Here is a list of the 5 Latest Survival Gear

1. American Tomahawk Company Model 2 

The American Tomahawk Company’s No. 1 ‘hawk follows the classic Vietnam tomahawk pattern with its small cutting edge and back spike. It’s compact, handy, and dangerous. It’s also a pretty good general-purpose tool, but it wasn’t designed primarily as a camp tool. Enter the new No. 2.

American Tomahawk Company Model 2  (Survival Gear)

The ATC No. 2 is a robust hammer poll ‘hawk with a bearded head and an aggressive 4.125-inch cutting surface. It’s made from drop-forged 1060 carbon steel with a black powdercoat finish, and it uses the same straight nylon handle as the No. 1.

The bearded axe head lets you take a high grip on the ‘hawk so that you can use it for carving or other precise cutting c hores. It comes with a molded Kydex sheath and M.O.C. straps for carry. MSRP is $239; the first run sold out but check back for future runs. I know I’ll be keeping an eye out for one myself.

Specs: 

ATC Model 2

  • Overall Length: 14.25 inches
  • Head Length: 6.75 inches
  • Cutting Edge Length: 4.125 inches
  • Weight: 23.5 ounces (without sheath)
  • Blade Material: Drop forged 1060
  • Finish: Black powdercoat
  • Handle Material: STN 66 super tough nylon
  • Sheath: Kydex scabbard with low-ride MOC straps
  • MSRP: $239

AmericanTomahawk.com

2. Norden Knives Ascent

If you carry a fixed blade as part of your EDC gear and you’d like one that’s related to the Shield S15 mags or other Shield accessories that you’re rocking on your carry gun, then you are absolutely in luck. Shield Arms just announced the launch of its sister company Norden Knives.

Norden Knives Ascent (Survival gear)

Norden is making quality blades right here in the USA and the first model, the Ascent, is sized to be a great jack-of-all-trades blade. With its 3.6-inch drop point blade, it’s well suited for hunting or fishing, hiking, and backpacking (unless you’re a crazy ultralight person who saws the handles off your toothbrushes to save weight), or for everyday carry.

There’s nothing gimmicky about the Ascent. It looks like a well-thought-out, user-oriented blade, made from quality materials by folks in Montana, and offered at a very fair price.

< Specs: 

Norden Knives Ascent 

  • Contoured Micarta handle, a resin-based laminate that is impervious to any element
  • Nitro-V steel blade offers edge retention, corrosion resistance, and extreme toughness
  • Jimped spine provides thumb traction in use
  • Sharpening choil is added for ease of sharpening
  • Black oxide stainless steel screws securely hold the handle scales but allow the scales to be removed
  • Manufactured 100% in the USA
  • Length: 7.8 inches overall; 3.6 inches, blade length; 0.105 inch, spine thickness
  • Nitro-V Hardness: 61-62 HRC
  • MSRP: $150

NordenKnives.com 

3. Victorinox Mini Tools

Swiss Army Knives (SAK) have been a mainstay of daily carry for many people across the globe long before anyone coined the phrase “everyday carry.” They’re compact, handy, and affordable and pack a lot of function into that small size. Despite the plethora of tools that come on a typical SAK, Victorinox realized that they could still squeeze in one more.

For decades now, a small eyeglass-style screwdriver has been available that threads into the corkscrew on SAKs so equipped. Just about all my personal SAKs that have a corkscrew have them. They’re very affordable, don’t take up any additional space, and can come in handy for on-the-go repairs of eye glasses, sunglasses, or other things with small screws.

So, how can you improve upon that? Well, Victorinox just did with a four-pack of mini tools. Now, rather than just the small flathead screwdriver, you can get a pack containing the mini screwdriver, a SIM card pin, a Torx screwdriver T4, and a Phillips screwdriver 000, all for just $15.

If you have a Swiss Army Knife with a corkscrew, what are you waiting for? There’s really no reason not to add even more versatility to it and now you can choose from a set of tools and pick the one that works best for you.

< Specs: 

Victorinox Mini Tools 

  • Height: 0.6 inch
  • Length: 2.4 inches
  • Weight: 0.2 ounce
  • Tools: Mini screwdriver, SIM card pin, Torx screwdriver T4, Phillips screwdriver 000
  • MSRP: $15

SwissArmy.com/US

4. KA-BAR Sharpener

Although most folks reading this probably have their preferred sharpeners or sharpening techniques, sometimes it’s nice to be able to just do a quick touch up, especially on shop knives and rough use knives or machetes. KA-BAR has a new portable sharpener small enough to be carried in your pocket, but it’s equally at home in your toolbox, kitchen drawer, or tackle box.

KA-BAR Sharpener

Made of Creamid polymer, it has the same classic KA-BAR oval shaped handle inspired by the combat knives that the company has used on its other tools and gadgets. A set of carbide inserts sit at 22.5 degrees on each side for a 45-degree sharpening angle. This is a simple-to-use, pull-through sharpener. It’s probably not what you want to use on everything, but it’s affordable, easy to pack, and good for putting a quick edge on your tools.

Specs: 

KA-BAR Sharpener

  • Carbide Inserts
  • KA-BAR oval-shape handle
  • Sharpens knives at a 22.5-degree angle per side, 45 degrees inclusive
  • Origin: USA
  • Overall Length: 6.375 inches
  • Handle Length: 3.875 inches
  • Width: 0.75 inch
  • Bulk Weight: 0.15 pound
  • Material: Creamid
  • MSRP: $25.26

KABAR.com

5. Casstrom No. 10 Bushcraft Knife and Kit

CAS Iberia has been bringing in the excellent Casstrom knives from Sweden for a while now. One of the latest models, the No. 10, comes in two versions. You can get a kit with a blade blank, a set of beautiful curly Birch handle slabs, and a set of brass pins if you want to finish the knife yourself and shape the handle just for you.

Casstrom No. 10 Bushcraft Knife and Ki Casstrom No. 10 Bushcraft Knife and Ki

If you aren’t that creative or want to hit the woods immediately, you can also get the fully finished version of the No. 10 with green Micarta scales. Both the kit and finished knife use O2 tool steel blades with a Scandi edge. The finished knife also comes with a fire steel and a vegetable tanned leather sheath. The kit runs for $115 and the complete knife for $190.

Specs:  

Casstrom No. 10 SFK

  • Overall Length: 8 ¾ inches
  • Blade Length: 3 7/8 inches
  • Handle Length: 4 7/8 inches
  • Weight: 7 ounces
  • Blade Steel: O2 (Bohler K720)
  • Handle Materials: Classic oak, curly maple, bubinga, or green canvas Micarta
  • MSRP: $190

Casstrom No. 10 SFK KIT Carbon Steel/Curly Birch Scales

  • O2 tool steel (Bohler K720)
  • Classic curly birch slabs
  • Shape the handle to your specifications
  • MSRP: $115

CASIberia.com

 

Did you like this article? Check out some more sleek and strong tools here.

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared in the November 2021 print issue of Knives Illustrated.