Gear Patrol

Sure, you’ve used an Opinel blade to eat — but that was a skewer of venison charred over a kindling fire under the stars. Enjoy quality cutlery under different circumstances with Opinel’s Bon Apetit Table Knives ($70). These dishwasher-safe, olive wood-handled knives feature Swedish stainless steel blades and handsome, sleek design, somewhere between a paring and a steak knife

Function and performance should always be a cook’s first concerns when picking a set of chef’s knives, but if you assume that means style has to sit on the back burner, you clearly haven’t looked hard enough. The Edge of Belgravia Ceramic Series Chef’s Knives ($422) are a prime example that would look right at…

Blame Anthony Bourdain and his gallivanting food porn circus. Blame Bravo’s utterly watchable, bro-it’s-not-reality-TV show, Top Chef. Blame the hipsters, the bandwagoners, the trust-funders — and for Guy Fieri’s sake — please, someone, blame Bobby Flay. Because if one thing is certain in today’s chow-crazy culture, it’s that you’ve got a foodie on your holiday…

Once you start toting a knife in your EDC, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Cutting, prying, and oh-so-important meat-slicing — you’ve never had it so good. There are plenty of fantastic utility knives for that kind of work — but they don’t quite cut it when you move out of the concrete…

Ah, the meat cleaver. Bucking the tapered and svelte designs of traditional blades, these husky boys of the knife world were developed for one singular purpose — to serve as the machete of the kitchen. Their fatter, squared-off business ends bring added weight and toughness to the task of dismembering, leveraging sheer momentum to breeze…

While some of us like to keep a folding knife with us in our EDC, a clip sticking out of the pocket to be seen and/or damage a really nice pair of trousers isn’t always apropos. And sometimes, you don’t just want to carry any old folder — you care about high style. The Spyderco…

Bang for your buck, though ignored by many snobs who insist on only buying “top-tier” products (with price tags to match), is not dead, nor even floundering. The Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch Chef’s Knife ($27) is a key kitchen tool that beats out competitors costing three times as much. The knife’s blade is made of X50CrMoV15…

Cut down on your EDC bulk by combining a couple of items into one. No, the smartphone/cigar lighter hasn’t been invented yet. Until it is, you can occupy your time with the SOG Blade Light, a combination 3.9 inch 9Cr18MoV Stainless Steel folding knife and LED flashlight that cuts through the darkness and other evil…

Williams-Sonoma and the famed German knife-maker have collaborated to create an exclusive Wüsthof Precision Knife Collection ($500) that are as versatile as they are affordable. Constructed with clean curves from high-carbon stainless steel and slip-resistant synthetic handles, these choppers fit nicely to the hand and accomodate a variety of grips. The set comes with an…

KA-BAR has been churning out incredible knife after knife since its founding in 1898. The latest film from Common Machine Prod. displays the history of the famous knife company — and done a fine job at that. First founded by two brothers, KA-BAR was originally known as the Tidioute Cutlery Co. in Tidioute, PA. —…

Buck has been making knives since 1902. You’ve been making knives since, uh, never. That shouldn’t stop you from combining your extensive talent with Buck’s 100 years of experience to create a unique blade via their new Buck Custom Knife Builder ($62+). Using the online tool, buyers can choose between two knife models (the 500…

If you’re itching to reenact an episode of Lost, husk coconuts, or just clear brush, the Woodman’s Pal Military Premium 284 machete should come in handy. The made in the USA concave axe blade, forged in high carbon steel (hardened to Rockwell C47+2 for you knife aficionados), “catches” branches and vines, reducing the glancing blows…

You don’t have to have a job in emergency services to appreciate a good rescue knife. The blunt-tip style makes the rescue knife an excellent tool when looking for versatility and safety in a pinch. The Spyderco Assist Black Blade certainly looks pretty intimidating for a non-combat knife. In fact, the anti-reflective black carbon nitride…

The latest addition to Wenger’s line of ergonomically-handled utility blades the RangerGrip 90 is all about the grip. Sporting a rubber grip insert within a high-visibility yellow recyclable handle, the 90 is ideal for sweaty palms in hot or tense conditions or stiff fingers in cold ones. The thickness of the four-layer multi-tool also gives…

For 80 years, Norwegian knife maker Helle has been building ornate, wood-handled knives that look every bit as good on your mantle as they do in your backpack. Interestingly, the company has lived to be an octogenarian without ever building anything but fixed blades. That all changes this spring with the Dokka folding knife. Helle…

We’re not exactly sure how this happened, but alas, Victorinox Swiss Army released a glow-in-the-dark version of their most beloved Swiss Army Knife. While the color choice is one that would make grandpa roll over in his grave, it’s certain to be a hit among subcultures from coast to coast. For those of the hipster…

So-called “cloud services” hope to make transferring digital data via physical devices akin to cave painting in the near future. That hasn’t stopped pocket-tool legend Victorinox from evolving the classic Swiss Army Knife to house the latest SSDs and transfer protocols. Their new solid state drive line features a special single connector that’s compatible with…

Your average man doesn’t give much thought to knives, much less fixed blade knives. But if you’re at all a prepared man and you either get to the great outdoors with some regularity or you just want to be ready for whatever may come, you might want to include one of the Cold Steel Leatherneck…

The TB Groupe Evercut Knife ($235) is arguably the best kitchen knife money can buy. Yes, that’s a pointed statement, but according to CATRA (Cutlery Allied Trades Research Association), the Evercut busted the chops of over 450 other knives in its tests, and slashed all cutting records held by steel and ceramic blades. For those…

Paul Hogan has his reservations about the value of a pocketable knife, but as our everyday carry series hints, we’re more secure in our masculinity. That’s why these super lightweight knives from Baladeo intrigue us. Sold in three different weights of 34, 22, and 15 grams (that’s 0.5 ounces), they won’t field dress a full-sized…

A few beers, a bucket, and one of these RH Forschner by Victorinox Oyster Knifes ($11) can make for a great night given the right company. Each knife features a high carbon steel blade with an ergonomic, and slip resistant supergrip handle — ideal for prying open even the toughest fruit of the sea. Sold…

Surviving at the office typically entails being the first to the coffee pot, but for those who venture outside of cubicle land, making it through the day can be far more serious. We’ll always be firm believers in the utility of survival kits, and have even offered suggestions on what we keep in ours, but…

Traditional knife blocks look great, but unless your a feng shui master, their position in the kitchen is rarely optimized for grabbing cutlery mid recipe. Magnet strips definitely speed up the process, but there’s always that risk a quick grab could lead to Simpson’s hands. That’s where the Wüsthof Rotating Knife Stand ($320) steps in….

The Zilla-Tool Jr. ($24) is a pocket-sized 5.25 inch performer. Featuring a black-on-black non-reflective tactical finish, it can transform into a variety of handy tools such as: spring loaded pliers, wire cutters, a hex screwdriver, wire stripper, or most importantly, a bottle opener. Also what multi-tool would be complete with a basic flip-out 2.25-inch steel…

Plan on blazing trails or just cleaning up the yard anytime soon? Then consider packing the Gerber Gator Machete ($19). Measuring 25.7 inches long and weighing a light 18oz, it’s slightly bigger than that Swiss Army on your key chain. Overall the business parts amount to a 15 inch fine edge blade on one side,…

Fall may officially be here, but that doesn’t mean we’re all trying to squeeze the most out of the last few weeks of warm weather, and there is no better way to do it than with a lime-topped cerveza. Good thing you won’t need to over pack for the barbeque – just toss a Citrusaw…

Question the ability to attain Iron Chef style speed and precision cutting without the loss of digits? Then the Smith’s Edgeware Mandoline Slicer ($180) is a surefire way to get the best of both worlds. It may seem more at home on the hood of your R8 GT than the kitchen counter, but this professional-grade…

By Gear Patrol reader Amos Kwon What would you get if you hybridized Bruce Wayne and Wolfgang Puck? A large, angry Austrian version of Squiggy from Lavergne and Shirley? Perhaps, but you’d also have someone who would use the dark and stealthy Boker Ceramic Kitchen knife to carve his Kobe Beef tenderloin in the shape…

To date, our experience with Cold Steel knives has taught us that they are unequivocally awesome blades. Though our penchant leans more often towards folding knives, there’s no denying that the purpose-built fixed blade can be an irreplaceable implement. That’s why, whether you are a Navy Seal or a backwoods weekend warrior, the Cold Steel…

A pocket without a knife is like a pie sans the filling. It’s just empty and useless. We’ll give you a pass if you are wearing suit pants, but eventually you are going to dress down and fall back into the need to keep a useful implement on your person. That’s why we want to…