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Ruger Muzzle-Brake Knife by CRKT  There are a lot of "chopper-camp" knives on the market. They all have one thing in common, they are big. Most of these blades rely on their size and shape to appeal to the buyer. The majority use cheap steel in their construction. This is also a common problem with the majority of the machetes on the market. When Ruger decided to add hunting knives to their brand, they did not make the mistake that some other firearms companies made: mass produced, throw-away knives made from cheap steel. Ruger insisted on decent steel in their knives and utilized a well known manufacturer (CRKT) for their production. The result is good knives at an affordable price. In fact, CRKT went one step further. They enlisted the design skills of several well known blade smiths, including Ken Steigerwalt, Bill Harsey, Robert Carter, Matthew Lerch, Ken Onion and Ryan Johnson. When we saw the Muzzle-Brake knife at the 2017 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Mary immediately recognized it as a Ken Onion design. Although she has never met him, she has been a fan of his blades ever since using his Skinner (CRKT #K700KXP) four years ago. Whenever we have an opportunity to test knives, she always wants to add Ken's knives to her collection. Ken's blades almost always have a high hollow grind and once you see one of his blades, you will be able to recognize his angles and style in every knife that he designs. The Muzzle-Brake is no exception. It is a very well balanced camp knife. It is large enough for chopper duty around your camp, but not so large that you could not use it to dress out an elk or deer. Based on a modified Bowie design, it has a blood groove. We are not sure why this is necessary on a hunting knife. When Chinese 8Cr13MoV stainless steel is properly heat treated (HRC 58-59), it is tough, corrosion resistant and holds a good edge. It is approximately equivalent to Japanese AUS-8 stainless steel and is easy to re-sharpen when needed. The Muzzle-Brake comes with a DOTS sheath and belt attachment. The DOTS system is the toughest and most reliable on the market for attaching a blade to your backpack, a MOLLE loop or your belt. Yes, the knife is now part of Mary's collection. Specifications
I am not sure whether my bride will let me take this one into the mountains, as I have a tendency to misplace things; call those times "senior moments." I will probably have to order a second Ruger Muzzle-Brake for myself. As we expected, Ken and CRKT have produced a good blade. It is worthy of the Ruger name and it will be handy around any camp. |