Navigation

Archive | EDC

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.

Review: EXOTAC nanoSTRIKER

By on February 28, 2011 in EDC, Reviews, Survival

Ferrocerium is a metallic material that produces a shower of hot sparks when scraped. This ability to produce sparks without the need for fuel and in spite of environmental conditions is what makes ferrocerium rods (ferro rods) so popular as survival fire starters. However, even the most effective survival items are useless if you don’t have them with you when you need them. The best survival tools are not only effective but are also easy to carry daily.

The nanoSTRIKER from EXOTAC is a ferrocerium based fire starter that is both easy to carry and easy to use. It features a modular design that allows it to be carried in a smaller, self-contained collapsed form and then reassembled into a ferro rod with a full sized handle and an included scraper. The modular design is the genius of the nanoSTRIKER.

Part of the Whole

The nanoSTRIKER consists of 4 main parts: the ferro rod, the rod holder, the cover/handle, and the striker. The ferro rod is made from ferrocerium and threads into the rod holder. The rod holder and cover/handle are made from anodized 6061 aluminum. The cover/handle can be threaded into either side of the rod holder so that it can act as a cover for the ferro rod or a large handle when the nanoSTRIKER is in use. The striker can threaded into the rod holder when the nanoSTRIKER is collapsed. It sounds complicated, but it is extremely simple to assemble.

Modular Design

The modular design offers 4 main advantages. It makes the nanoSTRIKER compact enough to carry every day, large enough to use comfortably in all conditions, is user serviceable, and protects the ferro rod from environmental factors.

The benefits of being compact enough to carry every day are obvious. If something is small enough and convenient enough to carry all the time, then you will have it when you need it. The nanoSTRIKER is less than 3 1/2″ long when collapsed. It about the same diameter as a typical ball point pen. It comes with a small split ring that makes it very easy to attach to your key chain. In fact, it is very similar in size to keychain lights that take AAA batteries. The best survival tool in the world is of no use to you if it is sitting at home on a shelf when you need it. The nanoSTRIKER is compact enough to leave you without excuse for not carrying a fire starter every day.

Small tools are often a compromise. You accept a tool that is harder to use in order to have a tool that is easier to carry. Small handles are difficult to grip when your hands are cold and wet but the nanoSTRIKER, when fully assembled, has a large gripping surface. The same piece that serves as a cover when collapsed can be reinstalled on the opposite side of the rod holder as a handle. The handle is large enough to be useful in just about any condition. The bit holder also has deep groove around its circumference that is a natural pinch point for your thumb and forefinger. The nanoSTRIKER is easy to hold and easy to use.

If you were to misplace any part of the nanoSTRIKER, you could easily replace the missing part. Most ferro rods must be discarded when they are completely used. However, the nanoSTRIKER’s modular design allows the user to replace components like the ferro rod or striker very inexpensively.

Ferrocerium is a metallic material it will corrode when exposed to the elements. The rods are typically coated to protect them, but once the rod has been scraped, the exposed material is vulnerable. Over time, an unprotected ferro rod can become difficult or even impossible to use due to this corrosion. The nanoSTRIKER protects the rod from the elements by sealing it air and water tight inside the handle. The threaded junctions of the nanoSTRIKER are o-ring sealed (spare o-rings are provided). When you need it, the nanoSTRIKER will be ready.

Working Parts

The two working pieces (ferro rod and striker) of the nanoSTRIKER are just as impressive as the modular design. The ferro rod component is of very high quality. It throws an impressive volume of sparks. It is very easy to determine the quality of a ferro rod once struck. Lesser quality rods produce lower volumes of sparks. The nanoSTRIKER produces plenty of spark. I had no trouble lighting fatwood shavings, cotton balls, dried grass, and jute twine. The ferrocerium material used in this rod is of excellent quality.

The striker is one of my favorite things about the nanoSTRIKER. It features a small handle with a lanyard hole. There is a short section of para-cord included in the box that can be affixed to the lanyard hole. This is my one disappointment with the nanoSTRIKER. EXOTAC designed the rod portion so well to be large and easy to use but then provided such a small handle on the striker. This is a small issue however because the lanyard helps with grip. The part of the striker that actually does the scraping is shaped like an I-beam which gives it 4 striking surfaces. If one begins to dull, you simply rotate the tool to use one of the other surfaces. Then, when you have a chance, the striker can be sharpened so that all 4 points will be usable again. It is a very clever design.

Conclusion

The EXOTAC nanoSTRIKER is an example of how modular design can really improve a product. The modular design allows the same object to be both compact and full sized which is pretty amazing if you think about it. The ferrocerium material used in the rod is of excellent quality and the striker design is ingenious even though the striker’s handle is a bit small. Overall, this is an amazing tool that you are very likely to actually have with you when you need it.

Check out the different color options and the titanium version of the nanoSTRIKER on the EXOTAC website.

Thank you EXOTAC for providing the nanoSTRIKER for review.

Boker Plus Vox Access Tool

By on February 18, 2011 in EDC

Knives are for cutting, not prying. However we all still occasionally find ourselves in situations where we have to pry something and a knife is the only suitable tool that we have on hand. The risk is that you will break the tip of the knife, ruin the edge, or slip and get a nasty cut. If you had a light weight, easy to carry tool that was purpose built for prying, there would be no need to risk ruining a knife (or loosing a finger).

The Boker Plus Vox Access Tool, or VAT, is made from 5mm thick titanium which makes it very strong but still very light weight. It weighs less than 1 ounce and is 3 5/8″ long so it should be very easy to carry in a pocket or on your key ring.

The VAT has several functions. It has a pry tip, a bottle opener, a carabiner, a nail puller, and a glass breaker that is protected by two rubber o-rings. A tool like this also tends to have many improvised uses that you will discover as you use it.

Save your knives for cutting. Consider adding a pry tool to your every day carry gear.

Powered by WordPress. Designed by Woo Themes