American Handgunner Jul/Aug 2011 - Jeffersonian

6
KNIVES
John Connor
GoTTA-Have Knives
as if you needed any excuses!
F
olders,
fixed-blades, butterflies and balisongs; the
kukri and the kris and modern combat cutters; neck
knives, belt-buckle blades, stealthy spikes and youname-it,
there are countless kinds of knives out there,
from mini to massive and junk to jewels. The varieties are
endless, but there are only so many that qualify as “Gotta-
Have” knives.
The criteria for Gotta-Haves varies with individual
tastes and needs, but has less to do with your money than
with your mission. Whether you need a crowbar that cuts
or a “tactical scalpel”; a fruit knife, boot knife or battle
blade, chances are you can find a Gotta-Have that’s right
for you and your wallet. Here and on Web Blast are a
few suggestions, so feast your eyes, and bon appétit!
Connor OUT.
You gotta have a knife with the strength, speed and
1 refined looks to go from a boardroom to a back alley,
and handle either with ease. Benchmade’s 470 Emissary will
do it. The classic lines of the smooth CNC-machined aluminum
billet handle house a 3" premium S30v blade, and the action is
Benchmade’s proven AXIS Assist locking mechanism with safety. At only
2.2 ounces, it’s a fine, fierce little featherweight.
Someday you just gotta own a “first,” and Grayman Knives has a
2great one for you. Long known for their bombproof fixed-blades, the
titanium frame-lock Satu (sah’-too) is Grayman’s very first folder, and it’s
a brute: Almost ten inches long opened, its 4" S30v blade is flat ground
and 1.5" deep. Liners are titanium, as is the glass-bead blasted
pocket clip, and the coarse textured G10 handle scale gives a
firm, solid grip. This could be your first and best “first.”
You just gotta have a blade that’s hardly there until you
3really need it, and then it’s there with a vengeance. Dirk
Pinkerton’s original Broadhead concealed-carry design has been
lengthened and skeletonized for a better grip, and rendered in
solid .11" thick 6AL4V aircraft-grade titanium by Darrel Ralph
of HTM Knives. The push-style blade rides very securely in
a carbon-fiber patterned Kydex sheath. Wear it as a neck
knife using the 20-pound pull chain, or just drop it in a
pocket for a little concealed “cold comfort.”
You gotta have one mid-sized, heavy-duty
4combat-worthy cutter; a folder specifically
made for the mud, blood, sand and slime of
battle; one that’s tough, strong, and easily
flushed out and returned to duty. The CQT
Thunder Hawke from Tops Knives is an
1
3
4
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open design titanium frame-lock featuring a beefy 3.75" blade
of blackened Cobalt vanadium steel in a powerful, versatile modified
tanto profile. When there’s dirty work to be done, you can
trust TOPS.
You gotta have just one knife that’s a do-it-all, “if I only had
5one” knife. paul Scheiter is a young guy with wilderness
survival skills far beyond his years, and in collaboration with
Ontario Knife Company, all that knowledge recently resulted
in the Blackbird SK-5 survival knife. Every angle, feature
and material chosen addresses essential
needs and purposes, from the full taper
grind of the 5" 154CM blade to the level
5
slotted pommel. You’ll have to see the
online video to appreciate all of its capabilities
— and why you’ve gotta have one!
You gotta have a knife that’s
6eye-catchin’ cool and elegant;
packed with features you
can proudly point out to
your Knife Knut friends,
end your speech with
“Now guess what I paid for
it” — and blow their minds.
That’s Wilson Tactical’s Extreme Lite Carry folder. The Bohler
N690Co spearpoint blade has a tough DLC (Diamond-Like Carbide)
coating, and the chassis is fully hardened stainless steel. The
ergonomic G10 handle has a unique, aggressive yet pocket-friendly
pattern, and it weighs in at only 3.8 ounces. And the price?
Check it out, then pull out your plastic, pal.
*
For more info: www.americanhandgunner.com/
productindex. To see more knives, click the Web Blast
link on our homepage.
WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM 71