drop point

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Vosteed Aluminum Raccoon

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Vosteed Raccoon Aluminum review 

Years ago the only answers I wanted from knife reviews were “Is it sharp? Does it cut? Did it stay sharp? How much does it cost?”. The Vosteed Raccoon Aluminum folder is sharp, cuts well, stays sharp and is a great deal at $72 especially when you see how well it's built and works.

I was sent the Vosteed Aluminum Raccoon to review. This is the latest version of their Raccoon knife line. Chad did a review on the micarta version of the Raccoon last year. The difference between the two versions is the “Aluminum” has a Nitro-V blade steel and the CNC cut aluminum scales. 

The Vosteed Raccoon Aluminum uses a crossbar lock that you pull back to release the blade when it is closed. The blade can then be flipped open or dropped open. It also has a double thumb stud that is well designed. I like using the crossbar lock to release the blade. I don't know why, but I use that method most to deploy the blade.

The handles are CNC cut black aluminum arranged in a diamond pattern. The edges of the handles are rounded so they won't snag clothing or dig into your hand. The aluminum, diamond cut handles aren't aggressive like stippling on pistol grips, but my hands never slipped regardless of what I was cutting. The 3.25 inch drop point blade deploys smoothly due to the ceramic ball bearings.

   As you see from the included photos, I use my knives for food preparation. This knife chopped vegetables, deboned chicken thighs, sliced blocks of cheese, and easily cut large cardboard boxes into trash bag sized segments. Plus it still has a serviceable edge.

   One of the reasons I like being on the Firearms Insider Gun and Gear Review Podcast is because we actually use these products and tell the truth. This knife was used nearly every day for months. I would occasionally use a couple other knives that I am reviewing long term, but this was the main knife. It could use a good sharpening to bring back the razor sharp factory edge. However, I just peeled an apple with no issue. This Nitro-V blade steel holds an edge, I'm impressed.

   The knife shows some wear on the aluminum handles. Mainly because it has been smashed against my EDC light, the Streamlight Wedge. If you want a pristine knife, I am not the person to review it. You want a knife that is a good all around knife, that opens smoothly, and has a better than average blade steel for a good price, the Vosteed Raccoon Aluminum folder may be for you. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

An attractive, feature filled utility knife with good blade steel for a really good price.

Target Market:

Anyone wanting an attractive utility knife made with good steel that's very sharp under $75.

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Blade Length: 3.25" | 82.55 mm

  • Overall Length: 7.60" | 193.12 mm

  • Blade Width: 1.07" | 27.27 mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.118" | 3.00 mm

  • Blade Material: Nitro-V

  • Blade Grind: Flat

  • Blade Style: Drop Point

  • Blade Finish: Black Coated

  • Hardness: HRC 60±2

  • Handle Length: 4.36" | 110.75 mm

  • Handle Width: 1.10" | 27.95 mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.49" | 12.40 mm

  • Handle Material: Aluminum

  • Weight: 3.66 oz | 103.8 g

  • Opener: Thumb Stud

  • Lock Type: Crossbar Lock

  • Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

  • Pocket Clip: Reversible | Stainless Steel

  • Carry Position: Tip-up

  • Knife Type: Manual Folding

  • Backspacer Material: Aluminum

  • Backspacer Color: Black

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Orange, Blue, Purple 

What others are saying?:

Nick the Knife

5.0 out of 5 stars

The Racoon continues to deliver

The Vosteed Raccoon is hands down one of my most carried knives and I have hundreds to choose from. The handle is simple, but genius. It offers a comfortable grip that will work well for almost any hand size. The drop point blade is robust enough to go to work with and has good slicing geometry. Nitro-V steel is tough, and while not having the highest edge retention, is easy to sharpen.

This version comes in with Aluminum handle scales. Generally Aluminum is not my favorite choice and I have no idea why it has become thought of as premium. People seem to have forgotten all the $10 Aluminum S&W knives of 20 years ago... Anyhow this Aluminum is nicely anodized and the green/brown color spoke to me. The finish is smooth, making this a Raccoon that will likely see lighter duty than my G-10 or Micarta variants.

The action is what I expect from Vosteed. They put out smooth operators, and this is no exception. The button lock lets the blade drop effortlessly into the closed position. Thumb studs are spot on for deployment. You can also engage the button and give a little wrist action to deploy. If you like to fidget, it does that. I prefer the crossbar lock version as it is inherently stronger than a button lock, but as I mentioned, I liked the looks of this model and it only had a button lock in this color. C'est la vie.

Overall, you really cannot go wrong with a Vosteed Raccoon for EDC. It is definitely one of my top 5 for 2023.

Link to other reviews:

Iridium 242 YouTube Review  

Price point:

MSRP = $72.00 

Retail = $72.00 at Blade HQ

I need it now! Availability:

Vosteed or Blade HQ

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Very sharp

  • smooth opening

  • very good blade steel

  • affordable 

  • Blade Finish holds up well

Cons: 

  • The aluminum shows dings and scratches easily 

  • The jimping on the spine of the  is next to useless

Score: 7.50 Good

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Sencut ArcBlast

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Sencut ArcBlast Review

  With the prices of so many things going up, the amount of money in your wallet goes down. But if you are looking for a good quality knife that won’t take a massive hit on your wallet, then the Sencut ArcBlast would be a fantastic knife for you. Let’s check out all of the things that this great knife features and how it’s a great bang for your buck.

The Handle:

  The ArcBlast features an aluminum handle with a smooth finish. I normally like to have gripping on the handle. So when I took the knife out of the package and noticed that the handle was smooth, my first thought was “oh I’m not going to like this”. But I actually really like it. I feel like I can get a solid grip on it. One that doesn’t allow the knife to slip in my hand. The handle also has a great shape that fits really comfortably in my hand. Because of the smooth aluminum handle, the knife slides out of the pocket very easily. But not easy enough to fall out, due to the great pocket clip that comes on it. It will stay where you want it!

Opening:

  I’ve used a lot of different pocket knives over the years. Normally thumb studs aren’t my favorite style for opening, but I know it’s good to have different options for opening the knife. But on this knife in particular, I like how quickly the thumb stud deploys the blade. I find myself using the thumb studs more than the flipper. Although the flipper gives it a real quick opening and works fantastically. One thing that definitely helps with this quick opening is that it uses bearings at the pivot point. This gives it a quick and smooth opening.

The Blade:

  The Sencut ArcBlast features a 2.98” drop point blade made from 9Cr18MoV. This is a great steel for this price, and it’s widely used in lots of other knife brands knives. I have been using this blade for a few months now and working in an industrial environment. I use it a lot to cut open boxes, plastic wraps, and various other items. So far… I haven’t needed to sharpen it, but 9Cr18MoV does sharpen very easily. Another reason why 9Cr18MoV is an awesome steel, is that it is corrosion resistant. This is a great material for harsh environments where liquids and other corrosive materials may be present. So you will not have to worry about wrecking your knife.

The Lock:

  I have come across quite a few different button locks on different knife brands, but this is definitely one of the best in my opinion. The ArcBlast uses a standard button lock. This lock is used a lot in the Sencut, Civivi and WE Knives line of knives. They really have designed a fantastic lock, which is probably the reason they use it so much. The lock is great because it is easy to unlock, but not easy enough that it will unlock when you don’t want it to. This is due to the button being flush with the handle. So when you grip the handle, you don’t run the risk of accidentally pushing the button and unlocking it. 

  I have had a couple of Civivi knives, but I haven’t had a Sencut knife before. I definitely like this knife for many reasons. It’s a very sturdy knife with a smooth and comfortable grip. It also has a great 9Cr18MoV blade that has stayed sharp through lots of use. If you are wanting a great quality pocket knife that will not cost an arm and a leg, you should definitely check out the Sencut ArcBlast.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Smaller inexpensive quality folding knife

Target Market:

Anyone who doesn’t want to spend a fortune on an everyday carry pocket knife

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Overall Length: 7.07" / 179.5mm

  • Width: 1.3" / 33.1mm

  • Overall Height (Include Clip): 0.66" / 16.8mm

  • Blade Length: 2.98" / 75.7mm

  • Closed Length: 4.09" / 103.8mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.1" / 2.6mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.46" / 11.6mm

  • Weight: 2.96oz / 83.9g

  • Blade Material: 9Cr18MoV

  • Blade Hardness: 58-60HRC

  • Blade Grind: Hollow

  • Blade Finish: Black

  • Blade Type: Drop Point

  • Handle Material: Aluminum

  • Handle Color/Finish: Black

  • Pocket Clip: Tip-Up, L/R

  • Clip Material: Stainless Steel

  • Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

  • Manual
Opener:
Thumb Stud
and flipper

  • Locking Mechanism: Button Lock

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

There are 4 different color options for this knife, but the materials are all the same. For the black blade you can get a black or red handle. And for the satin finish, you can get a black and blue handle.

What others are saying?:

5 out of 5 stars from Benjamin B. at Sencut.com

A Really Good Knife

I love the simplicity of the button lock. Also I think that the knife looks great and works like it should. Seems like it is very well made and I carry it all the time. I recently purchased another one to use at work. I plan on using my all black one at work because I work in a dirty environment, and the one with the red handle I will use as my e.d.c. when I am not at work.

Link to other reviews:

Stassa23 Knife Therapy  

Price point:

MSRP = $55.00

Retail = $46.75 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Sencut or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • It’s a fantastic knife for the price

  • Comes with tons of goodies and a case

  • It’s a very well made knife that holds an edge for quite some time. 

Cons:

  • I did accidentally bend the pocket clip when I sat down in a chair, but I was able to bend it back into place very easily.

  • A good amount of the anodizing around the top of the knife (opposite end from the clip) came off within 2-3 months. But that doesn’t affect the functionality of the knife at all.

Score: 8.50 Great

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