Treeman Knives: absolutely brutal in the best possible way

Treeman Knives® started in 1998 with Jim Behring and his wife Deanna in their Michigan shop.  They have since grown to be a respected name in the knife world and are used by law enforcement agencies, SEAL teams and other special operations units, and many outdoor enthusiasts.

From the first time I laid eyes on their blades at a Midwest gun and knife show years ago, I have never forgotten the durable quality and brawny style of their combat knives.  It is not just the physical aspect that stands out, but the stories behind them.  One of their more well-known knives, the T.A.S.S. (Teams and Shit Shank), was made at the request of a SEAL platoon to honor one of their fallen brothers; the team voted on the blade design, blade thickness, handles, blade color and sheath configuration.  It is an amazing piece of work, but as I reviewed it and two other knives from Jim Behring I discovered why they are a force to be reckoned with among knife enthusiasts and real-life operators.  Treeman Knives is not a one-trick pony.

Treeman Knives does so much more than their combat line of blades, but for this review I focus on that line with their T.A.S.S., Recon Hunter and Harpoon.

My first thought after opening the package, aside from being blown away by the quality, was wondering how difficult these full-sized blades would be to conceal for everyday carry (EDC).  They are not small knives and are absolutely brutal looking in the best way possible.  The Harpoon is the longest, then the T.A.S.S. followed by the Recon Hunter.  To my pleasant surprise, the Kydex sheaths keep them all sitting high and tight on the hip.  A normal fitting t-shirt is more than sufficient to cover it up with no trace of printing.  The leather sheaths are high-quality and function as one would expect – nothing fancy, they just do their job and look good doing it.  They are cleanly made and the leather is very high quality and durable.

For this review, each knife had a Kydex and a leather sheath along with a rope lanyard.  They were all perfectly quiet when sheathing the blade due to dual Velcro-loop (soft) pads attached inside near the top of the sheath.  The Kydex sheath held the knife in place without any sign of coming unseated unless I purposefully pulled it out.  I was personally not a fan of the lanyards for EDC purposes because they just got in my way, but I could see the benefit for retention in survival situations.  It was a simple fix for me though, because they come right off.

Recon Hunter

T.A.S.S.

Harpoon

Each knife is weighted perfectly for their size as far as I’m concerned.  They are well-balanced and easy to grip.  The handle material is comfortable and can be swapped out for alternate color options – the handles are all interchangeable.  The lanyard hole on the end can even be used as a glass breaker if needed.

For testing, I beat the snot out of all three blades by puncturing metal, hacking up wood, cutting rope, snapping through zip-ties, and then checking to see how the edge held up along the way.  The blade’s advertised “scratch resistance” held true thanks to the Cerakote finish and O1 tool steel, although the exposed edge will require periodic care to prevent potential rust from heavy use.

The T.A.S.S. and Recon Hunter are both drop point blades, so they’re a great all-around utility knife for hunting or personal protection.  The Harpoon, as the name indicates, is a spear point blade and is an ideal option for personal protection with amazing penetration ability.

These knives are incredible and they’re going to get the job done – whatever that may be.  If you are military or a first responder (firefighter, police, EMS) you are eligible to receive a discount on all orders for combat model knives–just make sure to give them a call versus ordering online.  See below for specs on each knife, and be sure to go to the Treeman Knives website to review these and all of their other great products.

T.A.S.S. (Teams and Shit Shank)

Product specifications  

Recon Hunter

Product specifications

Harpoon

Product specifications

All images courtesy of Treeman Knives.