Knives

March 5, 2014 By Chas Bruce

Gerber Daily Carry

This is a concept not unfamiliar to the COG team: preparedness. Being at the ready for everyday crises, big and small. Especially important on the trail miles from civilization. But also when you’re trundling down dark city streets. Besides your key fob and cell phone, what do you need? There are endless blogs and websites discussing these very needs.

Common daily carries — Some examples of ‘daily carries’

Every Day Carry (EDC) One popular site has the readership submit photos of their EDC. Interesting to see what individuals consider the essentials. Another blog has similar content. A surprising number of folks consider a small pistol to be part of their EDC. As a writer/doodler my first weapon is always a pen. You can’t imagine how dear and hard to find a writing tool is when you need it. And a scrap of paper. So that’s it for me: cell, keys, pen and paper and a small knife to take on tough apples. And a small LED flashlight to push back the darkness.

Years ago Gerber gave a EDC tool, the Shard. I still don’t know what to make of it. It looks a bit like a performing seal. But if I thought I needed a small and medium flat screwdriver and a Philips head driver with pry bar, wire stripper, and bottle opener, I’d carry it. Still on the books for eight bucks. Complete with hole to add to the keychain.

The Gerber Daily Carry line, GDC includes four pocketable tools the Zip Blade, the Zip Driver, the Zip Hex, and the Zip Light, each going for $12. They are certainly minimal, just enough to get the job done, and they easily unclip from the lanyard to your fob/keychain. The Zip blade only protrudes about 3/4″, just enough to slice our mail open. The Zip light is a coin cell unit with a bright LED, running on CR1616 coin cell, with 8 lumens and a 3.5 hour runtime. The Zip Hex provides hex wrenches, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm. Just the combination to tighten the water bottle holder or the seat post on my commuter bike. The Zip Driver has a large and small flat screwdriver, and a large and small Philips screwdriver.

Gerber Daily Carry keychain plus — Gerber Hook Knife

Another in the line is the GDC Hook Knife. Has a large ring for your finger and slips from its plastic sheath with a tug. Made to cut through seatbelts and such. We found it to be bit small for that task, although it was just about perfect for cutting zip ties.

$12 each

July 17, 2013 By Chas Bruce

Baladeo Cutlery Set

Sure you need spork and knife for al fresco dining. But what about urban foraging?

Recently I was at the Breadworks at the Ideal Market in Boulder. The air rich with various bread aromas, I was tempted by the exotic soup selections. A fragrant, steaming bowl was delivered and I headed for the cutlery/condiment bar. Plastic! Nothing but crummy plasticware! Luckily my Baladeo Cutlery Set was in my bag. These sets are not mom’s cutlery, and sometimes the gimmickry and features interfere with a simple meal. An alternative to Spork Sets, this outfit includes a corkscrew, bottle opener, can opener, as well as knife, fork and spoon. This is a more utilitarian alternative to their more elegant Spork and Knife Set.

ABS handle, stainless steel in Black, Red, Orange Purple and Army Green.

$30

April 24, 2013 By Nick Giustina

Victorinox Slim Signature Knive with Memory Stick

Victorinox Slim Signature Knife with Memory Stick

Scratching your head about what to get that grad this June? Me too, but I just figured it out, and it’s not the Webster’s Abridged either. It’s a new world out there, requiring new tools, and the Victorinox Slim Signature knife, with thumb drive, can get the kid out of a lot of jams.

Just like Grandpa’s Swiss Army knife was handy around the farm and forest, the Slim Signature is handy in the class room and dorm room. Hook this slim-profiled, multi-tool on a key ring, and it’s always there in case they need to copy an assignment off a buddies laptop or use the nail file to pick a roommate’s desk lock to search for post-its. Order from the website and they will engrave a name or hash tag for a little extra.

Includes:

USB Memory with 4GB or 8GB Removable Memory Stick
Blade
Nail File
Screwdriver
Scissors
Key Ring
Retractable Ball Point Pen
Tweezers

$39/4GB, $49/8GB

April 18, 2013 By Chas Bruce

SOG PowerAssist EOD B67 Multi-Tool

SOG’s new PowerAssist really means it. Not only does this multi-tool provide compound leveraged pliers, it has not one, but two spring assisted blades.

When this multi tool is in the closed (non pliers) position, it is easy to push out either of the knife blades, one on each side. A gentle push results in quick swing to lock, with a satisfying switchblade-esque click. A side release button releases the blades from lock.

The heavy-duty pliers and large wire cutters are driven by gears that multiply your leverage. Also includes C4-Punch (also useful as a marlin spike, tool scribe and glass breaker), and built-in crimpers, as well as can opener, bottle opener and screw driver blades. Finished in matte black. Closed length: 4.6″. Overall Length open: 7″. Weighs 9.6 oz.

$126

April 18, 2013 By Chas Bruce

Magnum Outdoor Folding Chef’s Knife

At last — a foldable Cook’s Knife for your Camp’s Gourmet Cook. Although the blade is just a tad under 5 inches, this knife has a chunky, heavy feel to it, and it handles well on a cutting board. We’d prefer a 6 or 8 inch blade, but folding into a handle would be an issue.

Hopefully this will stay in the camp larder, and not be used for general camp foolishness. The handle is crafted of solid rosewood, and the Japanese Nakiri style blade, made of 440 stainless steel, locks securely with a liner locking mechanism.

Blade length: 4 3/4″. Overall length: 10 1/4″. Weight: 6 oz. Made in China.

$22

April 13, 2013 By Chas Bruce

SOG Switch II Rosewood Handle Knife

The popular Twitch II folding knife is now available with a rosewood handle for that classic outdoorsman look.

This is one handy knife with a “Kick” that is good looking too. It features a pass-through lock bar that the “kick” of the blade sticks through. A nudge of the kick and SAT (SOG Assisted Technology) takes over with a spring assist. Perfectly legal.

Closed Length: 3.55″, Open Overall Length 6.2″. Blade 2.6″. Weighs 2.6 oz.

$85

February 18, 2013 By Chas Bruce

A.G. Russell Hocho Folding Cook’s Knife

The Gear Guys are always looking for a good specialized cook’s knife for the trail. The A.G. Russell Hocho is a handy knife for food preparation on the run. A convenient folder for the camp cook, slicing and dicing his way through meal prep.

Made entirely of stainless steel, with a 4-1/4″ blade with a Japanese Santoku look, but with a slight western rocker to the edge. Only to 5-1/8″ when closed. It locks with a very positive mid-lock and has a stainless steel clip to fasten to the pocket or to apron.

The blade might seem a mite short after using a 8″ Chef’s Knife, but this will get the job done when and where you need it.

$65

February 15, 2013 By Chas Bruce

Guppie Multi-Tool

No doubt what the Guppie was named for. The ferocious jaws will take up to a 1/2″ bite. The rivet eye is well, just a rivet eye.

The Guppie includes a one-handed stainless 2″ knife blade. The removable (held by magnets) tool carrier holds four screwdriver bits that pop into to the tail of the fish and it includes an LED light. A carabiner gate allows you to attach it to any handy loop, and the detent is just right for opening bottle caps.

3.5 inches long and weighs 4 ounces.

$40

February 9, 2013 By Chas Bruce

Helle Skåla Folding Knife

Helle Skala Folding Knive — Helle Skåla Folding Knife

The Skåla folding knife has heft. Probably not so comfortable in your pocket as in it’s handmade leather case on your belt.

This all-purpose knife is based on the same shape as the Birch-handled Dokka knife. It has a 4.5 inch Cocobolo wood handle with hidden steel liners for strength and a 3.5 inch stainless steel blade. The thick wooden scales (handles) have a rich feel that befits it’s handmade Norwegian heritage.

$130

January 17, 2013 By Chas Bruce

Naturalist Curved Hatchet

The all-purpose Naturalist Curved hatchet can handle chopping firewood, felling small trees, or any other tasks you want to throw at it, or it at.

Hand forged and made with American Hickory handles in the good old USA, each hatchet has a unique look. No two are exactly alike. 18 inch handle, weighs 19 oz.

$45