Cold Steel Spike Drop Point 53NCC

8 inches of Krupp 14116 stainless steel, an eigth of an inch thickness, full tang, 4 inches of handle and 4 inches of blade, flat ground. Secure Ex sheath designed for neck carry. Made in Taiwan. Faux G10 handle scales with a very secure texturing.

Currently, three variants are available. Bowie, Drop Point, Tanto and “Tokio”. I chose the middle ground and ended up with a nice and solid steak knife that has some defensive value for people with small hands. Actually, I can very well envision this knife in the purse of a well prepared lady besides a can of pepper spray. For my paws, I would rate it as a bit too slim and would prefer some more handle beef.

I have not used mine for anything else but slicing pizza, but I would bet this is a solid penetrator. The sheath does not offer enough tightness for neck carry in my book and I do not know if the material will take the abuse of re-forming it. If you have big hands, better check this one out in a knifeshop before you buy.

I have therefore chosen a pencil, a SAK Hiker, and a classic Mora knife for the photo impressions. The knife seems not comparable at all to the older cord-wrapped versions of the Spike.

Modified & Inexpensive Companions

Cutting tools are not always perfect. Slight changes can make them satisfactory. Here is a picture of three of my woods companions. The Tramontina 14 inch bladed machete has a grip that is easily reground because it is made from soft wood, and also slightly grooved. The Nepal Service Kukri knife has its horn grip also ground off at the rear to make it more comfortable for swinging chops in my hands. It is also covered in bike inner tube. The discontinued Mora Triflex has grooves in the slippery handle and a “sweet spot” in the spine of the blade for striking a fire.

Infiner “Mad Dog” Clone

These days, I´ve had the chance to handle and photograph one of he latest fake knives from China. A copy of the Mad Dog Pygmy 1 made by “Infiner”, a company that is also manufacturing copies of the Mission MPK and ESEE4. The prices are appreciably higher than your typical fake knife. 50 Euros or more have to be paid for most Infiners, which is making the basic idea of faking a bit senseless.

The Pygmy clone is very well made with a flat ground blade of 5 inches that is supposed to be made of 440C and a 4.5 inch long handle of very smooth G10. The kydex sheath is well fitted and even features a reproduced TekLok adapter that seems trustworthy at first glance.

I have never handled a handmade Mad Dog knife as they are beyond my financial opportunities, but I am amazed at how comfortable the handle is. I would love to see this great grip design in a more affordable commercial version of the original knives.

The chinese clones make no real sense to me, as it is hard to judge what the blade steel really is, if there is a decent quality control at all or how much stress you can put on the handle. Decide for yourself if supporting such companies to get a cheap version of your dream knife is OK or if you will just obtain an overpriced wall hanger that might hurt sales of the original designers.

Cold Steel Barong Machete (Discontinued)

Sadly, this 12 inch carbon steel bladed wilderness tool is no longer made. Like the Sax and the Bowie Machete, these were china-made. The grips are of a softer material compared to the current south-africa-made machete models by CS, cushioning your chopping in wood. Also, the sheaths are of appreciably better build quality and perfectly adequate. I like the fact that the edge has a nice constant belly to it and offers an acute tip at the same time. At almost 3mm spine thickness, the CS Barong is not flexible but very lightweight at the same time. In a pinch, the Barong should make a very decent short sword. Why this series was discontinued remains a mystery to me. If you can find one used or NOS for an adequate price, make sure to buy it. You will not be disappointed.

Ka Bar “porn”

If you are into knives, you probably already own one of these. I recommend getting the “original” made today in Olean, NY, USA. Especially the straight edged Model 1211 with its very comfortable Kraton handle. It just feels a good tad better than the leather handled version, which is why I leave my USMC unused for display. Your standard 7 inch KaBar is a remarkably lightweight (310 grams) universal “field knife” that can serve a soldier or an outdoorsman equally well. The short KaBar, to me, feels like a toy (or very massive letter opener) in the hand, and seems more at home as a christmas present to a 10-year-old, from an ergonomic standpoint.

When using your KaBar, bear in mind that it is a “rat tail” knife with 90 degree angles at the tang/handguard junction. These are generic stress risers, so care has to be taken when hitting the back of the blade with a wood baton. Knives like these must not be taken granted to tolerate these somewhat punishing techniques. I do not think it has to do with the heat treatment at the factory.

I have done it on three to four inch diameter trees, using short strokes and a lighter baton, with no negative results on my 1211, but it is not recommended. The youtube-kids are able to destroy Recon Scout or Trailmaster knives made of good carbon steel with this “survival skill”, so the not-so-thick KaBar is even more endangered. A knife like the Peltonen M95 cannot be broken this way.

Cold Steel Lone Star Hunter

Only yesterday, I received the Cold Steel Lone Star Hunter. At 173 grams, this is one solid folding knife! The blade is flat ground from AUS-8 stainless steel and a full 4 inches in length. Scary sharp from the box, too. It locks with the Tri Ad mechanism, a fantastic improvement on the traditional lockback system. The lock bar takes a deep push to close, it cannot happen by accident. I cannot make out any bladeplay, the overall workmanship of the Lone Star Hunter is clearly first rate.
I ordered the version with a nail nick blade instead of the ambidextrous thumb studs due to the latest legal complications in Germany since 2009 concerning the carry of one-hand-opening knives with locking blades. Criminals couldn´t care less, the good guys worry.

Removing the studs from other knives has always seemed like castration to me and looks obscene. The Lone Star Hunter has a classic design, the nail nick fits the general look. You can also grasp the spine and flick the knife open by using gravity and the smooth action in an emergency. Opening the blade with your thumb and middle finger (as if there was a hole there in the blade) can be done with dry hands, but makes it easy to slip on the edge.
The whole knife has a somewhat slippery feel to it thanks to the polished surfaces and smooth faux stag scales screwed to the frame. I strongly would suggest Cold Steel to offer this knife with G10 scales (Dark blue? Light brown?) with rounded edges and a rougher finish. The look of the “cowboy” scales fits the overall design and is a bit cheesy at the same time, reminding me of cap pistols for boys or 1950s TV western heroes. I have not made up my mind if I like it or if the look has to “grow on me”. It remains to be seen if the material holds up to abuse or being dropped on hard surfaces.
The 3.5mm spine of the blade is sharp edged. A fire steel will love this, if you do a lot of carving you might want to file the edges down a bit. The stainless handle is long enough to fit the largest hand with gloves on.
I have not carried the knife around with me a lot yet, but it certainly feels comfortable despite its weight and size, even in tight fitting Wrangler jeans. Retrieving the knife from your pocket is not as easy as you might think. There are two pocket clips shipped with it, for right and left handed users. They are so tight you will have to bend them a bit to be usable. Also, the knife carries quite deeply in your pocket and the slippery end of the handle is quite hard to grasp. You will need some dexterity for this operation or go the old fashioned way and use a belt pouch.
In a defensive situation, forget about it. While I consider knives to be tools first, an urban EDC folder should stand up to this task in a pinch. Have your Lone Star Hunter out and open in a dark alley! Maybe this knife is not “urban” at all.

The sheer size will dramatically lower social acceptance. I also understand that a 4 inch blade is not legal to carry in many jurisdictions. Measuring from the handle end to the very tip, the LST is acutually a tad over 4 inches in blade length.
Overall, the LST impresses me with its heft and workmanship. The blade shape makes it a real slicer. The Tri Ad lock and flat grind make it mucho superior to a Buck 110 in my opinion. If a folder is all you have in a survival situation (Remember the movie “The Edge” with Alec Baldwin and Antony Hopkins? The lack of equipment seemed quite realistic to me…), I can think of none better than something like the LST. Most of us do not carry Kukris when on a day hike with the family.
I would like to see redesigned clips (or a different spot for them on the handle), a lanyard hole, different scales and a more compact version from Cold Steel. And I want many more Tri Ad knives from CS in 2013!

Crusader Forge Fake Knife

Ripoffs of high-end knives keep getting better and therefore become harder to spot. Look at the enclosed pictures of this Crusader Forge Mini 02 “hommage”. Steel is 7Cr17 stainless, handle scales of G10, the sheath is thin Kydex. Workmanship is very decent, if not perfect. The knife comes shaving sharp out of the cheapest of cardboard boxes. I am not quite sure why the Chinese are sometimes choosing such rather exclusive knives like the CF as a basis for fakes. If someone sees it at an auction site for 40 or 50 dollars (which is what these seem to cost including postage from Hong Kong), he must be pretty aware of the fact that it cannot be the real thing. Keep your eyes open ! Extrema Ratio and Strider seem to be the brands copied most intensively, but they are reaching makers now that you would never have guessed.

Benchmade HK Instigator Snody knife

This Snody design remains my favorite neck knife of all time. Lean and mean, wharncliff style with a chisel grind, this AUS8 steel knife allows for a secure full hand grip and easy draw. The Zytel sheath that comes with it is not perfectly fitted, but carries the Instigator securely and makes lashing it to a vest or pack easy. For a time, I had the handle wrapped in paracord, but it has been removed again for a lower profile. The knife is marketed under the Heckler & Koch line these days and is made for Benchmade in Taiwan.

Meyerco Persian

I have ordered my Persian out of curiosity to see if the blade shape had any value for me. However, this knife was not a keeper. The grip was simply too short for my taste and the fit of the knife in the thin kydex sheath a bit too tight, as I really had to rock it back and forth to get it out. The belt clip can be remounted for left handed use. The workmanship of the (relatively thick and heavy) Persian is, however, absolutely first rate. The fitting of the G10 scales to the “frame” is a dream. You cannot do better on a custom knife ! The back edge is not sharp, this hideout blade probably works best in a reverse grip.

  

Boker Plus TUF

Overall length: 22,0 cm
Blade length: 11,5 cm
Weight: 134 g
Blade thickness: 3,1 mm
Blade material: 440C
Handle material: Cocobolo

I have my TUF for a few months now and use it mainly for day hikes or in the kitchen. In a pinch, it should also make a decent defensive knife though it is on the slippery side for that purpose. It reminds me a bit of the Spyderco Temperance 1st generation I once owned.

Overall, the workmanship is OK, but not first rate. The wood grips could be much better fitted to the tang and the polishing of the steel is only half heartedly done. The TUF is not an expensive knife, so one can live with imperfections.

It is lightweight and carries well inside the waistband due to the rounded off grip end that does not poke in your sides. I bought mine slightly used and it came with an extremely well done simple kydex sheath. I highly recommend that you have such a sheath made for yours as the leather affair that comes with the TUF is not satisfactory.

The biggest advantage of the TUF is that it does not scream “fighting knife” when you pull it out. Social acceptance is relatively high. If your local laws do not keep you from carrying a fixed blade concealed, this one might be for you.