Category: Review

Cold Steel Leatherneck SF Field Knife, by Thomas Christianson

Clearly inspired by the Marine “Knife, Fighting Utility” of World War II and beyond, the Cold Steel Leatherneck SF takes a classic concept and improves upon it. The German D2 steel blade of the Leatherneck is a significant upgrade from the 1095 carbon steel of the original, as is the Kray-Ex handle that replaces the stacked leather washers of the original. During my testing I found the Leatherneck SF to be a sharp and durable knife that was especially useful in firewood processing, gardening, and yard care.


CRKT Definitive Cross Bar Lock, by Pat Cascio

I’ve been following the CRKT company almost since their humble beginnings. CRKT was started by two former executives from another knife company. These days one of the founders now owns CRKT. And, we’ve been friends for a lot of years, even though neither one of us will admit we are friends. That is an ongoing joke between us. I’ve never ceased to be amazed how big CRKT has grown over the years from just a few designs to their many new designs every year. As a bit of a disclaimer, CRKT produced one of my designs some years ago, the …


Rock Island Armory 1911, by Pat Cascio

I love my Glocks. However, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the 1911 series of handguns, chambered in .45 ACP. Over the past 50+ years, I’ve owned hundreds of different 1911s from many different gun makers. Used to be, I thought that the only 1911s worth owning were those made by Colt. My thinking on this changed a long, long time ago, when I laid my hands on my first Kimber 1911. They were and still are a real game changer. Today we’re looking at a 1911 manufactured in the Philippines and marketed by Rock …


L.L. Bean Wool Cresta Hiking Socks, by Thomas Christianson

Transportation is a wonderful thing. Whether flying a jet aircraft or bumping along in an oxcart on a dirt trail, it is great when someone or something else is expending the energy to carry us and our stuff where we want to go. There are some times and some places where transportation is just not available. At those times and in those places, we are dependent upon our own two feet. In those types of situations, good boots and good socks may be the difference between getting where we need to go and not getting anywhere at all. Foot problems …


KA-BAR Dozier Folding Hunter KA4062-BRK, by Thomas Christianson

Every once in a while I run across a product that looks like an exceptionally good value. The KA4062-BRK fell into this category. It is manufactured by an iconic American company of good materials at an excellent price. I decided to purchase a sample to review. Overview Like many American firms, KA-BAR offers some foreign-made items in their product line. The Taiwanese-made Dozier Folding Hunter model KA4062-BRK is one of them. The knife has a razor-sharp, 3-inch blade made of AUS 8A stainless steel, that folds into an easily-gripped Zytex handle. With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $34.16 and widely …


MTM Case-Gard ACDC30 Divided Ammo Crate, by Thomas Christianson

The new MTM Case-Gard ACDC30 Divided Ammo Crate is a sturdy, stackable, moisture-resistant solution for ammo storage and similar tasks. It provides as much ammo storage space as four standard .30 caliber ammo cans. With a price at the time of this writing of $27.98 from www.mtmcase-gard.com, it was significantly less expensive than the $44.76 that four of MTM’s .30 caliber cans would cost (they currently run $11.19 each.) Fully loaded, the ACDC30 would be a bit heavy for field use, but it provides an excellent solution for home ammo storage. I highly recommend it for that purpose. The Backstory …


Showers Pass Crosspoint Waterproof Knit Gloves, by Thomas Christianson

Late last fall, I tested a pair of Showers Pass Crosspoint Wool-Blend Waterproof Knit Gloves. As the cool of autumn darkened into the cold of winter, I had the opportunity to test the gloves under a variety of weather conditions. I found the gloves to be ideal for cool, wet weather wear since they were able to keep my hands warm and dry even in chilly, driving rainstorms. They are now my go-to gloves for wet weather wear. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $50. At the time of this writing, they were on sale for $36.40 from www.showerspass.com. That …


Browning X-Bolt Speed in 6.5 Creedmoor, by Thomas Christianson

Back in February, I tested Browning’s X-Bolt Speed bolt-action rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. I found it to be light and well-balanced with outstanding fit and finish, moderate recoil, a great trigger, and excellent accuracy. The X-Bolt Speed is not the most inexpensive bolt action rifle on the market, with a manufacturer suggested retail price of $1,379.99 . Due to the high quality of its materials and workmanship, this price represents a good value for the money. Background As I have aged, I have become gradually more sensitive to recoil. This recoil aversion has motivated me to test some potential …


Purely Alpaca Outdoor Adventure Socks, by Thomas Christianson

Purely Alpaca Outdoor Adventure Socks are made with a warm, comfortable, moisture-wicking, odor-resistent blend of alpaca, microfiber, nylon, and lycra. They are machine washable and tumble dryable. They are priced at $25.95 a pair at the time of this writing from purelyalpaca.com. You may want to think about trying a pair. The Backstory My buddy from high school and I have been through a lot together. I was with him when he broke his arm. He was with me when I ricocheted an arrow off a snowman and into the side of my parent’s above-ground swimming pool. I was the …


Burris Signature HD 2-10x40mm Rifle Scope, by Thomas Christianson

In January, I tested Burris’ Signature HD 2-10x40mm rifle scope. It offers a versatile optic with a decent sight picture in an attractive package. The Ballistic Plex E3 reticle that I tested provides hashmarks on the vertical crosshair calibrated to the ballistic performance of common hunting cartridges, and dots on the horizontal crosshair to compensate for crosswinds in 10 mph increments. Scopes in the Signature HD series are also available with Plex, Fine Plex, and 6.5 Creedmoor reticles. I had some initial problems in my testing due to an error on my part (I did not tighten the rings sufficiently), …


LogOX A2 GenOX Bushcraft Knife, by Thomas Christianson

The LogOX A2 GenOX Bushcraft Knife is a razor sharp, 4.25 inch, full-tang, fixed-blade, Scandi-grind knife made of A2 steel with a Micarta handle. At the time of this writing, it cost $287 at www.thelogox.com. The price includes the knife, a finely crafted leather sheath, and a matching ferrocerium rod. This compares favorably with other high-quality, hand-crafted, American-made knives. The knife and accessories provide a beautiful, well-crafted, highly-durable tool set for wood harvesting, hunting, camping, survival and other field use. The Backstory I like LogOX products for wood harvesting. My favorite LogOX product is their Hauler. A pair of Haulers, …


Trailblazer Firearms LifeCard in .22LR, by Thomas Christianson

The Trailblazer Firearms LifeCard is the ultimate in the “concealed” aspect of concealed carry. It folds into a tiny 3.38 x 2.06 x 0.5-inch package that looks something like a small cell phone, pager, or other electronic device. It unfolds into a diminutive derringer-style, single-shot handgun. It is a lot of fun to play with, and that is what I recommend it for: as a range toy and novelty. It has significant limitations as a tool for self-defense. But even the most limited tool that someone will actually carry with regularity is more helpful than a better tool that is …


Ruger Precision Rimfire in .22 WMR, by Thomas Christianson

Last Spring, our church had a range day in conjunction with our Mission Conference. We knew our missionary speaker liked to hunt and shoot. We created an opportunity for people in our church family who also like to hunt and shoot to hang out with the missionary in an informal setting. There they could enjoy some shooting together prior to a short message from God’s word. My friend “Welly” brought his Ruger Precision Rimfire in .22 WMR to the range day. I was really impressed by some of his shooting. It seemed like Welly just could not miss. A few …


Spyderco Byrd Harrier 2 Lightweight Folding Knife, by Thomas Christianson

I recently purchased a Spyderco Byrd Harrier 2 Lightweight Folding Knife. It has a 3.36-inch full flat grind blade with a plain edge in 8Cr13MoV steel, a fiberglass reinforced nylon handle, a back-lock locking mechanism, a reversible pocket clip, a lanyard hole, and the distinctive Spyderco opening hole (as modified for Byrd) to allow ambidextrous, one-handed opening. I bought this knife because I had somehow received the impression that it is made in Taiwan. That is, unfortunately, not the case. All Spyderco Byrd knives are made in mainland China. I usually don’t review products made in mainland China, but since …


Hand Sanitizer-Fueled Stove, by Thomas Christianson

My wife, “Kari” and I have some good friends with whom we have a Bible study each week. These friends, “Cool Hand Luke” and “Betsy Ross”, have become concerned about the direction our society is taking, and the potential disasters and disruptions that might result. They have begun stockpiling food and other supplies in order to help them better weather these potential disasters and disruptions. During a recent Bible study, Betsy mentioned that although they had begun stockpiling food, they did not yet have a good way to cook that food in a grid-down situation. That comment served as a …