Lofty Wiseman Signature Knife

Size Isn’t Everything!

Graham Allen takes a look at the compact version of the Lofty Wiseman Signature Survival Tool

Lofty Wiseman is a former member of the SAS and an authority on survival techniques. He has appeared on numerous TV programmes over the year and has written best-selling books on the subject. He’s also put his knowledge of what works and what doesn’t into the design of a rather beautiful survival tool. He worked with knife designer, inventor and sculpture Ivan Williams to develop this parang-style implement which is functional yet elegant. I’ve been lucky enough to meet Ivan Williams three times now, the first time was when he came to the Gun Mart stand at the Midland Game Fair with a prototype of the Lofty Wiseman Signature Survival Tool, the following year he had the production model and this year he had the compact variant to show us.

Compact But Powerful

The smaller model follows the same basic ‘full tang’ design as its predecessor,
in that it is laser cut from a single piece of 6mm thick BS EN9 carbon steel, which is then ground to provide the cutting edges. This type of knife construction is a strong as you can get.

The elegantly curving blade is angled so that the business end arrives at whatever it is cutting before the user’s knuckles. The blade is razor sharp from the tip to the grip and there is a small section at the top of the spine of the blade that is also sharpened.

The tip of the blade can be used for fine, more precise work such as skinning game, the mid-section for chopping and cutting and the portion nearest the grip for peeling vegetables and for feathering twigs and small branches for fire lighting.

The spine of the blade is left un-tempered and this means that it is strong yet flexible and the blade will not snap when used with gusto. The cutting edges however are hardened to Rockwell RC54 and this results in a keen edge that lasts well despite heavy use. The tang is ground down to 4.5mm to reduce weight and to improve balance and it extends past the grip scales with a hole drilled The compact version of the Lofty Wiseman Survival Tool is a serious bit of kit in the ‘pommel’ for a lanyard. Overall length is 13 1/2 inches with a blade of 8 1/2 inches. The weight is 16 ounces, a considerable saving on the full-length model that tips the scales at 24 ounces. The steel is protected by a special coating to stop it rusting and Lofty’s signature is etched into it.

Gripping Stuff

The beech grip scales are profiled on a CNC machine then bonded and screwed in place, so it won’t be coming loose any time soon. The grip scales provide a secure hold and can be tailored to fit the purchaser if required with a file, I found the finger grooves just about right, even when the tool was used extensively.

Careful thought has gone into carrying the tool and the black Cordura sheath supplied is a robust affair stitched and riveted together and held closed by 3 heavy-duty snap fasteners. A hard plastic insert stops the blade from damaging the sheath internally and overall it looks like it’ll last as long as the item it houses. At the top a belt loop is attached to a D-ring, allowing it to pivot naturally as you move; it also moves out of the way should you fall whilst wearing it.

In Use

This more compact version obviously lacks the heft of the larger original but the weight is still sufficient to carry out all manner of chopping and cutting tasks. It made light work of several branches I had to remove at work but was still sharp enough to peel a load of cooking apples the same evening.
When chopping the finger grooves on the grip allow the tool to pivot in the hand, imparting more momentum to the blade. The blade coating obviously gets marked in use but this is a serious tool despite its elegant lines and a wipe down with an oily rag is all that is required to keep it at its best.

Conclusion

Most people don’t actually need a survival tool such as this to stay alive in a jungle but it’s a damn good thing to have to hand in all manner of less life threatening situations. The Lofty Wiseman Signature Survival Knife is also a work of art, in more ways than one, thanks to Ivan Williams’ design flare.