- Joined
- Dec 21, 2020
- Messages
- 15
This is a knife that would make Rambo blush!
The Jungle King I was a knife made in response to the survival knife craze of the 80's, but it is far from a cheap gimmick.
Part I, The Knife:
This thing is an absolute monster, coming in at a touch over 14in in length, with an 8in long, 5mm thick blade, this knife chops like a beast. I was able to chop down and de-limb an entire small tree with it, and split wood.
The grind is very thick, but this knife isn't meant for delicate work. It can still make feathersticks and carve wood, albeit a bit clumsily.
The hardness and edge retention is great. After chopping through a ton of wood, the knife still sliced right through newspaper. The blade features a proof mark for the hardness, which is in the range of C 55-58 on the Rockwell Scale. The steel used is a proprietary version of a 440C stainless.
Sawback knives are often criticized for being useless, and I'd generally agree, but the saw on this knife is an exception to that rule.
The saw design has changed over the years, and I think that was for the better. This thing shreds. I was blown away with just how effectively the saw works. It never got stuck, it never got clogged, it is the best sawback design I have ever seen on a knife. The spine has enough flat space so you can place your thumb on it without pressing down on the saw, so it really doesn't even get in the way.
Despite being round, the grip is actually phenomenal. The raised and knurled bands on the handle keep it from rotating in your hand, and it gives you a very comfortable grip. The handle is made from an injection molded piece of the same stainless steel that comprises the blade, with an anti-magnetic steel pommel cap so the compass is actually usable.
Despite having a hollow handle, the balance is really good, with the center being right where the handguard is, it feels great to chop with and doesn't hurt your hands or get tiring to use.
The blade and the handle are joined with a roll pin punched through them, with probably an inch going down into the handle that is epoxied (and possibly screwed) into place, with an extension coming out of the handle that firmly holds probably a quarter inch of the ricasso in place. The knife feels extremely solid in your hands, and has not loosened one bit. I'd imagine this joint would never break under any normal use.
Part II, The Sheath:
A cheap toy plastic sheath this is not. I believe it is made from injection molded hard nylon. It feels like how synthetic gun furniture feels. The sheath itself has it's own survival equipment inside and outside of it too! It is a rock solid sheath, and as a bonus, it's ambidextrous.
The belt loop uses a really slick and secure closure system that allows you to put it on and take it off without removing your belt, the same type of closure is used to hold the knife in as well.
The bottom of the sheath features a leg tie that is very secure (I wrapped mine around the sheath because I don't use it when I tuck it in my waistband), a large drainage hole, and two sturdy metal arms that fold out to form a slingshot.
The sheath is wrapped in ~24 feet of paracord, and underneath that on the back is a sharpening stone (I didn't take a picture because I didn't feel like unwrapping all the cordage, it's kind of a pain in the ass) with a very fine grain. Good for honing but not for any seriously dulled blade.
There is a tray you pull out of the sheath with survival equipment inside, signaling instructions and ruler markings molded into it, an embedded signaling mirror, and a slot that holds the Skinner JK-I knife.
My one gripe with the sheath is that there is a metal divider between the tray and the knife, and if you forget to hold it down, sometimes it will pop out. It isn't hard to put back in, but it's a little annoying and can scratch up your knife if you put it back in the wrong way. Though I suppose it might be intentional so you can use the sheath as an emergency water container by plugging up the drainage hole on the side and taking the divider out.
Part III, The Equipment:
The hollow handle is spring loaded so the kit doesn't rattle in the handle, and the pommel cap has an o-ring to make it waterproof. The kit itself is contained in an acrylic tube with a small space to put your own items in (I will be putting water purification tablets in mine).
The kit is filled with quality items, not just a few wooden matches and an off brand band-aid.
The kit contains the following:
2x Bandages (Hartmann brand)
1x Scalpel blade (Braun brand)
1x Fishing kit (3 sinkers, a coil of monofilament line, two medium sized hooks and one small hook)
1x Tweezers (Not the greatest, but they'll do just fine in a survival situation)
1x Sewing kit (2 safety pins, 2 needles, some nylon cordage and a small spool of string which mine is missing.)
Inside the pommel cap is a compass. It works well, holds up to the shock from using the knife, and it even glows in the dark! Be aware that yours will fall out when you first use the knife, but I think this is intentional for the people who want a removable compass. I am not one of those people, and I superglued mine back into place and it has held up just fine.
Inside the sheath is a magnesium firestarter. I haven't used it yet, but it's a block of magnesium with a ferro rod embedded into it, kind of hard to mess that up.
The sheath also contains a small vial for antiseptics with a handy little applicator built into the cap. It fits into a slot in the tray nicely, and has a little swiveling catch to give it a more secure hold.
The slingshot bands come with a plastic pouch already installed, and are made from latex surgical tubing. You can also use the bands as a straw to reach water, or as a makeshift tourniquet. The tubing holds securely to the arms on the sheath and is definitely powerful enough to kill some small game.
A knife so good they sell it on it's own. The Skinner JK-I knife is excellent. It came razor sharp, and has aggressive jimping on the top of the blade, with really well placed finger grooves so it feels like an extension of your hand. The knife has lashing holes, a bottle opener, a can opener, a guthook, a hex wrench, and a flathead screwdriver. Also, it can be stored in the tray ambidextrously, and retrieved from the sheath without taking the tray or the main knife out!
Part IV, Conclusion:
The Rambo-type survival knife craze of the 80's may have died down, but Aitor is still keeping the spirit alive through this knife. Knives like this one are being pushed out in favor of more basic "bushcraft" type knives, but despite that, I believe that the Aitor Jungle King I still stands as a quality survival knife that can perform just about any task you throw at it. It may be heavy, it may be dated, but it is a rock solid knife with a ton of features that is made in Spain and not some giant factory somewhere in Asia.
I am astounded by the quality of this knife, and I have become a definite Aitor customer for life. $250 might sound like a steep price, but for all that you get, and the quality of all the components, I'd say it is a knife that is well worth the price.
Thanks for reading!
The Jungle King I was a knife made in response to the survival knife craze of the 80's, but it is far from a cheap gimmick.
Part I, The Knife:
This thing is an absolute monster, coming in at a touch over 14in in length, with an 8in long, 5mm thick blade, this knife chops like a beast. I was able to chop down and de-limb an entire small tree with it, and split wood.
The grind is very thick, but this knife isn't meant for delicate work. It can still make feathersticks and carve wood, albeit a bit clumsily.
The hardness and edge retention is great. After chopping through a ton of wood, the knife still sliced right through newspaper. The blade features a proof mark for the hardness, which is in the range of C 55-58 on the Rockwell Scale. The steel used is a proprietary version of a 440C stainless.
Sawback knives are often criticized for being useless, and I'd generally agree, but the saw on this knife is an exception to that rule.
The saw design has changed over the years, and I think that was for the better. This thing shreds. I was blown away with just how effectively the saw works. It never got stuck, it never got clogged, it is the best sawback design I have ever seen on a knife. The spine has enough flat space so you can place your thumb on it without pressing down on the saw, so it really doesn't even get in the way.
Despite being round, the grip is actually phenomenal. The raised and knurled bands on the handle keep it from rotating in your hand, and it gives you a very comfortable grip. The handle is made from an injection molded piece of the same stainless steel that comprises the blade, with an anti-magnetic steel pommel cap so the compass is actually usable.
Despite having a hollow handle, the balance is really good, with the center being right where the handguard is, it feels great to chop with and doesn't hurt your hands or get tiring to use.
The blade and the handle are joined with a roll pin punched through them, with probably an inch going down into the handle that is epoxied (and possibly screwed) into place, with an extension coming out of the handle that firmly holds probably a quarter inch of the ricasso in place. The knife feels extremely solid in your hands, and has not loosened one bit. I'd imagine this joint would never break under any normal use.
Part II, The Sheath:
A cheap toy plastic sheath this is not. I believe it is made from injection molded hard nylon. It feels like how synthetic gun furniture feels. The sheath itself has it's own survival equipment inside and outside of it too! It is a rock solid sheath, and as a bonus, it's ambidextrous.
The belt loop uses a really slick and secure closure system that allows you to put it on and take it off without removing your belt, the same type of closure is used to hold the knife in as well.
The bottom of the sheath features a leg tie that is very secure (I wrapped mine around the sheath because I don't use it when I tuck it in my waistband), a large drainage hole, and two sturdy metal arms that fold out to form a slingshot.
The sheath is wrapped in ~24 feet of paracord, and underneath that on the back is a sharpening stone (I didn't take a picture because I didn't feel like unwrapping all the cordage, it's kind of a pain in the ass) with a very fine grain. Good for honing but not for any seriously dulled blade.
There is a tray you pull out of the sheath with survival equipment inside, signaling instructions and ruler markings molded into it, an embedded signaling mirror, and a slot that holds the Skinner JK-I knife.
My one gripe with the sheath is that there is a metal divider between the tray and the knife, and if you forget to hold it down, sometimes it will pop out. It isn't hard to put back in, but it's a little annoying and can scratch up your knife if you put it back in the wrong way. Though I suppose it might be intentional so you can use the sheath as an emergency water container by plugging up the drainage hole on the side and taking the divider out.
Part III, The Equipment:
The hollow handle is spring loaded so the kit doesn't rattle in the handle, and the pommel cap has an o-ring to make it waterproof. The kit itself is contained in an acrylic tube with a small space to put your own items in (I will be putting water purification tablets in mine).
The kit is filled with quality items, not just a few wooden matches and an off brand band-aid.
The kit contains the following:
2x Bandages (Hartmann brand)
1x Scalpel blade (Braun brand)
1x Fishing kit (3 sinkers, a coil of monofilament line, two medium sized hooks and one small hook)
1x Tweezers (Not the greatest, but they'll do just fine in a survival situation)
1x Sewing kit (2 safety pins, 2 needles, some nylon cordage and a small spool of string which mine is missing.)
Inside the pommel cap is a compass. It works well, holds up to the shock from using the knife, and it even glows in the dark! Be aware that yours will fall out when you first use the knife, but I think this is intentional for the people who want a removable compass. I am not one of those people, and I superglued mine back into place and it has held up just fine.
Inside the sheath is a magnesium firestarter. I haven't used it yet, but it's a block of magnesium with a ferro rod embedded into it, kind of hard to mess that up.
The sheath also contains a small vial for antiseptics with a handy little applicator built into the cap. It fits into a slot in the tray nicely, and has a little swiveling catch to give it a more secure hold.
The slingshot bands come with a plastic pouch already installed, and are made from latex surgical tubing. You can also use the bands as a straw to reach water, or as a makeshift tourniquet. The tubing holds securely to the arms on the sheath and is definitely powerful enough to kill some small game.
A knife so good they sell it on it's own. The Skinner JK-I knife is excellent. It came razor sharp, and has aggressive jimping on the top of the blade, with really well placed finger grooves so it feels like an extension of your hand. The knife has lashing holes, a bottle opener, a can opener, a guthook, a hex wrench, and a flathead screwdriver. Also, it can be stored in the tray ambidextrously, and retrieved from the sheath without taking the tray or the main knife out!
Part IV, Conclusion:
The Rambo-type survival knife craze of the 80's may have died down, but Aitor is still keeping the spirit alive through this knife. Knives like this one are being pushed out in favor of more basic "bushcraft" type knives, but despite that, I believe that the Aitor Jungle King I still stands as a quality survival knife that can perform just about any task you throw at it. It may be heavy, it may be dated, but it is a rock solid knife with a ton of features that is made in Spain and not some giant factory somewhere in Asia.
I am astounded by the quality of this knife, and I have become a definite Aitor customer for life. $250 might sound like a steep price, but for all that you get, and the quality of all the components, I'd say it is a knife that is well worth the price.
Thanks for reading!
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