I recently completed a video comparison on 4 small fixed blade knives. I am still rocking the hideaway straight as my EDC knife but started to look around at some other options as well. The awesome custom fit of the HAK is also it's only real weakness, if you are wearing gloves you pretty much can't use the knife.
The four knives are the TOPS M1 Sub Compact, Boker Fred Perrin Neck Bowie, Tops FDX Hunter Point, and the Esee Izula. The main common feature between these, besides small size, is a deep(ish, depending on blade) finger choil.
Showing posts with label Neck Knife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neck Knife. Show all posts
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Saturday, December 17, 2011
EDC without pants
This isn't actually about not wearing pants (sorry! hehe) but it is about no-pants-needed carry. I was somewhat aware of how jeans-dependent (or other pants with belt loops and strong pockets) my EDC was and have already moved away from a lot of belt carry items but even more change is going to be needed - my 24/7 system needs to be belt and pants pocket free!
I live in one of the coldest, most isolated areas in North America. There are severe summer/winter temperature variations, from -40C or colder in winter to 25C or warmer in summer. Snow is on the ground from the end of September to April/May (sometimes June!) and there are extensive periods of 24-hour darkness and 24-hour light.
I am moving to one of the rainiest areas in North America, on the coast, that has little to no snow and maintains a relatively constant year round temperature of 5-15C. I am going to start a new series of posts on what effects that has on my EDC, traveling to work, outdoor gear, clothing, the whole deal.
I'm going to start with EDC.
I'm still living north of 68 and trust me, it's winter up here. We just had a little warm spell but temperatures have generally been in the -25C to -35C (-13 to -31F) range, not counting any windchill. This obviously has some effects on what I wear and what I carry.
My current EDC*:
Usual indoor clothing at work:
Outdoor clothing for travel to/from work via vehicle:
My current Work EDC (WDC) pack and contents:
I travel to and from work in a company truck. At our new location, I will be walking to work, about 4km (about 2.5 miles). I will get a bicycle and will probably use it for work to save travel time but, with the extreme winds, rain, and all the hills, I'm not sure how much time I will save :) I don't like biking all that much either but it's a great way to carry heavier loads. I don't think I will be using it much in the winter there, it gets very slippery and with the hills and such, I really don't want to take a spill.
So, this new climate coupled with traveling on foot vs. truck made me take another look at what I tote around with me. The important factors: waterproof and weight. Everything must be evaluated based on keeping me and my gear dry. And it has to be water proof not "water resistant" which is just another way to say "slow leak." It rains there almost every day and it's RAIN not a little shower here and there. As for weight, once you have to carry your pack further than a parking lot, you see just how much an ounce matters.
I have waterproof pants, boots, and a jacket with hood (more on specific clothing on another post). However, the rain pants don't have pockets or belt loops and I haven't had much luck in finding anything suitable that does. This immediately eliminates easy waist or knife carry on my outer pants (I'll be wearing another set underneath). I'm also going to be wearing a backpack with a waist strap, which would eliminate any significant belt carry anyway, it's just not comfortable. I'd be looking at a sheath hanging off the backpack, not really workable for cruising around town. A boot knife is possible, but not super easy to access and I've never actually worn one before. Not sure if I want to try at this point, something to consider. My HAK again saves the day, carried around the neck, it's just a continuation of what I am already doing. The one problem is the downside of a HAK - gloves. You can not use one with gloves on, and I will probably be wearing some at times. A more regularly handled knife is now needed - something lightweight, small, and practical (multi-use). The Perrin neck bowie would work well with gloves and it is lightweight and such but I don't think I am going to go back to it. It's an excellent small utility blade but looking at the area (heavily wooded, rainy as all get out) I want something with a little more "bush" capability. I think I'm going to go with an Esee Izula or Izula II. Possibly the Izula II for trail walks and the Izula for walks to work, I'll wear them over my shirt and the HAK will be under. The Izula can be tucked back if needed and it's quite light. The blade is very short but it does have some capabilities for wood splitting as well as prying, digging, and general abuse.
It's actually a similar situation to when I go hiking/camping in the winter and am wearing snow pants, you just can't belt carry a knife and walking long distances with a knife strapped to your thigh is not always practical - the backpack can rub on the belt and a knife that low can get caked with snow and ice. A light fixed blade neck-carry knife is your best option with a larger knife attached to my backpack. I usually carry a Mora 511 but for an urban environment, I want something a little more unobtrusive (thinner, lower profile).
What I love about a neck cord in the urban environment (under a jacket) is the same as the woods environment - the knife is so handy, always accessibly, and the cord is the perfect place to hook on keys, fire tools, whistle, light, etc with a carabiner - easy on, easy off, easy to customize. Since I'll be wearing a rain jacket pretty much every day, the knife and the other tools I chose can be tucked in and accessibly by zipping the jacket open, pulling the lot out with a tug on the cord, or putting my hand down a more open zipper area. Keeps from scaring people "OMG, he's got a knife, noooooooooooooooo!" Bizarre reaction. Once I get to work, the main lot gets tucked into my pack and the HAK/light combo is still there, under my shirt - I won't be wearing gloves while I work :)
I could still be wearing jeans under my rain pants and could still carry my pocket clip knife, possibly a fixed blade belt knife, etc. But....walking in long distance with jeans isn't super comfortable. Walking with them under another pair of pants can get downright uncomfortable. Plus, the tools would only be accessible in my workplace** and I don't see any real need for them (in that location) when compared to the discomfort of wearing them and the other tools I have - I'll always have my HAK and at least one light and a whole host of gear is in my backpack which can be grabbed on my way out the door. Wearing jeans under snow pants for my current trips to work isn't a big deal because I'm driving to work. Some days, when it's -20 or warmer (especially in the day time), I just bring my extra pants and don't even bother wearing them. Having that extra knife accessible has a lot more value here - there's no security here, we're open to the public, we're well out of town and can't secure the building, etc. I see the value in the extra knife and I've worn one in my pocket for so long...well, there just hasn't been any reason to change that until now.
Hmmm, this post started to go a little sideways on me, hopefully this made some sense.
More on all this later - much more I'm sure!
*EDC - Every Day Carry. Some people have slightly different ideas for what this means. I'm considering this to be items I carry on my person at all times outside the home. I differentiate this from items I would carry heading to work for example, as I would carry a bag of some kind that I may not carry for a trip to the grocery store.
**I'm not digging through my backpack waist strap and fishing around inside my outer pants to get them
I live in one of the coldest, most isolated areas in North America. There are severe summer/winter temperature variations, from -40C or colder in winter to 25C or warmer in summer. Snow is on the ground from the end of September to April/May (sometimes June!) and there are extensive periods of 24-hour darkness and 24-hour light.
I am moving to one of the rainiest areas in North America, on the coast, that has little to no snow and maintains a relatively constant year round temperature of 5-15C. I am going to start a new series of posts on what effects that has on my EDC, traveling to work, outdoor gear, clothing, the whole deal.
I'm going to start with EDC.
I'm still living north of 68 and trust me, it's winter up here. We just had a little warm spell but temperatures have generally been in the -25C to -35C (-13 to -31F) range, not counting any windchill. This obviously has some effects on what I wear and what I carry.
My current EDC*:
- HAK straight - neck carry
- Inova Microlight (bright/dim/strobe) - neck carry
- No-name microlight (on/off with squeeze or switch) - paracord carry, looped around my belt loop and tucked inside my jeans
- Blackhawk Be-Wharned folding knife (still waiting for the Yojimbo 2) - pocket clip carry
- Casio G-shock watch on a wrap around thick velcro band (covers watch face)
Usual indoor clothing at work:
- 5.11 TDU belt
- Jeans
- T-shirt (prefer under armour or similar shirt)
- Hoody
- Sandals - it's too hot in here to wear anything else
Outdoor clothing for travel to/from work via vehicle:
- Parka - I wear a Canada Goose parka, it's a discontinued model and I don't recall the name. They make top-quality, extreme cold weather parkas. I see a lot of people wearing the Resolute and similar models but they are really too heavy for practical use, I prefer layers
- Snow pants - I just wear lightweight snowboard pants
- Boots - The Sorel Intrepid Explorer are AWESOME, the best winter boots I have ever owned
- Neck gaiter
- Toque - I like the Parkhurst Merino Wool Cap that MEC sells
- Gloves
My current Work EDC (WDC) pack and contents:
- Eberlestock Gunslinger II Pack - I bought it from Linton outdoors, super comfortable, top quality
- Amazon kindle (now THAT is essential)
- Mora knife - either the 511 or the triflex on a neck cord with a survival bundle (light, fire, etc)
- Folding saw
- Bottled water - 500mL
- Metal water bottle, I like the Klean Kanteen 27 oz. I use a metal water bottle rather than a nalgene so I can melt snow. Their wider mouth bottle is better for snow (and in my camping pack) but I prefer the other to drink from.
- Cell phone
- All the typical stuff - first aid kit, sunglasses, matches, snack, yada yada yada
I travel to and from work in a company truck. At our new location, I will be walking to work, about 4km (about 2.5 miles). I will get a bicycle and will probably use it for work to save travel time but, with the extreme winds, rain, and all the hills, I'm not sure how much time I will save :) I don't like biking all that much either but it's a great way to carry heavier loads. I don't think I will be using it much in the winter there, it gets very slippery and with the hills and such, I really don't want to take a spill.
So, this new climate coupled with traveling on foot vs. truck made me take another look at what I tote around with me. The important factors: waterproof and weight. Everything must be evaluated based on keeping me and my gear dry. And it has to be water proof not "water resistant" which is just another way to say "slow leak." It rains there almost every day and it's RAIN not a little shower here and there. As for weight, once you have to carry your pack further than a parking lot, you see just how much an ounce matters.
I have waterproof pants, boots, and a jacket with hood (more on specific clothing on another post). However, the rain pants don't have pockets or belt loops and I haven't had much luck in finding anything suitable that does. This immediately eliminates easy waist or knife carry on my outer pants (I'll be wearing another set underneath). I'm also going to be wearing a backpack with a waist strap, which would eliminate any significant belt carry anyway, it's just not comfortable. I'd be looking at a sheath hanging off the backpack, not really workable for cruising around town. A boot knife is possible, but not super easy to access and I've never actually worn one before. Not sure if I want to try at this point, something to consider. My HAK again saves the day, carried around the neck, it's just a continuation of what I am already doing. The one problem is the downside of a HAK - gloves. You can not use one with gloves on, and I will probably be wearing some at times. A more regularly handled knife is now needed - something lightweight, small, and practical (multi-use). The Perrin neck bowie would work well with gloves and it is lightweight and such but I don't think I am going to go back to it. It's an excellent small utility blade but looking at the area (heavily wooded, rainy as all get out) I want something with a little more "bush" capability. I think I'm going to go with an Esee Izula or Izula II. Possibly the Izula II for trail walks and the Izula for walks to work, I'll wear them over my shirt and the HAK will be under. The Izula can be tucked back if needed and it's quite light. The blade is very short but it does have some capabilities for wood splitting as well as prying, digging, and general abuse.
(Total aside - I've always been a little curious about the Tops FDX knives, I'd be curious to get my hands on one of the small hunter points. There's very little info that I can find on most of the tops knives. Or at least the ones that I would be interested in.)
It's actually a similar situation to when I go hiking/camping in the winter and am wearing snow pants, you just can't belt carry a knife and walking long distances with a knife strapped to your thigh is not always practical - the backpack can rub on the belt and a knife that low can get caked with snow and ice. A light fixed blade neck-carry knife is your best option with a larger knife attached to my backpack. I usually carry a Mora 511 but for an urban environment, I want something a little more unobtrusive (thinner, lower profile).
What I love about a neck cord in the urban environment (under a jacket) is the same as the woods environment - the knife is so handy, always accessibly, and the cord is the perfect place to hook on keys, fire tools, whistle, light, etc with a carabiner - easy on, easy off, easy to customize. Since I'll be wearing a rain jacket pretty much every day, the knife and the other tools I chose can be tucked in and accessibly by zipping the jacket open, pulling the lot out with a tug on the cord, or putting my hand down a more open zipper area. Keeps from scaring people "OMG, he's got a knife, noooooooooooooooo!" Bizarre reaction. Once I get to work, the main lot gets tucked into my pack and the HAK/light combo is still there, under my shirt - I won't be wearing gloves while I work :)
I could still be wearing jeans under my rain pants and could still carry my pocket clip knife, possibly a fixed blade belt knife, etc. But....walking in long distance with jeans isn't super comfortable. Walking with them under another pair of pants can get downright uncomfortable. Plus, the tools would only be accessible in my workplace** and I don't see any real need for them (in that location) when compared to the discomfort of wearing them and the other tools I have - I'll always have my HAK and at least one light and a whole host of gear is in my backpack which can be grabbed on my way out the door. Wearing jeans under snow pants for my current trips to work isn't a big deal because I'm driving to work. Some days, when it's -20 or warmer (especially in the day time), I just bring my extra pants and don't even bother wearing them. Having that extra knife accessible has a lot more value here - there's no security here, we're open to the public, we're well out of town and can't secure the building, etc. I see the value in the extra knife and I've worn one in my pocket for so long...well, there just hasn't been any reason to change that until now.
Hmmm, this post started to go a little sideways on me, hopefully this made some sense.
More on all this later - much more I'm sure!
*EDC - Every Day Carry. Some people have slightly different ideas for what this means. I'm considering this to be items I carry on my person at all times outside the home. I differentiate this from items I would carry heading to work for example, as I would carry a bag of some kind that I may not carry for a trip to the grocery store.
**I'm not digging through my backpack waist strap and fishing around inside my outer pants to get them
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Hideaway Knife (HAK) Review
I talked in the past about my favorite small fixed blade knife, the Boker Fred Perrin Neck Bowie. It's a fantastic small knife, wickedly sharp, lightweight and very practical EDC (with a few mods). Overall, I still like it a lot but it has been replaced in my heart - and around my neck. My new, true EDC is the HAK or Hideaway Knife .
Before I go into detail on the HAK I'm going to talk a little about what I consider an EDC knife and why I said "true EDC." For those that aren't familiar with "prepper" or "survivalist" terms, EDC means Every Day Carry. To most people, these are the items that you obviously carry every day - they are your normal kit, you put them on when you get up in the morning and they remain with you throughout the day, wherever you go. Anything from a cell phone to a Glock. Generally this only refers to your time outside the home, you wouldn't carry EDC items in your PJs for example.
This means that we are all going to have a different EDC based on a variety of different factors such as:
- weight we are willing to carry
- job we work at
- clothing we wear
- different legal options
- different needs
The problem is that many of us may call our little package of goodies "EDC" but it's pretty tough to carry them every day, in all public settings. It should be more like MDC, Most Days Carry. Or BDC, Business Day Carry, and WEC, Weekend Carry. For those that carry tools such as knives and firearms, the differences can be dramatic.
I am unable to carry a handgun where I live but I do carry one or more knives every day, everywhere I go except for air travel. My main knife for the last 20 years, my EDC, has been a folding pocket clip knife. Prior to that it was either a small scaling or skinning knife on my belt or folding knife loose in my pocket. The actual knife has probably changed more than 50 times (currently back to the Blackhawk Hornet II) but a pocket knife has been a constant. Pocket clip knives are a fantastic innovation, they have been a real game changer for knife carry. They do have a few drawbacks though such as clips losing retention over time (especially the very old plastic-version ones), clips getting caught on things, the knives being more obvious than some people prefer, can be difficult to deploy, etc. One of the main negatives is that a folding knife is more likely to fail than a fixed blade knife. New types of locking mechanisms and handle materials have reduced the risk but it can never be eliminated. This concern and an effort to integrate either an emergency bushcraft-capable knife or a stronger utility blade into my EDC led me to experiment with a lot of small fixed blade knives such as the Fallkniven F1, the Cold Steel Kobun, the CRKT ABC operator knife, Mora 511 and more than a dozen others. In the end, I've pretty much given up. The knives are just too uncomfortable for me to wear all the time sitting down.
The Perrin Neck Bowie made me interested in neck knives as an alternative. I had written them off in the past because they are generally crap and also uncomfortable, but the Perrin knife is pretty amazing - very light, very sharp, and very useful. I'll let you read my review for the rest. The best thing about the neck knife is that it really is a "true" EDC. As long as you have a neck (hehe) you can carry it, no matter what clothing you are wearing or what setting you are in.
What I have started to notice is that it was printing on my short more than I liked. Initially I seemed to be able to adjust it to minimize the print but in the end, it wasn't quite working for me. This and one other feature (get to that in a minute) caused me to look again at a knife I've owned for a while: the HAK or Hideaway Knife, the "straight" utility model:
Note: That's a quarter and a loonie (Canadian $1 coin) in the pictures.
I first heard of these knives after reading a Marcus Wynne* novel. The characters used them extensively so I looked them up. They were interesting....but expensive. The website seemed a little odd too, not a traditional ordering method. I wasn't sure what I though of the knives and they were out of my price range for a "try it out model" - the cheapest was around $150 USD and since they are a custom fit, would be tough to sell if I didn't like it.
Maybe a year or so after that, I checked the site again and saw they had some new, cheaper versions available. They were made from lesser steels which were more than adequate for me and I really wanted to try one out. I bought this Tiger Striped version (I'd rather have a plain color) because it was $80 or so. You need to measure around your index and middle fingers and submit that measurement.
I received the knife in good time - once I figured out how to pay! :)
Product seems well made, I like the cord wrap. Was a good fit (measure very carefully). However, I didn't like it at the time. The sheath has some rattle to it with the knife in it, it sticks into the capsule area a little which makes it a little more awkward to draw and I just couldn't seem to find a comfortable carry location. I'd actually purchased it with the idea of belt carry, I had bought the double-j belt attachment. Unfortunately, with my rather chubby stomach, it was neither comfortable nor unobtrusive and I wasn't thinking neck carry back then. I threw the knife in my crap-to-sell-someday box and mostly forgot about it.
My new love for neck knives and my slight dissatisfaction with my perrin knife made me give it another look. The other feature (see, I did get to it....eventually) is that blade shape, the reverse tanto or wharncliffe design of the HAK straight. I did a training seminar with Michael Janich this year (FREAKING AWESOME!) and I got a chance to handle a prototype of the Spyderco Yojimbo II. After seeing a cutting demo, I was totally sold on the blade shape (just like a box cutter). That knife is amazing btw, can't wait to get mine, darn things are on backorder still. Anyway, the Yojimbo blade has a similar shape as my HAK and the HAK capsule/handle design provides for a grip very similar to the "filipino grip" taught by Michael Janich. Suddenly I had a whole new appreciation for the HAK and it's been a near-permanent carry knife ever since.
Some of the great features of this knife:
- Very lightweight, it is no strain at all to carry (noticeably lighter than the Perrin Neck Bowie and custom sheath I have).
- Amazing retention, it's virtually impossible to be disarmed when this knife is on your fingers.
- This knife is designed to allow for full use of your hands. The designer talks about its use as an off hand weapon for shooters, you can load magazines, carry a flashlight, etc and still keep the knife on your fingers. For my purposes, it's the best work tool ever. I went through pallet after pallet of boxes and was able to carry them, stack them, cut tape and bindings as needed, and keep the knife in my hand the whole time. Totally comfortable and a nice change from continually hunting for where I put my box cutter!
- Very safe. Knife won't slip in your hand. Again, anyone doing utility tasks, working in a warehouse, etc, this is an awesome knife. Climbers and hikers could get great benefit from this also. A must for people that work or play on or under the water.
- Low profile. Slim and has numerous carry options.
- Not too tactical. Probably not as scary as other options thanks to the small size, at least in some versions.
- Available in a variety of steels (including rust-free titanium) and shapes.
- Trainer knives are available.
- Small blade may be legal in more states.
Some not so great features:
- Sheath fit is not ideal, though the retention is very good, it's not going to fall out.
- The jimping on the back is purely cosmetic. I'd rather have none.
Yep, that's all I could think of :) What can I say, the knife kicks ass. That version at least, I don't like the other blade shapes.
*If you like knives and action check out With a Vengeance, it's only 99 cents for kindle.
Before I go into detail on the HAK I'm going to talk a little about what I consider an EDC knife and why I said "true EDC." For those that aren't familiar with "prepper" or "survivalist" terms, EDC means Every Day Carry. To most people, these are the items that you obviously carry every day - they are your normal kit, you put them on when you get up in the morning and they remain with you throughout the day, wherever you go. Anything from a cell phone to a Glock. Generally this only refers to your time outside the home, you wouldn't carry EDC items in your PJs for example.
This means that we are all going to have a different EDC based on a variety of different factors such as:
- weight we are willing to carry
- job we work at
- clothing we wear
- different legal options
- different needs
The problem is that many of us may call our little package of goodies "EDC" but it's pretty tough to carry them every day, in all public settings. It should be more like MDC, Most Days Carry. Or BDC, Business Day Carry, and WEC, Weekend Carry. For those that carry tools such as knives and firearms, the differences can be dramatic.
I am unable to carry a handgun where I live but I do carry one or more knives every day, everywhere I go except for air travel. My main knife for the last 20 years, my EDC, has been a folding pocket clip knife. Prior to that it was either a small scaling or skinning knife on my belt or folding knife loose in my pocket. The actual knife has probably changed more than 50 times (currently back to the Blackhawk Hornet II) but a pocket knife has been a constant. Pocket clip knives are a fantastic innovation, they have been a real game changer for knife carry. They do have a few drawbacks though such as clips losing retention over time (especially the very old plastic-version ones), clips getting caught on things, the knives being more obvious than some people prefer, can be difficult to deploy, etc. One of the main negatives is that a folding knife is more likely to fail than a fixed blade knife. New types of locking mechanisms and handle materials have reduced the risk but it can never be eliminated. This concern and an effort to integrate either an emergency bushcraft-capable knife or a stronger utility blade into my EDC led me to experiment with a lot of small fixed blade knives such as the Fallkniven F1, the Cold Steel Kobun, the CRKT ABC operator knife, Mora 511 and more than a dozen others. In the end, I've pretty much given up. The knives are just too uncomfortable for me to wear all the time sitting down.
The Perrin Neck Bowie made me interested in neck knives as an alternative. I had written them off in the past because they are generally crap and also uncomfortable, but the Perrin knife is pretty amazing - very light, very sharp, and very useful. I'll let you read my review for the rest. The best thing about the neck knife is that it really is a "true" EDC. As long as you have a neck (hehe) you can carry it, no matter what clothing you are wearing or what setting you are in.
What I have started to notice is that it was printing on my short more than I liked. Initially I seemed to be able to adjust it to minimize the print but in the end, it wasn't quite working for me. This and one other feature (get to that in a minute) caused me to look again at a knife I've owned for a while: the HAK or Hideaway Knife, the "straight" utility model:
Note: That's a quarter and a loonie (Canadian $1 coin) in the pictures.
I first heard of these knives after reading a Marcus Wynne* novel. The characters used them extensively so I looked them up. They were interesting....but expensive. The website seemed a little odd too, not a traditional ordering method. I wasn't sure what I though of the knives and they were out of my price range for a "try it out model" - the cheapest was around $150 USD and since they are a custom fit, would be tough to sell if I didn't like it.
Maybe a year or so after that, I checked the site again and saw they had some new, cheaper versions available. They were made from lesser steels which were more than adequate for me and I really wanted to try one out. I bought this Tiger Striped version (I'd rather have a plain color) because it was $80 or so. You need to measure around your index and middle fingers and submit that measurement.
I received the knife in good time - once I figured out how to pay! :)
Product seems well made, I like the cord wrap. Was a good fit (measure very carefully). However, I didn't like it at the time. The sheath has some rattle to it with the knife in it, it sticks into the capsule area a little which makes it a little more awkward to draw and I just couldn't seem to find a comfortable carry location. I'd actually purchased it with the idea of belt carry, I had bought the double-j belt attachment. Unfortunately, with my rather chubby stomach, it was neither comfortable nor unobtrusive and I wasn't thinking neck carry back then. I threw the knife in my crap-to-sell-someday box and mostly forgot about it.
My new love for neck knives and my slight dissatisfaction with my perrin knife made me give it another look. The other feature (see, I did get to it....eventually) is that blade shape, the reverse tanto or wharncliffe design of the HAK straight. I did a training seminar with Michael Janich this year (FREAKING AWESOME!) and I got a chance to handle a prototype of the Spyderco Yojimbo II. After seeing a cutting demo, I was totally sold on the blade shape (just like a box cutter). That knife is amazing btw, can't wait to get mine, darn things are on backorder still. Anyway, the Yojimbo blade has a similar shape as my HAK and the HAK capsule/handle design provides for a grip very similar to the "filipino grip" taught by Michael Janich. Suddenly I had a whole new appreciation for the HAK and it's been a near-permanent carry knife ever since.
Some of the great features of this knife:
- Very lightweight, it is no strain at all to carry (noticeably lighter than the Perrin Neck Bowie and custom sheath I have).
- Amazing retention, it's virtually impossible to be disarmed when this knife is on your fingers.
- This knife is designed to allow for full use of your hands. The designer talks about its use as an off hand weapon for shooters, you can load magazines, carry a flashlight, etc and still keep the knife on your fingers. For my purposes, it's the best work tool ever. I went through pallet after pallet of boxes and was able to carry them, stack them, cut tape and bindings as needed, and keep the knife in my hand the whole time. Totally comfortable and a nice change from continually hunting for where I put my box cutter!
- Very safe. Knife won't slip in your hand. Again, anyone doing utility tasks, working in a warehouse, etc, this is an awesome knife. Climbers and hikers could get great benefit from this also. A must for people that work or play on or under the water.
- Low profile. Slim and has numerous carry options.
- Not too tactical. Probably not as scary as other options thanks to the small size, at least in some versions.
- Available in a variety of steels (including rust-free titanium) and shapes.
- Trainer knives are available.
- Small blade may be legal in more states.
Some not so great features:
- Sheath fit is not ideal, though the retention is very good, it's not going to fall out.
- The jimping on the back is purely cosmetic. I'd rather have none.
Yep, that's all I could think of :) What can I say, the knife kicks ass. That version at least, I don't like the other blade shapes.
*If you like knives and action check out With a Vengeance, it's only 99 cents for kindle.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Knife Review - Boker Fred Perrin Neck Bowie
I've been carrying a folding knife for the last 20 years or so, but over the last few years I've started to gravitate toward fixed blades. Unfortunately carrying one is not always very easy. People look at you pretty funny if you walk around with a 7 inch bowie strapped to your thigh (silly people), so I've generally looked at smaller options. I tried and discarded a few looking for something that was a functional tool, something with survival-oriented function, while still small enough to carry IWB without digging a new hole in my crotch, hip, or butt depending on placement. Also wanted something that didn't stand out a lot in order to keep from "scaring" people, though why people are so scared of someone carrying a knife is beyond me. Apparently, the mere possession of a sharp and functional tool turns what are normally upstanding citizens into raving lunatics.....
As you can tell I tend to go off topic a bit, I hope you'll bear with me.
The knife I had settled on was a fantastic small survival knife, the Fallkniven F1. Love that knife. It comes with a very bizarre leather sheath with a top-folding flap, similar to a WW2 gun holster, or a zytel sheath with a belt carry loop. The zytel is OK but not what I wanted so I ended up getting a kydex sheath from On/Scene Tactical. Great sheath, makes the knife more functional (more carry options), it's very secure, and has a g-clip style attachment that allows me to pop it on and off without having to take my belt off. However I was still running into a few problems:
1. I had to wear a belt. Yes, I know this is obvious, but I don't always want to wear one (track pants, shorts for example).
2. While the knife was pretty comfortable, pretty comfortable isn't always great for long days sitting my fat a** in a chair at work.
3. Even with that carry method, the knife still tended to drag at the shirt and pop out a little, making it more obvious than I wanted.
What I ended up doing was carrying the knife with me in my bag, having it available, and occasionally attaching it to my belt going to and from work. Which is OK, but not ideal. I usually can manage to carry a folder, even with sweat pants or track pants, but they don't clip to the pocket as securely as I would like.
All of this led me to again consider neck knives, a type of knife that I have never been a fan of. Yes, I am aware of the benefits of them, especially being able to carry a knife no matter what clothing you are wearing, but in my experience they fell under two categories: (1) Large, awkward, and obvious; or (2) Small and useless.
The large knives were too heavy to wear for long periods, they printed under my shirt, they looked ridiculous, and some of them were actually harder to get at than small knives. The small knives usually were just too small with terrible handles, they were of such extremely limited use that I didn't see the point of carrying them. And most of the knives, both large and small, had sheaths that were just enormous (often ridiculously enormous for the little knives) and/or ineffective.
I was randomly looking at different knives for a while, with nothing appealing to me, when I came across the Boker Fred Perrin Neck Bowie (yes, I am finally talking about the knife). I had a Fred Perrin Street Bowie and was impressed with the control that the distinctive and large finger choil provides. With a very short handle, you get a lot of control and there isn't a large guard needed to keep the hand from sliding up. I was searching ebay for Perrin PPT knives (which I did buy) and saw what looked like a miniature version of the street beat, as a neck knife. Wow, that was very exciting! There were only two available and I bought them both immediately, they were around $65 CAD each plus shipping. I've never seen them that cheap anywhere also, not too many places have them for sale. Not sure if they are a new design or something getting phased out.
As soon as I pulled them out of the shipping box I knew I had a winner. The knives were extremely small but completely functional due to the finger choil.
The positives:
- very low profile, thin
- small sheath
- doesn't print on my shirt
- very sharp blade with a nice shape for EDC cutting tasks
- very short knife that is still very functional (very short handle)
- very light, doesn't bother me to carry (only 1.5 oz!)
- the carry cord was tied in a neat way (never seen before), allowing for easy adjustment of knife height
- excellent jimping on the back of the blade
The negatives:
- The sheath retention. It's a foldover kydex which should be ideal but it is very poorly made and the retention is not enough for long-term use. One sheath isn't bad, the other sheath is barely hanging on and the knife is retained by a small lip on the inside of the sheath - not good, I will need something better for extended use.
- The handle is very functional but I don't find it very comfortable. The bulges at the front and the back of the bottom part of the handle tend to dig into my fingers, would be uncomfortable if I was using the knife for an extended period of time.
- As it is a skeletonized metal blade, the knife handle is slippery. The jimping and the finger choil make the knife very secure but to add more grip and to add just a little more cushioning, I wrapped the handle with some camoform tape. Not too much or it would get too bulky.
Obviously this isn't a replacement for my F1, it's more of an EDC blade than a survival blade, but I've got enough blade here to be useful, the security of always having a knife, and the strength of a fixed blade that exceeds that of even a large folder.
I really love this knife. The only other small fixed blade knife I have owned that I found at all useful is the excellent CRKT minimalist. They have three blade shapes, I prefer the bowie though the tanto is OK. I've never tried the other. That is an awesome little knife with an incredibly safe and comfortable handle, smaller than the Perrin, with an excellent sheath. The handle scales unfortunately add enough bulk that the knife tends to print a little so I had been periodically carrying it on my belt, in the front, very handy knife. It's also much cheaper, you can probably find it for around $20. Some of you may find it an even better choice as a neck knife.
I've also finally ordered an ESEE Izula to try. I don't think I am going to replace the Perrin but I'm going to give this one a shot too, it may also be another, lighter, more low-profile belt carry option. I'll update you once I get it.
Knife description from www.boker.de/us:
Update April 09, 2012: A video comparison is available for this knife. I also did a blog post discussing some other options.
As you can tell I tend to go off topic a bit, I hope you'll bear with me.
The knife I had settled on was a fantastic small survival knife, the Fallkniven F1. Love that knife. It comes with a very bizarre leather sheath with a top-folding flap, similar to a WW2 gun holster, or a zytel sheath with a belt carry loop. The zytel is OK but not what I wanted so I ended up getting a kydex sheath from On/Scene Tactical. Great sheath, makes the knife more functional (more carry options), it's very secure, and has a g-clip style attachment that allows me to pop it on and off without having to take my belt off. However I was still running into a few problems:
1. I had to wear a belt. Yes, I know this is obvious, but I don't always want to wear one (track pants, shorts for example).
2. While the knife was pretty comfortable, pretty comfortable isn't always great for long days sitting my fat a** in a chair at work.
3. Even with that carry method, the knife still tended to drag at the shirt and pop out a little, making it more obvious than I wanted.
What I ended up doing was carrying the knife with me in my bag, having it available, and occasionally attaching it to my belt going to and from work. Which is OK, but not ideal. I usually can manage to carry a folder, even with sweat pants or track pants, but they don't clip to the pocket as securely as I would like.
All of this led me to again consider neck knives, a type of knife that I have never been a fan of. Yes, I am aware of the benefits of them, especially being able to carry a knife no matter what clothing you are wearing, but in my experience they fell under two categories: (1) Large, awkward, and obvious; or (2) Small and useless.
The large knives were too heavy to wear for long periods, they printed under my shirt, they looked ridiculous, and some of them were actually harder to get at than small knives. The small knives usually were just too small with terrible handles, they were of such extremely limited use that I didn't see the point of carrying them. And most of the knives, both large and small, had sheaths that were just enormous (often ridiculously enormous for the little knives) and/or ineffective.
I was randomly looking at different knives for a while, with nothing appealing to me, when I came across the Boker Fred Perrin Neck Bowie (yes, I am finally talking about the knife). I had a Fred Perrin Street Bowie and was impressed with the control that the distinctive and large finger choil provides. With a very short handle, you get a lot of control and there isn't a large guard needed to keep the hand from sliding up. I was searching ebay for Perrin PPT knives (which I did buy) and saw what looked like a miniature version of the street beat, as a neck knife. Wow, that was very exciting! There were only two available and I bought them both immediately, they were around $65 CAD each plus shipping. I've never seen them that cheap anywhere also, not too many places have them for sale. Not sure if they are a new design or something getting phased out.
As soon as I pulled them out of the shipping box I knew I had a winner. The knives were extremely small but completely functional due to the finger choil.
The positives:
- very low profile, thin
- small sheath
- doesn't print on my shirt
- very sharp blade with a nice shape for EDC cutting tasks
- very short knife that is still very functional (very short handle)
- very light, doesn't bother me to carry (only 1.5 oz!)
- the carry cord was tied in a neat way (never seen before), allowing for easy adjustment of knife height
- excellent jimping on the back of the blade
The negatives:
- The sheath retention. It's a foldover kydex which should be ideal but it is very poorly made and the retention is not enough for long-term use. One sheath isn't bad, the other sheath is barely hanging on and the knife is retained by a small lip on the inside of the sheath - not good, I will need something better for extended use.
- The handle is very functional but I don't find it very comfortable. The bulges at the front and the back of the bottom part of the handle tend to dig into my fingers, would be uncomfortable if I was using the knife for an extended period of time.
- As it is a skeletonized metal blade, the knife handle is slippery. The jimping and the finger choil make the knife very secure but to add more grip and to add just a little more cushioning, I wrapped the handle with some camoform tape. Not too much or it would get too bulky.
Obviously this isn't a replacement for my F1, it's more of an EDC blade than a survival blade, but I've got enough blade here to be useful, the security of always having a knife, and the strength of a fixed blade that exceeds that of even a large folder.
I really love this knife. The only other small fixed blade knife I have owned that I found at all useful is the excellent CRKT minimalist. They have three blade shapes, I prefer the bowie though the tanto is OK. I've never tried the other. That is an awesome little knife with an incredibly safe and comfortable handle, smaller than the Perrin, with an excellent sheath. The handle scales unfortunately add enough bulk that the knife tends to print a little so I had been periodically carrying it on my belt, in the front, very handy knife. It's also much cheaper, you can probably find it for around $20. Some of you may find it an even better choice as a neck knife.
I've also finally ordered an ESEE Izula to try. I don't think I am going to replace the Perrin but I'm going to give this one a shot too, it may also be another, lighter, more low-profile belt carry option. I'll update you once I get it.
Knife description from www.boker.de/us:
Fixed blade knife by Fred Perrin. This small and handy knife made of 12C27 blade steel offers, despite its extremely compact dimensions, great versatility for an everyday knife. The Neck Bowie was developed as an EDC knife, covering all cutting tasks which might occur in any situation. The Perrin characteristic deep index finger choil provides excellent grip and a very secure feeling. Includes a kydex neck sheath . Blade length: 2 1/2". Overall length: 5 7/8". Weight: 1.5 oz.
Update April 09, 2012: A video comparison is available for this knife. I also did a blog post discussing some other options.
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