This 12 months’s moist climate has turned each my cucumber and tomato vegetation into wild and large mutations. I’ve additionally been processing a ton of wooden for campfires to maintain the mosquitos at bay and stretching the summer season nights out a bit of longer.
All through all of this, I’ve had a singular knife hanging off my belt to get these jobs carried out — the Scorching and Prepared Work Knife V1 from Dauntless Manufacturing. It’s a relatively compact full tang dandy with AEB-L metal and pure Micarta deal with scales. It’s the identical knife that nearly took off the tip of my finger once I was harvesting some jewelweed to handle a relentless poison ivy rash.
And that’s not a nasty factor.
In brief: Razor-sharp, dependable, and hard as nails, the Scorching and Prepared Work Knife V1 from Dauntless Manufacturing and Matt Helm Knives makes onerous work simple. The three.3-inch sheepsfoot blade is made of fantastic AEB-L metal and weighs 5.1 ounces. For day-to-day use round the home, on the path, and even in my backyard, this knife proved to be a workhorse. I prefer it a lot that it’s turn out to be my on a regular basis carry (EDC) knife.
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OAL
7.5” -
Blade size
3.3” -
Blade metal
AEB-L -
Blade end
Tumbled -
Blade form
Sheepsfoot -
Grind
Flat -
Hardness
59-60 HRC -
Weight (knife solely)
5.1 oz. -
Weight (w/included sheath)
6.5 oz. -
Carry
Kydex belt sheath -
Value
$220
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AEB-L chrome steel -
General form, dimension, and weight -
Full, four-finger grip on a compact knife -
Micarta deal with scales
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Fingers bleed so much and don’t cease bleeding -
The clip on the sheath can take some getting used to
Dauntless Scorching and Prepared Work Knife Assessment
The Dauntless Scorching and Prepared Work Knife V1 is a manufacturing model of a knife initially created by Texas knifemaker Matt Helm. Created from AEB-L chrome steel and that includes pure Micarta deal with scales, the Scorching and Prepared V1 (just like the V2, V3, and V4) comes preconfigured.
This can be a departure from different Dauntless knives, like The Hiker and The Harris. These blades could be personalized with varied steels, deal with supplies, and sheaths.
Design & Options
The dimensions, form, and thickness of the Scorching and Prepared V1 all have an effect on how effectively it matches into a wide range of fingers and the way it performs. There’s ample choil in your index finger, jimping, and a downward ramp on the backbone in your thumb. This maintain configuration permits the consumer to place their hand naturally, minimizing fatigue.
Moreover, in flipping the knife round, your pinky will discover its method into the choil as your thumb commandeers the house on the butt of the knife, which additionally has jimping for an elevated grip.
The Dauntless Scorching and Prepared V1 additionally has strong {hardware}, detachable scales for an much more streamlined expertise, and a hidden lanyard gap. As it’s possible you’ll know, I’m an enormous fan of a well-executed lanyard. The one I’ve festooned the V1 with is one in every of my favorites.
Dauntless despatched alongside two sheath choices for me to make use of with the knife. The primary is a low-profile Kydex sheath that covers solely the blade. The second is the usual black sheath that comes with the Dauntless Scorching and Prepared V1.
The model additionally despatched alongside a bigger, grey Kydex sheath. This sheath covers as much as the final 13⁄4” of the knife and permits it to take a seat decrease in your belt. I desire this sheath as a result of it retains the knife from getting in the best way of the hip belt of my backpack.
That AEB-L Drip
AEB-L is a chrome steel that first hit the market in 1961. Initially adopted by manufacturers like Gillette, it was a best choice for razor blades due to its stainless properties and toughness.
Over time, it grew to become extra fashionable in disposable razors as a result of it doesn’t maintain a shaving edge for a very long time, making razors that had to get replaced. Stellar advertising for a model like Gillette, which has made a fortune within the disposable razor market.
For knives, AEB-L grew to become a cult traditional on account of its unimaginable stainless properties and general toughness. Moreover, it’s very simple to resharpen or rehone. Since I obtained this knife, I’ve rehoned it twice, and it returns to its razor-edged manufacturing facility luster with little effort.
In a world filled with MagnaCut and S-steels, AEB-L shouldn’t be missed simply because it wants a bit of touch-up right here and there. I’ve put this blade by hell all through this moist and muggy summer season. It continues to wash up and maintain its personal.
‘Scorching and Prepared‘
The “Scorching and Prepared” a part of the Scorching and Prepared Work Knife refers to the truth that these 4 variations are preconfigured. They’re mounted at $220.
There are additionally customizable variations of the knife out there. These supply totally different steels, scales, and sheaths. These are simply referred to as the “Matt Helm Work Knife” and might attain costs upward of $300.
First Impression
With my background in engineering and knifemaking, sure knives come out at me for his or her design and supplies. However each occasionally, one exhibits up on my radar primarily on account of its craftsmanship.
I had reached out to the parents at Dauntless to check out The Hiker. It’s the model’s full-tang MagnaCut knife aimed on the outside crowd. By means of the course of our conversations, the Scorching and Prepared Work Knife got here up. I like Micarta and have been searching for a possibility to work with AEB-L metal. It’s an OG metal that’s revered within the knife-making world. So, ultimately, Dauntless despatched me each knives to make use of and abuse.
After greater than a month of utilizing them out within the wild, I can attest that they’re each constructed to final. Nevertheless, the Scorching and Prepared V1 has turn out to be one in every of my two belt EDCs. (The opposite is the Fox Chilin.)
I prefer it a lot that I’d strap this knife to my jammies if I wasn’t a facet sleeper. That mentioned, I’ve by no means minimize myself with a knife as a lot as I’ve with the V1. And like I’ve mentioned, that’s not a nasty factor. AEB-L is unimaginable, particularly when thinned out on the sting and sharpened to an appropriate polish. I do know I can depend on it once I want it.
Within the Area
For a few years, I solely wore a fixed-blade knife on my belt once I went mountaineering or tenting. I began to benefit from the ease of entry and the variety of extra demanding duties a fixed-blade knife might do over a folding knife. If a folding knife is a superb activity knife, a fixed-blade knife could be a nice utility knife.
So, I began carrying one the entire time. With the Scorching and Prepared V1, I discovered a knife that was simple to hold, snug to make use of, and simple to keep up. It’s additionally summer season, and I’m at all times outdoors doing one thing.
I relied on the knife for far more than I initially supposed to. It grew to become my camp knife for meals and wooden prep when tenting. I used it to pry up a few of the previous wooden on my walkway on the home. I even used to slice up a bunch of apples for my youngsters out on the path throughout a balmy hike earlier than the Fourth of July.
It’s a well-rounded utility knife. It’s sufficiently small to stay usually hid out in public. And it’s overly efficient if you want it.
Blade Form & Deal with
Sheepsfoot-style blades are much less aggressive than the ever-present Drop Level model, however I discover them to be simply as efficient. Sure, they lack the benefit of stabbing and piercing, however it might nonetheless be carried out. Nevertheless, I don’t stab or pierce a number of stuff. A blade form that may slice, minimize, chop, and shave is extra consistent with what I would like. On the Scorching and Prepared V1, the Sheepsfoot design additionally helps with the general movement and ergonomics of the knife.
I like Micarta as a result of it maintains a great grip in any situation. With the entire warmth and humidity that we’ve had, this has confirmed to be crucial. I really feel like I’ve been moist for the reason that finish of Might.
That is additionally the place the stainless properties of the AEB-L actually had an influence. Reducing cucumbers and tomatoes off their vines is a moist and gooey job. Moreover, the form of the knife made it simple to get in between all of the plant stalks within the backyard to slice off these veggies with out knicking or chopping anything.
Rehoning
Rehoning, versus resharpening, is the method of refining the sting of a knife blade to revive its effectiveness. It’s much less a follow of eradicating supplies and extra of one in every of sprucing the sting and eradicating impurities.
Despite the fact that AEB-L isn’t recognized for holding a razor edge for a protracted time frame, I’ve but to wish to resharpen it. I’ve rehoned it a few instances utilizing the refinement facet of the Tumbler Rolling Knife Sharpener that I’ve additionally been reviewing. However even after digging, chopping, chopping, slicing, and prying with the Scorching and Prepared V1, the sting was nonetheless in nice form.
Dauntless Scorching and Prepared: Conclusion
The Scorching and Prepared Work Knife V1 is a very well-rounded knife that will go well with anybody’s each day bladed wants.
Out of all of the knives I’ve examined and reviewed, there are lower than a dozen that I take advantage of again and again after testing is over. The Scorching and Prepared V1 will stay by my facet when I’m out and about, tenting, or simply tinkering across the yard and home. A month in, and I’m nonetheless within the honeymoon section.
There have been days the Scorching and Prepared V1 was in my fingers for hours, getting soiled and gritty. The AEB-L actually confirmed up for every little thing I wanted it to do. I’m completely happy that there’s not a spot of rust or tarnish to indicate for it. I desire it over MagnaCut proper now — and that’s partly on account of how sharp it might get.
This blade is depraved efficient for getting you thru a number of various things. However should you get in its method, it’ll take a bit out of you and carry on going.
