Page 81 - Blade (February 2020)

A
growing favorite of the outdoor
crowd, carabiner knives and multi-
tools have carved out a niche in the
cutlery market. While not for concealed-
carry types, they are for those who like a
readily accessible knife or tool and who

make no bones about showing it off.
Spyderco might well have invented the
genre with its Snap-It series in 1993. The

most recent update of the Snap-It series
is the Snap-It Salt. The front-lock folder

features Spyderco’s H-1, an extremely
corrosion-resistant nitrogen steel, in a 2.96-
inch, fully serrated drop-point blade. The

bright-yellow FRN (fiberglass-reinforced
nylon) handle has black Kraton inserts.
Closed length: 5 inches. The star of the

show is the fixed shackle, which features a
spring-loaded wire gate for attachment to
carabiners, loops and D-rings.

The first thing you notice when opening
the Snap-It Salt is that the carabiner ends
Carabiner knives and multi-tool, from left: the Lansky Roadie Multi-Tool, Kershaw Reverb XL,
up behind the blade in the Spydie hole area. Spyderco Snap-It Salt and DPx Gear HEAT Hiker.
It’s an unusual layout but the carabiner
loop covers the ricasso—not the cutting through the spring gate. outdoors—typical of DPx’s fixed-blade

edge of the blade. The fully serrated blade line. It can easily be clipped to a belt loop.

is a slicer, not a carver, which is typical of LITTLE WORKHORSE The Kydex sheath is snug and snicks tightly
toothy edges. And slice it does. The blade The sole fixed-blade entry in the test group into place over the blade, offering excellent

whipped through seatbelt webbing and 3/8- is the DPx Gear HEAT Hiker. It is 6.25 protection. DPx provides a cord if you
inch climbing rope with ease. inches overall, with 2.5 inches a deeply prefer neck carry.

The Snap-It carabiner clips to a belt loop ground drop-point blade. The 3.75-inch I tested the blade on hardwood by
or snaps onto a small dangler that’s mated handle is skeletonized to help make the pointing stakes, shaving bark and making
to a larger carabiner. A 5/16-inch-diameter carabiner portion of the knife. The steel is V-notches, as well as slicing strips of

carabiner I had nearby would not clear the CPM S30V stainless. A wide-mouthed wire harness leather. CPM S30V is excellent
spring gate and needed to be screwed open spring gate is on the handle’s lower belly. steel—the reason many manufacturers
and threaded through the loop. This isn’t Attachment points for mounting the knife use it on their top-shelf knives. The

a big problem, but you’ll need a smaller- on a shaft are located on the base and near blade is limited in size and gloves are
diameter carabiner if you want to snap it the choil. recommended for hard use, as with all
The HEAT Hiker is geared for the knives sans scales. Nonetheless, for chores

KERSHAW REVERB XL

BLADE LENGTH: 3”
BLADE STEEL: 8Cr13MoV stainless
BLADE PATTERN: Upswept

CARRY: Carabiner or pocket clip
tip-up
HANDLE MATERIAL: Carbon fiber

and G10/ stainless steel
SPECIAL FEATURES: Framelock;
groove opener
WEIGHT: 2.31 ozs.

CLOSED LENGTH: 4.25”
MSRP: $49.49
COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE: China The Kershaw Reverb XL dress tactical/EDC is sleek and handsome. The upswept 3-inch blade
of 8Cr13MoV stainless steel did an excellent job of dicing up a chicken breast.

FEBRUARY 2020 blademag.com 79