This just in…
Silynx is pleased to announce that we are selling a limited edition Silynx Act of Valor knife that was designed in collaboration with Benchmade. This knife comes a collapsible blade, Dual flat-head tip screwdriver, and a bottle opener. Buy one of these tough American made knives and we will contribute a portion to The Navy Seal Foundation and Special Operations Warrior Foundation. We only have 250 knives in stock, so buy today and help contribute to a good cause.”
The new Leatherman Raptor was designed specifically for medical personnel. It is a compact, folding shear.
It integrates a one hand opening strap cutter with an integrated oxygen tank wrench. Flip to around and there’s a carbide tip glass breaker as well as a lanyard attachment.
Once opened the shear’s 420 high carbon steel blades feature a metric scale ruler for measuring ECG strips and the shears themselves feature a unique grind that doesn’t shed material into wounds and allows you to rip cut. Additionally, there is a ring cutter function at the back of the blades.
In addition to a pocket clip which will also fit a single PALS bar. Additionally, there is an ambidextrous injection molded holster that allows for angled carry. The holster allows for open or closed carry of the Raptor.
Spartan Knives showed their line at the USASOC Sniper Competition. In addition to their recently released Akribis folder but also the Spartan/Harsey Hunter collaboration we showed during SHOT Show. These two will be presented to the top team at the competition.
Additionally, they had the new Spartan Breed Fighter.
Photos courtesy of our friends at Inali Media.
During this week’s USASOC Sniper Competition American Kami gave the world a sneak peek of what they’ve had cooking under the code name: Project Mayhem. The actual hawk will be called the MANIAXE and is essentially a system with various components.
Handles are made from two slabs of CNCed G10. Shown are the long handles but a shorter handle will be offered as well.
Various heads are already in production and can be swapped out. The blades are DLC coated and will be laser engraved once they get back home.
Photos courtesy of our friends at Inali Media.
Recon1 is offering a limited edition version of the Benchmade 275 Adamas.
Thanks to being the number one Benchmade dealer for 2011, Recon1 is able to offer a limited edition version of the 275 Adamas. The most obvious difference is the OD and Black layered G10 handle. Limited to only 100 examples, this Adamas shares the base model’s AXIS locking mechanism, ambidextrous thumb studs and reversible, tip-up pocket clip. Benchmade donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of these knives to the Ranger Assistance Foundation.
Get yours at www.Recon1.com
This 2013 catalog from Randall’s Adventure ESEE not only covers their line of knives and IZULA survival tools but also mentions their hands on training courses.
I’m a gun nut, but not really a knife guy. I usually carry a Spyderco that I don’t feel too bad about breaking or losing, or whatever free folder I pull out of a box from the Army. That doesn’t mean I don’t recognize or appreciate nice knives, but generally when it’s time to drop the coin on one I go buy another gun. I took a big step last week in actually buying myself a nice folder. I have a couple of Chris Reeve Sebenzas I received as gifts, a SAR folder from some friends, a couple Horrigan fighters, and some nice Winkler fixed blades and hatchets. All of those were gifts, trades, hand-me-downs, something like that. I met the Spartan Blades guys a couple of years ago at the local machine shop, and was immediately impressed with their work. Both of the owners are retired Special Forces soldiers and do a lot of work to support the Green Beret Foundation. They bring a unique perspective on the application of their products that shows in every design they put out. Spartan Blades opened its doors in Aberdeen, NC in 2008, and they still have the sales numbers of every month in the shop on a white board. Like they said, that first year was quite an experience as they started to establish themselves. When I asked Curtis if he still had the first knife they made for Spartan, he looked around and said “Oh, never mind. We sold it, we were hurting back then.” By 2010, they had been awarded the “Collaboration of the Year” at the prestigious International Blade Show for their first project with famed knife maker Bill Harsey. In just four years, the line has grown to over 15 advertised knives with a worldwide network of distributors, military contracts, and retail partners. In addition, Spartan has collaborated with knife makers such as Bill Harsey, who I mentioned earlier, and Kim Breed, another former Special Forces soldier. If you’re known by the company you keep, Spartan Blades is doing quite well.
The Akribis is their first production folder. The name is Greek for “sharp and precise,” and the name fits. Like all Spartan Blades products since day 1, the Akribis is hand-fitted and assembled in their workshop in NC. Despite the steady and rapid increase in demand for their knives, each one gets the same treatment for production, assembly, and quality control to this day. Each 3.5” S35VN blade is cryogenically treated and rides on ceramic bushings; each titanium liner is beautifully machined to be devoid of any sharp edges or imperfections. The buyer has the option of G10 or carbon fiber for the handles and a SpartaCoat black or meteorite grey blade. Even the pocket clip shows their attention to detail, with an arrow like those of the Special Forces branch insignia cut into it. Spartan also licensed the Hinderer device from knife maker Rick Hinderer to further stabilize the locking bar. No detail skipped, no corners cut. The Akribis was designed from the floor up to be a do-everything folder. It easily accommodates the utility desired by military or law enforcement users while not looking out of place in everyday wear or even business attire. I can’t think of a feature I would add, personally. The Akribis is large enough for tough chores but is not too big for everyday carry. It also shows up sharp, as the band-aid on my finger reminds me. If it ever gets used to the point that you need it re-sharpened, Spartan Blades offers a lifetime sharpening service.
I waited almost two years from the first time I heard a rumor of the Spartan folder until I had one in hand. I can now say it was worth the wait, and the money. At a retail price of $445, the Akribis isn’t exactly inexpensive but for the work and materials that go into them it’s a reasonable price in my book. Buy once, cry once. You stop crying when you open the box, I promise. The Akribis can be found at www.spartanblades.com along with the new Spartan-Breed Fighter, also released last week. Get them while you can, they were headed out the door at a steady rate when I was at the shop to pick mine up.
The Winkler Neck Knife is a great entry into the line of edged tools crafted by Master Bladesmith Daniel Winkler. Granted, it’s a bit different than his traditional American designs but it’s pure quality all the same.
The handle is textured for grip and the 3 1/8″ blade has a durable Black KG finish to protect the knife under adverse conditions where routine maintenance isn’t so routine. Overall length is 7 1/8″ and the knife comes with a kydex sheath with a removable chain lanyard and optional belt loop or PALS system.
