Fun little thing I saw posted elsewhere: ATAX.

Very interesting...

It is a special gadget. It was designed by Ron Hood, and works pretty well for Ron Hood, despite the obviously cut fingers in the picture from where they encountered the back of the blade. It is in the same category as the Tracker knife, designed by Tom Brown for Tom Brown. Both get sold on the strength of their reputations and are probably taught to their students. Both are very expensive, and both are hard to find due to the limited production. Both come with manuals on how to use them. If you know how to sharpen your knife, you shouldn't need a manual to maintain and use your knife IMO.

One of the few knives like this I've seen that don't leave me cold is the Pathfinder from Dave Cantebury. That looks to be pretty much idiot proof- it is a mini kukri type blade with a bit of saw tooth on the spine for making notches. But generally, I'd rather have a good, simple knife, and either a SAK or a multi with a saw blade for making the notches and to have as a back up blade.

Honestly? People take that knife seriously?

People are always trying to stretch the lengths of credulity. Wasn't that the same with Hal Gibbons knives? Great designs but to see any real enthusiast trying to use them for more than a movie prop or collection was just ridiculous.

There is a reason why fixed blades like the Mora, Gerber LMF, Ka-Bar and the Pathfinder listed above are styles of choice of hunters and military for decades.

The more instruction something needs, generally the more useless it becomes.

another gizmo..grown up version of the 10-in-one match case,compass--so on..it sort of fits the bill for those who think "if i had just one magic survival item to could do anything".
i have not see the video of him using it but i'll bet it's like the guys at the State Fair--"it slices--it dices--makes french frys"---you use it once and go back to the same old kitchen knife--

This is a public forum, not Amazon's feedback panel. If you do happen to have an ATAX, feel free to share your experience (and maybe post a picture or two)

While true that I do not own one, nor have I used one, does not necessarily mean that I can not make observations about it. Like the others that have made postings about it, I too have seen a number of items that claim to 'slice, dice, mince, chop... ad nauseum. I too have found them to be lacking in all of the areas and have found that they are a jack of all trades but a master of none. Given the many years that I have experienced these things, I too find myself thinking that one good knife is better than the gadgets......

Please don't hesitate to provide us with some real experience with it....I am interested in what it can really do and has really done.

I can't find it.

The Pathfinder from Dave Canterbury.
















and

Pathfinder Knife

The thing with multi-purpose tools is that there is often a compromise. It will seldom do all its functions as well as a device that is designed to do a particular function exclusively. That said, it is better to have a hatchet that is also a mediocre hammer than to have nothing but a stick to drive a stake. If you are happy with the compromises, and are comfortable using a tool, then go for it. If you think it's a gimmick... don't get it.