Review: CRKT Freyr hatchet

Its no secret that I am a fan of axes, or cutting tools in general

I never go camping without packing at least my Fiskars log splitter and even a long hike will see my Boker Tomahook in my belt because their general utility and suitability to the tasks commonly at hand  camp-side or on the trail. But a log splitter is big broad and heavy and the tomahook is light, narrow  and short. Not all tools do all jobs well, which is why when I saw the CRKT Freyr hatchet I was impressed enough to add it to my collection. 

The broad head of the Freyr is made from the robust 1055 high carbon steel, with a textured black finish all the way to the beveled edge. It features a hammer poll on the reverse face, which I prefer over a spike end for the utility of having a hammer on hand. I rarely have to puncture breastplates, oil drums or car tyres. I do, however often have to reset nails, screws, tent pegs and the occasional fence-post.

Another thing I liked was the significant beard which enabled me to fit most my fist behind the blade for good control and protection when using the blade for shaving or planing. 

This makes it very handy for camp-craft, making kindling for fire-starting and coincidentally, the top corners of the head make good striking surfaces for ferrocium rods.

The usable blade bit length is 12cm (4 3/4"), with a slight toe rising above the top edge of the hatchet, giving decent bite when embedding head-on, which i like to do when pausing in chopping or as a carry-aid when processing logs. 

The haft is stained Hickory, with a very nice grain and a smooth finish, a 42cm (16 1/2") overall length, with a slightly flared end knob for good hand indexing and retention when chopping. The head has been wedged in the eye and has two steel rings holding it all in place and stable. As the Pale Rider would say, "that's a nice piece of hickory".

Unlike the Tomahook, with its full-length tang, the Freyr maintains almost the full weight at the axe-head end, lending itself to solid chops regardless of how you hold it. The traditional bit and eye design broadens the tool for extra log splitting power, without adding significant extra mass or bulk. Topping out at 814g (1lb 12oz) its certainly a handy tool around camp on on the belt when adventuring. 

I have made a leather mask for it, to protect myself and the edge, which I secure with the leather strip when on, 

The balance point is just behind the tip of the beard, adding to its nimbleness in the hand. Overall i'm exceedingly pleased with this hatchet, it is simple, elegant and functional. It holds a good edge, the black finish keeps it rust and resin free. 

 I wouldn't say it has replaced my Fiskars logsplitter for its power and reach or the Tomahook for its versatility and tacticool appeal. 

Review: how much knife is too much knife?

As you might have guessed, I'm rather keen on my edged tools. There is something very satisfying about a well honed blade cutting smoothly, and even more so when having a blade on hand means that a task or obstacle is swiftly completed or overcome. I've covered a variety of knives here previously, but something prompted me to ask myself "how much knife is too much knife?"

First lets address some local laws that I live subject to:

New Weapons Laws
"Release date: Thu 3 June 2010
Last updated: Fri 13 August 2010
The Victorian Government has introduced new laws to target knife crime.
From 22 August 2010 you can be searched for knives in a public place anywhere, anytime, with and without notice.
 
If you are 16 and over and get caught carrying a controlled weapon such as a knife, you face an on the spot fine of $1,000, or you may have to go to court and face a fine of over $14,000 or one year imprisonment.

This penalty is doubled if you are inside or within 20 metres of a pub, club or bar."

and some further clarification and explanation:


Controlled Weapons

Controlled weapons are weapons that can be used for legitimate purposes but require regulation because of the possible danger they pose to the community. This category of weapon includes knives that while not considered prohibited weapons, still are a potential danger to the community.
A person must not possess, carry or use a controlled weapon without lawful excuse. Lawful excuse includes:
a) the pursuit of any lawful employment, duty or activity
b) participation in any lawful sport, recreation or entertainment, and
c) the legitimate collection, display or exhibition of weapon.

Lawful excuse does not include for the purpose of self-defence. [Bold by author]

Now, as it happens, I hold an exemption to the Weapons Control Act, as a collector, and am also a member of several collector organizations, as well. I happen to carry a couple of knives on or around my person as part of my EDC, and I make damn sure that in doing so, I have good reasons quick to mind.

In making the choice to carry a knife on my person, I am aware of the risks, both legal and to health and safety. So, that being said, what do I carry, when, and why?

In the picture above is a small sample of my collection

1. Victorinox Swiss Army Knife - I keep this in the sun-visor of my car, good for opening things, picking teeth, fixing small tasks and personal grooming. I have had one these little guys since I was 5. About as inoffensive as a knife can get.
2. CRKT folding KISS - This is my every-day knife, I keep it in my Hazard 4 harness, and have used it for everything from cutting fruit and salami, to cables, opening boxes, cutting rope and picking splinters. Its my go-to utility knife for work cutting and first aid needs. Seeing as it sits well out of the public eye, and I have a variety of uses for it, I'm content with my ass-covering.
3. SAR Globaltool OddJob - Just as the name says, I use this little knife for odd-jobs. I usually wear it on my belt when I know I will be needing to do a lot of little cuts, unpacking furniture or parcels, or when I know I'll need to make one or two little cuts, quickly. Makes a great camping / hiking knife, and I also wear it when I know I'll be on First-Aid or safety Officer duties at events. Unobtrusive but getting a little "technical" for street-wear.
4. Schrade Army 10 - Totally a tactical knife. I've never actually used this other than during the review process, it falls out of my user-category. If I were an avid hunter or active duty Armed Forces, it might well fill I niche I would need, but as it stands, its too much knife for my little needs, and not enough for the bigger ones. There's nothing wrong with it at all, but it's "a soldier knife" and I have other needs and tools.
5. HHA LFK01 - Tactical all the way, this blade I gave to my partner as a gift a couple of years ago, as she has a thing for back-swept blades, but neither she nor I would wear it out in public, unless society had fallen. It's a very effective, rugged and sharp tool, but it wants to be in combat, so it lives in the collection only.
6. Hibben style throwers - I have several of these. They balance well, throw nicely and make for good box-openers, but don't believe what Under Siege teaches us, they don't actually make for good kitchen knives. Throwing knives are also listed as "prohibited items" in Victoria. Be advised.
7. American Kami Super Colubris - My beloved combat kitchen knife, this is my go-to outdoors knife, whether it is camping, BBQ'ing (though sometimes I fall back on my MSM KA-Bar knife for the same task) or just kitchen and household cutting needs. This is weighty, long and sharp enough to tackle bigger tasks, but fine handling enough for delicate fileting and slicing. Again, I wouldn't wear it on the street, but it doesn't leave my hip when out bush.
8. Boker 343 Scalpel folder - This interesting little blade lives in my bag, in a pen-slot, usually, or fitted in PLAS-MOLLE channels on my other gear, when I feel the need. It's long handle and thin, narrow and long blade make it an excellent precision slicer, and it is plenty pointy enough to make an excellent probing cut. It looks kind of scary, so it falls under my "first aid and technical precision tool" category, and rarely sees light of day. 
9. MichaelJ Fechner utility-blade - This beast is a serious industrial tool. I've worn it as a camp-knife, but really, its primary function is almost agricultural. Chopping woody branches and cutting through heavy canvas, breaking up pallets and prying up boards. This is a knife that wouldn't look out of place in a tradesmans toolbox or on a pipe-hitters belt. As with the Super Colubris, I wouldn't wear it to the shops, but when I'm gloves and goggles on, doing work, its perfectly suited.
10. KA-Bar Pestilence - Now, if I ever have to clear my way through some bad-assed bush I would be tempted to break out the Pestilence, there is a time and place for cane-knives and machetes. Any other time? You are showboating. It's a surprisingly spry blade in the hand, but unless I were needing to clear a field or lop some limbs, I wouldn't be going to this one.

So there you have it.  There certainly is occasion where the tool at hand may well me "too much knife" just as it might be "too little" but odds are, you can probably get away with less, in most settings, if you know what you are doing. This is why kitchen knife-blocks come with a variety, and all the knives have names and uses.

Be clever with your cutlery, be aware of any laws and legislation you are subject to, and always, always, be ready for anything!

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Review: CRKT - Eat'N Tool

I really love my pocket tools, and I really love it when they are multifunction. I also love eating, and am really quite fond of proportional violence. I have several pieces of eat-wear in my collection already, the Alpha Set from Sea to Summit being one example, and my Snowgum BattleSpork (same article) being another. So when I felt the need to splurge on a bit of eating tech, I picked some of these up. This is the CRKT Eat'N Tool. I like CRKT, they have elegant and functional tools, like my STIFF KISS camping/car knife and Folding KISS EDC knife

Once again, CKRT have come up with the goods.


The Eat'N Tool is primarily a spork, with a nice dish (although probably not what you'd always want to eat your soup with) and four little tines, very elegantly worked into the tip. Made of
3CR13 steel and available in a bead-blast finish (9100C), or with a food grade black non-stick coating (9100KC) like the once I have here. 

The tool's scalloped sides and center hole give a good comfortable grip, and enough purchase to be used as an improvised mood-adjustment tool (like the Nukotool Skully)

A bottle opener is always a welcome addition! 
 On the back side, three metric wrench reliefs (10 mm, 8 mm, 6 mm) give you some on hand adjustment options of another kind, again aiding to reduce the overall weight down to a mere 43g (1.5 oz). A flathead screw driver adds another on-the-spot fix-it tool to the package, as well as

There is also a lanyard hole, for even more dummy-cording goodness. 




The Eat'N Tool is friendly in the pocket, I haven't gouged myself on it yet, nor did it gouge my hip pocket (proverbially, as I don't carry my wallet back there).


I'm thinking of giving them away to friends for Giftmas...

Click here to go to Think Geek to get one ...

Review: Kathmandu Hip bag

Here is a piece of essential kit that I received for Giftmas a number of years ago, which I have taken with me hiking all around Australia and New Zealand. It now makes up my bug-out-bag, and lives in the wheel well of my car, under Tactical Baby's car-seat. Being a sizable pack I've been able to use it as my sole day-pack when hiking up and around a number of mountains without being encumbered and more importantly keeping my hands and shoulders free. I've chopped and changed the contents a number of times, to suit my needs of the day.  It's also where my CRKT Stiff KISS and FUBAR live. I haven't been able to find what it is called, it seems to be out of stock, but here is what I can tell you about it.

There are three external pockets, one of which is a draw-string tightening bottle pouch, and two zippered pockets, each topped with a strip of SOLAS tape. The main body of the pouch holds an expansive chamber, probably at least 5L in capacity. Both the side pockets and main chamber are zippered, with toggles fitted for ease of opening, and are covered by well fitted lips to keep rain out. The whole pack is made of a hardy Cordura nylon throughout. Two sets of Fastex buckles on webbing straps are fitted to tighten the pack down, and there are three daisy-chain loops of webbing sewn onto the middle, perfect for fitting Cyalume sticks, I have three, red, blue and white, currently. The back pad is fitted with a wide band of closed-cell foam for padding, and also has a space between the pack and padding for fitting either a belt or perhaps documents. The side straps include some padding bands, both of which include a small, zippered utility pocket and come together in a wide banded Fastex clip. Two D-rings fitted to the top of the pack allow for shoulder straps to be fitted, to assist with load-bearing, or offering  alternate attachment points. A webbing handle finishes off the carry options nicely
Here's what I currently load out with: In the main chamber I have a tightly rolled woodland-cam waterproof poncho,  a linear induction flashlight (I taped over the emitter end, to cut down on light leakage). Two rolls of tape, an enameled mug, a roll of SES tape, a tube of sweetened condensed milk, 4 metal espresso cups, a bottle of bug-spray, a long length of high strength fishing line, a propane cylinder, the Bear Grylls  Ultimate Survival kit I've reviewed previously, and 50m of 5mm dynamic, along with two 2200kg carabiners and a Figure 8 Rappel Device.

In the outside zippered pockets,  I keep a snare kit, a Caribee camp stove, matches, Milton water  purification tablets, nails. In the other pocket, a set of bandages, BandAids, a survival whistle with a flint, tea-bags and instant chocolate. A Sea-To-Summit 10L Kitchen Sink lives in the bottle-holder, and in the side-strap pockets are another box of matches and a pill-tin with fishing hooks and sinkers.


By no means an exhaustive survival kit, but I like to think that with this in the car, I am able to be a whole lot more prepared for a road-side delay if I am out adventuring, or if the need arises, and we bug-out, an advantage over the elements.

Review: CRKT Stiff K.I.S.S. knife

Here is another piece of steel that I hold dear. Whilst a pocket folder is a great addition to my EDC, sometimes a fixed blade is the best tool for the job. As I've said, I'm strangely attracted to some brands, and tend to stick with them, and this is no exception. This is the (edit) COLUMBIA River Knife & Tool Stiff K.I.S.S. by Ed Halligan. Keeping to the principles of its name, this is a blade that has been engineered to Keep It Super Simple. The blade is made of a single piece of AUS6 steel which is reported to be hardened to Rockwell of between  55-57. It comes with a Zytel sheath and belt adapter.

 The blade features the same tanto-tip and straight blade as the folding version, and the same serration patterns but with a considerably longer blade, following the same elegant lines. The handle is skeletonised and features two lanyard holes midway, and a third in the pommel end. I have added a paracord wrap which gives it some nice body, and a good positive grip. I keep this blade in my car, along with my car "bug-out-bag". It goes camping with me, picnics and hiking. One of the things I especially like about it is how light it is in the hand.

This is no battle knife, it is fleet and slight.
The slim cross section is sufficient to ensure it is able to cut and slice, and the back of it is flat, as with its smaller folding sibling, which gives it an even slighter profile. The blade is stiff, even for its thickness, which I suspect is due to the steel and temper, but I wouldn't want to use it as a pry bar. Best leave that to actual pry-bars, frankly. I have been able to punch holes in cans for drainage however, and the finger notch, and thumb-groves on the spine make for a very sturdy and secure grip, even when wet. There is a nut affixed to the blade around the midline acts as the friction lock to keep the knife firmly in its Zytel sheath, as well as being a good rest point for the thumb during delicate cutting.

The sheath itself is also packed with features, including a selection of lashing points both for cord and a pair of webbing-sized holes as another option. The final attachment option is the steel clip, which can be fitted at either the bottom, for a downwards draw or at the middle, for an upwards draw. I have a length of kendo himo looped through mine. Between this and the belt loop I get a nice secure attachment to a variety of belts, bags and harnesses.

Unfortunately,  CRKT discontinued the Stiff K.I.S.S. a number of years ago, and whilst they are still available online, I am sorry to have heard that. This is a beautiful piece of steel, and as I've said, it comes out to play whenever I go adventuring. Rope, salami, packets, jugs or cybermats, this is a blade not to be left behind.