TOURNIQUETS

This is the ETQ (Everyday Carry Tourniquet) by Snake Staff Systems. This product quickly caught my attention. The ETQ is made in the USA, it is 65% smaller than the industry standard and is designed to be carried every day on your person. While I consider the CAT Tourniquet to be the gold standard in this category, I am always happy to see innovative products hit the market.

The size and bulk of a CAT tourniquet makes it difficult to carry on body. I keep one close by in my bag, but I never actually have it on my person. Should I be separated from my bag, I’m SOL. Statistics show you’re more likely to use a tourniquet than a pistol. Yet I hardly know anyone that regularly carries one. Ease of carry has been one of many hurdles, and Snake Staff Systems is providing a solution. This is a product that’s small enough to attach to your keyring. If you can carry a pistol on your hip every day, you no longer have an excuse for not carrying a tourniquet. Buy one, carry one.

Another draw is it’s ability to tighten down to a 1 inch diameter. This makes the ETQ an ideal trauma response product to use with small children. As a parent of a one year old, I’ve been searching for a product to keep on hand for my kid. The ETQ fits the bill. Considering all possibilities of application, I strongly believe elementary and middle schools should begin to stock these and have them on hand.

Now, in spite of how good I feel about this product, I will continue to carry my CAT tourniquet in my pack. The ETQ has a lot to prove. This is now an extra item I have to carry, but as we all know, two is one and one is none. Buy a tourniquet. Buy American.

Survive Knives GSO 7/7: Initial Impression

Guy Seiferd is the owner and product designer at Survive! Knives. Upon starting the company, he quickly became known for his quality control. He ran a very lean operation to ensure each knife met his exact standard. That high standard, mixed with an intense demand and some unfortunate setbacks, led to extensive wait times to receive an order. They took on more orders than they could handle, and couldn’t provide accurate timelines for delivery. As you can imagine, this upset many of their customers. I knew of the demand when I placed the order and had already heard of the lengthy wait times. The GSO 5.1 and the GSO 7/7 appealed to me the most. I had been mulling the purchase for months. Living in New York City, a knife of that size would have been completely impractical, and beyond my needs. But, let’s be honest here, how many of us solely purchase gear out of a “need” for said gear? I loved the materials, and the simplicity of Guy’s designs. This was an unnecessary and frivolous purchase, and I don’t regret it. As ordering for the GSO 5.1 had closed by the time I made a decision, I placed an order for the GSO 7/7. I comfortably resigned to receive it whenever I received it.

Four years and three months later, with a GSO 7/7 in hand, I’m happy. It is large knife, made of CPM-3V steel. It has an overall blade length of 7.25 inches, with a cutting edge length of 6.50 inches. There are a few customization options available when ordering. I selected black oxide fasteners, black & red g10 scales, and a black kydex sheath. According to Survive!, this release has been completely redesigned. They made the blade and handle longer, and improved the overall ergonomics of the knife. It shows. The knife is incredibly well balanced. Knives of this size are often blade heavy and unwieldy for small tasks. That isn’t the case here, the GSO 7/7 has a fairly neutral balance, located right at the finger guard. The g10 scales and palm swell provide a solid grip. The finger choil allows for even greater control, while the handle provides enough length to lower your grip and use the knife for chopping. The damn thing is just a joy to hold.

Now much has changed in my life over the last four years. In a few months I will no longer be living in the city. I’m looking forward to taking this brute out and putting it to work. For those of you interested in Survive!, they released the following videos just a few days ago, discussing some of the setbacks they’ve had to work through over the past couple of years. I certainly appreciate the transparency, and I admire Guy’s uncompromising standards. In the last four years they have moved their shop and invested in equipment that should considerably accelerate production and therefore delivery. I can attest that they do in fact deliver, and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Prometheus Writes Alpha Executive Pen

I have carried and used the Prometheus Writes Ti Alpha Executive Pen for nearly six years. It happened to go missing last October, and what I thought was lost, I found nearly nine months later hanging from a thread of an old summer jacket. Boy, was I delighted. The Alpha Executive Pen was designed by California-based designer and fabricator, Jason Hui of Prometheus Lights. Like Jason, as a consumer, I have always had a desire to buy things that I know I can depend on and that I know will last. Buy once, cry once. However, even more so, I appreciate a product where it is self evident that the designer truly cares about his craft.

Jason Hui has extensive knowledge and experience in design strategy, product development, and industrial technology. Although, he is better known for his innovative work in the flashlight market, the Alpha Executive pen is a prime example of his capabilities.

This particular pen is crafted from Grade 2 Titanium and is designed to accept Mont Blanc Fineliner and Rollerball refills only. Some have reservations about this, as these refills are expensive, and don’t last as long as some other popular refills. However, as someone who is constantly writing and jotting things down, the Mont Blanc refills are just a joy to use. The Rollerball refill is as smooth as silk, and will provide crisp dark lines. The Fineliner, provides a distinctive writing experience. It features a felt tip, which can recede if too much pressure is applied, therefore, protecting the tip from being damaged.

The body of the pen is essentially three pieces not including the screw and clip. There are no springs or other internal components as the Mont Blanc refill screws directly into the housing. Given the pen is made from Titanium, it can and will soak up damage. The tumbled finish easily hides any scratches received. I have carried my pen daily since 2013. It has shared pocket space with keys, knives, and flashlights. As you can see from the photos, the pen is still in pristine condition.

As my pen is the Kickstarter version, Jason has made a few minor changes to the design since 2013. The current iteration is crafted from Grade 5 Titanium, which is stronger and more abrasion resistant than the Grade 2. The Kickstarter version is completely sterile and features no maker’s mark whatsoever. The current iteration will feature a maker's mark on the brass screw which holds the clip in place. Other than that, the design is the exactly same. In addition to Titanium, the pen can also be machined from Aluminum, Brass, or Copper.

Now, I’ll be honest, these pens are not cheap. I purchased mine through the Kickstarter campaign for $120. In six years the price for the Titanium Alpha has risen to $250. However, the copper, brass, and aluminum pens are cheaper (and in that order). These pens are machined in Jason’s shop and, therefore, are made right here in the USA. So, expect to pay a premium. This is by far the best pen I’ve ever owned. The weight, balance, and the use of Mont Blanc refills provide an extremely gratifying writing experience. If you’re looking for a new option for daily carry, I strongly recommend you hop on over to www.darksucks.com and pick one up.