minuteman watches

Minuteman Watches | The Jester Watch

Two things that come to mind when I think of Manly everyday carry items is the folding knife and the watch. We have reviewed several higher end knives that would fall into this category. Today we are going to take a look at a quality timepiece that falls into that same category.

When I received the Jester watch from Minuteman Watches I have to say I was pretty impressed upon opening the package.

First off the watch comes in a padded zippered pouch along with a personalized document outlining the serial number, watch movement, and date for warranty reasons.

The second thing I noticed was the back of the watch. The backside of the watch has the Minuteman Watches logo etched into it with the following words;

‘PROUDLY ASSEMBLED in the UNITED STATES of AMERICA by PATRIOTS for PATRIOTS’

Being that I served my country and consider myself an American Patriot, I thought this was pretty damn cool!

I’ve only been wearing the watch for about a week, but it’s very unobtrusive and comfortable to wear. The sleek professional appearance of the watch goes well with dress clothes and suits. The watch doesn’t scream tactical, yet stands up to most standards that those tougher ‘tactical’ watches adhere too.

Let’s take a look at some of the specifications of the Jester watch (courtesy of minutemanwatches.com)

Proudly assembled in the USA by Minuteman Watch Co.
Individually serial numbered
Stainless Steel case with black PVD coating
A/R coating on the inside of the crystal
42mm width without crown
Screw down crown
200 meter water resistant
American made Leather strap
Sapphire crystal
ETA 955.112 Swiss made movement
Luminous hands and dial

A Ranger Designed EDC Knife | The Adjutant by Minuteman

I’ve carried this knife for a little over one month and in that time I’ve come to trust this knife enough to carry it as a deep concealment knife during times when my life was going to be in danger. When it comes to self-defense knives, it’s important that it be simple, effective, and in certain cases concealable. The Adjutant Knife (in this case the basic model) was made by Minutemen Watches and former Army Ranger Justin Gingrich. Justin Gingrich of Gingrich Tactical Innovations (GTI) has a long and storied history of producing knives for some very special units out there and is well renowned for his ability to produce knives. It’s little surprise that the knife that they have produced is effective in its simplicity.

The Adjutant is made from 154CM Stainless steel that has been bead blasted. The 154CM stainless steel sets this knife apart from many other small backup blades that I’ve used. Many other popular backup knives use 440C stainless steel. And while there is nothing particularly wrong with that for a backup blade I find the usage of 154CM to be somewhat of a hint at the quality of workmanship you are getting yourself into. The 154CM holds an edge well and is easy to sharpen. I’ve been able to get this blade extremely sharp thanks to the excellent steel chosen by Minutemen Watches and Justin Gingrich. Further the 154CM steel resists corrosion reasonably well compared to many other common self-defense knives that I’ve used.

The handle design is good for my hands, though it may be slightly too small if you have some big mitts (If you had big hands I’d recommend getting the model with handles incorporated into the design). The Adjutant’s handle is full tang for strength and skeletonized to reduce weight. The handle has a simple curve that contours to the hand when gripped despite its small size. The grip is sturdy enough that your hand does not slip down it when stabbing into things should you be inclined to do that. The blade is short and purpose-built at 2.5 inches. It can accomplish self-defense work and some general around the house taskings owing to the excellent steel and 1/8 inch thickness of the blade. The sheath like the knife is simple but well thought out. It’s a kydex sheath that can accept a metal clip to aid in inside the waistband carry. Without the clip it can be setup easily for neck carry or if you know a couple of knots it can be carried inside the waistband which is how I had mine setup for the month or so that I carried it. Deployment of the blade from the kydex sheath is quick and silent. I have no qualms about carrying this knife in dangerous situations. It’s stabs and slashes very well and I hardly notice it on my body owing to its size.

If you’ve been in the market for a rock solid small self-defense knife you should take a hard look at the Adjutant. The design isn’t revolutionary but rather draws on some of the best materials and design decisions to give you a self-defense knife that balances well, retains an edge, and can take a beating. The Adjutant basic runs for around 130 bucks. Like every knife that you buy for self-defense the tool is just the beginning. Make sure that you get the training and practice necessary to be effective with the tools that you use. Stay safe out there.

Jester Actual By Minuteman Watches

I’m a very basic guy. I like to keep things simple. For example, my favorite wristwatch is a Seiko 5. It doesn’t have any doo-dads or special features, except a 50 year-old technology that rewinds the watch as you wear it. My friends and coworkers have huge digital watches that have an altimeter, multiple alarms, and can tell you the local time in London. Cool features, but who needs or uses them? I wear a watch for two purposes: it needs to tell me the time at a glance and look great doing it.

The Jester Actual does that and then some.

The Jester Actual is 100% American-made, even the leather strap. It’s 42mm wide, more than 200 meters water resistant, Sapphire crystal, ETA 955.112 Swiss made movement, and has a stainless steel case with black PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) coating. What is Physical Vapor Deposition? An extremely tough steel coating.

One word describes this watch: Out-freaking-standing. The picture at the top of this post is the watch sent to me over six months ago. I’ve worn it nearly everyday doing everything from shooting at the range to wrestling a 140 pound Neapolitan Mastiff. I’ve fallen off a ladder into blackberry bushes and changed the starter motor for a Ford Bronco without damaging the watch. I can easily wear it with a suit or jeans and a t-shirt. Even with my willful and non-willful abuse, I have yet to adjust the time settings.

Read more – Guns and Tactics

(featured image courtesy of gunsandtactics.com)