Tabla de contenidos para July/August 2019 en Knives Illustrated

Ultimately, these efforts require funding. We encourage you to support Knife Rights with a donation in the Ultimate Steel Spectacular, where you could win knives, guns and more with a total value above $200,000. As Doug explained, “when you get right down to it, rewriting knife law in America would be impossible if we didn’t have the support of both the extremely generous companies and knifemakers who donate prizes, and the generous supporters who make donations and get a chance to win those incredible prizes.” Be one of those supporters!…

KI: Aside from a knife, what are the top three resources a soldier can apply in a SERE situation? Ed: Shelter, fire, cordage. Parachute solves two of those with the silk and shroud line. If on the ground, 550 in a cargo pocket smashed flat, SOL space blanket, and always a ferro with attached tinder holder. KI: Why is a mid-sized knife a good choice for survival over smaller belt knives and larger chopping blades? Ed: Blade size, perfect blend, ease of carry, chopper, carver, and skinner. The most used yet hardly mentioned knife in most survival training is the Cold Steel SRK 6-inch blade. KI: Run us through what you can tell us about SERE training and how knives are used in it. Ed: From fire prep to shelter…

Because TOPS Knives realizes that not all people are the same, or have the same tastes/needs, they offer a small array of custom options to select when choosing one of their knives, allowing you to make your knife your own. Serrations: Some people like serrations and some don’t. TOPS Knives doesn't have many knives in their line that come standard with serrations, but due to their function for specific tasks they have their place. For this reason, TOPS Knives offers serrations as an option, for an additional small fee. Camo Finish: Some people are satisfied with the regular black traction coating that comes on most TOPS knives, but for those that like to be different, you can opt for a camo pattern added to your coating, for an additional small…

From the pages of American history to the present, the Bowie is an iconic design that has rooted itself in American cutlery culture. A design that has influenced and inspired everything from bushcraft knives to fighters, the Bowie knife is one of the most recognizable knives to date. We thought it would be fitting to include this representation of Americana in our bushcraft issue, due to its undeniable footprint in our country’s frontier. When it comes to the Bowie, these custom makers have pulled out all the stops in their portrayal of this historical blade.…

The Hambone is named after a legendary hard-working U.S. Army pack mule, Hamilton T. Bone (a.k.a. Hambone), who served a 14-year military career (1943-1956) carrying artillery and supplies for the Cavalry. He served two combat missions during World War II and gained notoriety with appearances in three Hollywood films, and a July 1949 issue of Life magazine. In his post-retirement life, Hambone’s silvery white coat and spectacular jumping ability made him a popular celebrity at equestrian shows and rodeos. Hambone died March 29, 1971 and was laid to rest during a military ceremony at Fort Carson, Colorado — where Hambone, Clint and their Cavalry teams were stationed.…

Sandvik is a Swedish steel company with a long history of producing extremely high-quality steels that are used by many well-respected knife companies. The 14c28n was developed, at the request of Kai Cutlery, by Sandvik to be a dedicated cutlery steel. A close relative of AEB-L stainless steel, 14c28n was engineered to be able to reach a high level of hardness while still maintaining a consistent microstructure. This results in a blade that will be easy to sharpen, takes and holds a fine edge and isn’t susceptible to microchipping and edge damage. The steel is also highly stain-resistant. Ruike takes the extra step of cryogenically treating their 14c28n which not only improves its edge holding, but increases its toughness as well. While many consider 14c28n to be a budget steel,…

01 GSI Outdoors Destination Kitchen Set 24 Campers take note, your kitchen just got more compact. One thing that all campers can agree on, whether you are a car camper or a backwoods camper, is that we need food; and a means to get that food into our belly is always helpful. The Destination Kitchen Set 24 houses all of the cutlery and accessories you need to put together a meal that is as convenient as if you prepared it at home. Just because you are camping does not mean that you have to live without all of the creature comforts in life. Fresh air, sounds of the great outdoors and a good meal make any camping trip a success. SPECS Mini cheese grater Collapsible whisk Pivot spoon Pivot…

During a recent trip to Paris to teach a Martial Blade Concepts (MBC) seminar, my host, renowned French custom knifemaker Fred Perrin, one of my certified instructors, Marc Galli and I decided to visit the Paris Police Museum. Although carrying an innocuous non-locking folding knife is generally accepted in France, in the wake of recent terrorist attacks and public protests, the carry of any knife is now a calculated risk. As such, we all agreed to leave our usual Paris-friendly carry knives at the hotel. When we arrived at the museum, which happens to be located inside an active police station, we were stopped by two officers (armed with submachine guns) and asked one at a time, to empty our pockets. Fred went first and although the officers examined his…

Other than protecting the user from the knife and the knife from exposure to the elements, the sheath houses the sharpening stone that maintains the edge in the field, as well as his ferro rod scraper/screwdriver tool. It also holds the ferro rod used for fire starting, and if the user is crafty, additional flat survival items can be tucked in place underneath the accessory pouch flap, such as fish hooks, spare cash, fishing line, or a signaling mirror. Dave Beck can customize your sheath for carry with climbing-grade webbing baldric style or even horizontally on your belt for better comfort while seated. If a knife like this is to be used for extended survival in the field, it must be carried there securely. The deep pouch of the sheath…

The process of stabilizing wood for handle scales can be an important part of the creation of a knife — if you are using wood. Stabilizing is a method of injecting wood with resins to create a stable, hardened piece of wood that is safe to work with and will not take on moisture and swell, or dry out and crack. There are different methods for stabilizing wood for handle scales. I recommend looking into more of the process details if you plan to make your own handle scales from any piece of wood you found during a hike or camping trip. There are a lot of beautiful chunks of wood that would make exquisite handle material, if you keep your eyes open. You could end up with a knife…

JOSH FISHER Model: Bowie Blade Material: 416 Stainless with Damascus core Blade Length: 8.75 inches Overall Length: 14 inches Guard Material: 416 stainless with Damascus spacer Handle Material: Koa wood Website: JNFisherKnives.com FLEMING KNIVES Model: Red River Bowie Blade Material: 1084/15N20 twist Damascus Blade Length: 11.5 inches Overall Length: 17 inches Guard Material: Blued 4140 Handle Material: Fossil ivory Facebook: @FlemingKnives TONY HUGHES Model: Bowie Blade Material: Mosaic Damascus Blade Length: 8.75 inches Overall Length: 13.5 inches Guard Material: Damascus Handle Material: Mastodon ivory Facebook: @TonyHughesForgedBlades STEVE RANDALL Model: Bowie Blade Material: 15N20/1080 Cardiac Attack pattern Damascus Blade Length: 10 inches Overall Length: 15 inches Guard Material: Cardiac Attack pattern Damascus Handle Material: Fossilized walrus ivory Website: KSRBlades.com RUSSELL WHITE Model: Clip Point Bowie Blade Material: 1084/1095/15N20 feather pattern Damascus…

While Kaila is proficient with primitive weapons — knives, spears and the bow and arrow — she is also quite talented on the shooting range. She began in her early teens, around the age of 15. She went to the range with a group of boys and ironically, they all dropped the sport — except Kaila. She competed in smallbore competition shooting (4-position, consisting of sitting, standing, kneeling and prone). Later, she came in second place in the nation at the Junior Olympic games in Camp Perry, Ohio. She is very proud to this day that she earned all the required patches and certificates!…

The Rapid Strike is available as a single-edge knife, as shown here, or with the top edge sharpened. I chose the single-edge model simply because a double edge can cause some stink eye from law enforcement. It is important to do your homework with regard to any weapon you decide to carry. Make sure it is entirely legal in the configuration you choose. In some jurisdictions, a double-edge knife could cause trouble, whereas a single-edge blade will not. While an argument could be made that any fines that result from the conviction of carrying an illegal weapon are worth paying if you were able to successfully use the knife to defend your life, getting pulled over for a simple traffic stop and having it go south quickly when your illegal…

Custom knife designer, Joe Caswell, is the brains behind the newest innovation in the CRKT lineup with his Kinematic Technology. Joe has been a full-time knife and tactical equipment designer and maker since 1995 and has a background in art and journalism. Being an avid moto-sports journalist for many years, Joe garnered the nickname “Moto-Joe” and has periodically co-hosted a popular motorcycle-related weekly radio talk show in Los Angeles, CA. Not letting any dust settle in his life, Joe also pattern welds steel with a penchant for Viking swords, as well as being an Olympic-style fencer, having maintained a USFA rating of “A” in épée for more than 10 years. I think it appropriate to say that he can add “engineering genius” to his already impressive résumé.…

The Cavelore’s handle may be a concern. Since it’s not stabilized wood, there is the possibility of swelling or shrinking with the weather. As the handle shrinks it could crack or deform. This is easily preventable with proper oiling of the handle and storage away from excess moisture. Make sure the handle is completely dry before starting this process. The charred material is naturally resistant but not immune to this warping. Even if it does crack, the unique handle grooves make it possible to affix a new handle with paracord or even nettle twine. With the addition of handmade primitive materials, this knife will truly look unique.…

Ruike was founded in 1998 by Chinese bladesmith Mr. Leung. For the next eight years, Ruike focused on manufacturing knives under contract for domestic and overseas knife companies. In 2016, Ruike was purchased by Fenix Flashlights and began manufacturing their own line of knives under the Ruike name. Instead of following the trend of copying the designs of other manufacturers, Ruike set out to create a line of unique, high-quality blades that everyone could afford. While Ruike designs and manufactures knives in China, their designs are all original and their quality control over both materials and manufacturing processes is second-to-none. Pick up a Ruike knife and you will recognize the careful attention to detail that was put into the design and construction.…