Dan Jackson

Dan is the creator of BladeReviews.com. He founded the site in 2010, and for the first 5 years Dan wrote all of the reviews and recorded all of the video reviews. He grew up using pocket knives, and the decision to start the website stemmed from his fascination of all things sharp combined with a deep passion for writing. At this point he has personally reviewed almost 300 knives of all shapes, sizes, and price points. He is widely recognized as an authority on daily carry knives and has consulted with knife companies on product design and has been featured on national media outlets including the WireCutter. In 2016 Dan decided to branch out and experiment with the website by reviewing watches, flashlights, and multi-tools. Today BladeReviews.com features a number of expert authors reviewing a wide range of daily carry gear. He is proud to write detailed long format reviews with original photography. The website remains largely independent with the vast majority of the products reviewed being purchased by Dan personally. When he isn't writing knife reviews from his home in Southwest Florida, or talking about himself in third person, he enjoys practicing law, reading, fishing, cigars, and weight lifting.

At this point he has personally reviewed almost 300 knives of all shapes, sizes, and price points. He is widely recognized as an authority on daily carry knives. He has consulted with knife companies on product design and his opinions on pocket knives have been featured on national media outlets including the WireCutter. In 2016 Dan decided to branch out and experiment with the website by reviewing watches, flashlights, and multi-tools. Today BladeReviews.com features a number of expert authors reviewing a wide range of daily carry gear. He is proud to write detailed long format reviews with original photography. The website remains largely independent with the vast majority of the products reviewed being purchased by Dan personally.

When he isn't writing knife reviews from his home in Southwest Florida, or talking about himself in third person, he enjoys practicing law, reading, fishing, cigars, and weight lifting.

Casio G-Shock DW-5600E Watch Review

by Dan Jackson 16 Comments

After I destroyed my Seiko SKX173 digging a ditch in my back yard, I found myself without a watch. I was not in a place financially where I could replace it with another automatic, and the thought of getting it fixed did not cross my mind. So the only thing to do was to find something cheap to replace it – and to replace it fast.

Buy the Casio DW-5600E at Jomashop

Buy on Amazon

Like many Americans, I found myself browsing the aisles of Wal-Mart. Moments later I walked away with a Casio G-Shock DW-5600E strapped to my wrist. I knew that G-Shocks were supposed to be tough, and for $40 I could swing the purchase. That was the extent of my pre-purchase research. Oddly enough I also bought my first knife at Wal-Mart with no research.

The DW-5600E ended up being my daily wear watch for the next 3 years. I eventually got my SKX173 fixed, but the DW5600E stayed on my wrist 95% of the time. I eventually upgraded to something cooler (and 50x more expensive), but I still use my DW-5600E to time my laps at the swimming pool and for dirty jobs.

Case and Movement

The DW-5600E has a 42.8mm wide case, is 13.4mm thick, weighs 54g/1.9 ounces, and is made in China. I would say it wears small thanks to the rectangular design. Casio originally developed the G-Shock series in the 80s, with the goal of creating a heavy duty, water resistant watch with excellent shock resistance (G-Shock is actually short for “Gravity-Shock”). They ended up creating a modular digital quartz watch with a polymer cushioned case that has since spawned hundreds of iterations. Even the average lay-person can identify a G-shock, so to say the result was successful would be a massive understatement.

Personally, I have beat on this watch for years without a second thought. Whenever I am testing a large fixed blade knife, or doing something stupid, I choose the Dw-5600. It hasn’t failed me yet and I’ve owned the watch for years. The shock resistance Casio advertises is no joke. I have had cheaper quartz watches that fell apart.

The DW-5600E is currently Casio’s most basic model in the series. The 3229 module is the heart of the DW-5600E. I am not going to claim to be an expert on quartz digital movements. I will point you to Casio’s user’s manual for the 3329 if you want to know the ins and outs of the features and how to operate them. From what I can tell, my watch has kept great time.

The DW-5600E is powered by a CR2016 lithium battery, and Casio says that it should last for 2 years if you use the backlight and alarm once a day. I use mine less than that and the watch has been going strong for 3-4 years now without need for a new battery.

Rounding things out case back that is held down with 4 Phillips screws. This is to be distinguished from a screw down case back. The original DW-5600C came with a full steel case and screw down case back (making it uber desirable among G-Shock collectors). While the current iteration is less robust, it’s still good for 200M of water resistance and has held up great for me.

Dial and Bezel

This is a no-frills watch, but still offers a staggering number of features, including a timer, stopwatch, alarm, calendar, and illumination. Everything is clearly laid out on the dial, and you press one of the 4 buttons on the case to rotate through the functions. I use the watch and calendar functions on a daily basis, and find the stopwatch handy for timing laps in the swimming pool or sets in the gym.

Using the watch is intuitive. I am not going waste your time by trying to explain the feature set of the 3229 in great detail (read the user manual for that). The digital read out is legible, and it’s easy to cycle through the functions and manipulate the watch. The electro luminescent (EL) backlight works well and elicits a soft blue glow.

The LCD is covered by a mineral crystal. I have not had any chips or scratches on my crystal, thanks in large part to the protruding plastic bezel. While it doesn’t rotate and click like a dive watch, it does say “G-SHOCK PROTECTION” on it and soak up bumps and scrapes.

Strap and On the Wrist

The Dw-5600E comes with a removable polymer strap. The watch is designed so that the strap looks integrated, but if you wear it out it is easily replaced with a spring bar tool. Like the rest of the watch, the strap is practical. The strap is secured with a stainless steel buckle and polymer strap keeper.

I find the DW-5600E to be a fantastically comfortable watch. It is lightweight and since it is on a strap rather than a bracelet, adjusting the watch for a perfect fit is easy. Being a sport watch, it’s chunky, but it does fit underneath the collar of a dress shirt, if you are as sartorially clueless as I am.

I paired my 5600 with a Benchmade Griptilian, as both are polymer clad utilitarian objects.

Casio DW-5600E Review – Final Thoughts

For less than $50, the DW-5600E is an impressive piece of hardware. I wore mine with impunity for years and it has performed flawlessly. Although I have since moved on to fancier mechanical watches for daily wear, I still use my DW-5600 regularly – especially for the gym, working in the yard, and for other dirty jobs. It is a perfect beater watch.

Although this is considered an entry level G-Shock, it has everything I need and should work well for most people. I am not a huge fan of the oversized G-shocks, and I think that the beauty of the 5600E lies in its simplicity. It is a lightweight and rugged watch that is ready for work. It also represents great value for money.

I recommend it with confidence if you need an inexpensive, practical and tough watch.

Sale

Casio Men's G-Shock Quartz Watch with Resin Strap, Black, 20 (Model: DW5600E-1V)

Black resin sport watch featuring shock resistance, comfortable resin strap, and multi-function rectangular dial
Quartz digital movement with accuracy of +/- 15 seconds per month
To prevent accidental adjusting of settings,the top left button on this watch is designed to be pushed in further.
Functions include multi-function alarm, 1/100-second stopwatch, countdown timer, hourly time signal, auto calendar, and 12- and 24-hour formats
Water resistant to 660 feet (200 M): suitable for recreational scuba diving

If you would like to buy a Casio DW-5600E, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon.com or Jomashop. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Benchmade Small Summit Lake Review

by Dan Jackson 5 Comments

Last Updated: August 14, 2019
Benchmade’s Hunt series (or “Munt”, depending on how you interpret their packaging), is a series of outdoor inspired hunter focused knives. I have never been a hunter, so my first impulse was to ignore the Hunt series. But a deeper dive into the line left me curious about a couple of their knives.

Buy the Benchmade Small Summit Lake at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

The Small Summit Lake had me intrigued, especially given my somewhat newfound interest in traditional knives. And especially in the wake of the success of the Boker Urban Trapper, which masterfully blends old timey pocket knife charisma with titanium, bearings, and stainless steel.

The Small Summit Lake is less of a mashup, but it takes things people appreciate about knives like the Buck 110, classic lines, rugged build quality, and a practical, time-proven design, and mate those qualities to 21st century manufacturing methods, high end steel, synthetic materials, and creature comforts like pocket clips and torx bolts instead of pinned construction. That combined with an EDC friendly footprint and reasonable price drew me to the Small Summit Lake.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Small Summit Lake has an overall length of 6.89″, a 2.89″ blade, weighs 3.04 ounces, and is made in the USA. Blade thickness is almost 3mm and this knife has full stainless steel liners, so it’s not the absolute lightest knife on the market, but it’s still certainly small enough for daily carry. The Small Summit Lake has a substantial feel to it. That makes sense, given how the Small Summit Lake is marketed as a hunting knife.

The Small Summit Lake features a modified drop point blade with a high flat grind. The edge of the knife rides along a near continuous belly. The tip is fine and pointy, but it is not delicate. The blade has been given an attractive two-tone satin finish.

Benchmade decided in CPM-S30V for the blade steel. I have had great success with Benchmade’s S30V in the past. Most notably, I have enjoyed the S30V in my Benchmade Volli. That knife continues to impress me, even though it has flown under the radar for most. At any rate, while I would prefer to see Benchmade upgrade all of their CPM-S30V knives to S35VN, I found that the S30V on this knife performed well. It’s reasonable to sharpen, holds a nice edge, and is resistant to corrosion. In short, it’s good stuff.

The blade is ground from thick stock. The thick stock combined with a narrow blade, and high flat grind all lend to a stouter geometry. This results in a stronger blade that doesn’t slice as well as something like a traditional slip joint. But the Small Summit Lake still slices, and it cuts well considering. I am guessing that the blade will also hold up a little better under the rigors of hunting and camping than a thinner ground knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Small Summit Lake’s handle scales are made of DymondWood. DymondWood is a resin-impregnated hardwood veneer designed to be used in place of real wood manufactured by Rutland Plywood Corporation. The pro to DymondWood is that you have a product that looks a lot like wood, so it should be tougher than natural wood. The con is that it’s not real wood, so you lose a little of that character and depth that only real wood provides. I like the DymondWood scales and think the material works nicely on this knife.

Underneath the DymondWood handle scales you have full steel liners. I suspect they did not skeletonize these liners to make cleaning easier. A wise choice if you are going to be using the knife to skin a deer. The backspacker and lock bar are all stainless steel and the handle is held together with 3 torx bolts and a pivot bolt. Fit and finish is excellent.

In hand the Small Summit Lake performs like an upgraded traditional slip joint. There is a generous amount of jimping on the spine and handle. The jimping runs a fine line between provided adequate traction without tearing up your hand. There is a further run of jimping on the spine of the blade towards the tip. This is supposed to aid hunters in skinning and breaking down carcasses – can’t say I have used this feature much. The handle itself is simple , inoffensive, and allows for a comfortable 4-finger grip. The DymondWood isn’t a high traction material, but it isn’t slippery either. For my purposes the Small Summit Lake has great ergonomics.

A nice surprise with the Small Summit Lake is that it comes with a deep carry pocket clip. This is something you don’t see on a traditional knife, and it’s a welcomed addition in my book. The handle has only been tapped for right side tip up carry. I would prefer an ambidextrous mounting option, making the entire knife (more or less) fully ambidextrous.

The knife carries deeply and discretely in your pocket. With a weight of 3.04 ounces and a closed length of 3.65″, I did not notice the Small Summit Lake as I carried it around. The clip all but completely buries the knife. And traditionalists could always take off the clip and let the knife ride free in the pocket or in a leather slip sheath if they wanted to.

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Deployment and Lockup

The Small Summit Lake comes equipped with a single (right side) nail nick. No thumb studs, flipper, or thumb hole on this knife. I don’t have a problem with this. The knife looks clean with the traditional nail nick, and the blade is easy to open with either hand. Inside Benchmade included phosphor bronze washes – another welcome modern touch. There is also an adjustable pivot which is great for on the fly tweaks, or a full take down. If you disengage the lock the blade swings freely, and there is even a little “half stop” milled into the tang of the blade. This is not something I have seen on a lock back before, but I like half stops, and I enjoy it here.

For lockup you have a traditional lock back. This tried and true design has worked for decades, and it continues to work with great success here on the Small Summit Lake. The lock is sturdy, popping in the blade in place with a satisfying “snap”, and it disengages with relative ease. Lock up is secure and as you would expect from a lockback with full steel liners. There is no side to side or up and down play in my knife. While it probably isn’t on par with a Tri-Ad lock, this is still a strong lock.

Blade centering is good on my knife, and favors the show side by a hair.

Benchmade Small Summit Lake Review – Final Thoughts

This is a surprisingly good knife from Benchmade, and I think it would be a mistake to gloss over the Small Summit Lake, even if you aren’t a hunter. The knife does a great job blending traditional with technical, and is a modern twist on a classic folding knife. And the price is reasonable too – at a little over $100, the Small Summit Lake isn’t cheap, but it isn’t a bank buster either.

I enjoy the addition of jimping, CPM-S30V blade steel, phosphor bronze washers, and pocket clip. These modern conveniences elevate this classic pattern, and I find little to fault with the Small Summit Lake. It would be great if Benchmade made this one fully ambidextrous. That would be nice.

I also would be curious to see Benchmade take this concept, slim it down, and offer a full on gent’s folder. It may not belong on the game trail at that point, but a refined and updated traditional folder from Benchmade could give something like the Indian River Jack a run for its money.

I think the Small Summit Lake could be a great choice for someone wanting an updated traditional folder, or a modern lock back with some traditional charm. This knife straddles a couple genres with surprising grace. The Small Summit Lake is just as at home by a camp fire as it is at a pocket dump on Instagram. For that reason it has earned my recommendation.

Benchmade - Small Summit Lake 15056-2, Drop-Point

BLADE STYLE: 2.89" (7.34cm) Drop-point style blade, weighing only 3.04oz. (86.18g)
AMERICAN MADE STEEL: CPM-S30V (58-60 HRC) premium stainless steel with well-rounded characteristics, including excellent corrosion resistance and superb edge qualities. The well-balanced stainless steel makes it one of the best choice for daily tasks.
DURABLE MATERIALS: The stabilized wood handle offers much more resistance to environmental hardships than natural wood. Also, includes a standard tip-down clip.
TRADITIONAL MECHANISM: A lockback gets its name from a rocker partially visible on top of the knife. Opening the blade causes the "rocker" to lock against the blade to lock open. Pushing down on the rocker releases it; enabling to close the blade.

I recommend buying the Benchmade Small Summit Lake at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading!

Spyderco Positron Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

Last Updated: August 5, 2019
The original Southard Flipper was a landmark knife for the Spyderco. The company’s first flipper, and a collaboration with popular knifemaker Brad Southard, the Southard Flipper helped prove the flipper concept for Spyderco and set the bar for things to come. Subsequently Spyderco released the Domino, an in-house Spyderco design, and the extravagant Rubicon, an over the top high end collaboration with Peter Carey. But everything leads back to the Southard Flipper.

Buy the Spyderco Positron at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

The Positron is Spyderco and Southard’s second collaboration. At first glance it more resembles a piece of modern art than a knife, blending Brad’s primitive lines with gleaming steel and carbon fiber. But the simplicity to Brad’s design belies a refinement matched by few knife designers. The Positron was a knife I couldn’t help acquiring.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Positron has an overall length of 7″, a 3″ blade, weighs 2.6 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. This is a smaller and more gentlemanly offering than the original Southard Flipper. A 3″ blade is appropriate for most settings, and 2.6 ounces is feather light. However, at slightly over half an inch thick, the Positron is a chunky folder. I may be spoiled by my Boker Urban Trapper, but at first glance the knife seemed very thick – especially given the thin and slender blade.

Speaking of blade, the Positron shares the same hook-nosed profile of many of Brad’s designs. This time things have been scaled down, and the gently curved spine meets with with a gently curved edge. There is a slight belly and the entire blade is set on a slight negative angle to the handle. Spyderco went with a full flat grind, and the blade has been given a sparkling stonewash over a highly polished finish.

Spyderco chose CPM S30V for the blade steel. I am not wild about this decision, especially for a higher end 2015 release from Spyderco. I would have preferred S35VN or CTS-XHP, but lets no kid ourselves into thinking S30V isn’t capable of peeling apples or opening mail – which is most of what I have done with the Positron. I also broke down a ton of cardboard boxes. It performed well. The bitingly sharp blade combined with a thin grind blade and fine finish make the Positron a good slicer. The narrow blade and thin grind remind me of a traditional knife, and it is slicier than the hollow ground Southard Flipper or the Domino.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle is where things start getting interesting with the Positron. Spyderco and Brad decided to nest skeletonized stainless steel liners into a full 3-d contoured carbon fiber handle with a low profile black G10 backspacer. The result is a dramatic yet understated handle. The carbon fiber has been left with a matte finish, and there are no voids in the carbon fiber. The end result looks simple, but only because it has been executed with such technical precision. The fit and finish is perfect on my example, and it makes for an impressive knife.

This is a smaller handle, and a number of smart design decisions make the most of it. The thickness and deep finger choil make the Positron a natural in the hand. There is a short run of jimping on the spine and backspacer. Both serve their purpose to index and secure the hand. If you are careful you can perch your index finger on the small forward finger choil and choke up. There is no texture on the handle, but that never bothered me. The matte finish of the carbon fiber is not slippery, and the Positron is comfortable for normal use.

The Positron makes use of Spyderco’s wire clip. I have come to enjoy it on a variety of my favorite Spydercos, including the Sage 1 and Dragonfly 2. This is one of the most discrete pocket clips on the market, and I can easily clip this knife to a pair of slacks without raising eyebrows from co-workers or shredding your pants. The handle has been milled for ambidextrous clip up carry.

As far as carry is concerned, the Positron is thick, but at 2.6 ounces I never noticed it. It carries discretely. I have enjoyed my Positron in the office and in the back yard. It’s a versatile tool that you quickly forget is in your pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

This is a rare Spyderco folder that doesn’t feature a functional thumb hole. Instead, you get a “trademark” thumb hole and a flipper as your sole means of opening the knife with one hand. The flipper is snappy and pops the knife open easily enough, but it’s still possible to “flub the flip” if you aren’t paying attention. I’d put the detent strength at a “6” on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being ZT 0454 thumb chafing tough, and 1 being totally non-functional. So it’s a good flipper, but not on par with a Zero Tolerance 0562 (which I might peg at an 8). There are caged bearings inside and the action is smooth.

For lockup we have a nested steel liner lock. The lock engages early and the blade is free of play. Being a steel liner lock, there is no lock stick either. I like the liner lock for a couple reasons: the knife is lighter than if it had a titanium frame lock, and it gives the Positron more of a gents folder vibe. It’s a nice change of pace from all the framelock flippers that grace these digital pages.

Readers have commented that the jimped lockbar is a little difficult to disengage, because there is no cut out on the show side handle scale. I must have fat thumbs, because I never had a problem disengaging the knife, but I see what people are saying. This is worth mentioning.

It is also worth mentioning that blade centering is perfect.

Spyderco Positron Review – Final Thoughts

The Positron is a solid offering from Spyderco. I think it carries the torch established by the original Southard Folder and the Domino and moves things into an interesting direction. This is a more refined knife making use of real carbon fiber, nested liners, and 3-d machined scales. The blade is thin, the knife is a good size for EDC, and it carries well. It’s not as wild as the Rubicon, and strikes me as something that I actually want to carry. As usual, fit and finish from the Taichung Taiwan factory is superb. I showed the knife to my dad and he commented that it shared similarities to his Kershaw Skyline, an interesting observation that puts the Positron in excellent company.

I also think the price is fair for what you get. Retailing for well under $200, it almost seems like an affordable Spyderco – a rarity in a sea of $200+ offerings. It’s not a value monster like the Urban Trapper, but it’s not highway robbery either.

The biggest con I can come up with is that the handle is a little thick. It’s comfortable in hand, and I don’t notice the knife in pocket, but at over half an inch thick it still looks thick. The lack of a cutout for the lock release is another potential con.

Ultimately, this is a beautiful knife, and a step in the right direction for Spyderco. I look forward to seeing how their line of flippers continues to evolve. I recommend the Positron to Southard and Spyderco fans, and for those wanting a discrete and refined daily carry blade.

Spyderco Positron Flipper PlainEdge Fold Knife W/3.01" Blade

Made of highest quality material
Manufacturer: Spyderco
Spyderco positron Flipper PlainEdge fold knife w/3.01 inch blade

I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Positron at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Seiko SKX173 Dive Watch Review

by Dan Jackson 18 Comments

I am going to attempt something different here and write a series of reviews on watches. Being that this is the first watch review in the series, I figured that I might as well start at the beginning – at least in terms of my personal journey with watches. I won’t pretend to be an expert on the subject. You likely wont find much technical detail here, or mention of the word “horology”… who knows, maybe I will get there eventually.

No products found.

So lets begin at the beginning: My dad has owned a Rolex Submariner for as long as I can remember. He told me his one big regret about the watch was not buying it sooner. With that kind of paternal influence it wasn’t long before I began pining for a dive watch of my own. The problem was that I was starting grad school at the time. To say I didn’t have much money was an understatement. I financed my graduate education on student loans and summer jobs, so I don’t know what the hell I was thinking wanting to buy a watch. I certainly didn’t have the money for a Submariner.

But I was still drawn to dive watches, and I wanted something that had an automatic movement and some history to it. In doing my homework I stumbled across the humble Seiko SKX173. Most are more familiar with it’s brother, the SKX007. At any rate, much like Rolex, Seiko has its own rich history of making dive watches. Plus, the SXK173 could be acquired for around $200. It was still $200 that I didn’t have at the time, but before I knew it the watch was at my doorstep.

Intended Use and Background Info

This is supposed to be about the watch and not about me, but I also think it’s important to caveat the review and provide some perspective to the reader. I’m not a diver and don’t play one on the internet. I just happen to like dive watches. They have a lot of versatility. If you wear a sleek diver on a bracelet it looks good whether you are wearing jeans or a suit. On a rubber strap, the watch takes on a more casual look. Theoretically you could have a nice diver be your one watch.

I wore my SKX173 religiously for 2 years. That is, until, I broke it. I was digging a ditch in my back yard. It was hot, and I don’t remember what exactly was going on, but when I looked down at my wrist I recall the time being off – completely off. All the shock must have broken the movement. Years later I sent the 173 in to Seiko and they fixed it for around $100.

I still have the watch and wear it occasionally. It is pretty beaten up. I lifted weights with it, swam with it, drank unhealthy quantities of beer with it, and generally thrashed around with it for a couple years. At this point the watch has been scuffed, scratched, dented, and dinged. Although I never explored a shipwreck with it, I certainly did not baby my SKX173.

Case and Movement

The SKX173 has 41mm case, is 13.5mm thick, has a lug to lung length of 46mm, weighs about 2.8 ounces (just the head – no bracelet), and is made in Malaysia. It is on the larger side, even for a diver. I think it looks good on my ~7″ wrist. It’s not comically large, although it certainly has some presence. The case is stainless steel. The sides and back of the case are polished, while the face has a brushed satin finish. The edges are beveled, providing a neat transition between the finishes.

The the screw down crown sits at 4 o’clock, and is protected by a molded crown guard. The 4 o’clock crown is a signature Seiko look, and also serves the function of not poking the back of your hand as easily as a 3 o’clock crown. The screw in case back is solid steel, and has a wave logo on it. Some have remarked that this is a homage to Katsushika Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” woodblock print, but who really knows for sure. All I know is that between the screw down crown and the screw in case back, this watch is rated for 200M of water resistance. I haven’t taken mine below 10 feet.

Seiko selected a Caliber 7S26 movement for the 173. This is a popular automatic Japanese movement found on many Seiko divers. I am not going to sit here and pretend that I know much about the 7S26, or watch movements in general for that matter. All I know is that my 173 kept decent time. I usually had to adjust it every month or so. Here is a link to a great article on the 7S26 movement for those who want to learn more about it.

Dial and Bezel

The dial of the SKX173 features rectangular raised hour markers, and a triangle at 12 o’clock. I greatly prefer this look over the round markers on the 007. I also like the way the dial is laid out. It’s simple, but there are still details to enjoy. I also like how there is not a lot of writing on the dial. “SEIKO AUTOMATIC” and “DIVER’S 200M” in red is all that adorns the face.

The 173 includes a day/date feature (or a day/date “complication” in watch parlance). For me, the date is a must have on a watch, and is something I rely on all the time. I could live without having the day of the week on the dial as it’s one more thing to deal with, and as a working stiff I am already finely attuned to what day of the week it is.

The hands are angular and luminous, and suit the look of the dial. The tip of the second hand is also given some luminous paint (or “lume”). Speaking of lume, the stuff Seiko puts on their divers is the stuff of legend, and this 173 is no different. It is very bright, and holds a charge long into the night.

Rounding things out is a Hardlex crystal. Hardlex is not as scratch resistant as sapphire, but is better than a mineral crystal. Mine has held up pretty well over the years. It has picked up a few fine scratches (the kind you can only see if you look for them in the right light). No chips or cracks, although I am sure if you drop the watch on concrete bad things will happen.

Since this is a purpose built diver, the 173 comes equipped with a 120 click unidirectional bezel. The bezel takes some effort to manipulate, and is not something that will easily be brushed aside. I like the action of this bezel. Many an hour was spent absentmindedly manipulating it. The bezel is also functional. I end up using the bezels on my divers for timing everything from steaks on the grill, to billable hours at the office.

Bracelet and On the Wrist

My SKX173 came with a jubilee style stainless steel bracelet. It had hollow end links, a feature I quickly discovered that I did not like. The hollow links felt cheap in comparison to the rest of the watch, and did not follow the lines of the case. I quickly swapped the bracelet out for a Seiko rubber strap, and haven’t looked back (I don’t even know where the bracelet is at this point – hence pics of the strap only). The SKX accepts a 22mm strap or bracelet, and there is a ton of OEM and aftermarket options out there. I found that my strap fell apart after a year or so, but for $20 they are easy enough to replace (although I scratched the hell out of the back of the case in the process – if you aren’t patient, this is best left to the experts).

I like the way the 173 wears, but wish it was a little thinner. At 13.5mm, it doesn’t hide underneath a shirt cuff easily, and the prominent bezel catches your cuff easily. As a student it was a fun and distinctive watch, and a nice casual look with shorts and a polo shirt. Now that I am working in an office, it is less appropriate. But the 173 is still great for evenings and weekends, and with a bracelet you could wear it with a dress shirt if you want to. It has some weight to it, but nothing out of the ordinary for a thick chunk of stainless steel.

My Seiko SKX173 paired with a Cold Steel American Lawman and Foursevens AA2 flashlight.

Seiko SKX173 Review – Final Thoughts

Looking back, I am glad I bought my SKX173 – even if I really couldn’t afford it at the time. It scratched my itch for a fancy automatic diver for quite a few years, and I made some good memories wearing that watch. I have put the 173 through its paces, and it has more or less stood the test of time. Just don’t dig any ditches with it and you should be fine.

What I like about the SKX173 is that you get an attractive automatic watch with a real dive pedigree to it, and you can get it for around $200. I wasn’t ready to buy a Rolex, but I didn’t want something that was trying to be a Rolex either (there are a ton of cheap Submariner “homages” out there for those wanting that look). I wanted something that could stand on its own, with its own history and it’s own traditions. There aren’t a lot of sub $1000 watches that can do that, let alone a sub $250 watch. I think I made a great choice with the SKX173.

If your budget is especially tight, you can find a SKX007 for around $150. At that price I think you will be hard pressed to find a more serviceable automatic dive watch.

SEIKO Men's Automatic Analogue Watch with Rubber Strap SKX007K

Quality Japanese Automatic movement; Functions without a battery; Powers automatically with the movement of your arm
Hardlex crystal
Case diameter: 42 mm
Stainless-steel case; Black dial; Date-and-day functions
Water resistant to 660 feet (200 M): suitable for recreational scuba diving

I recommend purchasing the Seiko SKX173 at Amazon.com. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

2015 Black Friday Knife Deals

by Dan Jackson Leave a Comment

Once again, it is that time of year again. With thanksgiving dinner behind us, one can sit back and peruse the various Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals on offer from our favorite knife and gear purveyors. I’ve taken it upon myself to try and curate these deals for another year.

What I have selected is subject to updates. Feel free to let me know if any deals I missed in the comments section, or drop me an email from the contact page.

Amazon

As usual, Amazon has their deals going on for black Friday.

Frankly it’s hard for me to tell exactly what knives will be on sale this year. They seem to do flash sales, and limited offerings. I am guessing there will be lots of time sensitive deals on more budget oriented knives, so here is a direct link to their outdoor gear deals.

BladeHQ

BladeHQ is rocking and rolling this Friday with some nice exclusive deals. This year they have an exclusive Microtech UTX-70, a spearpoint Lightning OTF, a flipper version of the Emerson CQC-7 (interesting!), and an ESEE Izula with an “Ant Swarm Pattern”. Plus they should have some other stuff on sale when the sale goes live. Here is a direct link to their sales page.

KniveShipFree

KSF is not having a Black Friday sale per se, but they are giving a free knife to one random customer every day over the weekend. Each day will be a different knife. Not spectacular, but you can check out what they have here.

KnifeCenter

KnifeCenter seems to have a pretty nice promotion going on for Black Friday. 15% off 15 brands including a bunch of DMT and Lansky sharpening stuff. Check out their deals to see what may be of interest.

CRKT

CRKT is running a promotion where if you spend $99+ on CRKT.com they will toss in a [easyazon_link asin=”B00TFY39EQ” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]CRKT Burnley Squid[/easyazon_link] for free.

DLT Trading

DLT Trading appears to have some stuff on sale, although it’s not entirely clear to me what is for Black Friday, and what is just on there regular sale page. Check it out here.

GPKnives

GPKnives has a bunch of Black Friday deals on offer. Check em out here.

Lynn Thompson’s Special Project

Lynn Thompson’s Special Projects has some stuff on same for Black Friday. Hat tip to Brad K. for the information. Looks like some good deals on Cold Steel products.

LionSteel

Not to be outdone by CRKT, LionSteel is running a promotion of their own: buy anything on their website, LionSteel.it and they will throw in a free Eskaper one piece multi-tool.

That’s All For Now…

I’ll keep trolling the internets to see if anything else noteworthy pops up on my radar. Again, feel free to reach out if I missed anything. Thanks and happy holidays.

Gear of the Year Survey

A little housekeeping: Tony at EveryDayCommentary is doing his annual gear awards, and this time he has opened it up to the public with a survey for Gear of the Year. Check it out and cast your vote.

Ka-Bar Becker BK-9 Review

by Dan Jackson 6 Comments

With the weather turning cooler here in Florida, it was high time to get outside and to start tearing into the yard. We had an especially hot and wet summer this year, and the back 40 was taking over the entire house. I wanted to try out something new to tame the jungle, and settled on the Becker BK-9. After acquiring a BK-2 a year ago, I wanted to explore the Ka-Bar / Becker line further. I favor choppers, and quickly landed on their iconic BK-9.

Buy the BK-9 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

This is a popular knife for Ka-Bar, and for good reason. Designed by Ethan Becker, made in the USA with a 9″ 1095 blade, full tang, and sub $100 price tag, the BK-9 is a lot of knife for the money. It’s a staple in Becker’s lineup and I have waited too long to acquire one. I was curious to see how it would stack up to my trusty Junglas, and also test the knife in its own right.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The BK-9 has an overall length of 14-3/4″, a 9″ blade, weighs 16.8 ounces (~1lb), and is made in the USA. This is a hefty knife that borders on short sword territory. Your needs from an large outdoor fixed blade will drive whether this is a camp knife, “survival” knife, combat knife, or back yard tool. For me, this has mostly been a back yard tool. There are some invasive ficus trees in our back yard, and despite judicious pruning they continue to grow like weeds. I have used my BK-9 multiple times for limbing, chopping, and preparing wood for camp fires. Those experiences have informed the majority of my opinions on the BK-9.

Dubbed the Combat Bowie, the BK-9 features a long clip point blade. The clip point is no joke. Towards the end of an especially vigorous chopping session, I somehow managed to poke myself in the inner thigh with the tip of the BK-9. The blade only sunk a eighth of an inch, but it opened my leg efficiently, and sent a small stream of blood down my calf. I would not want to be on the business end of this thing. I recommend that you exercise extreme caution in use, as this knife strikes me as a more dangerous than your typical camp knife thanks to the fine tip.

The blade is 3/16″ thick, and has a high flat grind with black powdercoat (although a premium clear-coated version is also available). The powdercoat is thick, and protects the knife from rust. It slowly wears down with use. This knife is not the best slicer, and those hoping to use it to prepare dinner are likely to be disappointed with the performance (it is really too unwieldy for those kinds of jobs anyways). The BK-9 is more at home buried in a tree limb, and it does an admirable job chopping and batoning. Compared to my larger Junglas, I wish it had a little more heft for chopping, but the BK-9 still performs well and it is a lighter package.

The BK-9 comes in 1095 high carbon tool steel. I have written dozens of articles on fixed blade knives in 1095, including reviews of a lot of the ESEE lineup, and of Becker’s own BK-2. So I’m no stranger to the steel. I have come to appreciate its hearty nature.

1095 is ideal for processing wood. It is tough (although it will still chip if you strike a rock with it), and holds a good edge against wood. It is less ideal if you are breaking down boxes, cutting yards of rope, or dealing with other abrasive materials. In those situations, I prefer a good stainless or semi-stainless. Plus 1095 is cheap, and it helps keep the cost down. I’d love a knife like this in 3V, but I wouldn’t want to pay $300 for it. So 1095 strikes a sweet spot for a number of reasons.

I oil my BK-9 down after each use with a little WD-40, and store it in the garage. I haven’t had issues with rust on the blade. A couple of the bolts on the handle have developed a little rust, so don’t make the same mistake I did, and be sure to oil those as well.

Handle and Ergonomics

The BK-9 shares the same handle of the entire Becker line up. This is a proven handle design and is a smart idea. The standard handle material is Ultramid, a high density plastic that has likely been glass reinforced. Micarta scales are also available and this is a popular knife for customization. The Ultramid is tough and attractive with its smooth matte black finish. It’s not the most exotic material in the world, but it’s inexpensive and is well executed here. The scales bolt on to the handle so you can disassemble it for cleaning or to swap on some aftermarket scales. Fit and finish is good. The pieces line up well, and there are no sharp edges to speak of (save the cutting edge).

Ergonomics are everything on a tool like this. A poorly designed handle on a chopper is a recipe for blisters and discomfort. Ethan Becker has given the handle a lot of consideration, and it shows. This is a comfortable handle. After extensive use I did not notice any hot spots, and my hands were blister free. I will say that the Ultramid does not offer a ton of texture, and prefer micarta because of the nice grip it provides – even when wet with sweat. While the plastic handled BK-9 never flew out of my hand, I still prefer micarta.

Sheath

The BK-9 comes with a black nylon sheath with a molded kydex insert. I think the sheath is well executed. It’s lightweight, durable, and has thoughtful touches like a belt loop that doesn’t require you to take your belt off to use, and there is a little velcro under the retention strap to hold the strap out of the way of the blade as you draw the knife. These kinds of details are often absent on less expensive nylon sheathes.

Also, the materials used is of a higher quality. I am not an expert on fabric, but when you compare this with the sheath of the Schrade SCHF9, the difference is immediately apparent. Everything is tighter and of higher quality. There is also an external pouch with a second kydex insert for a small fixed blade, and a pocket for a whetstone (or some other smaller piece of gear). The sheath is fully ambidextrous. The kydex insert does not hold the blade in place with friction alone, but if you engage the snap closure the knife is held securely in place.

While there is a lot to like about the BK-9 sheath, I much prefer the sweet kydex sheath found on my Junglas. Sure, the Junglas is significantly more expensive, but the sheath on that knife is beyond compare. The knife makes such an awesome “thwack!” every time you sheath the blade – it is arguably the most satisfying “knife experience” in my entire collection.

In conclusion, I think the BK-9 sheath is nice, especially given the price and when compared with other fabric sheathes, but it still leaves me pining for kydex. Apparently Ka-Bar is attempting to scratch that itch and has a kydex style sheath for the BK-9 listed for sale on their website. It’s offered for $50.00. There are plenty of after market sheathes also available.

Becker BK-9 Review – Final Thoughts

The BK-9 is another workhorse in the Becker lineup. It strikes that delicate balance between quality, utility, and price. For under $100 you get a substantial and well made knife. The design, materials, fit, and finish are all on point. The sheath is great for a nylon sheath. Ethan Becker has massaged this design thoroughly, and has squeezed out every ounce of performance that he could given the knife’s size and budgetary constraints. Also, the BK-9 is made in the USA. This always brings a twinkle to my eye.

Here is a shot of the BK-9 next to the ESEE Junglas:

That said, for my money I would pay the premium for the ESEE Junglas. The Junglas is just a little bigger and a little badder in every way. I think it’s worth the extra dough. If you buy a BK-9 and then upgrade the scales and sheath, it will cost you as much as a Junglas anyway. However, none of this is said to make light of the BK-9. It is still an excellent knife in it’s own right, and it has developed a loyal following. But I am a huge Junglas fan boy and I know that the “Junglas vs. BK-9” battle has come up many times before. This is simply my opinion.

If you want a tough chopper and are looking to keep things under $100 you can’t go wrong with the Becker BK-9. It gets a lot of things right and it won’t be leaving my collection any time soon.

Sale

Ka-Bar Becker BK9 Combat Bowie Fixed Blade Knife , Black

Used by all branches of military and service members
Great for collectors and outdoor services
Tested to ensure quality and durability
Bowie knife with 1095 Cro-Van steel blade
Ergonomic Grigori handle minimizes user fatigue

If you would like to buy a Becker BK-9, I recommend buying it at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.