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The EDC Tool Roll: 711L Mini Ratchet Wrench

By on March 21, 2025 in EDC, Reviews, The EDC Tool Roll

The EDC Tool Roll is a feature on Jerking the Trigger in which we profile various everyday-carry-worthy tools. The tools shown aren’t multi-tools but rather real tools, that by virtue of their compact size, light weight, usefulness, or unique functionality, can find a place in any range kit, emergency kit, or everyday carry bag.

Feel free to comment on the tools that you carry so we can all learn! The discussion on these posts has been very valuable so far.

I wanted to clown on this thing but I love it. The 711L Mini Ratchet Wrench lives up to its name. It is “mini” in every sense of the word. It also most seems too small to be useful… until you have one in hand.

In a lot of ways it is similar to other ratcheting drivers we have reviewed on The EDC Tool Roll. It has a reversible ratcheting end that accepts standard shank bits and a fixed inline end that accepts those same bits. It also has a finger-starting wheel and a similar finish to other tools like the Topeak Ratchet Rocket Lite DX. The main difference is that it is very, very small… about 2″ long.

I was prepared to write it off as a novelty but, when coupled with regular old extension, it actually does a lot of work. I sometimes carry it with two bits preloaded and dropped in my coin pocket. If you do carry an extension, you can preload another bit there. It’s light in weight, takes up almost no space and actually works better in some situations than your typical multitool.

It’s just too cool.

Where to Buy

I bought mine on Amazon. I am not sure there are any brick-and-mortar stores carrying this brand. They actually make a number of clever tools including the extension we already reviewed: 711L Ratchet Wrench on Amazon.com

Previously Reviewed Alternatives:

  1. Alltrade/Powerbuilt Ratchet & Driver
  2. Chapman MFG Midget Ratchet and Accessories (USA)
  3. GearWrench MicroDriver Set
  4. Klein Tools 65200
  5. Prestacyle T-Handle Ratchet
  6. Topeak Ratchet Rocket Lite DX
  7. VIM Tools HBR3 Bit Ratchet
  8. VIM Tools HBR4/Prestaratchet Mini Ratchet
  9. VIM Tools HBR5 Bit Ratchet
  10. Wiha GoBox

The above links may be affiliate links.

Soft Loops for Fixed Blade EDC

By on February 15, 2025 in EDC, Tactical Gear

Soft Loops, especially those with Pull-the-Dot snaps, are an oft-forgotten and VERY underrated way to carry small to medium-sized EDC fixed blades. These simple, affordable, and versatile sheath attachment loops are worth having just in case you need them.

I like Discreet Carry Concepts and Ulticlips as much as the next guy but I don’t find that they are always the answer. However, there are times when I do not prefer them. Adding a simple soft loop to a sheath lets me move the knife to my belt, freeing up space in my pockets or on my waistband for other tools.

I should also mention that soft loops are significantly more affordable than clips. I bought a big bag of them years ago and I still have plenty left. They are affordable if you buy one or two at a time and dirt cheap if you can get them in bulk. Don’t spend more than $5 on a loop with hardware.

There are also other great upsides to soft loops. They are compatible with almost any sheath as long as it has a single rivet or hole that can accept a Chicago screw and is narrow enough to wrap the loop. They can also be used as dangling belt loops for larger knives. They last pretty much forever as long as they have real Pull-the-Dot snaps.

Finally and perhaps more importantly, they are actually good. They allow the knife to be carried in an almost ideal position: horizontal (or slightly canted) on the center-line of the body, accessible from either hand. To be clear, I am not talking about double loops in “scout” carry. I am talking about using a single loop and carrying in front of the hip, with the handle in toward the center of my body. This position provides easy access and comfort, even when sitting for long periods, without blocking access to other tools.

These are widely available online from places like Amazon or your favorite holster maker: Soft Loops on Amazon.com

Review: Vosteed Porcupine

By on January 29, 2025 in EDC, Knives

The Vosteed Raccoon is one of those knives that is easy to recommend to just about anyone. While Vosteed makes several knives that I like, it was the Raccoon that stood out as uber-recommendable. Well… There is another knife for everyone in the Vosteed lineup now – the Porcupine.

Specs

You can see the full specifications of the Porcupine at Vosteed.com. Check out the highlights below.

Blade Length:2.99″ | 75.98 mm

Overall Length:7.20″ | 183.00 mm

Blade Thickness:0.118″ | 3.00 mm

Blade Material:14C28N

Handle Material:Micarta

Weight:3.19 oz | 90.50 g

Observations from Use

This is a knife for everyone. That was my major takeaway from my time with this review sample. The handle? Comfortable. The blade shape? Versatile. The lock? Safe, strong, and easy to use. Easy to live with? You bet. I could just stop there but I’ll be a little more specific.

The Porcupine has a very excellent blade… for pretty much everything. 14C28N is, as we all know by now, a great steel. It is tough, corrosion-resistant, and holds an edge well. The drop point blade shape has an almost continuous curve and a very acute point. The tall flat grind tapers down to an appropriately thin edge.

The handle should fit just about anyone. It is large enough to get a full four-finger grip (for my medium-sized hands). It is flat but hand-filling and well-contoured. I find it to be very comfortable and more hand-filling than the venerable Raccoon.

The Porcupine has Vosteed’s top liner lock. This is a great choice for a true all-around knife. This lock offers plenty of strength with a crisp detent and incredible ease of use. It is just about ideal as an all-around option.

I really like the ease-of-use elements Vosteed baked into this design. The micarta handle slabs offer great grip without needing to be heavily textured so your pockets don’t get shredded. The wire pocket clip, which is new for Vosteed, has great tension and a minimal visual footprint. The blade has some extra jimping out near the tip so you can use your index finger to control the tip during cuts.

Wrap Up

The Porcupine is versatile. It is the kind of knife that a knife guy can just see in a picture and know it will work for anyone. I am running out of ways to say that this knife is good for anything and anyone. This one is EASY to recommend.

The Porcupine is available from Vosteed’s Amazon store: Vosteed Porcupine on Amazon.com

Review: Kizer Feweed KI3694A1

By on January 18, 2025 in EDC, Knives, Reviews

Every once in a while, Kizer likes to remind us all what they are capable of when it comes to premium knives. That is exactly what they’ve done with the Feweed. This is easily their best premium offering since they set the knife world on fire with the Militaw. I expect (and hope) that the Feweed will take off on a similar trajectory as the Militaw… because I really want to see what else Kizer can do with this design.

Specs

You can see the full specs at Kizer.com. The highlights are below.

Overall Length: 7.09″ / 180.1 mm
Blade Length: 2.98″/ 75.7 mm
Blade Thickness: 0.11″/2.8mm
Handle Length: 4.11 “/ 104.4 mm
Weight:  3.22oz/91.3 g
Lock Type: Frame Lock

Observations from Use

Let me first point out that my review sample is the KI3694A1 variant of the Feweed with Purple Haze Fat Carbon and S35VN steel. There are 4 versions at different price points with varying finishes and blade steel options. All of them are decidedly premium but they become increasingly more so as the surprisingly competitive price increases.

The Feweed was designed by Vũ Huỳnh Nam Anh and what a design it is. This knife is angular, faceted, futuristic, and somehow graceful. It is also very clever. For instance, the titanium handle is milled out for large Fat Carbon inlays in such a way that these milled pockets act as weight relief and the inlay acts as an overtravel stop for the frame lock. The uniquely shaped thumb studs are another example. They fit the aesthetic of the Feweed well with how they neatly nest into the handle in both the open and closed positions. But, they are also perfectly shaped to help the blade rocket out when you apply some thumb pressure against the crispy detent.

This is a great study in form meeting function. For all it’s good looks, the Feweed is still a well-executed and comfortable-to-use cutting tool. The full height flat grind renders a thin, slicey edge and the blade shape is well suited to a variety of tasks. You would think it would feel sharp or angular in the hand but the edges are all so nicely broken that it is extremely comfortable to use.

The action… oh, the action… The Feweed has such a crispy detent and smooth bearing action that it is almost difficult to roll it open slowly! If you push into the thumb stud or apply some pressure to the easy-to-use front flipper tab, THWAK! It flies open.

There are plenty of other highlights to mention too. The jimping is basically perfect and it extends all the way up and over the front flipper which is how it should be. The lock bar is easy to access thanks to a machined pocket. The machined titanium pocket clip fits close to the knife but has plenty of clearance for thicker materials like denim. The fine, blasted finish on the titanium scales feels great in hand. There is just a lot to love here.

I generally like to end reviews with something constructive but I am at a loss on this one. There really isn’t anything I would change about this knife… other than wishing there was a larger version but given how quickly this one sold out, I suspect I won’t have to wait long for that.

Wrap Up

This knife sold out at most retailers quickly and it’s pretty easy to see why. Hopefully, we will see Kizer continue to riff on this design as they have with past successes like the Drop Bear and Militaw because I would love to see a larger version in the future.

The Feweed is lovely to look at, a joy to use, and a ton of fun to fidget with. It feels like a special thing, like a fine watch or pen, and it manages to do it at a very competitive price. With this and the Mini Mystic, Kizer is on a roll to kick off 2025.

What. A. Knife.

Keep an eye on Kizer’s Amazon store: Kizer on Amazon.com

Review: Kizer Mini Mystic

By on January 11, 2025 in EDC, Knives, Reviews

The Kizer Mini Mystic is one of a handful of very strong new blade offerings that Kizer rolled out in January 2025. Even among those excellent knives, this one stands out for its value, aggressive cutting performance, extreme ease of carry, and sinuous design.

Credit for the design of the Mini Mystic goes to Paul Munko of Munko Knives.

Specs

View the full specs for the Kizer Mini Mystic at Kizer.com. My review sample is model V3636C1.

Overall Length: 7.58 ” / 192.6 mm
Blade Length: 3.20 “/ 81.40 mm
Blade Thickness: 0.12 “/3.0mm
Blade Material: 154CM
Handle Length: 4.38 “/ 111.2  mm
Weight: 2.72 oz/ 77.2 g

Observations from Use

I feel like I have a lot more to say about the Kizer Mini Mystic than I do about most knives. I think a lot of people are will to respond to the design of this knife but I want to make sure that people know this is a very useful, functional knife that is very easy to carry.

I was not prepared for how slim and light this knife feels. The liners are heavily relieved to reduce weight. The scale materials are fairly lightweight and slim. The blade stock is slim. This design packs a lot of knife into 2.72 ounces.

I already think Kizer does a great job with its crossbar locks, which Kizer calls the Clutch Lock, but this one stands out. Some trick of the relationship of thumb stud to pivot and omega spring tension on this knife makes it especially snappy. It’s magic to flick open.

The handle is slim and not aggressively textured but I was immediately struck by how well it locked into my hand. Certainly, the inherent grippiness of the burlap micarta helps with this but the handle itself is just well designed. It has plenty of length so you won’t feel crowded and plenty of flares and curves in the right places.

The Mini Mystic is an aggressive cutter. It has a point that to be ready to pick even the most microscopic splinters. The already thin blade stock is coerced into an even thinner edge geometry thanks to high flat primary grind. Finally, despite all the design razzle-dazzle, the blade shape is just a nice long bit of straight edge with plenty of belly near the tip so it works well for pretty much any type of cut.

Okay, finally. Now we can talk about the design. Sinuous… That is the word that comes to mind. This knife’s design is so dynamic that it almost seems to be slithering across the table when you put it down.

It is packed with interesting details too. You likely noticed the transparent bolster made from PEI (aka Ultem) but did you notice the pivot collar made from the same burlap micarta that is used on the handle scales? Me neither until I had it in hand. Did you notice the clever way that the swooping plunge grind mirrors the curve of the bolsters? Me neither until I had it in hand. The overall design of this knife is beautiful but the details take it to the next level.

There is really only one thing I will nitpick about this knife. There are spots where the bolster meets the handle scales that are just a bit sharp because the bolster material comes to a point. It is minuscule but was noticeable initially. Now that I have used the knife for a few weeks, it is much less noticeable… not because I got used to it. It actually seems to have worn down just a bit so it is largely a non-issue.

Wrap Up

The Mini Mystic manages to pack a lot of cutting performance into a lightweight, compact package. Its eye-pleasing design may look radical but this knife is actually a conventionally good cutting tool. What a way to start the new year for Kizer.

Kizer Mini Mystic on Amazon.com

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