Viper

Viper Rhino Review

The Rhino is a large folder from Tecnocut’s Viper brand. Honoring its namesake, it features an oversized frame, robust build and armored appearance. Created by long time collaborator and custom knife maker Fabrizio Silvestrelli, it has flowing considered lines and a distinct appearance.

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General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Rhino has an over-all length of 9.96”, a 4.25″ blade, weighs between 8.6 and 9.9 oz depending on the choice of scales, and is made in Italy. Don’t kid yourself, “Rhino” was not a misnomer. This is a big knife and is designed for those seeking something, well, built like a Rhinoceros.

The blade has an unusual shape that sits in between a sheep’s foot and a harpoon pattern. At 4.25” and with a maximum width of 1.375” it offers a long cutting surface along with resistance against lateral stresses. The nature of the sloping spine also provides excellent tip strength.

While a typical sheep’s foot blade is designed to avoid penetrating cuts, the combination of an elongated radius meeting a sloping belly results in an aggressive point. This is augmented by a swedge, improving the Rhino’s ability to perform thrust cuts. A dip after the nose-like tip adds visual interest as well as a practical place for your free hand for reinforced push cuts. The grind is a full flat with a secondary bevel. Because of the large width, the edge geometry is shallow, producing a fine edge despite the generous .157” stock.

The steel used depends on the finish. Satin blades are stainless Böhler N690 while the charcoal blades are D2 achieving their corrosion resistance through the applied PVD coating.

Both blade steels are good options and provide solid value for money. N690 in particular offers an excellent combination of stain resistance, ease of sharpening, and edge retention. D2 has a reputation for being more finicky, as it’s a tough semi-stainless steel that can be more challenging to sharpen, but it’s a good choice for harder use applications.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is substantial in both length and width. At 5.5” it will easily accommodate medium and large sized hands with or without gloves. The construction is closed with scaled, full stainless liners. You have your choice of carbon fiber or cocobolo handle scales.

Designed for maximum retention, there are three distinct finger grooves that lock your hand in place. A slight flare on both sides of the inside edge prevent slipping in either direction. The back side is convex and nests in the palm comfortably. The back spacer is rounded adding style and avoiding hot spots while an adequately jimped thumb ramp provides extra control and feedback. Another run of aggressive, file-like jimping can be found on the lock release leaver for easy disengagement.

Over-all the ergonomics are excellent. While several people don’t like finger groves I personally think they work well here. The grip is very secure. A full, natural feeling in hand is partly achieved by a palm swell equally .83” (21mm) at its apex. This could be somewhat of a downside when considering pocket carry as the knife tends to hog space. Even though the clip is deep riding, the ornate appearance along with the handles bulge might generate some unwanted attention. Is that a Rhino in your pocket….?

As an additional carry option there is a recessed lanyard slot in the pommel. I’m a fan of these as it keeps everything clean looking and orients your lanyard in a sensible direction. It would be nice if Viper also included a MOLLE compatible belt sheath. I could see a folder this size benefiting from the ability to carry it on a bag, vest or belt straight out of the box.

Deployment and Lockup

Deployment is achieved via ambidextrous thumb studs. Phosphor Bronze washers and a finely dialed in spring tension make opening very fluid and easy. The thumb studs are large and easy to access. One downside is that the pivot is not adjustable unless you remove the handle scales. That said, I have not needed to adjust the pivot on this knife.

Back locking knives aren’t often associated with smooth operation however Viper has, on a number of models, achieved a perfect balance between ease of use and a reliable, tough play free lock-up. The lock is easy to disengage when you are ready to close the knife. Blade centering is perfect on these knives.

Viper Rhino Review – Final Thoughts

Everything considered the Rhino is an unusual yet attractive knife. Unapologetically oversized, it will probably appeal to a very niche market of collectors and users. If massive appeals to you, it will surely impress in the over all fit, finish and value. With a maximum price of $200.00 for the the PVD D2 and Carbon fiber model, you are getting a ton of premium materials and craftsmanship for your money. I could easily see this knife in any collection, in the bag of an outdoorsman or on the vest of a serviceman.

7Regardless of its quirks it is undeniable that the Rhino is extremely well made and functional. It’s also great that Viper, as with many of their other models, offer the Rhino in a variety of handle and blade materials accommodating a variety of tastes. To further this, it might be good for the company to consider a scaled down version as an EDC for a wider audience.

Viper Rhino – From $175.00
From: BladeHQ

Viper Rhino PAU Wood

Crafted from the highest quality materials
Built for performance and durability
Made in Italy

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Viper Rhino at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thanks for reading.

Giant Mouse ACE Biblio Review

by Aaron Shapiro 6 Comments

Wandering the hallowed halls of BladeShow in Atlanta can be an overwhelming and even intimidating experience. Knives are (not literally) being thrown at you right and left and it’s difficult to remember what you’ve seen, what you wanted to see, and what you haven’t been able to find yet. Several things stuck out to me during my time in Atlanta and high amongst them was the Giant Mouse ACE Biblio.

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For those of you who haven’t heard of the Giant Mouse brand before, it is a collaborative production brand between custom knife makers Jens Ansø and Jesper Voxnaes; with the mission to design the highest quality production knife possible at the most reasonable price point they can. Over the past couple of years, I have had the opportunity to handle several knives from GM, but this was the first model that they produced with an ambidextrous clip which I need as a lefty.

The ACE line from GM is an unlimited production run of knives whereas the pure Giant Mouse lines are limited in production to 400 pieces per model. Currently, GiantMouse is offering two different models under the ACE umbrella, the Biblio (reviewed here) and the newly released Nimbus.

But first, as always, some specs:

Blade: 2.75” (with a cutting edge around 2.5”)
OAL: 6.75”
Thickness: .585”
Blade Thickness: .119”
Steel: M390
Weight: 3.8oz
Lock: Liner Lock

(These are my personal measurements made with my calipers and my faithful ruler, manufacturer’s published numbers may vary.)

Blade

The Biblio’s blade can best be described as a nicely bellied Wharncliffe. The blade has an ascending angle from the handle and terminates at a nice fine point. A nice thing about this shape is that when the edge is flat on a surface, the handle is raised above, allowing you to utilize the full length of the cutting edge without your hand interfering.

GiantMouse opted for a full flat grind as well, making this a pretty great utility slicer equally at home in the kitchen or campsite (not that these two need be separate). It’s ground thin and sharpened well straight from the factory. One last detail, GiantMouse has chosen to crown the spine on the blade, as I’ve stated countless times before this is a GREAT way to class up a knife.

The steel choice of M390 comes as an expected choice—the GiantMouse Knives are made in Maniago Italy by, I assume, Lionsteel who uses M390 in a lot of their models (Editor: I think Viper makes it, but I could always be wrong). I personally love this steel, it’s elementally similar to 20CV but manifests a finer grain that becomes apparent once you start sharpening it. I’ve always big a huge fan of M390 and request it whenever possible in custom orders. It’s been a solid performer, is very stain/wear resistant, and holds an edge well.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

GiantMouse has opted to offer two handle material options for the ACE Biblio, either black G10 (which is accompanied by a satin blade finish) or green micarta (which comes with a stonewashed blade) both of which offer a nice grip and texture. The lines of the handle really lend themselves to locking into the hand, however, I do find that the grip itself is a little on the shorter side, with my pinky falling off the end—this is fixed if I choke up on the knife and utilize the large choil on the blade.

The clip is a simple wire clip that has the option for either “handed” carry. This is a simple method, but effective and has worked fine for me.

In the pocket, the GM is a squish on the thicker side, but being a liner lock you can’t expect much different. The ACE Biblio is far from the worst offender in this category.

Deployment and Lockup

I’ve always thought that having two different deployment methods on a knife generally meant that one took priority over the other. The Biblio, for example, has both an opening hole and a flipper tab but the detent is tuned for the flipper making it relatively difficult to open via the hole. That being said, using the flipper the action is smooth and snappy as expected with bearings.

The Biblio features your typical liner lock situation here, with a small bevel on each side of the lock to allow ambidextrous unlocking. My example engages fully, is solid in all directions, and hasn’t required any adjustment.

Giant Mouse ACE Biblio Review – Final Thoughts

Generally speaking, I think the GiantMouse project as a whole is a great exploration in what happens when two prestigious custom knife makers explore the production side of the knife-world without simply licensing a design or offering a mid-tech. Giant Mouse is a sole entity that operates within the design language of both Anso and Vox.

While I think that limiting the production runs of the of the GiantMouse offerings seems like a play for extrinsic value, it is nice to see that they have adopted an unlimited production run of affordable options.

The Biblio seems like a great choice for anyone that’s a fan of these two specific knife makers, wants a high-value option, or is looking for something that’s a little outside the “canon of normal knife brands.” The ACE Biblio is available (in Black G10) from BladeHQ for $175, and if you think about that… You’re getting an M390 flipper, designed by two well-respected makers, made to the exacting standards of (again what I assume to be) Lionsteel, for less than $200. Pretty hard to beat that these days, in my opinion.

Giant Mouse ACE Biblio – From $175.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Giant Mouse ACE Biblio at BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website (including Amazon) helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Viper Dan 2 Review

by Grayson Parker 10 Comments

I have a bit of a love affair going on with slipjoint knives. Part of the reason for that is – if I may be frank – that the framelock flipper is a pretty stale form right now. Don’t get me wrong, many blades of that stripe are beautiful, functional, and deserving of praise, but they’ve taken up and held such a large portion of the market that I’ve been dying for something different. Fortunately, just as that malaise peaked, I saw that the Viper Dan 1 & 2 were available on BladeHQ. Almost immediately, I ordered a Viper Dan 2 in burgundy micarta.

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Now I can’t pretend that the Viper Dan was a lightning bolt out of blue sky; I’d been excited about it since seeing it previewed at last year’s Blade Show. The Dan was designed by Tommaso Rumici, an Italian designer who has worked for a number of manufacturers. Andrew Gene AKA The Edge Observer said it best describing his style as a “combination of flowing organic lines and hard angles.”

The knife’s name is an acronym for Daily Assorted Needs, and the design is a reflection of that intent. This isn’t a “tactical” knife, but it is a solid working tool for everyday tasks. The Dan is one of a number of designs emerging from Europe, where knife laws are typically stricter than those in the United States, typically concerning locks. While I can’t say that I’d enjoy knife laws that restrictive, I have to admit that those limitations have spurred some unique and functional designs.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Viper Dan 2 measures in at 7” while open and weighs 3.2 oz., featuring a 2.875” blade housed in a 4.25” handle. The Viper Dan 1 is nearly identical, but offers a more traditional drop point blade shape. I’ve long been a fan of the modified wharncliffe as far as blade shapes are concerned; they strike a fine balance between tip strength and piercing, and the slight but continuous belly of the blade is suitable for a wide range of tasks. This iteration of the wharncliffe is executed quite well. All Viper by Tecnocut knives are (as far as I know) produced in Maniago, Italy.

Both blade shapes feature a partially flat grind. While I prefer hollow ground blades, it is refreshing to see a well-done flat grind on a blade thin enough to support it. I haven’t encountered any difficulties in cutting tasks, regardless of whether I’m using the Dan for food prep, breaking down cardboard, or just opening packages. Every aspect of the blade is meticulously ground. Even the swedge (an aspect of the grind that is easy to screw up) is symmetrical, and meets up with the rounded spine cleanly.

If you can’t tell by this point, I’m biased towards simple, working steels. N690 is certainly in that class, despite widespread use on high end production and even handmade knives. It won’t require as much care as 8Cr13MoV or Aus8a, but I do recommend regular stropping. I’ve never experienced rust or staining on any of my knives with N690. Overall, it demonstrates a great balance between ease of care, rust resistance, edge retention, and toughness.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The handle is formed of two contoured slabs of burgundy micarta over nested steel liners. When it first arrived, the color of the handle scales was somewhere between red and pink. More than a month of use has darkened that color to a subdued purple. Micarta is one of my preferred handle materials for precisely this reason; it absorbs the oils in your hand and forms the equivalent of a patina. When polished, the pores of the material are closed and this process won’t occur. Fortunately Viper left the handle slabs just rough enough to facilitate the “aging” process. If this material isn’t to your taste, don’t worry: the Dan is also available in carbon fiber, green G10, and silver twill/G10.

Contoured handles were once a rarity in high-end production knives, but fortunately most companies are starting to see the ergonomic benefits of doing so. The contouring on the Dan is executed perfectly; the handle slabs are symmetrical, smooth, and comfortable. There are no sharp corners, and the only point that could generate a hotspot is the pocket clip (but no more than any other clip).

Most folding knives that are comfortable in the hand are likewise comfortable in the pocket, and this is no exception. The clip provides plenty of tension, but isn’t so tight that I’m worried about tearing a stitch. If I had to find a complaint it’s that the Dan is a bit long in the pocket. Not only is the handle pretty long for a relatively small blade, but the extended tang compounds the issue. It’s never been a real cause for worry, but I feel some attention should be called to it. It’s comparable in length to the Paramilitary 2 (though nowhere near as wide).

Deployment and Lock-Up

As much as I love slipjoints, I’m always slightly disappointed that I can’t access the blade with one hand. It’s not always essential, but sometimes the extra step is a tad inconvenient. The process of “pull pocket slip out, pull knife out of pocket slip, put pocket slip back in pocket, open knife, cut,” looks pretty silly next to “pull knife out of pocket, open knife, cut.” That said, most of the slipjoints I’ve handled that can be opened with one hand are less than cooperative, and by extension aren’t fun to fidget with. In this, the Viper Dan is different. The blade is deployed by rotating the extended tang with your thumb, similarly to a friction folder. Machining on the tang (jimping) ensures that your finger doesn’t slide off mid-deployment. Overall, the Viper Dan is quick, easy, and even a bit addictive to open and close.

Viper chose their patented Action Stopper system instead of a lock on the Dan series. How it works is pretty simple: each of the liners has a spring tab with a ball detent, similar to a frame or liner lock. These detent balls drop into corresponding slots in the blade at the closed, half-stop, and opened positions. While the mechanism isn’t fundamentally new, it does feel more secure than other iterations of this system that I’ve handled. If I had to make a comparison, I’d say it offers as least as much resistance as the Victorinox Pioneer.

The advantage of this system over a traditional backspring is twofold: one, it allows for a wider blade to be housed within the handle, and two, it accommodates space for an extended tang (much like what you’d see on a friction folder). If you grip the Dan with your thumb resting on the spine of the blade, you’ll have a strong slipjoint mechanism, a half stop, and the pressure of your own thumb keeping the blade away from your fingers. On the whole it’s a very secure system.

Viper Dan 2 Review – Final Thoughts

Typically, the Viper knives that get the most attention are the collaborations with Jesper Voxnaes (for good reason). Thus far, the Dan series of knives haven’t been hit by the spotlight, and I think that’s truly a disservice. I can’t say this often, but I don’t have any real complaints about this knife. The design is unique, the materials are top shelf, and it’s manufactured to very tight tolerances.

Slipjoint knives are the sort of thing that I can recommend to anyone. Even people that don’t like slipjoints occasionally need to go somewhere where locking folders are discouraged (or illegal), so most knife nuts should have at least one non locking folder in their collection. Should this knife be it? That I can’t say. But I can say that if you want a slipjoint that can scratch that flipping itch, this should be it. It sells for just over $100 USD and is a fantastic value at that price point.

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I recommend purchasing the Dan 2 at BladeHQ or Amazon. 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.

Viper Odino Review

by Dan Jackson 16 Comments

The “Italian Renaissance” of knife making has been on my radar for a few years now. Manufacturers like LionSteel, Fox, Fantoni, and Viper are getting more traction stateside. The Italians have been doing some interesting stuff with manufacturing and innovation over the past few years, and the level of quality is often exceptionally high.

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However, if the end goal is selling knives in the USA, one way these companies have totally missed the mark is by failing to collaborate with high profile custom knife makers. This is a technique that has been leveraged to great success by companies like Spyderco, Kershaw, and CRKT. Viper has worked with some great Italian designers in the past, but if the goal is selling knives in the US market you need to play the game. That game involves working with designers that are popular in the US.

Viper finally got the memo, and entered into a bold high end collaboration with custom knifemaker Jesper Voxnaes to bring us the Odino. When I went to Blade Show 2014, the Odino was in pre-production, and all they had were some prototypes to handle. The knife was one of the highlights of the weekend, and I predicted that it would be a substantial success for the company when the knife eventually released. When I returned for the 2015 show, the Odino had been in production for the better part of a year and was a best seller for Viper. Jesper Voxnaes’ designs are as in demand as ever, and the quality in Viper’s manufacturing is top notch. I was not about to let another year slip away without reviewing the Odino.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Odino has an overall length of 7.25″, a 2.875″ blade, weighs 4.35 ounces (the carbon fiber version), and is manufactured in Maniago Italy. I would describe the Odino as a medium size every day carry (EDC) knife. It is more substantial than something like the Anso/Vox Pingo, but it won’t pull your pants down. The sub 3″ blade make it acceptable to carry in many locations. It comes in a variety of handle configurations, including full titanium, G10 / titanium, and carbon fiber / titanium (shown here). I prefer the carbon fiber version because it is lightweight and a little cooler than than the G10 model. The full titanium Odino is nice, but is a little hefty for my taste.

The Odino features a dramatic clip point blade. The knife has a wide profile, and the blade is relatively stubby when compared to the handle. The result is a substantial belly that meets at an acute tip. The blade is 3.8mm thick, and has a high flat grind, and comes with either a PVD coated blade or satin finish. The spine is rounded and the edge has been neatly applied.

Viper went with Bohler n690 stainless steel for the blade, a common choice among Italian manufacturers, and a steel that I am experienced with. I like n690 for an EDC knife. It reminds me somewhat of 154CM: it holds a nice edge, exhibits good corrosion resistance, yet is easy to sharpen and won’t break the bank. It takes a nice finish and strikes me as a great all round steel for a folder.

My Odino came sharp and was quickly taken to task on some plastic and cardboard. These can be challenging materials for a pocket knife, and I was pleased with the way the Odino’s thin flat grind handled them. Having carried the Odino for several weeks now I have found it capable as a daily carry piece. It is a good slicer, and has held up well under normal use.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Odino includes a titanium locking side, your choice of titanium, carbon fiber, or G10 for the show side, and an anodized titanium backspacer. Construction is screw together, and the knife is simply finished with chamfered edges. The carbon fiber on my knife is nice, and I can’t detect any voids in the surface of it. The titanium has been stonewashed and left with a pleasant matte finish. The backspacer is arguably the nicest detail of the knife. It juts from the back of the handle, is designed to accept a very large lanyard, and is contoured and jimped. The powder blue anodizing provides a touch of color without being over the top. It’s a lovely feature. Everything has been beautifully implemented.

The Odino benefits from good ergonomics and is a solid performer in the kitchen and around the house. Naturally, being an Italian knife I had to make a pizza with it. There is no jimping on the spine, and none of the surfaces are especially “high traction”, yet the smart design kept the knife in hand without issue. I find myself choking up quite a bit on the ricasso, although the default grip sets you back on the handle a bit.

The pocket clip of the Odino kind of like a deep carry Strider SnG clip. Viper milled a slot into the handle, and a tab on the clip sits into the slot and allows the clip to be mounted with a single screw. It’s simple, but the end result is functional and elegant. The clip itself is nice. It does a good job burying the knife discretely into the pocket, has good retention, and isn’t funky. The clip has been bead blasted and it compliments the rest of the hardware.

Deployment and Lockup

The Odino makes use of an oval thumb hole to open the knife. Due to the low profile of the blade in the closed position, this isn’t the most convenient knife to open, but the thumb hole works well and is still relatively easy to get at. The detent is tuned to a good balance of blade retention and easy access. There are caged bearings inside and the action is extremely smooth.

The framelock on the Odino is simple and well executed. There is no steel lock bar insert or overtravel stop mechanism (2 features that have become increasingly common on titanium framelock knives). Some might be disappointed with the omission of these features, but the Odino’s lock performs great. Lockup on my knife is early and solid. There is no lock rock or blade play to speak of. The lock disengages smoothly from the blade and there is no stick. This is one of the better true titanium framelocks I have handled.

Blade centering is also perfect on my Odino.

Viper Odino Review – Final Thoughts

The Odino has sold well for Viper. In my weeks of carry and use, it is easy to see why. The design is thoughtful and elegant, the materials are top notch, the build quality is superb, and the price is reasonable for what you are getting. Viper was smart to pair up with Jesper Voxnaes for their first big collaboration. Vox is not just a respected name in the knifemaking community, he is a talented designer that brings function and restraint to his work. Viper did a beautiful job rendering his design, and the resulting knife is likely to appeal to audiences on both sides of the pond.

I especially like the G10 and Carbon Fiber versions for EDC. Weighing a full ounce less than the full titanium version, this compact folder has a very capable blade, is comfortable to use, and carries well. The full titanium version is tank like, and may appeal to folks who appreciate more substantial knives.

I don’t see much in the way of downsides when examining the Odino. The profile is a little chunky, and an oval thumb hole is not my all time favorite means of opening a folding knife, but if you are a fan of the design I think you will love the Odino. It is beautifully done and hopefully a sign of more high profile collaborations to come from Viper.

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Viper Odino – From $169.00
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I recommend purchasing the Odino at BladeHQ or [easyazon_link asin=”B00SNANNFI” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]Amazon[/easyazon_link]. Please consider that buying anything through 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.

Viper Start Review

by Dan Jackson 3 Comments

Last Updated: September 9, 2019
I got my first introduction to Viper at the 2013 Blade Show in Atlanta this past summer. A couple of my favorite reviewers, the EdgeObserver and Stefan Schmalhaus, have sampled Viper’s offerings quite extensively. It has taken me a little while longer to warm up to this interesting Italian brand.

Buy the Viper Start at BladeHQ

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I really enjoyed the blend of rugged utility and flowing lines in the last Viper model I reviewed, the Carnera, and the Start has caught my eye for the same reasons. Fabrizio Silvestrelli is the designer of Start, and he knows how to capture my attention while Viper knows how to take the designs’ muscular lines and pair it with a blend of modern manufacturing and old world charm. The result is an offering unlike anything else in the marketplace.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Start has an overall length of 9.25″, features a 4″ blade, and weighs 6.4 ounces. Any knife with a 4″ blade is going to be big, and the Viper is no exception. This is a serious departure from what I would consider an EDC knife. Viper has crafted a full on tactical folder, and the result is a suitably large offering.

The blade is a modified drop point design that excels at piercing and slicing. The deep belly has a slight recurve. It’s not impossible to sharpen like a serious recurve, yet it still feeds material into the edge. Given its size the Viper is still ground thinly. I found that it slices cardboard and other soft materials with ease yet it still has enough beef behind the edge to hold up under harder use. One thing to note about the blade is that the tip is extremely acute. It is great for stabbing things and detail work, but the the user needs to be careful not to damage it.

The Start is offered in 2 blade steels, PVD coated D2 and N690. I opted for the version with N690. This is steel I have heard a lot of nice things about, but haven’t had a ton of experience with. So far I am a big fan. I found that the N690 on my knife sharpens easily, takes a very nice edge, and holds onto it for a decent amount of time. I might consider it a beefed up 154CM. Certainly the thin grind has also done the knife a lot of favors. It’s a terrific slicer and is very fun to use. N690 is also a stainless steel, and despite the knife coming with a bead blasted finish (which is notorious for attracting rust) I have had zero issues with rust or staining.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

My Start came with black canvas micarta handle scales. I should point out that the knife is available with cocobolo or carbon fiber scales as well. Relief cuts have been placed by the finger choil, which lends itself to being held in a pinch style grip, although in practice I prefer a more conventional hold. Underneath the micarta you have thin stainless steel liners and a full stainless steel backspacer and lockbar. The pivot is hidden and the handles are put together with a series of small torx screws. I love how the edges of the spine, the lockbar, the backspacer, and even the liners have all been rounded. It’s such a nice little detail. The scales themselves are gently contoured and all the parts and pieces line up well. All in all the handle is sturdy and well executed.

In terms of ergonomics, Viper provides you with plenty of handle, and it affords a wide variety of grips. There is a finger choil, but there is also plenty of room left to choke back on the knife, providing reach that may even give some Cold Steel offerings a run for their money. The flared pommel does have a bit of a sharp corner, but overall this is a comfortable knife to use. The canvas micarta affords a sure grip in both wet and dry conditions, while a short run of jimping provides enough feedback to index the thumb without making the thumb ramp uncomfortable under hard cutting conditions.

The pocket clip of the Start is a straight forward stamped out piece of steel. It offers reasonably low right side tip up carry with no other options for placement. The clip is very secure and the knife rides well given its size and weight. Given the polarizing nature of pocket clip designs, Viper went with a safe route. I think they could have done way worse with the clip.

Deployment and Lockup

The Start makes use of stylized ambidextrous thumb studs pressed close to the back of the blade. I find them easy enough to open at my desk, but acknowledge that the knife takes some work to get open. I don’t mean to detract from the action, as it is very smooth and very purposeful, but this is not a knife I can flick open with my thumb, and it may provide some challenges if you are operating it under duress. It is also worth noting that the pivot is hidden, and you need to take off the handle scales to service it. So far I have had no need to do that, as the blade is well centered and the lock is free of play.

Here is a shot of the Viper Start next to my Spyderco Paramilitary 2:

The Start features a back lock, but this is not like your traditional back locks. It is extremely smooth and refined, and the blade falls into place with the softest click. Upon further examination you will notice that the tang of the blade and the lock face are both given a satin finish, and the two pieces of steel fit together extremely well. The result is effortless play free lockup, and a really satisfying knife to open and close. This is a durable lock design and it has held up well in all my testing.

Viper Start Review – Final Thoughts

If you are in the market for a high end large folding knife, the Viper Start could be an excellent option. The knife is beautifully executed, and that enhances the sumptuous curves of Silvestrelli’s design. But the Start isn’t a creampuff either. It is definitely built to be carried and used. The end result is an elegant knife that performs as good as it looks. The high performance blade and generous handle offer the end user plenty of performance, with the added bonus of this knife being thoughtful and unique.

I also like how Viper offers the Start in several flavors, including satin, beadblasted, and PVD coated blades, and handle materials varying from classic choices like micarta and wood, to hand-laid carbon fiber. Finally, the price is also very reasonable considering what you get. You can get into a Start for well south of $150 shipped, while the highest end versions can be currently had for $175. Not bad for a European made knife of this size with these materials.

The only potential cons I can really think of are that the knife isn’t the absolute easiest and fastest to open, and that the pocket clip is right side only. For some these gripes will matter, for many they will not. This is all assuming you are in the mood (or have the need) to carry a 6.5 ounce knife. By and large this is a very nice offering from Viper and I do recommend it if you are in the market for a unique large folding knife.

Viper Knives 5840CB Viper Start Lockback with Brown Cocobolo Wood Handles

Viper Start – From $133.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Viper Start at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thanks for reading.

Viper Carnera Review

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

Last Updated: September 16, 2019
Viper Knives is a relative newcomer to the US cutlery scene, and is a division of the Italian manufacturer Tecnocut, a company that I am frankly not that familiar with. I was first acquainted with Viper at Blade Show 2013 it was there that I had the opportunity to handle most of their line. Like many of the knives coming out of Maniago Italy I was impressed with the sophisticated designs coupled with tight fit and finish. One blade that especially caught my eye is the Carnera – a long lean chopper named after Italian pugilist Primo Carnera.

Buy the Viper Carnera at BladeHQ

The knife’s sleek lines remind me somewhat of an Italian sports car, which certainly doesn’t hurt a first impression, but what I found most intriguing was how balanced and comfortable the knife felt in hand. This was something that had the potential to be a serious tool: light, balanced, comfortable, and featuring well finished high end materials. I couldn’t resist, so the Carnera ended up traveling back with me from the show.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Carnera has an overall length of 15.25″, features a 9.5″ blade, and weighs in at 17.5 ounces. The knife is approximately the same length as the ESEE Junglas, but in hand they are radically different knives. The Junglas is an absolute tank. If I needed something to survive the end of days and didn’t mind some extra weight I would put the Junglas on my short list. It was and continues to be one of my all time favorite heavy duty choppers. The Carnera, on the other hand, is much more efficient and refined. Its sweeping handle flows into a broad and confident clip point blade. It has a slight forward bias lending it towards chopping, but it still feels fast and fluid. The stock is thick but the wide blade coupled with a full flat grind lightens the knife significantly. Where the Junglas could be considered an all out survival knife, I feel like the Carnera is more suited for work as a camp knife or heavy machete.

I should mention that the knife comes in 2 main flavors; the stonewashed version with wood handles and leather sheath shown here, and a more military inspired version with a black PVD coated blade, micarta scales, and a cordura molle compatible sheath. Both versions can be examined on the Viper wesbite.

Viper selected D2 for the Carnera. D2 is a semi stainless, which on paper seems like a good compromise given that the blade is naked but still needs to be tough enough to resist chipping under heavy use. Done right D2 provides a good mix of toughness, edge retention, and resistance to corrosion. I’ve had good experiences with D2 and I’ve had OK experiences with D2 – it depends entirely on the heat treat. Done right it can be a great steel (as evidenced by master knifemakers like Bob Dozier using D2 exclusively).

Thankfully my experience with the Viper and it’s D2 blade has been nothing short of excellent.

As usual, I wish I could have taken this guy up into the Rocky mountains, or better yet, the Italian countryside for some extended use and testing. I had to settle on the less exotic location of my back yard. The good news is that I had a dead ficus tree that was in desperate need of an ass kicking, so I can at least assure you that this knife saw a good amount of use.

I mostly chopped with this knife. I chopped through thick tree limbs (anywhere from 4-7″ in diameter) and did quite a bit of limbing, light chopping, and clearing as well. It’s a great chopper. The full flat grind gets reasonable thin and comes to a nice traditional V edge. The knife bites deeply into wood and the D2 holds a nice aggressive edge, even after extended chopping sessions. There is enough weight behind the blade to get some good work done without the knife being overly heavy. A practiced hand should be able to get a lot of work done with it. My technique leaves something to be desired, but I was still pleased with the end result.

I will say that the full flat grind does not lend itself to batoning, which was not a big issue for me. If I really needed to split with this knife I’d use the Carnera to carve up a wood wedge and use that instead.

With a retail price of over $200, it’s worth talking about the fit and finish of the blade. The grinds on my knife were even and the edge was perfectly applied. The spine is capped (rounded) which is a very nice detail on a production knife. My version of the Carnera came with a lightly tumbled finish. This is a good choice for a semi stainless steel like D2. That said, I did notice a light patina form on my knife, and generally found it more difficult to keep clean. An application of [easyazon-link asin=”B000V72992″ locale=”us”]Bar Keeper’s Friend[/easyazon-link] or a similar cleaning agent will brighten it back up instantly. Alternatively, you could always opt for the PVD coated variant.

Handle and Ergonomics

One thing I immediately liked about the Carnera was the traditional wood handle scales. I think the wood is a very handsome option, although their micarta offering would probably be a little more practical. Viper selected Pau Santo wood for the handles, a wood I was previously unfamiliar with, but it has a pleasing and tight symmetry to the grain and strikes me as a great choice. The handle slabs have been bolted on, and were left with a smooth semi-glossy finish. There are 2 lanyard holes although I always used the knife without any lanyards and found that the grip was still secure.

The secure grip is thanks in large part to the elegant flowing handle design. The handle has these seductive curves t that are visually appealing but also highly functional. The knife felt very controllable in my hand, even when I was tired and sweaty after an extended chopping session. Not once did the knife slip of feel insecure, and it was extremely comfortable as well. I am very pleased with the handle design. It’s beautiful, comfortable, and entirely functional.

Sheath

The Carnera comes with 2 options for the sheath: the leather sheath (shown here) or a cordura molle compatible military style sheath. Generally speaking, I like the leather sheath. They used thick pieces of leather and it compliments the traditional wood handles, although I would have loved it if Viper made this with a brown leather sheath – I think that would have looked especially handsome. The wide blade profile means they had to get creative with the sheath design, but the end result looks good and works well.

Practically speaking, the knife is securely held in place with a single snap, and the sheath features a generous belt loop with an easy to remove snap. It is adjustable and comes with a piece of cord that could be used as a thigh rig. I can see how the wide clip point blade provides a challenge for designing the sheath (much like a kukri style blade does), and given that limitation Viper came up with a sturdy and functional sheath. That said, this is a knife that I could justify having a custom kydex sheath made for – and I may eventually decide to do just that.

Viper Carnera Review – Final Thoughts

The Carnera is my first extended experience with a Viper product, and I was left very impressed. For a guy that likes capable choppers the Carnera is a lot of fun, but it is a serious tool that benefits from a very practical, very functional lightweight and balanced design. The sleek Italian lines, tasteful material selection, and excellent fit and finish make it a very well rounded package that should appeal to both collectors and enthusiasts.

As for potential downsides, this is a premium offering from Viper and the price reflects that, but you get what you pay for and I don’t think their retail price is entirely out of line. Perhaps the biggest problem is that these knives are still somewhat difficult to acquire here in the States. Thankfully, BladeHQ has recently picked them up (at least the stone washed version of it), so I expect we will be seeing more and more of this knife in the days to come.

Viper Carnera – $239.95
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Viper Carnera at BladeHQ. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated! Thank you very much.