Review: Stroup Knives Mini and TU-2

A great knife is taken into account by many to be the muse of a great survival plan. Greater than only a software, a handcrafted knife tells a narrative – not simply of the blade’s meant use, however of the crafter and their life expertise. It was this story that introduced us to Stroup Knives. Chris Stroup is a medically-retired veteran of a specialised JSOC unit, who formalized his knife-making journey together with his spouse in 2017. Since then, Chris has made some extent of target-recruiting army and regulation enforcement veterans searching for each a commerce and a function. From wounded Inexperienced Berets to retired Police Officers, the machines in Stroup’s store are manned by of us who’ve devoted their lives to the service of others. Their catalog is easy and easy-to-navigate, their blade designs easy and rugged. We obtained the possibility to look at two of their fashions – the Mini and the TU-2.

Stroup Knives Mini

The Mini is right for day by day put on, whether or not you’re spending a day on the path or within the store or round city. The three-inch, 5/32-thickness blade is well-sized for family chores and small discipline duties however in any other case unassuming and never burdensome on the belt.

Above: A measurement comparability between the Stroup TU-2 (high) and the Mini (backside). Each function Kydex sheaths with Tek Lok belt clips.

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Talking of which, the Mini’s sheath contains a Tek Lok belt clip oriented for horizontal carry, which is right for small-of-back or forward-of-hip put on. With an general size of 6.75 inches, there isn’t a complete ton of grip house. For these with smaller fingers, it can seemingly fill that “Goldilocks” measurement for a carry mounted blade. However in case you’ve obtained catcher’s gloves for fingers, chances are high this might be a three-finger knife for you.

Stroup Knives TU-2

On the opposite finish of finish of the spectrum is the Tactical Use collection. We additionally obtained an opportunity to check out the TU-2, which contains a bigger 4.5-inch-long, 3/16-inch-thick blade. At 8.75 inches general, the TU-2 might be not a day by day carry blade for many of us. It does, nonetheless, make a terrific basic function discipline knife. We used the vertically oriented Tek Lok clip to mount our TU-2 on the waist strap of our Stone Glacier Avail pack, which at the moment will get used a few times per week for summer season hikes or highway marches. On this position its slim, unobtrusive, and simply accessible.

Above: The TU-2 mounted on the waist belt of a Stone Glacier Avail backpack.

Options and Choices

All Stroup blades are 1095 carbon metal, flat floor, acid etched and rock tumbled. The darkish, uneven charcoal shade and roughed-up texture on the flat surfaces give these knives an artisan, hand-hewn really feel. The G10 grip scales, out there in a wide range of colours, are additionally lower with a scalloped stone-like texture. The general aesthetic of those knives appears to convey the historic relationship mankind has with edged instruments, trying like they may have been dug up from the gravesite of a Viking warrior. Which is suitable given the a long time (if not centuries) of collective deployment and avenue time of the Stroup Knives employees.

Maybe one of the best a part of all is the pricing. Handmade knives with good-looking styling are sometimes priced in a variety that’s stretching in direction of 4 figures. However Stroup Knives are instruments, made for use and made to be accessible for buy. The Mini is available in at $145 with the bigger TU-2 coming in slightly increased at $220, each of that are very aggressive, given the handcrafted development and monetary assist going straight into veterans’ pockets. Additionally they just lately introduced a line of axes in addition to a collaboration knife with Justin Melnick of the TV collection “SEAL Crew”. Gross sales of this knife will profit the Particular Operations Wounded Warriors charity.

If any of Stroup Knives’ choices occur to suit your knife wants, they’re definitely a simple firm to assist – providing cheap onerous use blades hand constructed by army and regulation enforcement veterans. Try their website in case you suppose you want a Stroup knife in your equipment.

Written by Tom Marshall