Average Guy Approved

Over the last year I somehow got the urge to start collecting Zippos .  Once I started reading about both Zippo the company and their lifetime guarantee I gained a whole new appreciation and respect for both. Zippo makes their lighters in Bradford, PA.  That's right, USA made! Their warranty policy is simply  "It works, or we fix it free".  Regardless of how the lighter is damaged - even if blatantly intentional, Zippo will fix it.  You pay to ship it to them, they do the rest. All Zippo lighters are made out of brass except for special runs of precious metals (Sterling Silver, Copper , Titanium, Gold) and lighters made during World War II.  During World War II Zippo switched to manufacturing for the military exclusively.  These WW2 lighters were made out of stainless steel and covered with a "crackle" coating. The lighters come with a variety of designs and plating options.  All the Zippos in my photos are made of brass that has been eithe...

A rustproof / corrosion free knife?  Yes it does exist and thankfully it's not made of ceramics.  The Spyderco Dragonfly 2 Salt uses Spyderco's H1 steel.  H1 steel is formulated to never rust or corrode, the main tradeoff for this is that it's edge retention is less than traditional knife steels. While it doesn't hold an edge as long as S30V, S35V, VG10, ect, it still does a decent job.  With minimal effort I am able to get a hair popping edge on this little blade.  There are reports that the serrated edges really shine with this H1 steel, but I can only vouch for the plain edge version I have. There are also reports of "work hardening" from sharpening and general use.  I haven't noticed this during my use.  To be fair, I only grab this knife if I'm going to beach, pool, lake, or any activity that involves water.  I've never let mine get what I'd consider dull either. I've found that the smaller size makes this knife less threatening when...

I love efficient gear that provides maximum utility for it's size.  That's exactly what you get with the Gerber Shard .  For under $10 and weighing in at about 0.6 oz you can EDC a bottle opener, screwdriver, and mini prybar.  Gerber also advertises this little one peice multitool as being TSA friendly.  Though I haven’t flown with mine, I have taken it on multiple cruises with no issues of any kind. This little guy features: Small Flat Screwdriver Medium Flat Screwdriver Philips Screwdriver Bottle Opener Pry Bar Wire Stripper Lanyard Hole (Not sure that this should count as a “feature”) Of these features I’ve used the bottle opener and pry bar the most.  This pocket pry bar has saved my EDC knife from being exposed to several foolish tasks.  Many staples have been removed with this little pry bar. The bottle opener feature will get the job done, but may require more than one pry per bottle. I’ve only found a handful of downsides with...

This review was originally posted 4/3/2017.  Since then Fenix has replaced this model with the E01 V2 . Original Post: The Fenix E01 is somewhat of a legend in the flashlight world. It’s respected by flashlight aficionados and It’s low price makes it hard to ignore. If you EDC (Every Day Carry) you most likely carry and/or collect flashlights. The size of the Fenix E01 makes it easy to carry and keep nearby. It’s slightly larger than a tube of chapstick and carries well on a keychain. 13 Lumens with a 16 hour run time on a single AAA battery. It’s also water resistant up to 2 meters (IPX-8 rating). I’ve had mine for a few years and have used it extensively.  In the office I’ve used the Fenix E01 to light dark crevices underneath desks and to locate various small items that have been dropped. I use it when I take my trash to the curb. I use it unloading groceries at night when I want to be sure I’ve not dropped anything. I generally have one in my car or bag simply because ...