Friday WishList: Listen Up CRKT!

I do not own many CRKT knives, but one I have very much enjoyed is Kit Carson's M16. Its a very classy and very popular series of liner lock folders that are known for their extra blade lock. While, mine had issues with the pocketclip that prevented its carry after I lost screws a second time, I am still in awe of the wonderful feeling grip, the flipper role as guard, and the solid spear point blade design. CRKT, I beg you to make a fixed blade version of this knife! I want the same ergos, but I want a full tang on this bad boy! Blade size is fine for me, but if you used a better steel(s30v etc), a version in 4-5inch would be pretty damn awesome for a mid-sized fixed EDC! As it stands the 3.5 is a great size and shape for a boot/belt/CCW knife. Toss in a decent sheath with some options for open and concealed carry and this thing will sell.

Review: Gerber Octane

The most useful tool a human can usually carry with them is generally a sharp edge. However, other tools like screw drivers and pliers are really nearly as useful making multitools an extremely popular choice for EDC. Often EDC'ers are faced with a dilemma. Which to carry? Most multitools are pretty much large belt sheath affairs. Also, they often need to be opened up to take advantage of their knife blade after being removed from their belt pouch. In comparison the ubiquitous 'tactical folder', is positioned on the right or left hand pocket-top and opens with one hand. The most obvious solution is to carry both. But if one is already carrying CCW kit, cellphone, and possibly a flashlight... Yeah, we all know this gets heavy really quick.

Another solution is to make the multitool more user friendly. The first I know to have done this directly from the factory was the Leatherman Skeletool. Featuring a pocketclip and a locking blade that was accessible from the outside for one-handed opening. I had one for a few days, but returned it as defective after the removable screwdriver bits consistently dropped out and the blade didn't work smoothly even after oiling. I ended up getting a Leatherman Fuse and carried it inside my back pocket for a long while.

The Gerber Octane is another in the continuing evolution of these EDC multitools. Mine was bought for about $38 from KnifeCenter. The Octane features a slide out set of pliers/wirecutters which also serves as a lock to keep the tool from opening, flat and Philips head drivers, a small flat head driver for tiny screws, a bottle opener, a clamshell cutter, pocketclip, and a half serrated sheepsfoot locking blade on the outside. All the tools lock into place. Also, the frame is aluminum to keep the weight down.


Most of the negative things I've heard about Gerber's multitools is in the durability area. I would not recommend this for heavy duty use. Save those jobs for full steel multitools. However, the Gerber's role is not of a primary working tool, its a tool for those everyday small jobs. As such, the light weight and compact size is a blessing. This is coupled with an excellent pocket clip. Gerber got this clip right. The tool sits nicely and securely, perfectly in fact, in your pocket. It is a joy to carry unlike the uncomfortable times either sitting on your multitool or having it hit you in the love handles with its pouch.


The tools themselves are largely very functional except for the bottle opener. While it worked, I don't think it worked very well. It could be left off and not be missed. The screwdrivers have a decent length and fit nicely to most screws. They lock up tight, though the plastic on the lock is a possible point of failure. The plastic clamshell cutter works well. It is a very useful tool that should become popular with these more urban oriented designs. Lastly, the pliers/wirecutters are comfortably angled. The frame design fills the hand nicely for use with these. They lock in the 'use' position, but do not lock in the close position. Personally, I think I'd like them to lock closed. Also the color of the frame should be noted. It has a lot of red, and that is not a bad thing. Bright colors can certainly help when you drop this at night. Also, I think that bright colors serve to protect against the fears of hoplophobes. Reds, yellows, and oranges are often safety/danger colors. They warn that this is a sharp tool and can hurt you if you're not careful. As long as they think of them as tools rather than weapons, their fears can be kept in reserve to better bother the guy open carrying his Glock down the street.


Already, at $37 the octane to me has proven its worth. However, I must now speak of its weakest, greatest selling point. The knife. The knife is functional. It works, it does its job, but it does it in a lackluster fashion. To me, this is a 5 dollar knife strapped to a $40 multitool. The placement of the thumbhole is hard to access with my hands. It opens very smoothly other than that. Then the locking mechanism is a bit hard to operate one handed as well. The blade steel is 420js stainless. A tough steel, but too soft to keep an edge long. This is the failing point on most of these EDCMs. Cheap ass steel. After being spoiled with literally hundreds of reasonably priced 'tactical folders' in quality cutlery steel, its painful to be downgraded to this.
Overall, I feel that I got my money's worth out of my Octane. Its an extremely carry-able multitool that has a solid line up of tools you'll find yourself needed most often. I particularly recommend this to office guys and IT professionals. Its perfect for those environments where you might be opening up several clamshells a days and opening PC cases and replacing parts. If the knife doesn't matter so much for you, this an excellent buy. But if you use your knife as much as I do, you'll feel unsatisfied.

3 Rules for Selecting an EDC Knife

These are what I consider to be the three most important guidelines to think about when looking for a new EDC knife.

1. Carry only what you can afford to replace. Knives get lost, stolen, or confiscated. Expect one of these things to happen at some point. Do not carry a knife that is either difficult to replace due to price or impossible to replace due to sentiment.

2. Make certain your selection is legal in your state, town, and locations you expect to be going to. Laws on knives are almost as complex, backwards, and convoluted as gun laws. Research now. An assisted opening knife is considered a common pocketknife in some states and a deadly concealed weapon in others. All it takes it one accidental felony to ruin your life.

3. Carry only what you have the skill and/or the equipment to keep sharp and otherwise maintained. Some modern steels are very hard and difficult to sharpen. Also some blades are sharped oddly. Serrations are difficult to sharpen. All of these factors may require you to have more than a simple whetstone. If you are not used to sharpening knives, you may want to stick to more basic and easily sharpened steels such as AUS-8 and 440C until you have developed those skills. Also, look for simple blade shapes and avoid recurves and other more fantastic styles.

Get Tough!

Get Tough! How to win in hand-to-hand fighting by Major W. E. Fairbairn is fighting manual of close quarters hand-to-hand and melee techniques developed during the World Wars. Get Tough is not a book about martial arts, but rather techniques that can be easily learned and put into practical use. Inside are instructions and illustrations of holds, counters, strikes, knives, and sticks. Also, there is a chart of the locations of major arteries and time to incapacitation upon their severing.


Most martial arts are more about self control, physical exercise, and ritualized combat over practical fighting. This book contains nothing but simple methods to hurt people and keep them from hurting you. Useful knowledge from the gentlemen who were in the shit right with our grandfathers and great grandfathers. While this is 1940's era information, its still viable in our modern world. Knife fighting techniques might not always be useful, but knowing how to break out of holds is something that even young children should learn!


My wife and I, are going to work on learning several of the holds and counters this summer. Eventually, a paper copy will be ordered, but for now I found a PDF. I'm not sure if its abridged or not. Regardless, there is a lot of data there for anyone that wants to learn something good along with a willing vict- er partner.

A Preventable Needless Beef

I do not buy Spyderco knives. I look at their knives and I have a feeling of disdain. However, it is not a logical reason why I refuse to buy their knives or even handle them. Spyderco's are good looking, well-made, functional designs that are carried by pretty much everyone. However, one person made me hate them.

The year was 1999, and I had recently joined the ranks of the thousands carrying a tactical folder, that is a locking folding knife featuring one handed opening and a pocket clip. It was a huge heavy early S&W SWAT folder. It was one of the heaviest folding knives I ever owned, and I thought it was cool as heck and useful too. However, one of my aquantances at the dorm I lived saw my knife and decided to educate me on my mistake of owning it. This guy was a Spyderco fan. Supposedly a volunteer paramedic. He explained in a rather shit-eating fashion how his purely serrated knife would so easily cut through seat belts, how it opened better and how mine was too heavy, not sharp enough, and so on and so forth. Naturally, I very much resented his attitude. It was as if the meaning behind his words was that all the vaunted emergency services all over the country were laughing at me as they fingered their Spydercos.

Since then, I can't shake the bad feeling Spyderco's give me. I can at least admit that there's nothing wrong with them, but they're just not for me. All it takes is one 'lecture' about someone else's choices to ruin them for what you think is better. If you recommending knives, don't insult their blades. Rather, tell them the good things about your blade, and why they also need it in addition to their own. Never be rude or condescending. This mistake happens all too often. I find the semi-automatic verses revolver discussion is where this happens a lot too. I once had carrying a revolver compared to riding a skate board to work. Your argument is no longer valid if you have to make a comment like that. You've failed. Just walk away. We must remember. As long as a knife cuts and functions the way the user wants it to, its a successful knife.

Blade Reviews

I recently discovered Dan's Blade Reviews website. This is an excellent site with lots of great reviews on knives and interviews with custom knife makers. I especially recommend the Griptilian review. I've long wanted a full sized plain blade Griptilian in orange. Griptilians just might be the best production folding knives for under $100 available. Certainly good for even heavy EDC use. Check out Dan's site and find something you love. I did!

Boker 1915 German Trench Knife

My newest addition to my ever growing family of fixed blades is this lovely Boker trench dagger. It is new production but not a replica. Rosewood handles, c-75 carbon steel, grip pins, and the exact specs are exactly the same as when this knife was made by Boker during World War I for the Imperial German military.

The blade is a little over 5inches, and a nearly 11 inches in overall length. The weight is a mere 5.9 oz. It comes with a leather sheath that features no press buttons or velcro, instead the metal tab we've seen on so many old surplus magazine pouches from that era.

This Tree Boker set me back $125. The last knife to cost me as much was my disappointing m1911 folding knife. Unlike the m1911, this literally took my breath away when I finally pulled it free of the plastic blade cover. I've never gotten a fixed blade that has made me this excited! The balance is excellent, and center is right under the guard. The knife can make some very fast cuts. The rosewood grips are very spartan but with simple grooves allows a solid grip. The front contour fits nicely with the fingers, too. The guard itself is large enough to be useful, unlike on many modern fixed blades. It is also comfortable in standard and reverse grips.

It is also designed around being able to be used as a punch dagger! On each side of the finger guard, there is a curved indention for your fingers. The grip contour is also designed to fit in this mode. Punches can be made quickly in this hold.

The blade itself is made from C-75 carbon steel. Its in the same class as 1095 carbon steel. It must be oiled regularly and maintained to protect it from corrosion. It is much stronger than average stainless steels, and needs that strength as the blade style is a very classic single edged dagger.

I must mention that this knife is a true weapon. Unlike many other designs, it will not be as useful in camp chores or utility tasks. However, this fighting blade does have use in lighter cutting chores that the EDC knife user will find himself taking on. Also, its slim and light design would make it a good choice for a mid-sized carry fixed blade for concealed carry. The size makes it able to deliver lethal hits that small knives simply can't.

This is a very cool blade. Simple clean lines and useful features make it functionally elegant. One might almost think its a custom blade. As icing on the cake, this purchase can be considered historical. I am very interested in getting another one of these, to be customized with micarta or g10 grips and a good custom sheath.

There are three other versions of this knife. The first is identical except for wearing stag handles for about $25 more. This would make a nice BBQ knife in my opinion. The second is a modernized version with micarta grips, a more modern sheath, and a partially serrated edge. Disappointingly, the steel is replaced with the considerably weaker 440C stainless. The third is the stag handle, but in Damascus steel. It is more a presentation knife, as it sells for around $500.

Former Tools of the State

Here, I have two former government weapons reformed into a private security role. The stock Ruger GP-100 3inch .357 mag was used by the Canadian police but later re-imported to the US. Currently, Ruger only sells the 3inch GP with a full underlug.


This 12 gauge 870mag did light prison duty starting back in the 80's. Back then, they built them with all metal parts making it equivalent if not better than the modern 870police. It's wearing a short 12inch Hogue stock and a solid tri-rail system forearm. The weapon light is the excellent Streamlight TLR-1 LED. The magazine extension is the proven Wilson Tactical +2. The entire package is only just over 36inches long.


The .357 magnum and the 12 gauge shotgun shell are venerable partners in service to governments and civilians alike. They'll both be still doing their jobs long after we're all gone.

Ontario SP43: Everyone needs at least one pigsticker

Steadily, I have been filling out my knife collection with such staples as the automatic folder, the boot dagger, and the large folding knife. Finally, after lusting after a Mossberg 590a1 and an Ontario USMC bayonet, I decided it was time to spare me several hundred dollars by satiate my appetite with my first big knife.


The Ontario Spec Plus II Sp43 is a nice 8inch knife made from 5160 high carbon steel. The steel is tough, holds a good edge, but is not corrosion resistant. This steel must be kept oiled and maintained unlike your average edc stainless blade. I picked it up for under $60 at Midway USA.



So far I've used it for some light yardwork. It easily chopped down some young trees with a few good whacks. Unfortunately, I can't put a really good edge on it. I think my sharpening sticks are just a tad too short. Of course it may just be user error. Still, a really neat large knife. Good for your BOB, camping, or light yard work.



Update: I've used it for weeds, small trees, and even to hack off the end of a leg of lamb that wouldn't fit in my crock pot. This is a good blade and the sheath is functional and works well. A good purchase!

Ultimate-Equipment m1911 Knife

The m1911 knife by Ultimate-Equipment of Canada is a handsome locking folding knife designed around the use the same grip panels as the classic 1911 handgun. It is my third knife to cost me (including shipping) over one hundred dollars. The first two are the excellent Fallkniven Garm boot dagger and the massive five inch folding SOG Spec Elite II. Both blades regularly make it into my EDC lineup. The Garm makes a great off-hand defensive knife for weapon retention. The Spec Elite II is so large that it easily carries inside the waistband, but deploys quickly and with authority. I consider them both well worth the money spent. However, is the m1911 knife worth the same? With the incredible popularity of the 1911 handgun, there are lots of the classic .45‘s fans that would love to know the answer.


The m1911 knife purchased is the full size version featuring a 3.5 inch satin finished blade, a pair of rosewood 1911 grips, and weighs in a hefty 6.4 ounces. Also, included is a removable reversible pocket-clip, a black nylon belt/web-gear sheath, and a hex key for the grips. I ordered mine with cocobolo grips, but they were out of stock. Terry, the head honcho of Ultimate-Equipment and designer of the m1911 knife, sent some rosewood grips with the knife with a promise of sending the cocobolos later.

Cosmetically, this is knife already looks the part. Fit and finish is great. The rosewood grips look sharp. It comes in either satin stainless or in a black oxide finish. It also comes in a smaller version that uses officer-sized grips as well as a fixed version using the standard 1911 grips. Black blades on stainless frames or vice versa can be arranged at ordering. Grips are offered in cocobolo, rosewood, and several different G10 textures and colors. There are nearly endless choices for customization as almost any after-market grips can be used. Terry proudly displays several pistol & knife pictures submitted by customers.


The knife’s construction is pretty heavy duty. The frame is a nice thick stainless steel. Its heavy and tough. The blade is made out of one of two steels. 440C stainless and S30v, costing $99 and $139 respectively. Mine is the 440C version. It is also the first point of contention with anyone who knows a little about cutlery steel. 440C is not a crap steel. In fact is one of the great knife steels available. It offers a solidly good performance in edge retention, sharpness, corrosion resistance, toughness, and ease to be resharpened at an excellent price. Quality blades in 440C start out for as low as $20. There are lots of fine knives in 440C of the same size and quality as the m1911 for around half the price.


A knife’s handle even more important than the steel its made from. A secure grip will make or break a design. The m1911‘s grips attracts a lot of attention and in fact they are the single best feature of the handle. The 1911‘s grip just become a 100 year old design. The rosewood grips of my knife swell nicely into the hand. The rough checkered texture adds considerably to the grippiness of this knife. However, that is really the only excellent part of the handle. The basic shape is reasonably comfortable so much that is not really uncomfortable. It a solid ok. Nothing more. The frame spine and the belly are very straight and very smooth. There is no texture or curvature to allow for a better grip. The finger guard is passable and very necessary. Without it, it would be a deadly dangerous design. With smooth 1911 grips, I would still rate this design as dangerous. The blade spine has very shallow jimping, but it is forward of the thumb-opener. Too far to be useful. My thumb falls squarely on the stud. I can’t decide if the locking lever’s jimping is meant to be useful or decorative. Without the frame matching these grooves, they are useless in any account. I never got to test the glass breaker. Frankly, with the lack of grip, I’m a little nervous about trying it.


The tactical part of tactical folder isn’t so much they’re ‘military’ but that they can be stowed and deployed easily. The pocket clip is really such a key advantage to the pocket knife that I don’t buy a folding knife that doesn’t have one. The m1911 has a detachable pocket-clip. There have been several designs of the m1911‘s pocket-clip, and the latest is supposed to be the best. It’s still not so great. All parts of this knife were designed around the grip panels. Therefore, the pocket-clip may always be lacking. It is hard to be drawn from a jean pocket. Even when pulling up on the tip of the clip, its still very difficult. It’s a problem I never had with my Boker automatic. The Ak-74's clip is pretty similar. It may sort itself out over time however.


The locking mechanism is the single biggest reason I bought this knife. Were it just pretty grips alone, it would have remained in Canada. However, I saw that this knife’s locking system is manipulated from the sides. The Hammerhead Lock works much like a classic lock-back. Instead, of the lock release being on the spine of the knife, its an ambidextrous system that is located next to the blade’s pivot. It doesn’t rely on tiny springs like Benchmade’s Axis-lock or SOG’s Arc-lock. It is a strong and sturdy locking system. However, it is tight. I am barely able to manipulate the lock after a week of carry and considerable opening and closing just to loosen it up. To close the blade painlessly, two hands are required. Looking for fixes, I located a FAQ on Ultimate-Equipment’s website on how to lighten the spring. For there to be a sizable FAQ, complete with pictures, tells me that I am by no means the only one to have problems. If problems must be fixed by punches and hammers... Perhaps, those problems are just too much. Nor will they lessen with time.

Opening the blade is rather difficult still after one week of use. It is lightening up however. I could see normal use after about 2 to 3 weeks.

The m1911 knife is very cool. Its very attractive. It looks awesome next to 1911s that match its finish and grips. It is also very well built. Customer service from this company is also great. Sadly though, good looks are what I feel this sturdy locking knife best for. This is no EDC knife. I do not feel that the smaller version will be much better. Perhaps further refinements will make it a more usable tool. Texturing the spine and belly of the frame alone could improve it by miles. The jimping problem is also one that should be addressed. On the thumb-opener, there should be some sort of grooves to maintain a proper grip. The jimping on their fixed blade version looks great! If many people are lightening the spring, perhaps allow folks to choose the different spring strengths. Until these issues are addressed, I can’t recommend this knife for much other than being a cool gimmick to match up with your favorite display 1911. There are too many excellent knives for this price and under to buy.

I want to be fair and mention that I did only carry this for one week. Nor did I hit it with any oils or any fixes. My unfavorable view of this particular design is certainly not because I wanted the knife to fail. It is designed around a gimmick, but its one that I and many other people want to work. I look forward to new designs by Ultimate-Equipment. Judging by the fit and finish of the m1911, a future hammerhead design might be quite impressive.

UPDATE: I was promised the cocobolo grips that I originally wanted. It is 7 months later, and no sign of them. The promise of getting those grips are what sealed this deal in the first place. I wouldn't have even minded sending the rosewoods back as long as I got the ones I wanted. Therefore, I must retract my appreciation of their customer service. This knife has been a $130(including shipping) failure.