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The WESN Allman Everyday Carry Pocket Knife – Noteable crowdfunding campaign

CROWDFUNDED – If you are a fan of knives, EDC, or both, the WESN Allman Everyday Carry Pocket Knife might be of interest to you.  Currently being offered in a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, it’s a mid-sized knife with a slim profile, flipper blade, and locking mechanism that is available with either G10 polymer or Titanium handle.  Let’s have a quick look!

What is it?

“The WESN Allman Everyday Carry Pocket Knife is a compact lightweight knife that fits right in your hand. Functional and sleek, the Allman is weighted and designed to be at your side wherever you go.”

Why do I like it?

Billy Chester ran a very successful Kickstarter campaign for his WESN Titanium Micro Blade knife, a campaign which raised almost $220,000, and this knife is now available for order on an ongoing basis. I mention this because it should provide confidence in his ability to deliver a crowdfunded campaign. In addition, the WESN Allman includes many style and design elements that are similar to the WESN Titanium Micro Blade, but with a 2.75″ blade and 3.75″ handle, the WESN Allman not an overly large folding knife. It has a manual-open, ball-bearing assisted “flipper” for quick one-hand deployment of its SV35 steel blade. It is available with either a G10 glass fiber polymer material handle which includes a liner lock, or titanium handle with frame lock. Also includes a milled pocket clip and a lanyard hole.

Where can I find more info?

The WESN Allman Everyday Carry Pocket Knife campaign ends on March 29, 2019. To date, over 480 backers have already pledged over $60,000 toward the $24,000 funding goal. Pledge packages start at $75 for a G10 handle knife and increase from there based on the options selected. After the end of the campaign period, rewards are expected to start shipping in July 2019. Visit the WESN Allman Knife campaign site for more information or to become a backer.

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The WESN Allman Everyday Carry Pocket Knife – Noteable crowdfunding campaign originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 2, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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The Trayvax Trek Field Knife is an elegant knife for a more civilized age

NEWS – Trayvax, a purveyor of extraordinary wallets, belts, and other accessories, has recently opened a Kickstarter project for their newest creation, the Trek Field Knife. The Trek Field Knife is a unusual beast in that it is CNC milled from a high-quality stainless steel blank rather than being stamped, cut, or forged from raw stock.The Trek is a minimalist design with a skeletonized frame. The knife has a 3.5 inch blade with a 40º leading tip and a swept main edge. The overall length of the Trek is 7.9 inches. The blade’s spine has thumb jimping (I had to look that one up) to help with knife control when needed. The spine is strong enough that the knife may be used as a froe when splitting kindling (also known as batoning).  This stainless steel knife has a bead blasted finish to complement the minimalist design and has a 3/4 flat bevel grind to provide predictable cutting.

Trayvax is offering the Trek in either 440C (standard) or CPM S35VN (premium) stainless steel. For those, like me, who are not metallurgists (I forward those questions to my father, who has a doctorate specializing in ferrous metallurgy), 440C is a high carbon stainless steel with 16-18% chromium added for corrosion resistance. It is an industry-standard alloy that is used wherever precisely hardened steel with good corrosion resistance is needed. 440C steel can be found everywhere from high-end knives to industrial valves. S35VN steel is a premium alloy that was developed by Crucible Industries and knife maker Chris Reeve specifically for knife making. S35VN alloy steel is used almost exclusively in premium knives. Trayvax performs all of their milling in-house to maintain the highest levels of quality control and to minimize waste.

A Kickstarter pledge will get you a knife (or multiples if you choose) in your choice of stainless steels and your choice of a traditional, vertical carry holster (upper) or a combo (horizontal or vertical) carry holster (lower). Pledges for the 440C knives start at $90 for early bird supporters and the S35Vn knives start at $120.

Trayvax has mentioned the possibility of stretch goals to add scales or paracord wrapping to the handle, but have not announced anything official on the campaign page. You are of course free to modify your knife once it is in your possession.

You may find more details about the Trek Field Knife and make a pledge on Kickstarter. Those of you of a nervous disposition or who have an aversion to the intentional destruction of fine tools may wish to skip some of the testing videos.

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The Trayvax Trek Field Knife is an elegant knife for a more civilized age originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 22, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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It’s a nickel, it’s a knife, it’s a covert nickel knife

NEWS – How many times have you daydreamed about a knife hidden inside a nickel? Never? Me neither. But for those of you out there that have this dream, this post is for you. You can now own your very own nickel knife. It looks like a nickel and will probably spend like a nickel (not recommended). But hidden in the edge of the coin is a tiny flip out stainless steel razor blade. Practical? Doubtful. Useful? Again, doubtful. Conversation starter? Yes. If you want to buy one, it will cost way more than a nickel, but if you’re interested it’s priced at $39.99 on Amazon. Check out the video below that shows it in action.

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It’s a nickel, it’s a knife, it’s a covert nickel knife originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 23, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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Tekto Gear TAKT automatic knife review

REVIEW: Earlier this year I reviewed the Amber automatic knife from Tekto Gear. It was my first Out the Front (OTF) knife I had ever held. The Amber’s hardwood and stainless steel construction give it a great old world, Game of Thrones feel to it. Tekto recently sent me their TAKT automatic knife to take a look at for this review. It’s vibe is the polar opposite from the Amber, with a no nonsense, Special Ops air about it.

What is it?

The Tekto Gear TAKT is an Out the Front (OTF) automatic knife, where the internal mechanism ejects the blade out the top/front of the handle and locks it into place then retracts it with the opposite motion.

Design and features

The TAKT is made from an aluminum alloy and high-quality stainless steel giving it modern, tactical look and feel. When the blade is deployed, the total length of the TAKT is approximately nine and a half inches in length.

Like the Amber, the TAKT isn’t a switchblade but a stiletto knife where:

A switchblade swings out from a folded position and needs to be manually reset. A stiletto is spring loaded straight out and can be retracted automatically. Much faster and efficient… The heels ? Supposedly the shoes were named after the knife.

Specifications:

  • Blade Length: 3.93” (100mm)
  • Blade Thickness: 0.11” (3mm)
  • Total Length: 9.44” (240mm)
  • Gross Weight: 0.94lb (385g)
  • Material:  Aluminum Alloy / 440 Stainless Steel

As I mentioned above, the handle is made from an aluminum alloy that is powder/spray-coated giving it a slight rubbery feel to it. The two side plates are held together by six hex-head bolts. The handle’s length is approximately 5.5 inches with a total weight of just under a pound.

The blade switch is located on the upper, front edge of the handle (vs the side like the Amber). The switch triggers the blade to deploy/retract and requires a good amount of force to move. So much force, it is unlikely to accidentally be actuated in your bag or pocket. Since I received the TAKT OTF automatic knife, I have flipped it in and out many, many times. The spring mechanism seems very solid and does not give any indication of issue or failure. Though the system does need to be maintained, Tekto has a page dedicated to walking you through how to clean and lubricate mechanism.

The quality of the TAKT is good but not great. There are several minor imperfections in the machining and finish of the handle, as you can see here and the picture above.

The serrated blade is made from 440 stainless steel. The blade is painted and nicely shaped. It is very sharp (as you would expect) with an extreme point on the end. The two-tone blade is 4 inches long and pretty scary looking. Tekto Gear uses chrome in their steel blades that adds greater rust resistance, strength, and durability. In this case, they paint the blade, then machine it giving a great metal/steel and black color scheme. When deployed, the blade has a zero wiggle or movement.

The TAKT has an integrated window breaker and a rigid, well-made belt clip on the butt end of the handle.

What I like

  • Good material quality
  • Special Ops, tactical styling
  • 440 stainless steel blade
  • Great weight and feel to it
  • Smooth action and easy to use
  • Integrated window breaker and belt clip

What needs to be improved

  • Illegal in many states
  • Build quality could be better

Here is a pretty good YouTube video showing several of the Tekto knives in action.

Legal or not legal

Tekto Gear does a decent job trying to keep buyers on the straight and narrow road. One of their forums is dedicated to helping you determine if it is legal to own an automatic OTF knife based on where you live. This page goes state by state on the legal details of ownership.

The Tekto TAKT has a nice weight, size, and feel to it. Unlike the hardwood and stainless steel of the Amber, the TAKT’s coated aluminum and knurled handle give it a modern feel to it. The handle is very grippable and easy to maneuver in your hand.

Final thoughts

While not perfectly finished, the TAKT works well and gets the job done. I have actuated the automatic OTF mechanism many times and it operates flawlessly but does need to be maintained over time. For me, both the Amber and TAKT are a bit big and heavy for my EDC bag though with its window breaker end would make for a great in-car or Carhartt pocket utilitarian knife. Sadly, the TAKT isn’t legal in Washington State so I won’t be packing it around with me much, if at all.

Price: $164.99
Where to buy: The Takt automatic knife is available directly from Tekto Gear.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Tekto Gear.

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Tekto Gear TAKT automatic knife review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 3, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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Tekto Gear Amber Automatic Knife review

REVIEW – I have reviewed my fair share of great EDC knives here at the Gadgeteer but for the most part they have all been fancy pocketknives. For this review, Tekto Gear has sent me one of their automatic knives with a blade that snaps in and out the front of the handle with a flick of the thumb. While Tekto Gear offers many automatic knives, the Amber is one of two variants recently released made from hardwood and steel creating an excellent old world look and feel.

What is it?

The Tekto Gear Amber is an Out the Front (OTF) automatic knife, where the internal mechanism ejects the blade out the top of the handle and locks it into place and retracts it with the opposite motion. The Amber is made from a reddish hardwood and high-quality steel giving it a classic look and feel compared to other lightweight, high-tech knives (aka carbon fiber or titanium).

Before I write a knife review, I consult several of my friends who are knife aficionados who educate me on the nuances of what I am looking at more often than not. In this case, this is the feedback I received on the Amber…

A switchblade swings out from a folded position and needs to be manually reset. A stiletto is spring loaded straight out and can be retracted automatically. Much faster and efficient… The heels 👠 on the shoes were named after the knife.

…cause I totally thought/assumed that an Out the Front (OTF) automatic knife was a switchblade but apparently not.

Design and features

Craftsmanship and build quality:

As I stated above, the Amber automatic knife is made from two pieces of reddish hardwood that sandwich five plates of stainless steel. The seven layers of the handle are stacked and held together by six hex bolts. The build quality is very good though not as precisely machined as most other knives I have reviewed. But that is just fine with me…the Amber has an old world, Game of Thrones’ vibe to it.

The two-tone blade is 3.8 inches long and very sharp. Tekto Gear uses chrome in their steel blades that adds greater rust resistance, strength, and durability. In this case, they powder coat the blade, then machine it giving a great metal and black color scheme. When deployed, the blade has a slight wiggle in all directions. I believe that is due to how the spring mechanism is engineered. The movement isn’t bad but noticeable when you jiggle the knife.

Specifications:

  • Colors: Black, Red
  • Total Length: 8.9″ (228mm)
  • Blade Length: 3.8″ (97mm)
  • Blade Thickness: 0.06″ (1.6mm)
  • Weight: 0.58lbs  (263g)
  • Material: Chrome Steel

Feel & function:

The Amber knife has an excellent weight and quality feel to it. The contoured handle holds very well in the hand with the wood exterior giving it a smooth, natural feel. At over half a pound, the Amber has a nice heft to it when held but is definitely heavier than your typical EDC knife.

I say this with a bit of hesitation, I recognize the Amber automatic knife is dangerous and could be lethal in the wrong hands. That said, as my first automatic knife, it is surprisingly fun to use. When I was a teenager I received a Safeway bag filled with M-80’s and for a month I blew stuff up…no one was hurt and I still have all my fingers. But it was some serious (destructive) fun nonetheless. Even with more than 3 decades under my belt since then, this automatic knife is just as much fun to flip in and out. Silly as that sounds.

The switch is firm and takes a decent amount of force to fire/retract the blade, making accidental deployment less likely. Since I received the Amber OTF automatic knife, I have flipped it in and out countless times. The spring mechanism seems very solid and does not give any indication of failure. Though the system does need to be maintained, Tekto has a page dedicated to walking you through how to clean and lubricate mechanism.

The Amber automatic knife has an integrated window breaker and a rigid, well-made belt clip on the butt end of the handle.

What I like

  • Excellent build and material quality
  • Made from hardwood and stainless steel
  • Chrome steel blade
  • Great weight and old world feel to it
  • Smooth action and easy to use
  • Integrated window breaker and belt clip

What needs to be improved

  • The blade does not lock perfectly into place, has a slight wiggle in all directions

Legal or not legal:

Tekto Gear does a good/solid job trying to keep buyers on the straight and narrow road. One of their forums is dedicated to helping you determine if it is legal to own an automatic OTF knife based on where you live. This page goes state by state on the legal details of ownership.

Final thoughts

The Tekto Gear Amber automatic knife is very well made with an excellent old world feel. Its OTF and hardwood/steel design would certainly add a bit of uniqueness to your EDC gear. The stainless, chrome steel blade is extremely sharp and nicely machined. It cut through paper, wood, meat, etc. with relative ease. If this sort of knife is legal where you live, it is definitely worth considering.

Price: $165.99
Where to buy: You can buy the Amber automatic knife direct from the Tekto Gear.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Tekto Gear.

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Tekto Gear Amber Automatic Knife review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 29, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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