Month: May 2020

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Knife Thoughts Every Day Carry Snapshot 5/28/20

Yesterday I posted the above picture on my social media (make sure to follow me!), and promised a fuller description of all the items. I know this is a lot to carry, but I don’t find that it weighs me down or is too difficult. Of course, I don’t absolutely need all this stuff but much of it does come in handy on a daily basis. More importantly, like many who appreciate every day carry gear, I also just plain enjoy having high quality tools on my person!

Knives

I typically carry, aside from my keychain, a modern folding knife and a traditional folding knife. I don’t always carry a fixed blade, mostly because I often don’t find them as comfortable as folding knives. Also, let’s be honest, I probably have enough knife on me without a fixed blade. However, I’m carrying the Spyderco Reverse. It’s an interesting fixed blade designed by two different well respected self defense instructors, Craig Douglas and Michael Janich, with the ability to switch the handle scales to match each instructors respective tactic style. Craig Douglas, aka “Southnarc” of ShivWorks, is the instructor of Shawn Lupka who teaches his AntiFragile self defense class at Stout PGH where I work. Aside from it being a unique and effectively designed fixed blade, it is extremely easy to carry with the incredible DarkStar Gear sheath. Tom of DarkStar Gear also trains at Stout PGH, and was kind enough to make this sheath with a Team Renzo Gracie pattern. This sheath takes the knife to a whole ‘nother level, and proves why the carry system is an integral part of a fixed blade. Make sure to check out DarkStar for their sheaths and their specialty, kydex IWB holsters.

My modern folding knife for today is the Spyderco Watu. This is a new knife from Spyderco for 2020, but it’s based on the well loved but discontinued Chokwe. Both the Watu and its older brother, the Chokwe, are part of Spyderco’s Ethnic Series. The Ethnic Series is a line of knives based on traditional fixed blades from around the world. The Watu is based on a traditional African fixed blade design of the Chokwe people. It might look like a strange design, with its triangle shaped blade and almost coffin shaped handle with two holes passing through, but I’ve found it to be extremely utilitarian. The Watu has several upgrades over the Chokwe with carbon fiber overlay g10 handles, a compression lock, the wire clip, and CPM20CV steel. It is also smaller than the Chokwe. Many will find the smaller size welcome, as it is closer to what many consider an ideal EDC knife, but I slightly prefer the larger size of the Chokwe. I am really enjoying the Watu, and you can find my full review below.

My traditional knife for today is the Great Eastern Cutlery made Waynorth Cutlery Real Lambfoot. Charlie Campagna has had many Special Factory Orders made by GEC, including his wildly popular TC Barlows, and was able to convince Bill to manufacture what is likely the first American made Lambfoot knife. This version has smooth white bone covers. Only 27 of this white smooth bone covered version were made, and they were sold by Charlie (aka Waynorth) himself at the 2019 GEC Rendezvous. I have found it to be a great garden knife, for picking produce and peeling apples and such, with the straight edge and a very capable cardboard cutting knife with the thin flat grind. I also added a slight easy open notch to help access the nail nick, as it sits quite low. Overall, this knife is a piece of GEC history and also a great user!

A few Charlie Campagna aka Waynorth SFOs: #98 Texas Camp Knife, #93 Real Lambfoot, #15 TC Barlow

Keychain

Most all of us carry some kind of keychain every day, and I take that as an opportunity to add a couple smaller pieces to my every day carry. The keychain clip system itself is from Nite Ize, but I’m not sure of its name. It is a carabiner style clip that has a slot for a bunch of mini s shaped carabiners, on which I carry my keys and gear.

I always have a Spyderco Ladybug with stainless handles, engraved with my wife’s and my name and our wedding date. Previously I had one with our one year anniversary engraved, but it was stolen (or lost) along with my bag at a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament. It’s both imbued with high sentimental value and a practical little knife. It’s shockingly easy to open and close one handed, and locks up as solid as a full sized knife.

I try to carry a pocket flashlight, but almost always go back to keychain carry. I have tried different lights, but I have carried the FourSevens Preon the most. It’s a nice small single aaa battery light that puts out a solid amount of lumens for its small footprint.

I also carry a small multitool on my keychain off and on. I think the Leatherman Squirt is as small as a plier based multitool can get while still being useful. It offers scissors, a screwdriver, a bottle opener, a small blade, and of course pliers. I wish the bottle opener was a little easier to use, and I wish it had a can opener. Still, it’s pretty nice to have a pair of pliers when you need one. To be honest, I had stopped carrying it on my keys for a while but went fishing over the weekend and needed some pliers. I have been thinking about trying a full sized Leatherman for pocket or bag carry and a one piece multitool for keychain carry.

Notebook and Pen

I have a whole system of notebooks for journaling, tracking workouts and nutrition, and logging work on Knife Thoughts and our garden. I often also carry a pocket notebook, and have tried several brand. I have liked Field Notes, Log + Jotter, Moleskine, but my favorite is Rite in the Rain. I recently decided to try Portage notebooks, a long time made in USA brand. They’re cheaper than some that I mentioned, but seem to be made well enough to hold up to pocket carry.

I have never really gotten into high end pens. I like using fountain pens, and I enjoy the fidget factor of bolt action pens, but I pretty much go for whatever is in reach. That said, I like these Zebra F301 pens because they’re thin, have a sturdy clip, and write well even in a fine point.

Wallet

I am currently using a no name wallet from a discount site. I have used several different wallets, from the classic leather bifold and trifolds to a brass Machine Era slim wallet to just rubber bands. I initially bought this wallet intending to carry a mini edc in it along with my cards, cash, ID, etc., but for now I have left that idea behind. For the low price of about $5, I’m pretty happy with it. I threw one of the Knife Thoughts stickers and Stout PGH VIP / Intro cards, a few each of which I always carry, on top of the ID window.

Handkerchief

Last, but not least, is my handkerchief. This handkerchief was given to me by a friend. It is pretty large as pocket handkerchiefs go but nice and thin so that it isn’t too bulky. I most often carry handkerchiefs hand made by my wife, which you’ll see in many of my social media posts. They’re really great most of all because they’re made with love, but also because they are really cool patterns and made to perfectly fit in a pocket. Handkerchiefs have become more popular recently, but for a long time I thought they were undervalued in the EDC community. I consider them to be extremely useful, and they take up very little space.

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

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Great Eastern Cutlery Restarts Production

Great Eastern Cutlery has been closed down since March 19, but are now restarting production! GEC was required to stop all business operations due to regulations put in place by the Pennsylvania state government to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Now the governor has moved several counties into the “yellow phase” wherein manufacturing businesses can restart production. One of those counties is Crawford, in which Titusville sits, so GEC is “back in business”!

Great Eastern Cutlery’s announcement from their site, as linked.

Production update photos indicate they are in the finishing steps of the Farm & Field Pocket Carvers, and have started initial steps on the upcoming #23 run. If you’re a fan of whittling, the Pocket Carver looks like a great tool for that hobby. Even if you’re not a whittler yet, it could be a good pursuit to occupy your time during quarantine! I am personally looking forward to the #23 run, GEC’s first pattern, because there are lots of cool versions being made like the Allegheny Mountain Knife Collectors Association 2020 club knife.

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

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Queen Reborn: SMKW Unveils New Line of Queen Knives with the Pilot Test Run Mini Trapper

Out of nowhere, Smoky Mountain Knife Works has reintroduced Queen Cutlery. Queen went out of business in 2018, and the future of the brand has been unclear since then. Recently SMKW posted a “Queen Pilot Test Run Mini Trapper” for sale on their site, and this article will showcase that knife and what it means for the Queen brand.

This knife came as a surprise to pretty much everyone. There were no rumors of it on the forums and Smoky Mountain Knife Works did no advertising before its release. Even upon release, there was very little fanfare; at first it wasn’t even featured on the SMKW homepage.

Once the knife was available for purchase on SMKW, there was still little solid information available. The product page said it was a test run Queen knife made in the U.S.A. for Smoky Mountain Knife works with black composite covers and 440 steel.

With so little official information available, the online knife community was abuzz with interest and speculation on the knife’s specifics.

The main question in discussion was; who made the knife? In this area, a consensus seems to have been reached that it must have been made by Bear & Son Cutlery. Here we can apply the old saying “read the knife, not the tang”. This means the best way to know the origin of a knife is to look at its characteristics and how it’s made, rather than what the tang is stamped or etched. In this case, due to the pattern’s similarity to Bear & Son’s Mini Trapper and other manufacturing hallmarks, it looks most likely to have been made in a Bear & Son factory. That said, SMKW has not identified the manufacturer, even when directly asked during a live video.

Another much discussed question was; why is SMKW coming out with a Queen knife? After the Titusville Queen factory closed and its assets were sold off, most believed that Bluegrass Cutlery had bought the machines and trademarks with intention to restart the brands. However, in a video SMKW said that they purchased the Queen and Queen City trademarks and plan to do a full line of knives under each brand. In the same video they explained that this knife was rushed to market because they had to use the trademark to keep it active. They said they have to do the same with a Queen City branded knife. Unfortunately, when asked if the future Queen and Queen City lines will remain made in the U.S.A., the SMKW representative said they didn’t know yet.

Queen collectors might ask what about Schatt & Morgan, Queen’s other well known and respected in house brand? A reputable source told me that Gilbert Cooper purchased the trademark and Queen’s machinery, and has promising plans for the brand. Cooper himself has posted on All About Pocket Knives forum about reintroducing the Schatt & Morgan brand with the goal of restoring its former place at the top quality tier of American pocket knives.

As for this Queen Pilot Test Run Mini Trapper, it’s certainly well enough made for being rushed to market. This knife is not made with the same quality level as a GEC made knife; I would put it in the same realm as Case knives. The blades are pretty well centered. The action is nice with about a 5.5 pull on both blades. The action was a little gritty at first, but after a little oil they’ve broken in to be relatively smooth. Neither blade has any wobble. Neither blade seems to have any rap or proud tips. There are some slight gaps between the springs and liners, and a gap between the pile side liner and cover. So the fit is pretty good. The finish leaves a little more to be desired. The transitions between the covers and bolsters, as well as the edges of the covers, are a little rough. The blades have something between an “as ground” type finish and a satin finish, while the bolsters are between a satin and polished finish. Unfortunately, the etch is not a particularly tasteful font and seems imperfectly placed and is very raised (enough so that it’s easy to catch your fingernail on it). The tang is not stamped, which I would prefer but adds an extra step and cost, but rather etched very plainly. The front tang is etched “Queen” and the back tang is etched “QN1 / U.S.A.”. I am glad they went with no shield instead of an unpinned (glued only) shield, like Case and others use. Overall, it’s a decently made knife for the price that would make a good user knife.

Although this SMKW Queen QN1 would be a great using knife, I anticipate it will become collectible. In the video I have referenced above, SMKW said that only 300 of these were made. Although that’s not a tiny number of knives, it’s a pretty small run compared to recent GEC general runs, let alone compared to Case runs. If SMKW handles the reintroduction of Queen and Queen City well (which I’m rooting for), this will have been what started it all and therefore sought after. If they don’t handle it well, or if they move production overseas, this might be the last American made Queen knife, and therefore sought after. Either way, it has sold out on Smoky Mountain Knife Works’ site so its value will soon begin to be established through the secondary market. That said, SMKW did say they have to bring a knife to market under the Queen City brand to retain the trademark and that it’s coming soon. So keep an eye out for that if you’d like to get one! In conclusion, I’m happy to see the Queen brand living on while being produced by Smoky Mountain Knife Works, and I hope to see great things in the future!

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

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Knife Thoughts and Review Authenticity

Recently I posted on BladeForums mentioning that when I ordered the new SMKW Queen Pilot Test Run Knife, which I plan to do an article on, I requested that they check the knife for any major issues. A few people responded saying that asking that a knife be checked over for issues “invalidates” any review of the knife. They even went so far as to say it invalidates all of my reviews, which was disheartening. I thought I’d write an article on this topic, so as to make my thoughts and processes on that subject transparent to my readers and viewers.

Since long before Knife Thoughts existed, I have sometimes requested that dealers check over knives I purchase. I am a knife enthusiast first, before I am a knife reviewer, and asking the dealer to check the knife is a simple way to help avoid the hassle of getting a lemon. That said, I more often don’t ask the dealer to check the knife for issues than I do.

I have never expected dealers to accommodate this request. Rather, I see it as a favor for which it doesn’t hurt to ask. I know that it is extra time and work for them, and that it should be done by the manufacturer. I don’t expect such requests to be fulfilled any more now that I review some of the knives that go through my hands. On that note, I almost never mention that I intend to review knives when buying them. In the case of the Smoky Mountain Knife Works Queen Pilot Test Run Mini Trapper; I mentioned my intention to review the knife not to unduly influence them. I just mentioned it because I am excited that someone is reintroducing Queen, and eager to evaluate and review the knife. In any case, SMKW said they can’t check the knife, so it’s a non-issue on this specific knife.

Even if such a request is granted, I don’t think it has a major impact on the review. For one thing, it is still a sample size of one. In some cases I am able to base a review on more than one example of a knife. Most instances of that have been when I bought multiples for gifts. However, I can’t keep all the knives I get, let alone buy multiples. I would love to be able to though! These reviews are my experience as a knife enthusiast, intended to provide my opinion for information and entertainment.

I would be surprised if most knife reviewers didn’t often make the same request. I know that many collectors do. I suggest anyone make the same request when buying a knife. Like I mentioned earlier, it can’t hurt. Also, the more well known reviewers who get all or most of their knives for free certainly aren’t getting a random example. Whoever provides the knife is going to pick out a good example for review.

All that said, I will be as transparent as possible in my future reviews. I have always mentioned when I got the knife at a discount, whenever possible. Now I will also mention if I asked the dealer to check the knife for issues. I hope this will help those who are interested, and won’t feel redundant to others. I just want to keep enjoying great knives and sharing that experience with others!