N°4/68-A 2015
INTERNATIONAL KNIVES REVIEW
INTERNATIONAL KNIVES REVIEW
THE MAGAZINE OF EXCELLENCE IN KNIVES AND BLADES
EVENTS IWA 2015
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OUR TESTS Böker The midget and the Persian warrior Hultafors Craftman’s Knife Sharp tools Maxpedition What knife you carry in the backpack? CRKT No Bother Medford Greg’s anatomy
Design by Jesper Voxnaes
M A D E I N I TA LY
Disegnato dal noto designer danese Jesper Voxnaes, Odino è un chiudibile di alta gamma caratterizzato dall’architettura frame lock con sistema di rotazione su cuscinetti e dall’uso di materiali nobili e tecnologici (frame integralmente in titanio e guancetta in fibra di carbonio, titanio o G-10). Lo stile unico di Jesper Voxnaes, influenzato sia dal design scandinavo che dalla coltelleria americana, la cura dei dettagli e l’eccellenza delle lavorazioni tipica di Viper creano un coltello assolutamente originale e di alto livello.
Tel. +39 0427 700153 · www.tecnocut.net · www.viper.it
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IWA 20 15
KNIVES INTERNATIONAL REVIEW N. 4/68a - 2015
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TS Böker The m idge t Pers ian w and the arrior Hulta fo Shar rs Craftm p to an’s Knife Maxpe ols dition Wha t knif e yo in th e back u carry pack CRKT ? No B othe r Medfo rd Greg’ s anat omy
Editorial Director Roberto Canali Managing Director Filippo Camperio
Cover: Böker Nano
Chief Administrative Officer Silvia Cei Editorial Staff Massimiliano Duca (redazione2@caffeditrice.it), Gianluigi Guiotto (coltelli@caffeditrice.it) Graphic Designers Jessica Licata, M-House Ed. di Luca Morselli Studio grafico Stefano Oriani English Version IT-wire srl (info@it-wire.com) Tommaso Rumici (zatodesign@gmail.com) Contributors Gianni Daffara, Alfredo Doricchi, Fabio Ferrari, Vincenzo Goffredo, Tommaso Rumici, Vincenzo Tumbiolo, Luigi “Sator” Tumolo, Giuseppe Vernocchi, Marco Dell’Acqua, Marta Cammilletti, Giorgio Alessandri, Francesco Pascoli, Francesco Pachì, Roberto Allara, Mauro Maggi International Advertising Luca Gallina +39 347 26 86 288 vendite3@caffeditrice.it Italian Advertising Paolo Maggiorelli +39 349 4 33 69 33 vendite1@caffeditrice.it Published by C.A.F.F. Editrice via Sabatelli, 1 - 20154 Milano tel. +39 02 34537504 fax +39 02 34537513 knives@caffeditrice.com www.caffeditrice.com Milan Court Registration Number n. 521 issued on 10/09/2001. Copyright by C.A.F.F. srl All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, write to the publisher at the address above.
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IWA 2015
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Böker - Nano and Uolcos
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Medford - TSP; TS-1; FM-1; NAV-H; NAV-T
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Hultafors - Craftsman’s knife RFR GH
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Maxpedition - Fishbelly
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CRKT - No Bother
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EVENTS
IWA 2015 The yearly appointment with Nuremberg IWA show has reassured us about the future of cutlery: the business is lively with many innovations and new developments. And, as usual, the Italian cutlery played a first role even outside its national boundaries by Tommaso Rumici
T h e T- R a zo r by E x t re m a Ratio is a liner-lock with an aluminum handle, very handy and portable. The truncated blade, available in black or satin finishing, underlines the scarce aggressiveness. Also displayed at the show an ample kitchen product line, which soon will be available
From the top: the two version of the new Lionsteel T.R.E. top of the line. The T.R.E. (Three Rapid Exchange) offers the chance to customize the opening system by mounting different components. At the bottom: the normal version, available in different colors, do not offer the same characteristic
Fa n t o n i b ro u g h t n o n e w m o d e l s , i n s t e a d presented a new limited edition of its HB1 made of CPM S125V steel. In place of the usual black scales, it’s been presented an unseen and pleasant Ranger Green
Mac entrusted to Consorzio coltellinai di Maniago this 3D printed prototype, which shows the new in development handle destined to be matched with different blades. In Nuremberg displayed just picture of the thought for scuba
was the one uses
Nicolai Lilin, author of the “Siberian Education�, signed a new design for Maserin. The knife, with a military mark, has a winding N690 blade, which recalls the one created for the movie. The handle will be black or black and green G10, and the sheath will be of Kydex
Obviously, it's difficult t o s u m m a r i ze i n o n e picture all of Fox new productions. From the top, the new collaboration with Te r z u o l a , w i t h G 1 0 scales or the more traditional ziricote wood. At the bottom, the new backlock signed Ron Lake, with safety 5
EVENTS
At the Consorzio coltellinai di Maniago stand in display the new rescue folder by Antonini. The model is called Ara Army2 and is completely black. Inside the G10 scales there's a 440A blade , a glass breakers, strap cutters and an hex key
Helle has recently brought up a collaboration with Vox, who's been able to revisit the classic Nordic knife, by modernizing its design whilst keeping in mind tradition. Utvaer carries birch scales fastened with steel inserts, and the blade is Sandvik 12C27
Viper brought in Germany two new folders. From the top: Dan1, carbon handle, Dan2, green G10 handle and Ten, carbon handle. The Dan series has no lock, as the regionals of the producer, whereas the Ten sport an innovative adjustable lock, a midway between a linerlock and a framelock
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Leatherman tool designed a bracelet with multiple tools, that you can take ever ywhere . The new Tr e a d i s m a d e o f 1 7 4 stainless steel and features a lot of useful tools like Allen wrenches, screwdrivers and box wrenches. Adjustable to accommodate any wrist size and fully customizable, Tread is as stylish as it is functional.
Among the various brands displayed on the Coltellerie Prezioso stand, we've chosen two Brian Hoffner folders,very liked abroad, but almost unknown in Italy. They have specifically been designed for a defensive use
Rex Applegate fans will be happy to know that Boker has put again in production the legendary Smatchet, but in an enhanched version, that gets rid of the plastic scales that now are made of micarta. The blade is N690 with a double cutting edge, but we’ve been told that it may be available with a single cutting edge The blade is N690 with a double cutting edge, but we’ve been told that it may be available with a single cutting edge 7
EVENTS
Azero is a new brand of tactical-sporting cutlery imported by Laika coltellerie. The model in the picture is part of a series which sports six different shapes of blade, all made of D2, with a black or titanium color coating. The handles are made of a special kind of micarta, been made of a very thin canvas
The new Rockstead Shun is designed by Dmitry Sinkevich. The handle is titanium, the blade is made of a clad steel with a inner layer of ZDP and outer layers of VG-10. As usual, the machining that recalls the ancient Japanese traditional swords is also there
From the left: Pohl Force focuses on a refined user w i t h i t s " B r av i s s i m o " , ziricote, cocobolo and olive tree wood handle. On the right, the new version of the Mike, with an aluminum handle instead of a the titanium one, available with a tanto blade (Mike 4), or a point (Mike 3)
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Tw o o f t h e m a n y n e w p ro d u c t s p re s e n t e d by Spyderco. From the top, Slysz bowie, a titanium framelock extremely handy and easy to carry. At the bottom, combative fighter with a cur ved bl a d e , t h a t a l l ow s t o change the direction of the blade orientation
Directly from the Benchmade stand, at the top the 484-1, with an axis lock and carbon handle, blue anodized spacer and a S90V blade. At the bottom, the 761 titanium framelock with a M390 blade that rotates on ball bearings
From the top: the biggest novelty for Cold Steel, the 4-Max folder by Andrew Demko. Inside the G10 handle there's a ver y sturdy Tr i ‑ A d l o c k a n d a CPM‑20CV blade.
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At the bottom, the Tiger claw folder, with a Carpenter CTS XHP blade and a spacer with a titanium ring
EVENTS
Ve l o s i s t h e n ew l i t t l e dagger by Spartan Blades, in CPM 20CV. Equipped with a Kydex sheath, the knife includes a screwdriver and an hex‑hole, that allows the use of the screw inserts. Soon it will available also with a single cutting edge, to favor markets like the Italian one
The new collaboration between CRKT and James Williams is called Shizuka Noh Ken, it’s a militar y framelock.The blade is AUS8, and half of the handle is in black G10. The hindrances are reduced to the minimum, especially the thickness, and make its carry very easy
Certainly, character is not lacking on The General by Medford. This strong framelock is in titanium, with a D2 blade, carries a star on the pivot and on the handle. The back spacer protrudes so to form a skullcrusher, and to open the blade the ample oval striation comes in very handy
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It's impossible not to t a ke a p i c t u r e o f t h i s magnificent belt hatchet by Karesuando. Unna Ă ksu, it's the name, has a natural or colored birch handle, with a Sandvik stainless steel blade. It's designed to be used in hunting situations, and is equipped with a leather s h e a t h t h a t a l l ow s t h e carry on the side
At the KAI stand were displayed the new creations of Kershaw w ZeroTolerance. From the top, the automatic Kershaw 7200, with a CPM 154 blade. At the bottom, the ZT 0900, designed by Les George. Whereas the first will never reach the Italian borders the second certainly will reach success as an EDC thanks to its dimensions The new Gerber Strongarm is a further evolution of the concepts expresses with Prodigy and LMFII. The blade is a black 420 HC, is available both plain and combo, the handle is directly molded on the tang, using polymers of two different hardness. The sheath is a composite of polymers and synthetic yarn 11
FOLDER
The midget and the
Persian warrior Two folders – Nano e Uolcos – as a result of the collaboration of Böker and two knifemakers bring our attention back to the rich Plus line of the German company, which in the last years has been offering very interesting models with an excellent ratio between quality and price text and pictures by Tommaso Rumici
1. The left scale of the Nano, at first sight looks like a colored G10, instead is made of polymers. This does not diminish the aesthetics nor the sturdiness of the knife 1
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he Plus line by B ö ke r i n cl u d e s different models ready to capture eve n t h e ex p e r t e ye, a n d without weighing too much
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Original, functional, inoffensive For this price range, nothing to highlight
Producer: Boker, www.boker.de Distributor: Kunzi, tel. +39 02 614.51.61, www.kunzi.it Model: Nano Designer: David Curtiss Blade material: 440C Handle material: steel and Zytel Length when open: 121 mm Blade length: 48 mm Blade thickness: 3 mm Weight: 83 g Lock type: frame lock
2. The Nano model of this article is a framelock, but in the catalog you'll find also slip joint versions recognizable by the “42” suffix
on the wallet. Perfect knives to give as a present with a intriguing design and of a good structural quality. The assor tment is always expanding, making it impossible to review every newcomer, but at least we can periodically choose the most interesting ones, while always keeping an eye on the German catalog so not to loose other news.
the ergonomics, that made possible to create a ver y compact and versatile folder. When closed it fits in the palm of the hand, and when opened - keeping its small hindrances - offers a comfortable and stable grasp. Th e a m p l e o p e n i n g l o o p allows an easy movement, often one of the toughest thing to do with such small folders. O n c e l o cke d , we h av e a Nano stocky blade that we can T h e B o ke r N a n o d e s i g n , completely exploit, with a b y D av i d C u r t i s s , s t r i ke s constant and not extreme us for the careful study of curve easily sharpened. 13
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Th e c u r ve t h at l i n k s t h e dropped down point to the back - milled to place the thumb - has a blunt swedge, which together with the hight of the blade, creates a perfect emergency lever. The steel is the classic 4 4 0 C , a n d h av i n g t e s t e d the sharpness if the cutting edge, we think its properly tempered for a knife that can be used every day. A t f i r s t s i g h t , i t l o o k s we have a framelock with a left scale in milled G10. In reality, even the second half of the handle is made of steel and is enclosed in a Zytel shell. This solution is the right one for this price range as it helps contain the costs without 14
diminishing the aesthetics or strength. It's a pity the hidden liner hasn't been lighten, the c h a n g e i n we i g h t wo u l d have been significant while ke e p i n g u n c h a n g e d t h e structural sturdiness. True that the overall weight is not outrageous, still if this was one of our models, we would immediately take care if it. The two halves of the frame are assembled by a pivot and three couples of screws, which secure three cylindrical spacers. The back is open and avoids dir t deposits that can be found in our pockets. Disassembling this knife is
3. On the right side of each blade there is the logo of the designer. For the joy of the enthusiasts, Boker has given way to a collaboration policy with some of the best international designers
possible and it's so simple that anyone can do it. David Curtiss is at the head of a water jet cutting company. He is the one that creates the clip for the Nano, and as for its customs, are lighten thanks to the engraved logo. The fastening is made by two screws and even if available only on one side, it allows to carr y it tip-up or tip-down, The choice depends only on your personal taste, as the
On the online version of the Magazine you can see a video here Please visit: http://www.caffeditrice.com/knives/2015-04/index.html
4. Both knives are equipped with solid clips, the one on the Nano is a bit special, since it's made directly by David Curtiss
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5. The Uolcos reinterprets the classic Persian fighters. U n f o r t u n a t e l y, t h e dimensions and moreover the very aggressive aesthetics does not make it an EDC, at least in Italy 6. When closed, the Uolcos bottom guard protrudes so to be used as a flipper. Notice the thickness of the liners, which adds robustness but also weight 7. The two knives compared: the difference in hindrances is clear. On the scale is even clearer
lock when closed is strong enough to allow a safe carrying in both ways. Apparently it looks like the lanyard hole is missing, but after close inspection, when the knife is closed, the space between the cutting edge and the last of the spacers is enough to easily fasten a lanyard. There are seven different ver sions of the Nano, and they differ by color and m e ch a n i c s . Th e s t a n d a rd version, the leading character of this article, has a framelock architecture. The ver sions carr ying the "42" suffix are identical in shape, but are slip joint, ideal for those countries in which carrying a small folder with
no lock is possible. On a practical point of view they are perfect as EDC, since much of the bottom area rests on the index, making it difficult to cut yourself even with no lock. The Zytel shells can be black, orange or acid green. The last one is mounted on a special edition called "Zombie", available only as a framelock. It differ s from the rest of the line for the black blade, serrated from the second half to the point to become more aggressive. It's ideal for those handling car tons, packaging and fasteners. We re a l ly l i ke d a l o t t h e Boker Nano. And probably, like us, also those attending
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8. Once taken apart the G10 scale, you can see that the Uolcos liners have not been lighten. A pity, as the weight penalizes the great work of Lhotak
the 2013 edition of the DKE (Dutch Knife Exhibition), ap p o i n t e d i t a s t h e “ b e s t s e r i a l k n i f e � . I f yo u a r e looking for a small folder, t h at c a n n o t b e m i s t a ke n for a weapon, suitable for all those everyday tasks, we believe this is your answer. Tr uth be told, the catalog contains a dated model - the Subcom designed by Chad Los Banos - that can be a though competitor for this newcomer.
Uolcos If the ideal role of the Nano is the urban EDC, the same 18
cannot be said for the Uolcos, way too big and aggressive to be carried around ever ywhere, at least in our Country. The elaborate design by the Austr ian Raimund Lhotak reminisces about the Persian style, and is extremely intriguing. The blade is w i n d i n g a n d p o i n t y, a n d seems even more aggressive due to the swedge and the concave bevels. Nice and cared is the steel finishing, with stone washed bevels and horizontally satined flats. The 440C blade is opened through the bottom guard, which protrudes from the
handle and works as a flipper, supporting the action of the index and the movement of the wrist. The left washer is made of Teflon and has quite a diameter, where as the right one is made of bronze and is smaller to give space to the linerlock. The hold of the lock, at least on our model, does not rise critiques, the unlocking motion is swift since the liner is not in the way. The frame is made of two 2 mm thick steel liners held together by two pivots and two couples of screws which fasten two hour-glass spacer s. On this structure
there are two screwed in green G10 scales and two stone washed steel bolsters. The overall offers a feeling of sturdiness. The handle is comfor table especially in the typical combative grips, further underlining the nature of this folder. Even in its generic use is sufficiently handy. Lhotak has made an excellent work. Unfortunately, the handle is the problem of the Uolcos. On the Nano, the great care and the construction solutions, even if improvable in certain cases, appeared to be valid a n d m o re t h a n a d e q u at e for the price range. On the Uolcos - a folder with tactical inclination - the situation is less positive, even if we can
live with the cut of the liner, that bears many machining signs or with the less than generous diameter of the stop pin, the real issue is the weight. Even if the liners are quite thick, nobody thought to lighten them. Then, add the steel bolsters and the Boker weighs more than two hg., making it impossible not to be aware of his presence in our pockets and pushing all the weight o f t h e k n i f e t owa r d s t h e handle. A real pity. To carry it, the situation is similar to the Nano one. The clip can b e r ep o s i t i o n e d o n ly o n the right side and the lack of the lanyard hole can be ove r c o m e u s i n g t h e l a s t spacer.
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Intriguing design Too heavy
Producer: Boker, www.boker.de Distributor: Kunzi, tel. +39 02 614.51.61, www. kunzi.it Model: Uolcos Designer: Raimund Lhotak Blade material: 440C Handle material: G10 Length when open: 228 mm Blade length: 100 mm Blade thickness: 3.4 mm Weight: 211 g Lock type: liner lock
We'd like to thank Scintilla cutlery shop www.coltelleriascintilla.com for the samples given for the shooting
On the online version of the Magazine you can see a video here Please visit: http://www.caffeditrice.com/knives/2015-04/index.html
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ARMY KNIVES
Greg’s anatomy
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Recently appeared on the online store of Collini knives shop, Medford is a young brand of military knives produced in the US. Designed for a real use, they get to the point, with no embellishments but still able to offer great precision in its finishings text and pictures by Tommaso Rumici
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1. Even if the acronym means “Tactical Spear Point", the TSP is a knife with a simple and pragmatical design, w h i c h ke e p s i t s d i s t a n c e from the usefulness of those exaggerations typical of certain tactical knives 2. Each Medford has engraved on the blade the producer logo and the sequential serial number, testifying the abundant care put into the creation of each single item
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n iv e s d e s i g n e d b y Greg Medford have some peculiarities which find their origins in the American tradition, as we l l a s i n A s i a n c o m b at
knives, all elevated by the many possibilities offered by modern technology. The militar y blades enthusiast may see a bit of Strider in them, but from which they differ for the pragmatism of the edge, which does not desperately reach out for originality, and for the less squared handles. As always, to know what to expect from knives bearing a Medford name, it's necessar y to know who produces them. Greg is a Martial Art expert, combat instructor and owns a d o j o wh e re h e s p re a d s his knowledge. He is also a close quarter instructor and since the half of the 80s, is dedicated to the study and restoration of Japanese
3. The TS-1 is the one with the most peculiar design that we captured in our photos. Greg managed to adapt the blade for an outdoor use , firstly by giving it a less squat look and then by making it more curved
blades. Moreover, Greg is an aerobatic pilot and flight instructor. And, finally, Greg served in the United States Marine Corps during the well-known Deser t Stor m and Desert Shield Ops. All these experiences helped Greg in becoming competent about mechanics, the real use of a knife and the ability to highlight the principal characteristics a knife should have. 21
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4. The TS-1 tang ends with a gripping surface fro the thumb and, aside the usual lanyard hole, houses an hex key specific to screws of military optical pins 5.The exagonal recess for the inserts of Ÿ� has been moved near the lower part of the guard. On the back, a knurled recess offers the thumb a better control
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6. Field Master presents a more classical shape compared to the other models, designed to offer a sound field knife . There is also a nicely crafted camo Kydex sheath
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7. To ensure that the Medford sheath can be secured to all militar y apparels, the producer offers a robust tek-lock, that can be used with the hollow rivets
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ARMY KNIVES
The Medford, independently to the model, are blades that can renounce ever ything not useful to offer better performances and more versatility. They are destined to be used in military or highly challenging environments, situations that require a tool which you can count on - no exceptions made. And these are blades meant for those who know how to handle them and for that lacking typical excesses d e a r t o t h o s e w h o h av e n o p ra c t i c a l ex p e r i e n c e. The manufacturer himself wishes that nobody spares his models, instead use them strongly, ruin them and
consume them, he assures that they last for years. Go and have a look to the Medford website to admire the entire production, but now, lets focus on some of the fixed just become available in Italy, thanks to the Collini knife shop of Busto Arsizio.
TSP - Tactical Spear Point Our fir st contact with the Medford happened exactly with the TSP. The knife, just like all the other s of this article, is handed of in a very nicely padded nylon pouch and embroided with the Medford logo. Sometime it happens that the adjective "tactical" symbolizes blades
of absurd shapes, fortunately, this is not the case. Quite the opposite, the TSP is simple and practical, with a rounded edge, fully usable and a point worth its name. The blade is satin or black finishing D2. We actually prefer the latter so to avoid any oxidation that can be caused by the liquids left between the paracord and the steel. The steel thickness is generous and, with the 8. From the top: NAV-H and NAV-T are the same knife, except for the material used for the handle. G10 for the first one, paracord for the latter
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t o o. E v e n t h e p e c u l i a r entanglement - which gives the grip a diamond shaped section, contributes to the comfort. The lower section of the guard is very much developed and leaves no doubts on safety, constant hight bevel, are whereas the upper section synonym of militar y-proof lacks completely, suggesting s t u rd i n e s s , t h at fo r o n c e, different destinations, from wasn't at the expenses of the o n e - o n - o n e c o m b a t t o cutting performances. Greg anything comes in your mind. says that he got inspired by a n antique Roman spear when TS-1 it came the time to detail the Even more peculiar is the TSshape of the blade. 1 design, defined by Medford T h e t a n g i s r e c t a n g u l a r, a "Tactical ser vice sniper necessary when wrapping the field craft blade�. Always a paracord around it and you field blade in the intentions want it to make it stick while of the manuf acturer, that using it, and slightly curved lacks the upper section of t o o f fe r s o m e e rgo n o m i c the guard, and replaced by a 9 . T h e N AV s a re s l i g h t l y smaller than the TSP, which is the following design. On the back of the blade the surface is knurled, which is not in its bigger version
knurled groove for the thumb. The blade, extremely pointed, is less squatly than the usual, its curve helps in the cut of the vegetation, still keeping its length contained. And, cutting the vegetation is just exactly what you have to do during precision shooting, when setting your position, its camouflage and the one of the personal equipment. Always carrying a paracord handle, the TS-1 integrates a n h ex ago n a l h o l e t o b e used on Âź inches inserts. To further define its particular destination of use, it carries a bigger hole which is designed to be used to tighten screws that hold the optics. For those in need of more strength, there is the 25
ARMY KNIVES
bigger TS-2, that obviously had bigger hindrances that make it difficult carrying it around.
FM-1 Field Master The Filed Master we had in our hands was in black. It's a real working tool, with a straight and round blade, probably doesn't shine for or iginality, but it sure i s e f fe c t ive. Th e k nu rl i n g on the back offers a good control of the blade while performing precision tasks. On back of the tang, there is a protruding area which works as a crusher and hosts an hexagonal hole to be used on inserts, and a round one for the lanyard. Every knife carries the manufacturer logo and the serial number, further testimony of the limited ser ies and the care given in the production of each 26
single piece. As for the other models, also the Field Master has an excellent tailor-made Ky d ex s h e at h . Th e c o l o r matches the paracord used on the knife, in this case the desert digital camouf lage. There is also a robust Teklock to secure everything on belts or military jackets.
NAV-H (g10) and NAV-T NAV-H e NAV-T are, in reality, the same knife. The only big difference is that the handle of the first one is made of two green G10 scales, whereas the second uses paracord. Similar in design to the TSP, the NAVs have a 95mm long and a reduced width bl a d e wh i c h m a ke t h e m more compact and lighter and easier to carry around without lacking in robustness. It's not strange to see that this has been the first design of
10. At the end of the tang of the NAVs we find a glasscrusher, a lanyard hole and a n h e x ag o n a l h o l e f o r Âź inch inserts, offering more versatility
the producer and also Greg's personal EDC. Its handle is very similar to the TSP, with the same curvature and the same comfort. Our preferred version is the black one with a green paracord, which offers more comfort compared to the G10 - still extremely valid. The practical characteristics in the NAVs haven't gone unnoticed to the experts eyes, so much so that the producer proudly states that many of these models are in use by military and contractor personnel, around the world. î ľ LM
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Producer: Medford knives, www.medfordknife.com Model: TSP; TS-1; FM-1; NAV-H; NAV-T Blade material: D2 Handle material: paracord (except for the NAV-H, which is in G10) Total length: 240 mm; 245 mm; 225 mm; 230 mm; 230 mm Blade length: 105 mm; 130 mm; 87 mm; 95 mm; 95 mm Blade thickness: 6.5 mm; 6 mm; 6 mm; 6.5 mm; 6.5 mm Weight: 378 g; 338 g; 262 g; 368 g; 330 g Sheath: Different colors of Kydex
We'd like to thank the knives shop Collini (www.coltelleriacollini.it) for giving us the opportunity to have in our hands the knives we have reviewed.
Solo nei migliori rivenditori specializzati.
www.ausoniatools.com
TECH FRAME BULLDOG
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Via dei Fabbri, 19 - 33085 Maniago (PN) - Italy - tel. 0427 71335 www.maserin.com - info@maserin.com
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TEST
SHARP TOOLS After having discussed in the past of the Hultafors hatchets, in this issue we want to review one of their knives. Similar to Mora concept, the Craftsman's knife is probably even more comfortable, thanks to the extremely ergonomic double-material handle text and pictures by Giorgio Alessandri
1. The Hultafors Craftman’s design is focused on the highest practicality of usage in spite of aesthetics. Nonetheless, it ends up being clean and likable, thanks also to the careful fabrication
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he history of Hultafors begins in 1883, when Karl-Hilmer Johansson KollĂŠn designed what today is known around the world as the folding rule. Since then more than 130 years passed, and Hultafors never stopped to develop and produce working tools. Let's be clear on: Hultafors does not produce knives, but tools, among which there are knives. It does sounds like a useless exercise in words, but the difference is substantial. Here everything is thought to be functional, safe and precise. The design appeal is
t h e l e a s t o f t h e wo r r i e s f o r t h e p r o d u c e r, a s he is concentrated on ergonomics and the advantageous ratio between quality and price. Th i s i s why t h e c o m p a ny develops its products with the collaboration of the end users, studying the specific needs of each job and making his the suggestions. The same professionals are then asked tr y them out in several practical tests, aimed to let surface any possible further developments. S o, i n H u l t a f o r s c a t a l o g , we won't find only multitasking blades, but also plumber and electrician
2. The sheath is made of plastic and it's very sturdy and well designed. The knife retention is ensured by gravity and by an elastic little wing that pushes on the bottom guard. The hole also allows the flow of water when quickly cleaned under the faucet
k n ive s - eve r y s i n g l e o n e specific for the task at hand. Our Craftsman's knife with its patented design, is the result of such philosophy. We have chosen this one because it's the most ve r s at i l e o f t h e l i n e, a n d i s a d ap t abl e t o d i f f e r e n t 29
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3. The fastener can be opened and we can secure the Hultafors to the belt, without removing it. Due to the small indentations, on the other hand, it's difficult to unfasten it. Genius the possibility to fasten the knife to your working clothes
destination of use and requiring little maintenance. The blade is a clip point and made of a stainless steel. And it has been hardened to 57–59 HRC. On other variations, the Producer declares to use a J ap a n e s e c a r b o n s t e e l o f s i m i l a r t h i ck n e s s a n d hardness. Even if we do not expect to find great finishings for its destination of use, the surfaces are pleasantly satined, horizontally on the 30
sides and vertically on the bevels. Only the back of the blade remains partially unfinished. The bevel are of a Nordic kind and the cutting edge is obtained through various steps, the last of which is the stropping on a leather belt. As a matter of fact, the blade appear s perfect, no bur r s or uncertainties typical of products designed for DIY stores instead of cutleries. The handle is made of blue polypropylene molded
directly on the tang, and almost completely coated with a softer black Santoprene which enhances the gripping features. Which way you grab it, it'll feel always comfortable and safe. Ideal to work for long period of times and well. It lacks a lanyard hole, we will have to get use to store t h e k n i f e b e t we e n a c u t and the other, an healthy habit once we get used to it since it'll avoid forgetting
Inside the fastener, there is a small plastic pin that pushes against the belt, avoiding the wiggling of the knife. I f yo u r b e l t i s ve r y t h i ck , instead you can cut it off. Very smart is the hole behind t h e f a s t e n e r, d e s i g n e d t o hang the sheath to a button of the work clothes by simply passing it through the opening towards the top. î ľ LM
it around and inadvertently cut ourselves. Otherwise, we can screw an eye bolt to the handle. E ve n t h e s h e at h i s m a d e of polypropylene and will retain the knife thanks to gravity and to an inter nal small wing that pushes against the bottom guard. The sheath has a hole to let water flow. Th e b e l t f a s t e n e r c a n b e opened to secure the knife without pulling out the belt from the trousers and is kept closed with two elastic indentations, which the reduced dimensions make it difficult to unfasten the knife, once you are done with the job.
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Extremely comfortable No lanyard hole
Producer: Hultafors, www.hultafors.com Model: Craftsman’s knife RFR GH Blade material: stainless steel Handle material: Polypropylene and Santoprene Total length: 210 mm Blade length: 94 mm Blade thickness: 2.5 mm Weight: 82 g Sheath: polypropylene
4. The cutting edge is simply perfect. No preliminar y operations are needed. The Craftsman's knife is ready to keep up with all the typical tasks of a bushcraft. An ideal companion when hunting and trekking
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FIXED SPORTING BLADES
What knife you carry in the backpack? Maxpedition already took on the production of knives, presenting its Ferox folders, followed by the enriched titanium version Excelsa. Now, in the American company catalog twelve fixed blades make their entrance, they are produced in Taiwan and aim to replicate the success reached by the folders text and pictures by Giorgio Alessandri
1. Each of the four blades of this line come in three different measures. At each one corresponds a handle of proper dimensions
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2. As promised by the Marketing Dpt. of Maxpedition, the hole at the end of the handle is sufficiently large to host not only the paracord, but also the synthetic straps
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t's been quite some time that Maxpedition, famous producer of militar y and law enforcement accouterments, revealed its fixed blade series,causing some discussions as being similar to the Mad D o g c u s t o m s . C l e a rly t h e d e b a t e e n d e d p o s i t iv e l y and, after the American d e bu t , M a x bl a d e c u t l e r y (www.maxblade.it) offer s them to the Italian public. The choice between 12 variations does not appear too tough, as the assortment i s m a d e r a t i o n a l l y. T h e
blades are clip, tanto and a more streamlined clip, and the of course the fishbelly presented in these pages. Each of the four blades can be found in a small, medium and large size. The handle is made of black nylon, molded almost at the end of the tang and to grant a perfect grip, four grooves and two through-holes are also present. The section is a rectangle with enough smooth edges to make it comfortable, with cl e a r s t e p s b e t we e n t h e lateral flat and tapered and
rounded surfaces. Index and middle finger rests in two dedicated grooves, followed by a third, more ample groove for the ring and little finger s. The bottom guard is a whole with the handle, just like the upper one. The surface offers a orange peel texture, slightly rough but never rubbing. The hole is wide enough to host not only the paracord, but also Cordura stripes up to a t h u m b w i d e. Th e h a n d l e s have all the same design, but vary in their proportions in relation to the blade 33
FIXED SPORTING BLADES
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3. The Kydex sheaths are simple, functional and well crafted. You'll never fear to loose your knife, even in operational situations
measure they have to match. The steel used is the supert e s t e d D 2 t o o l s t e e l , t h at undergoes to a double temper ing and cr yogenic treatment, in order to reach a 58-60HRC. The blade finishing is micro shoot peened followed by a hard opaque chrome plating. In t h e i n s t r u c t i o n at t a ch e d , Maxpedition highlights that such treatment results in a microporous surface, thus elevating the wearing out capability, but not much to the antioxidant one. Anyway, nothing serious, as the D2 34
resistance to oxidation is more than acceptable, with little maintenance. In spite of all the superlatives used by the company to describe i t s n e w f i xe d bl a d e s , t h e product we had in our hands has some defects. The flat bevels, on our samples, do not perfectly start symmetric and, despite the micro shoot peening and coating, at the junction they still have some machining striation, especially on the small size. Aside these negligible details, there is a more s e r i o u s a n d i n ex p l i c abl e
d e fe c t : t h e i n d ex g ro ove. I f yo u d e c i d e t o h ave i t , it should be before the bevel, so that the finger can comfortably rest in an area where the steel is at its full thickness. Instead, what we have here is a finger choil with a thickness of just a millimeter and ends directly on the cutting edge, offering quite a r isk. On the other h a n d t h e c o nvex c u t t i n g edge is valid and at the same time sharp and robust. The Kydex sheath retains the knife by means of two symmetrical wings, which
side - the producer invites to never remove it. Taking a l o o k i n s i d e t h e s h e at h with the aid of a flashlight we believe we understood w hy. T h e b o l t s o n w h i c h the screws are secured are blocked with an abundant quantity of red threadlocker, a n d i f t a ke n ap a r t , l o o k s quite impossible to reverse the process. If we decide to replace the belt fastener w i t h a Te ch - l o ck , i t ' l l b e quite tough to mount again the belt fastener. î ľ LM
lets you know with a sound click that the lock is on. It's made of a single piece, Ubended and secured with four stainless steel r ivets. Even if it cannot be opened, cleaning it is simple thanks t o t h e g e n e ro u s o p e n i n g that let the water flow when put under the faucet. Remeber that Kydex shall never be cleaned with s o l ve n t s l i ke a c e t o n e, a s they would dissolve it. To carry it, you can use the belt fastener screwed on the left
Functional, little maintenance required Index groove
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Producer: Maxpedition, www.maxpedition.com Model: Fishbelly small, medium and large Blade material: D2 Handle material: nylon Length when open: 235 mm; 259 mm; 278 mm Blade length: 121 mm; 140 mm; 158 mm Blade thickness: 4 mm; 4.7 mm 5.4 mm Weight: 131 g; 174 g; 245 g Sheath: Kydex
4. Even if the blade has been micro shoot peened and then chromed, machining striations are still visible on the bevels joint. We cannot find a suitable explanation for the finger choil within the bevel 4
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BACKUP KNIFE
A small and light-weight knife, to be used as a defense, working and generic tactical tool. In spite of the small size, it offers great robustness and very strong cutting capabilities by Roberto Allara
1. The No Bother by CRKT laying on the two parts composing the sheath
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2. On the back of the blade, a milled part works as support for the thumb
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No bother suits perfectly the knife we are going to rev i ew. I t s l i g h t n e s s a n d small dimension make its c a r r y i n d i f f e r e n t way s : fastened to the backpack, a r o u n d yo u r n e c k w i t h the Paracord you find in the packaging, to the belt or simply in your pocket. The quick release buckle allows to quickly separate the knife from the Molle suspension, and the Kydex sheath balances the good bl a d e re t e n t i o n w i t h a n ease of extraction - avoiding
extreme effor ts and time losses. The knife designer, Ryan Johnson, is known to be a forger of Tomahawks, a t o o l t h at a n s we r s o n e of his three criteria to be o b s e r ve d wh e n d e a l i n g with tactical objects: never underestimate what wo rke d fo r c e n t u r i e s . The other two consists in deeply examining the past and present conditions on field, using both new and old mater ials in the most appropr iate way so t o b e a d ap t abl e t o s u ch conditions and finding the
right balance between the most efficient design and the worst case scenario. The blade has a shape that the producer defines a s R e v e r s e Ta n t o . A n ex p r e s s i o n t h at d o e s n ' t car r y much significance, as it only refer s to the inclination of the shortest trait of the chisel tip, which in this case steers towards the back of the blade. Nonetheless, with this point the Tanto solution is truly there. When we focus on a defense use of the blade, the tip is little, but slashing 37
BACKUP KNIFE
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3. The handle is simply made of two ABS scales and a series of holes provides for the balance
towards with the cutting e d g e, o r f ro m b o t t o m t o top, it's more than enough. If we think to use it to work with, the shape of the blade allows to shor test par t of the swedge as it was a K i r i d a s h i . O bv i o u s ly, t h e functionality will not be as elevated as for the case of the or iginal Japanese b l a d e , b u t i t s t i l l m a ke possible to carry out quite complex tasks. For the blade it has been
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used the 8Cr13MoV, nickelchromium-molybdenumvanadium steel with a little percentage of magnesium to enhance the pour ing and silicon to enhance the elasticity. Usually the silicon steels are used for the spr ings. The percentage of carbon varies between 701 and 80 points (between 0,7 and 0,8 per cent), that allows to reach a significant harness of 58-60 HRc, which is the
f o u n d at i o n o f t h e g r e at capability to remain sharp and the ease of sharpening. I t ' s a go o d c o m p ro m i s e, probably the best allowed with the materials in use. The finishing is absolutely robust. To the e ye i t re s e m bl e s m o re a militar y phosphate conversion coating instead o f a bu r n i s h i n g , e ve n i f the producer tells us it c o n s i s t s o f a ox i d a t i o n t re at m e n t fo l l owe d by a
to solve a problem, it usually never happens with a immaculately stored knife. The handle is a full tang with a consistent full thickness, an reduced in weight by means of through holes that ensure the balance of the tool. Probably the best comment on this knife has been made by an American client, who wrote on the producer website: "Like it so much I bought two moreâ€?. î ľ
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Small and very strong Nothing to point out
Producer: CRKT, Usa, www.crkt.com Model: No Bother Type: Utility knife Length: 134 mm Blade length: 52 mm Blade thickness: 4.5 mm Blade material: tempered 8Cr13MoV to 58-60 HRc Finishing: oxidized and tumbled Scales material: ABS Sheath: M.O.L.L.E. system, neck carry Weight: 58 g
SO
tumble finishing - by them defined as stone washing. The feeling is that this finishing can withstand with no problems a certain amount of abuses. OF course they should never happen, but the difference between making such considerations while comfortably sitting at home and using a tool which is the only available is tr uly significant. When on field and using a knife
4. When held in hand, you can clearly see how small the knife is
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