SHOT Show 2015 REPORT! (Edged Tools Part 1)

It was a wild and crazy SHOT Show this year. I don't know what the official attendance numbers were, but SHOT Show seemed busier than ever. The shuttle buses from the hotel usually only have to make one trip per time slot to ferry attendees to the show. This year, there were so many people waiting outside, it often took two buses to complete the task!

Product-wise, the show did not disappoint. Outdoor companies continue to innovate new gear, edged tools and survival guns to keep up with demand from the rapidly expanding bushcraft, wilderness survival and preparedness consumer markets.

So without further ado, Rocky Mountain Bushcraft presents the latest and greatest from SHOT Show 2015......

EDGED TOOLS

BENCHMADE KNIVES

Benchmade's latest foray into the large survival knife market is their new 153BK Jungle Bolo and 154BK Jungle Clip-point knives. Sporting 9.7" long blades made of 1095 High Carbon Spring Steel and grippy Santoprene handles, these knives look ready for serious action.

 

The biggest caveat is, will the 1095 Carbon Steel on these new Bolo knives hold up to serious use?

As we outlined in our 2013 review of the Benchmade Bushcrafter Knife, Benchmade swallowed a bitter pill back in 2008. The edge failed on their 1095-based CSK II as popular YouTube knife reviewer "NutNFancy" was limbing a green sapling in one of his videos.

Word spread like wildfire that the knife's edge was brittle and chip-prone, and sales plummeted, ultimately leading to the CSK II's demise. Ever since, Benchmade has taken great pains to prove that all of their new survival knives are as tough as nails, even posting torture test videos of the Bushcrafter Knife when it came out. 

Benchmade is apparently very confident in the toughness of this steel, so much so that they asked us to take the knives into the Rocky Mountains and thrash on them to see if they hold up. How could we resist an offer like that?! Once we put the knives through their paces, we'll post the test results, which will be linked here.

Having a chat with Derrick Lau at the Benchmade Knives display

The MSRP on Benchmade's new Bolo Knives is listed at $125.00 per knife. Made in Oregon City, Oregon USA. For more information visit www.benchmade.com/products/153

BUCK KNIVES

Buck's new Selkirk Survival Knife, named after the rugged Selkirk Mountain Range in the Northern Panhandle of Idaho, is strongly reminiscent of Buck's Vanguard knife, which Bear Grylls used in his early "Man vs Wild" shows.

The Selkirk has a 4.6" Blade and is constructed of 420HC Stainless. The handle is made from Micarta and is secured with steel bolsters. Buck says the rear bolster can be used as a hammer. 

The Selkirk's sheath is constructed from injected molded nylon and comes with a firesteel that doubles as a survival whistle.

Buck says the Selkirk is made in China to keep the price more affordable.

By marketing a knife with these kinds of features, it's obvious that Buck is taking the bushcraft and survival market seriously, which I think is great. MSRP is $85.00

Buck 119 "Brahma" Knife

Is this one sexy Buck fixed blade or what? Buck's new 119 "Brahma" Knife is based on their popular 119 model, upgraded with a beautiful stacked Leather/Micarta handle, black powdercoat finish, M.O.L.L.E compatible sheath, and a heavy duty front guard and rear pommel. Made in the USA. MSRP $115.00

CONDOR TOOL & KNIFE 

Matt Graham's new Primitive Bush Knife

Dual Survivor star Matt Graham has teamed up with Condor Tool and Knife to produce a new knife called the "Primitive Bush Knife." The knife is spec'd according to Matt's years of experience living primitively in the wilds of Utah. The knife features a 3mm thick, Smatchet-style blade made of 420HC Stainless, a hardwood handle, and a hand crafted welted leather sheath. No word yet on an MSRP or a release date, but as soon as we get this info, we'll post it here.

RMB Editor Leah Klocko with Condor's head designer Joe Flowers 

EKA OF SWEDEN 

Nordic W12 Survival Knife

Although EKA is a newcomer to America, they have been making knives in Sweden since 1882. Their new entry in the US survival knife market is the Nordic W12, a full-tang Scandi-grind survival knife available with either a synthetic G10 or Bubinga wood handle. The blade is made from Swedish 12C27 Sandvik Stainless. The sheath is made from Kydex and comes with an attached firesteel. The firesteel has a mini carbide sharpener built in to the cap. First impressions of this knife are very good. 

 

The MSRP for the EKA Nordic W12 is listed at $159.00. For more info visit EKA's US Distributor ProForce Equipment at www.proforceequipment.com/product-details.php?id=467&catid=62

Swedish EKA Viking Combi Saw

EKA's Viking Combi Saw covers all your sawing needs with one tool. The Combi Saw has a metal hacksaw blade, wood saw and bone saw that are all integrated in the saw handle, plus it easily folds down into a space saving size. This could be a great tool for your emergency preparedness kit. Made in Sweden.

The MSRP for the EKA Viking Combi Saw is listed at $79.00. For more info visit EKA's US Distributor ProForce Equipment at www.proforceequipment.com/product-details.php?id=292&catid=64

Stay tuned for PART 2 (second half of the Edged Tools Report) and PART 3 (New Gear and Wilderness Survival Gun related products)! Cheers, Jason