Not to mince words; there are many, many quality mass-produced knives on the market today. Some of the top national brands produce excellent knives that are either wholly or entirely machined in large quantities, even if they are fit and finished by hand.  That being said, there is still a time and place for handmade knives in any collection. This short post will cover some of...

Karesuando knives, or Karesuando Kniven, if you want to get technical, are some of the most coveted tools in the outdoor world. The first thing you’ll notice is the name. It’s Swedish, and it’s not just a brand gimmick. This company is located on a river in Sweden, on the border with Finland, over 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle. At this workshop the visionaries design...

Ever heard of Joker Knives? The company doesn’t have the brand recognition of some of the big box names like Buck or Benchmade, or any other mass-produced knives, but they do make simple patterns using excellent steels and noteworthy scale materials, and their knives are handcrafted in Spain.  Here are 3 great models from their catalog.  Bushcrafter with N695 Steel and...

It might be somewhat surprising to some how popular compact and ultra-compact knives, like the ESEE Candiru and Izula are, for EDC.  For one thing, they’re easy to conceal and exceptionally lightweight, so knives in patterns like these can be effortlessly carried to the point that you forget they’re there, till you need them. But for another, once you carry one every day,...

Filet knives and other fishing knives, especially those that see use around saltwater, naturally experience more abuse than most other knives.  On top of that, they are special tools and if you don’t care for them properly, they just won’t do what you need them to do when you need them to do it.  With that said, here are 4 tips for keeping your filet knives (and other...

Look up any list of the best FOX Knives, and that list is liable to contain a mention of the Chilin and Kita. But you know what else is a popular FOX Knife? The Zero 2.0 Desert Warrior. Let’s take a closer look at it in this post and see if you don’t want one for yourself by the end of this. Unpacking the Features of the FOX Knives Zero 2.0 Desert Warrior  First,...

While a knife might not be the only thing in your EDC loadout, there are countless people around the country that would feel utterly naked without one. Start carrying one and you might find that this phenomenon befalls you before too long, too. With that said, if you’re looking at choosing your first EDC knife, here are a few things to consider. Fixed or Folding? Most people prefer...

ESEE Knives’ catalog is full of patterns and profiles that are utilitarian generalists that can do a lot of jobs, and do them well. On the small end you have the Izula, Candiru, and to a degree, the ESEE 3, which are light, pack easily, and can take out a lot of functions. On the other end you have models like the Junglas, ESEE 6, and the Darien Machete, which are well-suited to dispatch...

So you’re in the market for some new kitchen knives and are thinking, “Why just replace one, might as well get a new set.” That’s all well and good, but if you’re going to shell out the cash for a whole new set, you also might as well make sure you get the best kitchen knife set you can. Rather than making recommendations as to brands or sets, this short post will...

Lighters and matches are great, and there are plenty of reasons that for many people, the EDC loadout includes a Zippo or BIC. They are reliable, in the case of the Zippo they are windproof, and let’s just be honest, even in unskilled hands, starting a fire with a lighter or matches is much easier than any other method, especially a primitive firecraft method like a bow drill or a fire...