Wish-Lust: ZU Bladeworx Nomad

This is a follow up from a piece I covered last year, the ZU Bladeworx Mechanik straight edged blade, and their Raymond Floro Karambit which I covered at the beginning of the year.

ZU do small batch runs of their knives, usually on pre-order. They are an Australian owned and operated edged tool manufacturing business, who specialize in CNC manufactured, industrial strength, edged tools. All their products are 100% Australian made, with the entire fabrication process being local, from the initial machining right down to the final edge sharpening. They use high impact tool Cryodur 2379 (D2) steel for all their knives.

This is the Nomad, their new piece, the blade is 10.2cm (4") long and 0.6cm (1/4") thick. The handle is just over 4" long and just over 1cm (3/8") thick. A deep fuller down the blade and a skeltonised handle of this single CNC milled-piece cut the weight down to just 147g (5.1oz) without sheath, even with the large ring at the pommel.



The Nomad, like all the ZU Bladeworx blades are double tempered and cryo heat-treated with a black oxide finish (although there is an optional battleworn finish which is rubbed down black oxide available).

Double edged, this is a serious fighting knife, and comes with a kydex sheath with a friction lock. Being double edged makes it a dagger in Australian law, so be advised if you are intending to get one, and be aware of your local laws, but there''s no denying it's a rugged looking piece.

All our ZU Bladeworx'  tools are warrantied against manufacturer defects and damage during normal use. They expect their tools to be able to handle abuse, but you need to be sure to remember the warranty only covers against reasonable use, not deliberate abuse! They are hard tools, for hard use. My Mechanik doesn't get nearly enough use, but when it does, I know I can depend on it.

Review: HHA Razorback CQC knife

Following up from my recent review of the ZU Bladeworx FFSA knife loaned to me by a friend, I wanted to do this second blade he was kind enough to sling my way, the equally interesting HHA Razorback CQC. I'm a big fan of the chunky and no-nonsense badassness of the Hardcore Hardware designs, especially the LFK blades that my partner Omega and I both have an example of  as well as the TWI pen that is in my EDC.

It was really interesting to see what HHA are calling their "first signature blade in the fighting arts genre," but I'll give it the same caveat that I gave the FFSA, this kind of knife is not the kind of tool I've trained and sparred with in the limited knife-fighting training I have done, but I'm happy to tell you that it is certainly an impressive piece of steel.

Featuring the same 6mm (0.236") thick, full tang, D2 tool steel blade, as all the HHA blades this back-swept, double re-curved blade features two hollow ground faces on the sharp edge, and another on the spine of the blade.

HHA report that it is engineered for slashing, thrusting and trapping, and designed for the same type of the reverse grip as might be used in Arnis (but again, it's not my martial field of expertise).

The combination of live and non-live edges however makes the Razorback gives you the opportunity for both both offensive and defensive techniques. For expanding on those blunt force, defensive striking and less-than-lethal applications, the Razorback also has an extended glass breaker, strike/hammer pommel, in keeping with their other designs.

A large finger notch is devised to ensure a secure grip to increase weapon retention substantially, and I found it rested in the edge of the hand really nicely in that reverse grip.

The knife is 235 mm (9.25") overall, with 115 mm (4.52") of that being the blade, and is 368 g (0.81 lb) of hungry steel and G10.

To reduce grip weight and optimize balance, both the tang and handle scales have been skeletonized, with a cavity in the handle which could easily double as a hidden storage space for emergency items. However, those scales are secured with Torx screw all steel fittings, so you might find it difficult to pull of a Jason Bourne style recovery without that particular driver.

I found the backwards sweep of the blade a little difficult to adjust to, mostly because I wasn't sure of the arcs it was offering me, but it certainly felt good in the hand whilst moving it around.  I imagine in a practiced set of hands it would be extremely dangerous.
When held in a forwards grip, the blade was no less dangerous feeling, and I certainly didn't have any trouble cutting with it, though I didn't care for the broad double-recurve  of the edge and handle combination.  No fault of the knife, it's just engineered the way I like a knife to be.

With its ambidextrous Kydex sheath, with a Tek-Lok belt mounting system it can be customised in vertical, horizontal or angled positions to suit your rig, or even lashed via eyelets. It also comes paired with a BlueGun style HIVIZ blue trainer, which matches the blade in weight at 369 g (0.81 lb), but with thoroughly safe edges and points. I'd have no qualms training with it, and letting enthusiastic people pretend to do me harm whilst getting better at using the real thing. 

All in all, the Razorback is a substantial, solid, scary-looking and well thought out blade, that just isn't right for me.

Review: Hardcore Hardware Australia - LFK-05

It was my birthday recently, and I was lucky enough to receive (from my mother, no less) this very nice piece from Hardcore Hardware Australia. This is a first because as far as I can recall, this is the first weapon gift I've received from her in all my 39 years. I guess she thinks I'm mature enough for cutting implements now...

I gifted Omega a HHA LFK01 knife for her birthday a couple of years ago, and it has featured as an accessory for numerous outings and adventures, be it wilderness or as a playtool for clubs that would give Mr Grey reason to pause. However, it took some time for me to get a HHA blade to call my very own, so I'm very leased to show off this, the newly released LFK-05.

I did a Sneak Peek piece on the new series, and their badder brother, the ASOT-01.

The LFK Series tools are designed primarily as overt carry, easy to reach back-up knives. These aren't thigh-sized jungle-slashers, these are close in and personal tools for when you need something small, shard and hardy.

Made from the same 6mm (0.23") D2 tool steel, as the original LFK-01,  with full tang construction  and a robust Teflon coating the blade isn't wrapped with paracord as previous HHA blades but is instead
nonslip, ergonomically carved , G10 handle scales offering a positive and comfortable grip, and are secured with Torx screw.

The neck of the blade features a grove for your leading (or little finger, if you are reverse gripping) and the spine features a broad sweep of jimping for secure thumb pressure. The spear point design offers exceptional strength, yet allows optimal maneuverability and edge-on geometry.

You can see the pronounced glass-breaker point at the rear end, which also features a lanyard hole as well as full beveling to remove any sharp corners.  Weighing in at 171g (0.37lb), this little knife only measures 172mm (6.77") in overall length, 70mm (2.75") of which is blade. The whole piece is only 45mm (1.77") at its widest.

Due to its size and weight, the LFK is an ideal choice where space on an assault platform may be limited, on a belt where bigger blades might be "too much knife". These heavy-duty blades also bridge the gap where full-sized, fixed blade knives may be unmanageable, and a folder a poor compromise. I prefer fixed blades to folders in most situations, and having a small fixed blade is something I find desirable.
I put up the LFK-05 against the LFK-01 here, as well as the comparably small but chunky MSM001 KA-BAR knife.

The blade is treated to a rather stiff
58 – 60 HRC which, thanks to the tool-tough D2 steel should put this in good stead for any task you care to throw at it.
 
The LFK-05 is friction locked in a smartly moulded Kydex ambidextrous sheath. A set of eyelets around the edge of the sheath allows it to be fitted with a Tek-Lok™ mounting system for belt carry, which can be customised in vertical or horizontal positions. 

Those eyelet holes along both sides of the sheath facilitates alternative attachment to the body or gear via paracord or cable ties, although I've found the friction lock too secure to work as a neck-knife, without wanting to give myself whip-lash. 
One thing I've found is that the fat-body G10 scale handle is not quite right for my bare hand, the gaps for finger grips and the finger grip at the neck don't quite mesh, just due tot the size of my hand. When gloved this is less noticeable, but something to note.  I didn't have this issue with the cord-wrapped LFK-01, however, it is not a big enough problem for me not to love it. 

This is a rugged knife, nicely sized for belt wear, and fitting to any number of spaces on a harness, pack or where-ever you might find yourself in the need of a solid blade in a little package.