- You are here:
- Home
- Knife Reviews
- Demko
I'm big on things that have to do with tradition, history, and carrying on a legacy. When I found out that Steamboat Sharpeners still existed, I was elated. Since seeing them pulled from local hardware stores I had figured the company had become history. After getting in touch with the folks over at Steamboat they are very much in business.
In early 2021, a family passionate about their Steamboat Quad sharpener reached out to the company in early 2021 to purchase another sharpening unit. They learned that the Steamboat Super Sharpener was for sale and saw a need for these sharpeners to remain in production. They're superior to the competition, wholly made in the United States, and affordably priced. In June 2021 they created JGRG, LLC. for the purpose of producing and marketing Steamboat Super Sharpeners.
We love our gadgets, from pocketknives to fidget toys, they get the job done, and entertain all at the same time. Those cleaver folks at Pichi Design found a way to give us both a high-quality knife that's also fidget friendly. Till recently I've only used my job specific box cutter at work, I honestly didn't consider anything else. Over the last 6 months I've come across some very high-quality creations, and I had never considered adding a utility blade to my everyday carry.
There are quite a few options out there for camping, and outdoor eating utensils. I don't spend any time outside like I used to. I used to be into camping, mountain biking, hiking, etc. Since moving to the south of the United States I don't have much of a desire to do those things anymore, maybe it's the humidity. I did however get to play with a very cool combo tool made for such a outing called the CMB Made Knives Titanium 2 in 1 Folding Fork and Spoon Combo. Now I won't be taking this on any walks in the woods but thought this might be a great take along for my meals at work. I usually take leftovers because they save us money and most place, I go have a microwave handy. I've been taking the spoon-fork combo along with me, and this is my thoughts. Due to the super long name this product has I think I'll refer to it by its model number which is CMB-E01.
I've carried a pocketknife on my person for over 20 years. My knife gets used for everything from opening mail, food prep, and the random thing that needs doing. I've used my knife even at work where I open boxes and break them down. I sometimes use my dedicated box cutter which is a Pacific Handy Cutter S4 model. It does things I can't do with my knife because it's specifically designed for a task. Lately I've come across many companies that produce everyday carry box cutters and thought I would touch on a few. Why do we have EDC box cutters? Because there seems to be people who want a quick access disposable blade that can be used to do dirty work. Work that they wouldn't use their pocketknife for, then again there's the no sharpening aspect as well. Needless to say, there's a market for these items and companies are delivering. Today we're checking out the Exceed Designs TiRantV3, a very high end take on a design that's used by everyone.
There are a lot of great things that come out of Canada: ice hockey, maple syrup, and poutine for example. Evidently Canada has lots of small companies who are looking to make a change in the world. One such company that's grabbed my attention is Pichi Designs. They've been established for 10 years now, previously focusing on designing and manufacturing for the military and some commercial companies. They make several incredible products which I'm going to be covering, the first being the Kootenay.
There's a ton of knife companies out there, so much so that the average buyer can get information overload. I'm always looking bring different brands to light to help people out, help make those decisions. A company I've yet to touch on before is CMB Made Knives. CMB Made has been around since 2010 and started as a third-party manufacturer and launching their own brand in 2020. The company is known for high quality knives at affordable pricing.
With such a variety of items we carry on a daily basis, we still ask ourselves if we're missing anything. We try and meet every situation with the preparedness that we're known for. People come to us because they know we've got a tool or gadget tucked away that will come to the rescue. I'm not one of those that carries a bag or something larger that a pocket organizer, but I've entertained the idea. The part of me that wanted to carry everything I own, versus the part that's rational and I can only carry what I really need. So, what I do is I pair down to the essentials and hope it's enough. One such item I keep for situations is the Civivi Tac-N-tweeze. Strange name, is it for ninjas or fending off a would-be adversary? None of the above, but it is effective as it's intended job.
With each new year we watch SHOT and Blade Show with anticipation of what companies have in store for us. Anticipation builds from announcement to launch, absorbing YouTube reviews and other media till it shows up in your mailbox or at your local dealer. One knife that has created such a response is the Kansept Loki. The Loki design is by Steven Dunnuck who's a mechanic by trade, and loves making things that are fast, sharp, or deadly. The Loki was originally designed as a custom fixed blade, the Loki has since evolved to an EDC knife. Let's take a look at this new knife and see how it edges up.
The guys at Vosteed never cease to amaze me. They are a company that's constantly breaking the mold and pushing the envelope. Co-founder and in-house designer Yue Dong is the wizard behind a lot of what the company produces. Having worked at Kizer as a product development director, he knows what it takes to bring something from concept to completion. A very large project that he's been working on has just been released on Kickstarter. Dubbed the Ankylo after the Ankylosaurus dinosaur that lived about 68 million years ago, this knife is the embodiment of of its namesake.
Benchmade has several knives that are iconic, like the Griptilian, and the 940. Back in 2017 Benchmade released a new knife that would soon become iconic, the Bugout. The Bugout was what people were looking for: utilitarian, ergonomic, lightweight, axis lock, and was made with quality materials. Since then the Bugout has become one of the best selling knives in history. The Bugout comes in two sizes and a ton of colors. Plus there's a large amount of aftermarket mods you can do to truly make it your own.
Carved is a creative company that designs products that evoke a sense of warmth and nostalgia. The company started in 2011 when John and Grant began their quest to create the perfect wood phone case. Over a decade later, they've expanded their product line to include a variety of wood and resin creations, including pocket knives!
Carved's pocket knives feature the same wood and resin art found in their other popular products. These knives are perfectly sized for everyday carry and boast premium features such as a titanium framelock and a damascus steel blade. Each knife is unique, much like a work of art. The different woods and vibrant resin colors result in knives that are both eye-catching and warm.
QSP has made a few fixed blades over the years, with the Canary being a recent popular addition. The company turned this fixed blade into a folder with slightly different dimensions, nine color combinations, and a price tag under $50. This knife is sure to fit your style and wallet.
ViperSharp is one of those companies that's born out of trying to solve a problem. It's a story of ingenuity, determination, and building a better mousetrap.... or sharpener. Owner Mike Wood purchased a sharpener based off of a recommendation. The sharpener did a good job but he noticed some design limitations that caused frustration during sharpening. At first, he sought out to fix those problems on his sharpener, not realizing other systems existed or that some of those limitations were solved. As he went down the rabbit hole, he noted more issues that needed solving, why fix a broken system when you really need to do is go back to the drawing board.
Mike spent over a year working on designs and prototyping, learning more about machining than he expected. His end product is a system that fixes those shortcomings he noticed on that sharpener as well as others in the industry. His goal was to create a tool that offered the precision he wanted and was built to last a lifetime. The end result is a system that's American made and will deliver a perfect angle every time. Today we're checking out the ViperSharp diamond sharpening system, will it make the cut?
Roxon Flex multitool pre-order is now live. The tool/pliers are $40 with individual tools running $4-8. Someone could get the tool and the implements you want for around $100. Pre-orders are currently for US residents only.
https://roxontool.com/products/flex
What kind of people would write collect and review multitools? Quite simple really- we are designers and do-ers, outdoors types and indoor types, mechanics, doctors, problem solvers and problem makers. As such, we have, as a world spanning community, put every type, size and version of multitool, multifunction knife, pocket knife and all related products to every test we could manage in as many places and environments as there are.