Knives By Nuge | RECOIL OFFGRID

Knives by Nuge hit the scene just a few years again with quite a lot of fastened blades designed for arduous out of doors use, together with searching, fishing, bushcraft, and common wilderness survival duties. Knives by Nuge proprietor and bladesmith Tom Nugent incorporates his private passions for the nice outdoor and former career as a police officer into every design to create extremely purposeful purpose-driven knives. Combining his considerate design course of with a meticulous eye for element and dedication to always enhancing his merchandise led to early success together with his well-known Wicket mannequin.
Whereas the Wicket stays a well-liked and versatile knife for out of doors, searching, and EDC use, Nugent’s personal experiences utilizing his Wicket XL when searching led to the creation of the most recent Knives by Nuge fashions, the Bruin and the Cub.

The Cub retains the design options that drive the efficiency of the Bruin, however in a compact type issue.

Origins of the Bruin

As Nugent tells it, he was processing a deer utilizing one among his private Wicket XL’s, and it was doing an excellent job. Nevertheless, at instances, he wished he had an extended and barely narrower blade. For the common joe, which will have merely been a passing thought. However for Nugent it was one thing that burned in his mind for the remainder of the journey. If he was in search of a greater expertise whereas processing sport, then likelihood is his prospects can be too. Upon his return from the journey, Nugent set out into his small New Jersey store to convey his concept to life.
Taking some inspiration from the deal with of 1 discontinued mannequin and the blade form of one other, Nugent got here up with a sketch and fired up his belt grinders to create the primary prototype of what would finally develop into the Bruin.

Each the Bruin and Cub ship with leather-based sheaths made by Badger Claw Outfitters. The Bruin is made for belt carry, whereas the Cub is made for pocket carry.

Prototype Testing

Testing begins with Nugent utilizing the knife not only for its meant function however for every kind of EDC and out of doors duties. The Bruin was to be a wonderful choice for hunters and fishers, however he wished to make sure that it was a purposeful all-around person. The second section of testing concerned having a gaggle of trusted professionals use the knife. I used to be lucky sufficient to be part of this group and honored to play a small function in bringing a wonderful knife to the market. The results of our testing of the unique Bruin prototype caused some minor modifications in blade size and modifications within the deal with design. Fairly just a few of us additionally talked about that the design would make a terrific bushcraft knife if it had a Scandi grind.

The DCC clip on the Cub sheath permits snug and safe pocket carry just like a folding pocketknife.

The Closing Mannequin

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The results of over 18 months of improvement, prototyping, and testing was the finalized Bruin being provided in each a saber grind geared towards searching and common use, and a Scandi grind for these in search of a extra devoted woods knife. The finalized model of the Bruin featured a 3.75-inch blade with an total size of 8.25 inches. Nugent opted to make the most of premium CPM-3V blade metal for its unbelievable sturdiness and edge retention.

Like all outdoor-oriented Nuge knives, the Bruin has a 90-degree backbone for hanging ferrocerium rods and performing common scraping duties. The usual deal with scale choices embody assorted Micarta or G10 choices for constructive grip retention and sturdiness, although a number of one-offs with distinctive and unique deal with supplies pop up occasionally.

The Bruin is an journey prepared do-all journey knife.

From Bruin to Cub

Through the testing course of a number of the finalized Bruin prototypes had custom-made Kydex sheaths. Whereas the Bruin does match within the pockets of tactical or outdoor-oriented pants, it’s a bit unwieldy for EDC carry, however what if the Bruin was smaller?

For these unfamiliar with archaic center Dutch, the phrase “bruin” means brown, however it’s most related to the title of a bear in folklore. With that, Nugent determined the pure title for a smaller Bruin can be the Cub.

Like its bigger predecessor, the Cub skilled an intensive technique of brainstorming, prototyping, and testing. Whereas this ran barely shorter at round 12 months, shrinking a knife is rather a lot simpler than it sounds. Shortening the blade is one factor, however protecting the identical ergonomic really feel on a smaller deal with requires vital testing and tweaking to make sure it stays snug in different-sized palms and maintains the identical really feel in use.

The Cub made its debut at Blade Present Atlanta 2025, with constructive reception from each Knives by Nuge regulars and people passing by the sales space and seeing Nugent’s knives for the primary time.

The Cub suits in effectively with any EDC lineup as a consequence of a compact type issue and versatile design.

A Versatile Out of doors Device

I’ve been utilizing a Scandi grind model of the Bruin for a lot of months now as one among my major out of doors knives. As one would count on with a Scandi, the Bruin does an incredible job in wooden processing duties. The Scandi blade bites into wooden, making it straightforward to take away each massive and small quantities throughout carving duties. The contoured G10 deal with scales provide nice grip in moist or dry circumstances and mixed with the three.5-inch blade make detailed work fairly manageable.

Lately, I attended an occasion with iconic knife designer and jungle information Joe Flowers. Through the occasion, Flowers guided me via performing some knife-related wilderness survival duties with the Bruin, and I discovered the three/32 inch CPM-3V blade to be supreme for performing duties like batoning, snapcutting saplings, and harvesting fatwood.

Not like many manufacturing knives, the Bruin includes a hand-ground 90-degree backbone, which makes hanging ferro rods straightforward, which in flip makes the important wilderness survival talent of fireside beginning utilizing pure supplies a lot simpler.

Nugent together with his prototype Sheepsfoot Cub. (Picture by Reuben Bolieu)

The EDC Choice

Efficiency-wise the Bruin can completely deal with all of your day-to-day duties like reducing open packing containers, piercing that annoying arduous plastic packaging that some electronics are available, or slicing your apple at lunchtime. However at 8.25 inches chances are you’ll discover your coworkers and native soccer mothers supplying you with some sideways glances in city and suburban environments. After all, that’s the place the Cub is available in.

Ranging from an EDC perspective, the Cub differentiates itself from its bigger predecessor in just a few methods. First, the general measurement is 1.25 inches smaller than the Bruin, and the blade is a complete inch much less. From an EDC standpoint, most individuals is not going to miss the additional inch of blade discovered on the Bruin. Many might even discover the smaller Cub simpler to control for common EDC duties.
This may make you look rather less like John Rambo if you end up utilizing it in public. The Cub additionally differentiates itself in carry technique. Whereas the Bruin comes with a leather-based belt sheath, the Cub ships with a leather-based Pocket Sheath. Though a belt sheath is handy for carry and accessibility within the woods, it tends to face out at your native ice cream parlor. Carrying a smaller fastened blade in your pocket, it’s far simpler to be discreet and conceal to keep away from undesirable consideration.

The 2 grinds presently accessible for the Bruin and Cub are Scandi and saber. The Scandi grind is good for processing wooden and bushcraft duties, whereas the saber grind is a good all-around performer.

Scandi vs. Saber Grind

It’s generally identified {that a} Scandi grind is nice for wooden processing, making it a favourite amongst bushcrafters. Then, there are those that state Scandi grinds don’t carry out effectively in different duties that require slicing capabilities like sport processing, meals preparation, and lots of common EDC duties. I’m right here to inform you that generations of Scandinavian folks would disagree with the naysayers, and so do I.

One of many major considerations folks have with Scandi grinds is that they have an inclination to have a pointy and toothy, but considerably fragile edge, which may completely affect the flexibility to slice and result in edge harm in sure conditions. To fight this, many manufacturing knives add a secondary micro bevel to extend edge stability, and one may argue that these grinds should not true Scandi grinds anymore. Knives by Nuge takes a barely completely different method. As an alternative of including a secondary micro bevel with a belt sander, Nugent makes use of a powered leather-based strop to offer a bit extra edge stability whereas preserving the very sharp edges of conventional Scandi grinds. I’m not right here to argue the advantages of both technique, however I can say that I’ve used my Bruin to course of each vegetation and animals, prep camp meals, and simply common use within the kitchen throughout my preliminary testing, and it performs effectively in all duties.

In out of doors use, the Cub is simpler to control and management in finer carving duties and extra detailed plant and animal processing duties. The blade inventory is similar throughout each fashions, so I wouldn’t count on to see any distinction in sturdiness. Nevertheless, chances are you’ll end up lacking that additional inch of blade when processing massive animals and batoning wooden.

For long-term hard-use duties, I discovered the bigger deal with of the Bruin to trigger much less hand fatigue, however that’s by no means saying that the deal with of the Cub is uncomfortable. In common use, each knives are comfortably ergonomic, present nice grip, and haven’t any sizzling spots that I may determine.

The saber grind is greater than able to processing wooden, however it should carry out higher in slicing duties present in sport processing and most EDC duties. Neither grind is inherently higher; it simply is determined by the meant use. For most individuals, the saber grind might be a greater choice for EDC and searching and the Scandi will carry out higher for bushcraft and carving duties.

Nugent and his girlfriend, Lauren, are the folks behind Knives by Nuge. Whereas Nugent is making knives Lauren is managing customer support, operating the laser engraver, and boxing up orders.

Closing Ideas

Must you get a Cub or Bruin? This actually is determined by what you might be in search of in a knife. If you’d like a strong EDC knife with vital out of doors chops, the Cub is a good alternative. If you’re in search of a devoted midsized out of doors do-all knife, the Bruin is the clear winner. My opinion: If you’re an avid outdoor particular person, you must get each.

I actually get pleasure from working with each knives alone however discovered that they complement one another very effectively in out of doors conditions. When foraging, processing wooden, or prepping a woodland meal, the Bruin is a wonderful workhorse for the harder-use duties, and the Cub actually shines when doing extra detailed work. This sentiment is echoed by my hunting-oriented associates who’ve examined each fashions when processing a kill. They point out counting on the Bruin for its longer attain and the utilizing Cub for areas of the animal the place extra exact cuts are wanted.

The Knives by Nuge Bruin and Cub are each glorious examples of knife designs that come from an skilled knife person. They each pack options that make them a great alternative for avid outdoor folks, however the sized-down Cub permits for double obligation as an EDC knife.

Nugent executes his designs effectively by incorporating premium supplies and distinctive match and end on each one among his knives. The Wicket household might presently reign as king within the Knives by Nuge lineup, however the modern design and utilitarian efficiency of the Bruin and Cub might quickly rise to the identical degree of status.

Sparks fly whereas Tom Nugent is grinding one among his handmade knives.

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Written by Nicholas Italiano