Fox knives FKMD Combat jungle the FX133 review after extensive field testing in real outdoor conditions. A great designed knife.
Made in Maniago Italy
Blade N690 (I'm always saying six nine oh LOL) but of course mean ZER O! This is a great Cobalt martensitic stainless tool steel from Bohler (ok they have changed their name) the Austrian manufacturer.
FOX Knives have taken this excellent steel given it a very practical shape based on an old Molletta /NEXUS knives design (V famous knife designer-Google the name) and added Micarta handle scales (i'd prefer G10- just for the colour range), which are very grippy wet or dry hands. The tang is machined out but strong, with two small Allen bolts securing the scales. This is a beefy drop point-like blade with a good ergonomic feel to it. It does not want to leave your hand when you swing it, came deadly razor sharp out of the box, and stayed razor sharp during my testing. I hit a small rock around the fire once and had to slightly touch up the damage, in the field, no big deal.
Anti-reflective teflon coating is good but of course will start to wear with hard use after a bit over a month. This is not an issue. Interestingly I don't see any HRC specs on FOX's web sites but when they did publish this it was at 58-60.
This model is not new however, I've had my eye on it for a while as the design said practical big knife for serious camping in the wilds. I don't carry saws (all the time) and I don't use axes or hatchets at all- yet) so I like a 7 inch blade or so for long trips and the Fox Combat Jungle didn't disappoint me.
There are only a couple of non commercial videos on KZfaq showing this knife and that's a shame, so this is what inspired me to do this in depth review.
PLEASE READ!!!!
To change the mount, i.e. either left or right handed you remove the inner plastic rigid liner (screw at base of sheath) and reverse it.
If you worry about what the surface looks like after hard use (I don't because i'm actually using knives, not cutting paper) then the Teflon type coating will wear over time usage dependent.
I'll be taking the Combat Jungle to the jungle later this year I hope.
There is a I year warranty against manufacturers defects. I'd like to see this a bit longer but I guess this all adds money to the overall final cost of the product. They probably figure if a defect is going to show it will be within a year of usage.
www.foxcutlery.com/n/en/produc...
I also blog about this knife here:
hardcorecampingtools.blogspot....