Sunday 18 February 2018

KA-BAR Full-sized Fighting Knife Review | Why You Need to Get One Now

KA-BAR Full-sized Fighting Knife is a fighting knife that is, while at the same time, capable of serving your other needs. Ka-Bar has been a famous name in the history of knives and has been quite a name in the field since 1942! Though initially, it was popular only among the US Marine Corps, later on, it came to be used among the Navy and Army too!

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KA-BAR Full Size US Marine Corps Fighting Knife Review

The history behind its name is also very interesting. It is said that a fur trapper had sent a letter to the owner of Union Cutlery stating that he had used a fighting knife to kill a bear when his rifle got jammed. In his letter, the letters ‘k’,’a’,‘b’, ’a’ and ‘r’ were only legible. It was from there that the knife got its name!
Though termed as a fighting knife, it is highly suitable for all your camping tasks. Be it cutting dead branches of a tree or surviving from the attack of a wild beast, it can serve you a hell lot of purposes.

Best Survival Knife

Technical Specifications

The dimensions of the knife are somewhat like- 11.875 in length, 7 inches in length of the blade and it is 11.2 ounces in weight. There is a shorter version available where the blade length is 5.25 inches. However, the handle here is too small. So unless you have a very small size of palm, do not go for this one! It is made using great quality materials for both blades and handle and is imported. An excellent craftsmanship takes the knife to a higher level.

Let us discuss the features of the knife one by one:

Blade: The first thing that comes to our mind when we think of a knife is its blade. The blade here is black-coated and flat ground. It is manufactured using 1095 Cro-Van steel, which assures great quality and durability. Being an alloy of Chromium and Vanadium, it has both edge retentive and resistive properties. It is also termed as Sharon steel by the manufacturers of the knife. The rating of this alloy in the Rockwell C hardness scale lies in the range of 56-58.

The blade is a bit offset as compared to the handle. It is just below 1.25 inches in width. The smaller version of the blade is without this offset.

The blade slowly narrows down at the edge and finally ends in a point.

Sharpening the knife is a bit too difficult as compared to a regular 1095 steel blade. However, it is worth the extra effort that you put in since it proves to be a great performer in the wild!

The spine side of the blade has an inbuilt 2.5-inch fuller which makes it feel lighter than its actual weight and without compromising its strength. This fuller is called by a Blood Groove by many since it is believed that the fuller helps in draining out the blood and allowing fresh air to come in and lessen the suction so that the knife blade can be pulled out of the body of the creature that you have attacked.
This has been specially designed keeping the soldiers in mind who need to be mobile during their operation. The blade is thick and strong enough to be used for the purpose of opening ammo cans, to baton firewood and also cutting wires.

Initially, it used to come with its blade sharpened but this became a problem with many as it was against the norms and they stopped the practice.

The edge of the blade is straight and it is thus capable of slicing in a better way and is suitable for your self defense.

Pommel: There is a gold-plated bass guard along with pommel. The pommel here is made up of steel and is capable of withstanding some amount of pounding. There is a slightly curved cross-guard present at the blade end of the handle which offers some amount of protection from danger.

Handle: It is oval in shape and 1 by 1.25 inches in dimension. It is tapering at the top and bottom ends to offer you full grip. It is made of pure leather and can also be made of Kraton depending on the version you choose. The leather one will weather with the passage of time but combined with the oil from your hand it will offer an excellent grip. The Kraton, on the other hand, proves to be helpful in humid and saltwater regions. So you may select one depending on your place or nature of use. It will thus be a better performer than even a factory knife- ‘Old is Gold’!

Comfort Level: One of the most important things that people look at while choosing a knife is its level of comfort- how comfortable you are holding or gripping it. The Kraton that is present makes the grip comfortable. Be it resisting or staying in your hand, Kraton is going to prove helpful.
It has notches that enhance the grip. Moreover, there are cooling channels that prove to be helpful during field work. There is a balance point in between the blade and its handle which makes the knife easier to handle.

Sheath: It is encased in a leather sheath provided you are buying the version which comes in stacked leather. On this sheath, the logo of the region of service will be included. On the other hand, if you choose a Kraton handle, there will be a plastic sheath covering the knife. Both the sheaths are great from the functional point of view and also make the knife look better.

The leather is of a very high quality and involves excellent stitching. You can even wash it when dirty. Similarly, if you go for the plastic version, you will get a high quality sheath.

Full tang: When fully open, the knife has a full tang. The pin of the flat pommel extends through the tang.

Its Cutting Abilities: It is capable of performing great cutting tasks right out of the box. Thanks to the extraordinary manufacturing process of the knife, it is able to cut things like none other.
We put it to several tests and observed its cutting power in all of them.

Wood: We first began with wood. A survival is expected to cut wood and it will provide a great proof of both its strength and sharpness. After all, you would need your knife to cut through the wood that you need for your shelter or for lighting the fire!

It performed fairly well at it. Though, it felt as if we were using a secondary option rather than the most suitable one which would be the axe or saw in this case.

Dressing Meat: When you are in the wild and looking forward to hunting beasts for your meals for the sake of survival, dressing meat would become a necessity. No matter whether you have hunted the animal with the help of this knife, it will be of great help when you sit to dress the meat before your dinner.

De-heading Fishes: You are in the wild so you will not get the de-heading machine at your disposal. So better use this knife for the task. You will find it worth the hype.

So is the knife survival or tactical?

A question which people ask a lot about this knife is whether it is survival or tactical. The answer to it will be that it is survival since it has been designed with the main purpose of self defense or survival. If you are looking for something that will help you in special combat situations, then you are wrong.

Here are a few reasons why people consider buying this knife over the other commonly found models:
A great gift: It is great gift if you are considering gifting someone from the army. Whether it is their birthday or anniversary of joining or farewell- the Ka-bar Full-sized knife will be a great option to go with.
It comes from the house of Ka-bar, an iconic name in the world of knives since 1898. And it is one of the prime models of this brand and has been designed keeping all your requirements in mind.

It has the USMC fame- it was given to the United State Marine Corps during the Second World War and then gradually became popular in the entire world. So, owning a knife that has such huge fame as your personal knife is indeed great!

The heredity: It can be inherited from one generation to the other and can be used across generations in a family. Its qualities are timeless!

Pros:

  • It is made of quality materials. The 1095CroVan high carbon steel and the pure quality leather truly make it a product to look for.
  • It is designed in such a way that you can use it as a weapon- a ‘fighting knife’ in the true sense of the term.
  • It is a product from the historic Ka-Bar and can become the pride of an ex army man or navy person.
  • It is versatile and can be used to serve other purposes like making arrangements for your meal rather than just as a weapon.
  • It is ergonomic to be used, thanks to the leather handle.
  • It is durable and resistant to poor weather conditions.
  • It offers a decent look and can be a good collectible for your show-case.
  • The sheath in which it comes is also made of high quality materials and is resistant against weathering.
  • It provides a good value for money.

Cons:

  • The lacquered handle is somewhat unsuitable since leather handles are normally not lacquered.

A few tips for using the knife:

Keep it out of reach of children not only because they may end up injuring themselves but also for they do not know anything about knife-care. They might end up damaging it badly.
Always keep it in its sheath. This will prevent it from weathering.

Customer Reviews

The knife has done extremely well in the review sites. The customers have been overwhelmed by the performance and have given it high ratings. You will be surprised to know that 90% of them have given it five stars. About 10% of the buyers gave it 4 stars. 3 and 2 stars were given by even lesser people. One star was given by hardly anyone.

Among the very few people who rated it lesser number of stars, the reason was related to the sheath. Many people opined that the leather sheath which was manufactured not in Mexico but US was not up to the mark.

Negative reviews of the knife blaming its sharpness or quality or features are rare to find. As evident from the customer reviews and feedbacks, the knife is equipped with all the jaw-dropping features that you would expect from a product of its type.

Summary: So, as you can see, the KA-BAR Full-sized Fighting Knife is a great knife in its price range that combines a number of features that you expect from a product of its type. Starting from its smart look to the quality materials used and from its versatile functionalities to durable structure –it is the knife to look for!



source http://crowsurvival.com/ka-bar-full-sized-fighting-knife-review-why-you-need-to-get-one-now/

Saturday 17 February 2018

Review of Gerber Strong Arm: a Knife with Cutting-Edge Features

Gerber LMF II Survival Knife Review | Quite Simply One Of The Best Knives Available

If you are lost somewhere in the jungle, caught behind enemy camps, stuck in a natural disaster, or you are out with your family or friends for a camping trip, a multi-purpose survival knife can increase the chance of survival in your favor and can easily turn a potential accident into an exciting adventure. Survival knives can prove out to be a valuable option in tough situations where everything seems to be going out of your hand.

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Gerber LMF II Survival Knife Review

Taking a close look at one of the most talked about survival knives of recent times, that is, Gerber LMF II Survival Knife. It is believed to be the best survival knife available in the market and by which all other survival knives should be judged. This knife is among one of the most famous, designed for military personnel survival knives in recent times, that is made available to anyone in general. There are many versions of this knife but to be honest all versions of the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife are almost the same.

Best Survival Knife

The only difference in the different models is basically the handle and sheath colors and also the accessories that come with the packed model. The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife is available with a brown, black or green handle and matching sheath. This knife turns out to be a lifesaver in dangerous situations and you should take a close look at the features to understand what else you can do with it.

Gerber Knife

The Size:

The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife has a quite wide blade that is 4.84 inches long and 3/16s of an inch thick and the overall length of the knife from the tip of the blade to the bottom is 10.59 inches. This multi-purpose knife weights around 11.67 ounces without its heavy sheath and it weighs a bit more around 24.28 ounces with the sheath. Though, this knife can be a little too heavy for casual works and to carry it every day, wherever you go, in a nonsurvival condition is not a good idea. Although, you will be really happy to use this extremely dangerous knife if an emergency situation ever arrives.

The Blade:

The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife has a brilliant drop point blade. These drop point blades usually have a curve of convex nature, from the starting of blade spine to the end blade point. As we know, drop point knives prove to be very powerful across the total length of the survival knife, even including the point. This feature makes this knife a handy tool for just about any slicing, cutting or bushcraft task.

Great for Bushcraft:

The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife also has a big flat surface area on its spine, for mallet complemented bushcraft which is done for smooth gripping.

The Steel:

The powerful blade of Gerber LMF II Survival Knife is built with 420HC high-quality stainless steel. This type of stainless steel provides really good resistance to rust and is very tough. Thus it automatically becomes a good tool for slicing, prying, chopping hammering, and digging. This stainless steel is wear resistant and performs really well at retaining an edge with heavy use. Gerber also integrated a sharpener into the sheath to assist you to stay on top of keeping the knife sharp. The blade of the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife is coated in black oxide for a very low visual signature and additional corrosion prevention. You will be very happy to use this amazing knife if an unwanted situation ever arrives.

Fine to Serrated Edge:

Here, the knife blade goes from a really fine edge to a serrated edge towards the handle. Though, most survival knives, many combat knives, and even tactical knives are designed with the inclusion of a serrated edge. This is done because a serrated edge is likely to remain sharp long after the fine edge of the knife becomes dull or useless. Also, a serrated edge can easily cut things like vines, rope, branches and many others faster than the fine edge.

Sharpening Serrations Is Very Easy:

To be honest there is nothing to worry about sharpening the serrated edge of your Gerber LMF II Survival Knife is actually very easy with the perfect tool. You need a special diamond sharpening stick, like the one we see on various television shows and adventure games. Generally, a few strokes are all it takes to restore a banged up serration back to its full cutting power. Once it is back to its best, you can use it anywhere you want. You can use it when you are facing some problems and in these situations, it will not let you down.

The Handle:

The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife handle is specially fashioned using the glass carried nylon with a TPV over mold grip. You will get instantly impressed by seeing how good this amazing knife feels in your hand. The strong handle is wider than most of the knives in this price range and a bit tilted on the flat side. This simple design increases the grip surface very easily, that is in contact with your hand and this makes it very comfortable when you try to throw it or try to mark something.

The Rubberized Comfortable Grip:

This is one of the best features of the item. The newly designed handle of the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife is really grippy and has a comfortable rubberized grip. It is not like any other SOG knives that have an uncomfortable composite handle which is not easy to grip. The handle lets the water flow smoothly and you can grip it very easily even when it is wet. Towards the lower end of the handle, the grip is curved out nearly a half inch to cushion the pounding and prevent any slippage.

Perfectly Designed For Chopping:

The tough lower end flair also makes chopping with the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife very easy because you can easily wrap your thumb and forefinger around the bottom end of the handle to create a natural chopping motion, to chop down small trees and to give proper shape to the wood. Even lashing the knife to a constructed pole is made very easy due to the three holes present in the handle. The amazing stainless steel end cap is specially designed to crush, break and hammer. You may need to use it when you are facing some trouble or trapped somewhere and in these situations, it will not let you down. You can check out several videos on the internet to properly understand how to use the knife. It can even pierce through a car window without any struggle whatsoever, you will surely get astonished seeing the power it generates while cutting through.

Very Innovative Construction:

This knife is specially designed for military personnel as they can use it in extensive survival battles behind very dangerous enemy lines. The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife is one of a kind, with strong three quarter tang construction. This item is a great performer as the knife was originally designed as an aircrew survival knife and you can easily understand how strong it is.

Electrically Insulated Knife Handle:

This is one of the best features in the entire model, one specific requirement of the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife design was to provide insulation to the handle and to prevent aircrew from getting into any trouble. They can intentionally or even accidentally, smoothly cut through live wires while freeing themselves from the aircraft in an emergency situation. Gerber developed a very tough, nylon substrate innovative molding process that locks both the blade and the bottom cap close together, while electrically isolating the bottom cup from the blade. You can use it when you are facing some problems or you are trapped somewhere and in these situations, it will not let you down.

Troup Tested Tough:

This Gerber LMF II Survival Knife has proven to be one of the most durable performers for a couple of years now and has been thoroughly tested by experienced troops in the battlefield, and this should definitely finish the argument as to whether the knife’s three quarter long tang construction is powerful enough to survive in a real-world military war situation or not. And, for extra support at difficult times, you can throw the knife at the target, as the grip is quite comfortable to hold and throw it at the target with high speed.

The Sheath:

The excellent color coordinated sheath is made up of ballistic nylon with an extraordinary fire retardant coating. The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife is firmly held in its sheath by using an advanced friction lock system. The sheath is designed in a way that both left-handed users and right-handed users can hold and carry it. The extremely simple handle is held quite tightly held against the sheath with two strong straps that do the job.

Integrated Sharpener:

As we can observe in the model, there is a sheath that has an integrated V category sharpener that is easily accessible by releasing some of the sheath straps. This is quite handy for keeping the knife blade sharp enough in the field. You may need to use it when you are facing some trouble or trapped somewhere and in these situations, it will not let you down.

Special Leg Straps For Thigh Or Calf Carry:

The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife generally ships with two extremely comfortable leg straps to enable the thigh or calf carry. The leg straps are really comfortable and medium thick and they include a portion of elastic to keep the sheath tight against the legs. The straps are rubberized very smoothly on the inside to prevent any slippage.

MOLLE Compatible:

The sheath is specially designed for belt carry and is MOLLE compatible. You can attach the Gerber LMF II Survival Knife easily to your belt because of the comfortable strap.

Safety Strap and Strap Cutter:

The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife comes with a high-quality safety strap and amazing strap cutter that is wrapped in a nice MOLLE compatible sheath. The strap cutter works very well as it makes safe and quick work of cutting straps and belts. And, you will be really happy to use this extremely dangerous knife, if an emergency situation ever arrives.

Customer Reviews:

The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife has been the first choice of many customers and they are really satisfied with its performance. The variety of features that the knife produces is quite extraordinary being in that comfortable price range. From its shape to the sheath, everyone praised the product seeing how strong it is. Even military personnel and special forces gave Gerber LMF II Survival Knife a big thumbs up.

Pros:

  • The size of the knife is quite big and since it is very powerful, you can through almost everything.
  • The blade is very wide and because of the large surface area, you can use it on the battlefield.
  • This knife is perfect for doing bushcraft.
  • Stainless steel is used in making this perfect knife, and it is very tough.
  • The serrated edge is present in the knife as it will stay in shape, even long after the cutting edge.
  • The rubberized grip in this knife makes it very comfortable to hold and through it at the target without much hesitation.
  • It offers safety trap and strap cutter.
  • You can attach the knife to your belt.
  • It offers leg strap for smooth calf carry.

Cons:

  • The knife is a bit too heavy.
  • It is hard to carry it everywhere.

Summary:

The Gerber LMF II Survival Knife provides so many great features and it is really tough and will last a very long time for sure. It can perform a wide range of works and customers are also very happy about it. It is definitely the best choice in that price range. You can definitely use it when you are facing some serious problems or are trapped behind enemy lines and in these situations, it will prove to be extremely helpful. The various features of the knife will make sure that you can get out any trouble at any moment.

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source http://crowsurvival.com/gerber-lmf-ii-survival-knife-review-quite-simply-one-of-the-best-knives-available/

Wednesday 7 February 2018

Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife, Serrated Edge Review

If you are an adventurous person and like to go out on camping and similar activities, a sharp and sturdy knife is something that you will definitely need. And when it comes to choosing the knife from the multitude of products that are available, it becomes quite a difficult task.

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The knife is an output of the collaboration between Gerber, a name well-known in the world of knives and Bear Grylls, a brand popular enough when it comes to buying things for your outdoor ventures. So it is needless to say that the spectacular features that it can provide you are praise-worthy and make it one of the best products of its type.

Let us have a look at its amazing features one by one:

Features

A Durable and Sharp Blade

When it comes to buying a knife, what matters most is its blade. The blade is 4.75-inch in dimension and half-serrated which makes cutting fibrous materials like rope easy and quick. It is a drop-point blade which means that the knife blade slopes on the spine of the blade from the handle to the tip.Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife Review

Carved out of high-quality stainless steel, the knife is sustainable for years and is also excellent in terms of edge retention. It is basically a full-tang stainless steel, a one-piece steel with handles attached to it on two points.

The Design

It is designed in such a way that it is ergonomic and effective in its work at the same time. The avant-garde design includes two holes in the handle which allows it to lash securely and also be used as a fishing spear. It also reduces the chances of slippage. Also, the base of the handle has a pommel made of stainless steel which can be used for hammering and pounding. The overall length is ten inches and the weight is 11.2 ounces excluding the sheath.

The Sheath

The military-grade sheath made of nylon is lightweight and does not make the knife bulky at all. The total weight of the knife including the sheath is just 14.72 ounces. The military-grade materials used for its manufacture make it mildew resistant and it can easily be used for years even in harsh climatic conditions. The Velcro closure helps in maintaining the security of the knife.

The Velcro fabric helps you to attach the knife case with your belt, thereby removing the hassles of carrying it during your trips.

Smart Functions

There is an emergency whistle in the lanyard that can be used to seek the attention of others so that they can be aware of your whereabouts and help you in case of danger. Also, the sheath in which it is encased contains a few other things such as a diamond sharpener so that you do not need to worry when the blades seem to be blunt and require sharpening. There is a fire-starter rod which is locked into a water-tight holder. This rod can produce hot sparks if rubbed against the striker notch included in the back of the blade. So fire, a necessity for your camping plans, is easily available at your fingertips thanks to this knife.

Equipped with all these features, the product is more than a mere knife and can come in handy for more than one purpose. The pocket at the back of the sheet further contains a ‘Priority of Survival’ guide which adds to the functionalities of the knife.

It also comes with a lifetime warranty which ensures that the knife is defect-free and great in terms of the quality and manufacturing material. Any complaints with respect to the aforementioned things will be taken care of. However, problems related to rusting, accidents, mishandling, loss negligence or modifications are not covered under the warranty.

Pros:

  • It is an all-round knife that helps you to perform a number of tasks apart from just cutting and thus helps you to adopt you to all kinds of situations.
  • It is best in terms of ergonomics. The handle can be easily gripped and has anti-slip features to prevent it from falling off your hands while in operation.
  • The high-class construction makes it durable and sturdy. It is likely to serve you for years if handled properly. The built is just what full-tang should be.
  • There is a pommel made of stainless steel that can be used for hammering purposes.
    It also acts as a fire starter when the ferrocerium rod gets locked into the striker notch at the back of the blade.
  • It is protected by a nylon sheath that is lightweight and capable of resisting mildew and other harsh weather conditions.
  • It has a serrated edge which helps in holding the edge pretty well.

Cons:

  • The serrated edge makes sharpening difficult.
  • The survival guide is such that it can get away very easily.
  • The Velcro band is not as good as elastic.
  • It is a bit overpriced as compared to the other products of its type.

Customer Reviews:

A number of customers have used the product and have been happy with its functionalities. They have liked the fact that it can be used as an all-rounder thanks to its versatility and have also found it worth appreciation. Some, however, have pointed to some disadvantages which are not a big deal to tackle.

Summary:

The Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife is a knife that comes with some attractive features and makes it easy for you to perform tasks related to cutting as well as other related tasks easy. Its study structure, its ergonomic grip, its serrated edge- all these make it the product of your choice. There are also a few additional features such as a fire starter, a life saving guidebook, an emergency whistle and the ability to be used as a hammer and many more which help in making the knife versatile.
So grab the knife if you are looking for one for your outdoor activities!



source http://crowsurvival.com/gerber-bear-grylls-ultimate-knife-serrated-edge-review/

Gerber Prodigy Survival Knife Review