I haven't read too many novels this month. I've been kind of busy, but mostly I haven't felt like reading all that much. I've got about a month before I go back to school, so I'm trying to have tons of fun and get a lot done before I go back. I read 15 books, so that puts my total for the year at 72. Two of those books are real books, while all the rest are graphic novels. I've really gotten into graphic novels this summer, so I've started a couple of series of them.
One book I finished this month is Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry. It was a super long book full of lots of information on the Manson murders and the trials that ensued. I'm fascinated by true crime stuff, so I absolutely loved reading this. It took me forever to get through, but I'm really glad I read it. I had heard of Charles Manson before, yet I never knew how much he was involved in. It's written by the prosecutor in the trials of Manson/the Manson family and puts forth all the evidence and arguments that were made during the trials. If you're interested in true crime, I definitely think it's worth a read.
The other actual book I read was The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. I liked it for the most part. Some of the chapters didn't really click with me, but I did like the story overall. It was full of adventures and shenanigans and threw a little Tom Sawyer in there too. It wasn't the best book in the world, but it was pretty decent. If you're interested in classics, then I say give it a read.
Like I said in the beginning, I read a ton of graphic novels this month. I finished the Locke & Key series, and I really dug that. I'm also two volumes into the Ms. Marvel series. I started and really enjoyed The Woods Volume 1 and Paper Girls Volume 1. There's a few other graphic novels I finished, but they weren't necessarily ones I really loved. I definitely recommend you check out all the graphic novels I just mentioned. They are all great stories with sick art! That's it for the month of July! Thanks for looking!
Monday, July 31, 2017
Monday, July 24, 2017
What EDC Gear I'm Bringing To College #2
I start my second year of college in a little more than a month, so I've started figuring out what EDC gear I'll be bringing. My situation is a lot better this year, as I'm living in an apartment off-campus in my own room. I don't have to deal with sharing my room directly with a roommate, so I feel a lot better about bringing more of my gear. I'm pretty much bringing my entire collection with me, because why not. Here's a general overview of all the stuff I'm bringing. It's definitely overkill, but I'd rather have all my gear with me so I can keeping doing videos.
These are the two ways I'll be storing my gear. The Pelican 1120 case is how I've been storing the majority of my gear. I took out the foam insert and just throw all my gear loose in the case. I've also got my EDC pouch, which holds the few things I need every day.
These are the odds and ends that I'm bringing. The Zippo is cool, so I figured I'd bring it with me. I don't think I'll get a lot of use out of it, but it'll be fun to play with. I've also got a Res-q-me, which I really need to put in my car. I'm bringing along a pair of scissors, my screwdriver to fix my knives, and the Spyderco Sharpmaker rods for sharpening.
Pen wise, these are the pens I've had in the 1120 for a while now. From left to right, I'm bringing the Parker Jotter, two Zebra 301s, Fisher Cap-o-matic, Pilot Metropolitan, and Fisher Bullet space pen.
Here are all the flashlights I'm bringing. I've got the headlamp I bought from Amazon, Spotlight Speck, FourSevens Preon P1, Olight i3E, Thrunite T01, and Nitecore Tube. It'll be nice to have access to a solid rotation of flashlights again. If I'm being honest though, I'll probably just carry the Preon P1 all the time. Dang it. I also forgot to include my FourSevens Preon P2 in this. It's in my school bag right now, but I'll have that as well.
And last but not least, the most exciting part, the knives. This is pretty much my whole knife collection at the moment. The two fixed blades I'm bringing are the Esee Izula and Mora Eldris. I'm hoping to do a lot more hiking/camping, so I should get a lot of use out of these. Multitool wise, I'm bringing the Wenger S11 (don't know if this is the exact name or not), Victorinox Alox Bantam, Leatherman Squirt P4, Victorinox Classic, and the Gerber Shard. Onto the knives, I'll have the Boker Subcom, Spyderco Cricket, Spyderco Ladybug, Kershaw Cinder, CRKT Jettison, Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite, and Kershaw Launch 4.
That's everything. This is how everything looks when it's stored in the case. Some of this could change between now and the end of August. If anything, I might buy a few things, but there shouldn't be any drastic changes. I still will be uploading videos and posts while I'm in school, so stay tuned for that. Thanks for looking!
Friday, July 21, 2017
My Skateboards
I think I mentioned last summer that I'd do a post or video on all my skateboards. I obviously never got around to doing it then, but it's better late than never. I've been into skateboarding for a few years now. I probably got my first one when I was in middle school. I don't do much regular skateboarding with tricks and all that. I mostly do longboarding or cruising. Without further ado, let's get into all my nice skateboards.
The longboard on the top is a Sector 9. This was my first quality longboard. I used to ride it a ton, but now I don't so much since it's so huge. It's a solid board overall, and it was a nice thing to learn on.
The second board in the photo is a Landyachtz Dinghy. I picked this up last summer to cruise around my college campus. It turned out that my campus has too many stairs, so that plan was a wash. I still enjoy cruising around my neighborhood with it. It's not the most compact, but it is a lot easier to carry around than the longboard.
The last board I've got is a Penny board. You can't be into cruisers if you don't have at least one Penny board. Honestly, these were super mainstream, and that kind of turned me away from mine. It's a fun and easy board to ride around. I dig that it's super compact, so you can take it with you anywhere.
So yeah, those are all of them. I do have a few crappy Walmart boards that got me into skating, but those aren't worth mentioning. I'd say my go-to board these days is the Landyachtz. I love the graphic, and it's such a smooth ride. Hope you enjoyed seeing something different! Thanks for looking!
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
SOG Snarl First Impressions
Someone I follow on Instagram was selling a few blades, so I figured I'd pick up this SOG Snarl from them. I've always been interested in trying out the Snarl. The Brous Blades Silent Soldier has intrigued me since I got into knives, but it was way too expensive. When SOG came out with this budget collaboration of the Silent Soldier a few years ago, I knew I'd have to try it out eventually.
Saturday, July 15, 2017
My Knife Preferences
This post will give you a better idea of things that I personally like in my knives. I hope it gives you a deeper insight when I give my thoughts on certain blades. Sometimes when I buy a new knife, I know I won't like it all that much because it doesn't fit my preferences. My tastes have changed a lot over the years, but I think they've finally developed into a core of preferences.
So there's a few aspects that I really need in a knife. The big three would be size, value, and good ergonomics. I love my small blades as you all probably know. They fit my hands much better, are easier for me to carry, and don't scare people at all. I also like value in my blades, because I don't believe in paying more than a $100 for a knife when a $50 one will do just fine. Lastly, with ergonomics, if a knife doesn't feel good in the hand, then I'll never use it.
When it comes to blade shapes, there's not any particularly ones I lean to. I like most simple and practical blade shapes. One of my favorite blade shapes would have to be wharncliffes. I love the look of them, and they always function well for EDC tasks. The only blade shape I hate is tantos. They don't function well for EDC and look too tactical for my needs. I also tend to like crazier blade shapes, since they look super cool and different. The reverse S blade on the Spyderco Cricket looks awesome.
Another aspect of the blade is the steel. If you've seen some of my last few posts, you all will know I don't care about blade steels all that much. All of the budget steels are perfectly fine for my needs. I've used a lot of VG-10 over the years, and that's a steel I really love. I prefer full-flat ground blades as they're normally better slicers. I also like the look of blades with black coating. I don't own many, but they definitely look much cooler than the boring silver blades.
For opening the blade, I prefer thumb holes. Spyderco is obviously the most notorious for doing the best ones. After that, I'd say I like thumb discs. I don't like thumbstuds all that much, but I've found thumb discs are much nicer. I also love flippers. They're super fun to play with and get the blade out quickly. I hate spring assisted knives with a passion. Autos are pretty cool though.
With handle materials, I prefer the plasticky, FRN type of materials. They can feel cheap if they aren't well done, but they make the knife much lighter, can easily be made in tons of different colors, and are grippy. Spyderco's FRN is probably my favorite handle material. I don't like G10 that much. I hate most metal handles, whether they're stainless steel, aluminum, or titanium. Sometimes I'll find well-done metal handles, like on the CRKT Jettison, Spyderco Cricket, or Kershaw Launch 4. I like handles that don't have dedicated finger grooves. They're too restrictive, and most of the time aren't comfortable. I prefer handles that are flowing, so you can put your hand wherever you like.
Most of my smaller knives don't have clips, but when they do, I prefer wire clips. Those don't scream that you're carrying a knife. Spyderco does the best wire clip, and honestly I think the only company that does. I can't think of any Kershaw or CRKT knives that come with wire clips. The one type of clip I absolutely hate is deep carry clips. I don't like how they carry for some reason. It's kind of annoying, because a lot of the smaller knives will come with deep carry clips.
So yeah, I think those are all my knife preferences. Hope you enjoyed reading this. Thanks for looking!
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Kershaw Launch 4 Thoughts
I picked this knife up on a whim during Blade HQ's Black Friday sale. This is my first automatic knife, so I didn't know what to expect from it. I've always hated Kershaw's spring assisted knives and figured an auto would be more of the same. Honestly, I'm blown away with how cool the auto mechanism is. I normally shy away from Kershaw as a brand, but this is Launch 4 is a knife I can wholeheartedly recommend.
The blade shape is very nice and practical. It has functioned quite well during all the EDC tasks I've thrown at it. I dig the blacked-out blade. Combined with the purple handles, the black blade looks sick. One of the huge reasons I picked this knife up in the first place was because of the color way. I haven't had any issues with the coating chipping or scratching yet. The blade comes in just under 2", which makes it a California legal automatic. I love my small blades, so this knife is right up my alley. It's a perfect size as a backup EDC blade. The steel on this thing is CPM 154. It's a great steel that's been sharp and held its edge perfectly. I can't think of any huge issues I've had with the blade.
The handle is awesome as well. I didn't think I'd like the more boxy handle, but it's actually surprisingly comfortable in the hand. I typically hate metal handles as well, yet these aluminum handles are also super nice. The edges are rounded off, so there are no hotspots anywhere on the handle. I can fit a full four finger grip on it. There's no jimping anywhere on the knife, but I don't think it's even necessary. I love how Kershaw pumped this knife out in so many different colors. You can get anything from the sweet purple to black, blue, green, etc. If this knife is too small for you, the whole Launch line ranges in size from larger ones to this as the smallest option.
The lock is very cool. This is a button auto and utilizes the plunge lock. The lockup has been solid. I had concerns that I'd accidentally press the button when I was carrying it, but it's never once been an issue. The button takes a decent bit of pressure to push. It is possible to close this knife one-handed. This knife fires very hard and quickly. I like the sound it makes when it opens. I wouldn't say it's necessary or any faster than a typical EDC folder. It is cool to have something different in my collection though.
The Launch 4 carries well. I dig that the clip isn't a deep carry one. It's a simple clip that doesn't carry the deepest. There's probably about half an inch that sticks out when it's clipped to the pocket. I don't really mind it doesn't carry the deepest, as it helps to have a bit to grab onto when you're pulling it out of the pocket. It's got nice retention, and I don't really notice the knife when I carry it thanks to how light and small it is. The clip does have the same black finish as the blade, which looks sick.
Price wise, these go for $75 on Blade HQ. You can find them on sales occasionally and maybe cheaper on other sites. I do think that's a pretty fair price. The steel is better than most of your average budget steels. This is a USA made knife too, so you know you're getting a quality blade. I think autos normally run a bit more as well. I'd definitely pay $75 for this knife.
I'd highly recommend this Launch 4. It's a small blade that's super cool. I really can't think of any issues I've got with it. The ergos, steel, quality, and size are perfect for me. I love my small and purple blades, so this one fits right in with my collection. I wasn't sure how I'd like carrying an auto, but it's been very enjoyable. I love the design so much too. The symmetry is appealing to the eyes. If this knife looks too small for you, check out the rest of the Launch line. Kershaw has this line with blades as big as 3.75" I believe. I give Kershaw huge props for creating this knife. It's been one of my favorite blades in my collection as of lately. Give them a look if you're into autos. Thanks for looking!
The blade shape is very nice and practical. It has functioned quite well during all the EDC tasks I've thrown at it. I dig the blacked-out blade. Combined with the purple handles, the black blade looks sick. One of the huge reasons I picked this knife up in the first place was because of the color way. I haven't had any issues with the coating chipping or scratching yet. The blade comes in just under 2", which makes it a California legal automatic. I love my small blades, so this knife is right up my alley. It's a perfect size as a backup EDC blade. The steel on this thing is CPM 154. It's a great steel that's been sharp and held its edge perfectly. I can't think of any huge issues I've had with the blade.
The handle is awesome as well. I didn't think I'd like the more boxy handle, but it's actually surprisingly comfortable in the hand. I typically hate metal handles as well, yet these aluminum handles are also super nice. The edges are rounded off, so there are no hotspots anywhere on the handle. I can fit a full four finger grip on it. There's no jimping anywhere on the knife, but I don't think it's even necessary. I love how Kershaw pumped this knife out in so many different colors. You can get anything from the sweet purple to black, blue, green, etc. If this knife is too small for you, the whole Launch line ranges in size from larger ones to this as the smallest option.
The lock is very cool. This is a button auto and utilizes the plunge lock. The lockup has been solid. I had concerns that I'd accidentally press the button when I was carrying it, but it's never once been an issue. The button takes a decent bit of pressure to push. It is possible to close this knife one-handed. This knife fires very hard and quickly. I like the sound it makes when it opens. I wouldn't say it's necessary or any faster than a typical EDC folder. It is cool to have something different in my collection though.
The Launch 4 carries well. I dig that the clip isn't a deep carry one. It's a simple clip that doesn't carry the deepest. There's probably about half an inch that sticks out when it's clipped to the pocket. I don't really mind it doesn't carry the deepest, as it helps to have a bit to grab onto when you're pulling it out of the pocket. It's got nice retention, and I don't really notice the knife when I carry it thanks to how light and small it is. The clip does have the same black finish as the blade, which looks sick.
Price wise, these go for $75 on Blade HQ. You can find them on sales occasionally and maybe cheaper on other sites. I do think that's a pretty fair price. The steel is better than most of your average budget steels. This is a USA made knife too, so you know you're getting a quality blade. I think autos normally run a bit more as well. I'd definitely pay $75 for this knife.
I'd highly recommend this Launch 4. It's a small blade that's super cool. I really can't think of any issues I've got with it. The ergos, steel, quality, and size are perfect for me. I love my small and purple blades, so this one fits right in with my collection. I wasn't sure how I'd like carrying an auto, but it's been very enjoyable. I love the design so much too. The symmetry is appealing to the eyes. If this knife looks too small for you, check out the rest of the Launch line. Kershaw has this line with blades as big as 3.75" I believe. I give Kershaw huge props for creating this knife. It's been one of my favorite blades in my collection as of lately. Give them a look if you're into autos. Thanks for looking!
Monday, July 10, 2017
CamelBak Podium Big Chill Water Bottle Thoughts
I picked up this CamelBak before I went off to college. I used it throughout the year, and I'd have to say it's not one of my favorite bottles. I'm not the biggest fan of the mouth, and I have had issues with it leaking.
Build quality seems to be pretty good. I carried it a fair bit, and it's still in good shape. It's made of a more flexible plastic. It feels nice in the hand. I have had issues with this bottle leaking where the cap screws onto the bottle. It only happens every so often, so it could be something that I'm doing.
I do like the fact that the cap has a lock on it. This is more of a squirt, sport type of bottle, so if it didn't have that lock, water would come out if the bottle got squeezed. The lock does function perfectly well. You just have to twist near the mouth, and it easily locks/unlocks. I don't like how the mouth is exposed. Obviously that's the point of these sport type bottles, but for daily use, I've found they aren't the best. If you were to accidentally drop this bottle or hit it against something, the mouth could get covered with gross crap. I like this bottle for when I'm doing athletic things or want quick access to my water on a long drive or something. I have heard that people have issues with the mouth collecting mold over time. I haven't had that issue yet, but I could see it happening. It's a huge pain to clean the mouth, so if you don't do it frequently, there could be problems over time.
This bottle holds 25 ounces of water. That's a nice capacity for daily use. I do find myself needing to refill this bottle more often, as I always seem to drink more with these sport bottles since they dispense water easier. Also, this is an insulated bottle. It does keep water cold for a few hours, but nothing that impressive in my opinion. It doesn't sweat that much like non-insulated bottles would. These come in all sorts of different colors and sizes too, which is nice.
I do like this bottle for sporty stuff, but that's about it. I wouldn't want to use it daily as my EDC bottle. It has potential, but honestly, it has too many issues for me to overlook. If you're a fan of CamelBak, check it out. Otherwise, I'd go with a Nalgene or Klean Kanteen. Thanks for looking!
Build quality seems to be pretty good. I carried it a fair bit, and it's still in good shape. It's made of a more flexible plastic. It feels nice in the hand. I have had issues with this bottle leaking where the cap screws onto the bottle. It only happens every so often, so it could be something that I'm doing.
I do like the fact that the cap has a lock on it. This is more of a squirt, sport type of bottle, so if it didn't have that lock, water would come out if the bottle got squeezed. The lock does function perfectly well. You just have to twist near the mouth, and it easily locks/unlocks. I don't like how the mouth is exposed. Obviously that's the point of these sport type bottles, but for daily use, I've found they aren't the best. If you were to accidentally drop this bottle or hit it against something, the mouth could get covered with gross crap. I like this bottle for when I'm doing athletic things or want quick access to my water on a long drive or something. I have heard that people have issues with the mouth collecting mold over time. I haven't had that issue yet, but I could see it happening. It's a huge pain to clean the mouth, so if you don't do it frequently, there could be problems over time.
This bottle holds 25 ounces of water. That's a nice capacity for daily use. I do find myself needing to refill this bottle more often, as I always seem to drink more with these sport bottles since they dispense water easier. Also, this is an insulated bottle. It does keep water cold for a few hours, but nothing that impressive in my opinion. It doesn't sweat that much like non-insulated bottles would. These come in all sorts of different colors and sizes too, which is nice.
I do like this bottle for sporty stuff, but that's about it. I wouldn't want to use it daily as my EDC bottle. It has potential, but honestly, it has too many issues for me to overlook. If you're a fan of CamelBak, check it out. Otherwise, I'd go with a Nalgene or Klean Kanteen. Thanks for looking!
Friday, July 7, 2017
My Perspective When It Comes To Gear Reviews
As you all have probably seen on here and my YouTube channel, I've gotten back into posting reviews on my gear. I used to do a ton when I first started doing YouTube, but I've slacked off in the past years. I don't think you can truly understand a person's reviews unless you know their perspective or backstory. I hope this post will give you a better background into some of my thinking when it comes to my reviews. I'm trying to improve how I give my thoughts on gear, so be prepared for some changes in the future. I'd like to meet all your expectations when it comes to review type videos and posts. I did another sort of perspective post on here about two years ago, but obviously things have changed since then.
First of all, I'm no professional reviewer. I have absolutely no technical or professional background in anything related to EDC gear. Everything I know is from experience or stuff I learned on the internet. I'm a college student that is more of an average user. I don't do anything hardcore with my knives or any other gear for that moment. I look for different things in my gear than most people. Since I'm a girl, I have no pocket space and my hands are smaller than most of you dudes. Being a college student, I also tend to stray more towards the budget stuff. I simply cannot afford to drop hundreds of dollars on one piece of gear. With those two things being said, I'm very focused on size and value when it comes to gear. I know a lot of people don't look for the same things. I'm not sure the demographic of my audience, but I know for a fact the majority is not college aged girls.
I hope that my "reviews" can give you a different perspective than most gear videos. The reason I put reviews in quotes there is because I don't consider them reviews per say. I used to call my review type videos/posts "thoughts" instead. I thought that was a more accurate indication of what you all were hearing or reading. I'm not sure why I started calling them reviews again. I'll probably switch the name back even if it doesn't make much of a difference. All of what I'm saying will be the same, just the name will be different. The semantics are essentially the same, but I do think people expect different things from both. When I hear the word review, I expect something very technical that is laden with specs and other stuff. I think "thoughts" type of posts imply more of a personal opinion-based post. I think the great reviewers figure out a way to blend both into a very entertaining and informative post. There's always something new to learn from every person. Even if support for a knife is astounding, there is always at least one person that can bring a fresh perspective to the table. While some of the stuff I say in my videos may sound negative, it's how I truly feel. I've never once lied or failed to give anything but my honest opinion in my videos. Whatever you hear me say is my genuine thoughts. My reviews are anything but objective. In fact, my reviews are probably some of the most subjective and biased ones out there. I don't care about making objective reviews as there are tons of reviewers like that already. I base my opinions on gear on what I've personally tried and how I feel. I have super strong opinions when it comes to everything in life, and I like to make that known in my videos/posts about EDC stuff. I think the more passionate you are shows how much you care. I'd rather listen to a more negative rant than someone who's monotone and just says everything about a piece of gear is good even if it isn't.
In all honesty, I haven't been too happy with how my reviews are turning out. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the style. I know I'll come up with a better system as I do them more often. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I don't consider myself a reviewer. The whole point of writing these posts and filming videos is to give my personal thoughts on things. I think there's way too many reviewers out there that cover every detail about a knife for instance. I'd rather offer a slightly different, more opinion-based video that stands out compared to most gear reviews. I do the videos/posts mostly to keep a record of what I've tried and how I liked whatever piece of gear it is. If my content ends up helping you all out in the meantime, then that's a plus.
One other thing. Now that I've tried so much gear, I've really fine tuned what I look for. Back a few years ago, I was a lot more open to gear simply because I hadn't tried as much. I've easily tried at least a hundred pieces of gear since I've joined this community. That means I will be put off by a piece of gear for the tiniest quirk. When I find some of my perfect gear, my expectations rise across the board. A new piece of gear essentially has to surpass some of my favorite things in order for me to give it undying praise. That's simply impossible for most things. I'd say for every 1 great piece of gear I find, I buy 3 to 5 pieces of crap. That means you'll be seeing a lot more average or awful pieces of gear on my channel or blog. Last thing, I tend to treat overhyped gear much more critically. They're super popular in the community for a reason, so they better be everything I expected and more. Very seldom does overhyped gear actually get anywhere close to the hype. Some of the best gear out there is actually the gems that no one really talks about.
Sorry if this post was very disjointed. I'd start writing one section and then my mind would jump into another somewhat related tangent. Basically, the gist of all this is to expect more improved thought videos on EDC gear coming soon. You can expect to see more opinion-based posts instead of those that are technical with tons of specs. Keep these things in your mind when you're watching my videos or reading my posts. Obviously some random people will stumble upon my thoughts and not understand where I'm coming from. Hopefully, some of my more regular audience will have a better appreciation for what I put out. Stay tuned for a video on this same topic soon. I'm sure I'll think of something new to add to that, so it shouldn't all be the same. If you have any thoughts on how I can improve how I "review" gear, feel free to let me know. I'm open to any sort of constructive criticism. Thanks for looking and reading this super long post! I think I'll also write up some posts that talk about my preferences when it comes to knives, flashlights, pens, multi-tools, etc. Stay tuned!
First of all, I'm no professional reviewer. I have absolutely no technical or professional background in anything related to EDC gear. Everything I know is from experience or stuff I learned on the internet. I'm a college student that is more of an average user. I don't do anything hardcore with my knives or any other gear for that moment. I look for different things in my gear than most people. Since I'm a girl, I have no pocket space and my hands are smaller than most of you dudes. Being a college student, I also tend to stray more towards the budget stuff. I simply cannot afford to drop hundreds of dollars on one piece of gear. With those two things being said, I'm very focused on size and value when it comes to gear. I know a lot of people don't look for the same things. I'm not sure the demographic of my audience, but I know for a fact the majority is not college aged girls.
I hope that my "reviews" can give you a different perspective than most gear videos. The reason I put reviews in quotes there is because I don't consider them reviews per say. I used to call my review type videos/posts "thoughts" instead. I thought that was a more accurate indication of what you all were hearing or reading. I'm not sure why I started calling them reviews again. I'll probably switch the name back even if it doesn't make much of a difference. All of what I'm saying will be the same, just the name will be different. The semantics are essentially the same, but I do think people expect different things from both. When I hear the word review, I expect something very technical that is laden with specs and other stuff. I think "thoughts" type of posts imply more of a personal opinion-based post. I think the great reviewers figure out a way to blend both into a very entertaining and informative post. There's always something new to learn from every person. Even if support for a knife is astounding, there is always at least one person that can bring a fresh perspective to the table. While some of the stuff I say in my videos may sound negative, it's how I truly feel. I've never once lied or failed to give anything but my honest opinion in my videos. Whatever you hear me say is my genuine thoughts. My reviews are anything but objective. In fact, my reviews are probably some of the most subjective and biased ones out there. I don't care about making objective reviews as there are tons of reviewers like that already. I base my opinions on gear on what I've personally tried and how I feel. I have super strong opinions when it comes to everything in life, and I like to make that known in my videos/posts about EDC stuff. I think the more passionate you are shows how much you care. I'd rather listen to a more negative rant than someone who's monotone and just says everything about a piece of gear is good even if it isn't.
In all honesty, I haven't been too happy with how my reviews are turning out. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the style. I know I'll come up with a better system as I do them more often. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I don't consider myself a reviewer. The whole point of writing these posts and filming videos is to give my personal thoughts on things. I think there's way too many reviewers out there that cover every detail about a knife for instance. I'd rather offer a slightly different, more opinion-based video that stands out compared to most gear reviews. I do the videos/posts mostly to keep a record of what I've tried and how I liked whatever piece of gear it is. If my content ends up helping you all out in the meantime, then that's a plus.
One other thing. Now that I've tried so much gear, I've really fine tuned what I look for. Back a few years ago, I was a lot more open to gear simply because I hadn't tried as much. I've easily tried at least a hundred pieces of gear since I've joined this community. That means I will be put off by a piece of gear for the tiniest quirk. When I find some of my perfect gear, my expectations rise across the board. A new piece of gear essentially has to surpass some of my favorite things in order for me to give it undying praise. That's simply impossible for most things. I'd say for every 1 great piece of gear I find, I buy 3 to 5 pieces of crap. That means you'll be seeing a lot more average or awful pieces of gear on my channel or blog. Last thing, I tend to treat overhyped gear much more critically. They're super popular in the community for a reason, so they better be everything I expected and more. Very seldom does overhyped gear actually get anywhere close to the hype. Some of the best gear out there is actually the gems that no one really talks about.
Sorry if this post was very disjointed. I'd start writing one section and then my mind would jump into another somewhat related tangent. Basically, the gist of all this is to expect more improved thought videos on EDC gear coming soon. You can expect to see more opinion-based posts instead of those that are technical with tons of specs. Keep these things in your mind when you're watching my videos or reading my posts. Obviously some random people will stumble upon my thoughts and not understand where I'm coming from. Hopefully, some of my more regular audience will have a better appreciation for what I put out. Stay tuned for a video on this same topic soon. I'm sure I'll think of something new to add to that, so it shouldn't all be the same. If you have any thoughts on how I can improve how I "review" gear, feel free to let me know. I'm open to any sort of constructive criticism. Thanks for looking and reading this super long post! I think I'll also write up some posts that talk about my preferences when it comes to knives, flashlights, pens, multi-tools, etc. Stay tuned!
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Spyderco Spin Review
I thought I'd like the Spyderco Spin since it's so small. Unfortunately, it's a piece of crap thanks to some horrible ergonomics. I don't recommend it in the slightest.
I absolutely love the blade shape on the Spin. I'm a sucker for wharncliffes, and this one is no exception. The blade steel is VG-10. I love VG-10 as it holds a nice edge and retains that edge decently well. The thumb hole helps to easily open it. I've got no issues with the blade at all.
Like I said at the beginning, the ergonomics are horrible. It's a two-finger knife, but I've found there's a lot of wasted space on the handle. I hate knives with dedicated finger grooves, as if your fingers don't fit them perfectly, your fingers get spread out too wide. I wish Spyderco had made the handle more flowing, so it'd fit a three-finger grip. The handle material on this version is the Nishijin, which is fine. It's very smooth and sort of reminds me of stainless steel. I like it better than stainless steel, and the color is very cool too. This is a classier looking knife, and with that, it's got no jimping anywhere. I like that a lot and don't think this knife is missing out with no jimping.
The framelock has solid lockup. There's no issues with blade play.
This knife does carry well with the clip. It's a smaller clip and has nice retention. Since the knife is so light, I don't really notice that I'm carrying it.
These have been long discontinued by Spyderco. I can see why, since this is a terrible knife. They went for around $70 I believe, which is a complete rip-off. I would never pay that much for these horrible ergonomics.
Don't buy this knife at all. It's a piece of crap and probably one of the worst Spydercos I've ever bought. I like the size, but those handles need some work. If you're looking for a classier and slim backup blade, check out the Spyderco Cricket instead. That's a much better knife than this one. Thanks for looking!
I absolutely love the blade shape on the Spin. I'm a sucker for wharncliffes, and this one is no exception. The blade steel is VG-10. I love VG-10 as it holds a nice edge and retains that edge decently well. The thumb hole helps to easily open it. I've got no issues with the blade at all.
Like I said at the beginning, the ergonomics are horrible. It's a two-finger knife, but I've found there's a lot of wasted space on the handle. I hate knives with dedicated finger grooves, as if your fingers don't fit them perfectly, your fingers get spread out too wide. I wish Spyderco had made the handle more flowing, so it'd fit a three-finger grip. The handle material on this version is the Nishijin, which is fine. It's very smooth and sort of reminds me of stainless steel. I like it better than stainless steel, and the color is very cool too. This is a classier looking knife, and with that, it's got no jimping anywhere. I like that a lot and don't think this knife is missing out with no jimping.
The framelock has solid lockup. There's no issues with blade play.
This knife does carry well with the clip. It's a smaller clip and has nice retention. Since the knife is so light, I don't really notice that I'm carrying it.
These have been long discontinued by Spyderco. I can see why, since this is a terrible knife. They went for around $70 I believe, which is a complete rip-off. I would never pay that much for these horrible ergonomics.
Don't buy this knife at all. It's a piece of crap and probably one of the worst Spydercos I've ever bought. I like the size, but those handles need some work. If you're looking for a classier and slim backup blade, check out the Spyderco Cricket instead. That's a much better knife than this one. Thanks for looking!
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Boker DW-1 & DW-2 Review
These two Bokers, the DW-1 and DW-2, were released earlier this year. I instantly had to pick them up because of their size. Not a lot of companies make knives that small, so I figured they were worth a shot. The materials and designs aren't particularly fancy, but I do think at least one of them would make a decent backup EDC knife.
I've had issues with Boker's quality in the past, but these two blades are absolutely perfect quality wise. The fit and finish is surprisingly nice for the price you pay, about $20 for each. The action is very smooth too.
Design wise, these are pretty average knives. Nothing stands out about them at all. The designs are extremely functional for EDC and look pretty nice in my opinion.
The blades are simple and have AUS-8 as their steel. Both blades cut everything I've needed them to cut extremely well. They came surprisingly sharp right out of the box. The DW-1 has a 1" blade, while the DW-2 has a 1.5" blade. I do think the DW-1 is more for novelty. The tiny blade can still cut things, but the handle size really hinders how you can use it effectively. The DW-2's blade is the perfect size for a backup EDC blade. It's around the same size overall as the Spyderco Ladybug. I do have some trouble opening both blades with the thumbstuds. There is no cutout in the handle to help you access the thumbstuds. It's almost easier to just open the blades two-handed. I can manage to open the DW-2 one-handed, but the DW-1 is almost impossible. There is some nice jimping on the spine of the blade that helps you get some more grip.
The handles are pretty average too. They're a plastic type of material that has textured and smooth areas. I don't necessarily like how there's the smooth areas where you fingers would rest. It still feels fine in the hand, but I don't think it was entirely necessary to do. The ergonomics are kind of iffy on both. The DW-2 can fit two to three fingers. It was probably meant for two fingers as three feels cramped and uncomfortable. The placement of the dedicated finger groove doesn't really work for me as my hands are too small to fill out nicely. I wish the handle was more flowing instead so you could easily fit three fingers comfortably. The handle is practically the same size as the Ladybug, so it could have easily had a three finger grip. The DW-1 can fit two fingers. I find the more squared off handle of the DW-1 to be more comfortable than the DW-2's handle. Since both blades are two finger knives for me, I'd rather have the DW-1 handle since there isn't so much wasted space. Despite the DW-1 being so tiny, I definitely think it has better ergos of the two. I absolutely hate how the handle scales are black. They're just so boring.
Lockup on both is extremely solid. They're stainless steel framelocks. I haven't had any issues with the locks. The framelocks were pretty difficult to disengage at first, but they have worn in over time.
Both knives do have pocket clips, which is surprising on knives this small. The DW-2's clip is much better in my opinion, since it's got better retention. For some reason, the clip on the DW-1 is insanely tight and is hard to get clipped onto any thickness of fabric. They're the same clips, just scaled down on the DW-1. They are a little big in my opinion, but they do their job just fine.
Price wise, the DW-1 goes for about $20 on Blade HQ, while the DW-2 goes for $22. I wouldn't say the DW-1 is the best value in the world. I do think the DW-2 is reasonably priced, considering the Ladybug goes for around $35 and is a similarly sized knife that has better steel. Like I mentioned earlier, the DW-1 is more of a novelty piece. I don't think it'd be that practical for EDC usage, so I don't see the purpose of paying $20 for it.
All in all, if you're looking for a smaller backup blade that has a pocketclip, the DW-2 could be the blade for you. I don't love it as much as I love my Ladybug, but I do think it's a nice, small option. It's hard to find quality blades in the Ladybug's size range. The DW-2 is not the most exciting knife in the world, yet it is one that is super practical. My biggest issue with it would have to be the ergos and the boring black handles. If you have slightly larger hands than me, I think it'd fit in your hand a lot better. The DW-1 does not get my recommendation at all. For purely EDC usage, it makes no sense to pick it up. A 1" blade can only handle so much, so you might as well go with the 1.5" blade. I do give Boker props for making some more small knives. Give the DW-2 a look if it interests you. Thanks for looking!
I've had issues with Boker's quality in the past, but these two blades are absolutely perfect quality wise. The fit and finish is surprisingly nice for the price you pay, about $20 for each. The action is very smooth too.
Design wise, these are pretty average knives. Nothing stands out about them at all. The designs are extremely functional for EDC and look pretty nice in my opinion.
The blades are simple and have AUS-8 as their steel. Both blades cut everything I've needed them to cut extremely well. They came surprisingly sharp right out of the box. The DW-1 has a 1" blade, while the DW-2 has a 1.5" blade. I do think the DW-1 is more for novelty. The tiny blade can still cut things, but the handle size really hinders how you can use it effectively. The DW-2's blade is the perfect size for a backup EDC blade. It's around the same size overall as the Spyderco Ladybug. I do have some trouble opening both blades with the thumbstuds. There is no cutout in the handle to help you access the thumbstuds. It's almost easier to just open the blades two-handed. I can manage to open the DW-2 one-handed, but the DW-1 is almost impossible. There is some nice jimping on the spine of the blade that helps you get some more grip.
The handles are pretty average too. They're a plastic type of material that has textured and smooth areas. I don't necessarily like how there's the smooth areas where you fingers would rest. It still feels fine in the hand, but I don't think it was entirely necessary to do. The ergonomics are kind of iffy on both. The DW-2 can fit two to three fingers. It was probably meant for two fingers as three feels cramped and uncomfortable. The placement of the dedicated finger groove doesn't really work for me as my hands are too small to fill out nicely. I wish the handle was more flowing instead so you could easily fit three fingers comfortably. The handle is practically the same size as the Ladybug, so it could have easily had a three finger grip. The DW-1 can fit two fingers. I find the more squared off handle of the DW-1 to be more comfortable than the DW-2's handle. Since both blades are two finger knives for me, I'd rather have the DW-1 handle since there isn't so much wasted space. Despite the DW-1 being so tiny, I definitely think it has better ergos of the two. I absolutely hate how the handle scales are black. They're just so boring.
Lockup on both is extremely solid. They're stainless steel framelocks. I haven't had any issues with the locks. The framelocks were pretty difficult to disengage at first, but they have worn in over time.
Both knives do have pocket clips, which is surprising on knives this small. The DW-2's clip is much better in my opinion, since it's got better retention. For some reason, the clip on the DW-1 is insanely tight and is hard to get clipped onto any thickness of fabric. They're the same clips, just scaled down on the DW-1. They are a little big in my opinion, but they do their job just fine.
Price wise, the DW-1 goes for about $20 on Blade HQ, while the DW-2 goes for $22. I wouldn't say the DW-1 is the best value in the world. I do think the DW-2 is reasonably priced, considering the Ladybug goes for around $35 and is a similarly sized knife that has better steel. Like I mentioned earlier, the DW-1 is more of a novelty piece. I don't think it'd be that practical for EDC usage, so I don't see the purpose of paying $20 for it.
All in all, if you're looking for a smaller backup blade that has a pocketclip, the DW-2 could be the blade for you. I don't love it as much as I love my Ladybug, but I do think it's a nice, small option. It's hard to find quality blades in the Ladybug's size range. The DW-2 is not the most exciting knife in the world, yet it is one that is super practical. My biggest issue with it would have to be the ergos and the boring black handles. If you have slightly larger hands than me, I think it'd fit in your hand a lot better. The DW-1 does not get my recommendation at all. For purely EDC usage, it makes no sense to pick it up. A 1" blade can only handle so much, so you might as well go with the 1.5" blade. I do give Boker props for making some more small knives. Give the DW-2 a look if it interests you. Thanks for looking!
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