Knives are among our oldest and frequently used tools. Not a day goes by that we don’t use one. Most of the knives we use have very specific purposes: chef knives, paring knives, butter knives, and utility knives dominate our daily life. Bushcraft knives, hunting knives, and field knives aid us outdoors. Some professionals utilize tactical and combat knives on a regular basis. With a wide range of design and functionality, most knives are designed for very specific purposes, but some are designed to perform a wide array of tasks and do it well. Custom knife maker Todd Hunt’s M18 is one of those knives.
Build Quality
The M18’s blade style is not something you commonly see. It bears some similarities to the Tracker design made famous by Tom Brown — though the M18 is far larger and packs several design elements not found on Tracker designs. The M18 is a monster of a blade coming in at an overall length of 16 inches with just over a 10-inch blade. Made from ¼-thick 01 tools steel, the M18 is built to take on every hard-use task you can throw at it. The blade itself has a forced patina, which will help reduce corrosion.
The M18 is available in both semi-custom and full-custom versions. The semi-custom version seen in this article has durable Micarta handle scales that provide excellent grip even when wet and can withstand the elements, extended sun exposure, and is resistant to most chemicals. Custom versions of the M18 often offer exotic wood handles that really make the M18 stand out.
The handle design itself was inspired by Ethan Becker’s KA-BAR, allowing for a comfortable full hand grip. There is enough room on the handle to choke up when doing detailed work or slide back when chopping. The blade guard is pronounced to prevent your hand from coming near the blade.
Sheaths for the M18 vary. This version has a thick leather belt sheath, while others may come with Kydex options. While the leather belt sheath is not designed for a snug fit, it provides a smooth easy draw that will keep the blade in place unless it’s held upside down. The M18 carries surprisingly comfortably on your belt despite its size and fits great in any midsized or large pack.
Design Features
The M18 is more than a knife; it is a bladed multi-tool that is built for the serious outdoors craftsman, taking on the role of several traditional woodworking tools.
- The size and weight make the M18 an ideal chopper and wood splitter, replacing the need to carry a stand-alone hatchet.
- At nearly 2 pounds, the M18 is more than capable to felling sapling and small trees.
- The curved portion toward the rear of the blade allows the M18 to be used as a drawknife to shave, shape, and carve wood.
- The thick blade stock allows for heavy-duty wood batoning without concern of damaging the blade.
- Despite the M18’s large size, it performs well in detailed work, and the front sharpened area makes a great chisel.
Beyond woodworking, the M18 fills in several other outdoor knife and tool roles. - The cleaver-style blade makes the M18 an excellent option for camp meal prep or chopping large pieces of meat.
- The rear tang of the blade has a textured strike face that can be used for hammering and other blunt striking tasks.
- The thick blade stock and tough 01 steel allows for using the M18 as a pry tool.
- The wide front edge can be used for digging tasks.
- With several pinch points and jimping along the spine, detailed work in game processing is possible.
Final Thoughts
The M18 is a serious tool with a ton of versatility. If you need to head to the woods and plan on building a serious camp from nothing but what you would find in nature, the M18 is the tool you want to bring with you. Beyond its woodworking prowess, the M18 packs plenty of usable features to make it an excellent general camp knife and outdoor working tool.
The M18 is best suited for an experienced woodworker, bushcrafter, or outdoorsperson — but even if you don’t fall into one of these categories, you may want to be after a few minutes of using this beast of a knife.
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