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New from Stout Gear Knives: The Kestrel

By on August 23, 2016 in EDC, Knives

The newest design from Stout Gear Knives has landed. The Kestrel is billed as a compact (compact is a relative term here) bushcraft/bird and trout knife that offers a more svelte alternative to Stout Gear’s other full-sized field knife, the Ibex. The Kestrel is still sized like a full-sized field knife with its 4.25″ blade but is both thinner (.170″ versus .190″) and shorter in blade height than the Ibex.

stout gear kestrel

The Kestrel is available in your choice of S35VN stainless steel or CPM3V steel. Both of these steels are very tough and should hold a working edge long for a long time especially with Stout Gear’s convex grind with mirror polished edge. The hand filling handle is available with your choice of G-10 or TeroTuf scales and the spine is squared to throw sparks well on the ferro rod. Like all Stout Gear Knives, the Kestrel comes with one of the best kydex sheaths you’ll ever use. I can’t emphasize enough how unique and functional their sheaths are.

I own a Stout Gear Knives Ibex that is one of my most used chore knives. As much as I like it, I likely would have opted for the Kestrel had it been available. Stout Gear does a great job with the geometry of their knives and the thinner stock used on the Kestrel should make it a great cutter while still being more than stout enough for chores.

Check out the Kestrel at Stout Gear Knives.

stout gear kestrel spine

Southern Grind Jackal Pup

By on August 19, 2016 in EDC, Knives

The Jackal Pup, a more compact version of the full-sized Jackal, is now available from Southern Grind. Like its big brother, the Jackal Pup features full tang construction, sculpted G-10 handle slabs, 8670M steel, and a kydex sheath. The thumb ramp, shallow first finger groove, self guard, and modified clip point blade shape are all intact – just scaled down into a much more EDC-friendly size.

The Jackal Pup is available in variety of handle colors and blade finishes. Check it out at Southern Grind.

southern grind jackal and jackal pup

Handle: 3D Milled Solid G10
Grind: Conventional Flat Grind
Blade Steel: 8670M High Carbon Steel
Hardness: RC 58-59
Overall Length: 5.75″
Weight: 2.8 oz
Handle Length: 2.95″
Blade Length: 2.8″
Blade Thickness: .135″

TOPS Knives VI Axe

By on August 16, 2016 in Knives

TOPS Knives has been teasing something new, something big and new, for a while now. They just took the wraps off their latest creation, a Viking inspired hand ax called the VI Ax.

viax (8)

On one hand, this is the sort of straight-forward, nuke-proof axe you would expect from TOPS but the subtle details on the new VI Ax are pretty incredible when you look a little closer. It features an interesting offset haft design that puts the bit forward in the chopping stroke for more power much like the bent blade of a kukri. The haft and head have been lightened with attractive concentric milling patterns. The undercut bit lets the user choke up their grip under the cutting edge for knife-like control of finer cutting tasks. There is even a fire drill divot integrated into the micarta handle slabs.

viax (14)

Here is what TOPS Knives has to say about the VI Ax:

The VI Ax, short for Viking Ax, was designed by Leo Espinoza. While it has some similarities to actual Viking axes, Leo added his own flair to the design and it became something totally different.

It is made from one solid slab of 5/16” 1075 instead of the usual 1095. This was to provide better impact resistance with only slightly less edge retention. Its large 5.25″ blade will chop through just about anything you put in front of it. The spike on the back is double-edged to provide maximum damage (2.18″ on the top side, 1.88″ on the bottom). The long handle with grippy Black Linen Micarta gives great reach and power with every chop. A high quality black leather sheath is included with two snaps to secure the ax in the sheath. The sheath was designed simply as a blade cover, not as a belt sheath (for safety reasons). There are small loops on the back that can be used to secure it to a pack or other MOLLE gear.

Take this with you on your next camping trip, put it in your bug-out-bag (if it’s large enough for this), or leave it in your vehicle for easy access. The Vi Ax will come in more than handy when the time comes.

Specs:

Knife Type Axe
Overall Length 15.25″
Blade Length 5.25″
Cutting Edge 2.13″
Secondary Edge 1.88″
Blade Thickness 0.310″
Blade Finish Black Traction Coating
Handle Material Black Linen Micarta
Knife Weight 39oz
Weight w/ Sheath 44.6oz
Sheath Included Yes
Sheath Material Black Leather
Designer Leo Espinoza

Check out the VI Ax at TOPS Knives.

Vi-AX-Flyer-01-01

Bladerigs to Launch Line of Training Knives

By on August 11, 2016 in EDC, Knives, Tactics and Training

There are a number of knives on the market that have merits for self-defense but that lack an available training drone. This can often happen because the manufacturer doesn’t envision the knife in a defensive role or they don’t take training seriously (or because drones just don’t sell in large numbers). Bladerigs will seek to fill some of that void for various popular fixed blade knives.

blade rigs minimalist drone

They are already showing off the first in the series – a training drone for the excellent and affordable CRKT Minimalist. These popular Alan Folts designed knives are extremely compact yet offer excellent retention thanks to their handle design. The introduction of this training drone will allow those who carry this knife to actually train with contact.

The Minimalist drone is currently available in a package that includes the training drone, a live blade, and a sheath. Check out Bladerigs for more details.

Knife Coatings, Science, and Gough Custom

By on August 11, 2016 in Knives

I appreciate when a maker is willing to put their various products, components, and processes to the test in a bid for constant improvement and I especially like it when they share the results of the testing as a way to educate the consumer. Gough Custom has done things like this before with their cold weather kydex testing. Their latest test pits 6 different knife coatings against one another in trials that simulate real world knife use.

The test below is simple in method but fairly exhaustive in scope. It tests the abrasion and corrosion resistance of the various treatments including the coating that Gough Custom currently uses on their knives. Their current coating was clearly outperformed and, as a result, will be replaced.

There are some clear take-aways from this video:

  1. I really appreciate when a craftsman honors his craft and customers with methodical testing to make their own products better.
  2. DLC treatments perform impressively well as knife coatings.
  3. We are all smarter now.

Check out Gough Custom.

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