Dan Jackson

Dan is the creator of BladeReviews.com. He founded the site in 2010, and for the first 5 years Dan wrote all of the reviews and recorded all of the video reviews. He grew up using pocket knives, and the decision to start the website stemmed from his fascination of all things sharp combined with a deep passion for writing. At this point he has personally reviewed almost 300 knives of all shapes, sizes, and price points. He is widely recognized as an authority on daily carry knives and has consulted with knife companies on product design and has been featured on national media outlets including the WireCutter. In 2016 Dan decided to branch out and experiment with the website by reviewing watches, flashlights, and multi-tools. Today BladeReviews.com features a number of expert authors reviewing a wide range of daily carry gear. He is proud to write detailed long format reviews with original photography. The website remains largely independent with the vast majority of the products reviewed being purchased by Dan personally. When he isn't writing knife reviews from his home in Southwest Florida, or talking about himself in third person, he enjoys practicing law, reading, fishing, cigars, and weight lifting.

At this point he has personally reviewed almost 300 knives of all shapes, sizes, and price points. He is widely recognized as an authority on daily carry knives. He has consulted with knife companies on product design and his opinions on pocket knives have been featured on national media outlets including the WireCutter. In 2016 Dan decided to branch out and experiment with the website by reviewing watches, flashlights, and multi-tools. Today BladeReviews.com features a number of expert authors reviewing a wide range of daily carry gear. He is proud to write detailed long format reviews with original photography. The website remains largely independent with the vast majority of the products reviewed being purchased by Dan personally.

When he isn't writing knife reviews from his home in Southwest Florida, or talking about himself in third person, he enjoys practicing law, reading, fishing, cigars, and weight lifting.

Sergey Rogovets Titan Review

by Dan Jackson 6 Comments

I occasionally get asked if I will ever review custom knives. To be honest, I don’t have the money for custom knives, but they are definitely on my radar. I think that is true for a lot of people visiting the site, so I won’t be reviewing a ton of customs any time soon. That said, I think they are awesome, and I certainly wouldn’t mind sharing one occasionally, so I am very excited to show off this very cool custom knife made by Sergey Rogovets. Sergey is relatively new to the knifemaking scene, and it was actually his lovely custom handle scale work that originally caught my eye and prompted my to interview him over a year ago. Born in Moscow, Sergey moved to New York City when he was 17 to work with his father as a jeweler. Ever since he has been working as a jeweler, and he likes to make things in his free time, including customized zippos and scales for production knives. Recently he has begun to make his own custom knives. We have been exchanging emails over the months, and I recently took him up on an offer to check out one of his latest creations.

What we have here is a knife he calls “Titan.” It is a very beefy knife, and was born out of Sergey’s long time love of hard use blades. He wanted to make a knife that was meant to be used and abused, and it features some of his own signature twists. It’s a simple design, but it is very well executed with high tolerances. It is my pleasure to feature the work of this up and coming maker, and I am delighted to offer the Titan as my very first review of a custom knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Sergey’s Titan has an overall length of 8-3/4″, has a 3-3/4″ long blade and it weighs around 7 ounces. This is a larger knife, but not outside the realms of EDC for those who appreciate bigger blades. It is simple, rugged, and over built. This overall theme trickles down into every facet of the knife.

The blade shape is a simple drop point. The blade has been given a high flat grind, neatly ground with with a very nice edge. Despite the thickness of the blade, the knife is still a surprisingly good slicer, and it arrived shaving sharp and ready for work. Since this one is on loan from Sergey I didn’t put it through a ton of abuse, but it zipped through cardboard without an issue. The blade is ground from a 4mm thick piece of steel, and despite there being no swedge, it holds a good amount of steel to the tip.

Sergey selected A-2 steel for the blade. A-2 is an air-hardend tool steel that is mainly characterized by its toughness, but it is also an easy-to-sharpen steel that will hold a good edge. The chromium content in A2 is only around 5% (opposed to the 13% required for a steel to be considered “stainless”). I haven’t had any issues with rust, but A2 will rust if you neglect it, and it can also develop some patina – especially if you use it on a lot of acidic foods. To me, that is part of the character of a knife like this. Sergey says this one was heat treated to around 59HRC. I think this was an excellent choice for a heavy duty knife.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

Sergey was especially concerned with the handle when he designed this knife. He wanted something simple and straight, so the knife could be comfortably used in any grip for any kind of job. He went with full titanium for this handle, and it feels quite substantial. Construction is simple, with a couple beefy stand offs, but everything is solid and well put together. All the edges have been contoured, and if you look closely there is a little texture where he sculpted the titanium a bit. He gave this handle a tiger stripe flame anodized finish. To be perfectly honest it’s not my first choice, but being a custom knife I’m sure it could be finished however you want it.

In hand the knife does just what Sergey designed it to do. I found the Titan to be comfortable in both forward and reverse grips, with no hot spots to speak of. He cut a little jimping into the thumb ramp, and it does a great job holding your thumb in place. The handle is very comfortable and allows the user to get a lot of work done.

The pocket clip is a simple piece of flame anodized titanium. It has great retention but it is still very easy to insert and remove the knife from your pocket. For a large knife like this the Titan carried well. It isn’t a knife that you will forget is in your pocket, but for such a big and heavy tool I had no complaints.

Deployment and Lockup

The Titan makes use of a pair of ambidextrous thumb studs for deployment. The thumb studs are well placed, and I can easily flick the large blade open. The knife is extremely smooth thanks to over-sized phosphor bronze washers. I was actually very impressed with how fast this big blade moved. It has been really well done. The pivot is also over-sized on this knife, and can be adjusted with a flat-head driver.

Lockup is extremely solid. The Titan makes use of a large titanium frame lock and the knife makes an extremely satisfying “thwack” as the lock falls in place. One thing I forgot to mention in the video is that Sergey has actually cut out part of the titanium on the lockbar and inserted a piece of stainless steel, so the tang of the blade actually comes in contact with steel, not titanium. What this does is prolong the life of the lock. This is where Sergey’s abilities as a jeweler really come into play. The execution is flawless and the lock is exceptionally reliable. Lockup is extremely early and the blade is without play.

Sergey also installed a carbon fiber lock-bar stabilizer. This prevents the lock from over extending when being disengaged, preserving the longevity of the lock once again.

Sergey Rogovet’s Titan – Final Thoughts

Well, I’d say “Titan” is an apt name for this one. What an absolute beast of a knife. Handmade from top notch materials by a true craftsman. It really doesn’t get much better than this if you are looking for a custom knife that is meant to be carried and used. It is a simple design, but Sergey’s attention to detail is what really makes it work. The lock has been flawlessly executed. The blade centering is perfect. All the machining is dead on. The devil is in the details with this one, and it elevates the utilitarian design into a functional work of art.

Additional information on Sergey’s work, including more knives and pricing information, can be found at his website SR-artdesign.com.

Sergey also told me that he is offering anything in stock on his website for 20% off if you mention BladeReviews.com. This offer is good until May 1, 2012 so if you like his work, feel free to let him know that I sent you.

Zero Tolerance 0560 Review

by Dan Jackson 30 Comments

Last Updated: July 27, 2019
Finally! A Zero Tolerance 0560 review. It feels like forever ago since the 560 was first announced at the 2011 BLADE Show.

Buy the ZT 0560 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

Since then I have heard the rumors, ogled the pre-production photos, and even caught a glimpse or two of the knife in some 2012 SHOT Show coverage. But that wasn’t going to do it. I needed this knife. What is it about Hinderer’s designs that have us fiending like depraved characters on a rerun of The Wire? Needless to say, I pre-ordered this bad boy a long time ago, and didn’t think twice about plunking down over $250 for the chance to check out this knife. After all, compared to a real Hinderer it seemed like a steal.

And for me, that really was part of the allure. If you spend any amount of time in knife circles, Rick Hinderer is a name that constantly resurfaces. Known for making highly sought after custom and semi-production folding tactical knives, his pieces easily command prices of $600 and up. So his recent relatively inexpensive collaboration with Zero Tolerance really caught my eye. Much like the ZT 0550, the 0560 allows you to get your hands on a Hinderer design without paying the Hinderer price tag. And I will tell you, as someone who owns both the 0550 and 0560, the praise for Rick’s designs is well deserved. This is a phenomenal knife, and it’s not going to make resisting a XM-18 any easier!

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0560 has an overall length of 8.8″, a 3.75″ blade, and a weight of 5.8 ounces. So yes, this is a big knife. For me it isn’t the most practical size for EDC, although that certainly didn’t prevent me from cramming the 560 into my pocket the moment it arrived. I have to say that one thing you will not hear me complain about is the weight. The 0560 is an incredibly light and balanced knife for its size. For example, the 0560 is substantially larger than the 0550, but weighs the exact same. It’s wonderful. And next to something like a ZT 0300 there is no comparison at all. For such a large knife I had no problem carrying it as my primary blade.

The blade is a sturdy modified drop point design. It shares a number of similarities to the blade on the 0550, having a similar swedge, and being made from 4mm thick blade stock. Both designs have high flat grinds, neatly applied edges, and feature a stone washed finish. This is a highly functional blade shape. The tip is extremely sturdy, there is a lot of belly for utility work, and the knife arrived exceptionally sharp. Considering the thick blade stock this is actually a very decent slicer, and zipped through cardboard without issue. In my experience this well rounded blade shape works great for most of daily tasks.

Kershaw and Rick went with ELMAX for the blade steel. This is a high end powdered steel made by the Austrian manufacturer Bohler-Uddeholm. I don’t have a ton of experience with ELMAX yet, but my initial research revealed that this is very interesting steel. According to Bohler, this is a high Chromium formulation that is extremely wear and corrosion resistant, while also being quite tough. It does best heat treated to between 58-60 HRC, and is often used as a high speed tool steel in both the electronics and food processing industries, where wear and corrosion resistance are both extremely important. These same properties are also important for cutlery, making ELMAX a natural choice for high end knives.

This is exotic stuff, and my initial impressions are very good. ZT heat treated the blades to around 60 HRC, which is right in the sweet spot. As far as edge retention is concerned, I expect this to perform better than S30V, but not quite as well as as M390 or S90V.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

Handle construction on the 0560 is truly next level stuff. I have always been impressed by the extreme levels of fit and finish found in ZT knives, but the 0560 has really been kicked up a notch. What we have here is a black G10 scale over a stainless steel liner on one side, and a titanium framelock on the other. Zero Tolerance also makes the 0561, which is the same knife with a brown G10 scale. What I found especially impressive about the 0560 is how they have 3d machined these handles. The surface of the handles are slightly radiused and everything has been precision cut. The stainless steel liner has been thoroughly milled to reduce weight, and even the titanium side has been milled out. These “weight relief pockets” really lighten the knife up. It’s an ingenious detail that I haven’t seen before, and it really sets the 560 apart.

In hand the 0560 feels extremely secure. There is aggressive jimping on the thumb ramp and choil, and it really locks your hand in place. The ergonomics are aggressive, and some might find the jimping too sharp. Personally I found that they were not aggressive to the point where the knife was uncomfortable to use. This knife was designed to get work done in all conditions so I can’t fault the knife for providing all this traction. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The pocket clip is a brand new design for the 0560. This was especially interesting to me because with a big knife like this, the pocket clip will be the difference between making the knife a daily carry item, or a sock-drawer novelty. The clip ZT previously used was actually pretty good, so I approached this new design cautiously.

So I am very pleased to say that I like the new clip a lot. It’s functional, discrete and a little more refined than the old style of clip found on many Zero Tolerance offerings. It is an attractive deep carry clip that can be mounted on all 4 corners. I am also happy to say that retention is excellent. Additionally, I found the 0560 to carry very well. Living in Florida, I often wear lightweight shorts. The clip on the 0560 performed flawlessly, holding the knife exactly where I wanted it. This great clip combined with the thin and lightweight design made the 0560 a joy to carry.

Deployment and Lockup

Deployment on the 0560 is absolutely effortless thanks to a nice flipper design and Kershaw Velocity Technology (KVT). KVT is a bearing system that replaces a more traditional phosphor bronze or teflon washer with a series of small ball bearings. In this case, the bearings are pressed into a nylon race so when you take the knife apart, the bearings don’t go everywhere (contrast that with IKBS, where the bearings sit loose in a groove, and they can go everywhere if you disassemble they knife). In practice, KVT makes for exceptionally smooth deployment. The design gives you the option of a flipper or ambidextrous thumb studs, and either method results in smooth, near-effortless deployment.

I will say that I have noticed that some people have had issues deploying the 0560 with the right hand thumb stud. What can happen is if you try to deploy the knife with your right hand, you can you end up putting pressure on the lock bar. This makes it more difficult to overcome the ball detent with this particular design. The thumb studs actually double as a stop pin, so some argue that this knife was designed to only used as a flipper (like say, the Kershaw Skyline). As a lefty I had no problem with using the thumb studs, and found that I could even use them with my right hand if I was careful not to put a lot of pressure on the lock bar. I don’t think this is a huge deal at all, but since there are (very) few gripes with this knife I thought it was worth mentioning.

Like Hinderer’s in-house knives, the 0560 makes use of a beefy titanium framelock. The knife world knows Rick can design a frame lock, and Zero Tolerance has proven time and time again that they know how to make production framelocks right. My knife locks up early, there is no blade play at all. Also there is also no stickiness when you go to disengage the lock bar. This is pure framelock bliss, and is exactly what I expect from a high end titanium framelock knife.

Zero Tolerance 0560 Review – Final Thoughts

As far as I am concerned, the ZT 0560 is a marvel of a folding knife, and a technological masterpiece. The folks at ZT absolutely loaded this one to the gills with the latest and greatest features and manufacturing – and the resulting knife is absolutely wild.

The 0560 is impossibly light, the blade opens effortlessly, the machining and overall level of fit and finish is astounding, and the materials are absolutely top notch. I also think the design is quite attractive – that never hurts. The lightening pockets in the titanium handle slab is nothing short of revolutionary, and I don’t doubt that this will be a game changer for other manufacturers. This is easily another home run for Zero Tolerance and is without a doubt their most exciting offering to date.

Zero Tolerance ZT0560 Hinderer Design Black Folding Knife

Steel: ELMAX, stonewashed finish
Handle: 3-D machined G-10 front scale, 3-D machined titanium back handle, stonewashed finish
Blade Length: 3.75 inches; Closed Length: 5 inches; Overall Length: 8.8 inches; Weight: 5.8 ounces
Frame lock; Thumb stud; Lanyard hole; Flipper; Deep-carry pocketclip; Quad mounting
Made in the USA

I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0560 at Amazon or BladeHQ. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this site helps support BladeReviews, and keeps this review train running. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated!

5 Knife Maintenance Tools That Every Knife Owner Needs

by Dan Jackson 48 Comments

I recently received an excellent question from a reader. He was new to collecting knives, and had his eye on a very nice Benchmade as his first “real” pocket knife. He had some concerns though. He didn’t know what extra “stuff” he needed to maintain his knives, and he wasn’t sure if he would need a sharpener of some sort. This is an excellent question, and I am sure other people are wondering the same thing. So I decided to write this post to cover the topic.

With that said, I really don’t think the average person needs a whole a lot of stuff to maintain their knives. In fact, I’m sure many knife owners have lived long and happy lives without any of the products I am about to mention. But if you are getting into modern knives, and are investing in a high quality blade (or ten 😉 ), then I do suggest picking up few basic tools and supplies. This will help you get the most out of your purchase, and ensure that your knives are always in pristine working condition.

So here are 5 things that I both recommend and use myself. The entire list can be had for around $75, and that is with $50 going to a knife sharpener – and yes, I definitely think you need a knife sharpener!!

1. A sharpening system.

If I could only recommend one thing to someone new to knives, it would have to be a sharpener. The other stuff on the list is nice to have, but really, you could probably survive a little while without them. However, knives tend to get dull fast, and depending on the steel (and what you do with it), that factory edge will probably need it’s first touch up anywhere from 1-4 weeks from purchase. So my point is, don’t put off buying a sharpener. It’s like buying a car and never changing the oil – bad stuff will happen!

Now, there are a lot of options out there, but for the beginner I really just recommend starting with a [easyazon_link identifier=”B000Q9C4AE” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Spyderco Sharpmaker[/easyazon_link]. It costs $50, but you will be able to get paper slicing, hair shaving edges with very little time or practice. It is an amazing sharpening system and a great starting point. It feels great to be able to get a nice sharp edge on any knife, and the Sharpmaker delivers that feeling fast. If you want you can read my Spyderco Sharpmaker review.

[easyazon_infoblock align=”center” identifier=”B000Q9C4AE” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]

There are other cheaper systems in the $20-30 range, but really – I recommend spending the extra $20 or whatever and just getting the Sharpmaker. And whatever you do, please don’t subject your knives to one of those cheap $5 pull-style sharpeners! Those are terrible for your edges!

Update – if you are looking for an option that is less expensive than the Sharpmaker, then my good friend RoadKill recommends the $16 [easyazon_link identifier=”B000B8FW0E” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Lansky Crock Sticks[/easyazon_link]. His word is good enough for me, although I will try and get my hands on a set for a future review. These are actually very similar to the Sharpmaker in theory. I don’t doubt that they are quite effective.

2. A Torx Driver Set.

The next thing I recommend is some sort of a torx driver set to to adjust all the little screws on a knife. This is critical for swapping pocket clips, adjusting your pivots, and taking apart knives for deep cleaning.

I used to recommend the cheap little sets you can buy at the big box hardware stores for under $10. But these feature soft bits, that can damage the screws on your expensive knives, so I’ve since upgraded to WiHa drivers. They are expensive, but will last a lifetime.

[easyazon_infoblock align=”center” identifier=”B0000WTBO4″ locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]

I happen to own their Wiha 75992 set, but they make a wide variety of styles and kits.

3. Loctite.

A small bottle of blue Loctite is another nice to have item, especially if you are removing screws and adjusting your pivots with a torx driver set. With some knives I find that the pivots easily work loose and blade play starts to develop. A small dab of blue (“removable”) Locktite on your pivot will fix that problem. This stuff is also handy for those pesky pocket clip screws that like to work loose.

The nice thing is, you probably already have some Loctite in your garage. Just make sure it’s the removable kind so if you happen to get some on a moving part, you can still work it free.

[easyazon_infoblock align=”center” identifier=”B000I1RSNS” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]

4. Tuf-Glide.

If you are like me, and are constantly flicking your pocket knives open, you are going to want a little lubricant to keep everything silky smooth. Although there are a wide variety of lubricants out there, I recommend Tuf-Glide. I like Tuf-Glide because it is a high quality dry lubricant that doesn’t attract dust or dirt.

[easyazon_infoblock align=”center” identifier=”B000Q82HSY” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]

Sure, WD-40 and other lubricants will work, but they tend to attract dust, dirt, gunk, and grime. Also, they don’t tend to last as long. For those reasons I feel that Tuf-Glide is a superior lubricant and is well worth purchasing. A bottle of Tuf-Glide will set you back around $10 shipped if you buy it online, but it should last you a long time. I’ve used the same bottle for almost a decade.

5. Rusty’s Rags.

Rusty’s Rags is the name of a nice little cleaning kit for knives (and guns). I wouldn’t call Tuf-Glide or Rusty’s rags to be absolutely critical (you could certainly survive with out them), but this kind of stuff sure is nice to have.

Again, you could use something else to clean your blades – like WD-40 and a cloth, but I really like the way Rusty’s Rags work. I also like how the oil used in the kits is 100% food safe. I actually wrote a full review on Rusty’s Rags a while back so if you want more information you can read my Rusty’s Rags review here.

Final Thoughts

With these 5 basic items you should be able to maintain your knives on a day to day basis. Odds are, you probably already have some of this stuff, and the sharpener will be your biggest investment. By the way, I do see this kind of stuff as an investment. Spending the money now to take care of your knives will ensure that you get the most out of all your knives for many many years.

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to let me know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading and stay sharp.

Spyderco Lum Chinese Folder Review

by Dan Jackson 13 Comments

Last Updated: August 4, 2019
I have always enjoyed Bob Lum’s elegant approach to designing knives. I have previously reviewed a couple of Bob Lum’s creations, including the Spyderco Lum Tanto and the Benchmade Onslaught.

Buy on Amazon

The Lum Chinese Folder is another elegant knife, and in some ways it is even more special than his other designs. To start, I love the sheer simplicity of this knife. The Chinese Folder is a single graceful curve in the both open and closed positions. There is a real feeling of balance with this design, and it results in a knife that is both a pleasure to view and to hold.

Spyderco has released many versions of the Chinese Folder over the years, but what you are looking at in this review is one of the original versions of the knife, manufactured in 2000. Furthermore, this knife has been serialized. That designates it as part of Spyderco’s first manufacturing run, also known as a Spyderco “Collector’s Club” knife. So what we have here is a very special version of the Lum Chinese, and I couldn’t be more pleased to share it with you.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Lum Chinese Folder has an overall length of 7-3/16 inches, features a 3-5/32 inch blade, and weighs a mere 2.8 ounces. The Chinese Folder could work as an EDC knife, a gentleman’s folder, or simply a collectible. Either way the size-to-weight ratio of the knife is pretty wild. A sub 3-ounce carry weight on this relatively large and sturdy knife is incredible. And I have to say, the Chinese folder feels impossibly light in hand. If this all sounds a little too delicate, Spyderco also makes a large version coming in at a beefier 4.3 ounces.

The blade of the Chinese Folder is often referred to as “leaf shaped.” What we have here is a graceful arcing blade that has been given a full flat grind, and a very small swedge running pretty much the entire length of the spine. This is not only a pretty blade to look at, but it is highly functional as well. The Lum Chinese is an exceptional slicer with its full grind and 3mm thin blade. Speaking of thin, this blade is very thin behind the edge, and is a big part of what makes the knife cut so well.

My Lum Chinese is made in Seki City, Japan and features Japanese VG-10 for the blade. A stainless steel, VG-10 is easy to sharpen and is capable of taking a razor sharp edge. It is also highly resistant to corrosion. I am a big fan of VG-10, and think it is a natural choice for the Lum Chinese. Fans of higher performance steel may be interested to learn that the Lum Chinese has also been previously offered in ZDP 189 as well.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle on my Chinese Folder is aluminum, and has been given a green almite coating. Almite is simply a type of finish for aluminum (like hard anodizing). Over the years Spyderco has released the Chinese Folder in a number of different handle materials including carbon fiber, various colors of aluminum, titanium, and G10. I happen to really like the dark green color of this knife. It’s a deep green, and from a collector’s perspective I find the unique color to be extremely intriguing. As for actual construction, my knife is screwed together. There is a black G10 backspacer, and a single steel liner. Overall, construction is lightweight, but solid.

In hand the Lum Chinese fits surprisingly well, but is not without it’s caveats. The curvature of the handle matches the contours of my palm and the knife is quite comfortable to hold. Despite this, I wouldn’t recommend the Chinese Folder for anything beyond medium duty. The aluminum handles are somewhat slippery and there is no thumb ramp, finger choil, or any kind of jimping. For light to medium use I think the ergonomics are quite alright, but lets be honest – this isn’t a knife you will want to take to war, or be in your pocket aboard a commercial fishing boat. I really don’t mind that as the knife market is already well saturated with those kinds of knives.

The pocket clip is a simple stainless steel Spyderco clip. It offers good retention and makes the knife easy to insert and remove from your pocket. For carry options you have the choice of right side tip-up or tip-down carry. All-in-all I really like the way the Lum Chinese carries, it’s extremely light and very thin. This is a knife you will forget is in your pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

The Chinese Folder features a 12mm thumb hole that is easily accessible from either side of the knife. The Chinese isn’t the fastest deploying knife in my collection, but it opens easily and feels very smooth. Thin phosphor bronze washers aid in deployment.

The Lum Chinese has a thin linerlock and it snaps open crisply. It’s a very satisfying sound from such a small knife. Lock engagement is early, and I detected no zero blade play. I know that the somewhat thin liner lock will disappoint some, but given the intended use I have found it to be quite adequate.

Spyderco Lum Chinese Folder Review – Final Thoughts

The Lum Chinese is a graceful knife that is a delight for all the senses. I have greatly enjoyed mine, and spend a fair amount of time admiring the clean lines, the beautiful handles, and the crisp action. The knife works, and it will certainly cut, but the form-over-function approach to the ergonomics keeps this knife from becoming a real user for me. That doesn’t mean I don’t like the knife, but I just want to “keep it real.” If I had to pick one EDC knife to take to the grave, then the Lum Chinese wouldn’t be it. But if I was looking to add an elegant and unique Spyderco to my collection, well, I’d be all over this one. I feel that the Chinese Folder is a very special knife, and it has been an absolute pleasure to spend some time with this gem of a folder.

At the time of this review the Lum Chinese Folder can be had in both a carbon fiber version and a large version in black G10. If you really like the knife then I recommend picking up a couple. Like my original green-handled beauty, you never know when the knife might slip out of production.

Spyderco Lum Chinese Folder – $139.95
Retail Price: $219.95
You Save: $80.00
from: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Lum Chinese Folder at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for checking out the review.

Benchmade 275 Adamas Review

by Dan Jackson 11 Comments

Last Updated: February 21, 2019

Designed as a tool for law enforcement and military personnel, the 275 Adamas could be the epitome of a hard use folder. The 275 shares the classic lines of many “normal” folding tactical knives, but is massively overbuilt in every direction. Designed by custom maker Shane Sibert, a man who strives to build practical knives that aren’t afraid of hard work, the Benchade 275 Adamas is as rugged as it is functional. The Adamas dwarfs typical tactical folders, and has these striking proportions that intrigued me ever since the knife was first announced in 2011.

Buy the Benchmade Adamas at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

Having owned my 275 for a while, I will say that whether the 275 is “tactical” or “impractical” will rely heavily on your individual needs and preferences – but there is no question that this knife is solid, and well built.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 275 has an overall length of 8.7 inches, sports a 3.82 inch blade and comes in at a hefty 7.7 oz. Yeah I wasn’t kidding, this is a big knife. Holding this chunk of G10 and steel in the palm of your hand is an interesting sensation, weighing on both body and mind. There is no doubt that fans of feather-weight folders will be disappointed here, but those in need of a tool capable of taking a real beating might feel reassured by these extra ounces. For daily use I find the 275 to be too heavy, and for a mild-mannered student that should come as no surprise. So it really depends on what you need from your knife.

The 275 has a bold drop point blade that compliments the rest of the knife nicely. The blade has a partial flat grind that starts about halfway up the blade, and the edge has been neatly applied by a practiced hand. On top we have a small swedge that refines the 4mm blade stock into a sturdy tip. There is a small fuller (or “blood groove”) on the flat of the blade, a design element often found on Sibert’s custom knives. These components all combine to form a blade that is very strong and functional. While this thick blade doesn’t make for the finest slicer, the flat grind is surprisingly capable. The weight and geometry allows this knife to chip and I wouldn’t be surprised if this knife could hold up to even more demanding tasks like prying and batoning. It’s a surprisingly versatile design and allows the 275 to work in a variety of situations.

Benchmade went with D2 for the blade steel here. I don’t have a ton of knives in D2, but in my experience I have found it to be a very tough and durable steel. Here it has been hardened to 60-62 HRC, and in my experience it is not the easiest steel to sharpen. The good news is that it will take a nice edge, and edge retention blade is quite good. I generally like D2 but I wonder if it was the best choice for a knife meant to be used by soldiers in the field, where access to sharpening tools is limited.

Because D2 is often regarded as a “semi-stainless” steel (D2 technically isn’t stainless) it is more prone to corrosion than a true stainless steel. For that reason you will want to be careful to keep the blade clean and dry (and possibly oiled depending on where you live). Benchmade helped mitigate any potential corrosion by applying a durable black coating to the blade.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The 275’s handle is made of G10 over stainless steel liners. Everything is screwed together and there is a partial backspacer by the pommel. The liners have been milled out to reduce the weight (somewhat) and everything has been nicely finished. Like the rest of the knife, this is a very large and sturdy handle. Shown here is a limited edition of the knife with black handle scales and a black blade. I actually prefer the regular version of the knife that comes with tan scales and a black blade. It’s just a little different, and sets the knife apart from the sea of black handled knives already in my collection.

The ergonomics of the Adamas are as solid as the rest of the knife. The large handle offers plenty of room for any style of grip and there is jimping everywhere. The thumb ramp offers great control and additional texturing in the choil region prevents your fingers from slipping forward on the blade. The knife feels just as comfortable in a reverse grip with a great spot for your thumb and tons of texture.

If there were an Achilles heel on the 275, it would have to be the pocket clip. First off, I like how it’s a discrete clip that rides reasonably low and offers ambidextrous tip up carry – that is all great. Where the clip misses it’s mark (for me at least) is the lack of retention. You can see in the video that the clip doesn’t even touch the handle, and that the clip has a lot of spring to it. A knife this heavy really needs a stiffer clip to hold it in place. If Benchmade stuck one of their classic clips on there I think it would have worked out better – but the bolt pattern is different so it can’t be swapped out. [Update – I’ve since been told that the pocket clip issues have been fixed, and the clip now offers much better retention. Kudos Benchmade!]

Since we are talking about carry, I want to mention that the 275 Adamas comes with an optional carry pouch. The pouch is made out of nylon, is MOLLE compatible, and comes with a malice clip. For low-speed high-drag guys like myself it’s about as useful as an extra hole in the head, but if you are a military operator or regularly wear MOLLE compatible gear it could be a good way to carry this heavy knife.

Deployment and Lockup

The Adamas makes use of ambidextrous thumb studs. These thumb studs are easy to get at and allow you to flick this big blade open with surprising speed. The action is extremely smooth thanks to some oversized phosphor bronze washers. I love how Benchmade doesn’t skimp on details like the washers, it really gives the knife a quality feel. The 275 should deploy smoothly and easily under almost any conditions.

The 275 makes use of an oversized Axis lock. Not only is the lock bar extra wide to accommodate the huge handle, but it’s much thicker than the normal Axis lock found on models like the Griptilian. Benchmade claims this knife can withstand 800 pounds of force, and that is extremely impressive. And of course this axis lock is fully ambidextrous and the knife easily closes with 1 hand. It’s phenomenal.

Benchmade 275 Adamas Review – Final Thoughts

If tank like construction is your primary concern, and you can get around the 7.7 ounce carry weight, the 275 Adamas is pretty dang cool. But if you are looking for a lightweight EDC or folding tactical knife, then I would suggest looking elsewhere. I will say that the materials are all top notch, the knife is extremely well built, and the price is very reasonable. I would prefer a stiffer pocket clip (an issue that has now been addressed), and a blade steel other than D2. Aside from that I really couldn’t find much to complain about.

My guess is that the sheer size and weight of this thing will be the biggest deal breaker for people, and I totally respect that. But if you want a knife that will take a lot of abuse, and weight really isn’t a concern, then the Adamas could be just what you are looking for. I certainly have been enjoying mine.

Benchmade - Adamas 275BKSN Knife, Plain Drop-Point, Sand Handle, Made in the USA

HIGH-QUALITY: The D2 stainless steel blade holds an edge exceptionally well. The G10 handle is durable and stable enough for a wide range of temperatures, making it ideal for tactical use.
WELL-DESIGNED: Benchmade’s AXIS lock is exceptionally strong and fully ambidextrous. The Adamas 275 is a manual knife that can be opened and closed single-handedly.
COMFORTABLE: The 275 is rugged yet comfortable to hold and use. The reversible pocket clip and Cordura sheath offer ultimate accessibility.
VERSATILE: The Adamas 275’s drop-point, utility blade style serves well for a variety of tasks. It’s one of Benchmade’s top picks for versatile, tactical knives.

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Adamas from Amazon and BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website earns a small commission to help support BladeReviews.com at no cost to you. This support keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

CRKT S.P.E.W. Review

by Dan Jackson 22 Comments

Last updated: May 13, 2018
Ah, the CRKT S.P.E.W…. would a knife by any other name sound so sweet?

Buy the CRKT S.P.E.W. at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

With that out of the way, lets get down to business because I really like this one. The SPEW (really, the S.P.E.W.) stands for Small Pocket Everyday Wharncliffe, and it is a really interesting design from custom maker Alan Folts. Alan makes his knives in a small shop on the Florida coast (a couple hours away from me actually) and he is an exceptionally nice guy. He is a classically trained artist, and has been refining his approach to knife making for many years now.

In addition to crafting beautiful custom pieces Alan partnered with CRKT and released a production knife, the Folts Minimalist, in early 2010. I reviewed that knife a while back and was extremely impressed so I was really excited to learn about the SPEW. The SPEW fills a similar niche to the Minimalist. It’s a small fixed blade, designed for every day carry.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The SPEW has an overall length of 6.25″, features a 3″ blade, and it weighs 3 ounces. As I mentioned earlier, this would make a great fixed blade for EDC. This knife is also small enough to be used as a neck knife. Personally, I like to just carry this one in my pocket (in the sheath of course – more on that later).

The blade is a wharncliffe shape with a high hollow grind and an extremely sharp tip. This tip is perfect for detail tasks and will make quick work of whatever it is applied to. Now, a tip this thin is useful, but it’s also delicate. The SPEW is a knife you will want to be careful with if you expect that needle fine tip to survive daily use. Dropping this knife on concrete could end it all and you will not want to pry with this tool either. But since I knew that this tip could be an issue, I took it upon myself to thoroughly test. I put this knife through a fairly rigorous cutting test that included stabbing the knife through a stack of cardboard about 50 times. The tip held up really well.

Columbia River chose 5Cr13MoV stainless steel for this one, which isn’t my first choice, but it actually worked out really well. During my little cut test I created a mountain of cardboard shavings, and stabbed with the knife dozens and dozens of times. After the entire ordeal was over the SPEW was still held a paper cutting edge, which frankly came as a surprise since this is a soft steel heat treated to around 56 HRC.

My only issue is that the 5Cr did not want to take an edge easily and I was never able to get my knife absolutely hair popping sharp. While I’m no sharpening wizard, I attacked this thing with both diamond stones and Japanese water stones and was never able to get the edge quite up to spec. I know I’m not alone in this discovery, and I suspect it’s because of the low carbon count of this particular steel.

Handle and Ergonomics

The handle on the SPEW is G10 over a full stainless steel tang. The G10 is red and black it is a nice material to see on a knife at this price point. The G10 has been machined to offer enhanced grip and visual interest and the corners have been nicely rounded. Everything screws together, and I am very pleased with how well all the pieces line up. The handle is definitely well made.

The ergonomics of the SPEW really interested me because the Folts Minimalist is one of the most comfortable edc knives that I have ever held. While the ergonomics of the SPEW aren’t as aggressive as the Minimalist I was not disappointed with the way this model felt in hand. Like the Minimalist the SPEW is designed for a 3 finger grip, and it also features a small lanyard for your pinky. This is a comfortable way to wield a small knife and I am very pleased with how well that lanyard performs. Alan also included a nice finger choil in the design along with a jimped thumb ramp. The jimping that lines up with the G10 doesn’t offer any traction, but the jimping at the top of the ramp works as advertised. All in all I am very pleased with the “ergos” of this little knife.

Sheath

The SPEW comes with a very nice molded plastic sheath. The blade slides in with a firm snap and retention is very good. There is a little rattle, but this knife is not coming out unless you want it to. I like how a place for your thumb is included on this sheath, it means that you can easily pop the knife out with your thumb. I like carrying this one in my pocket, and it’s great to be able to deploy the knife with one hand and not have to remove both the knife and sheath from the pocket.

If you would rather carry the SPEW another way, the design offers a couple other options. CRKT includes a piece of paracord so you can lash this knife down or use it as a neck knife. I will say, if you want to use the SPEW as a neck knife, use a break-away chain or a cord lock so if the cord does get caught up you won’t strangle yourself! CRKT also offers a more traditional belt loop with this knife too – and you could mount the SPEW either horizontally or vertically. I like the sheath and the variety of carry options you get.

CRKT SPEW Review – Final Thoughts

The SPEW is another awesome knife from CRKT and Alan Folts. Fans of the Minimalist should be excited about this one, and I am happy to report that the SPEW does not disappoint. You get a wonderfully functional and compact design from Alan that has been well-executed by the folks at CRKT. I like the variety of carry options and just the overall package – it’s all been really well done.

My only issue pertains to the steel, and I think it is a pretty minor issue. Sure, I would love something that can take a finer edge, but the SPEW cuts, and it cuts surprisingly well. I gave the knife a series of hard tests and it passed them all with flying colors.

I think this is a good knife for the money and I recommend the SPEW if you are interested in the design, or want a little fixed blade for daily use.

CRKT S.P.E.W. EDC Fixed Blade Knife with Sheath: Compact Utility Neck Knife, Bead Blast Blade, Textured G10 Handle, Nylon Sheath, Belt Loop 2388

Easy To Sharpen: High carbon stainless steel blade takes an edge well
Minimizes Reflectivity: Bead blast finish reduces reflection
Exceptional Grip: G10 handle provides exceptional grip in all conditions
Gear Compatible: Durable thermoplastic sheath with mounting options
Compact Utility: Lightweight and easy to carry

I recommend purchasing the SPEW from Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.