Knives Illustrated - April 2014 USA

Engaged Media By Beckett

knivesillustrated.comMARCH/APRIL 2014 DISPLAY UNTIL: 4/22/14VOLUME 28, NO.2 $5.99 U.S.

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Ready whenever you are, wherever life takes you.Carbon Fiber Case KnivesThe unparalleled combination of strength and feather-light weight of Carbon Fiber has made it one of the most favored reinforced polymers for many of todays high-tech industries, from sporting goods to automotive and even aerospace.

Now Case brings you Carbon Fiber pocket knives tough tools that are up to 40% lighter than their bone or synthetic handled counterparts. Seven handypatterns make up the Case Carbon Fiber family, each with satin nished Tru-Sharp surgical steel blades that are ready for heavy duty work. Available at Case dealers everywhere.

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4 KNIVES ILLUSTRATED MARCH/APRIL 2014

KNIVES ILLUSTRATED (ISSN 0898-8943) Vol. 28, No. 2is published 7 times a year, January/February,March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November and December, by Beckett Media,LLC, 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, #200, Yorba Linda, CA92887. Periodical postage paid at Anaheim, CA, andadditional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send addresschanges to Knives Illustrated c/o Beckett Media, 4635McEwen Road, Dallas, TX 75244. Return undeliverableCanadian addresses to: PITNEY BOWES, INC, P.O. Box25542, London, ON N6C 6B2 GST#855050365RT001 2014 by Beckett Media, LLC. All rights reserved.Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole orin part is strictly prohibited.

MARCH/APRIL 2014 VOLUME 28, NO. 2www.knivesillustrated.com

k n i v e s i l l u s t r a t e d . c o m

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SPECIAL SECTION: THE BEST OF SHOT48 The hottest new products from

W.R. Case, Spyderco, CRKT and more, including: Trending: Aggressive bushcraft blades The best collaborations with custom designers Multifunctional knives and tools

FEATURES1 8 Carving Their Place

How young company Behring Made found fast success in the knife worldBY CHRIS LA TRAY

26 Ultimate DurabilityKA-BARs Crewman offers first-rate durability for military and everyday users alikeBY CLINT THOMPSON

34 Survival of the FittestBucks expert-designed Hood Thug withstands the toughest tasksBY JIM WEISS & MICKEY DAVIS

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MARCH/APRIL 2014Volume 28 Number 2

EDITORIALEditorial Director: Doug JeffreyEditor: Bethany MillerManaging Editor: Jeffrey RickArt Director: Ronald AbellaCreative Director: Eric Knagg

CONTRIBUTORSMickey Davis, Abe Elias, Terrill Hoffman, Clint Thompson,Jim Weiss

ADVERTISINGGabe Frimmel: Ad Sales Director (714) [email protected] Beckler: Senior Account Executive (972) 448-9173Casey Clifford: Senior Account Executive (717) 896-8956Mark Pack: Senior Account Executive (714) 200-1939Gennifer Merriday: Ad Traffic Coordinator

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KNIVES ILLUSTRATED (ISSN 0898-8943) Vol. 28, No. 2 is published 7 times a year, January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October,November and December, by Beckett Media, LLC, 22840 Savi Ranch Parkway,#200, Yorba Linda, CA 92887. Periodical postage paid at Anaheim, CA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to KnivesIllustrated c/o Beckett Media, 4635 McEwen Road, Dallas, TX 75244. Return unde-liverable Canadian addresses to: PITNEY BOWES, INC, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2 GST#855050365RT001 2014 byBeckett Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.

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Cover photography by TERRILL HOFFMAN

COLUMNS1 0 Points of Interest

The Latest Goings-On in the Knife World

1 4 Behind the ScenesA Q&A with Fox Knives USA

42 In the SpotlightThe Best of Custom Blades

82 Show and TellReaders Show Off Their Favorite Knives

6 KNIVES ILLUSTRATED MARCH/APRIL 2014 k n i v e s i l l u s t r a t e d . c o m

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Knives IllustratedKnives Illustrated is now

available on Apple Newsstand, Google Play and Kindle.

Knives Illustrated is your guide to the best knives -- hunting, chef s, tactical, outdoor, collectibles, and more.

Download the FREE APP and get a 1-year subscription (6 issues) for only $12.99 and save 64% off newsstands!

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k n i v e s i l l u s t r a t e d . c o m8 KNIVES ILLUSTRATED MARCH-APRIL 2014

The venue, the Sands Expo and Con-vention Center, boasts some big num-bers: The event spanned 635,000 squarefeet, packed wall to wall with more than1,600 exhibits and some 67,000 atten-dees. It was such a labyrinth that at onepoint I found myself navigating the goodol fashioned way with a map and com-pass.

But the show itself isnt the only thingId call BIG. Plenty of companies had bignews, like Victorinoxs merger with

Wenger; big anniversaries, like Cases125th year in business; or big products literally! (You should have seen the ma-chete on our cover in person.) All ofthese things have resulted in one big spe-cial section; nearly half of this issue isdevoted to giving our readers a glimpseof the best, most exciting products wesaw in Las Vegas.

Perhaps most importantly, though, Ileft SHOT sensing that there are BIGthings in store for this magazine. Theres

nothing quite like spending a few dayscompletely immersed in handling andlearning about the hottest, highest-qual-ity, most innovative new products tokick-start your inspiration. All our fa-vorite knife companies are continuing toup their game in 2014, and as long asthey do, well continue to up our owngame in return.

Were excited about what lies aheadfor the rest of the year and beyond and we hope that after reading this is-sue, you will be too!

Bethany Miller

Big Things Ahead

EDITORSLETTER

ALL OUR FAVORITE KNIFECOMPANIES ARE CONTINUING TO UPTHEIR GAME IN 2014, AND AS LONGAS THEY DO, WELL CONTINUE TO UPOUR OWN GAME IN RETURN.

If I had to describe the 2014 SHOT show in one word, that word wouldbe BIG.

KI

SPYDERCO DOMINOCourtesy of Spyderco

KI-1404-8-EDIT 2/10/14 3:57 AM Page 8

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KI_1404_9 2/6/14 11:04 PM Page 9


POINTSofINTEREST

Name the MakerCORRECTLY IDENTIFY THE MAKER OF THISKNIFE TO WIN A FREE SUBSCRIPTIONPHOTO BY ERIC EGGLY

HINT:The maker ofthis sword hasspecialized in samuraisword craftsmanshipsince 1983. He studied3-D design, sculptureand art in college, thenturned tobladesmithing afterhe began learningmartial arts. While hisswords are designsfrom the Far East, hisbusiness is based onthe East Coast.

HOW TO WINIf you correctly identify the maker of the featured knife, you will be entered

into a drawing for a free one-year subscription to Knives Illustrated. If yourealready a subscriber, you may choose to extend your current subscription or toreceive a subscription to one of our sister magazines, Gun World or Bow &Arrow Hunting.

All entries must be received by 4 p.m. PST on April 15.Winners are determined by placing entries in numerical order and

generating a random number using www.random.org.Please submit guesses to [email protected] and specify your preferred

prize option. Please also include the mailing address where you would like toreceive your subscription should you win.

We congratulateKnives Illustratedreader AliceIeronimo, whocorrectlyidentified BillTuch as themaker of theknife featured inour Decemberissue.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Dates and locations subject to change; please contactthe show managers before arranging your travel.

ONGOING THROUGH JUNE 22LITTLE ROCK, ARA Sure Defense: The Bowie Knife in America(501) 324-9351www.historicarkansas.org/whatsnew

MARCH 28-30JANESVILLE, WIAnnual Badger Knife Show(414) [email protected]

APRIL 4-6HARRISONBURG, VAGreater Shenandoah Valley Knife Show(540) [email protected]

APRIL 12-13EUGENE, OROregon Knife [email protected]

MAY 3-4MYSTIC, CTNortheast Cutlery Collectors Association Annual Show(401) [email protected]

JUNE 6-8ATLANTA, GABlade Show(877) [email protected]

JULY 31- AUG. 3LOUISVILLE, KYKnifemakers Guild Show(502) 585-3200www.knifemakersguild.com

AUG. 15-17DENVER, CODenver Custom Knife Show(785) [email protected]

SEPT. 13-14WINSTON-SALEM, NCSoutheastern Custom Knife Showwww.southeasterncustomknifeshow.com

KI-1404-10-12-NEWS CX2 2/10/14 3:52 AM Page 10

TWO is better than OneSubscribe Now and SAVE BIG

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Allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery of first issue. Outside US, add $28 per year for additional postage. Pay in US funds only.

KI_1404_11 2/6/14 11:16 PM Page 11


With 87 tools capable of performing 141 functions,Wenger Swiss Armys Giant is hardly a practical every-day carry. But this Guinness record holder is surely a tanta-lizing novelty for multitool enthusiasts and collectors alike. TheGiant measures only 3.25 inches in length, but a whopping 8.75inches in width and 2 pounds, 11 ounces in weight. It comes with acustom-engraved plaque, lifetime warranty and hefty $2,150price tag.

WORLDS SMALLEST KNIFE: Created by the University of Colorados National Institute of

Standard and Technology, the worlds first micro-knife ornanoknife is so tiny its invisible to the naked eye. The nanoknifewas designed for scientific and medical use to obtain microscop-ic cell samples and is recognized by Guinness World Records.

WORLDS LARGEST BOWIE KNIFE: The city of Bowie, Texas, is hoping to set the world record for

largest Bowie knife. A fundraising campaign was launched by the

Phot

o by

Ter

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KI

FAQSince our annual buyers guide hitnewsstands and mailboxes in No-vember, weve received numerousemails asking about the maker ofthis knife, which appeared on page8, the intro to our tactical section.This blade was crafted by MartinKnives, located in Caddo Mills, Texas.

Website: www.martinknives.com Email: [email protected] Phone: (903) 527-5893

Record-BreakersWORLDS MOSTMULTIFUNCTIONAL PEN KNIFE:

Bowie Chamber of Commerce in December 2013. If all goes well,the knife will be more than 20 feet long and will be displayed asa memorial in Bowies Pelham Park.

WORLDS LARGEST BUTTER KNIFE: Swedish woodworking instructor Claes Blixt is vying for the

Guinness World Record for largest butter knife, which he finishedcrafting in August 2013. The knife measures 8 feet, 1 inch longand weighs 62.8 pounds. The World Record Academy has recog-nized the knife, but Guinness recognition is still pending.

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k n i v e s i l l u s t r a t e d . c o m1 4 KNIVES ILLUSTRATED MARCH-APRIL 2014

This month, we spoke with MikeVellekamp, a longtime designerand fixture in the knife industrywhos now owner of Fox Knives USA.

Can you give us a brief rundown of yourcompany history?

We started off by distributing products from our Italy-based parent company, Fox Cutlery, and now we are fo-cused on manufacturing Fox USA products here in Puyallup,Washington, for global distribution.

Is there a particular philosophy that drives the way FoxKnives USA runs its business?

Yes: Customer first. We pride ourselves on our ability toadapt to the ever-changing economy and industry to pro-vide the best support possible for our various customers,from original equipment manufacturers, to distributors, todealers or retail. We strive to offer the best materials, bestworkmanship and best customer service.

What is your research and development process like, howdo you conceptualize new products, who is responsiblefor that process, etc.?

Through my many years experience in the knife industry and especially when I worked for Spyderco Ive learned toturn to the most educated members of theknifemaking/knife industry community for many answers.However, we do a great deal of research here on our own.

AmericanRevolutionHOW FOX KNIVES ISBRINGING NEW LIFE TO THEU.S. KNIFE MARKETSTORY BY BETHANY MILLERPHOTOS COURTESY OF FOX KNIVES USA

BEHINDtheSCENES

ABOUT THEINTERVIEWEENAME: Mike VellekampTITLE: Co-founder/ownerHOW LONG HAVE YOUWORKED THERE? Since 2009

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k n i v e s i l l u s t r a t e d . c o m KNIVES ILLUSTRATED MARCH-APRIL 2014 15

WE WANT TOCONTRIBUTE TO THE

RETURN OF AMERICANMANUFACTURING AND

EXPORTING OF FINEGOODS.

MIKE VELLEKAMP

Olympianseries

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ABOUT THE COMPANYHOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? Since 2009HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE? It fluctuates between five and 10 based onproductionWEBSITE: www.foxknivesusa.com


For instance, I recently met with somefolks at a unique research and develop-ment lab here at the University of Wash-ington to discuss some ideas for a newdesign. We do a lot of testing and break-ing things before we bring a new productto market.

As far as conceptualizing new productsgoes, sometimes its a new design that

comes from collaboration with a customknifemaker. Other times, concepts comedirectly out of the design talent here inFox Knives USA or Fox Knives Italy.Gabriele Frati (son of Fox Italy founderOreste Frati) and I are responsible forplanning the addition of new designs intothe product line.

What product or line are you most proudof, to date, and why?

Well, it has to be the Amico and theOlympian series, which are our newestFox USA lines. Few companies still pro-duce all their knives in the U.S., and Imglad were able to do so right here inPuyallup.

What upcoming product or line are youmost excited about?

We collaborated with custom knife-maker Jens Anso on our Zero series. These

FEW COMPANIES STILL PRODUCE ALL THEIR KNIVES IN THEU.S., AND IM GLAD WERE ABLE TO DO SO RIGHT HERE IN

PUYALLUP [WA]. MIKE VELLEKAMP

AnsoRH3series

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k n i v e s i l l u s t r a t e d . c o m KNIVES ILLUSTRATED MARCH-APRIL 2014 1 7

knives feature several new blade designsby Roland Hinojosa III with the existingAnso Knives handle designs.

Personally and from a companys per-spective, what have been your greatestchallenges in this industry? What chal-lenges do you foresee ahead?

I suppose the biggest challenge is edu-cating the knife community about the im-portance of buying from an Americancompany to stimulate the economy rather than saving money by buying anoutsourced product.

What keeps your customers comingback?

I think its the fact that were down to

earth, and every customer comes first.Were thankful for every order, large orsmall!

What are Foxs goals as a company forthe near and distant future?

Amico series

Amico in black

We want to focus on more USA designsand USA-made products for sale not onlystateside, but also across the globe. Wewant to contribute to the return of Ameri-can manufacturing and exporting of finegoods. KI

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HOW YOUNG COMPANY BEHRINGMADE FOUND FAST SUCCESS INTHE KNIFE WORLD

STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHRIS LA TRAY

Montana knifemaker James Behring looks a bitsheepish as he tells the story. One guy cut hisfinger. He pulled a knife out of the sheath likehe was just gonna Behring makes a flourish like aknight drawing a sword, and he had to get sevenstitches. Blood just dusted the whole display. Behringsmiles. The thing is he was gonna buy three knivesand after he cut his finger he bought six.

CARVINGTHEIR PLACE

This is a tale from the vendor floor of the Mathews Dealer showin Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, this past December. Mathews Inc. isone of the largest and most successful bow and archery acces-sories manufacturers in the world. Behring and his three-man crew of knifemakers were there at the culminationof a lengthy process that saw them successfully earn acontract to sell Behring knives co-branded with theMathews logo to an army of Mathews dealers.

These knives span three lines with four models, in-cluding handle variations, different blade finishes, theworks. The crew piled into a Ford Explorer with 40 knivesand drove 27 straight hours over icy roads and tempera-tures of 30 degrees below zero to get there and they werethrilled to do it.

Getting a KickstartMathews representatives told Behring that getting a new prod-

uct off the ground typically takes three years, but Behring hascome out of the gate strong and hopes to cut that process time inhalf.

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PEOPLE ASKED US, CAN YOUMAKE THIS OR THAT AND WE

WERE LIKE, BUDDY, WE CANMAKE WHATEVER YOU

WANT! JAMES BEHRING



James Behring hopes to continue upgrading themachinery in Behring Mades workshop, whichoperates out of Missoula, Montana.



These Mathews knives are a lightweight cutting tool, Behring says.They arent hack and chop and prying, hard-use knives. Black on black,clear coat, were doing a marine epoxy layer; its like a waterproof all-pur-pose knife. Handmade, American Made, even at full retail of $160 on thatknife youre still paying about the same as what youd pay for a dozen ar-

rows. People loved them.The Behring team was also approached by dealers who, in

addition to selling Mathews products, sell their own brands.Many were intrigued by what Behring was doing. People asked

us, Can you make this or that and we were like, Buddy, we canmake whatever you want! Behring says. I dont think people are

used to hearing that these days. Theyre more used to hearing, No, no,we cant do that. Gaining a partnership with a behemoth like Mathews is an impressive

accomplishment, particularly for a company only in its third year of exis-tence. James Behring grew up in Michigan, went to college to be a teacher,and then after graduating decided the last place he wanted to be was in aclassroom again. He preferred being out in the wilds hunting and fishing, alifestyle hed enjoyed his entire life. The knife trade appealed to him; he

learned the skill from his father, marrieda girl from Montana, and relocated toMissoula. After a few months acclimat-ing and fly fishing he moved into hiscurrent shop and started Behring Madein September of 2011.

Behind the ScenesBehrings crew Travis Williams,

Dustin Millard and Grant Cunningham have been with him almost from the start.None of them had any previous knifemak-

WE CAN DO YOURLOGO, WE CAN DOBLADE COLOR, WECAN MATCHFINISHES REALLY,THE SKYS THELIMIT. JAMES BEHRING

CONTACT BEHRING MADEP.O. Box 17317Missoula, MT 59808(406) [email protected] James Behring founded Behring Made in 2011. Within that short time, he and his three-person team

have crafted hundreds of custom knives.

BEHRING TECHNICAL F-1LENGTH: 12 inchesBLADE: 7 inches, O1 tool steelHANDLE: Micarta grips with custom-made,black oxide-coated screwsSPECIAL FEATURES: Extra-long fingerguard, included all-weather sheath, 100percent USA-made, lifetime guarantee



ing skills; Behring taught each of themwhat they needed to know and they got towork. In 2012 they made more than 900knives, all custom, and sold every one. Butthat was just the beginning of whereBehring wanted to take his business.

2013 was about a big marketing push,Behring says. Not in a traditional sense ei-ther, where money is thrown around viaadvertisements and mass mailings. Itwas about trying to get deals going withother large, corporate hunting and outfit-ting organizations and do cross-brandingprojects. Use their marketing and myquality of work and create really a com-petitive profit margin for their dealers sothat everybody is benefiting from thisventure.

Cooper Firearms of Montana is anotherexample of a Behring partnership. Thehigh-end rifle maker is located just southof Missoula in Stevensville. A friend of afriend tipped Behring off that the bou-tique rifle maker was looking for a knife-making partner, so Behring drove down tointroduce himself.

Cooper had this project they wantedto do; they make these real high-end gunsand they wanted a knife to go with them,Behring says. We came in, we madesomething like six or seven prototypes.But theyre not knife guys, theyre gunguys, so they dont really know what theywant. So you keep making them stuff andtheyre like, Well, can you change this?

Behring Made managed to secure thedeal. They matched knives to three differ-ent rifles, mirroring the wood, checkeringand engraving. These knives began travel-ing to shop shows in January. Next up?Discussions about a technical knife to goalong with Coopers mountain rifles.

These knives are gonna be seen at theSHOT Show and theyre going to be in be-tween five and seven print ads, Behringsaid. Well get some good exposure thatway.

Gaining MomentumAdditional exposure came courtesy of

Sporting Classics magazine as well.Behring produced a a two-knife kitchencutlery set a 3.75-inch paring knife anda 7-inch chefs knife that appeared inthe magazines Christmas catalog. Themagazine was so pleased that discus-

sions are underway for Behring Made toproduce up to 175 knives as part of the an-nual Sporting Classics Knife of the Yearspread.

Working with these larger companiespresents unique challenges. Things tendto move much, much slower. One thingabout the business I didnt anticipate isthe time the lead time, Behring says.The time from concept to production issix months on some of this stuff, to a year.I drew this stuff up last winter.

In addition, there are large companiesBehring is engaged with with thou-sands of dollars already invested in de-sign and prototypes that are monthspast the date they promised an answer.

Patience is the name of the game withcorporations, Behring says. But if thatdeal goes through, and we get an order for500 knives, that ensures the job of one

guy upstairs and maybe makes room foranother.

In the meantime, Behring Made hasgotten smarter and more efficient withthe process of making knives. They haveinvested heavily in reorganizing and up-grading the shop, adding a new compres-sor, a new mill machine, quench tank, andnew dust collector all geared towardthe day that first big production ordercomes in.

Im really excited to make a big run ofall the same knife. Weve never done morethan (about) 30, Behring says.

The Behring team also has honed theircapabilities. If a company engages themin a project, Behring knows exactly whattheyre capable of. Its about three to sixmonths from concept to prototype,Behring says. We can do a couple proto-type revisions, and then we can make a



ARTIFACT WALRUS IVORY FIGHTERLENGTH: 7 inchesBLADE: O1 tool steel with tall copper guardHANDLE: Artifact walrus ivory with ivoryand copper spacers

STEALTH SKINNERDesigned for Mathews Pro LT lineLENGTH: 8 inchesBLADE: 3.75 inches, O1 tool steelHANDLE: Marine epoxy, paracord-wrappedSPECIAL FEATURES: Available inchoice of polished or Cerakote bladefinish, custom-made sheath

PATIENCE ISTHE NAME OFTHE GAME.JAMES BEHRING



couple hundred a month, from that pointon, with a couple months of lead time. Soby the end of that first year theyre gonnahave about 400 or 500 knives. We can doyour logo, we can do blade color, we canmatch finishes really, the skys the limit.

A Team EffortEven though hes responsible for making

the deals, Behring remains 100 percenthands-on when it comes to production. Hedoes all the grinding, all the blades, all thehandles, layout and design. The rest of thelabor is divided up among the other threeworkers. Even the graphic design for all oftheir printed materials is handled in-house.

We all work together on design concepts,construction, whats the best product to usefor this versus that, all that, Behring says.Hes enthusiastic when speaking about theguys in his shop, and the work theyre doing.Im trying to create careers, not jobs. I wouldbe so happy if this work could support 10families in this community.

Meanwhile, the custom knife businessremains Behring Mades bread and butter.Theres a solid flow of orders every monththat come through via the Internet, knivesthat customers can configure just the waythey want them. In 2014, they plan to up-grade the website even more; creating aportal for their own line of technical knives,for example, as well as access to vendorsto place orders directly online.

Like most success stories, Behring hangsthe rapid growth and accomplishments ofhis young company on one thing: hardwork. Were hustling. We dont have busi-ness degrees, he says. I have the mostcollege education of any of us, and I was anEnglish major, for God sakes! I read litera-ture for four years, I didnt learn anythingabout financing or marketing or any of thatstuff. But those handicaps have hardlyslowed Behring Made down. (Well) makea game plan, execute, and see where weend up, Behring says.

So far, so good.

INSIDER INFOGrant Cunningham, one of themembers of the small knifemakingteam, explains how Behring Madechooses blade and handle materials.

We tend to stick with high-carbontool steels because we've found it tobe the best median between edgeretention and ease of working in a newone. Lately, we've been adding morestainless steel into our forge forvariety, and we've been consistentlysatisfied with the final product so it'sdefinitely something you'll be seeingmore of from Behring Made.

We use copper, brass and nickel silverfor our guard materials, and I'd say wemost commonly use stag for handlematerials. We're really into theconcept of your grand-dad's knife,and the nostalgia of a stag handle aswell as the durability and one-of-a-kind texture that each piece providesmakes it the ideal choice.

However, we do plenty of ivory kniveslike the Artifact Walrus Fighter, as wellas Micarta, and even exotic woods withtruly remarkable burls. Manycustomers will send us in their ownmaterials anything from familyheirlooms to .50 caliber casings fired incombat. We can pretty much put ablade in anything.

SOUTHWEST BOWIELENGTH: 14 inchesBLADE: 8 inches, 5160 spring steelHANDLE: Brass and premium horsehideleather spacers, crown stag buttSPECIAL FEATURES: Brass S-guard,includes sheath

KI


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KI_1404_25 2/7/14 12:54 PM Page 25


ITS IMMEDIATELYOBVIOUS THAT [THECREWMAN] WASFORGED FROM THEFIELD-TESTEDKNOWLEDGE OF WHATMAKES A GREATUTILITY KNIFE.

KI-1404-26-32-KABAR CX 2/10/14 4:05 AM Page 26


KA-BARS CREWMAN OFFERS FIRST-RATE DURABILITY

FOR MILITARY AND EVERYDAYUSERS ALIKE

STORY AND PHOTOS BY CLINT THOMPSON

It only makes sense for a world-class knife designer and world-class manufacturer to collaborate ona world-class knife.



The KA-BAR Crewman was designed in partnership withEthan Becker to be carried by military flight crews.

The polyester sheath is the only component of the Crewman notmade in America. Its durable and MOLLE-compatible. The doublestraps ensure the knife remains secured in place no matter what.


This is exactly what happened whenKA-BAR, with its century-long history ofexcellence, teamed up with leading de-signer Ethan Becker to produce the KA-BAR BK-10 Crewman. Im a longtime fanof both KA-BAR and Becker, so I jumpedat the chance to review this knife.

First ImpressionsThis knife is, without question, a great-

looking knife. Its immediately obvious thatit was forged from the field-tested knowl-edge of what makes a great utility knife.

I immediately fell in lovewith the clip point on theblade. The clip points designmakes it ultra-strong and ca-pable of handling the mostpunishing use. I typically rec-ommend that a utility/combatknife should measure between4 and 6 inches, with the sweetspot being long enough to beeffective, but short enough foreasy carry and deployment. At 5.5 inches,the Crewmans blade is perfect.

The blade is 1.63 incheswide, which makes sense; theCrewman was not designed fortactical combat use, for whicha narrower blade would bepreferable. This wider bladesuited my concept of a goodutility knife and is sturdyenough to dig a small hole infrozen ground, which I did easi-ly in less than two minutes.

While the Crewman itself is 100 per-cent USA-made, the sheath was made in

SPECIFICATIONSLENGTH: 10.9 inchesBLADE: 5.5 inches,1095 Cro-VanHANDLE: ZytelWEIGHT: 12 ouncesINCLUDED: Heavy-duty, MOLLE-compatible polyestersheath

The Crewman held its own under eventhe most punishing tests. After extensiveabuse to put the knife through its paces,the blade was only slightly scuffed.



China. While I wish it had been made stateside to round out acompletely American-made product, the sheath is well designedto be MOLLE compatible and works effectively.

Hands-OnRight out of the box, the Crewmans handle appears to be a

little large, but it fit my average-sized hand perfectly. During ex-

KNIVES ILLUSTRATED MARCH-APRIL 2014 31

tended, serious chopping, the handle did not allow any irritatingvibration, which even other quality knives often do. I had noproblem chopping through 2- to 3-inch limbs in a whack or two.This makes the Crewman an optimal tool for building a shelterquickly, if necessary.

I took this bad boy out to the woods, where I found plenty ofthings to give the blade a workout. Even after repeated stabbing,prying and twisting in hard wood, the tip was undamaged. Totest whether the Crewman would snap, I wedged the blade be-tween two planks and hung my full 220 pounds from the han-dle. The knife held well, sparing me from injuries Ive sustainedwhile performing the same test on other knives. The only sign ofabuse afterward was some slight wear to the black finish along

the point and first inch of the blade.The pommel of the Crewman is

nearly an inch long, which came inhandy for pounding and smashing vari-ous objects. I drove a bolt into a metalgate with a good whack, and the pom-mel was no worse for wear, proving

I HAD NO PROBLEM CHOPPINGTHROUGH 2- TO 3-INCH LIMBS

IN A WHACK OR TWO.

CONTACT INFOKA-BAR200 Homer St.Olean, NY 14760(716) 372-5952www.kabar.com

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that both ends of the knife are up to thetoughest of tasks.

Universally UsefulEven though the Crewman was de-

signed with military professionals in mind,I can see some serious value for the civil-ian population. In particular, this knifecould be a valuable asset to outdoorsmen

such as backpackers and hunters. At only12 ounces, it wont weigh down a rucksackand will fit easily into a standard campinggear kit.

I also highly recommend the Crewmanfor those who wish to practice their sur-vival techniques. Its fit for any number ofdemanding uses and will be a fine addi-tion to a bug-out bag.

The result of a collaboration betweensuch a first-rate designer and well-estab-lished company, it should come as no sur-prise that the KA-BAR Becker Crewman isa strong, versatile tool that will serve itsowner for many years to come.

EVEN THOUGH THE CREWMAN WAS DESIGNED WITH MILITARY PROFESSIONALS IN MIND,

I CAN SEE SOME SERIOUS VALUE FOR THE CIVILIAN POPULATION.

The Crewmans beefy handleis just as tough as the blade.The pommel can safely andeffectively be used forpounding and crushing.

CREWMAN HIGHLIGHTS 100-percent American-made

(excluding sheath) Perfect blade length for maximum

versatility Extremely durable Useful for both military and civilians

The shape, strength and width of the Crewmans blademake it an optimal tool for digging holes in a hurry. KI

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KI_1404_33 2/10/14 11:38 AM Page 33


To meet that need, Buck Knives teamed up with knife designerRon Hood to produce the Buck/Hood Thug. The multifunctionalThug is both light enough to be easily carried and also heavy dutyenough to withstand the most rigorous wilderness use and abuse.

The BasicsWhat makes this USA-made knife so tough? For one, the steel

is triple heat-treated to draw out its hardnessin addition to thestandard oil quenching. Its finished with a sprayed-on powdercoating, then baked and cured at a low temperature. The result isa blade thats not only high-carbon, but high-performance.

BUCKS EXPERT-DESIGNEDHOOD THUG WITHSTANDS

THE TOUGHEST TASKSBY JIM WEISS AND MICKEY DAVIS

EXTREME conditions demand an extreme knife.

KI-1404-34-41-BUCK CX 2/10/14 4:10 AM Page 34


THE RESULT IS A BLADE THAT

IS NOT ONLYHIGH-CARBON,

BUT HIGH-PERFORMANCE.

KI-1404-34-41-BUCK CX 2/10/14 4:10 AM Page 35

A particularly attractive feature ofthe knife is Bucks Shock MitigationSystem (SMS) in the form of a hol-low shank. This system reduceswasted energy when chopping, spar-ing the user of much fatigue duringuse.

The large finger choil provides con-trol for whittling or other detailed ac-tivities, and the Micarta handles canbe removed if desired.

Custom Knifemaker's ReviewWhen thinking about the name

Buck Thug, custom knifemaker Paul

Granger said he pictures a deer witha full rack hanging out in a pool hall,tattooed, smoking and drinking whileobnoxiously flirting with the cocktailwaitress. Since Ron Hood and thefolks at Buck Knives named Hoodsthree knives Punk, Thug and Hood-lum, the reader can see that Ron andthe Buck team were having a bit offun with Rons last name.

HANDLE: The handle is cockeddownward, which is a fine trait andsomething that knife manufacturersdont often think about. The cockedhandle is more pronounced than on


Paul Granger specializesin making fixed-bladeknives of his own uniquedesign as well as intraditional patterns. Hehas created a line oflightweight, non-metallic,non-ceramic knivescurrently in use by theAmerican and Canadianmilitaries, multiple policedepartments, and the FBIand CIA. His website iswww.palehorsefighters.blogspot.com.

The Thugs included MOLLE-compatible sheath allows theuser a choice of how to carry it:with or without the secondaryretention cord.

THE HANDLE IS COCKEDDOWNWARD,WHICH IS A FINE TRAIT THAT KNIFEMANUFACTURERSDONT OFTENTHINK ABOUT.

KI-1404-34-41-BUCK CX 2/10/14 4:10 AM Page 36


most knives, so when the user stands andholds the knife out to the side or in front,the blade is more naturally in a horizontalposition. This design takes into considera-tion the real ergonomics of the arm andhand because otherwise when held in thisposition, the blade would be pointed up-ward.

Granger also thinks highly of the linenMicarta handle material, which wontdent, crack or become misshapen. Thereisnt a swell to the handle, but it has a bitof a belly. A sub-hilt feature creates a fin-ger groove to let the knifes user knowwhere his or her hand is on the handle

without really looking. Theres also jimp-ing on the spine of the knife just forwardof the handle.

The Shock Mitigation System (SMS)consists of a tang with its middle sectionremoved. Granger likes that extending thetang beyond the handle allows for a cordthong hole.

The jimping on the tang of the handle issmooth, rounded and below the level ofthe handle; therefore its ineffective.

BLADE: The blade of Grangers samplewas sharp out of the box. Its a good,thick, drop-point blade, made with a hol-low grind (although according to Buck,they will be changing to a flat grind in2014).

The blade is sharp right up to the fingercutout forward of the guard; however,Granger felt the cutout is too small, whichsurprised him. When choking up on theblade or using the finger groove forwardof the guard, the knife user could getnicked.

In front of the guard at the top of theblade the spine theres jimping thats

also rounded off, meaning that the knifesuser gets less traction. Granger said its al-most as if the blade was put through astone-washing tumbler that rounded offthe jimping. This type of jimping can besomewhat useless if the knife user iswearing gloves, but it works well when theknife is used with bare hands.

SHEATH: The included MOLLE-com-patible sheath has a rather neat feature:Theres a secondary retention in the formof a tightening and loosening fitted deviceor cord thong, which makes the knifejump-qualified for paratrooper usage. Ifthe user doesnt care to use the second-ary retention cord and wants to use onlythe sheath retention strap, he or she canjust flip the cord thong to the sheathsback to keep it out of the way. Its a niceoption. There are a lot of tie-down pointsto facilitate airborne tie-down methods.

The sheath also comes with large pock-et and is ambidextrous. The liner cant beremoved.

OVERALL: Granger approves of theThug in general, though not quite enough

HOLLOW, CONVEX AND FLAT GRINDSHollow and the flat grinds each have their good points and their less-than-good points. Hollow-ground blades are easier and quicker to sharpen, and can take a very keen edge.

Straight razors are hollow ground. However the blade is much thinner for a greater distance fromthe edge; therefore hollow ground blades are excellent for cutting flesh and feather sticks, buttheyre not the best choice for chopping.

Convex-ground blades are thick right up to the edge--similar to an axe--so they are excellentfor chopping. They are arguably less suited to fine, detailed work as well as a bit trickier tosharpen.

Flat-ground blades are right in between hollow ground and convex ground, drawing from thegood points of each, while leaving some of the shortcomings of each behind. Flat ground knivesare easier to sharpen than convex ground, and will stand up to a reasonable amount of chopping.This is because theyre not as thin far from the edge as a hollow grind. Flat ground knives willhandle fine work much better than a convex ground blade, and nearly as good as a hollow grind.

One can put a razor-sharp edge on a flat-ground blade with the right equipment and/or skill,and when you do, it will last longer than on a hollow-ground blade.

The jimping on the tang of the handle is smooth, rounded and below the level of the handle.

KI-1404-34-41-BUCK CX 2/10/14 4:10 AM Page 37


to give it an A grade. Its balance is goodclose to the guard, if a bit blade heavy,which is useful when chopping.

Law Enforcement SpecialistsField Evaluation

The Buck Thug was delivered to thecastle on a warm summers day. I was gid-dy with anticipation regarding its arrivalbecause of my positive experience withthe first of the late Ron Hoods creations,the Hoodlum, which I evaluated two yearsprior. The Hoodlums field evaluation wassuch a success; I couldnt wait to grabhold of the new and slightly down-scaledThug.

For many years, I have had the honor-able and crucial job of training our folkswho go into harms way. Along with theobvious, my teaching duties include in-structing basic wilderness survival skillsto natural resources law enforcement andspecial operations personnel. Part of thistraining includes educating these folks on

the selection and use of the one tool youmust take with you or make in the field,which is the knife.

To say that Im quite critical in this areais an understatement. The reason for thisis simple: were discussing amatter of life or death. Iveseen survival knives breakin the woods, and tacticalfolders fail, causing seriousphysical harm. Thankfully,such events occurred in atraining environment wherethe life of the operator wasnot at risk. Its my job tomake sure this does not hap-pen to any of our operatorsby conducting realistic fieldevaluations on such tools.

I worked with and carriedthe Thug for more than amonth. The black nylonsheath was accommodating;it can be carried vertically or

horizontally thanks to the MOLLE straps.The knife, which weighs a mere 11.6ounces, is secured in the reversible poly-mer insert via a hook-and-loop strap thatsurrounds the handle, and/or a loop of

550 paracord. It has a nice-sized pouch on the front toaccommodate other survivalkits, and a length of 550paracord at the bottom.

I first subjected the knifeto a series of what somefolks consider torturoussteel hammer blows to allunsharpened sides of theblade and pommel. I deliv-ered a total of 100 reps toeach side. A small amount ofthe coating was removedduring this test.

Next, I chopped andstabbed a poplar stump hun-dreds of times. As the Thugwas delivered razor sharp, it

Mark Allen Prince is aprofessor of lawenforcementtechnology/specialoperations at Central OhioTechnical College; a formerUSDOE SRT operator; andspent 20 years in local lawenforcement specialoperations and training.He has developed andteaches courses inhomeland security andspecial operations formilitary, state and localspecial operationspersonnel andorganizations. He is aninstructor/trainer-certifiedby the late Colonel RexApplegate.

The handle features removable linen Micarta scales.

KI-1404-34-41-BUCK CX 2/10/14 4:10 AM Page 38


The Buck Thugs carbon steel, powder-coated blade is triple-treated for maximum hardness. Its sharp right out of the box.

COASTS PATENTED DOUBLE-LOCK DX355.FIXED BLADE SAFETY IN A G10 FOLDER.

COAST Products Portland, ORCOASTportland.com [email protected]

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KI-1404-34-41-BUCK CX 2/10/14 4:11 AM Page 39


was a hoot to see thechunks of wood fly throughthe air as I conducted thisevaluation.

I then coated the Micartagrips with cooking oil, andstabbed the stump 100times. My hand movedabout a little bit, but didnot move forward onto theblade.

Next, I took the knife tothe stack of oak wood pal-lets and pried a board free.The blade, which is .185 inches thick, didflex considerably, but in the end it did notbreak, nor was the tip chipped at all.

Last but not least, I took the Thug intothe woods where I keep the rusty Jeeptruck bed (circa 1977) for the penetrationtest. The reason for this is simple: themetal in the body of todays cars andtrucks is easily penetrated and carved upwith a decent knife. So gripping the Thugin both hands, I raised it over my head andconducted a few measured touch drillswith the knife and steel. Satisfied that Iwould not miss the truck bed and acci-dently hack off my leg, I forcefully thrustthe knifes tip into the bed. It easily pene-trated the thick and rusty steel by morethan an inch. After I inspected the tip, Ifound no breakage or burring. An ex-tremely impressive tip in my summation!

Satisfied that the knifewas indeed bush tough, Iintroduced it to more com-mon evaluations such asbatoning and choppingfirewood, hammeringbricks with the pommel,and carving tiny items suchas gorge hooks for fishing.The coating did come off abit when batoning hardmaple, but the modifiedKukri-style blade, coupledwith the shock mitigation

design of the handle, was a pleasurewhen chopping 3- to 5-inch diametercherry logs. The jimping and choil helpedout immensely when carving items.Sharpening the carbon steel blade was abreeze with the kitchen steel.

The Buck/Hood Thug is marketed wise-ly as a survival knife, and it has been accu-

ABOUT THE DESIGNERThe late Ron Hood was well known for his

training techniques, spending more than 20years teaching accredited college courses insurvival skills at UCLA, Cal State Northridgeand Antelope Valley College.

In addition, he was the author of numerousarticles for national magazines, producedmany award-winning survival training videos,and was featured on many TV shows such asMythbusters and Ultimate Survival. He wasalso involved with the training that goes onbehind the Man vs. Wild TV show on DiscoveryChannel.

Hood acquired his knowledge and skillsfrom his days in the U.S. Army Security Agencyserving in the Middle East and Vietnam. Healso went on solo trips into the wildness, andlived with various native populations aroundthe globe to practice and study skills withthem.

He was the publisher of Survival QuarterlyMagazine, which his wife has continued topublish since his passing.

SPECIFICATIONSOVERALL LENGTH: 13 inchesBLADE: 7 inches, 5160 steelwith powder coat finishCARRY SYSTEM: Black,heavy-duty nylon, MOLLE-compatible, adjustable forhigh or low carry HANDLE: Removable blacklinen Micarta handle scalesWEIGHT: 11.6 ouncesForever warrantyMSRP: $200

Reviewer Mark Allen Prince believes the Thug is wellsuited for military and law enforcement use.

The Thug can easily besharpened with DMTsharpeners such asthose pictured here.

KI-1404-34-41-BUCK CX 2/10/14 4:11 AM Page 40


rately designed in my opinion. Many sur-vival folks will find it a much more man-ageable size, which may be more accom-modating for their purposes. Although abit pricey at $200 MSRP, much like theHoodlum, this Thug would be somethingyou would enjoy having with you in themiddle of a dark woodlands night.

THE MODIFIED KUKRI-STYLE BLADE WAS APLEASURE WHENCHOPPING 3- TO 5-INCHDIAMETER CHERRYLOGS. MARK ALLEN PRINCE

KI

KI-1404-34-41-BUCK CX 2/10/14 4:15 AM Page 41


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KI-1404-42-45-CUSTOM CX 2/10/14 4:18 AM Page 42


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SHOTk n i v e s i l l u s t r a t e d . c o m48 KNIVES ILLUSTRATED MARCH-APRIL 2014

BIGGER, STRONGER, SHARPER, FASTER

The Best of

It was a record-breaking year for the Shooting, Hunting & OutdoorTrade Show as some 67,000 professionals descended upon Las Ve-gas 5,000 attendees more than last year. And its a safe bet no

one left disappointed.At more than 1,600 exhibits, the newest, hottest outdoor and tactical products

were on display. Among countless guns, tools and survival accessories, knivesmade a strong appearance.

We got to see, learn about, and play around with the blades leading the indus-try this year, from revamped classics to the most innovative new models andweve got the inside scoop on some of our favorites for our readers!

BY BETHANY MILLER, ABE ELIAS AND TERRILL HOFFMANPHOTOS COURTESY OF MANUFACTURERS

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The Best of SHOT

Phot

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Dav

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SOG KNIVES & TOOLSwww.sogknives.com(425) 771-6230

SOG may have had the broadest selection of offerings of thecompanies we visited. We were shown everything from atiny key knife (it looks like a key, but contains a 1.5-inch

frame-lock knife) to a shovel that includes a saw blade, andeverything in between. We were particularly impressed with theirSOGfari machetes, one of which appears on the cover of this issue.

BladeLight Hunt (knife with LED lights)OVERALL LENGTH: 8.5 inchesBLADE: 3.8 inches, 8Cr13MoV steelWEIGHT: 4.3-ouncesLED: 35 lumens, 138 minutes run timeIncludes leather sheathMSRP: $92

SOGfari CutlassOVERALL LENGTH: 18.88 inchesBLADE: 12.9 inches, 3Cr13 steelWEIGHT: 15.3 ouncesIncludes nylon sheathMSRP: $35

Kiku Small Fixed-BladeOVERALL LENGTH: 9.8 inchesBLADE: 4.9 inches, AUS-8 stainlesssteel with satin finishHANDLE: Linen MicartaWEIGHT: 8.5 ouncesIncludes hard molded nylon sheathMSRP: $188

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The Best of SHOT

Elite E-Tool (collapsible shovel/saw)OVERALL LENGTH: 26 inches fully extended, 1075 carbon steelWEIGHT: 24.8 ouncesIncludes saw hidden in handle, nylon sheathMSRP: $74

Exchange OVERALL LENGTH: 9.6 inchesBLADE: Interchangeable skinning blade, fillet bladeand saw, all 8Cr13MoV steelWEIGHT: 6.4 ouncesIncludes nylon sheathMSRP: $87

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BENCHMADEwww.benchmade.com(800) 800-7427

While many companies at SHOT debuted a select fewknives, Benchmade upped the ante by introducing newknives in five series (Black, Blue, Gold, HK and Hunt). All

were designed to the utmost quality in Benchmades three Ms:manufacturing, materials and mechanisms. Some may look famil-iar to longtime Benchmade users classic designs tweaked andupdated according to customer feedback. Others, however, arewholly new, such as the Gold line, which represents Benchmadesbest quality and will only be produced until the end of 2014.

Blue Series 940/940-1OVERALL LENGTH: 7.9 inchesBLADE: 3.4 inches, S30V (940) and S90V (940-1) premiumstainless steelHANDLE: Carbon fiber; stainless steel liners; anodizedaluminum barrel spacersWEIGHT: 2.9 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURE: Ambidextrous AXIS LockMSRP: $215 (940), $310 (940-1)

Hunt Series Saddle Mountain SkinnerOVERALL LENGTH: 8.7 inchesBLADE: 4.2 inches, S30V premium stainless steelHANDLE: DymondwoodIncludes molded Kydex sheathMSRP: $155

Gold Series 710-141 AXISCommemorating the 15th anniversary of the original AXIS knifeOVERALL LENGTH: 8.8 inchesBLADE: 3.9 inches, twist DamasteelHANDLE: Carbon fiber with blue C-Tek inlay and anodized blue barrel spacerWEIGHT: 4.3 ouncesMSRP: $600

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SLY STEELwww.slysteel.com(208) 681-1946

Sly Steel may be a newcomer to the industry,but their debut products are sure to givethem a strong foothold. Currently, their

catalog consists solely of two models onehunting, one tactical of their Shark Tooth de-sign, which the video demonstration at theirbooth suggests is one heck of a knife. The tacticalmodel can easily break glass and penetratethrough sheet metal with excellent edge reten-tion, and the unique handle on both versions en-sures a grip that is almost impossible to lose.

ESEE KNIVESwww.eseeknives.com(256) 613-0372

We cant help but be proud of the CM6, pro-duced by ESEE, as it was conceptualizedby Knives Illustrateds own Terrill Hoff-

man, who is not only an accomplished photogra-pher and writer in the knife industry, but a designerin his own right. This is the knife I designed be-cause I always wanted it, he says. It's a goodcrossover from one thing to another.


The Best of SHOT

ESEE-CM6OVERALL LENGTH: 11.1 inchesBLADE: 5.88 inches, 1095 carbon steel withtextured black powder coatHANDLE: Removable canvas MicartaWEIGHT: 10 ouncesIncludes Kydex sheathMSRP: $240.95

Shark Tooth Tactical IOVERALL LENGTH: 10.5 inchesBLADE: 4.5 inches, 1095HC steelHANDLE: MicartaWEIGHT: 13 ouncesIncludes Kydex sheath with rotating steel spring clipMSRP: $229

VICTORINOX SWISS ARMYwww.victorinox.com(800) 442-2706

Easily the most noticeable news from Victori-nox this year is its absorption of WengerSwiss Army, which has resulted in 52 new

Swiss Army knives titled the Delmont Collection.Weve taken the best of both worlds, says JesFeuer, Victorinox director of public relations andcommunications. Weve owned stock in [Wenger]since 2005, so this was the natural progression.

The companys most prized product of the year isthe limited-edition Carl Elsener Sr. Explorer Knife,a pocket multitool named for the grandson ofVictorinoxs founder. Elsener was the companysthird CEO, succeeded by his son upon his passing inJune 2013. Engraved with Elseners signature, thisknife will have a limited run of 7,000 serializedpieces only 520 of which will be sold in NorthAmerica.

Carl Elsener Sr. Explorer KnifeOVERALL LENGTH: 3.1 inches (closed)BLADE: Damascus steelHANDLE: Swiss woodWEIGHT: 0.2 ouncesTOOLS: Large blade, small blade, corkscrew, can and bottle openers, small, large and Phillips screwdrivers, wire stripper, punch/reamer, key ring, scissors, multi-purpose hook, magnifying glassMSRP: $299.99

On the merging of Victorinox Swiss Army and Wenger Swiss Army:Weve taken the best of both worlds. [Victorinox has] owned stock in[Wenger] since 2005, so this was the natural progression.

JES FEUER

On the ESEE-CM6:This is the knife Idesigned because Ialways wanted it. Its agood crossover fromone thing to another.

TERRILL HOFFMAN

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KERSHAW/ZERO TOLERANCEwww.kershaw.kaiusaltd.comwww.zerotolerance.kaiusaltd.com(800) 325-2891

True to form, Kershaw and its sister brand, Zero Tolerance, debuted a number of products that promise tobe not only reliable, but relatively affordable. Knife enthusiasts are most likely to be excited about threeof Kershaws newest collaborators: the folks from Duck Commander and Buck Commander, aka the Duck

Dynasty; Dmitry Sinkevich, whose Zero Tolerance 0454 was named the 2013 Overall Knife of the Year at theBlade Show; and renowned, in-demand custom knifemaker Ernest Emerson, whose designs typically sell for up-wards of $200, but will be available through Kershaw and Zero Tolerance for under $60.

Kershaw is also among the companies celebrating an anniversary in 2014. In honor of their 40 years in business,theyve desiged a folding knife that collectors are bound to snatch up as soon as possible. Named the Ruby 4040(the ruby is the official stone for 40th anniversaries), its crafted from hard-to-obtain ZDP-189 steel. The handleis titanium with DLL coating, laser etched for a striking appearance. For an additional eye-catching touch,Kershaws four decades are symbolized with four ruby-red spacers. This knife is so new that no print-qualityphotos were available at press time, so youll want to keep your eye out for Kershaws official introduction. Nomore than 500 pieces will be produced, so its bound to go fast!


Kershaw CQC-2KDesigned by Ernest EmersonOVERALL LENGTH: 3.6 inches (closed)BLADE: 2.75 inches, 8CrMoV with black oxide coatingHANDLE: Black G-10 front, 410 black oxide coating backSPECIAL FEATURE: Emersons signature thumb disc, wave-shapedblade design, reversible pocket clipMSRP: $49.99

Kershaw Nura 3.5Designed by Dmitry SinkevichOVERALL LENGTH: 4.6 inches (closed)BLADE: 3.5 inches, stainless steel with titanium carbo-nitride coatingHANDLE: Stainless steel with sanded titanium carbo-nitride coatingSPECIAL FEATURE: Nearly frictionless KVT ball bearing openingMSRP: $59.99

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The Best of SHOT

Kershaw CQC-7KDesigned by Ernest EmersonOVERALL LENGTH: 4.5 inches (closed)BLADE: 3.25 inches, 8CrMoV, stonewashed and satin finishHANDLE: Black G-10 front, 410 beadblasted finish backSPECIAL FEATURE: Emersons signature thumb disc, tanto blade (a first for Kershaw)MSRP: $59.99

TRENDS OF SHOTFierce-looking bushcraft bladesCollaborations with in-demand customdesignersMultifunction knives; e.g. knives that double asflashlights, shovels with optional saw blades,knives with exchangeable blades.Companies commemorating theiranniversaries with intricately designed,limited-edition knives

Kershaw Camp 18OVERALL LENGTH: 24 inchesBLADE: 18 inches, powder-coated 65MnHANDLE: Full tang with rubber overmoldWEIGHT: 2 pounds, 14 ouncesIncludes sheathMSRP: $84.99

Zero Tolerance 0562Designed by Rick HindererOVERALL LENGTH: 4.8 inches (closed)BLADE: 3.5 inches, ELMAX powdered steelHANDLE: Textured G-10 front, stonewashed titanium backSPECIAL FEATURE: Nearly frictionless KVT ball bearing opening;reversible, deep-pocket clipMSRP: $250

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COAST LIGHTS, KNIVES AND MULTITOOLSwww.coastportland.com(877) 704-4545

When you buy a Coast product, you buy a product that was built to last (and one Coast backswith a lifetime warranty). What could be better than a product designed to live as long asyou do? How about one that can perform multiple functions for a price almost anyone

can afford? Those were the sorts of products that particularly caught our eyes at the Coast booth.Specializing in both tools and flashlights, Coast has brought together the best of both worlds in theform of a multitool and a knife, each outfitted with high-powered LED lights. And, of course, a selec-tion of new knives up to Coasts standards of reliability are waiting in the wings as well.

RX322Designed by Ron LakeOVERALL LENGTH: 8.75 inchesBLADE: 3.9 inches, 5Cr15MoV stainless steelHANDLE: Nylon-filledSPECIAL FEATURE: Patented Max-Lock technologywhich provides second lock; ambidextrous pocket clip MSRP: $48.99

BX315OVERALL LENGTH: 8.6 inchesBLADE: 3.25 inches, 9Cr18MoV stainless steelHANDLE: Poly-Steel TRP over hard nylon frameWEIGHT: 3.6 ouncesIncludes belt sheathMSRP: $26.99

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The Best of SHOT

LX237 OVERALL LENGTH: 6.25 inchesBLADE: 2.7 inches, 3Cr13 stainless steelHANDLE: Checkered fiberglass-filled nylonWEIGHT: 1.7 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURE: Deep-carry pocket clipMSRP: $13.99

LED122 Pocket ToolOVERALL LENGTH: 7.1 inchesBLADE: 3 inches, 3Cr13 stainless steelHANDLE: Stainless steelWEIGHT: 4.6 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURE: One built-in LED light at each end; two double-endedscrewdriver bits (Phillips and flathead); lanyard ringIncludes two CR1616 batteriesMSRP: $26.99

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GERBERwww.gerbergear.com(800) 950-6161

2014 marks Gerbers 75th anniversary, and theyre commemorating the aus-picious milestone with a few special products: first, the 39 Series, de-scribed as an ode to 1939 (the year the company was founded). These

streamlined, premium knives are designed to evoke the simple-yet-outstandingcraftsmanship of Gerbers earliest products and are available in fixed-blade andfolding models.

The second and perhaps more notable product is the Legend, an elite huntingknife. Its the best hunting knife Gerber has ever produced, says Mike May,media representative for Gerber, but were going for the best hunting knife evermade anywhere. The Legends standout feature is its blade made from S35VNsteel, which is brand-new to the industry and of the highest quality. Only 1,200pieces will be produced.

Also of interest to knife lovers on a budget will be Gerbers Vital, a smallpocketknife with an exchangeable, razor-sharp blade. Its specialized lockingmechanism ensures the blade is at no risk of snapping between this and thelarge finger choil, it may well be the safest exchangeable-blade knife on themarket.


39 Series Pocket KnifeOVERALL LENGTH: 6.5 inchesBLADE: 2.8 inches, 420HC steelHANDLE: Nickel-plated zincWEIGHT: 4.1 ouncesMSRP: $90

Vital Pocket Folding KnifeOVERALL LENGTH: 6.9 inchesBLADES: 2.8 inches, carbon steelHANDLE: Rubber overmoldWEIGHT: 1.3 ouncesIncludes six easily exchangeable #60 scalpel bladesMSRP: $20

Legend100 percent made in the USAOVERALL LENGTH: 9 inchesBLADE: 4 inches, CPM-S35VNstainless steelHANDLE: 3-D machined G-10 handlewith Oregon spalted maple inlayWEIGHT: 6.1 ouncesIncludes handmade Tanner Goodssheath with puncture-proof insert,custom storage box, lifetimeguaranteeMSRP: $750

39 Series FolderOVERALL LENGTH: 7.1 inchesBLADE: 3 inches, 420HC steelHANDLE: Nickel-plated zincWEIGHT: 6.32 ouncesIncludes genuine leather sheathMSRP: $105

On Gerbers 75th anniversary knife:Its the best hunting knife Gerber has ever produced, but weregoing for the best hunting knife ever made anywhere.

MIKE MAY

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PUMA KNIFE COMPANY USAwww.pumaknifecompanyusa.com(913) 888-5524

Puma prides itself on knives that hit thesweet spot between stylish simplicity andfunctional durability, and its offerings at

the 2014 SHOT Show were no exception. We wereparticularly impressed by Pumas contributions tothe bushcraft category, which was fairly ubiquitousat the show, in the form of two tough machetesthat any outdoorsman would want by his side. Butthats not all Puma is doing this year: Their latesthunting and tactical knives are sure to be strongcontenders as well.

In more general news, Puma announced that as of2014, fellow German company MINOX USA will beits exclusive distributor in North America.

Bush23 MacheteOVERALL LENGTH: 22 inchesBLADE: 15.9 inches, 3Cr14 stainless steelHANDLE: Comolded scales with protective guardWEIGHT: 22.1 ouncesMSRP: $39.99

Kukri17 MacheteOVERALL LENGTH: 17.5 inchesBLADE: 3Cr13 stainless steelHANDLE: Comolded scales withprotective guardWEIGHT: 18.4 ouncesIncludes ballistic sheathMSRP: $29.99

White River 8OVERALL LENGTH: 8 inchesBLADE: 3.5 inches, 440A stainless steelHANDLE: White boneWEIGHT: 6.2 ouncesIncludes leather sheathMSRP: $59.99

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The Best of SHOT

SW TAC FolderOVERALL LENGTH: 7.9 inchesBLADE: 3.4 inches, stonewashed 440A steelHANDLE: Stonewashed stainless steelWEIGHT: 6.3 ouncesIncludes Kydex sheathMSRP: $29.99

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Fossil with Veff SerrationsDesigned by Flavio IkomaOVERALL LENGTH: 8.9 inches (open)BLADE: 4 inches, 8Cr13MoV with black EDP finishHANDLE: Stainless steel with G-10 overlayWEIGHT: 6.1 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURE: Ikomas patented IKBS ball-bearing pivot system forsmooth, fast opening; Veff Serrations; ergonomic handleMSRP: $99.99

COLUMBIA RIVER KNIFE & TOOLwww.crkt.com

Ever prolific, CRKT had no shortage of innovative knives, tools and gear of allsorts to show off at SHOT. They have continued to produce pieces in collabo-ration with their stable of custom designers, as well as embarking on new

collaborative efforts with designers such as Lucas Burnley and Ryan Johnson.Inarguably, CRKT has covered an impressive amount of ground in its two decadesin business something its celebrating this year with the Buy Tighe, a specialknife designed by elite custom craftsman Brian Tighe. Only 500 serialized pieceswill be produced throughout the year, so collectors, keep poised to grab one whilethey last!

Buy TigheDesigned by Brian TigheOVERALL LENGTH: 12.3 inches (open)BLADES: 154CM with satin finishHANDLE: 6Al-4V titanium; ti-nitride coated liner; blue and stainless steel finishWEIGHT: 6.3 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURE: Dual blades one drop-point, one recurve; patended Klecker lockMSRP: $750

Eros SS Flat Handle - SmallDesigned by Ken OnionOVERALL LENGTH: 5 inchesBLADE: 2 inches, AUS-8 steel with satin finishHANDLE: 420J2 stainless steelWEIGHT: 1.5 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURE: IKBS ball-bearing pivot system for smooth, fast openingMSRP: $69.99

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The Best of SHOT

Woods Kangee T-HawkDesigned by Ryan Johnson of RMJTacticalOVERALL LENGTH: 19 inchesAXE: 4.2 inches, 1055 carbon steelHANDLE: Tennessee hickoryWEIGHT: 1 pound 15.7 ouncesMSRP: $69.99

ObakeDesigned by Lucas BurnleyOVERALL LENGTH: 7.6 ouncesBLADE: 3.6 inches, 8Cr14MoV steel with etched gray titanium nitride finishHANDLE: Paracord wrapWEIGHT: 2.4 ouncesIncludes glass-filled nylon sheath and black paracord with skull beadMSRP: $59.99

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Amico SeriesOVERALL LENGTH: 8 inchesBLADE: 3.25 inches, 154CM steel (availablein various styles)HANDLE: FRN (available in various colors)WEIGHT: 2.5 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURE: Can be customengraved for an additional $25MSRP: $116

FOX KNIVES USA

Fox Knives USA may be an offshoot of an Italian company,but its products reflect nothing less than all-Americanpride. Each knife is manufactured from high-quality steel

and handle materials, and designed with military and specialforces particularly in mind. Three particularly noteworthy linesare coming from Fox this year all impressively fierce in bothfunction and aesthetics. One of our favorites is Foxs collabora-tive effort with Danish custom knifemaker Jens Anso.

Anso Flipper FolderOVERALL LENGTH: 8.1 inchesBLADE: 3.5 inches, N690Co steelHANDLE: Titanium (also available in black G-10 or Santos wood)WEIGHT: 6.5 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURE: Can be custom engraved for an additional $25MSRP: $254

Olympian SeriesOVERALL LENGTH: 8.5 inchesBLADE: 3.5 inches, 154CM steelHANDLE: Cocobolo or G-10WEIGHT: 6.2 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURE: Can be customengraved for an additional $25MSRP: $195 (cocobolo) or $205 (G-10)

Photo by Terrill Hoffman

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The Best of SHOT

TOPS KNIVESwww.topsknives.com(208) 542-0113

Each year at the SHOT Show, TOPS Knives debuts a number of new designs in the tac-tical, everyday carry, hunting and outdoor categories. This years releases feature anumber of collaborations with custom makers, in addition to TOPS factory designs.

No doubt therell be something for everyone among the companys newest offerings!

HOG 4.5Designed by Gunnery Sergeant DaveNorseman WilliamsOVERALL LENGTH: 9.75 inchesBLADE: 4.4 inches 1095HC steelHANDLE: Black linen MicartaWEIGHT: 8.3 ouncesMSRP: $179.95

Tahoma Field KnifeDesigned by Andy TranOVERALL LENGTH: 13.9 inchesBLADE: 7.9 inches, 1095HC steelwith black river-wash finishHANDLE: Tan canvas MicartaWEIGHT: 1 pound 2 ouncesMSRP: $219.95

The LionessOVERALL LENGTH: 7.6 inchesBLADE: 3.5 inches, 1095HC steelHANDLE: Black G-10WEIGHT: 3.6 ouncesMSRP: $129.95

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RatiaOVERALL LENGTH: 8.5 inchesBLADE: 3.5 inches, AUS-8 stainless steel (available in black and satin finish)HANDLE: G-10WEIGHT: 5.25 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURES: New Tactical Assist Open (TAO) designed by Joe PardueMSRP: $79.95 (satin finish), $81.95 (black finish)

Bushcraft Field KnifeOVERALL LENGTH: 10.1 inchesBLADE: 5 inches, 5160 steelHANDLE: WalnutWEIGHT: 15.4 ouncesIncludes nylon sheath, 21-foot paracord, firestarterMSRP: $139.95

ChimeraOVERALL LENGTH: 13.625 inchesBLADE: 8.25 inchesHANDLE: KratonWEIGHT: 1 pound 7 ouncesPOINT OF INTEREST: Like its mythical namesake, the OKC Chimera is composed from the parts of other things. If you look closely, you can identify features of knives already in Ontarios line.MSRP: $149.95

ONTARIO KNIFE COMPANYwww.ontarioknife.com(800) 222-5233

Ontario has hit the ground running for 2014, introducing a small set of knives at SHOT with many moregroundbreaking options to come mid-season. This first batch of products includes both older models up-graded with better opening systems, as well as brand-new designs. As an additional kickstart to their

year, Ontario has welcomed to its management team Paul Tsujimoto, a design and engineering specialist with along career history in the cutlery industry.

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The Best of SHOT

Spyderco Consistently Delivers Safe, Reliable, High-Performance.

Period.

820 Spyderco WayGolden, Co 80403

800.525.7770www.spyderco.com

BROWNINGwww.browning.com(800) 333-3288

Most years, Browning expands its selection of knives significantly; forexample, last year they introduced an entirely new line in itsBlack Label tactical division. This year, they are bringing just

one knife to the market, but its one that has been a long time com-ing. The knife, called the Buckmark, is a straightforward foldermade to celebrate the Brownings well-known Buck Mark em-blem. Each year the company holds a Show us your Buck Markcontest that draws astounding entries everything fromBuck Mark tattoos to driveway markings.

BuckmarkOVERALL LENGTH: 7.75 inchesBLADE: 3.25 inches, 440 stainless steelHANDLE: Injection-molded compositeWEIGHT: 4.8 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURES: The textured handlebears a repeated Buck Mark emblemMSRP: $28

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Bushcraft BlackOVERALL LENGTH: 9.1 inchesBLADE: 4.3 inches carbon steel with black coatingHANDLE: Rubber injection moldedWEIGHT: 5.7 ouncesIncludes harness with plastic sheathMSRP: $69.99

MORAKNIVwww.industrialrev.com/morakniv(888) 297-6062

Swedish company Morakniv has been making its way into the North American market for years.Recently, theyve been able to ride the wave of the growing popularity of bushcraft knives. For2014, Morakniv has brought out three new models, all of which are variations on previous years

offerings. Notable changes include their very first serrated option, as well as blacked-out blades.

Bushcraft PathfinderOVERALL LENGTH: 10.8 inchesBLADE: 6 inchesHANDLE: injection-molded rubberWEIGHT: 8.8 ouncesMSRP: $130

Bushcraft Black TacticalOVERALL LENGTH: 9.1 inchesBLADE: 4.3 inches carbon steel blackbladeHANDLE: Injection-molded rubberWEIGHT: 6.3 ouncesSPECIAL FEATURES: Partiallyserrated bladeIncludes MOLLE-compatible sheathMSRP: $79.99

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The Best of SHOT

Double Duty Quick FixOVERALL LENGTH: 7.75 inchesBLADE: 3.75 inches, AUS-8 blackoxide finishHANDLE: Black FRN withinjection moulded TPR inlayWEIGHT: 5.6 ouncesTOOLS: Glass breaker, wrench,screwdriver, oxygen wrench, scale, web cutter, bottle openerMSRP: $84.99

5.11 TACTICALwww.511tactical.com(866) 451-1726

In the last few years, 5.11 Tactical has ventured beyond its es-tablished comfort zone as a general tactical supplier. Theyveentered the knife market full steam with a number of offerings

most notably the KOLD Khukri zombie knife. Their 2014 selec-tion is modest, but what they lack in volume they make upfor in quality. Among these new products is the com-panys first-ever assisted opener in two models,as well as a knife multitool called the Dou-ble Duty Quick Fix.

HALLMARK CUTLERYwww.hallmarkcutlery.com(866) 583-3912

HallMark Cutlery is the Little Company that Could. They may be small and family-owned, but that hasntstopped them from producing knives that rival some of the best on the tactical and outdoor market.They owe their quality in part to smart collaborations with custom designers for example, with Sean

Kendrick and David Mosier on their Bad Blood line. Both are in high demand for their independent knifemakingbus

Knives Illustrated - April 2014 USA

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