EXTREMA RATIO AMF SURVIVAL KNIFE WOW!

Extrema Ratio AMF Survival Knife

What to say? I loved the 80's, everything about it. Including the cutlery from that era. Yes, I saw the Rambo movies and who didn't like, or want a damn RAMBO knife? Anyone who says they didn't isn't being honest with themselves. That movie set the scene for the romanticised lifestyle which is probably inherent in many of us, and dating back to our primeval existence on this planet with our pre-occupation about survival (knives and tools). This survival lifestyle has all but been lost by our civilized ways with the exceptions of those whose existence still depends on survival from the land and sea by their own hands free of mechanisation. For the rest of us, if we are lucky enough, we will never encounter a situation whereby our lives depend upon surviving from the land or sea or disaster*. Of course we can be challenged by disasters* whether man made or natural and become either voluntarily or involuntarily involved in such survival situations. Now many would like to think (romanticise- in reality, far from romantic) themselves in some sort of survival situation, where carrying a big knife is going to save the day. Of course if one has been truly involved in real survival situation as those mentioned above (with few exceptions of course), we know that these situations rarely involve the use of a knife big or small.
Now I digress....

By the way, the "sawback" on the RAMBO knife was NOT a saw at all but a series of wire cutting notches- that was made evident in the movie, where Sylvester Stallone used the knife to cut some wire. 

Gerber Legendary Blades in the USA brought out their  "Survival knife" in the 80's. I saw my first one over 17 years ago in a Tokyo camping shop, of which it took centrepiece under the glass at the front desk. For some reason, I never bought one (no, it's not because I thought they were crap- but at the time money was indeed "an object" for a poor post doctoral scientist!) but always lusted after one. Several versions were made, even one with wire cutter notches on the spine, just like the first RAMBO knife. Those Gerber (serial numbered) knives have now become collectors items.

Here Comes Extrema Ratio!

Now zoom fast forward to 2017/2018 and Extrema Ratio in Italy, with inspiration from that survival cutlery era of the 80s, has produced the A.M.F or ADVANCED MULTI-FUNCTION knife.

Ok, so Extrema Ratio are calling this AMF a "survival knife" and have it listed in their section encompassing their knives suitable for Survival scenarios, hence "Multifunction" applications!

Let me quickly say this, based upon my other articles I have written regarding what is a survival knife and personal experiences involving "survival" (and here I'm not talking about lounge-chair situations but the real McCoy) encounters), I can definitely say that the Extrema Ratio AMF suits this description. To summarise first, and then talk in more detail about the AMF.

Is the AMF a "Survival knife" according to my definition?

Use in very Cold weather or sub zero temperatures? YES, there is no exposed tang for one to freeze to the palm of their hand. Very hot conditions, same applies, no exposed tang at high temperature.

Extrema Ratio AMF here seen in the "tropics" later this year in the opposite environment

Minimal fixing hardware? Yes just one bolt  (3mm hex head driver) which sits (protected) below the butt. (strictly speaking, there are 5 parts that result from removing the 3 mm Allen bolt). See the next blog.

Big simple blade design at 8.25" LONG! 6.3mm thick! It's no butter knife!

Extrema Ration AMF spine (the fruits are from the tropical Pandanus palm-not a palm at all).

Survival food and "Survival knife"

Big grippy, all weather handle, made from Forprene to help reduce impact shocks to user's hand.


The Extrema Ratio AMF has a classic clip point (in this case a straight clip point) blade geometry (easy to maintain at HRC 58). The blade thickness is full width until about 2cm from the tip, yielding very good penetrating power. If you love big knives and big knives with functional blades, along with that "retro" look, then you are going to love this AMF knife too.  We have a slight departure from the usual Forprene grips seen on many of Extrema Ratio's knives, whereby there isn't a full encirclement of the tang closest to the hilt. In the case of the Extrema Ratio AMF knife, the tang is fully enclosed by the handle. The handle tapers towards the rear, and is less "angular" than their regular handle grips and is clearly bigger in circumference; it's a very solid grip, so wild swinging (and I'm not talking about crazy party action here) of this blade isn't likely to part company with one's hand.

The Extrema Ration AMF knife at home in the tropics

Generous Forprene grip

Functionality

The Extrema Ratio AMF Knife 

Laser etched model and serial numbered to allow exact tracing of individual models

has a very functional blade design. It has a good tip, perfect for gutting and filleting fish, piercing an animals hide for hunting. The Extrema Ratio AMF knife has a slender geometry but "beefy" cross section, yielding a knife which is quite capable for all camp duties, whether light or heavy.

Slimy wet hands are not going to slip onto this blade with the forward guard.

Can you feed yourself with this blade?

Food preparation with the AMF knife in camp or the hut* is no problem.

I almost always take onions camping/hiking (they don't easily perish or squash). A good source of sulfur, plus onions can turn any bland meal into something great. Having a knife that can actually cut things up as apposed to mashing them and making a huge mess, is an essential item for camping trips.

* I personally wouldn't bring the AMF out in a hut unless I was the only one there. It might start scaring off other campers.

Extrema Ratio AMF Knife and Scabbard Construction and Specifications

N690 (N Six Nine Zero) Cobalt stainless tool steel, hardened to 58HRC.
I measured the following on my model.
Blade length 8.25 inches or 210mm
Blade only weight (484 grams or 17.1Oz.) It's meant to be pack carried as there is no "real" belt loop, however one can use the plastic straps or insert a belt within the loop of material directly behind the knife handle. 

I wouldn't advise inserting a belt within the plastic loops as I think this would damage them over time (I have no evidence to support this, it's merely conjecture and applies to my way of outdoor activities. The AMF knife is clearly meant for pack carrying due to it's large size.

Blade and scabbard weight: triple 6 (666 grams or 23.5 Oz.)
Blade Flat grind.
Forprene grip (Extrema Ratio's Desert version- A.M.F. Desert), virtually unbreakable and resistant to many commonly encountered chemicals.
High denier nylon multi-mounting Molle compatible carry system. (see below).
550 Paracord supplied.
Optional survival kit (You know I don't think much of these and do not own one).

Malice straps made in Italy by the following company
http://www.2mplasticbuckles.com/products/military-buckles/

The website says that the malice straps are made from GTR (Ground Tire Rubber) but They look to me to be made from polypropylene. Anyway they are made in Italy by 2M.

Removable plastic (Malice clips) straps to anchor this huge knife to your pack or any Molle compatible system. I'm not sure how strong or how long these types of plastic retention clips would last. That is how many times can they be opened and closed or how they are against nylon (your tactical belt) or leather belt; rubbing against them. Like I said this AMF knife is clearly meant to be strapped to a pack. (Initial testing in the field by me shows this knife carries very high on the waist, therefore it's better left strapped to gear).

Internal rigid plastic sheet to protect the scabbard. Tough non abrasive "foam rubber" inserts, also do not dull blade edge from repeated insertion and removals.

2 models of the Extrema Ratio AMF are available at present, this model Desert, non-reflective (Burnished) blade finish and the Mil-C-13924 Spec black oxide finish.
Quality finish as expected from Extrema Ratio, right down to the stitching (super thick thread) of the scabbard.

There are 2 guards present, both are made from very thick steel. I like the rear guard as it serves to protect your fingers should you use the AMF knife to bash something open, such as oysters, cracking open crabs, smashing hardened glass etc.

The rear guard

What's in a name??? 

So what's with this A.M.F. business??? What the heck does "Advanced Multifunction" mean???
Well I guess it can mean anything you like, as the naming of knives has no bearing whatsoever on their functionality and or intended purposes. It simply depends on how useful (or not) one thinks it could be to them in a particular environment or for a particular purpose. I use knives on both hemispheres, so I look for attributes that are suitable in both  arid to tropical and alpine regions in the knives i choose to take out with me. However, I want a knife that I can prepare food with and also do the harder tasks (it at all necessary). It has to have a good point and be easily multi-carried and must must be comfortable to use.
So I guess we can say,  "Advanced", as the AMF is constructed from advanced modern materials, such as Forprene and high speed stainless Cobalt enriched tool steel N690 (compared with the 80's survival cutlery-where N690 simply wasn't in existence for cutlery) the, "A"  for advanced is justified. How about Multi-Function? Without spelling it out, Extrema Ratio are suggesting both civilian and military applications, end of story. What those scenarios might entail is entirely up to the individual and or the situations they find themselves in. Now whether the AMF is a "Survival" knife, well as I stated earlier on, I think this knife would certainly fit that bill for me as a sturdy dependable design in tough situations. Let's put this to the test in the coming weeks and months. Stick around!


Life time warranty against manufacturing defects.
6 years on carry system.
Made in Italy.


Stay tuned for the field review on BushCampingTools.

Extrema Ratio T4000C

Compact, lightweight, deadly cutting blade. Good for gutting, food prep, hunting, camping.

I'm taking it to the jungle later this year. Lightweight, great a cutting and penetration

Camp cooking no problems, the T4000C has a great blade shape.

Coastal work no problem as the N690 has good resistance to seawater.

Extrema Ratio T4000C, C stands of course for compact and hopefully you have seen my field review on the this knife.
Totally recommend this knife.

When the Shit Hits the fan

My ONTOS with my version of what I need to take with me if in a hurry to leave the house. I don't need to take the "kitchen sink" with me

See above items listed below

I'm not a "PREPPER" however, I do think one should be prepared to be able to leave ones house in a hurry if you have to. What do I mean by this? Well in the first instance, let's say you need to evacuate the area you live in. It's late at night, you were unexpectedly awoken from some crazy dream to find yourself immersed in a real crazy situation. The last thing you want to have to do is to rummage around trying to find a flashlight/torch etc because, hey guess what there is no power when you hit the switches.

So I keep a few items all together in a known place accessible by all family members.

A big very sharp knife, a rugged and field tested (by me) tactical, bash proof torch which uses Lion batteries which have a very very long shelf life (several years), they will even perform at very very low temperatures. I carry a spare of one of these batteries in a splash/water resistant-proof container (better if waterproof) along with this torch (which BTW has an SOS flashing signal mode too). In the same small Molle pouch there is a fire steel, and a small plastic bag of first strike reliable tinder material. The only other item is a diamond file to keep that blade sharp if need be.

The passports are also not lost in the house so they can also be quickly mobilized if necessary.

The car is always kept gassed up and ready to roll. Car keys and house keys not kept under a pile of cloths.

All of this is common sense, just like one should indeed keep a flashlight ready to hand in case of blackouts/power failures. The addition of a cutting tool and some way to make a fire simply adds a bit more feeling of security without having to "overdue" it. The key is to be able to move fast, not spend hours getting out of the house.

Don't forget the wallet too!

BCT

Some random if not useful advice for beginner/novice campers regarding Outdoor Adventure Advice and purchasing a knife (other than a folder) for camping.

Choosing a knife for your requirements**

**One days full walk  (rugged terrain) or greater from any help/other people, no mobile phone signals based on experience in rugged Australian bushland.

* I'll discuss satellite phones later in another blog.





Choosing a knife can be seen as a rather daunting task on the outset when one considers the plethora of knives available today. Right, let's stop right there and ignore that first statement, why? because that's garbage.
As an absolute beginner and as an absolute "expert" in the wilds, the choice of the knife you take into the wilds with you should be based on the following outlined below.


BUT BEFORE TALKING ABOUT CHOOSING KNIVES I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR OUTDOOR SKILLS, because these are going to be much more important than "what knife am I going to take/buy for my outdoor trips"?, and here's why:

Going "bush" means many things to many people, so I will give you my take on this.

Be prepared, that's right just like the Scouts say. You can't really do much better than this.
Know first aid and if you don't, then take a course and then come back and read the rest of this blog.
Take a recognized advanced first aid course. Make sure others going along also know first aid and are qualified because they could be the ones to save your life! Practice these skills outside of the course (they can easily be forgotten over time,  if called upon you must be able to perform them flawlessly and in a timely manner).

Now are you saying, "heck, I know shit about first aid"! OR thinking you do, is not the same as knowing from proper training!

Know how to take compass bearings,  read a map, follow, choose a path  in your sleep.
Be comfortable walking at night (with a headlamp of course).
If going where you have never been before, Get the facts from people that truly know about this region and or go with one of these people at least 2 times to get to know the area before leading any trip yourself. Lead the second trip yourself with one of those "experienced" people as a backup.
Learn/know how to find water and extract it out of thin air if necessary! What do I mean by this? Simply this, if you are leading a trip and don't know every damn place to get water along the way and or how to find it if the area is totally dry, then you shouldn't be leading any trips away, except from the kitchen to your bedroom and back.
Know how to setup your tent in all weather conditions and in the pitch dark without a torch/headlamp.
Know how to set up everyone else's tents that are going along-just in case.
Know the limitations of those amongst your party.
IS everyone fit and healthy? If not then don't allow them to come along.
Tell someone where you are going and for how long and make contingency plans for the "troops" to be alerted if you fail to return by a certain date.
Have a positive attitude regardless.
Learn to read the weather and not just rely upon your "Casio G Shock" which, BTW I now know what the "G" stands for, that is, a GINORMOUS! watch that looks like you are wearing an instrument panel out of a 777 cockpit- LOL just joking here and no offence to Casio G Shock owners/users.
Know how to cook properly and not just eat that dehydrated dog food stuff. Yes, I did some time with that crap until I met others who knew better and educated me a thing or two about camp cooking. No more dog food for me. Do I look like a dog? There is absolutely no reason (regardless of the distance hiked per day) to eat that dog food type camping food sold by camping stores- they all taste crap. To walk hard and far you need to be fuelled properly, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. So yeah, learn how to cook. 

Knives Knives Knives!!!!

Which brings me to the point of KNIVES. Make sure whatever knife you take with you, you can use it to prepare food with or at least eat with in a semi civilized way and not like some maniac trying to eat off the end of their knife like some RAMBO would be.  CUT YOUR MOUTH AND INSTANTLY BECOME A LIABILITY! In other words, machetes 

Machetes and the like are great for cooking and keeping the weeds/brush down in any self respecting tropical jungle farm. These multipurpose tools are great but outside of their cultural environment, you may attract unnecessary attention and or frighten people off who are not used to seeing such big knives in action! 

The same goes for "survival" type knives. Better to keep them for wilderness areas where you will not encounter the general public, ie they will and you will look out of place on a group camping trip (unless everyone is sporting these types of knives LOL) or pulling one out in a hut on a regular trekking route (except in the jungle).

are great if you are doing all of the above in the tropics but you may need to take another small knife 

Small knives are very practical for camping where one needn't have to hack apart large logs in order to build fires or maybe areas where open fires are strictly banned.

Small knives are perfect for day hikes too where speed and sensible pack weight can enable you to move fast and far to see and do the most in a single day. On such hikes there is absolutely no need to bring a large chopper unless you plan on showing off or indeed frightening the people you are traveling with. My advice is to resist the urge on such hikes to bring that big monster along. Recently, I was witness to someone who took a huge brunt of criticism for bringing such a chopper on a large camping trip, mainly though because it was inappropriate for many of the food preparation and eating tasks LOL.  As he was a complete "beginner" he was quickly forgiven but rest assured if he wasn't he would have been in for a hard time.

with you in this type of environment, especially if you are not that highly skilled with a machete or parang. But that's ok.

 No fires allowed? Then a fuel stove may be necessary- learn how to use one, inside out and in your sleep; be able to conduct field maintenance on it.

I once got a call at after midnight from another country from a friend who couldn't light their stove (first time they ever used it!) , three days into their bicycle touring trip! Ok I fixed the problem for them over the phone.


If fires are allowed......


Camping in wet weather will require a knife that you can, if you have to, remove wet wood in order to gain access to dry inner wood to start a fire if need be.

It might be very cold, in fact, so cold, and stupid you have lost your gloves, or even more silly, just didn't bring any and now having to use your knife, realizing it is freezing and damn uncomfortable in your wet cold hands (because the snow has now turned to slush! What i'm trying to say here is make sure any knife you choose is comfortable in ungloved hands. If you have to wear gloves to use a knife, then better leave it at home and take another one.

All of the above plus more can be gained/learnt by joining a reputable hiking club eg at a university but of course not limited too.



What is this "Survival knife"business???

I'll tell you what it is, it is in fact Bullshit. Because no knife no matter what it is will be any use to you unless you possess the skills to use it and make the best use of it, regardless of any survival situation you might be involved in (on the receiving end, ie need to be rescued, or part of a rescue party).
Just let me say this. Whatever knife you choose to take away "camping" remotely, should be sturdy and not too heavy. What do I mean by too heavy? Well if your chosen knife weighs about as much as two or three days worth of food then leave it behind, it's too heavy! (unless you are planning just an overnight trip***
Your chosen knife must be razor sharp, yes that's right razor sharp, not just sharp or "ok it's sharp enough". WHY??? Well it is possible you may need to cut something in a hurry and that dull blade is going to be a real problem if it can't cut in a hurry.

However, a "survival knife" in my opinion should satisfy these criteria**

Well made, with as few parts as possible. No one part, if a failure occurs in this part should the knife be rendered useless. Leave all knives with metal handles at home, ie I refer to knives which only have metal as a handle; I don't mean cord wrapped knives. Know how to use the knife you take with you for tasks other than chopping. There is definitely a plethora of "review videos" on YouTube which only show knives being used to chop. WTF is that all about?? Is it that these people simply can't demonstrate the myriad of cutting and other tasks knives should and can be used for? 

Coastal walks/trekking/camping/hunting: take a stainless blade unless you  have access to lots of fresh water in order to maintain your knife. The handle should be comfortable so that gloves are not needed-but can be used. Don't kid yourself about this latter point, be smart about it.
Make sure it is a knife you know how to sharpen and carry a small stone to touch up the blade if necessary. Knife size: Up to 7 inches in length or greater if working in the tropics.

In other words a "survival knife' is simply a simple but practical knife design for a given environment. It is NOT a knife u can hack your way out of a plane cockpit with, unless you are a pilot who may need to hack their way out of a cockpit. A super thick knife is NOT a prerequisite for a "survival knife" anyone who advocates this has no idea and has never been or has no real experience in survival. Fact.

Camping knives 

Knives Left to Right, first 3 are perfect for several days out on known trails and areas. The last knife for when one might be exploring off the trails and or little small wood available.  In this latter case a hatchet would be a good substitute instead and take a folder.

Hi there. What I wanted to say as a prelude to a camping trip into the wilds coming up soon, ie you'll see hopefully a video on the BushCampingTools channel soon; is a little about my choice of what knife to take into the wilds.

So soon I'll be hiking into the mountains. I'll be getting to the small village by public transport, a bus. But first I'll need to get to the bus station which is about 1 hour from where I am by public transport, which means no visible carrying of knives, for obvious reasons. That means whatever knife I take other than a folder in my pocket, will have to go inside my pack. This takes up room.

So I need to firstly consider this.
Ok, I'll come back to this in a second or two.

Once at the small village, it is then a short 10 minute walk to the trail head (there actually isn't really a trail) which is to follow a creek as it meanders up to a montane forrest towards the mountain. I know from previous camping trips to this area, it is not treacherous walking nor is it necessary to bring loads of water as water even in the height of Summer can be found, if not from the creek then from some "secret" springs I know the location of.

I will, this time, bring a small water filter pump. I'm not worried about Hep viruses but only protozoan parasites here. I have drunk the water many times unfiltered and unboiled but that was closer to the melting snows in Spring which turn the creek into a kind of raging river! But now in late Summer, better to boil or take the filter.

You need a tent. There is no easy way to build a shelter on adequate flat ground in this region nor is there any really accessible timber to use, caves or rocky overhangs to sleep under. I say a tent as apposed to a tarp or simply sleeping under the stars, as despite late summer the weather can change in a instant in the mountains, and one needs protection against high winds. 

Food, will be limited to: dried meats, bread, flour, onions, oats, garlic, pasta, hard vegetables and fruit and whatever we can find growing there (loads of wild berries, mushrooms etc), tea, coffee, UHT milk. 

I will only be taking 1 pot and One 1 inch deep pot lid, that can serve as a pot and fry pan. If, it's still a high fire danger then i'll be forced to bring the MSR XGK multi-fuel stove, we shall see.

The first Campsite is anywhere, as almost no one goes here during the week. Is it remote? Yes and no. Whilst it is possible to see others on day hikes (In reality I've never seen any other campers at any time) , it is also possible to see no one at all and there is absolutely no medical help except by a  3 hour car trip (at least) at high speed no traffic if you start at the beginning of the trail, so yes, it is remote in that sense.

The first pitch will be one days walk from the trail head.

Who's going???
I'll be taking my kid as usual, he's six and he has been going there with me since he was on my back! That was hard going carrying all the stuff we needed LOL. At 6, he's got his own proper "Big boys" Gortex Scarpa boots LOL, a proper Deuter Pack, his Opinel, belt, Petzl headlamp, proper survival stuff, adults FM 2 way radio, and solid fuel stove. Of course dad will need to carry some of this stuff (like the heavy stuff) as he will need to also carry waterproof jacket, pants and thermals for the night etc.


So you guys can watch, I've got to also lug the tripod and two cameras and batteries etc LOL.


NOW that brings me way back to the damn knife I'm going to bring.

OK so I have local knowledge and this is key for having a good time in the wilds whether you go it alone or in a group or your family. I know from experience that there is little small fallen timber in this area. There are large dead trees, devoid of branches as they are mainly pine and what little wood there is is also collected by villages in the region for cooking on. 
There are small pockets of dead standing trees, a lot of these with some ingenuity can be pulled/pushed over but they are far from adequate campsites. I always bring along climbing tape or a small amount of climbing rope (cut off my ropes from damage LOL) and this is to be able to drag collected timber back to the camp site. 

If I look in the creek enough i'll find submerged pine logs, they are full of resinous pine wood otherwise know in English as "fat wood" and a host of other names in other languages. Now to get at this material,  it is preferable to have a 7 " knife or a hatchet to make it easy. I've also stashed a cache of this timber 2 years ago but it may have been found and I can't rely upon it still being there. I don't have a hatchet with me right now but I'll probably take a suitable knife that can chop but not too heavy or long (remember, it's got to go in my pack for several hours of public travel!). I'll take a folder too. That's it. as far as knives go. I'll drag large logs back to the fire, no need to hack it up.

Despite the marketing this is simply a well built 7" fixed blade, well balanced and durable. I'm very used to a recurve blade so this type of knife and what I can do with it is not a problem. make sure you can and know how to get the most from your knife. 

If this was Australia, I'd take my Kizlyar Supreme STURM,

My Kizlyar Supreme STURM, a great camp knife. BTW, I've now busted off the tip due to some very stupid prying with it. Remember knives are not pry bars!

 which is more than adequate for most camping and even hardcore camping as there is little need to process wood for fires etc. Being a bit shorter (it's not that lighter LOL due to a different tang) but shorter makes it easier to pack- although it's usually a drive to remote trailheads no public transport there in Australia.

Starting the fire. We will use matches and or cigarette lighters, we will have steels but they are only if we have to. Why muck around?

In Summary


If lots of wood is available and tinder can easily be found, why lug a big knife or hatchet? it makes no sense. Anyway,  if you watch my three part camping trip, 
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

you'll see the kind of fire I built and what i chopped and didn't chop but suffice it to say i didn't need to chop anything as I hate expending energy if it's simply not required.

Oh and I almost never take a saw.



What pack to take? 


A 38L Deuter Guide. Yep all of the above is going into or on this pack including one only expedition proven Gore-tex down sleeping bag and 2 foam mats.


Go light! Go Prepared for the environment!

Jagdkommando emblem laser engraved onto blade

Extrema Ratio TASK J

Extrema Ratio TASK J Tough as!

Extrema Ratio TASK J no problems for making feathers (wood seasoned cherry!)

I didn't know what to expect when Extrema Ratio released the TASK J. As as owner of the TASK, 

Side by side comparison. The Extrema Ratio TASK, and the TASK J (bottom knife) is a blade for harsher treatment. Both knives have their virtues and neither one IMHO replaces the other. These two models should satisfy the needs of the outdoors persons. The slightly less penetrative power of the TASK J but increased power for chopping as apposed to little chopping power of the TASK but big on penetration power. Lacking any confident levering power in the TASK, the TASK J satisfies this mode. The TASK J is easily used without gloves. As I said in my early reviews of the TASK, I liken it to a bushcraft knife on steroids. For me this still stands. The Extrema Ratio TASK J for me (in my hands) could easily come under my banner of a "Survival knife" (see my definitions) although Extrema are certainly not marketing it under that banner.

a knife I find to be very versatile for a great many camping activities where knives are involved and also straight out and out "bushcraft stuff", I've had no issues with it in the Australian bush and also the jungle environment.

Now after some weeks going on a month of field testing, as to the TASK J, well this is a totally different knife as you will have ready and seen in my previous blog and seen in my recent field assessment of this knife. The only similarity are the first 4 letters! The Extrema Ratio Task J simply rocks and to paraphrase one of my readers words: "A stout but functional blade"! I think their words sum up the TASK J. Weighty but not heavy, sturdy spine but not crazily thick and with a shallow angled grind to a sabre geometry along with a good swedge, and strong tip 

Super strong tip on the TASK J irresponsibly plunged into a tree trunk!

the TASK J can handle a lot of tasks, no pun intended! Maybe that's why I'm still crapping on about this knife so much. 

The Reason

The design of the TASK J is of course a collaboration with the Jagdkommando unit of the Austrian military, so there has obviously been some serious thought put into the design of this knife. 

Ok you are saying, "Come on, it's a damn knife, I mean, knives are meant to cut and that's it, so what"?

Ok well the so what is this:

Don't change the comfortable grip, it works, that's why for example Kizlyar Supreme use their particular grip (also very ergonomic) on all of their tactical knives, and so why shouldn't other manufacturers when they get it right too? Yes the handle on the TASK J is that very same one, also a collaboration with university researchers to develop an ergonomic grip. 

It cuts and it cuts well.

No problems with either raw or cooked meat

Of course all good knives should, at the very least be able to achieve this (cut well) but we know in our hearts of hearts, sometimes they fail in this area. It's easy to have a thin bladed knife slice through raw meat easily but making a thick bladed (the spine) knife do the same thing without great effort on the part of the user (or totally mangling what you are trying to slice up), requires some serious thought to the actual blade geometry. I have to laugh at the plethora of so called "Tactical knives" out there with blades which look more like pry bars than knives (rename as "tactical pry-bars" with added bonus  "sharp edge") and the manufacturers have the hide to state and or attempt to show these blades in some sort of military area theme! I seriously pity the people who are sucked in to purchase such blades. You would be better off carrying a dedicated pry bar and sharpen one end and turn the other end into some sort of pointy spear! Knives still have to be able to cut. All this hoo ha about having super thick knives as they are the strongest, I mean, for what??? When a tank accidentally runs over my 1/4 inch thick slab of steel?? Let's get real here. 

This brings me back to the TASK J which bears the insignia of the Austrian Jagdkommando Unit. What we have here is a balance of functionality and strength, not all out strength because then a knife like that ceases to become really useful, just a slab of steel.

Preparing a fire (also don't forget the ginormous ferro rod included with the TASK J

Carving off some outer part of sugar cane to eat. Perfect for a hot summer day in the tropics

The best option is a machete or small parang but the Extrema Ratio TASK J easily accomplishes working on sugar cane

If you can't chop into large hard vegetables or fruits or any tubers (sources of starch) then you must be carrying a knife with a good point and not too thick so as to be able to penetrate hard food stuff and sever the item via cracking. Even machetes or parangs if you don't swing/chop into similar items will crack them open. But for a small knife such as the TASK J, the tip works perfectly for this. I've done it many times on vary large tubers of Cassava, a perfect source of starch in tropical regions. 

Ok so you are saying what's with all this food stuff? Well to say it a million times, if you can't feed yourself with a knife then get another one in which you can. A multi-purpose knife must be exactly that. Obviously it must be good at cutting various objects, penetrating items, sturdy enough for some light chopping and certainly versatile enough to prepare game, fish and other food items in a survival situation or even just camping (if you are a civilian), hence the name multi-purpose. Now many a good hunting knife can also be classified multipurpose however, in the case of the Extrema Ratio TASK J, this knife is clearly aimed at military personnel so there are other potential functions of such a multi-purpose blade of which I will write nothing about as I'm not a soldier.

Ok enough ranting on about this latest acquisition, the Extrema Ratio TASK J. I guess you must've figured I'm pretty stoked with this blade.

Check my You Tube channel playlists for my favourite blades right now!