Zebralight SC600 Mk.II Review

This is the first of many things for the site: the first thing reviewed from the new sponsor; the first Zebralight reviewed; and the first production 18650 I have reviewed.  More than all that though, this is just a great light.  It is not as elegant as Jason's Prometheus light, but in many, many ways this is the Paramilitary 2 of flashlights--small and light for their capabilities, insane flexibility, and slightly rough around the edges.  These two items would make a light&saber pair that could, quite honestly, last you a lifetime and perform any and all tasks you could ever need them to do.  There is room for improvement here, but it all nibbling at the edges.  This is simply one hell of a light.

Looking at the specs and the size of the light tells you a lot, but sometimes all of those numbers can be misleading.  Lots of things have good bullet point lists and turn out to be less than the sum of their parts (the Kershaw Cryo, for example).  But here, the bullet point list is very representative.  This is a light that can match a car headlight and yet dribble out the lumens on moonlight mode.  And it does all of this in package not that much bigger than the McGizmo Haiku.  There is a reason this thing has been sold out everywhere--it is a great deal.

Here is the product page.  The light, when available, runs about $95 or there about.  It runs on a rechargeable only 18650 battery.  That is simply the cost of hitting lumens counts this high.  The Mk. II is shorter than the Mk. I, has longer runtimes and higher max output.  Differences are discussed on this thread at CPF.  Here is a video review.  Here is a written review.  Both reviews are selfbuilt reviews and both are of the Mk. I.  I think this is the first review of the Mk. II.  Here is the review sample I was sent:

You can purchase the SC600 from E2 Field Gear and get a discount of 8% using the coupon code "Commentary" and the sales benefit the site and its giveaways.  Also, Mike is running a special just for the SC600 Mk. II.  Mike is offering $5 preorders on the SC600, as they are out of stock just about everywhere.  When they come in, you will get $5 off the price.  If pre-orders exceed inventory customers will be given the opportunity to wait for the next lot or receive a refund of their $5. 

Design: 2

The side switch on a light is a great idea when properly executed.  The original run of Zebralights had to the switch too exposed resulting in lots of accidental activations.  Not anymore.  The switch is sunk in deep into the head of the light making accidental activation almost impossible.  But the innovations don't stop there.  This is a tiny, tiny light for its lumens output, staggeringly small.  It is significantly smaller than the G2X Pro and three times brighter, an amazing innovation.  Nothing feels funny about the size either.  The diameter is just perfect, the placement of the switch is just right, and the overall layout of the light is great.  I'd love a washer style clip, but, well...

The numbers are very strong with this light.  The lumens:weight is 204.5.  Total lumens output is found on a low setting 2.8 lumens for 280 hours for a max total lumens output of 47,040.  Note this is based on the Mk. I specs, as the Mk. II specs are still not available.  Assume this will have a better total lumens output number by a significant margin.  Both numbers crush the old records which were held by the G2X Pro (total lumens output was around 19,800).  This thing is an absolute beast.   And it is a beast in a tiny package (compared to the MiniMag):

Fit and Finish: 2

The upgraded switch recess is probably the biggest deal for the Mk. II.  Here is a straight on shot showing absolutely none of the switch:

That shot also happens to show the beautiful and consistent HAIII coating.  The threads are smooth, the knurling well cut but not shreddy, and the edges of the light are nicely finished.  There is nothing here to complain about at all.  Well, okay the switch is really tacky leading to a collection of lint

but that is about as nitpicky as it gets, right?

Grip: 2

The knurling is great and the body tube is just the right diameter and length.  The switch is placed perfectly and there are two small grooves on either side for your fingers.  In short, this light is brilliantly thought out for rough and tough use.  Excellent.  

Carry: 1

The review sample did not come with a clip (or a battery, the things I do for this blog), but I have used this clip before and while it is okay for a friction clip, I hate friction clips in general.  I'd love to see a washer-style clip.  

Output: 2

Ho....ly....SHIT.

Reference Shot

High

Medium

Low

The high is just insane.  How insane you ask?  Well, what do YOU do when you fire up a new light for the first time?  Yep, me too.  And for the first time ever I feel actual pain in my eyes.  Nothing severe, but it was definitely unpleasant.  The low is super low, plenty to see with but nothing offensive to your night vision.  The medium, which is around 30 or so lumens as I had it set up, is pretty good for up close work, but in the beam shots it seems dim.  Comparatively speaking it is.  All in all, great high, great low=great light.  

Runtime: 2

Check the specs.  CRAZY.  The lowest low runs for 80 days.  80 days.  Like "Around the World in..." runtimes.  I do have to point out something with the high.  It will hit 900 lumens, but it will only hold that output for 5 minutes.  Now they claim that is for heat reasons, which I am sure is the case, but the way they measure ANSI lumens encourages makers to do this sort of thing--ultra high high for a few minutes and drop down to something less later.  ANSI lumen specifications measure out the front lumens at a certain distance for a few minutes (2 I think) and so if you have this "safety feature" output set up, it can boost your ANSI lumen ratings.  Here though the "drop down" high is still insane: 500 lumens. 

Beam Type: 2

Not as floody as you would expect.  This deep dish reflector and head are wider than normal and as a result there is significant throw.  Add to that the high octane output and you have an insane thrower just larger than a roll of quarters.  One warning--on high, this thing is utterly useless for close up work and it will blow your vision, not your night vision, just your regular daylight adjusted vision for a while.  Be careful when you turn it on close up.  There is a nice hotspot/spill configuration, among the nicer I have seen on a production light.  This is why:

Beam Quality: 2

Thank god there are not artifacts.  On a light this with this much light coming out the front an artifact or a ring would really throw everything out of whack in the middle of the night.  I'd like a better tint, HI CRI is always preferred, but when you are looking for a burner, you know it is going to have a neutral tint (better tints require tinkering that lowers output). 

UI: 1

There are three modes and two submodes per mode.  Yeah that's right.  Sounds a little complicated right?  It is.  With one switch as the only means of input you have to do some Morse-code like finger taps to get everything to work right.  Once you get the hang of it it is not too bad, but God a selector ring would KILL here.  This is probably one of the better examples of why clickies, are, in my opinion, on the way out.  This is just too much.

Hands Free: 2

This thing tailstands like it has a sandbag attached to it and won't roll even without the clip thanks to a lanyard attachment point.  Excellent.

Overall Score: 18 out of 20

Like the PM2, this is a beast of a piece of gear.  Its size belies an insane amount of performance and utility.  If you can swallow the 18650 format, which is a very good one, probably the best rechargeable format, then this is a light you simply must try.  Surefire better watch out, Zebralight has raised the ante on US designed lights (this is made overseas but designed here for a US owned company).  Right now only a few, very few lights can hang with the SC600 Mk. II in terms of output v. size.  The other option is the Eagletac TX25C2, which has an even higher output (seriously).  If you are fan of insane lumens, it is a good time to be in the market and the SC600 Mk. II should be at the top of your list.  If you can find one...they are sold out everywhere.  For good reason.  Value, performance, and size are all pushed to the limit here.  Time to update the top 5 chart.   

Muyshondt Aeon and Nautilus Mk. II Review

This whole thing started for me when I found Doug P's (Quickbeam) old site flashlightreviews.com.  There is so much information there, even in the archived site, that I still go back there and do research.  The 5 star review system was brilliant--clear and simple.  Doug's knowledge was impressive.  But the thing that really stuck with me were his explanations of good design.  Doug introduced me to the Flashlight Axiom, which, even today, all flashlight designs grapple with.  The Flashlight Axiom, even almost a decade later, is still true.  It says this:

Small Size, Long Runtimes, and High Output: Choose Two.

If you think about this, it brings out a fundamental tension in flashlight design, sort of like the balance of good steels (toughness, hardness, and corrosion resistance have an sort of internal push and pull equipoise as well).  You can find lights that have a really great output and are small (the Peak Eiger, if it weren't infinite variable brightness), but don't run for a long time.  You can have lights that have a high output and long runtimes but are really big (Fenix TK35).  And you can find lights that have a good runtime, small size, but merely okay output.  You will not find a light that is competitive in all three categories.  It has a lot to do with battery chemistry, but there are other reasons as well.  In the end, it is about making tradeoffs.  What do you want to emphasize, given that you can't have it all?

I am not going to tell you that Aeon or Nautilus breaks Doug's Flashlight Axiom, but if I had to choose how to best balance out those three attributes it would look a lot like the Mk. II versions of the Aeon or Nautilus.  This is not by accident.  After I ran a piece about the Aeon going out of production, enough folks wrote me and asked if there was something I could do about it, I contacted Enrique (who is a super nice guy).  We chatted and talked.  We went back and forth on the ideal configuration of an Aeon and after some cajoling, he agreed to make a run with my requested features, if I could get 75 people to pledge.  Given his reputation in the flashlight world that did not take long at all.  Then it was just a matter of waiting.

About a month and half ago I got my Aeon Mk. II.  Inside the package was a surprise.  Unknown to most, Enrique also made a batch of Nautilus Mk. IIs as well.  I got both to review and it has been one hell of a month, flashlight-wise.  Given the fact that these were essentially made to my specifications, it is no surprise that I really like the lights.  REALLY LIKE.

Here is the product page.  Here and here are the posts that served as the kickoff for this project.  The Aeon costs $425 from Enrique, though they may all be sold out.  It was a run of 75.  The Nautiluses are going on sale soon.  There are no other reviews as I think I am the only person have used both lights other than the maker himself, but here is my review of the original Aeon and here is the Aeon Mk. II thread where you can read some of the specs.  I emailed Enrique and he provided me some additional information, though he was careful to note that none of this data comes from an integrating sphere, so it is just a series of geusstimates: the low is around 3-5 lumens, the medium is close to the old low, around 30 lumens, and the high is around 110-115 lumens.  The output is the same for both lights.  Runtimes vary.  Enrique has squeezed out a staggering 1 hour and 30 minutes for the high on the Aeon and 2 hours and 45 minutes for the Nautilus.  Final specs will be added to this review when they are released.

Finally, here is a family portrait:

Design: Aeon: 2; Nautilus: 2

The Aeon Mk. II is an ideal EDC light--small enough to tuck in a coin pocket but with enough punch and versatility to cover just about any situation you would encounter.  The Nautilus isn't a porker by any means, but the size increase doesn't do a whole lot for me.  In the 1xCR123a class of lights the Nautilus is still among the smallest, but the increased runtime isn't enough to persuade me it is superior to the Aeon.  In a vacuum, either is an excellent to superior light.  Comparing one to the other, pure personal preference tells me I like the Aeon better.  If you don't share that preference or if you only have the option to get the Nautilus, you will not be disappointed.  It would be like having to "settle" for Rolex Deep Sea Dweller when you had your eye on the more svelte Submariner.  Both are amazing, simple, straight forward, idiot proof designs.

The numbers are good with both, but better with the Aeon, obviously.  I am going to hold off on actual ratios until the final lumens counts are done, but suffice to say the runtimes are insane, especially for the size and brightness (see above, Flashlight Axiom).  Here is a shot of both next to the Zippo:

Mmmmm....shiny.

Fit and Finish: Aeon: 2; Nautilus: 2

There is no other way to describe these lights besides lush.  The threads are silky smooth and get smoother by the day.  The checkering is well cut with no errors I could see or feel.  The tail end of the light is well cut even with the extensive machining.  Enrique had a few delays because of machining issues, but the wait was worth it, these things are gems. 

Of course the materials are of unsurpassed quality.  The lens is sapphire, the body titanium, the heat sink brass, and the emitter my emitter of choice, the Nichia 219 HI CRI emitter.  Everything is top shelf and made with superlative quality.  Only the best of the best on both, hence a 2 for each.  I'd give them a three if I could. 

Grip: Aeon: 2; Nautilus: 2

The size on the Nautilus gives it a distinct advantage here.  You don't need to any finger yoga to activate this thing one handed.  It works quite well.  The checkering on the bodies and heads of both lights is also excellent.  The Aeon is not a slouch and again in a vacuum would score a 2, but I like the Nautilus a tad bit better here.

Carry: Aeon: 2; Nautilus: 2

I fell in love with the Aeon because of how nicely it carried.  It almost completely disappears in your pocket.  In jeans, the light vanishes.  The size and shape are perfect--not so small as to be "unfindable" in a pocket, but small enough to essentially add nothing to what you already carry.  This is one of the reasons this light is so amazing.  The Nautilus is a little bigger, as you can see, but nothing crazy.  It still rides well in coin pockets, but it is not quite as passive loose in a main pocket.  Still very good though. 

Output: Aeon: 2; Nautilus: 1

The output on both punches above its lumens rating because of the HI CRI emitter, but for the size, the Aeon is quite bright.  The Nautilus faces incredibly stiff competition in the 1xCR123a market and the top end of roughly 110 lumens is not exactly tearing it up.  It is more than sufficient for most EDC tasks, but compared to similar lights with the same power source it is just about par.

The low is the one area in which the Mk. II exceeds the older versions of Enrique's lights.  The high and the low in the old lights were useful, but they lacked a true moonlight low.  Here the low, the additional third mode, is perfect.  It is not as low as some lights, my Steve Ku 40DD can get down to something like a half a lumen or less thanks to the QTC, but the low here is quite amazing.  

The numbers, of course, don't tell the story.  It is the actual light coming out the front of the torch that does that and in both cases it is quite good.  Here are the beam shots:

Reference:

Aeon Mk. II

Low:

Medium:

High:

Nautilus Mk. II

Low:

Medium:

 
High:

Comparison (47s Penlight on high of 180 lumens):

The HI CRI output does a lot for both lights.  The whites are pure and the off whites are noticeable (compare the off white cabinet of the band saw to the white of the peg board on the upper left of the picture).  Notice the richer tan in the barn jacket and the redder reds on the clamp heads.  Finally, notice how the green of the band saw stand seems to really stand out as green and not greenish blue as it appears on the Penlight beamshot.  Even the concrete wall appears to have more texture and detail in the HI CRI shots of the Aeon and Nautilus.  HI CRI does a lot to make the light more useful so both lights punch above their weight lumens-wise.  

Runtime: Aeon: 2; Nautilus: 2

This is where Enrique laps the field.  I owned the Mk. I Aeon for about three years and used exactly three batteries and the third one still had life left in it.  The Nautilus's runtimes are even longer, at 2 hours and 45 minutes on high.  The runtimes on low should be about a couple of days.  Simply amazing.

Beam Type:  Aeon 2; Nautilus: 2

Here is a shot down the barrel of the lumens cannon:

The beam, as you can see above, is a very floody beam with a mild hotspot and lots of spill, perfect for an EDC light.  There is a better balance than the 47s Penlight which is also an EDC light but has virtually no hotspot at all.  I like this balance a lot and it is a tribute to Enrique's design chops that this works as well as it does.

Beam Quality: Aeon: 2; Nautilus: 2

HI CRI, great emitter, wonderful reflector, and great lens equals a lush and beautiful beam.  Frankly no other light I have owned or seen comes close.  The Haiku has lost its crown as the highest quality beam available.  The HI CRI Haiku that I gave away is probably an equal, but really nothing is better.

UI: Aeon: 2; Nautilus: 2

This is, perhaps, the best part of the light after the runtimes. Three modes could be finnicky, see all other twisty lights except for QTC lights.  Instead we get the beauty of a three stage twisty in both lights.  Twist, twist some more.  That is all there is to operating this light.  Simple, repeatable, easy to explain, and easy to use.  BRILLIANT. 

Hands Free: Aeon 2; Nautilus: 2

Both tailstand like they are nailed to a surface with no sway or wiggle.  Both also fit nicely between the teeth, though again I don't recommend that.  They are both a little roll happy, given that they lack clips but there are two spots that correspond to either gap in the rear tail portion that can hold the light in one place absent bonks or knocks.  See below:

Overall Score:

20 out of 20 for the Aeon Mk.II with a PERFECT SCORE

19 out of 20 for the Nautilus Mk. II

The difference in the score comes down to the fact that the Nautilus's high is just not competitive with the best CR123a lights out there.  The Aeon on the other hand has very little competition in the CR2 space, though it does lose to the 47s Mini CR2 (though the difference of 70 lumens is nothing like the difference between the Nautilus and the best 1xCR123a light, which is currently the LED Lenser F1 with 400 lumens on a single CR123a).  The lumens counts could change a bit, but nothing enough to change the score.

Frankly, it would be silly for me to not give the Aeon a perfect score.  After shameless begging Enrique agreed to make this light exactly as I had requested, the low low and the HI CRI emitter.  This is as close as I will ever come to making a flashlight myself and given that, the Aeon deserves a perfect score.  It is the best EDC light I have ever used or handled.  It's fit and finish is equal to any light on the planet, its size, brightness and runtime are amazing, and the beam is simply jaw dropping.  All of these things apply to the Nautilus too, but again, the competition is a bit stiffer in its product class.

Neither light is anything like a disappointment, but for me the miniaturization of the Aeon is a huge bonus.  This is the new best light, cost no object.  I'd love to get a review sample of a Spy 007, but even that light is a bit big for me.  Unless you have some specific task, in my opinion, there is no better EDC light in the world than the Aeon Mark II.

Get one if you can.     

TT PockeTTools TT Zombie

If you were at a marketing department meeting for an outdoor store or a general gear company, the sort populated by the folks that brought us Poochie, you'd probably hear a lot about branding and end line users (that's us, in case you don't speak "marketing").  You'd probably hear stuff about "value lines" (that's Chinese made).  And then you'd hear stuff about trends.  It would start out with gear, and then slowly zombies would creep in (they always creep, right?).  In the event this was Gerber they would then turn to how to bundle as much stuff together with a nylon carrying case and slap the word zombie or apocalypse on it (you would, in their marketing version of the apocalypse, need seven blades but no pain relievers, water filtration, or fire starting equipment).   Zombies and one piece multitools have nothing to do with each other, but they are such incredible buzzwords in the gear community that it was only time before someone other than Gerber brought them together in a meaningful way.  But unlike Gerber's attempt to part you from your cash with junk tools and a zombie label, this little guy from TT PockeTTools invokes the zombie name for good instead of ill.   

Here is the product page.  There are no reviews, written or video, this is the first.  There is only one source for the TT Zombie and it is the product page above.  Here is the TT Zombie review sample:

Design: 2

The trend seems to be towards larger OPMTs, like the Pocket Tools X Piranha, which is about the size of a credit card, but both Todd and Peter Atwood have gone the other way.  Atwood's Ghost is smaller than the Prybaby and here the Zombie is smaller than the Chopper.  The TT PockeTTools TT Zombie (from now on "TT Zombie") is a itty bitty OPMT.  It is very compact, even compared to other TT PockeTTool OPMTs.  This compact size means that you have no trouble dropping it on your keychain or hiding it in your pocket.  It also means that it weighs only a smidgeon.   Overall, I like the smaller design, but there are some drawbacks, which will be noted below.  From a blueprint perspective though, I like the tool, I like the look, and I like the size.  The tool was small enough to slot nicely on to the BladeKey, for those of you out there looking to comply the ultimate compact key set up.

The ratios are decent.  First, though, the obligatory scale shot with the Zippo:

See I told you, absolutely tiny.  The tool:weight, 10.87, is pretty darn staggering, given that this thing weighs a feathery .46 ounces.  The Charge by comparison has a tool:weight of 2.32 (19 tools:8.2 ounces).  Safe to say this will never be beat as it is probably impossible to make a tool smaller and still have it be useful for EDC tasks.    

Fit and Finish: 2

Todd's finishes are the best in the OPMT business.  I know that is controversial.  I know Atwood fans love his work, as do I, but the slick satin finish on a lot of his stuff makes grip an issue.  Todd opts for a raw bar finish that hits all three features I like in a finish: it is good looking, it adds to grip, and it wears very well.  The edges are a bit buffed which provides a visually interesting contrast.  The angles, jimping, and grinds are very clean and even.  The holes are nicely cut but not sharp or snagging.

Theme: 2

As a mini OPMT the TT Zombie does very well.  It tucks in your keychain with minmal fuss even with the massive thickness.   The selection of tools suits the small size well and the appearance is a visual pun tying in with the name.  That last point is not a big deal, but just a little wink from a skilled and clever maker. 

Grip: 1

By now we have all learned that gear design is a set of tradeoffs and here the trade off for the miniature size is less of a grip.  There is thick and pointed jimping that helps and the raw bar surface is nice, but there simply no way to get around the fact that a tool this small lacks leverage, both in the pry tool and the bottle opener.  More on how this affects performance later. 

Carry: 2

I'd give this thing a three if I could, it carries so well.  The idea that I could drop this on any keychain without concern, even something as tightly designed as the BladeKey, is a sign of the tool's compact greatness.  The Atwood Ghost falls into this same category, so it would be nice to compare the two, but I am more than satisfied with how things thing carried. 

Materials: 2

The choice of 154CM puts this little tool in the upper echelon of OPMTs.  Production stuff like the Boker Toucan and the Leatherman Pocket Tool X designs use lesser steel and it works quite well.  Todd's other stuff and Atwood's stuff is usually S30V and some folks opt for Titanium.  While 154CM is not as high tech as other options, it is more than fine in the role.  Also, Todd's penchant for massively thick tools works well both stylistically and in terms of adding stability to the bottle opener.

Lots of stock of a good steel equals a 2.

Deployment/Accessibility: 2

As small as the TT Zombie is, everything is laid out well and nothing gets in the way of anything else, which is kind of surprising given the space constraints.  This is, however, a nod to Todd's skill as a designer.  Even when the TT Zombie was lashed to the BladeKey I could still get to everything.  On a regular keychain the thing is just awesome.  Great job.

Retention Method: 2

There is a laynard loop at the top giving you one option and the bit holder gives you another.  The thickness of the stock makes a split ring harder than normal to use, but you know how I feel about split rings (BARF). 

Tool Selection: 1

This gets a 1 for exactly one reason: NO SNAG EDGE.  The Chopper spoiled me.  It had all sorts of things that made it innovative and great and one of them was the snag edge which was very new at the time.  The TT Zombie could easily incorporate one and it would make the tool all that more useful.  The snag edge should be a standard part of all pry-based OPMTs--it is just too useful.

Tool Performance: 1

This was a tough category to score.  I could see any of the three options being legitimate and fair.  If you do a lot of prying, then this thing's size is an issue and could result in a score of 0.  But generally OPMT are too small, even in the largest sizes for lots of prying, so I don't think that is fair.  The bit holder really is a masterpiece design and locks the bits in almost as if they are magnetized. 

I screwed and unscrewed a normal 2.5" 8d Phillips head screw into a pine 2x4 three or four times all the way down and all the way up with no cam out on the tool side (the bit did cam out of the screw, but not from the tool).  If you do lots of screwdriving, this thing is freaking amazing and a 2 would be fair.  But most of us use OPMT as a bottle opener like 85% of the time.  In those instances, the TT Zombie's size is a factor.  It does open bottles, but it is a two or three pull device.  Here is a mid-action shot (yes, I know I have a Mac, I have a blog, and I drink Sam Adams; I am hipster...really though, I drink bourbon if I had a choice):

Overall Score: 17 out of 20

The world of OPMTs is starting to mature into various product types.  We have the general purpose OPMTs like the Atwood Prybaby, the PockeTTools TT Chopper, and the Gerber Shard.  We have those with a blade like the Boker Toucan (review coming, I promise).  And we now have more than one miniature sized OPMT, the TT Zombie and the Atwood Ghost.  This is all a good size folks, a sign of a more evolved and sustainable product class.

In the mini tool product class I have only had the chance to review this gem, but it is quite good.  If you accept the limitations that are dictated by size, then this is a capable little tool.  It works very well on a wide variety of keychains and it can do a good deal of real work.  I wish it had a snag edge and the bottle opener was a bit more leveraged, but those drawbacks are minor ones.  For the price, $20.99, you'll be hard pressed to find something better.  Hell, the Boker Toucan is a production OPMT and it is $25.   

AWESOME Everyday Commentary Reader Bonus:

Todd's letting me give this gem away.  Comment in the comment's section and I will choose one at random by next Monday as a winner. 

New Sponsor: E2 Field Gear

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a really nice guy wanting to sponsor the blog.  His name was Mike.  After some research, including a scan of ebay rankings, business website profiles, and other sources, he checked out.  Mike and I began talking and we decided that the first piece of gear I'd review would be the Zebralight SC600II.  If you follow this site, the light needs little introduction.  It is probably the smallest 18650 light on the planet and one of the two brightest as well (the EagleTac TX25C2 is the other, shootout coming...hopefully).  A chance to get my hands on this torch which has been in high demand since its release was an offer I couldn't pass up.  It also happens to be something I couldn't get through any of my other channels.

Mike's site, E2 Field Gear with a slightly different focus from most of the mainstream gear commerce sites.  In part, E2 Field Gear tries to stick exclusively with US owned companies to stock its virtual shelves.  They also carry things that are slightly off the beaten path from the normal light and saber stock (though they have that too), including awesome stuff like Field Notes notebooks and Green Mountain Grills. 

Welcome Mike and E2 Field Gear.  Thanks for the light and I can't wait to work with you again.  Oh, yeah, there is a bonus for you.  If you buy things through his site and use the code "Commentary" you will get an 8% discount AND benefit the site.  It is a good deal all around and I look forward to reviewing some more unusual stuff. 

This is probably going to force me to buy some Field Notes for review.  And my "probably" I mean "definitely" and by "force" I mean "tempt". 

Men of a Certain Age

No, I am not talking about the wretched cable TV show (hell, I don't even have cable TV) where Scott Bakula proves yet again he can play only one kind of role, making him the Michael Douglas or Kevin Costner of TV.  Instead I am talking about a phenomenon where you slowly realize that things your Dad or Grandpa (not, I am told on Twitter your "GF" which stands for "girlfriend") liked aren't stupid, boring, or old, but, in fact, rich with history.  Its the same age you start saying to yourself: "boy, isn't that Harley much nicer looking than that Hayabusa."  It might be the time when you go back to your parents house and rummage through a musty smelling desk looking for a Parker 51, only to be disappointed when you find dried out rubber bands and a 17 cent stamp.  That time has come for me.  I am man of a certain age and that age is 35.  I am now capable and willing to appreciate the quality and beauty of a finely crafted traditional folding knife.

Bit by a Bug

There were three things that started me down this path.  The first was, of course, my grandfather.  His father's Queen Cutlery Congress is well over 80 years old and it is, as of last October, gloriously sharp.  It has the patina of age and the swirl marks of a thousand or so sharpenings, but the brass bolsters look good as do the white handle scales.  Second, after doing research for the Swindle review, I was taken in by the sway back design.  One thing led to another and then bam I find myself on AG Russell's site ordering a Queen Cutlery knife.  Yikes...how did that happen?  Third, and most importantly, have been internet stalking Tony Bose. 

If you have no idea who he is, let me put it this way: imagine that Picasso was still alive and painting, but had the reputation he does today--that is Tony Bose in the knife world.  In so many endeavors--art, craftsmanship, sports--we do not understand the legacy of truly great people until they stop doing what they do.  Part of that is that the mark of true greatness is that one's place in history is unsure because the great person has literally rewritten history.  The other part is that even when we know someone is truly, historically great we are reticient to say a much because, well, maybe we are caught up in a fad.  But Tony Bose's work is no fad.  It is the anti-fad.  He has made cool something that is perhaps one of the two or three most iconic symbols of "old fashioned."  His work focuses on remaking knife patterns that have fallen out of use and that is even amongst those that still use and appreciate traditional knives.  He is remaking stuff that is a niche even among a niche.  Given those limitations greatness is perhaps the only way he could be world renowned.

Image courtesy of knifepurveyor.com.  Look at that spine, it looks like a fixed blade!

He long stopped taking orders on his customs.  His knives sell in half a heart beat on custom sites for well over $2,000.  His production collaborations with Case are almost as sought after.  These runs, which are both large (relatively speaking) and expensive are generally sold out in a few months after release.  Even these production blades appreciate in value, especially the more popular patterns.  Bose is reaching the upper limits of the knife world, up there with guys like Ron Lake.  Only Loveless and a few others remain.  I have this feeling that he will start getting recognition outside the knife world very soon, graduating to that "national craftsman" position that the late, great Sam Maloof (of the awesome rocking chair fame) had before he passed away.  Make no mistake Tony Bose's blades are among the best in the world.  After reading about them and seeing one in person I couldn't help but catch a traditional knife virus.   

That Stag Handle is SO Cool

For me, it is becoming entranced by traditional knives.  I have made fun of them again and again and again on this website.  They have been the butt of many jokes.  But, as Mark Twain said, "The older I get the smarter my parents become."  At my ripe old age of 35 I have started to appreciate the beauty of a jigged bone handle and brass bolsters. I have spent hours browsing the wonderful and informative site for Great Eastern Cutlery, marveling at their nostalgic ad posters and studying their vocabulary page.

When modern knives came into being, a whole section of the business started to fade away.  There are only a handful of traditional knife companies left, the most famous of which is Case.  But there are a few die hard companies like Queen, Great Eastern Cutlery, Buck and AG Russell that still design and make traditional patterns.  Then there are the horde of resurrected brands, names that were sold to overseas companies, famous long dead brands like Hen and Rooster and Schrade that are cheap pale imitations of their former glory (you can still get "real" Hen and Rooster knives through AG Russell in incredibly small quantities and staggeringly high prices). You can also find some traditional blade designs among the modern knives of more more familar companies. CRKT has a few traditional patterns. Benchmade's purchase of Lone Wolf has injected some traditional knife feel into a very modern knife company. Even Spyderco threw some stag handle scales on to their Kiwi slip joint.

Pros and Cons

Part of this is just an appreciation for tradition, but part of it is a fascination with knives themselves.  There are design decisions in making traditional knives that are just as innovative and just as interesting as there are in modern knives--you just have to know what to look for.  In large the difference can be summarized by time v. tech.  I talked about this before, found here, but the divide between traditional knives and modern knives puts this issue into stark relief.

For example, high polish blades, generally, are more rust resistant that low polish blades, especially bead blasted blades.  The reason is simple.  A high polish "closes" the grain of the steel making harder for rust to get in, while bead blasting does the exact opposite.  For the most part modern knives overcome problems with a steel's rust resistance by just getting a more high tech, corrosion resistant steel.  For traditional knife makers, the solution is more elbow grease.  You can get a very good rust resistant finish on 440C, D2, and 1095.  Only one of those is truly a stainless steel, but the best production makers in the traditional knife space, folks like GEC, get great performance out of these "lesser" steels through a more labor and skill intensive finishing process.  There are other places where the traditional knife makes up for a materials deficiency through superior processing.  Polished interiors keep the guts of traditional knives free of rust and small pins and bolsters help finish the knife and protect the more fragile handle materials from damage.

But this is not just a story of overcoming drawbacks.  Traditional knives outpace modern designs in quite a few ways.  First, there is the overall size and shape.  Traditional knives are just slimmer.  Without the need for one handed opening, these knives cut out all of the extra width, doing away with the hump for a thumb hole or a thumb stud, or the protruding metal of a flipper.  A nail nick or a French nick may stink for speedy deployment, but they sure do make a knife nicer in the pocket.  Additionally, the traditional knife designs are usually more buffed and polished with fewer harsh edges and lines.  Handle scales are finished with wood or bone or plastic simulating bone and these feel much nicer in the hand than rough G-10 and offer only slightly less grip.  They also make the knife a nicer pocket companion.  Bolsters add class and, in many cases, they hide the exposed tang when the knife is in the closed position.  Finally, and perhaps most importantly, these knives are clearly in the tool camp as opposed to the weapon camp.  No traditional knife inspires the sort of shocked and scared looks that a ZT350 does, for example.  Opening a traditional knife in the parking lot of a big box store is never threatening.  Popping a ZT350 almost always is.

Then there is the final and most important reason traditional knives deserve a second look--they are working tools almost exclusively of American origin.  Aside from brands that were bought sent overseas for production, most of the high end traditional knife companies still make, design, and build knives in the US, many in the same factories they have always used.  Case is still headquartered in Pennsylvania, as is Queen.  GEC is in the same town as Queen, Titusville, PA.  Queen has machines still working that were part of the company when it was founded in 1922.  Those machines, like these knives, wouldn't still be used if they didn't work well.  And that is the thing, many of these traditional knife patterns, ones like the Barlow or the Toothpick, just work amazingly well.   They look nice to boot.

There are some drawbacks, though.  These knives weigh a lot.  Bolsters and stag and polished liners add up.  For their size these knives are very heavy.  Second, a lot of them don't have locks.  They are slip joints with stiff springs, but still.  Third, a lot of them have multiple blades and not the kind I like.  Gimme a SAK or a Spyderco Dyad where each blade does something radically different over the Congress knife with a main blade, a pen blade, and a sheepsfoot blade, all of which are basically the same thing.  Or better yet, give me one well designed blade (like the aforementioned Barlow pattern).  These knives rarely have pocket clips or lanyard holes, so they are strictly pocket knives only.  Finally there is the nail nick.  I am not going to pretend to like it.  I think it stinks, but its not the end of the world.  When using a knife speed is very rarely important, especially when you are using it as a tool and not a people poker.

Resources

You can find information about these knives on BladeForums and KnifeForum.  But they have their own, parallel universe of sites and YouTube reviewers.  Here are some of the better resources.

Collector Knife Forum:  because a lot of folks into traditional knives are in it for the collection, you can find good discussion and info here.  There are some modern knives thrown in too.

All About Pocket Knives: a larger, more populated forum with lots of info.  An excellent discussion about Case knives. 

GEC Forum:  This is a brand specific forum for Great Eastern Cutlery but it is chocked full of good info and given GEC's tendencies to go back to historical brands and knife patterns there is a lot of universal information about old and out of production knives.

Prometheus19799791: He kinda rambles.  He says funny, silly things like "boy has this knife got a lot of meat on it still."  He is not reviewing stuff so much as showing you stuff and talking about a random semi-related topic.  But he has a lot of knives and lot of knowledge and a comforting tone in videos.  Imagine if your grandpa started a YouTube channel about knives and was much younger. 

Stefan Schmalhaus: He has a bunch of different channels including one dedicated to various nationality's specific knife styles including American knives.  The production values are through the roof and the information incredibly well researched.  Basically the exact opposite of Prometheus, but both are excellent. 

Case College: this includes lots of info about knife patterns and how traditional knives are made.  An excellent and well organized resource.  

GEC's Knife Terminology Page: an excellent and well-researched, almost scholarly glossary and explanation of traditional knife terms.  Super helpful for understanding what's going on in the high end conversations in forums.  

Conclusion

The bottom line is simple: I am going to start covering these knives.  I am not going to make the switch entirely.  They will be scattered in with other stuff here and there.  The first up is a Queen Cutlery Mini Hunter.  Here is a sneak peek at this little beauty (it has a great "walk and talk" for all of you traditional knife fans):

If this is boring, then I will drop it.  If its not, then down the rabbit hole.  A lot of the appeal of these knives is their collector value.  I am not a collector of anything, so that will be lost on me, but I think I can tell a good knife from a bad one (though some disagree, go read the comments to the Cryo review).  Part of this is about a challenge to myself.  I can pick up a modern knife and tell right away whether I will like it or not.  I might not be able to predict its exact score, but I can get within 3 or 4 points.  I know and understand what I like about modern knives.  With traditional ones, I am starting at square one.  This should be interesting.

47s Penlight Review

The penlight is an odd piece of gear. It is one of only a small handful of items that regular folks--non-gear geeks--will carry with them all of the time. I still remember my old fashioned pediatrician carrying around his penlight to shine in kid's eyes.

The penlight is to the flashlight world what the SAK is to the knife world--a non-threatening, virtually ubiquitous tool. There are people out there that carry a penlight everyday and have no idea what EDC is.

But the penlight has not been spared in the relentless pace of upgrading. The penlight has been given better batteries, newer emitters, multiple output modes, and an unfortunate "tacticool" make over. The best performing penlights are something the army of penlight fans would never carry, knurled grips don't look right in a doctor's pocket.

 Until now.

47s new light, dubbed the Penlight for simplicity's sake (please 47s simplify the naming conventions on your other lights, it is SO confusing; how about this: product line + number of batteries + type of battery for something like this Mini 1xCR123a, everyone knows what that means). It is a very stylish, distinctly non-tactical looking penlight. It blends in quite well when the rest of your office haul. The question is whether or not the good looks are matched by good performance.

Here is the 47s Penlight product page.  Note that this is badge swap with the Olight O'pen (47s and Olight have been working together for many years now and these badge swaps are common among the two brands).  There are a few different colors--red, blue, black, and . Here is a written review from selfbuilt.  Here is a video review from selfbuilt.  Given how thorough selfbuilt is, I could just end here, but I am not.  Here is a link to Blade HQ, where you can find the 47s Penlight, and all proceeds benefit the site when you purchase things through this link:

Blade HQ  

Finally, here is the review sample 47s sent me.

Design: 2

47s is marketing this light as something that blends in with your normal office stuff, something that doesn't look out of place among your pens and pencils. They totally succeeded. The design is upscale, without the tactical horns and knobs of other penlights (Streamlight I am looking at YOU). Everything has been carefully designed to make the light very functional but not too tactical. The pocket clip looks very much like a pen clip. The clicky could easily pass for the knock on a more upscale ball point. Even the length and diameter are convincing look a likes. I love everything about the look. But this is not simply a pretty like (Jil Light CR2 anyone?). 47s packed it with a new high performance emitter, the small die XPG-2, and trimmed out the package with a stainless bezel (for looks and performance). The body tube works well in the hand from both the perspective of turning on the light and holding on to the light. The choice of running commonly available cells is always a good thing, especially when they result in no real performance compromise thanks to their number and the highly efficient LED. This is one of the reasons why penlights are so popular--lots of lumens in a small package run by common cells. To that end the design of the 47s Penlight succeeds.

The ratios are decent.  Lumen:weight is 112.5.  The total lumens output is 150 (5 lumens for 30 hours).  Usually the high is where you get the most output lumens, but because of the short run time on high .36 hours, the low provides the most.   Finally here is a size comparison with a standard 2xAA Mini Mag:

Fit and Finish: 2

I found nothing to complain about here. I have a local product tester who helps me out on some reviews and he is REALLY tough on stuff and even he had no complaints. The clicky was nice and crisp, but still easy to use. The emitter was well-centered. The anodizing withstood his brutal attacks. All in all, this is a well made light. The body tube is a little thin, but this is the case on virtually all modern lights and I have never had a problem with them.

Grip: 2

With a penlight, especially one of a less tactical design, it is the size that makes the light grippy. Going back to an old refrain, there is an ineffable ratio in flashlights between the diameter and length. The penlight has been so beloved despite all of the different designs because of this ratio. The 47s light doesn't have much if anything in the way of knurling, but that's fine. In this role, this size and shape is perfect. It will stay in your hand and remain useful in virtually all scenarios. I wouldn't use it in a tactical scenario, but its not a tactical light. This size and shape is simply great for EDC use. Its been around for a long time for that very reason.

Carry: 2

I have thought for a long time that it is silly that our gear can't look more like...well...other stuff. I love the clips that look like pen clips and I really enjoy stuff that can hang out in my pockets discretely. But alas tactical gear seems to be decidedly unstealth. Penlights, on the other hand, look like, um, pens and that means they are easy to carry and easy to conceal. The 47s Penlight takes this to a whole new level. Here it is hanging out in my Tom Bihn Cadet:

Capitalizing on the tactical pen trend, 47s Penlight is not just at home hanging out with your pens, it looks and carries great with them. Even the clip looks like a pen clip. So if you can find a place to carry a pen you can find a place for this light.

Output: 2

The lumens arm's race is crazy, but the 180 lumens on high is still more than respectable, especially given the ultra-easy-to-find power source (2xAAA).  In fact it is 100 lumens more than the best Streamlight penlight option, the Streamlight Stylus Pro Tac.  As I am want to do, however, the highs don't really concern me much. Instead, it is the lows, you know, that mode you ACTUALLY use, that captures my attention. And in this light we have exactly what made 47s a great brand in the first place, a usefully low low. Overall, this light does highs well and lows well, making it an excellent option output wise. I would note that the Preon P2 penlight (which runs 2xAAA as well) has a lower low (2 lumens compared to 5 here) and a lower high (160 lumens compared to 180 here). The difference is strange because they both run the same emitters.

Runtime: 1

One curse of making a really great product is that subsequent products need to be that much better. Here the Penlight pales in comparison to the Preon P2. The runtime on max here is .36 hours versus 1 hour for the P2. Same batteries, same emitter, virtually the same high (180 here, 160 on the P2) and dramatically shorter runtimes. I just don't get it. The runtime on low is longer here (with a higher lumens count) so something seems off. I like the longer runtime on low, but why the difference? Also, the difference in utility between 30 hours and 23 hour on low is not as big as the difference in utility between roughly 20 minutes and 1 hour on high. This seems like an issue to me. In a vacuum the runtimes are fine, but compared to the cheaper P2, something is wonky.

Beam Type: 2

There is flood and then there is this, something like "deluge" or "Noah's Arc." It is so floody, so incredibly floody that even at moderately close range, something like 30 feet, the light starts to dissipate quickly. That's okay because in this product class, you aren't doing search and rescue.  Selfbuilt noted the incredibly large hotspot and this borne out by my experience.  I'd like a touch more throw, but penlights typically aren't pressed into any type of throw-critical applications.  Take a look at the floody beam for yourself:

Reference Shot:

Low:

Medium:

High:

Notice the lack of a distinct hotspot and spill.  This is the opposite of the Surefire EB1--that was a tiny hotspot and tons of spill, this is a HUGE hotspot and no real spill to speak of.  In this application, it was very good. 

 Beam Quality: 1

Tint snobbery has invaded the scoring system.  Here is a comparison shot with a HI CRI emitter (the Nichia 219 on the Aeon Mk. II):

 
In a vacuum, the tint is not bad, not good though. Compared to the golden warm light of the Ku 40DD or the balanced beauty of the Mk. II Aeon, this thing looks like a blue Christmas tree light (query: blue Christmas tree lights, tacky or solemnly beautiful?). Note the tans in the barn jacket or the blues in the shop aprons.  The issue I have is this--the XP-G2 emitter has a HI CRI variant and for the price, a jump of $10 over the P2, this would have been a nice and noteworthy upgrade.

This is not, however, to say that ALL non-HI CRI LEDs will score a 1, though it is getting there quickly, but merely to say that this is a below par tint, irrespective of HI CRI or not.  Compare this to the tint of an Eagletac D25a, for example.  There even without the HI CRI emitter, the light produced was a warm and accurate tint.  Also, as a brief aside, can you see how the HI CRI emitter makes less lumens more useful?  By accurately rendering colors, even at a lesser brightness, you can get a lot done.  Distinguishing objects in the dark is what flashlights are all about and HI CRI lets you do that easier than a light with the same lumens count.

 UI: 1

Times change and things improve. This is a good clicky interface (identical to the old 47s UI except for a memory for the last mode and the removal, thankfully, of the hidden modes), but not state of the art. Add to that the fact that I don't think clickies themselves are state of the art and you get 1. I'd love this like in a selector ring or a QTC UI. That too would have been a good justification for the increased price over the P2. As it is, it is exactly the same three years later. For state of the art clicky interfaces see the Olight Baton S10 or the Zebralight interface on lights like the SC600. Once great, now par or slightly below par. Cool little trick I noticed after my super thorough almost 3 year old product tester finished with the light--you can twist it and switch through modes if the light is already on.

Hands Free: 2

Okay, so it can't tailstand, but no penlight can.  They are too tall and narrow to effectively balance on end, so it is not fair, really to deduct a point for that.  The clip is a good anti-roll device and it works very well between the teeth given its dimensions. 

Overall Score: 17 out of 20

If you are looking for a penlight, consider the P2 AND this light.The P2 is a little cheaper, a little dimmer, but has a longer runtime and a lower price.  The fit and finish on the Penlight is better, the appearance more sophisticated, and the overall design a bit more refined.  Both are good flashlights, excellent renditions of the penlight form factor.  Personally, I have reached point in my gear appreciation that I am willing to pay a few bucks for good looks.  The Penlight colors are amazing and they really do remind me, both in their non-threatening utility and vibrant tones, of the SAK Alox Cadets.  In fact, here is a color coordinated EDC using the two:

This is a very good light.  I'd like an updated UI and the runtimes are weird (note selfbuilt's issues in this regard as well), but in all other respects it is very good.  The P2 is probably a better value, very strictly speaking, but if you have even a passing interest in aesthetics, this is the clear choice.  If you are closet gear geek and want a great light that no one will ever notice or poke fun of you for, this is the obvious choice.  Stashed in a pen cup, no one will be the wiser until the power goes out at the office and you can get everyone outside easier, or at least help out those that didn't tease you.  Also, if your name is Brad Dowdy, this is the clear choice in EDC flashlights.  It is, after all, called the PEN light for a reason.    

AG Russell Skorpion

AG Russell is an unusual fellow in the knife world.  He makes knives, sure.  He also has a website where he sells knives, his own and those made by others.  Finally, he sells used knives through Cutting Edge.com.  All of these grow out of his catalog business and show a willingness to invest and embrace new technology, an impressive trait for a company as well-established as AG Russell's.

As a knife maker, I think AG Russell is a bit underrated.  Part of this has to do with his style.  He has a distinctive, non-tactical style as seen in his many traditional blades, those with Amber Stag handles and nail knick openers.  But he does other blades as well and I think quite a few of them look very appealing.  The Acies2 is a knife I am trying, desperately, to get my hands on.  I want to review that knife for a whole host of reasons, not the least of which is to complete a trio of Ti framelocks for a Shootout (the small Sebenza and the Alias II are the other two blades).  His Button Lock looks likes a winner, melding the convenience of a modern folder with the materials of a traditional one.  But it is the Skorpion that really attracted my attention.  This will be the first AG Russell knife I review.

Even non-enthusiast press has latched on to just how groundbreaking this knife could be.  Here is the product page.  Here is an image of the knife from AG's site:

The big deal, for me, at least, is the knife's numbers.  This is a metal handled 3" folder with a clip that weighs less than 2 ounces (1.8 ounces to be exact).  AG has always had an eye for good ratios, take a look at his FeatherLite knives, but the Skorpion raises the ante significantly.

This is a framelock.  It uses a thumb oval opener.  It comes with a choice of pocket clips (deep carry or normal).  Finally, the blade:handle is a stunning .80, just shy of the record Al Mar Hawk (which had a blade:handle of .82).  This is a lot of blade for the size.  It is also a lot of knife for the money, as this knife will come in at $65.  The steel is the Chinese 8Cr13MoV which is not my favorite, but given all of the other things this knife has going for it, I am willing to overlook the steel choice.   Keep an eye out for the Skorpion review.  It will be up as soon as I can get one and test it out.  I am very excited.

NOTE: After corresponding with Mr. Russell, who is super nice, he wants me to make sure everyone knows that there has been a production delay for the Skorpion.  This happens when you are pushing the envelope.  And remember what the wise Shigeru Miyamoto said: "a late knife is late only until it ships, a bad knife is bad forever. " Well, okay, so he was talking about video games, but it works for knives as well.  Looks like the knife may ship in May some time.