Best Custom Knives and Factory Knives

Budget To Bang Combos: A Trio Of Great Hunting Knife Sets

Abe Elias

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November 14, 2022

When Hunting, One Knife Is Good But More Knives Are Better. These Knife Sets Can Help Make The Hunt Easier No Matter The Size Of The Game.

Each year hunting season rolls around there are experienced hunters and first-time hunters anxious to make their way into the field. Whether a bow hunter or a firearms hunter, one thing remains consistent between the two: They both need something to clean game and prepare it to be able to get it out of the field and home.

No one would argue that you don’t need a knife, but sure enough each hunter would back his choice of blade in a discussion led by the question “What do you use?”

This year, as usual, I found some likely candidates to add to the discussion of whose knife is better, though this time, instead of a single knife to tackle the project, let’s consider knife sets. They can’t get your game for you but we can put them through their paces to see if they can help make the most out of what you do get.

Gerber Moment

The Gerber Moment is a two-knife set. Of the test entries, this one is for the budget-minded hunters looking to spend the short dollar. It is made in China and the fit and finish is darn respectable considering each knife runs about $17.

The two knives were not hair-popping sharp out of the package, though it didn’t take long to up their edge games. Both the large utility knife and the small finesse model come with contoured rubber grips.

The scales do not totally cover the full-tang handle design. A small perimeter of the tang is left exposed around the scales. At the rear of each tang are small oblong-shaped notches to serve as lanyard holes. They’re small holes at that, as you won’t get much more than paracord through them. As mentioned, the edges of the tang are proud of the scale but not so much as to cause any hot spots.

Both knives are drop-point designs, with the large knife being hollow ground and sporting a gut hook. The small Finesse is a full-flat-ground drop point. Texturing on the rubber grips helps provide a good, solid purchase. Of the two, as you would expect, the small detailing knife is pretty agile, though it isn’t like the large one is clumsy. To tote them both Gerber provides a dual-carry nylon belt sheath with plastic liner inserts.

Overall, the knives are quite well made. The design cleans up easy. After you do some work to bump up edge performance, you’ve got some users.

I have never been much for gut hooks. I remember when the Wyoming Knife was new and loads of hunters were sold for life on gut-hook knives. Even though I don’t use them, I can see how some hunters could like them. The gut hook on the Moment is pretty large.

I would have to give the set a thumbs up. It would be good for a hunter on a budget or one looking to try out different styles until finding one that suits him best.

MSRP: $34

Outdoor Edge Razor Guide Pak

The Outdoor Edge Razor Guide Pak comes with two knives—the RazorBone and the RazorCape—along with a small bone saw. The knives take replaceable razor-blade-style inserts. Both are folders and come with multiple replacement blades.

Outdoor Edge provides a boning/fillet-style blade along with a drop point and gutting blade for the RazorBone. For the RazorCape knife, you get two cape-blade inserts. Both have glass nylon and TPR rubber inlay handles.

A lockback system secures the blades in the open position. The handles don’t have a lot of cross-sectional contouring and the texturing on the rubber inserts provides some traction to your grip. There’s a thumb groove with jimping on the spine of the blade holder.

What worked well for me was the difference in thicknesses between the blade holder and the blade gave me a great lip to secure my handhold while executing a pinch grip. As I used the RazorBone in a butcher grip, the thin tip of the insert snaked through joints and kept me close to the bone so that I didn’t leave any of the good stuff behind.

The RazorCape knife works well but has a large choil. I find such choils a waste of potential edge length. As if that isn’t bad enough on a hunting knife, they basically become a fur catcher. Both folders come with a pocket clip, though for me they are not pocket-carry-style knives. All the inserts come scalpel-sharp, so show them respect while handling them.

Lastly, the Flip n’ Zip saw works well but the anodized aluminum handle doesn’t do a lot for me. It makes a nice, thin package. A lockback system securely holds the blade in place. It’s just that the aluminum handle, even with CNC grooves, is thin and pretty slippery in my hands once things get wet.

Also, the handle is so thin it makes it a bit difficult for my fat mitts to hold onto it. I would hate to try it with gloves on while the handle is covered in blood. The extra blades, all 420J2 stainless steel, are stored in a wax canvas roll.

MSRP: $99

Knives Of Alaska Bobcat Combo

Alaska knives — Knives of Alaska includes a top-notch leather sheath with the Bobcat Combo. The sheath has the hallmarks of solid craftsmanship. (The author indicated he put the nick there.)

The set from Knives of Alaska (KOA) comes with the Alpha Wolf knife and the Bobcat Hatchet—hence, the Bobcat Combo. I’ve used the Alpha Wolf before. It’s a full-tang design made of D2 tool steel and a layered polymer handle. The handle contouring includes four finger grooves, with the index groove on the ricasso. It is a straightforward, fully flat-ground drop-point design.

The Alpha Wolf comes shaving sharp out of the box and has a general curve to the cutting edge. I have to say as a game knife it handles well and you can exert a great deal of control over the cutting edge with little effort.

The design fits well in my meaty hand and the cuts get made where I need them without struggling. At the rear of the edge is a micro choil and, as usual, when the material being cut gets hung up there, it frustrates my workflow. I would say the only thing I would prefer is a bit of texturing to up the grip game.

As you can imagine, the Bobcat hatchet does things like splitting the sternum, cutting the pelvic bone and, if you want, it will bust out some of the tougher joints. It doesn’t have the heft of a full-size hatchet but as my buddy is fond of saying: if you put enough force behind anything you can make it fly. To me, it would be certainly neater than a chainsaw (don’t ask, it’s a drunken Canadian hunter thing). A gut hook is on the back.

A top-notch-made leather sheath carries the combo. I never reviewed a knife from KOA on which the leather wasn’t well executed. It’s a good combo and the Bobcat hatchet is such a neat tool I couldn’t resist using it in the kitchen as a small hand chopper. I know, somewhat sacrilegious, but it’s my kitchen. It’s a great set and as much of a trophy as the game you kill.

MSRP: $209.99

There’s a wide range of knives here from budget to bang and represents only a small sampling of the tools available to hunters these days. If you’re going for the big game, don’t ruin the moment by struggling with a poorly crafted tool. Take the time to round out your kit with a good field-dressing knife set.

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Best Buck Knife: What Are The Company’s All-Time Classics

Josh Wayner

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January 31, 2024

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Best Buck Knife: What Are The Company’s All-Time Classics

Buck Knives is among the most historic manufacturers in the county. We attempt to pick the best knives it has ever created.

The famous 110 Folding Hunter was introduced to the market in 1964. This was a significant point for Buck Knives, and a significant point for the knife industry as a whole.

Buck did not start in spirit in 1964, it began much earlier at the turn of the century, and was the culmination of over half a century of Hoyt Buck’s knifemaking experience. Several generations of the Buck family worked to build the company, and the result was nothing short of extraordinary. Buck Knives are one of the most recognizable brands in the country, and they have a well-earned reputation for quality. It is currently in its fourth generation of family ownership, an amazing feat in today’s fast-paced corporate environment.

Buck knives are exceptionally well-made and will hold up for a lifetime if properly maintained. The knives also carry one of the best warranties in the industry which guarantees their products against any defects for life. This whole segment has nothing from him about how Hoyt formally started and built the company.

History Of Buck Knives

The Buck 119 Special is one of the company’s many fixed blades.

While it was not technically a company, Hoyt buck began making knives around 1900 and developed a way to temper steel that he deemed to be superior to what was being done at the time. It may seem a bit uppity of an apprentice blacksmith to take on something that had not been done in all of the history of man’s knife-making, but Hoyt Buck was not to be deterred.

Sure enough, his methods became well-known and he made knives one at a time for decades afterward. His knives had superior edge retention as a result of his tempering process and to this day Buck knives are well-known for their ability to hold an edge.

While the seeds of Buck Knives were planted thanks to Hoyt and his skill on the anvil, the company’s journey is so much more than that. Hoyt had six children, and his oldest son Al would eventually play a key role in the company’s growth.

By 1941 Hoyt and his wife were now living in Idaho, and he was a church pastor. However, the attack on Pearl Harbor roused his patriotism. As a way to help the war effort, he opened a small blacksmith shop in the basement of his church and began making knives once again. His knives became extremely popular on the military bases on the Pacific Coast and soldiers would come from all over to get one of his blades.

By the time the war ended in 1945 Hoyt and his wife Daisy decided to move south to San Diego and live near Al. In 1946 Hoyt opened his first manufacturing plant, really just a small lean-to attached to Al’s house, with his son. It was then that Buck Knives was officially born.

Al took over the company when his father passed, and today the company remains in the family as CJ Buck is the fourth-generation CEO and Chairman of Buck Knives.

Hoyt’s Tempering Process

Hoyt Buck was 13 years old and an apprentice blacksmith in 1902. According to the company’s own history, Hoyt was dissatisfied with the edge hardness on common farming implements. Farmers seemed to be bringing in their tools far more often than he liked to see and thought of some solutions to make the edges stronger and able to hold their sharpness longer. He began experimenting with these tools and eventually figured out a quenching method to achieve his desired result.

Essentially, the secret Buck discovered was quenching the entire blade when it was all precisely the same temperature. Not an easy task, especially in the day and age he came up with the process. However, overcoming the technological challenges reaped impressive benefits. The uniformity of the tempering process ensured the metal had no soft spots–weakness that could eventually lead to damage. Furthermore, the even tempering–when applied to knives–resulted in blades that were extremely hard and were capable of retaining an edge.

How To Date A Buck Knife

The Buck 375 shows off the company’s continued commitment to detail.

Unlike many knives across the industry, Buck knives are marked in certain ways to identify them based on the year they were made. The original Buck knives from 1961 to 1967 or simply stamped with ‘BUCK’.

From 1967 to 1972, the knives featured the mark ‘BUCK, USA’. The 1972 to 1986 period had the knives labeled with ‘BUCK 110, USA’ with additional model information. From 1986 onwards, each year of manufacture has a unique symbol that is added to the blade. You can very quickly and easily identify this and match it to the model year on the Buck website.

Buck knife collectors tend to have some of their own methods for identifying early knives. While it comes down to a degree of pseudoscience, there is demand for Buck knives that retain their original packaging, and even original receipts that can prove the age of the knife. Typically, the older the knife, the more it is worth.

Vintage Buck knives do not tend to sell for all that much by comparison to other knives, but there is a healthy following all across the country. Most people do not sell their Buck knives at all, and they are passed down generationally.

Best Buck Knives

Whether it’s a contemporary knife or a classic, these 10 knives from Buck continue to be top sellers and beloved by knife aficionados around the world.

110 FOLDING HUNTER KNIFE

This is the one that started it all. The 110 Folding Hunter needs no introduction here. It is one of the most storied and respected knives in American history. What is remarkable is that the price is relatively low, even for Buck’s lineup. The price of this knife sets it apart because it is well-known for its durability and sharpness. At under $70, you can easily buy this knife without breaking the bank.

MSRP: $65

124 FRONTIERSMAN KNIFE

This knife harkens back to the old days in appearance but is all modern in terms of execution. The Frontiersmen knife is just about the perfect size if you prefer to carry a fixed blade. The design of the knife is completely functional and you should be able to accomplish just about anything you need to accomplish out in the woods or around the farm.

MSRP: $185

055 ‘THE 55’ KNIFE

The 55 gets its name for being half the size of the famous 110. It is a popular and common pocket knife that is just as strong as its big brother. While it lacks many of the features of modern assisted-open knives or other types of more complicated designs, it makes up for it by being exceptionally durable and easy to use. Much like the larger 110, this is a knife that you will keep for life and pass down to your kids.

MSRP: $70

120 GENERAL KNIFE

There are very few knives that are as recognizable as the 120 General Knife. This Buck design is a classic, reminiscent of the military Ka-Bar. It is a bigger knife than what most people use for their everyday chores. The General Knife will be a companion for hunting, skinning, and preparing wood near the campfire.

MSRP: $130

103 SKINNER PRO KNIFE

Back in the old days, a skinning knife was part of a larger set that you would take into the field. This knife profile saw its heyday during the decimation of the buffalo herds. Buck has an excellent skinning knife in the form of the 103 Skinner Pro. It is a fine tool and is exceptionally attractive in appearance. If you like to have separate tools for your various hunting chores, you would do yourself well to equip this knife alongside the larger 120 General Knife.

MSRP: $170

102 BUCK WOODSMAN KNIFE

For many young men, the Woodsman was the first serious knife they ever received. This is a classic design and is among the most popular and well-recognized American fixed-blade knives ever made. It is not the largest knife Buck has made, but this medium-sized Bowie profile blade has seen more use than most knife models could ever hope to achieve.

This is an excellent knife for the aspiring outdoorsman. It can be used in just about any setting that requires medium lifting. It is a bit too thin to be used for wood splitting but can be used easily for making kindling by scraping. It is also an excellent small game knife and can be used for all sorts of camp chores. If you think about the knife that you would have in the Scouts, this would likely be as close to that knife as you can get.

MSRP: $75

BUCK ZIPPER KNIFE

The Buck Zipper is one of the many knives sold by the company today.

The Buck Zipper knife is arguably one of the most popular gut hook knives in the country, and it is fair to say that it is in more deer hunters’ hands than it’s not. As far as traditional designs go, the Zipper knife is not just well-made, it is also a symbol of the trade for many hunters that take to the field every fall. Gut hook knives do have other utility, they can be used in fishing settings for cutting line and for gutting as well. For a general-use hunting knife, you really can’t go wrong here.

MSRP: $129.99

863 SELKIRK KNIFE w. FIRE STARTER

Bushcraft knives are all the rage these days. There are a plethora of TV shows dedicated to the topic, and it seems that every knife company out there is making something that fits the bill. The Selkirk knife is a nicely priced addition to the Buckline. The knife is well equipped and comes with a durable micarta handle and a sheath-mounted fire steel. The kit you get is able to function right out of the box. You can pretty easily get started with practicing right in your yard. MSRP $80

The knife does have a couple of downsides, though, from a Bushcraft perspective, it is relatively thin. A blade really needs to have some meat to it to be able to make it through the tanning for kindling You’ll never really get much life out of a thin blade if you snap it off in use. Even though Buck has a good warranty, you should take care to not treat a thin blade like this as a dedicated tool for splitting. The knife can, however, be used for making tinder out of smaller pieces of wood, and it should have no problem getting them to light.

MSRP: $80

841 SPRINT PRO KNIFE BURLAP MICARTA

Another modern design, the Sprint Pro is a sleek looking folder that also has some classic lines. The knife is available in a couple of forms, most interesting is the burlap micarta model. Burlap micarta is made through an interesting process that suspends fabric in a resin base material. The result is a unique, very durable, and highly functional grip material that looks as good as it performs. This is a flipper-style knife and can be operated easily with one hand. The locking mechanism is a standard liner lock. Overall, it is a well-reviewed and well-designed knife that, while not the most visually striking, will give years of use.

MSRP: $155

417 BUDGIE KNIFE

The Budgie is a very compact EDC knife that can go just about anywhere. The tiny design is minimalistic yet functional. It is a frame-like design that is available in a couple of colors, most notably natural green G10. This is a new design that does not necessarily have much in common cosmetically with the classic Buck lineup. That said, it is just about all the knife the average person needs for their daily life, and it can be kept on the person quite easily. While it is a bit more costly than the average mini pocket knife, the Budgie is backed by the same warranty extended to all Buck products and is going to last you for quite some time performing light and medium-duty tasks.

MSRP: $100

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First Look: CRKT Oxcart

Featured Knives

BLADE Staff

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July 15, 2022

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The CRKT Oxcart Is A Strong Folder That Can Be Your EDC and Do A Whole Lot More Too.

Designed by a Texan, Robert Carter, the new CRKT Oxcart is Lone Star tough. The assisted-opening folder is designed to be ambidextrous with a reversible pocket clip and can handle pretty much anything you throw at it.

The frame lock uses a thick lock bar to secure the blade in place once flipped open so you won’t have to worry about it coming back at you and nicking your fingers.

This is in no small part to the construction. The 3.05-inch blade is crafted from Japanese AUS-8 high-carbon stainless steel which is not only a strong metal, but it’s also exceptional at resisting rust too. The satin finish gives the OXcart a clean look too. The blade isn’t the only steel on this piece either. The handle is also made from stainless.

The strength of the Oxcart is remarkable considering that it weighs just under five ounces. When closed, the knife is just over four inches in length so it can easily tuck away on your belt line or into your pack.
MSRP: $75

Editor’s Note: This post was written by Mike Ableson.

First Look: Kershaw Recap

Featured Knives

Mike Ableson

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August 29, 2022

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This Tiny New Multi-Tool From Kershaw May Not Have The Array Of Tools Like Others On The Market But Makes Up For It With A Fun, New Design.

When you think of a multi-tool it’s usually a beefy type of tool with pliers and blades and maybe wrenches and wire strippers on it. However, the new Recap from Kershaw breaks the mold by taking the multi-tool to its minimalist extreme.

The Recap is roughly the size of a housekey. Made of stainless steel, there are no folding elements to the tool, just the main body. At just .3 ounces it’s as light as you’d expect but features three tools.

The first, and most noticeable, is the bottle opener. The other tools come as a combination pry bar/flathead screwdriver. The minimalist steel construction means all of the tools are strong and robust with nothing superfluous in the way.

Yes, there is no blade, a staple of most multi-tools, but this would be excellent on a keychain. If you want some type of tool with you wherever you go, especially if you frequent places like sporting events or museums where you can have an EDC or traditional multi tool on your person.

MSRP: $6.39

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East Beasts: Four Parangs Built To Last

Dexter Ewing

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October 19, 2022

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This Quartet Of Knives, Inspired By The Parang Of The Malay Archipelago In Southeast Asia Are Tough, Rugged Fixed Blades.

There’s something about large blades with an Eastern flair, an exotic look, and that offer devastating function. They generally are built stouter and able to complete multiple hard-use tasks beyond those of a machete. Such knives clear vines and weedy vegetation, take out small saplings, and split wood for campfires. They are equal parts tool and, if necessary, weapon.

Condor Tool & Knife Pack Golok

Originating in the Malay Archipelago, the golok is used primarily in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Varying in size and weight, it is typically anywhere from 10 to 20 inches long. Often shorter and heavier than machetes, the golok is used for bush and branch cutting. Cutting edges tend to be convex, preventing the blade from being stuck in green wood. Carbon steel is often the preferred blade material, usually with a softer temper for ease of sharpening.

A good modern production example is the Condor Tool & Knife Pack Golok. The 11-inch upswept blade is 1075 carbon steel with a convex edge great at not sticking in green wood. The handle curves down near the butt and flares out a bit to prevent the knife from sliding out of your hand while chopping. The rich brown appearance of the walnut handle material elevates the Pack Golok’s appearance. Three large brass rivets secure the walnut slabs to the tang. A thong tube provides a hole for a lanyard. The overall length is 17 inches, long enough to tackle heavy work but not too long for belt carry or easy storage.

In use, the Pack Golok feels very sturdy and comfortable. The large diameter of the rounded walnut handle turns down a bit to help keep your hand in place. The generous diameter makes the handle easy to grip and fills the hand nicely. You feel in control of the knife at all times.

The solid convex grind puts a maximum amount of meat behind the edge for durability and helps resist chipping and rolling through heavy chopping. The edge is very sharp and easy to maintain so the knife serves well in the field.

The Pack Golok performs like a larger knife without being one. Of the test bunch, it’s the best chopper. It also excels at baton work. Conversely, it works just as well for finer tasks such as whittling.

The leather sheath is extremely well done. It features two button snap closures to secure the knife. Unsheathe it by simultaneously lifting the handle and pulling it out. There’s a large loop for belt carry.

MSRP: $107

DPx Gear HEFT 12 Chop

DPx Gear’s HEFT 12 Chop is a serious piece of kit. Robert Young Pelton, aka RYP, is the founder of DPx Gear, a noted journalist, and a documentary film director who spent considerable time in Iraq and elsewhere covering various conflicts. Based on the parang, which also is a favorite in the Malay Archipelago, the HEFT 12 Chop is optimized for cutting woody growth. Sporting a sweet-spot belly for chopping and forward-weighted balance, the parang is a multi-use cutting tool that can be quite handy in the wilderness.

In the HEFT 12 Chop, RYP wanted a tool that would serve as a machete, hatchet, and large survival knife all rolled into one. As a result, one knife can be carried instead of several. This is especially beneficial on long treks—the old “less is more” maxim.

The 12.5-inch blade is flat-ground D2 tool steel, a proven and highly consistent performer for hunting and survival knives. A black mil-spec blade coating enhances corrosion resistance and low reflectivity. The green G-10 handle is 3D machined and contoured for comfort with no hot spots to speak of. The grip turns down and flares out somewhat to act as a catch and prevent the hand from sliding backward. Three large Torx-head screws fasten the G-10 slabs to the full tang. There’s also a lanyard hole in the exposed tang. A single guard keeps the hand from sliding forward.

At 18.6 inches overall, the HEFT 12 Chop is a formidable cutting tool. Made in Italy by Lionsteel, it looks great with the black blade and OD green handle. When you lift the HEFT 12 Chop, you immediately notice the heavy blade-forward balance. This enhances chopping, building momentum, and using gravity to your advantage as you swing the blade. If you go into it with all muscle, trust me, you will get tired. Relax and let gravity do the job.

Rest the guard on your hand as if you are choking up and let the handle pivot a bit in your paw for additional power. A semi-loose grip works best—or at least it did for me. As you chop you can feel the power with each blow and where the blade’s sweet spot is (just behind the angled tip). The HEFT 12 takes out smaller and thinner vegetation with abandon—a testament to RYP’s design vision.

This is a wonderful blade for baton work. You can use the length for leverage as you pound the spine. The full flat grind is like a wedge, splitting wood effectively and quickly. The HEFT 12 Chop does not come with a sheath. It’s a bit on the pricey side but the design is backed by RYP’s years of real-world experience.

MSRP: $375

APOC Chop House

Boasting a flared reverse-tanto-style tip, the Chop House from APOC Survival Tools is based on the dao, which originated in China as a single-edge sword primarily used for slashing and chopping. The blade’s moderate curvature and angular tip are effective for thrusting. A 12.75-inch blade and overall length of 18 inches puts the Chop House right in the middle of machete territory. It boasts 9260 carbon blade steel, full-tang construction, and a black G-10 handle. A black oxide coating reduces glare and enhances rust protection.

Featuring 3D-machined and contoured facets, the handle is certainly one of the knife’s most interesting elements. Three sets of Torx®-head screws fasten the G-10 slabs to the tang. A prominent finger groove trails a recessed grip area, and the handle flares out to create a catch for your hand, stopping rearward sliding.

An integral double guard provides additional protection. Wrap your hand around the handle and feel your fingers nestle in and lock into place. Depending on your hand size, you might feel some hot spots around the palm. In fact, those with bigger hands might find the grip objectionable.

The Chop House feels agile and has more of a neutral balance than the rest of the test bunch. As a result, it excels more at such machete tasks as cutting tall weeds, grass, vines and maybe taking out the occasional sapling. To be an effective chopper, the balance must bias toward blade-heavy, something the Chop House does not do. It has a balance more typical of a standard machete. This isn’t bad, it just means carefully selecting what you use it for.

The factory edge did not last long out of the box and I wound up resharpening the blade to my liking. It might be wise to apply your own edge before putting the knife to use as well.

MSRP: $159

Fox Knives Parang

Don’t let the Fox Parang’s short length fool you. It chops quite well, with plenty of bite to the blade.

The Fox Knives Military Division (FKMD) Parang is an outstanding example of a compact fixed blade that serves as a chopping, camp, and kitchen knife while remaining easy to manipulate and carry. Taking design cues from the traditional parang with the forward-weighted feature, the 7-inch blade has a bulbous, rounded tip great for slicing and as a skinning knife if need be.

The N690 stainless blade steel has a layer of black Cerakote® for additional corrosion protection. N690 is higher-end steel that exhibits an excellent balance of edge holding, corrosion resistance, and sharpening ease.

The ergonomic handle is Forprene, a molded thermoplastic tacky to the touch. Several large scallops on the grip section accommodate the user’s fingers comfortably. Along with the main groove, the largest scallop seats the index finger. This locks in your grip and the rest of the fingers fall naturally into place. The tang has a choil and gimping ahead of it to promote a secure choke-up grip for finer cutting tasks that require additional control. Though the handle is boxy, the edges are rounded to soften things up.

In action, the Parang—one of this issue’s cover knives—is impressive. As a chopper, the blade bites in deep and hard. The flat grind and excellent edge quality out of the box help make this possible. The Fox entry can give some larger knives a serious run for the money in terms of chopping effectiveness. When you choke up, tasks that require control like whittling are as easy as chopping. The knife feels comfortable and balanced in the choke-up grip. The large blade belly slices very well and the grip is no slip.

The Forprene handle mitigates some shock from impact when chopping. Its slightly tacky quality makes for a good grip with wet, dry, hot, or cold hands. Some may think the handle material looks cheap but the Forprene offers function rather than aesthetics—crucial when considering an outdoor blade for hard work. I wear gloves when using big fixed blades and even with gloves, the Forprene still felt very secure.

The Parang seems the most useful of the review models as it serves well as a chopper/camp and kitchen knife. If you stash a chopper in your vehicle, the compact length makes it ideal for the role. You can do the same with the other test knives but their additional length may pose an issue.

A very nicely made ballistic nylon sheath with Kydex liners for rigidity and protection from blade puncture comes standard. A wide dual-snap retention strap fastens around the handle. A smaller strap secures the knife at an additional point below the main retention straps.

This might seem redundant but when wearing the Parang on your belt in the wilds, you don’t want it to exit accidentally! A loop accommodates a variety of belt widths. There are MOLLE attachment points and a leg tie, too.

One drawback: the sheath is OD green and the Forprene handle is tan. I’d prefer the handle color to match the sheath. An aluminum box with a snap-on lid that contains common assorted survival items is included.

MSRP: $365

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First Look: Case Ruby Mini CopperLock

Mike Ableson

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December 1, 2022

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The Case Mini CopperLock Looks Great And Functions Like A Champ. A Modern Take On The Classic Slip Joint Is Sure To Please.

The classics are classics for a reason. They endure because they are beloved for their style and functionality, and the Case Mini CopperLock is a beautiful contemporary version of a tried and tested style of knife.

The knife opens and closes like butter. It’s so smooth to deploy and doesn’t fight you at all. The 2.72-inch Tru-Sharp stainless clip point looks as good as it slices thanks to a mirror polish. The handle is made from a bright Ruby Stardust Kirinite, and the lockback holds everything securely in place.

This is a multi-purpose knife that’s great for EDC tasks or for keeping on your pack while camping. At just two ounces it’s light and always easy to use. Case knocked this one out of the park.

MSRP: $89.99

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Enter The Knife I Carry Feature… Win A Free Knife

Featured Knives

BLADE Staff

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September 26, 2023

1

Enter The Knife I Carry Feature… Win A Free Knife

Here’s your shot to show off your prized carry knife to the world!

What’s better than carrying a knife? Showing the world exactly what knife you carry. Now, this little act of gratification might earn you—what else—a new knife.

Show us your carry knife—be it slip joint, fixed-blade, or whatever—for our The Knife I Carry feature in BLADE® Magazine. The monthly feature focuses on knife enthusiasts who carry knives but who do not have the wherewithal to make their own. We’re looking for the folks who comb through the knifemakers, knife companies and knife retailers to find the gem they always have at hand. You know, your everyday, average knife nut.

Here’s the best part, if you enter a picture of your knife and a short writeup and we publish it, you’ll be entered in a drawing for a free knife! Brag up your present blade and possibly add a new one to the collection, what could be better? Just follow the instructions below to potentially become part of the “World’s No. 1 Knife Publication” and be entered to win a free knife.

Don’t be shy, show us the knife you carry!

How To Submit Your Blade For The Knife I Carry Feature:

Compose a short write-up about the knife you carry, with a little history or an anecdote about it.
Include a photograph—at least 600 KB but no larger than 2 MB—of you holding your knife.
Send both to [email protected] and include your physical address (this is for the knife drawing and will not be published).

Selected submissions will be published in an upcoming “The Knife I Carry.” If selected for publication, we will enter your name in a drawing to win a free knife, which will take place on November 15, 2023.

The Knife I Carry Examples

“My name is John Schwanke. My daughter, Eden, got me this knife for Father’s Day 2018. There are no identifying marks as to who made it, but on the slab scale it reads, ‘Best Dad Ever.’ The damascus blade is beautiful and I cherish and carry it every day. It walks and talks, is a flipper folder and of the highest quality you can imagine.”
John and Eden Schwanke,
Danbury, Connecticut

“My tour of duty in Vietnam was from April 4, 1967, to April 4, 1968. My constant companion was my Camillus ‘k-bar.’ I left the country at the end of the 1968 Tet Offensive and brought my knife home with me. It continued to serve me well for several more years. It meant so much to me and had become like a trusted friend. It was always there to do whatever job was asked of it. One day I got to thinking, what if I lose it or break it after all this time? So, I reluctantly retired my knife, scabbard and stone. It now has a front-row seat in my showcase of mementos. It has a date stamped on the buttcap: 1-1967. Money can’t buy it. I know this is supposed to be about a knife I carry now and not an old relic, but I just had to tell you about my ‘old friend.’ I did carry it many, many years. I’m 76 years old.”
Danny L. Scott,
Tiptonville, Tennessee

“My EDC has a blade of .220-inch-thick Spectrumwear steel and was hand made in California. I designed the knife ground up. Originally, I wanted a chopper. However, I wanted it to also have a dagger tip profile. Matt Freeman did an amazing job and had my knife done in under two weeks. He is the first maker I worked with who would email me pictures of the knife’s progress without me asking. He jokingly said it was the hardest blade to grind out, reason being it has four edges. He laid out the knife almost like a Roman gladius. I then angled the main edge to make it longer and then shortened the top edge. After that, Matt worked out the size and handle. The knife is just over 8 inches with a handmade leather sheath. We decided an old finish would look nice, so he Parkerized it, then gun blued it to protect against rust.”
Caleb Hoskins,
a letter via e-mail

“The knife I carry into the woods each fall is my beloved Case fixed blade. She’s showing her age and has been passed down for three generations. Dad inherited her from my grandfather and then when Dad passed away in 1996 she was handed to me. Though I can’t tell exactly how old she is, I know she is well over 55 because that’s my age. For all I know the knife may be close to 100. She has been well used and processed more wild game over the years than I can count. She’s a true testament to Case quality and reliability. So many wonderful memories come to mind each time I draw this knife.”
Stacey Roberts,
Bridgewater, Vermont

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Here’s your shot to show off your prized carry knife to the world!

The Knife I Carry Examples

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