The New Rescuehawk From White River Knife & Tool Is An Excellent Fixed-Blade Multi-Tool That Will Make Any Outdoorsman Happy.
Not every multi-tool folds up and fits in your pocket, and that’s a good thing. For someone looking for a more robust multi-tool, the new tactical Rescuehawk from White River Knife & Tool is exactly what you’re looking for.
Made from quarter-inch thick 80CRV2 steel, and designed by Kurt Delia, the Rescuehawk does a little of everything. The head features a 2.6-inch splitting edge with a strong piercing point horn on the opposite end.
The handle is incredibly versatile with a half-inch gas line channel wrench and split chisel pry point and textured G10 handle scales to provide excellent grip. The included bottom-eject Kydex sheath keeps the blade safe and secure in transit.
Overall, this tool is excellent for any outdoor lover and is great to have in case of an emergency or survival situation.
A Switchblade Comb Is A Fun Take On The Knife Design. Unlike The Knife, The Switchblade Comb Can Be Taken On A Plane.
The switchblade looks cool. The blade firing out at speed and satisfyingly clicking into place is one of the great joys of the knife world. However, many legal codes of countries around the world don’t look fondly on the fast-moving blade. But that cool factor has endured and can be seen in switchblade combs. And they have the added benefit of being far, far cheaper than even the lowest-quality stiletto.
Switchblade combs?
Yes. It’s a comb that deploys like a switchblade. Maybe you’re looking for a comb with a burst of excitement, or a comb that isn’t made of cheap, flimsy plastic. Or maybe you’re a Jet or a Shark that needs to look good for their next rumble.
No matter what the reason, the switchblade comb is a fun little tool to have. This knife… I mean comb shows what the switchblade comb is all about.
Etrading Italian-Style Automatic Comb
This comb is a perfect example of what a switchblade comb can be. The handle is made from pearl-toned polymer, and the blade is made from 440 stainless steel that’s built to last. At nine inches in length, with a five-inch handle, the comb sits well in the hand and feels good to use.
The stainless bolsters help take the look to the next level, and it all comes together thanks to the push-button deployment that sends the comb out in a blink. Additionally, there is a trigger lock-out that prevents the comb from opening in your pocket or bag.
This is a fun piece that you can show off to friends and keep your hair well-coiffed too.
MSRP: $10.50
Tops Knives Tac-Rake
For something a bit more robust there is the Tac-Rake from TOPS Knives. This beard comb is of the fixed-blade variety (yes, not a switchblade but it’s so good) that’s made from black traction-coated steel meted to a tan canvas micarta handle.
It’s only 5.88 inches in total length so it’s probably not the best comb for a full head of hair, but it is specially made for a beard and will keep your facial hair looking clean and sharp. The fact that you’ll feel like a champ while using it is just an added bonus.
The included leather sheath makes traveling with the comb easy and stress-free.
MSRP: $105
Microtech UTX-85
This OTF comb is the Cadillac of combs. The blade is stainless, and the handle is anodized aluminum. It’s luxurious to use, and the dual-action mechanism deploys and retracts the knife in the blink of an eye.
The teeth are nice and fine so it’ll brush your hair and your beard with ease. Adding to the tactical nature of the comb, the glass breaker at the butt of the piece is a handy tool to have on your person. And, since this isn’t a proper sharpened knife, you can take this with you wherever you go from a baseball game to a restaurant and even on a plane.
MSRP: $340
BeardAir Tactical Beard Comb
For a tactical combing experience, there is this sleek comb from BeardAir. With a blade made from 17-4PH steel, and a handle made from aviation aluminum. It’s light and strong, and the automatic open/close function deploys the comb with speed and style.
Unlike the other combs on this list, the Tactical Beard Comb comes in all sorts of different colors so you can find the one that fits your aesthetic the best whether it’s a more traditional black knife with red accents or something more wild like the olive green and pink one above.
Mosaic Damascus Can Be Made Numerous Ways, And These Master Smiths Are All Putting Their Own Spin On The Craft.
The many moods of mosaic damascus provide the bladesmith and custom knifemaker with an ever-changing form of artistic expression. The possibilities of a new pattern, a different look, and yet another lasting impression are endless.
For several makers, mosaic has become a signature steel in their presentations, and these imaginative artists are pushing the envelope in an already dazzling array of motifs for blades and knife fittings.
Kelly Vermeer-Vella
Kelly Vermeer-Vella said she initially called the mosaic damascus of her fighter Riptide because it looks like “calm waters, but also because the forging process is pretty brutal. So, now I call that process ‘ripping it!’” Blade and overall lengths: 7.5 and 12.5 inches. At press time the knife was available through Arizona Custom Knives for $3,800. (SharpByCoop knife image)
In her Riptide pattern, American Bladesmith Society Journeyman Smith and past Forged in Fire champion Kelly Vermeer-Vella provides a great example of the new frontiers being explored with mosaic damascus.
“It’s initially called that because it looks like calm waters,” she commented, “but also because the forging process is pretty brutal. So, now I call that process ‘ripping it!’ Sometimes I win and sometimes I make hunters!”
Kelly showcases the Riptide pattern on her 12.5-inch fighter with a 7.5-inch blade and mammoth ivory handle sporting a long, modified “S” guard.
“I really enjoy swooping forged guards that complement the curves of the blade and handle. And I love mammoth ivory, so I make a lot of frame handles,” she added. “I think the best-looking frame is in a low-layer twist, 25 layers or so.”
The Vermeer-Vella mosaic involves a commitment to hard work to produce the desired results.
“The pattern is not san-mai,” she revealed, “rather, different layer counts of stacked W’s with heavy 1075 steel on the edge. The wing effect comes from forging. I push and pull the pattern with a hand hammer and forge to shape so that the pattern flows with the edge.”
The blade material is the 1075 carbon steel, which appears as the dark areas, and 15N20 nickel alloy, which shows as the grey, shiny areas. “I etch in 3-to-1 ferric chloride and also do a coffee etch,” she added. Her power hammer is an Anyang 88 and she uses a Riverside 24-ton press.
Jack Rellstab
Jack Rellstab said he wanted the blade of his Western Chef’s Knife to “look alive.” As he noted, “My idea was with the taper in layers to give it an organic look that appears as if the elements are actually growing.” Thus, the pattern’s name of Frogs and Flowers seems most apropos. His price for a similar knife: $2,600. (SharpByCoop image)
Like Vermeer-Vella, Jack Rellstab is an ABS journeyman smith who enjoys the creative process of forging mosaic damascus. His Western Chef’s Knife brings a robust profile to life in a mosaic pattern called Flowers and Frogs.
“The pattern is one of my styles of W’s explosion,” he noted. “I started the original billet with the layers of both 1080 and 15N20 getting progressively thinner from one side of the billet to the other. After using square dies to resquare the billet for W’s, I drew it out with a taper so the W’s would get tighter towards the end. Then I did a restack and a four-way to finish it. So, the steel is 1080 for the dark portion and 15N20 for the bright.”
The handle is amboyna burl, bronze and G-10. He says the grip is designed around most Western-style kitchen knives on today’s market, though the belly/underside might be a bit shallower.
“With this mosaic pattern, I wanted the knife to look alive,” he offered. “My idea was with the taper in layers to give it an organic look that appears as if the elements are actually growing. I used a 165-pound hammer belonging to New West Knifeworks, and I also used their Anyang hydraulic press for resquaring.”
Jack began his bladesmithing journey with mosaic damascus by watching a YouTube video, and then let his imagination kick in to develop the exciting pattern that is sure to generate conversation in any kitchen.
Will Stelter
The Serpentine Multi-bar Santoku by Will Stelter sports a mosaic damascus pattern of the same name. He used 1080 and 15N20 steels for the pattern-welded twisted bars and Cruforge V for the edge. The Cruforge V etches darkly, and its wear resistance and high working hardness make it ideal for culinary knives. Blade and overall lengths: 5 7/8 and 10.75 inches. His price for a similar knife: $3,500. (SharpByCoop knife image)
The Serpentine Multi-bar Santoku by ABS Journeyman Smith Will Stelter sports a mosaic damascus pattern of the same name. The handle is ivory paper Micarta®. He used 1080 carbon and 15N20 nickel-alloy steels for the pattern-welded twisted bars and Cruforge V for the edge. The Cruforge V etches darkly, and its wear resistance and high working hardness make it ideal for culinary knives.
“I started by forging up 28 layers of W’s,” he recalled, “and then worked that billet down to a half-square twisting stock. I twisted three bars right hand and two bars left hand, lining up my twists as best I could before forge-welding them together. After they were stuck, I forge welded on a solid Cruforge V edge bar that was around 40 percent as wide as the multi-bar billet, but the same thickness. With my final stock stuck together, I then laid out and cut away several three-quarter-inch-deep grooves or divots from the profile of the rectangular 2-inch wide bar, which still left Cruforge V on the edge, and two full twisted bars at the thinnest parts of the patterned area on the spine.
“I then flattened down the billet, which took the previously straight layers and gave them the bold ‘serpentining’ that came out in the blade. I then forged my blade to shape and forge welded on some of the base W’s stock that I twisted from as bolster material. This is a very similar technique to how the classic ‘River of Fire’ pattern is done, but with a different base pattern other than the usual feather pattern.”
Will used his 1924 400-pound ram Beaudry hammer to do the majority of the forge welding and a twisting machine to twist the five bars. He learned his pattern-welding technique and the ability to visualize the way the steel moves from bladesmith Salem Straub, crediting Straub with teaching him how to design patterns “with intentionality behind them.” The pattern itself is sole authored by Stelter, who has done some serpentine multi-bar patterns prior to the subject piece. However, this was his first attempt with a monosteel-edged bar.
“The serpentining is purely aesthetic,” Will said. “It’s meant to give a bold line for the eye to dance down rather than the straight, more classic intersection of the edge bar that is normal for a composite construction. This also means that from far away you see an interesting pattern, and then when inspected up close the explosions of the twisted W’s really pop out, which gives the overall piece an interesting level of depth.”
Will considers this particular mosaic “an intermediate-level pattern, easy to try, though somewhat difficult as well. The most challenging part is building a high-quality multi-bar pattern with adequate layer density and well-matched twists. The rest of the pattern is fairly simple.”
Brent Stubblefield
Brent Stubblefield’s integral chef’s knife has an 8-inch blade of his shimmering Crossroads mosaic damascus, and a stabilized Hawaiian koa wood handle with mammoth tooth spacer. Overall length: 13 inches. His price for a similar knife: $1,500. (SharpByCoop image)
At the Join or Die Knives Forge in Richmond, Virginia, Brent Stubblefield hammered a beautiful blade in his Crossroads mosaic pattern—and did so with multiple techniques.
According to Brent, “There is the initial damascus forging, crushed W’s, twisting, four-bar-squaring welds, ferry flip tilting, edge bars, and a ‘fish mouth’ tip to make the edge bars meet. There are multiple elements that are forged on the edge or corners to manipulate the pattern, and finally the knife shape and integral bolster are forged to shape.”
The mosaic is comprised of 1084 and 15N20 steels, with the 15N20 appearing as a silver white on the blade while the 1084 blackens with a ferric chloride etch.
“The shapes in this pattern reflect a desire to incorporate all the different techniques of mosaic damascus making I have learned over the years,” he explained. “I’m always trying to find a way to create never-before-seen patterns in order to add something totally new to the American bladesmithing tradition.”
Stubblefield used an Anyang 88 power hammer and homemade 30-ton press to create the Crossroads mosaic. A Bridgeport mill was helpful in the squaring-up process and flattening pieces for rewelding. A Miller welder assisted in tacking materials up before they went into the forge, while an Evenheat kiln and Broadbeck Ironworks grinder were key tools in the process as well.
“Although I did not have any single mentor,” Brent mused, “many knifemakers have gone out of their way to share tips and tricks with me. While they didn’t teach me directly, [bladesmiths] Mareko Maumasi and Salem Straub have been very generous with sharing their processes through social media. I certainly have referenced them among others.”
Stubblefield continues to challenge himself as his career advances, and he sees no slowdown in the creative process. “This knife is very difficult to do simply because the higher number of forge welds create more opportunities for failure,” he reasoned. “Any complex damascus blade is actually just many simple techniques combined together. The hardest part for me is understanding how manipulating the pattern early in the process will affect the outcome, and visualizing the end pattern.”
GiantMouse Has Taken A Big Step With Their New Fixed Blade. The GMF4 Is The Company’s Biggest Blade Ever And First Camp-Style Knife.
It’s a new era for GiantMouse. The company has stepped into the world of camp knives with the new GMF4. The knife is the company’s largest blade ever and comes in multiple finishes.
The star of the show is the blade. The N690 blade is 5.65 inches long, and the overall length is 10.45 inches. The steel has a flat grind and comes in two finishes: a traditional stonewash and a PVD stonewash. The PVD version is married to a Double Black Canvas Micarta handle, and the traditional blade is meted to a Double Red Canvas Micarta handle.
The handle is sturdy. The high flat saber grind is razor sharp, and the jimping helps stabilize it when cutting. There’s been a lot of thought put into the construction of this knife. A prime example of that is the lanyard hole.
Designed for outdoorsmen and campers, the lanyard hole is placed on the front of the knife so if a branch sneaks in there and pulls at the knife, it will be pulled forward and out of your hand rather than potentially snapping back and slicing you open.
No stone has been left unturned with this knife, and it will serve any and all campers well for a very long time.
Ka-Bar Makes One Of The Most Legendary American Combat/Utility Knives. First Issued In 1942, The Knife Continues To Impress And Inspire Today.
Few knives are as beloved and inspire more contemporary blades, than the Ka-Bar USMC fighting/utility knife. Ka-Bar Knives’ designation for it is the 1219C2, aka “the Ka-Bar,” and the knife was, and still is, a high-quality combat/utility tool. Ka-Bar Knives makes the contemporary version in its factory in upstate New York.
The History Of The Ka-Bar
As America entered World War 2, the Army and Marines took issue with the old World War 1-era trench knives that were being issued to them. The handles were too bulky, the blades were too brittle, and they were expensive to make.
After trying a few stopgaps, the Army asked arms suppliers to design a new combat/utility knife. Marine officers John Davis and Howard E. America worked with the Union Cutlery Company (now Ka-Bar Knives) to design a model that took elements from an old Navy knife and civilian hunting knives to create the 1219C2. In addition to Ka-Bar, Camillus, PAL, Robeson Shuredge, Case and Ontario were among those who made a USMC fighting/utility knife or a reasonable facsimile.
The knife was first issued to elite Marine units in November, 1942 and became standard issue for all Marines by 1944. Today, the knife is manufactured for military use and marketed to civilians as a utility/hunting knife.
Modern Ka-Bar Knives
Along with the original USMC fighting/utility knife, Ka-Bar makes many different combat/utility knives. This trio is a prime example of what the company produces today.
USMC Ka-Bar Plain Edge
The knife that made the Ka-Bar name famous is as popular as ever. There’s also a serrated version, but the plain edge is the original and is a hefty, economical knife.
The 7-inch clip point blade is made from 1095 Cro-Van steel with a 20-degree flat grind and a Rockwell hardness of 56-58 HRC. At just 11.2 ounces, it’s lighter than you might expect from a knife that size, which lets it flow smoothly when slicing, and the leather handle provides a secure grip. The rigid plastic sheath is MOLLE-compatible and can be carried vertically or horizontally.
Classics are classic for a reason, and the USMC fighting/utility knife is everything you could ask from a combat/using piece.
MSRP: $128.53
Becker Combat Bowie
Melding an American bowie-style blade with Becker’s trademark ergonomic handle design and you get this sleek, all-black combat knife. It is designed for bushcraft or camping too.
The 9.25-inch blade is married to an Ultramid handle that provides a strong grip. At 17.12 ounces, it’s a bit heftier than the USMC fighting/utility, making it excellent for more heavy-duty work like trimming thicker branches and vines or cutting through medium brush. Similar to the USMC fighting/utility, the Combat Bowie is made from 1095 Cro-Van and has a Rockwell hardness of 56-58 HRC.
A heavy-duty polyester sheath is included and is MOLLE-compatible as well.
MSRP: $178.61
Combat Kukri
This knife may have “combat” in the name, but its bread and butter is decimating small trees and vines. The kukri is smaller than a standard machete and is more finite in its cutting. That doesn’t mean that this blade can’t flex its muscle and chew through almost any brush you put in front of it.
This knife may have “combat” in the name, but its bread and butter is decimating small trees and vines. The kukri is smaller than a standard machete and is more finite in its cutting. That doesn’t mean that this blade can’t flex its muscle and chew through almost any brush you put in front of it.
At just under 16 ounces, it’s relatively lightweight yet robust.
If you’re buying it you’re most likely looking for a high-quality outdoors knife, and this kukri is it. The 1095 Cro-Van will need to be maintained to get the best out of it over time, but that comes with the territory of owning good knives. This knife will make a great companion working through the bush while camping or while cutting through bushes in the backyard.
The Gerber Mark II Is One Of The Most Famous Combat Knives Ever Issued To The American Military. First Introduced In 1966, It Still Endures Today.
When it comes to military knives, few are as universally beloved as the Gerber Mark II. First issued for use by U.S. service personnel in the Vietnam War in 1966, the knife has stayed in production since with the exception of 2000-2008.
The Mark II was successful due largely to its well-designed blade and lightweight. The blade is 6.5 inches long, and contemporary versions of it are made from 420 HC stainless steel. The handle is made from die-cast aluminum which helps keep the weight to just eight ounces.
What Makes The Gerber Mark II Special?
The Mark II stands out thanks to its blade design. There are many combat knives and bayonets, such as the M7 and M9, that are modeled after the classic dagger or spear point. The Mark II also has a double-edged spear point blade but with one massive exception: the wasp waist.
The wasp-waisted blade has a narrower section of steel, akin to how a wasp’s body narrows at its waist. On the Mark II, this narrower section comes toward the guard, and the edge on both sides has small serrations. Not the deepest you’ll find on a knife, the serrations are still there to cut.
Very few modern combat knives have the wasp waist (other famous American models like the M7, USMC fighting utility knife, and M9 don’t have it), and it is the visual signature of the Mark II.
Can I Buy A Gerber Mark II Today?
Yes, you can, but it’s not so straightforward. Gerber is, of course, still in business and thriving, but go to its website and you won’t find a Mark II for sale. There are other serrated tactical knives but no Mark II.
To purchase a Mark II today you’ll have to either go to sites like ebay or retailers such as Knifecenter, Smoky Mountain Knife Works, etc. Other makers offer knives similar to the Mark II, but if you want the real deal you’ll have to dig a little bit to purchase one yourself.
However, the ones of recent make that are available are reasonably priced at right around $100-$115.
A Good Work Knife Is Worth Its Weight In Gold. These Half-Dozen Blades All Excel At Something Outdoors From Gardening To Felling Trees.
Serious work knives are going to be fixed blades. Strength is something that can’t be sacrificed, and while many folders are incredibly rigid, they have mechanisms and moving parts that can and do become worn or damaged with hard use.
Modern folders are great knives. However, once mud, grit, sand, and the unexpected rock an inch underground comes into play, they tend to fail. Few folders are strong enough long-term for use as a trowel—fewer still can be safely batonned through wood. On the merit of ergonomics alone, the folder is usually slab-sided in profile and isn’t comfortable to hold for long periods, nor does it allow for easy cleaning. As such, the fixed blade is superior when the woodchips or dirt need to fly.
Defining work knives is merited by the individual task at hand. Some of the knives featured herein are not suitable to assume the role of another. Specialization is the name of the game and the knife you need for splitting wood is far different than one for working the ground. The main characteristic, across the board, is that these knives simply must hold up for their intended role and be at least serviceable in others should the need arise.
The test knives were all put to heavy use during an exterior cleanup, pulling up rotten posts, planting vegetables and bulbs, cutting down saplings and small trees, starting fires, making kindling, opening fertilizer and feed bags, and all sorts of things you would use a knife for in routine outdoor chores. They were exposed to rain, soil and, on occasion, cleaning supplies. I evaluated the edges and finishes for how well they cut and the handles for how well they felt in the hand after extended use.
Case Winkler Recurve Utility No. 6
The Case No. 6 was perfect for slicing straps on hay bales, removing small limbs and cutting various hoses and line.
A collaboration between Case and Winkler Knives, the Case Winkler Recurve Utility No. 6 is large, beefy, well-made, and very, very sharp. It arrived with a much finer edge than most Winkler designs, which made it all the more interesting when compared to the other Winkler knife in this article.
One of this issue’s cover knives, the No. 6 is not machete size but is big and heavily built. The deep belly and recurve result in a wide, rounded curve up to the tip, with about an inch-and-a-half of front-facing edge to the point. It is excellent at digging but not great at penetrating materials.
Where the knife really excels is in deep, long cuts. The recurve shape and handle angle make it want to sink right in. It can be batonned through wood around 2.5 inches in diameter with ease, can make tinder and is great at striking. The knife comes with a leather sheath that includes a polymer clip for a Zippo mini lighter. This is probably the only downside to this overall fantastic knife—the polymer clip isn’t strong enough to keep the lighter firmly in place and it can and does fall out.
In terms of general utility, I used the No. 6 hard and heavily for just about every task I could think of in the yard/garden. It chops well for a standard-sized knife and takes down medium branches as well as a small saw. It wants to work and, due to its shape, is simply useful and never got into a place where it was too much or too little. Overall, it is a fantastic work knife that should last you a lifetime.
MSRP: $430.99
Winkler Knives Drop Point Crusher
As a medium chore cutter, the Winkler Drop Point Crusher was great and easy to carry. The glass breaker/striker pommel is wickedly effective.
A classically styled working knife, the Winkler Knives Drop Point Crusher is a rugged gentleman’s knife with an appearance that doesn’t immediately give away its abilities. It was the only test knife with a wood grip but this never became an issue despite it being the most organic in composition. It was, like the others, exposed to rain, sap, dirt and dried wood. In addition, and thanks to the glass breaker/striker pommel, it was also used to bust down rotten posts and break glass out of a damaged windowpane.
It is a lightweight knife and easy to carry all day long. While Winkler makes knives for some of the most tactical dudes in the world, this one doesn’t draw that sort of attention in the slightest. It looks old, like something your granddad may have carried while hunting, and most people just look past it.
As an heirloom-quality knife it is hard to want to use it, but like all the Winkler blades I have looked at over the years, it wears nicely and simply gains character. For basic work the knife is great at everything but is just a bit thin for heavy batonning, though it can be used to split smaller pieces.
As a work tool, it is firmly in the everyday use category but like the Earth Skills knife is best set aside for heavy work. This is the knife I ended up wearing the most and using for the greatest number of tasks as it was so effortless to carry.
MSRP: $375
Condor Tool & Knife Woodbuster
The Woodbuster split firewood easily.
The Condor Tool & Knife Woodbuster is the biggest knife I’ve tested for BLADE®. Because of the knife’s name, I decided it best to use it on as much wood as possible, from taking down branches to dropping small trees. Designed by Joe Flowers, it sailed through things like they were hardly there. It approaches machete size, though it is heavy and the energy you need to get it moving is wasted on small brush.
I chopped firewood and reduced sections of trunk 12 inches wide into firewood with the Woodbuster. It can be batonned with surety and is great in that it has no real tip, so you don’t risk catching your hand or fingers if the blade sticks in the wood. It chops as well or better than a camp axe and with less physical effort in preparing firewood.
In taking down trees care is needed, but it is as good as an axe on anything under a foot across, which isn’t small by any stretch. The Woodbuster is 100 percent a working knife and is easy to become proficient with.
The only downside is the grip, which is rather round in profile. Smaller hands may have a hard time with it. The grip is also a bit smooth, though not all that noticeable if you wear work gloves. It becomes a bit hard to hold when wet and can roll in the hand after repeated strikes. This isn’t a serious problem, just something to be aware of.
MSRP: $171.58
KA-BAR Jarosz Camp Turok
The Camp Turok is a large knife that can handle branches, cutting chores, and light chopping.
The KA-BAR Jarosz Camp Turok is large but not as beefy as the Woodbuster, and much lighter. With the exception of heavy wood cutting and batonning, it performs most outdoor tasks. The blade is thick but draws to a relatively fine point.
Designed by Jesse Jarosz, the Turok is a great general-purpose outdoor tool in that it’s easily maintained and stays sharp when handling chores. It’s a bit too large for EDC and is, like the Woodbuster, something you will want to carry until you don’t; it’s an overt item.
It is, however, the test tool that has the most utility for the price and the broadest range of uses. The only thing I don’t like is the grip—too smooth for my taste and slippery when wet. However, the scales are removable, making the knife easy to clean and maintain.
MSRP: $129.69
Benchmade 162 Bushcrafter
The handy Benchmade 162 Bushcrafter is eminently useful for most outdoor work, and easy to carry and maintain. Designed by Shane Sibert, it arrived with a very sharp edge, though more notable was the grip profile. It’s a relatively small knife and the handle is unusually shaped, almost like a dog bone in geometry, and is very easy to get a firm, solid grip on. It can’t really be used for chopping large materials but is exceptional for fine work. It’s great at making fire and excellent in the garden and for pruning.
While billed as a bushcraft blade, it’s really a fine everyday knife and graciously civilian in appearance. It doesn’t look tactical at all and won’t draw attention anywhere from the farmer’s market to the barnyard. It held up exceptionally well and maintained a sharp edge in use.
It was used like the others to open feed and fertilizer bags and to cut cord and roots. The only downside is the sheath. While aesthetically pleasing, it has a suede feel and once wet tends to stay wet for a long time.
MSRP: $260
TOPS Knives Earth Skills Knife
The Earth Skills knife was at home in the garden and far more effective than a trowel at getting though tough roots.
The Earth Skills Knife from TOPS Knives is large and has a very atypical profile. Matt Graham designed it as a type of survival knife, though not necessarily a heavy-duty one. It is quite thin and has a generous Scandi grind, making it absolutely wonderful for working the earth, cutting through rooted soil to plant new bulbs or vegetables, and light work like cutting branches and digging up old wire netting. It’s great as a close work tool and for preparing food but has little value for hard-use tasks.
The edge geometry and thin spine are not suitable for batonning, though the blade is great scraping tinder and striking on a rod. Because of these special features, the knife is at home in the garden or camp in that it likely won’t be used for initial setup, but rather for cutting food, root vegetables, harvesting forage and as a light machete. The grip is very comfortable but quite large. The blade stayed very sharp through testing and accomplished tasks easily with minimal wear.
