Wish Lust: KickStarters - RECON 6 Watch & KLAX

From time to time I either get forwarded, or read about some great ideas going on via Kickstarter, or other crowd-sourcing sites, and I want to boost their signal to help them out, as well as getting some gear ideas out to you folks ....

check these two out...


From the creator of the Crovel Extreme comes this jam-packed survival watch.

In his words:
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RUGGED AS IT IS USEFUL:Recon 6 Watch is the Baddest watch around: Compass, Signal, Can Opener, Fire Starter, Whistle, Cutting Tool!

The most multifaceted utility watch you'll ever own.  Life in the great outdoors is no fashion show, but there is a tough and rugged accessory I am getting ready to launch that not only lets outdoorsmen make like Grylls, but could also save your life.  I created the Recon 6 Watch to tackle the unexpected and perform multiple tasks. Inspired by the desire to always be prepared, a cross between the Swiss Army Knife and MacGyver will take this multi-featured watch to a whole new level.  After months of hard work, my idea is almost ready to become a reality.

As well as a bezel equipped, phosphorescent handed and anti-chip and glare faced watch, it also features the following survival components
- Multi-Tool
- Blade with sheep hook design for dressing out small game
- Bottle opener
- Can opener
- Fire striker
- Signaling mirror
- Fire starter good up to 5000 fire starts
- Aluminum rescue wistle
- 25 ft. of braided fishing line with 2 small fish hooks
- Magnifying glass
- EMP proof, liquid fill compass
- LED flashlight
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Hefty, and with a price tag to match, but packed with content....

Then there is the father-son team behind the quite innovative multi-tool, survival axe, which I have my eyes on.

In their words:
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The KLAX is a multi-tool built into the head of an ax.  It allows you to attach the ax head to a handle quickly in the field.  It uses the nested clamping system shown here.   The clamps rotate out from the handle for use.


The KLAX is designed to be a short term solution to many of the problems that you could face either planned or unexpected. It will help you to get through situations where carrying a full set of dedicated tools is just not possible or realistic. Here are a few examples...
- stuck on the roadside in the backwoods and need to build a lean-to for shelter
- injured hiker needs an impromptu travois (stretcher) to be carried to safety
- hiking and need enough wood for a small cooking fire
- hunting and want to make small game traps
- forgot the hammer and need to pound in the tent pegs
- starting the split on a small log without many knots
- need to dig a hole (let's see your multi-tool do that)
Bottom Line: If you think it is trying to replace your full-sized dedicated tools for everyday use, you won't be happy with the KLAX.

KLAX-Lumberjack  Our high-end stainless steel model with the most features.  The first three models are all made from heat treated SUS420J2  stainless steel which is perfectly balanced for keeping an edge and maintaining strength.

KLAX - Woodsman   Our mid-level stainless steel model with just the more useful features.

KLAX - Feller  This is our more rustic model with just the basic features you need in the outdoors.

Ti-KLAX is a Titanium version of the KLAX – Lumberjack and comes with all the same features, but because it is made from more expensive Titanium, it weighs only half as much as the Feller and is stronger than steel.  The Ti-4452813 titanium is also anodized to provide some eye catching highlights.

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So, some pretty cool concepts there ....


I wish I could back them all, but we'll see, and perhaps I'll get to show them off in good time.

Update: WTF mini wrench and pry bar

A little while ago I reported on my pre-release WTF Ti mini-pry bar that I managed to sweet talk Brad of TacticalKeyChains into sending me, as it was a second. Just recently my full order from the Kickstarter campaign arrived, and thought I should show off the pre-production version against the production models.

 I ordered both titanium and the chromium/molybdenum  chromoly 4130 steel "stealth" version which has been Parkerized for shine and corrosion resistance. The main physical difference between the Ti and chromoly is the machining, in that the face of the pry-edge of the Ti versions is textured from the machining, where as the chromoly  version is smooth finished, due to the requirements for working the different metals. I like them both, and have had no discernible difference in performance when prying, they both bite nicely.

I had the production WTF anodized to a rose-gold colour, as it was going to be a gift for Omega (which she put straight onto her key chain, along with her NuKo Tool TiGBi Skully ). The only real difference between the the production version of the Ti WTF, and my "seconds" version is the lanyard hole is not quite centered in the second. In theory this might weaken that end, but I can't imagine putting enough force on the lanyard hole to make that an issue.

The Ti WTF's (made of Ti-6Al-4V) weigh 7.8g and the Stealth WTF (made of AISI 4130) weighs more at 11.5 grams, which is a small price to pay considering the benefits.

Brad has kindly provided some metallurgical stats on the materials he uses for the WTF's. The Ti-6Al-4V - has an Ultimate Tensile Strength of 138,000 psi and an elasticity modulus of 16,500 ksi, which means it is very very resilient, and springy. It will flex under stress.
TheChromoly 4130 has a Ultimate Tensile Strength - 97,200 psi but has an elasticity modulus of 29,700 ksi meaning it is not quite as resilient but VERY stiff.
Compare that against the aluminium 6061-T6 used for the basic WTF's which has an Ultimate Tensile Strength of only 45,000 psi and an elasticity modulus of 10,000 ksi  which is to say, relatively soft.

The cromoly WTF has the advantage of being ferromagnetic, and the wrench bits will not "give" when working stubborn nuts.  I really like my WTF's, i wear the golden "second" around my neck as a part of my EDC, and the chromoly version has found a place in my ZuluNylonGear CAOS admin pouch. These are brilliant little tools, and I'm glad I made the investment. 

Review: WTF - Ti wrench and pry tool

More Kickstarter goodness.

I managed to snag a "second" as an early trial piece for the WTF mini titanium keychain Kickstarter, from Brad, creator of the Bottle Grenade "the-last-opener-you-will-ever-need"

I am always on the lookout for little tools liek this, because I really like having them on hand, in my pack, in my EDC, without being totally overburdened (don't laugh).

This one was a "second" as it was slightly mis-aligned, you can see that the internal cutouts are not quite centered, leading to a slight reduction in strength, so when they were offered for immediate discount sale, i snapped one up.

The Kickstarter project offered these in three materials and I pull directly from the Kickstarter brief for these:

Aluminum 6061-T6 - Ultimate Tensile Strength is 45,000 psi and an elasticity modulus of 10,000 ksi (Soft) ~4.4 grams


Titanium Ti-6Al-4V - Ultimate Tensile Strength is 138,000 psi and an elasticity modulus of 16,500 ksi (Springy) ~7.8 grams

and finally a Parkerized Chromoly 4130 - Ultimate Tensile Strength - 97,200 psi but has an elasticity modulus of 29,700 ksi (Stiff) ~11.5 grams (and a Rockwell hardness of B 90–96 holy crap!!)

I opted for a Ti and a Chromoly, but they aren't expected till November (6 months away, I might DIE) so was thrilled to get this little guy in my hands.

Brad even zipped it though his anodizing mix, and I got to select my colour, this is the 55VDC anodizing and it gave a lovely pale gold colour to the tool.

So, what does it do?

The dimples on the sides correspond to 1/4"  on one side, and 1cm on the other.

The middle cutout features the following sockets:
Standard: 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2"
Metric: 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 11mm, 13mm


I actually struggled a little while to find some bolts to test this on. Then I realised that half of my house is covered in Ikea GORM shelves   and I set to tightening those suckers up. The teeth of the wrench slipped neatly into place, and away I went. This is indeed a Wrench That Fits.

The next aspect to test was pretty easy to do. The texturesd bevel of the pry-bar end made quick work of jars, cans and a variety of "things to pry" that I might have at one time or other thought to use a screw-driver, butter knife on, but NEVER the end of my multi-tool knife blade (oh no, that was snapped off by rabid goblins).

The "outside edges" are all smoothed off, giving a very comfortable grip, all the way down to the pry-bar end, which is not rounded, but smooth. Certainly enough grip to be used as an impromptu kubaton, if the need arose.

The internal edges are crisp, but not rough, and given that this is a titanium tool, I expect they will probably pretty much stay that way. 

Along with my SAR GlobalTool Dead Ringer comb, and my Snowpeak Spork this is the third titanium tool that I have added to my EDC, and I am really pleased with it so far.

Comparing it with my CountyComm Micro Widgy pry bar, it is a little shorter, and given its complement of ten socket options as well as a pry end, is significantly more multifunctional.

That said, I'm not throwing out my Micro Widgy either. Two is One, One is none.

So as not to keep all my eggs in one basket, (and really, two pry bars on one set of keychain tools is a bit excessive, even for me) I have taken to wearing the WTF on my necklace, with a simple split ring through the lanyard hole, where it sits beside my SAR Global Tool MoonGlow and my 500-700BCE pre-Han dynasty Chinese bronze arrowhead that I got whilst visiting my parents in Beijing. The irony of 2500 years between these two pieces is only magnified by the delightful chiming they make as I wear them, especially when being vigorous, or adventuring.