The Hunter XT is a hunter-centric variant of the Swiss Army Knife. It features a bright-orange grip made of a non-slip two-component material, and stainless 1.4110 steel tools which include a lock blade, serrated gut hook, bone saw, and Phillips screwdriver. The action is one-hand opening and the Hunter XT comes included with a black nylon pouch.
KA-BAR has expanded their line of Zombie knives to include the “Zomstro” and “Swabbie” style blades. Both blades are constructed from SK5 steel and come with nylon sheaths with a front stuff sack. The handles comes standard green, although a replacement set in black comes with the knives. Made in the USA.
The 2013 SHOT Show will see the release of a collaborative effort between Carhartt and W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. on a new collection of knives: the Carhartt Knives by Case Collection. Made up of 22 individual models, the knives are divided into three separate categories: the G-10 knives which features 7 knives with an ultra-tough handle material with an earthy color and rugged texture inspired by Carhartt’s signature Duck Canvas, the Molasses Bone family with 9 knives that feature a dark brown and bone-colored handle, and the 6 knives in the Rough Black-over-Cream family which are manufactured using a high-quality, durable resin. Examples of each family of knives can be see in the images above. In addition, each knife in the Carhartt Knives by Case Collection will feature Tru-Sharp™ surgical steel blades with a strong shoulder grind and a Scotch-Brite™ brushed finish, which is also found on each knife’s Lazy Duck-shaped bolster inspired by the traditional back pocket stitching style found on Carhartt clothing.
German company TACWRK has put together a zombie survival kit for the year 2012. Included with the kit: Stanley Fatmax crowbar, SOG Voodoo tomahawk, replica Panzerfaust, baseball bat, Mission Archery MXB-360 crossbow, Oakley M-Frame 3.0, replica hand grenade, replica H&K G36, ‘The Zombie Survival Guide’ by Max Brooks, Hanwag Alaska GTX boots, Fenix TK70 flashlight, Böker machete, Stihl MS880 chainsaw, compass, ‘Rambo: First Blood Part II’ replica survival knife, replica Walther SG68 RAM shotgun, United Cutlery Expendables Kunai 3 piece thrower set, Tasmanian Tactical TT Vest Base, ‘Zombie Hunter’ patch, and ‘Zombie Hunting Club Berlin eV’ patch. The Price? € 8,999.00, plus shipping.
TACWRK – Zombie Apokalypse 2012 Survival Kit
This is the Les Stroud Camillus SK Jungle Machete. Designed specifically for survival purposes, the SK Jungle features an 11 3/4 inch long, 2/10 inch thick 440-stainless steel blade which is treated with Carbonitride Titanium, a proprietary process that bonds formulated titanium and chromium nitride to the steel, giving it a surface up to three times harder than the base steel in addition to a more corrosive resistant finish and friction free cutting surface. The blade has a slight inward sweep for better capturing whatever needs to be cut, and the flat tip is sharpened for use with digging and smaller cutting chores.
The 5 1/2 inch handle is constructed from polypropylene with high traction TRP rubber inserts for added grip traction, even in cold weather, and features a lanyard hole. The pommel is checkered hard steel for non-slip hammering which makes it safer from slipping off a stuck object. The SK Jungle comes with a ballistic nylon sheath with built-in fire starter and a nylon mesh pocket.
http://www.camillusknives.com/
It looks like the classic Victorinox Swiss Army Knife got an update with a design closely resembling Woodland-style camouflage. It contains 7 tools: knife, nail file w/ nail cleaner, screwdriver, scissors, toothpick, tweezers, and key ring, although models with an expanded combination of tools and camouflage options, including the huntsman in digital camo, are also available.
Victorinox Swiss Army Knives – Camouflage Swiss Army Knives
Soon to be joining SOG’s Blade Light Fixed is the Blade Light Folder (BLT50-N). Featuring a 9Cr18MoV stainless steel 3.9″ blade and a rubberized glass-reinforced Nylon handle, the BLT50-N has 6 LEDs molded into the handle, providing up to 37 lumens of light with a 4.5 hour runtime off two AAA batteries. The blade folds into the handle with a liner lock design, which also allows the Blade Light folder to be used as a flashlight. Available this October.
http://sogknives.com/store/BLT50-N.html
This impressive bladed implement the Victor Lee VL-03B Fantasy Folding Knife. It features three 3″ curved black stainless steel blades that can fold into the knife body. The handle is anodized aluminum and has a belt clip. It kind of reminds me of the Glaive, minus two blades, of course; based on some reviews I’ve read I also wouldn’t suggest throwing it.
You can get it off Amazon.
This knife by Tom Anderson Cutlery can best be described as brass knuckles times insanity. Machined from stainless steel with a handle made from Spanish micarta, it’s pretty damn intimating, by virtue of its 4 sharp edges. Also, it kind of looks like the Batman logo, but only when put on its mantle… while you squint… in a dark room… maybe.
Available from knife-depot.com – $55.49
Hat Tip: Gizmodo
Tactical Distributors is having another sale, celebrating the day of independence of the United States of America! The sale runs from today, July 2nd, to midnight July 7th. 20% off everything storewide (excluding EOTech, Aimpoint, and SureFire) with free overnight shipping on all orders $100 and over (excluding oversized orders and most Pelican cases). Just use promo code ‘LIBERTY20′ at checkout.
tacticaldistributors.com
…not the show. Some new Benchmade/HK Knives are available. The “Entourage”. It’s gonna be damn near impossible to beat the Triage or the Infidels, but I guess they gotta try. Also some good news, the Benchmade “Knife Wizard” is live again: http://www.benchmade.com/products/knife_wizard.aspx.
Follow ‘em on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Benchmade.
Nice video review of Up-Armored Knives and Coatings for ya.
A little knife update from Swingin’ Dick and Slim.
We spent some time recently with the Auguste Rodin of knife building up in his double secret super foundry forge headquarters near Cincinnati and got to talk to The Man himself, Mr. Darrel Ralph of Darrel Ralph Designs. As you might expect, he’s got a lot of awesome in the works.
One of these is new developments is the NLT (No Lock Tite) Pivot System they recently developed to further improve the reliability and smooth function of DDR knives. The NLT is a pivot adjustment system that will stay tight and adjusted. They stopped using lock-tite because it breaks loose after several hours of swinging (which is obviously problematic, if you’re using a knife with an integral swing function).
Here are the instructions for the NLT Pivot system. More to follow.
Darrel and his staff have also recently finished the initial tests of their new Maxx Glide Pivot Bushing System, a bushing system intended to accompany their bearing system.
“This bushing system and the NLT are easy to adjust,” Darrel said, “and has virtually no blade play. Plus our clutch mechanism will allow blade tension to be adjusted to your liking, you know if you prefer a little tension on the blade.”
We’re returning in a month or two, though we haven’t decided if we’re going back to the Darrel Ralph shop or if we’re just gonna take some single dancing moms to King’s Island.
Tactical Fanboy: Looking over the shop at the DDR Shop
The Whale is a collaboration between designer/maker Jens Ansø and Böker. There’s an in-depth review at http://www.edgeobserver.com/boker_jens_anso_whale/, or you can just watch this video:
You anywhere in driving distance of Phoenix? Like knives? Beer? Girls? BBQ? Live music? If you answered yes, then you need to check out the Medford Knife Real Steel Showdown. If you answered no, chances are you’re a hippie and you shouldn’t be reading this anyway.
A public safety notice from Medford Knife and Tools.
The BK-3B Bottleneck is a collaborative effort between Mantis Knives and Hawk Designs of Idaho City, ID. This unique butterfly-style knife features a 2″ modified tanto edge blade machined from 400 series stainless steel. The handle, also machined from 400 series stainless steel, has a latch lock with integrated handle springs. The Bottleneck also includes a functioning bottle opener when folded and a pocket clip for easy carry.
Mantis Knives – BK-3B Bottleneck
Featuring a 2.75″ steel blade by Ka-Bar, this LaserLyte pistol bayonet has a radioactive green handle, constructed from 30% glass-filled nylon, to easily identify its status as a high-caliber, zombie-slaying tool of destruction. It attaches to any medium or large sized pistol with a rail, easily sliding on or off with a press of two buttons. A custom polymer sheath is also included.
LaserLyte – ZK PB Serrated
Spartan Blades were also chosen as some of the Best New Knives of the Year by Field and Stream, congrats! The Hunter and Harsey Model II blades, specifically…
Spartan Blades showed SSD a couple of new designs at SHOT Show. From top to bottom:
-Spartan Harsey Hunter – This one has been around awhile. Built in cooperation with renowned knife designer “Bill” Harsey, it’s intended to pull double duty as a fighting or hunting knife.
-Spartan Harsey Model 2 – Another knife built in cooperation with “Bill” Harsey.
-Phrike – A smaller knife, it should hit the market this Spring.
Yesterday Tactical Fanboy’s TANSTAAFL ran an article about what looked like a rail-mounted skull, something we picked up from keeping an eye on those Hos at Spartan Imports. I did some checking and that comes from Steel Flame. The website is www.steelflame.com. The guy behind that site is a master jeweler named Derrick Obatake who does some really cool work (you’ve seen some of his stuff in movies like the Expendables). Actually, calling it cool is a bit of an understatement. Bad ass might be a better word for it. Check him out on Facebook too.
Tactical Fanboy: Steel Flame Custom Darkness Clips on Emerson Karambits.
Tactical Fanboy: Virtus Dagger medallion on the set of Expendables 2
Tactical Fanboy: Another Virtus Dagger medallion on the set of Expendables 2.
This is quite a selection of gear from the Mad Duo. Raven Concealment, 5.11 Tactical, LED Lenser, Darrel Ralph Knives, Tactical Tailor, Bravo 5, Legion Firearms, T.I.E. Tactical, Warrior Wound Care, I.C.E. Training, SAR Global Tools and of course…butter, 5-hour energy, B12 energy powder, butter from Kokomos, Tabasco, OC spray and miscellaneous other things (like used family planning devices).
Only at a Vegas SHOT Show eh?
Tactical Fanboy: Quite an eclectic mix of gear and...condiments?
I’ve been meaning to write about these guys for a while now. SHOT Show and assorted other real world inconveniences (however much fun, and however much cleavage has been involved) has gotten in the way. Let me just throw up some pictures for you to check out and suggest you investigate further via their website and Facebook. There will be plenty more to follow, but this guy’s work is just too bad ass to not at least pique your interest now. (This ‘hawk, by the way, is for sale now.)
I’m gonna send him a whole passel of magazines (yes, I said passel) to paint up for me. When I do, I will look way cooler than the law should allow. He’s less than a day’s drives away from me…I may just head over there and do a whole article about his shop one of these days, if you want.
Check out Hillbilly Two-Two-Three Duracoat Finishing (also on Facebook.)
(Yes, I know I may not actually need a bad-ass looking tommyhawk, but if I had one that looked like that I’d be wishing for a zombie apocalypse every day so I could use it.)
Hat tip to the Mad Duo, who’ve been on me to talk about these guys for a while.
TFB Knuckledragger: Check out this 'hawk from Hillbilly 223
One of Hillbilly 223's knife coats.
Who is TFB Knuckledragger? He’s part of the team. Vetted by Soldier Systems Daily staff, approved by Tactical Fanboy actual, well liked by Jack Bauer, Raylen Givens, Bob Lee Swagger and Gogo Yubari. Grant him your full attention.
Jeremy Horton of Tennessee-based Horton Knives put up a few pictures of his latest creation a couple days back (on Facebook). As
New Jeremy Horton folder: as you can see, Jeremy is a man who rarely misses a manicure.
TIE Tactical (Tactical Innovations Engineering) has a new tiger strip pattern out. TIE makes some really nice custom kydex scabbards and sheaths for both fixed blades and folders (and of course some other things).
A TIE Tactical hatchet scabbard with belt lock for carry.
It’s not something you might think about right off, but they make some really nice belt scabbards even for folders. There are a number of reasons for this, including speed of presentation, carrying it on a battle belt, carrying a secondary folder, etc. The defensive/tactical reasons vary from individual, and will no doubt start more than one argument about what is valid, or a better way to carry, or whatever. This e-publication, perspicacious and sagacious as it is, will not get into that argument. We will going to say that TIE is run by an extremely nice, very detail-oriented and thorough man out of a small shop in Texas. He has a dual retention locking system if you want it (and these these things really do lock: you can carry ‘em inverted and they’ll stay with you). He can make a number of different pieces you might want: for instance, we know of one commissioned project that involved a 5-round .38 speedloader for an airweight revolver sitting right next to a very small flashlight. Another was a small fixed blade (a SAR Global Tool Sarclops, as a matter of fact) next to a Zippo…you get the idea. He’s got the tools and he’s got the talent, and now he’s got the tiger stripe.
The Mad Duo previously wrote about TIE Tactical on Kit Up! if you want some background.
TIE Tactical's new Tiger Stripe pattern on a fixed blade.
The 2011 New York Custom Knife Show is fast approaching (18, 19 and 20 November). If you’re close enough to get by there, you 
should check it out. There’ll be a few dozen of the best knifemakers around. It’s going to be at the Westin-Jersey City Newport (479 Washington Blvd.Jersey City, NJ 07310). It’ll run Friday from 1300 to 1800, Saturday from 1000 to 1800 and Sunday from 0900 to 1500. There are a number of prizes scheduled to be given away. Full information on the 2011 NYCKS website.
There will be a lot of really talented knifemakers there, including three of our favorites:
Darrel Ralph, Darrel Ralph Designs
Daniel Winkler of Winkler Knives
and
Jeremy Horton of Horton Knives
No way to pick which one is the coolest, so best to get one of each.
