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

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