EDC Knives

Emerson Mini Commander Review

The Mini-Commander is my third Emerson folder and third in the line of CQC knives. I guess I’m an Emerson collector. I initially purchased a CQC-7BW during my Marine Corps days, then I purchased a Mini CQC-15 that I thought combined a cool tanto edge and a good belly to replace the 7. Now I have a Mini-Commander that I purchased for no real reason.

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Of course, it’s been serving as my EDC for several months now because you don’t buy a knife like this and not carry it. It’s a knife designed for guys and gals in the military as well as those who typically work in non-permissive environments, and its in a handier size. The Mini-Commander isn’t for everyone, and its combination of features do make it more or less suited for a niche group of users.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Mini-Commander loses half an inch of the blade from the standard Commander model and has a 3.4-inch blade with a deployed length of 8 inches. The Mini-Commander’s blade is .125 inches thick and is made from 154CM. The handle is 4.6 inches long and the knife weighs 4.5 ounces.

It’s a convenient and easy knife to pocket carry. The Mini-Commander features a recurve blade design that sports a very prominent belly. You get a lot of cutting edge in a very compact package. It’s got a standard drop point tip and has a black cerakote finish. A stonewash finish is also available.

The use of 154 CM is pretty standard with Emerson knives and a great overall steel. It’s an excellent compromise of features and specs, but also makes an outstanding metal if you deploy to harsh conditions with your knife. Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, wildland firefighters, Border Patrol, etc.

154 CM is very corrosion resistant, and it is tough steel. It’s relatively easy to sharpen and can get quite sharp. 154 CM steel seems to be excellent steel when paired with a chisel grind. A chisel grind is quick and easy to sharpen, something I appreciated with the CQC-7BW when I was in the field and deployed.

You can get a good sharp edge with minimal tools and effort. The blade will also last. A chisel grind is a strong grind and when combined with a strong steel it makes a very dependable knife. When logistics suck you want something you won’t need to replace.

A chisel grind is great for most things, but don’t expect super smooth cuts. It has some grind to it while cutting. While it does cut, it doesn’t give me that tactile satisfaction I get from a super smooth cut. The belly of this blade makes it a great slasher.

The CQC knives and Emerson knives, in general, are designed to be weapons and EDC tools. I’ve never used a knife as a weapon, and likely never will. However, the belly on this knife would deliver deep, penetrating slashes in such an encounter. From my purposes, it’s perfect for cleaning game or cutting apples up for my kid’s basketball team. I do suggest washing the knife in-between those activities.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is designed to fully fit the hand and it does well. The handle curves slightly forward, reinforcing the blade’s slashing design. The grips are made from G10 material and its heavily textured for comfort and control. The finger guard is deep and ensures nothing will slip and cause an accident.

The rear of the grip has jimping on both the handle and blade. It’s quite a bit and the thumb feels comforting pushing on it. Combined with the deep fingerguard and you’ll have a hard time losing your grip. If you do the grip does have a lanyard hole to ensure you really can’t lose this knife.

The grip is very comfortable and the grip design is well suited for slashing and slicing.

The pocket clip is nice and robust, very durable and it clings to your pants well. It’s certainly strong and well made. As a reader and commenter pointed out in my Mini 15 review the knife is only tapped for right-handed use.

Left-handed models exist and a right-handed model can be tapped for left-hand carry but that costs money. However, for the price of this knife, it should be ambidextrous. Most of the knife is ambi so a left-handed clip option should be standard.

Deployment and Lockup

This model features the Wave opening system. This allows you to open the knife as you remove it from your pocket. It’s neat, and if you were about to get into a fight its faster than an auto knife. However, it takes practice to learn.

In addition to the wave feature you have a thumb disk that is ambidextrous and easy to use. A flick of the wrist and thumb will send the blade flying out and locking reliably with just the thumb disk. This takes time and a little wear. The blade is initially tight and opens slowly but over time mine has become easy to flick open with the thumb stud.

The lock is made from titanium and its slightly jimped for an easy push release. What’s interesting is that my Mini 15 seems to lock up all over the place. The Mini-Commander locks up in the same spot every time regardless of how fast or slow I open it.

The lock is nice and tight and hasn’t let me down yet. Titanium may wear with time but it seems like little pressure or force is exerted over this lock so I doubt we are going to see many issues. I still haven’t seen any of the CQC-7 I’ve owned for years.

Emerson Mini-Commander Review – Final Thoughts

This is an expensive knife, with the price being close to 200 dollars. There are admittedly knives out there at that price that cut smoother, are thinner, and have left handed pocket clip options. However, the Mini-Commander’s combination of features does fill a certain role in the military and frontier world.

It’s nice to have a traditional point with a deep belly for slicing when fall deer season comes around and for tasks with a bigger cutting emphasis. It’s better for EDC than the CQC-7 and the mini designation makes it more comfortable than the standard Commander.

It’s a rock solid and well-made knife and it joins what appears to be my ever growing Emerson Collection with its own rightful place.

Emerson Mini Commander SF Plain Stonewashed Blade

Patented Wave Feature
Plain Stonewashed Blade
154CM Steel
Black G10 Handles
Made in the USA

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

CRKT Crossbones Review

by Dan Jackson 5 Comments

It has been a good while since I have reviewed a CRKT knife. I wanted to remedy that situation, but struggled with selecting a knife. I like a lot of their designs, but sometimes weight gets in the way. For example, I like how they paired up with Eric Ochs to create the CRKT Avant, but at 5.4 ounces I couldn’t quite pull the trigger.

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The Crossbones caught my eye in part because it weighs less than 2.5 ounces, but also because CRKT has decided to double down on the design and release a high end version of the knife. To me, that signals the design has gotten some traction, and we may have something special on our hands.

The story behind this knife and it’s designer is also intriguing. This knife was designed by Jeff Park. Jeff has worked for Ken Onion for 10 years in Ken’s shop in Hawaii. The job quickly blossomed into a mentorship, and Jeff collaborated with Ken on the design that ultimately became the Crossbones. CRKT did a superb video overview of the knife that offers back story and a view into the design considerations.

So after careful consideration I bought the Crossbones off Amazon and a few days later it was at my door. On that note, I bought this knife with my own money. This is the same for every other knife I review unless noted otherwise.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Crossbones has an overall length of 8.06″, a 3.54″ blade, weighs 2.4 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. This is a lightweight big-bladed EDC not unlike the Boker Urban Trapper. Where the Crossbones differs from the Urban trapper is that the Crossbones is much thicker. On the flip side the Crossbones will hold up to harder use much better than the Urban Trapper.

Speaking of the Urban Trapper, here is a quick size comparison:

Another obvious comparison is with the CRKT Swindle. The swindle is about half an inch shorter and an ounce heavier. The Swindle is also half the price of the Crossbones. When you hold the two knives at the same time, you can see where the extra money went on the Crossbones. The machining, especially in the handle, is much more elaborate. Both knives fall into that “slim and slicey” EDC knife category, and the Crossbones in particular reminds me of a folding filet knife.

It’s worth mentioning that if you are looking for something much larger, CRKT also offers the Jumbones, which is a version of this pattern with a near 5″ blade. That is getting you even further into folding filet knife territory.

The Crossbones features a dramatic trailing point blade. Designer Jeff Park apparently took inspiration from the tanto blade shape, and he describes the blade as a “modified tanto”. Regardless what you have here is a long and thin blade. Blade stock is actually pretty robust at approximately 3.3 mm thick tapering down to a fine tip. The full flat grind gets pretty thin towards the edge and the satin finish is clean and easy to maintain.

CRKT selected AUS-8 for the blade steel. That is likely to get some grumbling, especially given the over $50 price tag. If you like the design and want to splurge, there is the premium version in M390, but it would be cool to see this in VG-10 or 154CM. I realize from a manufacturing logistics standpoint that could be expensive at best and impossible in some instances.

AUS-8 has a reputation of being a softer steel that is easy to sharpen but won’t hold an edge as a long as harder more expensive cutlery steels. On the plus side I’ve found AUS-8 to be a hearty steel that is tough, takes a nice finish, and is easy to maintain.

In practice the Crossbones performed as I would have expected. That slim blade is easy to get underneath the fold of an envelope, or into the seam of a box. The full flat grind aides in slicing, easily paring apples and breaking down boxes. The blade did slow down after some heavy cardboard cutting, but it was easy enough to bring back on my [easyazon_link identifier=”B001JL1I6Y” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Spyderco Goldenstone[/easyazon_link]. No issues with rust or corrosion.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is kind of wild and crazy, and I suspect this is where CRKT allocated the majority of their budget. The 6061 aluminum handles have been heavily machined and given a dramatic 2 tone finish with bead blasted and satin finished elements. The profile of the handle resembles a dog bone, and that inspired the name. Inside you can see that the aluminum handles have been pocketed to accept stainless steel liners. Rounding things out are a partial backspacer that doubles as a lanyard hole, and custom hardware.

Fit and finish on the handle is excellent. The machining is meticulous. There is a fine diamond pattern milled into the handles. Not sure how they do that, but it probably takes some small endmills to get that level of detail. I am especially impressed by how well the steel liners fit into the aluminum handle.

The ergonomics on the Crossbones are interesting. On one hand this is a knife with a lot of sharp edges. That satin “X” shape in the handle looks cool, but the edges are sharp. Not to the point of cutting you sharp, but it’s certainly noticeable. But what I find interesting is that these sharp ridges offer a lot of traction while using the knife. Certainly this is not a piece that will easily slip out of your hand. I think for normal use the traction will be appreciated. Under more hard use conditions such as heavy rope cutting and carving wood, I think the traction is excessive and this knife is going to develop some hot spots.

I’m left a little conflicted on the elaborate design work in the handle. Some people will like this, but I would have been OK with less detail and less sharp edges. I notice that Jeff’s knife in his CRKT overview lacked the crazy millwork. Part of me wonders how that knife feels in hand compared to this production version.

In contrast to the elaborate handle, the pocket clip is a small no-frills deep carry offering. The clip is positioned for right side tip up carry only, but it’s secure, offers good spring retention, and is discreet. The knife pretty much buries itself into your pocket. Great if you are looking for your pocket knife to fly under the radar. It’s also fairly easy to retrieve from the pocket.

This Crossbones carries well. The heavily textured handle and stout pocket clip means that the knife is not going anywhere. At 2.4 ounces this is a knife you will quickly forget you are carrying until the time comes to use it. The knife is thick, but it’s not unreasonable. All said I think it behaves well in the pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

The blade of the Crossbones is accessed via a low profile flipper tab. The flipper tab is almost too low profile, thanks in part to a strong detent and rounded edges of the flipper tab. Rounded edges aren’t necessarily a bad thing. I noted in my SOG Terminus XR review that the sharp edges of the flipper tab on that knife actually cut my finger, so I’m glad that isn’t the case here.

But on the flip side, my finger has slipped off this tab without opening the blade many times. It takes both technique and concentration. So that’s a bit of a bummer, but the good news is the detent is crisp and dialed in. When the knife opens, it opens with authoritay. The blade rockets out thanks to a strong detent and IKBS bearing system.

For lockup we have a stainless steel liner lock. The lockbark engages fully with the tang of the blade, and it sits in the middle of the tang. There is no lock rock, or blade play in this knife. Out of the box the lockup was just a little sticky, but that has smoothed out with use.

Here is a size comparison with my Swindle. I still have this knife 5 years later, and it’s still an impressive budget knife. Time flies.

Blade centering is close to perfect on my knife. Maybe off by a hair.

CRKT Crossbones Review – Final Thoughts

The Crossbones is an interesting knife. I am not sure if it rises to the level of being an “iconic folding knife” but it’s certainly different, and everything and has been well implemented. Retailing around $65, it’s on the expensive side for CRKT, but they have dialed in the fit and finish on this blade and a lot of work was put into the handle. Visually the knife is striking, with it’s unique profile and monochromatic look. The heavily machined handle will read as busy to some, but I appreciate that they tried to do something different here.

Functionally the knife has a lot going for it. It’s lightweight and easy to pocket. It’s a long bold looking knife, so maybe not appropriate for all social situations, but the long thin blade can get into places other knives can’t. The handle is heavily textured and easy to grasp. I found the flipper tab a little slippery at times, but nothing egregious. Of course I’d always like to see a better steel than AUS-8, but jumping up to a better steel would probably require a corresponding jump in price. If you really like the design then perhaps snagging one of the limited edition versions is worthwhile.

At the end of the day, I can see why CRKT has offered the Crossbones in a few different configurations. It’s a cool design, and it has been well executed. While I can’t give it a blanket endorsement, I think if you are interested in the design, then the Crossbones is worth picking up.

CRKT Crossbones EDC Folding Pocket Knife: Gentleman's Knife, Everyday Carry, Satin Blade, IKBS Ball Bearing Pivot, Locking Liner, Brushed Aluminum Handle, Deep Carry Pocket Clip 7530

Low Profile Flipper Opening
Satin Finish
Brushed Aluminum Two Tone Handle
Designed by Jeff Park in Mililani, Hawaii
Limited Lifetime Warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, see company site for details

I recommend purchasing the CRKT Crossbones 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.

Kizer Begleiter Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 1 Comment

I’m not sure any single knife company has impacted the industry more in the last ten years than Kizer. They may not have been the very first company pushing the boundaries in terms of price-to-performance, but they were the first one to get lots of attention in so doing, not only forcing their existing competitors to deliver more value for money, but also informing new companies’ entry into the knife world. Reate, WE, Ruike, Real Steel, Artisan, Steel Will, and many others owe something, I think, to Kizer’s precedent.

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But after laying the template for the modern enthusiast knife – titanium frame lock, ball bearing flipper, trendy designers, sub-$200 price tag – Kizer seems to be fading into the background somewhat, getting drowned out in the bustling genre that it more or less established.

Which would be a shame, because Kizer has a lot to offer. While their various followers have gone up into the high high-end, playing with baroque stylings and highwire feats of machining prowess, or down into true budget territory, delivering good steel at great prices, Kizer has walked the middle ground. Their catalog mixes price-consciousness with smart, attractive designs, value with subtle flair and desirable designer pedigree. Kizer knives may not be flashiest or most fun, but they are often reliable, intelligently-designed, well-made and relatively affordable.

And speaking of well-made reliability and smart design, we come to the Begleiter. This knife has been around for some time and, although I don’t get the impression it was a massive immediate hit, it seems to have accrued some word-of-mouth mojo over the years; you definitely see it around. In part this can be chalked about to the impulse buy (for knife nerds) price tag, but also I think thanks to the (you guessed it) quality materials and solid, all-purpose design.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Begleiter has a blade length of 3.5 inches, an overall length of 8.125 inches, and weighs 3.8 oz. It is made in China and came impeccably fitted and finished. My particular Begleiter might look a little road-weary in the pictures, because it came to me at a time when I needed to do a lot of outdoors, yard-worky-type stuff. There’s a lot of unruboffable plant viscera on the blade, and some gunk in the pivot I’ve yet to wash out; but fresh from the factory, it was in pristine condition.

The Begleiter’s blade, a mid-sized drop point, doesn’t feel as long as it is, and it’s actually wider and stouter, blade stock-wise, than you’d think just looking at pictures of it. Flat ground, but not overly thin behind the edge, it’s a capable, durable slicer. I cut cardboard, paper, weeds, dug in pebbly garden soil, and accidentally banged the edge a couple times against brick; throughout it all the Begleiter cut well, and withstood my misuse with rugged stolidity. I actually like the look of the smoky gray titanium coating, and it held up well through the testing.

VG-10 – a good, good steel; I already knew I liked it, but I did learn one new thing about it in testing the Begleiter, and that’s that it can be relatively durable, despite its reputation for brittleness. As I said earlier, I smacked my Begleiter against bricks during multiple lapses in my bladesmanship. However, it only chipped at the very outermost, wafer-thin part of the tip, and there just minorly. I was impressed all over again. It’s not my favorite steel to sharpen up, but not so ornery I’d be hesitant to recommend it even to non-knife nerd users.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

I’m not sure that Kizer still adheres to the old nomenclature for their various lines, but if they do the Begleiter falls into the Vanguard class, which means standard Vanguard handle materials: G-10 scales and stainless steel liners. On the Begleiter, those liners stand proud and letterbox the scales, and both scales and liners have been chamfered extensively.

Like the blade, the handle is less narrow in person than it looks in pictures, and the letterboxing on the handles injects dimensionality into the grip. Those proud liners are shiny-smooth, and the chamfering makes them feel almost crowned. The lone finger groove is well-proportioned, and the finger guard/pivot area doesn’t push your hand so far back that you feel like you lack control over the blade.

I don’t know who designed the Begleiter; I thought I found out the name of the man behind it at one point, but now I can’t seem to track that information down. So maybe I misremembered, or maybe it’s a Kizer in-house team effort; but either way the designer (s) deserve credit for a thoughtful ergonomic layout.

Less thoughtful, but by means bad, is the Begleiter’s clip. It doesn’t have a particularly appealing look, nor does it offer deep carry, and the contact point is right on the un-smooth G-10. That last point is one uncharacteristic bit of boneheadedness in the design of this knife. Granted, it’s an oversight most companies make, but it’s still disappointing. On the positive side, the clip’s tension is just right and it vanishes when you’re using the knife.

Opening and Lockup

Thumb stud and phosphor bronze washers: that’s the good stuff. This setup, combined with spot-on detent tuning, means the Begleiter’s blade pops into place when you flick it open – and you will be flicking it: a slow roll open is possible but this is a blade tuned to fly, and fly it does. I’m not much of a knife fidgeter these days but even sitting here writing the review I keep picking up the Begleiter and popping it open and closed. It’s fun, addictive, and most importantly reliable in use.

The stop pin is also plenty large and durable too; there’s nothing I dislike or would change about the opening configuration on the Begleiter and it’s one reason why I’m not at all interested in the new, premium, frame lock flipper Begleiters that recently released.

Here is a size comparison with the Spyderco Delica 4:

Are we past the age of dodgy lockups? I don’t remember the last knife I handled with a bad lock, or even a lock that has been anything less than great. Makers all around the world have been expected to Do Better in recent years, in no small part thanks to companies like Kizer setting new standards for quality in all price ranges.

Unsurprisingly, then, I have no complaints about the Begleiter’s liner lock. There’s still not an iota of play in any direction after many bouts of rugged and ungainly use. A cutout on the show side scale gives nice access to the locking leaf, and disengagment is as frictionless as the lockup is firm. Again, good stuff.

Kizer Begleiter Review – Final Thoughts

Let’s be frank: the Kizer Begleiter is not a knife that it’s easy to get excited about, here in 2019. Its materials are good, but not outstanding. The fit and finish is great, but so is the fit and finish on many, many other knives. The design is smart, but subdued almost – almost – to the point of colorlessness.

At $60 it’s a good value, but also sailing perilous close to the fatal Endura/Delica 4/Chaparral Lightweight Bermuda Triangle where other value-driven knife designs get lost forever. You struggle to find anything bad to say about the Begleiter, and use it approvingly, but it doesn’t endear itself in any singular way.

Which is maybe (definitely) a silly thing to ask a knife to do. If you’re looking for a good knife in this price category, this is a good choice, a smart choice even. If you have a friend who isn’t really into knives but could use one, this is one you could hip them to. I think this is money better spent than buying most Kershaws, for instance (although again, the shadow of the sub-$100 Spydercos looms large…).

In 2019, the Begleiter is a perfect synecdoche for Kizer itself. In the turbulent, baroque, saturated knife market, where we were spoiled for choice years ago and now we’re somewhere beyond spoiled, it can be easy to lose sight of Kizer. But they’ve maintained a steady output of sensible, solid, well-made and generally well-priced designs. You may not be wowed when you pick up a Begleiter, but you definitely won’t be disappointed either, and that’s worth something.

Kizer Cutlery Begleiter Folding Pocket Knife Liner Lock Green G10 Handles Knife, Begleiter V4458A2

A reversible spring pocket clip and stainless steel liners
Tactical pocket folding knife offers rapid one-handed deployment, locks securely into place with liner lock
3.5" VG10 blade with a drop point shape and gray titanium coating.The bronze washers allow for smooth blade opening
Handle Material:G10 /Blade Material:VG-10 /Weight:3.69 oz (0.23 pounds)
Overall Length:8.17 inch (20.75 cm) /Blade Length:3.58 inch (9.09 cm)

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Kizer Begleiter at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please keep in mind that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Victorinox Bantam Alox Review

by Seth Vietti 7 Comments

Victorinox makes the most popular pocket knives in the world. That’s not hyperbole, it’s just a fact: globally, Victorinox sells more folding knives than any other cutlery company and it isn’t even close. The Swiss Army Knife is an icon, lionized by media (MacGyver) and government (NASA) alike. They’re so well-known to be useful tools that the phrase “Swiss Army Knife” has come to represent the idea of multipurpose utility, itself.

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Out of the hundreds of Swiss Army Knife variants, the Alox Cadet seems to be the “gear geek” consensus choice for everyday carry: a winning combination of durable Alox construction, pocketable size, and useful tool selection. But what if I told you there might be an even better knife for the job in the Victorinox catalog? Allow me to (re)introduce you to the Alox Bantam.

General Dimensions & Blade Details

The Bantam, like the Cadet, falls in the middle of the current Swiss Army Knife (SAK) size range. At 3.3 inches (84mm) long when closed, it’s a sizable step up from their keychain models, but noticeably smaller than their “full-sized” pocket knives. Here it is between a Rambler (58mm) and an Alox Farmer (93mm):

Unlike the Cadet, which has a second backspring to accommodate separate can and bottle openers, the Bantam has a single tool for opening both nestled beside the main blade. This single-layer construction, coupled with skinny aluminum scales, makes the Alox Bantam literally wafer thin. Or, if you happen to have some Ritz handy, cracker thin:

The blade shape on the Bantam is quintessential Victorinox: a drop point with a slightly bulbous tip. Everything you’d expect a 2.5-inch slipjoint to do, this blade does well. There’s enough belly to make cutting on a board feel natural. It’s thin enough to cut with even after it gets a little dull (which it will, and fast). And while I do wish the tip was a little more acute, it’s not as blunt as it looks – it still pierced clamshell packaging with ease and cut out printed shipping labels with precision.

Victorinox doesn’t advertise their blade steel anymore, but it’s no secret that whatever they use doesn’t hold an edge for very long. Thankfully, it’s also inexpensive and impressively stain-resistant. For my money, it’s a compromise I’m willing to work around, especially since I’m usually carrying the Bantam alongside a larger and more capable folder. Plus, the steel’s softness / lack of wear resistance means you can maintain it on just about anything abrasive. For example: after the blade lost its keenness cutting two large cardboard boxes into strips small enough to fit in my undersized recycling bin, it only took a minute of stropping against that same cardboard to bring it back. Unfortunately, those sorts of tricks only work for so long before it’s time for a proper re-sharpening.

Handle, Ergonomics, & Pocket Clip

The first time I held the Bantam, I had to repress the urge to put it in my mouth to snap it like a chip. The waffled, wafer-like texture of its thin Alox scales coupled with its barely-there weight makes the Bantam feel more like a popsicle stick than a pocket knife. The more I used it, however, the more I came to trust it (and the less I subconsciously associated it with snacks). The riveted all-metal construction is rigid and the handle texture, while not aggressive, provides some traction even when wet.

Measuring in at 3.3 inches long, the handle of the Bantam is long enough to wrap all four fingers around, but thin enough that I wouldn’t really want to bear down on it. It’s practically two-dimensional: whichever tool you have unfolded, the handle presents as a simple, flat, oblong shape. Not exactly comfortable, just impossible to hold incorrectly. Once you get used to its exceptional thinness the Bantam basically disappears in use, allowing you to focus on the task at hand instead of how you’re holding the tool.

I avoid carrying anything loose in my pockets if I can help it. So, with neither pocket clip nor lanyard loop to anchor it from twisting, swinging, or knocking around in there, the Bantam was not something I expected to enjoy carting around. To my surprise, I struggled to notice it was even there. It’s hard to overstate just how slim and light this knife is – I’ve pocketed CVS receipts bulkier than the Alox Bantam.

Deployment & Lockup

The backspring tension on the Bantam is well-balanced: strong enough to keep the tools firmly in place when open, but not so strong as to make them awkward to unfold. Opening either one is always a two-handed operation. After more than a year of use, neither tool has developed any play, though they’ve picked up a fair few scratches.

Equipping a pocket multi-tool with a dedicated can opener has always been baffling to me. Even if we set aside the fact that pull-tabs on cans have become ubiquitous, I can think of a dozen other tools I’d need before encountering a single unopened can. Victorinox clearly disagrees, because nearly every full-sized SAK includes a can opener. Here on the Bantam it’s been cleverly integrated into a “combination tool,” which also lifts off bottle caps…

…drives screws…

…and scrapes, prods, and pries if need be.

It’s become my favorite Victorinox tool by far, and it makes the perfect companion to the Bantam’s light-duty blade. It’s not a crowbar or an impact driver – obviously – but in the daily struggle against encroaching entropy, the combo tool is often enough to tweak, tighten, or undo the issue on the spot without a walk to the toolbox.

Victorinox Bantam Review – Final Thoughts

Goldilocks would agree with me: the Bantam is just right. The keychain-sized SAKs are useful to have around (who doesn’t love those tiny scissors?), but far too feeble to replace a dedicated knife. The larger SAKs are also great, but tend to be loaded with tools I don’t use often enough to justify carrying them around all day. The Bantam is just enough knife for most cutting, plus it’s capable of work that a blade alone can’t (or maybe just shouldn’t) do.

I don’t think there’s another knife on the market that packs so much utility into such little mass. For me, this is where the Bantam really pulls ahead of the Cadet as a daily companion: it offers 80% of the functionality at half the size. Unless you absolutely need a nail file or can’t live without a lanyard, the Bantam wins by sheer efficiency. And even though the Alox variant is about $10 more than the red plastic-handled Bantam, the durability, grip, and next-level thinness the Alox scales provide are well worth the upgrade.

Some, I suspect, won’t see the Bantam’s ultra-minimalist design as a selling point. If you’re looking for a multi-tool that’s more “off-road” than “office,” I would point you elsewhere. But if you’re looking for a polite companion to a larger knife, or want the multipurpose utility of a Swiss Army Knife without any extra frippery, I would enthusiastically recommend the Alox Bantam.

Victorinox Alox Bantam Silver [Vic0230026]

Sports

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Victorinox Bantam at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please keep in mind that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight FRN Review

by Dan Jackson 1 Comment

The Spyderco Paramilitary 2 may be the most popular knife in the last 20 years. It’s received near universal acclaim, and is revered by knife collectors and users alike. So when Spyderco released the Para 3 a couple years ago it was a big deal. Ben reviewed the Para 3, and he did a great job.

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The Para 3 had some big shoes to fill with the Paramilitary 2. It may have come up a little short. Others seem to share Ben’s opinion. The Para 3 isn’t quite as loved as the original Para 2 for some reason, but it has still developed a loyal following and already boasts a number of sprint runs.

I never bought the Para 3, but felt like I should have. So when then the Para 3 Lightweight came out I bought one on the spot from GP Knives.

As a short aside, GP Knives is smaller than my usual preferred retailer, BladeHQ, but they have the knife in stock, offer fast shipping, and have a great Twitter account that has convinced me to make more than one impulse purchase.

I figured the Para 3 LW would allow me to gain some perspective on the Para 3, but also provide a knife that I could review on here. I should also note that this knife is also referred to as the Para 3 FRN.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Para 3 Lightweight has an overall length of 7.27″, a 3.00″ blade, weighs 2.4 ounces, and is made in Golden Colorado, in the United States of America, here on planet Earth. This is a Sal Glesser design. For those that may not know, Sal is the founder of Spyderco.

The knife feels exceedingly light for its size. I let my dad handle it a couple weekends ago and his comment was that it was “very lightweight.” You can always count on BladeReviews for the deep insights.

I’m no stranger to Spyderco’s lightweight designs. The Native 5 LW and Dragonfly 2 in FRN remain stalwarts in my collection, and at the top of my Best EDC Knives list.

Spyderco’s lightweight versions have gained traction for good reason. You get the same cutting performance of their heavier knives at a fraction of the weight. While the knives won’t be quite as strong, they are still serviceable for normal use. They are great choices for every day carry.

The blade on our Para 3 FRN is a classic Spyderco shape. It’s a shrunken down Para 2 blade. It’s taller and stubbier. It’s broad with a full flat grind. No swedge, no sharpening choil. It’s simple, but it works. The low tip is sharp and good for piercing. The low belly is fine for slicing. This may not be the best skinning knife, but I’m not a hunter.

Here’s a size comparison with my Para 2:

Spyderco selected CTS BD1N for the blade steel. I was a little surprised by this choice, figuring they would have went with S35VN. But they decided on CTS BD1N. This is a less expensive blade steel, which I’m sure helps keep this knife retail for less than $100. In my experience it’s a very easy steel to sharpen. It takes an edge quickly on my Golden Stone. The blade is capable of getting razor sharp and it tracks through cardboard without a problem. No issues with rust or corrosion so far.

I’ve used my Para 3 Lightweight extensively as a daily carry knife. This means I’ve opened lots of mail with it, broken down plenty of boxes, sliced and diced fruit while watching the last season of Game Of Thrones, and accomplished a myriad of small chores that require a sharp edge. I can’t complain about the blade shape or the blade steel. The full flat grind provides good slicing performance. The edge retention is decent.

When it’s time to sharpen up the knife it comes back quickly. It’s one of those fine grained steels that you can feel get sharper on the stone. Personally, I like knives that are easy to sharpen. I maintain my edges regularly and would rather touch up often then need to spend a half hour bringing back the edge on a knife with stubborn steel.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

This section is presumably why you are checking out the review. The handle of the Para 3 Lightweight is made of fiberglass reinforced nylon (FRN). That’s a high density plastic. There are no metal liners in the knife. The compression lock is just a small strip of steel. There are 2 substantial FRN standoffs near the tail of the handle, and the lanyard hole is reinforced, presumably to provide some structural rigidity to the handle.

Some may be skeptical of a plastic handled knife, but Spyderco has proven themselves before with their LW series, and I think it works here with the Para 3 as well. The handle is secure. There is a tiny bit of flex in the FRN if you try to squeeze the handles together, but it’s not bad. Everything appears to be well engineered.

“Engineering” is a term that has only recently come in vogue within the knife industry, but with a knife like this you can’t just slap it together. It takes a good deal of engineering to pull something like this Para 3 lightweight off. This becomes especially apparent when you take the knife apart (more on that later).

A major concern when you try to shrink down a knife, is how that will effect the ergonomics. The handle of the Para 3 is almost half an inch shorter than the Para 2. That’s significant for a knife, and could result in some ergonomic compromises.

All in all, I think the Para 3 is pretty good ergonomically. There is still enough room for a full 4 finger grip without using the forward finger choil, and the heavily contoured FRN feels good in hand. There is plenty of traction thanks to sharp jimping, and Spyderco’s bi-directional textured handle. This one won’t slip out of your hand in the shower.

However, there are a couple small ergonomic issues. First of all, I’m not a huge fan on the small “beak” on the tail end of the handle. My pinky lands directly on it. While the beak isn’t sharp, all things equal I’d rather not have it right there. Or at least see it smoothed out. If you have smaller hands I think you will be fine, and it may actually help you grip the knife better. For larger hands the beak gets in the way. Also, there are some slightly sharp edges on the inside of the FRN, especially up by the compression lock. Nothing that will cut you, but it’s noticeable and I want to point it out. It could easily be smoothed over with emery paper if it bothered you. I don’t notice it in use, more when I’m examining the knife.

All said I think the ergos are pretty good on the Para 3 LW. I’d lose the beak and maybe soften some edges, but beyond that there is little to complain about.

The Para 3 LW is equipped with the Spyderco wire clip that can be mounted for ambidextrous tip up carry. It’s a deep carry clip that has been positioned so that it buries 99% of the knife in your pocket. It’s a simple and elegant design, and continues to be a personal favorite. I’ve owned the Dragonfly 2 for almost 10 years now. It has a similar type of clip and have never had an issue with it.

I also view this clip as an upgrade over the standard spoon style clip found on the Para 2 and the original Para 3. It’s deeper carry and more discreet. They should implement this clip on the entire Para family.

The knife carries wonderfully. At 2.4 ounces, you don’t feel it in the pocket. It disappears and you quickly forget about it. It’s a great choice for daily carry for this reason. It stays out of the way until you need it. Can’t say enough good things about how this knife carries.

Deployment and Lockup

The Para 3 makes use of a 13mm thumb hole. This is the same size as the Para 2. This oversized thumb hole is easy to engage with your thumb or middle finger, and the blade flicks out easily. This begged the question of whether there were washers inside the knife. I peered inside and couldn’t see anything, so I took the knife apart with my WiHa drivers. Here is what I found:

Oddly enough there is only one phosphor bronze washer on the lock side over a steel plate. On the other side it’s just raised plastic. This could be a turn off for some, but I wasn’t too surprised given the construction of my Native 5 LW.

For lockup we have a new version of the tried and true compression lock. In the past, the compression lock has been integrated into the liner of the knife. Here, it’s a small stand alone piece. Here are a couple shots with the lock engaged and disengaged:

I think they successfully integrated the compression lock into the knife. It feels just as good as my Para 2. There is no lock stick. It’s easy to disengage, and provides the strength and convenience we have come to appreciate from the compression lock. No blade play or wiggle. No complaints.

Some may find the lack of metal inside this knife concerning. They want something more substantial. I haven’t noticed an issue. Again, the knife feels solid. I think with normal use you will be fine. I probably won’t take this one hog hunting, but it did a great job opening a bag of coffee the other morning.

Here is a shot of the Para 3 LW compared with my Spyderco Sage 5:

Blade centering is perfect on my piece. Even after disassembling the knife everything came back together smoothly. Again, I think it speaks to the engineering put into this knife. Gone are the days of guesswork hoping that tolerances are good enough that the blade will center. This thing just plain works.

Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight vs. Benchmade Bugout

Another interesting comparison is with the Benchmade Bugout. Both are ultralight full size folders. Both are made in the USA. At the time of writing this article the Bugout costs about $30 more. Here’s a size comparison:

As you can see they compare favorably in terms of overall length and handle length. The Bugout has substantially more cutting edge thanks to the lack of a finger choil, and it’s significantly lighter at 1.8 ounces vs. 2.4.

Personally, I like the Bugout a little more. I like the blue accents, Benchmade’s heat treat on the S30V blade, the ultra thin blade grind, the roomier handle, and the axis lock. But averaged out for cost I’d say they are close. Both are nice knives. Buy what you like.

Spyderco Para 3 Lightweight Review – Final Thoughts

Objectively I think the Para 3 Lightweight is another winner from Spyderco. It’s lightweight, highly functional, and embodies many of things we love about Spyderco knives. Plus it’s made in the USA and retails for under $100. In an era of expensive overseas made knives, the Para 3 LW is a compelling proposition. Personally, I see no reason to have the original G-10 version over this lightweight version, unless you want to collect them. This lightweight version will cut just as well. Maybe you sacrifice a tiny bit of strength, but unless you plan on batoning with your folder I don’t think there is much cause to be concerned.

If I had to some nit picking, it would mostly be directed to the small hump at the base of the handle near the pommel. I found that got in the way a little. Not enough to develop a hotspot, or make the knife unusable, but I didn’t care for it. Also, there are some slightly sharp edges on the insides of the handle. Nothing crazy, but again, I want to point it out. Some might gripe that the knife is “too” lightweight with only a single washer, and very little metal inside the hande. I’d suggest buying a regular Para 3 in that case.

Beyond that, a sharpening choil wouldn’t hurt, but you don’t see those on may Spydercos with this leaf blade shape. I can sharpen the entire edge if I use a rod style sharpener like the Sharpmaker. Spyderco has spent a lot of time considering their designs, and the Para 3 LW is well considered. I find it hard to fault the knife in any major way.

But I will take this moment to talk about the Spyderco line in general. They have so many good knives. Would I pick this one over the Sage 5 or the Native 5 LW or the Chaparral FRN? Frankly I don’t know. Every year Spyderco’s catalog grows more crowded. Some are cool collaborations for collectors that probably will come and go, but others like this Para 3 LW will be permanent editions.

For example, you have the Endura, the Delica, and now the Endela. And that’s in addition to the Stretch, Dragonfly 2, and everything else in that family of knives. It’s a lot to consider. It has become cliche to say we are “spoiled for choice”, but we really are. There’s a lot of good stuff out there. How do we decide? The Para 3 doesn’t make it any easier. It’s another great knife.

Personally, I think I like it more than my regular Para 2. The Para 2 will never leave my collection, but I like how the Para 3 FRN has a smaller, lighter footprint, and I also like the deep carry clip. The ergonomics are a little better on the Para 2, but unless I’ve got a big job ahead of me I’d rather have the smaller knife. The Para 2 remains a beast and will be a great choice for bigger jobs or those days when I want a meatier knife, but for most days I think the Para 3 LW will fit the bill.

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I recommend purchasing the Paramilitary 3 at Amazon, BladeHQ, or GP Knives. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this site helps support BladeReviews, and keep this review train running. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated.

SOG Terminus XR Review

by Dan Jackson 4 Comments

Travis’ SHOT Show 2019 round up brought a company back onto my radar: SOG. In his article he showcased the SEAL XR, a folding version of their classic Seal Pup fixed blade. I reviewed the Seal Pup a long time ago, and it’s cringe worthy to see that old review now. I should buy one again and re-review it. I’d also like to check the SEAL XR out at some point, but in the meantime I thought I would explore their current catalog.

Buy the SOG Terminus XR at BladeHQ

[easyazon_cta align=”center” identifier=”B07K34KFKK” key=”tall-orange” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]

The [easyazon_link identifier=”B07K34KFKK” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Terminus XR[/easyazon_link] caught my eye. The spare, blocky design coupled with a modest sub $75 price point piqued my interest. It has been a long time since I reviewed a SOG product of any kind. What kind of knives are they making these days, and is the Terminus XR worth picking up? Let’s find out.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Terminus XR has an overall length of 7″, a 3″ blade, weighs 3.32 ounces, and is made in China. These are decent specs for an urban EDC. Certainly you can find lighter knives these days, but this design features full stainless steel liners. At first glance, the level of fit and finish is quite high, and the knife reminds me of my beloved Sage 1.

The Terminus XR features a stout clip point. Blade stock is just shy of 2.8mm thick, and it feels substantial thanks in part to the wide blade and partial hollow grind. There is a 3/4 swedge terminating at a substantial tip. The two tone satin finish looks nice, although the grinds bleed together on the triangular peninsula of steel where the flat meets the swedge and hollow grind. The edge is even.

In practice this is the kind of “do it all” blade shape people will have a hard time complaining about. Good tip strength, tons of belly, and a generous amount of edge, all make for a practical blade.

Blade steel is CTS-BDZ1.I’m not familiar with that one, so off to ZKnives I went to dig up some information. That site is an excellent resource and a true wealth of information (as opposed to the opinion riddled dick twirling you find here). Here is a link to the analytics on CTS-BDZ1.

Looks like it’s 6Cr14MoV, so a cousin of 8Cr13Mov, a steel most of us knife guys know well. Since it’s made by Carpenter my guess is that the quality control and consistency is a little tighter then some random Chinese foundry, but this is still going to be a milder steel that sharpens easily, resists rust, but won’t be as wear resistant as a higher end steel. According to SOG this has been heat treated to “60-62” RH. I’m not a metalurgist, but that sounds like an alarmingly wide range for a heat treat of a mass market production knife. Then again, this may be why the knife is less than $70.

In practice I found the Terminus XR to be a solid performer. It zipped through cardboard, opened mail with aplomb, and made quick work of the food prep I put it to.

This time of year in Florida strawberries are in season, and you can buy a huge flat of them for $6 at road side stands. The problem is they tend to go bad quickly, so you need to be prepared to gorge yourself on strawberries or make a pie or something. The Spyderco Dragonfly II has always been my go-to strawberry knife. That thin triangular blade is perfect for surgically removing the tops of the strawberry. The Terminus XR isn’t as nimble as the DF2, but it still got the job done.

Here’s a size comparison with the Dragonfly 2:

And as predicted by the chemical analysis, the Terminus’ edge didn’t hold on forever. This is especially true for abrasive materials like cardboard. But I was able to get a meaningful amount of work done with it, and the edge polished up easily on my [easyazon_link identifier=”B001JL1I6Y” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Golden Stone[/easyazon_link]. No issues with rust or corrosion. I’d say the steel choice is appropriate for the price point. That said, I’d never complain if they upgraded to CPM-154 or something along those lines.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle shares the same simple profile of the blade. It’s a big, blocky design featuring a G10/Carbon Fiber handle scales over full stainless steel liners. The steel liners have been skeletonized to reduce the weight of the knife. The partial backspacer is made of injected molded plastic. Matte black hardware, including an oversized pivot, holds everything together. Pretty standard stuff.

Handle construction is solid and the fit and finish is impressive. Again, I’m reminded of my Spyderco Sage 1. Granted, at this point my Sage 1 is 6 or 7 years old. Manufacturing techniques have advanced and tolerances have tightened, but still it’s a high level of fit and finish and it’s worth mentioning.

The Terminus XR feels OK in hand. When I grasp just the handle, the Terminus XR feels a little crowded for my larger hand. All 4 fingers fit, but just barely. SOG also included a forward finger choil underneath the ricasso, and I think that was a good idea. It gives you plenty of room and provides more control for precise cuts.

“Traction plan” fans will be pleased with the abundance of texturing on this knife. The inch or so of jimping on the spine is aggressive. It’s almost too aggressive for my tastes, but it hasn’t irritated my thumb. The milled handle provides plenty of texture on the scales. Again, its a little sharp and will tear up your pockets over time. The Terminus XR appears to be built for harder use in mind, and I think the level of texture and traction is appropriate.

SOG included a short deep carry pocket clip. It can be swapped for ambidextrous tip up carry. Spring retention is excellent and the Terminus stays in place. The knife buries completely in the pocket. I’m not a huge fan of branded pocket clips, but I think SOG did an OK job here. All in all the pocket clip is thoughtful and the knife stays out of the way.

The Terminus XR carries well thanks to the thoughtfully designed pocket clip. It’s not the lightest knife, or the thinnest, but I’d say it’s still reasonably thin and light. I didn’t notice it much in the pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

This part of the review is typically obvious and self explanatory. Here we have a folding knife, with a blade that can be opened via a flipper tap or ambidextrous thumb studs. Inside are phosphor bronze washers. Simple enough. What’s shocking about this knife is that the edges of the serrated flipper tab are so sharp it actually cut my finger open when using it. I didn’t need stitches, but it drew blood and I had to put the knife down. It’s way too sharp. I’ve tried to capture this in a picture I took. Not the best picture, but you get the idea.

To this day if I use the knife I still get small paper cut type incisions in my finger when I use the flipper. Maybe I got an especially sharp flipper tab, but this is the first time I’ve been cut by a flipper tab and it’s a major turn off.

If you can get past this issue somehow the blade opens smoothly. There is no ball detent in this knife, and the XR lock provides a good amount of resistance so you can flip the blade open. I’d rate the action at a “6” on my patent pending 0-10 scale for flipper action.

For lockup we have the aforementioned XR lock. This is a variation on their arc lock, which is really a take on the Benchmade Axis Lock. Now that the axis lock patent has expired, I think we can expect to see more companies experiment with this kind of lock. It’s a nice design because it’s secure, and easy to manipulate with either hand. It feels stronger and more secure than an axis lock. It’s a nice design and one I wouldn’t mind seeing in more knives.

Here is a parting shot with my tried and true Spyderco Sage 1. The Terminus XR reminds me of the Sage 1 for several reasons, including the EDC friendly size and similarities in construction.

Blade centering is perfect on my knife.

SOG Terminus XR Review – Final Thoughts

The Terminus XR has a lot going for it. A simple design made from adequate materials built to tight tolerances. And that sub $75 price is quite nice. It’s difficult to find good knives at this price point. The fit and finish is good, but I’d argue that it’s almost too good as evidenced by the sharp edges found on the flipper tab.

One of the 10 commandments of knife design is that “Only the edge shall be sharp.” Any sharp edges on the handle, liners, etc. are generally considered a violation of the sacrosanct. Certainly a flipper tab that flays your finger open with normal use is a serious problem. At best you need to be extremely careful with this knife. That’s a real shame given how nice every other aspect of the Terminus is.

Perhaps the issue can be rectified with a little emery paper. Perhaps I’m a little bitch and this issue won’t bother other people. Somehow the Terminus XR has garnered a number of 5 star reviews on BladeHQ and Amazon, so who’s to say? I’d rather not speculate.

I still appreciate this knife. It’s well made yet still priced reasonably. It’s a big step up from the plastic handled SOG knives of yore, and it’s not $100+ like their nicer Japanese blades. Also, the design of the Terminus is more straight forward, yet it’s still undeniably “SOG”.

In many ways the Terminus XR is a success, but in one major way it’s a failure. For that reason I can’t recommend it. Who can endorse a knife that cuts the user? I certainly can’t, regardless of how much I like the other aspects of the knife or the great price point. But the silver lining that it has SOG back on my radar. Despite the tragic flaw I acknowledge that there is a lot that went right here. Hopefully SOG can fix this flipper tab and do better with future releases. Ultimately I think they are heading in the right direction.

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I recommend purchasing the SOG Terminus XR at [easyazon_link identifier=”B07K34KFKK” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Amazon[/easyazon_link] or BladeHQ. Please consider that by purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.