Brownie
03-11-2006, 09:00 AM
I purchased this knife from my distributor several years ago with the idea I would use the Chinook as an EDC [every day carry] defensive knife. Having trained in defensive knife techniques over the last several years with the designer, James A. Keating of Combat Technologies, I had every expectation this knife would perform admirably in it’s intended role as a defensive knife.
When I received the Chinook, the first thing I noticed was that it felt solid and was quite hefty which isn’t surprising given it’s listed weight of 7.25 ounces. Mr. Keating’s known penchant for demanding the equipment he uses be up to the tasks that he will demand of it are well established in the knife community. This knife immediately left no questions about its inherent strength.
In Jim’s own words, he designed the knife around what he envisioned he wanted [or needed] from his own perspective as a bladesman who is enamored with the Bowie and how it may be used to perform backcuts. The upswept clip pointed blade looks like someone took the first three inches of a clip point fixed bowie knife and put a handle on it. Jim has stated that the Chinook should not be used for heavy, power-stroke type backcutting, that should be reserved for the bigger fixed bladed bowies This blade is meant to snipe, harass, and keep an opponent off their mark using the backcutting action, hence the unique design of the blade.
The design is capable of handling a plethora of strenuous cutting chores as evidenced later in this evaluation. The Chinook is a lock-back with strength beyond industry standards. Originally developed for Martial Bladecraft and tactical applications, the Chinook effortlessly transforms into a field knife, filling the varied requirements for a hard-use hunting/camp knife. The upswept modified Bowie-style blade, with substantial belly and breadth, is ideal for skinning and field dressing. Included is a substantial pocket clip for tip-down carry.
I carried the knife for several weeks as my primary defensive EDC. The knife sits very well clipped to the pocket of jeans or dockers. The textured G-10 handle material gives one a solid purchase when accessing the knife from the pocket as well as in the hand when opened for use. The Ergonomics of the handle are excellent in my opinion. The blade is extremely upswept, yet the tip is centered on the handle. It can be an illusion when looking at the knifes blade initially and one could think the knife would not be good at stabbing, yet it stabs efficiently and has a very stout and substantial tip which will not be prone to breaking if it meets with hard targets.
The knife came very sharp. I touched it up immediately on the ceramics to my own standards. The CPM440V steel takes a very nice edge. I left the edge somewhat “toothy” and aggressive for this particular knife, not wanting the fine razors edge I normally put on my defensive folders. I feel this knife’s curved belly will perform a multitude of tasks better left with this type of edge.
The Chinook exudes ruggedness to the extreme. I knew I had my work cut out for me if I were going to test its overall strength. I had my local general contractor over at the house one day doing some work and decided to give him this knife. George is a burly bull of a man. He puts more hard use on tools he uses than about anyone I know. He always carries a folding knife in his pocket since I gave him his first one five years ago. He has never been able to keep a knife long as he destroys them during his normal days of working as a general contractor with all types of materials. Giving him this knife to use would bring any design flaws or weaknesses to the forefront quickly, and that’s exactly what I wanted. I told him to use the knife and not baby it. Knowing how he handles tools, [a knife to him is a tool foremost] this would be interesting at the least.
I had talked with George a few times in the last five or six weeks over the phone to inquire about the Chinook and how it was holding up. Each call brought forth comments that he was amazed at how strong the knife was and how it performed. He had used the knife to cut vinyl siding while working on his own house. He mentioned that he had also used it on his new commercial garage he was building to store his equipment, to cut 4-inch thick insulation, and how he thought it sliced better than a utility knife at these tasks. He could hear the knifes edge bumping up against the corrugated steel outer shell as he sliced through the insulation.
He related a story about how he was 15+ feet up a ladder in his garage and getting these steel cross beams assembled to the vertical steel posts. The drilled holes were not lining up on this one particular section he was working on and he was getting pretty aggravated about it. He took the Chinook from his pocket one handed, placed the blade tip into the drilled holes of one section and pried with the knife until the sections were aligned and he could bolt them together. He has cut 1” PVC piping with the knife on another job in lieu of going to the truck to get a hacksaw as well.
When I received the Chinook, the first thing I noticed was that it felt solid and was quite hefty which isn’t surprising given it’s listed weight of 7.25 ounces. Mr. Keating’s known penchant for demanding the equipment he uses be up to the tasks that he will demand of it are well established in the knife community. This knife immediately left no questions about its inherent strength.
In Jim’s own words, he designed the knife around what he envisioned he wanted [or needed] from his own perspective as a bladesman who is enamored with the Bowie and how it may be used to perform backcuts. The upswept clip pointed blade looks like someone took the first three inches of a clip point fixed bowie knife and put a handle on it. Jim has stated that the Chinook should not be used for heavy, power-stroke type backcutting, that should be reserved for the bigger fixed bladed bowies This blade is meant to snipe, harass, and keep an opponent off their mark using the backcutting action, hence the unique design of the blade.
The design is capable of handling a plethora of strenuous cutting chores as evidenced later in this evaluation. The Chinook is a lock-back with strength beyond industry standards. Originally developed for Martial Bladecraft and tactical applications, the Chinook effortlessly transforms into a field knife, filling the varied requirements for a hard-use hunting/camp knife. The upswept modified Bowie-style blade, with substantial belly and breadth, is ideal for skinning and field dressing. Included is a substantial pocket clip for tip-down carry.
I carried the knife for several weeks as my primary defensive EDC. The knife sits very well clipped to the pocket of jeans or dockers. The textured G-10 handle material gives one a solid purchase when accessing the knife from the pocket as well as in the hand when opened for use. The Ergonomics of the handle are excellent in my opinion. The blade is extremely upswept, yet the tip is centered on the handle. It can be an illusion when looking at the knifes blade initially and one could think the knife would not be good at stabbing, yet it stabs efficiently and has a very stout and substantial tip which will not be prone to breaking if it meets with hard targets.
The knife came very sharp. I touched it up immediately on the ceramics to my own standards. The CPM440V steel takes a very nice edge. I left the edge somewhat “toothy” and aggressive for this particular knife, not wanting the fine razors edge I normally put on my defensive folders. I feel this knife’s curved belly will perform a multitude of tasks better left with this type of edge.
The Chinook exudes ruggedness to the extreme. I knew I had my work cut out for me if I were going to test its overall strength. I had my local general contractor over at the house one day doing some work and decided to give him this knife. George is a burly bull of a man. He puts more hard use on tools he uses than about anyone I know. He always carries a folding knife in his pocket since I gave him his first one five years ago. He has never been able to keep a knife long as he destroys them during his normal days of working as a general contractor with all types of materials. Giving him this knife to use would bring any design flaws or weaknesses to the forefront quickly, and that’s exactly what I wanted. I told him to use the knife and not baby it. Knowing how he handles tools, [a knife to him is a tool foremost] this would be interesting at the least.
I had talked with George a few times in the last five or six weeks over the phone to inquire about the Chinook and how it was holding up. Each call brought forth comments that he was amazed at how strong the knife was and how it performed. He had used the knife to cut vinyl siding while working on his own house. He mentioned that he had also used it on his new commercial garage he was building to store his equipment, to cut 4-inch thick insulation, and how he thought it sliced better than a utility knife at these tasks. He could hear the knifes edge bumping up against the corrugated steel outer shell as he sliced through the insulation.
He related a story about how he was 15+ feet up a ladder in his garage and getting these steel cross beams assembled to the vertical steel posts. The drilled holes were not lining up on this one particular section he was working on and he was getting pretty aggravated about it. He took the Chinook from his pocket one handed, placed the blade tip into the drilled holes of one section and pried with the knife until the sections were aligned and he could bolt them together. He has cut 1” PVC piping with the knife on another job in lieu of going to the truck to get a hacksaw as well.