Any avid 国产吃瓜黑料 reader should have The Ten听Essentials etched into their memory. The venerable list of items that every hiker should take with them into the backcountry pays equal weight to insulation, fire-starters, and, of course tools. There are very few problems you’ll encounter in the wilderness where your tool of choice isn’t a knife. But what鈥檚 the best knife for the outdoors?

While I own dozens of options, the one I reach for most often is simple, small, and relatively affordable. My knife of choice is the Esee-3HM.听Let鈥檚 talk about how you can find the knife that works for you.

What Kinds of Knives Work Best Outdoors?

Perhaps we should phrase the question like this: What tasks do you need a knife for on your next camping trip or hike? You might need to cut cordage so you can lash a shelter down in high wind. You might need to break down dead wood, to access its dry interior and start a fire. You might need to whittle a stick, to use as an extra tent peg or to roast a hot dog. If you鈥檙e fishing or hunting, you might need to remove听guts or skin.

For general outdoors use, a knife is a tool for mights and maybes. If you鈥檙e planning to focus on a specific activity鈥攕ay catching a fish鈥攜ou might pack a specific tool like a filet knife. But if you鈥檙e just spending time outside, you鈥檒l want to carry a knife capable of any task you might encounter.

So that鈥檚 what an outdoors knife is鈥攐ne you can use for any task you might encounter outdoors.

What About Survival Knives?

In my opinion, the term “survival” has been co-opted by people trying to sell you a fantasy, rather than a useful tool matched to realistic needs. A good knife should be strong, sharp, and reliable. What you probably don’t need is the added weight and bulk a compass, fishing line storage, or saw teeth.

If you do find yourself in a survival scenario鈥攕ay you鈥檝e gotten lost and night is falling鈥攖he general-purpose nature of an outdoors blade is going to work better at getting a fire going or cutting pine boughs to sleep on than something purpose built for slicing open Those other features just get in the way.

Why Not Carry a Multitool?

I get the appeal of toting a Leatherman or other all-in-one tool. With multiple tools and functions, it鈥檚 easy to think a multitool or Swiss Army knife might be more versatile tool. Here’s why it鈥檚 not.

Away from a Phillips-head screwdriver and can opener, the tool you鈥檙e going to find yourself using most often outdoors is a knife blade. And while yes, multitools and Swiss Army Knives听do tend to include one of those, they鈥檙e usually small and of poor quality. Even if you do find a multitool with a good blade鈥攍ike the new Leatherman Arc鈥攖hat鈥檚 still going to fall short of most real knives for two reasons: 1) the handle will be uncomfortable and 2) it鈥檒l be subject to failure.

It鈥檚 for those reasons that I carry a small multitool in addition to a real knife.

Can You Carry a Folding Pocket Knife?

Folding knives are far more prone to failure than fixed blades because of the mechanism that allows them to collapse.

That failure can be non-mission critical鈥攖he pivot can fill up with dirt and stop working. Or, should a locking mechanism break or come loose, that failure could cause the blade to slam shut on your hand, leading to significant injury. More commonly, folding knives just break in half if you try to use one to split firewood, leaving you without the tool you need to finish the job.

A fixed-blade, with no moving parts, is the better option as a result.

How Long of a Blade Do You Need?

Longer blades span larger pieces of wood, enabling you to more efficiently split those apart. The additional weight that comes with longer blades may also make them easier to chop with, although a knife is not the best tool for that job. Get a hatchet.

The shorter a knife鈥檚 blade is, the easier it is to carry and control.

My compromise on blade length: while holding the handle, I try to reach the tip of the blade with my index finger. I like that length because I hunt, and being able to cover the blade鈥檚 tip with my finger means I can reach inside a chest cavity, feel for the windpipe, and sever that without poking holes in other organs while I鈥檓 in there. But you’ll find this to be a good rule of thumb鈥攐r index鈥攆or judging a knife to be easy to carry and convenient to employ.

Consider the Handle

As I mentioned at the top, my knife of choice is an . That combines a 3.63-inch blade with a thin handle which terminates at the base of the blade without any obstructions. You can really choke your hand all the way up into the choil (the finger shaped cutout behind the edge) for jobs where you need fine control.

That handle is made from linen micarta, a resin-impregnated fabric layup that leaves the end of the threads exposed. It鈥檚 virtually indestructible, but feels soft to the touch, and provides good grip while wearing gloves or barehanded, wet or dry.

The slim, elongated handle also facilitates comfort and security across all types of grip. The knife feels natural and comfortable any way you hold it.

The Importance of Blade Shape, Thickness, and Grind

Wonky blades that are shaped to cut only in certain directions, to protect their point while penetrating, or to work best while slicing, prioritize performance in those tasks over general utility. Try to split a log with some zanily-shaped knife and you鈥檒l quickly become frustrated. Instead, look for a blade where the edge falls away from the tip in a generous sweep, then continues back toward the handle in a straight line. That shape will be the most versatile.

Recently, I’ve noticed a trend in the market toward very chunky blades, measuring a quarter inch or more in thickness. This is done for looks, not utility. A knife is not a pry bar; it is a cutting tool. The thicker a blade is the harder time it鈥檒l have slicing through whatever it is you want to cut. The Esee-3HM鈥檚 one-eighth-inch thickness is ideal, lending the tool strength without getting in the way of the job at hand.

A blade is thinnest at its edge and thickest at its spine. Getting there in a straight line鈥攆orming a simple wedge shape鈥攊s the strongest arrangement and is very practical for splitting wood. Blades that feature a wide wedge terminating at a point below the spine won鈥檛 slice as well. Ones that use a concave shape from the edge to spine prioritize slicing performance over splitting.

What Makes a Knife Strong?

Look for a knife where the handle material is bolted to the outside of the blade鈥檚 steel, forming a place for your hands only. Knives where the handle continues rearwards beyond the steel can see the handle and blade separate under hard use, or after exposure to weather and chemicals.

What鈥檚 the Best Steel for Knives?

The variety of steel used to construct a knife, and the way in which it is forged, quenched, and treated, determine qualities like edge retention, ease of sharpening, chip and rust resistance, and even how fine of an edge is achievable at a microscopic level.

Because a sharp knife is also the safest and most useful knife, I try to prioritize ease of sharpening in blades I intend to carry outdoors. High carbon steels are generally good at that, even if they do tend to get rusty and tarnished. Esee鈥檚 1095 steel is a proven performer, and also can be found at reasonable prices. The knife I’m using throughout this article retails for about $130.

Spend a little more on fancier blade steels like Magnacut for blades you plan to carry more than use. You鈥檒l appreciate rust-resistance in a folding knife riding in a sweaty pocket.

Don鈥檛 Overlook this Crucial Factor

A knife needs to be sharp. A sharp knife will require less force to use, reducing the odds of an accident. A sharp knife will also cause less damage to the medium being cut, and be easier to use.

I do not carry a field sharpener, instead preferring the ease of use offered by . Keeping knives touched up on that sharpener only takes a few seconds, and bringing a knife back from dull just requires a few minutes. Making sure my Esee has a razor鈥檚 edge before heading into the field has proven vital, as the blade stays useable even on trips lasting two weeks or more.

Wes Siler got his first knife in Cub Scouts, and has carried one nearly every day ever since. , where he explores the intersection of outdoor skills and the politics of the great outdoors.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an Outdoors Knife appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

A sharp knife is a safe knife. But knives also dull incrementally every time you use them. So, if you want to use a knife safely, you need know how to sharpen it. Here鈥檚 a look at all the major tools and techniques available to sharpen knives, so you can pick the one that will work best for you.

Before we dive in, let me give you the single most effective piece of knife sharpening advice out there: It is much easier to keep a knife sharp than it is to make it sharp. Maintaining a knife鈥檚 edge with frequent honing involves much less work than starting over from a dull edge. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so important to find a sharpening tool听you like鈥攗sing it every time, or every few times a knife gets used is the best way to take care of that knife.

To begin, you’ll need to learn one key piece of information about your knife: the angle of its edge. Many outdoor blades use 20 degree edges; many kitchen knives are 15 degrees. But there is no hard and fast rule here. Also of note: attempting to sharpen a knife using the wrong angle between it and an abrasive medium will dull its blade听and may result in permanent damage.听 Look up any knife鈥檚 edge angle before attempting to sharpen it.

There are many devices and techniques out there to sharpen a knife, and each one has its pros and cons. We dove into each method to help you find the best one to suit your needs.

If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside.听Learn more.

Whetstones

Affordable but They Have a Steep Learning Curve

A whetstone is just a flat, abrasive rock or synthetic stone. It’s as basic as a sharpener gets.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Cheap
鈯� Will last through generations of use
鈯� Small, robust, and easy to transport
鈯� No angle guide
鈯� Risk of cutting yourself
鈯� Not effective enough to work on very durable steel

You鈥檒l find sharpening stones made from actual stone, ceramic, or synthetic materials. Ones that feel porous require water or oil to carry away material left behind by the听action. With proper technique, a sharpening stone can be extraordinarily effective, but used incorrectly, one can also exacerbate blade wear, and alter the angle of the edge grind.

To use one, you simply push the knife along the stone, towards the edge, as if you鈥檙e trying to carve into the stone. Care must be taken to maintain a precise angle as you push the knife along the stone. And just to make things harder, most sharpening stones won鈥檛 be broad enough to span a blade鈥檚 entire length, so you must also push or pull a knife sideways as you move it forwards, again while using your hands to try and maintain that angle.

Sandpaper

Cheap but Requires Fine Motor Skills

A good substitute听if you don鈥檛 have a dedicated sharpener on hand, sandpaper also allows you to choose and change the level of abrasion.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Cheap
鈯� Using different grits will deliver custom results
鈯� No angle guide
鈯� Wears out quickly
鈯� Requires precise technique

Wrap a block of some kind with sandpaper, then use it identically to that whetstone. Changing from a coarse to a fine grit as you go can help you achieve razor-like sharpness, even on very hard steels.

Honing Rods

Good for Everyday Touchups but Can’t Sharpen a Dull Blade

When you use or sharpen a knife, you actually roll the very thin edge to one side slightly. This is called a micro-burr, and a honing rod can get rid of the burr without removing more material.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Helps edges and blades last longer
鈯� Quick and easy to use
鈯� Little potential for error
鈯� Can鈥檛 actually remove material from edge

Softer steels sharpened at a fine angle (think: cheap kitchen knives) have a tendency to roll their edges to one side. A few swipes on a each side along a honing rod can correct this. The same thing happens to all knives when you sharpen them. This is why you try and do an equal amount of strokes along each side of the blade, but variables like pressure and duration are difficult to account for when sharpening by hand, so employing a rod at the end of any sharpening session can help ensure the edge is aligned.

Strops

They Deliver an Ultrafine Edge鈥攂ut Only After Prior Sharpening

Look at the edge of a knife under a microscope and it will appear jagged, or even serrated. Polishing that edge after sharpening can remove some of those imperfections.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Makes sharp knives sharper
鈯� Feels really satisfying
鈯� Returns diminish quickly. A quality sharpener used correctly should produce similar results.

Apply a polishing compound to a piece of leather, and run the knife along it like it鈥檚 a stone. This polishes out microscopic imperfections to create truly razor sharp edges capable of cleanly slicing without tearing.

Pull-Through Sharpeners

Dead Simple but They Can Damage Your Knives

A style of sharpener commonly found in kitchens, these employ two abrasive rods set at a fixed angle inside a guide.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Cheap
鈯� Easy to use
鈯� Versions without hand guards can prove dangerous
鈯� Fixed angle isn鈥檛 compatible with many knives
鈯� Can pinch, roll, and otherwise damage edges

This is probably the kind of sharpener your grandparents kept in their kitchen. A housing holds two abrasive rods in a V shape, and can be rested on or mounted to a counter or other work surface. To use one, you just pull a knife through the V, repeating until you achieve your desired results. These things are cheap for a reason鈥攖hey won’t get your knives razor sharp and could damage the blade in the process.

Electric Belt Sanders

They Work Quickly. Use with Great Care.

Basically just a power sander. You can actually use one of those, but dedicated sharpeners will have angle guides and other safety features.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Extremely effective
鈯� Big results in little time
鈯� Can easily damage or destroy knives if used incorrectly
鈯� Requires a power source

This is how knives are sharpened at the factory鈥攂elt sanders are the tools professional knife sharpeners employ. Some models are simple, and use belts of a single grit. Others may be more elaborate, featuring precise, alterable angle guides, hand guards, interchangeable belts, and other features.

Just be careful to read any relevant instructions, watch some video tutorials, and practice first on a knife you don鈥檛 care about. These things work well enough that you can quickly round a blade鈥檚 tip, destroy a steel鈥檚 heat treatment, or cause undue wear鈥攅ven in just a few seconds of carelessness.

Ceramic Rods

Safe and Easy to Use but They Require Patience

Set into holes in a stable base, ceramic rod sharpeners help maintain a consistent angle while protecting your hands.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Consistent results
鈯� Easy to use
鈯� Safe
鈯� Results can be limited on harder steels
鈯� Ceramic rods break when dropped

Addressing the major issues inherent in whetstones, ceramic rod sharpeners work on similar principles, but are far听easier to use. Simply pull a knife down the guided rods, and repeat until the edge is sharp.

Guided Angles

Expensive and Time-Consuming, but You Can鈥檛 Argue with the Results

These things combine precise angle control while the gentle nature of manual sharpening.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Easy on your blade
鈯� Extremely effective
鈯� Can be expensive
鈯� Time consuming to set up
鈯� Results require patience

To use a guided angle sharpener, just clamp it to the edge of a counter or workbench, install the correct angle guide, clamp in your knife, then manually sweep ceramic abrasives in swappable听grits across your edge. These are a great option for expensive knives because the angle between blade and abrasive is precisely controlled, and you can be as gentle as you need, or really bear down on the handle to bring a dull knife back from the dead. I struggle to find the patience to set mine up and take it down, so even while this is likely the most effective option, it鈥檚 also one it takes commitment to employ regularly.

Rolling Stones

Foolproof, but Can Only Get Your Knives So Sharp

Also combining precise angle control with manual operation (and few or no moving parts), these promise to work as well as a Guided Angle sharpener, with no setup or takedown.

Pros and Cons
鈯� Dead simple
鈯� Gentle on your blades
鈯� Precise angle control
鈯� Limited effectiveness
鈯� Incompatible with some blade designs

These burst into social media prominence听out of nowhere in the last couple of years. I bought one on the promise that it鈥檇 be as foolproof as a guided angle sharpener without all the hassle, but was immediately disappointed when the angle guide (a magnetic block you place on your counter, then push the blade against) refused to hold a saber-ground knife securely at the 20 degrees I needed.

To use one, you just use that guide to hold your knife inverted, then roll the sharpener back and forth while pushing your hands together to create pressure. Swapping wheels to different grits can achieve progressively finer results.

The post The 9 Best Ways to Sharpen Any Knife appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It was a big year for outdoor gear. From e-bike technology that promises to revolutionize kayaking to the invention of a new super steel that makes knives more indestructible, there was a lot for gearheads to get excited about in 2023. These are the six innovations in outdoor gear that topped the list.

BOA Fit System for Ski Boots

For decades skiers have been clamoring for something (anything) that would make ski boots more comfortable and less complicated. This year, four prominent boot brands鈥擜tomic, K2, Salomon, and Fischer鈥攆inally heard those cries and delivered a solution to address fit and function: a BOA Fit System to replace the lower buckles on select ski boots. BOA lacing itself isn鈥檛 new; it鈥檚 been commonplace on snowboard boots and cycling shoes for years. But it hasn鈥檛 been adopted by ski boot manufacturers until now because of durability and performance concerns. However, the new BOA H+i1 dial, specifically designed to withstand the type of wear and tear ski boots are accustomed to, alleviates those concerns and won over major boot brands. What does this mean for skiers? Dialing in your ski boot fit just got a little easier. .

Safeback SBX Technology for Avalanche Safety

An avalanche airbag can decrease your risk of being buried in an avalanche, but if you do (heaven forbid) get caught up in sliding snow and find yourself under it, an airbag won鈥檛 do you much good. In that event, your best hope of survival is being found and rescued before you run out of oxygen. Asphyxiation is the leading cause of death in avalanche victims, a statistic Norwegian brand Safeback hopes to change with its innovative SBX Technology. This fan system, which is integrated into the DB Snowpro Vest 8L and the Y MountainLine Daypack 40L, provides clean oxygen to an avalanche victim鈥檚 air pocket, decreasing the risk of asphyxiation before rescue. .

Kayaks with Electric Pedal Assist

Pedal kayaks aren鈥檛 new鈥攖hey鈥檝e been around since the nineties. But in 2023, the first electric pedal kayak came to market. The Old Town Bigwater ePDL+ 132, the first kayak ever fitted with electric pedal assist, gives users the choice between manual pedal power, power-assisted pedal, or fully-motorized propulsion at the push of a button. Casual kayakers out for a cruise are sure to appreciate the assist when they run out of muscle power. But our tester, Wes Siler, thinks anglers stand to benefit the most from this new technology. 鈥淥ld Town鈥檚 electric pedal assist technology is so effective, that many anglers will likely be able to use it to replace gasoline-powered skiffs, utility boats, and fishing rigs in many, if not most applications,鈥� noted Siler. 鈥淎nd in so doing they won鈥檛 just be eliminating emissions, they鈥檒l be gaining ease of transport, simplicity of use, lower maintenance, and a smaller, less invasive footprint on the water, all at a lower cost.鈥� Read Siler鈥檚 deep-dive review here.

Supershoe Foam Harnessed for the Trail

For the past several years, shoe brands have been trying to translate the technology found in road racing super shoes (first introduced in the 2016 Nike Vaporfly) to work on the uneven, unstable surface of trails. The challenge requires enabling the shoe to adapt to the terrain and not roll or bounce off in random directions while retaining the trampoline-like rebound that makes super shoes super. While several models have been released since 2021, none, quite frankly, have mastered the feat. In the summer of 2022, Nike released a prototype trail model to its athletes that used the same ultra-soft and bouncy foam as found in its signature racing models. While it was more energetic than other trail models to date, athletes found it too unstable, particularly in the high-stacked heel. In creating their 2023 production Ultrafly, rather than opting for a less-bouncy foam or making it denser, Nike creatively wrapped the foam in a thin, durable mesh fabric, which controlled the squish and wobbliness without dampening the rebound. Plus, it served as a skin for the soft foam, protecting against punctures and tears from trail hazards. The innovative solution worked so well the shoe won our Editor鈥檚 Choice award for all running shoes in 2023.

Knives Featuring MagnaCut Super Steel

When you shell out big bucks for a quality knife, it鈥檚 fair to expect that knife to be tough, durable, and have a superior edge. But the reality is, common steel doesn鈥檛 usually excel in all three of those properties. Enter MagnaCut, a new stainless steel that resists rusting, holds an edge well between sharpening, and is resistant to edge rolling and chipping. How is that possible? Metal magic, or metallurgy. MagnaCut is produced by Crucible Industries, a New York-based steel manufacturer whose specialty is a powder metallurgy process鈥攌nown as Crucible Particle Metallurgy鈥攚hich allows for fine control of a steel鈥檚 molecular properties. Learn more about MagnaCut steel and our favorite MagnaCut knives here.

Lightweight Tents and Tarps Made From UltraTNT

Big news in the ultralight backpacking world: Dyneema finally has a stronger, more affordable rival. This year Challenge Sailcloth, the fabric-maker that produces Ultraweave (the superstrong material found on many new ultralight backpacks), released UltraTNT, an even lighter-weight fabric designed for shelters. It鈥檚 100 percent waterproof and supposedly becomes more resistant to tears and punctures as the fabric breaks in. Will this new fabric replace Dyneema or silnylon, the two most popular fabrics in the ultralight gear world? Not likely. Instead, our ultralight backpacking expert Nathan Pipenberg expects it to become a popular choice for four season shelters. .

The post The Top 6 Gear Innovations of 2023 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

If you go shopping for a premium knife right now, you鈥檒l find a new word plastered across online retailers and local shops: MagnaCut, a new type of blade steel that鈥檚 dominating the market all of a sudden. Now, MagnaCut is being used to justify some astonishing prices. So I set out to learn what it is, how it performs, and whether or not it鈥檚 worth the premium. And because I鈥檓 just a casual knife enthusiast rather than an engineer or craftsman, I set out to do that in terms us normal people could understand.

鈥淢agnaCut has generated quite the buzz due to its toughness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance,鈥� explained Morgan Keenan, who produces handmade knives in Bozeman, Montana for his brand . 鈥淭ypically it is very difficult for a steel to excel in all three of those categories. One that is very hard, and able to hold an edge very well, tends to be more brittle. A steel that can bend and take a beating tends to be softer. Stainless steel that can do all that without corroding? It鈥檚 just a game changer for the knife world.鈥�

鈥淎 user will experience a steel that resists rusting, holds an edge well between sharpening, and is resistant to edge rolling and chipping,鈥� Larrin Thomas, the metallurgist who invented MagnaCut, told 国产吃瓜黑料.

鈥淕enerally speaking, you can maximize two of those things, but not the third,鈥� said Peter Parker, lead design engineer for Leatherman. That brand just released a new flagship multitool called the Arc, which justifies its $80 premium over similar tools thanks to the incorporation of a MagnaCut blade. 鈥淚f you make a knife that doesn鈥檛 corrode, then it doesn鈥檛 hold an edge. Stainless is not as great as carbon steel at holding an edge. But then carbon steel corrodes. With smart and clever metallurgy [Thomas has] found a sweet spot in the chemical composition that hasn鈥檛 been done before.鈥�

MagnaCut is produced by Crucible Industries, a New York-based steel manufacturer. The company鈥檚 specialty is a powder metallurgy process鈥攌nown as 鈥攚hich Thomas explains allows for fine control of a steel鈥檚 molecular properties.

“The liquid steel passes through a nozzle which is sprayed with nitrogen gas to instantly solidify the steel into fine particles,鈥� Thomas describes. This gives steels, 鈥渁 much finer microstructure for more consistent properties.鈥�

It also allows metallurgists like Thomas to tinker with precise ratios of different compounds in a steel alloy, and how they interact with each other.

鈥淪tainless steels have high chromium, forming chromium carbide with the high carbon necessary for high-hardness knife steels,鈥� explains Thomas. 鈥淭he best non-stainless powder metallurgy tool steels only have the hardest carbide types, typically vanadium carbide. The powder metallurgy keeps the carbides small for good toughness, while the very high hardness of the vanadium carbides provides wear resistance. Chromium carbides are smaller and so do not provide as much wear resistance, while being similarly detrimental for toughness. More carbide means more wear resistance but lower toughness because they are hard, brittle particles. A harder carbide provides a better combination of wear resistance and toughness. Therefore, the combination of wear resistance and toughness was better for the non-stainless steels.鈥�

鈥淢agnaCut uses a unique approach where the chromium content was reduced and the other alloying elements balanced so that chromium carbides are avoided and it has the same properties as non-stainless steels,鈥� the metallurgist continues. 鈥淩emoving chromium carbide from the microstructure also improved corrosion resistance versus other stainless steels. Stainless steels get their corrosion resistance from a chromium oxide passive film at the surface. If the chromium has already formed a bond with carbon, it is not available to form the chromium oxide. MagnaCut avoids this issue, so it has both better corrosion resistance and a better wear resistance-toughness balance than prior stainless knife steels.鈥�

I asked Keenan to put all that in plain English. 鈥淲hat makes stainless steel 鈥榮tainless’ is the amount of chromium in the mix,鈥� he explains. 鈥淏ut this chromium can bond with carbon creating carbides and negating the corrosion resistance and 鈥榮tainless’ property. 鈥淭he beauty of MagnaCut is in the mix, there is just the right amount of carbon to keep all of the other elements of the mix in carbides, and the chromium is able to maintain the stainless properties of the steel.鈥�

Before developing MagnaCut, Thomas worked on automotive alloys, while writing about his passion鈥攖his history of knife steel metallurgy鈥攐n his blog: . One brand that was heavily inspirational in his work used to put the word 鈥渃ut鈥� after the name of its unique alloys, so Thomas wanted to pay homage to that naming convention with his first knife steel.

鈥淚 named the steel MagnaCut, Magna being the Latin word for great or awesome,鈥� he says.

Leatherman鈥檚 Parker notes that MagnaCut does have a downside. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of expensive, that鈥檚 the tradeoff,鈥� he explains. 鈥淎ll this awesome stuff doesn鈥檛 come for free.鈥�

Parker says that the powder atomization process and heat treatment for MagnaCut cost about the same as any other premium steel, but that there鈥檚 more costs on the manufacturing side.

鈥淥nce we have it in the factory, it鈥檚 really hard to grind and process it,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 wear out when the consumer is using it, but it also puts up a fight when we try and make these to the Leatherman quality standard. It鈥檚 hard to make it uniform from side to side. You tend to get one side that looks different from the other because you have to push on it so hard to grind the material. That means the tooling has to essentially be pushing harder to the metal which makes things flex. You鈥檙e battling the material.鈥�

Still, 鈥渢his is a massive step in the knife world,鈥� says Keenan.

The Best MagnaCut Knives

For The Kitchen: Sitka x James Brand Anzick ($499)

My wife and I have been using one of these regularly since May, supplanting all other knives in our kitchen. We cook almost all our meals, and this sucker is still sharp. It鈥檚 also sturdy enough that it鈥檚 on the packing list for both a three-week holiday trip to our cabin and a three-month camping trip to Baja Sur and back next year.

For Your Pocket: ($225)

Legendary knife designer Ken Onion鈥檚 take on an Old West boot dagger, this thing is more fun to fidget with than it is practical, but it is still a very pocketable blade that you can flick open and cut stuff with. It also feels like it costs a lot more money than it does thanks to the sturdy stainless steel and G10 handle.

For The Outdoors: ($225)

Small, slim, and lightweight, this thing is my constant companion in the backcountry. That鈥檚 due as much to the excellent sheath as it is to the blade itself. Much less bulky than similar sheaths from other companies, this one allows you to mount the knife tip-up to a pack strap, horizontally to a belt, or in the traditional tip-down belt hang. Across two weeks spent in a skiff on the Prince William Sound, the knife didn鈥檛 develop a single spec of corrosion.

For Fixing Stuff: ($230)

Easily the sexiest multitool ever made, this thing is also immensely practical thanks to two bit holders, a redesigned awl, a diamond-like coating on the file, and of course that strong, sharp, easily accessible MagnaCut blade.

The post This Super Steel Is Revolutionizing Knives. Is It Worth the Price? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Handy people know the multitool conundrum: Do you carry one in lieu of a quality pocketknife? If you forgo the knife, you’ll sacrifice good ergonomics, rapid access, and durable blades. But in exchange you’ll receive a more diverse array of tools.

That鈥檚 the problem Leatherman is trying to solve with the new Arc ($230). The multitool comes complete with a 2 3/4-inch knife blade made from 鈥攖he latest, greatest, and trendiest steel on the market. Complete with a generous thumb stud, deep carry pocket clip, and an ideal tip-up, right-hand carry configuration, it attempts to combine a full-size multitool with a very good knife. But can it do so without compromise?

The Arc is an evolution of Leatherman鈥檚 Free P4 platform鈥攆irst released in 2019. That tool uses magnets and redesigned tool access that make the thing operable one-handed, while also packing more tools than other models into a slimmer footprint. All that works exceptionally well. Reviewing that tool, we called it, 鈥渢he only series of multitools you should consider.鈥�

On top of the Free P4, the Arc adds a black-anodized body to give it a more upscale look, and has revised the tool selection based on customer feedback to add more utility. A听new bit holder replaces the Free P4鈥檚 fixed flat and Phillips-head screwdrivers. Combined with an 20-tool bit selection housed in the included nylon sheath, this adds a diverse array of new capabilities.

鈥淚t made sense to put all of our best features and all of our best tools into into product,鈥� explains Leatherman Senior Product Manager Jeremy Rodriguez.

From left to right: Pry bar, medium flathead and bottle opener; mini-bit driver; awl and wire stripper; scissors; wood/metal file, diamond-coated file, edge file; needlenose pliers, regular pliers, wire cutters, electrical crimper, striking surface; CPM Magnacut knife blade; saw; bit driver; can opener. (Photo: Leatherman)

I find the inclusion of the T10 Torx driver in that toolset particularly useful, allowing me to check tightness on the small screws that mount my Trijicon red dot sight to my handgun. Those are prone to coming loose if the gun gets knocked around outdoors, which switches the sight off. Being able to simply grab the Arc from my pocket, re-torque the screw, and bring the sight back to life saves a lot of headaches, and here in grizzly country, might even save my life.

There鈥檚 also a mini-bit driver which holds a double-ended eyeglass screwdriver, with both flat and Phillips heads. Housing such small tools inside a large, easily portably, one-hand accessible device means I have the ability to cinch up the arms on my Randolphs, and run less of a chance of losing one of the two tiny little screws that holds them together.

That mini-bit driver is adapted from the one first prototyped on Leatherman鈥檚 limited-edition Mr. Crunch tool, which was released as part of the company鈥檚 new Garage program last year. The purpose of Garage is to give the company a means to test new solutions and designs across a large numbers of users (500 Mr. Crunch鈥檚 were made), then gather user feedback to develop better tools. It鈥檚 nice to see that program bearing fruit so soon, and promises more user-centric innovation in the future.

But ultimately, the point of Arc is the blade. 鈥淐PM Magnacut maximizes edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance,鈥� explains Leatherman Lead Design Engineer Peter Parker, on what makes that steel such an upgrade. Previously, knife steels have been able to optimize for one or two of those features, but not all three.

Other brands are rapidly adopting Magnacut for everything from large fixed-blade bushcraft knives to high-end pocket folders and chef鈥檚 knives. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of expensive, that’s the tradeoff,鈥� says Parker, going on to explain that it brings layers of new challenges to Leatherman鈥檚 manufacturing process, which explains the Arc鈥檚 price. Where the regular Free P4 retails for $150, the Arc adds $80 to that, mostly just to include the Magnacut blade.

I鈥檝e been carrying the Arc for a few weeks, and have tried to use the knife on it as often as possible for everything from food preparation, to wild game processing, and cutting up cardboard boxes鈥攁 task which rapidly dulls most blades. And while I can report that it remains shaving sharp, that鈥檚 nothing new for Magnacut. Other blades in my connection made from that material have held up to months of daily use before going dull. Which leads us to another downside of Magnacut: It鈥檚 difficult to sharpen.

Where previous blades on Leatherman tools have been made from 420鈥攁 very basic stainless steel鈥攁nd are terrible at edge retention as a result, they are at least simple to sharpen. I鈥檝e failed at all attempts to return any Magnacut knife to anything approaching usefulness myself, and have been forced to seek the help of a professional.

Other than its use of Magnacut, the only remarkable thing about the Arc鈥檚 blade is the big thumb stud, which makes deploying the knife easy. The drop point and hollow grind are similar to the blade on the Free P4, as is the 2 3/4-inch length.

And, like any other multitool, the Arc remains less than ideal when considered purely as a pocketknife. While the clip is a good one, the handle is just too large and too awkward to provide much comfort or security, and even with the thumb stud, deploying the blade isn鈥檛 anywhere as slick as the mechanism achieved by by pretty much any quality folder.

If you鈥檙e used to carrying a real knife in you front pocket everywhere you go, the Arc probably isn鈥檛 going to replace that. Whether or not the presence of a Magnacut blade justifies the $80 premium is going to likely going to come down to your desire for owning the latest, greatest gadget, versus either your patience for relying on a professional sharpening service, or your skill performing that job.

The Arc represents a solid effort at refining the Free P4 platform, achieving the impressive trick of packing even more usefulness into a tool of the exact same size. But it still asks users to compromise ergonomics and convenience if they want to carry one in place of their pocketknife. Mine lives in my backpack, in the exact same pocket every multitool I’ve carried before has.

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Fire making is one camp chore I鈥檓 always trying to make easier. Whether it鈥檚 simply collecting enough wood to enjoy a summer evening in the mountains, or desperately trying to keep the stove in my canvas wall tent hot enough to survive a sub-zero winter night, chopping and splitting logs into useable sizes involves a ton of time and effort. But for the last year or so, things have improved, thanks to the ($180).

What Is a Froe?

A froe is a traditional wood working tool that鈥檚 shaped like an “L”. Used to precisely split logs apart along the grain, it features a heavy, wedge-shaped blade attached to a handle at a 90-degree angle. You use one by placing the blade atop a log in parallel with its grain, along the exact line you want to split apart, then whack the back of the blade with another log or a mallet. The long 90-degree handle then makes it easy to counter the rotational force applied by those whacks, keeping the blade perpendicular to the log as you separate it.

That鈥檚 the same way you use a big survival-style knife to baton logs in camp. Only, as anyone who鈥檚 used a knife to do this knows, it鈥檚 more a tool that can get the job done, rather than one purpose designed to split wood. Why? Knife blades need to be able to slice, too. And combined with a need for portability, that often creates profiles that are too thin to make good wedges. To perform other tasks like meal prep or detailed wood work, knives also prioritize a balance point close to where the handle and blade meet, reducing their ability to chop. Valuable blade real estate is also lost to pointy ends, limiting their ability to span the full width of larger logs.

Why the 108 Compadre Froe Makes Splitting Wood Easy

That said, knives are easier to pack into the backcountry than some big L-shaped doohickey. And that鈥檚 the problem Buck set out to fix when it designed the 108 Compadre Froe. It takes the blade from the traditional tool, and adds a handle similar (if ingeniously a little different) to a large survival knife. The result is a dedicated wood processing tool that鈥檚 easy to carry, and incredibly useful.

Let’s start with that blade. It鈥檚 a full-tang design鈥攖he material forms the length of the tool, with Micarta handle slabs bolted to it鈥攎ade from spring steel. Lee Althen, a Senior Industrial Designer at Buck, tells me the flexibility inherent in that material, 鈥渉as some shock absorption properties to make it less fatiguing on big jobs.鈥�

It鈥檚 also .230-inches thick, and features a mid-grind that runs about halfway up the blade鈥檚 width, to form a wedge that鈥檚 much broader than that of most knives. The blade also swells toward the end to shift the balance point forwards, something Althen says, 鈥渕akes for a great chopping swing.鈥�

The blade is also angled downwards from the handle, forming what Althen describes as, 鈥渁 slight recurve shape,鈥� which, 鈥渉elps keep the froe in the material [you’re splitting].鈥�

The handle slabs bolted to the steel are made from Micarta, which is virtually indestructible, and provides comfortable traction for your hand even when it鈥檚 wet. You鈥檒l notice that handle is very long, taking up seven and 1/4 inches of the tool鈥檚 entire 16 3/4-inch total length, and that a swell separates that handle into two parts. Grip it forwards for fine control during small tasks, or rearwards to maximize leverage while chopping or batoning. You get a lot more power over this froe鈥檚 blade than you do with the shorter handle on a traditional knife.

A hole in the blade just ahead of the handle also allows you to attach a lanyard, which you can then wrap around your hand to prevent it from sliding forward onto the blade.

Bottom Line: Opt for a Froe Instead of a Hatchet

I asked Althen why he鈥檇 choose this froe over a hatchet for wood-processing duties. 鈥淎 froe is more versatile, and easier to use,鈥� he explains. 鈥淭he weight balance is much closer to the handle, which means less strength is needed to use it (assuming the same weight between the froe and hatchet). The extra length makes it much easier to baton. And, you ultimately still have a knife edge that can be used for cutting or biting into wood enough to get started. From a safety standpoint, it鈥檚 way harder to miss on a swing with the froe.鈥�

The only real downside here is weight. Just like a hatchet, you aren鈥檛 going to want to carry the 23.2-ounce froe on your belt over long distances. But it鈥檚 slim and portable enough to easily tag along in a truck, canoe, or ATV, and its nice leather sheath keeps it from cutting you or your things to pieces when it鈥檚 not in use.

And that鈥檚 where mine is right now, riding in my truck鈥檚 Decked drawers alongside a first aid kit, a roll of trash bags, and a can of bug spray, ready to help make my next campfire.

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There鈥檚 a lot more to knives than a sharp edge and a long blade. Our testers waded through a sea of stainless steel and gimmicky folding contraptions to find the very best tools for cutting, splitting, wilderness repairs, and more.

The Winners at a Glance

Best Folding Knife: Emerson June Bug

Best Multitool: Gerber Dual-Force

Child-friendly Knife: Morakniv Scout 39 Safe

Lightest: James Brand Redstone

How We Test

Number of Testers: 15

Number of Products Tested: 17

Miles Logged While Testing: 1,300 miles

Most Unique Uses: Carved and whittled perfect chopsticks for meal time; husked opened a coconut to drink from.

Most Remote Test Region: American Samoa

From Sweden to American Samoa, our 15 testers put 17 products to the test. Between car camping, backpacking, fishing, and hunting, the knives and tools whittled, spliced, and diced until the task was done and the blades were dull. We looked at things like durability, ergonomics, weight, sharpness, functionality, edge retention, and aesthetic in choosing this year鈥檚 winners.

Meet Our Category Manager

Justin La Vigne has worked in the outdoor industry for over twenty years and as 叠补肠办辫补肠办别谤鈥檚 knives and tools category manager for six years. Living just outside of Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska, he prides himself on the nontraditional work schedule. When not writing, he is a professional backcountry guide, taking people hiking and backpacking all over Alaska, and has personally logged 6,000-plus trail miles, including thru hikes of the Appalachian Trail and New Zealand鈥檚 Te Araroa.

Meet Our Lead Tester

California-based Dan Markey has been one of the lead testers for the knives and tools category for over five years. As a former NPS backcountry law enforcement ranger in Yellowstone and Cuyahoga Valley and an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker, he knows what gear works in what conditions and why. He currently works for FEMA as an emergency management specialist traveling all over the world. He loves hunting and fishing, and is a Scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America.

The Reviews: The Best Knives and Multitools of 2023

Best Folding Knife: Emerson June Bug ($220)

Weight: 2.5 oz.
Pros: U.S.-made, lightweight, deep pocket clip
Cons: Steep price, low availability, no serrated blade

The Emerson June Bug performs way above its weight class in terms of blade size and sturdiness. One tester called the June Bug 鈥渂attle-ready,鈥� and was blown away that a knife of this size could deliver such results. Fully extended, the June Bug measures 5.5 inches long and easily fits into the palm of a hand when folded. The Wharncliffe-style stainless steel blade is only 2.3 inches long, but very thick and incredibly sturdy. One tester praised its ability to cut through various thick cords, ropes, and tie-downs that were holding his kayak to his roof after they proved too stubborn to untie. The fiberglass laminate grip has a rough surface that makes it easy to handle, even with sweaty hands or in the rain. It has a deep pocket clip, a lanyard hole, and round thumb button for easy one-handed opening. One tester summed up the June Bug in a nutshell: 鈥淪ometimes you want the utility of a slightly larger knife in the body of a small pocket knife.鈥�

Bottom Line: This diminutive folding knife is a dream for rope-cutting and wood-whittling when space and weight are limitations.

Best Multitool: Gerber Dual-Force ($110)

Weight: 12 oz.
Pros: 12 tools, hefty construction, top-notch pliers and screwdriver
Cons: No scissors, heavy, knife doesn鈥檛 hold its edge particularly well

Most multitools boast pliers and drivers, but they rarely perform like those specific tools. The Dual-Force is the exception. A hefty set of pliers has a two-position slip lock jaw and larger teeth, plus the grip is narrower than other multitools, which gave us better purchase when applying force. The 3.25-inch center-axis driver also benefits from that great grip, allowing us to crank while securing hardware. Our Virginia-based REI 国产吃瓜黑料 guide praised the beefy tool after using the pliers to fix gas lines on a stove and the screwdriver on his always-loose camp kitchen table. While the generous set of twelve tools includes items like wire cutters, a saw, and a chisel, one tester found himself wishing it included a pair of scissors. Another ding? At 12 ounces, it鈥檚 not exactly lightweight.

Bottom Line: A multi-purpose implement with tools that are as solid as the real thing.

Best for Children: Morakniv Scout 39 Safe ($50)

Weight: 2.66 oz.
Pros: Double finger guard, full tang, leather sheath included
Cons: Not for large-handed people, rounded tip

Our California-based Scoutmaster praised the Morakniv Scout 39 Safe after using it to teach his pack of teenaged students about knife safety. His own 12-year-old daughter prepared brook trout with the knife in the Emigrant Wilderness, easily gutting and cleaning the fish. The double finger guard was key for protecting wet and slimy fingers, preventing slippage along the blade. Even though the rounded tip (an important safety feature) is less effective than a typical blade, the thick tang extends throughout the birch wood handle, which provides better strength and stability when performing tasks. The 3.4 inches of blade handled many Scout duties, from food prep to making kindling. As a plus for fashion-conscious teens, the handle comes in three hues, while a handsome tanned leather sheath easily attaches to a belt loop.

Bottom Line: A stylish and safe choice for first-time knife-owners.

Best for Weight Savings: James Brand Redstone ($99)

Weight: 1.8 oz.
Pros: Lightweight, lots of color choices, plain edge or serrated options
Cons: Minimal wire pocket clip, a bit hard to open and close one-handed

When seasoned tester Dan Markey first saw this knife, he was skeptical about the design of the grip, which comes in nine different colors and features four raised plastic 鈥渋slands鈥� along a die-stamped metal handle. It took time to get used to, but Markey ultimately learned to love its slip-preventing design. Despite its scant 1.8-ounce weight and 2.5-inch-long stainless steel blade, this colorful tool helped quarter and debone a cow elk when another tester鈥檚 go-to fixed blade was too dull. In American Samoa, Markey stabbed, jabbed, and pried open a coconut to get to the juice without breaking the tip or bending the blade. The bent wire pocket clip helps cut down on weight and doesn鈥檛 compromise security鈥攁lthough testers questioned its long-term durability. The ambidextrous slide lock is incredibly secure, and helps with one-handed use, but our tester noted that the closing mechanism isn鈥檛 the smoothest.

Bottom Line: A featherweight option with a strong blade and secure, one-handed use.

How to Buy a Knife

Knife Type

Folding: A knife that can fold into its handle and lock into place when deployed. It is commonly referred to as a pocket knife and often comes with a clip for strapping to a belt or pack.

Fixed: This blade extends into or through the handle and typically has one sharp side and one smooth side. They are typically longer and heavier than a folding knife.

Multitool: This combines many different tools in one device, including a knife, scissors, file, pliers, bottle opener, and more.

Blade Material

Stainless Steel: Chromium is the magic element that gives this iron-carbon alloy its rust- and corrosion-resistance. Stainless tends to be a softer metal than carbon steel, which means it loses its edge faster. It鈥檚 not as brittle, however, and is more resistant to chipping.

Carbon Steel: Carbon steel is made of iron and carbon, just like stainless, but doesn鈥檛 have the added element of chromium, and can therefore rust and chip. The plus side? It maintains an edge longer and is easier to sharpen. It鈥檚 typically lighter and more expensive than stainless steel, too.

When it’s time to upgrade your gear, don鈥檛 let the old stuff go to waste鈥揹onate it for a good cause and divert it from the landfill. our partner, Gear Fix, will repair and resell your stuff for free! Just box up your retired items, , and send them off. We鈥檒l donate 100 percent of the proceeds to .

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Chef鈥檚 knives excel at performing fine work on food. To achieve that, they feature thin, deep, long blades that are easy to sharpen, plus thin handles that provide good ergonomics when you鈥檙e working from standing height on a counter top.

With cost as a limiting factor, those kitchen knives then compromise edge retention, outright strength, and often rust prevention, too. Since hard use isn鈥檛 typically a design factor, blade tangs are thin and short, and retained inside a handle with the use of pins.

In contrast, outdoor blades take the opposite approach. Good ones prioritize strength, with thick blades and full tang handles. Durability is provided by steels designed both to resist damage while being pounded through logs, and to hold their edges for a long time, even through such abuse. But, bring one into the kitchen, and those fat blades will make a mess of anything you ask them to slice.

That disparity is what high-tech hunting brand and design-forward knife maker The James Brand are attempting to address with the limited-release ($499).

Constructed using , a new super steel rapidly becoming popular in the outdoors world, the Anzick is able to combine rust prevention, edge retention, and solid durability with ease of sharpening. That eight-inch blade is thin and broad like a chef鈥檚 knife, but fills the entire handle like one designed for splitting logs. A swept section at the rear extends the blade length rearwards, while allowing room for a forward grip, so you can slice larger pieces of food with more control. The handle slabs, which are bonded to the tang without any rivets or pins, are made from G10, a high-pressure laminate that鈥檚 impervious to most contaminants or environmental conditions. That material is textured on its front chamfer, adding grip. The blade is coated in a food-safe, hydrophobic diamond like coating (DLC) finish.

All that makes the Anzick a pleasure to use, easy to clean, and should guarantee a long life span. Those attributes are further boosted with the addition of a folding hypalon sheath secured by button flaps. Closed, it retains the knife safely. Open, it鈥檚 easily cleaned. And it鈥檒l be impervious to cuts from the blade.

Last night, the Anzick was waiting on my front stoop when I returned home from a two-week hunting trip in the Alaskan backcountry. It鈥檇 been that long since my wife and I were able to enjoy a home-cooked meal together, so we whipped up a quick penne a la vodka with ingredients we had laying around. The knife diced the onion as well as anything I鈥檝e used, and even made easy work of a block of pancetta, which many knives struggle to cut cleanly due to all the fat. Unlike other hunting-kitchen collaborations like the very meat-focussed , the Anzick proved versatile enough to replace any other large knife in my kitchen.

This morning, after sitting out all night covered in dried food, the blade simply rinsed clean, with zero staining.

I鈥檝e got more experience with CPM Magnacut on outdoor blades like my all-time favorite . That particular blade just survived 12 days of saltwater spray, and skinned a 10-foot brown bear without any signs of rust or dulling.

With its eight-inch blade, the Anzick is way too long to skin out a bear. And with that thin profile, you’d probably break it in half if you tried to chop down a tree with it. But, it won’t rust, it’s easy to clean, and it’s just the right combination of size and durability to spend decades helping you prepare good food over a campfire.

Whether or not the steep price allows the Anzick鈥檚 place in your camp kitchen box is probably irrelevant at this point. The two companies only plan to produce a limited run of 600 units. But, this thing represents an encouraging effort by Sitka to expand its design expertise outside of hunting, and will hopefully inspire more hard-use kitchen knives that can genuinely hold their own outdoors.

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A good pocketknife creates a foundation of preparedness: with one, you can respond to everything from small, everyday tasks鈥攕licing open boxes, cutting a tag鈥攖o big emergencies鈥攔escuing yourself or someone else from a car accident. I鈥檝e researched and tested pocketknives for over 30 years, across six continents, and on tasks ranging from the mundane to the genuinely lifesaving. All of my research and testing has led me to the very best pocketknives鈥攁nd everything you need to know to find the perfect one for you.听

Part of the fun here is using different knives, and developing your tastes and preferences over time. When I was ten, I thought Swiss Army Knives were the pinnacle of sophistication. At 41, I鈥檝e learned I prefer a high quality folder. Your journey will be different, because it鈥檚 your own.

Benchmade Tagged Out ($200)

The Best Pocketknife

The most important quality of any blade is its sharpness. It鈥檚 the primary determining factor in a knife鈥檚 performance and what makes a knife safe to use.听A sharp knife requires less force, and therefore reduces the odds of your hand slipping down the handle, onto the sharp edge or accidentally pushing or pulling it through whatever substance you鈥檙e cutting.听

Pretty much any knife that isn鈥檛 the result of an impulse purchase at a gas station is going to arrive in your pocket with an adequately sharp blade. But every time you use your knife, you鈥檒l incrementally dull its edge. So factors to keep in mind are how long a knife is able to retain its edge and how much work it鈥檚 going to take to keep that knife sharp.听

The absolute sharpest blade I鈥檝e ever tried, and the one that stayed sharp for the longest time, comes from . Look at the edge on most knives under a microscope and you鈥檒l see a jagged line, not a straight one. Those bumps and grooves introduce weakness, which allows wear. Select Edge controls the placement of individual carbide molecules in its steel, eliminating that microscopic jaggedness. Benchmade is then able to take advantage of that added strength to offer a finer edge angle. The only folding pocketknife currently available with Select Edge is the .听

My only complaint: Select Edge鈥檚 unique angle and extraordinary hardness makes it difficult to sharpen the knife yourself. You鈥檒l need to ship your Select Edge knife to Benchmade to bring it back from dull.

Work Sharp Combo ($50)

The Best Knife Sharpener

The easiest way to keep a pocketknife sharp is to buy one made from steel you can sharpen yourself. And the most convenient knife sharpener I鈥檝e ever found is the . Like any powered belt sharpener, you鈥檒l need to be careful not to round a blade鈥檚 tip or overheat its steel, but once you鈥檝e read the instructions, this thing is just downright easy to use. Give your knife a few swipes on each side regularly, and it will never go dull.听

Milwaukee Fastback ($15)

Best Replaceable Blade Knife

Another way to ensure you always have a sharp blade handy is to go with a replaceable blade knife. This may be the best option for people using their knives for daily work, as pausing to sharpen a blade multiple times throughout a day is anything but efficient. The downsides are that thin, replaceable blades break easily if bent or twisted, and that carrying plenty of replacement blades can get annoying. If you go this route, fans love the for its ease of opening, well-placed pocket clip, and its ability to store up to five extra blades inside its handle.听

CRKT LCK+ ($44)

Best to Carry

The second most important quality for a knife to have is to be easy to carry. Blade size, handle shape, and pocket clip arrangement are all determining factors of how well a knife carries.听

The longer a knife blade, the larger objects it can cut. Blades that are thicker may be stronger, and ones that are broader may offer better slicing performance. But a lot of blade shape and size comes down to looks and feel. Some knife users simply prefer a the sturdy looks and heft provided by longer, fatter, broader blade.听

The tradeoff to size is, well, size. A good compromise between utility and pocketability comes with a blade length of about three to four inches.听

While the dimensions of a pocketknife鈥檚 handle are largely determined by the blade that pivots into it, the shape of its edges and its thickness are also determined by its design. A handle with smooth, rounded edges, which is as slim as possible, will more easily fit into more pockets. But you also want a handle that is comfortable to hold. The size of your hand, and the amount of work you intend to perform with your knife will inform what size and shape of handle is right for you.听

A clip ensures pocketknives ride securely. While this might seem like a simple feature, slight variances in clip location can actually make a huge difference. The best clips are those that conceal the entire body of the knife under the lip of your pocket鈥攏ot for the purpose of stealthiness, but simply for security. A knife handle that protrudes above the level of your pocket may catch on things, press into your hip when you sit down, and provide less security. If your knife catches on something, and falls out of your pocket, or if you have to take your knife out of your pocket to find comfort, then that knife may not be with you when you need it.

The is around the size of a Sharpie, and it provides a perfect deep-carry pocket clip that orients the blade tip up, and to the rear of a right-hand pocket. While the handle is slim, it鈥檚 long enough to fill my size-11 hands, and provides ample traction.

Opinel No. 8 ($18)

Best Budget Pocketknife

Compared to a fixed blade鈥攚here the blade and handle are one unit鈥攆olding knives add a potential point of failure. This is what makes them easy to carry, since they fit into a pocket, typically without the need for a sheath, but it also introduces an element of danger. Should a pocketknife鈥檚 blade fold onto your hand or fingers during use, it鈥檒l hurt. To prevent accidents, virtually all folding pocketknives include some sort of blade retention feature.听

The simplest form of blade retention comes from friction. The prototypical example here is the Swiss Army Knife, which simply pinches its blade tightly inside its frame, making it hard to move in either direction. The benefit there is the low price, the downside is it doesn鈥檛 do much to keep your blade open.听

A better choice is some sort of mechanical device that physically prevents the blade from opening. The simplest, easiest one is the rotating collar on an Opinel. By rotating over the channel the blade folds into, it prevents that knife鈥檚 blade from closing on your hand. But deploying the Opinel鈥檚 blade requires two additional steps鈥攆irst twisting the collar closed when you open the blade, then doing the same in reverse before you can close it.听

The best retention mechanisms deploy automatically, any time the blade is opened, and also work to keep the blade safely inside the handle as the knife rides in your pocket. Different brands achieve this in many different ways. Some are complicated, requiring buttons, springs, and other small parts that might easily fail. A stronger, simpler, but more expensive method is to separate a portion of the knife鈥檚 frame, then bend that inwards so it wants to spring behind the blade as it opens. This can be done using either a metal liner that rides inside some other handle material, or with the entire, unified frame of the knife.听

Sebenza 31 ($450)

Best Splurge Pocketknife

South African knife designer Chris Reeve invented the frame lock in the late-1980s. His continues to be one of the strongest, highest quality pocketknives out there. The Sebenza鈥檚 handles are simply two slabs of titanium bolted together. Half of one side is separated and tensioned, so it folds to block the entire width of the blade when open.听

Flaws But Not Deal Breakers

If a knife is sharp, easy to carry, and features a secure, convenient locking mechanism, it鈥檒l be a good knife. But beyond those factors, there are a bunch of other variables to consider.

Blade Shape and Grind

A knife blade has a length, thickness, width, and both two and three-dimensional shapes. A lot of this is simply aesthetic in nature, which is to say: pick one you think looks cool. There are some performance variables鈥攁 slim knife with a high grind will slice better鈥攂ut the differences are very small. When in doubt, simply look for a shape that’s not too zany, and a blade that’s not too thick, which offers a high or totally flat grind. That鈥檒l be good at everything.

Opening Mechanisms

The nail knick on a Swiss Army Knife or old pen knife generally takes two hands to open, and a good fingernail. A thumb stud might provide more purchase and allow the use of a single hand, but it can snag on pocket linings. A spring-operated assisted opening feature can make a blade fast to deploy, but it adds complication and potential for failure. A lever built into the back of the blade might make a knife easy to flip open and form a finger guard when deployed, but it can also snag. There are pluses and minuses to everything; try out new knives to see what you like.

Steels

As you move up in price with knives, you鈥檒l see the types of steel used to construct their blades listed as selling points. There are far too many varieties of steel to mention here. Understand that any claim like 鈥渟urgical steel鈥� is total bullshit, and instead look for brand and alphanumerical name, like CPM S35V or B枚hler M390. Google will then direct you to descriptions of that steel鈥檚 merits. In addition to the type of steel, some knife makers and steel producers also apply unique heat treatments that can add additional performance to blades.

What About Multitools?

While many multitools incorporate a knife blade into their toolset, the blade is typically of bargain basement quality and can be complicated to access. While a multitool may technically be pocketable, and may even include a pocket clip, they鈥檙e almost always much bulkier, which makes them less convenient to carry and less comfortable to use. If it鈥檚 not with you, you won鈥檛 be able to use it.听

But a good multitool does make a good accompaniment to a good pocketknife, if you can carry both. If not, stick with the knife, which you鈥檒l use more often.听

What鈥檚 in My Pocket?

When I got home from the airport late last night, the first thing I did was grab a knife out of my knife drawer and stick it in my pocket. That happened to be a with a CPM CruWear blade and brown micarta handle.听

With a 3.5-inch flat-ground, drop-point blade, the Paramilitary 2 is just the right size for pocket carry in a typical pair of jeans. It features a strong liner lock design that inserts a portion of the frame between the back of the blade and one of the bolts that holds the thing together, so there鈥檚 no way the blade could ever accidentally close.听

This particular version is made special by both its blade steel, and the handle material. is an exceptionally hard-wearing tool steel that鈥檚 capable of holding an edge for a long time, but nevertheless requires a little special attention due to its high carbon content. I don鈥檛 mind rubbing a little on the blade every time I clean it, but it would easily tarnish and develop surface corrosion without that care. On top of the steel frame liners, Spyderco has fitted a handle made from . That material sets fibers into a resin, producing a comfortable surface that鈥檚 almost soft to the touch, and which remains tractive when wet. Both that steel and the handle will develop a unique patina over time.听

I don鈥檛 like Spyderco鈥檚 pocket clips, so I will replace this one with a deeper carry option in the near future.听

Accompanying the blade, I also carry a small on my keychain. It鈥檚 TSA compliant, so it travels with me and provides some capabilities the knife cannot. I use it less than the knife, so choosing a multitool that鈥檚 as small as possible makes sense for my needs.听

On Sunday, I used the knife to field dress a deer. Two nights ago, while staying in a hotel, I used the tweezers in the multitool to remove a splinter. I was prepared for that and more, all thanks to the content of a single pants pocket. You can be too.

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I鈥檓 carrying a in my pocket right now. That鈥檚 only around one-tenth the price of the knife I normally carry, but it still gets the job done.

When it comes to pocket knives, I鈥檓 guilty of having expensive taste. The blade I had been carrying for the last couple of years was a DPx Aculus Flipper, which retails for $450.听

I justify that price partly because my friends and I like to give each other knives as gifts. That Aculus came from my buddy , who also happened to design it. I gave a similar one to my friend Griff a few years back. Spending that money on other people feels better than spending it on myself.听

And because my friends like to give each other knives, I鈥檝e got plenty to choose from right now, even though I lost the Aculus in a COVID-induced brain fog. But rather than grabbing something else fancy out of the drawer in my nightstand, I鈥檝e instead been reaching for this $44 CRKT. It鈥檚 one of those products that鈥檚 just right, even though it鈥檚 relatively cheap.听

There are a couple of things I want any pocket knife to do. The LCK + excels at all of them. Since pocket knives spend most of the day riding inside my front right pocket, I need them to carry well. This knife does that thanks to a deep carry pocket clip that positions the entire body of the knife below the level of of the pocket鈥檚 brim. It鈥檚 incredibly slim dimensions听are approximate to a large Sharpie, which makes it barely noticeable. Because I鈥檓 right handed, I like a knife with the blade tip-up, facing rearwards in that front right pocket. That way when I grab it, it鈥檚 ready to open, without any shuffling.

And thanks to that fancy Aculus, I鈥檝e also become a fan of flippers. A flipping mechanism places a small lever at the base of the blade. When closed, the lever protrudes from the back of the knife and provides the leverage necessary to quickly flick the blade open. Once open, that lever serves as a solid finger guard, preventing your hand from sliding forward onto the sharp edge.听

The LCK + backs up that lever with a spring-loaded assisted opening mechanism. Flick the lever, and after it travels a few millimeters, a spring hidden inside the handle takes over and forces the blade open. I鈥檝e never been a huge fan of assisted openers because they usually require a little play to be left in the pivot鈥攕o friction doesn鈥檛 interfere鈥攂ut the ball bearing inside this CRKT feels rock solid.听

By forcing the blade open, that action also deploys the liner lock. The strongest way to safely lock a folding knife鈥檚 blade open is with a frame lock. That design sees a portion of the monolithic frame twisted so that it will move inwards when the blade pivots out of the handle, preventing the knife from closing on the user鈥檚 hand. But making a big chunk of metal move is expensive, as evidenced on the Aculus. A cheaper way to achieve a similar effect is to make the handle from one material鈥攊n the case of the CRKT, glass-filled nylon鈥攖hen reinforce that with a thin steel liner, complete with one torsion section. And that鈥檚 what鈥檚 done here. The indicator of the quality execution of a frame or liner lock is听cut in how far that locking bar moves across the blade. And the LCK + achieves perfection, with a locking bar that reliably connects with the blade precisely in the middle, every time.听

In addition to how helpful it is to have a knife on hand for opening packages, helping with food prep and consumption, and various tasks as I work on my trucks, house, and yard, a lot of the satisfaction I derive from knives comes simply from how they look. And while the LCK +鈥檚 handle is a total non-event, the satin-finished blade is seriously eye pleasing. Slim and hollow-ground, it feels more like a French steak knife than it does a brute force implement. Sure, it鈥檚 made from 8Cr13MoV steel, which is an elaborate acronym for cheap, but that鈥檚 another big reason听for that $44 price tag.

The post Columbia River Knife and Tool LCK + Is a Great Everyday Knife鈥攁nd It Only Costs $44 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.