In an effort to offer my customers  a Top Quality product, we
review and answer your questions if possible.
   

Questions from our customers

My son is being deployed to Iraq.

Which knife should I buy for him....?

Always keep in mind that your  intended use has lots to do with the knife 
you choose for the job. We are doing our best to make knives that do as many jobs as possible, and are having great success.  But discretion is required.. Relentless knives are completely handmade, and, for a predetermined purpose.

But, to a young soldier, or his parents that might not be so clear especially when
going into harms way.  So, I asked Major Humphrey , a combat veteran, and  tactical training officer at West Point USMA  , to voice an opinion. He has been testing knives here for the last two years, and  knows more than most  about which knife works better in the field for what job. 

He was also quite humble in the task, saying that possibly some of the Special Operations people, etc. might have different opinions, as their jobs are often highly specialized, and different from  those of the average soldier. Well, sure this is true, and Relentless knives are used  by lots of people who are not soldiers too.  This in no way makes the information less useful.

By: Major Ian Humphrey

Dan asked me to do a short article on the subject of picking the right knife to suit a customer’s needs. Relentless Knives offer a variety of different designs and sizes and picking the right knife can be a challenge. Recently Dan was contacted by a few parents who want to purchase a knife for their deployed Soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each Soldier has a very
different mission, which would lead me to recommend a different knife for
each individual. 
I am a firm believer in the notion that the best knife ever made will do you no good if it is left in your duffel bag while you are
out doing your mission. In addition, not every Soldier needs an eight inch, double edged combat knife in their everyday tasks. While I am no “all knowing” expert on what is the best knife for the mission, I do have almost eleven years of service in the combat arms and one combat tour to Iraq. The following suggestions are based on these experiences.

The 2007 Relentless Knives catalog is divided into three main sections:
compact knives, medium knives, and large knives. I will go down each
category and lend my advice on who would benefit from each category. In the compact section, 

COMPACT Knives

The compact section, offers seven different types of knives All of these
models are compact with a blade no larger than four inches. Of all three
size categories, the compact knives will be the most useful to the average
Soldier. These knives can take the place of the large folder that just
about every Soldier has on them at all times. While it may seem surprising        
that I would recommend the smallest knives for the average Soldier, the
thing to keep in mind is that each unit has its own regulations regarding
blade length. In other words, that large fighter you bought for them may
not be authorized for legal carry. A “safe” rule of thumb would be to keep
your blade down to the three inch size. I have never seen a regulation that
forbids a knife with a three inch or smaller blade. If I had to recommend
one knife in this category for an “everyday carry, hard use knife” I would
recommend the M1 Midget. This three inch blade is sturdy enough to 
do “big knife” tasks like light chopping and prying, yet is small enough 
to meet the regulations. 

The other main attraction to Dan’s compact knives is their
ability to be worn unnoticed on a Soldier’s belt with the option of
attaching to body armor (MOLLE vests, etc.) when needed.
Tactical gear that is out of place with your MOS (Military Occupational
Specialty…i.e. Job). should be avoided if possible.
It is one thing for a light Infantry Soldier to be
walking around with a large knife vs. a supply clerk who hardly ever leaves
the relative safety of a FOB (Forward Operating Base). A compact knife will be unnoticed until needed.

 MEDIUM Knives

The second category of Relentless Knives feature ten models to choose
from with blade lengths out to seven and a half inches (with the majority             
between five and six inches). I believe this category is perfect for the
Soldier who has a mission that requires them to leave the FOB on a daily
basis. These knives can be worn relatively unnoticed on the belt (when you
want to keep a low profile), and can also be attached to a MOLLE type vest
or body armor without too much additional weight. These knives give you a
longer blade length that will aid in daily hard use cutting and chopping
tasks like breaking open ammo crates, cutting wire and rope, aiding in
opening doors and windows, etc. These knives can be worn in the optional
Relentless Knives magazine/knife pouch combo that will save valuable space
on the Soldier’s armor/vest. If I had to pick one of these knives, I would
recommend one of the M1 integral guard series of knives. They offer a very
stout knife with great balance and multiple attachment options.

LARGE Knives

The last category of Relentless Knives features five knives with up to                        
a ten inch blade. These are definitely the “big boys” of the Relentless
line and are designed for extreme duty. I would recommend these knives for
Soldiers who do not have to do a lot of walking/patrolling by foot. Their
heavy weight and large size would make them difficult to carry when combined
with ammunition, equipment and body armor. These knives are perfect if you
can carry them in your vehicle, etc. so they are easily accessible when you
need to do some “extreme” chopping, prying, hacking, etc. If you are trying
to keep a low profile, these are not the knives for you! Pilots would also
benefit from these knives since they would not have to carry them until
needed, and they would be perfect for survival and E and E (evade and
escape) situations.

With over 22 models to choose from, Dan Certo has a knife to meet
anyone’s needs. The hard part is choosing the right knife for the mission.
While everyone may want a nine inch combat knife, chances are they are not
going to be involved in a hand to hand knife fight with a terrorist. I for
one would much rather engage the enemy from as far away as possible! That
being said, every Soldier can benefit from a good knife. No matter what job
you have, you will have countless opportunities for everyday cutting tasks.
From cutting 550 cord to opening boxes, a knife is a constant companion.

Points to consider are: the unit’s regulations concerning blade length, your
intended use of the knife, and how you intend to carry the knife. I would
personally recommend erring on the safe side by choosing one of the small to medium
knives with a blade length of six inches or less. From my experiences, a
blade of this length will be large enough to get the job done, yet be easy
to carry.

A customer asked if a compact Relentless knife, 3.5" blade, ordered for use in his work as a horse trainer,would cut 1" manila rope 50 times without resharpening. His job requires  emergency  thick rope cutting on a  daily basis.
I was sure  a knife made from 5160 steel without  enhanced heat treatments, which increases  the price to that of a stock s30V knife would have problems doing this. .
 And
 I knew that S30v with  stock heat treatment is hard to beat in the categorys that make knives useful tools, and  is a very effective cutter, but, fifty  one inch thick cuts with a 3.5" blade without even touch up is a job that most of todays most popular non exotic steels may find difficult..
So, I figured some cutting tests were warranted in order to be sure the knife would handle the job.
I contacted  Ian, knowing he had several knives that  would be perfect for the test.
Since time was short, Ian did the tests within a day, and returned excellent photos of the ordeal.

A report was really not required here, as the photos  speak for themselves.                                                                                                                                                                          
 Ready with a Relentless M4 Viper....SHARP....!

             






               











                                                                                                                                                               

                             
 

                                                                                                 That's it.The knife an M4 Viper with a 3.5
                         Blade , Zone tempered,  RC 58 on the cutting edge, powered by Ian Humphreys  persistent hands performed the job with ease,, and without resharpening.
  and later sliced lunch. Thanks Ian.       

Sir,
I purchased two of your high carbon steel custom knives about a year ago, and LOVE THEM!!! I just cannot keep the rust off of them, no matter how hard I try. Is there any way I can have you parkerize them for me? I just want to protect them with a more permanent solution.
Thanks,
Houston, Tx.    
   
    Hi: Yes I can parkerize your knives, it would cost $50.00 per knife with 4 week wait time.
Have you tried P.B. Blaster on them.                                                                                                   BLASTER STOPS RUST
It is sold in Auto parts stores, and works better than anything I have ever tried. It costs about $3.00 per can.
All High Carbon steel rusts, and Blaster penetrates the steel and reduces it quite a bit.
Parkerizing works better but costs more.
CPM s30V High Performance Stainless steel cuts longer is just as strong and doesn't rust.

Steel appears to be a solid material, but it actually has a surface full of microscopic pits and craters.
Water ,  combines with carbon dioxide in the air to form a weak carbonic acid that can easily penetrate the pores of the metal. This acid quickly acts to separate the iron from the other elements contained in the metal and change it to iron oxide(rust). Salt and other acids make the process happen more quickly.
Fingerprints contain  acids , salt. and moisture which cause rust. Blood, meat, vegetable matter , leather  all accelerate the formation of rust on uncoated or bare metal.

This process microscopically  happens almost instantly, and grows.
It can be easily stopped. with the application of oil  or other coatings that block out moisture and air.
Interestingly enough, a light surface rust , often known as stain, forms a natural barrier to air and a slight barrier against water, and will give the metal a  bit more protection against rust than bare metal. Bluing commonly found on firearms, is actually a controlled coating of what would quickly become rust in it's later stages.

So how do you stop rust.........................
                                                                                                               



Well, there are several different ways, all with trade off's

#1 P.B. Blaster.......commonly available in Auto Parts stores, this is a penetrating chemical, that enters the pours of the steel, and through a chemical reaction dissolves rust.
Careful maintenance with P.B. Blaster....that is keeping a Blaster soaked cloth handy at all times....and wiping the knife after use or handling works very well.  Knives wiped with Blaster will survive being submerged in water etc, so long as they are dried and Blastered afterward. In the field Blaster on steel wool will ignite with sparks from a metal match and makes great tinder for campfires too.

#2 Parkerizing.
Unlike other coatings...and much like Blaster,

but far more permanent ....Parkerizing is a process
which penetrates the pours of the steel, and deposits a rustproof metal coating
which bonds to the steel.
Parkerizing is a very effective rust inhibitor. You can apply it at home with careful attention to directions


I will apply it for you for approx $50.00
Parkerizing still requires the metal to be coated with oil.
Parkerizing will wear with hard and heavy use.
Parkerizing will not protect the naked edge of the knife.,
but is a truly effective rust inhibitor, and rust will not creep up under
the coated part of the blade.

#3
Dura Coat / Powder Coat and other coatings.
These coating vary in durability....but all are coatings.
On a knife made from high carbon steel, there is a risk, due the the need
of the edge to be exposed for rust to work it's way under the coating,
resulting in an intact coating, and rusted and weakened steel underneath.
for this reason, I offer Dura coat on Stainless steel knives only.




 Below is an excerpt from an article by Major Humphrey on Rust.
The tests were very practical in nature,  and will give you an idea of what you might expect from High Carbon steel exposed to salt water etc.

 Rust Test
     I wanted to expand the rust tests to include the affects of salt water on the different steels.  This was a three part test that first included a simple area of the blade covered with plain water.  The second part of the test was a solution of Epsom salt and water on the blades, while the third part of the test consisted of a strong Kosher salt water solution on the knives. 
     The L6 model came in first during the basic water test with an easy to remove stain and no remaining marks.  The 5160 model finished second with an easily removed stain, but a small rust/dis colorization spot remaining.  For the Epsom Salt test, the 5160 model finished first with only a badly stained blade.  The L6 model not only had a badly stained blade, there appeared to be a thin layer of rust forming on the steel.  For the Kosher salt test, the L6 model came in first with easily removed surface rust and only a thick black stain remaining.  The 5160 blade also had easily removed surface rust, but with more staining than the L6 model.
     In comparison to the above steels, I tried the same three tests on the new s30v steel.  After all three tests, the s30v steel had no stains and no signs of rust on the steel.  Even after the Epsom salt and kosher salt left a sludge on the blade, they were easily removed and no damage appeared on the blade.

Next, a report from the Major on knives that were Bead blasted

For rust, the knives you sent all seemed to develop  spots from time to time...but no real rust yet...but I am very careful when it comes to post use cleaning and BP blasting.  I have never had any issues with the S30V...that stuff survived my sweat soaked water knife tests with no issues.  Some of my original Relentless neck knives with satin steel finish will spot, darken real easily...especially that one L6 model.  I know the spotting, staining is the pre-curser to rust...but with a little TLC and Blaster it seemed to do the trick.  As for leather sheaths...I never leave the knives in leather for an extended time...again for fear of staining the knives, so i have had no problems with them either.          

So.....The best thing to do if you are to busy to maintain your knife.....is buy a stainless steel knife.
But.....keep in mind that all stainless steel is not alike, and the addition of chromium  to steel in the amounts that  effectively fight rust, and at a hardness needed for good edge holding can increase the brittleness of the steel.
For this reason .....I highly recommend CPMs30V with the proper heat treatment and tempering.,
for a Super strong knife with excellent edge holding abilitys.....

 PERFORMANCE Test
 by: Major Ian Humphrey

Performance  under extreme conditions are what Relentless knives are all about. Some
good examples of this are tests to see if the
blade could support the weight of a grown
individual, and how well a knife would serve as an
emergency rope anchor. Now you are probably asking why
the heck would anyone ever use a knife for these
tasks? Well, extreme   situations sometimes require uncommon solutions.  I used a sledge hammer to pound the knife
into a tree and stood on the top  edge of the blade. No movement at all. Next, I
hammered the knife into the tree at a 90 degree
angle to the ground and stood on the blade width
wise. This time the knife did flex but returned
true once I stepped off. And just for the heck
of it, I did the same test while standing on one
foot on the handle area of the knife. This caused
the most flex in the blade but again it returned
to normal once I stepped off.
Next I moved to the cliff and drove the
knife into the base of a tree and tied some nylon
rope around the handle. I was then able to lean out
over the ledge using an emergency rappel
technique. Again, the knife did bend a little, but it
returned to normal once I eased up on the rope.
The knife served as a very stable anchor for this
task. Why use a knife for a
rope anchor? A very real
example of this would be a Bush Pilot
who’s

plane crashes in the wilderness. Or just a hiker who has lost their way in unfamiliar trails.

You may
need your knife to act as a rope anchor as you
safely lower yourself to the ground, descend a rock
ledge, etc. After living in Alaska for three
years, I can remember several similar situations with
a plane crashing into the wilderness with
civilization many miles away.
The bottom line on all of these tests, and
many new ones in the future, is to ensure you are
getting the best tool for your money. While no
knife is indestructible, it is good to know that
Relentless knives withstand extreme abuse. Dan
will continue to develop new designs for
different applications, and I will continue to do my best
to ensure I abuse the knives so you don’t have to.