The New Andromeda From Artisan Cutlery Is A Gorgeous, Sturdy Folding Knife That Works Just As Good As It Looks.
Made in collaboration with Ray Laconico, the Andromeda from Artisan Cutlery is a gem. The folder features a 3.42-inch M390 stainless steel drop point blade with a stonewash finish treated to a durable 59-61 HRC.
The handle is where the Andromeda visually shines. The entire construction is made from gray titanium for a sleek, clean look, but it is the single piece of blue & black fat carbon on the side opposite the clip that makes the knife stand out.
The key feature on the knife is the deployment method. There’s a traditional dual-sided thumb stud and an inset button lock for one-handed deployment making the Andromeda one of the first Artisan models to feature it.
The Leatherman Raptor Rescue Is A Fun New Take On The Multi-Tool. It Has All The Quality You Expect From Leatherman.
Not every multi-tool needs to look like a Swiss Army knife or be based around a set of pliers. The new Raptor Rescue from Leatherman is an exciting new take on the multi-tool.
The whole thing folds up and fits into an included holster. When open, it takes the shape of of a set of shears made from 420HC stainless. On one of the blades is a five centimeter ruler.
The rest of the six tools of the Raptor Rescue aren’t necessarily what you might expect. Instead of a screwdriver and knife blade there is a strap cutter and ring cutter. There’s also an oxygen tank wrench and a carbide glass breaker.
This tool was designed with input from EMTs and fire fighters and other rescue workers. The tool is meant to be used in high-intensity rescue situations rather than being an EDC type of piece. And in that vein, it is more than up to the task. Leatherman made a video you can see below that shows off everything the Raptor Rescue can do.
The Sheepsfoot Blade Isn’t The Most Popular Style, But It Is Certainly Quite Useful. This Quartet Of Knives Show Why You Should Try A Sheepsfoot.
I promise there will be no butchering graphics in this article. The sheepsfoot blade is one of many blade styles out there today, but it isn’t as popular as say the drop point or clip point.
And that might be due to the shape of the blade. Instead of tapering down to a fine tip like a clip point, the sheepsfoot has a large belly and a smooth, usually curved, tip.
The name of the blade is a pretty literal one. It was named because it was made to trim the hooves of sheep. The shape of the blade looks nothing like a sheep’s foot. The use of the blade gave it its name, and it stuck.
Are Sheepsfoot Blades Only On Pocketknives?
Yes, most sheepsfoot blades are on pocketknives and other EDC knives, but that’s not all. The popular Santoku knife features a sheepsfoot blade. The long dull spine that leads to the curved tip makes the knife great for slicing and chopping, and the wide belly allows it to act as an excellent scoop to get food off the board.
What Are Sheepsfoot Blades Good For?
Thanks to its long, flat edge, a sheepsfoot blade is perfect for slicing and chopping. Need to cut lengths of rope? Grab a sheepsfoot. Have to chop hard vegetables like carrots to drop in the pot over a campfire? Grab a sheepsfoot.
Beyond slicing, a sheepsfoot is also great for tasks that involve longer knife strokes like opening boxes, slicing through sections of cardboard, and whittling wood. There’s countless uses for a sheepsfoot blade because it is such a basic, straightforward blade style.
Why Might You Want To Pass On A Sheepsfoot?
The long, straight edge that makes a sheepsfoot perfect for slicing makes it a liability for things like piercing and. There is no fine point like a dagger or a clip point because the dull spine curves down to meet the cutting edge. This means that things like poking and puncturing are difficult with a sheepsfoot. Sure, you could angle it to puncture through a bag or a case, but it’s much harder than if you used something like a drop point.
Best Sheepsfoot Blades
This guide will stick with pocketknives as that is where the sheepsfoot is most widely seen. Classic EDC blades, keychain knives, the sheepsfoot appears across the knife landscape.
Benchmade Griptilian
Benchmade makes excellent knives, that is without question, and the Griptilian is one of their best. The knife features a 3.45-inch CPM S20CV steel blade with a flat grind and treated to a 59-61 HRC. The satin finish looks great on it.
The gray G-10 handle scales look clean and provide a great grip. The AXIS lock keeps everything secure and is ambidextrous. Everything about the knife is class all the way down to the deep-carry pocket clip. This knife is a prime example of what a sheepsfoot blade can be.
MSRP: $149.95
Kershaw Copper Cinder Keychain Knife
A tiny sheepsfoot is still a sheepsfoot, and this fun multi-tool form Kershaw is a blast to use. The 3Cr13MoV blade has a 1.13-inch cutting edge with a hollow grind. It looks exotic with the machined copper handle, but this knife is all about practicality.
The small blade is sharp and can easily handle the simple day-to-day tasks that life can throw at you. The large keychain hole lets you easily pop it onto your chain with ease, and the integrated bottle opener will easily crack open your next beer.
It’s not the biggest or the baddest, but the Copper Cinder performs exactly as advertised.
MSRP: $28.79
Kizer Vanguard Mini Sheepdog
A compact, cleaver-style knife, the Vanguard Mini from Kizer is a great blade for someone who spends time camping. Yes, this is a strong EDC blade, and the 2.5-inch straight edge makes it ideal for cutting rope or slicing food to prepare over the campfire. Its versatility helps sell the knife in a major way.
The blade is a satin-finished 154CM stainless meted to a micarta handle. The flipper mechanism makes the knife a blast to use, and everything stays in place thanks to a liner lock. Functional, classy, enjoyable. That’s what the Vanguard Mini is all about.
MSRP: $99
Spyderco SpydieChef
This folder from Spyderco is another excellent model from the company. The SpydieChef is an EDC folder designed to have the ergonomics and feel of a chef’s knife. The titanium handle is light yet robust in the hand, and the LC200N stainless blade is highly corrosion-resistant. That’s to be expected from a blade steel developed by NASA.
The SpydieChef is multiple things depending on how you look at it. Its size makes it firmly an EDC that is made from high-quality materials. However, the design philosophy makes it look more like the most company kitchen knife on the market. Regardless, it has a steep price but more than makes up for it with its construction.
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.
Acclaimed Knifemaker And Cutlery Hall Of Famer D’Alton Holder Passes Away At The Age Of 82.
D’Alton Holder, whose knifemaking career spanned almost 60 years, served decades on the Knifemakers’ Guild board of directors and enjoyed almost 20 years as a member of the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame®, passed away Nov. 19.
Known simply as “D’,” Holder was a consummate maker of fixed-blade knives, especially hunters. Among the latter, his “My Knife” in a stacked handle of oosic and amber was probably his best-known model and one of the most recognizable knives of its time.
He made his first knife in 1966, selling mostly at gun shows until 1973 when he joined the Guild. He was elected as a Guild board director in 1976 and served on the board for 23 years, during which time he held every board position, including three terms as president. His leadership helped sustain the Guild through the early years of its existence.
Holder organized the Arizona Knifemakers Association in 1975 and was its president for five years. He received the Guild’s Red Watson Award in 1982 and the American Firearms Industry Award of Merit in 1983, the only knifemaker to receive the honor. He was presented the Beretta Award for knifemaking excellence in 1994. He also served three years as president of the Arizona Knife Collectors Club.
He was a charter member of the board of regents of the American Knife & Tool Institute. Holder also was one of the winners of the 1998 Blade Magazine Publisher’s Award for his efforts on behalf of the AKTI.
He taught dozens of knifemakers how to fashion knives and helped dozens of other makers become more accomplished at the craft.
D’ was a very close friend of Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Buster Warenski. When not making knives the two spent much time hunting and fishing together. In fact, D’ lent a lot of support to Buster during the latter’s making of the King Tut Dagger reproduction, probably the most famous knife of the modern custom era. Despite many delays caused by production problems and other setbacks, Buster finally finished the monumental project, much to D’s delight. “With it, he stood head and shoulders above anything else that had been done,” D’ noted. “I think he did a better job than the original guys, the Egyptians!”
In his speech inducting Holder into the Cutlery Hall Of Fame at the BLADE® Magazine awards banquet of the 2003 BLADE Show, ABS master smith Tim Hancock, a long-time friend of the inductee’s, may have said it best.
“His knives embody his philosophy of art and his dedication to great work and business ethics,” Hancock said of D’. “He has no doubt made a friend of everyone he has sold a knife to.
“He also saw the need to shape the future of the industry that he loved. In his spare time, he has advised, helped, and counseled volumes of fellow knife enthusiasts, knife promoters, and budding knifemakers in their pursuits in this industry. To put it simply, those of us who know him personally would say that his most amazing trait is his unselfish devotion to helping others.”
Arrangements to recognize D’s passing were ongoing, though whether there will be any kind of memorial service for him was unclear as these words were being written.
The New Titanium Devour From Gerber Gear Is Far More Than Just An Eating Utensil. This Multi-Tool Really Is Unlike Any Other On The Market.
Not every multi-tool needs to feature a knife or have a set of pliers built into it. The new Devour, made from Titanium, from Gerber Gear flips the idea of a multi-tool on its head.
At first glance, it looks like nothing more than a rugged eating utensil, great for eating by the campfire. And it is that, but it is so much more. This multi-tool has nine functions and weighs just an ounce. The star of the show is the tool that mounts to the back of the fork.
The tool that snaps onto the back of the eating utensil
This tool features a package opener, a can opener, a pry bar, both a phillips and a flathead screwdriver, and a flat cut/scrape edge. When connected to the back of spork it keeps it propped up and off the table, which is great for keeping your utensil clean and free from dirt and debris when eating outside.
Since everything is made from corrosion-resistant T4A titanium, the tool won’t rust and will remain strong under pretty much any circumstance. The Devour can save you so much time packing, and space in your pack, you’ll wonder why you didn’t get it sooner.
And the cherry on top of it all: it’s an inexpensive piece of kit that will more than pay for itself quickly.
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.
