A Venerated EDC Brand Morphs Its Most Iconic Folder into a Robust, Affordable Outdoor Knife

Since its founding in 2012, Kizer has offered hundreds of different knife models. However, even with such a deep catalog, some of them stand out.

Arguably, none is quite as iconic as the Chris Conaway collaboration, the Sheepdog. For many EDC fans, Kizer and the Sheepdog are practically synonymous.

Now, the brand has breathed new life into this legendary silhouette in a surprisingly appropriate, affordable way, courtesy of the Kizer Sheepdog Survival.

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Working breed

For the most part, the knife’s classic silhouette remains intact — a boon for existing fans. However, there are some noteworthy tweaks to make it much more outdoor-friendly.

Obviously, this is a fixed blade, meaning it has no folding action, as it lacks a pivot. While that makes it a little less discreet and packable, it does increase its strength and, in eliminating any moving parts, makes it far more impervious to gunk, grime and whatever else users might encounter in the field.

Kizer

There are also a few additional elements to the handle that make this knife even more formidable and well-suited for survival and bushcraft use. The full-tang blade, for instance, has a hammer pommel, making the butt an ideal tool for impact use, such as driving tent stakes or breaking up materials.

The other big addition is in the center of the handle. There’s a small, bowl-shaped indent specifically designed to be compatible with a classic survival tool, a bow drill, making starting fires out in the wild a much simpler prospect.

Kizer

Anything but sheepish

Especially for survival usage, solid knife materials are of the utmost importance. However, they also have to be balanced with relative affordability — few serious bushcrafters are going to bring what amounts to a luxury knife out into the field. The Kizer Sheepdog Survival has you covered in that regard, as well.

For starters, the full-tang, black-finished blade is built from one of the most tried-and-true budget-friendly steels, 1095, which has been a favorite of outdoors folks for decades (and actually dates back to before modern naming conventions). It’s durable, strong and easy to maintain, making it an all-around outstanding option.

Furthermore, the blade’s shape, a chunky clip point, is a variation of a go-to shape for survival knives, offering a long cutting edge, a great piercing point and a thickness suitable for chopping tasks. Altogether, that makes for outstanding versatility, an essential element of an outdoor fixie.

Kizer

That blade steel is mated to either a G-10 or Micarta handle, depending on whether you get the black or OD green option. Both of these materials are similarly tried-and-true in the outdoor world, offering excellent strength, stability, durability and much more.

It also comes with a Kydex sheath for easy, reliable transport. And the handle has a pair of holes suitable for the addition of some paracord, another extremely versatile, go-to survival material.

Kizer

Pricing and availability

The Kizer Sheepdog Survival is available on the brand’s site now for $86 with a black G-10 handle and $90 with a green Micarta handle.

Kizer

Kizer Sheepdog Survival

• Starts at $86

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