EDC Knives

Buck 505 Knight Review

Last Updated: July 26, 2019
When we think of Buck lockbacks, our first thought goes to the 110. That’s the knife that launched a genre, and started thousands on their journey as folding knife collectors. The 110 remains one of the most iconic and popular folding knives today. At least on paper. In practice it’s a bit of a boat anchor, and by today’s standards you can see that we have come a long way from the 110.

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If you are looking for some of the old school charm of the wood and bolsters of the 110, but want something more practical, then I think the Buck 505 “Knight” may be a better option.

The 505 shares the 110’s aesthetic, but is a fraction of the size. It’s slim, light, yet polished up enough to wander into gentleman’s folder territory. And it’s also well under $50. Frankly I was surprised to learn about this knife, and picked up after a reader asked me to review it. I figured it would have come up more in the circles I frequent. At any rate, the 505 shall be a mystery no longer, and I look forward to sharing a review of this sleeper blade with you today.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Buck 505, aka the “Knight” has an overall length of 4.6″, a 1.875″ blade, and weighs 1.35 ounces. The Knight is made in the USA. The 505 Knight is one of the smallest knives in my collection. It’s tiny, even when compared with my Spyderco Dragonfly. It may be too small for some, or relegated to the role of a backup knife. Still, it’s a capable little blade and has performed admirably as an EDC knife.

The 505 has a simple drop point blade with a high hollow grind. It is simple with a belt satin finish. The tip is not particularly fine, and when they put the edge on this knife they bumped the plunge line with the belt grinder. The edge is almost a continual belly. It has been neatly applied, and came razor sharp from the factory.

Predictably this knife comes in Buck’s 420HC steel. I was actually pleasantly surprised with how this little knife cut. It still shaved hair after breaking down a good size cardboard box. It does fine with opening letters and packages, slicing fruit, and performing other light duty EDC chores. I have been able to maintain the edge with light stropping. Maybe that Bos heat treat is more than mere marketing.

Handle, Ergonomics and Carry

The 505’s handle is made of stainless steel. There are no liners, and the handle is milled from 2 slabs of steel that sandwich a stainless steel backspacer and lock bar. Stabilized Rosewood handle scales are riveted on. Handle construction is simple but solid. The bolsters and rivets have been buffed to a high polish, and the transition between the scales and the bolsters is baby bottom smooth. The end result is a knife with gem like qualities. This attention to detail elevates the 505 from humble tool to more of a more refined piece.

The downside to such a small knife is you have less to grip onto. With the 505 you are afforded a 3 finger grip, maybe a 3.5 if you choke up onto the blade. However, you can still get a lot done with the Knight. I have no issue breaking down boxes, cutting string, and using the 505 for other light duty tasks. I wouldn’t recommend the knife to a rancher or police officer, but the 505 makes for a capable backup knife, a light duty EDC, or even a gents folder.

Although it would spoil the lines, I can see the advantage to having a lanyard hole on this knife. It might make the 505 a little easier to retrieve from the pocket and provide something for your pinky to grab onto a la the CRKT Minimalist. That said, I’ve never been a fan of lanyards on folding knives, and I don’t miss having one on the Knight.

There is no pocket clip on the 505, so I can only comment on how this knife carries loose in the pocket. The Knight is the kind of knife that disappears into the pocket. That should come as no surprise as it’s a slim sub 2 ounce knife. You may want to consider carrying the 505 in a slip sheath if you can find or make one small enough. Another option could be or carrying the 505 in the coin pocket of your jeans.

Deployment and Lockup

This is traditional lockback, and the 505 comes with a nail nick to open the blade. It’s a generous nail nick, and that combined with the saber grind gives you plenty to grip on to as you grip the knife. The backspring is mild. There is no chance of the knife opening accidentally, but it won’t take much effort to manipulate the blade open either.

That same mild backspring makes the lockback mechanism easy to disengage. The tab is placed at the very end of the knife, so there is no danger of accidentally releasing the blade in your hand, but when you are ready to close the 505 it will not be a chore. Lockup is tight and free of blade play. The 505 performs just like you would expect from a good lockback. Blade centering is perfect on my example.

Buck 505 Knight Review – Final Thoughts

The 505 Knight may be the surprisingly good little lockback that you have never heard of. Or maybe I’ve been living under a rock. Regardless, I am glad I came across the 505 as I think it represents an interesting value proposition. This is a more practical alternative to the 110 for the urban EDC crowd, and is an all around nice knife.

The biggest potential issue is whether the 505 swings too far in the opposite direction of the 110. While the 110 is a big and bulky knife, the 505 is diminutive. It is probably the smallest knife I have reviewed. You can’t get a full 4 finger grip on it, and the absence of a pocket clip or lanyard hole increases the likelihood of misplacing the knife. Personally, I haven’t been bothered by the small size, but there are limitations to the 505 and they may be too great for you to seriously consider this as your daily carry. In that instance the 505 may still be appealing as a backup EDC option or a dress knife.

Another option may be to jump up to the 501 Squire or the 503 Prince. There aren’t any particularly good size comparisons on these knives, but here is a link to an old BladeForums thread with some pictures and opinions. Maybe I need to pick some up for a proper comparison?

For under $40 you get a solidly built folder that is made in the USA and nicely finished. The cutting performance is surprising given the 420 HC steel. That said, the Knight is not perfect. I wish a little more care was taken when they put the edge on it, but for the money I’m not sure I can complain. And the handle construction and performance make up for it. I say buy it if you like it.

Buck Knives 505 Knight Folding Lockback Pocket Knife, 1-7/8" 420HC Blade, EDC

Razor sharp & VERSATILE- 1-7/8" Drop point 420HC steel blade delivers excellent strength, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. The full bellied blade is suitable for every Day tasks. Closed length 2-3/4", weight 1. 5 oz.
Strength and safety - easy to open with a nail notch on the blade. The lock back mechanism locks the blade open for reliable strength and safety while you work
Handsome handle - Rosewood handle with nickel silver bolsters provide a knife that is as handy as it is handsome!
Classic and Compact - the Knight is the smallest knife in the 500 series. Its slim design fits perfectly in your pocket for easy access and every Day use.
Made in the USA - Forever - Since 1902 Buck Knives has offered a Lifetime on our knives because we believe in the integrity of our products. This knife is proudly made in the USA.

I recommend purchasing the Buck 505 Knight at Amazon and BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Benchmade 560 Freek Review

by Dan Jackson 11 Comments

Last Updated: July 15, 2019

As much as I enjoy picking up the latest “gee whiz” must have knife of the moment, I get the most satisfaction in sharing a great knife that may have flown under the radar. This particular knife has flown so far under the radar, I would not have even heard about it if reader Darren hadn’t gone out of his way to send me a couple emails about the knife and how much he enjoyed it. Thank you, Darren.

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Enter the Benchmade 560 Freek. Like our friend the Bruised Forehead, the Freek didn’t win the knife name lottery. It also doesn’t benefit from being designed by a high profile knifemaker. And I don’t recall much in the way of fanfare from Benchmade or the knife collector community when the Freek arrived on the scene. It was quietly released. Rather than being a subject of media attention, the Freek has slowly earned a reputation for being a practical tool from those who have given this unassuming knife a chance.

I liken the Freek to the Benchmade Volli, another no-frills knife that didn’t get much attention, but may be be one of the best all-round EDC knives that Benchmade has released in the past 5 years. The Freek is cut from the same cloth. It’s another function over form design that is worth consideration if you are in the marketing for a largish EDC knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Freek has an overall length of 8.46″, a 3.6″ blade, and it weighs 3.72 ounces. This knife is made in America. As I mentioned earlier, I’d classify the 560 Freek as a large EDC knife. It could possibly be used as a hunting knife, as it has a good belly and shares the blade profile of their Saddle Mountain Skinner. Of course a knife of this size could also be used as a duty knife for a police officer, or perhaps pressed in to other self defense type applications. This is a versatile knife.

The drop point blade is distinguished by a curving thumb ramp and high flat grind. The blade is 2.9mm thick, and gets thin behind the edge thanks in part to that high flat grind. The edge has been neatly applied, and like on pretty much all the Benchmades I’ve owned over the years there, is a sharpening choil allowing you to sharpen the edge all the way down to the heel. The tip is fine, but the the deep belly keeps it out of the way. Again, this lends me to believe this could be a decent hunting knife, although frankly I’ve never been on a hunt in my life.

Benchmade has gone with tried and true S30V steel for the Freek. Although S30V has fallen slightly out of favor thanks to the widespread adoption of it’s more exotic cousin S35VN, I find that Benchmade does a particularly good job with their S30V. Case in point my Volli with its 2.5mm thick blade cuts like almost nothing else I own. That thing is a laser. The Freek is right up there. This knife is a phenomenal slicer, the S30V blade holds an excellent edge, and I found it to be an easy edge to maintain with strops and the ceramic rods from my Spyderco Sharpmaker.

This knife makes quick work of cardboard, laughs in the face of of your lunchtime apple, and will capably assist you with all those odd cutting tasks that crop up in our daily lives. Much like the Volli, the Freek is a knife that I looked forward to busting out when it came time to break down a box or open a package. It’s a performer and the S30V blade steel punches above its weight thanks to the heat treat and grind.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is where things get interesting, and also where the knife is bound to alienate a significant section of the audience. Like the Griptilian, this is a plastic handled knife with partial stainless steel liners. Unlike the Griptilian, the Freek has a unique high density rubber (“Versaflex”) overmold that is bonded to the plastic. The end result is a lightweight grippy design that is unlike anything else in my collection.

Some will love the lightweight nature of the design and the non-slip feel to the handle. Others will dismiss it as being cheap and plasticy. If you couldn’t stand the feel of the handles of the original Griptilian, then my guess is you will want to skip the Freek. But if you don’t mind trading G10 for a large ultra light knife, then the Freek could be a winner for you.

The ergonomics of the Freek benefit from a streamlined handle design. There are few curves, and little reliance on jimping except for the thumb ramp. Although the handle is textured, it’s not an abrasive knife in the hand. The end result is a no-frills handle that is comfortable and secure in all kinds of conditions. The Freek easily accommodates my larger hand, and the handle is well suited for extended use and hard tasks.

This knife comes from the factory with Benchmade’s split arrow clip. I’ve long been a fan of this clip, and here it is situated for ambidextrous tip-up only carry. This is a discrete knife that and buries deeply in the pocket. Benchmade left part of the FRN endoskeleton exposed where the pocket clip meets the handle, and that makes for easy insertion and extraction of the knife from your pocket.

At well under 4 ounces I found the Freek to be an easy knife to tote around. It’s about as thick as the Griptilian and carries comparably. On that note, it’s worth stating that the Freek is actually almost half an inch longer than the Griptilian but weighs .16 ounces less.

Deployment and Lockup

There isn’t a whole heck of a lot new here to say in this section. This is a thumb stud axis lock knife. A tried and true design. Here the thumb studs and phosphor bronze washers work just as great as they did on my original Griptilian. While bearings are all the rage, I think something needs to be said for bronze washers. Especially for a thumb stud equipped user knife like the Freek. Bronze washers are still exceptionally smooth and are ideal for working knives like this.

I continue to appreciate the axis lock for it’s simple and intuitive design. Plus I always appreciate that this is a fully ambidextrous knife. Lockup is secure, but as you would expect from a plastic handled partial liner axis lock knife, there is a little side to side blade play. Nothing to get upset about, just a trade off in the design. Personally, I’m happy to exchange a modicum of side to side blade play for all the practicality and utility that this design offers. Your mileage may vary.

Blade centering is pretty good. It slightly favors the pocket clip side of my knife, and is far from rubbing.

Benchmade 560 Freek Review – Final Thoughts

For those wanting a premium lightweight work knife with an over 3.5″ blade, I think the Freek is a no-brainer. Benchmade has been refining this type of knife for years. It’s like a Griptilian but it is leaner and meaner, yet also slightly larger. Perhaps it’s oriented slightly more towards the lightweight camping and hunting ground. Benchmade doesn’t offer much insight in their product descriptions, but for some reason I keep going back to hunting when I consider the Freek.

Those that can’t stand the plastic scales on the original Griptilian would be well served to steer clear of the Freek. Instead check out the Volli or the G-10 Griptilian. Those models will also provide you with great cutting performance and ergonomics, but will also be a little stouter than the Freek.

I am glad Darren called this model to my attention. I hope in writing this review I have turned at least a couple people on to an excellent “sleeper” knife from Benchmade.

Benchmade - Freek 560, Drop-Point Blade, Plain Edge, Satin Finish, Black/Grey Versaflex Handle, Made in the USA

HIGH-QUALITY: The CPM-S30V stainless steel blade is extremely well-balanced, offering superb edge qualities and rust resistance. The Grivory and Versaflex dual durometer handle offers strength, comfort, and grip.
WELL-DESIGNED: Benchmade's AXIS lock is exceptionally strong and fully ambidextrous. The Freek 560 is a manual knife that can be opened and closed with either hand.
ALWAYS READY: The 560's quick, one-handed opening makes it easy to hold and use. The reversible pocket clip offers ultimate accessibility.
VERSATILE: The Freek 560's drop-point, utility blade style and all-around functionality make it ideal for everyday carry.

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade 560 Freek at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Spyderco Delica 4 Wharncliffe Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 7 Comments

Last Updated: July 27, 2019
I’ve been vocal in my dislike of the Delica. I’ve been critical of its ergonomics, its steel, its price point. I was convinced that it was overrated, past its prime. I implied that it only continued to sell because of the years’ worth of mythology that surrounds it. In short, I said it was a bad knife, and I was wrong.

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As I have slowly learned in recent times, the Delica was and is a truly great knife. It’s still a benchmark for quality and utility in the mid-price bracket. So when Spyderco revealed the Delica 4 Wharncliffe I snapped one up to review. It was an opportunity to approach the Delica from a critical perspective and formalize a lot of the good things I have come to think about it.

–Well, assuming that the Wharncliffe blade wasn’t a total catastrophe, of course. Does the new blade shape make the classic EDC option better, worse, or just different? Let’s take a look.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The D4W has a cutting edge that is 2.5” long and a total blade length of 3”. Its handle is 4 1/8” and it has an overall length of 7”. It weighs 2.4 oz. and is made in Seki City, Japan. Like the standard Delica it is designed for EDC, and all of its dimensions are well-suited for that role except one, which I’ll discuss later on.

The Wharncliffe provides an interesting shift in cutting attributes. It’s less a matter of performance than of control. A synergy between the angle of your grip in relation to the point means that it always goes exactly where you want it to, opening packages and boxes with surgical precision. It feels as responsive as if I were aiming with a laser pointer. In that same “normal” grip the straight main edge is angled upwards too, pre-situated for an aggressive cutting approach.

There’s a bonus grip that the Wharncliffe shape especially excels at. Because the blade itself is so wide, you can move up it in a modified pinch grip that gives you supreme control. You can use this grip on the standard Delica too, but it feels better here with the extra steel in hand. And there’s something very people-friendly about it (probably because you’re palming most of the knife), so if you’re opening something around others this may become your grip of choice.

I’ve been dismissive of VG-10 in the past but I’ve come to appreciate it. It emphasizes ease of maintenance and in an EDC blade that’s great. Rust resistance is superb, edge retention is reasonable, and sharpening isn’t too much of a chore. Be forewarned: it does take more time than AUS-8 or 8Cr13MoV. It might not feel like you’re improving the edge at all, at first. But stick with it and all of a sudden you’ll notice it getting very sharp. I also find that straight edges are easier to sharpen than curved ones on a rod-based system, so if you have a Sharpmaker or similar setup you’re in luck.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

We’re all familiar with the Delica handle shape: a simple curve with three separate finger grooves sculpted into the FRN scales. Bi-directional texturing, nested and milled stainless steel liners: a familiar construction, but a stable, durable, and proven one.

It took me a long time to appreciate the Delica’s ergonomics. The three grooves seemed restrictive; there was basically only one way to hold the knife. But that one way is comfortable and effective.

I’ve already talked about how on this Wharncliffe model it helps align the cutting edge, but in general Spyderco has done a lot with a relatively narrow handle. Once you get the hang of it, it feels roomy and right. I used to have trouble getting my fingers to align with those grooves, but now that rarely happens; I guess I developed some kind of muscle memory or something. It’s also worth noting that the grooves aren’t sharp enough to be uncomfortable even if your hand isn’t perfectly aligned on them. This design could be improved with a true finger choil. As it is, with the D4W in particular the modified pinch grip on the blade makes up for this somewhat, and you can put your index finger underneath the kick in a rough approximation of a choil if you want.

The classic spoon clip is still the best clip Spyderco makes. I like the increase in durability over the wire clip, and I don’t think the lack of deep carry is much of a loss – I like having a little bit of knife exposed to grab onto. It’s a perfect fit for the Delica, too, with the pinch point being near the center of the knife to keep it from swinging around in your pocket.

There is one issue of note with the D4W and that is its width. It’s as wide as a Paramilitary 2 in the pocket. That’s a significant deviation from slimness of the standard Delica 4 and worth being aware of before you make the purchase. I like being able to reach into my pocket and not have my knife blocking up the passage, and while the D4W is by no means terribly wide it is definitely noticeable, and definitely worse when compared to the vanilla model.

Spyderco could have changed the blade profile, making it less bulbous, but it was kept this way by design. The D4W came to be after a Spyderco forumite drew it up to meet his specific needs during the workday. One of his requirements was to have a wide enough blade so that it could be easily opened with two hands if need be, and the extra material helps with that. It also helps with the modified pinch grip. Taken in context, the wide blade is actually a “feature,” albeit one that comes with a serious drawback, so be aware.

Deployment and Lockup

The Round Hole works as good here as it has on every other Spyderco knife since the dawn of time. Comfortable and ambidextrous, it doesn’t really get any better than this. As a lockback, the Delica 4 Wharncliffe isn’t going to have the fastest deployment in the world, but it is certainly adequate, and over time as the parts wear against each other it will get smoother and smoother. My five year old Delica is nice and buttery. This is a knife that will age gracefully.

Durability and reliability will be high with the D4W’s lock. In my example there is no side to side or up and down play, and no lock flex except in the heaviest cuts. Lockbacks are also naturally ambidextrous – a nice synergy with the Round Hole and symmetrical handle design on the Delica. I also appreciate that disengagement is not overly stiff – some lockbacks are real thumb bruisers, but this one is nice and easy, without being dangerously loose or anything.

Delica 4 Wharncliffe Review – Final Thoughts

The Delica 4 Wharncliffe is a great addition to the Delica corral. A new blade shape is a meaningful change and one that will, I think, work for certain types of users better than the normal drop point. The additional width in the pocket is a bummer and is the biggest flaw I can see in what is otherwise a pretty spectacular EDC.

Truth is, a lot of users won’t care about the additional pocket space required. They’ll relish the extreme control and precision of the Wharncliffe blade shape, qualities that are enhanced by the time-tested Delica handle design.

So I’m glad of the opportunity to talk some sugar about the Delica in general, and also happy to report that this new version is entirely worthy of your attention on its own. It doesn’t make a great design any better, but it’s a different, valid interpretation of one of the best EDC knives in the world.

Spyderco Delica 4 Lightweight Signature Knife with 2.87" Wharncliffe Steel Blade and High-Strength FRN Handle - PlainEdge - C11FPWCBK

Superior Blade Steel: One of the most unique variations among Spyderco's designs, the Wharncliffe Steel Blade is known for its perfectly straight cutting edge capable of cutting with scalpel-like precision and power far beyond its size.
Premium Quality: Available in PlainEdge or fully serrated SpyderEdge, it features a full-flat-ground VG-10 Stainless Steel blade for exceptional cutting performance with a fully accessible Trademark Round Hole that supports one-hand opening.
Dependable: Paired with the time-tested lightweight design, Delica 4's handle is injection molded from tough Fiberglass-reinforced-Nylon and includes a sturdy back lock mechanism, with skeletonized Stainless Steel liners.
Enhanced Safety: Its four-position pocket clip allows both left and right-handed carry, tip-up, or tip-down for a better and more enhanced safety among users.
Pocket Friendly: One of the most ideal pocket-sized tools available, this folding knife is perfectly suited for everyday utility use and can be used for hiking, hunting, camping, or everyday carry.

If you are thinking of buying a Spyderco Delica Wharncliffe, please consider purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. By purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, keep the website free of annoying banner ads, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.

Kizer Cutlery Guru Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 9 Comments

Last Updated: July 30, 2019
It’s been interesting to watch Kizer’s evolution over the years. They had an ambitious, albeit amorphous, beginning, with somewhat forgettable designs rendered in high-quality materials at head-turning prices; I still get a little jolt when I see the Sliver going for $70 with S35VN steel.

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Then Kizer knives had the brilliant idea of bringing in talented knife designers to take full advantage of their manufacturing capabilities and great prices. It wasn’t their first collaboration knife, but the Ray Laconico-designed Gemini was the a big hit for Kizer, and the amount of collaborations rolling out of their doors hasn’t slowed down since. The company realizes a stunning amount of models, from makers at all stages of their career: well-known names like Ray Laconico and Matt Diskin appear alongside promising up and comers like Justin Lundquist and Elija Isham.

Matt Degnan is a maker whose work has been brought to wider recognition with several Kizer collabs. Degnan is behind the Roach, the Kane, and most recently the Guru. The first two models didn’t move the needle, but the Guru seemed much more my speed.

As with their competitor Zero Tolerance, I haven’t really found “my Kizer” yet. I reviewed the 3404, which was just fine but ultimately forgettable. I had some enthusiasm for the Vanguard Gemini but that has waned some since my review (which in itself wasn’t unqualified in its praise). The Guru stood out in Kizer’s recent offerings as a model that might just be able to go the distance. Let’s take a closer look.

Full Disclosure: Kizer provided me with a Guru free of charge for the purposes of the review. This in no way affected my reviewing process nor did it alter my opinions or verdict.

Blade Dimensions and General Details

The Guru has a blade length of 2 7/8”, with a cutting edge of 2 11/16”, a handle length of 4 15/16”, and an overall length of 7 15/16”. It weighs 3.96 oz. and is made in China.

The Guru has a “Sheepsfoot Looking Up” kind of blade shape that is attractive and unusual. Functionally, it is all gently-curved belly, and that’s fine. With a whopping .14” thick blade stock and a relatively short sabre grind the Guru isn’t much of a slicer. It’s thicker behind the edge than my Strider PT. But while it isn’t my thing, a hard use grind isn’t immediately grounds for failure. The problem is, the Guru might be less “ground for durability” and more just “poorly ground,” with confusing peaks and valleys in wildly different types of cutting tasks.

I don’t usually cut food with my knives, but I did a little food prep with the Guru and can confirm you’re going to leave behind a David Cronenberg-esque crime scene cutting fruit and other foodstuffs with this thing – it ain’t pretty. In cardboard and wood it can function decently, but only if you “aim” the edge at a specific angle; otherwise it bunches up. Strangely, the one area in which the Guru performs well is wharncliffe/sheepsfoot-style tasks, where the point is in play more than the full edge: cutting tape when opening a box, for instance; surprisingly delicate tasks for such a burly blade to excel in.

S35VN is becoming so prevalent in high-end knives that we reviewers are quickly approaching 8Cr13MoV levels of redundancy when it comes to writing about it. It’s great, Kizer’s iteration is great, you’ll love it. Editor’s note: And as always you can find a deeper dive into knife steel here.

One thing to note: this is the third Kizer I’ve had (the second with S35VN) and while overall fit and finish is great, they don’t get their knives real sharp before boxing them up. In the case of knives with super steels I think it’s fair for the user to expect a good edge out of the box: not everyone has the means or the knowledge to immediately sharpen these more difficult-to-work-with steels. This will be an even bigger problem as they transition into less amenable high-end steels like M390.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Guru’s handle is so close to being great. A forward finger choil is almost always a guarantor of decent if not mind-blowing ergos, but here it’s more of a stumbling block. Kizer chose to begin the blade right at the end of the choil, with nothing between the end of the choil and the beginning of the sharpened edge. This is a common choice among manufacturers and not peculiar to Kizer, but it does mean you need to be careful when you’re choking up on the Guru: it would be very easy for your finger to slide forward onto the edge.

Back off the choil and the Guru accommodates three fingers in the middle portion of the handle and one on the other side of the beak. This isn’t always a successful setup but here, mainly because the post-beak butt end of the knife is large and flat, it works okay. The problem is, when you’re not using the forward choil you’re more than an inch away from the start of the cutting edge – not really acceptable for a knife of this size, and it squanders the fine control that makes a sheepsfoot blade shine in use.

There may be issues with the ergonomics but the Guru’s pocket clip is great. This is the way a sculpted clip should work. It’s durable, secure, with plenty of spring tension, and looks really nice. The rounded edges eliminate hotspots and even though the Guru is kind of portly it keeps it in place in your pocket. Other than the non-reversability I have no complaints. This is such an improvement over the nightmare clips on early Kizer models.

Deployment and Lockup

In my review of the Spyderco Mantra 1 I noted that the ball bearing pivot seemed to work better with the thumb hole than the flipper, and while I’ll never opt for ball bearings over standard washers I have been curious to further explore how they played with non-flipper deployment methods.

My Guru is the thumb stud variant and the ball bearing deployment is very good. Once the thick blade gets over the stiff detent it flies open. Kizer deserves particular praise for that detent. I’ve handled many Kizers and none of them had those detent issues that we see on other frame locks. You can put all the pressure you want on the Guru’s lock bar and it will still deploy reliably.

Lockup is similarly well-done. The stainless steel insert makes contact against about 30% of the tang. There is no blade play, and disengagement is stick-free and smooth. The only issue I have is that, in closing, the blade wants to fall shut quite quickly – a little dangerous in my opinion. The detent is so aggressive that it functions as a kind of half-stop, catching the knife again as you’re closing it, so that helps a little bit, but it’s still something to be aware of.

Kizer Guru Review – Final Thoughts

The Guru is well-made as all Kizers are, but I would have liked to see more time spent honing this one for great performance in addition to its mechanical competence. It looks cool, and there’s nothing wrong with picking up a sub-optimal knife because you like the way it looks, but for me, the wedgey edge and incorrect finger choil are a fatal combination and overwhelm any other charms this design has.

Kizer reset the bar for what we could expect for our dollar, but now that the rest of the industry has caught up their designs have to pull their weight in an increasingly crowded market segment, and I can’t think of any objective reason to recommend the Guru. It doesn’t quite manage to bridge the gap between “interesting design” and “great tool.”

Kizer Cutlery Guru Framelock Folding Knife,3in,S35VN Steel,Standard Edge,Satin,Gray KI3504K2

Steel: CPM-S35VN Handle: 6AL4V Titanium Blade Length: 2.97" Overall: 7.43"

If you are thinking of buying a Kizer Guru, please consider purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. By purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, keep the website free of annoying banner ads, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.

Cold Steel Broken Skull Review

by Dan Jackson 7 Comments

I try not to read too much into the name of a knife. After all, the name has no impact on the performance. But sometimes good knives can have bad names. Even after learning that this knife was designed by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and named after his Broken Skull Ranch, I still thought the Broken Skull was a pretty dumb name for a pocket knife. Hopefully I don’t receive a “Stone Cold Stunner” for writing this.

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But much in the same way that I am a sucker for Emerson knives, I’m a sucker for these Cold Steel offerings. That is because despite all the theatrics, lawsuits, and marketing bullshit they make some good stuff.

The American Lawman is a perennial EDC favorite of mine, while pieces like the Mini Tuff Lite and Ultimate ~~Warrior~~ Hunter. continue to satisfy in niche situations when I want a small or overbuilt folder. The Broken Skull, even with it’s unfortunate name, struck me as an another imminently useful pocket knife from CS, if on the larger side.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Cold Steel Broken Skull has an overall length of 9.25″, a 4.00″ blade, and weighs 3.10 ounces. This knife is made in Taiwan. The Broken Skull reminds me of an Spyderco Endura. My buddy in law school enjoyed his Endura because it was an easy knife to pocket but packed a lot of blade. I think he would enjoy the Broken Skull. It is also thin, light, and packs a big blade, yet this feels like a much stronger knife than the Endura.

While a 4″ blade is probably too big of a knife for most people to EDC, if you enjoy carrying a small and big pocket knife at the same time I could see the Broken Skull being your big knife. Of course if you are a fan of “tactical” folders then the Broken Skull could also be up your alley.

The Broken Skull has a long thin exaggerated clip point blade. This blade provides you with plenty of cutting edge, a little bit of belly, and a fine tip. This blade has a full flat grind, and gets thin behind the edge. A black DLC coating rounds things out.

Like all the new higher end Cold Steel folders, this knife comes in CTS-XHP stainless steel. I like CTS-XHP because it holds a good edge and is easy to sharpen. Its a nice step up from the AUS-8 Cold Steel used to run in all their knives, although it does raise the price.

I have used this Broken Skull as an EDC knife, and in that capacity I have opened and broken down many boxes, performed some light food prep, and and have worked with it a fair bit in my back yard. I have found the Broken Skull to be a good slicer. Both the grind and profile are thin and the knife zips through boxes, slices fruit easily, and bites deeply into green wood. The DLC coating has held up excellently with little in the way of visible wear.

This is a useful blade shape with good geometry for slicing, and Cold Steel’s recent switch to CTS-XHP steel with a DLC coating is a significant upgrade over their AUS-8 and teflon coated blades of yore. While the long profile lends the knife to penetrating cuts, you can still get plenty of chores done with the Broken Skull.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Much like the American Lawman, the Broken Skull has a linerless G-10 handle with a black aluminum backspacer. What sets the Broken Skull apart is how thin the G10 is. It makes for a slim knife, but the handle is still strong with zero flex in it.

Handle construction is of high quality with counter sunk button screws, chamferred G-10, and all black hardware. Cold Steel offers this model in a variety of handle colors – a nice bonus. The blue version happened to catch my eye but they have everything from standard black to pink.

The long simple handle of the the Broken Skull provides you with plenty of ergonomic options. You can choke up on the knife and make use of the simple jimping on the spine of the G10, or you can pull back on the handle and avail yourself of almost 8″ of reach. Either way the knife feels comfortable and secure. The texture of the G10 is relatively mild compared to knives like the American Lawman and Emerson’s offerings. Still, there is plenty of grip here and I don’t think anyone will mistake this for a slippery knife.

Cold Steel provides you with 2 pocket clips – one for left hand carry and one for right hand carry. The clip is short and strong, and is oriented for deep carry. The combination of the G10 and strong clip make this knife something of a chore to extract and remove from your pocket. It will also shred your pants pockets if you aren’t careful. I’m not wild about the clip for this reason. Too tight, and difficult to use.

On the flip side, the clip is discrete and it is highly unlikely that the Broken Skull will ever work its way out of the pocket. Because this knife is thin and light it carries well despite being over 5.25″ long when closed.

Deployment and Lockup

Like most of Cold Steel’s folding knife offerings, the Broken Skull comes with their asymmetrical slotted thumb studs. They work to manipulate the blade open, but this is not a knife you will be able to flick open easily thanks to the strong backspring. It’s best to roll the blade open with your thumb. The action is smooth thanks in part to phosphor bronze washers, and once you get past the halfway point, the knife snaps open.

For lockup we have the Tri-Ad lock. The Tri-Ad lock has become a staple for Cold Steel, and for good reason. It’s simple, strong, and secure. There is no blade play on my knife, despite it lacking any sort of metal liners, and the G10 being relatively thin. This is even when I try to wiggle the blade from the very tip – quite a feat considering the long blade. Construction is solid and the Tri-Ad lock is robust.

Blade centering is almost perfect on my knife.

Cold Steel Broken Skull Review – Final Thoughts

Nice pocket knife. Dumb name. That is how I feel about the Broken Skull. For normal EDC use the Broken Skull is going to be excessively long, and that is probably my biggest hangup with the knife. But I think people who enjoy carrying a long and slim folding knife will find a lot to like here for around $75. The materials are premium. Construction is simple yet functional. I even like how you have a choice of color for the handles. The Broken Skull is an efficient tool and even with a silly name I can’t help but like it for what it is.

If I could make changes, I find the clip to be too small and stiff, and I’d like to see them offer this knife in a smaller size, but I think the Broken Skull compliments Cold Steel’s catalog. They have plenty of 3-3.5″ folders. This model is a little different and that is not a bad thing.

I recommend the Broken Skull to those seeking a long slim folding knife or fans of the design.

Broken Skull IV (Blue)

Product Type: Knife
Package Dimensions: 2.032 L x 4.826 W x 13.97 H (centimeters)
Country of Origin: Taiwan, Province Of China
Package Weight: 0.022 kilograms

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

Zero Tolerance ZT 0450 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 3 Comments

Despite positioning itself as a maker of hard use tools for hardcore individuals, Zero Tolerance has always had more universal appeal than its marketing would suggest – and I don’t think the company’s appeal has ever been wider than it is today.

Unlike sister brand Kershaw, there isn’t any internal division between ZT products: there aren’t ‘cheap’ and ‘expensive’ ZTs in the sense that there are cheap and expensive Kershaws; everything they make falls within the same general bracket of impressive machining and high-end materials; the price differences just indicate which high materials you’re getting and how much impressive machining you see.

Buy the Zero Tolerance 0450 at BladeHQ

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And while ZTs may have been considered pretty pricey back in the day, as the market has shifted upwards their prices have remained relatively consistent, so that they seem more reasonable now than they did five years ago. So as the knife world has shifted into its current strata of price brackets, Zero Tolerance has found itself in a sweet spot between accessibility and quality.

All of this combines to put ZT pretty much at the center of current knife enthusiast culture. I’m sure there are soldiers, cops, and first responders who carry and use Zero Tolerence knives, but I would bet there are a lot more ZTs in the pockets of enthusiasts and on the shelves of collectors. That being said there has never been a ZT knife that really spoke to me.

I couldn’t find one that was ‘just right;’ this knife had a great design but is assisted, that one was the right size but inordinately heavy. It is this way for me with every knife ZT releases. Eventually, waiting for the Perfect Zero Tolerance became a kind of mania. Perfect design, perfect size, perfect price: I figured if I waited long enough such a ZT would come out.

But it never did, and eventually I got tired of waiting and picked up the knife that came closest to that ephemeral, unrealized Perfect ZT I have in my mind: the Dmitry Sinkevich-designed ZT 0450. It can’t possibly be perfect, but is it any good? Let’s take a look.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0450 has a blade length of 3 3/16”, a handle length of 4 1/8”, and an overall length of 7 3/8”. It weighs 3.04 oz. and is made in the USA. I want to mention here that this is a damn good looking knife. It comes up later and I don’t want to keep repeating myself in the interim, so just keep in mind that almost every inch of this knife is nice to look at.

The ZT 0450’s racy drop point is a good EDC cutter. It has much more straight edge than belly, which I don’t necessarily mind, and a very sharp tip. A chunky grind means two things: 1) both the tip and cutting edge are hardy enough to beat on, however 2) it isn’t as good of a slicer as you would hope for. Given the fast, futuristic, aggressive styling I was hoping for equally aggressive cutting performance but that isn’t what you get here.

However, trading some sliciness for durability isn’t exactly Faustian as long as cutting performance is still the favored attribute to some degree, and the 0450 meets this criterion. It’s best-suited for medium-duty tasks like cutting through cardboard or plastic, but you aren’t going to hate slicing food with it either. It works.

When Zero Tolerance began using Elmax a few years ago accusations of improper heat treating and burnt edges were leveled at them from the enthusiast quarter. The 0450 is made from S35VN, not Elmax, but there is a small portion near the tip of my 0450’s blade that looks burned:

From what I understand, this occurs during the edge grinding portion of manufacturing, and is localized to the burned area – in other words, if it is burned, it shouldn’t affect the performance of the edge in general – and my experience bears this out.

S35VN is great. I would almost say it’s boring, because it doesn’t have the epic abilities and tragic flaws of a steel like M4, but for the average user (and most enthusiasts are average users AT BEST) that is a good thing. I’m convinced that you could sharpen S35VN with even a rudimentary setup and some patience. The S35VN here performed just as well as I expected it to, and if there were any problems in the burned portion I didn’t notice.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

One of my biggest ergonomic pet peeves is when a knife has a beak or a scoop at the butt end of its handle that either doesn’t accommodate all four fingers ahead of it, or that makes my fingers feel crammed because it ushers them too close together. I really want this issue to become the Too Many Finger Grooves of 2017, because it nearly ruined the Para 3 for me and designers need to stop doing it.

By all accounts it looked like the 0450 would have this problem, and even now I’m not sure that it doesn’t. I can get all my fingers between the finger groove and the beginning of the beak, but not easily, comfortably, or without premeditation; my fingers would never fall across the handle this way naturally.

But the way I think you’re supposed to hold the knife is how I ended up holding the Para 3: with my index finger in the groove, my middle and ring in the “valley,” and my pinky landing on the far side of the beak. This feels natural, but, again, it isn’t the natural way my hand wants to hold the knife.

If I just grab the knife without thinking, my pinky lands right on the tip of the beak. This doesn’t sound like it would be comfortable, but thanks to the big chamfer around the scales, the tip of the beak isn’t too pointy and it works. And even during hard cuts this wasn’t that uncomfortable because most of the pressure is focused on the portion of the knife between your thumb and forefinger.

So I don’t know where I come down on this. The way it appears the knife is designed to be held isn’t natural, and the way it seems natural to hold it doesn’t feel right, even if it isn’t intolerable. At the end of the day I guess I’m okay with this handle, because it allows for a very slim and stylish profile, and going into it you know the 0450 isn’t going to be an ergonomic masterpiece.

The 0450 itself is so very narrow that it would be a pretty decent carry regardless of what kind of clip it had. This is one of very few flipper knives whose flipper tab doesn’t annoy me in the pocket, and I think that’s a function of the knife’s extreme narrowness. The 0450 would be a great carry even with a bad pocket clip, but hey: the clip here is anguish free. The same clip seen on the Kershaw Dividend, and in that review I expressed a little anxiety about its stability over time, but I’ve had no issues here.

Deployment and Lockup

I’m going to grouse a lot in this section so I’ll say this up front: The ZT 0450’s action is fast, sure, very snappy, addicting, and fun. The flipper tab is well designed. It is a great example of why flippers are so hot right now. Okay, grousing starts now.

I was prepared for the lock bar issue, and it is definitely present: if your fingers are on anywhere on the lock bar, the detent is such that the knife will not open – it feels almost like you have a secondary safety feature engaged. When I first got the knife I had a couple attempted deployments where the blade refused to budge.

However, if you align your fingers with the clip it keeps them off the bar; now that’s where my fingers naturally goes when I flip open this knife. Still, not cool, and from what I’ve seen it’s present on newer models as well. I’d like to see ZT put this issue to bed.

I think ball bearing pivots are bad. I hope the recent issues with the Advocate will precipate a move back to traditional washers, which are more durable, have no moving parts, are easier to maintain, and don’t cause as much unnecessary wear. Ball bearings against naked titanium (as we have on the 0450) is probably asking for trouble in the long term – albeit in the long, long term that most of us won’t see, as we trade and swap knives and carry different ones on different days. But still.

I also think that the ZT 0450’s fall shut action is dangerous and not to be desired. I’ve cut myself more times on the ZT 0450 than any other knife I’ve owned, either because it rolled shut so fast I didn’t have time to get my knuckles out of the way, or I pushed it a little bit and it gained enough momentum to keep rolling when I didn’t want or expect it to. Not necessary.

Lockup via titanium frame lock with a steel insert, is good however. If you look at the knife from the side, it doesn’t seem that a lot of the blade tang actually makes contact with the lock face, and disengagement has no feedback or friction whatsoever, but there is no blade play and the lock has never been other than stable and reliable. The double over-travel stop provided by the insert and by the clip is a nice touch as well.

Zero Tolerance 0450 Review – Final Thoughts

There is no meaningful area in which the Zero Tolerance 0450 excels other than carry. It isn’t a great cutter. Ergonomically, it’s kind of a mess. The deployment is problematic. But I still like it.

As much as I hate to say it it comes down to the look. Sinkevich has one of the strongest aesthetics around and the 0450 benefits greatly from that. It isn’t my style necessarily, but we don’t see a lot of knives that are this visually confident, and I think I responded to that. If you showed me a less interesting design that had all of these quirks and problems, I would never even think of buying it.

Not exactly the resounding praise, but praise nonetheless. I can’t not like this knife, even if there are so many things about it that I don’t like. It stops just short of brilliance but looks stunning doing it.

Sale

Zero Tolerance (0450); With 3.25” DLC-Coated S35VN Stainless Steel Blade, All-Black Carbon Fiber and Titanium Handle Scales, KVT Ball-Bearing Opening, Frame Lock Reversible Pocketclip; 2.45 OZ., Silver, Small

Titanium frame lock houses hardened steel lockbar; frame lock secures blade in position so it does not close accidentally
Flipper works for left- and right-handed users; assists blade’s manual release with one-handed convenience
Finger guard, jimping and choil protect fingers during rigorous use while slicing, cutting, chopping, scaling, slashing, piercing or digging in any environment, in any conditions
Drop-point tip provides extra strength and chip resistance and eliminates pitch momentum
Overall length: 7.4 inches; closed length: 4.1 inches; blade thickness: 0.121 inches; weight: 2.9 ounces

I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0450 at Amazon and BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.