The Bush Ranger from Cold Steel is a great pocket knife to have around the campsite. Available in two vastly different price ranges, both are some of the best folding survival knives that money can buy. With their Sheffield clip point blades and industry-leading lockback mechanisms, they are versatile and strong - perfect for all the different types of tasks you need in a survival tool.
Now that our blade show week coverage is behind us and we've seen some of the new knives we have to look forward to, let's revisit what actually landed on our shelves the past couple weeks. Today, we've pulled together some of the highlights, including new knives from Viper, Alliance Designs, Ramon Chavez, and a special slipjoint from Case. Read on!
Case Tony Bose Swayback Micarta
The swayback has always been a favorite slipjoint pattern of mine there's something playful about the way it appears to unfold backwards, and you just can't beat the handiness of a small wharncliffe blade! These new Case Tony Bose signature line swaybacks are lovely examples of the form, with a little extra drama to the silhouette that I find quite charming.
The whole knife has been made riverstone-smooth, with smooth black Micarta covers between polished bolsters. The tang of the Tru-Sharp stainless steel blade is tucked neatly between the liners. All that extra attention to detail should help the knife carry much more comfortably, no matter which way it gets twisted around in your pocket.
An exemplary design and M390 steel at a great price that's what you get with the new Alliance Designs Signature Series Jasmine OG. At just $125, it's no budget knife, but definitely represents a step down from the >$200 tier of thor top-shelf work. Most of the cost savings come from the use of simpler parts and less expensive materials for example, the bent steel pocket clip, flat peel-ply G10 handles, and skeletonized steel liners.
Personally, I don't find any of these design choices to be a downgrade, especially when you consider the blade is M390 with a killer keen full-flat grind. Reate, who handles the manufacturing for these, hasn't overlooked the fit and finish, as witnessed by the perfectly uniform brushed finish on the stainless steel liners, and the clean, smooth ball-bearing action.
Just like the original Ray Laconico custom knife it recreates, the Jasmine OG features a 3.1” blade and ambidextrous thumb studs. Put the keen edge to work and you'll see why the Jasmine is such an enduring design!
The Chaves Handy Utility Blade CHUB for short is no flimsy utility knife. Built from titanium and featuring Ramon's iconic skull clip, the CHUB is without a doubt the stoutest little razorblade holder I've ever handled. Depress the titanium button, push upwards, and the blade extends smoothly and locks into place with a satisfying “click.” The CHUB takes standard utility blades, and is just the thing to carry when you want a cutting tool you can treat with impunity, but one that doesn't feel disposable.
Our BLADE Show Week rolls on with a look at some of the latest from Kershaw and Zero Tolerance. We were thrilled to have our friend Jim MacNair sit down with us and gave us a rundown of the new models. The latest ZT flipper to grace our shelves is the slender 0707. This has instantly jumped to the top of our list of favorite executive knives. It carries all the hallmarks of the great ZT flippers… framelock, KVT ball-bearing pivot, CPM-20CV steel, and a carbon fiber front.
Where this knife sets itself apart is its tuned detent system. Rather than relying on a detent ball on the lock side, it features a small liner on the front side with its own detent ball. This means that it can overcome a common framelock quirk, where gripping the lock with too much pressure can inhibit the blade opening. With the 0707, even when gripping tightly on the lockbar, the blade can still be launched very easily.
The next knife worth a good look is the new 0235, a spin-off from the non-locking 0230 by Jens Anso. It shares the same double-ball detent system that has more in common with a friction folder than a slipjoint, and it gives the knife a snappy, fidgety action with nice crisp transitions.
The new blade shape on offer is somewhere between a spear point and a modified Wharncliffe, and is uses the same premium 20CV steel as the 0707. It also introduced a new pocket clip to the ZT lineup, one which later showed up on the 0707.
The clip is actually mounted to the insides of the handles in a milled out pocket. This allows it to be completely deep carry, and thanks to its subtle look it is indeed very “incognito” to anyone looking from the outside. The unique mounting option also has no visible screw holes from the outside, keeping the scales nice and clean looking with no extra holes to clutter things up.
SOG continues to revamp it's lineup for 2020 with their Professional XR series. First previewed at SHOT Show 2020, they are finally making their way onto dealer's shelves. Alec Taylor from SOG joins us for BLADE Show Week to show us these thoroughly updated classic models.
All of these updated designs are built around SOG's excellent XR-Lock, their entry into the crossbar lock genre, and we love what they have done with it. They have made sure all their new designs are completely ambidextrous in all aspects, taking advantage of the ambi nature of the lock itself. We especially love the way a ramp on the tang of the blade makes it start to rotate open as soon as you pull back on the lock bar.
The biggest jump from old versions to the new comes from the TAC series. Formerly they were all automatics, but the new versions are completely manual. The cryo-treated D2 steel, updated shape and addition of the XR lock make these not only a formidable and affordable tactical folder, but also a versatile option for everyday carry.
The new Pentagon XR continues to sport a dagger-like profile that is single edged, but with just the tip on the back side sharpened to aid in penetration. My favorite part is the handle. It is large enough and neutral enough for any hand size out there, even when wearing combat or duty gloves. Blade steel gets a bump up to CST-XHP for higher performance and edge retention.
Finally we have the Vision XR, which ditches the recurve drop point of the original and now picks up strong tanto profile perfect for heavy use. Again we see XHP steel, and like all the knives here it features three opening methods. You can use the thumbstuds, flipper tab, or hold the lock back and flick it open with your wrist.
As BLADE Show Week continues, we had the pleasure of sitting down (remotely) with Seth Ercanbrack from WE Knife Co. and their budget offspring, CIVIVI. Find out about the new knives they had to show below.
My favorite of the samples we were sent was the Mote, which was the only new offering under the WE name this time around. This is actually an Ostap Hel design, and despite it being a departure from some of his earlier designs, it still has the signature single large “jimp” at the back of the blade spine. I just love the graceful shape and perfect proportions of this design.
The name is appropriate, as this is a smaller knife even if it looks larger in photos. The S35VN blade is just under the 3-inch mark and the profile has a nice sweep for easy slicing. In typical WE fashion, everything is put together with extreme precision. The titanium lockbar provides solid lockup, the blade snaps open quickly on a ball bearing pivot, and the factory edge is impressively thin and sharp.
There were some nice CIVIVIs on the table too, including another small knife. The Odium is a collaboration with Ferrum Forge, and is essentially a scaled-down version of the full-size Malice, which was put out by WE Knife Co.
Like WE, CIVIVI has it's own set of “greatest hit” features. These are all present on the Odium: G10 scales, liner lock, ball-bearing pivot, and deep carry pocket clip. Blade steel in this case is D2, which is common across their lineup, offering significant edge-retention for your money.
The handles on the Odium, like the larger Malice, feature a gentle contour on all the edges, making it very comfortable to hold. If you need extra grip there is a choil large enough to fit a finger and choke up on the blade. Despite the smaller size of the knife overall, they have made sure to keep this choil full-sized, and even my large fingers found enough room.