Created in conjunction with Viking Tactics’ Kyle Lamb (SGM, USA Ret), the Operator Axe incorporates 24 features.
Specs:
SCM 435 Stainless Steel
Subdued black oxide finish
Overall length: 15″/38.1cm
Weight: Without sheath: 1 lb,10oz/.74kg; With sheath: 1lb, 15oz/.88kg
www.511tactical.com/operator-axe
Knives Made in USA: RUSTICK KNIVES, LLC
INTERVIEW WITH JACK STOTTLEMIRE, RUSTICK KNIVES, LLC SPARTANAT
SPARTANAT: What is the idea behind Rustick Knives? What is you motivation?
Jack Stottlemire: As a Craftsman I made Archery equipment (Longbows and Recurves) for 17 years while in the Military. After retiring I picked up knife making and it became an overnight success. The name Rustick comes from my nickname “Rusty” and the “Stick” bows that I used to make. Combine the two and you have Rustick. So when I began knife making I switched the names from Rustick Archery to Rustick Knives.
SPARTANAT: If you had to pick a Rustick knife for military duty: Which would it be and why?
Jack Stottlemire: That’s a hard question. I would carry a 6” bladed Kraken and a Ripper Flipper tactical folder. A knife to a Soldier today is a working tool, not a killing instrument like you see in the movies. A knife is used to open meals, ammo cans, cut brush, cut paracord, etc… It must be strong and be able to keep a keen cutting edge. My knives are built to take abuse, keep a cutting edge and to be easily resharpened in the field. In fact, my youngest Son is an Infantryman in the US Army and carries a Kraken and a 4” Utility/Fighter on his kit.
SPARTANAT: What differs Rustick Knives from other tactical knives/brands?
Jack Stottlemire: Every knife that I make is hand ground by me. I do not farm my knives out to a machine shop to do all of the work or have CNC milling machines in my shop to do all of the work. A Rustick Knife is truly a handmade cutting tool. Also every person that is involved with the making of each knife is a Combat Veteran to include my leather maker Donnie Harper of Harp Leather.
SPARTANAT: How did you come into knife making? Which knifemaker/brand inspired you the most?
Jack Stottlemire: I have always made things with my hands. It was natural after serving 30+ years as a Soldier, Marine and Government Contractor to start my own business working with my hands. I apprenticed with Chris Williams of Wilmont Grinders/Knives for about 6 months. Chris said that I was a natual, gave a grinder and told me to go home and make knives. So I did! I love the old bone and antler handled hunting knives that were sold in my hometown outdoor store as a kid. Those are my favorite to make.
SPARTANAT: Which knife did you carry in duty/combat?
Jack Stottlemire: I carried the tried and true Marine Combat Knife (KaBar) for just about my entire time in the Military. For about the last 10 years I also carried a Horrigan Fighter that was handmade and given to me by my dear friend Robert “Bob” Horrigan who was killed in action in Iraq in 2005.
SPARTANAT: Please tell from your own experience, what are the jobs or the main purposes of a tactical knife carried by soldiers in the field today.
Jack Stottlemire: As I stated before, a knife to a modern soldier is a cutting instrument, a prybar, a shovel, a hammer, it is used daily for a myriad of chores. In my opinion daggers and other killing knives are useless on today’s battlefield. A Soldier needs a strong cutting tool that can be called upon to complete any task and not fail.
SPARTANAT: Whats the role of Rustick knives and Conflict Forge in helping veterans batteling ptbs (the projects and the mission)?
Jack Stottlemire: I started Conflict Forge with Chris Williams of Wilmont Grinders/Knives. He and I served in combat together and are close friends. We wanted to give back to the Veteran community by making functional art out of steel from our Nation’s Battlefields. All monies raised from our artwork goes to benefit Veteran Charities.
Rustick Knives is a one man shop run by Jack Stottlemire. Jack served 26 years as a US Marine, Army Paratrooper and Special Operations Soldier retiring as a Sergeant Major at Fort Bragg, NC. He uses military experience along with 12 combat tours to design what works and is practical in a hard use blade. Each blade is handcrafted over a long process by Jack, 100% Combat Veteran made in the U.S.A.
Website: www.rustickknives.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RustickKnives
SPARTANAT: spartanat.com
Opinel folding clasp knives are quite traditional. They’ve have been around for over 125 years, but for the No12 Explore model, Opinel has updated materials as well as design.
Blade: 12C27 Sandvik Stainless Steel Blade: 10 cm (4’’) length, 2.7 cm (0.8’’) thickness
Handle: Fiberglass reinforced polyamide to withstand shock, water and extreme temperatures. Comfortable: Soft elastomer grip
Features:
Survival whistle: 110 dB (300 m)pealess
Sturdy hook blade: Cut by drawing (gut hook)
Fire starter: Ferro rod in handle
Currently available in Orange and Green for pre-order.
www.opinel-usa.com/collections/opinel-outdoor-survival/products/opinel-no12-explore
CJ Buck, CEO and Chairman of Buck Knives, Inc., Post Falls, Idaho, was recently honored for his extraordinary service and contribution to the knife community. He was inducted at the 2016 BLADE Show into the Cutlery Hall of Fame©. Active members of the Cutlery Hall of Fame elect an annual inductee by a vote prior to each show.
Hall of Fame member Goldie Russell, President of A.G. Russell Knives, and Jan Billeb, Executive Director of the American Knife & Tool Institute, shared how CJ Buck’s foresight and commitment in the formation and work of the American Knife & Tool Institute insured that a forum for the industry was in place to develop solutions to problems when needed.
“As an ambassador of the knife community and AKTI, CJ Buck has elevated the knife industry’s image to the greater world at large and fostered partnerships with labor unions, congressional caucuses and conservation and outdoor groups,” noted Jan Billeb.
CJ Buck challenged the organization to be multi-faceted and proactive – protecting the American heritage of knives in daily lives, promoting growth in the industry and encouraging the next generation of knife users.
“CJ’s grandfather Al and father Chuck, also Hall of Fame members, would be proud of him – the man he is, heritage he successfully continues and his accomplishments to ensure that everyone in the knife community can continue doing what they love – making knives and sharing them with others,” said Goldie Russell.
“The Cutlery Hall of Fame includes individuals who have had such a strong and passionate impact on the industry I love,” said CJ Buck, “and the fact that those same individuals have accorded this recognition to me is almost overwhelming.”
He added, “I continue to enjoy my involvement with the American Knife & Tool Institute and am so pleased with how much progress we have made by working together. From the closed and short-sighted 1958 Federal Switchblade Act to the visionary Knife Owner’s Protection Act, we have brought outdoorsmen and women together with the building trades in a frank dialogue based on logic and reason and not fear. We have partnered with legislators and law enforcement rather than just be adversarial and have brought about change in how knives are regarded. That momentum continues.”
MoraKniv is offered in the US through Industrial Revolution. At the OR Summer Market, theyv’e unveiled the Eldris, a compact, fixed blade knife that fits in a pocket or can be hung around the neck.
It has a 2mm thick, 56mm long semi-matte Swedish stainless steel blade, and a scandi ground spine that’s compatible with a fire starter. Two different polymers and a grip-friendly shape make the handle durable and easy to hold. A built-in click lock between the sheath and handle ensures the Eldris stays safely in place when worn around the
MSRP: $29.99/knife; $49.99/neck-knife kit
http://www.industrialrev.com/morakniv/
The US-Assist. Designed and built in Portland, Oregon, this assisted-opening knife offers Gerber’s smoothest, most consistent deployment to date. Including B.O.S.S. Tech™, it features a ball-bearing system to reduce friction and provide stable performance for the long haul. Intuitively designed and painstakingly tested, the US-Assist is the next generation of the everyday pocket knife.
-Scratch-resistant, removable pocket clip can be carried tip up or tip down and won’t cause damage
-Dual ramped thumbstuds offer intuitive purchase and ambidextrous opening
-The specialty stone washed finish on the S30V blade has a timeless aesthetic
-The plunge lock and cross-bolt safety system ensures stable use in open or closed position
www.gerbergear.com/Knives/Assisted/US-Assist-S30V_30-001205
Klecker Knives continues to innovate with their Stowaway Tools. Consisting of 12 EDC tools which are designed to be configured as a customizable pocket tool box. It doesn’t matter what your EDC is, because you can configure it.
The Stowaways work with KeyBar, other Key Carriers and Carabiners as well as Klecker’s new iPhone 6 case.
Look for the tools starting next month. Very cool stuff.
The Centuaro knife is a new design by Korean company RAIDOPS and produced in Viper, Italy. The Centuaro is a folding knife made of N690 steel, with a blade length of 3.66 inches, featuring a stone wash finish. The handle, roughly a half-inch thick, also features a stone wash finish. The Centuaro comes complete with a Cordura nylon storage pouch.
raidops-products.com/product/CENTAURO
