Episode-1845- Understanding the Cutting Edge – Knives for Many Purposes
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (19.7MB)
Today we continue with shows you guys voted for with the number two winner for August on knives. I will be upfront while I love knives of all types I am not a tech geek when it comes to them. I don’t get into every spec, the intricacies of different steels, choosing one over the other due to it being half an ounce lighter, etc.
On some levels I have thanks to Patrick at MT Knives, become a knife snob on some levels. Small imperfections that I used to ignore now bother me. What I used to call sharp I now call an “okay edge” and what I used to consider “okay” I now call dull.
Yet in the end I realize knives are like anything, you get what you pay for and it is all about the job you want done with it and how much you plan to rely on it. There are junk knives that are 2 bucks a piece but it doesn’t hurt to have em in a tackle box or map pocket as a back up. There are great knives that cost 20-100 dollars that do a fine job for what they are. True high end equipment that is also high performance for say 100-800 dollars and then there are piece of art, one puts in a case and collects above that price point.
Today we will focus mostly in the realm of the 20-200 dollar range as that fits well with most budgets and need. People who spend 500 dollars and up on a knife generally know why they are doing so and have their own reasons be they technical or collector driven.
Join Me Today To Discuss…
- The general things I look for in a knife
- Meets the task at hand
- Will not break and/cause injury
- The primary types of knives I carry and or use
- Kitchen Knives
- Tactical Knives
- Utility Knives
- Neck Knives
- Working Knives / Bush Craft Knives
- Disposable Knives
- Some of my favorite knives for each of these categories
- Kitchen
- Victornox Chefs Knife – Link to this Knife
- Victornox Santoku – Link to this Knife
- Victornox Boning Knife – Link to this Knife
- Tactical
- Columbia River M21-14SF – Link to this Knife
- Cold Steel Recon One – Link to this Knife
- Fox Knives DART – Link to this Knife
- Fox 599 Karambit – Link to this Knife
- Utility
- Gerber EAB – Link to this Knife
- Klein Tools 44131 – Link to this Knife
- Neck
- MT Knives Genesis – Link to this Knife
- MT Knives Genesis II – Link to this Knife
- ESEE Izula – Link to this Knife
- Working Knives – Bushcraft
- Mora #2 – Link to this Knife
- TSP Gear Sheath for Mora 2 – Link to Sheath
- Buck Knives Punk – Link to this Knife
- Ka-Bar Becker BK7 – Link to this Knife
- Disposable Knives
- Wahoo Killer – Link to this Knife
- Ridge Runner Folder – Link to this Knife
- Kitchen
- In the end it is all about the task at hand
Resources for today’s show…
- Join the Members Brigade
- The Year 1845
- Join Our Forum
- Walking To Freedom
- TSP Gear
- AgriTrue.com
- TspAz.com – Support TSP When You Shop on Amazon
- Grandaddy’s Gun Club
- Jack and Diane – John Cougar
Sponsors of the Day
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK (866-658-4465) and you might hear yourself on the air.
Also remember we have an expert council that can answer you questions. If you have a question send it to jack at thesurvivalpodcast.com with TSPC Epert in the subject line. Ask your question in one to two sentences so it is clear then provide any additional details. Make sure to tell me what council member the question is for. You Meet the Expert Council at this Link.
Join the MSB Today
Want Every Episode of TSP Ever Produced?
Remember in addition to discounts to over 40 vendors who supply stuff you are likely buying anyway, tons of free ebooks and video content, MSB Members also get every edition of The Survival Podcast ever produced in convenient zip files in blocks of 24. More info on the MSB can be found here.
Hi Jack,
You and I both like Kershaw/Shun knives. For the money, I don’t think you find a better knife.
I wanted to let you know that woot.com (an amazon subsidiary) that does deals a day, often gets both Kershaw and Shun knives.
Now woot.com gets some amazing deals. But always price check on amazon as sometimes the is only a few dollar difference. And amazon has a better return process and free shipping with prime. Woot.com ships all items for $5. So it’s not bad either.
But I’ve seen Shun kitchen knives for 60% of Amazon price. That puts Shun kitchen knives under the cost of Cutco.
They also regularly get Kershaw knives. Often for around $8-$15. Now these tend to be Kershaw Chinese made line. But their Chinese blades are better than most knives you’ll find today. Their American made versions are unbelievable. But frankly, $10 for a Kershaw to use as your junk knife is a good choice. Unlike most Chinese, Pakistani, and other Asian made junk knives. ..Kershaws cut very well.
So I highly recommend checking woot.com once a day.
Lastly, if people want a good everyday carry knife. I highly recommend looking at boat knives. These have a blade on one end and a sturdy marlin spike on the other. A marlin spike is a solid metal spike used for untying knots. It can also be used as an awl/punch.
http://www.woot.com/plus/kershaw-knives-4
http://www.woot.com/plus/shun-knives
Loved the episode.
One cool tactical/defense knife that I really like is the Ka-Bar TDI. I like the small/standard one (not the large) as it conceals very well. (I think the large one is designed for non-concealed carry.)
It’s a compact fixed-blade design that’s designed especially around the idea as a weapon (firearm) retention tool to be used with the weak hand. The idea is if you’re drawing (or have already drawn) your gun with your strong hand, and a bad guy grabs your gun and/or gun-hand (which happens often in close situations), you’ve got a quick easy weapon you can deploy & use with your weak hand to stop that.
It’s designed to be used with minimal fine motor skills or refined technique, just pull it & punch the threat with it. Learned about this knife in the great book The Snubby Revolver by Ed Lovette. When concealed carrying, I often have the TDI on my belt accessible to my left hand, and then a firearm & tactical folder accessible to my right.
-CJ
I do have a Ranger up for auction over on Instagram here is the link. https://instagram.com/p/BI72Ac3Amyu/
Hi Jack,
Do you have a recommended method for sharpening knives.
I’d like to keep a knife around for decades, but mine seem to get dull quite fast. Thanks for the good work.
Best,
Justin
Typo on Fox DarT, not Dark.
Fixed it likely subconscious, the entire line of knives is the DARK series, there are supposed to be 5 all designed by Doug eventually.
DARK – direct action response knife
DART – direct action response tanto
No idea what they will call the rest or if the Karimbit counts as one of the five.
Neck Knife One Handed Draw and other tips on carrying a neck knife
https://youtu.be/fv6JYawJBOw
Good job I am going to feature it on Monday
Loved the knife episode. Great selections, function and prices.
This would have been a good song to finish the show. Corb Lund’s: Always Keep An Edge On Your Knife.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8YyDyap7wI
For my kitchen knives I keep a ceramic sharpening stick in the space where the steel goes. This keeps the edge keen and only requires a light touch-up to keep the kitchen knives sharp.
Speaking of kitchen knives I keep several of the Bakers and Chefs branded Santoku and paring knives. They have a nice nylon handle and the steel is superb it’s a high carbon stainless that holds a decent edge. They do have them on amazon http://amzn.to/2cqvgb1
I have a diamond sharpening rod. It doesn’t seem to help much. Perhaps I waited too long to start using it or maybe I just don’t know what I am doing.
I think you mean something like http://www.webstaurantstore.com/mercer-m14410-10-ceramic-knife-sharpener-with-black-nylon-handle/470M14410.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=Cj0KEQjwpNm-BRCJ3rDNmOuKi9IBEiQAlzDJH-YSC8dyvCvwv8zWqAcXqkIg6H9fLcRvMWTsXFycWdcaAtRb8P8HAQ
when you refer to a ceramic sharpening stick. This seems to be pretty much what I am using, but ceramic instead of diamond. Do you think ceramic would be any better?
I’ve never had any luck with diamond hones ever. I don’t know if it’s just me or what (I’ve been sharpening since age 9).
Yes that is what I’m talking about. I normally get mine from Smokey Mountain Knife Works anytime we go to the Smokies I’ll pick up a half a dozen or so since they are only $1.99. I seem to break about 1 per year when I hit something with it or drop it accidentally.
https://www.smkw.com/tennessee-big-stick-ceramic-sharpening-rod
Also note after a few uses you will want to wash the ceramic with soap and water to get the steel dust off of it. It seems to loose effectiveness if you don’t. Also be sure the handle stays secure they can come lose and the ceramic will come out of the handle (and fall on the floor) If I notice they are lose I just re-glue them in and don’t have any problems.