The changing leaves and cooler weather has us thinking about freezers full of elk and deer, and big, warming dinners stacked with local root vegetables. Naturally, we’ve been prepping with some new and a few tried-and-true items from New West Knifeworks that inspire these shortening days and fireside evenings. Read on for five items you’re going to want right now.
1) The JH Hunter Knife in hardwood
If you’re after a do-it-all hunting knife, the JH Hunter/Forager is the perfect tool for dressing an animal in the field. It’s also just an all-around useful camping, fishing and utility knife. New West is now offering this little beauty in hardwood, and we love the look of the sleek handle made from stable, durable desert ironwood harvested from Arizona. Anthony Campolattaro, New West’s general manager, explains: “You don’t need a big knife to process a big animal. Its all about control and how you hold it… this knife has a great belly to initiate any kind of cut, whether you’re cutting expensive cheese or de-boning an elk.”
CREDIT: David J Swift
2) Mountain Man Toy Shop’s Trapper Vest
This item is technically from New West’s connecting sister store, the Mountain Man Toy Shop, which carries fun “toys” for adults like tomahawks and axes. Whether you’re spending chilly evenings at elk camp or just rubbing elbows at the Local on a Friday night, the trapper vest will keep you warm and looking good. This weighty vest is made with American wax canvas, which was the Gore-tex before Gore-tex, and lined with locally harvested beaver fur. The pockets are even lined with Woolrich wool, making it the ultimate in mountain man lux.
3) Teton Edge Santoku Knife
The Santoku is a “99 percent of the time” chef’s knife that will really dial in your big, hearty dinners for friends and family. New West replaced this knife’s iconic dimple with a beautiful Teton edge design, which still does the job of separating the food you’re cutting from the blade, so tomatoes, cheese or whatever else doesn’t stick to it. Campolattaro adds, “The space between the blade and the handle builds a cadence while you chop, so you feel like you know what you’re doing. This is a great starter knife, a chef’s knife on training wheels.”
4) Chris Kidder Special 12” Chef Knife
Already spend a lot of time in the kitchen? Take the training wheels off and treat yourself with this “pro’s pro knife.” The sleek design is a collaboration between New West’s owner Corey Milligan and his brother-in-law Chris Kidder, who is an accomplished chef in Los Angeles, and has cooked for dignitaries of foreign governments, former presidents and celebrities. Add it to your collection if you’re a seasoned cook, or try it out as a craving knife for serving up brisket, big flat iron steaks and holiday meals. The double tapered blade is thin from waist to tip and waist to tail, making it flexible and easy to get around joints and bones.
5) The Grand Pan
New West carries this awesome up-cycled item made by artists David Dahlin and Bland Hoke because, like New West’s knives, once you’ve got one in your kitchen, its hard to imagine doing without. Dahlin and Hoke find old plow discs around the American West and give them new life by re-welding, sandblasting and treating them. The massive Grand Pan can be used like a cast iron skillet, and is prefect for cooking paella or chicken fried steak. It fits right on your gas burner or grill, and is also a gourmet addition to fall car camping.
