knife

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Vosteed Parallel

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Vosteed Parallel Review

  Vosteed has a brand new knife out and it’s called the Parallel. It’s designed to be a very thin and lightweight pocket knife. And let me tell you, they succeeded! So if you are looking for a tough, lightweight and thin knife. The Vosteed Parallel could be the knife for you.

The Handle 

  The Parallel features a non textured titanium handle complete with a lanyard loop. For this knife you can get in 3 different styles. I received the gray handled knife and I was completely blown away by how thin the knife is! Coming in at a thin measurement of 0.28”, I couldn’t even tell it was in my pocket sometimes. There were even a couple of moments when I actually thought I lost it, because I couldn’t feel it in my pocket. And that’s also due to the knife being so lightweight coming in at 2.29oz. When I first opened it, I was a little worried about it not having a textured grip handle. It wasn’t a problem for me at all. I can get a great grip on the knife without it trying to slide around in my hand. Having no gripping also helps make it slide in and out of your pocket very smoothly. But thanks to the very strong pocket clip, that can be swapped to either side of the knife, it stays clipped in your pocket really well. It is probably one of the strongest clips I’ve had on a knife. 

The Blade

  Now here is where it gets really awesome! The Vosteed Parallel has one of my personal favorite blade styles on it, a 2.90” reverse tanto blade. For me personally, I love that style of blade and I feel that it is one of the best for piercing and cutting. On the back side of the blade it has some really great rough jimping. This helps keep control when I’m cutting something up like boxes or plastic straps. I have had knives before with smoother jimping and it definitely takes away some of that control you get. The blade steel is 154CM and because Vosteed designed the knife to be thin, the blade is only 0.08” thick! I was worried about the blade breaking due to it being so thin, but it has proven to be way tougher than I thought. Plus it has stayed sharp for a while now. When the time comes to sharpen it, 154CM sharpens very easily. This blade steel is also highly corrosion resistant so you don’t have to worry about it getting ruined by harsh chemicals.

Opening 

  The Parallel comes equipped with only two styles for opening, that is a thumb stud and pulling back the crossbar lock and flipping it open. I personally like having more ways to open a knife like front and back flippers. Or being able to flip it open using a button lock. And this is one of my complaints with this knife. As you open the blade, the spring loaded lock parts move so that the crossbar lock can engage when the blade is fully open. This causes the blade to not want to smoothly open when you take your thumb off the stud while opening. It can kind of push the blade back towards your fingers. So you have to sort of guide the blade open with your thumb on the thumb stud. Or give it a flick when you start to open it. 

The Lock

  Something that is handy about this knife is you can adjust the stiffness of the crossbar lock and that also makes the blade opening a little bit easier. However, It does not fully fix that stiffness. It definitely helps though. You can do this by essentially taking apart the knife, which is not complicated, and moving both springs (one on each side) to 1 of 3 different pin holes. This can definitely help with making it lighter or stiffer to open. It just depends on how you like your knife to open. When I first opened the knife, the lock was very stiff to pull back when the blade was open. So I did that spring adjustment and that made it a lot easier to open and unlock. This is my first pocket knife with a crossbar lock on it, and I have really come to like it. The lock tabs have great gripping on them, so you can pull them back easily to fold the knife closed. 

Summary

  I have come across so many different pocket knives over time, but I have never come across one so thin and lightweight! I sometimes forget I have it because of how well it fits in my pocket. It has been through quite a bit of cutting and slicing. I work in an industrial environment, and this knife has been doing a fantastic job cutting just about anything I need it to. I do wish that it had more ways to open and not such a stiff lock. But that being said, it is still a great knife! This is my second knife from Vosteed, and both the knives have such great quality and designs. If you are looking for a knife that fits perfectly in your pocket and doesn’t have much weight to it, I highly recommend the Vosteed Parallel. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Super thin and lightweight folder

Target Market:

Those wanting a super thin pocket knife

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Blade Length: 2.90" | 73.85 mm

  • Overall Length: 7.04" | 178.90 mm

  • Blade Width: 0.96" | 24.50 mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.079" | 2.00 mm

  • Blade Material: 154CM

  • Blade Grind: Flat

  • Blade Style: Reverse Tanto

  • Blade Finish: Satin

  • Hardness: HRC 60±2

  • Handle Length: 4.13" | 105.00 mm

  • Handle Width: 0.92" | 23.40 mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.279" | 7.10 mm

  • Handle Material: Titanium

  • Color: Gray

  • Weight: 2.29 oz | 65.00 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: Green

  • Thumbstud Material: Aluminum

  • Thumbstud Color: Green

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

There are 3 different styles that you can go with:

Black titanium handle with a black SW blade.

Grey titanium handle with satin finish blade.

Black titanium handle with Satin finish blade.

What others are saying?:

Both from Vosteed’s website

“Only one major flaw, otherwise a very nice knife

Deployment is unpredictable for a crossbar lock. There is a place between the closed and open positions where the blade swings free. The lightweight blade often bounces back towards the handle as blade approaches the open/locked position. I can’t be sure blade is locked open without looking at it”


Great knife for the money

Super thin
Feels good in the hand no real hot spots
Super sharp out of the box
Great knife and super nice to carry with how thin it is, feels sturdy for its size. My only complaint is the springs are super stiff and you have to really send it to open and on my office hands it can be a bit uncomfortable to hold the cross bar back to have the blade drop closed. I opened it up, it has adjustable spring tension, three positions and it was in the weakest position. Definitely needs break in but will enjoy flicking it until it does

Link to other reviews 

Melissa Backwoods on YouTube

Price point:

MSRP = $129.00

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Vosteed or Blade HQ

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Love how thin and lightweight the knife is! It fits in my pocket so great. 

  • It cuts so dang smoothly and has held a sharp edge for a while now.

Cons:

  • I do wish it had more ways to open it than just a thumb stud or using the crossbar lock to flip it open. 

  • I don’t really like how stiff the lock is and that I had to take it apart to adjust that stiffness.

  • Because of the stiff lock, it makes the blade opening not too smooth. You kind of have to guide it out with your thumb otherwise it pushes the blade back towards your fingers.

Score: 6.50 Okay

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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

Civivi Elementum Limited Edition

  It is Civivi’s 10th anniversary, so they came out with some limited edition knives. Since the Elementum is Civivi’s flagship folder, of course the limited edition one is in the Elementum series. The basic Elementum is a flipper style knife available with a variety of options. Special features of the Limited Edition knife are the blade steel, handle, and markings.

   The main reason I am doing the review on a sold out Limited Edition knife is because Civivi periodically makes versions like it. So the information on blade steel and handle material will still be useful. If you look at the Elementum on Civivi’s website, you can see how many options are available. They typically also do dealer only collaborations with places like Knife Center and Blade HQ. 

  This Limited Edition (LE) Elementum’s specifications are essentially the same as most in this series. It is a liner lock, flipper style knife. Yes, the flipper is the only way to effectively open the blade up. The LE Elementum uses the same ceramic ball bearings which give it that smooth Civivi opening. All the number specs are down below, so I will not bother you with them here. The Elementum series also has a lanyard hole. Civivi’s Elementum series are usually very thin, and the 10th Anniversary LE is also coming in at 0.43 inches. This slimness makes pocket carry very easy, as does the knife only weighing 2.8 ounces. 

  There are a few differences in the 10 anniversary LE Elementum. I will start with the short one. The LE Elementum has a titanium pocket clip instead of stainless steel. Also, this click is coated to match the knife's looks. My only complaint about the pocket clip is that it can not be reversed. You are stuck with tip up, right hand carry. That is how I carry my knives anyhow, but if you carry a knife in your left pocket, it might not work as well for you. The clip is very strong and works like it should.

  For the handle on the LE Elementum, Civivi uses carbon fiber. This is not your everyday carbon fiber. Civivi calls it “Jungle Wear Fat Carbon Fiber”. What does that mean? Well, essentially it is a flake style carbon fiber with black, gray and green colors to it. These colors and flakes give the handles a camouflage look, hence the “Jungle Wear” name. Since the handles are carbon fiber, they are smooth. There is no texture at all. I do not mind the lack of texture because it makes for a knife that slides smoothly in and out of your pocket.

  It is time to discuss the last main factor in the LE Elementum, and that is the blade. Being a limited edition knife, Civivi stepped up the blade steel. The LE Elementum has S35VN blade steel. This high quality blade steel is rarely seen on Civivi knives. I really like S35VN steel. It holds an edge for me extremely well. Yes, it does take a little longer to sharpen, but since I do not have to sharpen it as much, I am okay with the trade off. This LE Elementum uses a drop point style blade that is hollow ground, just like most of the knives in the Elementum family. The blade is 2.96 inches long and comes very sharp. Lastly, there is some impressive jimping on the top of the blade. A nice, useful, touch for this knife.

  Even though this Civivi Elementum is a limited edition, I had to carry it around for a while. I really enjoyed the LE Elementum. It is the perfect size and weight for an everyday carry pocket knife. The flipper smoothly opens the blade out when needed. Probably thanks to those ball bearings. Granted I would like another way of opening the Elementum besides just a flipper, but I doubt most people would even notice that it is a flipper opening only knife. All of the Elementum series are great EDC knives, this one just happens to be a little fancier. Being that this is the Civivi 10th Anniversary knife, it came with a challenge coin. It is individually numbered with only 2014 being made and comes with a Signed Certificate of Authenticity.

  So if you are in the market for a really good EDC knife, check out the Civivi Elementum line. If you are looking for something like the Limited Edition version, check out some of the dealer only collaborations. The Limited Edition Elementum is just a fantastic knife due to the S35VN blade steel and the awesome looking carbon fiber handle. You can check out all the Elementum series knives HERE.  

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

10th anniversary limited edition Elementum

Target Market:

Knife users that want a great blade steel

Collectors

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Overall Length: 6.99" / 177.6mm

  • Width: 1.19" / 30.3mm

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

  • Blade Length: 2.96" / 75.2mm

  • Closed Length: 4.03" / 102.4mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.12" / 3mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.43" / 11mm

  • Knife Weight: 2.81oz / 79.7g

  • Blade Material: CPM S35VN

  • Blade Hardness: 59-61HRC

  • Blade Grind: Hollow

  • Blade Finish: Satin Finished

  • Blade Type: Drop Point

  • Handle Material: Jungle Wear Fat Carbon Fiber

  • Handle Color/Finish: Green, Black

  • Liner Material: Stainless Steel

  • Liner Color/Finish: Gray

  • Pocket Clip: Tip-Up, Right Carry

  • Clip Material: 6AL4V Titanium

  • Clip Color/Finish: Green

  • Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

  • Locking Mechanism: Liner Lock

  • Only 2014 made

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Many

What others are saying?:

4.5 out of 5 stars, 4.9 stars total at Civivi.com

Awesome EDC

Lightweight, no hard edges. S35VN!! This is 4.5 stars for sure but the bearing action could be a tad bit smoother. Other than that, I love it!! Will be rotating this in my everyday carry!!

Link to other reviews:

None found as of publishing

Price point:

MSRP = $103.50

Retail = Good luck

I need it now! Availability:

Civivi possibly

Check online

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Collectors Edition

  • S35VN blade steel

  • Carbon fiber Handle

  • Great size for EDC

  • Smooth function

Cons:

  • Sold Out due to being a limited edition knife

  • Only one way to open

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  Civivi Conspirator review

Vosteed ANKYLO

Written by: Casey Kienzle

  I received Vosteed’s new knife, the Ankylo, and it’s truly a fine knife! This knife features an all new lock system called the V-anchor lock. Which is an incredible new locking system. So let’s dive in and see what makes this knife so great.

The handle

  The Ankylo’s handle is made from 6061 Aerospace Grade Aluminum. I personally really like this handle because of the grenade pattern texture and because of the handle shape. It makes it really easy to get a good grasp on the knife and hold it comfortably. Plus, it makes me feel like I have really good control over the knife. There is amazing jimping on the back of the blade and runs along some of the spine of the handle, which definitely helps with that control as well. On the inside of the handle are machined weight relief pockets. These pockets are there to reduce user fatigue. This gives the knife a good balanced feel. For carrying the Ankylo around all day, Vosteed added a deep carry pocket clip.

The lock 

  The Ankylo features Vosteeds new V-anchor button lock. It is a pretty fascinating design. There is an anchor plate and a magnetic connector that will attract, and push, the button from different directions. The pivot button will become recessed even if the lock is not engaged, that way the button will not be accidentally pushed. What that does is give the lock an integrated fail safe system. The anchor plate for the lock is also spring loaded, which allows it to quickly move into place. The anchor plate is milled from a 5mm thick piece of steel, giving it lots of strength. I really like this lock, it feels incredibly secure when the blade is opened and the lock is engaged. 

Opening

  There are 4 different ways to open the Vosteed Ankylo. Thumbhole, front flipper, back flipper and an easy to use button. I personally really like that because sometimes your hand may be in a position where you need to open the blade differently and you can’t use the flipper on the back. So it’s really handy to have the 3 other ways to open it. When I first started using this knife, I noticed that it has a really smooth opening. And that is due to the larger sized bearing Vosteed uses in this knife. Other folding knives use a smaller sized bearing. Since the Ankylo uses that larger bearing, I notice that it has a much smoother opening. 

The blade

  One of my favorite parts of the Ankylo is the Elmax reverse tanto style blade. The blade material is Bohler Elmax, which is one of the toughest high end stainless steel you can get. It compares to S30V. Elmax also has better wear resistance than S30V, meaning that this blade is really durable and stays sharp for a long time! I can definitely see that with all the boxes, tape and other various things I have been cutting with the knife. They designed the blade belly to be really great for multitasking. Because of that, it can easily cut and pierce through lots of things. That’s what you want in a knife, right!!

Summary

  This is my very first Vosteed knife, and I absolutely love the Ankylo! It feels very solid, it’s incredibly sharp and I absolutely love the button lock. The design of the new Vanchor lock is really great and feels very secure when it’s engaged. This is truly one of the best knives I’ve ever used. If you are looking for a great everyday carry knife that is tough and stands out from other knives, then the Vosteed Ankylo is the knife for you!

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Rugged EDC folder with a robust new locking system

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a high quality, sturdy, folding EDC knife

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  •  Blade Length: 3.18" | 80.90 mm

  •  Overall Length: 7.75" | 196.90 mm

  •  Blade Width: 1.22" | 31.00 mm

  •  Blade Thickness: 0.134" | 3.40 mm

  •  Blade Material: Elmax

  •  Blade Grind: Flat

  •  Blade Style: Reverse Tanto

  •  Blade Finish: Black Stonewash / Satin / Stonewash

  •  Hardness: HRC 60±2

  •  Handle Length: 4.57" | 116.00 mm

  •  Handle Width: 1.06" | 27.00 mm

  •  Handle Thickness: 0.563" | 14.30 mm

  •  Handle Material: Aluminum

  •  Color: Black / Green / Gray / Orange / Blue

  •  Weight: 4.76 oz | 135.00 g

  •  Opener: Front Flipper | Back Flipper | Thumb Hole

  •  Lock Type: V-anchor Lock

  •  Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

  •  Pocket Clip:  Non-reversible | Stainless Steel

  •  Carry Position: Tip-up

  •  Knife Type: Manual Folding

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

There are two options for the handle: Machine textured aluminum that comes in grey, black, orange and green. Or smooth, hard-coated matte finish that comes in blue or black.

What others are saying?:

Product has just been released, so nothing found as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

Gear Junkie

Price point:

MSRP = $169.00

Retail = $159.00 on early Kickstarter

I need it now! Availability:

Kickstarter or Vosteed

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Great Size

  • New V-anchor lock system

  • Handle Texture

  • Blade jimping

  • Elmax blade steel

Cons:

  • Slightly stiff operation out of box - needs break-in period to operate easier

Score: 9.00 Amazing

Vosteed Corgi

  How the hell do you open it? This was the first comment I received when showing the Vosteed Corgi to friends. Unlike the other knives I own, this knife uses a front/standard flipper to open the blade. It took me a minute to figure out how the mechanism works, but once I did, it opened easily. 

  The Corgi’s blade is 2.99 inches 14C28N modified drop point with a flat grind. I have been using it for the past two months. I have experienced no issues using the knife and the blade has maintained its edge.

  The patented Trek Lock mechanism with ceramic ball bearings makes the blade open and close smoothly. The blade can be closed by using a simple push of the button. When closed, the blade fits entirely in the handle. I was concerned that the button could be accidentally pressed causing the blade to move while I was using it, but that did not happen.

  The Vosteed Corgi is all about symmetry with both sides of the handle being identical. The brass plates were a nice aesthetic touch. According to Vosteed, they also provide structural stability. Keeping with the symmetrical design the blade has a front and symmetrical standard flipper, both with jimping, although I did not use the front flipper. The backspacer has a pin which serves as a lanyard passthrough.

  When Vosteed sent the Corgi for review, it was sent with a sticker, cleaning cloth, Vosteed patch, and a zipper storage pouch. This is how all the Corgi’s are sent from Vosteed.

  The first change I made to the knife was to reverse the pocket clip and set it up for left pocket carry. The primary reason I do this is that I do not like to have anything that could interfere with the drawing of my firearm. The clip was a little hard to get in my 5.11s so I bent it a little out to make it fit easier. The screw which secures the plates backed out causing the plates to loosen. Proper application of a Torx T8 screwdriver resolved the issue. Other than this I did not encounter any issues with the Corgi. From daily use, the micarta handle wore down a little and the brass plates developed a patina.

  I showed the Vosteed Corgi to several friends. Once they learned how to use the flipper, they liked the functionality of it. They went to buy one for themselves, but the knife was listed as sold out on their website. If you happen to be in the market for a smooth gentleman's knife, check out the Corgi at Vosteed’s website.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Reasonably priced flipper pocket knife.

Target Market:

Anyone who wants a flipper knife at a reasonable price.

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Overall Length: 7.17" | 182.12 mm

  • Blade Length: 2.99" | 75.98 mm

  • Blade Width: 0.84" | 21.31 mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.118" | 3.00 mm

  • Blade Material: 14C28N

  • Grind: Flat

  • Blade Style: Drop Point

  • Finish: Black Stonewash

  • Hardness: HRC 60±2

  • Handle Length: 4.18" | 106.14 mm

  • Handle Width: 0.92" | 23.32 mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.49" | 12.33 mm

  • Handle Material: Micarta

  • Color: Green

  • Weight: 3.32 oz or 94.00 g

  • Opener: Front Flipper | Back Flipper

  • Lock Type: Trek Lock

  • Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

  • Pocket Clip: Reversible | Stainless Steel

  • Carry Position: Tip-up

  • Backspacer Material: Micarta

  • Backspacer Color: Green

  • Insert Material: Brass

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Vosteed lists 15 different styles with various handle colors and insert materials.

What others are saying?:

4.6 of 5 stars on Amazon 

My Favorite Knife

This Vosteed Corgi is a little beauty. The action is smooth and quiet, the lines are somehow both streamlined and soft, the blade is classic, not wild or aggressive—this is definitely a gentleman's pocket knife. It looks good, it feels simply good in the hand, the materials are top-notch (14C28N is my #3 steel behind 20CV and Magnacut- I do love my stainless steels), the attention to detail is evident on every section of the knife, both blade and handle. I'm a newbie knife collector, but this is definitely my favorite knife.

Link to other reviews:

Knife Informer 

Price point:

MSRP = $59.00

Retail = $59.00 at Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Vosteed or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Good value for the price.

  • Trek Lock mechanism is smooth.

  • Good construction.

  • Blade maintained its edge during daily use.

Cons:

  • Screw backed out

  • Limited availability on the Vosteed web site

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  2A4E Diversity Shoot

Cobratec Rath

  When it comes to pocket knives, I always try to recommend ones that will not kill the wallet. Cobratec Knives happens to be one of those companies. Yes, they make higher priced items also, but they have plenty in the under $100 range. The Cobratec Rath is one of those. 

  Cobratec’s Rath is a nice everyday folder. It uses a flipper on the top of the handle to open up the knife. And a liner lock to hold the blade in place. Nothing fancy for the Rath as this style of every day carry (EDC) knife has been around for ages. The Rath is a simple knife that works well.

  The specifications on the Rath are what make it shine. It starts with a coated D2 steel blade. If you happen to listen to the podcast, you know that we like D2 steel as a great inexpensive knife blade material. It holds an edge decent enough and is easy to sharpen. I have not needed to sharpen the Rath. Granted, I did not abuse it like the Black Mamba that Cobratec sent for review. The coating on the blade also helps protect it from the elements. A nice touch since D2 is not a stainless steel. The blade's thickness is 0.12 inches and Cobratec hardens it to 55-62 HRC, which is pretty standard for D2.

  Cobratec chose to use G10 for the Rath’s handle. G10 is a composite material that gives the handle good strength. It also is impervious to a bunch of chemicals. The G10 handles will probably outlast the Rath’s blade. Another advantage to G10 is its texture. Even when not texturized, it still has great grip. Exactly what you need and want in a knife handle. The Rath has smooth handles, but they still allowed me to get a good grip on the Rath, partly because of that G10 material.

  The Rath uses a flipper style opening. I like flipper opening knives, and the Rath’s flipper works extremely well. The blade just flips right out. One of my complaints with the Rath is that it only uses a flipper to open it. There is no other way to open it. I’d like to see a little slot or something in the blade so that there is at least another option to open it. However, this does not keep me from liking the smooth operation of the Rath’s flipper. The Rath also uses a liner lock to keep the blade out once it has been opened. The liner lock also performed as expected. To close the knife, just push sideways on the liner to unlock the blade, and then pivot the blade in.

  Now that I have gone over the general stuff, let us get into the numbers. The Rath uses a 3.5 inch long drop point blade. I really like EDC knives in the 3-3.5 inch blade length range. So the Rath checks that box for me. I also am a fan of good drop point blades, and the Rath’s blade shape is very useful. The blade hides in a 4.5 inch long handle that also carries the pocket clip and lanyard hole. I do not use lanyards, but the hole is there if you do. I did like the deep carry pocket clip. It puts the knife pretty far down in your pocket. When the knife is open, it is 8 inches long. Imagine that, a 3.5 inch blade plus a 4.5 inch handle makes 8 inches. For a knife this size, the Rath is fairly lightweight, tipping the scales at 4 ounces. I was really happy with the lightness of the Rath. It is easy to carry in the pocket. 

  I have used the Cobratec Rath for a bit and it has treated me well. The drop point blade cuts nicely for me. It has cut lots of boxes, a few steaks, and some other stuff, all the time doing what a knife should do, cut. One aspect I really liked about the Rath is the jimping on the top of the blade. There is not a lot of it, but it is cut deep enough to get a good non-slip grip with your thumb. The handle’s shape is also very comfortable in my hand and is pretty slim, which I like. I also think the Rath is a good looking knife, especially with the red accent around the pivot.

   Cobratec’s Rath is a good EDC knife. It uses a good coated blade. It has a nice G10 handle. It uses a tried and true flipper opening and liner lock. Plus it looks good. And you get all this for under $60. What more could you ask for in a simple EDC knife? So head over to Cobratec and check out the Rath.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Quality Everyday Carry Flipper knife

Target Market:

Every Day Carry or anyone wanting a decent, well priced pocket knife

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • D2 Black Blade

  • G10 Handles

  • 3.5 Inch Drop Point Blade

  • 4.5 Inch Handle

  • 8 Inches Overall

  • Blade Thickness: 0.12”

  • Blade Hardness): 55-62 HRC

  • Liner Lock

  • Weight: 4 Ounces

  • Deep pocket carry clip

  • Flipper

  • Lanyard hole

  • Lifetime Warranty 

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Brown, Grey, OD Green, & Red

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found as of publishing

Price point:

MSRP = $59.99

Retail = Same but use code “GGR10” FOR 10% OFF

I need it now! Availability:

Cobratec Knives

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • G10 Handles

  • Flipper works nice

  • Price

  • D2 blade

  • Deep pocket clip

Cons:

  • Flipper is only way to open

  • No serrated option

Score: 8.00 Great

Cobratec Large Black Mamba

  Out the Front (OTF) knives have become pretty popular in the last decade. Because of this, I decided to try one out. Cobratec Knives offered me one of their Large Black Mamba’s to review. This is one of their cost effective automatic OTF knives. As it uses D2 for the blade steel. Also, do not let the name fool you, large does not mean huge. The Large Black Mamba is a good size Every Day Carry (EDC) knife.

  As stated, the Cobratec Large Black Mamba is an OTF knife. If you are new to knives, that means the blade actually extends out the front of the knife, through a slot in the end of the handle, automatically. It does this by either a button or switch located somewhere on the handle. The Black Mamba uses a slider switch on the top edge of the handle. It is a dual action switch. Slide it forward to extend the knife’s blade out, and rearward to retract the blade. I do like the switch on the Black Mamba. It has some serrations on it to let your thumb get a good grip on it. The switch is also ramped up and down to position your thumb at the perfect location to use said switch. 

  The specifications of the Black Mamba are what make it a good OTF knife. Even though Cobratec calls it the “Large” Black Mamba, it’s only called large because it is the biggest in the Mamba line. The blade’s length is 3.25 inches long. Making it the same size as a ton of folding EDC knives on the market. Moving to the handle, it has a length of 4.75 inches. This makes sense to me, since the handle houses the mechanism to open the knife, as well as the blade itself. That makes the total length, opened, to be 8.25 inches. The handle's thickness comes in at 0.49 inches and 0.60 with the pocket clip. The height of the handle measures 0.925 inches wide or 1.09 inches if you include the slider switch. I thought the Black Mamba would be larger, but once I received it, I realized it’s basically the same size as most of my EDC knives.

  Cobratec uses D2 steel for the Large Black Mamba’s blade. I like D2 as I believe it is one of the best lesser expensive steels used in knife blades. This also helps keep the cost of this OTF knife down. D2 is not a stainless steel, so to help keep it from the elements, Cobratec gave it a black titanium coating. The coating does two things: It helps protect the blade and it gives it a really nice look. The blade on the Black Mamba is a drop point shape. It is also not serrated. I’m okay with this as I find straight drop point blades very functional. This particular blade is 0.100 inch thick and 0.650 wide. I would have possibly liked a wider blade, but I am not a OTF designer. So there are probably design limitations due to the handle’s width. But the Black Mamba’s blade shape worked well. Being that the Black Mamba is an OTF automatic knife, it does have a blade safety mechanism. If you try to open the knife with something significant blocking the blade from pushing out, the blade will release from the opening mechanism and become loose inside the handle. It will also disengage if you hold the blade tight while trying to retract the blade back into the knife. To get the Black Mamba back into action, just pull the blade all the way out and it will re-engage the opening/closing mechanism. You can also flick the knife and use gravity to do the same thing. This is a common safety feature on OTF knives. 

  I mentioned the handle’s dimensions, but let’s go a little deeper into the handle. The Black Mamba’s handle has little squares machined into it for grip texture. Actually, the lines are machined in it to make the squares. On the top and bottom, Cobratec machined some lines in to give rectangles. All of these squares and rectangles give the Black Mamba a really good grip. Especially since the handle is made from 6061 aluminum, and aluminum can be slick. On the rear of the handle is a built-in glass breaker, should you ever need one. Also on the handle is the pocket clip. It is tip down, right hand only. Tip down is because it is an auto knife. When you grab the knife out of your pocket, your hand is already positioned with the pokey end pointed away from you. So when you push the opener switch, you don’t get hurt. My only real complaint about the Black Mamba is its pocket clip, it is not a deep carry clip. However, the pocket clip works extremely well and is very strong.

  As with almost all of my knife reviews, I like to actually use the knife. I carried the Large Black Mamba for a while. It carries really well. Or at least as good as most of my flipper style knives. The D2 blade came extremely sharp from the factory. I have had to touch it up twice. D2 sharpens pretty easily, so it wasn’t a big deal. One of those times I dulled it up by scraping some stuff off of a metal surface. Probably something that no knife maker recommends. The opening mechanism has also never let me down. Plus it is super easy and fast to use. I’m not a big OTF guy, but the Black Mamba performed great for everything I threw its way. 

  If you like OTF knives, or maybe want to get into OTF knives, the Large Black Mamba might be just what you are looking for. It is priced right at $170. Has a good blade steel. It functions fantastic and has a good blade shape. What more could you want from an OTF knife? Go check out the Cobratec Large Black Mamba and see for yourself. Or at least take a look into all the other OTF knives Cobratec makes. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Everyday Carry Out the Front knife

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a quality OTF knife

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Weight: 3.5 oz

  • Blade Length: 3.25"

  • Handle Length: 4.75"

  • Total Length: 8.25"

  • Titanium coated Drop point D2 blade

  • 6061-T6 aluminum handle - textured

  • Side opening slider switch

  • Glass breaker

  • Lifetime Warranty 

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found as of publishing

Price point:

MSRP = $169.99

Retail = Same but use code “GGR10” FOR 10% OFF

I need it now! Availability:

Cobratec Knives

Our Rating: 

Pros:

  • Lightweight

  • Price

  • Good grip texture

  • Good blade design

  • Glass breaker

  • Fast

Cons:

  • Pocket clip isn’t deep carry

  • Blade is a little narrow

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link:  Gideon Optics Judge review

CRKT Fossil

Written by: Casey Kienzle

  When it comes to everyday carry pocket knives, CRKT has a wide range of different styles. The CRKT Fossil is one of them. It falls under the category of a gentleman’s knife, meaning that it’s tough and durable. But it has a decorative look. This is truly a fantastic knife that is different from your regular pocket knife, and it won’t break the bank. So let’s check out everything that makes this knife a truly great addition to your collection!

The handle: 

  When you see a pocket knife, the first thing that stands out is the handle. And the handle on this knife is one of its biggest strengths! This knife's name is the “Fossil” and they managed to give the handle a slick design while also resembling something that looks like a fossil. The handle has a stainless steel frame that has a really great looking hammer finish on it and features G-10 scales on top of that. The handle has been milled out revealing different shades of brown. Those two together give it that awesome “fossil” look. The unique finish on the G-10 gives it a fantastic grip in your hand. This is by far an incredibly creative design for this knife that really makes it stand out! This knife is a right hand only knife, it does not have a spot to flip the clip around for left handed people. But I am right handed, so this hasn’t been a problem for me.

  The Fossil has a frame lock, and it has to be one of the better frame locks that I’ve had in a knife. The lock on this knife is a little stiffer than other knives, giving it a stronger lockup on the blade. But this doesn’t make it hard to unlock, it still can be easily unlocked with your thumb when you are ready to close the knife. One thing that really stood out to me on the knife when I first got it was the guard on the handle. When you open the blade, the flipper tab swings through and acts as a guard. The shape of the handle already has a really nice area for your finger to sit. But then you get the guard, and it makes it really hard, actually just about impossible for your fingers to slip onto the blade.

The blade:

  The blade on the CRKT Fossil is a “drop point” style. Measuring in at 3.96, it gives you plenty of blade length for cutting. When I first opened the knife I also noticed how crazy sharp it was right out of the box. Since then it’s held a sharp edge very well, and I cut lots of stuff with this knife. Things like cardboard boxes, zip ties and plastic straps for larger boxes like furniture. I have even used it before to scrape off plastic from a few different things. After all of that…it’s still sharp! The blade material is 8Cr13MoV which has stayed sharp for quite some time now. 8Cr13MoV steel’s strength is much higher than other high carbon stainless steels, such as 440C. The back of the blade has some of the best jimping I’ve had on a knife. It keeps your thumb or finger in place really well allowing you to maintain really good control over the knife. 

Opening:

  The CRKT Fossil features a bearing-run pivot that gives this knife a really smooth opening. This knife also opens very quickly when you flip the tab on the back, which really stands out to me. The Fossil gives you two different styles of opening. I have had to use both styles depending on how I open the knife. Both styles have been very smooth and easy. Opening one is the flipper on the back. And opening two is the thumb hole on the back of the blade. Sometimes thumb holes on the back of blades can be a little tricky, but this one has never given me any trouble. 

Summary

  I really love the CRKT Fossil. It is a very nice looking pocket knife that has a cool and unique design, while also being quite durable. The handle on the knife is very comfortable to hold onto while you are using it, but also has a good non-slip grip. The blade has been phenomenal for me. It’s kept an edge really well making it always reliable. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Unique but tough knife

Target Market:

The CRKT Fossil is for anyone who wants a not highly expensive EDC knife, but wants something unique and different looking. 

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Overall Length: 8.88"

  • Blade Length: 3.96"

  • Blade Thickness: 0.15"

  • Blade Material: 8Cr13MoV

  • Hardness: 58-60 RC

  • Blade Style: Drop Point

  • Finish: Satin

  • Handle Length: 4.95"

  • Handle Thickness: 0.62"

  • Handle Material: G-10 

  • Frame/Liner: Steel

  • Weight: 6.10 oz.

  • Right Hand Pocket Clip: Tip-Up

  • Opener: Flipper

  • Lock Type: Frame Lock

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

There is also the 5460 model that has a 3.41 inch blade. That one is around $10 cheaper.

What others are saying?:

It hurts how underrated this knife is. It is a great design because it is comfortable, has a buttery action, useful blade, and beautiful aesthetics. It really feels like a perfect merging of old world with new world materials. This was my first 'gentleman's carry' in my collection and I highly recommend this blade.

Link to other reviews:

Pro Tool Reviews

Price point:

MSRP - $99.99

Retail - $65-$70

I need it now! Availability:

LA Police Gear , Blade HQ, or Knife Center

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Quick opening

  • Sharp blade

  • Fantastic design

  • Two opening styles

Cons: 

  • The G-10 handle has great grip, but almost too much

  • Sometimes a little tough to pull it out of the pocket due to aggressive grip texture

Score: 8.00 GREAT

CRKT LINCHPIN

Written by: Casey K.

  Over the past few years I have been collecting pocket knives from various different manufacturers. I like to use these for Every Day Carry (EDC). There is one knife that has really topped my list, the CRKT Linchpin. Here are my thoughts on this fantastic pocket knife.

The handle:

  When I first took this knife out of the box, I immediately noticed how durable it felt. The handle is made of glass reinforced nylon with two different styles of texture to offer more grip. One thing that I really appreciate is that the screws on this knife are countersunk which keeps the screws from snagging in your pocket when you go to remove the knife. 

The lock:

  This knife features a large button lock that I personally love! Anytime I lend this knife to someone, they always tell me how much they like the button lock. Mainly because it’s larger and easily unlocks. The button lock does not easily unlock while the knife is in use though. The button also features a really nice texturing design that makes it hard for your thumb to slip off of. 

The blade:

  This has to be one of the best blades I’ve ever had on a pocket knife. The blade material is 1.4116 stainless steel, which is slightly stronger than 420HC. The blade is a spear point that turns serrated halfway down the blade. The serrated section of the blade has great, bat-wing style, serrations that cut through thick stuff like it was nothing. The serrations are called “Veff” serrations. I recently moved and this was the knife that I used during the moving process, and wow! After cutting tons of packing tape and boxes, the blade still has a sharp edge! On the back side of the blade it offers a nice thumb grip (jimping) that keeps your thumb in place very nicely.

Opening:

  One thing I really appreciate about this knife is that it offers 2 different styles for opening. It has the flipper on the back which is what I prefer. But sometimes you are cutting something and your hand may be in an awkward position, so in those situations it’s nice that it features thumb studs as well. 

  The CRKT Linchpin is a fine knife to use as an EDC. It’s incredibly durable and holds an edge very well. This knife is a little larger giving you more of a grip to hold onto. It has a serrated spear point blade which gives you different options for your cutting needs.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to fame: 

Large and sturdy EDC

Target market:

Anyone who would like a great EDC pocket knife that’s a little on the larger side.

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

  • Overall Length:
8.875"


  • Blade Length:
3.75"


  • Cutting Edge:
3.50"


  • Blade Width:
1.13"


  • Blade Thickness:
0.15"


  • Blade Material:
1.4116


  • Blade Style:
Spear Point


  • Blade Grind:
Flat


  • Edge Type:
Serrated


  • Handle Length:
5.25"


  • Handle Width:
1.25"


  • Handle Thickness:
0.68"


  • Handle Material:
Glass Reinforced Nylon

  • Frame/Liner:
Steel


  • Weight:
6.20 oz.


  • User:
Right Hand


  • Pocket Clip:
Tip-Up


  • Opener:
Flipper


  • Lock Type:
Button Lock


What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

Super Sharp Serrations

Sharpest serrations by far on any knife in my collection. Cuts through vines with almost no effort. Much easier than any other knife used for the task. My chickens love grapes so every day lately, I've cut off a few bunches for them. The other day, I was carrying the CRKT 5406 and cut through a vine with the tip of the blade. Whittled through the vine a few times and removed the grapes as usual. I decided to use the serrated part of the blade, touched it to the vine and the bunch of grapes just fell off. Thought it was an anomaly so did it again another few times with the same results. Wow. As to the rest of the knife... Good fit and finish. The locking mechanism is a bit sticky. It improved a bit after oiling and many deployments, but still sticky. Overall a great knife for cutting stuff in the garden.

Link to other reviews:

Kevin Cleary on YouTube

Price point:

MSRP- $145.00

Retail- $39.95 at Knife Center 

I NEED IT NOW! AVAILABILITY:

CRKT Linchpin - Columbia River (CRKT) - Knife Center

Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

This is a really solid feeling pocket knife. I really believe that it can take whatever you throw at it. It feels incredibly durable when it’s closed and when it’s open and being used. It holds a sharp edge for a good long while. I personally also love the button lock style on this knife.

Cons: 

The price point of $145.00 is pretty high for this knife, I think the sale price of almost $40.00 is a great deal! 

Score: 8.50 GREAT

Vosteed Thunderbird

  When it comes to everyday carry pocket knives, there are a ton on the market. All of them have various features for you to choose from. Vosteed makes a good selection of knives to fit whatever you are looking for. The Vosteed Thunderbird is one of those edc knives that has plenty of features. The Thunderbird’s features will rival knives that are priced much higher.

  Vosteed’s Thunderbird is a unique knife. Not in the way it looks, or the materials used, but in the way it opens. The Thunderbird uses Vosteed’s “Trek Lock” opening system. Trek Lock is a multi-opening system that allows one to open the knife in 4 or 5 different ways. One is by using the thumb hole. Another is using the normal flipper, located on the spine of the knife handle. And yet another way to open it, is to use the front flipper, located on the lower front of the closed Thunderbird. Then, since the knife uses a button lock mechanism, one can push the button and flip the blade out. Lastly, which isn’t really a flip method, is to just fold the knife out like you would an old school lock blade. To close the blade, just push the button and close it however you see fit. I would like the button lock to be a little harder to push. I just feel that little bit of extra might help keep the blade from wandering out when in the pocket. Not that it did this, but I can get the blade to open by just flicking the knife downward, something I can’t always do with button lock knives. If you like to fidget with your knife, the Thunderbird can’t be beat for that. I even find myself opening and closing it for no reason. As you may, or may not know, I am a big proponent of multiple ways to open a knife. Mainly because if you need to open a knife in some odd place, or body position, your main way of opening it might not work. So the Thunderbird is a dream come true for me. 

  Blade steel is an important quality of any knife. The steel Vosteed chose for the Thunderbird is top tier. This particular Thunderbird uses M390 steel. M390 is pretty much labeled a “super steel”, at least for knife making. It is super tough and durable with high edge retention, which leads to a high wear resistance. What that means for you is that the Thunderbird’s M390 blade will stay sharp for a very long time. M390 also has high corrosion resistance. So when you are actually using it, if it gets blood, or other bad stuff on it, it won’t damage the blade as quickly. One downfall to all of this, is that it takes a lot more effort to sharpen the Thunderbird. I’m okay with this trade off since the knife stays sharper longer. Vosteed also offers some versions of the Thunderbird with Elmax or S35VN blades. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the blade steel offerings of the Thunderbird.

  The handle of a knife is also important. Vosteed chose a Laminate GT-Mascus, or in simple terms, a G10 handle with a topographical pattern. This topo pattern is a black background with blue topo lines. Besides looking great, the Thunderbird’s handle shape is useful. The handle's spine has a slight curve to it. This makes it fit the hand fairly nice, even though it is a fairly sleek knife. It also has a decent choil built into the handle. That way you can really dig into the handle for a tight grip. The back flipper tab also meets up with this choil, extending it out a tiny bit farther. One notable thing is that the flippers jimping is slightly noticeable in the front of the choil. This gives the knife a little better grip on that index finger. The handle doesn’t have any real texture to it, but being G10, it still gives a great grip. Vosteed also designed the Thunderbird with a deep pocket clip. The clip’s mounting is inlaid so it doesn’t bind up when putting the Thunderbird in your pocket. It is reversible, but both options are tip up carry. Lastly it has a brass spacer at the rear. The spacer also includes a place to install a lanyard. The brass nicely sets off the color scheme and helps balance the Thunderbird out nicely.

  The last important design of the Thunderbird is the blade profile. Vosteed gave the Thunderbird a curved tanto style blade. It also has a harpoon style top structure. These two designs give the Thunderbird a really good “piercing” ability. More important to me, is that the tanto’s tip melds nicely with the belly of the knife. This makes it more useful than a regular tanto style blade. On the spine of the blade there is some jimping. The jimping is the Thunderbirds one downfall. It is fine and not deep enough to really aid in use. The Thunderbird also uses a shallow hollow grind, which gives it some good slicing ability. I typically don’t like tanto style blades, but the Thunderbird made me believe that there are good style tanto blades out there.

  Even though I haven’t had the Thunderbird for very long, I have used it. It is really good at just about everything. From slicing gummy bears, which is the real test of a knife's sharpness, to scraping off stuff from hard surfaces, the Thunderbird just performs. As Vosteed states, this is the fidget king when it comes to knives. The knife is SHARP. It also stays sharp thanks to the M390 blade steel. I’ve cut a lot of cardboard too, and the Thunderbird keeps slicing through it like soft butter.

  If you are looking for that do all edc knife, the Vosteed Thunderbird might be it. It has an excellent blade material and shape. There are multiple ways to open it, thanks to its Trek Lock. It feels good in the hand and has a silky smooth action thanks to its ceramic ball bearings. At $135, it is priced far below what you would expect to pay for something of this quality. So go check out the Vosteed Thunderbird, they probably make a version that you’ll like..

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

EDC knife with quality blade steel and multiple ways to open

Target Market:

Anyone wanting this style of quality in a folding knife

Features & Benefits of this product:

  • Trek lock opening - Front Flipper | Back Flipper | Thumb Hole | Fuller

  • Blade Length: 3.25" | 82.55 mm

  • Overall Length: 7.73" | 196.34 mm

  • Blade Width: 1.10" | 27.9 mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.118" | 3.00 mm

  • Blade Material: M390

  • Blade Grind: Compound

  • Blade Style: Tanto | Harpoon

  • Blade Finish: Black Stonewash

  • Hardness: HRC 60±2

  • Handle Length: 4.48" | 113.79 mm

  • Handle Width: 1.17" | 29.72 mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.472" | 12 mm

  • Handle Material: GT-Mascus (G10 topo pattern)

  • Weight: 3.34 oz | 94.70 g

  • Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

  • Pocket Clip: Tip-Up Reversible | Stainless Steel

  • Knife Type: Manual Folding

  • Backspacer Material: Brass

  • Button Material: Stainless Steel

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

https://www.vosteed.com/collections/thunderbird

What others are saying?:

4 out 5 stars at Vosteed.com

3.25" m390 thunderbird

Very pleased with this knife. I also have a Vosteed Gator that I love. I like this smaller version of the thunderbird and find it the perfect size for daily carry. Every deployment option works exactly as it should. The knife came sharp (although I sharpened it to my liking) and perfectly centered. No issue with the button lock unscrewing or with the "spine whack" test that have been a topic for the previous thunderbird model. I wish the detent was a little stronger; however, it is a great knife that will perform well for daily tasks. Highly recommend it.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing But Knives

Price point:

MSRP = $135.00

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Vosteed

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Multiple ways of opening

  • M390 blade steel

  • Button Lock

  • Ceramic bearings

  • G10 handle

  • Looks

Cons:

  • Button lock could have a little more strength

  • Shallow Jimping

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  Viridian RFX 45 review

Vosteed Raccoon

  Vosteed has come on the market with a bunch of quality knives at affordable prices. The Raccoon is one of those. These knives give you good, useful features that won’t break the bank. If you are looking for an everyday carry knife, one that can handle a multitude of tasks, the Vosteed Raccoon might fit the bill. Let’s find out what this knife has to offer.

  The Vosteed Raccoon starts off with a crossbar style lock. The crossbar lock essentially locks the blade in place once open. I found it to hold the blade in place for everything I used the knife for, from normal cutting to scraping off tape. The crossbar lock on the Raccoon is spring loaded and located toward the top of the handle, near the pivot. Once the blade is locked in place and you wish to close it, just slide the crossbar back toward the rear of the knife to release the blade. You can use either side of the crossbar, or both, it’s really just personal preference. Amazingly, this is my first crossbar lock and I really like how it works.

  More important than the lock style, is the Raccoon’s blade style or shape. The Raccoon uses a flat ground 3.25” drop point blade made from 14C28N steel. Vosteed used a 3 to 1, length to width, ratio on the blade. I really liked what they did with the blade shape, it just works. If you are worried about the blade steel, it has held up extremely well. The blade came razor sharp. So sharp that I cut myself within the first few minutes of receiving it. I have had to sharpen the blade since then, but that is mainly because I was scraping off tile grout with it. I have two complaints about the blade. One is the choil. Yes, it allows one to choke up on the knife, but sometimes it can get caught on the edge of something, like a box flap. The next has to do with the jimping on the spine of the blade. It is too close together and not deep enough. It really doesn’t help much. Besides those two items, I really do like the Raccoon’s blade shape and style.

  I probably should mention how the Raccoon opens. Vosteed gave the Raccoon your everyday thumb stud opener. It has a thumb stud on both sides of the blade, so no matter what hand you use to open it, it will work. This thumb stud is in a good location and makes for opening the Raccoon very easy. One can also use the crossbar lock to open the knife. Just pull the crossbar back and the blade will fall open due to gravity. Or you can flick it out after sliding the crossbar back. Part of the reason the Raccoon opens so easily is its caged ceramic ball bearings. I always like a knife that has more than one way of opening it and one that opens smoothly. The Raccoon does both of those with ease.

  Moving back from the blade, we get into the handle. The handle on the Raccoon is made from micarta. The micarta gives the handle a nice feel. Being micarta, it naturally has a little bit of texture to it. Because of this, the micarta handle never felt slick to me and always gave a decent grip. The Raccoon also has a deep pocket carry clip. It’s only tip up, but can be moved to the other side. The clip is inlet where it screws to the handle so it slides smoothly in and out of your pocket. If you like lanyards, Vosteed put a hole in there for one. I was also pleased with the handles shape, it allowed me to really hold onto the knife. If you are not into micarta, Vosteed also offers the Raccoon with G10 handles.

  The Raccoon came in a nice little metal tin. Inside the tin was a little zippered case with the Raccoon inside. Vosteed also included a patch, sticker, and cleaning cloth. But probably more important, they included replacement springs for the crossbar lock. Not because they break, but because they like to go flying if you completely dismantle the knife. 

  I was pleasantly surprised with the Vosteed Raccoon. For a $50 knife it has some great features. But besides that, it cuts really well. I attribute its cutting ability to the blade shape. This makes the Raccoon a great EDC knife. It just does everything well. The Raccoon is now in my rotation of EDC knives. If you are looking for something sharp to carry around, I would look into what Vosteed has to offer. The Raccoon really fits the spirit of the animal it was named after.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Crossbar lock EDC knife

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a decent pocket knife that doesn’t cost a fortune

Features & Benefits of this product:

  • Overall Length: 7.60" | 193.12 mm

  • Blade Length: 3.25" | 82.55 mm

  • Blade Width: 1.07" | 27.27 mm 

  • Blade Thickness: 0.125" | 3.20 mm

  • Blade Material: 14C28N

  • Flat ground

  • Drop Point Blade

  • Blade Finish: Black Stonewash

  • Hardness: HRC 60±2

  • Handle Length: 4.36" | 110.75 mm

  • Handle Width: 1.10" | 27.95 mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.49" | 12.4 mm

  • Handle Material: Micarta

  • Weight: 3.04 oz

  • Pivot Construction: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearings

  • Pocket Clip: Stainless Steel (Tip-Up, Right/Left Carry)

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Too many to list, check them out at Vosteed.com

What others are saying?:

Jacob J. - 5/5 stars @ Vosteed.com

My favorite knife, hands down.

I have three Raccoons in varying colors. They're all butter smooth, razor sharp and have great ergonomics. For the price point, it's absolutely my favorite pocket knife and I plan to buy more for family members. The fit and finish is phenomenal for a $60 knife, and the presentation with aluminum box, polishing cloth, and zipper case is great at this price point.

Link to other reviews:

TechWriter Review    

Price point:

MSRP = $59.00

Retail = $49.00 at Knifecenter      

I need it now! Availability:

Vosteed or KnifeCenter

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Blade profile

  • Sharp

  • Micarta Handle

  • Crossbar lock

  • Price

Cons:

  • Jimping is not great

  • Blade Choil

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  SwampFox Liberty review   

COBRATEC BLACK RAPTOR DAGGER

  Here we have, for review, The Black Raptor Dagger from CobraTec. A knife company that I have just absolutely fallen in love with. The company, as you can see, is CobraTec. On the Gun & Gear Review podcast we discussed one of their knives, and before the show even started I bought the knife and had it on the way to me. That particular knife is the Trapper model with the hidden open switch. Since then I have ordered and paid for 3 more of their knives, plus I have given a few away as door prizes and gifts to friends. Some went to Tony Simon over at his Diversity Shoot. So needless to say, I have been digging these knives pretty well. The knife review today was sent to me by CobraTec, after I reached out to them. They were more than happy to send me this Black Raptor dagger. 

  So what we have here is a knife that is an OTF (out the front) knife, it has a side fire switch made out of aluminum with nice knurling on it to get a good thumb purchase. The handles or case of the knife is CNC machined 6061-T6 aluminum. This is what a lot of firearms and lower receivers are made out of. The blade of the knife is D2 tool steel and is a dagger point that is sharpened on both sides and is very sharp from the factory. The action of this knife is smooth and the lock up is nice and tight. I have used more expensive OTF knives that have rattled once the blades were deployed, but not this one. 

  Here are the factory specs on the knife and then I will get into some more details of what I like and maybe what I don't.  

Specifications:

  • Weight: 3 oz

  • Overall Length: 7.63"

  • Blade Length: 3.13"

  • Handle Length: 4.5"

  • Blade Material: D2 Steel Blade

  • Aluminum Switch

  Most everyone knows that I love D2 tool steel, it is an amazing steel for blades. It is not the sharpest steel out, the most expensive, but in my opinion it is one of the best all around steels for durability, ease of taking care of, sharpening and longevity of a blade. I think they did a fantastic job of picking this steel for their knives.

  CobraTec Is an American company based in Meridian, Texas, they have their blades manufactured overseas to meet their specifications. Then once they are imported back to Texas, a group of technicians assemble the knives and do a quality control on them. This ensures that the end user is getting a quality built, reliable knife with a lifetime warranty. All of the blades are sent out to a metallurgical research laboratory for testing. Now that is quality control right there people. 

  The Raptor came packaged in a great hard plastic case with a foam insert that held the knife in place. It also had a card with the person who assembled and inspected the knife. There was also a warranty card in the box as well. All you have to do is follow the directions and go to the website and put the code in. Your knife will be warrantied to you for a lifetime. 

  With the Raptor being a dagger style blade I did not get to do my usual type of skinning or typical EDC fingernail cleaning with it. What I can tell you is that it is sharp. It will puncture through just about any normal thing you want to stab with it, within reason. I did sharpen the D2 blades on both sides, I didn't have to but I did, it was already sharp enough.

  One good thing about their OTF knives is that you can order different style blades for them at a reasonable price. They have tanto, drop point, and the dagger style. This blade style is not one I myself like, because I like a blade that I can use to work with everyday. My opinion on this doesn't take away from what the knife was intended for. This is a defensive knife and a damn good one at that. So if you're looking for a EDC OTF knife for self defense look at the CobraTec Raptor, it will not disappoint at all. CobraTec also has many options, styles and price points for everyone. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Quality Out the Front knife at a decent price. American owned company, assembled and quality inspected by a single person.

Target Market:

Someone looking for quality without breaking the bank

Self defense

Knife collectors

Average Joe 

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product): 

  • Weight: 3 oz

  • Overall Length: 7.63"

  • Blade Length: 3.13"

  • Handle Length: 4.5"

  • Blade Material: D2 Steel

  • Aluminum Switch

  • American Owned company

  • Sharp out of the box

  • Great packaging

  • Locks up tight

  • Lifetime warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available

Different blade styles, other models available, different price points for everyone, different finishes, etc. 

Link to other reviews:

Great American Survival on YouTube   

Price point:

MSRP = $159.99

Retail = Same but use code “GGR10” at CobraTec and get 10% off

I need it now! Availability:

CobraTec

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Sharp

  • Great lock up

  • Quality machining

  • Quality materials

Cons:

  • I am not a fan of the dagger blade

Score: 7.5 Good 

Sencut Serene

  When looking at an EDC knife, your average person tends to want quality at an affordable price point. Sencut knives just might be what these people are looking for. They sent out the Serene model for me to use and review. I opted for the blue handled version with the satin finished blade, but they have other color options available. 

  The Sencut Serene is a button lock, flipper style knife. It also has thumb studs on it for opening, not just the flipper or button. This means that there are 3 ways of opening the knife up. Either flip it out using the flipper hump on the back side of the handle, or by using the thumb stud. Being a button lock knife, one can also push and hold the button in, then flip the knife out. I am a person that really likes having multiple ways to open an EDC knife. You never know when your normal way of opening it just won't work. Being a button lock knife, and a flipper, the button is spring loaded so that it catches the blade at full extension, and locks it in place. I found the Serene’s button lock to work well. The blade also locks up tight. The other great aspect of the Serene is how smooth it functions. Those ceramic ball bearings make it feel like you are getting a much higher price range knife.

   The heart of any knife is its blade steel. The Serene uses D2 steel at a hardness of 59-61. D2 is an excellent choice for anyone wanting an everyday use knife. D2 is not considered stainless steel, so you will need to clean it and oil it every so often. But, D2 will give you good edge retention and toughness. Not as much as high end steels, but the Serene is a budget knife that performs above its pay grade. Because the D2 blade is fairly tough, it takes a little more to sharpen it, but that also means that it will stay sharp longer. I am a fan of D2 steel in knives, and Sencut made a good choice using it in the Serene.

  Since we are on blade steel, let’s get into the blade itself. The Serene uses a 3.48” drop point style blade. So it’s not tiny. Basically it is curved up from the blade's belly to become a point. The Serene uses a shallower curve than what I would call your typical drop point blade. It doesn’t really have a flat spot in the cutting edge, it just gradually curves upward to the point. I found the blade shape to be very useful for most of my cutting needs. Sencut also put some decent jimping on the top of the blade. This gives your thumb some grip on the top of the knife. The Serene’s blade is also very thin, making it easily slice through stuff. The flat grind on it also probably helps with that too. I am also a fan of the blade's thinness.

Worn Anodizing

Easily dinged up handle

  As with any knife, it usually needs some sort of handle or frame. The handles on the Serene are made from aluminum and anodized in different colors. Sencut did not put any texture on the knife's handles. They aren’t necessarily smooth, as there is, what looks like, a bead blasted finish. But they feel smooth to me. There is a finger curve cut out for your index finger. This does give some grip so your hand won't slip off the knife. The shape and smoothness of the handles does make for a comfortable feeling knife in the hand. One drawback, I found with the Serene, is that the anodizing wears off pretty easy. Especially around the edges. Dings show up pretty easily in the anodizing too  The Serene also has a tip up reversible carry clip. The clip is designed for fairly deep carry, and is decently strong to hold the knife in place.

  The Sencut Serene fits my style of EDC nicely. Its blade length fits in where I like them, somewhere between 3 and 3.5 inches. The thin D2 blade stays sharp and cuts nicely. The handle may be smoother than I like, but some people prefer a smoother handle. It’s also pretty lightweight. I really don’t think a person can go wrong with the Sencut Serene. The knife has a lot of good attributes, especially in the $50 price range. You can check the Serene out at Sencut.com.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Lightweight EDC knife

Target Market:

Those wanting a quality flipper knife that won’t break the bank

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Overall Length: 8.17" / 207.5mm

  • Width: 1.43" / 36.4mm

  • Overall Height (Include Clip): 0.68" / 17.2mm

  • Blade Length: 3.48" / 88.4mm

  • Closed Length: 4.69" / 119.1mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.12" / 3mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.47" / 12mm

  • Knife Weight: 3.43oz / 97.3g

  • Blade Material: D2

  • Blade Hardness: 59-61HRC

  • Blade Grind: Flat

  • Blade Finish: Satin

  • Blade Type: Drop Point

  • Handle Material: Bright Blue anodized Aluminum

  • Hidden Lanyard bar

  • Pocket Clip: Tip-Up, L/R

  • Clip Material: Stainless Steel

  • Screws/Thumb Stud Material: Stainless Steel

  • Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

  • Locking Mechanism: Button Lock

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Blak, Red, or Grey

What others are saying?:

5 out of 5 stars on Amazon   

Very nice and extremely sharp!

This is my first Sencut knife. I purchased it because I have always enjoyed my Civivi knives, and I know they are from the same OEM. This knife came extremely sharp from the factory. It performed the paper cut test with almost no resistance and absolutely a razor clean cut. The thumb stud is a good size, but not too big as to be distracting or in the way. The flipper tab on the back is also very modest but quite functional. My wife who has zero experience with flippers was able to work both methods of opening first try. The button lock depresses easily, but not so easily that I would worry about accidentally unlocking the blade while working. The action is buttery smooth, and the detent is very nice. The knife is exactly the same blue color as the depiction. The blade is perfectly centered, and has no play left to right or up and down. I am very impressed with this Sencut knife and will be purchasing more from this brand in the future.

Link to other reviews:

Neeves Knives on YouTube   

Price point:

MSRP = $55.00

Retail = $46.75 on Amazon     

I need it now! Availability:

Sencut or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Sharp

  • Thin D2 blade

  • Button Lock

  • Flipper

  • Ceramic bearings

  • Deep carry pocket clip

Cons:

  • Anodizing wear

  • Smooth handle

Score: 7.50 Good

Favorite Link:  Angry Bear Arms sight review 

Vosteed Corsair

  Up for review is a Vosteed Corsair knife which was provided by the manufacturer. When I opened the box, In addition to the knife, it contained a Backspacer with a lanyard loop, cover plate, sticker, and a patch.  

  My first impression of the Vosteed Corsair is that it is well constructed and feels solid. The Micarta grip is nice and allows me to securely hold the knife with a convenient thumb ramp on the back of the blade.  The blade opens smoothly and is easily manipulated.  There is a reversible deep cover pocket clip for minimal visibility which is rounded to prevent pinching and snagging.  A plate is also included, along with two screws, to cover the open pocket clip slot.  All screws on the knife are countersunk which prevents snagging when removing the knife from your pocket.  

  The drop point blade of the Corsair is made from Nitro-V and is extremely sharp out of the box.  The blade design works fine for daily use allowing me to cut everything from paper to vegetables with minimal effort.   The blade lockup is solid with minor play in the blade pivot assembly, even when the blade is between the open and closed positions.  

  This is the first knife I have ever used with a crossbar lock, but it only took a few minutes to get used to the mechanism.  I found that holding the blade down and using my thumb and index finger would easily disengage the lock.  Make sure to keep your other fingers out of the way or break out the first aid kit (did I mention that the blade is very sharp?).  I have been using this knife for the past three weeks and it has made me a fan of crossbar locks.  

  Vosteed also includes a backspacer, which has a built in lanyard loop.  Installing this item increases the size of the knife by 0.25 inches.  I looked at this and, in the end, decided not to install it as I wanted less of the knife exposed when carrying it.  

  Vosteed offers a lifetime limited warranty to the original purchaser, the limitations are on their website. 

  I will give Vosteed credit as when I was looking at the reviews on their website, two of the reviews were negative (2-Star, 1-Star).  They could have easily removed the reviews but chose to leave them in place.  

  If you are looking for an EDC knife, the Corsair is a deal at $69 and is now part of my every day carry.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Reasonably priced EDC knife

Target Market:

Anyone who is looking for an EDC knife

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Overall Length: 7.58" | 192.48 mm

  • Blade Length: 3.25" | 82.55 mm

  • Blade Width: 1.04" | 26.49 mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.118" | 3.00 mm

  • Blade Material: Nitro-V

  • Grind: Flat 

  • Blade Style: Modified Drop Point

  • Finish: Stonewash

  • Hardness: HRC 60±2

  • Handle Length: 4.33" | 109.93 mm

  • Handle Width: 0.94" | 23.91 mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.49" | 12.4 mm

  • Handle Material: Micarta

  • Handle Color: Black, Blue, Brown, Green

  • Weight: 2.91 oz | 82.5 g

  • Opener: Thumb Stud

  • Lock Type: Crossbar Lock

  • Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

  • Pocket Clip: Stainless Steel | Reversible

  • Carry Position: Tip-up 

  • Knife Type: Manual Folding

  • Pivot Collar Material: Copper

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Black, Blue, Brown, Green

What others are saying?:

From the manufacturer’s website:

Great action, super sharp

Love the new knife from an appearance and (super sharp) blade perspective. The pivot is very smooth out of the box, too. The scales have some rougher/lighter colored bits on them, though, but that seems like something I can take care of myself.

I'm not sold on the bolt lock, if I'm honest. It works just as it is supposed to, though, from what I can tell. Liner locks just feel a bit safer to me.

I'm no pro, but this still seems like a lot of knife for $69. It fits in a pocket well enough. I'm happy.

Nice knife, but the handle?

Honestly it’s a nice knife, everything but the handle. Which the handle seems like plastic. Not over enthused not worth $70

Link to other reviews:

Metal Complex

Maxlvledc

Knife Know it All

Price point:

MSRP = $69.00

Retail = $69.00

I need it now! Availability:

Vosteed

Knife Center

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Great value for the price

  • Action opens easily and smoothly

  • Blade is incredibly sharp from the factory.

  • Crossbar lock keeps the blade securely in place. 

Cons:

  • Some reviewers said the plastic handle felt a little cheap.  

  • Some reviewers did not like the crossbar lockup. 

Score:  8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  https://diversityshoot.com 

Case Trapper: Jigged Buffalo Horn S35VN

THE ORIGINAL MULTI TOOL

WHAT’S IN YOUR POCKET?

So for this review I have gone a little old school and traveled back in time. I went back to a place and time in my past when times were simpler, we ate bologna sandwiches because we had to, where fried potatoes were considered a food group, you drank out of a water hose when you were thirsty, and most of all you had that one special knife that could do it all. My grandfather had one, my dad had one, all my uncles had one, and I had one too. What am I talking about? The good Ole’ Case Trapper. 

  The Case Trapper 65090 Jigged Buffalo Horn S35V, this is not the same trapper I carried as a kid, but it is an updated version of it. It has a great textured Buffalo Horn material that is gripping enough to hang onto when your hands are wet and covered in whatever animal you are processing. Yet it is stylish enough to ride in the front pocket of your slacks, overalls, bibs, or in a Case leather sheath. The blade steel is a version of stainless S35VN which is about 20% stronger than S30, has better corrosion resistance than 440 stainless, has better edge retention and chipping than D2. If you click on the link you can geek out on all the properties that are in the steel. All I know is that it came from the factory with a stone washed finish and was razor sharp. I was really surprised at how sharp it was. I usually hit all my new blades lightly on a fine stone to see the grind marks from the factory. This one had some but they were really close together and not that deep. 

I got this knife during trapping season because I was wanting to go back to the old ways of skinning and trapping animals around the farm. I was using an older Case Trapper I had, but it was one of the smaller ones, and I wanted one a little larger to use while wearing gloves. 

This particular Case Trapper came with two blades, a Clip point and a Spey blade. The clip point 3.25” is for your everyday tasks like piercing, cutting and gives better control when cutting shaped patterns. The Spey point 3.27” blade is well better known in the country, on ranches and farms as a castration blade. The blade is mainly round on top with just a little point at the crown of it. A lot of hunters and trappers love this blade because you can skin an animal, field dress one without hitting the stomach or vital organs. The blade also helps not to pierce the skin when skinning an animal. The overall length is 4.13” closed. The knife weighs in at 4 ounces and one thing to remember is that these knives are slip joint non locking blades. You really need to be careful when using one and be aware of the pressure applied to the blade when cutting. 

I used this knife to skin about 6 raccoons and 2 deer this year. I couldn't tell you how many bales of hay I cut open with it and the numerous packages. After cleaning the knife and putting it back in my pocket or sheath I used it for other tasks like cutting potatoes, processing cuts of game meat and general tasks. The blades have only been sharpened a few times and then they were just touched up with a fine diamond stone and then a strop. The knife has not failed me at all. I really feel that if you like classic knives, maybe ones that bring back some memories, or something that you can pass down to a child, or one that is a general do all, non tactical, original multi tool knife, than this is the one for you. 

The price of this particular knife is a little high, coming in at $149.99 on the Case website. I did find this knife a little cheaper at Knife Works for $125.99. Yes I bought this knife with my own money because I know it is an investment and I can pass it down to my son or to one of my grandsons when the time is right. Case does have countless variations of trappers from $40 and up and in different blade materials, collections, from Ford, Harley Davidson, John Deere to Boy Scouts of America. So if this price is too high they will have something in your budget line. The best part is they are made in America. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

American made

Classic Style

Sharp

Corrosion Resistance

Rugged look

Been around since 1889

Target Market:

Dedicated knife people

Hunters

EDC

Those who like quality

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Blade thickness 0.120 (almost ⅛”)

  • Weight: 4 ounces

  • Blade material: S35VN

  • Buffalo Jigged handles

  • Brass bolsters in handle

  • Belt sheath sold separate $10.99

  • Lock Type: Non-Locking (Slip Joint)

  • Closed Length: 4.13 in

  • Blade Length(s): 3.25 in, 3.27 in

  • Blade Type: Clip, Spey

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Tons

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of this review

Link to other reviews:

Same as above

Price point:

MSRP = $149.99

Retail = $125.99

I need it now! Availability:

Case, Amazon, or Knife Works

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • American made 

  • Sharp 

  • Great construction 

  • Good quality for the money.

Cons:

  • Slip joint, could fold up on your fingers

Score: 8.00 Great

An Elegant and Lightweight EDC Choice: Civivi Elementum Button Lock Carbon Fiber

Written by Lance Wallace

  The Civivi Elementum Damascus with a carbon fiber handle and a stunning 3.47-inch Damascus blade is a true testament to the craftsmanship, quality and attention to detail that Civivi brings to the table. As an everyday carry enthusiast, I had the pleasure of using this knife for a couple months, and I loved it.

  First and foremost, the knife's appearance is simply gorgeous. The Damascus blade, with its intricate patterns, exudes a sense of uniqueness I often don't find in other knives. The carbon fiber handle complements the blade perfectly, providing a modern and sleek aesthetic. I found myself proudly showing off this knife whenever the opportunity arose.

  One of the standout features of the Civivi Elementum is its lightweight carbon fiber handle. The knife feels incredibly nimble and light in hand, making it excellent to use for quick cuts or extended jobs. The handle's non-textured surface offers a secure and comfortable grip, enhancing overall control and maneuverability. Whether I was performing intricate tasks or simply using it for everyday cutting needs, the lightweight handle allowed for precise and effortless handling.

  While the Elementum impresses with its appearance and handle, I do have one minor complaint. After a month of daily use, I noticed a loss of sharpness in the blade. Admittedly, this is not uncommon for EDC knives. However, it would have been preferable if the blade retained its sharpness for a bit longer before requiring maintenance. Nonetheless, this issue can be easily remedied with routine sharpening.

  Overall, the Civivi Elementum Button Lock Knife with its Damascus blade and carbon fiber handle is a top-notch EDC option. The lightweight carbon fiber handle ensures a comfortable experience, making it a pleasure to use in various scenarios. While the blade's sharpness may require occasional maintenance, this minor drawback doesn't overshadow the knife's exceptional qualities. For those seeking a reliable and stylish EDC companion, the Civivi Elementum is undoubtedly worth considering.

  Overall, the Civivi Elementum is a stylish pick for anyone looking for a new EDC knife. With a price point of only $126, the Elementum is an excellent purchase and a testament to Civivi's quality.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Button lock, damascus blade, carbon fiber handles, folding knife

Target Market:

Those wanting a nice looking quality knife for a reasonable price

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Blade Length: 3.47" (88.1 mm)

  • Closed Length: 4.53" (115.0 mm)

  • Overall Length: 8.00" (213.1 mm)

  • Blade Material: Damascus

  • Blade Thickness: 0.118" (3.0 mm)

  • Blade Hardness: 58-60HRC

  • Blade Style: Drop Point

  • Blade Grind: Hollow

  • Blade Finish: Black Hand Rubbed

  • Handle Material: Marble Carbon Fiber

  • Handle Thickness: 0.43" (11.0 mm)

  • Liner Material: Stainless Steel

  • Locking Mechanism: Button Lock

  • Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Bearings

  • Pocket Clip: Deep Carry Stainless Steel (Tip-Up, Right/Left Carry)

  • Weight: 3.19 oz. (90.5 g)

  • Carbon Fiber Backspacer with Hidden Lanyard Post

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Tons

What others are saying?:

Ed @ Knifecenter.com  

fun flipper.

Was looking for carbon fiber handled knives, DCA on youtube convinced me to give this a try. Looks sweet, and the smooth flipping action was more fidget friendly than I expected. Blade shape is good for most cutting tasks. This knife convinced me that I need more Civivi Knives. The Elementum is a proven design, the pushbutton flipping action is slick, and the marbled carbon and damascus look really nice together. I appreciate the extra length over the original elementum flipper. Slickness of the carbon surface takes some getting used to, but as a result it is pants friendly.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found on this particular model, plenty of regular Elementum reviews are out there.

Price point:

MSRP = $126.00

Retail = $107.00

I need it now! Availability:

Civivi, Knife Center, or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Lightweight Design

  • The knife is gorgeous

  • The button lock is extremely secure and I had no problems with it sticking

  • Extremely sharp out of the box

Cons:

  • The Elementum lost its edge quickly

  • This is more on me but I found the 3.5” blade to be a tad too long for my preference in an EDC knife but Civivi does offer a 3” model.

  • Another small gripe is the hinge got noticeably dirtier with lint than a lot of my other knives and I had to remove lint quite often.

Score: 8.50 Great

Civivi Conspirator

  As one may know, Civivi has a bunch of affordable knife options. The Conspirator is no different and possibly better. This knife uses a button lock instead of the more common liner lock, but still uses a common flipper to open it up. It is ever so slightly larger than some other knives from Civivi, but is light enough to make a very good every day carry (EDC) blade.

  The Conspirator comes in a variety of different options. Including damascus steel or wood handles. I chose a standard option with green micarta scales and a black stonewashed blade. I seriously thought about the wood handle ones because they look very nice, but decided on something more practical for everyday use. The Green micarta handles are nice. They are textured very little, but have a great grip. These particular micarta scales have a dullish, kind of papery, finish to them. It definitely gives them a unique look. The actual handle design is very simple also. It’s slightly curved where it needs to be and is large enough to actually grip. It has a deep pocket clip that can be swapped to the other side, if needed. The clip only allows for tip up carry. I like Civivi’s pocket clips. They are stout enough that I don’t bend them when they catch on stuff.

  What led me to the Conspirator was the button lock feature. Since I have other Civivi’s with liner locks, I really was curious how the button lock would compare. I have to say, it’s fantastic. The button locking mechanism locks the blade up tight. Then I just have to push the button to fold the blade back in. With a little practice, you don’t even have to touch the blade to close it completely. Some of this is a testament to Civivi’s super smooth ball bearing pivot system. 

  Civivi designed the Conspirator as a “flipper” style knife. So on the back of the handle, there’s a little nub that sticks up. Just run your finger over the nub quickly, and the knife blade flicks out and opens. The flipper has jimping on it for a better finger grip. Not surprisingly to me, the Conspirator opens extremely smooth with the flipper. One can also open the blade, by placing a thumb in one of the grooves on the blade, as if it had a thumb stud. Then there is the opening of the blade using the button lock. One can push the button lock down, then ever so lightly, flick their wrist, to open up the blade. I usually use the flipper, but all of the ways will work for one handed manipulation.

  One of the most important, and hardest to decipher, parts of the knife is the blade steel. Civivi uses Nitro-V steel for the Conspirator’s blade. Nitro-V is a higher grade knife steel, which is probably why the Conspirator costs a little bit more than other Civivi knives. Nitro-V is hard, tough, and can get very sharp. It is a stainless steel, so corrosion shouldn’t be a problem. The Conspirator didn’t hold an edge as well as I would have liked. But to be fair, I was pretty hard on this blade. I used it to pry out some wood staples and also mark lines on fence boards. So in the three months I’ve had it, I sharpened it for the first time recently. It sharpened fairly easily. Plus it does get super sharp!

  I am really impressed with the Conspirator’s blade design. It is a typical drop point style that has a taller profile than my Civivi Brazen. The taller profile gives the blade a little more strength and at 0.12” thick, it could be useful. The blade also has about an inch of jimping. This jimping gives a really good purchase for your thumb to rest on, especially if you need to put some downward force on the knife. Also on the blade itself, up toward the top, is a groove on each side. This allows different ways to open the knife, as mentioned earlier. With the chosen Conspirator option, the blade is coated black. The black coating is pretty durable. I have some light scratches in it, but nothing major. 

  Civivi knives come with a soft case. The case is a little zip up unit that has fake sheepskin stuff inside. Also included is a knife cleaning cloth. These cleaning clothes are great for wiping the knife down, or various other uses. These little additions aren’t needed, but they are appreciated.

  If you are looking for a very good EDC knife, the Civivi Conspirator is just that. It has a durable blade, doesn’t weigh a lot, has super smooth operation, and is sized to fit nicely in one's pocket. I am very pleased with the quality and function of the Conspirator. You can check it out at Civivi’s website or on Amazon.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Button lock, flipper style pocket knife

Target Market:

Anyone that carries a folding knife

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Overall Length: 8.11" / 206.0mm

  • Width: 1.44" / 36.5mm

  • Overall Height (Including Clip): 0.74" / 18.8mm

  • Blade Length: 3.48" / 88.3mm

  • Closed Length: 4.63" / 117.7mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.12" / 3.0mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.51" / 13.0mm

  • Weight: 3.82oz / 108.3g

  • Nitro-V blade steel

  • Grind: Flat

  • Blade Finish: Black Stonewashed

  • Micarta handles

  • Stainless Steel liners

  • Stainless steel Pocket Clip: Tip-Up,L/R

  • Ceramic Ball Bearing

  • Button Lock

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Black handle/gray blade, Damascus, Wood handle/gray blade

What others are saying?:

4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon 

I'm a little disappointed. I expected it to be extremely smooth. The look, the feel, the sound it makes is all top notch. But the button is a problem. It is clunky. I heard it's worse with the damscus but that's what I wanted. It is such a cool design with multiple deployment options which I absolutely love. But the button lock should have been improved. I have already taken apart and oiled. Didn't really help. I'm considering filing the blade down where it get a connection but I doubt it will graze it after being hardened. This knife should have been a 10/10. (I do wish the pocket clip was recessed but that's a nitpick)

All this being said, I like the design and deployment options so much I'm not returning. ( though I considering returning for the black micarta with Grey blade)

Link to other reviews:

Nothing but Knives 

Price point:

MSRP = $94.00

Retail = $79.90 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Civivi or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Blade shape

  • Size

  • Deep pocket clip

  • Ceramic ball bearings

  • Button lock

Cons:

  • Edge retention

  • No option for partial serrations

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  JSD Supply


Civivi Hadros

 If you have listened to the podcast, you understand that I am impressed with the Civivi knives. One of their newest knives, the Hadros, didn’t let me down. The Hadros is a very svelte knife with a wharncliffe blade, thumb stud opening, micarta scales, and a liner lock. The Hadros also has an elegant look to it.

  Civivi took the Hadros and added in some civility. This knife is pretty, if I can say that about a pocket knife. All of this starts with the nicely shaped micarta handles, these happen to be olive colored. The handles are smooth, which gives them a softer look. Of course the smooth handles are not my favorite for actual use, as they are slick. But the size and shape give the Hadros a good look. The handle shape is quite slender in both directions. At first I thought this might be a problem. Amazingly though, the knife feels good in the hand. Civivi’s logo on the pivot screw is a nice touch also. To round out the aesthetics is a smooth pocket clip. This clip is reversible for left or right, tip up carry. The clip is strong and slides smoothly over the pockets edge. 

  The wharncliffe blade on the Hadros is super sharp. It’s made from 10Cr15CoMoV steel, which is a good intermediate steel for this knife. What really makes this wharncliffe blade shine is the hollow grind and flat cutting edge. The hollow grind makes it slice through stuff effortlessly, or at least that’s how it felt for me. The edge has held up well, but I have touched it up on my little sharpener a few times. It wasn’t dull by any means, I just wanted it a little sharper. One advantage, or disadvantage to this blade, is the super pointy tip. If you like that, it’s a nice sharp point. I worry that I might bend or break it off, but luckily, I haven’t. The spine of the blade also has some useful jimping. The jimping is exactly where my thumb rests when holding the Hadros and works well. For opening the Hadros, Civivi uses thumb studs. There’s one on each side of the blade, so being right or left handed doesn’t matter. The thumb stud is located in a good spot. It is easy to open the knife without catching your finger on anything but the thumb stud. Once the Hadros is open, the blade is held in place with a stainless steel liner lock. When locked, the liner lock doesn’t extend too far over the blade. It’s enough to hold the blade good and tight, but leaves enough room for future wear. 

  As with all the Civivi knives I’ve felt, the opening and closing of them is so smooth. The Hadros seems a little smoother than the Brazen model I have. The smoothness is due to their caged ceramic ball bearings. These bearings also help the Hadros to have little, if any, side to side play in the blade. With this knife, I just flick the thumb stud and the blade flips out effortlessly. 

  Some of the Hadros’ specifications are also noteworthy. First off, it weighs nothing at 2.57 ounces. For me, it is on the edge of whether I notice I’m even carrying a knife or not. It really is light. The blade is a useful 3.35” long. I like my pocket knives to have between a 2.75” and 3.5” length, so the Hadros is right where I like the blade length. It also has a 4.2” handle, so it won’t take up a bunch of real estate in your pocket. The micarta handles put the knife at 0.47” wide, and in spots, the depth is about the same. 

  I’ve been running around with the Hadros for about 3 months now. I carry it everyday, and probably use it every day. I’ve cut boxes and food with it, as well as other various things . It is a really good knife, don’t let the handle size fool you. It stays sharp. I haven’t broken the tip yet. It looks good in work pants, as well as Khaki’s. It even comes in a little soft case with a cleaning cloth. All in all, the Hadros has treated me well. 

  The Hadros has a nice look and feel to it. It does everything a pocket knife should, and some things even better. The smoothness, of opening the knife, is top notch. It’s sharp, and even holds an edge well. If you’re looking for something with a Wharncliffe style blade, go check out the Civivi Hadros. 


Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Slim, thumb stud folder with a Wharncliffe blade 

Target Market:

Those wanting a lightweight, elegant style pocket knife

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Wharncliffe style blade

  • Overall Length: 7.55" / 191.7mm

  • Blade Length: 3.35" / 85mm

  • Closed Length: 4.2" / 106.7mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.12" / 3mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.47" / 12mm

  • Weight: 2.57oz / 72.8g

  • Blade Material: 10Cr15CoMoV

  • Blade Hardness: 59-61HRC

  • Blade Grind: Hollow

  • Blade Finish: Satin

  • Olive Micarta Handle

  • Stainless Steel Liner

  • Tip-Up, L/R stainless steel pocket clip

  • Thumb Stud opening

  • Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

  • Liner Lock

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Brown or Black scales

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars on Amazon

Great quality, smooth action, great lockup. Perfect gentleman’s carry.

The blade is perfect for opening packages or doing detail work. Long blade reach

Link to other reviews:

Wayne’s Sharp World 

Price point:

MSRP = $70.00

Retail = $59.50 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Civivi or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Sharp

  • Super smooth action

  • Hollow ground Wharncliffe blade

  • Weight, or lack of it

  • Pocket clip

  • Thumb Jimping

Cons:

  • Super pointy blade, could break off easily if misused

  • Slick and small handle

Score: 8.50 Great

Favorite Link:  Gun Guys Garage

ESEE Xancudo

Written by: Rusty Odom

  With the last year being so hard on us firearms enthusiasts finding ammo, I went back to my roots and started getting back into knives. I have a background of being a machinist, for about 10 years, prior to becoming a paramedic. I worked a lot with tool steels in various states of hardness, stainless steel, Starrett stock, hot rolled, cold rolled and so on. I have hardened all kinds of steels, ground them into cutting dies for the smallest of tasks up to 200 ton presses. I am not a metallurgist, but I do have a good base knowledge enough to be dangerous. Here is a term I like to use, “J.E.D, just enough to be dangerous.”  So when I go to buy a knife I look for several things or a combination of 3 things, blade size, blade steel and carry method. With that being said, as of writing this, I have found my favorite fixed blade.

  The ESEE Xancudo, a fixed blade, light weight, easy handling knife with a 3 inch blade. I have numerous ESEE blades, most of them are in the Randall Adventure Training or R.A.T line. Most of these blades are a 1095 carbon steel blade that are easy to sharpen, keep a good edge, can be used like a plow mule, but also needs care of the edge so it doesn't rust. Then while surfing the internet I came across the Xancudo, I was smitten with this blade from the start. First it has a new blade steel for the Esee line, S35VN, which has a Rockwell hardness to 59-60 rc. It is small enough to work with one hand and is very well balanced. The blade is the right width at .125” or ⅛ of an inch. It weighs in at a whopping 3.8 ounces in the hand or 6 ounces total with the sheath. The blade comes with a stone washed finish, 3D G10 scale handles, and for the best part, it is made in the USA.

  The blade is a simple straight belly design with a flat back, small thumb texturing on the back, the finger choil is ground into the handle and gives a great one hand grip on it. The G10 scales are 3D cut, which means it is grippy and textured in all the right spots. The handles just seem to mold to your hand and making using it very nice. The handles are secured with allen screws and can be changed out. My particular knife is what some would call a high angle use blade because of the oval hole cut into the rear of it. You can wrap a piece of rope through it or attach a carabiner with a lanyard, so you wont drop it. They also have the option to have it without the hole. Both blades are a full tang construction through the handle. 

  First off I have to say I am not a fan of the ESEE sheaths, they serve their purpose and do their job well. But for me I am a sheath snob, I will call around and get a sheath made or try and find a company that already has them in stock. It is the generic style that most of their brand come with. It is a vertical carry, injected molded sheath with a spring clip on it. It also has holes so you can use some cordage and secure it to your pack. I went to RK Custom Kydex and ordered a new sheath and used some button style soft loops to carry it horizontally on my belt. This makes it easier for me to be able to grab it with either hand. 

  Let's get to the nitty gritty of how this knife performs. Right out of the box the Xancudo was sharp, I mean the hairs on my arms were jumping off before the blade got to them. I got this knife right at the end of summer and couldn't wait until hunting season to see how it performed. I was not disappointed at all. On two different occasions, while hunting, my 14 year old daughter harvested a couple of wild hogs. So this was the best time to put the knife to work. It cleanly field dressed the swine on the creek bank with little effort of pressure on the blade. During the skinning process it was like using a scalpel, matter of fact that is kind of how she held it. With just a little bit of motion and pressure the blade gilded through the hide, muscles, tenderloin, around the rib cage of both pigs. I examined the blade after each use and it was still razor sharp. I even put the blade back in the sheath and forgot to clean it, when I pulled it back out there was no rust to be found. I was very pleased with this. If it would have been a 1095 steel blade it would have been rusted and corroded from the blood. 

  So would I recommend this knife to anyone? Yes, I would! Knives are something that can last a lifetime unless you are Tony or Zane (Marines), the blade steel is forgiving, it is great for EDC, Bushcraft, hobby work, wearing around your neck, vertical, horizontally or sticking in your pocket, or securing the sheath with a  piece of cord around your belt so it stays and doesn't hit the ground when you pull it out. I have several ammo cans full of knives that have been given to me or I bought on a whim, they live in those cans because my needs have changed, blade steel has gotten better. I no longer needed a 10 inch Bowie knife or a 7 inch Ontario RAT on my belt. So for what I do, this blade hits the sweet spot. Now, not to scare you off, but here is the thick of it. The price might be more than some are willing to pay. Not me, it is always Christmas because I buy my own gifts year round. I think I made up a holiday when I bought this one though. The price on the ESEE website is $186.00. I bought mine at Knifeworks for $106.95. Now that is a deal for a knife that you can pass down to your kids. On a side note, Knifeworks offers a payment plan with a 3rd party company called Sezzle, they are interest free and break up the payments into 4 instalments. So the knife just started looking better, read on for more.

So let us recap this blade:

Overall Length: 7.12”

Cutting edge: 3’

Blade thickness 0.125”

Weight: with sheath 6 ounces/without 3 ounces

Sheath: Molded or injected plastic if some sort

Finish: stone washed

Handle: 3D G10

MADE IN THE USA

WARRANTY: 

ESEE knives are made with absolute attention to detail using the finest raw materials and care during the manufacturing process. We stand behind our knives with a 100% unconditional lifetime guarantee. If your ESEE knife should ever break, we will repair or replace it. This warranty follows the knife throughout its life, anywhere in the world. No sales receipt or warranty registration required.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Perfect for EDC, Bushcraft

Target Market:

Outdoor enthusiast, hikers, hunters or anyone wanting a good fixed blade knife

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • The warranty says it all. LIFETIME, NO MATTER WHAT! 

  • Great corrosion resistant new age stainless blade.

  • Easy to sharpen

  • Perfect for detail knife usage

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Two versions

XAN2-006 (no hole in handle)

XAN1-006 (hole in the handle)

Replacement G10 grips for $22.95

What others are saying?:

I did not find a lot of other reviews for this knife. There are some but not well detailed. 

Link to other reviews:

Prepper Del on YouTube

Knife News

Price point:

MSRP = $186.00

Retail = $106.95 at Knifeworks.com

I need it now! Availability:

ESEE, Knifeworks, Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Razor sharp 

  • Easy to sharpen 

  • Corrosion resistant 

  • Scales are interchangeable 

  • Lightweight but built like a tank 

Cons:

  • The sheath is not comfortable for those with love handle 

  • Could use a dedicated lanyard hole at the rear. 

  • Possibly too small of a grip for those with larger hands 

Score: 9.00 Amazing

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