Linder Solingen

ATS 34 Super Edge 2 Easy Track Hunting and General Camp knife

ATS 34 Easy Track Super Edge 2 Hunting and camping knife from Linder Solingen Germany.

Linder of Solingen Germany, CNC mill these blanks of Japanese Hitachi ATS 34 used in their Super Edge models then heat treat them to achieve a final HRC of 60, via vacuum processing and cryogenic soaking at -85C. This treatment allows for such high HRC and still retain blade flexibility. 
Each knife is individually serial numbered. This sort of thing is important to me. Why? because it says something about quality control, being able to track one's products and keep tabs on production quality.

Knives are individually serial numbered. The ATS 34 Super Edge EASY TRACK Hunting knife made by Carl Linder Nachf. e.K. Germany. Up until this model shipped, 8007 knives of this model have been sold!! The knife features a full flat grind and at 4mm thickness or 0.2 inches, provides great cutting power when slicing though objects.

The kraton used for the grip has a Shore hardness of 85, which achieves a tough and tactile grip without being soft. Also there was a lot of serious research that went into designing a very ergonomic grip shape. The kraton grip profile resists a twisting motion, at the same time provides a very tactile feeling. comfortable with no hot spots, good in all weather and with either dry or slimy hands. There is a palm swell and some texturing akin to knurling moulded into the Kraton.

The fluorescent Orange Kraton grip is extremely comfortable! The spine features shallow but still very grippy gimping. The blade design is that of a hunting knife, with a large radius belly but not so large as to be only used as a skinner. 

Now this is my second Linder knife (I'm sure there will be more LOL). I can't keep away from Linder knives (now I recently discovered them!) as they are great value for money, getting a German made 4/5mm ATS 34 steel fixed blade/s hunting knife/knives for well under 200 Euro's, you've got to be kidding!

Just to put you in the picture

For many many years my trusty camping knife was also my trusty hunting knife. I wanted a knife which could cut off the wet outer bark and or wood from damp timber and use this to start a fire and the same knife to skin and then butcher my game we caught. I also used that hunting knife to go fishing with. It was a German made knife but not from Linder. Now this ATS 34 Super Edge 2 with a nice bright orange Kraton grip really caught my eye. I know we are NOT meant to put the knife down but immediately back into the scabbard. Yes, soldiers are trained to do this but this doesn't mean it happens all the time if you don't have that kind of discipline/training and also if the blade is covered in: fish guts or other animal guts and blood, you'll want to wash and clean it before re-holstering it. That can mean putting it down on the ground/log/rock etc "just for a few seconds" (LOL!!) and of course returning to spend the next 30 minutes looking and cursing as to where you had left it! NOW if your handle is bright orange, you will be far less likely to loose your knife if you have done any one of the above mentioned no no's!

No chance of misplacing your knife!

The knife stands out with high contrast against a green background!

The Super Edge 2 Easy Track against a dark background, easily seen! The Kraton handle is all weather. A stainless steel rivet helps secure the Kraton.

Same drill as before, all the Super Edge series feature this tang design (14mm wide tang):

Example tang (shown here is the ATS 34 Super Edge 5 Bushcraft) of the Super Edge Series of knives. A stainless steel rivet helps to further secure the Kraton to the tang.(Image provided courtesy of Carl Linder Nachf.e. K. Germany).

This knife with it's bright luminous/fluorescent orange grip isn't going to misplaced easily. In low light the knife is easy to find (you're in a hurry to leave in the evening etc). 

Now I don't know of anyone else who is utilizing this feature of putting a bright handle onto a hunting knife (possible exceptions Mora). Some say this is a gimmick. Well let me tell you it couldn't be further from a gimmick. Put down your knife with its camouflage  coloured  handle on the ground in Australia, then you stand a good chance of loosing it amongst the leaf litter! So for hunting applications this makes a lot of sense to me. 

Why use a Hunting knife for camping?

So what's the benefit of using a "hunting style" knife also for camping? Well as blade designs go, they are generally easy on the wrists and that means less fatigue during heavy use. They are good to prepare food with too in my experience and have a good enough point to also be used to gut fish. As an added plus in today's society they also appear "less threatening" in overall shape. In fact, on that note there are countries whose governments are busy banning any edged tools that resemble your average weapon from a "Zombie movie", stupid yes, I know, since there are a plethora of advertisements all over buildings and buses etc showcasing the latest movies or TV series about killing the "Undead" with edged weapons. So why ban knives when there there are still movies abounding showcasing such weapons? Don't get me wrong I love a good Zombie movie and totally disagree with that kind of knee jerk attitude.

Size comparison between the Super Edge 2 (above) and the Super Edge 5 below (recently reviewed by BushCampingTools).

Ok back to the ATS 34 Super Edge 2. So if you haven't figured it out now the Hunting style blade generally makes a damn good choice for a hiking/camping knife, with added bonus of being able to multitask. Whilst my trusty Ontario Spec Plus has done it's tour of duty, it couldn't handle it on just one hunting trip when i forgot my hunting knife! Clip points are just useless in that area (ok fish are fine).

0.2" or 4mm thick spine, palm swell, tapering grip, the Linder Easy Track Super Edge in ATS 34 is a sturdy hunting knife.

ATS 34 performs very well since you can (and Linder does) harden the ATS 34 to HRC 60 without a brittle edge. As mentioned above Linder are using -85C degree cryogenic treatment on this alloy for the best possible final microstructure.

Linder Super Edge 2 Easy Track, perfect size for hunting (small to medium game) and camp duties

A no nonsense hard high denier ballistic Nylon covered nylon scabbard with a retaining spring (Plastic) keeps a secure and safe housing of the Linder ATS 34 Super Edge 2 Easy Track knife . This scabbard can be easily washed clean too.

Ok so these are my overall first impressions, which I have to say are also based upon my previous experience with Linder's Super Edge 5 also in ATS 34, of which I have just field tested. I'll be taking this Super Edge 2 with Easy Track coloured grip also out into the field and give it the works, so stick around for my review on BushCampingTools.

A warranty of 2 years is given.