My good cop buddy used to sell office supplies at the local flea market on Sunday mornings when he was a kid. Every time I saw him he would tell me that one of the really old-timers used to shuffle to his vendor table and tell the same story every time. Between selling hubcaps and […]
Knives & Tools
GRANSFORS BRUK SMALL HATCHET
My experiences with Gransfors Bruk axes and hatches started five years ago. While I’ve had a couple of them, I’ll definitely be keeping the Small Hatchet which I’ve nicknamed the Mighty Mini! In 2009 I decided to pull the trigger and buy my first Gransfors Bruk axe, the Small Hatchet. Why choose this model as […]
BENCHMADE 172 KILLIAN FORGED TOMAHAWK AXE
While a trusty knife may be a staple in the kit of anyone who goes into harm’s way, those who are in the business of thinning the ranks of the enemy have long carried another ancient tool at their side, the tomahawk. So when the well-known knife company Benchmade released their 172 Killian Forged Tomahawk Axe […]
The Karambit: Why Are These Southeast Asian Combat Knives Still Popular After So Long?
How many martial arts fads have you seen come and go? Whether it’s weapons, gadgets and tools or entire fighting systems, it’s rare that a fad will catch on and stick around for more than a few years. So when one does, it’s worth taking note. The karambit combat knives from Southeast Asia have the […]
DPX HEFT 12 CHOP
DPx Gear is at it again! After the wildly successfully launch of their DPx HEST/F Urban, an American made folder, the company is back with another new release – the DPx HEFT 12 CHOP. The CHOP, a “Hostile Environment Field Tool”, just launched last week and is currently available as a pre-order on their website. For all intensive purposes, […]
New ESEE Tertiary: The Izula Goes Tactical
ESEE surprised visitors to their Blade Show booth with the Tertiary, an unexpected new mid-year release that turns one of its most popular designs on its head. Using the ingredients of ESEE’s popular Izula model, the Tertiary rearranges its handle and blade into a push dagger inspired by the needs of Police Officers. The Tertiary […]
Spartan Blades SHF: USA All the Way
For some American knife companies, stateside production is seen as an unreachable ideal. But the crew at Spartan Blades wasn’t willing to look at things that way. “So many people are convinced that to be profitable or successful you have to manufacture overseas, and that just isn’t the truth,” Curtis Iovito, co-owner of Spartan Blades, […]
Trainer Knives: Are You Prepared for Live Contact?
Few people know what it means to defend your life with a knife like martial artist and knife designer Bram Frank. He is best known for the Gunting: a line of knives made specifically for self-defense and manufactured by a number of companies over the years. But his biggest contribution to the industry isn’t a […]
Review: Winkler Knives’ Ultimate Folder
Daniel Winkler is comparable to the likes of the world’s greatest artists, but this artist applies his craft to steel and iron. If you are not aware, Daniel Winkler is an American award-winning custom bladesmith based in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. He is also a certified master bladesmith with the American Bladesmith Society, and was designer and manufacturer […]
Emerson Knives: Combat Tested and Reliable
What makes Emerson Knives so great? Well, for one, it’s 100% Made in the USA, down to the screws they use. Most other knife manufacturers try to use the latest and greatest steel or handle material as their selling points. One year it’s one super steel, and the next year it’s a different super steel. […]