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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.

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.

Garmin BaseCamp

By on February 24, 2011 in Survival, Tactical Gear

Garmin GPS devices typically come packaged with their MapSource Trip and Waypoint Manager software. It is used to move maps and waypoints from your computer to your GPS. In my experience the MapSource software works but it seems to be geared more toward on road use rather than on trail use.

Thankfully, Garmin now has their BaseCamp software available to download for free. BaseCamp is a more wilderness oriented product that offers some very nice functionality for those who take their Garmin GPS outdoors.

The best feature of BaseCamp for me is how easy it is to create routes and waypoints. You can plan an entire trip on your computer before you ever set foot on (or off) a trail. There is also support for Google Maps and Google Earth. BaseCamp lets you print professional looking maps that even have automatically generated map details, lat/lon or UTM grid lines, magnetic declination information, and maps scales. Sadly, the maps do not necessarily print in a common scale, but they are still very useful. I have found that it handles large topo map sets much better than MapSource Trip and Waypoint manager. It works great with the free maps from GPSFileDepot.com.

Garmin updates BaseCamp fairly regularly and there has been talk of upgrading the printing so that users can print in common scales like 1:24K. Product support and free software like BaseCamp is part of the reason that I own several Garmin GPS units.

Download BaseCamp from the Garmin website.

Review: Waterford Press Duraguides and Pocket Naturalist Guides

By on February 23, 2011 in Reviews, Survival

It has been said that knowledge is power. That is especially true when you turn your ankle on a remote trail in a secluded wilderness – you are injured, hungry, and faced with spending a cold wet night in the middle of the woods. It would be nice to have some knowledge about surviving the night, tending to your injuries, and getting something into your stomach when you are you are still miles from your car with the sun already below the tree tops. Wouldn’t it be nice, in that moment, to have a library of basic survival information at your fingertips?

I have been keeping Waterford Press Guides in my hiking kit and car kits for years. I started with their Pocket Naturalist Guides and now have added a few of their newer Duraguides. These guides contain a wealth of basic survival, first aid, and other practical information. Each guide folds open like a brochure and covers a single topic like Medicinal Plants, Animal Tracking, or Field Dressing Game. They contain text and plenty of useful illustrations. They only weigh a fraction of an ounce and are 8 1/4″ tall by 3 1/2″ wide. A stack of them takes up very little space and weighs next to nothing.

The Pocket Naturalist Guides have been around for quite a while. They are printed on card stock and laminated for durability. I have been using the same set of guides for more than 3 years in my hiking bag and they show very little wear. The lamination lets them shrug off most dirt and even light rain.

The Duraguides are printed on a waterproof, rip-proof paper that has proven to be extremely durable. They are also more flexible than the Pocket Naturalist Guide so they tend to pack a little bit easier. They cost a little more than the Pocket Naturalist Guides and there are fewer topics available, but I find them to be worth the small extra cost. The paper material that they are printed on is excellent.

These Waterford Press Guides won’t turn you into a survival expert worthy of your own reality TV show, but they might be enough to refresh your memory on techniques and information that you have already practiced or at least to convey basic survival skills that are capable of being attempted with little or no practice. I don’t hit the trail without them.

You can view all of the available titles on the Waterford Press website.

Double and Single Finger Knucks from Afrankart

By on February 17, 2011 in Survival

I recently came across these Single Finger Knucks (SFK) and Double Finger Knucks (DFK) that are made by Afrankart. At first, I was struck with how unique they look – they have a very distinctive style. However, it is also very apparent that these knuckles are very functional.

Double Finger Knucks

Single Finger Knucks

The knuckles were obviously made for striking. They are .625″ thick which is quite thick compared to many knuckles on the market. Thicker knuckles transmit impact over a larger area of your hand which means they hurt less and have less potential to injure the user. Great care has been taken to round all the edges to increase comfort and there appears to be plenty of material behind the finger hole to support the finger during a strike. The striking surface of these knucks is tapered so they concentrate the force of the strike.

The DFKs are available with 2 different striking surface configurations: pointed and rounded. The pointed version looks brutal. The SFK is available with the rounded striking surface only.

These can be made from several different materials and finishes. Aluminum and brass are available with a machine finish or bead blasted. G-10 is available as a more discreet, non-metallic option. Andy tells me that these will be available in Carbon Fiber soon.

The finger holes measure .950″ which should comfortably fit up to a size 13 ring finger. That should be large enough for most users.

If you are interested in purchasing a set of these reasonably priced knucks, contact Afrakart via email at afrankart@woh.rr.com.

If you want to learn more about the effective use of tools like this, I highly recommend reading and attending training conducted by Modern Combative Systems.

Familiarize yourself with the legality of such tools in your area before purchasing.

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