When is a knife still a knife… but not primarily a knife at all? The answer to that minor riddle is the “pocket harvester” from 12 Survivors, a survival products company located in Mansfield, Texas. The Survivalist was offered an opportunity to evaluate this tool some time ago and, now that the harsh winter here in New York has finally broken, we’re pleased to do just that.
The team at 12 Survivors sought to establish a brand that would resonate with all different types of outdoor enthusiasts. They also wanted to include a deeper, primal subtext in their product line, which was developed to ensure adventurers are prepared for the best (and the worst) the outdoors has to offer. To that end, the 12 Survivors brand supports the outdoor lifestyle by providing preppers, survivalists and other outdoors enthusiasts with quality outdoor products that last.
The company’s product line includes knives, camping gear, first aid kits, fire starters, water purifiers and backpacks. Designed and constructed for heavy use by active outdoorsmen, 12 Survivors’ gear is well-suited to hikers, campers, preppers, survivalists, hunters and anyone else who takes seriously what the company terms the “outdoor lifestyle.” From disasters and emergencies to outdoor adventures, sport, and leisure, 12 Survivors products are intended to “bring people closer to nature… and each other.”
The Pocket Harvester
The 12 Survivors Pocket Harvester is a folding multitool in the “Leatherman” pattern. It’s a fairly hefty tool, weighing in at nearly 11 ounces. The grips are “zebra wood,” while the rest of the construction is 420 stainless steel. Where the pliers on a Leatherman would be, there is a set of pruning shears.
The company’s website says the tool is perfect for “the naturalist within” and that it equips users “with endless options ranging from cultivation to harvesting, to setting up game traps. Use the 12 Survivors Pocket Harvester for scavenging berries… The wood saw and shearing tool can be utilized to gather twigs and small branches for fire starting or shelter building. Take advantage of the pruning knife and weeding tool to gather roots and plants for healing properties to treat wounds or concoct medicine.”
The five tools are, officially, a weeding fork, the pruning shears, a wood saw, a serrated blade, and a sheepsfoot utility blade. The shears are spring-loaded and have a metal safety bar that can be rotated into position to keep them closed. Official dimensions, folded, are 4.6 x 1.5 x .92 inches folded. The unit, which is a little chunky for the pocket, comes with a thick Nylon belt sheath for carry.
The blades (with the exception of the pruning shears, which were quite keen) were what I call “factory sharp” — not bad, but not the razors I prefer. I tuned them up on a diamond rod in minutes and then took the Pocket Harvester out into the field to play with it. It performed ably and I even used the weeding fork to do some poking around in the underbrush. I have book after book on edible plants and useful herbs, so the Pocket Harvester was a welcome addition to my kit.
The wood saw works as well as the one on my Swiss Army Knife, while the serrated blade quickly became my go-to for basic tasks. I used the sheepsfoot blade for scraping and trimming — and I should add that this blade, specifically, was so sharp out of the box that I could do nothing to improve it.
I was surprised by how quickly I came to enjoy the little shears. I’ve never bothered to carry a tool like that before. They make quick work of small brush and were great for gathering kindling. The fact that they are part of a multi-use tool just sweetens the deal.
I really like the Pocket Harvester. It embodies the fact that all of us should be a little more focused on the “preparation” side of prepping when we’re out in the field. It’s a useful tool that performs as advertised (and it looks nice, too). I’ve become quite fond of mine. You’ll feel the same once you add this little number to your kit.