EDC Knives

Al Mar Mini SERE 2000 Review

Last Updated: August 9, 2019
The SERE 2000 is one of the more iconic folding tactical knives of our time. The knife was originally designed in the 80s by Al Mar and Colonel Nick Rowe for the Army’s SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) school. The fact that you can even still buy the knife is a testament to the efficacy of the design.

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As an enthusiast of modern folding knives, I have had my eye on the SERE 2000 for some time. It’s one of those “cornerstone” tactical knives like the Paramilitary 2 and Benchmade 710 that I feel almost obligated to try (twist my arm).

So why the hell would you buy the miniature version? Good question. I guess if you want “tactical” but are forced to be a little more “practical” then the Mini SERE 2000 (or MS2K) could be the knife for you. This is taboo in some circles, kind of like buying a 4 door Porsche. But I’m a sucker for compromise, and I got a good deal on this MS2K, so that’s why the mini version is the subject of today’s review.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The MS2K has an overall length of 7″, a 3″ blade, and weighs 3.5 ounces. Compare that with the full size SERE 2000 with an overall length of 8.5″, a 3.6″ blade, and weighing in at 6 ounces. I have enjoyed the Mini SERE 2000 as an every day carry (EDC). Having never attended SERE school, I couldn’t really tell you the merits of this folder in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance, or even an Escape capacity. I helped a couple hot dogs escape from their package the other weekend with the MS2K, if that counts for anything.

The SERE 2000 has a modified drop point / spear point blade with a mid height flat grind and a large flat ground swedge. This is a classic Al Mar profile that has shown up in a variety of their offerings, including the Eagle and Falcon lines. This simple blade shape is a good all round performer, combining excellent piercing capability with strength and slicing performance. Al Mar offers the blade with a satin finish or a black ceramic coating. I really like my satin finished blade – it has been beautifully done with crisp grind lines, an even finish, and a neatly applied edge.

The SERE 2000 comes in VG-10 blade steel. This was probably a great choice when the knife came out 20 years ago, but is only OK by today’s standards. These days there are a number of higher end steels, especially at the price point the MS2 is offered at. The SERE 2000 is made for Al Mar by Moki Knives in Japan, and VG-10 is made in Japan, so that makes sense.

Practically speaking, the knife is capable of getting screaming sharp and it slices well. The tip strikes a nice balance between strength and precision. VG10 is very easy to maintain. I tend to strop my MS2K and I occasionally run it on the fine stones of my Sharpmaker. I have had zero issues with corrosion or chipping. However, I would not complain if they upgraded the steel to something more wear resistant, especially given the price of this knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The SERE 2000 features a no-nonsense handle design with black, O.D. green, or digi-cam G10 handle scales over full steel liners with a combination of stand offs and a small stainless steel backspacer. The handle is immaculate. The finish work is seamless, replete with satin hardware and lightly chamfered edges. I can’t feel a single crack or seam as I run my thumb over the backspacer that bridges the G10 scales and steel liners – a hallmark of excellent finish work and a close attention to detail. Although the liners are not skeletonized, the knife feels light and reasonable for its size. All told I am very impressed with the build quality of the handle.

The MS2K was originally designed to be a much larger knife. I am guessing the mini version was an afterthought to appeal to a broader audience, and it is simply a scaled down version of the full size SERE 2000. I am pleased to report that the ergonomics of this design translate well to a smaller knife – another testament to the universal appeal of the original SERE 2000.

There is just enough room for me to get a full four finger grip, and my thumb perches nicely on the spine of the blade. This is a relatively thick knife, and it fills the hand. The chamfered edges are extremely comfortable and melt into your skin. The flared handle contributes to the MS2K’s signature profile, and also helps ensure your fingers don’t slide around on the knife. There is no jimping, but the thumb perches nicely on the spine of the blade. The knife is also comfortable in a reverse grip. I found this to be a good working knife, and had no real issues with hot spots even after a couple intense encounters with rope and cardboard. This handle ascribes to a KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) mantra, and the end user is all the better for it.

The deep carry pocket clip has been given a glossy black coating. It allows for ambidextrous tip up carry. I like this relatively discrete clip design. It is a really tight clip and butts up to high traction G10. There is definite potential for pocket tearing, so keep that in mind. The clip provides very good retention and generally functions well. Being a knife with a relatively thick blade, full steel liners, and thick G10 handle scales, it’s a little thick in the pocket. Still, the knife carried fine for me, and I didn’t really notice it.

Deployment and Lockup

The Mini SERE 2000 has ambidextrous thumb studs, teflon washers, and a liner lock. The thumb studs are accessible on both sides of the handle, but the knife is designed primarily for right hand users. The teflon washers make it impossible to flick open, but it’s a very smooth knife.

The liner lock engages early and securely. Like my Sage 1, the MS2K makes a distinctive “chirp” as you snap the blade into the open position. There is no blade play in any direction at all. Blade centering isn’t perfect on my knife, but it’s close.

I also like how the tang of the blade has been rounded off at the spine, so the knife looks just as good closed as it does open. It’s this attention to detail in the design and execution of the knife that gets me excited about the SERE 2000.

Mini SERE 2000 Review – Final Thoughts

When it comes down to my final thoughts on the Mini SERE 2000, I am a little conflicted. On one hand it’s a beautiful knife. It’s well made, balanced, with decent materials, and it’s very practical. It is an excellent knife. But on the other hand we are talking about a Japanese linerlock with G10 handles and VG10 steel with a retail price at $200+. For $150 I would recommend it without reservation. But at an actual retail of $200+ it is much harder to give this the fullest of endorsements. This isn’t because the SERE 2000 is a bad knife – it isn’t. It’s a wonderful knife. My problem with it is that I think that there is more out there at a better value.

Case in point, the Spyderco Sage 1 is another linerlock folder with 3″ blade, similar fit and finish (maybe not quite as good, but close), and better blade steel. The Spyderco Caly 3 is a beautiful Japanese folder with laminated ZDP 189 blade, real carbon fiber handle scales, and equally impressive fit and finish to the MS2k. At nearly twice the price of both the Sage 1 and Caly 3, I have a real hard time recommending the SERE 2000 carte blanche. It’s still a beautiful knife, just spendy.

It is also worth noting that the full size SERE 2000 is only a couple dollars more than the Mini. It might also be easier to justify spending the money on the full size version, especially if you are going to rely on it every day as a member of the military or law enforcement.

If you can get past the price the SERE 2000 is worth acquiring. It’s a timeless folding tactical knife, and fans of the genre owe it to themselves to at least check it out eventually.

Al Mar MS2K Mini Sere 2000

4 inch closed linerlock
Satin finish VG-10 stainless spear point blade with dual thumb studs
Textured black G-10 handles with black finish Reversible stainless pocket Clip
Lanyard Hole

I recommend purchasing the Mini SERE 2000 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.

Spyderco Rubicon Review

by Dan Jackson 12 Comments

Last Updated: August 3, 2019
Spyderco has released a number of high end knives of the past year. Blades like the Slysz Bowie, K2, Firefly, and Burch Chubby are all retailing at north of $200. Meanwhile, there doesn’t seem to be much of interest going on in the ~$100 price point or sub $100 price points – both of which have been sweet spots for Spyderco in the past with cherished blades like the Paramilitary II, Sage, Caly 3, Dragonfly, Manix 2, and of course the Endura and Delica.

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So I have been forced to pick my battles a little bit. I can’t review everything Spyderco turns out, especially if the majority of their stuff is going to set me back 2 bills+. So as 2014 drew to a close I decided to acquire one of their most ambitious pieces to date: the Rubicon. Retailing for over $300, this is the most expensive Spyderco I have ever acquired.

The Rubicon is a collaboration with custom knife maker Peter Carey, a designer / maker that I have previously had zero experience with. The Spyderco Rubicon is an interpetation of Peter’s custom Rubicon. Peter’s knives are meticulously hand finished and coveted by collectors, and one of Spyderco’s goals with the collaboration was to celebrate that aspect of his knives. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a production knife, but the end result, while expensive, is unlike any other Spyderco I have handled to date.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Rubicon has an overall length of 7.48″, has a 3.03″ blade, and weighs 4.2 ounces. This folder is compact enough for daily carry, but to me it is more of a collectible. It feels very lightweight for its size, which is fantastic for daily carry, but I can’t say I remodeled a bathroom with this knife, or had it clipped to my pocket while swapping out the transmission of my truck.

The blade is a bulbous piece of S30V and the shape is faithful rendition of Peter’s custom Rubicon. I think the blade shape is a little too curvy, but it’s faithful to the original design. Of course being a Spyderco collab this blade features a thumb hole. Both the primary bevel and swedge are belt finished and the hollow grinds ripple in the light. A nice touch is the horizontally polished satin flats. This is a high end detail you don’t see on many Spyderco’s. No doubt this was done to mimic the “hand rubbed” flats of a real Carey. The end result is something lustrous and difficult to photograph.

At this point, Spyderco’s CPM S30V is a known quantity. I own several Spydies in S30V (some for 4+ years) and have been reasonably happy with their edge retention and performance, although at this stage in the game I may have preferred something a little different: S35VN or CTS-XHP come to mind. I am not too concerned about squeezing every last drop of performance out of this knife, but I would be remiss if I didn’t lightly admonish Spyderco for not springing for an even more premium steel given the price point. I suppose that just goes to show how good we actually have it.

The hollow grind is lean, the edge is keen, and I have been happy with the way this knife carves through cardboard and paper. There is a slight recurve, which has a way of improving cutting performance, but hampering your ability to easily sharpen the edge. The recurve is mild so I’m not expecting too much difficulty, but this is a knife that I will relegate to my Sharpmaker and strops for touch ups, rather than flat stones.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is where things really start to get interesting. The star of the show is the 3-D machined high polished carbon fiber handle scales with bright orange G10 pivot collars surrounding an oversize decorative pivot. As an avid knife collector I have had the opportunity to get my hands on all kinds of carbon fiber handled knives over the years. I can say that this is the nicest carbon fiber and the best finished carbon fiber handle I have ever seen in the production world. The weave of the carbon fiber is ultra tight, and there are no pin holes or voids. The polish has almost reached mirror like qualities and rotating the knife in your hand reveals a depth and character to the carbon fiber unlike anything else I have seen. I have often been critical of Spyderco for using cheap carbon fiber overlays over G10 on their knives (like the Sage and Domino). They didn’t skimp in this instance.

The pivot collar, while entirely decorative, has been beautifully and seamlessly integrated into the handle. The two-tone tri-tip pivot is the nicest I have seen. The carved g10 backspacer, while bold, has also been beautifully rendered. I realize that this is starting to sound like a Jim Skelton video, but if these kinds of details mean anything to you then you will be impressed with the job done on the Rubicon. And construction of the handle is perfect. There are 2 thick stonewashed and skelotonized titanium liners. A couple simple button head fasteners hold everything together, allowing you to revel in the gloriously finished handle.

The Rubicon is comfortable and is a nice knife to work with if you can bring yourself to actually use it. Those 3-d finished handles don’t just look good, they provide plenty of meat for you to hold on to. The handle shape itself is thoughtful, allowing your fingers to wrap around it easily and naturally. You do have a forward choil of sorts that you can use to choke up on, and a short run of jimping on the spine provides tactile feedback without being overly sharp and aggressive. As for the polished carbon fiber being “smooth” and “slippery”, I haven’t had any issues holding onto this knife. The handle shape provides lots of traction naturally by virtue of its design. That said, I didn’t take the Rubicon into the shower with me, so this could be one of those “Your Mileage May Vary” situations. If you really need a high traction handle on every knife in your collection, buy a Griptilian and call it a day.

In comparison to the rest of the knife, the pocket clip seems like something of an afterthought. The clip on the custom knife is similar, so there is that to consider. The clip isn’t offensive to look at or anything, but next to the rest of the knife the simple stamped clip seems basic and stock. I will say that this is a sturdy titanium clip, and this is a step up from the clip on the Southard Flipper. I will also say that it functions fine as a pocket clip. It has strong retention and buries decently low in the pocket. The Rubicon feels lightweight for its size and I don’t notice it that much in my pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

The Rubicon gives you the option of a flipper tab or thumb hole, and both work well. This is the 3rd flipper in the Spyderco flipper dynasty, and the action is smooth and reliable. The detent isn’t super stong, but the way the flipper tab is canted ensures that the blade will gracefully flip open without fail pretty much every single time. The bearings are very smooth and the blade floats around the pivot.

The Rubicon makes use of a thick titanium liner lock to hold the blade in place. Mine is a little sticky. I have never been a huge fan of titanium liner locks, but I am not sure I would have built this knife any differently myself. The beautiful carbon fiber handles are the star of the show, and I think it would have been a shame (and boring) to make this another titanium framelock knife. The lock bar isn’t the easiest to get at to disengage. It’s not impossible to wedge the meat of your thumb in to free the blade, but when compared with other knives it’s a little less convenient. To be fair I think that is how Peter designed the knife – perhaps favoring aesthetic considerations over raw functionality.

Blade centering on my example is perfect.

Spyderco Rubicon Review – Final Thoughts

The Rubicon is an ambitious piece from Spyderco. Overall I would say it’s a great success. Spyderco should be proud to have put together such a nice knife. Lately, Zero Tolerance and LionSteel have both been making most of the waves in the high end production knife world. In many ways Spyderco has raised their bar in terms of high end finishing and production quality. I am excited to see some of this trickle down into future offerings. No knife is perfect, and I have a couple minor quibbles with the Rubicon, but I its pros easily outweigh its cons. As a tool the fundamentals are there: it’s comfortable, lightweight, and it cuts well. That said, there were some form over function considerations with this knife, and for me it’s more of a collectable than a true tool knife. I don’t have a problem with that, but for some folks that just won’t work.

Like most expensive things, one question many will ask is, “Is it worth the money?” I can’t answer that question for you. I will readily admit that $325 is a lot of money to pay for a production knife, and I can understand if some view this simply as needless pocket frosting. I will say that I can see where the dollars go when comparing this with a Domino or Southard Flipper. The handle is truly amazing and one look at the material selection and finish work shows you where the $100 or so went. Personally, while I don’t deny that $325 is a lot of money for a pocket knife, I don’t think they are out of line with the asking price. You are welcome to disagree.

If I were to make any refinements I would address the lockbar area. I am not a knife maker so I couldn’t tell you how to take the slight amount of stick out of the lockbar. I might have opened up the lock release area to make the liner lock easier to disengage. And some sort of 3-D machined pocket clip would be uber cool. My guess is that would make the knife even more expensive.

All in all I am impressed with the Rubicon and can recommend it to die hard Spyderco fans and fans of high end production folders. The Rubicon is something truly different from Spyderco, and I am glad I selected it out of the melange of high end 2014 releases.

Spyderco Rubicon 3.04" Folding Knife C187CFP

Folding Knives, Knives & Tools

I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Rubicon 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.

CRKT Eros SS Review

by Dan Jackson 8 Comments

Last Updated: August 7, 2019
It is cool to see the trickle-down effect at work. 5 years ago, if you wanted to buy a bearing equipped manual action framelock flipper you either forked over the dough for a custom knife, or it simply didn’t exist. 3 years ago, if you wanted one you had to shell out the $225 for a Zero Tolerance 0560. Today, you can get into bearing equipped manual flippers for as little as 30 bucks.

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I must admit that I was a touch skeptical when I purchased a CRKT Swindle. I figured at that price something definitely had to give. I was wrong. What an awesome blade. So when CRKT announced the release of a plain stainless steel handled Eros I was pretty confident that it would be worth my while. I wasn’t so crazy about the baroque handle or the $100 price tag of the original Eros.

At around $45, this plain version is much more in line with knives like the Skyline, Leek, Zancudo, and Rat II… all blades I would consider to be rockstar budget knives.

Like the Swindle, the Eros SS is a manual action flipper designed by Ken Onion and equipped with an IKBS bearing system. Where it departs from the Swindle is that it’s a little more traditional in its design and appearance.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Eros comes in two sizes: large (the subject of this review) and small. The large Eros SS has an overall length of 6.94″, a 2.84″ blade, and weighs 3 ounces. The small Eros SS has an overall length of 4.96″, a 2.03″ blade, and weighs 1.5 ounces.

For me the large Eros is the way to go. Frankly I can’t imagine using a smaller version of this knife, as this size is about perfect for me to easily manipulate the blade open and get a full grip. The small version is, well, really damn small. That is fine I suppose for some applications, but since the Eros is such a delicate knife to begin with I really appreciate the larger version. CRKT bills these as gentleman’s folders and every day carry (EDC) knives, and I used mine for light EDC work.

The blade of the Eros is a almost a sliver of stainless steel. This is among the most delicate of blades I have handled, which is fine if you mostly use the knife for letters and boxes as I have. My Eros has sat on my desk at work for months now and gets plenty of work opening the daily deluge of mail. The ultra fine tip and gentle curve to the belly is perfect for getting under the fold of an envelope. CRKT went with a thin hollow grind with a long swedge and deep satin finish. Just like on the Swindle, the spine of the blade has been rounded a la Chris Reeve Knives.

I love the extra attention CRKT has spent on the blade. It’s hard for me to capture in photos, but this is a beautiful little blade and is perfect for light use. Of course great care needs to be taken with the tip. This isn’t something you will want to process a deer with or use to remodel a kitchen.

The Eros SS runs AUS8 blade steel, which is par for the course for a small knife at this price point. I haven’t done anything too extreme with my Eros, but the blade has busted open plenty of boxes, cut lots of paper, and it holds up well to that kind of use. It is extremely easy to sharpen and maintain and is heat treated to 57-58 HRc. The satin finish should hold up better against rust better than the bead blasted finish we often see this steel come in. No complaints here.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Eros has full bead blasted stainless steel handles, leaving the knife with a faux titanium appearance. This is a simple handle design with 2 stainless steel standoffs, a slender lockbar cut out, and screw together construction. There is a lanyard hole, which could be useful if you decide to remove the pocket clip. All said handle construction is great. CRKT did not get fancy 3-D machining the handle like on the Swindle, but the simple handles function well and allows the eye to wander to the beautiful blade.

The Eros is a small but comfortable knife to use. I am able to perch all 4 fingers on this handle, with maybe a 1/4″ or so to spare, so it should accommodate most people. There is no jimping or texture to speak of, save for 4 notches on the flipper tab. Some may bemoan the lack of texture on this handle, but for light duty this is fine. I have had no trouble using this knife for light EDC tasks around the house and at my office.

The Eros has a pocket clip situated for right side tip down carry only. I have complained pretty heavily about most of Ken Onion’s funky pocket clip designs in the past, and this Eros clip still leaves something to be desired in my book. It isn’t terrible, but I would prefer a more standard clip. That said, this clip functions fine. It feels somewhat thin but is actually very secure slipped to the pocket of a pair of dress pants. Although the Eros isn’t ridiculously heavy, being a solid steel framelock it is a denser knife and I do notice it a little in pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

The Eros SS is an IKBS equipped manual action flipper. The detent is well tuned, and the blade pops open reliably with the push of a finger. CRKT has done a great job with their IKBS flippers and I am no less impressed by the action of the Eros than I was on the Swindle. Today we may take stuff like this for granted, but I think the fact that for $45 or so you can get a nice bearing equipped manual flipper designed by a world renown custom knife maker is just incredible.

For lockup with have a stainless steel frame lock. Mine engages about 95%, and is very secure. There is no blade play. There is not much as far as a relief in the handle to disengage the lock bar, although there is a little scalloping for your thumb to grab on to. This isn’t a problem, but is another reason why I prefer the Large Eros over the Small version. Any smaller than this and it just gets kind of futzy to deal with. It is worth mentioning that the blade is perfectly centered.

CRKT Eros SS Review – Final Thoughts

I can’t help but compare this knife with the stainless steel Leek. As many of you know, Ken designed the Leek for Kershaw many years ago, and it has endured as a top budget friendly EDC choice to this day. It is also a stainless steel framelock flipper (although it does come in a liner lock version as well). I like the Eros a little more than the Leek. The addition of a satin finished blade with a slight belly and slightly reinforced tip is nice. I also much prefer the unassisted opening of the Eros over the spring assisted Leek. I like how the Leek is made in the USA, and would say that the build qualities are close to on par.

Another obvious comparison would be the acclaimed CRKT Swindle. Perhaps my favorite knife from CRKT to date, I think the Swindle is a little more interesting than this knife with its 3-D machined handles and swayback styling. Functionally, the Swindle is actually a little bigger and stouter than the Eros, although both should be considered EDC / gent’s folders.

All said, the Eros SS is a winner. This is more of a classic design from Ken, but it still has some of his flourishes. Those pesky pocket clips can always be complained about, but beyond that I have a hard time finding fault with the Eros SS. The tip is very delicate, and for that reason this is not a budget knife that can take a beating like my Zancudo or Rat II.

If you are looking for a more traditional gentlemanly high value framelock flipper then the Eros SS is well worth considering. Mine has performed admirably and I am impressed with how well made it is. For $45 you really cannot go wrong.

CRKT Eros EDC Folding Pocket Knife: Gentleman's Knife, Everyday Carry, Satin Blade, IKBS Ball Bearing Pivot, Frame Lock, Stainless Steel Handle, Pocket Clip K456XXP

Fast Opening: IKBS ball bearing pivot deploys the blade fast
Fast Opening: The flipper deploys the blade fast
Ultimate Durability: Stainless steel handle withstands hard use
Designed by Ken Onion in Kaneohe, Hawaii
Limited Lifetime Warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, see company site for details

I recommend buying the CRKT Eros 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.

Cold Steel Rajah III Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

Last Updated: July 28, 2019
I almost entitled this review “confessions of a mall ninja”. Yup, your buddy Dan has something of a dirty secret: I’m a fan of ridiculous knives from Cold Steel. You may have guessed as much after reading reviews of the Spartan and XL Voyager. I just didn’t talk openly about it.

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The truth is I think some of these more outlandish Cold Steel knives are fun, and some are also legitimately good knives. And let me add that there is something about buying a folding knife knowing you can blast through a side of beef with it (whilst rocking out to heavy metal music) that lends a certain pride of ownership that I don’t quite get with my Delica. There is a je ne sais quoi, if you will, with select Cold Steel products. It keeps bringing me back.

The Rajah series is among their more mall ninja-y folders, but, as with most things, there are shades of gray. If you want to go full ninja then check out the oversized Rajah II. If you are secure, but not quite Open-Carry-Bear-Mace-On-Your-Web-Belt secure, then there is the more middling Rajah III, which also happens to be the subject of today’s review.

Some might argue the Rajah III is small enough for normal people to carry. Some might argue it’s not for mall ninjas at all. Some might argue I’m a jerk for even implying that the knife may be for mall ninjas. Regardless of your personal proclivities, I’ve had my eye on it for some time.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Rajah III has an overall length of 8-3/8″, a 3-1/2″ blade, and weighs 4.4 ounces. Despite being the smallest version in the series it is still a big knife. It’s not totally ridiculous for me to carry, but at close to 3/4 of an inch thick, this is one I feel in the pocket. Definitely an after hours carry for me. The Rajah II with it’s 6″ blade is a dedicated outdoor tool, or perhaps a mostly a folding novelty.

The Rajah series was designed by Andrew Demko, who has designed a number of great folders for Cold Steel. Apparently, the classic Nepalese kukri was the inspiration for this design. Cold Steel waxes poetic about the “dramatic power of the kukri as both a tool and weapon” in their product literature. I can attest that kukris make for great choppers, but here we are talking about a 4.5 ounce folding knife.

The blade is kukri shaped. I guess that could be described as a modified clip point with a recurve if you wanted to try and get technical. It has the big kukri belly and a deep recurve. The recurve isn’t quite as crazy as the Spartan’s, but it is still pretty serious. The 4mm thick blade tapers down to the tip, and has been given a full flat grind. It slices well – especially with that recurve. The knife carves aggressively too. I was very pleased with how this blade performed, and think there is some truth to the Cold Steel sales copy regarding kukris. Sharpening can be a chore, but there is truth to this being a high performance blade shape.

Cold Steel initially offered the Rajah III with a bead blasted blade finish (shown here). Not my favorite choice, but it works. They have since updated the knife to feature a stonewashed / tumbled finish. I prefer that finish over the beadblast as it is not as susceptible to rust and I think it looks a little nicer.

Cold Steel originally offered the Rajah in AUS8. They changed the steel to BD1 in 2015-2016. Both AUS8 and BD1 are softer steels. Cold Steel got a lot of feedback from customers wanting something with better edge retention than AUS-8, so they upgraded their premium line of knives to CTS-XHP (and then S35Vn in 2018), and their more budget oriented knives they upgraded to BD1.

I don’t have a lot of experience with BD1, but it’s a softer steel. Easy to sharpen, and presumably holds a better edge than AUS-8. I think it was a good option for the Rajah series as the price is still reasonable.

On the subject of sharpening, I sharpen this knife with the rods of my Spyderco Sharpmaker. Rod style sharpeners are best for curved blades like this. You will have an extremely hard time trying to sharpen this with bench stones or paddle sharpeners.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Much like the Spartan, the Rajah’s handle is grivory (high density plastic) over full nested steel liners. The back spring is hardened steel, and the backspacer is more grivory. Everything has been screwed together for your convenience. This is a lightweight yet strong handle design that has been meticulously crafted. This knife is made in Taiwan, and like virtually every other knife from Taiwan that I have handled, it has been really nicely finished. They even included a lanyard hole.

Andrew Demko is a man who clearly understands ergonomics. His designs are among the most comfortable I’ve handled, perhaps only second to Ernest Emerson. Although the Rajah III is a scaled down version of the Rajah II, you aren’t sacrificing a comfortable grip. I take a large glove and there is just enough room for a good full grip. You can move up on the handle for more detailed work, and lean back into the handle for light chopping. The Rajah III also feels very at home in reverse grip. There is no jimping, and the scales have been given a very light texture. I’d say its pretty much perfect for my applications.

Like on many of their other designs, Cold Steel has included two pocket clips: one for each side of the curved handle. They also included 2 sets of screws, which is a nice touch. These clips don’t allow for super deep carry, but it is still a fairly discrete package. The clips are simple but they work well. They have been given Cold Steel’s trademarked crappy black teflon coating, so don’t expect them to look new for long.

As far as carry is concerned, this is a thick knife and you will feel it in your pocket. It isn’t very heavy for its size, so it has that going for it, but I can’t deny that this is a bulkier knife. If you are looking for a very discrete slim line EDC knife then I would look elsewhere.

Deployment and Lockup

The Rajah makes use of a large thumb plate for deployment. You can push the blade open with your thumb, or the plate can function similarly to an Emerson Wave, allowing you to open the knife from your pocket. With a little wrist action I can flick the knife open with my thumb. The strong backspring gives the closed blade a healthy “detent” (resistance to opening). I will say that the action of this knife is extremely smooth. Smooth to the point where the blade will fall freely on it’s own upon disengaging the lock.

Cold Steel has equipped the Rajah III with their tri-ad lock. For the uninitiated, the tri-ad lock is an improved back lock strengthened by the inclusion of a hardened steel stop pin between the tang of the blade and the lock bar. This stop pin absorbs much of the shock that would otherwise transfer directly to the locking mechanism and potentially compromise the lock.

In my experience these tri-ad lock knives are tough. My knives have held up well over the years without failing, developing blade play, etc. In addition to normal use as an EDC knife, I did beat on this knife a bit in my back yard. I chopped through some bamboo and hacked away at firewood – stuff I wouldn’t normally do with a folding knife. The knife held up beautifully. The way I see it, the only downside to the tri-ad lock is that it can be tough to disengage – especially with one hand.

Cold Steel Rajah III Review – Final Thoughts

Is the Rajah III a realistic EDC option, or is it going to be on the cover of next month’s “Mall Ninja Monthly”? I think the truth lies somewhere in between. While the Rajah III is aggressive looking and somewhat impractical for your average suburban/urban EDC, I cannot deny that this is a solid tool that is capable of getting real work done. It may not be the most convenient choice for an armchair general like myself, but I still respect and the Rajah III for being well made, and enjoy how it is a little different than the rest of the knives in my collection.

Also, the fundamentals to the Rajah are solid: the tri-ad lock is extremely sturdy, the knife is lightweight yet strong, the handle is comfortable, the blade slices and dices with the best of them, the fit and finish is extremely good, and the price is very attractive.

If you want a no-nonsense, high performance Cold Steel lockback folder with a 3.5″ blade then I suggest checking out the American Lawman. The Lawman continues to be one of my favorites. It is slimmer than the Rajah III and less intimidating. In my mind it is clearly a more practical EDC choice. But if you are looking for something a little further out there, and like the lines of the Rajah series, then check out the Rajah III. For $45 this is a tremendous value and an excellent knife. I like mine a lot.

Cold Steel (CS62KGCM-BRK) Rajah III Plain BD1 Steel Stone Wash, Black

Blade length: 3-1/2 inch
Overall length: 8-3/8 inch
Steel: carpenter CTS Bd1 alloy with stonewash finish

I recommend purchasing the Rajah III 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.

GEC #47 Viper Review

by Dan Jackson 12 Comments

Last Updated: August 5, 2019
I have recently seen a resurgence of interest in classic slipjoint knives. Maybe folks are getting tired of shelling out $200+ for the latest framelock flipper. Or maybe they like the idea of carrying something their grandpa may have carried. Who knows for sure.

Buy the GEC Viper at KnivesShipFree

Personally I know over the past couple years my carry tastes have trended toward the traditional. I still enjoy the latest and greatest, but 2 of my favorite EDC folders in recent memory have been the Victorinox Cadet and Chris Reeve Mnandi. I loved the slim utility of the Cadet, and the leather ensconced classiness of the Mnandi. They are such excellent knives for my basic daily purposes.

Then reading Tony’s review of the Indian River Jack piqued my interest in GEC knives. I view some of these GEC slip joints as almost a cross between a Cadet and Mnandi: simple tools matched with higher end materials and finishes.

So today’s review is of the GEC Viper. Or the #47 as some call it. I don’t know what it is exactly about the classic swayback slip joint pattern, but I really dig these traditional wharncliffes. The Viper is a newer model, and it’s garnered a fair amount of enthusiasm amongst the traditional knife crowd, so I figured it would be a nice model to acquire for review.

I don’t proclaim to be an expert on these traditional knives. Heck I’m not an expert on knives at all (just ask Kershaw Thomas). But I enjoy cutlery and will do my best to share my opinion of this fine folder from Great Eastern Cutlery.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Viper has an overall length of 6.81″, a 3″ blade, and it weighs 2.7 ounces. I must not have researched this knife very carefully because when it arrived in it’s cardboard tube I was surprised at how big it was. This is a good size slippie, especially when compared to something like a Cadet. I grew to enjoy the size of the 47. After all, it was originally designed to be a working knife. It is also fine as a suburban EDC.

The Viper comes with a beautiful 1095 carbon steel warncliff blade. Mine has a high flat grind and swedge. The edge is very fine. It’s more of a microbevel than anything. The high carbon steel has been given almost a mirror polish. It looks good and I imagine it helps cut down on rust and corrosion. 1095 is not a stainless steel, and I have had it rust on a few of my fixed blades. By giving the blade a polish there is actually less surface area for rust.

But the cool thing is that the polished 1095 will patina. On my Sod Buster JR I decided to play around with a “forced” patina by slathering the blade in mustard. With the Viper I want the patina to form naturally, so I’ve just been using the knife as I normally would, and resisting the urge to dip it in a vat of honey dijon. So far the results have been cool. I like the character it has developed over the past couple months, and look forward to seeing how things progress.

One small complaint is the amount of branding that GEC etches onto the blade. In my pictures the etching has faded, but from the factory it comes with a very overt “NORTHFIELD UN-X-LD” logo smack dab in the middle of the beautiful blade. Yeah… no thanks. Mercifully, most of the logo rubbed off after an application of Barkeeper’s Friend, a cleaning product that should consider sponsoring the website given how much I talk about it.

The 1095 isn’t just good to look at. The blade of my Viper has been given a super keen edge, and the cutting performance has been really nice. The blade easily tracks through paper, and I’ve also used the knife for mild food prep, opening packages, etc. But the other weekend I really put the knife through it’s paces. I was tasked with cutting up a large quantity of cardboard with drywall joint compound on it that wouldn’t fit into a trash can. These slip joints are usually ground thin, and the Viper is no exception. It is a keen slicer and made easy work of the cardboard. At the end of the the edge had slowed down a little, but 1095 is very easy to touch up on a strop or corner of my Spyderco Sharpmaker.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

GEC offers the Viper in a variety of handle configurations. Mine is bolstered with Che Chen Rosewood scales over brass liners. This is my first knife with rosewood. It’s a beautiful wood and I have seen it on many high end guitars. I love the fine cord-like grain and deep shimmering quality of the wood when you hold it up to the light. The handle has been beautifully finished. The edges are nicely chamferred, there are no gaps in the liner or backspring, the pins and lanyard tube are meticulously sanded down, and the silver medallion inset into the handle is flawless. When you turn the knife over to examine the back of the handle there is no gap or bump in between the back spring and spine of the blade. It’s a really nice and well made handle.

In hand the Viper feels like a spacious work knife should. Don’t let the wood handles fool you: this is still a high performance tool. Back before the days of titanium, G10 and stainless steel, these were the kinds of knives folks used every day. Working with the Viper you can understand why these kinds of handles have stood the test of time. They are basic and comfortable. You can definitely whittle some sticks, cut cardboard, or handle most other daily tasks with ease.

The Viper is without a pocket clip, but it came with a leather slip sheath. I enjoyed using a slip sheath with my Mnandi, and use a slip sheath with my Fantoni Dweller as well. This sheath is wider and thicker than I’m used to, but it’s sturdy and feels good in the pocket. I like this kind of carry – especially when working in an office. If the sheath is too bulky you could always throw the knife directly into your pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

I should probably change this section to “Walk and Talk” to fall more in line with the idiosyncrasies of traditional folders. After all, this is a slip joint with a nail nick. The knife doesn’t “deploy” and there is no lock up. The nail nick is easy to get at, and the backspring on the slip joint is surprisingly strong. This is a purposeful two handed opening knife. There is a dedicated half stop, and the backspring is almost flush at the half stop.

When closing the knife you need to use some level of care due to the strong back spring. There is a half stop, but if you aren’t careful there is still room for the meat of your finger to get pinched in between the ricasso and handle. The slip joint is sturdy and reassuring, and inspired enough confidence for me to take on tougher jobs. The spring itself is tempered high carbon steel. Still, you need to use some care when working with a knife like this. It’s not a locking folder, and it sure as heck isn’t a fixed blade. Make sure you are using the right tool for the job.

GEC Viper Review – Final Thoughts

The Viper has been a wonderful introduction to higher end US made slip joint knives. I really like the look of single bladed slip joints, and traditional wharnies, so it was easy to pick this one out of the GEC lineup when thinking of my first knife.

That said, I was still surprised at how much I have enjoyed the 47. This is a larger folder, but it is still innocuous enough to bring to work. It carries well, cuts cleanly, and is satisfying to open and use. The materials are great, the fit and finish are on point, and the price is reasonable. The knife is also made in the USA. At the end of the day I have an extremely hard time finding any kind of fault with the Viper. I could do without the lanyard hole, but I see why they included it. I am also not a huge fan of the amount of branding GEC etched onto the blade. Thankfully, that faded with cleaning. Beyond that I have no complaints.

I highly recommend the Viper if you are looking for a traditional folder or just an excellent EDC.

GEC Viper – From $82.36
From: KnivesShipFree

I recommend purchasing the Viper at KniveShipFree. 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.

Kershaw CQC-6K Review

by Dan Jackson 27 Comments

Last Updated: August 11, 2019
Occasionally a knife comes along that I feel almost obligated to review. Almost as if I would be doing the site a disservice by not reviewing the knife. My goal with the website from day one was to build a resource, and a resource on folding knives would be pretty crummy if I didn’t have reviews of things like the Benchmade Griptilian or Kershaw Skyline. These kinds of knives have become so ubiquitous to our understanding of what a modern folding knife is, to the point where I feel that it would be a failure on my part not to include a review on them.

Buy the Kershaw CQC-6k at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

I think that the CQC-6K could be another one of those knives. The CQC-6K is one knife in a series of collaborations between Emerson knives and Kershaw. That alone is reason enough to review it. Ernest Emerson is known for his quirky designs and relatively expensive knives. Between chisel grinding the edge, drilling and tapping the pocket clip for right side tip up carry only, and retailing the blades for (usually) over $180, his work is inaccessible to lots of people. These Kershaw collaborations can be had for under $40, and feature creature comforts like ambidextrous clips and v-ground edges. These knives could be perfect for someone who doesn’t want a cask strength Emerson.

I decided to pick out the CQC-6K specifically because it seemed like their flagship model. If you want to see an overview of the entire collaboration I invite you to check out the awesome work The Edge Observer did on the series. He really did a fantastic job and it gives you a good feel for the entire lineup. I am entirely too cheap and too lazy to purchase and review the entire collection.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The CQC-6K has an overall length of 7.75″, a 3.25″ blade, and weighs 5.1 ounces. Kershaw has produced a number of smaller designs in the Kershaw/Emerson lineup, but I feel like this is a good size for my needs. 3.25″ is a good size blade for EDC, it fits the hand well, and just feels right.

I will say that at over 5 ounces, my biggest complaint is the weight. I don’t mean to sound like NutnFancy, but I think it is a valid criticism of the knife. Part of me wants to justify the heavy build because of the stainless steel frame lock, but with knives like the ESEE Zancudo being stainless steel framelocks coming in a full 2 ounces lighter than this 6K, I can’t help but wonder if things could have been done differently to save some weight. The flip side is that this knife appears to be very tough.

The CQC-6K comes with a classic clip point blade. Fans of a tanto blade may prefer the CQC-7K, which is basically the same knife with a tanto. You don’t need to be a history major to realize that the clip point is a very functional blade shape that has stood the test of time. I really enjoyed my CQC-13, which is an even more aggressive clip point. Here you get a capable tip, a good belly, and plenty of edge, all mated to a hollow grind. I like this blade shape a great deal.

Emerson’s blades are one of my favorite aspects of his knives. The grinds are beautiful and I love the 2-toned finishes found on his stonewashed models. Here Kershaw attempted a 2 tone effect: satin flats and a stonewashed primary bevel. It’s not nearly as nice as a real Emerson, but I give them props for trying something different. I like this touch.

For steel Kershaw went with 8Cr13MoV. I don’t mind 8Cr13MoV on a $30 knife. As I have mentioned dozens of times before, it sharpens easily and it takes a good edge. Sure it won’t hold onto that edge forever, but that’s part of the game. My blade has held up well under normal use. Can’t say I did anything too crazy with the knife, but it broke down boxes, carved wood, and opened up plastic packaging on several occasions. If the intended use is EDC, the CQC-6K should do just fine.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The CQC-6K has a G-10 handle scale and stainless steel liner on the non-locking side, and a stainless steel framelock on the locking side. There is a partial G-10 backspacer. Construction is solid. The framelock and liner are both substantial, and is where this hefty knife picks up several of its extra ounces. I like how Kershaw went with Phillips head hardware for the body screws, and a slotted pivot, paying homage to Emerson’s original creations. The fit and finish of the handle is also quite good. The corners of the framelock were all chamfered, and the pieces line up well. One thing I did notice is that this framelock will rust if you aren’t careful. I am not sure what I was doing with my knife (maybe I used it prepare food or carried it around in a sweaty pocket), but one day I picked it up and noticed little rust spots on it. Bar Keeper’s Friend saved the day yet again, but it’s an observation I wanted to mention.

Ergonomically, the CQC-6K feels like an Emerson. That’s a great thing. This is a ridiculously comfortable knife. The handle is thick and spacious, and you have a deep finger groove that locks your hand in place. There is a prodigious amount of jimping on the knife, a feature I have shied away from, but it’s subdued and works well here. There is plenty of space to grab this in forward and reverse grips. This is just a good handle design.

The pocket clip on the CQC-6K is modeled after the standard Emerson clip. It has been scaled down to fit the proportions of this smaller knife, but it’s the same shape of the clip regular Emersons come with. The clip is a proven design and was well implemented here, especially since Kershaw decided to drill and tap this thing for ambidextrous tip up carry. It’s a Christmas miracle – an Emerson with holes on both sides of the handle! (In case you couldn’t tell, I am very happy to see this.)

As far as carry goes, this is not a deep carry knife. There is room to easily grab the knife and make use of the wave feature. This is a heavy and relatively thick knife, but it carries well thanks in part to the sturdy clip design. The clip has also been laser etched with Emerson’s skull logo, an interesting detail that I could probably live without.

Deployment and Lockup

For deployment, you have the option of either using the wave feature, or the thumb disk. For the uninitiated, the wave feature is essentially a hook on the spine of the blade that catches on the corner of your pocket when drawing out the knife. As the hook catches on your pocket it forces the blade open. The wave feature is a lot of fun and it works well on this smaller knife. The thumb disk also works well and I actually find it a little easier to use on this compact design than on Emerson’s full size offerings.

As I mentioned earlier, this knife makes use of a stainless steel framelock. This is a departure from Emerson’s liner locks. It adds a lot of unnecessary weight to the knife, but most people seem to prefer frame locks for the perceived increase in strength, so I can see why they did it. I am happy to report that this is a good stainless steel frame lock. My knife locks up around 50%. The blade is secure, and is without any sort of play. Also the lock doesn’t stick, and is easy to manipulate. At this price point I can’t ask for much more than that.

Kershaw CQC-6K Review – Final Thoughts

By and large this knife is a winner. Kershaw has successfully brought Emerson’s designs to the mass market. Most of the stuff that makes an Emerson an Emerson has been ported over, and you also get things like a “V” edge, and ambidextrous pocket clip. Fit and finish is very good and the end result is a well made, satisfying knife, with classic Emerson attitude and ergonomics. I am thankful for the fact that they didn’t make this a Speedsafe knife. Kershaw loves to do that on budget blades (because their market research has shown most people prefer assisted openers), and I’m glade this one was spared. This price is also hard to beat. KAI has been on fire with their collaborations with Hinderer, and these new collaborations with Ernest Emerson may just make KAI the collaboration king.

If I were to lodge a complaint against the CQC-6K it would be the weight. Some might try to cut the 6K some slack because it’s a $30 knife, but the Zancudo is similarly priced but is much lighter. For that reason this one doesn’t quite make my best EDC knives list, but it comes pretty close. This is an otherwise great knife so I feel the need to point out this potential issue. The flip side is that it makes for a very tough knife, and this could be a good choice for a beater / work blade. Emerson purists may bemoan the fact that this knife is made overseas. If that is such a big issue I would suggest saving up and buying a real Emerson.

At the end of the day I think you are getting a lot of nice knife for the money, and I recommend it for fans of Emerson’s designs or those looking for a tough and compact EDC that won’t break the bank.

Kershaw Emerson CQC-6K Folding Pocket Knife

3” blade is made of 8Cr14MoV stainless steel with dual blade finishes offers excellent edge retention and wear resistance
Modified clip-point blade is ideal for delicate handiwork, opening packages, cleaning small game, aggressive animal defense and preparing kindling
Designed by Emerson Knives and precision engineered by Kershaw for uncompromising function, fit and finish
Versatile pocket carry and ideal companion for wilderness guides, hunters, backpackers, landscapers and knife enthusiasts
Manual blade opening with a thumb disk, Emerson’s patented “wave shaped feature”, a favorite feature among military, rescue and law enforcement

I recommend purchasing the CQC-6K at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading!