Blackwater Knives Archives - BladeReviews.com

The Blackwater Grizzly 6 is another knife in a new line up by California-based cutlery company Blackwater Knives. The Grizzly 6 is designed by Robert Young Pelton and Tom Novak, and is manufactured for Blackwater by LionSteel in Maniago, Italy. The end result is a sleek Italian fighter packed with rugged features.

Buy the Blackwater Grizzly 6 at BladeHQ

The Grizzly 6 shares many similarities to the previously reviewed Blackwater Ursa 6. Both knives are approximately the same size, and share similarities in both their aesthetic and practical considerations. That said, the Grizzly 6 is very much it’s own knife, and deserves it’s own equally thorough examination.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Grizzly 6 has an overall length of 11.18″, features a 6″ blade, and weighs 10.23 ounces. The knife was designed specifically for SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) training. SERE certification involves survival training for the U.S. military, and involves the intersection of a number of different disciplines important in overcoming both the physical and mental challenges of a survival situation.

Ultimately, for a knife to perform well in this kind of situation it needs to be versatile, and I see the Grizzly 6 as something that would work well as a combat knife, a camp knife, and a survival knife all rolled into one. The knife is strong without being overweight, has enough size to be used in both a defensive and offensive role, and can be easily thrust into a utility role as well.

The blade on the Grizzly is a robust modified drop point design. I really like the bold lines and aggressive belly, it makes for a very striking profile as well as a useful tool. The blade has been given a high flat grind that is reinforced through the tip, and bolstered with a swedge. The 5mm thick piece of steel is ground thin enough to get work done, but also holds up nicely to light chopping, prying, digging, and general use and abuse. Blackwater included serrations on this model, not my first choice personally, but apparently serrations are very important / desirable to the military personnel ultimately using this knife. Consider the DPx HEFT 6 if you like this size and style of knife, but prefer a completely plain edge.

Blackwater went with Niolox steel for the Grizzly 6. This is a stainless German tool steel that I am slowly gaining more experience with. It’s manufactured by Bohler Uddeholm, and I generally characterize it as a tough steel that takes a nice edge and holds onto it over a good amount of use. I cut leather, rope, cardboard, and wood with this knife and the edge held up well. I experienced no issues with chipping, bending, or rolling – even after prying the knife through a 2×4.

I sharpened the Grizzly on some ceramic stones from my Spyderco Sharpmaker and found that the Niolox quickly came back to life – a must if you happen to be in the field potentially miles away from the creature comforts of modern sharpening equipment. I had no issues with staining, and noticed that the black PVD coating Blackwater used held up well. All in all I think Niolox was a nice choice for this knife, and I am starting to develop a healthy amount of respect for this steel.

Handle and Ergonomics

The Grizzly features a 5mm thick full-tang handle sandwiched between two generous slabs of black peel-ply G10. This is an impressively rugged handle that also has a good deal of refinement. For example, the spine of the handle has been capped (rounded) for comfort. Capped spines are a feature typically reserved for high end knives like the Chris Reeve Sebenza, so it is awesome to see it here. The handle scales are fully removable with a flat head driver, and reveal a hollow handle perfect for the storage of small survival items. The pommel features an extended striking portion that can be used as a “non-lethal” defensive option as well as a pry bar, bottle opener, and lanyard hole.

In hand the Grizzly feels fast and comfortable. The balance point is right where the handle meets the blade giving the knife easy control with the turn of a wrist. The peel-ply (roughly textured) G10 provides good traction while aggressive finger grooves lock your hand in place. I was concerned that these grooves would be too aggressive to accommodate all hand sizes, but in practice I found the Grizzly quite comfortable in a variety of tasks.

There is a short run of jimping on the thumb ramp. In reviewing the Ursa 6 I found this style of jimping (that doubles as wire stripper) to be uncomfortable under harder use. Here, I don’t have the same issue because I can always put my thumb on the spine of the blade itself. The Grizzly 6 also feels very comfortable in reverse grip. All in all, the ergonomics on this knife are quite nice.

Sheath

The Grizzly 6 arrives with a heavy duty cordura sheath. It’s a lightweight sheath, ideal for weight conscious SERE Specialists, yet fully functional and very versatile. There is a fully reversible plastic liner allowing for left or ride side carry. There are multiple mounting points on the top and bottom of the sheath and the fully MOLLE compatible backing integrates with both MOLLE gear or a regular belt. There is an external pouch for extra storage, and a secondary retention strap to insure your blade stays where you want it. In practice I found this to be a well thought out sheath and was nicely executed by the folks at LionSteel.

I carried the Grizzly on my belt and had no issues with with the sheath. Blade retention is good, and I like how the secondary retention strap is mostly made of plastic – that makes the strap ultra durable and unlikely to get badly cut under use (especially when quickly drawing the knife from the sheath). Sure, a heavier kydex sheath is always an option, but I think this sheath gets the job done without a lot of excess weight or baggage.

Blackwater Grizzly 6 Review – Final Thoughts

The Grizzly 6 is an attractively made tool, and I don’t doubt that many will initially be drawn its bold lines and thick proportions. I’m happy to report that the knife performs just as good as it looks. The materials here are of exceptional quality. I am starting to really appreciate Niolox tool steel, while both G10 and Cordura have become industry standards. The fit and finish is outstanding. LionSteel is capable of making some amazing stuff, and this is a beautifully made knife that could work well in a collection, but is ultimately designed for real world use.

In practice I found that the knife cut well and felt comfortable. The balance lends itself to self defense and utility more than heavy chopping, and I found the Grizzly to be capable in many different tasks. The sheath is lightweight and durable – it should fit the needs of most people without issue.

I don’t have any military or SERE experience, so it’s very difficult for me to recommend a knife specifically for that role, but if you are in need of a capable fixed blade knife, a knife that is of high quality and is well rounded, then I can safely say that the Grizzly 6 is an awesome tool that should hold up really well in a wide variety of roles. When you toss in Blackwater’s 2 year insurance policy for active duty U.S. military, the value becomes even more apparent. This is another winner from Blackwater in my book with their bold take on the classic combat knife.

Blackwater Grizzly 6 – $250
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Ursa 6 at Amazon, or BladeHQ. As always, thanks for reading. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions in the comments section below.

Blackwater Knives has recently released a cadre of new tools that caught my eye – both visually, and from a specification standpoint. The Ursa 6 is one of those tools, with an uncompromising design geared towards high speed professionals.

Buy the Blackwater Ursa 6 at BladeHQ

The Ursa 6 was designed by Robert Young Pelton, the same man behind the designs for DPx Gear. The knife is manufactured by Lionsteel in Maniago, Italy – a company known for high end offerings like the SR1. Upon arrival everything about the Ursa just reeked of quality. Even the box was cool, complete with iridescent embossed sleeve and black tissue paper lining. Inside was a something long and lean, yet full figured and deadly. My heart was already racing, and the blade wasn’t even out of the box – it was like a cross between a high school fantasy and comic book noir. Needless to say, if looks could kill I’d already be in the ground. But can she cut? Lets find out…

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Ursa 6 has an overall length of 11.1″, has a 5.95″ blade, and it weighs 11.10 ounces. The spine is an extremely thick 6mm. I spent a good amount of time going over the intended use of this knife in the video, and I think it’s worth mentioning again here. This is a dedicated combat knife, designed for soldiers. It’s not a camp knife, bushcraft knife, or even your typical survival knife. It’s a purpose built tool for self defense (and in many cases, offense) as well as hard use utility work. The 6mm thick blade doesn’t make for the best slicer or the lightest backpacking knife, but it ensures that it will hold up against the demanding situations often thrust upon soldiers.

The blade itself is a modified drop point design. It sort of resembles a spear point or dagger blade shape, but it’s definitely a drop point of some sort (not that the semantics particularly matter here). One of the first features people will notice is the run of serrations along the spine of the knife. I like this feature because it keeps the main edge plain – leaving plenty of room for fine cutting. The primary edge is partially flat ground and the 6mm thick blade carries a good deal of steel all the way out to the tip. This is definitely a knife that can get some stabbing / thrust cuts in without a problem. The thick grind means it is not the best slicer, but I had no issues cutting through rope, cardboard, and wood. The entire knife has been given a PVD coating, which generally held up great, only scratching a little when I used the Ursa 6 to open up a can of potatoes.

Blackwater selected Niolox steel for this knife – a steel that I have previously had zero experience with it. Apparently it’s made in Germany by Bohler Uddeholm, and it has been well received. This particular piece of Niolox has been heat treated to 59 HRC, which is supposedly on the low end of what it can take.

In my cutting tests I found that Niolox was extremely tough, held a nice working edge, and sharpened easily on basic stones. The edge it took was extremely keen. I liken it to a high carbon steel such as 1095, but it’s stainless steel and seems to have better edge retention. It may not be quite as tough as 1095, but then again I didn’t have any issues at all with chipping or rolling. I also drove the blade through a 2×4 in a fairly extensive tip test without any issues. Based on that experience I think the Ursa 6 has the potential to be a good breaching tool.

I’m still relatively inexperienced with the steel, but so far I like it a lot. I think it’s a good choice for a combat knife because I found it very tough and extremely easy to sharpen – a must when you are out in the field, miles away from your regular sharpening equipment.

Handle and Ergonomics

The handle of this knife is extremely impressive. The ultra wide piece of steel is flanked by 2 thick pieces of black peel ply G10. It really beefs up the handle and provides this rugged overbuilt feel that can’t help but inspire confidence. The spine of the handle is gently rounded and flows perfectly into the G10 scales. The scales themselves have been wonderfully finished with a series of finger grooves milled into the handle. All the corners have been meticulously rounded and everything is held together with 2 sets of flat head bolts. The bolts are easy to take down with a multi-tool or coin, and you can lash the knife to a piece of wood for a spear, or store small pieces of survival equipment in the hollow handle. Rounding things out are a generous lanyard hole, and an exposed striking pommel for hammering, prying, or using as a “non-lethal” defensive option.

Ergonomically speaking the Ursa 6 is well thought out and executed. The knife is well balanced, and the fat handle is extremely nice; providing excellent grip and a comfortable purchase. The knife feels solid in both forward and reverse grips.

My only gripe has to do with the jimping. Blackwater installed this interesting wirestripping jimping – it works as jimping but also can strip wire. It’s a cool idea, but I found the jimping irritated my thumb under hard use. If you are wearing leather gloves I doubt you would feel it, but it could tear up fabric gloves and can certainly eat into bare flesh. My advice would be to tweak the jimping so it isn’t quite as abrasive. Then again, perhaps I was using the knife differently from how a real professional would. All things considered I like how the Ursa 6 feels in hand.

Sheath

The Ursa 6 comes equipped with a full featured cordura sheath. There are multiple attachment points at the top and bottom for paracord and webbing. The back of the sheath is fully MOLLE compatible and can also accept a belt. There is a good sized pocket on the front of the sheath for a sharpening stone or whatever else you want to cram into it.

Inside the sheath is a molded plastic insert. It provides good retention for the blade, and is fully reversible for left or right side carry. There is a strong secondary retention strap with a metal snap. I like this style of retention strap because it is made of thick plastic that can be bent out of the way, and also will resist abrasion if you do happen to nick it when you withdraw the knife from the sheath. The metal snap is strong and does a great job further securing the knife.

All in all this is a well thought out sheath. It’s lightweight, secure, and you have multiple mounting options. I think for most people this will work very well.

Blackwater Ursa 6 Review – Final Thoughts

The Ursa 6 is a tank of a knife. Everything about it is overbuilt with durability and utility in mind. The 6mm thick backbone and tough tool steel make this knife practically indestructible. I beat the Ursa 6 though a 2×4 and it didn’t even blink. While I have zero military experience I think this is a robust design that will hold up well to the rigors of aggressive daily use.

Also, the folks at Lionsteel did an exceptional job realizing Blackwater’s design. The construction as well as fit and finish is outstanding. Everything from the cardboard box to the rounded spine oozes quality and attention to detail. The knife is so pretty I initially cringed at the thought of plunging it into a tin can – but I know this is a tool that was meant to be used, and I thought the very least I could do was give it a thorough test drive.

It’s also worth mentioning Blackwater offers an extended warranty for military personnel who register their knife. Under this policy the knife is protected against loss, breakage, defects, theft or any other issues for 2 years (and additional coverage can be purchased). This is another awesome detail that has me walking away from the Ursa 6 extremely impressed.

In closing, I definitely recommend the Ursa 6 if you need a high quality tool that will hold up well under hard use.

Blackwater Ursa 6 – $260
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Ursa 6 at BladeHQ. Buying the knife though the links on this site earns me a small commission and helps support the website. As always, thanks for reading – please let me know if you have any comments or questions in the comments section below.