A Cut
Above
By: Nate T.
Normally, this is where I start gabbin’ about the two-wheeled monsters that
occupy our thoughts so much of the time. A lot of the time, it’s about keeping
them on the road. Other times, its about getting that grins per mile ratio
where it should be. Sometimes, I even plug a cool go-fast gizmo or whatsit.
I hate to break a streak here, but I’m going to follow a bit different heading
this month. The long and short of it is I’ve got something to share that is a
bit different. I know we can all get on board with it though, so here goes. I’m
going to delve a bit into the world of blades.
Just to start, I’m makin’ a disclaimer here. I’m not claiming to know knife
laws anywhere this here article is read. With that being said, all that I’m
setting out to do today is to look at a maker of noteworthy tools I’ve run across.
Further, I strongly suggest before you use or carry any sharp instrument, know
what the laws are, what your responsibilities are, and how to handle them
safely. There it is. I’ve said my peace. Y’all can’t fix stupid though, so God be
with the ones out there that don’t figure it out. Moving on!
Whether it’s in the kitchen, out on the water, or up on two wheels, having
a good quality knife on hand can keep our guests happy, keep us on the road,
or even keep us alive and kickin’. The next thought I have is something akin to
having the right tool for the job. Now consider that I only listed a few of the
endless places we all carry a blade…or wish we did. Taking that thought a
bit further, the last I checked, money doesn’t grow on trees. Therein lies the
problem. There seems to be a demand in our lives for far too many knives than
can be paid for by your run of the mill, hard working stiff. Do we buy a bunch
of different, cheap blades to fill all of the slots? Hell no! We buy the best all
around knife we can afford in the hopes that someday our grandchildren will
enjoy carrying it (assuming that’s okay with the boys in blue). As luck would
have it, I think I found one too.
David Boye started turning his passion for making knives at Boye Knives
(www.boyeknives.com) into reality back in 1971. During the 80s, by
happenstance, he found out that investment cast cobalt had some amazing
properties for a knife. It was non-magnetic (won’t mess with compasses),
held and edge better than other cutlery alloy or stainless steels, laughed at salt
water, and would cut through all manner of things without breaking a sweat.
The secret was in the root-like pattern of carbide crystals in the metal too
small to be seen by the naked eye. Those crystals act like rebar in a foundation
while at the same time work like the rows and rows of teeth in the mouth of a
6
thresher shark. Cool, right? Well, guess what else. Those carbide crystals are
mixed in through the whole blade. So, more get uncovered should you ever
have to sharpen the edge.
Boye has in their lineup four types of folders, a chef’s knife, and what they
call the “Basic 3” fixed blade. Each one of them is elegant in its simplicity,
lightweight, and compact. They’re pretty darn easy on the eyes too.
Personally, I was looking for something that could fit the bill while I was up on
two wheels, out in the woods, or at sail. Because of that, I ended up choosing
the sheepsfoot folder to be attached to my PFD aboard the sailboat and the
“Basic 3” for my every day carry.
The folder
is slim enough
to drop in your
pocket without
a thought and
flicks
open
easily right or
left handed
with the well-
placed thumb
nail
catch.
Once you’re
at work with
it, you feel
confidant too
in spite of it
being light. The glass-filled nylon handle feels natural in your hand and you
know its not going to close up on you with their easy-to-use and safety-minded
release bar. If you’re dealing with rigging lines, it also has a titanium marlin
spike that can take 200lbs of force. My favorite thing about this knife though
is the fact that they way they designed the wave-serrated blade, it can still be
simply sharpened on a flat whet stone. This thing can cut too. I’ve never seen
anything like it. Y’all know that saying, “Like a hot knife through butter”.
The “Basic 3” is in a league all of its own. Being a fixed blade, it’s made
of the dendritic cobalt through and through. It has a dropped edge to keep
your fingers away from your work, making it easy to cut on a flat surface…
or anywhere really. The thing is near indestructible as well with an I-beam
feature cast right into its backbone. Boye claims that this knife really is an
all-purpose tool that can be used to cut, hammer, pry, and even in a survival
situation. On top of that, there are even guides cast right into it that take the
guesswork out of sharpening. As an added bonus, 7 feet of 225lb test paracord
comes wrapped expertly around the grip. There is no doubt in my mind
that this knife will be performing the same today for me as it will be for my
grandchildren.
Boye’s knives truly are no-nonsense, high performance tools that at the time
have the look and feel of artwork. They are a bit pricey, but I feel they’re well
worth the investment. I trust them to perform each and every time just as they
did out of the box whether I’m cutting vegetables for red beans or cutting a
loved one free from a boat headed towards the bottom. I hope you’ll keep that
in mind when you’re choosing what to have at your side. Until next time, keep
it shiny side up and between the lines. Shovel on.
Thunder Roads Magazine LA/MS Gulf Coast | January 2019 | www.thunderroadslams.com