Benjamin Schwartz

Ben Schwartz is a writer and gear geek. When not contributing to BladeReviews, he is the editor of KnifeNews.com reporting on the latest news on new and popular knives, production knife companies, custom knife makers, and things happening in the cutlery industry. Here are his barely-maintained Twitter and blog.

Spyderco Clipitool C175 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 10 Comments

Recently, in a comment on an article on Everyday Commentary, the always-astute R.D. gave a summary of each major knife company’s chief weakness. For Spyderco, he said that they were “diluting their core identity (cerebral, highly engineered, function-based knives) to chase trends.”

Buy the Spyderco Clipitool at BladeHQ

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I couldn’t have put my current feelings about Spyderco any better. Although the Positron or the Nirvana are beautiful, immaculately-finished, and eminently useable and enjoyable knives, I feel like they lack the spark that the best Spyderco designs have. I feel like Spyderco has the Bethesda problem: they’ve become complacent and the products they’ve been putting out recently reflect that – and even if those products aren’t bad, they’re unimaginative, and unrepresentative of what makes Spyderco special.

The last brand new Spyderco design that excited me was the Clipitool line. In particular, I had my eye on the Clipitool Driver; a tool that echoes the immortal Cadet in terms of its verb set (cut, screw, pop, pry), but with the Spyderco cerebreality that R.D. mentioned in his appraisal of the company. In short, it seemed like something special, and I was excited when Dan sent me one to review a month or so ago.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Clipitool has a blade length of 2”, a handle length of 2 ¾”, and an overall length of about 4 ½”. It’s made almost entirely out of stainless steel, and weighs 1.9 oz. – a really dense 1.9 oz., which is to be expected given its tiny overall footprint what all is crammed into it.

It’s a small knife: the Dragonfly is up a size class from this thing. And as much as I prefer smaller knives this is almost too far – almost. A knife like the Dragonfly can do about 95% of what you could expect to use a knife for in normal, day-to-day life; the Clipitool’s micro blade can do about 90%. Food prep is out of the question, so if that’s something you use a pocket knife for (I don’t, generally) you may find the Clipitool’s utility more restricted than that.

The blade steel is 8Cr13MoV, the standard for entry level-priced knives and probably one of the most written-about steels on the internet. Its primary characteristic is the ease with which it can be sharpened; everything else about it is just enough: just tough enough, just rust-resistant enough, holds an edge for just long enough. I’d take just about any other modern AUS-8-and-up steel over 8Cr13MoV, but that speaks less to its inadequacies than to the embarrassment of riches we have when it comes to good, affordable steels.

The other implement you can fold out of your Clipitool is the distinctly Spyderco bottle opener/screwdriver. It has that distinctly Spyderco pseudo-fugliness to it, but it works really well in both its intended roles as well as in its unofficial capacity as a miniature pry bar. I was worried that the length of the driver arm would make it too fragile to really beat on, but I used it in a pretty careless fashion taking an old computer apart, and it held up well: there was a bit more side-to –side play afterwards, but nothing that tightening the pivot screw wouldn’t fix.

In general, the fit and finish on the Clipitool is what I would describe as pleasingly sloppy. There was a little wiggle in both the blade and the driver arm to begin with, there are some gaps at the butt end of the knife where the springs meet, and most of the edges, with the exception of the outer edge of the handle scales, are sharp, albeit not troublingly so. I find that there’s something reassuring in a knife with some small-scale, non-performance-affecting issues; I’m less afraid to beat on it because that feeling of hallowedness I get from, say, a Taichung, Taiwan Spyderco isn’t present.

The stainless steel scales do attract scratches, though, as you can see in the pictures, so if that bugs you be warned.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

I hate finger grooves and ‘ergonomic’ scalloping; the weird curves on the Delica’s handle are the primary reason why I dislike that knife as much as I do. And yet here we are looking at the Clipitool, a knife whose handle is entirely finger grooves, and I really like it.

I think the reason why I like the Clipitool’s handle is that it is designed with the overall size of the knife in mind. The Clipitool is so small that, when you’re using it, there’s only one way to hold it, unlike the Delica, which could theoretically be held a few different ways. The grooves keep your hand where it should be to use the knife most effectively, and prevent it from slipping around on the slick steel scales.

When you’re using the caplifter/driver, the ergonomics are different, although equally good. The folded-in blade is what your fingers wrap around, not the grooves, and the neck of the driver arm sort of extends the handle, meaning you can actually fit all five fingers on the Clipitool for lifting caps or driving screws, making both tasks easy to perform:

The Clipitool comes with a micro version of what I feel is probably my favorite clip on the market, the standard Spyderco spoon clip. I’ve mentioned before that I’m hard on my knives’ pocket clips, which is why I prefer the spoon clip to the wire clip on my Spydercos. This miniature one is so good: just-right tension and the smoothness of the steel scales makes stowing it away and retrieving it thoughtless, and it is very durable. I don’t know how popular the Clipitool has been overall, but if Spyderco takes anything away from this design I hope it’s the clip: I would love to see it on the Dragonfly 3.

Deployment and Lockup

The Clipitool, despite having Clipit in the name, is a Slipit knife – Spyderco parlance for a slipjoint knife (I assume they called it a ClipiTool and not a SlipiTool both to advertise the fact that it has a clip and because Slipitool sounds vaguely dirty). In the official Clipitool literature Spyderco says that the opening hole is meant to function as a nail mark would on a traditional slipjoint knife, facilitating easier two-handed opening, but, as with the Pingo, you can open the Clipitool with one hand, albeit somewhat awkwardly. The driver arm however will always need to be opened with two hands.

It feels silly to be talking about the walk and talk of this emphatically non-traditional knife, but since it’s a slipjoint I feel obligated to bring it up (and indeed, the overall shape and two-pivot design remind me a lot of the Case Peanut): it’s decent, probably a half-step up from what I was expecting given the price. The driver arm in particular has a really pleasing snap to it. The pull would probably be about a 4 on the blade, and a 2 or 3 on the driver arm.

Lockup, or maybe slipup in this case, is good. The Clipitool feels a little harder to close than my Peanut or my UKPK, and about on par with the Cadet. The choil precludes virtually any chance of accidental closure. There isn’t a lot to talk about on this point, so suffice it to say that the Clipitool is adequately secure, as you would expect from a Spyderco-designed slipjoint.

Spyderco Clipitool Review – Final Thoughts

Some people remain optimistic about Spyderco, but I find it harder and harder to do so. Knives like the Nirvana or the Mike Draper or the divisive Rubicon strike me as empty displays of virtuosity, undoubtedly good, but overpriced and fundamentally unimaginative; knives from a company at the height of its manufacturing powers but at the nadir of its creativity. The best non-collaboration knives Spyderco released this year were upgrades of existing designs. Because it was a totally new design, and because it seemed so in tune with what drew me to the company in the first place, the Clipitool would be memorable to me even if it were only an interesting failure.

But of course it isn’t a failure: it’s a wonderful tool – I would call it almost genuinely great. I do wish the blade was a bit longer, but I’m not sure how that could be accomplished without making the overall footprint a little too big. I would also like to see it in FRN or G-10, if the price could be kept where it is. The best thing I can say about it is that I’m going to keep it in my pocket for a bit even though I’m done reviewing it. It’s just a pleasing thing to own and use, and I recommend it without hesitation to anybody.

Spyderco ClipiTool Multi-Functional Stainless Steel Utility Pocket Knife with 2" Steel Blade and Screwdriver/Bottle Opener - PlainEdge - C175P

Clipitool: A special family of tools that combine a high-performance cutting edge with the added convenience and functionality of other tools. They feature pocket clips for convenient carry and easy access.
Multifunctional: Features a convenient folding bottle opener that also doubles as a flat-blade screwdriver.
PlainEdge Blade: This knife has a sharpened blade with no serrations or teeth sometimes referred to as a smooth blade.
Slip Joint: A non-locking mechanism in which the blade is held open by spring pressure on a flat section on the back of the blades tang.
Specification: Closed Length (Inches): 2.57, Overall Length (Inches): 4.59, Blade Length (Inches):2.02, Blade Steel: 8Cr13MoV, Grind: Full-Flat

If you would like to buy a Spyderco Clipitool, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon.com or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Foursevens Preon 2 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 7 Comments

Last Updated: September 7, 2019
I chose the Streamlight Microstream for my first flashlight review because I felt like it would establish a good ‘control’ for whatever I decided to review next. It was simple, straightforward, unadorned: an appealingly plain little light.

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But I also chose it because it wasn’t an enthusiast product, in the sense that something like the Prometheus QR and the Peak Eiger are enthusiast products. These are designed for people who want to read the spec sheets, who know the names, pros, and cons of different emitters like knife guys know the quirks of different steels. In the gear world, there tends to be a pretty clear distinction between what’s made for the enthusiast, and what’s made for the everyman.

Which is a regrettable state of affairs, because I think that each side has a lot to learn from the other: non-enthusiast companies can learn about the importance of smart, purposeful design choices, and the enthusiast companies can learn about value and respecting the user’s investment in concrete ways.

There are a handful of pieces of gear that I feel represent this comingling of enthusiast and everyman sensibilities: crossover designs, if you will. In the knife world, the Kershaw Leek is the premier crossover design. In the world of flashlights, we have the 47s Preon 2. This is a light designed by enthusiasts, but seemingly geared towards an everyman user. As such it seems like a logical next step after the Microstream. The question is, is it a step worth taking?

General Dimension and Construction

The Preon 2 is in a different size class than the Microstream. It is almost exactly 5” long, and about 1/2” across at its widest point. With batteries in, it weighs 1.8 oz. with the batteries in. It’s a 2xAAA light.

The Preon 2 is a pen light. The pen light is a proven, recognizable shape. People like it. I can see the appeal, but find it less appealing than the compact, 1xAAA format of the Microstream – or, for that matter, the Preon 1. As a gear enthusiast, I carry a lot of stuff in my pockets: a knife, a pen, a flashlight, a phone, maybe a notebook. If all I carried was a flashlight, I wouldn’t really care. But because I carry it along with so much else, I notice the size and do not appreciate it – and, as we’ll discuss below, the extra length doesn’t really offer any particular performance benefits.

The Preon 2 is made of type-III hard anodized aluminum. Not particularly original, but everything is put together tightly and well. This is Dan’s personal Preon 2. He’s had it for a while, and while there is some wear around the bevel and the clip, I feel safe saying that the anodization seems to be holding up better than the quickly-flaky job on my Microstream. The batteries rattle a little in the body tube but other than that the fit and finish is above-average.

The Preon 2’s washer-style clip is good. Not great: to my eye it looks a little goofy and it’s definitely too short for the length of the light. It does seem a little thin, and I would worry about bending it out of shape over time, but that’s all theorizing: in the moment, it is adequate if not excellent.

Output, Runtime, and UI

Here’s where the Preon 2 reveals its enthusiast design elements, with much higher outputs, way better runtimes, and a much more cerebral UI than the, er, streamlined Microstream.

The Preon 2 is a clicky, my favorite UI by a country mile. It has three basic modes: a moonlight low at 2 lumens, a medium of 22 lumens, and a high of 160 lumens, accessed in that order. It runs at moonlight for 23 hours, 6 hours at medium, and .8 hours at high. My review sample is a first generation model. The second generation has a different emitter and higher outputs. There is a third generation out now that makes more significant changes, but I’ll discuss that below.

Let’s talk about the good stuff first: I like the output options a lot. 47s made a name for itself with its moonlight lows: they give you enough light to navigate, say, a dark room, but won’t affect your night vision. This is my first experience with a 47s product and that low low is really nice to have. The medium and high are nice too. For close- and medium-range tasks there isn’t much difference between them, but I could see the high being useful over long distances or outdoors. The beam pattern is also significantly better than the Microstream’s: less artifacting, a cleaner, even color – a different league altogether.

Where the Preon 2 loses points with me, is in the execution of the hidden modes: strobe, SOS, High Beacon and Low Beacon. Basically, you cycle through the regular modes twice within three seconds, and that shunts you into the first of the four hidden modes. You then proceed through the four hidden modes as you would the three standard ones, before being shunted back into the regular configuration.

For some reason, I found it easy to accidentally flip into the hidden modes when I didn’t want to; it occurred multiple times during regular use of the flashlight. I guess it isn’t a big deal, and generally options are good, but in this case I’d simply prefer not to have them. It reminded me of one of those pens you see with like three different colors of ink and a pencil tip all in one barrel: it’s just an level of geekery I’m not interested in in my tools, and it adds fiddliness to something that should be intuitive in its simple role.

Ergonomics and Carry

The Preon 2 is comfortable in hand. Not too thin, not too thick, the clip doesn’t get in the way – all good news. It is, however, slick. Really slick. Like, there are very few knives or flashlights that I worry will slip out of my hands, but the Preon 2 is one of them. Everything is smooth; even the angles near the emitter and the clicky are soft, offering no purchase. If the anodizing was just a little rougher, like what we have on the Microstream, the problem would be fixed.

I’ve already discussed the issues I have with the pen light form factor in general, but here I’ll add that the slickness of the Preon 2, combined with the shortness of the clip, cause it to slide around a lot in my pocket, which I don’t appreciate. Is this, in the grand scheme of things, a big deal? Of course not. But over time these little issues build up and cohere into something more irritating than its constituent parts. Particularly when you consider how right the Microstream got its carry, it’s hard not to feel a little disappointed here.

Preon 2 Review – Final Thoughts

I find the Preon 2, with its enthusiast design cues and everyman price and purpose, to be an interesting light. You get a good selection of outputs, a big boy emitter, and even some geeky hidden mode stuff all for about $40 – more than twice the price of the Microstream, it’s true, but still not exorbitant.

As it stands, though, the myriad little issues I have with the Preon 2 add up, and I don’t think I would recommend it over the Microstream for most purposes. The low and high modes are awesome but not strictly necessary, and the ergonomics are objectively worse. There’s a lot to like about the Preon 2, but they don’t add up to something I like more than other, cheaper everyman options, or slightly-pricier enthusiast offerings.

But here’s the thing: the Preon 2 I reviewed was the first generation. Big changes came with the newest Preon: even better outputs, with an option to configure it in such a way as to hide the hidden modes, a way better clip, and a textured body to help with grip – these changes address every issue I had with the Preon 2 apart from its pen light size, which I’m not penalizing it for unconditionally because that is a personal preference (and the Preon 1 exists for those who want the 1xAAA format). This new Preon 2 goes for $50 and looks pretty great. I haven’t handled one so I can’t say it’s worth it for sure but, if you’re interested in this light, this is the version to get.

Foursevens Preon P2 MKIII LED Flashlight, Mini Pocket EDC Flashlight with Clip, High CRI, Multiple Configurable Modes Including Strobe & Beacon (Black Anodized)

SUPERIOR LIGHT QUALITY. See colors as you would on a bright sunny day. Cheap LED flashlights have a limited color spectrum that washes out your subject with a harsh "hospital" light. The Black Preon P2 LED flashlight delivers a high 92+ CRI - a clear, natural light.
SECURE ERGONOMIC CLIP. The Black Preon P2 EDC LED flashlight uses the legendary stainless steel Prometheus Lights pocket clip. It is engineered to hold tight to your pocket and last through bumps and drops. Won't rust or corrode. Designed for style, built for durability.
MULTIPLE CONFIGURABLE MODES. Configure your pocket flashlight to serve you best. Choose from 6 various lighting functions: Low - Med - High - Strobe - SOS - Beacon. Also features Mode Memory.
MINI EDC LED FLASHLIGHT. Lightweight and fits in the palm of your hand. Keep this powerful flashlight in your pocket as an every day carry. It doesn't add bulk and weight to your pocket and leaves room for your keys.
PROFESSIONAL GRADE. Precision engineered mil-spec components that are fit for medical and aerospace applications. Built to last and designed to be your EDC LED flashlight. For those who insist on uncompromising quality.

You can get the second and third generations of the Preon 2 through Amazon.com. Thanks for reading.

Editor’s Note: As Ben mentioned, this is my personal Preon 2. I have carried it for years now and greatly enjoy this flashlight. A couple years ago I swapped the Preon 2 out for an even smaller light (the Foursevens Mini ML), but the light was so small I ended up misplacing it and going back the P2. So while I may prefer a smaller light, there is something to be said for this form factor.

Cold Steel Large Espada Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 12 Comments

Last Updated: July 28, 2019
Although knife collecting, like any hobby, is a mild form of mania, I like to think that within this gentle madness I am a reasonable man. My uses for my tools are reasonable. My knife preferences are reasonable: I prefer simple handles, simple blades, and I generally like those blades at 3” or less. No one could look at my collection of knives and think me anything but a very reasonable individual – unless their eyes by chance fell on my Cold Steel Large Espada.

Buy the Cold Steel Espada at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

How did I end up with such a ludicrous knife? Well, even though most of my purchases come after much consideration, reading, and weighing of pros and cons, every so often I like to impulse-purchase a knife that is out of my comfort zone, just to counterbalance the homogeneity in my collection that my preferences tends to create. But when I ordered the Large Espada late one night, I wasn’t just stepping out of my comfort zone; I was taking a flight to a location on the other side of the planet.

No knife I can think of offhand (outside of some particularly egregious customs) so flamboyantly violates every edict of utility I’ve set for myself over the years like the Large Espada does. But, going beyond that, I don’t think that it’s a practical choice even for the applications for which it was ostensibly designed. The Large Espada is impractical. It is unreasonable.

So this is going to be an odd review: an unreasonable knife reviewed by a reasonable man. But I like to imagine that even the palest, milquetoastiest accountant likes to cut lose once in a while. Sometimes you want to listen to Electric Wizard, not Glenn Gould. Sometimes you want to carry a giant, unwieldy tactical blade instead of a reasonable and non-threatening tool. And when those sometimes strike you, there aren’t many knives I know of that can scratch that itch quite like the Large Espada.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Large Espada has a blade length of 5 ½”, a handle length of 7 1/8”, and an overall length of 12 1/2”. It weighs 9.8 oz. – almost as much as four Benchmade 940-1s. The Espada is made in Taiwan.

Of course, when you’re dealing with a knife of this size, it doesn’t make sense to get hung up on weight – after all, the 5 ½” blade folding knife isn’t exactly a crowded category, is it? Even very big knives like the Benchmade 710 or some of the Hogue knives aren’t really in the same size class. The only other reasonable competition for the Large Espada is the more affordable, all G-10 Large Espada, which weighs about 1 ½ oz. less.

The Large Espada’s blade is a dramatic, theatrical, aggressive clip point. The tip is somewhat strengthened by the swedge, and will pierce material, even thick material, quite easily, but it gives the impression of relative delicacy. The edge is all belly, dipping out right after the ricasso. This, coupled with the (excellent) hollow grind and the wide edge bevel, give the Large Espada considerable cutting ability, at least on the macro level: cardboard, wood, plastic, metal, all can be separated cleanly and easily by this monster.

Cleanly and effortlessly for a while, at least. The steel, AUS 8A, simply wasn’t the right choice here. If you want to use your Large Espada in roles other than self-defense, you’re going to use it for the macro cutting tasks I mentioned above, and when you do, you’ll find that AUS 8A dulls quickly. Editor’s note: in 2015 Cold Steel finally upgraded these to CTS-XHP steel, and then to S35VN. I have had some experience with Cold Steel’s CTS-XHP and their S35VN and both steels have been excellent. S35VN is a meaningful upgrade over AUS-8A. It holds an edge better and is tougher. It’s a better choice all around.

I could deal with poor edge retention if it were the only problem, but, on this blade shape, with this grind, the steel is also fragile. When I first got my Large Espada a couple years ago, I took it out on the patio to cut up some water bottles, cardboard, and boxes of frozen peas (yup), both to test it and to participate in the time-honored tradition of goofing around with a knife (what are the Absolute Proof videos if not footage of people goofing around with knives?). During one cut I happened swing down and hit the balustrade – not hard enough to bite into the wood, even, but when I looked at the blade I saw that it had chipped, in multiple places and quite badly:

I’ve sharpened the Large Espada since then, and managed to reduce the chipping a bit, but it’s still visible, and I don’t think I was abusing the knife when it happened. I think it comes down to that wide edge bevel; AUS 8A isn’t tough enough to be run that thin at the edge. I understand that in the self-defense role, such issues are less likely to matter, but I still think that Cold Steel could, and should, have chosen a better blade steel than AUS 8A. Let us not forget that we’re talking about a $130 knife here.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The Large Espada’s handle is comfortable no matter which way you hold it: forward, with your index finger in the choil, or in a pistol grip with the lower scalloping between your middle and ring fingers, reverse grip: it’s all good.

The handle is composed of two parts, almost in the style of a traditional knife: the aluminum ‘bolsters,’ which are integrated with the liners and the sort of grommet at the end of the knife, and the polished G-10 scales or inserts. Everything is decently if not artfully contoured, and all the edges are chamfered. I feel like a good portion of that comfort would be lost on the pure G-10 models: Cold Steel’s traditional unpolished G-10 is famously aggressive, and I don’t like it at all. It ruins your pockets, makes the knife uncomfortable to hold, and, let’s face it, looks a hell of a lot less classy than the original Espada’s set-up. If you’re going to get the Large Espada, get the original set-up. It is very comfortable in hand.

In the pocket? Not so much. I can fit the Large Espada into the pocket of my jeans, but just barely, and even though it doesn’t feel as heavy as I was expecting, it sure doesn’t disappear. And this is where I take issue with the Large Espada in its intended role as a self-defense tool: issues of legality aside, it’s almost too big to carry around every day, even as a dedicated tactical blade, to use the Nutfancian term. I know a lot of smart guys who carry multiple blades, but I am a one-knife man, and I don’t have enough pocket space for a second knife of any size, let alone something as elephantine as the Large Espada.

Maybe I’m doing it wrong, though; Tool carries his in in a kydex boot sheath. Might be worth looking into.

Deployment and Lockup

More problems arise with the deployment methods on the Large Espada. There are two, although they both utilize the thumb plate on the spine of the blade. The first method is your traditional roll/flick open. Either is difficult to do reliably or quickly because of the size of the Large Espada. Rolling it out requires your thumb to stretch quite a bit, so it isn’t comfortable or fast. Flicking it takes a lot of wrist momentum, as well as careful placement of your thumb on the plate.

The disk is also designed to be wave deployed; that is, you can draw the Large Espada from your pocket in such a manner as to cause the plate to catch on the corner of your pocket, deploying the blade as you pull it out. Wave openers, to me, aren’t handy enough to compensate for the awkward stares and for the accidental half-openings that can occur, but this one is particularly finicky.

In my last review I wrote that every big blade I’ve had has some bladeplay. I guess I have to eat a little crow because that isn’t true: I had forgotten that my Large Espada has none, whatsoever, in any direction. It did when I first got it, but earlier this year I took it apart, cleaned everything, and put it back together a little tighter, and it was totally gone.

The Tri-Ad Lock truly deserves every accolade thrown its way. As ambidextrous as the Axis Lock, but with less moving parts, and tougher than a frame lock, it is a marvel. A weak lock on a knife this big would be an absolute disaster, but with the Tri-Ad Lock in place I have absolute confidence that my Large Espada will only close when I want it to.

Cold Steel Large Espada Review – Final Thoughts

So I’ve spent 1,500 hundred words enumerating all the ways in which the Large Espada is an impractical purchase. It’s huge, the steel is iffy, it’s huge, the design is aggressive and off-putting to those around you, the deployment methods are a bit of a pain, and it’s huge. I never carry blades for reasons of self-defense. I don’t think it’s a silly thing to do, but it’s just not something I’m interested in doing. However, even carried as a self-defense knife, I think there are better options out there than the Large Espada; even in that role it is impractical.

But, hey (and turn up the metal for this next bit), sometimes you just want a huge, badass knife. Something for the collection, something that looks rad, is made well, and never fails to make you smile (maybe a little self-consciously), when you take it out to show somebody, thwacking it open and watching their eyes go wide.

I bought the Large Espada on a impulse. It wasn’t cheap. I hardly carry it. I usually only take it out every couple of months, and even then just for a few minutes. I forget that I own it for months at a time. It’s ludicrous. It’s impractical. It’s unreasonable.

I’ve never regretted buying it.

Cold Steel Espada with Polished G10 Handle, Large

Blade Length: 5-1/2"
Handle: 6-3/4" Long, Polished G-10 with Polished 7075 Aluminum Bolster and Frame
Steel: Japanese AUS 8A stainless
Blade Thick: 4 MM
Overall Length: 12-1/4"

I recommend purchasing the Cold Steel Espada 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.

Benchmade 940-1 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 22 Comments

Last Updated: July 13, 2019
Benchmade is a company that prefers iteration over innovation. Most of the new knives fall comfortably, and somewhat uninspiringly, within the boundaries of its recognizable, slow-to-change design language. Even really good new Benchmade knives, like the Valet, aren’t that differently from the Benchmades of five, even ten years ago.

Buy the Benchmade 940-1 at BladeHQ

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I can understand Benchmade’s adherence to its own unchanging vision to a certain extent. When the stars align it results in some unforgettable knives. To my mind there are few knives under $100 that compare to the Mini-Griptilian as an all-purpose EDC knife, and I’ve always thought the 710 looked like an incredible large folder.

But, for a lot of folks, the Warren Osborne-designed 940 is the Benchmade knife, and one that I was long overdue in trying out – partly because I prefer smaller knives, and partly because in the gleeful, dizzying descent that is the first few years of knife collecting, you’re bound to miss a few standbys in all that whirl and headiness.

Once the honeymoon phase of my collecting was over, I wanted to settle down with a nice, mid-sized Benchmade, and started to consider the 940 seriously. By the time I was ready to pull the trigger the Benchmade 940-1, a ‘premium’ rendition of the beloved blade, had released.

‘Premium’ doesn’t always mean ‘better,’ (unless there are performance benefits to Damasteel I am unaware of), and, with Benchmade’s Gold Class models it also means a 100+% increase in price. Thankfully Benchmade kept the 940-1 in their Blue Class line – the standard line for knives intended to be used. And while there is an increase in price over the vanilla 940, all of the changes Benchmade made – the carbon fiber scales and the slightly retooled handle, S90V steel – are performance-oriented. In short, while the 940 was already a classic, and I would’ve adored owning it, the 940-1 is, to my mind, the ideal version of an already incredible knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 940-1 has a blade length of 3 7/16”, a handle length of 4 ¾”, and an overall length of 7 7/8”. The weight is the first indication that the 940-1’s premium materials were chosen with performance in mind: this medium-sized folder weighs just 2.44 oz. To put that in perspective: the Spyderco Paramilitary 2, a knife that is widely lauded for the way it crams a lot of blade into a fairly lightweight package, is more than an ounce heavier (still a wonderful knife though).

The 940-1 features the iconic Osborne modified reverse tanto blade shape. Normally when I hear ‘reverse tanto’ I roll my eyes and expect tacticool sub-par performance, but thankfully that is not the case here. As a mid-sized knife, the 940-1 does everything I would expect it to do well. Punching through cardboard, whittling, even slicing an apple – it’s versatile and accommodating. Like all the best blade shapes, you feel like it was designed to do specifically whatever task you’re currently performing. I don’t love it for fine or delicate cutting tasks, but really there’s only one larger folder I know of that works well in those roles (smooches, PM2, sorry I called you fat earlier).

This good all-around performance can be attributed partly to the grind. When it comes to blade grinding, Benchmade has a lot of bad habits – swedges, facets, that sort of thing. Indeed, on paper, this grind is a mess: big swedge, the thinning-and-then-thickening out of the blade, the somewhat bulbous tip. You’d think there would be no way to make this a good slicer, but the bladesmiths at Benchmade pulled it off – if only just.

The reverse tanto can slice, pull cut, pierce, everything. It’s hardy without feeling bulky. I can cut up plastic or wood but when I slice up an apple with it I don’t get that ‘driving a railroad spike’ feeling I do from my Strider PT CC. My 940-1 is adequately thin behind the edge, but with such a small primary bevel I can see (and have heard of) unnecessary thickness before the edge bevel. In short, it’s a fine line, but, on my 940-1, they managed to walk it and make a good performer out of a very flamboyant design.

The other half of the equation is the steel: S90V. This is an exotic steel. I use the word ‘exotic’ purposefully because, even more so than something like ZDP-189 or M390, S90V feels very different from your standard steels. Its edge retention is totally singular – not in terms of how long, but rather in what manner it holds an edge.

I’ve written at length about my preference for ‘clean’ edge retention, and S90V flies in the face of my predilection: even when very sharp I found its edge quite toothy. For a long time I thought I didn’t like S90V. I didn’t expect such vicious-feeling edge from a super steel.

But when I started testing the 940-1 for review, I came to appreciate it. Again, the 940-1 is a mid-sized knife, and for mid-sized tasks that toothiness is a boon: this thing chews through wood, cardboard, plastic, and other materials, with no appreciable diminishment in its cutting capabilities. S90V is aggressive, and I approve. Don’t let the classiness of the CF fool you: the 940-1 is a barbarian in a tuxedo.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The 940-1’s handle is a textbook example of the grip-neutral handle, and I love it. A straightforward, clean-lined handle that lets you hold it however you need to – more of this please, knife makers.

Whereas the vanilla 940’s handle is composed of two aluminum scales with a titanium spacer between them, the 940-1’s carbon fiber scales are separated by two gorgeous blue standoffs. There are nested partial liners, and everything feels sturdy and durable in the hand. The carbon fiber isn’t slick, and all the edges are rounded to avoid hotspots. The knife is slim and narrow: you will barely noticed this medium-sized knife in your pocket. The clip stays nice and low and doesn’t muck up your grip.

That clip is the standard Benchmade number, the same you see on the Mini-Griptilian – although here it appears to be Parkerized instead of painted. It’s a real B+ of a clip: better than adequate, less than stellar. I like the way at looks, and I like that it’s tough, because I’m pretty hard on clips, but in a perfect world the deep-carry butterfly clip from the Contego would come standard on the 940-1.

At least, if they can get the fit just right. I know Everyday Commentary did the swap and it worked great, but when I gave the Contego clip a try, it didn’t sit flush against the scales, and clacked obnoxiously every time I held the knife, so I went back to the default clip – which, lest we forget, is good at worst.

All of these good things come together and make the 940-1 a top-tier carry in-pocket. Narrow, thin, easy to retrieve, and totally unnoticeable in carry. Wonderful. Better even than my beloved PM2 (I’m sorry baby, come back!).

Deployment and Lockup

When you’re talking about an Axis Lock, deployment and lockup are intertwined, to the extent that the nature of the Axis Lock allows for a very recognizable, friction-free deployment. Once you break in an Axis Lock you have a glass-smooth deployment for years and years. I only own one other Blue Class Benchmade knife, a Mini-Griptilian, and as good as that feels to deploy, the 940-1 is even better: this thing closes on its own if I disengage the lock and it is at any kind of angle. This is a classic Benchmade-ism I wouldn’t change.

Here is a shot of the 940-1 next to the Spyderco Para 2:

The only downside to this super-smooth deployment is a modicum of side-to-side bladeplay. Not enough to worry me on my pass/fail system for bladeplay, but definitely noticeable. But I’ve personally never had a larger knife that didn’t have a little play. It doesn’t make cutting any harder, and it doesn’t signify a weak lock. If I were using this knife for hard-use tasks it might bother me more (and I also wouldn’t want an Axis Lock for true hard use), but in the sort of things this knife is designed to do, it’s great.

And here is a parting shot of the 940-1 next to the Benchmade 551-1 G-10 Griptilian:

Benchmade 940-1 Review – Final Thoughts

When I first picked up the 940-1, I was really hoping that it would quickly get discontinued so that it became a collector’s piece and I could flip it for an exorbitant, Hinderer-esque profit. Now that I’ve really thought about the thing, though, I’m glad it’s still around. I’m fairly comfortable calling this the version of the 940 to get: you get a really rad steel and better-looking and lighter scales on top of all the other things that make the 940 a classic, and it deserves to be carried, used, and loved by as many people as possible. And when you consider that, depending on where you shop, you’re only paying about a $70 premium for it, it seems like a no-brainer.

The 940-1 is the best version of one of the best pocket knives ever designed.

Sale

Benchmade - Osborne 940 EDC Knife with Black Carbon Fiber Handle (940-1)

ALL-AROUND UTILITY: A quintessential EDC tool that combines simplicity with unmatched function, no matter the application; Ideal for pretty much everything.
HIGH-END CPM-S90V STEEL: Uniform microstructure gives it a superior edge when it comes to wear and corrosion resistance ; Reverse tanto blade is nimble, versatile, and made for the outdoors.
ULTRALIGHT CARBON FIBER HANDLE: Exceptionally strong with a featherweight feel in the hand and gnarled texture across the board for a sure grip
AXIS LOCKING MECHANISM: Ensures safety and a smooth open and easy close; Standard clip; Light as a feather for easy carrying and a comfortable grip.
EVERYDAY CARRY: With its slim profile and lightweight design, the 940-1 is the perfect addition to your gear collection, backpack, survival kit, tackle box, and more.

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade 940-1 at Amazon and 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.

Streamlight Microstream Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 14 Comments

Last Updated: August 3, 2019
It’s been my experience that the deeper my understanding of something goes, the less things of that something I like. To use my perennial dead horse as an example, years ago when I first started carrying and using knives, I thought the Delica was wonderful. However, over time as I filled my head with more and more minutiae about knives, and as my opinions about design and use became more developed, the Delica fell further and further in my esteem. As our taste gets better, it gets more and more specific (non-enthusiasts call this phenomenon ‘snobbery’).

Buy on Amazon

I’ve always considered myself a passionate layman when it comes to flashlights. They’re a very useful part of an EDC setup, something that I don’t like to go without, but my taste in flashlights hasn’t reached the rarefied air that my knife-sense has. Whereas with knives I’ve gone from “Does it cut?” to “Does it cut well?,” when I’m looking at flashlights I’m still just asking “Does it light up?”

So you’ll have to take my recommendation of the Streamlight Microstream with the proverbial grain of salt. And I do recommend it. Although it has been around for years with little real evolution, and although even a mediocre enthusiast flashlight smokes it in most categories, for what it is – and, to be fair, for what it costs – the Microstream is a perfectly adequate and charming little light.

General Dimensions and Construction

Whatever its other faults, the Microstream is just about the ideal size, for me, for EDC. It’s about 3 7/16” long, and, at its widest point, is about half an inch across. Streamlight lists the weight with battery as 1.04 oz., although by my scale I was getting 1.3 oz. or so – not a world-shattering difference by any means. It takes one AAA battery.

The Microstream has a by-the-books Type II anodization job. It looks clean and consistent out of the box, but in the testing period for my Microstream it started to show wear quickly. Nothing egregious, just a scratch here and there, but quicker than my Peak Eiger began to show wear.

Less conventional is the Microstream’s clip. First, it is a friction-fit clip. Folks tend not to like friction-fit clips because they can get loose or knocked off during carry. I can tell you that the clip on my Microstream is extremely snug – so snug, in fact, that for a long time I thought it was actually part of the body and just looked like a friction-fit clip. The clip itself is made of a fairly thin leaf of spring steel, folded twice over to create an S shape, so that you can clip it either to your pocket as you would a knife, or to the brim of a hat or something for hands-free operation. I’ve never used this feature, but it is unobtrusive, and I like to think that extra fold of steel gives the clip some added durability.

Beyond these specifics, the fit and finish of the Microstream is more than adequate: the emitter is centered, the lens is free from blemishes, and the threads come apart and together without any dramatics.

Output, Runtime, and UI

It is in the fields of output and runtime that we really see the difference between the Microstream and current, higher-priced enthusiast products.

The Microstream has an out-the-front output of 28 lumens. The Foursevens Preon 2 can throw out 84, the Olight i3 gives you 80, the L3 Illumination L10C; the recently-released Olight S1 Baton goes all the way up to 500 lumens.

The Microstream is totally obliterated by its competition in terms of output, but beyond that it also doesn’t have different modes like most lights today: it’s either on at 28 or it’s off. Runtime is equally underwhelming at 2.25 hours. This wasn’t blowing wind up anybody’s skirt five years ago, and time has only increased the gap between the Microstream and its competition.

I’m going to say something, and I’m going to risk sounding reductive when I say it, but: 28 lumens is plenty good enough for most EDC situations, isn’t it? This is my dog-walking flashlight, as well as what I use when something rolls under the bed or a chair, and in these roles I get all the light I need – and I’ll go so far as to say that, for being only 28 lumens, it is a very bright 28, and has a good bit of throw for as small of a light as this is. The beam pattern isn’t all that it could be, though: a lot of artifacts and rings.

It helps that I like the UI. I prefer clickies generally; I find they are easier to operate with one hand. The Microstream’s clicky has a fairly tough plunger, and takes a bit more force than you would expect to switch on, but this is mitigated by a momentary-on feature that turns the Microstream on temporarily, for however long you keep the clicky semi-depressed. This is the way I use the Microstream most of the time, and I like it a lot.

Ergonomics and Carry

The ergonomics of the Microstream, like the light in general, are pleasingly adequate. Not totally stellar: the anodizing doesn’t afford quite as much traction as I would like, but it works. The ‘cigar grip’ puts your thumb comfortable over the clicky, and the Microstream’s length is such that holding it in your fist doesn’t occlude the light at all.

The Microstream carries quite well. I don’t know how you guys like to roll, but clipped to the front of my pocket, the Microstream is easily accessible, doesn’t mess with my pocket knife, and doesn’t impede my hand when I go into my pocket for something else. Most pocket flashlights are too rotund for me to want to have them clipped to my pocket (I’m thinking of the HDS Rotary or the Olight S1 here), so they get carried loose, which is not ideal. The Microstream, with as small and slim as it is, carries just about perfectly clipped to my pocket.

If you prefer to carry your lights loose, however, I think you’ll find the Microstream to be a well-behaved passenger. It fits into a watch pocket if you want to keep it somewhere away from coins and other riff-raff.

Streamlight Microstream Review – Final Thoughts

There are a lot of areas in which the Microstream could be improved. That being said, I find it remarkable that in a world in which things like the S1 Baton or the L10C (or, my personal favorite, the Peak Eiger) exist, there is still merit in a product like the Microstream.

A lot of that merit comes from its agreeable price: while there are a lot of awesome lights to be had at the $30 – 50 range, there isn’t any light that I know of that costs as little as the Microstream, and that is as good. If there be such a thing as a ‘beater light,’ than the Microstream is it; it gets the job done, soaks up abuse, and doesn’t offend in any part of its design.

I know this is a hard sell for enthusiasts, but if you’re looking for something simple to tide you over between flashier (ha ha) purchases, the Microstream is worth a look. For somebody looking for a good first flashlight, something with dignity, but that isn’t prohibitively expensive, the Microstream should be on their shortlist.

I own strictly better flashlights than this and still like to carry the Microstream every once and while. It is simple, functional, and affordable, and I recommend it.

Sale

Streamlight 66318 MicroStream 45-Lumen Everyday Carry Pocket Flashlight with AAA Alkaline Battery, Black

Type II MIL-SPEC abrasion and corrosion-resistant anodized aircraft aluminum construction with unbreakable, scratch-resistant polycarbonate lens
Ultra compact design fits in the palm of your hand, comfortably fits in your pocket
Type II mil spec abrasion and corrosion resistant anodized aircraft aluminum construction with unbreakable, scratch resistant polycarbonate lens
Removable pocket clip also clips onto brim of hat for hands free use

I recommend buying the Streamight Microstream at Amazon.

Editor’s Note: Well, it only took 200 or so posts, but we have finally reviewed something besides a knife. I think it’s a nice change of pace, and Ben and I agreed that the Microstream is a good starting point for a library of flashlight reviews. Expect more flashlight reviews (and reviews of other pieces of gear) in the not so distant future.

Spyderco UK Penknife (UKPK) Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 3 Comments

Last Updated: August 12, 2019
For a long time I believed that the Delica was not a well-designed knife. I realized recently, however, that what I actually meant was that, compared to many other designs in the Spyderco catalog, the Delica is simply outdated. Everything that I find irksome about it – the compromised ergonomics, VG-10 steel, lack of a forward choil – has been fixed in other, similarly-sized designs.

Buy the Spyderco UKPK at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

Not least among these better designs is the Caly 3. An improvement over the Delica 4 in just about every way, the only issue with the Caly 3 is that it’s two to three times the price of the Delica, depending on which flavor you choose.

But there’s a much less-well-known knife in the Spyderco catalog, a knife that is essentially a super lightweight, slipjoint Caly 3, and that costs only about as much as a Delica. It’s called the UK Penknife in FRN, a truly underrated knife, and one that I think is well worth checking out.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Spyderco UK Penknife lineup is kind of confusing. The first version, a G-10 model, was released in 2004, designed to conform to knife laws in the United Kingdom, which are stricter than those in the US. In 2005 the DKPK, a variant with a non-functioning Spyder Hole designed with the even stricter Danish knife laws in mind, was released.

In 2010, the Lightweight models were introduced, with FRN handle scales instead of G-10. These models came in three different handle colors, with two different blade shapes, each available with plain, partially-serrated, or fully-serrated edges.

In 2012, most of the color and edge options were discontinued, leaving only the black-handled models, and in 2013 the grind was changed from a hollow/saber grind to a full-flat one. My particular UK Penknife is from the discontinued generation, with maroon handle scales and a leaf-shaped, plain edge blade. The only difference between the currently available model and my own is the grind, which I will discuss below.

History aside, here’s what we’re looking at with the UK Penknife: a blade length of 2 15/16”, a handle length of 4”, and an overall length of 6 7/8”. It weighs just 1.9 oz; this weight is achieved not only because there are no liners beneath the scales, but because Spyderco rather brilliantly shortened the length of the spring, so that it only runs out to only about 60% of the spine; here’s a picture of it:

The UK Penknife is made in the Spyderco’s Golden, Colorado factory. On my particular knife, the fit and finish was superb. Everything was nicely finished and pleasing to the eye. The thing I could take issue with is the slightly sloppy edge grind: on side the bevel terminates earlier than the other. Of course, this doesn’t affect performance, so it’s not something I’m losing sleep over.

The Spyderco leaf shape blade has proven its utility over many years, across many knives. The UK Penknife’s particular rendition is almost exactly the same as that of the Caly 3’s, which means a narrower blade profile than something like the Sage knives or the Native, and with a better, more acute tip than the snub-nosed Delica. Like a traditional drop point blade, the leaf shape is a winner not so much because it excels in any one category, but rather because it has a such a wide vocabulary of use: cutting, piercing, mild prying, digging; the leaf shape can do it all.

As good as the blade shape is, the grind on my UK Penknife is a sticking point. It’s a hollow saber grind, and, like the similar grind on some Delica 4 models, it just doesn’t slice all that well. Compare it to the Caly 3’s full flat grind, and it isn’t even close. As Grayson pointed out in his Aculus review, there are definitely a lot of cutting tasks that don’t require slicing, but the fact is that in the case of the UK Penknife, a full flat grind would have just worked better: you would get slicing performance without losing anything. Spyderco must’ve realized this, because the newest model is full flat ground, and that knife, I am sure, would both cut and slice with aplomb.

The UK Penknife’s blade is made from CTS-BD1 steel. This is an American stainless steel that’s really only seen in Spyderco knives, but one that I really like. I think of it as a next-generation entry-level steel. It holds an edge better, and is less rust-prone, than AUS-8 or 8CR13MoV, and sharpens much easier than VG-10. The thing that I like best about it, though, is that it keeps what I call a ‘clean’ edge: that is to say, as it dulls it doesn’t get toothy or cut any rougher, even if it gets more difficult to make a cut. I’ve always cited N690Co as a steel that keeps a clean edge; BD1 is right up there with it. Also worth noting is the finish on my UK Penknife: a muted, mild stonewash, it’s something I haven’t seen on any other Spyderco knife, and it looks really nice.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The UK Penknife’s Caly 3 heritage really comes through in the ergonomics department. A handle with simple, unobtrusive contours, it manages the amazing trick of making any grip you care to hold it in seem like the one it was designed for. The forward half-and-half finger choil, a Spyderco staple, is characteristically excellent, giving you control over the blade during use.

Some people don’t like the feel of FRN. I can understand that: in some knives, it feels cheap, flimsy, a compromise rather than a considered choice. However, not all polymers are created equal, and the FRN that the UK Peknife is made from appears to be top shelf. I wouldn’t ever say it feels luxurious or anything like that, it exudes quality. I particularly like that the edges are all rounded over, imitating the smooth, comfortable feel of chamfered G-10 or titanium. In fact, I prefer the FRN scales of the UK Penknife to the CF laminate and steel liners of the Caly 3; they’re more comfortable and durable.

The wire clip is the same one on the Caly 3, the deep-carry wire clip. I don’t really know if I understand the ‘advantages’ of deep carry, but with so many terrible clip designs on the market right now, I’m just happy with something that works, even if I personally would prefer the spoon clip for its rigidity: I have broken two wire clips in the past.

Deployment and Lockup

Because it is a slipjoint, the UK Penknife opens a lot slower than locking knives: the tension of the spring against the tang remains all the way through the deployment process, generating friction. This doesn’t mean that you can’t flick the UK Penknife open; you can, but it takes a little finesse to do so, and really, I don’t mind just slow-rolling it open. There’s an interesting sort of very mild half-stop too, which I like because it, along with the audible snick you get when the knife is fully opened, gives you plenty of feedback while opening it.

When open, the UK Penknife feels very secure. Like the Pingo, it doesn’t take a ton of force to close it, which I prefer: I don’t like wrestling with my slipjoints to close them. I feel like the UK Penknife will be plenty safe in any reasonable role. But beyond this, holding the knife with your forefinger in the half-and-half choil, you create a sort of lock with your hand – a very nice touch that is echoed in many of Spyderco’s slipjoints. Needless to say, with any cutting tool, and in most real-life cutting tasks, good sense will do more work than a lock would in preventing accidents.

Spyderco UK Penknife Review – Final Thoughts

The version of the UK Penknife that I have is a near-perfect, lightweight, lockless version of the Caly 3, hindered only by a weird grind. The 2013 UK Penknife fixes that issue and might just be the best entry level-priced Spyderco on the market.

Once you get in the $80-120 range, the competition gets a lot fiercer, but even compared to the those knives – the Spyderco Native 5, the Chapparal, the Paramilitary 2 – the UK Penknife is not without its appeal. For a knife based off one of the perennial darlings of the Spyderco lineup, the UK Penknife is a surprisingly underrated gem.

Spyderco UK Penknife Leaf Lightweight Folding Utility Pocket Knife - Black FRN Handle with PlainEdge, Full-Flat Grind, CTS BD1 Steel Blade and SlipIt - Everyday Carry - C94PBK

Leaf Shaped Blade: A blade shape developed and refined by Spyderco. It is similar to a spearpoint, but not completely symmetrical, and has a more acute point and typically no swedge.
SlipIt: A non-locking system that combines the convenience of clip carry and one-hand opening with a socially friendly notch-joint mechanism that helps hold the blade safely open during use, but does not mechanically lock it.
FRN Handle: Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon is a polymer mixed with glass fiber then injection molded into formed and textured lightweight high-strength knife handles.
Full-Flat Grind: This knife features a blade ground with flat bevels that extend from the spine all the way to the cutting edge. This grind reduces drag during cutting and decreases overall weight.
Specifications: Closed Length (Inches): 3.95, Overall Length (Inches): 6.88, Blade Length (Inches):2.93, Blade Steel: CTS BD1, Grind: Full-Flat

If you want to buy a Spyderco UKPK, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.