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Posted on June 16, 2017November 29, 2019 by True North Tradecraft

Product Review – TheLolly by Delta 2 Alpha Design

I recently received a pair of tools – TheLolly – from our good friends over at Delta 2 Alpha and have gone about the process of playing with it and seeing what it can do.

***Note, I have both the Lollys – one “Predator Clear” and the other “Phantom Grey” coloured – however, I used only the “Phantom Grey” coloured one for better contrast in the photos.***

Here is what it looks like:

On their website, Delta 2 Alpha describes it thus:

"TheLolly is one of the most low profile, last ditch tools of its type on the market today. Due to its design it boasts a variety of carry options.

TheLolly was developed as a “Fingernail Saver” pocket pry-bar (light duty), and scraper (light duty) that will be less likely to leave scratch marks on glass, metal, and wood, it also features a 1/4″ bit driver. It has been laser cut from Cast Acrylic, a material that is only a few steps down from the canopy of a Tomcat.

The slot combined with our unique Ratchet-Teeth allows for an easy on off, but when twisted 90° (as it would be when held flat against the body) it acts as a cloth grabber for the elastic in undergarments and trousers.
*we haven’t seen the Ratchet Teeth done before, if you have please let us know so we can credit that person".

TheLolly is about the size of a standard house key. It had a lanyard hole, a driver/hex bit hole, the attachment “ratchet tooth” slot, and of course, the chisel tip. It makes for an interesting little tool as it is made from acrylic.

What I like about this design is first and foremost, it’s small. It’s small and non-metallic, making it an ideal EDC (Every-Day Carry) item, even in various non-permissive environments.

About the size of a house key. Weighs next to nothing.

The edges are smooth, except for the points on the chisel tip, which are surprisingly sharp. The lanyard hole will easily accept standard kevlar or 550-paracord to create a lanyard. The ratchet tooth area grabs clothing well and is easy to manipulate into concealable places. The inside of my TAD (Triple Aught Design Recon Shorts – in Deception) allowed easy and un-noticed concealment.

Inside-the-fly of my Triple Aught Design Recon shorts. As if TheLolly isn’t even there.

I suppose the sharp points on the Lolly are effective enough to puncture or cut certain materials (like packaging, for instance) and to be used for light scraping duties.

An additional use for TheLolly is as a last-ditch impact weapon. Like a key, it can be held in the hand in multiple ways and used to strike an aggressor. Here are some examples:

In the bottom of the fist, like the tiniest ice pick in the world.

To be clear, I didn’t test its durability in a strike, so I am not sure what kind of punishment the acrylic can take in the even you were to strike someone, nor do I know if TheLolly would shatter in your hand and cut you in the even you would use it. That said, it does feel solid, and even so much so that I drove a screw into a window casement to try out the bit/hex function:

Using a standard driver bit with a standard screw, the acrylic Lolly did not bend nor break in the process.

Like the caption above states, the Lolly did not bend nor break nor seem to strain in any way during this process. I was pleasantly surprised by this. It gave great leverage and got the job done. The bit fit perfectly.

All in all, TheLolly seems like a great little addition to your EDC kit, car kit, or travel load-out. It’s acrylic, looks like a key and is non-threatening in appearance. For the $15 bucks, it’s a great deal.

And Delta 2 Alpha is a Canadian company run by some really great bros doing some really great stuff, so check them out at http://delta2alpha.com

And if you’re really interested, the great guys at Delta 2 Alpha have graciously donated a few Lollys to be door prizes during our Covert Entry Concepts Course being offered in Toronto in July! Check it out here!

Till next time, stay safe, stay crafty.

Posted on June 10, 2017November 29, 2019 by True North Tradecraft

Training Review – Covert Entry Concepts by The CORE Group

How often have you thought “hey, I wish I could learn that…but the training is only available in the US. So much for that.”? I have. Many times. So, in my quest to build my own skills, I saved up some money and travelled to the United States to attend training I had my eye for months.

In November 2016, I had the privilege of attending the Covert Entry Concepts (CEC) training course in Maryland. It was put on by The CORE Group in their Maryland facilities and wow, what a good time it was.

(*I lucked-out by taking two courses back-to-back at The CORE Groups’ Maryland facilities, the Covert Entry Concepts and Physical Security Analyst. This is a review for Covert Entry Concepts. I will post a review of the Physical Security Analyst soon.)

The purpose of the course, in broad strokes, is to be given an education in physical security, how to identify and exploit any weaknesses with the ultimate goal to test those weaknesses and close any found loopholes for a client to protect them from attack. As a security professional myself, I feel that expanding my skill sets is a responsibility to make me more effective in my job.

About The CORE Group (from their website):

“The CORE Group was initially formed by a trio of security auditors and researchers who had collaborated on numerous projects and conference events over the years. At present, their combined experience in the physical security sector represents decades of hard knowledge and applied work. The CORE Group finds innovative ways to augment typical security auditing and assessment. Most companies incorporate digital penetration testing and web application testing into their standard procedure of self-assessment. The CORE Group offers a variety of packages that can greatly assist in a company’s understanding of their security posture at a fraction of the cost of larger, more “conventional” testing.”

The CORE Group conducts training all over, training Law Enforcement & Military, Government Agencies, Physical Security specialists, Red Team and PenTesters, IT Security and Locksport enthusiasts. They attend many of the “cons” (such as Black Hat, DEF CON, SANS, etc.) throughout the US, many times running the “Lockpick Village” and providing intensive training to professionals all over.

The course was a 2-day, Monday/Tuesday set-up. A mixed bag of Law Enforcement, Military, physical security professionals and “other, government” types. A good group of people to get to know and learn with. Our Instructor, Rob, Chief of the Law Enforcement training division of The CORE Group, was welcoming and professional from the word “go”. After some quick ice-breakers, we moved right into an introduction to lockpicking.

Discussions, anecdotes, slides and practical demonstrations were all used to great effect in training to underline the principles and applications for what were were learning about in that moment. Everything was helped by Rob’s sense of humour, positive attitude, patience and obvious expertise in the subject matter. We worked on a vast array of topics. Lock-picking; bumping; bypasses; construction; safes; tamper-evident seals; elevators; impressioning; the Mace Face Challenge; casting keys; attack vectors; padlocks; restraint escapes and so much more. So much information was covered that, even weeks later, I found myself re-reading the detailed notes I had made in an effort to absorb it all. Not only was it an incredible amount of practical and useful information, but much of it was eye-opening and fascinating as well. Not all aspects are covered in every session that Rob delivers due to geography or other issues, but my experience was just great.

Here is a look at some of the stuff we got to play with:

The tools. The cookie is of the utmost importance.

After enjoying amazing chicken, fantastic bbq, getting to know the other participants and doing an awesome escape exercise preceded by burpees (I hate burpees) it ended up being a really great time.

I felt as if it was a skill-building game-changer. The depth and breadth of knowledge shared and learned was exceptional. Though these are all perishable skills requiring regular practice, the base is unmistakably solid. It certainly opened the door to a world of opportunities. The people I met and the confidence in my abilities were well worth the cost and effort to travel south of the border. I highly recommend taking this training if you have the means and opportunity. It’s a staple of tradecraft and is useful in a myriad of situations (all ethically bounded, of course). Use your powers for good. And if you work hard, you can earn one of these…

NOW…

If you’re interested in taking this course IN CANADA, True North Tradecraft, in partnership with Tactical Beaver, will be sponsoring a unique run of this course in downtown Toronto on the weekend of July 28-29-30, 2017, to be taught by Rob of The CORE Group. This training is not available anywhere else in Canada (to my knowledge – and I’ve searched) and is well worth it’s weight in gold. It will include top-tier instruction, a kit of equipment for you to practice on and keep when you’re done and breakfast daily with dinner on the Friday night. For more detailed information, e-mail us at truenorthtradecraft@gmail.com . Spaces are limited and booking up already. Tactical Beaver will also have a table with great apparel available to purchase at a discount.

Check it out. It’s a really great opportunity to learn from an expert in the field and do so IN CANADA!

See you at CEC – Toronto!

-Stay Crafty

Posted on May 25, 2017November 29, 2019 by True North Tradecraft

Review: RAIDOPS Defense Gear – Fighting Frog & Delta

RAIDOPS is a South Korean company which designs and distributes a variety of personal defence gear, knives and accessories made to very high quality specifications. A high percentage of their products are made from titanium, enabling a solid product with a low magnetic footprint and low weight. Their designs are also very practical and low-profile, giving them a minimalistic appearance and also the ability to be carried through many non-permissive environments without undue attention.

I purchased two personal defence products to try out a little while back – the Delta (one of several designs) and the Fighting Frog. They arrived very quickly direct from South Korea to Toronto and came as below.

(Quarter for scale)

Upon taking each one out of their small boxes, I was surprised at how light they were. The titanium was indeed very light and very strong. The small ball-chain they came with felt heavier than the items themselves.

After handling each one, I was also very happy with the ergonomics. Both were very comfortable to hold and use.

They are intended to be used as impact weapons. Held between the index and middle fingers of a closed fist to facilitate acute damage to an assailant (See below).

Small, light, but VERY sturdy. And no pain when hitting a tree, so a person should be just fine. By the way, it took some chunks out of the tree (I didn’t have my phone for pics at the time – sorry!) so I can only imagine what it could do to a person.

Though their prices may be a bit steep ($48 USD for the Fighting Frog and $40 USD for the Delta) it isn’t too out of line with similar weight titanium products.

You can even double them and jewelry in non-permissive environments and you’ll still have an accessible impact weapon if needed. Here I am wearing it overtop my Triple Aught Design Tradecraft Shirt for a better view.

Again, lightweight, low-profile and easily worn in more non-permissive environments. No issues to wear in a Canadian context, as at that point, it’s a fashion statement.

One thing I may look at, is the collection of RAIDOPS finger spinners. This is essentially a fidget toy that is made of titanium but doubles as an impact weapon. Here is an example. Though somewhat pricey ($110 USD) I may consider getting one.

At the end of the day, the strength, low weight, comfortable ergonomics and durability of the Delta and Fighting Frog make them effective and reliable. I recommend checking them out.

Stay Safe. Stay Crafty.

Posted on May 25, 2017November 29, 2019 by True North Tradecraft

Review: The BAT Coin by Covert Products Group

A while back I came across a Kickstarter campaign for the BAT (Bring Anywhere Tool) Coin from Covert Products Group. https://www.covertproductsgroup.com They were just starting off about a year about and when I read through the campaign details, I was intrigued. They had designed a “10-in-1” tool that was small, lightweight, inexpensive, useful and capable of carriage through airports and other non-permissive environments. So I supported the campaign, if for no other reason to see if what they had designed was worth having.

Having recently received my lot of coins, I began to carry and test them. I am pretty impressed with this little guy. BATs go for about $25 USD each on the CPG website and I also received a sticker and morale patch along with it. Fast shipping. Nothing to complain about.

From their website, here are the BAT Coin features:

1) Modified Phillips head screwdriver with three prongs so the BAT lays flat in your pocket

2) Safe, semi-sharp captured edge for opening boxes

3) Scribe point or hole punch

4) Small-gauge wire stripper

5) Fire-steel scraper (use it with any ferro rod survival fire starter, Swedish firesteel or similar item)

6) Flat head screwdriver

7) Serrated fire-steel scraper (throws sparks well)

8) 3M SOLAS reflective sticker you can attach to the back for emergency signaling, or leave if off for stealth carry

9) Friction saw that can cut through zip ties or cordage without cutting you

10) Bottle opener

Features of the BAT (Bring-Anywhere-Tool) Coin from Covert Products Group. A nice little addition to your EDC.

(Picture from https://www.covertproductsgroup.com/products/b-a-t-coin-bring-anywhere-tool )

I look at it as a minimalist, last-ditch or tertiary backup to my regular Every Day Carry (EDC) but because it is both innocuous and concealable, not to mention relatively effective, I am happy to have and carry it.

The BAT Coin came with it’s little case, SOLAS sticker inside, CPG sticker and morale patch. (Quarter for scale.)

For something so small, I’d thought maybe they’re reaching a bit, however, upon using it here and there, though it may not be an equivalent to a full-sized tool times ten, it does manage to do each job fairly well, especially in a pinch. I would recommend, as CPG does, to use something like a key ring to give you extra leverage to open bottle caps as the diminutive size of the BAT makes it hard to get enough leverage.

The BAT is made out of stainless steel and has a nice finish to it. It is small, lies flat and is about the size of a Canadian twoonie (The Canadian $2 coin for those of you who don’t know). As it is smaller than any other tool and is not intrinsically disallowed, both CATSA and the TSA allow it with you through security at airports.

I’d recommend the BAT Coin to anyone who would like to have a little something to add to their EDC that will add some functionality without bulk and the added bonus of being as inconspicuous as loose change. I will also keep an eye on CPG for future product developments and releases.

Stay Safe. Stay Crafty.