- You are here:
- Home
- Knife Reviews
- Finch
I tend to gravitate towards knives that hit my sweet spot when it comes to blade size, which is in the 3.25-3.5" range. They give me just enough blade to handle most of my daily needs without wishing I had something larger. I do on occasion like something a little smaller, maybe I'm going to a function were using such a large blade would draw unwanted attention. I would usually carry a Swiss Army knife or perhaps a slip joint, but lately I've been carrying something different. Adrian from Damned Designs offers regular and XL sizes of most his lineup, and the standard Anzu makes a perfect choice for a knife that's just right in those situations.
Gerber has dabbled quite a bit in the box cutter or utility blade market for a while. Whether it's an EAB, the Edge, or maybe a Prybid series tool, we've all got one stashed somewhere. We all have them because they're great for beating on and they go places we don't want our pocketknives going. Gerber has listened to feedback from its Prybid series and have added a much-needed accessory, a pocket clip. This may feel like something that should have been added right from the get-go but who knows why decisions get made the way they do.
KME has been around for over a decade and was conceived when a friend was having difficulty sharpening his broadheads. Ron volunteered to see if he could come up with a way to make it easier. He came up with a device that was rudimentary but functional. After refining the design their self-aligning broadhead sharpener was born. A few years later Ron adapted this system to knife sharpening and the rest is history as they say.
The company's ethos is to create products that simplify the process of sharpening. They take tremendous pride in their products and it's evident in materials, craftsmanship, and customer service. Today we're taking a look at the KME Sharpening system and some accessories.
Edge Pro Inc is another one of those companies whose founder had developed a product for his personal needs. Ben Dale president of Edge Pro developed the sharpener for his own use on a commercial knife route, he built 100 prototypes and sharpened over 100,000 knives over a 10-year period. His father taught him to sharpen, and he has always been fascinated by it. Dale felt working with knife sharpeners by hand was too slow and he began working on a better way. For years, he just kept sharpening and designing.
That rich history is translated into the quality products that Edge Pro makes. Today we're checking out the Apex model, it's a model that's a staple in the company's lineup and the most popular. The Apex can handle any blade up to 3 ½ wide including serrated knives. Because of its design knives can be sharpened at the same angle every time. This helps take the guess work out of finding your angle and making sure you keep it. This unique system doesn't have a clamp like similar systems, this allows for a variety of blade lengths and shapes. I'm a sucker for domestically made product and the Apex is proudly made in Hood River, OR.
One hallmark of any good knife company is the ability to produce limited editions and runs that are unique to the model. Vosteed is one of those companies; they've got more variants than Marvel has Loki. Not long ago, we checked out the White Mountain Knives exclusive Raccoon with a crossbar lock and frag pattern micarta. This release isn't exclusive to WMK but is limited in number. Today, we're checking out the Raccoon in aluminum.
It's been a while since I've touched base with 394 Components and wanted to see what else he has cooked up. He has a unique eye for things and creates this heavy-duty products that are meant to last. What we are checking out today is his take on an everyday carry screwdriver. A lot of us have multitools on here but sometimes you just want a dedicated driver. Dubbed the EDC Pocket Driver, it's built like a tank, and true to the 394 life.
Rive is a fairly new company that gained a bit of popularity with their Rogue Mini. The Mini is a small folder that is offered in limited quantities and the companies first release. This knife tested the waters and showed this team that the community was very interested. Rive went all in, announcing the Recon and the Striker late last year. The Recon being a new folder and the Striker a multipurpose pry tool.
The people at Vosteed are always busy releasing new products. Although it may seem like they release something new every month, I know this is an exaggeration. During the Christmas season, I received a package from Vosteed that contained a variety of items, including a new knife called the Chipmunk.
It's the first day of the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoors Tradeshow (SHOT) and we start today's news from SHOT with some news from Maxpdition:
Click image aboove for video.
We also got this teaser from Gerber earlier, and we are looking forward to seeing what they were talking about. Hopefully we will see the details soon.
Please be sure to follow the SHOT 2024 thread on our forum, and have your say on all the new products!
The news for January 22, 2024 starts with this announcement from Maxpedition:
Man has been sharpening knives ever since he could fashion them. The jump from obsidian blades to metal was pivotal in our growth as a species, without it, we'd literally be stuck in the Stone Age. With the constant upgrades in steel composition, and edge holding ability, we still need to sharpen them. Sharpening has largely stayed the same over the centuries, we've merely created gadgets to aid those of us who lack this age-old talent.
One of these gadgets is an interesting take on a guided sharpener. Mark from Sharpworx created a system that mimics the motions you make when you sharpen by hand. His system has many models, but today we are taking a look at his Utility Sharpener.
There are a few players in the multitool market, but only one is synonymous with the product. It's hard to deny the juggernaut that is Leatherman. They just celebrated their 40th anniversary and they have no intention of slowing down. Just before this anniversary, new information emerged about a tool Leatherman was developing. Dubbed the Arc, it had a lot of features we grew to love on the FREE series. What really excited people was the fact that it solved a lot of issues people had with the FREE series and said to have a Magnacut blade.
These rumors and speculations fueled heated discussions, and anticipation of a product that some thought was a pipedream. I can't think of a single tool since I've become a fan that has created this much hype and anticipation. If this tool became a reality, it would fix the shortcomings of the toolset on the FREE series. Also, it would solidify Leatherman as the innovator that it is, a testament to its leadership in the industry. As their anniversary came around, they announced a limited-edition tool, which for all purposes was an Arc with a different coat of paint.
The guys at Vosteed have once again collaborated with R.S. Knifeworks (Rob Saniscalchi)’s to bring a design of his to the masses. Dubbed the Griffin, it features a hawkbill that's 3.49" and made from the 14C28N. The blade shape (hawkbill) is great for draw cuts, breaking down cardboard, and anything that would require a slashing motion. Because of its curved belly, it's even great for things like stripping wires or horticulture.
What kind of people would write collect and review multitools? Quite simple really- we are designers and do-ers, outdoors types and indoor types, mechanics, doctors, problem solvers and problem makers. As such, we have, as a world spanning community, put every type, size and version of multitool, multifunction knife, pocket knife and all related products to every test we could manage in as many places and environments as there are.