EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – About six weeks ago, I got a knife that I knew was a game changer, but I haven’t been carrying it much, at least not yet.
I’ve been afraid of scratching up or losing my new Kershaw Gadsden, a traditional mini-trapper folder made by an American company known for its modern, assisted-opening knives.
Regular readers of this space know I’m a big fan of the leatherwork done by John over at J.O. Ventures Outdoors, a YouTuber who showcases traditional pocket knives.
New slips by J.O. Ventures Outdoors
Kershaw Gadsden
Rough Rider Canoe
Kershaw Hotwire Photos by Dave Burge/KTSM
Well, I reached out to John and he created a beautiful red slip for my Gadsden to match its red bone covers. He used black thread to stitch it up and added a lanyard and bead as a simple accent. It now looks as sharp as the knife it carries.
Anyway, I did a full review and first impression column on the knife when I got it back in mid-May, so I won’t go into too much detail about the knife.
But it’s a cool little mini-trapper with a super sharp clip point as its main blade and spey blade that comes to a more aggressive tip than the usual blade of this type.
Its fit and finish are phenomenal for a $20 knife and both blades have great “snap.”
Anyway, I absolutely love this knife.
Now that I got a new slip for it, I’m going to carry it every day and see what it can do.
As usual, the slip represents more fantastic work from my friend from the Midwest.
I’ve detailed at least three other EDC adventures with J.O. Ventures, including last week’s column showcasing three new slips – for my Case Sodbuster Jr., my Rough Rider Desert Fox Barlow and my Buck Trio.
This time, besides getting a new slip for my Kershaw Gadsden, I got one other slip – for my Rough Rider Canoe in black and red G10.
This second slip is the “reverse” of the one John made for my Gadsden – black leather with red stitching.
Both slips give me the ability to carry these very capable knives without getting them scratched up by keys or other gear.
I did a column on the Canoe when I first got it and you can read those musings by clicking here.
Here’s a little twist. Instead of the usual fee of $25 per slip, John suggested a trade. He wanted his own Kershaw Gadsden in red bone.
This knife is listed as discontinued by Kershaw, but I was able to get mine for about $20 from Chicago Knife Works.
CKW still had it available on its website, but its website wouldn’t allow me to send it to an address that was different from the one attached to my debit card.
So I did a little searching around – and found the knife on Atlantic Knife. They were able to accommodate sending it directly to John as a gift purchase.
One other thing I should mention: John sent me a little gift with the two new slips – a Kershaw Hotwire. This is probably Kershaw’s most inexpensive knife but still very capable. I’ve seen it listed anywhere from $9 to $14.
Anyway, it has great snap and looks like a great addition to my growing pocket knife collection. And at that price point, it is the type of knife you don’t have to be afraid to carry around and actually use for some light tasks.
One other thing: If you are a regular reader of this space, you might notice a beautiful decorative block of wood that I am showing off my EDC gear on.
It was a gift from my friend and work buddy, Andrew Miller, our very capable primetime editor.
Andrew tells me he got it from El Paso Morning Wood. You can find out more about them by going to Instagram.
Here is a link to J.O. Ventures Outdoors.
Here is another link to Atlantic Knife, a Virginia-based knife retailer that I have had several positive experiences with.
Here are some other YouTube channels dealing with knives and EDC that I find entertaining and informative.
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