By Chad Love

I've previously mentioned my eldest son's interest in television survival personalities so when Gerber announced the introduction of its Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife (David Maccar's excellent review is here) I figured it would be a slam-dunk of a birthday present.

It was. My son has been gleefully chopping, cutting, batoning, beating, slicing, hammering, spearing, whittling and carving with the thing for the past two months. And while I prefer a more traditional bushcraft blade, he loves it. When he goes outside it's almost always on his belt or in his pack. And yes, I let my 10-year-old son son run around the woods with a sheath knife.

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By David E. Petzal

by David E. Petzal

It occurred to me that I’ve given short shrift to some of the best hunting/outdoor knives in the world—those from Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Lappland. In terms of quality, usefulness, and good looks, they have very little competition. There are several sources in the United States, but the two that I use and recommend are Ragweed Forge way the hell off in western New York State, and Kellam Knives Company in Lantana, Florida. Both carry Scandinavian knives, but what they offer is quite different, and the two lines don’t cross over.

Ragweed Forge deals in no fewer than 11 lines of handmade knives, most very inexpensive (you have to look hard to find one over $100). If I may suggest, look hardest at the Norwegian Helle knives and the Swedish Moras. The original wood-handled Mora is a world-class working knife that costs around $35, and there are newer models that sell for less. [ Read Full Post ]

By David Maccar

An Alabama man was walking his dog near his home and was attacked by a panther. He got some claws to the leg, but he and his dog walked away after some under-pressure knifework.

Check out the story and video below from WHNT.com: We are working on getting more details on this story as soon as we can.

A Marshall County man is recovering after being attacked by a panther. Frank Harmes says the attack happened Wednesday behind his home.  

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By David E. Petzal

A while back I attended a class given by Peter Kummerfeldt, the former chief instructor of the survival courses given at the Air Force Academy. It was one of the most fascinating hours I’ve ever spent, and one of the things Mr. Kummerfeldt talked about was not losing stuff, because at the least it can inconvenience you, and at the worst it can kill you.

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By David Maccar

by David Maccar

Last month I gave you my take on Gerber’s Ultimate Knife, one of several new products resulting from a collaboration between the knife company and TV host and adventurer Bear Grylls, based on specs and photos.

The folks at Gerber were kind enough to send us an early sample of what they’re calling the pinnacle of the company's Bear Grylls Survival Series (the full line officially goes on sale in February, with the Ultimate Knife slotted for an early release on Nov. 15) along with another item in the series, the wicked-looking Parang machete.

So, what else was I to do but take them into Wharton State Forest in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens and beat the living crap out of them?

Here are the photos and my review of the Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Knife and Parang and all the bells and whistles (literally on that last one) that come with them. [ Read Full Post ]

By Chad Love

The term "there's an app for that" may be a cliché, but it's a true one. There is seemingly an iPhone application for every conceivable situation. Confronted by a monster snake while stuck in the middle of the Florida Everglades? Yes, there is an app for that. It may not save you from being swallowed, but at least (if you're fast enough with your thumbs) allow you to know exactly what species of giant snake is consuming you.

From this story in the Palm Beach Post:

Having trouble telling the difference between a Burmese python and a Ball python? There's an app for that. The recently released IveGot1 app is a field identification guide to help identify some of the biggest, nastiest reptiles slithering around South Florida. "I wouldn't have believed years ago, when I started doing this, that the public would be engaged like this," said Dan Thayer, director of Vegetation and Land Management and invasive species expert at the South Florida Water Management District. "This is an incredibly valuable tool."

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