SEAF

For the past couple of years, I have rotated between three knives for EDC. The Emerson Knives Roadhouse Mini, the Emerson Knives CQC7 Mini, and the Black Scout Survival TUSK Karambit. The knife laws in NYC prohibit folding knives that lock, and they prohibit any knife longer than four inches. I have carried the Emerson folding knives fully aware of the repercussions. However, for the sake of simplicity I have decided to move away from folding knives to fixed blades. If a knife is needed for defense, I do not want to waste precious moments opening one. Even for trained individuals, the need to draw and open a knife presents a risk for failure. A fixed blade lends it self to gross motor skills and can be deployed without additional measures. I will continue to use my Emerson knives in some capacity, but I no longer want to be dependent on a folding knife for defensive action. To fill this role along with the TUSK Karambit, I have acquired the SEAF from Forward Observations Group. It is designed by medically retired Navy Seal, Wolf Forty.

The SEAF is a fixed blade, 8 inches in overall length, with 4 inches of blade length. The knife is made from CPM 154 steel, not to be confused with 154CM. The difference is in the CPM production process. CPM 154 provides greater edge retention and higher corrosion resistance than 154CM. It has a Rockwell hardness of 60, and the knife weighs in at 3.8oz without the sheath. Outstanding specs aside, of fundamental importance is the design. With the knife in hand, the ergonomics blows me away. Dagger up or dagger down, my grip on the knife feels equally secure.

The dual grip capabilities of the SEAF remind me of two other popular knives on the market. The Dynamis Blade by Dynamis Alliance and the Darter designed by Haley Strategic and produced by Toor Knives. While those are great knives in their own respect, I find the SEAF to be the superior option. The Dynamis and Darter seem more regulated to fighting and defensive action. While still maintaining its qualities as a fighting knife, the spear point architecture of the SEAF provides more of a belly to allow for easier cutting and slicing than the other knives.

Wolf Forty has also designed a second knife, called the SEAF Jr., which maintains the qualities of the full sized SEAF, just smaller in stature. The knife has a 3.5 inch blade and is designed for everyday carry. The SEAF Jr. was actually first released last year, and produced by Half Face Blades. Another release of the SEAF Jr. will be happening in the next week or so. I think it would be awesome if different knife makers work with Wolf Forty to produce their own iteration of the SEAF. Time will tell. I am very happy with mine. Based on your own needs, I highly recommend picking up either the full size SEAF or the Jr. Be sure to follow Wolf Forty on Instagram and keep an eye on Forward Observations Group for future releases.

Survive Knives GSO 7/7: Initial Impression

Guy Seiferd is the owner and product designer at Survive! Knives. Upon starting the company, he quickly became known for his quality control. He ran a very lean operation to ensure each knife met his exact standard. That high standard, mixed with an intense demand and some unfortunate setbacks, led to extensive wait times to receive an order. They took on more orders than they could handle, and couldn’t provide accurate timelines for delivery. As you can imagine, this upset many of their customers. I knew of the demand when I placed the order and had already heard of the lengthy wait times. The GSO 5.1 and the GSO 7/7 appealed to me the most. I had been mulling the purchase for months. Living in New York City, a knife of that size would have been completely impractical, and beyond my needs. But, let’s be honest here, how many of us solely purchase gear out of a “need” for said gear? I loved the materials, and the simplicity of Guy’s designs. This was an unnecessary and frivolous purchase, and I don’t regret it. As ordering for the GSO 5.1 had closed by the time I made a decision, I placed an order for the GSO 7/7. I comfortably resigned to receive it whenever I received it.

Four years and three months later, with a GSO 7/7 in hand, I’m happy. It is large knife, made of CPM-3V steel. It has an overall blade length of 7.25 inches, with a cutting edge length of 6.50 inches. There are a few customization options available when ordering. I selected black oxide fasteners, black & red g10 scales, and a black kydex sheath. According to Survive!, this release has been completely redesigned. They made the blade and handle longer, and improved the overall ergonomics of the knife. It shows. The knife is incredibly well balanced. Knives of this size are often blade heavy and unwieldy for small tasks. That isn’t the case here, the GSO 7/7 has a fairly neutral balance, located right at the finger guard. The g10 scales and palm swell provide a solid grip. The finger choil allows for even greater control, while the handle provides enough length to lower your grip and use the knife for chopping. The damn thing is just a joy to hold.

Now much has changed in my life over the last four years. In a few months I will no longer be living in the city. I’m looking forward to taking this brute out and putting it to work. For those of you interested in Survive!, they released the following videos just a few days ago, discussing some of the setbacks they’ve had to work through over the past couple of years. I certainly appreciate the transparency, and I admire Guy’s uncompromising standards. In the last four years they have moved their shop and invested in equipment that should considerably accelerate production and therefore delivery. I can attest that they do in fact deliver, and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

The Hissatsu - Designed by James Williams

The Hissastu folder is a knife that I have owned for almost 10 years. It is a knife designed by James Williams and produced by Columbia River Knife & Tool, Inc., better known as CRKT. The knife designs of James Williams have continued to impress me throughout the years. His wealth of experience in the martial arts and his particular expertise in the samurai martial tradition is immediately evident when you pick up one of his knives. As a longtime instructor of military and law enforcement professionals, he received many requests for a concealable and yet dependable defensive tool. The Hissatsu Folder was his answer to these requests. Since then he has designed and released a number of different knives that offer the same defensive power.

I currently own both the Hissatsu and the smaller Heiho. In regard to the Hissastu, I have an original model that has been used and abused. The blade is 3.875 inches long and the the black teflon coating has been removed. Advertised at the same length, the newer model has a slightly shorter blade, with the black coating very well intact. I carry this knife strictly for defensive purposes, and do not use it otherwise. The knives have stainless steel liners (one locking), and black Zytel scales, which are textured to provide grip. Although I love the Hissatsu, I do wish better materials were used for the scales. Nevertheless, they get the job done and I’ve never had any slips. The Hissatsu also comes with a patented OutBurst assisted opening mechanism. I purchased the original model without this feature, the newer model arrived with it included. And, it works. The Hissatsu deploys with authority. Surprisingly, this mechanism can be disabled and removed via a single screw. Now, by far, the best feature of this knife is the patented Auto-LAWKS safety mechanism. This is a secondary lock that engages automatically when the blade is deployed. It prevents the liner lock from disengaging, essentially turning the Hissatsu into a fixed blade. I have put this knife through its paces, and I have never experienced a failure.

The Heiho is the younger sibling. Similarly designed, it also has the OutBurst and Auto-LAWKS mechanisms. The blade is much shorter at 3.125 inches, and arrives very sharp. The Heiho has G10 scales. However, I have heard complaints that the scales are too smooth and can result in slippage. This knife was gifted to me recently, so I haven’t used it nearly enough to have an opinion. But, I do find the scales unusually smooth. I feel this can be easily remedied with some grip tape. Properly placed, it may make the knife even more aesthetically pleasing. Unlike the Hissatsu, the Heiho comes with a deep pocket carry clip. Given its size and the more desirable clip, this knife is much easier to conceal than the Hissatsu.

I have used and carried the Hissatsu for many years and I recommend anyone looking for a defensive blade to consider the it. There are many knives out there of dubious value. The Hissatsu can be found online for under $60.00. This is a no-brainer. I guarantee this knife will equal or out perform other well known options, some coming with $300+ price tags. James Williams has managed to use centuries old Japanese blade design and enhance it with modern and simple features without compromising durability. In fact, with the Auto-LAWKS mechanism, he has actually improved the dependability of the folding knife. If you’re interested, I would also take a look at his more recent work, the Shizuka Noh Ken, the Otanashi Noh Ken, and Goken. Williams has also started a new venture called, Williams Blade Design, in which he partners with different makers to produce knives with higher grade materials. Honestly, I can’t wait to get my hands on the Osoraku Zukuri Folder.

“Many of the great achievements in the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working.”
— Oscar Wilde