Collectable Knives

Microtech Halo VI Review

“I tried being reasonable. I didn’t like it.”

I always enjoyed that quote from Clint Eastwood, and couldn’t help but think about it as I wielded the Halo VI. There is absolutely nothing reasonable about this knife. Any justification that this would be my “new EDC” went completely out the window when I fired it for the first time and ~5″ of steel slammed out of the front with a terrific bang. Even more ridiculous is using the charging handle to recapture the blade. It’s something you would expect to see in a video game. This is a serious piece of hardware. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever owned before, and it revels in its unreasonableness.

But that’s part of what makes knife collecting fun. If everything was a Delica 4 there would be no point to it. Sure we would all have a practical knife clipped to our pocket, but the fun in collecting would be long gone. Thankfully we don’t need to worry about being confined to using a government knife to cut our government cheese any time soon. Unreasonable knives like the Halo VI are doing their part to keep the joy of collecting safely intact.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Halo VI has an overall length of 10.82″, a 4.5″ blade, weighs 6.5 ounces, and is made in the USA. It’s the closet thing I’ll come to owning a light saber. It’s big, it’s unwieldy. If comes from a long series of Halo knives. I won’t proclaim to be an expert on all things Microtech, but my understanding is that this is the first knife that the company produced. It’s a single action out the front automatic.

Here is a link to Microtech’s product page for the Halo VI. They give a detailed look at the knife in all its various configurations. Worth browsing if you are interested in the knife.

Here is a shot of the Halo VI next to my Microtech Stitch:

And as I mentioned before, the Halo VI is not a daily carry. In my book it’s mostly a collectible. Sure, it’s fully functional, and we will get into all of those details in the review, but it’s not a knife I see myself carrying. First of all, there is no pocket clip. Second, it has almost a 5″ blade. Third, it looks and sounds like a weapon of mass destruction.

My girlfriend, who is generally pretty cool with me having dozens of pocket knives scattered all over the house, is legitimately scared of this thing. I can only imagine how the old lady in line at the post office would react to me using this to trim packing tape. Probably by calling 911. Unless you are at a knife show there is no way you will be able to use this knife in public. It’s probably illegal for me to even take it out of the house without obtaining a concealed carry permit. On that note, you will definitely want to check your local laws carefully before carrying a Halo VI. This is not a knife that the general public will understand or appreciate.

But what the Halo VI lacks in practicality, it makes up in novelty. I think it may be the coolest knife I’ve ever owned. And I’ve owned some cool stuff over the years.

Lets check out the blade. At 4.5″ long, and over 4mm thick, it’s an imposing piece of steel. Microtech offers this in a modified drop point (or possibly a clip point) blade that they refer to as the “single-edge” or “S/E”, and they also offer this in an American tanto version with the “T/E” designation.

You also get your choice of serrations, and a number of finish options, including typical finishes like satin, bead blast, and stonewashed finishes. But they also have their “apocalyptic” finish, bronze, D.L.C., and then their painted finish shown here. Normally I’m not a big blade coating guy, but this is what was available with an unserrated edge, so that is what I got.

My blade is made from Bohler M390, a blade steel that needs no introduction at this point, seeing how we have reviewed dozens of knives running M390 by now. It’s a high end stainless steel and is widely considered to be one of the best steels for an EDC knife on the market today. It has that enviable combination of holding an edge for a long time while still being easy to sharpen. Usually a knife steel will either be extremely hard, so the edge holds a long time, but it’s very difficult to sharpen when the knife dulls. That’s not the case with M390, which is why it’s such a popular choice on high end pocket knives. It also finishes nicely, doesn’t chip easily, and is a stainless steel. It’s good stuff.

Given that this knife is a collectible, and not a practical EDC item, I haven’t done a ton of cutting with it. It came very sharp from the factory. It’s not a great slicer due to the thick blade and partial flat grind. It forms a wedge, kind of like a splitting maul, and will pop apart an apple rather than thinly slicing it like a Swiss Army Knife. But that’s OK. They didn’t design this thing to slice apples.

Handle and Ergonomics

A 6.125″ milled 6061-T6 aluminum handle encapsulates our big blade. If a black handle is too pedestrian for you, Microtech offers these in almost every color under the rainbow, including a couple camo variants. I’m fine with black, but then again, I’m boring.

The handle is held together with Microtech’s proprietary hardware. Normally this would be the part of the review where I bitch about proprietary hardware, but I have no intention of taking this knife apart. If there is ever a problem I’ll send it back to Microtech.

The fit and finish on this knife is absolutely top notch. It’s a precision machined piece of hardware. I can’t find a gap, unexpected sharp edge, or flaw anywhere. This may not be the most practical tool, but you have to admire how well it is built.

The Halo VI feels good in the hand. It’s kind of like a small light saber. There is no lack of real estate, and Microtech has created a funky pattern of jimped curves to it that adds some visual interest as well as spots for your fingers to rest.

I suppose the most practical application for the Halo VI would be in a martial arts capacity. I have no training in that regard, so can’t comment on the efficacy of the design in that role. As a layperson, I can tell you it feels fine in hand. There is plenty of room to grip this knife, and you can do so in a number of different configurations. The hard anodizing provides a tiny amount of traction. It’s not slippery, but it isn’t sand paper either.

The Halo VI doesn’t come with a pocket clip. Probably for a reason, as the last thing you would want is for this knife to accidentally deploy in your pants. Even with the new safety, I’d rather not take that risk. And with a closed length of over 6″, it’s not a pocket friendly knife anyways. I’d probably go with an Scarab or Troodon instead for daily carry.

It seems like the best option for carrying your Halo VI is with a sheath. You could requisition a large enough magazine pouch, make a sheath, or have a leather or kydex sheath made for it. There are companies that specialize in making aftermarket sheathes for the Halo VI. Linos Sheathworks currently has a kydex sheath on offer for less than $50.

Deployment and Lockup

This is where we get to the good stuff. This is a single action out the front, which means the blade fires out with a press of the button, but need to manually retract the blade when you are done by pulling back on the charging handle. Contrast this with a double action out the front, where the button is used to both open and close the blade. With the case of a single action Out-The-Front (OTF) automatic, all the spring power has been assigned to ejecting the blade. It’s a lot of fire power. Ejecting the blade of this Halo VI is arguably the single most satisfying knife event in my history as a reviewer. It’s fucking awesome.

For this 6th generation of the Halo, Microtech added a small safety to the firing button. This prevents you from accidentally firing the knife. Not a bad idea, especially if you are crazy enough to carry this thing loose in your pocket. The safety is built into the firing button. You pull down on it ever so slightly, and that allows you to depress the firing button and let the blade loose. Generally I’m not a fan of safetys on folding knives. They tend to get in the way. But this safety has been beautifully executed. Purists may not be a fan of this new addition, but I think it has been done so that it doesn’t get in the way of using this knife.

For lockup, this is essentially a button lock knife. So inside there is a cam that holds the blade in place. One of the prior issues with an OTF knife, is that you tend to get blade play in them. That is especially true for the double action OTF’s I have handled. I haven’t handles a Halo V to see what kind of play, if any, is in that knife, but I can tell you this Halo VI has no play in it. It’s absolutely rock solid.

Retracting the blade is a two handed affair. First you need to depress the button. Once again that requires you to use the built in safety. With the button depressed you then pull on the charging rod to recapture the blade. It takes a good amount of force to overcome the spring tension and bring the blade back. The blade slides back in place with a sharp metallic twang. It’s a great sound. I’ve never armed a bear trap, but I would expect it to sound something like recapturing the blade on a Halo VI. It’s significant and satisfying.

The charging rod and the mechanism that holds it into the handle is worth examining. It’s all precision machined. The retaining mechanism is a couple spring loaded tabs. Everything reeks of quality and when the charging rod is in the handle all the parts line up perfectly. I’ve taken a couple detail shots of this, but it has all been beautifully done.

Here is a parting shot of the Halo VI next to my Paramilitary 2. It gives you a good sense of how huge the Halo VI is.

Microtech Halo V.I. Review – Final Thoughts

The Halo V.I. is a lot of fun. It’s also completely ridiculous, which is sure to turn off some people. I’ve been writing knife reviews since 2010, so it’s taken me almost a decade to get around to reviewing a single action OTF. This is a knife that retails for $650, so the expense is one of the reasons I delayed this purchase, but the fact that this is not a knife I can carry and use is the biggest reason why I waited so long to buy one. I like my tool knives, and this Halo V.I. is about as far away from a tool knife as I can get.

But that doesn’t make the Halo V.I. any less fascinating. Part of what makes this knife so satisfying is how well built it is. This is a design that has been refined for 25 years, and it shows. Each detail has been considered and Microtech does a fantastic job with their machining. The resulting knife is borderline obscene, but it has been so well done I can’t help but be impressed with it. Much like the Rockstead Higo I reviewed a while back, it tests the outer limits of what is possible with a production knife.

But as I have continued on my journey of exploring production knives, I’ve ventured further and further from the Benchmade Griptilians and Spyderco Delicas. They are still great, and I plan on continuing to review practical knives, but exploring the outer limits is fun too. This Halo V.I. is certainly out there, but it is so well done that I can’t help but appreciate it.

Accordingly, I can’t recommend this knife for everyone, but if the Halo VI intrigues you, I’m here to say Microtech didn’t cut any corners. Recommended for unreasonable people that that like the idea of a high end single action OTF automatic.

Microtech Halo VI – From $650.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Microtech Halo V.I. 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.

Demko Knives AD-15 MG Review

by Aaron Shapiro 5 Comments

There are knives that elicit feelings of elegance and delicate class, and then there are knives that make you feel like you’re carrying a tool that can handle damn near any task that you throw at it. Demko Knives belong solidly in the latter camp.

Buy the Demko Knives AD-15 at BladeHQ

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For those of you that are hearing the name Demko and it’s sounding familiar Andrew Demko is the designer of Cold Steel’s famed Tri-ad Lock as well as some of their (in my opinion) coolest designs. Demko has also maintained his own custom knife shop, producing well built heavy-use folders that kept that distinct look that made his name famous among knife aficionados.

Based on my experience knives from Demko’s shop directly were a little difficult to come by when I first started getting into custom pieces. I’m not sure if that due to his work with Cold Steel, or maybe just the circles I ran in… but recently Andrew did two things that changed this. First he developed a new lock, the scorpion lock, that is not available from Cold Steel and secondly, he developed his Machine Ground (MG) series.

I would probably call his MG series mid-techs, although from what I have heard the only difference between Demko customs and the MG’s is the actual grinding of the blades themselves. Obviously his customs are hand ground, while the MGs are machine ground. More on that later.

First, the ever important specs of our Demko Knives AD-15 MG, the subject of this review:

Blade Length: 3.75”
Overall Length: 8.625”
Handle Thickness: .59”
Blade Thickness: .196”
Steel: S35VN
Weight: 6.4oz
Lock: Demko Scorpion Lock
Country of Origin: USA

(Please note these measurements are according to my ruler and calipers. The manufacturer’s listed measurements may vary.)

Blade Details

So, as I stated in the intro these knives are part of the “MG” series that the Demko shop is now putting out. I think the overall idea is to get some of their knives into customer’s hands without having to have the custom price-tag attached. In order to cut down on the cost, they have opted to put Machine Ground blades in these AD-15s. Apart from that I think there are minimal cosmetic differences between these and the customs.

So what does this mean for the end user? Well, nothing really. The knife is evenly ground, with crisp lines and a thin flat grind, and it is finished extremely well. For the run that was available at Blade Show, where I bought this knife, they had actually gone back and put a machine-satin or grind-line finish on the blade. This is generally my preference in a blade finish.

All that said, the knife came to me horrifyingly sharp, and I say this as someone that can sharpen a knife to a mirror–hair whittling edge. The Demkos did something to make this knife glide through paper like nothing I’ve seen. What makes this even more remarkable is the blade is made from 4.5mm thick stock. That is thick stock for a folding knife.

The steel choice is worth noting as well. S35VN is a weird pick for a knife that I’d consider a “heavy-use knife.” Don’t get me wrong as S35VN is generally a fine steel. I have it in my Chris Reeve knives and it’s performed great for me, but I would have expected 3V or M4 in this monster. Gimme something with some real brawn, Demko!

I suppose the choice of S35VN isn’t really a problem, as S35VN is still a premium steel with a well deserved reputation for all-round performance. It was just a surprising choice to me as this knife is otherwise entirely overbuilt. I think a tougher steel with a greater reputation for hard use would have been even better under these circumstances.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

To address the elephant in the room before we talk about anything else, the AD-15 MG is a big knife. I mean the thing is over eight and a half inches long. However, as a result Demko was able to figure out how to incorporate a very effective saber-style handle to the knife. This allows you to grab onto it and know that you’re not going to slip anywhere, and to add additional traction most of these knives are offered in textured G-10 or Micarta for even more grip.

As for the handle material itself, it’s okay. Don’t tell anyone I said this, but I kinda wish I had gotten a G-10 version. The natural micarta has a raw edge that has turned out to not really be my favorite. His G10 knives were very nicely squared away, I’d love to see one in CF.

The Demko’s are also now offering these knives in full Ti handles. This was debuted at Blade 2018. In my opinion full titanium is a lousy “upgrade” as it adds nearly $200 to the price tag and a lot of extra weight, but the full titanium version offers no additional operational strength.

The clip is a ho-hum spoon style three screw clip that straddles the lanyard hole. This placement makes the knife ride a bit high in the pocket. I love and hate this high clip placement. On one hand, it allows you to have a really positive grip on this (expensive) knife in your pocket when you withdraw it, but the knife is also is going to dig into your side when you sit down. So this clip configuration has its pros and cons.

Deployment and Lockup

Dudes, this lock is super weird. Like, I get it, and I like it, but it took me a solid 2-3 days of playing with it where I stopped nearly cutting myself when I tried opening it. The knife is not that different from the famed Tri-ad lock that Demko licensed to Cold Steel. It’s essentially a titanium bar that runs across the top of the knife, that bar pivots around a pin towards the rear, when doing so it lifts the locking pin and allows you to close the knife. That same spring tension also serves as the “detent.” As a result, you sorta have to push away from the pivot when you open the knife otherwise it won’t budge.

As I said, it’s a different but ultimately intuitive way of opening a knife. Another result of this lock is that the action of the knife has a very hydraulic feel to it. It’s smooth, but slow. As if you were pushing the blade open through soft butter. This isn’t a knife that you’re gonna “pop” open with your thumb. The AD-15 MG’s run on poly washers, so that contributes to the slow hydraulic feel of the action.

Demko Knives AD-15 MG Review – Final Thoughts

How do you pin a bow on a knife this unusual? It’s a new style of mid-tech, with a new locking system, in a different size category than I normally buy. I never condone knife abuse, but the AD-15 seriously feels like a knife that could do pretty much anything and go pretty much anywhere. Need to stab through a car hood? No problem. This AD-15 MG is an absolute tank, and in that capacity this knife is phenomenal.

With a different steel I think the AD-15 MG’s would be perfect. S35VN is fine for a Sebenza, but for an overbuilt folder like this I’d love to see the jump to an even tougher steel like 3V. I believe that Demko has used different steels on the hand ground versions, so perhaps that will trickle down to the MGs eventually.

Also, these knives aren’t cheap. The base model (with G10 or Micarta) comes in around $675 and is readily available on BladeHQ or even Amazon. This AD-15 MG is a lot of money, but you’re essentially getting a custom Demko that has a blade that went through a double disk grinder. Practically speaking it’s very similar to what they’d call a “custom knife.” The hand ground version of this knife starts at $900, and if that’s if you can find one.

For these reasons, I recommend the Demko Knives AD-15 MG if you want a hard use folder from Andrew Demko without spending the cash on one of his full customs.

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Editor: I recommend purchasing the Demko Knives AD-15 MG at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Rockstead RYO Review

by Andrew Gene 2 Comments

The RYO is the latest folder from Rockstead, coming after their futuristic SHUN collaboration that was the work of Belorussian designer Dmitry Sinkevich. The SHUN was a tangent from the company’s previous aesthetic sensibilities, carrying much more futuristic lines in a larger form factor. Rockstead’s unmistakable mirrored blade grind and stylized fuller aside, the knife was definitely something more akin to other Sinkevich designs like the ZT 0452CF or his Shirogorov collaborations.

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The RYO design is a redirect back toward Rockstead’s other models, with a distinctly Japanese look that draws inspiration from an iconic friction folder. While most models reflect sword patterns, the RYO references the Higonokami (Higo for short) resulting in something similar to a modified wharncliffe, in Western cutlery terms. The blade shape is paired with an undulating handle texture reminiscent of waves, or in this case maybe black raku ceramics or “Japan Black” lacquerware. The name RYO translates to “good”. From my research it can be used to describe something of superior quality or character and is also used as a persons name.

As a side note, it might have been appropriate to call the RYO the HIGO however, Rockstead already has a knife named that. Although claiming the name, the model carries it in spirit only, and does not share a similarity in blade style.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Although the Rockstead RYO has a foot in the past, it’s clearly a modern knife showing off a finished product that is only possible through a combination of modern machining and the latest high-tech materials. The over-all length measures 7.716” (196mm) with a 3.125″ (79mm) blade, and a weight of 4.37 oz (124 g).

New to the folding knife collection, the RYO has a “concealable” clip design. We are also seeing a titanium handle, rather than the Duraluminum that’s has been used in the past. This isn’t that surprising as most of the newer, all metal handles (as seen in the SAI and SHUN) are full Titanium.

The 3.15” (80 mm) blade is made from one of Hitachi Metal’s flagship cutlery steels, ZDP-189. ZDP-189 boasts rather extreme specifications with a chromium content at 20%, nearly double the 10.5% needed to consider it a stainless, and a carbon content of 3%, just over four times the 0.7% needed to be classified as “high carbon”. The full specifications are as follows:

Carbon	Chromium	Molybdenum	Tungsten	Vanadium
3.00	20.00	1.50	1.50	0.10

Such impressive specifications are reached through a powder metal technology which helps to avoid the uneven (segregated) carbide micro-structure caused by cooling steel into a traditional ingot. During the process, molten alloy is pushed through a nozzle where it meets a high pressure stream of air. At contact with the compressed air, the molten metal rapidly solidifies creating a tiny, near-to segregation free, sphere-like particle. Because the cooling is so fast, the component elements are fixed in place with a more even micro-structure. The powdered batch is then mixed and sealed into inert-environment containers to avoid unwanted reactions. Finally it’s Hot Isostatically Pressed (HIP), trapping all of the ideal properties, evenly into place.

With such generous levels of elements that make for a high-performance steel, ZDP-189 is able to reach an incredible finished hardness and take an equally impressive edge. Rockstead measures each piece and the small dimple left from measurement is proudly displayed on the blades ricasso. The hardness of this particular RYO measures 67 RC.

While seemingly the end goal for a steel, the result does compromise other desirable attributes. The first is accessibility. Using ZDP-189 and finishing it to these standards increases cost. Secondly, such a high hardness makes the steel more brittle since it lacks any real ductility, limiting application to lighter duties.

This steel is chosen to support the grind, and as on all other Rockstead knives, the grind is nothing short of amazing. Rockstead defines the convex, zero geometry as Hon-zukuri which is traditionally reserved to describe sword patterns. The meaning loosely translates to “base style” and is Rockstead’s go to configuration. On other models they also offer flat grinds that include a secondary bevel as seen on the TEI-S DLC.

I’ve had the opportunity to handle three Rockstead knives and the mirrored finish is perfectly executed on all, only showing distortion from the curvature of the convex shape or on the compound angles that radius the belly of the blades. Because the mirrored finish runs right to the edge, the cutting performance is outstanding with a sharpness that seems to pass effortlessly while in use. This is partly because the blades are pretty much perfectly symmetrical and there isn’t any tooth to the edge that can catch on the material you’re cutting. While pretty legendary for a knife; as mentioned before the edge is fragile and it will micro-chip under normal use. This is where questions of practicality comes into play. Your flawless blade can be maintained – if you use Rockstead’s paid sharpening service. Otherwise you can do the job yourself at the expense of the perfect finishing.

As for the profile, the Higonokami-like pattern is very useful. The slightly curved edge is excellent for everyday tasks while the tip excels at fine work over something like a drop-point. For detailing Rockstead’s stylized fuller gives the blade an animated, vigilant stare while the media blasted flats provide a contrast that intensifies the polished grind.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The fully sculpted “3D machined” handle of the knife is very comfortable. The inner edge has a series of shallow finger grooves that conform to your hand nicely. At 4.566” in length you get a full grip for average sized hands. The area of use is extended by a deep choil that meets a curve toward the front of the handle, allowing you to choke up for more control. Added grip and tactile feedback is helped along by jimping on the clip’s back and a double row of jimping along the handle’s spine that’s continued by a run onto the blade’s thumb pad. There’s also a small swatch on the choil so you know exactly where you’re at when your finger is near the heel of the edge. Jimping mission accomplished.

The cross cut ridges add a significant dress factor to the polished handle, catching the light and defining the overall form. As you hold the knife in your hand, highlights roll across the surface giving the grip a jewel-like appearance that’s amplified by the dark, glassy DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating. The same reflective qualities that give the handle its presence also create some challenges. With so many surfaces and such a tricky polish, any small marks or areas of unevenness during the process tend to be exaggerated by the DLC and under very close inspection, some are visible. This can only really be observed when the knife is spotlessly cleaned up and under good light as was the case when producing the video overview. Also, it’s an epic finger print magnet. From one perspective I’d like to see the handle as immaculately rendered as the blade and from the other I appreciate the ambition.

An area where I definitely feel the handle could be improved however, is weight. Milled out pockets on the inner scales could trim fat from the 4.37 oz. While this won’t bother some and others will equate weight with value, I prefer a lighter folder, and sub 4 oz would feel better with this smaller form factor.

For deployment there are two ambidextrous thumb-studs. While polished, they have a conical shape that narrows at the base, sit high and are exposed by a handle cut-out so you can easily and repeatably use them.

When opened the blade is held solidly by a button lock. Most button locks I’ve handled have a small tick of movement that eventually settles in, and this seems to be the case with the RYO. As of now, after handling the knife for some time, the lock-up feels totally solid and without play. Although seating confidently under significant spring tension, the action is smooth and without stickiness. When unlocking, the polished button head feels good under your thumb.

Normally, a button lock’s plunger serves double duty and is also used to hold the blade closed. In many cases the tension in the closed position is light allowing the blade to more easily fall out of the stowed position than something like a liner or frame lock. With the RYO, Rockstead has smartly added a separate detent that holds the blade closed, so the tension can be dialed in independently. As a small gripe, I’m not overly fond of the high pitch click the knife makes when overcoming the detent, but in a luxury item I tend to split hairs. Regardless of any criticism, the sum of parts of this button lock equals one the nicest I’ve handled to date.

Rounding out the details there is what Rockstead calls their “concealable” pocket clip. This is primarily an ergonomic feature so you don’t feel the clip when cutting. The integration is nicely executed and works visually when the knife is both open and closed. To reveal the clip, you manually push on its end which sits slightly proud when hidden. Although the small tab is visible, you don’t really feel it under normal use. The clip sits on a larger base that supports it, for a smooth yet robust feeling action. Because the clip is oriented to the back of the handle, its attachment point is best at your pocket seam (as opposed to along the opening) and works better with thinner fabrics. The fact that the clip is machined rather than stamped and bent, makes for a strong tension and, because of the orientation, the knife can twist to the side with thicker materials. I guess this isn’t really a jogging pants type of knife anyway.

Apparently this concealable clip design infringes on a patent filed by knife maker Joseph Caswell, who has a design called the EDX with a clip that automatically changes position with the action of opening and closing the blade. As such Rockstead has had to license in order to stay above board. As an additional carry option there is a lanyard hole that is discretely milled into the pommel.

Rockstead RYO Review – Final Thoughts

From the material choices through to the finished functional design, Rockstead personifies the ethic of Japanese bladesmithing. An approach where there is a thirst for the best technology and materials while still respectfully integrating knowledge and concepts from the past in balanced measure. Rockstead’s ability to harmoniously combine historic patterns with contemporary features is unique to the brand. While costly, these knives are truly distinct, no small feat in a market that is increasingly more saturated. The RYO is certainly “good”.

Rockstead Higo
From: BladeHQ

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

Rockstead Higo Review

by Dan Jackson 9 Comments

Today I’ll be reviewing an expensive knife. There is no way around it. The Rockstead Higo retails for the better part of $1000. It’s insanely expensive, and it’s taken me the better part of 10 years of writing about knives to work my way up to purchasing one. I’ve considered it before, but always had something else I’d rather spend $800 on. Like food, rent, and child support. But recently I got my priorities straightened out and purchased a Rockstead for review.

Buy the Rockstead Higo at BladeHQ

So it may come as a surprise to hear that the Higo is actually one of Rockstead’s least expensive offerings. You can easily spend $1,500 to $3,000 on one of their knives.

The Higo is one of their simpler, more utilitarian models. Relatively simple duraluminum handles and a single stand off house a beautiful, smoky black DLC coated blade. And it’s not just any blade, it’s Rockstead’s beautiful “HONZUKURI” double convex blade shape brought to a flawless mirror polish. Yes, it’s high time we reviewed a Rockstead, and examined this knife in all of it’s expensive glory. By the way, I am writing this review from a cardboard box.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Higo has an overall length of 8.5″, a 3.5″ blade, weighs 3.6 ounces and is made in Japan. It’s a larger knife but could be EDCd if you like the idea of daily carrying an ultra high end pocket knife. I think it is one of Rockstead’s more staid models, but personally, I wouldn’t EDC this thing. Not only is it too expensive for me to use without feeling guilty, I have major reservations regarding how I would sharpen the knife. I’ll comment on that further below.

The Higo comes with a long drop point blade. The tip on the knife is fairly high, and it provides a rather abrupt belly. The blade is saber ground, and there is a hole in the flat of the blade with a short milled fuller. I am not sure if that’s for decoration, or is part of the manufacturing process. I never think too hard about that because my eye is inevitably drawn to the beautiful mirror polished primary bevel.

As an aside, this polished blade is a bear to photograph. My photography has never been great, but I apologize for the especially schlocky photos accompanying this review. I did my best to keep my mug out of the photographs, but there are still all sorts of reflections in the shots showing the blade.

Rockstead’s process for finishing the blades this way is time consuming, and labor intensive. This is part of the reason why Rockstead knives are so expensive. Rockstead does a reasonable job explaining the process on their website. Apparently someone hand sands these blades starting at 400 grit going all the way up to 2000 grit. Then additional finishing work is done on the knife through some proprietary processes that are well beyond my pay grade as a lay person.

The net result is the most beautiful blade I have ever laid my eyes on. The grinds are beautifully crisp. The machining is outstanding. And the mirror polish is flawless. The net result is stunning. There is nothing else like a Rockstead blade.

Rockstead offers the Higo in two blade steels: a DLC Coated YXR7 version (shown here) or an uncoated ZDP-189 version. YXR7 is a high speed tool steel manufactured by Hitachi. YXR7 has the enviable combination of being tough, but also being able to be heat treated to a high hardness. Here is a link to the zKnives data sheet on YXR7.

Rockstead states that it’s the durability of the YXR7 that allows them to put an ultra thin 3 micron thick coat of DLC over the blade. Paired with a less shock resistant steel, the DLC coating would crack like an egg shell. But when paired with YXR7 the shock is dissipated and you are left with an otherworldly blade.

Each knife is individually checked for hardness, and Rockstead reports that on the information card that comes with the knife. My particular knife was heat treated to 65.2 HRc. Impressive.

OK, this is normally the part of the review where I comment on the real world performance of the knife after extensive carry and use. That never happened with the Higo. It’s just too nice of a knife for me to get down and dirty with.

Furthermore, I’m concerned that if I used the knife I’d be unable to sharpen it. Especially this DLC coated variant. With the ZDP-189 version you can probably maintain the edge with careful stropping. But here, only a teeny tiny bit of the edge is exposed. The rested is coated in DLC. How the hell do you sharpen this thing? Rockstead offers a “free sharpening service” but you need to ship the knife back to Japan for that. Sorry guys, but I didn’t want to go down that path with this knife.

I will say I’ve been to the Rockstead booth at Blade Show a few times and they had many samples available, and they would cut phone books and rope with the knives at the show. They can certainly cut, and from what I understand they hold an edge unlike anything else thanks in part to the insane hardness and unique blade geometry.

But I can’t speak from personal experience. Instead, I’ll embed a video from Rockstead showing some of their performance testing:

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Compared with the magnificent blade, the handle is a little less interesting. It’s still beautifully machined, but lets face it, few things can stand up to the blade of a Rockstead. Here we have black anodized duraluminum handles. A pleasant wave pattern has been milled into the handles. Execution of the handles themselves is great, but one area leaving me wanting a little more is with the hardware. The hardware almost appears like cheap pot metal compared to the blade. I’d love to see some decorative hardware or polished hardware to match the blade. As it stands, it appears more like an after thought. At this price everything needs to be special.

I have no complaints in the ergonomics department. This simple and straight forward handle design. There is plenty of room, and an absence of excessive curves and ‘ergonomic features’ means that the handle will be comfortable for most people. That said, you do get light jimping on both the top and bottom of the blade, toothier jimping on the handle, and a finger choil. All of this stuff has been exercised with a degree of restraint to the point where it all plays in the background. It’s the ergonomic equivalent of muzak. Present, but hard to register unless you pay close attention.

The pocket clip is downright primitive compared to the rest of the knife. It’s a DLC blackened spring style clip, mounted high on the handle for deep carry with a single torx screw. There is nothing wrong with any of this, but it is crudely stamped “MADE IN JAPAN”. Not the end of the world, but not the most elegant solution either. Given the attention of detail lavished on this blade I would have expected a little more.

The good news is that the pocket clip works great, and the knife carries well. It’s a long knife, but thin and lightweight, so you don’t notice it much. The pocket clip has good spring retention, so it keeps the knife planted in place, and it all but buries completely in your pocket. Not bad, but not amazing either.

The clip is also a fingerprint magnet. Much like the blade.

Deployment and Lockup

The Higo primarily makes use of dual thumb studs to get the blade open. The thumb studs are prominent, and the blade is easy enough to open with either hand. Additionally, the exposed tang when closed gives you the option of a “front flipper” of sorts. You can’t actually flip the blade open, but you can get the blade mostly open with this faux flipper.

The blade rotates fluidly on generous phosphor bronze washers. It isn’t a fast deploying knife, but it feels purposeful.

The frame lock of the Higo engages with a soft click. It’s an aluminum framelock with a stainless steel lockbar insert. I think it is interesting to note that the lockbar insert has also been given the DLC treatment. Little details like that are good to see. Frankly I expect them on a knife this expensive. Lockup is a solid 50% and there is zero blade play of any kind.

I struggled to find a good knife to use for the size comparison section. The blade of the Higo is so tough to photograph, that I ended up choosing the Zero Tolerance 0450CF. The matte DLC blade on the 0450CF made it possible to get a workable photo.

Blade centering is absolutely perfect on my knife. Once again at this price point I would expect nothing less.

Rockstead Higo Review – Final Thoughts

On one hand the Higo is a stunning knife. The blade is unlike anything else I have reviewed. It’s an otherworldly work of art. You simply won’t find anything else like it on the production market. That beautiful blade is combined with an elegant handle. It is a juxtoposition of Japanese elegance and their fanatical pride in what they do. Rockstead has taken the production pocket knife to extremes few of us would consider. In these ways the Higo is a truly special knife.

On the flip side I don’t think this is a particularly practical knife. It’s so expensive I’m hesitant to use it. And if I were to use the knife, it would be damn near impossible for me to sharpen it. Perhaps if I selected the non-DLC coated variant I could strop this thing, but I don’t know how I would sharpen this DLC coated blade with its impossibly small microbevel edge. The only answer is to send it off to Rockstead. They will sharpen it for free provided I can prove I’m the original owner, but I would need to ship the knife to Japan at a considerable expense and risk.

For these reasons I cannot recommend this knife as a daily carry, unless you are a talented sharpener and willing to use a near $1,000 folding knife. Most people won’t do that, and of the few that will actually purchase a Rockstead Higo, I suspect they will treat the knife like I have: gingerly. With so many great $50-200 folding knives in my collection, the Higo has been relegated to a safe queen and curiosity. It’s a beautiful safe queen, but a safe queen none the less.

Rockstead Higo
From: BladeHQ

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

Benchmade Anthem 781 Review

by Aaron Shapiro 3 Comments

Last Updated: July 18, 2019

There was a time when Benchmade was kinda the sleepy “Gunshop Knife Brand.” There would always be a few dusty Griptillians sitting in the case next to the preowned Glocks, and while the Grips might be fantastic value-props, they a bit vanilla-icecream-y if you get my meaning.

Buy the Benchmade Anthem at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

However, something has been changing in the last few years. I don’t know if someone put some sriracha on the break table over there in Oregon City, or what, but something has injected some pep into their design team. Introducing the Anthem 781, Benchmade’s first Integral Titanium folding knife. There are lots to say about this one, but before I get too deep let’s go over some specs:

(Please note these measurements are according to my ruler and calipers, manufacturer’s listed measurements may vary.)

Blade Length: 3.25” of cutting edge, 3.375
Overall Length: 8.125”
Thickness: .585” with clip, .421 handle only
Blade Thickness: .115”
Steel: 20CV
Weight: 3.7oz
Lock: The famed Axis Lock
Country of Origin: USA

Blade Details

With a knife like the Anthem, I believe that it’s intended to be a daily carry type piece. It’s not overly large, doesn’t have any sort of complicated aspect to it, and the functional bits are designed to be, well, functional.

The blade is a great example of this: drop pointed shaped with a rounded (or crowned) spine. Eyeballing it, I’d guess that it’s flat ground but I suppose it could be a shallow hollow grind as well; either way, it’s a great slicer. It came out of the box with a very nice, toothy, utility edge and I didn’t feel the need to change this on my wicked edge. In the couple of weeks that I’ve been carrying it I have had occasion to break down boxes, slice up food, and perform just daily “knife-stuff” tasks with it, nothing crazy, no batoning or zombie apocalypse type stuff, but in terms of daily EDC tasks, it excelled.

In terms of the steel, I will briefly comment on it: Benchmade chose 20CV for this blade, and I believe that to be an excellent choice for a knife like this. 20CV is a high toughness and corrosion resistance steel, that hardens to around 62HRC. I have no means testing to see if my knife is in that range, but I can tell you that it’s performed beautifully and has been easily maintained on a strop. 20CV is very similar to M390 (one of my favorite steels) and I have been really pleased with it in this application.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Ah yes… The INTEGRAL handle. This is really what makes this knife stand out, isn’t it? This is the first Integral from Benchmade. For those of you not familiar with the term: Integral means that the handle of this knife is milled out of a single block of Titanium as opposed to two that are screwed together. There aren’t any screws holding the knife handle together. In the past, this level of knife making was reserved to custom makers that had a lot of time on their hands (it takes a while to mill a channel out of a block of Ti) but recently a few companies have started incorporating integrals into their lineup.

One of the interesting things about Benchmade’s execution of the integral handle is how they incorporated the axis lock into it. When you look at the spine of the knife (the money shot of any integral) you’ll see two screws hidden in the decorative milling, these hold the locking method in place.

In the hand the first thing that came to mind for me was how thin the knife is; It carries very well in the pocket and feels great in hand. The handle itself is trim in both dimensions thickness and height, but there is a sort of faux-choil towards the blade that locks the hand in securely when holding the knife open. Otherwise, the milled texture gives you a little bit of grip on what would otherwise be a pretty slick knife.

The pocket clip is an ambidextrous milled Ti clip that is more than a little phallic, but it is also very functional. There are several makers out there that are offering custom clips made from Moku-Ti so if you want something different there are options for you. The knife carries well with approx 1/2” sticking out of the pocket, offering a perfect grip to withdraw it.

Deployment and Lockup

The blade on the Anthem opens by way of ambidextrous thumb studs. The blade deploys easily thanks in part to bearings washers. The action is smooth and easy.

For lockup, the Anthem comes equipped with Benchmade’s Axis lock. I’m not sure there’s much to say about the Axis lock that hasn’t already been said. It’s an incredibly solid lock mechanism that isn’t prone to lock rock, doesn’t really suffer from failures in the way a liner or frame lock might, and it is completely ambidextrous to use. The execution of the Axis lock is worth noting on the Anthem, there’s a block screwed to the spine of the knife that acts as the anchor point for the axis lock mechanism.

Benchmade Anthem Review – Final Thoughts

So to wrap all this up…the Benchmade 781 Anthem is a great step forward for Benchmade knives. I think it shows a focus shift on Benchmade’s part too, hopefully, starting to produce some higher-end knives. I am also very pleased to see their adoption of some different steels. I love CPM154 and S30V, but it’s good to have some variety. Between the 20CV here and the S90 in the 940-1, it’s been refreshing.

Now, the caveat to this entire review: This is an expensive knife. MSRP is around $500, with retail landing closer to $425 on BladeHQ and Amazon. Competitively, this puts you in the ballpark of a Chris Reeve, or above the ballpark of some really nice Zero Tolerances, but what you’re paying for here is the time and difficulty in making the handle. It’s a remarkable feat, but you have to decide if it’s worth it to you, for me it was too cool to pass up. The nice thing, however, is that you won’t be getting a gimmicky integral for that price—you’re going to be putting a knife that will make a great daily carry in your pocket.

COLD STEEL AD-10 3.5" S35VN Steel Ultra-Sharp Drop Point Blade 5.25" G-10 Handle Tactical Folding Knife with Tri-Ad Locking Mechanism

CONSTRUCTION - The AD-10 tactical folding knife features an ultra-wide, ground thin at the edge, honed to razor-sharpness blade that offers unprecedented cutting, shearing, and piercing power while resisting bending, breaking, or chipping
S35VN STEEL BLADE - Crafted from S35VN steel, the AD-10 folding knife's blade ensures super-fine cutting edges and exceptional edge retention; This premium steel is renowned for its durability and ability to maintain sharpness through rigorous use
STRONG HANDLE - The handle of the AD-10 knife boasts heat-treated, full-length aluminum liners and 3D machined G-10 scales, providing unparalleled strength and grip; Its precise contouring and integral finger guard ensure a snug and secure fit in the hand
TRI-AD LOCK - Complete with the Tri-Ad, the AD-10 offers unrivaled strength, shock resistance, and durability; This reliable locking mechanism provides peace of mind, safeguarding your fingers during use and ensuring the blade remains securely in place
SPECS - Weight: 7 oz (198.4 g); Blade Thickness: 3.8 mm; Blade Length: 3 1/2"; Blade Steel: S35VN; Handle Length/Material: 5 1/4" G-10; Overall Length: 8 3/4"; Knife Type: Folder; Blade Shape: Drop Point; Locking Mechanism: Tri-Ad Lock

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

Cold Steel 4-Max Review

by Dan Jackson 8 Comments

This is a knife that requires little in the way of an introduction. The Cold Steel 4-Max is arguably the most overbuilt hard use folding knife of all time. Modeled after designer Andrew Demko’s custom 4-Max folder the 4-Max brings Andrew’s clean design and attention to detail to life.

Buy the 4-Max at BladeHQ

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This isn’t your garden variety Cold Steel offering. Built in the USA and retailing for about $400, this high end production offering is for those that want to get as close to an Andrew Demko custom as they can without buying and actual AD custom. I’ve wanted to check one of these knives out ever since they announced the project in 2014. 4 years later and I finally have one in hand.

Will the knife survive the hype? Read on to find out.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 4-Max has an overall length of 10.00″, a 4.00″ blade and weighs 10.2 ounces. This is a big honking knife. As you will be able to see in the size comparisons, if the Ultimate Hunter is a great white, then this 4Max is a megalodon. It dwarfs normal folding knives. It’s almost a caricature of a folding knife. It’s massive in every way. Some may view a knife this big as novelty item rather than an EDC. Personally, I like mine for trips to the supermaket and high stakes hostage negotiations.

My 4-Max is made in the USA, but Cold Steel has moved manufacturing over to Italy. They changed the G-10 from the tan shown here to a blue grey on the Italian version. Personally, part of the allure of the 4Max to me was that it was made in the USA. It’s a knife so ridiculous that it almost needs to be made in the USA. Otherwise it’s just an imposter. That said, my research shows the Italian 4Max is very nice, and possibly even a smidge better than this USA version in the fit and finish department.

The blade on this sucker is massive. It’s a simple drop point with a deep belly, high flat grind, and decorative swedge. The grinds are crisp and even. The edge has been evenly applied, although the sharpener did run up onto the choil a little. That seems to be consistent from knife to knife. I’m not a fan of how that looks, and is one of my gripes.

You would think a knife this overbuilt would be a poor slicer, but the 4-Max actually has great blade geometry. It slices beautifully thanks to the high flat grind that gets surprisingly thin behind the edge. I can slice apples like nobody’s business with the 4Max. The tip also displays a good balance between strength and practicality. It’s stout, but isn’t a pry bar either. The knife is fully functional and surprisingly good at performing day to day tasks.

For blade steel Cold Steel went with CPM-20CV. CPM-20CV is Crucible’s answer to Boeller M390. It’s excellent stuff providing a covetable blend of edge retention, ease of sharpness, corrosion resistance and toughness. It’s a high end steel. So far it has done everything I’ve asked it to. Admittedly that has mostly been EDC chores including breaking down boxes, cutting fruit, and opening mail. I’m keeping this knife for long term evaluation and will update this section periodically.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Handle of the 4-Max is G-10 over titanium liners with a titanium backspacer. Handle construction is solid. The G-10 scales have been nicely finished. All the parts line up, and the overall impression is solid.

So far the tan G-10 has held up well. I’m not a huge fan of light colored G-10 as it tends to pick up dirt and stain, but I haven’t had that issue with the 4-Max.

The ergonomics of the 4-Max are excellent. This is a huge knife, so there is plenty of real estate, and Andrew Demko is well known for his simple and ergonomic designs that accommodate a variety of grips and hand sizes. The ergonomic features include a generous forward finger choil, lightly textured G-10 handle scales, and a short run of toothy jimping. The jimping is nice because it captures the pad of your thumb without being overly aggressive.

All the edges of the G-10 have been chamferred. I haven’t noticed any hot spots. The balance point of the knife is an inch or so behind the pivot, so it has a forward heavy feel. It all but begs to be chopped with, an odd sensation from a folding knife. The pommel is large and angular and could be used as an “impact tool” if the need ever arised. The 4-Max is also comfortable in a reverse grip.

Time to talk about the pocket clip. This is a large titanium pocket clip. It allows for right or left side tip up carry only. It’s not a deep carry clip, but it’s oriented so that the knife buries fairly deep in the pocket. Spring retention is excellent.

In practice, this knife carries as you would expect. You need to wear a belt while EDCing the 4-Max, lest you wish to arrive at your destination in just your underwear. It’s big, it’s heavy, and it takes up a ton of space in your pocket. I wouldn’t turn up my nose at a belt sheath for this one.

Deployment and Lockup

The 4-Max makes use of large ambidextrous thumb studs. Quite a bit of travel is required to pop this blade open. Thankfully the going is smooth due to the massive phosphor bronze washers. When you finally maneuver the blade into the open position you are greeted with a hugely satisfying “click”. It’s kind of like closing the door of a German car.

Here is a size comparison with the Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter, a large knife in its own right.

For lockup we have an oversized Tri-Ad lock. It’s got a stop pin bigger than most pivots. Lockup is absolutely bank vault solid. Not a smidge of play here, and according to Cold Steel this lock can handle ungodly amounts of punishment. No complaints with respect to the lock.

Where I do have a complaint is when it’s time to unlock the knife. Tri-Ad locks can have a reputation for being tough to disengage, but this 4-Max takes it to a new level. Not only is a good amount of pressure required to release the blade (understandable), you have to position your thumb dead center on the lock release. If you travel too far forward or back, you won’t have sufficient travel for the lockbar to raise enough to disengage.

Once you get the lock disengaged extreme care needs to be taken with this blade. The spring tension turns the 4-Max into a guillotine of sorts. Care always needs to be exercised when closing a folding knife, but extreme care should be taken with the 4-Max. The combination of strong spring, heavy blade, and razor sharp blade make this one a little disconcerting to use. I’ve never felt nervous closing a pocket knife before, but after catching the edge of my ring finger in this blade I have a new level of respect for the 4-Max. Be careful.

Here is another size comparison with the hugely popular Spyderco Paramilitary 2:

Blade centering is good, but not great on my knife. It’s a mm or so off. No where near rubbing, but at this price point I would obviously prefer something dead centered.

Cold Steel 4-Max Review – Final Thoughts

The 4-Max is the closest most of us will come to ever owning an Andrew Demko custom knife. It was built without compromise, and in that respect the 4-Max is a roaring success. If you are looking for the biggest, baddest hard use folding knife on the planet then I think the 4-Max should be at the top of your short list. It’s beautifully made, and it cuts surprisingly well. And I challenge you to find a more solid folding knife.

My biggest gripe is it’s a tough lock to disengage. Not only is there a lot of spring tension, you have to place your thumb right in the center in order to successfully disengage the lock.

However, if you are looking for anything resembling a practical pocket knife for urban EDC then I think you should look elsewhere. This knife is huge and heavy. No way I would want to carry it around on a daily basis. But it’s a beautiful and unique piece and I appreciate it for what it is.

With the 4-Max, you are either going to love the idea of it or hate it. If you are somehow on the fence about the 4-Max I would suggest picking one up. It’s not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

Cold Steel 4 Max Folding Knife

CPM-20CV Steel
Pocket / Belt Clip

I recommend purchasing the Cold Steel 4-Max at BladeHQ or Amazon. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.