The Weaponmaster's Room, Part I-A personal Collection and Thoughts

1: Bad to the Bone folding knife:

Purchased from: swordcompany.com

Info From:

http://budk.com/Knives/Bad-to-the-Bone-Monster-Folding-Knife#

 

This massive collectible folding knife is sure to grab everyone’s attention! This folder features a 7 1/2" stainless steel lock back blade in a composite handle accented with the "Bad to the Bone" design. This incredible item measures 17" overall when open and 10" closed. Tomahawk, XL1255.

 

Current location: Hanging on my wall.

 

My thoughts:

Very impressive, though the handle is a tad on the unwieldy side with its thickness and shape. The knife is so big that to open and close it one-handed is nearly impossible- making this more of a novelty item than of any practical use. The blade itself is like that of a cleaver, very sturdy. I've sharpened the blade on mine- and it sharpens well. I find the plastic-seeming handle rather doubtful under pressure- and the panels and stickers on the sides have a tendency to loosen.

 

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2: Self Defense Comb w/ Hidden Knife Blade:

Purchased From: swordcompany.com

Info from:

http://store.swordcompany.com/ssdc4.html

 

Looks like a standard black plastic comb. Pull off the top to reveal a sharp 3.25" single edged blade! 6.75" overall.

 

Current Location: Given to my friend Lily for defensive purposes.

 

My Thoughts:

I've actually sharpened both edges on the blade, making it workable from multiple angles and draws. The small knife is surprisingly sturdy and tough, and the blade, though doesn't sharpen well, holds its edge and has an extremely fine spear point. The knife seems to be full-tang. There is no guard between blade and grip, and the grip does slip when it gets wet. The drawing action is smooth, making it possible to extract the knife one-handed. While the blade is hidden, the fit is tight enough so the comb/sheath wouldn't fall away by accident.

One issue I had with the item: the comb looks more like the kind favored by females- it is broad and short, perfect for long-haired users. I would've preferred a slimmer, longer comb and blade for my personal taste. Some kind of clip built into the side of the handle might've been nice as well.

 

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3: Cold Steel Honey Comb Dagger:

Purchased from: swordcompany.com

Info from:

http://store.swordcompany.com/ssdc4.html

 

Look smart and feel secure anywhere with our new personal grooming aid, the Honey Comb. It looks like an ordinary hairbrush, but the handle is actually a highly effective stiletto dagger! The Honey Comb is precision injection molded from Zytel a super tough nylon and fiberglass composite that contains no metal and is impervious to the elements. 7 7/8" overall without brush, 8 1/4" overall with brush

 

Current Location: My girl Liz carries it.

 

My thoughts:

An interesting item, perfect for ladies who travel alot. The item is tough enough to be nearly unbreakable- I used it to drill a hole and it didn't even dull or bend. The down side is the size of the item- it does not sit inside a pocket that well, and the fit between the dagger and the sheath is very tight that one-handed extraction is difficult.

I think if the edges of the dagger were serrated, it would make this an even more effective self defense item. As it is, the dagger has no actual cutting blade, so the only business section is the sharp point.

 

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4: Cutting Dragon Wing Hidden Blade Necklace:

Purchased from: swordcompany.com

Info from:

http://store.swordcompany.com/ssdc4.html

 

This cast metal winged dragon knife necklace offers a clever blade tucked into the wing sheath. The dragon’s head is pulled away to reveal a stainless steel 1 1/2" curved blade with two finger under grips and a top thumb plate to grasp the blade. This distinctive knife necklace measures 4 1/2" x 1 1/2" and includes a 30" bead chain.

 

Current Location: Worn by my girl Liz.

 

My Thoughts:

A neat little item, the knife is tough enough to stand heavy pressure, and fits snugly in the body of the dragon when not in use. The necklace makes a nice decoration, and the knife is very accessible. The one issue I think is the shape of the blade- it is short and broad, and clawed at the point with a scalloped ed. This strange shape makes the knife rather a specialty item during practical use- an untrained person would have a hard time trying to cut with this.

The blade was not sharpened, so I had to sharpen it myself after taking it from its box.

Even sharpening the blade was not easy, since the flats of the blade do not match up- one side is totally flat while the other dips towards the edge- I'm told this is called a chisel grind.

With enough practice, this is a very useful knife, and can be drawn one-handed easily.

 

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5: Usmc Ka-Bar Fighting Knife

Purchased From: Special Order through a knife store in Canada.

Info from:

http://store.swordcompany.com/ssdc4.html

 

NO CHEAP IMITATION! This knife is an exact replica of knives carried by marines in WWII. Made by KA-BAR in Olean, NY for the US Marine Corps and first introduced in WWII. 5" polished leather handle with steel hammerbutt cap. Steel guard and 6 7/8" gun blue blade with deep blood groove. Comes in issue box with a genuine leather sheath with USMC logo and extra heavy stitching and metal staple side reinforcements. Tang marked USMC.

 

Current Location: Carried by Me on hiking/camping trips.

 

My Thoughts:

Perhaps one of my most treasured, this heavy knife is sturdy, useful and just looks badass. The button on the handle strap is a bit stiff, but otherwise the knife draws and sheathes easily. Near the point, the knife is double-edged, and the longer edge is serrated near the tang. The false edge is also sharpened. As far as I can tell, this knife is full-tang.

I've sharpened this knife to a literal razor's edge, now it is actually possible to shave with it. I think all knife-loving people and outdoor folks should own one of these fine knives.

 

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6: One-piece hand-forged bootknife:

Purchased From: Private Smithy in China.

No spec, official name or Info since it's a custom item.

 

Hand-forged steel, single-straight normal edge, notched grip, blood grooves, folded leather sheath with carrying strap. Length: 8 inches, blade length: 4,2/3 inches. Tribal etchings on grip and blade.

 

Current Location: Occasionally carried by me.

 

My thoughts:

Bought this when I was in China. The smith forged it based on my personal specification. It is a slim and streamlined blade with no guard, but the notched grip prevents disarming and slipping. The whole blade is forged from one single piece of steel, so even the grip is steel. The knife point is fine and does not stand well under heavy pressure. Blade is extremely sharp- the point actually went right through the leather sheath first time I sheathed the knife. I had to work a piece of hard plastic into the tip of the sheath to make this safe for carrying.

I was told that all males of the local tribe carry personal blades for ceremonial and dining purposes.

The sheath is folded leather, but not quite thick enough to contain the blade safely- nor is it fitted tight enough to hold the knife securely.

I originally carried the knife up my sleeve, but the loose fitting made the knife slip out constantly. It does make a great bootknife however- you can almost forget that it is there inside your boot.

 

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7: Manual folding knife Alpha:

Purchased From: Specialty knife store in Canada.

Spec and official name unknown- I lost the paper.

 

Steel skeletonized grip with wooden inlay, 4.75 inches closed, about 7.75 inches opened with a 3.20 inches blade. Lock-back action, fully manual, pocket clip on grip, bottle opener cut into the back of the blade. Blade is stainless steel and 1.20 inches at its widest. Single-edged with a forward clipped point and a reverse hook point on the opposite end.

 

Current Location: Carried by me daily.

 

My Thoughts:

A handy knife, heavy-duty and multi-purposed. The handle is curved to provide better grip, and there are holes drilled through the blade and handle for lashing it to a stick or chain. The blade is very thick and strong- like the blade on a hatchet and shaped as such. The lock is tight and secure, and the blade can be open and closed easily with little practice. This knife is made for a right-handed person- the locking switch for the thumb works best in the right hand, but with some practice, I managed to do it with my left.

One flaw in the design is that, after opening and closing for a period of time, the screw which secures the blade to the grip loosens some and has to be tightened.

I've rigged a wire-ring through the tail of the grip for carrying on a chain around one's neck as well.

This knife is razor sharp after only a few strokes on the stone, and one can shave with it quite easily.

 

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8: Automatic Switchblade Alpha:

Purchased: It was a gift from my mother who purchased it in Taiwan.

No original name or spec- it did not come with papers.

 

Skeletonized metal grip with pocket clip attached. Round thumb button triggering and locking/unlocking. Grip notch near the joint for concentrated force. Half and half serrated and straight blade with a clipped point. Single-edged stainless steel blade, 4.75 inches closed, 8 inches opened, blade length: 3.25. Fully automatic.

 

Current Location: Carried by me on occasions.

 

My Thoughts:

A hefty knife with fast auto action. When the button is pressed, the knife springs out like a bat out of hell, and actually creates quite a bit of recoil in your hand. This knife cuts extremely well, and the blade is thick enough to withstand pressure.

One issue is the closing of the blade- there is nothing to grip onto along the blade, making closing the knife rather difficult at first.

I've rigged a reflector armband through the skeletonized grip so this knife can be worn around ankles or forearms. The tail end of the handle is also notched for reversed gripping option.

 

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9: Decorative tanto with tabletop stand:

Purchased From: Specialty knife store in Canada.

Spec and official name unknown- I lost the paper.

 

Brass-capped and inlaid wooden sheath, brass guard and curved composite grip with brass base. Polished wooden stand for tabletop display. Sharpened 6.80 inches broad blade of unknown steel and what appears to be a stub-tang fitting. Overall length 11.90 inches.

 

Current Location: Displayed on my desk.

 

My Thoughts:

To be honest, this thing sucks. It is made in China, and right out of the box the blade is already loose. It looks very nice as a display, but using it is asking for accidents to happen. The blade fits so tightly into the sheath that one has to use alot of force to draw it out. The smooth handle has no traction, making it slippery when wet. Worst of all is the badly fitted tang- the stub tang is so loose that you can grab the blade and wiggle it back and forth in its seating. The blade hasn't fallen out yet, but it's just a matter of days before it does. The material for the blade also feels rather cheap- it dings when you flick it with your finger. What did they make it out of anyway, tin?

 

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10: Beginner practice nunchaku:

Purchased In: Martial Art Outlet in Taiwan.

No spec or official name.

 

Five inches nylon cord, foot long padded wooden grips. Overall length 29 inches.

 

Current Location: Hanging on the wall of my bedroom.

 

My Thoughts:

Not much to say, it was meant to be a beginner's practice item, and it is built as such. The grips, though padded, still hurt something fierce if one gets hit hard by them. The padding is somewhat torn and worn do to years of use and abuse, but the item is still in one piece.

 

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11: Chinese Tribal whip with bone handle:

Purchased From: NativeVillage in Western China.

No spec or official name- they just called it whip.

 

Overall length: 3 FT and 3 inches. Goat bone handle fitted with brass studs and wrapped in leather and fur. Carrying strap attached to end of grip. Braided leather whip with lashing strands at the tip. Whip length: 2 FT.

 

Current Location: Displayed on my bedroom wall.

 

My Thoughts:

I was told that local tribe officials carry this kind of whip on their belts for ceremonial purposes. The whip is a beautiful piece of work, and the leather is tough enough for actual use- I've practiced with this item often and it does hold up well.

 

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12: Pocket keychain carrying knife Alpha:

Purchased From: Alberta, Canada.

No spec or official name- it is just a cheap, little knife.

 

Plastic 3.20 inches handle, includes a 2.25 inches single-edged and drop-point blade and a bottle opener which comes out on the opposite end of the handle. Ring attached to the opener end allows this to act like a keychain. Slip-joint action with no lock. Opener and blade look to be stainless steel.

 

Current Location: Resting in my desk drawer.

 

My Thoughts:

Okay, it's not really good enough to be called a proper knife, and no, I will not include my kitchen knives in this log- that would be ridiculous! The only reason I'm including this little guy is because it makes a fine example of a cheap yet mostly functional knife.

The slip-joint construction means that you cannot put any misdirected force on the blade- less it closes by accident and snaps off a finger or two. The plastic grip is totally smooth- slippery in wet conditions. I've owned this knife for over 15 years, and never had to sharpen it- it is still sharp enough to cut your common day to day materials such as papers, cardboards, and tapes.

Another problem with the slip-joint knife is that you cannot open/close the knife one-handed.

The knife, when closed, is roughly the size of a cigarette lighter, easy to carry in one's pocket or on the keyring.

For something that probably cost around two bucks, I'd say it's actually not too bad as pocket tools go- but if you want to do some serious cutting, get a proper knife!

 

-P.S:

Most of us probably don't think of kitchen knives as worthwhile blades in comparison to the ones from our collections. But if you take most of what's sold as collector-grade knives and pit them against kitchen knives from Cutco- I dare to say that Cutco kitchen cleavers and butcher knives will come out on top every time.

 

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13: Swiss Army Knife Alpha:

Purchased From: Specialty Store in Taiwan.

Spec and official name lost- it was purchased around 1994.

 

3.75 inches closed, includes one 1.60 inches drop-point blade, one 2.70 inches drop-point blade, one 3 inches shark-toothed saw, beer bottle opener, scraper, wine-bottle opener and can opener. Slip-joint action- accessories are stainless steel. Ring attached to be carried on a keyring.

 

Current Location: Carried daily among my keys.

 

My Thoughts:

A useful tool, this thing has served me for over 15 years and none of the blade ever required sharpening yet. The slip-joint action is common among Swiss Army knives, and rather dangerous if one direct too much force onto the back of an open blade. I've cut my self several times, badly, when the blades closed by accident.

One advice I have for those who work with this type of knives: do not try to drill or dig with it!

 

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14: Rattler and Spider fighting daggers:

Purchased From: Alberta, Canada.

No spec or official name available.

 

Twin double-edged knives with joined sheathes. The spider is 8.75 inches in length with 4.75 inches blade, spider etching on the grip, 2 inches width guard and 1.30 inches at the widest section of blade.

Rattler has an overall length of 5.50 inches, with blade length at 2.50 inches, rattler etching on grip, 0.75 inches guard width and 0.40 inches at widest blade width.

Both blades are solid one-piece steel construction, spear-pointed, with spider having plain edge and rattler with serrated edge. Both grips have lanyard holes drilled through. Both blades are diamond-sided.

Sheathes are hard plastic mounted on woven netting with safety loop for each knife. Belt/pocket clip on the back of the webbed-sheathes, and lanyard holes on each of the four corners.

 

Current Location: hanging on the wall by my bed (within arm's reach!)

 

My Thoughts:

Bought these knives back in 1996, carried them for quite awhile, also practiced with them daily. These are solid knives, the steel so hard that they can be difficult to sharpen. They also make great throwing knives since the weight is balanced well between the grips and the blades. I've filed down the serration on the rattler blade, making it a plain edge. The point on the rattler has been broken off, but it still makes a great slasher.

The joined sheathes can be carried on your belt, or with lanyard cords, carried around thighs, forearms, or just hang from one's neck. With the buttons on the safety loops secured, there's no way to lose the knives, and unlike the KA-BAR series, these buttons are not stiff at all. The grip of the spider practically modes itself to your hand when gripped, and the hilt on the rattler makes it an ideal push-knuckle blade.

These are purely fighting blades- which is to say, they don't work that well if you want to use them for regular work. Both knives sport long, nearly triangular blades, making cutting/chopping with them very difficult.

The guard on the spider has two upward curving points, these used to catch and redirect other blades in a knife fight.

 

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15: Fantasy winged skulls broadsword:

Purchased From: Taiwan.

No original spec or official name.

 

Three feet overall length, 26 inches unsharpened blade- Widest blade width: 5 inches. Widest guard width: 6.70 inches. Chain-wrapped steel hilt with double-skull pommel also cast in steel.

Rat-tail tang construction- made in Taiwan. Comes with polished wooden plaque for display purposes.

 

Current Location: Displayed on my bedroom wall.

 

My Thoughts:

Oh why, why do things made in Taiwan and China look good and then can't perform? The first time I practiced with this thing the blade came off the heavy hilt- that was when I realized the darn thing was only attached by a thin rusty rod through the hilt.

As far as decoration goes, this is a fantastic looking sword. The pommel is twin skulls with horns, and the crossguard is a pair of winged beast skulls. The blade feels extremely cheap, almost like tin- it actually flexes when you swing the sword about!

After my rather short and embarrassing attempt at practicing with the sword, I had to tie the blade back onto the hilt using wires and cords- and now all it can do is hang on the wall and look...okay...

My best hope for it is that some unlucky thief will come into my house, and when I confront him, he'll reach for the biggest sword on the wall...surprise!

 

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16: Flying Dragon Keris Sword:

Purchased From: Specialty Store in Canada.

Spec and original name lost.

 

Overall length: 20.60 inches. Blade length 13.70 inches. Guard width: 5.80 inches. Blade width: 1.60 inches. Steel grip, pommel and guard- looks to be one piece. Sharpened stainless steel keris blade with back spikes and reverse hook. Made in Spain. Full dragon decor.

 

Current Location: hanging on the edge of the shelf in my bedroom.

 

My Thoughts:

A wicked blade both in look and function. The steel used is very hard- making it hard to sharpen- in addition to the wavy blade. The back of the blade is lined 2/3 part with jagged hooks, ending in a sharpened false edge just before the tip.

I think this is full tang- not quite sure though- I have used it to chop woods and it worked as well as any axe would.

The forward curving wing-guard can act as a blade-catcher in a fight, and the dragon head pommel is solid enough to be used for striking. The hilt is worked with dragon-scale etchings, and curved to deliver extra force during thrusting.

If there's one weapon in my whole collection that I'd pick for fighting over others, this would be it. Those spikes/hooks on the back of the blade just look so wicked- the first time my brother saw this blade, these were his exact words:

"Wo, stab someone in the stomach with this and then pull it out, everything comes out."

 

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18: Concealed Dragon Dueling Short Saber:

Purchased From: Specialty Store in Taiwan.

Spec and original name lost.

 

Overall length: 2 feet and 6.80 inches with sheath, 2 feet without. Single-edged unsharpened blade with length at 19 inches. Home-made wood grip with mounted pommel ring. Rat-tail construction and no guard. Heavy cast metal sheath with wood lining. Blade has blood grooves. Leather carrying strap on sheath.

 

Current Location: Used often during fencing practice.

 

My Thoughts:

Again, what the heck is wrong with them Taiwan/China made blades that they can't be used? During one of my earlier practice sessions, the guard and grip of this saber, both cheap metal pieces, broke off during blocking- exposing the rat-tail tang.

Luckily, my girl Liz's father knows how to fashion metal and wood parts. I had him make me a new wood hilt and an iron pommel ring- and now the saber’s 10 times more sturdy than before. The lack of a guard makes this a harder weapon to practice with- but it's still better than nothing. I've also added a leather strap to the metal sheath so the sword can be used to practice fast sheathing.

The sheath, a hefty piece of metal all on its own, makes a great parrying item in the off-hand, and funnily enough, seems way tougher than the sword itself.

I remember during one practice session, I remarked that if my partner would use the saber, I'd use just the sheath alone... The dude was smart enough to turn down the offer!

 

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19: Dragon-hilted Ceremonial Katana:

Purchased From: BC, Canada.

Spec and official name lost.

 

Three feet and 3.10 inches overall length sheathed, 3 feet and 2.5 inches drawn. Two feet and 5 inches fully sharpened smooth stainless steel blade. Single-edged with stub-tang construction. Blade width 1.25 inches, guard width 4.20 inches, hilt length 9.5 inches. Cast metal hilt with dragon pommel and horned crest/guard and marble insets. Polished wooden sheath with metal binding and belt loop. Made in Taiwan.

 

Current Location: Hanging on the wall in my livingroom.

 

My Thoughts:

Okay, I'm not even going to practice with this- the blade already feels loose, and with a sharpened sword it can get rather dangerous...for me! From a purely decoration point of view, this is a beautiful blade. The wooden sheath is traditional, and the fantasy-inspired guard and hilt gives this an unique look. The blade itself is actually very sharp- were this full-tang one would be able to fall a tree with this massive sword.

The balance of the blade is not very good- not meant to be wielded as it is. The blade is too long and the hilt seems to have problem supporting the weight.

If they'd shorten the actual blade and push more of it through the hilt, this could've been a nice practical sword.

 

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20: Twin Sharks Knives:

Purchased From: Specialty store in Canada.

Spec and original name lost.

 

Large and small blades fit into a dual-slotted sheath. Overall length of item: 14 inches. Large blade is 13 inches with 7.25 inches sharpened blade and metal-scaled kraton hilt and lanyard ring.

Small blade is 8 inches with 4.75 inches blade, metal-scaled kraton grip and lanyard ring. Large blade is half serrated and half plain. Small blade is plain-edged. Both blades upswept and single-edged, made of stainless steel. Large blade has blood groove down left side. Small blade is 0.30 inches wide and 1.60 inches wide at the guard. Large blade is 1.30 inches wide and 2.60 inches at the guard. Both blades seem to be extended-tang construction. Sheath has kraton-lined slots and full-body metal scale work.

 

Current Location: Occasionally carried by me.

 

My Thoughts:

These are surprisingly good knives considering they're made in China. The large knife offers a good strong curve, making it ideal for chopping. The small one is perfect for piercing and slashing. The one drawback is the design- both knives fit so tightly in the sheath that it's hard to extract them- especially the small one since the hilt of the large one blocks it.

The grips call to mind the designs seen on large kitchen knives, firm in the hand and nearly impossible to slip.

The sheath originally came with a belt/pocket clip- which broke off soon after. Now I've rigged a wired ring around the sheath so it can be carried with the belt looped through the ring.

Though these look like fighting knives, the large one in particular stood up well under the wood-chopping test- proving that it at least can be used as an outdoor knife.

 

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21: SW ExtremeOpsBlackTantoLinerlockDesert Camo Handle Knife.

Purchased From: United States.

Info provided by seller:

 

Measures 7 3/8" in open position, 4 1/8" closed. 3 1/4" black titanium powder coated partially serrated 440C stainless tanto blade with ambidextrous thumb. Desert camo aluminum handles with drilled hole design. Stainless pocket clip and a

lanyard hole

 

Current Location: Carried by me on occasions.

 

My Thoughts:

A very nice knife with comfortable grip and a razor-sharp blade. The opening action is fast and smooth, but the lock is so stiff that closing it one-handed is not practical- it can be done, just rather hard. The clip is very tight-fitting, and I've rigged a wired ring through the lanyard hole for additional carrying options. The top of the blade, near the tang, has notched for better traction on the thumb. The serration is very aggressive- the teeth tend to rip through materials rather than simply slicing them.

 

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22: MTech Stubby Spider Linerlock Silver Handle Pocket Knife.

Purchased From: United States.

Info provided by seller:

 

Measures 5 1/8" in open position, 3 1/8" closed linerlock. 2" matte finish 440 stainless steel stubby blade with thumb hole. Matte finish aluminum frame handle with spider engraved / stamped with lanyard hole and stainless pocket clip.

 

Current Location: Carried by me.

 

My Thoughts:

Though small, this knife has a very thick blade- good for heavy cutting. The drop-point blade does not stab well, but it is very sharp.

The thumb-hole does not help much in opening the knife at all- I looped wires around the edge of the hole to style a thumb notch of sort to assist in opening this knife one-handed. The action is smooth during both opening and closing, and the lock seems to do its job well. I've also attached a wired ring to the lanyard hole for additional carrying options. When closed, this knife sits perfectly in my closed fist and is completely hidden from view- I been wanting a knife this small for awhile now. The pocket clip is tight enough to keep the knife in its carrying spot, yet not too tight as to damage clothing when pulled.

 

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23: Survivor Tactile Defense Neck Black Dagger Double Edge Olive Wrap Cord Knife.

Purchased From: United States.

Info provided by seller:

 

Measures 7 1/2" overall. 4" black coated finish stainless double edge blade. Full tang construction. Olive wrap cord handle with lanyard hole. Comes with olive green nylon sheath.

 

Current Location: Used for practice on occasions.

 

My Thoughts:

A nice enough dagger/knife, though not on my list of favorites. The grip is slightly too short for my hand, and there is almost no guard to speak of. The double-edged blade is very sharp, with a bloodgroove on one side.

The cord was loosened so it can fit around my wrist for carrying.

My biggest gripe with this dagger is with the nylon sheath. The sheath is just cheap-looking, and has no insert- meaning the dagger can easily poke through the nylon and injure whoever's carrying it by accident. There is also no buttoned-loop to secure the dagger. All the sheath has is a velcro strap. The sheath does have a loop for the belt, but there is no additional holes to secure it to arms or legs.

 

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24: Marbles Folder Double Blade Lockback Camo Handle Knife.

Purchased From: United States.

Info provided by seller:

 

Measures 7 3/4" in open position, 4 5/8" closed lockback. 3 1/8" stainless partially serrated drop point and guthook blades with thumb stud. Camo finish metal handles. Front handle has black checkered inlay and Marbles shield. Stainless pocket clip. Black nylon belt sheath.

 

Current Location: Carried by me daily.

 

My Thoughts:

I love the two-blades in one configuration, even though it makes the grip a bit uncomfortable- and one has to be careful with that guthook when gripping. In many ways, this knife is a great solution- the serrated blade's like the one on my switchblade and the one with the guthook closely resembles my every-day carrying knife. Having the pouch means that people won't get freaked out when they see a big knife on my person, but it also prevents quick-drawing.

The knife opens well and both blades are very sharp. Closing it can be a bit of a pain like most lock-back knives. This knife is quite hefty, just the way I like my knives, and the blades are strong-looking.

 

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25: Rough Rider Hammer Tool Kit Set Knife + Sheath.

Purchased From: United States.

Info provided by seller:

 

Measures 9" in open position, 6 1/4" closed. Features stainless hammer head, ratchet, 2 3/4" standard edge knife blade, serrated edge knife blade with screwdriver tip, file, saw blade, and pliers. Comes with 9 tool kit set which includes standard and Phillips screwdrivers plus seven sockets. Laminated rich grain wood handles. Black nylon belt sheath to hold tool and tool kit.

 

Current Location: Given to a good friend as birthday gift.

 

My Thoughts:

Looks like a very handy set- though haven't actually used it myself, I can't say just how handy. The knives and other attached parts are flip-joint construction like a Swiss Army knife, and the hammer head is part of the main frame of the set. The sockets and drivers look to be held on via magnet, and stay firmly when attached. I believe a person who has to do alot of repair work would find this set very useful and easy to carry.

 

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26: Boker Magnum Premiere Trophy Deer Hunter Knife.

Purchased From: United States.

Info provided by seller:

 

Measures 8 5/8" overall. 4" hollow ground stainless steel blade with Trophy eer etch. Full tang construction. Finger groove orange textured non slip rubber handle with lanyard hole. Comes with cordura belt sheath.

 

Current Location: Carried during camping trips.

 

My Thoughts:

A very functional knife, this blade is hefty enough to be used for chopping. The grip is perfect for my hands, and the finger-grooves really keep this knife firmly in one's grip. The only thing I dislike is the velcro strap on the sheath- why do they insist on using velcro?! The sheath has a belt loop and two extra holes near the bottom corners for strapping around one's forearms or legs. I'm not sure what grade steel this is, but obviously it's one of the cheaper/weaker grades- I am seeing a bit of a turned edge on the tip of the blade after using it to cut plastic.

 

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27: Smith & Wesson S&W Electrician's Hawkbill w/Bail Knife.

Purchased From: United States.

Info provided by seller:

 

Measures 7" inches opening position, 4" closed linerlock. 3 inches hammer forged surgical stainless steel hawkbill blade. Embossed stainless handle with bail.

 

Current Location: Carried by me on occasions.

 

My Thoughts:

A kukri-style knife, this knife cannot be opened one-handed since there is no thumb-stud of any kind. It also requires both hands to close, and I find the handle too thin for my liking. As far as blades go, it is a great blade: thick, sharp, and strong. It is a pure working knife with no combat in its design. This is not to say that the knife is no good in a fight- if one can get it out and open it in time, this makes a wicked weapon.

Note: The lock will not click home if the blade is not opened with a certain amount of force.

 

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