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Benchmade 915 Triage

By on March 29, 2011 in EDC, Knives

Benchmade’s new 915 Triage is purpose built for first responders, but others might find some of its life saving features useful, too. The Triage features a sheepsfoot blade profile, a glass breaker, and an innovative fold out safety hook cutter.

The 3.5″ sheepsfoot blade is ground from .130″ thick N680 steel. This is an excellent blade shape for working in and around flesh because it lacks a point. It allows the user to slide the spine of the knife against a surface (like a person) that they do not want to damage or harm while they cut away clothing or a seat belt. The blade utilizes the excellent AXIS locking mechanism.

The fold out 440C steel safety hook feature provides an even safer option for cutting belts or clothing. It folds out from the knife’s spine at the opposite end as the blade. It features a thumb stud for easy one hand access.

The Triage also features a carbide glass breaker set in the base of the knife. It will be available with orange or black G-10 handles with a black coated or uncoated blade. The buyer will also have the choice of a plain or combo-edge (partially serrated) blade. The pocket clip is reversible for left or right side tip up carry.

Check out the 915 Triage at Benchmade.com.

Review: Tactical Watch Cover

By on March 21, 2011 in EDC, Reviews, Tactical Gear

A watch is an integral part of the gear that we carry everyday. It can also be a significant investment that needs to be protected. I have found that time spent on the shooting range can be very hard on a timepiece so I set out to find a way to protect my watch when I train.

I came across several options. I could leave my watch at home, but I like wearing it on the range. I could also purchase and install a watch band with a built in cover. However, these watch band covers don’t really blend in an office environment which means I would constantly be swapping out the watch bands. I couldn’t find a solution that I liked until I found the Tactical Watch Cover.

Description

The Tactical Watch Cover is a simple 1 7/8″ wide black neoprene band that can be placed over your watch, band and all. The band has a 1″ diameter hole cut in the center that allows you to view the watch face. The stretchiness of the neoprene material allows the band to stretch enough to accommodate most watches. It also has a flap that can be secured with hook and loop material.

Fit, Finish, and Details

The Tactical Watch Cover seems to be very well made. It is made from a single piece of neoprene that is doubled stitched onto itself to make the flap that covers the watch face. The hook and loop material is sewn around its perimeter. The neoprene material is about 1/8″ thick and has a very slightly shiny appearance.

In Use

Neoprene is the perfect material for this watch band. It is very stretchy which allows it to move with you and makes it very comfortable. It is also excellent at protecting the watch from impact. I have worn the Tactical Watch Cover all day on several occasions and I basically forgot that it was even on my wrist.

I like to use the Tactical Watch Cover when I am running through my dry fire drills at home or when I am on the range. Training with an AK can wreak havoc on a watch. When I need to reach the bolt handle during a reload, I reach under the AK and use my index and middle finger to pull the charging handle to the rear. This has lead to several impacts between my watch and my AK. This motion can put the watch face in a precarious position, but the Tactical Watch Cover protected the face of my watch admirably.

If you break a watch band pin, the Tactical Watch Cover can retain your watch. Your watch immediately falls off of your wrist if one of the 2 watch band pins in a typical watch band breaks. If this happens at an inopportune time, you may never see the watch again. However, the Tactical Watch Cover can actually keep a broken watch on your wrist. You might not even notice the broken pin until you remove the cover.

The Tactical Watch Cover also serves to reduce the visual signature of your watch. If you don’t want glare from your watch face or glowing watch hands to announce your presence in the dark, the Tactical Watch Cover might be perfect for you. I generally don’t have to worry about my watch giving my position away in the office but there people out that that need this functionality.

Viewing your watch when the Tactical Watch Cover is in place is very simple. You can pull the flap completely open or simply push it to the side. The stretchiness of the neoprene allows you to stretch the flap enough to see the watch without undoing the hook and loop material.

Conclusion

The Tactical Watch Cover is an elegantly simple product. It is a great design that has been constructed with the perfect material. It works.

Members of the Usual Suspect Network can purchase the Tactical Watch Covers on the forum or the seller can be reached via email at fosters@socal.rr.com.

I have a few of these to give away, so keep an eye on the blog for more details.

Peak LED Solutions Matterhorn – Accidental Torture Test

By on March 12, 2011 in EDC, Flashlights, Reviews

I have been using flashlights from Peak LED Solutions for years. My favorite of their products is the Matterhorn. The Matterhorn is a simple flashlight that uses 5mm LEDs and accepts AAA batteries. It is blindingly bright but it doesn’t have to be. It serves wonderfully as a small, pocketable back-up light. The light itself is barely larger than the AAA battery that powers it yet it still provides a useful amount of light for a long, long time.

In December of last year, I noticed that the Matterhorn was missing from the pocket where I usually carry it with my keys. I searched high and low but I couldn’t find it. I sadly conceded that I must have unknowingly dropped it in a parking lot somewhere and that I would likely never see it again.

Then, just this week, the prodigal Matterhorn flashlight reappeared in one of our flower planters – a place that I rarely go, especially in the winter. It seems that the diminutive flashlight took a trip through the snow blower at some point this winter and was deposited far from where I dropped it getting into or out of my truck. Not only did it go through a snow blower but it has been sitting in the soil of a flower bed, exposed to an unusually cold and snowy winter for around 3 months.

At this point you may be wondering if a flashlight that took a trip through a snow blower and was exposed to the winter weather for 3 months still works and what it looks like. It does still work with the same battery that was in it when I dropped it and it looks pretty much like it did when I dropped.

This is what a Peak Matterhorn looks like after a trip through a snow blower and a whole winter spent outdoors.

The Matterhorn is made from hard anodized aluminum which makes it exceedingly tough. It basically has only two main parts: the head and the body. The body is just a machined aluminum tube. The head is also machined from aluminum. The 5mm LED and electronics are actually potted (encapsulated except for the battery contact) in epoxy inside the head. This makes it basically impact and element proof.The simple construction, potted small parts, and small size allowed this little light to run through a snow blower unscathed.

The only thing that really seems to show any sign of the ordeal is the o-ring that seals the joint between the head and body of the light. It is intact, but a little bit dry. That is easily fixed with some grease.

I should also note that when I was taking the picture for this post, I knocked the Matterhorn off the table and onto a patio stone. It landed on its head but survived. This is one tough little light.

Review: Fallkniven DC4 Diamond/Whetstone

By on March 7, 2011 in EDC, Knives, Reviews, Survival

Recently, I spent some time looking for a new knife sharpener to use when I am out in the woods. I wanted something compact, lightweight, and capable. After spending some time looking over various options, I settled on the Fallkniven DC4. At just under 4″ by 1 1/4″, it is certainly compact and it is quite light at only 3.7 ounces. I’ll share more about what makes it so capable later in the review.

The DC4 comes with a leather slip cover.

The previous sharpener that I was using utilized only diamond abrasives to hone the edge. The diamond abrasive cut quickly but it didn’t leave the edge very refined. In order to refine an edge, you need a fine sharpening stone or a leather strop. A quality whetstone or strop will polish the edge instead of just cutting the material.

The Fallkniven DC4 solved a problem for me. It features a diamond stone on one side and a fine whetstone on the other. This combination of sharpening surfaces gives you the quick cutting performance of a diamond abrasive and the ability to refine your edge on a whetstone. The DC4 also comes in a leather pouch that is not only useful for protecting the stone, but also for stropping the edge of your knife to put a final polish on it.

The diamond side of the DC4 makes short work of very dull edges.

The DC4 is simple to use. It does not require any water or oil, but it would be a good idea to clean the surfaces periodically with soap and water. If your edge is very dull, you start with the diamond abrasive. It removes metal relatively quickly so that you can reset the edge of the knife. Once you are happy with your progress, you can move onto the fine whetstone which helps refine the somewhat rough edge that diamond hones can leave. Additionally, if you want to refine the edge even further, you can use the leather cover of the DC4 to strop your edge. If your edge just needs a touch up, you can start with the whetstone or even just strop it on the leather cover.

Fallkniven does not advertise the leather cover as a strop but it actually works very well. Just put the DC4 in the cover so that you have a rigid backing and pull the edge across the surface of the leather with the edge trailing (the opposite of how you would typically sharpen, edge first). The cover has Fallkniven’s maker’s mark embossed on one side so you will want to use the opposite smooth side of the leather.

The fine whetstone side of the DC4 refines the edge and is great for quickly touching up your edge.

I was disappointed initially with how coarse the “fine” whetstone was. However, like the Fallkniven website says, it has become much more smooth over time. Mine is already quite smooth and it is getting smoother with each use.

The Fallkniven DC4 is a compact, lightweight, and capable all-in-one solution for keeping your knives sharp in the outdoors. In one small, slim package you have the ability to rehab a very dull edge, touch up, and even refine an already sharp edge. It is extremely versatile and it has become a fixture in my hiking, hunting, and even my every day carry pack.

Tactical Watch Covers

By on March 2, 2011 in EDC, Tactical Gear

These Tactical Watch Covers feature a very clever design. Unlike other watch covers that are integral to the band of the watch, the Tactical Watch Cover slips over the watch that is already on your wrist. It features a cutout that allows the wearer to view the face of the watch and a flap that is secured over the face of the watch with hook and loop. Since the Tactical Watch Cover is not connected to the watch, it can easily be removed and moved from one watch to another.

The design of the Tactical Watch Cover is based on watch covers used by the Israeli Military. It covers the face of the watch to eliminate the chance of someone seeing the glow from your watch in the dark or reflections off the face of your watch.

The cover is made from neoprene which is the perfect material for this application. Neoprene provides more impact protection than other bands that have covers made from webbing. It also stretches and moves freely with the wearer which makes it very comfortable. The tight fit that the stretched neoprene provides also serves to retain your watch even if a watch band pin breaks.

Even if you are a cubicle dweller who doesn’t really need to worry about the visual signature of their watch, you will appreciate how this cover protects your watch when you shooting, hiking, hunting, or any other outdoor pursuit that tends to be hard on your watch. They also happen to be extremely reasonably priced.

Members of the Usual Suspect Network can purchase the Tactical Watch Covers on the forum or the seller can be reached via email at fosters@socal.rr.com.

I have some of these inbound for a full review. Stay tuned.

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