Boker Chad Los Banos Direkt Review

We've recently had the opportunity to evaluate the Direkt tactical folder manufactured overseas by Boker. It's another in a long line of innovative designs from Mr. Chad Los Banos, who calls Hawaii home. Chad resurrected the German cutlery giant with his fresh take on tactical designs and they just keep getting better. Chad has a background in blade-based martial arts, which I appreciated, as I have been a student of a Filipino knife and stick system. He also works in the corrections "industry" and has no doubt dealt with his fair share of unsavory characters who have used violence as a tool to meet their desperate and shady needs. It goes without saying that Chad Los Banos knows how to design a knife that can stand up to real world utility use while also providing comforting backup to those who may venture into harm's way. If you post, or lurk on EDC Forums, you may know Chad as 'Daywalker'. Chad is always friendly and open online, and appreciative of his success in the knife design game. I've had the opportunity to chat with Chad via email, and he's a very nice guy, and very humble, even though most of his knife designs are sure bragging rights, Los Banos keeps it real, and seems to live in the real world. We look forward to seeing what comes out of Chad's creative brain, and out of Boker's factories in the near future.
+++++++


Quick tech-specs: Overall length: 8¾“. Blade length: 3 5/8“. Weight: 4.2 oz. with a blade of 440C stainless and G10 handle slabs.

JEH aka: Discomfort had this to say about Boker's Chad Los Banos Direkt folder:
"Seems as though I beat Aaron to the punch here on reviewing the Boker Chad Los Banos Direkt, but I'm sure Aaron will have a different review then I considering we do have different tastes in blades and even different uses, plus I'm sure Aaron's write up will be in more detail and more enjoyable to read considering he is an amazing wordsmith where as I will be cut n' dry and give my opinion about this very nice knife that I have had the privilege of carrying around and using at work.
At first glance when looking at the Boker Chad Los Banos Direkt closed I thought "Why in the hell does it have a tail fin on it?" That's when Aaron informed me that it was the flip opener, I put the knife in my pocket carrying it tip down, as that is the way it comes and the flip got caught on my pocket when I would draw the knife, I initially thought this was a poor design, the flip just protruded a bit to much to be carried in the pocket. Being that this knife was not mine but was mine for a short period of time so I could give my thoughts and opinions about it, Aaron told me it was okay for me to change the clip and carry the knife tip up. So with the help of my Benchmade tool and some Loctight from work I changed the clip so I could carry tip up, which is my prefered method of all my EDC's and now I don't see the flip as a flaw at all, in fact now I love opening the Boker Chad Los Banos Direkt with the flip method, it opens smooth and fast. Really this blade is so well weighted that it opens with a gravity flawlessly each time and glides open with the thumb studs with the greatest of ease.
One thing I was really impressed about with the Boker Chad Los Banos Direkt was the milled G10 scales, the grip is solid, the knife fits snug in the hand and with the blade open the flipper also acts as an index guard and makes the knife feel that much more snug.
The Boker Chad Los Banos Direkt is feather light and rides like a cloud in the pocket, I'm sure this attribute can be credited to the minimal amount of metal that is used between the G10 scales
The Chad Los Banos Direkt I have been using is the combo edge titanium coated 440c with the serrations near the tip of the blade which I like very much, I feel like I use less pressure cutting with the serrations then if they were near the back, but for some reason I didn't feel like the plain edge cut as well, it still cut nice and smooth and is sharp as hell, I just feel like the position of the plain edge doesn't allow the blade to get a good cut going. Maybe it's my lack of experience with this style of blade and the serrations are supposed to start the cutting and the plain edge is supposed to finish the cut off. By any means I don't want my last comment to deter anyone from checking out this knife, especially for the price and quality. At Knifecenter.com you can pick one up for a mere $47 and have a very fine tool at your disposal. In fact after I give this knife back to it's rightful owner I'm going to pick one up.
Aside from being a great cutting tool, the Boker Chad Los Banos Direkt fits well enough in the hand it would be used as a mini kubaton/impact device for self defense purposes.
If you looking for a well priced, well made light weight tool or self defense weapon the Boker Chad Los Banos Direkt should be one of the first knives you look at, it will not let you down."
+++++++
I think Disc. summed it up very nicely. Eric, Discomfort and myself [Aaron] have all had time using and playing with this piece. Eric liked the grip pattern of the G10 in particular and the light weight. I appreciate the open construction for easy cleaning and the blackened blade. I was eager to see how it really performed in Disc's hands, as he uses tactical folding knives hard daily. If it passes his 'real world' work test, I know it's a knife built to last. Eric evaluated the knife in its 'out of the box' tip-down carry and commented on how the index flipper tended to be difficult to draw and deploy in that configuration. It should be noted that I had contacted Mr. Los Banos himself, who recommended that ALL of his designs be reconfigured for tip-up carry. Now I see why! The Direkt knife in particular seems as though Chad intended it to be carried this way, though Boker chose to manufacture it with the clip placement for tip-down carry for some reason. I really think Los Banos' placement of the serrated portion near the tip is unique and quite functional. As Discomfort stated above, he felt as if he had to generally use less pressure for utility cuts.
I used the Direkt at work to break down cardboard from cases of canned pet food, open freight at some stores where my employer's products are sold and I even used the tip to trim hangnails! Eric carried the Direkt for awhile and used it for several daily utility chores. Everyone I showed this knife to assumed it was in the $80-$200 range! I would think so too, and it should be noted that IMO, Chad's designs look like they are from 10 or 12 years from now!

One thing I thought was nice was that, while 440C is not a "buzzword" supersteel, we here at S, B and T have yet to sharpen it in the weeks we've been using the Direkt! 440C stainless has worked well for many types of knives for many decades and will continue to serve knife users well, regardless of what high tech alloy becomes the flavor-of-the-month in the coming years.

I think it's safe to say that all of us were extremely impressed with the Direkt folder's thin profile, minimal weight and overall cutting ability. I bought one of the fat little Chad/Boker Subcom folders a couple years back, and it's been clipped into my Maxpedition wallet ever since!



Whether the venerable little Subcom series, or the longer, meaner looking Direkt, Chad and Boker continue to crank out the hits. These knives perform at a level well above nearly all other knives in this inexpensive price range. If you're in the market for a capable workhorse knife that won't weigh you down and looks good while kicking ass, check out the Chad Los Banos range of knives by Boker.
-Aaron

Boker USA

and check out Chad's website CLB Design

Surefire Combat Ring kit

It's no secret that I'm a Surefire flashlight fan. I own others, but my Surefire G2's are longtime faves, and as mentioned below, I went out and got the longer G3 last week. Jon aka: Discomfort, my longtime friend and occasional blog writer is a Surefire user also, I believe his light of choice is the 6P Defender. I've always been partial to activating my lights with the momentary ON tailcap, rather than twisting the end for constant ON. Momentary tailcap activation tends to save batteries, and ensures longer bulb life, as the bulb doesn't have a chance to really get as hot and stay hot. That being said, I recently discovered what promises to be the most useful Surefire accessory outside of lithium batteries.

The Combat Ring kit was designed with the Graham lowlight handgun method in mind. As you can see from the diagram, the flashlight is "knuckled" between fingers of the non gun hand and the tailcap is activated with a knuckle. That's all well and good, but that's not what interested me about this kit. As I mentioned, tailcap activation is my cup of tea for Surefire lights. Any one of these rings will allow me a better grip on my G2's and G3 without having to pinch the light uncomfortably between my knuckles for every day use. The Combat Ring kit is reasonably priced, about $10.00 USD for the 3-ring set, so I'll have an option for all 3 of my lights.

I plan on using the loop ring on my G3 to attach a Lanyard Zone Glow Cobra lanyard. These suckers glow very bright, and this set up will allow me to quickly locate my G3 in event of a power outage or nighttime emergency. So, I'll have the hook ring and the standard ring to make using my black and OD G2's a bit easier and definitely more comfortable. Not to mention the fact that these rings just make an already impressive personal light look even cooler!

When my combat ring kit arrives, I'll update on any additional uses or revelations once I've had some time with the cool little Surefire add-ons.
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Look for a full review of the Boker Chad Los Banos Direkt tactical folding knife within the coming week. I've had my time with the knife, and Eric has had it in his possession for a few weeks now. It's seen some use, and it is definitely a formidable knife, especially at such a reasonable price point.

Also, Fenix E01 mini-LED light review is on the way, these affordable little wonders come in a handful of cool colors and feature a Nichia LED and will run for 21 hours on a single AAA. Plus, the Fenix website and packaging features some hilarious "Engrish".

Oops I did it again. Surefire G3 Nitrolon, jerky and resolutions

I know all of my gear will come in handy some day. Those who know me personally are aware of my fondness for Surefire's G2 polymer body flashlights. They are essentially lightweight plastic versions of the Surefire classic, 6P. G2's are powered by 2 lithium CR123 batteries and I've found these lights to be extremely reliable. Today, with a bit of Christmas cash in hand, I went North to Silverdale, WA, home of Sportsman's Warehouse. I've just ordered a handful of knives and EDC items and Sportsman's had nothing interesting knifewise. I was originally going to buy *just* a box of Surefire batteries, but the lights caught my eye. The G3 in essentially the G2 with an extra battery and increased brightness. Jesus, having a place to live rent-free is encouraging me to continue to go nuts with my obsessive gear buying!! I need to slow my roll if I want to see Europe next year, or in 2010. I'm bad with setting goals and sticking to plans, so we'll see what kind of beautiful evil knife manufacturers like Benchmade release to drain me of my potential travel funds in the coming year. Of course no visit to Sportsman's Warehouse would be complete without insane amounts of dried meat. I bought a pound and a half of assorted jerky flavors. Yes, at one time I was a staunch vegetarian, from age 16-22. Then I had foot surgeries, got lazy and realized the temporary joy a Big Mac can bring. I've never looked back. Yes, this animal loving gear-junkie is a true carnivore.

This blog is terrible for my wallet. Eric and I write about stuff we'd spend our money on anyway, but my little shoulder-devil always says "yes, yes, buy it Aaron, you can write about it on the blog!". I'm a sucker for the whispered words of my little shoulder-devil. He's the one that encourages me to make poor decisions and get fat on bad food!

2009 will be the year I tried. I'm bad at following through. I never finish anything. But mark my words, I'm going to get in shape, go to Europe, and maybe find a wife. Not neccessarily in that order though. I'm baring my soul for those who care to read. In 2009 I have nothing to lose, I'm 31 years old, single, childless and relatively happy, but I need a change. Maybe I should try to find a job in PR or advertising with a knife company? Hmm? Maybe I'll go to Germany and apprentice with some Gepetto-esque knifemaker and live off bread and wine, and run 5 miles daily until I have a better physique than educated action-schlub Dolph Lundgren.

Anyhow, if you're reading, I wish you a happy new year...more to come from S, B and T in 2K9.

Spoiled by Santa, a Sharp, Bright and Tactical Christmas

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Wow. My parents rule for too many reasons to list here. Let's just say they know me better perhaps than anyone else, with the exception of select longtime friends and 1 woman who I spent nearly a decade of my life with. I got them some pretty bangin' Xmas gifts...Dad got a Cold Steel wickedly serrated bread knife, a Tactical Tailor utility pouch for his Surefire G2 and a bunch of other small but useful things like trout lures. I gave Ma a Mundial scissor set, a Fisher Space Pen and other useful items like hiking socks and a keychain knife.

Ma surprised both Dad and myself this morning with Gerber's Ripstop multi tool. I have been fairly impressed with Gerber's recent Asian made products like the Profile series and the Artifact tool, and one can NEVER have too many multi tools. I'll do an in-depth review of the Ripstop tool soon, but for now, here's a peek at the tool that retails for nearly $60.00 USD, but can be found online or at stores like Target for under $30.00.


My folks encouraged me to make a bit of a Christmas list this year, as they implied I'd get a card with money if I didn't give them some ideas. Hell! that'd be fine by me, but they like the whole ritual of unwrapping things, and we all like the fact that I'm not in the hospital this Christmas, as I was last year in 2007, with bloodclots in my lungs, a hospital-given blood infection and excruciating chest pain.

Anyhow, I randomly sent Ma some knifecenter links of knives I'd like to own, but maybe wouldn't buy for myself. So, the Lonewolf Harsey T1 with rosewood scales and a blade of CPMS30V was almost enough of a shock to put me back in the hospital this Christmas!

I'm really stoked on this little folder, the blade is just over 3 inches and the design is "tactical", yet classy. It's no wonder the look and feel of this knife reminds me a bit of the old Gerber US made knives like the Applegate folder. Lonewolf was created by former Gerber employees from what I understand. Al Mar was also a Gerber employee before starting his own company, as was Pete Kershaw. Interesting.

Anyway, I just had to share my joy. I hope everyone is warm and safe and doing well. Merry Christmas. Christian or not, this is a good time to celebrate the fact that you are alive, and to appreciate what you've got. No matter how bad things are, there's always a hell of a lot of folks worldwide who have it way worse than we do.

take care, and stay sharp...
-Aaron

SOG Aegis Assisted Openers now available

I have mixed feelings in general on SOG knives. I've always felt they were a little too pricey for what they were, and that they really played up the whole SEAL knife thing. Most Special Ops folks can likely choose their knife and I'm sure many Navy SEALs use other brands in addition to SOG. I own the original SEAL 2000 knife and it's decent, but I do own better fixed blades at similar, and dare I say less expensive price points.

All that aside, I have to say that the newly released line of Aegis folders from SOG, looks pretty impressive. I would like to support the once-great local company in some way, and it's been a very long time since SOG did anything that really impressed me. Don't get me wrong, they do make very high quality products, they just seemed to have been playing "me too" for several years. SOG's Arc-lock is a prime example, it's very similar to Benchmade's Axis lock. Then again, almost every major company has some sort of take on the Axis, and they obviously aren't infringing directly on any patents. I was going to say the same of their assisted knives. Kershaw's Ken Onion knives were the first assisted openers I'm aware of that saw mass production, and even Benchmade was late on assisted knives, so the same could be argued of them in the assisted knife case. It certainly is customer demand that drives these trends in the industry.

I've owned a couple of SOG knives, and they are high quality, and when I was working in retail cutlery, they most definitely stood behind their products. Their foreign-made Fusion line is very cool and creative, with their tough and inexpensive tactical tomahawk and the Spirit spear/knife that can be used as a dagger or fashioned into a spear with most common broom handles [mentioned in previous entries on this blog]. I have to say that the Aegis series from SOG looks pretty badass, especially their take on the tanto style blade with digital camo [another 'tactical trend', SOG wasn't the first, nor will they be the last]. Regarding digital camo, I suppose that trend is fueled by actual military uses and needs, as ACU [Army Combat Uniform] is the newest US Army standard for uniforms. A knife that blends in with your daily work clothing could have its advantages.

I can't find any pix of the reverse of the Aegis knives, but they all feature SOG's patented 'bayonet' clip that gives their newest folders a very deep-ride in the pocket. These new SOG clips also feature a cutout of the company name. If you enlarge these pix of the Aegis knives, you'll see another unique feature. Those little grip-strips also say "sog sog sog sog" and serve to enhance traction in the hand. It reminds me of pictures of me as a kid, maybe 3 or 4 years old with a striped t-shirt alá Ernie&Bert, that said "jeans jeans jeans" in repeating print!

I think it's cool that SOG waited until the end of the year to release these knives. Most companies won't start to trot out their new knives until 1st quarter 2009 at the earliest. I'm willing to bet Spencer Frazier knew that the knife-buying public would be hungry for new product, just in time for Christmas and Hanukkah.
The Aegis knives from SOG all feature blades of AUS 8, a stainless that I know from experience to be tough and easy to sharpen. AUS [austenetized] 8 was the premier production knife steel before ATS-34 came along. ATS-34 was pushed out of the limelight by its American Latrobe-made counterpart 154CM [crucible materials].

The hot production knife steel of the hour is CPMS30V, another Crucible powdered steel. So, while AUS 8 is a less expensive steel whose buzzword status has waned, it's still a very good blade steel that I've found to be very similar to good old 440C, but slightly easier to sharpen with a stone or other hand sharpening tools IMO.

So, we'll see how these Aegis folders act in the hand, I'm curious enough to possibly place an order for one pretty soon, just to see. Again, I have confidence is SOG's warranty and the durability of their products, it's just been awhile since the look of something they've done has really wowed me. The Aegis series retails, I believe, for between $90.00 and $120.00 USD, depending on which model you choose. However, as per the production knife industry, there are plenty of cutlery retail sites selling any Aegis model for well under $85.00.

RAT Cutlery Izula knife and survival kit

Anyone who has read Tactical Knives Magazine will recognize Jeff Randall's name. Randall is a jungle survival expert and regular contributor to TK Magazine. He is also the founder of Randall's Adventure Training, a well known South American jungle survival school.

Several years ago, RAT teamed up with Ontario Knives for a series of high quality bladeware collaborations. The partnership between Ontario and RAT ended in 2007, and Randall and RAT set out on their own to make their own line of knives. I've read several very good reviews for both the earlier Ontario RAT knives and also for the newer RAT knives. Randall is somewhat of a hard use knife expert and i always find his articles quite entertaining. It should be noted though, there is no connection between RAT Cutlery/Randall's Adventure Training and the classic Randall Knives, often referred to as "Randall Made Knives". This is simply coincidence.

I was searching new products at knifeworks.com when I came across the RAT Izula knife and survival kit "coming soon". Pretty cool little package. RAT Cutlery's site lists the knife and sheath only as retailing for $81.08 USD and the knife and kit selling for $104.80. Knifeworks.com will be selling the full kit for well under RAT's MSRP of just the knife alone! Click HERE to order the full kit and knife with sheath for about $63.00 USD!

I have a ton of small fixed blades but this one is appealing to me for some reason...hey, it even comes in an anodized pink color for the ladies, or dudes who are bold enough to carry a pink knife. It comes in black, pink, OD, or desert tan. Here's the kit according to RAT's site:
"Complete Izula kit includes: Ambidextrous Sheath, MOLLE lock, Paracord (for cord wrapping handle or use as a lanyard), cord lock, Snap (for snapping system on to outdoor gear), Split Ring, Fire Flint, Whistle, and Instruction Sheet."


The following is a quote from RAT's site regarding the name:
'Where did the name IZULA come from?
"The locals in Peru call the meanest, nastiest ant of the jungle by the name "Isula" (photo below on Pink Izula knife). We know it as the Bullet Ant. The Bullet Ant is known to be independent, tough, light on its feet, and a real aggressive survivor - the IZULA knife is built the same way. This knife is designed to be the perfect lightweight survival kit or concealed carry knife."

It should be noted that these guys offer a 'No Questions ASKED' Warranty. I think that for such an outstanding warranty, the prices of these knives are more than fair.
"No Questions Asked Warranty. If you screw it up, break it, or cut it in two with a cutting torch, send it back and we'll replace it. Warranty is transferable. In other words, we warranty the knife no matter how many times it's been traded, sold or given away. We don't ask for a sales receipt, date of purchase or where you bought the knife - No fine print and no hassles. If you have a problem, contact us.

We do not warranty against rust or normal wear and tear. Note: Our knives are made from high carbon 1095 steel. And while 1095 is a top choice for professional cutlery designed for hard use, it will rust and stain if not properly cared for - especially on the cutting edge and around the laser engraving. It is the user's responsibility to keep the blades properly lubricated and cleaned. We suggest using a dry film rust inhibitor such as TUF-GLIDE or TUF-CLOTH.

A lot of folks have asked us how we can stay in business offering such great customer service and warranty protection. The answer is simple; we believe that American consumers, as a whole, are honest people. The occasional customers who are dishonest are few and far between, so even if we lose every once in a while due to dishonesty, our reputation of great customer service, regardless of the situation, brings us more good customers. "

Check out the Izula neck knife and others, at RAT Cutlery
I think I may have to get an Izula, or the RC3 in orange when my raise kicks in later this month!


RAT Knives are also available at KNIFECENTER

UPDATE: December 23, 2008
I ordered the RAT Cutlery Izula in desert tan, by itself. A review will be here ASAP, looks like I should get the knife next week. At knifeworks.com, the black or tan Izulas, without the "survival kit" are under $50.00 USD. Good stuff. It is made from a carbon steel, so I'll have to protect the cutting edge with Sentry Solutions Tuf-Cloth to ward off corrosion if it's to be worn as a neck knife. Also coming soon is a review of the Leatherman Crater C33x folding knife, and the Fenix EO1 waterproof mini LED flashlight. Have a good holiday, and happy new year. More to come from SBT, ASAP.

$18.00 Gerber Profile Folder

I should really kick my own ass every time I buy another Chinese made knife from a once-great American knife company. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a bargain. First it was a Chinese Buck Diamondback fixed blade this past summer, later the Gerber Steadfast, the new Chinese version of their classic LMF fixed knife. More recently, like a few weeks ago, I purchased one [okay, eventually 6!] of the Cold Steel Kudu folders, which I feel is an excellent value for between $5-$10 USD.

Enter the Gerber profile series...
I went to my favorite local warehouse sporting goods store, the one I refer to as "Redneck REI". It's a member co-op deal like REI, but their prices are way better and they carry guns, knives and a ton of fishing, hunting, climbing and camping suppies. It's my Toys R Us. Anyhow, I walked in there to get some stocking stuffers for family members...ya know, the type of shit I give as gifts, pepper spray, lexan sporks, keychain flashlights and trout lures. Useful stuff.
I chatted with Carl, the resident knife-guy there. Carl is knowledgeable, friendly and appreciative of the business that regulars like myself give to the store. I perused their usual selection of roughly 8-12 Benchmades, a similar number of Spydercos and CRKTs and Cold Steels. The only new knife line they carry is Blade-Tech, a local [for me at least] company. I purchased 2 excellent little foreign-made Blade-Tech folders the last time I paid Carl a visit. I still haven't gotten around to reviewing them, but they are getting carried and evaluated, so you'll see something new on them sooner rather than later.
I'd seen the Gerber Profile series of knives at this store, and also on knifecenter, beginning mid-summer. The price seemed right. What didn't seem right is that I couldn't find ANY info on what blade steel was used, not even on Gerber's own site! I call bullshit on that! The box of the Profile folder I obtained calls it a "surgical stainless steel", which in knife talk usually equals "SHIT". But hey, I'm willing to give it a chance. I'm guessing it's similar to one of the Chrome/Moly/Vanadium steels that benchmade and Spyderco have been using in their well-made Chinese-produced knives. Something similar to 8Cr14MoV Stainless Steel would be my best guess, unless it's a sub-standard version of 420J or something.
The blade has a titanium nitride-esque coating. It came sharp enough, but I made it sharper with an EZ Lap diamond rod followed by a fine white ceramic rod. Not bad.

This is the Profile folder I got for $18.00, it retails for $32.00 USD:


The handles look to be a new millennium update of Gerber's classic "Gator Grip" textured rubber. It looks and feels similar to Kraton. There's no clip, just like the old Gators, so they include a cheap "ballistic" nylon sheath. The whole package set me back just over $18.00...again, not bad for a knife with an MSRP of $30.00+.
What's the obsession with guthook blades by Gerber and Buck? I guess they tend to cater to hunters, but strangely enough, I've never known a real hunter who's told a success story about a knife featuring a guthook. My ex-brother in law is an avid deer hunter from childhood, Idaho born and bred. He once told me that he thought guthooks were all hype and that he preferred to just use the tip of his clip-point fixed blade, which was a no-name brand, and nothing special. I've heard similar stories from other hunters...it makes you wonder. Anyway, both the folding and fixed versions of the Profile have a guthook-tipped counterpart. I can think of one use for a guthook, and that would be cutting oneself free of a stuck seatbelt after a car wreck. But I think any sharp knife can do that.
Here's the guthook version:


The fixed-blade Profiles also retail for around $32.00, but can be found online, or at honest retailers for less than $20.00
Here's the non-guthook fixed blade version of Gerber's Profile, it can be found for around the same price:


I don't even really think time will tell if this is a decent knife or not. I have so many goddamn blades that I never really get a chance to put any of them through any rigorous testing unless I really buckle down and make an afternoon of it. But I will try and give the Profile folder a day-in-court by using it as an EDC blade, however inconvenient its lack of a pocket clip might be. It's a good looking folding knife, if not a little Plain Jane. Kinda vanilla if you catch me. Oh well, I'd rather buy a bargain priced knife from an American-originated company that still employs [at least some] Americans and offers a warranty than some smokeshop mini mart garbage. I am confident in Gerber's warranty, when I worked in retail cutlery they were very easy to deal with and prompt in their response to both questions and issues, even long after they were bought by Fiskars Brands.
All said and done, I suppose I'm not just a sucker for cheap knives, but for cheap knives produced by brand names who offer a warranty on their blades. As I wrote about Cold Steel's cheapie Kudu folder, even their 1 year warranty is pretty generous for a knife that can be found as cheap as five dollars.

Gerber's inexpensive Profile knives can be found at GERBERretailers everywhere

Hot sale on Cold Steel at Special Projects

Cold Steel's factory discount site Special Projects is having a Christmas sale. I just got my order today. Most people aren't real impressed with Cold Steel's Kudu ringlock folding knives, but I liked mine well enough to order 5 more, through the sale, they are 5 for $25.00. They are very corrosion resistant and make great work knives. See my previous reviews below for more info on the Kudu knife.
I got my order today, and they [Cold Steel] even shipped a free Sharkie Marker/self defense kubotan.

While not every single Cold Steel item is on sale at terrific prices, the Special Projects site will generally save you quite a bit off suggested retail prices on many Cold Steel items. There are some bargains to be had, like the Kudus, and some of Cold Steel's VERY inexpensive closeout fixed blade knives like the Warhead and others which are under $20.00 USD

Is the Bushnell Backtrack the GPS for me?

I've been contemplating the need for a basic handheld GPS unit for about a year. I know GPS can be handy in the car, but I really don't want to spend the money when I never get lost and have a phone on my person at all times. What I really want is a bare bones GPS for outdoor use. I don't need software, I don't care about maps and color screens and advanced functions. All I really need is something where I can mark my position, say the start of a hike, or where my vehicle is parked, and find my way back to that point. I've come close to getting a Garmin eTrex or Geko a handful of times, but always abstained, knowing that there's always cheaper and/or better tech on the horizons at all times.

I may have found just what I'm looking for in the Bushnell Backtrack. It's about as basic as it gets, it runs on 2 common AAA batteries and is pocket size. I could even get it in camo, but that seems like a stupid choice. I once lost a camo Zippo lighter...in the woods...because it was camo. I'm not saying if I order the backtrack I'll get the pink one, I just think there are better colors for outdoor gear than traditional camo...like ANY other color.

These things have a suggested retail of about $75.00 USD, though I'm seeing them all over online for between $55 and $65.
Here's the skinny, verbatim from Bushnell:
FEATURES
Store and locate up to three locations
Utilizes the latest digital technology
High sensitivity SiRF Star III GPS reciever
Self calibrating digital compass
Weather resistant
Operates on 2 AAA Batteries (Not Included)
Compact size stores easily in your pocket or purse
Lanyard included for easy attachment

Pretty funny, I've read several reviews that say the lanyard included with the Backtrack is garbage, but for that price, it's surely a Chinese made afterthought. Hell, the whole Backtrack unit may be a Chinese made afterthought for all I know! I just think it's cool because it's inexpensive and fits my very basic needs. I could go hard-core if I got a Backtrack, and secure my purchase to my person with a Tactical Tailor Pistol Lanyard!
If I order one, I'll likely have Eric make me one of his sick-as-balls handmade lanyards, or order a functional one spiced up with badass skulls from Scott at the Lanyard Zone

Anyhow, if anyone reading this sees the Backtrack for a ridiculously low price, or hears negative OR positive things about it, email me...keep me posted. As mentioned, all I really need is something entry-level that won't make me want to kick my own ass in the event I want to upgrade in the next year. So I'd like to keep my handheld GPS purchase under $150.00 USD. Pop has GPS on the boat, and I've never felt the need for it in my car. Shit, even my hiking is limited by my ever-present foot pain, so I really can't think of a need to spend more money that might be better spent on knives... or saved for once.

Hmmm....I'm gonna give this one some more thought. For my needs I've also read plenty of good reviews on Garmin's eTrex and Geko family of models also. I'm in no hurry, and in fact, if I haven't needed a GPS yet, I probably won't need one in the next several hours, or realistically until Spring 2009!

Exhumer 8 from Dead On Tools

So, Eric and myself took a trip to Home Depot to try to find a toolbox that might serve him well at the gun club, for carrying ammo and tools. We both slipped into man-monkey mode and started contemplating all the tools that we thought we needed but had no real use for. Enter Dead On Tools, they have a ridiculous hammer called The Annihilator, and it's advertised as the ultimate wrecking bar. Eric and I started thinking about the tactical applications of such a brutal tool. You hear about SWAT entry teams and soldiers in the desert using ridiculously priced custom axes and breaching tools, but the Annihilator can be found at places like Home Depot for about $30.00 USD!

Here's a picture of the beast I found at a great blog called "Soldier Systems" Click HERE to see this cool blog

So anyhow, another, smaller Dead On tool caught our eye, the Exhumer 8, which is touted as a nail puller, but it's essentially a 1 piece multi-tool, the uses limited only to the imagination of the user. The Exhumer 8 retails for about $20.00 USD, but Home Depot sells it here in WA, for about $10.00. I decided that evening that I had no use for such a tool. The very next day I found myself needing to open a very difficult box which is used to transport small animals like hamsters and gerbils. My Leatherman Kick was in the car, and there was no way in hell I was going to use the blade of my Benchmade Rift to pry this fucking thing open! The young lady I was assisting with this task instructed me to "step on the lid", and she would pull up on the edges. I informed her that telling a 350 lb. man to step on a box containing live animals was a stupid idea. I eventually used sheer finger and hand strength to remove the stuck lid. A pry bar would have been nice though. So today I went to my local Home Depot and purchased the Exhumer 8. I don't need it, obviously, but I'm pretty glad I have it. You can pull nails with it. You can use the forked end as a pry bar. I'd bet my left hand that it'd do a hell of a job as a window breaker in an automotive emergency too! The thing even has a bottle opener on the underside. There's a built-in saw wrench, and the Exhumer could easily serve as an effective hammer if needed.

I can't find any stats on how much the thing weighs, but it's not much, probably about a pound. This thing has obvious myriad self defense applications too. If you're a working class person, you could keep it in your car or tool bag and it'd probably go unnoticed. The forked straight end could be used to thrust or hit pressure points, and it's a safe bet that any aggressor foolish enough to charge a person wielding the Exhumer would be in for a rough ride. It could be swung like a hammer to strike an attacker with the claw end also. Anyone who has any knowledge of martial arts or human anatomy should be able to easily see the potential to stop aggression immediately.
I've read a few reviews of the longer Exhumer 10 online, seems that professionals using the longer Exhumer have had some bad luck with the thing breaking or snapping on them when pulling nails. I'm not too concerned for 10 bucks though. I'll keep the thing in my tool bag in my trunk for those rare instances when I feel a pry bar is needed for some reason. I can't find any info on any implied warranties on Dead On Tools, but if mine breaks under "normal" working conditions, I'll send a nasty email and attempt to get a replacement, as unlikely as that might be to happen.

All in all, I think this is a fine EDC "in-car" tool. It's not something that I'm going to tote around in my 5.11 shoulder bag, but it might be handy to have one in your vehicle or bug out emergency bag for the terrifying eventualities that can occur in daily urban and suburban life in America in 2008. It's a pry bar, it's an emergency window smasher, it could be an effective self defense tool. The Exhumer 8 nail puller is whatever you want it to be, and at an average warehouse tool store price of about 10 bucks, I don't think you really can go wrong if you buy an Exhumer.

Dead On Tools is HERE

Next time you go to Home Depot, check out the hammer section and you'll find the Dead On Annihilator, and the Exhumer in various sizes. I'm a sucker for marketing, and packaging. I'm pretty sure if this tool didn't have a little skull logo I would have passed right by it without a second glance. Kudos to the Bucket Boss family of brands for creating a line of tools to appeal to weirdos like Eric and me.

If I come up with any awesome new uses for this strange hunk of metal, I'll blog about it here. I may even go out in the yard tomorrow and see how the thing throws. With my luck I'll chuck it at a weird angle and it'll end up in the poison oak, or the saltwater bay! I have a feeling that this tool could be used effortlessly with Filipino knife and stick techniques found in Kali/Arnis/Eskrima. Alas, my uses for this chunk of burly black metal will probably be limited, though one day, it might just come in handy...