Featured

Editor’s note: The following originally ran in the August 2015 issue of BLADE magazine. All images are from their respective manufacturers unless otherwise noted. 

Memorial Day (taking place in 2018 on Monday, May 28) holds a revered place in the hearts and minds of Americans, and knife manufacturers recognize the heritage of freedom that fits well with such a commemoration. Knives have equipped American fighting men and women since the first call for national defense more than 200 years ago, and these modern knives convey a sense of pride and honor for our time.

Buck 245 MWG

Buck Knives introduced the 245 MWG at the 2015 SHOT Show to honor the memory of Matthew J. Leathers, a highly decorated U.S. Navy SEAL who lost his life at sea in 2013. Matt was a member of Basic Under water Demolition/SEAL Training class 245, and the knife’s name says it all—245 to honor the class and MWG referring to the simple yet powerful phrase that was the young SEAL’s nickname: “Matt Would Go.”

The 245 MWG represents a partnership between Buck and Matt’s father, Tim Leathers. “During his nine years with the U.S. Navy SEALS, Matthew used many knives, but none that held up to his standards,” explained Stephanie Young, Buck marketing and communications manager. “He decided the only way to find a knife that met his criteria was to build it himself. Matt designed the knife that became a favorite among his fellow SEALS.”

The result of the Buck collaboration with Matt Leathers through his father is a sleek fixed-blade utility/fighting knife with a 5160 spring steel blade and tough Micarta® handle. Other features include the TEK-LOK® belt clip and a Kydex® sheath designed with a low-infrared signature.

A portion of the proceeds from sales goes to MattWouldGo LLC and in turn to the Navy SEAL Foundation.

“We are honored to bring this knife to the market for the Leathers family and happy to give something back to those who protect us,” Young commented.

Two Camillus Fixed Blades

A pair of Camillus fixed blades made to the exacting specifications of retired U.S. Army Green Beret and current military, law enforcement and survival trainer Grady Powell, and of Jared Ogden, a combat-decorated retired Navy SEAL and surface warfare officer, both of whom are featured on the National Geographic Channel TV show Ultimate Survival Alaska, makes great Memorial Day remembrance knives.

“These knives accommodate everything a SEAL or Green Beret would do in their duties,” explained Rick Constantine, Camillus marketing manager. “Both of these men had input on the design of these knives. They are true-life heroes, and that’s why we went after them. We all said we wanted to build knives that anyone would be proud to carry on active duty or elsewhere.”

Both knives feature 1095 high carbon steel blades and custom molded sheaths. Constantine said Powell wanted a knife useful in hand-to-hand situations, while Ogden stressed cutting ability and grip strength—particularly in water.

The Powell model features a half-serrated 4.87-inch blade with a G-10 handle that sports Micarta accents, and a 10.5-inch overall length.

Ogden’s knife includes a 4.75-inch blade with gut hook, a G-10 handle, a 10-inch overall length, and versatility that allows the user to fashion it into a survival spear.

Each knife is serial numbered.

“We have worked with a number of personalities through the years,” Constantine remarked, “but none have been better or more knowledgeable than these guys.”

Case FSSF V-42

When members of the First Special Service Force Association approached Case about a revival of the legendary V-42 stiletto, the company jumped at the chance.

Special Forces Association Montana Chapter 28 and a large number of knife enthusiasts supported the idea, and the new Case V-42 is true in detail to its heritage. Commissioned by U.S. Army Colonel Robert T. Frederick in 1942, the V-42 was issued to troops of the joint U.S.-Canadian First Special Service Force (FSSF), popularly known as the Devil’s Brigade. These soldiers served with distinction in World War II, and the V-42 was with them all the way. Case evaluated its own original museum V-42 and reproduced that fighting gem with painstaking accuracy.

Though the V-42 has been reintroduced a couple of times in the past, Case officials indicate this rendition is more accurate than ever.

“We really have a greater appreciation for what goes into making this knife,” said Case representative Fred Feightner. “We actually had it X-rayed to see how the handle was put together. We examined the knife from the inside out, and this was done on a much more detailed basis than previous re-releases of the V-42. The project took about five years to complete.”

The V-42’s blade of Case chrome vanadium steel—essentially, 1095 high-carbon steel with added chromium and vanadium—is double concave ground to reproduce the distinctive centerline along its length. The stacked-leather-washer handle is constructed with specialty gimping, and the famed V-42 “thumbprint” is embedded in the ricasso of the 12.5-inch, 7-ounce knife for proper blade orientation/indexing and grip strength. The leather sheath is complete with steel teeth reinforcing the sleeve and brass rivet covers.

“We’re extremely proud and honored to present a reproduction knife that is symbolic of our military elite and the American freedom they fought, and fight every day, to protect,” noted John Sullivan, Case marketing director. “Case knives and the American military share a long and distinguished history dating as far back as World War I, so we’ve taken great measure to ensure that the V-42 reproduction model meets the highest standards and is deemed authentic by the same brave Forcemen who carried the original into battle so many years ago.”

SOG SEAL Strike

The new SEAL Strike from SOG Specialty Knives & Tools includes a 4.9-inch partially serrated AUS-8 stainless steel blade with cryogenic heat treatment, and a handle of glass-reinforced nylon.

“The biggest differentiator for the SEAL Strike is the sheath,” SOG’s Chris Cashbaugh explained. “It has several features that enhance the functions of the knife. You can use the line cutter to cut cord or webbing without having to expose the blade. The carbide sharpener is in the side of the sheath and can be used to touch up the blade while out in the field. The ferrocerium rod can help start a fire in an emergency situation.”

The SEAL Strike fits the Memorial Day theme well since its design relates to the longtime SOG collaboration with the military and the ultimate goal of producing a knife that fills the bill for troops on deployment or anyone in the field.

Editor’s note: All images courtesy of the participating companies.

Go-To Knives

Look up paring—as in paring knife—in the Merriam-Webster dictionary and ol’ Mr. Webster says it’s “the act of cutting away an edge or surface.”

This raises a question.

If the paring knife was originally designed as a peeling knife, does it still matter? Or is it relegated to the back of the flatware drawer, consigned to a future of rust and dust?

Chef Timothy Hollingsworth, who wears the double hat of chef and owner at the California restaurants with the respective names of Otium and Barrel and Ashes, said the scrappy paring knife—with a blade less than 4 inches designed for food prep—still holds its own against $5 peelers and glinting chef’s knives. Not only is a paring knife designed to peel, it can be called on to prepare pearl onions, scrape mushrooms and cut intricate designs to give food extra pizzazz.

“For the home cook,” Hollingsworth said, “paring knives are great because you’re able to hold the vegetables or fruit in your hand while cutting, whether that’s cutting potatoes into smaller chunks, or peeling an apple and cutting it into bite-sized pieces.”

Mother’s Day is around the corner, a time that seeks to honor the women whose varied accomplishment include making many a home-cooked meal, often with paring knife in hand. From contemporary to traditional, here are four designs that represent the latest in one of Mom’s go-to tools.

Kai Luna Paring Knife

It was about 10 years ago that Scott Zahm, director of sales for the housewares division of Kai USA Ltd., and other of his compatriots at Kai noticed people used paring knives as small utility blades, chopping a handful of parsley on a cutting board, for example.

“Many home cooks prefer a smaller knife that’s less intimidating and easier to control,” he said. Kai took to the drawing board with its Pure Komachi 2 and the resulting blade shape was wider than a traditional paring knife, with a deeper belly. The shape helped users navigate a cutting board with more agility.

This issue’s cover knife (page 7), the newer Luna Paring Knife, features the same profile. “We made the Kai Luna series for the adventurous cook on a budget,” Zahm said. The knife features a tsuchime, or hammered finish, and the edge is honed to a 16-degree angle on each side.

“All of the knives in the Luna series offer the performance good cooks demand at a price that even aspiring cooks can afford,” Zahm said. “With Luna’s tsuchime finish and contemporary styling, it’s an exciting and eye-catching addition to any kitchen.”

With a modified blade shape, does the paring knife usurp a chef’s knife in utility? Not really, Zahm said. Chef’s and paring knives work with each other, handling different-sized cutting jobs. Both are essential in the cook’s workspace.

Spyderco K09 Mini Paring Knife

Spyderco “thought small” when it redesigned the K09 Mini Paring Knife. The company still offers utility knives 4 and 6 inches long. However, Spyderco’s Joyce Laituri compared the K09 to a scalpel, giving users options from peeling fruit to removing small bones from meat.

“I use mine every year at Halloween to start the pumpkin carving process,” Laituri said. “We draw the face on a pumpkin and the K09 goes through gourd like a laser. It is easily controlled letting you create intricate and even lacy designs.”

Three years ago, Spyderco reintroduced the K09 with a new handle material. The Japanese-made knife features a polypropylene grip with ridges to enhance purchase with wet hands.

The K09’s 2.25-inch blade of MBS-26 stainless steel is thinly ground. The result is a blade that keeps its edge and has a slight spring to it, Laituri observed. When it comes to how often people should reach for a paring knife, Laituri said it depends on the cook. She often uses Spyderco’s 6-inch serrated utility knife. Her husband, on the other hand, barbecues and rarely uses a paring knife.

Fällkniven CMT Zulu

“I believe the paring knife is one of the most used knives in the kitchen and also the knife with the lowest reputation,” said Peter Hjortberger, founder of Fällkniven AB. “Usually a paring knife is made for being cheap, a knife you don’t need to care much about, just a [semi] sharp edge for daily tasks.”

Fällkniven went in the opposite direction, making the 3-inch blade of the CMT Zulu of laminated COS steel, the core consisting of a stainless steel that contains a high percentage of cobalt. Hjortberger called it “technically, a very advanced steel.”

“So, instead of searching for the cheapest steel, we go for the best steel, understanding that this knife will last a hundred years or more,” Hjortberger said. “To me, this is climate smart to make high-quality knives which will last during several generations instead of uttering out crap.”

The knife is full tang and handled with Micarta. The CMT Zulu features an old-world design ground with a convex edge common on knives before the Industrial Revolution. It is made in Japan with Swedish materials and quality control.

Often, the paring knife is the most-reached-for kitchen tool, not just for cooking but also for common household chores. Paring knives are non-frightening, Hjortberger said, and women might like the more manageable design.

Case Paring Knife

According to Case’s Fred Feightner, paring knives have homes in restaurants offering nearly every type of cuisine. In 2012, Case resurrected its paring knife offering, giving home cooks the option of a handle of black synthetic or walnut. With the walnut handles, brass rivets gleam from the wood. Case offers four paring knives in its Household Cutlery collection.

“We knew people would want their household set to be complemented by a paring knife or two,” Feightner opined. “Case paring knives have been a part of the American kitchen’s tool set for many years.”

Case manufactures paring knives with either a clip-point blade, where the clip drops to the gently curving edge, and the spear-point, where the spine and edge meet in an acute tip. Both are made from Case Tru-Sharp™ surgical steel, the company’s equivalent of 420HC stainless.

Paring Knife Maintenance Tips

After use, a few moments of care can extend the life of a paring knife. While convenient for pots and pans, etc., the dishwasher is notorious for destroying knives.

“Dishwashers are never kind to household knives,” Feightner said, “because the blade edges can be dulled by the movement of the knives during cleaning, and the detergents made for automatic dishwashers will tend to stain and pit the blades. Our wooden-handled knives have natural oils and pigments within them that can be compromised by the high temperatures employed by the dishwasher. As a result, fading and splitting of the wooden handles can occur.

“We recommend hand washing, using a mild-strength detergent, followed by a prompt water rinsing and hand drying with a clean towel. Cleaning products that include chlorine and/or bleach in them can cause the stainless-steel blades to discolor and pit.”

Knives stored loosely in a drawer can rattle against each other, chipping edges and posing cutting hazards to anyone rummaging for a blade. Once their knives are clean, professional chefs store them in a knife bag, roll or case. At home, a knife block, a magnetic strip or in a drawer as long as they are in sheaths, work equally as well to preserve the life of kitchen knives. After all, from feats of culinary artistry to cutting string, the paring knife will rest in kitchens for decades to come.

Mom, or Anyone, Will Like This, too

The official knife of BLADE Show 2018 is this special edition CRKT Caligo.

• Only 150 made
• Serialized number
• BLADE Show logo on blade
• Designer TJ Schwarz’s signature on the blade

Get this instant collectible now for only $49.99 at ShopBlade.com.