u/woodsman_777

L-R: mini-Grip; gold-class Foray; mini Crooked River; mini Adamas; and custom Bugout!

The "most jaw-dropping upon receiving" award probably goes to the....mini Adamas!! 😲 I'm just blown away by this knife.

The award for "must wear sunglasses when using" goes to the Bugout, hands-down. 🤣

It's weird how knife-life goes. I went for years without any new Benchmades. Then suddenly, 3 in a month!! 🤣 (I blame the mini CR - it started it all!) No plans for others any time soon.

I have a pair of these and was comparing them today to my Nikon Monarch M7 8x30s. While the M7 is clearly better, I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with the Trailblazer 8x25s, especially for the price! I paid only $56 new for them from Amazon in November 2021. I may have gotten a Black Friday-type deal, I don't remember, but the price is now listed as $116.95 for them on Amazon U.S.

If you're looking for a relatively inexpensive, lightweight (about 10 oz.) pair of binoculars with good image quality, I'd suggest giving these a try! They provide a very crisp image, are easy to focus, and wonderful to carry around.

* Edit: one note - the eyecups do turn outward but lack "detents" to keep them in place. While they work fine for me (without glasses), they might not work or stay in place as well for people who do wear glasses.

** EDIT 2: Amazon U.S. also lists a "Trailblazer II" model that goes as high as $134.95 in one listing. But another listing (Amazon is the seller) has it for $83.95. I do not know the differences between gens 1 and 2.

NOTE: from the Amazon description, it appears that Nikon might have added detents to the eyecups when turned outward! Here is the URL:

https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Trailblazer-Ultra-Compact-Multilayer-Coated-Rubber-Armored/dp/B0GP7F6VZ2/

With the holidays upcoming, keep an eye out for a deal on these!! (I like Amazon price trackers like camel/camel/camel)

Also btw, I compared my M7 Nikon 8x30s to my Zeiss Terra ED 10x32s. I would say image quality from the Nikons is just as good as the Zeiss. And the Nikons are actually easier to focus to a clear, crisp image than the Zeiss are! My M7 Nikon 8x30s were $100 less than my Zeiss 10x32s, and imho, worth every penny!

I have orange Vic lanyards on other SAKs, but I only just noticed recently that this is the ONLY orange lanyard I have where the end piece is also completely orange! (the others are black on the ends)

I do like that dark finish on the blades and tools! 😃

I've always loved a wood handle on a knife. Plus this is the perfect size for daily carry, imo.

...an employee asked, "Is that a pocketknife that has a pen??"

Yes, autodude, yes it is. 😎🤣 Coolest thing since sliced bread.

I saw a price on Amazon that I couldn't pass up. ($69 usd) Given that I already have an Onyx Black Sig Lite on one keychain, why might I also want to carry a Midnite Manager?

Redundancy - for the pen and light. Also, the Midnite Manager adds a couple things that the Sig Lite does not have - the nail file, and the combo tool. And since I always carry two keychains anyway, it's no burden having one small SAK on each keychain.

I think I'd have to go with two SAKs: the RangerGrip 55 in Onyx Black for the large locking blade, and wood saw. Might be very useful for building a shelter, etc.

The other would have to be a Swiss Champ!! I mean, c'mon, that is not a scenario where you'd want to find out that you didn't have the tool that you actually needed... 😬 I figure my bases would be well-covered with the Champ!

I get a whole lot more joy out of carrying a special SAK in my pocket rather than just storing it in a box. 😎 (& I don't ever plan to sell it, so any loss of value by using it is of no concern to me)

The Onyx Black Sig Lite is on my keychain every day, at least it has been for the past couple months!

Its Damasteel blade has the "Hakkapella" pattern. (I've heard of that!! It's vocal music without instrumentals or background music 😉🤣🤣. Errrr, no, that would be Acapella!)

I've reached a special collection milestone -- 100 SAKs!! 😲 Didn't think I'd ever do that & didn't strive to, but picked up many Classic SDs recently, which added up. Number 100 had to be a special knife though and this one is!

One pic compares the dark brown of this Damast knife with the lighter brown of the 2024 Pioneer X Terra Brown LE.

It joins two other Damast LEs I own (pics added), including the 2021 Swiss Champ with carbon scales and the 2023 Ranger 55 with Micarta scales. 😀

...a gif is worth 10,000 words. 😉

Such beautiful Alox scales in lavender!! 😀

I'd like to give a shout-out to sakhub.com. Here is a link to the majority of my collection: https://www.sakhub.com/share/collection/6a2e9ede99b565c5d5e86ef1

I am NOT saying she doesn't deserve the hate!! LOL

is NOT Folgers in your cup??? 🤔😲 Apparently it's smelling the boss's daughter's FEET after they've been on a 14 hour flight!! 🤮🤣🤣

(I'm not a coffee drinker but I have to imagine it would be the preferred option)

...naturally the first thing you do upon landing is to go STRAIGHT TO THE OFFICE.

Who does that???!!! 🤪🤪

Call me crazy, but if it were me, I'm going straight home to bed.

Can't miss 'em, that's for sure! 🤣 From DLT Trading.

L-R: Classic SD Precious Alox, Rambler, Onyx Black Sig Lite. The Sig Lite has no scale tools (like the Classic SD) due to the pen and LED light.

The Classic SD Alox thickness comes in at a mere 5.5mm; the Rambler, 10.5mm; and the Sig Lite at 12.2mm. (measured with my calipers)

But you know what? It doesn't matter to me! 🤣 I currently have the Sig Lite on my keychain because I love the look of the Onyx Black! (and the pen is pretty useful, too) Its thickness doesn't bother me in the least, because I have a bunch of other stuff on my keychain and I don't even notice the Sig Lite's thickness.

I was only curious, & I'm sure some of you also were, what the thickness is between these models.

I bet that some of you thought this was a Rambler at first glance. Nope! 🤣 Classic SD, "Precious Alox." Impossibly thin, tough, and beautiful - all at the same time.

About a month or two ago, there was a rose-colored (or pink) alox Rambler on ebay, which after taxes and fees, would have cost me nearly $100 usd. I just couldn't do it since I could get this beauty for 1/3 the price! (and there is no way the Rambler's combo tool alone is worth another $65 usd!! Especially since I have no need for it on a daily basis. lol)