Jerking the Trigger

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.

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.