The Xolotl was waiting for me at my doorstep. This Xolotl (pronounced show-low-tl) wasn't the Aztec god of fire and lightning, but an out-the-front knife designed by Michael "Rod" Rodriguez.
The Look of Eagles
PTS and TBI cause him wears a tinted prosthetic lens
Michael Rodriguez's charity is the
Global War on Terror Memorial Foundation.
That is, in my opinion, pretty darn icy!
Find out more at: Https://www.gwotmemorialfoundation.org/
 |
| CRKT's Xolotl |
I unzipped the knife case and was impressed. "The knife was inspired by classic World War II commando knives." Michael told the press. I can see the sleek, dual-edged deadliness inherent in Fairbairn Sykes daggers reflected in his creation.
The Xolotl is a cooperative effort between CRKT and Hogue knives. The 5.25-inch-long handle has been described as a coffin-style grip, but I see a distinctive shield look. Both ends of the handle are drawn to a point, suggesting an impact tool. The lower half of the handle is gracefully tapered to provide additional grip. Twenty grooves, suggestive of ribs, are cut into the aluminum handle to enhance tactile feedback. The left and right reversible clip straddles several of them and resembles a skeleton's sternum. One of Xolotl's honors is to guide the souls of the dead to Mictlán, the Aztec land of the dead, so they don't get lost. That is an appropriate theme for anyone in military service.
 |
| The reverse side of Xolotl |
OTF knives typically don't have a safety. The control slide is stiff enough to prevent the knife from opening in your pocket. The Xolotl is no exception, but I found the pressure applied to the control slide to be mild and smooth. Pressing forward on the control slide releases its 3.5-inch double-edged dagger. The blade is 0.13 inches thick at the centerline. The knife opens in a blur and locks securely in place.
The blade is ground from MagnaCut
steel, one of the hot, sexy steels available to makers. MagnaCut steel is the brainchild of Dr.
Larrin Thomas. Steel properties are a
balancing act. Improving one property can
result in compromise else where. It is
impossible to have a perfect steel. MagnaCut
offers a great combination of desired properties. It has become the high-end, desired steel for
many knife makers and collectors.
 |
| An all season knife |
The double-edged dagger is coated
with a black titanium nitride finish. TiN
is a durable, inert coating with low light reflectance. The polished razor edges reflect light like dual
ribbons of lightning. That’s very appropriate
for the god of fire and lightning.
The knife weighs 3.2 ounces and
sits flat in your pocket. The clip
allows for deep carry and is reversible for right or left carry. These are features I like; the deep carry provides
security against loss and you can customized the Xolotl for your needs.
Most modern OTFs carry the blade in
a carriage or cradle that slides back and forth in the knife handle. This allows the blade to jump free of the carriage
if it strikes a hard surface during opening.
This is a safety feature. The
Xolotl is no exception. If this should
happen, it is a simple matter to pull the blade all the way forward and release
it. The blade resets, and your OTF
functions as it did previously.
OTF daggers are primarily a
last-resort fighting knife. But we can still
cut stuff with them. I cut open an MRE, a
chicken chunks dinner, The Xolotl worked
fine. The double-edged razor-sharp blade
cuts paracord, paper and cloth without trouble, as you would expect from CRKT
knives. I like the way the knife feels
in my hand. There is a comfortable
coolness to the handle. With the blade
extended, the balance was just behind the control slide. I prefer the knife's weight in my hand as it
makes the blade lively.
CRKT's Xolotl is a solid knife. You'll enjoy owning it!
Let's be honest, shall we? Most of us will carry this knife just in
case. Fortunately, we'll never use it
for its intended purpose, but don't discount it. If your path in life takes you in and out of
danger, you'd carry this knife without a qualm.
I know I would.
I'm not going to carve tinder for a
fire with it, but you could. Where I
found the Xolotl shining was with gloved hands.
Gloves, while providing protection, strip you of needed dexterity. Open any knife other than an OTF, and you
must keep your fingers off the blade's spine to allow the knife to open. No matter if it is a stud or an opening hole,
it requires a degree of dexterity, freedom of movement to reposition your grip,
and proper hand position. Add heavy
winter or work gloves, and opening even a button-operated automatic can be
problematic. Just wrap your hand around
the knife's body, and your thumb controls opening and closing. Perfect, right?
 |
| It shines in gloved hands! |
Not quite. Closing any OTF knife causes the blade to pull whatever is on the blade into the handle. It might be mustard from the sandwich you made; it might be blood the blade picked up in use. Eventually, gunk will build up and affect the internal mechanism.
CRKT recommends a simple basic care
program for OTF knives. It focuses on cleaning
the blade so it doesn't trap debris in the mechanism. Keep it dry and use a light coat of thin oil. CRKT recommends KPL Ultralight oil for your
Xolotl. Use a can of compressed air (low
moisture content) to blow out the knife and remove pocket lint or excess oil. In some cases, disassembling the knife can
void your warranty.
Retired Sgt. First Class Michael
Rodriguez has the look of eagles. He knows
conflict, knows the aftermath, knows what it takes to survive both. The OTF Xolotl is one of his tools for
remembering the sacrifices made by the men and women of our military for our
freedom. I'm glad to own a Xolotl. You can get your own at CRKT for $325 at https://www.crkt.com/knife/xolotl-automatic-out-the-front-knife.
