Thomas Xavier - More Than Just Surviving

May 2014 EDC Pocket Dump

May 19, 2014 by Thomas Xavier | Updated: February 3, 2020 3 Comments

Everyday Carry Item Breakdown Folding Pocket Knife Opinel No. 8 > Read my review of the Opinel No. 8 Lighter Catacomb Customs USN Zippo Pipe SederCraft Kraig Seder Custom Pipe Tobacco Orlik Golden Sliced Pipe Tobacco … [Read more...]

Spyderco Manix 2 Lightweight FRN S110V Knife Review

May 17, 2014 by Thomas Xavier | Updated: March 26, 2020 25 Comments

The Manix series of Spyderco knives have been a staple of the Spyderco line up for many years now. Originally conceived as a heavy duty workhorse with G-10 scales, steel liners, and a back-lock, the Spyderco Manix was reinvented in later editions as a lightweight model of … [Read more...]

Spyderco Paramilitary 2 EDC Folding Knife Review

April 28, 2014 by Thomas Xavier | Updated: March 26, 2020 31 Comments

Those of you who have visited this site before can tell fairly easily how much real estate Spydercos take up in my collection. The vast majority of the knives I review on this site are Spydercos, and of those, I already have multiples (different sprint run versions) of the … [Read more...]

April 2014 EDC Pocket Dump

April 10, 2014 by Thomas Xavier | Updated: February 3, 2020 2 Comments

Everyday Carry Item Breakdown Pipe Missouri Meerschaum Kubotan Catacomb Customs Cocobolo Kubotan Day Planner Moleskine Classic Drafting Pencil Pentel Graph Gear 1000 EDC Neck Knife CRKT Minimalist > Read my review of the CRKT Minimalist … [Read more...]

Announcing Spyderco’s Delica 5: Now With Thumb Stud

April 1, 2014 by Thomas Xavier | Updated: May 8, 2015 2 Comments

We've been itching to share this exciting news with you for a little over a month now. Spyderco sent us one of these babies a while back, but we had our hands tied and couldn't release the news (or photos!) until today. Without further ado, here's what the new Delica 5's are … [Read more...]

CRKT Surf N’ Turf Folding Fillet Knife Review

March 28, 2014 by Thomas Xavier | Updated: March 26, 2020 7 Comments

In an attempt for full disclosure, I'd like to note from the start of this review that although I do have quite a lot of experience with knives, I actually have relatively little experience filleting fish by comparison. Thus, my thoughts on the CRKT Surf N' Turf are … [Read more...]

March 2014 EDC Pocket Dump

March 24, 2014 by Thomas Xavier | Updated: February 3, 2020 4 Comments

Everyday Carry Item Breakdown Tablet Google Nexus 7 + Poetic Slimline Case Drafting Pencil Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Folding EDC Knife Kershaw Tremor + Catacomb Customs Purpleheart Wood Handles > Read my review of the Kershaw Tremor Day Planner Moleskine … [Read more...]

Can You Make Me a Student Survival Kit?

March 14, 2014 by Thomas Xavier | Updated: February 3, 2020 15 Comments

We received an excellent question by email the other day on the topic of wilderness survival for students. Let's take a look: Sebastian's Survival Gear Question My name is Sebastian. I'm 16 years old and have a passion for going out in the wilderness from time to time, and … [Read more...]

Buying a Survival Kit? Why It’s Always Better to Make It Yourself

February 27, 2014 by Thomas Xavier | Updated: February 3, 2020 8 Comments

If you're new to the survival and preparedness scene, it's easy to find yourself caught up in a whirlwind of new information being thrown at you by survival shows, magazines, and a plethora of websites, all trying to sell you a one-size-fits-all survival solution for your … [Read more...]

Boker Plus Nopal Folding Knife Review

February 24, 2014 by Thomas Xavier | Updated: March 26, 2020 Leave a Comment

The Boker Plus Nopal is an oddly shaped, small folding knife meant for everyday carry use. Albeit its small size, the knife functions particularly well at hard and rough use tasks, as it is very sturdy and has extremely high edge stability. Boker Nopal Folding Knife - … [Read more...]