For starters, they are high-quality pens that can write in adverse conditions. Beyond that, they are excellent safety tools that can go with you anywhere. Sure, you could look at a tactical pen and think “this is really excessive for a pen,” but that would miss the point of why they are so useful.
A tactical pen is an excellent way to keep yourself prepared for whatever life can throw at you. Sure, you may never need to use the pen for much more than signing checks, but it is a lot better to have the tools at hand and not need them than to need them and not have them.
5 Tactical Pens That Will Make Your Life Easier
These five pens feature a bevy of different tools and features that make them all incredibly useful as an EDC. No, none of them have built-in blades, but they do all have something that will make life much easier, and you safer when needed.
Atomic Bear SWAT Pen
Don’t let the low price of this pen fool you: it is the real deal. The SWAT pen is a beast. Made from 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum, the SWAT pen is light and can take a beating. The tungsten carbide tip at the end is perfect for shattering glass when necessary and can provide an added bit of malice if you need to protect yourself.
The writing implement is smooth and easy. The inkwell takes Parker G2 ink, which is easy to find and easy to replace. All in all, this is a high-quality tactical pen at a bargain of a price.
MSRP: $15.99
Boker Plus Quest Commando Pen
Boker makes great knives and that craftsmanship carries over to their tactical pens. The Quest Commando was designed by Kevin Passon & David Cyr, and the duo left no stone unturned. The six-inch, black aluminum pen can be used like a kubaton in self-defense situations. The writing implement uses Lamy M-22 ink and is smooth as butter.
This is a durable, quality pen that you can travel the world with and feel confident when it’s in your hands.
MSRP: $44.96
Smith & Wesson Stylus Tactical Pen
It’s not a firearm but it’s made with the same care as Smith & Wesson’s famous guns. The Stylus Tactical Pen is a self-defense tool for the modern age. Yes, it is a good pen and uses Schmidt P900M parker ink cartridges, but this pen shines by what it does away from the page.
Most notable is the stylus tip atop the screw cap. This rubberized tip allows you to use the pen on all touchscreens, which is easier on your hands, especially on a phone screen, and allows you to still use your tech even in wet or cold conditions.
The window breaker at the opposite end of the pen tip works as advertised and is ridiculously strong.
MSRP: $39.99
Nitecore NTP10 Titanium Tactical Pen
The priciest pen on our list is from Nitecore. It’s the only knife on our list made from titanium instead of aluminum. Milled to a thickness of 1.8 mm, the NTP10 is almost unbreakable, and the tungsten steel tip at the end does what you expect. It is insanely light at just .64 of an ounce and takes German Schneider gel ink.
The main thing to think about with this pen is the price. Yes, the titanium is robust in a way that aluminum isn’t, but is it worth it? That’s for you to decide.
MSRP: $119.95
Schrade SCPEN4BK
Is it the most expensive? No. Is it the beefiest tactical pen? No. But boy, did Schrade pack a boatload of features into this pen at an incredibly fair price.
Of course, there’s a tungsten steel glassbreaker at one end, and the pen uses Black Starminen Fine Point D1 Pen Cartridges. But beyond that, the pen elevates to a proper survival tool. When removed from the body, the pen cap doubles as an ear-piercing survival whistle. It’ll get the attention of anyone in the vicinity and even a bit further than that.
Also embedded in the pen is a ferro rod that can be accessed by unscrewing the back half of the pen. There is a striker plate underneath the tungsten steel breaker and is reverse threaded into the pen body so you can’t accidentally unscrew it and lose it, as it is very small.
So many features in such a small space, and at a great price too. Schrade hit a home run with the SCPEN4BK.
The Ontario Knife Company’s New Knife, The Old Hickory, Is A Modern Take On The Classic Outdoor Slip Joint Folder.
The new Old Hickory slip joint folder from Ontario Knife Company is a classy knife. It looks straight out of a classic Western film with its 1075 high-carbon steel blade, walnut handle scales, and brass liners. It may be made in New York, but this feels like a cowboy knife at heart.
And it’s a great EDC thanks to a heat treat that hardened the 2.9-inch blade to a 56-58 HRC. The knife opens with ease thanks to a sizable nail nick toward the tip. At 5.6 inches in total length, the OKC Old Hickory is a compact knife that can serve you well as an everyday carry without feeling too big or bulky.
The Old Hickory is an All-American knife made by an All-American company and stands out from the pack.
Don’t let its throwback good looks fool you, Rothman’s Gentleman’s Trapper has serious EDC chops.
The original EDC knife is a pocketknife. It used to be a right of passage when you were allowed to have a hand-me-down knife in your front pocket. I received mine at the ripe old age of 5. I used it to sharpen pencils and crayons and for whittling.
After a few years and a few cuts on my fingers, I progressed to skinning and cleaning fish. The knife never left my front pocket. I carried it to school for daily uses. It also made quite a few trips in the washing machine and dryer. My mom would have a fit every time she heard it thumping in the dryer. Of course, the laws have changed now and the younger generation has found other things to entertain themselves. For me, my old pocketknife is retired.
Mike Rothman’s Gentleman’s Trapper would make a great pocket filler. It walks and talks perfectly. But how well does it cut? Let’s see.
Gentleman’s Trapper Sharpness Test
Twenty-pound bond copy paper provided the first test. The slip joint sliced it cleanly and effortlessly. The edge is very fine, so control was easy. It’s a nasty-sharp knife for sure—I could hear the blade slicing aggressively.
Light Duty Cutting With The Gentleman’s Trapper
After dispatching single-walled cardboard with the Rothman knife, the author only had to use a tad more pressure on the push cut to zip through double-walled cardboard.
On to single-walled cardboard. The Gentleman’s Trapper made short work of it. In fact, it was very addictive slicing the cardboard. The blade made smooth, straight cuts with no deflection of the material. Very sharp indeed!
Next I found a piece of double-walled cardboard to try. I only had to use a tad more pressure on the push cut to zip through it. I could hear every cut again. The knife is a very forceful cardboard cutter.
The thin blade made skiving leather simple, producing super thin slices repeatedly.
It was time for the leather slice and skiving. The trapper zipped through the leather quickly, so I had to use my knuckles as a stop to keep the piece together so it wouldn’t turn into a pile of pieces. The thin blade made skiving simple, producing super thin slices repeatedly. The stag handle worked perfectly providing a positive grip cutting the leather.
Heavy-Duty Cutting Duty
Whittling was up next. The thin blade produced some of the finest curly-cues I’ve seen. I changed the angle of cut for a deeper bite. I could see and feel the blade flex as deeper bites ensued. It was a very weird sensation, to say the least. I just moved the contact surface closer to the bolsters.
In the whittling test, the author changed the angle of cut for a deeper bite. He could see and feel the edge flex as deeper bites ensued.
Half-inch sisal rope beckoned. I was looking forward to this one. Dang, this trapper performs—273 crunching cuts and the edge was barely sliding! It was easy to cut with and the handle was comfortable with a tight grip. The insides of the liners are a bit sharp but there were no hot spots. Wow!
I returned to the 20-pound bond paper to see if the edge was affected by all the testing. Nope—same clean slices in the material, a sign of great heat treatment.
The author whacked the blade 30 times into the antler with no edge damage at all. The edge would still pull hair and the knife was as tight as when the author started, still walking and talking.
I was compelled to do a warranty-breaking test just to see how tough the Gentleman’s Trapper is. Where was the deer antler? I whacked the blade 30 times into the antler expecting to see some minor edge damage. There was no damage at all! The edge would still pull hair and the knife was as tight as when I started, still walking and talking.
Overall Impression Of Rothman’s Work
I was impressed with the performance of the blade considering how thin it is. Excellent workmanship!
Does Anything Need To Change?
Soften the exposed inside edges of the liners. That’s all, folks!
Gentleman’s Trapper Specs: Knife Type: Slip joint/pocketknife Maker: Mike Rothman Blade Length: 3” Blade Steel: Damasteel damascus in an Ægir pattern Blade Grind: Hollow Blade Pattern: Clip point Blade Thickness: Tapers on the spine from 1/8” above the ricasso to .039” at the tip; the edge is even thinner than the latter Handle: Sambar stag w/shield of same material as the blade Handle at the Thickest: .5” Liners: Fileworked of 410 stainless steel Bolsters: 416 stainless steel Backspring: CPM 154 stainless steel Weight: 3.5 ozs. Closed Length: 4” Knife to know: There is a seamless fit of blade to backspring in the open position Extras: Comes in black zippered pouch w/Rothman’s company name over shape of the state of New York Maker’s price: $750
Caping Knives, Or Capers, Are Necessary For The Finer Parts Of Creating Taxidermy. They’re Also Capable Carving Knives Or A Great EDC.
Caping knives, a.k.a. capers, aren’t mentioned very often in the grand scheme of all things cutlery—though don’t tell that to those who like to mount their trophy game. The caper is a huge part of skinning game in preparation for taxidermy where preserving the fine details is absolutely essential.
Tasks such as trimming around the animal’s eye sockets and mouth area are particularly critical, and the blade must be sharp and small enough to get down to the nitty gritty. That’s not to say a caper can’t handle other functions, such as fine carving and cutting cord. Heck, it can even be used as an EDC.
WEB Pocket Hunter-Caper
The A.G. Russell Knives Pocket Caper cut nice, tight circles in the suede thanks to the sharp tip and thin blade geometry. The two cutouts at lower right were made with the Russell blade, and the one on the lower left by another blade that didn’t fare as well.
The WEB Pocket Hunter-Caper is produced under the War Eagle Blades division of A.G. Russell Knives, hence the WEB in the name. We’ll just call it the Russell Pocket Caper for simplicity’s sake—and what a simply utilitarian knife it is! The hidden-tang fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) handle comes in black or bright orange. The blade is a straight-back style with a V-grind from edge to spine. The snap-lock FRN color-coordinated sheath has a tubed hole in the base to hold a lanyard or neck knife cord/chain.
Since one main function of a caper is precision cutting, I wanted to see which of our test knives could turn on a dime—or in this case, a nickel. Using spray adhesive, I tacked a square of suede to a smooth wood surface and drew a group of circles using the perimeter of a nickel as a guide. I then hand-cut each circle to see how precise I could be in removing it from the base. The Russell Pocket Caper, with its much thinner blade, allowed the tip to glide around the outline of the nickel with precision and cut the suede with very little effort. As you might guess, the thinner the blade, the less resistance I encountered.
Bear & Son Rosewood Caper
Two nice features of the Bear & Son Rosewood Caper handle are 1) the choil adds excellent purchase and 2) the gimped thumb rest on the spine enables you to choke up on the blade.
The Bear & Son Rosewood Caper is a modern take on the classic trailing-point knife many of us grew up with. The upswept blade is devoted to cutting chores. The knife’s weight is very manageable and a natural leather belt sheath is included.
The Bear & Son has the second thinnest blade of the test group and placed second to the Russell in cutting out suede circles. I also tested the knives on slicing graceful curves and upward pull-through cuts and found the Bear & Son to have its own advantages.
The generously gimped thumb rest enables you to choke up on the blade, which allows more precision and force to be placed on the task at hand, and, just as importantly, with great comfort. Similarly, the index finger has a nice place to land in the reverse grip while executing pull-throughs, which makes skinning—an equally important part of caping—easier.
Puma SGB Smooth White Bone Caper
The Puma SGB Smooth White Bone Caper slices like a house afire, cutting strips of tanned leather with ease. Drop-point blades are skinners at heart and this little gem does the job well.
The Puma SGB Smooth White Bone Caper is the smallest of the test subjects but makes up for anything it may lack in size with stylish good looks. The decked-out caper boasts a hollow-ground recurved blade in a drop-point pattern. Like most all of the more budget-friendly SGB models, the blade is made in Germany and the knife is assembled in Asia.
The handle is curvaceous, tapering upward from the base to a bolster that serves as a guard. A round Puma shield graces the scales and a hole in the base has a leather lanyard attached. (I removed the lanyard for photographic purposes.)
With its recurved drop point, the Puma SGB is a totally different blade design than the other test capers. Drop-point patterns are well known for their skinning ability, particularly riding under flesh without piercing organs. This is where the White Bone Caper is at home—slipping under skin and separating viscera from its meaty rewards. It wasn’t as agile cutting out tight circles of suede because where the blade is wide at the tip got in the way as I turned it. That said, it’s a superb slicer.
Utica Shoehorn Elk 1
The Utica Shoehorn Elk I is the bull of the woods among the test capers. The blade is 4 inches long, 3.75 of that in cutting edge. Though similar in blade configuration to the Bear & Son offering below it, the Shoehorn Elk I dwarfs it in size.
The Utica Shoehorn Elk 1 is by far the largest of the test knives. The drop-point blade has a healthy choil and a two-inch dip on the spine that serves as a thumb rest. The handle sports ample, curvaceous scales. The knife weighs over twice that of any of the other review capers. Considering the knife’s size, the price is very reasonable.
The Shoehorn Elk 1 is not billed as a caper but it has a blade configuration very similar to that of the Bear & Son test model. The Elk in the name is a dead giveaway that the knife is meant for caping and skinning large game.
I deviated from the suede leather in testing the blade and went to something tougher. I glued together three layers of tight-patterned, corrugated postal board—stout stuff—and gave the knife a go at slicing it the hard way: across the grain. It took some pressure but the blade severed 5.25-inch lengths in single strokes. I have no doubt the Shoehorn Elk 1 could take on tough hide—even alligator scute. While the tip mauled the circle in the nickel-size precision test, it would perform much better on game proportionate to its size.
Finding The Best Caper
All of the knives brought something to the table in the tests. For tight precision caping on small-to-medium game, the Russell and Bear & Son capers were virtually neck-and-neck—the former slightly more geared to precision, the latter a tad more versatile. The Puma SGB excelled more in slicing and a bit less in precision. The Utica can handle the tough hide of larger game the others can only dream of.
Bottom line, it’s really just a matter of choosing which caper fits your needs the best.
A Portable Hunting Field Kit That’s Small Enough To Fit Into Your Pack And Strong Enough To Process The Spoils Of Your Hunt.
Hunting is hard. Anything that can help make the work of processing an animal easier is worth its weight in gold, and the new Click N Cut Hunting Kit from Cold Steel is 24 karat.
The kit comes with a textured handle and five interchangeable blades. It starts with a relatively standard four-inch general purpose blade which turns it into a fixed-blade knife. Additionally, there is a thing five-inch boning blade.
Where the kit really earns its stripes is with the additional attachments. A six-inch bone saw allows you to keep your hunt in manageable pieces for transport home. The four-inch skinning blade and gut hook is long enough to let you quickly skin an animal while still being strong enough to stand up to the rigors of use.
The last piece is a 3.5-inch caper blade perfect for skinning the heads of animals and acting as a perfect last tool to round out the set. The Click N Cut is the type of hunting kit that you’ll be grateful to have in your pack because it’s small, it’s tough, and it’s priced fairly.
MSRP: $99.99
Editor’s Note: This article was written by Mike Ableson.
Nothing Is More Terrifying Than Being Caught In The Woods Without The Tools Needed To Get Through The Night. At Least One Of These Tool Arrays Should Meet Your Short-Term Survival Needs.
Prepping and survival equipment came to the forefront of public attention about 15 years ago with the expansion of the popular zombie film and TV genre. In fact, it got to the point where there was at least a two-year industry-wide emphasis on zombie merchandise, guns, ammo, and equipment.
While that remains a fond memory for many, what it really served to do was appeal to the broader masses, and many people began thinking about just what they would do in a real, non-zombie emergency.
Since then, the world has experienced no shortage of natural disasters, from massive wildfires to coastal tsunamis, floods, volcanic eruptions, and more. The world is no safer a place now than it was before. However, in lieu of zombies and green goo, the public has taken a keen interest in survival and its tactics.
Shows like Alone, Survivorman, Life Below Zero, and others captured the interest of many, and bushcrafting, foraging and fieldcraft exploded in popularity. Suffice to say, there is no shortage of specialized equipment to better your odds in a bad place.
What Is A Survival Kit?
I break down survival items and kits into four categories: full kit, partial kit, last-ditch and, knife-only. I would classify our trio of review kits as last-ditch in that they contain a variety of small items not meant for extended use but rather as a single-day advantage. The items can save your life in a pinch but by nature of size and weight will likely not last in a long-term survival situation.
Examining the survival kit theory requires considering the context of just what a survival kit is. The category I identify as a full kit is exactly as it sounds: likely a backpack setup with excellent weight distribution. This includes weapons and ammunition, ideally a rifle or shotgun, or a modern bow. Like it or not, survival in a bad situation increases dramatically with the presence of a firearm.
When I go into the woods, I have a rifle and a handgun at minimum with 100 rounds for each, usually in magazines. For the non-American readers out there this amounts to around five boxes of rifle ammo and two of most handgun loads. Hunting use is the primary idea but signaling and self-defense from large predators are also valid uses. If you have the ability to own a gun, you absolutely should, even if that gun is an antique design or black powder cartridge.
A partial kit is what you need for a minor excursion, the type of kit you may put in your vehicle if you are far from home but not too far from civilization or a gas station. In the kit I would prioritize a single firearm, typically a pistol of .22 caliber up to .357 Magnum (99 percent of all game can be taken with these rounds), medical supplies, and equipment to take down saplings or branches, such as a folding saw or hatchet. Unlike a full kit, this is to get you through an area as opposed to intentionally staying in one. Clothing appropriate to the short-term environment would ideally already be on your person.
Having the materials to quickly build a fire is a must for any survival kit.
The last-ditch kits reviewed here are for if you have already screwed up, failed to bring a suitable weapon, or are fully out of ammunition or supplies. Baseline, when you break open one of these kits, you are already on your last legs as far as survival goes. The kits in this article are short-term, almost single-use in nature. All three come with materials enough to work on small pieces of wood and at least signal or start a fire.
Lastly, if you have a single knife good enough to spark with and know how to use it, I’d say that you stand a pretty good chance of survival. I say this because, unlike a last-ditch kit, a good, heavy-bladed knife can be used to move a surprising amount of material, often quite quickly.
A thick blade can easily take down small trees with minimal exertion, baton firewood, make kindling, spark, and be lashed to a shaft to use as a spear. In a pinch, you can use a knife to make a bow, though that takes skill and time. For fishing, it can make spears and clean your catch.
Picking The Right Survival Kit For You
Understanding the theory of use behind these levels of preparedness, as well as their limits, is crucial to making it through a situation into which you may or may not have intentionally entered. In looking at the review kits I am assuming that we have run out of all other equipment, say a kayak tipping over in the river after hitting an underwater tree on a hunting trip. You, being a forward thinker, slipped one of these kits into the dry bag you stowed in your kayak before you fell in.
You’re wet, you’ve lost your gun, and you don’t have the rest of your gear. You’re in normal temperate conditions, but nightfall will be cold. To make matters worse, your kayak has cracked and has taken on water.
Colonial Pocket Size Survival Kit
The Colonial Pocket Size Survival Kit is the only one of the test entries that is waterproofed, and the baggy can be used to keep tinder dry. Country of origin: USA. MSRP: $130.
At first glance, the Colonial Pocket Size Survival Kit looks like a Boy Scout put it together in his dad’s garage. The items are simply tossed into a thick baggy and are mostly off-the-shelf. The kit, however, is extremely well thought out and is almost entirely usable. It is the only one of the test entries that is waterproofed, and the baggy can be used to keep your tinder dry.
It consists of a signaling whistle; compass; waterproof matches; a military general-purpose pocketknife (containing a blade, can opener, screwdriver and pick); a survival blanket; aluminum foil; small candles; firestarter brick; fishing tackle; floss; adhesive bandages; gauze; and alcohol swabs.
Of note is that this kit did not come with a striker rod or visual signaling device. While not a disadvantage, the kit relies on matches as a source of fire making. I typically will always have matches on me if outdoors, but I try to use them as a last resort. In the present scenario, you would immediately begin gathering branches and medium kindling like grass or leaves, knowing you have dry matches and can immediately get warm and dry.
Building a shelter with this kit isn’t really going to happen, but at least you can build a fire fast and try to catch fish in the river. You get your fire going, get your socks and boots drying, and you luckily caught a fish with your tackle.
Using a flat river rock and aluminum foil, you wrap it up and fry your catch. You survive the night warm and dry and set out back to the guide camp the following morning, stopping to fish by hand as you go, expecting to cook your catch in the early evening. You must be mindful of your health and dehydration on the walk because you have no ability to make water safe to drink, though, knowing you’re close, you figure you’ll just take some medicinal drugs when you get home.
Fox Knives BlackFox Survival Kit
All packed in a sealed metal can, the Fox Knives BlackFox Survival Kit contains a fire starter and striker, compass, whistle, a wire saw, razor blade, bandages, and so much more. Country of origin: Italy. MSRP: Approximately $55.
Start over at the point of your crash, this time with the Fox Knives BlackFox Survival Kit. It contains a fire starter and striker, candle, compass, whistle, tackle, a tiny Swiss Army-style knife; safety pins, a wire saw, razor blade, sewing kit, wire, match carrier (but no matches, none came with the kit), bandages, repair tape, cotton balls, and a notepad and pencil. It is all packed in a sealed metal can.
You take a different approach to your night in the woods. You know you must get dry first, and this kit has a rod and striker. You set about gathering kindling and starting a decent fire to get warm and dry. You set about fishing as well and make a good catch. You have to cook it on a stick over the fire but had no issue gutting it with the razor blade. You use your wire saw to cut saplings to make a shelter. You end the night warm and dry in your shelter, and with a full belly.
In the morning, you use the repair tape on your kayak and harvest sap from the trees you took down to smear it on the outside of the craft for waterproofing. You paddle back to your basecamp and then return to the spot with your friends to retrieve your gear from the river. Because you knew you could paddle back, you didn’t risk drinking river water, so your hunt continues.
Lansky P.R.E.P Kit
The Lansky P.R.E.P. (Preparedness, Resource, Equipment Pack) Kit stores a survival blanket, multi-tool, flashlight, fire striker, and LifeStraw water filter among many other tools in a compact black nylon bag. Countries of origin: USA and “various others.” MSRP: $129.99.
In this scenario, you have the Lansky P.R.E.P. (Preparedness, Resource, Equipment Pack) Kit and its survival blanket, first-aid kit, tackle, a small multi-tool, flashlight, paracord bracelet, survival guide, fire striker with compass, collapsible water bottle, LifeStraw water filter, Lansky UTR7 Responder knife, and Blademedic sharpener. All are packed in a black nylon bag.
Upon dragging your kayak back to land, you need to make a fire. Your kit is waterlogged but the items inside are not damaged. You need to gather wood and kindling, and it takes some effort, but you get a fire going using the bracelet to start the initial burn.
Once warming up, you catch some fish and gut them with the knife. You build a rudimentary shelter using the knife to cut down small branches, and rest until morning. You’re hydrated thanks to the LifeStraw and thus won’t need to see a doctor when you get home.
However, you failed to check in with your friends, so they come looking for you in this scenario. You hear distant noises and get out your flashlight and signal them. Your friends arrive after dark and take you back to camp. They brought a retrieval magnet and you get your rifle and equipment back that night. You clean the firearm and test it in the morning, ready to resume your hunt.
Tempering Your Expectations
None of the review kits are going to assuredly get you out of trouble. They can, however, offer you a stay on the inevitable and get you to a point where you can signal for help or make it to a safe location. Survival isn’t a guarantee and the scenario changes dramatically if you were injured in the accident. These kits can be the difference between life and death, make no mistake about that. Having one on hand is cheap insurance if things take a turn for the worse.
CRKT’s Newest Knife Is Inspired By Dia De Los Muertos And Is A Sexy, Exciting Folder Designed By Michael Rodriguez.
In honor of Dia de Los Muertos, knife designer, and former Green Beret, Michael Rodriguez has created a knife to honor the holiday, his heritage, and his military service.
The new Xolotl Black from CRKT is named for the Aztec god of fire and lightning who ferries the deceased on their journey to the afterlife. It features all-black features from the coffin-shaped G10 handle to the liners and EDP-coated blade to give the blade a sleek, dark look.
The blade is made from 1.4116 steel and is 3.64 inches in length. Overall, the piece is 8.64 inches long.
The flipper not only deploys the blade quickly but also acts as a cross guard to help provide a secure grip on the knife. The coffin-shaped handle features 21 ribs, which symbolize Rodriguez’s 21 years of military service.
The knife is also a part of CRKT’s Forged By War program which donates of a portion of the money from every Xolotl Black sold and donates it to the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, of which Rodriguez is the president and CEO.
