Review Al Mar B-21

  

- they are back!

This knife's name includes an interesting thought. Al Mar  B-21 may not sound that exciting, but the acronym stands for Bowie for the 21st Century. It is a modern interpretation of an old knife type, and thereby, an exciting dynamic arises.

The B-21 is new for the year and I was an early bird so have had this knife for close to eleven months at this point. It has given me a good basis for a review. It was not, in and of itself, that difficult in this case, it would turn out.

Al Mar B-21

The designer behind this knife is none other than Kirk Rexroat. It can be added that this is not his first collaboration with Al Mar. They have been working together since 1997 when Rexroat made a custom "Havanna Clipper" for Gary Fadden who then owned the company. Incidentally, it is a model that has been reinstated in the model program as a tribute. Since then, he has also designed knives such as Back Up I, Back-Up II, and not least Payara. The latter has been released in a new version which I reviewed here.

Some aspects of the B-21 reflect parts of Mr. Rexroat's personality. One is his eye for detail but he is also a "Master blade smith". Another is that he is also interested in hunting and outdoor life, which led to the B-21 not only being a fusion between old and new, but also between a knife intended for such activities and more "tactical" applications. A knife aimed at different types of police, military, and similar professionals.

A modern interpretation of a classic Bowie knife

Something nice has also happened with parts of Al Mar's production since the last time, and it concerns, among other things, this model. To mark both that change and, to some extent, new times, there is no longer any red in the logo, as the observant may have noticed. What has happened is that production has been moved. Al Mar's knives were originally made in Japan. When the company was recreated, all production was moved to China in the years 2019-2023. Parts of the manufacturing still take place there. But now the finer models are stamped "Made in Taiwan" instead. It is a big step up can be stated in terms of the folding knives that are current, something I intend to come back to in future reviews. Then it remains to be seen how this Taiwan-made piece signed Rexroat holds up.

Short version: Al Mar B-21, a new model that lasts all the way. This is a versatile, light, and well-balanced knife.

Blade

In an interview from 1985, Al Mar himself said that a blade for a combat knife should be between 4.5-8 inches, i.e. measuring from about 12 centimeters to just over twenty centimeters. It seems to be something that Rexroat has taken notice of in this case as the blade is almost there. The length in this case is 4.25 inches, which is just under eleven centimeters. It is matched by a height of at most 3.5 cm and a thickness of the blade of 4.1 mm. One, as we say in Swedish, "lagom", blade. That is exactly right, small enough to be out of the way and make the knife light while providing enough edge to handle most tasks.

The appearance has features of its classic predecessor. This means that it inherited a rather bold cut part with a substantial false edge. A shape that gives both a piece of straight edge, a belly, and, not least, an extremely effective tip. It is, after all, a commando knife we ​​are talking about, even if it is not purely bred for that task.

However, a bit of the edge has been stolen into a substantial choil for the index finger. When that is then combined with the parts of the blade that are to be considered as modified, a multitude of ways to grip the knife are created. I'm talking about the marked bend in the spine of the blade which gives the blade an almost harpoon-like appearance. That impression is reinforced even more by the thumb ramp.

A bold and dynamic blade based on a Bowie

The finish is satin and the marking consists of the Al Mar logo on the ricasso of the presentation side. On the other side, you will find the model designation, designer, and country of manufacture.

The steel used is a staple for many manufacturers. A durable D2 steel that has received a high flat grind, the edge is more than 25 mm high. The thickness behind the edge varies from a full millimeter towards the tip to down to 0.7 mm. It's honestly a bit too much for my taste. Sure the blade gets stronger but it cuts worse. Here, strength has been prioritized over other parameters. On this knife, however, the cutting properties are saved by the fact that the secondary edge is also quite wide. It measures closer to 1.2 mm.

Another effect this edge has is that the point is both very sharp and at the same time does not become fragile. There is of course more material behind it as well. The factory edge was capable, but not quite evenly ground in the name of honesty.

The hardness is stated as 59-60 HRC and that is something I think is correct as the knife has kept its sharpness well.

The blade is about eleven centimeters long and made of D2 steel

Since the thickness was not extreme from the start and the blade is high and flat ground, you get a knife that cuts well in most materials. Despite the thickness behind the edge, it may be added. It is noticeable that Rexroat is an active hunter. He obviously doesn't like knives that are sharpened pry bars but that are actually usable too.

This type of edge is really good when it comes to, for example, cutting rope and the like. The steeper angle means that the edge can withstand a bit of abuse while the fairly thin blade slides through the material. It's not such a bad idea, as tamp for boats and the like not infrequently contain some gravel and other things that can damage a knife edge. For the same reason, the B-21 is excellent for handling stronger nylon straps, seat belt materials, and thicker plastics. 

Even in wood, the knife is fully capable, although not perfect. Here the handle sets the limits, mostly because it is thin. But since you can sneak forward and stay close to the edge, control is good. This means that as long as you don't have to make a living from woodcarving, you'll be fine. Read, it is excellent for camping.

Then the B-21 isn't the best for batoning, an activity popular in knife testing these days. The knife is a bit too thin for that. Therefore, I recommend that if an ax is missing, you carve a small wedge and tap it instead of your precious knife.

The curve of the blade is probably good for skinning jobs for hunters. Now it's more theoretical for me, but I worked as a butcher in my younger days, so I have a pretty good grasp of how a blade is experienced when, for example, trimming a ham or a side of pork. In such work, the indentation on the blade helps excellently. Here you can place a thumb when you want to sneak far forward on the blade or an index finger if better control is desired.

I have mostly used the knife for household meat cutting such as chicken, and pork loin with and without bones, and the like.

Handle

There are basically two ways to make handles. They may belong to the thin or broad school. This is definitely in the first category. To get a comfortable grip, you have to be careful with the other proportions. Rexroat has been. This is a masterpiece in the category.

The handle is made of G10 screwed in place

The thickness varies between 13.5-11.5 mm. In other words, the sides are sculpted. The length of the handle is 11.6 cm and the height also varies between approx. 26-28 mm.

The knife is apparently a full tang knife and the sides are made of polished G10. A material that is highly resistant to...well, everything! It can withstand heat, cold, moderate amounts of chemicals, etc. It is also very durable so there is no risk of you ruining it in a hurry.

The sides are attached with three screws with T8 heads. It's a bit small, I think. But it works, at least as long as you don't remove the handle sides too often. 

The B-21 is a full-tang knife with slightly curved sides

The fact that the material in the sides is smooth gives a handle that is very comfortable to grip. You lose a bit of friction but in this case, it's not needed anyway because the handle is so well shaped.

It is especially noticeable if you stab hard with the knife. The thumb ramp with its notches and the finger guard means that the hand does not slip even if you jab the knife into wood.

Although the B-21 is not an extremely large knife, it fits well in the hand

The recess in the back and the forward choil for the index finger increase the grip options even more

But then we get to the magic itself. The fact that Rexroat has managed to make the knife particularly comfortable despite its thinness. And not only that, the grip possibilities are, if not endless, then at least as many as possible on a knife.

This is because you can hold the knife in a hammer and saber grip as usual, but it can be done both further back and further forward with the index finger in the forward choil. Then, of course, you can place an index finger in the indentation in the blade spine that I touched on earlier.

The B-21 is also excellent for reverse grips with the edge facing the user, but also for "ice pick grips" with the blade down, both with the edge forward and backward. Especially when you have the edge forward, the back end of the handle is comfortable to put your thumb against. Good if you're going to stab something.

Speaking of the back end, that metal sticks out so much that it can be used as, for example, an improvised chisel. It has been thinned out so that is possible. And sure, it can probably be used as a skull crusher too. 

The knife also has a small, discreet lanyard hole.

Sheath

The sheath is made of some form of composite plastic. It has proven to be a sustainable variant. The sheath is of the folded type and it is fastened with a screw and four eyelets.

The composite sheath includes a ceramic sharpener

The knife is held in place by friction and a solid snap. On that front, Al Mar has succeeded very well. Even if the knife is held upside down and shaken vigorously, it is impossible to get it to drop. Because it requires that you place your thumb against the edge of the case and press down. Then it is both easy and very quick to draw the knife. Another positive feature of this sheath is that it is silent. It is noticeable that Rexroat is a hunter as I said. It is a detail that is very important whether you are trying to sneak up on people or animals. Or just trying to avoid becoming an annoyed hiker because you're carrying around a maraca.

The sheath has a drainage hole which is a necessity especially if carrying around a knife made of D2 steel. As many people know, it is not completely rustproof. Another small finesse is the white roll that can be seen in the pictures. It is simply a small ceramic sharpener. Actually not as bad as emergency equipment.

The belt clip is of the TecLoc type with a locking function. It takes belt widths up to 5 cm

When not carrying a backpack, the B-21 is excellent to carry in the small of the back in the so-called "Scout Carry"

The mount is of the so-called Tecloc type, although I think this is a different brand. But it means a belt clip whose attachment is easily released with a lockable push button. As it is screwed into place, it is also easy to rotate to be carried either horizontally or on a carrying strap on a battle harness or backpack.

The belt clip takes belts up to 5 cm wide. The clip also has spacers that prevent thinner belts from being used.

When I carry a smaller backpack, I usually place the knife on the shoulder strap

The knife can be carried in several ways, as I explained. If you fasten the clip as usual, however, it sits quite high. Something I'm not entirely friends with. If you are a bit round like me, there is a tendency for the knife handle to poke you in the side in a not-quite-optimal way.

For that reason, I pretty much immediately changed the clip to let the knife sit horizontally instead. This allows me to carry the knife sitting parallel to the belt at the lower back. In any case, when not carrying a backpack, it is extremely convenient to carry the B-21 that way. In fact, you don't feel it at all! That's where the flat format and low weight come into play.

If I wear a backpack, the knife is moved to one of the shoulder straps, alternatively, it ends up in a side pocket and I leave a folding knife more easily accessible instead.

Conclusion

This knife is an example of a very successful collaboration between a master in his field and a company with long experience. With the B-21, Al Marhas achieved a supremely good knife in several areas. Of course, I don't know exactly how the thought process went, but when Kirk Rexroat was going to design a "tactical", he managed to create a really good hunting knife and outdoor knife out of sheer speed. His residence in the forests of Wyoming simply struck a chord.

Like many good knives, this is a production version of a handmade prototype. I hear this one is slightly smaller than the prototype. I would have preferred the knife to be slightly larger if I had to choose, so that version is probably perfect. It also matches exactly with the measurements from Al Mar itself that I mentioned at the beginning.

But for a knife to be good for a lot of things, a solid amount of thought is required and perhaps some compromise. One thing is necessary, however, the knife must be easy to carry, otherwise, it has a tendency not to go along at all.*

This has been achieved by making the knife thin and thus also quite light. According to my scale, the knife weighs 195 grams, and the total weight is 294g.

B-21 posing on a cold November afternoon

To achieve the other desirable properties, Rexroat chose a fairly complex blade shape. As I said, the basis is a Bowie, which gave the knife its name. That shape gives a couple of desirable features such as a bit of a straight edge, a belly, and a damn effective tip. The latter is usually reinforced with a fake egg and so also in this case.

But then it has been added both a finger choil, an extra curve on the back of the blade as well as a thumb ramp to enable all the varying grips. This makes this an extremely flexible knife in terms of area of ​​use.

Similarly, the handle is deceptively simple while offering a lot of curves in the right places to match the blade's performance.

Al Mar B-21, 

The result is outstanding, and I can only state that the Al Mar B-21 belongs to one of my favorites in the class. This knife is capable of most tasks it can possibly be put in front of and for which you need it, whether it's butchering a deer, skinning a hare, starting a fire, or possibly engaging in more sinister tasks wearing camouflage clothing.

Al Mar

Specifications:

Length Overall: 225 mm
Blade Length: 108 mm
Blade Thickness: 4,1 mm
Steel: D2, HRC 59-60
Weight: 195g, knife only. 294 g knife + sheath (weighed by me)
Handle: G10 on a full tang
Sheath: Composite material with adjustable belt clip and ceramic sharpener

Produced by Al Mar, made in Taiwan


/ J - immersing myself in fixed-bladers

* Something I wrote about earlier when I presented the background to Al Mar's SERE folding knife. In all simplicity, it is about the fact that the experiences from, among other things, Vietnam showed that larger combat knives were often attached to a backpack somewhere where the soldier was not when shit hit the fan. 

Recension Al Mar B21

 

- de är tillbaka!

Det här är en kniv vars namn inkluderar en intressant tanke. Al Mar B-21 kanske inte låter så upphetsande men förkortningen står för Bowie for the 21st Century. En modern tolkning av en gammal knivtyp helt enkelt och därigenom uppstår en spännande dynamik. 

B-21 är ny för året och jag var tidigt ute och har därför haft den här kniven närmare elva månader vid det här laget. Det har gett mig en god grund för ett omdöme. Det var i och för sig inte så svårt i det här fallet skulle det visa sig.

Al Mar B-21

Designern bakom den här kniven är ingen mindre än Kirk Rexroat. Det kan tilläggas att det här inte är hans första samarbete med Al Mar. Det började redan 1997 då Rexroat tillverkade en custom "Havanna Clipper" åt Gary Fadden som då ägde företaget. Det är för övrigt en modell som återupptagits i modellprogrammet som en hommage. Han har sedan dess även formgett knivar som Back Up I, Back Up II och inte minst Payara. Den sistnämnda har släppts i en ny version som jag recenserat här. 

Det finns ett par saker med B-21 som speglar delar av herr Rexroats personlighet. En är hans öga för detaljer men sedan är han också "Master blade smith". En annan är att han även är intresserad av jakt och friluftsliv vilket ledde till att B-21 inte bara är en fusion mellan gammalt och nytt utan även mellan en kniv avsedd för dylika aktiviteter och mer "taktiska" tillämpningar som man säger på ren svengelska. Alltså en kniv riktad mot olika typer av polis, militär och liknande yrkeskategorier.

En modern tolkning av en klassisk Bowie-kniv

Det har även hänt något trevligt med delar av Al Mars produktion sedan senast och det berör bland annat den här modellen. För att markera både den förändringen och till viss del att företaget satsar mot nya tider så finns det inte längre något rött i logotypen som den uppmärksamme kanske noterat.

Det som inträffat är att man flyttat tillverkningen. Ursprungligen gjordes Al Mars knivar i Japan. När företaget återskapades förlades hela produktionen till Kina åren 2019-2023. Delar av tillverkningen sker fortfarande där. Men nu är de finare modellerna stämplade "Made in Taiwan" istället. Det är ett stort fall framåt kan konstateras när det gäller de fällknivar som är aktuella, något jag ämnar återkomma till i framtida recensioner.

Då återstår att se hur den här Taiwan-tillverkade pjäsen signerad Rexroat står sig.

Kortversion: Al Mar B-21, en nysatsning som håller hela vägen. Det här är en mångsidig, lätt och välbalanserad kniv. 

Blad

I en intervju från 1985 sade Al Mar själv att ett blad till en stridskniv bör vara mellan 4,5-8 inches, alltså mäta från ca 12 centimter som minst till strax över tjugo centimeter som mest. Det verkar vara något som Rexroat tagit fasta på i det här fallet då bladet nästan når dit. Längden är i det här fallet 4,25 inches vilket blir strax under elva centimeter. Det matchas av en höjd på som mest 3,5 cm och en tjocklek på bladet av 4,1 mm. Ett som vi säger på svenska, alldeles lagom blad, med andra ord. Inte för långt så att det är ivägen och gör kniven tung samtdigt som det ger tillräckligt mycket egg för att klara de flesta uppgifter. 

Utseendet har drag av sin klassiska förlaga. Det betyder att det ärvt en rätt djärv klippt del med en rejäl falskegg. En form som både ger en bit rak egg, en buk och inte minst en synnerligen effektiv spets. Det är trots allt en commandokniv vi talar om även om den inte är renodlad för den uppgiften. 

Lite av eggen har dock stulits till förmån för en rejäl fördjupning för pekfingret. När det sedan kombineras med de delar av bladet som är att betrakta som modifierade så skapas en uppsjö sätt att greppa kniven på. Det som avses är den markanta böjen i bladryggen som ger bladet ett närmast harpunliknande utseende. Det intrycket förstärks ännu mer av tumrampen.

Ett djärvt och dynamiskt blad som är grundat på en Bowie

Finishen är en satin och märkningen består av Al Mars logotyp på presentationssidans ricasso och på andra sidan hittas modellbeteckning, designer och tillverkningsland. 

Stålet som använts är en stapelvara för många tillverkare. Ett slitstarkt D2-stål som fått en hög flatslipning, eggen är mer än 25 mm hög. Tjockleken bakom eggen varierar mellan en hel millimeter mot spetsen till ned till 0,7 mm. Det är i ärlighetens namn för mycket för min smak. Visst bladet blir starkt men det skär förstås sämre. Här har man premierat styrka över andra parametrar. På den här kniven räddas dock skäregenskaperna av att själva primäreggen är rätt bred den också. Den mäter närmare 1,2 mm. 

En annan effekt den här eggen får är att spetsen både är mycket vass samtidigt som den inte blir bräcklig. Det finns förstås mer material bakom den också. Appropå vass så var fabrikseggen duglig men inte helt jämnt slipad i ärlighetens namn. 

Hårdheten uppges till 59-60 HRC och det är något jag tror stämmer då kniven hållt skärpan väl. 

Bladet är drygt elva centimeter långt och gjort av D2-stål

Eftersom godset från början inte var extremt och bladet är högt och flatslipat så får man en kniv som skär väl i det mesta. Trots tjockleken bakom eggen får väl tilläggas. Det märks att Rexroat är aktiv jägare. Han gillar uppenbarligen inte knivar som är vässade järnspett utan som faktiskt går att använda också. 

Den här typen av egg är riktigt bra när det gäller att exempelvis kapa rep och dylikt. Den kraftigare vinkeln gör att eggen tål lite misshandel samtidigt som det rätt tunna bladet glider igenom materialet varefter snittet fortlöper. Det är inte så dumt tänkt då bland annat tamp till båtar och dylikt inte sällan innehåller en del grus och annat som kan skada en kniv. Av samma skäl är B-21 utmärkt för att hantera kraftigare nylonremmar, bilbältesmaterial, och tjockare plast. 

Även i trä är kniven fullt duglig om än inte perfekt. Här sätter handtaget gränserna, mest för att det är tunt faktiskt. Men eftersom du kan smyga fram och hålla nära eggen blir kontrollen god. Det betyder att så länge du inte skall försörja dig på träsnideri klarar du dig väl. Läs, den är utmärkt till campingliv. 

Sedan är inte B-21 bäst för batoning, en aktivitet som är populär vid knivtest nuförtiden. Därtill är kniven något för tunn. Därför rekommenderar jag att om yxa saknas så täljer man en liten kil och bankar på den istället för sin dyrbara kniv.

Kurvan på bladet är troligtvis bra vid flåjobb för den som är jägare. Nu är det mer något som är teoretiskt för mig men jag har jobbat som styckare i yngre dagar så jag har rätt bra koll på hur ett blad upplevs när man till exempel svålar en skinka eller en fläsksida. Vid dylika arbeten så hjälper fördjupningen på bladet till på ett förträffligt vis. Här kan man placera en tumme när man vill smyga långt fram på bladet eller ett pekfinger om bättre styrsel önskas.

Jag har mest använt kniven till mer civiliserat köttskärande som kyckling, kotlettrader med och utan ben och liknande.

Handtag

Det finns i princip två sätt att göra handtag på. De kan tillhöra den tunna eller breda skolan. Det här tillhör definitivt den första kategorin. För att få ett bekvämt grepp måste man då vara noga med övriga proportioner. Det har Rexroat varit. Det här är ett mästerverk inom kategorin. 

Handtaget är gjort av G10 som fästs med tre stycken skruvar

Tjockleken varierar mellan 13,5-11,5 mm. Sidorna är med andra ord skulpterade. Längden på handtaget är 11,6 cm och höjden varierar även den mellan ca 26-28 mm. 

Kniven är som synes en fulltångekniv och sidorna är gjorda i polerad G10. Ett material som är mycket motståndskraftigt mot...tja, allt! Det klarar värme, kyla, måttliga mängder kemikalier etc. Det är även mycket slitstarkt så ingen risk att du förstör det i brådrasket. 

Sidorna är fästa med tre stycken skruvar med T8 huvuden. Det är väl lite klent kan jag tycka. Men det fungerar, i alla fall så länge du pillar på dem för mycket.

B-21 är en heltångekniv med lätt välvda sidor

Att materialet i sidorna är slätt ger ett handtag som är mycket bekvämt att greppa. Du förlorar lite i friktion men i det här fallet behövs inte den i alla fall eftersom handtaget är så väl format. 

Det märks särskilt om du sticker hårt med kniven. Tumrampen med sina skåror och fingerskyddet gör att handen inte glider även om du jabbar in kniven i trä. 

Trots att B-21 inte är en våldsamt stor kniv så ryms handen väl

Fördjupningen i ryggen samt urtaget för pekfingret ökar greppalternativen ännu mer

Men sedan kommer vi till själva trolleritricket. Det är att Rexroat har lyckats göra kniven synnerligen komfortabel trots att den är tunn. Och inte bara det, greppmöjligheterna är om inte oändliga så åtminstone så många som är möjligt på en kniv.

Det beror på att du kan fatta kniven i hammar- och sabelgrepp som vanligt men det kan göras både längre bak respektive längre fram med pekfingret i urtaget i bladet. Sedan kan du förstås placera ett pekfinger i fördjupningen i bladryggen som jag var inne på tidigare.

B-21 är även utmärkt vid omvänd fattning med eggen mot användaren men även vid "ishackegrepp" med bladet nedåt såväl med eggen framåt som bakåt. Särskilt när du har eggen framåt är bakänden på handtaget bekvämt att lägga tummen mot. Bra om du skall hugga i något.

Apropå bakänden så sticker den metallen ut så mycket att den kan användas som exempelvis en improviserad mejsel. Den har tunnats ut så mycket att det är möjligt.

Kniven har dessutom fått ett litet diskret fånglinehål.

Fodral

Fodralet är tillverkat av någon form av kompositplast. En hållbar variant har det visat sig. Konstruktionen är av det dubbelvikta slaget och det är sedan hopsatt med en skruv och fyra öljetter. 

Fodralet i kompositmaterial inkluderar ett keramiskt bryne

Kniven hålls fast med friktion och ett rejält snäpp. På den fronten har Al Mar lyckats mycket väl. Även om kniven hålls upp och ned och skakas rejält är det omöjligt att få den att släppa. För det krävs att man placererar tummen mot kanten på fodralet och trycker till. Då går det både lätt och mycket snabbt att dra kniven.

En annan positiv egenskap hos det här fodralet är att det är tyst. Det märks att Rexroat är jägare som sagt. Det är nämligen en detalj som är mycket viktig vare sig du försöker smyga dig på människor eller djur. Eller bara försöker undvika att bli en irriterad vandrare för att du bär runt på en maraccas.

Fodralet har ett dräneringshål vilket är en nödvändighet särskilt om bär omkring på en kniv gjord av D2-stål. Det är som många vet inte helt rostsäkrat.

En annan liten finess med fodralet är att det kommer utrustat med en vit rulle som syns på bilderna. Det är helt enkelt ett litet keramiskt bryne. Faktiskt inte så dumt alls som nödutrustning.

Bältesclipet är av TecLoc-typ med låsfunktion. Det tar bältesbredder upp till 5 cm

Då man inte bär ryggsäck är B-21 excellent att bära i korsryggen i s k "Scout Carry"

Infästningen är av s k Tecloc-typ även om jag tror det här är ett annat märke. Men det innebär ett bältesclip vars fäste enkelt lossas med en låsbar tryckknapp. Då det sitter skruvat på plats är det även lätt att rotera för att bäras antingen horisontellt eller på en bärrem på en stridssele eller ryggsäck. 

Bältesclipet tar bälten upp till 5 cm bredd. Clipet har även distanser som gör att det inte rör sig om tunnare bälten används. 

När jag bär en mindre ryggsäck så placerar jag oftast kniven på axelremmen 

Sedan kan kniven bäras på ett flertal vis som jag var inne på. Om man fäster clipet som vanligt sitter det dock rätt högt. Något jag inte är helt vän med. Är man lite rundlagd som jag finns en tendens att knivhandtaget petar dig i sidan på ett inte helt optimalt vis. 

Av det skälet skiftade jag tämligen omgående clipet till att låta kniven sitta horisontellt istället. Det gör att jag kan bära kniven sittande parallellt i bältet vid korsryggen. I alla fall då man inte bär ryggsäck är det extremt bekvämt att bära B-21 på det viset. Den känns faktiskt inte alls! Där spelar det platta formatet och den låga vikten in. 

Om jag bär ryggsäck flyttas knivn till en av axelremmarna alternativt hamnar den i en sidoficka och så låter jag en fällkniv vara mer lättåtkomlig istället. 

Slutsats

Den här kniven är ett exempel på ett mycket lyckat samarbete mellan en mästare inom sitt gebit och ett företag med lång erfarenhet. Al Mar har med B-21 åstadkommit en suveränt bra kniv inom flera områden. Exakt hur tankeprocessen gick till vet jag förstås inte men när Kirk Rexroat skulle designa en "Tactical" så lyckats han av bara farten åstadkomma en riktigt bra jakt- och friluftskniv. Hans hemvist i Wyomings skogar slog helt enkelt igenom.

Som många bra knivar är det här en produktionsversion av en handgjord förlaga. Jag har hört att den här är något mindre än prototypen. Jag hade föredragit kniven aningen större om jag fått välja så den versionen är troligen perfekt. Det stämmer dessutom exakt med de mått från Al Mar själv jag nämnde inledningsvis. 

Men för att en kniv skall vara bra på mycket så krävs ett gediget tankearbete och kanske någon kompromiss. En sak är dock nödvändig, kniven skall vara lätt att bära annars har den en tendens att inte följa med alls.*

Det har åstadkommits genom att göra kniven tunn och därmed även tämligen lätt. I det här fallet väger kniven in på 195 gram och den totala vikten är 294g enligt min våg. 

B-21 poserar en kall eftermiddag i november

För att åstadkomma de övriga önskvärda egenskaperna valde Rexroat en rätt komplex bladform. Grunden är som sagt en Bowie vilken gett kniven dess namn. Den formen ger ett par önskvärda egenskaper såsom en bit rak egg, en buk och en jäkligt effektiv spets. Det sistnämnda brukar förstärkas med en falskegg och så också i detta fall. 

Men sedan har man valt att både addera ett "fingerchoil", en extra kurva på bladryggen samt en tumramp för att möjliggöra alla de varierande greppen. Det gör det här till en extremt flexibel kniv vad gäller användningsområde. 

På samma vis är handtaget både bedrägligt enkelt samtidigt som det bjuder på en hel del kurvor på rätt ställen för att matcha bladets prestanda. 

Al Mar B-21, en kniv som definitivt sätter företaget på kartan igen

Resultatet är enastående och jag kan bara konstatera att Al Mar B-21 tillhör en av mina favoriter i klassen. Det här är en kniv som absolut klarar av de flesta uppgifter den kan tänkas ställas inför och som du behöver den till. Det oavsett om det är för att ta ur ett rådjur eller flå en hare eller göra upp en eld eller möjligen ägnar dig åt mer ödesdigra uppgifter iförd kamoflagekläder. 

Al Mar

Specifikation:

Totallängd: 225 mm
Bladlängd: 108 mm
Godstjocklek: 4,1 mm
Stål: D2, HRC 59-60
Vikt: 195g, enbart kniv. 294 g för kniv + fodral (vägd av mig)
Handtag: G10 över full tånge
Fodral: Kompositmaterial med justerbart bältesclip och keramiskt bryne

Producerad av Al Mar, tillverkad i Taiwan


/ J - fördjupar mig i fastbladare

* Något jag skrivit om tidigare när jag presenterade bakgrunden till Al Mars SERE-fällkniv. I all enkelhet handlar det om att erfarenheterna från bl a Vietnam visade att större stridsknivar ofta befann sig fastsatta på en stridspackning någonstans där soldaten inte befann sig när allt sket sig. 

Review ANV M25

  

- when practical becomes sexy

I saw right away that this was a knife for me. The ANV M25 spoke to me as they say. Sometimes you can tell from pictures when many hours have been spent on design and the result is successful.

It becomes particularly clear in this case, as it is obvious that all unnecessary features have been stripped away to create an extraordinary, competent military knife. It also turned out to be a superb outdoor knife.* Not least because, unlike some other knives in the class, it is just the right size.

Light and flexible knives are especially nice when you have other things to carry, which is often the case outdoors. Or if you are carrying a gun and combat harness with everything that goes with it.

ANV Knives M25

The reason why it is also a good outdoor knife can be found in the fact that the M25 was certainly developed in collaboration with parts of the Czech army, but it does not belong to the category of knives that can be considered pure weapons. Examples of such are daggers of the Fairbarn-Sykes type and the like. They only serve one purpose.

The M25 is instead an all-round knife with a focus on simple, practical tasks, but which doesn't get lost in any situation, whether it's survival scenarios or more everyday situations. It is developed together with the "Strakonice 25th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment". It is something that is reflected in some details of the knife that I will return to.

The result, however, is a rather nimble knife that measures 240 mm in length and weighs in at a light 140 g for the knife alone and 219 g for the whole package.

ANV has developed a military knife that is just as good for outdoor life

Short Version: ANV M25, a knife that oozes competence. It is deceptively simple and well-built, strong yet light and well-balanced.

Blade

As is often the case with competent blades, the shape of the M25 is simple. A slightly modified drop point is used here. The blade has a relatively high saber grind. This gives a blade that cuts well without being too thin and therefore fragile. The blade thickness is 4 mm, which contributes to the strength without being excessively thick. It helps keep the weight down and makes the knife cut better when cutting through stuff.

The length of the blade is 11 cm and the height is approx. 2.6 cm. The marking consists of Acta non verba Knives' stylized logo on the presentation side and model designation, country of manufacture, and steel type on the other. It sounds a lot but is very discreetly applied.

This knife has an eleven-centimeter long slightly modified drop point blade

The steel is, as is often the case with knives from ANV, Swedish. This time it's Sleipner, which is a high-alloy tool steel from Uddeholm. Think of it as an even tougher D2. To prevent corrosion and get less reflections from the blade, it has been given a DLC coating. Quite simply, it is one of the best finishes available in the knife world. It fulfills its function while being very strong and does not wear out in the first place.

Then there were the odd details. One of them is found partially on the blade but extends over the entire back of the knife. It is a series of indentations that exactly correspond to the distance on a 1:25000 scale map. The notches correspond to distances from 250m to 1 kilometer and then up to 5 km. One thing that might be of interest if everything else goes to hell and you have to calculate distances manually if you happen to be in an anti-aircraft regiment. 

Another very practical detail is the recess found near the handle. It is to facilitate the use of fire steel. The edges there are ninety degrees and sharp, unlike the blade spine which is softly rounded. 

At the blade base, some well-placed notches are found for better traction. They are just deep enough and with enough bite to work really well.

The steel used is Uddeholm's Sleipner with a DLC coating

Speaking of bite, it's one heck of a bite in the blade. Time has not only been spent on details. The most important features are also in place. In plain language, this means that the M25 is also damn good at cutting things. This applies to everything from wood and dry timber to cardboard, plastic, and the like. I haven't pried open cans so I can't comment on that. On the other hand, the edge bites well into ropes of different thicknesses and materials. 

Here, ANV has succeeded in striking an excellent balance between keeping the blade strong while at the same time daring to let the knife be thin enough behind the edge to, together with the high flat grind, make a knife that cuts really well. That's something I appreciate more than the fact that it's totally bombproof, as in you can stand on it when the knife is driven into a log, and similar tests I've seen on YouTube. 

I cut and pierce with my knives. When we talk about poking things, it can be pointed out that the tip is effective as well. It is also where you would expect. Not too high, not too low. 

Handle

The M25 is a full tang knife whose handle consists of two pieces of solid Micarta held in place with a pair of sturdy T15 screws. The handle is slightly over twelve centimeters long, depending on whether you include the protruding metal or not. The available surface behind the finger guard is just under eleven centimeters. It is excellent because it allows the handle to accommodate slightly larger hands even if you happen to be wearing gloves. At the same time, it is narrow enough even for smaller hand sizes.

The handle consists of two solid pieces of well-shaped Micarta screwed in place. It is finished with a special chisel which, however, can be used for other purposes as well

The Micarta is of the highest quality and is heavily contoured. The handle sides are strongly three-dimensionally shaped and pleasantly blend into the hand. At the same time, they have a fairly advanced pattern that grips very well. I have found that it is impossible to slip, not even with cold and wet hands. What makes the pattern advanced is that it has deeper grooves along the spine- and underside, which gives higher friction than on the sides where it is somewhat finer. It is particularly effective when combined with the notches found in the metal on the underside of the handle.

The handle is strongly shaped but very proportional. Here you can also see the notches that act as distance assessment tools for maps on a scale of 1:25000

Speaking of odd details that were mentioned earlier, it can be stated that in addition to the distance scale, a screwdriver is also found at the end of the handle. It's not just any flat chisel, but it happens to fit the nose cone of an RBS missile. However, I can reveal that it works great for other things as well. It's lucky since I'm running out of missiles in my back pocket. In addition, there is a lanyard attachment here if you want to use one. 

This is a well-balanced knife that feels very light and lively in the hand

The balance of the knife is excellent and the balance point is found right at the finger guard, which makes an already light and flexible knife even more nimble in the hand.

Incidentally, this is one of the better handles I've come across. It simply fits a human hand superbly. It may sound like a matter of course, but sometimes it is missed in the eagerness to shape the handle for different tasks.

All grips work and I mean all

The M25 has a grip that is sculpted but it's really comfortable in any grip I can think of. This applies whether you hold the knife in more conventional grips such as hammer and saber grips or if you turn the knife over and hold the knife like an ice pick with the edge forward or backward. Everything works.

The same applies if you cut with the knife for a while. However, if you use the M25 for heavier tasks and cut a lot of wood, it can be nice to have a pair of thin gloves. As I said, it is a handle with a good grip and it can also be felt against bare skin after a while.

The Micarta provides a good grip and acts as an insulator in cold weather

But it also means that it works well in snow and cold with a bit of a hand and wet fingers. The Micarta insulates somewhat. Not as well as a wood handle and it is a full tang knife so the bare metal can be a bit cold.  

Sheath

The included sheath is made of Kydex. An excellent choice as it is both durable and can withstand all elements, be it heat or cold. It is also malleable which is another reason why it is used in the knife industry. This is a pancake model and is held together with no less than twelve eyelets. In addition, there are two slots for additional straps, so there is no shortage of ways to attach your knife to a belt, backpack, or battle harness.

The pancake-style Kydex holster is fitted with ANV's own belt loop solution

As you know, sheaths have a couple of different tasks to fill. Of course, they must hold the knife in place so that it does not disappear. It must also protect the knife and not least the edge. Another task is to protect the wearer from the knife. It is not recommended to have such a thin sheath so that, for example, you risk injuring yourself if you fall on your knife and it goes through the side of the sheath. Something that can happen if you are out at night, which happens to be a situation that can apply to military personnel from time to time.

It's also good if the sheath keeps quiet so it does not rattle when the knife is in place. In addition to being annoying in general, it is also not good whether you are looking for either people or animals. Or just being a bird watcher for that matter.

A good sheath must also be durable and make the knife easy to carry. How does this sheath meet the criteria?

The mount can handle belts/straps up to seven centimeters wide, which covers most of them

With mixed success is the answer. Most of it is good but not all. The knife is held in place tightly enough that there is no risk of it falling out of the sheath. Not even if the knife is upside down. However, there is no extra security strap so you have to rely on the snap in the material for retention. On the other hand, it makes the knife easy to draw. The easiest is to place your thumb against the edge of the sheath and press lightly and the knife is loose.

Something less good is that it doesn't actually keep quiet. The knife moves enough to rattle. It is the fit around the blade that is too wide. It certainly saves the coating on the blade from wear through less friction when the knife is pulled and put away, but it is still not the best.

The fastening straps are of ANV's own manufacture and they are made of some form of very tough plastic. At first, I thought they would be at risk of coming off but after using another knife, the M311 with the same type of belt loops for a longer period I can say they last. 

They are extremely wide and take belts/straps of up to seven centimeters. But unlike, for example, Tecloc solutions, the bracket cannot be adjusted for belt width, which means that the knife can move a little if you wear a thinner, normal military-type belt. 

Also, I'm not entirely fond of how high the knife ends up when it's worn straight up and down in a belt. The handle then ends up very far up and stabs me in the side. Therefore, I mostly carry the knife attached to a backpack when I have one or loose in a bag in more everyday contexts.

I also tested turning the belt loops and carrying the knife in the so-called "Scout Carry" with the knife horizontally in the lower back. Something that usually works well if you don't carry a backpack. Especially with knives that are this small and above all light. In this case, it works, but the sheath is not completely adapted for the purpose, so you have to fasten the straps with one screw per piece instead of two.

Conclusion

It's nice to know that I haven't lost touch with my inner knife reviewer! What I mean is that I can often determine how a knife will feel or rather suit me by photos alone. But that feeling is not one hundred percent certain and therefore it is even nicer when the first impressions confirm that feeling.

It gets even better when those impressions last over time, which brings us to the ANV Knives M25. It is still one of my favorite knives of all time, even after testing and wearing it for quite some time now. It's getting close to a year!

The M25 is small and flexible enough to be carried in a bag even for everyday use

I have described in some detail why. But the overall picture shows that the knife is extremely balanced. This not only refers to where the weight is located but also the properties. A strong knife that really cuts and penetrates well while being just the right size and still lighter in weight than most.

The latter is a topic often missed in the context. But it is of great importance regardless of the reason you are outdoors, on a mountain, or in a forest due to camping and hiking or on a secret mission. The amount of equipment you have with you is of crucial importance. In civilian contexts, it's about making the experience as pleasant as you can, and in military contexts, you should be as mobile as possible.** A couple of hundred grams saved on a knife can also mean a couple of hundred grams more ammunition. For those reasons, I appreciate the format extra. 

Then there are many examples of why this is a well-thought-out knife. Mainly it is how well the knife actually cuts but also how it works for different hand sizes. It is another proof of proper design and is very important when it comes to supplying entire military units with knives. Not all soldiers have identical hands.

Then there are the discreet built-in features that are there for those who need them but are out of the way for everyone else.

ANV M25 is a damn good outdoor knife which makes it a good military knife as well 

In short, I think the M25 is one of the better military/outdoor knives available. Some are just as light but often come equipped with inferior materials. Some have the same standard of steel and handle, but they are often heavier.

ANV has simply found a balance close to perfection. My advice is to buy it!

ANV

Specifications:

Length Overall: 240 mm
Blade Length: 110 mm
Blade Thickness: 4 mm
Steel: Sleipner med DLC-coating, 60HRC
Weight: 140 g/knife only, 219 g with sheath (weighed by me, stated weight, knife 145 g)
Handle: Micarta
Sheath: Kydex

Produced by ANV, made in the Czech Republic


/ J - found a gem

* There are more examples of similar knives, of course. The class includes knives such as Fällkniven F1 and its predecessor Cold Steel SRK, Peltonen Sissipuukko M95, Glock M81, and others.

** I did my military service as a dog handler in the Navy and I can tell you that you don't want to carry too much when you are on the other end of a trail line following a dog through bushes and undergrowth.