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Steel Will Censor – Badass Knife of the Week

October 10, 2016 / Tim / 0 Comments

The definition of a badass knife varies greatly. Some badass knives are brash, loud, and insane. Others are quiet, biting, and understated. Our latest Badass Knife of the Week firmly falls into the latter category.

The Steel Will Censor is a compact knife made for discreet carry. But just because it’s subtle and easy to conceal doesn’t mean it can’t be an invaluable tool in distressing situations.

Coming in at an overall length of 7.68 inches, the Censor features a unique design that you’ll appreciate when you need the knife the most.

It all starts with the 3.54-inch blade. The AUS-8 stainless steel is more than adequate at holding its own against the toughest tasks while resisting corrosion and wear. A satin finish on the blade undermines any minor scratches or wear encountered in daily use.

12 Knives Made From Old Junk

October 5, 2016 / Tim / 9 Comments

A knife, formerly a horse shoe, created by Miller Knives

We’re drowning in trash and junk. Look in your neighbor’s garage or head down to the scrap yard and you’ll see so much refuse and detritus that it’s not even funny.

But what if you could take those pieces of scrap metal and make them into something practical and rewarding? Well, you can.

If you put enough work and skill into it, you could turn nearly any piece of scrap metal into a functional knife. Will all pieces of scrap metal make great knives? Heck no! But with the right piece of metal, you can create something useful and even beautiful.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at these knives made from old junk you can find in your garage or the scrap yard.

1. A knife made from a file

Many knifemakers start by constructing a knife from a file. It’s not exactly making a knife from scratch, but it gives you a place to start. Files are made from different steels, such as W-1 and W-1, but a Nicholson file is 1095 carbon steel. That’s a great steel to work with. Way back in 2011, I wrote about how to make a knife from a file.

Here’s a great tutorial of a file knife made with common tools.

2. A knife made from a shovel

There’s a classic video that shows how to make a knife from a shovel and some concrete, but I appreciate how this video from Rusty shows what you can make at home without many tools.

3. A knife made from a railroad spike

The railroad spike is another fairly common starting point for knives. You can often find these lying near old railroad tracks (though be aware that it may be considered stealing to take one), but you can also grab some at a local scrap yard. You can also get some railroad spikes from McMaster-Carr for pretty cheap too.

Kershaw Blackout – Badass Knife of the Week

October 3, 2016 / Tim / 1 Comment

Just because a knife has been around for more than 15 years doesn’t mean it’s any less worthy of praise and elevation. In fact, our Badass Knife of the Week proves that a great knife will just keep getting more and more popular over time.

Originally released as one of the first knives to feature Ken Onion’s revolutionary SpeedSafe assisted opening mechanism, the Kershaw Blackout continues to garner fans and appreciation with every passing year.

Why? Just take a look at it.

The Blackout is the very definition of sleek, with a black 3.25-inch blade made from Sandvik 13C26 stainless steel. The alloy performs well under stress, holds an edge, and resists corrosion. Scratch-resistant Tungsten DLC coating will keep the blade a clean black, even through everyday use. A drop point blade profile, accompanied by a slight swedge, ups the knife’s overall versatility.

NAACP Joins Knife Rights in Fight Against NYC Knife Laws

October 2, 2016 / Tim / 1 Comment

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Thanks to a distorted reading of New York City knife laws, the NYPD has sent as many as 60,000 people to jail over the past decade. According to the Village Voice, simple possession of a pocket knife has even landed defendants in prison for up to seven years.

Knife Rights has been taking on the city for the past few years, arguing that the laws are unjust, capricious, and unconstitutional. In some cases, people have been arrested for carrying legal knives like the Buck 112 Ranger or Leatherman Surge—not exactly gravity knives.

buck-112-ranger

Now the organization has garnered support from a group traditionally on the other side of the political spectrum: the NAACP.

These two groups make strange bedfellows, but they are fighting for the same thing: justice for unfairly targeted groups.

Cold Steel Spartan – Badass Knife of the Week

September 26, 2016 / Tim / 2 Comments

A little more than 2,500 years ago, the Spartans boasted the most powerful and sophisticated military in the world. Along with rigorous training that went on for decades and a deep understanding of war tactics, the Spartans were feared for their weaponry, including the thick and heavy knife known as the kopis.

Cold Steel scaled down the Ancient Grecian weapon and added technological advances to better fit our more modern society. The result is the Badass Knife of the Week.

The Cold Steel Spartan adapts design elements of the past to catalyze a thoroughly badass knife that’s a combination of beauty, function, and versatility.

This Andrew Demko design features a 4.5-inch hollow ground blade made from American BD1 Alloy Steel, which is corrosion resistant and razor sharp. Its blade profile is reminiscent of a Kukri machete. It excels at hacking, piercing, and slicing, thanks to the placement of its point and curved cutting edge.

Top 5 Best-Selling Benchmade Knives at Knife Depot

September 21, 2016 / Tim / 2 Comments

It’s hard to find a more respected brand over the years than Benchmade. From its customer service to its quality knives, Benchmade is frequently among our best-sellers here at Knife Depot.

Although our top sellers often change, I took a look at the data over the past few years to find out which Benchmade models are most popular among our customers.

While the data is liable to change and doesn’t take newer knives into account (since they haven’t had the time to build up numbers), this is a good indicator on what types of knives people like the most from Benchmade.

5. Benchmade 162 Bushcrafter

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The fifth best-selling Benchmade here is probably surprising. The butterfly brand isn’t instantly known for its fixed blades, but the Benchmade 162 Bushcrafter is a force to be reckoned with. A quick look at reviews around the web and you’ll notice one common denominator: they’re all 5-star reviews.

The Bushcrafter is an outdoor knife that’s well-balanced, durable, and reliable. Its 4.43-inch blade is made from premium S30V stainless steel, which is highly resistant to corrosion, keeps an edge well, and holds up to a beating. Those are all qualities you want in a fixed blade outdoor knife.

Aside from that, it has contoured green G-10 handles with a red vulcanized spacer and comes with a leather sheath.

4. Benchmade 710

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The fact that the 710 is so low on this list is probably another surprise (though it has been out for two decades). This McHenry and Williams design is frequently viewed as a flagship model for Benchmade, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only was it the first Benchmade to feature the AXIS lock but it’s also one of the best EDC knives around.

Morakniv Garberg – Badass Knife of the Week

September 19, 2016 / Tim / 0 Comments

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Mora knives are among the most respected and beloved fixed blades from around the world. These Swedish knives are reliable, relatively inexpensive, and perform better than most others. But there was something missing in the classic Morakniv knives: a full tang model.

Our Badass Knife of the Week is the long-awaited full tang fixed blade Mora knife: the Garberg.

The Morakniv Garberg is a powerful and relentless fixed blade that can take charge in any outdoor situation. This well-built knife is the first of the Mora knives to feature a full tang design. In fact, its extended tang provides extra strength and a surface for light hammering.

The 4.3-inch blade is optimized for performance and dependability. It starts with the Swedish Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel. This alloy is a high-grade knife steel that combines excellent edge performance with corrosion resistance. The scandi grind makes it easy to sharpen out in the field while the thick blade stands up to the toughest tasks. A semi-matte finish and a grinded spine round out the blade’s dedication to bushcrafting.

10 Knives You Can Pry With

September 14, 2016 / Tim / 13 Comments

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We’ve heard it a million times. A knife should never ever be used for prying. If there were a 10 Commandments of Knives, “Thou shalt not pry with your knife” would be number one.

So why do so many people insist on using their knives to pry open cans or boxes when they know it could result in this? We usually have a knife on us and it’s just so convenient.

Fortunately, for every problems, there is a solution. You could simply not pry (but what’s the fun in that?), buy a separate mini pry bar, or pick up a knife that’s built to pry.

Unless you want to carry yet another tool as part of your EDC, I’d opt for a pry bar knife.

If you think pry knives don’t exist, you’re missing out on a whole world of possibilities. Here’s a list of 10 knives with pry bars.

1. KA-BAR BK3 Becker Tac Tool

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For all intents and purpose, the BK3 Tac Tool is a sharpened pry bar. This collaboration between Ethan Becker of Becker Knife & Tool and John Benner of Tactical Defense Institute features a wicked 7-inch blade with a blunt tip and a flat, one-sided grind. It has partial serrations on the edge and a hook cutter on the spine.

This blade is 0.250 inches thick and can be used for prying, hammering, cutting, and smashing. This knife is designed to take a beating, which is why you don’t have to feel guilty when you use it to pry open a door.

2. Boker Pry-Mate

boker-pry-mate

Next up is a knife with a punny name: the Boker Pry-Mate. This robust knife is designed with an eye toward prying. The blade is nearly 7mm thick—thicker than the Tac Tool—but only 3.38 inches long. The blade is made from N690BO stainless steel. This is an Austrian steel made especially for Boker with a focus on performance and durability. That’s a must if you’re going to be using it to pry lids off paint cans.

SOG Zoom Mini – Badass Knife of the Week

September 12, 2016 / Tim / 0 Comments

Just because something looks great doesn’t mean it always works well. But it’s hard to look at a knife like our latest Badass Knife of the Week and not think that it’s one darn good-looking knife. Fortunately, the knife is as effective as it is sexy.

The onomatopoeically named SOG Zoom Mini is a lightning-fast knife that’s open and ready for action at a millisecond’s notice.

This miniature version of the speedy folder has a 3.15-inch blade made with AUS-8 stainless steel, an alloy with corrosion resistance that can get exceptionally sharp. The black version we’re showing features a hardcased black TiNi coating (short for Titanium Nitride). This scratch resistant coating reduces the steel’s reflective properties and increases durability.

A modified drop point with a large swedge allows for maximum versatility and function, but you can also grab the Zoom Mini in a satin finish and different blade profiles.

6 Reasons Why Some Knives Are Discontinued

September 6, 2016 / Tim / 7 Comments

discontinued knives

We’ve all experienced it. You had your favorite knife for years—say a Kershaw Groove. You used the hell out of it. You took it to your wedding. You carried it every day for the last 10 years. Maybe you even used it to cut your first born son’s umbilical cord.

Then it finally gives way and simply stops working.

But when you go to Knife Depot to buy another, you find out it’s no longer in production. You drop to your knees, raise your fists to the sky, and curse the gods for such cruelty.

Maybe it doesn’t happen quite like that, but discontinued knives are a sad reality for knife fans.

So why do some of our favorite knives get the boot? Several reasons abound, including some that may surprise you.

1) It no longer makes money.

We’ll start with the most obvious reason why a knife might be discontinued. It’s not a moneymaker. This is actually a lot more complicated than it sounds, so we’ll break it up into different facets.

The knife sold poorly from the start.

Companies tend to release a slew of knives each year. Some hit the mark and others miss it by a mile. There will usually be people who buy every knife, but that’s not always enough to sustain the continued production of a product line.

Discontinued Kershaw Tremor

The Kershaw Tremor is one of those knives that came and went in only a few years, most likely due to poor sales. Not long into its run, the price of the Tremor dropped significantly. It went away quietly.

The knife sees fewer and fewer new sales.

Extremely popular knives are also discontinued, thanks to the idea of a product’s life cycle. Say a new knife comes out that’s exceptionally popular—the Starbird. The Starbird has huge, record sales when it first comes out and it’s the talk of the town. Sales continue to rise and rise. Eventually, the number of sales will reach a peak. As everyone who wants the Starbird has already bought it (market saturation), sales will begin declining.

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