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.

Interview with Geoff “TuffThumbz” Blauvelt

by Dan Jackson 10 Comments

Today I am sitting down with Geoff Blauvelt, aka TuffThumbz.

I stumbled across Geoff’s work while browsing through some of my favorite knife videos on YouTube. One thing that really stood out was Geoff’s amazing energy and charisma. These were dark and crowded videos filmed in some dank corner of his shop, and often featured Geoff swearing enthusiastically as he extolled the virtues of a particular knife. While his comments were refreshingly real and entertaining, this was thinly veiled knife porn of the most explicit nature. Naturally, I found myself pouring over his old videos, listening to his reviews and watching how his work had evolved, riveted to the screen.

To this day his YouTube channel is one of my favorites to see pop up on my subscription page. It’s fascinating to me because every day it seems like the work he does gets better and better.

Yes, Geoff is a true knife addict, a blade aficionado of epic proportions. Perhaps he didn’t create knife customizing, or knife “pimping” as he calls it, but he sure as hell helped popularize it. Today TuffThumbz is synonymous with customized production blades. His videos are still dimly lit shop creations (but now available in HD) and the swearing is, well it’s as authentic as ever. To be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way…

Hey Geoff, welcome to the site – great to have you here. If you don’t mind, please tell us a little about yourself.

Hi Dan, thanks for the chance to share a bit about me and what I do. My name is Geoff Blauvelt and I am a knifeaholic lol. I am 27 and have been collecting knives for about 4 years now. I used to be a scenic artist and painter, always been a creative person, but it never did much for me as a way to express my creativity. I have lived in PA my whole life and have always had an interest in the outdoors, guns and knives.

Don’t worry Geoff – you are in good hands. Take 2 custom scale orders and call me in the morning. 😉 So tell me, what got you into customizing knives?

Well I did not know people customized knives until I joined BladeForums and saw some work for people like Ferrk, Barry H and other random tinkerers in the knife community. I was very taken aback by this and started one of the more popular threads on the site called “pics of customized production knives.” You can see a pic on the second page of my first custom scales job, its pretty bad, I used wood from an IKEA chair and very limited tools. The popularity of the thread and excitement I felt from seeing posts of peoples work really hit me hard – I knew I had to get into this. Living in Philadelpia at the time left me limited on space, so it was mostly coating scales and blades with spray paint and small mods. The main interest was making something my own and unique to me.

Tell us a little more about the beginning. What kind of tools did you have? Did you have any previous experience making stuff?

When I moved out to a more rural area of PA I got the chance to use my garage as a work area, and bought a Dremel and started messing with some of the g10 on my production knives. I finally got some g10 for myself, and spent days working on one set of scales all by hand with the Dremmel. This was really time consuming and hard, but I loved it.

After leaving the city and being laid off of multiple jobs I was on the search for work and was having no luck. I had some random construction jobs but I’ve always hated having someone breathing down my neck and basically wasting my time making chicken scratch and feeling bored and trapped in a 9-5 job.

Finally I had an interview coming up and the thought of standing behind a counter and doing retail drove me to push hard for working for myself.

I decided to contact a knife pimper by the name of Jeff Karg of Kargknives.

He is the reason I am where I am right now. He took time out of his day almost everyday for 2 weeks to really show me the ropes and get me started. What he told me sparked something in my brain that exploded and has never stopped since. I sold off my zt300 and a few others, and got some tools and started pimping my knives to show people my work. I had a youtube channel with about 300 subscribers so I started showing my work on there, and got a little buzz going. Got a free website up and posted pics on all the forums i could. Finally someone contacted me for some work. I feel that the fact that I pimped a Spyderco Para 2 with the milling all done by hand really put me on the map. No one wanted to touch the thing and I was crazy enough to try it. To this day I’ve done more Para 2s then any other knife – about 50.

And today your inventory of tools and techniques is rapidly growing. Can you point to any particular tool that revolutionized the way you work on knives?

Well I will always love my Dremel – it has so many uses, and I couldn’t live without one. The tool that got my work to be a lot better was a shop fox oscillating spindle sander/ drill press. This allowed my work to be a lot more precise and professional looking. I am always looking for better tools and ways to speed up my work without compromising the quality. My next tool is a mill or belt grinder.

Your YouTube channel has been an electronic journal of sorts, chronicling your progression as a knife customizer. I’ve been following it for a few months and frankly, it’s been fascinating watching the ups and downs, seeing your talents grow and ogling all the knife porn and cool projects you have your hands on. How big of a role has your YouTube channel played in your whole knife pimpin’ project?

For me my YouTube channel is my most important outlet for my work. The knife community on YouTube is like no other.

I started with reviews but noticed my custom works had alot more views. After talking to alot of great people like Gavkoo, lazyspoiledkitty, zippothisknifethat, oremoto, darkchild AtpeacePeice, and X4CTO they told me they liked my work which inspired me to post more. People love seeing their knives pimped. Not a lot of guys doing what I do and will pimp a $25 rat1 or tenacious. I’m also one of the first to do this on YouTube. However, it’s not all business on my channel. It is mostly knife porn and just a relaxed way to show my work.

One of the draws to my work is having your work displayed and saying, “Hey that’s my knife everyone.” I think that is a big part to my success. Every time I’m working on a knife im thinking about how I can wow my people on YouTube. The comments and friends I made there keep me wanting to push my limits.

Geoff I agree, I think the YouTube channel is very cool and the community there is very special. Very few makers or customizers will put their work out there day in and day out like you do; it really lets people see your personality and connect with your work.

What is your favorite part about customizing a knife?

As a collector, it’s being able to handle all the knives I’ve wanted to own – it is really fun. As a customizer, the best part is pushing the limits of the materials and creating things that make people excited. Turning a boring black g10 scale into a crazy work of art is so much fun.

Spoken like a true knife nut. I agree man, you get some really cool blades on your workbench. I can obviously tell that this has turned from a hobby into a full blown passion, but has it also turned into a full blown job or do you still do other work?

At first I was getting a few jobs a week but always felt like it was to good to be true and was still looking for a job. A month later i was doing it from 7am till 4 in the morning and its been growing ever since. No more BS retail jobs for me. 🙂 I love it and I’m so thankful to the knife community for giving me this amazing opportunity.

Well Geoff I know a lot of hard work went into it too. It’s very cool to hear your success story.

Is there a piece, pattern or technique that you are most proud of?

I’m most proud of the bubble wrap pattern because its my first completely made up pattern. I borrow a lot from my biggest inspiration, Jenz Anso.

Jenz does amazing work, an excellent choice for inspiration if I do say so. What is on the horizon for TuffThumbz? Are we going to start seeing any full on custom knives?

To me the next step is making knives and titanium conversions. I have the tools coming and I’m ready to get started. I hope to keep doing scales and adding more materials like Titanium and working on making knives in my spare time.

Very exciting news. I will be keeping a close eye on your channel page and might have to get you back here down the road as a full on custom maker. 🙂

Ok, winding things down here, what are your current EDC knives?

Right now its my Spyderco lil Temperance 2 and TOPS ALRT neck knife.

Very nice choices. Thanks so much for the interview, Geoff. Is there anything else you would like to add?

I just want to say how thankful I am to everyone who put trust in me to do what i do. Knife collecting and this job has made me a better person and given me the opportunity to talk to amazing people all over the world and make some life long friends. I can see some people starting to pimp knives on youtube because I inspired them, that is the biggest reward i could ever ask for.

Thanks so much Dan, and you can expect a lot more from me in the future. Don’t ever tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon, a quote I tell myself… as corny as it is that is how I feel.

Thanks again Geoff, my pleasure.

You can learn more about Geoff’s work by checking out his website www.tuffknives.com or heading over to his Youtube Channel.

Cold Steel Recon 1 Review

by Dan Jackson 25 Comments

Last Updated: July 15, 2019
I love it when knife companies refine their existing designs. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for new and exciting models, but I’m almost more excited when a “good” knife turns into a “great” one. Cold Steel did just that with their latest version of the Cold Steel Recon 1. The new version (released in 2010) of the Recon 1 is lighter, has a stronger lock and a smarter design. What that leaves us with is a refined hard-use folding knife at a price almost anyone can afford.

Buy the Cold Steel Recon 1 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

Purpose

The Recon 1 is a large folding tactical knife or utility knife. Many people will not want to EDC the Recon 1, but I’ll say for a larger knife it is an extremely strong and relatively light EDC option. This could also be a decent trail knife/backup knife – I’ve seen people actually baton wood with this thing. Obviously these weren’t huge logs, but it’s still pretty incredible for a folder.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Recon 1 has an overall length of 9.75″, a 4″ blade, weighs 5.3 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. This is a large folding knife geared towards hard use and self defense applications. Certainly this could be used for every day carry (EDC) if you can swing carrying a knife of this size.

As far as the blade is concerned you have the option of either a clip point (bowie) blade shape, American tanto, or spear point blade shape (not shown here). All blade configurations come hollow ground and have the option of plain or partially serrated edges.

My personal preference is for the clip point or spear point blade shape, as I find the belly is useful for EDC. Regardless, the blades are all ground thin and cut nicely. If you need the additional tip strength of a tanto, or just like the look, then this is a great model to pick up with a tanto blade.

Cold Steel originally chose Aus 8A for the blade steel here. The Aus 8 version of the knives are shown here, and these are what I used for my review. Cold Steel upgraded the blade steel to CTS-XHP around 2016. Although I haven’t reviewed the CTS-XHP version of the Recon 1, I have tested the Ultimate Hunter and Code 4 and the Broken Skull in CTS-XHP. It’s a great upgrade. CTS-XHP is still easy to sharpen like AUS-8, but the edge holding is much better. It’s a great stainless steel and an excellent upgrade for these knives.

Also, the Recon 1 used to come with a teflon coated blade. These coatings chipped off easily and were long considered a downside to the Recon 1. When Cold Steel upgraded the blade steel to CTS-XHP they also started DLC coating their blades. This is a much tougher blade coating, and resists wear far better than teflon. This new coating holds up far better and I’ve had a chance to test it out on my Broken Skull.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

Cold Steel did an excellent job updating the Recon 1’s handle. They went with a linerless design and used two thick slabs of G10 for the handle. Some might find the lack of steel liners troubling on a hard use folding knife, but let me tell you – there is nothing to worry about. This is a very strong handle design (more on that below) and it has a 6061 aluminum backspacer. Everything is bolted together and there is a good size lanyard hole for added security.

The Recon 1 has great ergonomics. A major feature is the deep double choil. This fits my hand like a glove. The handle is thick enough so that it fills the hand adequately and the edges have been rounded for comfort. The roughly textured handle helps to ensure a firm grip under a variety of conditions. Note that there is no jimping on the thumb ramp. In this case, I don’t think the Recon 1 needs jimping, your hand is not going anywhere with this handle design. That said, it certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Due to the curvature of this handle design Cold Steel sells this knife with 2 pocket clips. This is so both left and right handed users can carry this knife comfortably. As a leftie, this sort of thing brings a tear to my eye (almost). I suspect some manufacturers don’t make clips reversible to keep costs down, but to see CS go so far as to make a second clip – well, that is really a statement and doesn’t go unnoticed here. Note that the clips allow for tip up carry only (fine by me) and that the clips has been given the same teflon coating as the blade so expect it to show wear.

Deployment and Lockup

The Recon 1 is deployed with a single thumb stud. The thumb stud is easily reversed with a screw driver, but in a perfect world I’d rather see ambidextrous thumb studs right out of the box. The Recon 1 has a powerful backspring, so it isn’t the easiest knife to deploy, but with a little wrist action I have no problems at all snapping this blade out. And it does snap out, with a loud and authoritative crack. This is a knife that deploys with confidence thanks to a smart design and phosphor bronze washers.

The Recon 1 has the Andrew Demko designed Tri-ad Lock. This lock is phenomenal and is the strongest lock currently on the market. It’s a beefed up backlock with the inclusion of a stop pin. The stop pin takes all the force of heavy duty tasks rather than the locking mechanism. What this means is that this lock will take more stress and punishment than anything else on the market. I’ve tested these locks extensively myself and my results match everyone else’s conclusions – that the Tri-ad lock is nearly bullet-proof.

Recon1 vs. the AK-47 or the American Lawman?

Chances are, if you are interested in the Recon 1, you may also be interested in the AK-47 or the American Lawman. If that is the case, I recorded a video where I do a detailed comparison of these 3 models that you may find useful.

If you still have any questions or are interested in another comparison feel free to leave a comment or contact me.

Cold Steel Recon 1: Final Thoughts

The Recon 1 is an absolute beast of a knife. If you are looking for an inexpensive hard use folder, you really can’t do better than this Recon 1 folder with the Triad lock. The Recon 1 is very similar to the Cold Steel Ak-47 and American Lawman, 2 knives I have previously reviewed. If you are having trouble deciding between the three it really comes down to which knife you like the look of the most. They have minor functional differences but they are all tough as nails and ready for any task.

Also, well after the initial publication date of this review Cold Steel made major upgrades. They upgraded the blade to a DLC coated CTS-XHP blade from a teflon coated AUS-8 blde. The upgrades Cold Steel made to the blade steel and blade coating addressed the 2 biggest complaints I previously had with the knife: soft Aus-8 steel that was serviceable, but didn’t hold an amazing edge, and a teflon blade coating that quickly chipped and looked bad. Granted, these upgrades have raised the Recon 1 from a $50 knife, to more like a $75 knife, but I think you are getting more knife for your money. The Recon 1 has been elevated from a good bargain knife, to an impressive cutting tool.

At the end of the day, if you can carry a larger knife like the Recon 1 you are going to have a hard time finding a tougher pound for pound folding knife. It remains an excellent choice to this day. Personally, I prefer the slightly smaller and more utilitarian looking American Lawman, but if you like the dimensions of the Recon 1 then you won’t be disappointed with this knife.

Cold Steel EDC Tactical Folding Pocket Knife, Recon

The Cold Steel Recon is a strong, durable, and effective mainstay in the world of tactical pocket knives.
The steel blade features DLC coating for long-wearing use. The coating is black, rough to the touch, and super strong against scratches and wear.
Cold Steel's innovation is the safest folding knife locking system on the market, holding 800 lbs of hanging weight.
Folding knife with ambidextrous pocket and belt clip for both right- and left-handed draws. Thin construction does not imprint in the pocket for a stealthy carry. Perfect for battle gear.
A great everyday carry option for self-defense, battooning, stabbing, etc. The scales on the handle around the finger grooves provide excellent grip and ergonomic comfort.

If you are interested in purchasing a Cold Steel Recon 1, then I recommend purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. Purchasing things through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com and will help to keep the reviews coming. Any support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

SOG Flash II Review

by Dan Jackson 28 Comments

Last Updated: July 29, 2019
SOG is a company that has always intrigued me. They have eschewed the more mainstream model of production knife design, which typically involves a team of in-house designers and a deep roster of freelancers, instead favoring a one man approach. All of SOG’s knives are designed by president and founder Spencer Frazer. This has resulted in some unique design elements and ultimately, some very unique knives.

Buy the Flash II at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

The Flash II is a shining example of this, a knife that is quintessentially SOG and decidedly different. This blade has been around the block a time or two (it’s been in production for years), and has passed through the hands of thousands in its various iterations. Today I turn back to the classic drop point version with a plain edge and black handle.

Purpose

For purposes of this review, I am classifying the Flash II as a medium sized EDC and emergency tactical knife. With it’s big blade, grippy handle and assisted opening, the Flash II could easily fill an emergency tactical role. Also, due to the number of different finishes and handle choices available, this could very well be a collectable for fans of the brand.

General Dimensions and Blade Specifics

The Flash II has a 3.5 inch blade, and overall length of 8″ and a weight of 3.1 ounces. Going back to the purpose of this knife, I think the combination of the long blade and light weight make it an interesting emergency tactical option. It also could be practical for EDC if you like a bigger blade but don’t like being weighed down (the Flash I is a smaller version, perhaps more appropriate for EDC).

The blade shape is a very traditional looking drop point. It’s a no frills design with a full flat grind (“FFG”). As something of a traditionalist, this simple style of blade always appeals to me, and the FFG is great for slicing. My Flash II came with a very nice satin finish and a meticulously ground secondary bevel. The satin finish is a finger print magnet, and I find myself constantly wiping this knife down… That probably says more about me than the knife, but it’s something I noticed.

Of course, as one of SOG’s classic models this knife comes in a couple blade shapes (wharncliffe, tanto, and the drop point version shown) and you can also get this blade with a Titanium Nitride (TiNi) coating and some even with tiger stripes.

SOG selected AUS8 blade steel for the Flash II. If you are into steel then you already know about AUS8, it’s a mid range Japanese steel. If you aren’t that into steel, then know that AUS8 takes a sharp edge and holds it pretty well. It’s easy to sharpen and very forgiving. SOG does a cryo treat on this blade which is supposed to improve toughness. I find AUS8 to be entirely adequate and fits the mid range price tag well.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Flash II has a unique, boxy looking handle made of thick fiberglass reinforced nylon (FRN); a reinforced plastic. Some versions sport an aluminum handle and you can find the FRN version in a dozen or more colors. I like the FRN version as it keeps the knife light and doesn’t feel cheap. This is a much denser FRN than what is on say, a Benchmade Griptilian. There are no liners in this handle, which helps with the weight but isn’t without disadvantages (discussed below)…

Ergonomics on this oddly shaped handle are surprisingly good. It’s a chunky design and has no problem filling the hand. The corners have been slightly rounded. For normal use it’s comfortable, and even when holding the handle tightly and carving off long curls of wood it wasn’t that bad. I wouldn’t want to build a tree fort with this knife, but for most tasks I’d say the handle works well. I do like the thumb ramp and dual choils. They help provide control for detail work. The sides of the handles have been given a diamond texture and help with overall grip.

The pocket clip is an ultra deep carry design and is reversible. It’s a tip-up only clip and provides strong retention. It’s kind of a funky looking, definitely another look distinct to SOG. There is also a very small lanyard hole next to the clip.

Deployment and Lockup

The Flash II has an assisted opening. A gentle push on either of the ambidextrous thumb studs snap the blade out in a “flash.” Stupid puns aside, the opening is quick and smooth. Assisted openings can be a matter of taste, but I like it on this knife, especially as an emergency tactical folder. Rapid fool-proof deployment under stress is what I’m looking for an an emergency tactical blade, and the Flash II provides just that.

There is a safety lock on the side of the handle. When the safety is engaged it prevents accidentally opening the knife. For many this will be about as useful as a sock on a chicken’s foot, but it allows SOG to make this assisted opener a tip-up carry knife so I don’t mind. I just leave mine in the “off” position and go about my day.

The Flash II uses what seems like a combination between a bolt lock and a lock back. It’s hard for me to really tell without taking the knife apart, something I’m not quite ready to do. I found that there was some side-to-side play when I had the blade open and locked. I tried adjusting the pivot, and was able to fix it somewhat, but there was still play evident in the blade. Given that this is a linerless design, with what appears to be some sort of bolt lock, I am not really surprised by this. If there was up-and-down play (there wasn’t) I would be concerned as that would suggest that the lock could fail.

If you can live with a little side-to-side play in your knife then I don’t see this as a major issue. If blade play is something you can’t stand, or want to really hard use this knife, then keep this in mind.

SOG Flash II Review – Final Thoughts

All in all I am very happy with the Flash II. I love the blade, can appreciate the light carry, and find the assisted open to be both fun and practical. It’s a quirky little knife that really stands out in a crowd. As a fan of choices I think this is a good thing. The only real negative I could find was the blade play. I’ve done some reading and know I am not alone, but that doesn’t stop this from being a classic folding knife enjoyed by many.

If you want something lightweight, practical and a little different, then I suggest checking out the SOG Flash II.

SOG FSA98-CP Flash II 8in Serrated Blade EDC Knife

QUICK OPEN POCKET KNIVES: The SOG Flash II everyday carry knife serves as a daily carry flip knife with assisted opening tech; these folding knives measure 4.5 inches in closed length with model number: FSA98-CP
FLIPPER KNIFE W/ LIGHTWEIGHT KNIFE HANDLE: A 3.5 inch partially serrated pocket knife blade makes these EDC pocket knives versatile; sharp pocket knife is only 3.1 ounces with a glass-reinforced nylon (GRN) grip
ONE HAND OPEN FOLDER KNIFE: One of the most reliable fast blade knife systems ever; assisted opening pocket knife opens single-handed, while Piston Lock secures the stainless steel blade
AUS-8 PARTIALLY SERRATED POCKET KNIFE: Quick release knife mechanism inspires the ‘flash’ on the satin-polish of this deep carry knife, fast clip knife and every day pocket knife
SOG KNIVES FOR LIFE: Take care of your serrated EDC folding knife and we’ll take care of you; SOG every day carry knives are built to last, and we consider all repair and replacement requests

I recommend purchasing the SOG Flash II at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying 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.

CRKT Drifter Review

by Dan Jackson 24 Comments

Last Updated: August 8, 2019
For those who can’t get enough high value EDC knives, or simply need a tool for every day use that is both well made and inexpensive, I think it’s going to be tough to ignore the CRKT Drifter. For some, this may be their first “real knife” that sends them down the slippery slope that is blade collecting. Others might want to spice up their EDC rotation without breaking the bank. I think that for many reasons this inexpensive offering from CRKT is a great ambassador for the knife world, and its review here is long overdue.

Buy the CRKT Drifter at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Drifter comes in two major variants, a liner lock version with G-10 scales and a stainless steel (SS) framelock version. Both share the same overall length of 6.5″ and the same 2.88″ blade. The stainless steel handled version weighs 3.2 ounces while the G10 clad Drifter weighs a mere 2.4 ounces. If I had to pick between the two for EDC, I’d say the G10 version gets my vote. I love the ultra light carry weight, it really disappears in pocket. Regardless of the version that strikes your fancy the sub 3″ blade and reasonable weight make these ideal EDC knives.

The blade is a classic drop point shape that reminds me a lot of my Benchmade Griptilian. It features the same swedge and hollow grind that starts about 3/4 of the way up the blade. The Drifter is given a gentle recurve that adds a little spice without making it too difficult to sharpen. The tip is fine enough for detail work, but not too delicate. This is an all around solid blade shape.

The G10 version of this knife comes with a handsome gray Titanium Nitride (TiNi) coating while the stainless steel version comes satin finished. I really like the look of that TiNi coating – it’s a handsome gun metal gray and mine has held up pretty well considering.

The Drifter’s blade comes in 8Cr14MoV. Anecdotally 8Cr14MoV is considered to be slightly better than 8Cr13MoV, but I really haven’t noticed a difference… apparently that extra chromium molecule does something. Fans of 8Cr13MoV will like this steel and those who don’t like 8Cr13MoV may find a soft spot for its high Chromium counterpart. I like it because it’s easy to sharpen, holds an edge reasonably well and has decent corrosion resistance.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

Depending on what model you get, the handle will be full stainless steel or G10 over stainless steel liners. Either way the handle is a simple minimalist design with two pillars and a lanyard hole. On the G10 version the liners aren’t milled, which begs the question, how light would this thing be if they did that? Honestly my guess is any weight savings probably wouldn’t be worth the premium in price. Both handles are nicely finished, they did a great job here.

At 3.6″ long, the handle of the Drifter is a decent size and will comfortably accept a 4 finger grip, even with larger hands. The G10 version is definitely the grippier of the two, and the black G10 has been given a nice light texturing. The SS version lacks any meaningful texture, but I have no problem with it for EDC. There is jimping on the thumb ramp and choil. It’s not super aggressive, but it gets the job done. All in all I think the ergonomics here are quite reasonable.

The clip is my only real source of constructive criticism. It’s a right hand tip-down carry only clip – not my first choice for positioning. I’d love to see the option to carry tip down, and preferably 4 corners style clip, but really for a $20 knife I think what we have here works.

Perhaps the best part of the clip is that it’s removable, and the small size of the knife allows you to carry it loose in your pocket. There is a lanyard hole which could be a nice option if you decide to go the “clipless” route – it should take hollowed out 550 cord without protest. I will say it is a sturdy clip, it rides sorta low and it’s been darkened in both versions (gunmetal grey like the handle for the SS version, black for the G10).

Deployment and Lockup

Deployment for both Drifters is very smooth – almost surprisingly smooth for such inexpensive knives. Thanks to the oversize thumb studs and metal washers it takes very little effort to get this knife ready for work. One minor thing to note is that due to the size of these thumbstuds the knife can get caught up on your pocket. That’s the tradeoff with having nice big thumbstuds.

Lockup on both the G10 and Stainless steel versions is solid. My stainless steel version has broken in a bit, but there is no blade play at all. My liner lock version bites in nice and early. Some may feel that the frame lock is stronger, but honestly I don’t think it particularly matters with these little knives. Both should handle all your EDC tasks without issue.

CRKT Drifter Review – Final Thoughts

All in all I really like both the Drifters. For well under $25 a piece, these are two high value blades that have absolutely been done right. You get a nice no-frills design that totally works. Good deployment and lockup, nice materials, solid fit and finish. Everything you would expect from a much more expensive knife. If I had to find something to complain about, it would be the lack of placement options for the pocket clip, but even then I think the clip is passable. Again, for ultra light weight EDC I’d go with the G10 version, but you really can’t go wrong with either knife (or both!).

CRKT Drifter EDC Folding Pocket Knife: Everyday Carry, Gray Ti Nitride Blade, Thumb Stud Opening, Black G10 Handle, Pocket Clip 6450K

Exceptional Grip: G10 handle provides exceptional grip in all conditions
Enhanced Protection: Gray titanium nitride coating improves corrosion resistance
Easy Opening: Thumb stud allows for fast opening with one hand
Limited Lifetime Warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, see company site for details

CRKT Drifter EDC Folding Pocket Knife: Everyday Carry, Gray Ti Nitride Blade, Thumb Stud Opening, Stainless Steel Handle, Pocket Clip 6450S

Classy Appearance: Satin finish blade has a modern look
Ultimate Durability: Stainless steel handle withstands hard use
Brute Strength: Frame lock utilizes a thick lock bar to secure the blade
Limited Lifetime Warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, see company site for details

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Ka-Bar Kukri Machete Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

Last Updated: July 27, 2019
The Kukri is an ethnic design that has truly stood the test of time. Originally the kukri was meant to be a fighting knife. Members of the Nepalese military carried these blades, most notably their elite Gurkha regiments. These days you don’t need to be an elite warrior to wield one as most knife stores and your favorite online blade retailers will carry these. Today I am looking at Ka-Bar’s take on this traditional knife, their Kukri Machete.

Buy the Ka-Bar Kukri at BladeHQ

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Purpose

We purchased this knife for clearing land and chopping. We have a little bit of land and this is the perfect knife to clear ground with, chop wood, trim trees, etc. I personally wouldn’t label this as a dedicated “survival knife” but if it works for you then by all means feel free to use it as such. I wouldn’t really call it a “machete” either – this is a heavily built knife, and designed for serious chopping. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it in any situation a hatchet might be used. Your average machete would break in two if you tried to do half the stuff this knife is capable of (like chopping through 8″ diameter trees).

Also, the Ka-Bar Kuktri could could also be a good piece for your car/truck, bug out bag, etc. This is a sturdy tool, and one I wouldn’t mind having in my arsenal if the S happened to ever HTF. I also like how the knife is at a price where you can afford one “just in case” and not feel like you broke the bank.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Kukri Machete has a blade length of 11.5″ a total length of 17″ and a weight of around 20 ounces (~1.2 lbs). Like I said, this isn’t really a machete. It’s a stoutly built tool and will do a lot more than hack through light brush. The kukri blade shape puts a lot of weight towards the front of the blade and makes for an excellent chopper. I’ve had no issue taking out 1-2″ diameter branches with a single swipe, and if you can place your blows effectively this knife will devastate larger limbs (or fell small trees) in no time. There is a partial flat grind that begins about an inch up the blade, and a smaller unsharpened swedge running along half of the top of the knife – presumably that reduces the weight a little and reinforces the tip.

Ka-Bar went with 1085 tool steel with the Kukri, and I think it’s an excellent choice. 1085 is very similar to 1095, the steel ESEE uses on their (expensive) hard use survival knives. 1085 is a very tough high carbon steel that takes a good edge and holds onto it well under outdoor use. Speaking of edges, I was actually pretty impressed with the factory edge on this thing. Most machetes come real dull, and rely on leverage to power through material. I could push cut paper and shaved a nice bald spot on my leg with the Ka-Bar. The kukri shape will be harder to sharpen than say a classic drop point, but it is not impossible – especially with a sharpening rod or small stone.

I did manage to chip the blade when I missed my target and banged into some rocks. What can I say, a rock will typically trump the edge of a knife – no surprises there. I’m just happy the Ka-Bar didn’t crack in half, and removing the chips with a file was easy enough. 1085 will rust so you need to keep this knife clean, dry, and preferably coated with a little oil. Ka-Bar went ahead and gave this knife a nice and durable flat black powder coating. In practice this coating has held up really well, and I haven’t had any issues with rust (despite using and storing this knife a stone’s throw from the Atlantic).

Handle and Ergonomics

The Ka-Bar Kukri comes with a large and comfortable handle. This is a full tang knife, something I would expect to see in a heavy chopper, and the handle is made of black kraton. Kraton is a hard rubber material, and performs well with wet or dry hands. Although I had no issues with slipping you would still be well advised to take advantage of the large lanyard hole as you definitely do not want this knife getting away from you.

The large handle is designed with chopping in mind. I like how thick the handle is and the lightly textured kraton provides plenty of grip. I also like how the pommel is slightly curved to provide a “catch” for your pinky finger. This does a good job keeping the kukri from slipping away; even after extended chopping sessions with wet/sweaty hands. I did have a blister raise up on my palm after a day of use, but a pair of gloves probably would have avoided that. If one blister is all that happened to my hand after 6+ hours of heavy chopping I’d say this handle is pretty darn comfortable.

Sheath

The sheath is made from a combination of black leather and cordura. It is a simple sheath with 2 snaps to hold in the blade. I find that sheaths for kukris are generally a little awkward in comparison to more traditional blade shapes (to account for the somewhat odd shape to the blade). Ka-Bar’s sheath is no exception, but it totally works.

I will say that the sheath is sturdy and it holds the knife well. As for attachment methods, your only option is a belt loop on a D ring that has been riveted together. There is another smaller D ring at the bottom of the sheath that you can lash that to your leg. In the world of high-speed kydex sheathes this option is nothing to write home about, but in practice I found the sheath to be entirely adequate – especially for the money. Ultimately I carry the knife on my belt, and it works really well for getting from point A to point B. I find that I can get the blade out by unsnapping the top snap, and the knife is easy enough to remove and insert. No complaints with the sheath.

Update and some field testing footage

Hard to believe this review was originally penned over a year ago! Since then the machete has seen a good amount to use and I have updated the review to reflect some of my experiences. We managed to chip out the blade badly on some rocks. This video shows me repairing that and chopping up some wood with the blade. This thing is a BEAST of a chopper.

Ka-Bar Kukri Machete Review – Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a durable chopper Ka-Bar has you covered with their Kukri Machete. I don’t like calling this one a machete because it performs more like a small axe, but who really cares about the semantics. This knife will clear brush without hesitation and plows through medium sized branches with ease. If you need something for heavy yard work, or want to add a capable chopper to the arsenal, I can safely recommend this one. The knife itself is a good design and is well made from high quality material. For the money the sheath does a great job.

What else is there to say? If you want a versatile knife with serious chopping power for around $50 I totally recommend the Ka-Bar Kukri.

KA-BAR 2-1249-9 Kukri,Black

Made in: Taiwan
Category name: machetes
Made in USA or imported
Black Kukri-style machete with carbon-steel blade
Ideal for chopping weeds, clearing campsite, and more

I recommend purchasing the Ka-Bar Kukri Machete at 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.

Ontario RAT 1 Review

by Dan Jackson 41 Comments

Last Updated: July 13, 2019
These days, if you want a high value EDC knife, then there are plenty of options. Kershaw and Spyderco make some great knives in the $30 and under category that are easy choices for EDC. But if you want something that is both hard use and high value, it gets a little harder. Sure, the Spyderco and Kershaw blades are well built, but for many, these knives are firmly in the EDC category.

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Enter the Ontario RAT 1. The RAT 1 combines tank-like construction with a big blade and comes in around $30. At that price this larger folder becomes difficult to ignore. I’ve carried my RAT 1 for years, and have compared it with hundreds of other pocket knives. Let’s see what the Ontario RAT Model 1 is all about.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The RAT 1 has a an overall length of 8.6″, a 3.5″ blade, and it weighs of 5 ounces. This ain’t no rice cake. However, it’s a solid folding knife. This is for people that want an inexpensive heavy duty folding knife. If you are looking for a small Every Day Carry (EDC) knife, then I would recommend the RAT 2 over the RAT 1. Here is a size comparison so you can see the difference:

So as you can see, the RAT 1 is more of a utility knife then a suburban daily carry. That said, plenty of guys like to carry a RAT 1, so it just depends on what you like.

The blade is an attractive drop point shape. It’s a no-frills blade, and the full flat grind adds to the simplicity. Overall, the blade is a great design for slicing, thinly ground from 3mm thick stock and an edge that has been neatly applied. There is no swedge on this knife, but the the tip is still sturdy considering. This is a practical blade that will perform well in a variety of tasks.

The blade comes with either a satin finish or a black coating. The coating Ontario uses is pretty cheap, and will start wearing off almost instantly. For that reason I prefer the satin finish. The satin finish on the RAT 1 is excellent. It’s bright and reflective, which may chagrin the more “tactical” crowd, but it wears well and provides little resistance when slicing. And the satin finish has held up great over the years. My knife shows some wear, but nothing crazy.

The blade steel on my particular knife is AUS8, a mid-range Japanese stainless steel. AUS 8 is nice because it is tough, easy to sharpen, and resistant to rusting, but it will lose its edge faster than higher end steels. For a ~$30 knife, I’m honestly happy to have it.

In practice my RAT 1 has been a workhorse of a blade. The thin, full flat grind is excellent, and the big blade of the RAT 1 flies through cardboard and other materials. I’ve used my RAT 1 for innumerable odd jobs, and I’ve also used it as a daily carry knife. It will open mail and packages, and perform basic food prep with the best of them.

For those turned off by AUS-8, Ontario released the RAT 1 in D2 a few years ago. D2 is even tougher than AUS-8 and will hold an edge longer, but D2 is far from a “super steel”. It’s semi-stainless, and depending on the heat treat it can be difficult to sharpen. From what I’ve read people like the D2 on the RAT 1, and it appears to be an upgrade over the AUS-8 version, but I haven’t tried one out yet.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The RAT 1 has a flow through / pillar construction handle with zytel (plastic) scales over stainless steel liners. Zytel may not be everyone’s first choice for handle material, but it does the job here and serves as a lightweight and durable scale. Speaking of scales, Ontario offers this knife in a variety of different colors. I happened to like the OD green version, so that is what you see here.

The full steel liners on this knife are not milled out, which accounts for part of the knife’s weight, but for a hard working beater blade, milled liners are a luxury I don’t require. Nylon scales and solid liners are minor grumbles that shouldn’t detract too much from an otherwise solid handle.

The ergonomics of the RAT 1 are nice, thanks in part to the generous handle. The handle offers plenty of room, even if you have larger hands. The handle is also thick with rounded edges. This makes the knife comfortable in forward and reverse grips, but it also makes it bulky. The zytel handle scales offer light traction. There is not as much grip as a G-10 handle, but it’s not slippery either.

There is a well defined finger groove. This will keep your hand from sliding forward onto the blade, always nice. There is a pretty good sized thumb ramp with some toothy jimping. The jimping is not super sharp, but it’s coarse and you will feel it. There is also room on the ricasso to choke up on the blade.

The pocket clip is a simple spoon style clip. It’s similar to what you would find on most Benchmade knives. The handle has been drilled and tapped for “4 corners” carry. This means you can mount the clip tip up or tip down on either side of the knife.

The clip has been blackened with an inexpensive coating. It will wear off with use. The clip’s spring retention is good though, and the mild texture on the scales means that this knife won’t tear up your pocket when you insert and remove it from your pants.

Speaking of which, here is a shot of the RAT 1 in the pocket:

The Rat 1 carries like you would expect for a big heavy knife. It’s big and heavy and you feel it in the pocket. That’s one of the compromises you make for a strong folding knife at this price point. That said, the clip keeps the knife in place, and the RAT 1 has never fallen out of my pocket. Carry is relatively discreet, but a decent portion of the handle sticks out of the pocket.

Deployment and Lock-up

Deployment on the Ontario RAT 1 is excellent. There are some phosphor bronze washers in there, a welcome feature on this value priced knife, and it lends to nice smooth deployments. Ambidextrous thumbstuds are always welcome, and the RAT 1 has some nice big ambidextrous thumb studs. These large thumb studs provide plenty of leverage, and they allow you to pop the blade out fast.

The liner lock is solid and crisp. It’s a nice early lockup with a thick piece of steel. It feels secure. One open there is zero blade play in this knife, which comes as no surprise when you feel how solid the rest of this knife is. 5 ounces is heavy for a modern folder, but I think the RAT 1 makes up for it here with it’s rock solid feel and lock.

Here is a parting size comparison with the Spyderco Delica and the Spyderco Endura. As you can see, the Rat 1 is a big knife.

Blade centering is perfect on my RAT 1. Impressive given the price point.

Ontario Rat 1 Review – Final Thoughts

If you are looking for an inexpensive hard use folder, then the RAT 1 is tough to beat. You get a lot of well made knife for your money. The RAT 1 is comfortable, strongly built, and the fully flat ground blade is excellent. This is an everyman’s knife. It provides many of the features people look for in higher end folding knives, but it’s at a price point most can afford.

I have had my rat 1 for years. This review was originally published in 2011, and I’m doing a major long term update in 2019. Over the past 8 years I have had the chance to carry and use the RAT 1, and compare it with hundreds of other knives. For ~$30.00, I still think it’s tough to beat. Cold Steel offers some good lightweight budget stuff, but the RAT 1 remains a classic.

However, it’s not all rosy with the RAT 1. At this price point there are compromises. The biggest compromises with the RAT 1 include the softer AUS-8 blade steel (unless you pay extra for the D2 version), the plastic handle scales, and its weight. That said, I think the pros outweigh the cons, and the RAT 1 represents a significant upgrade over less expensive knives. The RAT 1 is a tank. Those that need an expensive tank of a folding knife will find a lot to appreciate with the RAT 1.

And perhaps the best test for a knife is the test of time. The RAT 1 was a success when it first came out, and it remains a modern classic. There is a reason people still buy it years after it’s original release. It’s a timeless design that has been well executed, and it’s offered at an excellent price point. I highly recommend it.

Sale

Ontario Knife Company 8848 Rat I Folding Knife - EDC Knife (Black)

Sport type: Hunting
Open post construction for easy cleaning
AUS-8 blade steel
3. 5 inch plain edge blade
3.5 inch plain edge blade

I recommend purchasing the Ontario Rat 1 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. Thank you very much.