Gentleman's Folder

Benchmade 940-1 Review

Last Updated: July 13, 2019
Benchmade is a company that prefers iteration over innovation. Most of the new knives fall comfortably, and somewhat uninspiringly, within the boundaries of its recognizable, slow-to-change design language. Even really good new Benchmade knives, like the Valet, aren’t that differently from the Benchmades of five, even ten years ago.

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I can understand Benchmade’s adherence to its own unchanging vision to a certain extent. When the stars align it results in some unforgettable knives. To my mind there are few knives under $100 that compare to the Mini-Griptilian as an all-purpose EDC knife, and I’ve always thought the 710 looked like an incredible large folder.

But, for a lot of folks, the Warren Osborne-designed 940 is the Benchmade knife, and one that I was long overdue in trying out – partly because I prefer smaller knives, and partly because in the gleeful, dizzying descent that is the first few years of knife collecting, you’re bound to miss a few standbys in all that whirl and headiness.

Once the honeymoon phase of my collecting was over, I wanted to settle down with a nice, mid-sized Benchmade, and started to consider the 940 seriously. By the time I was ready to pull the trigger the Benchmade 940-1, a ‘premium’ rendition of the beloved blade, had released.

‘Premium’ doesn’t always mean ‘better,’ (unless there are performance benefits to Damasteel I am unaware of), and, with Benchmade’s Gold Class models it also means a 100+% increase in price. Thankfully Benchmade kept the 940-1 in their Blue Class line – the standard line for knives intended to be used. And while there is an increase in price over the vanilla 940, all of the changes Benchmade made – the carbon fiber scales and the slightly retooled handle, S90V steel – are performance-oriented. In short, while the 940 was already a classic, and I would’ve adored owning it, the 940-1 is, to my mind, the ideal version of an already incredible knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 940-1 has a blade length of 3 7/16”, a handle length of 4 ¾”, and an overall length of 7 7/8”. The weight is the first indication that the 940-1’s premium materials were chosen with performance in mind: this medium-sized folder weighs just 2.44 oz. To put that in perspective: the Spyderco Paramilitary 2, a knife that is widely lauded for the way it crams a lot of blade into a fairly lightweight package, is more than an ounce heavier (still a wonderful knife though).

The 940-1 features the iconic Osborne modified reverse tanto blade shape. Normally when I hear ‘reverse tanto’ I roll my eyes and expect tacticool sub-par performance, but thankfully that is not the case here. As a mid-sized knife, the 940-1 does everything I would expect it to do well. Punching through cardboard, whittling, even slicing an apple – it’s versatile and accommodating. Like all the best blade shapes, you feel like it was designed to do specifically whatever task you’re currently performing. I don’t love it for fine or delicate cutting tasks, but really there’s only one larger folder I know of that works well in those roles (smooches, PM2, sorry I called you fat earlier).

This good all-around performance can be attributed partly to the grind. When it comes to blade grinding, Benchmade has a lot of bad habits – swedges, facets, that sort of thing. Indeed, on paper, this grind is a mess: big swedge, the thinning-and-then-thickening out of the blade, the somewhat bulbous tip. You’d think there would be no way to make this a good slicer, but the bladesmiths at Benchmade pulled it off – if only just.

The reverse tanto can slice, pull cut, pierce, everything. It’s hardy without feeling bulky. I can cut up plastic or wood but when I slice up an apple with it I don’t get that ‘driving a railroad spike’ feeling I do from my Strider PT CC. My 940-1 is adequately thin behind the edge, but with such a small primary bevel I can see (and have heard of) unnecessary thickness before the edge bevel. In short, it’s a fine line, but, on my 940-1, they managed to walk it and make a good performer out of a very flamboyant design.

The other half of the equation is the steel: S90V. This is an exotic steel. I use the word ‘exotic’ purposefully because, even more so than something like ZDP-189 or M390, S90V feels very different from your standard steels. Its edge retention is totally singular – not in terms of how long, but rather in what manner it holds an edge.

I’ve written at length about my preference for ‘clean’ edge retention, and S90V flies in the face of my predilection: even when very sharp I found its edge quite toothy. For a long time I thought I didn’t like S90V. I didn’t expect such vicious-feeling edge from a super steel.

But when I started testing the 940-1 for review, I came to appreciate it. Again, the 940-1 is a mid-sized knife, and for mid-sized tasks that toothiness is a boon: this thing chews through wood, cardboard, plastic, and other materials, with no appreciable diminishment in its cutting capabilities. S90V is aggressive, and I approve. Don’t let the classiness of the CF fool you: the 940-1 is a barbarian in a tuxedo.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The 940-1’s handle is a textbook example of the grip-neutral handle, and I love it. A straightforward, clean-lined handle that lets you hold it however you need to – more of this please, knife makers.

Whereas the vanilla 940’s handle is composed of two aluminum scales with a titanium spacer between them, the 940-1’s carbon fiber scales are separated by two gorgeous blue standoffs. There are nested partial liners, and everything feels sturdy and durable in the hand. The carbon fiber isn’t slick, and all the edges are rounded to avoid hotspots. The knife is slim and narrow: you will barely noticed this medium-sized knife in your pocket. The clip stays nice and low and doesn’t muck up your grip.

That clip is the standard Benchmade number, the same you see on the Mini-Griptilian – although here it appears to be Parkerized instead of painted. It’s a real B+ of a clip: better than adequate, less than stellar. I like the way at looks, and I like that it’s tough, because I’m pretty hard on clips, but in a perfect world the deep-carry butterfly clip from the Contego would come standard on the 940-1.

At least, if they can get the fit just right. I know Everyday Commentary did the swap and it worked great, but when I gave the Contego clip a try, it didn’t sit flush against the scales, and clacked obnoxiously every time I held the knife, so I went back to the default clip – which, lest we forget, is good at worst.

All of these good things come together and make the 940-1 a top-tier carry in-pocket. Narrow, thin, easy to retrieve, and totally unnoticeable in carry. Wonderful. Better even than my beloved PM2 (I’m sorry baby, come back!).

Deployment and Lockup

When you’re talking about an Axis Lock, deployment and lockup are intertwined, to the extent that the nature of the Axis Lock allows for a very recognizable, friction-free deployment. Once you break in an Axis Lock you have a glass-smooth deployment for years and years. I only own one other Blue Class Benchmade knife, a Mini-Griptilian, and as good as that feels to deploy, the 940-1 is even better: this thing closes on its own if I disengage the lock and it is at any kind of angle. This is a classic Benchmade-ism I wouldn’t change.

Here is a shot of the 940-1 next to the Spyderco Para 2:

The only downside to this super-smooth deployment is a modicum of side-to-side bladeplay. Not enough to worry me on my pass/fail system for bladeplay, but definitely noticeable. But I’ve personally never had a larger knife that didn’t have a little play. It doesn’t make cutting any harder, and it doesn’t signify a weak lock. If I were using this knife for hard-use tasks it might bother me more (and I also wouldn’t want an Axis Lock for true hard use), but in the sort of things this knife is designed to do, it’s great.

And here is a parting shot of the 940-1 next to the Benchmade 551-1 G-10 Griptilian:

Benchmade 940-1 Review – Final Thoughts

When I first picked up the 940-1, I was really hoping that it would quickly get discontinued so that it became a collector’s piece and I could flip it for an exorbitant, Hinderer-esque profit. Now that I’ve really thought about the thing, though, I’m glad it’s still around. I’m fairly comfortable calling this the version of the 940 to get: you get a really rad steel and better-looking and lighter scales on top of all the other things that make the 940 a classic, and it deserves to be carried, used, and loved by as many people as possible. And when you consider that, depending on where you shop, you’re only paying about a $70 premium for it, it seems like a no-brainer.

The 940-1 is the best version of one of the best pocket knives ever designed.

Benchmade - 940-1 EDC Knife, Reverse Tanto Blade, Plain Edge, Satin Finish, Black Carbon Fiber Handle, Made in the USA

ALL-AROUND UTILITY: A quintessential EDC tool that combines simplicity with unmatched function, no matter the application; Ideal for pretty much everything.
HIGH-END CPM-S90V STEEL: Uniform microstructure gives it a superior edge when it comes to wear and corrosion resistance ; Reverse tanto blade is nimble, versatile, and made for the outdoors.
ULTRALIGHT CARBON FIBER HANDLE: Exceptionally strong with a featherweight feel in the hand and gnarled texture across the board for a sure grip
AXIS LOCKING MECHANISM: Ensures safety and a smooth open and easy close; Standard clip; Light as a feather for easy carrying and a comfortable grip.
EVERYDAY CARRY: With its slim profile and lightweight design, the 940-1 is the perfect addition to your gear collection, backpack, survival kit, tackle box, and more.

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade 940-1 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.

Boker Plus Urban Trapper Review

by Dan Jackson 31 Comments

If you have been following knife trends at all, you will know there is big interest in both titanium framelock flippers and traditional folding knives. So it shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to come up with the idea of combining these two trends, but they have really been viewed as two mutually exclusive phenomena. That is of course, until now.

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Enter the Boker Plus Urban Trapper. Designed by fellow Floridian and custom knife maker, Brad Zinker, the Urban Trapper is exactly what it sounds like: the melding of a traditional trapper pattern with modern features and materials. The end result, is everything you love about traditional folders (their light weight, and wickedly thin blades) combined with the bells and whistles of a titanium framelock flipper.

It sounds great, but given Boker‘s quality control issues some might pass this model over. That would be a mistake. This is arguable the best knife I have handled in 2015. No joke. Boker has had a spotty history with quality control, and their titanium framelocks have been notoriously bad, so I probably have my work cut out for me if I am to try and convince you that this is the best production knife I handled in 2015, but they absolutely slammed this one out of the park. Let me explain to you why.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Urban Trapper has an overall length of 7.75″, a 3.5″ blade, and the all titanium version (shown here) weighs a mere 1.78 ounces, is made in China, and currently retails for around $60. The knife is insanely light yet still packs a healthy 3.5″ blade. I am not one to bother with blade to handle ratios, but Brad used up every spare millimeter when cramming the blade into the handle. The end result is both thoughtful and elegant.

The Urban Trapper was designed to be an Every Day Carry (EDC) knife, and I have used mine in that capacity. Although the blade is on the long side, but it’s thin profile means I have not had any issues using the Urban Trapper in public. I think you could also argue this is a gentleman’s folder.

The blade of the Urban Trapper is an elongated clip point, featuring a lean clip with a thin swedge. It is definitely a modern take on a classic blade pattern, and isn’t your grandpa’s clip point. Most of the spine is taken up by the swedge, but the part that isn’t is capped (rounded). The blade has a high flat grind and precise tip. I have always found clip points to be utilitarian, and this version is no exception. The tip is excellent for detail work, and the thin grind slices like a traditional folder (meaning, it slices wonderfully).

An interesting detail on the knife is the satin finished blade. If you watch YouTube knife reviews of custom folders, you will invariably hear the reviewer go on about how the knife is “the best flipper I have ever handled” and/or gush over the “hand rub satin finish”. While I think both of those reviewer tropes are more than a little tired, I can’t deny that the blade is well done and the satin finish, running horizontally from ricasso to tip, was intended to mimic the hand rubbed finish of a custom offering. It’s a nice touch, especially at this price point.

Boker went with VG-10 steel for the blade, a middle of the road Japanese stainless. I don’t mind VG-10 on this knife given the price point. I have used my Urban Trapper quite a bit, and have had the chance to test it on a variety of materials. It’s great for breaking down boxes, and slices apples with ease. Speaking of slicing, the thin flat grind is a tremendous slicer, much like many of the traditional folders I have used like the Indian River Jack or Alox Cadet.

The UT also held up well as a utility knife. I have used the knife for several home improvement projects, cutting thick plastic and even wire in a pinch. I don’t recommend cutting wire with the Urban Trapper, but I didn’t have anything else on me at the time. The knife held up fine, although the edge definitely rolled. VG-10 will not hold an edge forever, but it’s an easy steel to sharpen. No issues with rust, and I routinely rinsed the knife out in the sink after using it.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

There are a surprising number of details to enjoy when examining the handle of the Urban Trapper. The handle is comprised of 2 pieces of titanium and a single stand off. All of the edges have been neatly rounded, and a series of holes have been drilled into the handle to provide visual interest and lighten the knife. The holes are countersunk and the edges have been given a mirror polished edge. Everything has been executed flawlessly. There is a nice decorative pivot, and the seat of the pocket clip is inlayed into the handle. The titanium is given a tumbled finish which hides wear well. For a simple slab built handle, Boker did a lot to bring Zinker’s custom design to life.

If naked titanium is not your thing, Boker is also offering the UT with a variety of handle covers including Cocobolo, G10, and carbon fiber. I haven’t checked these out yet and prefer this minimalist version.

The Urban Trapper is a thin and lightweight knife, but it’s not cramped for space. I am able to get a comfortable grip on it without any issues. That said, there is not much in the way of traction on the handle. The stonewashed finish offers a little feedback. There is no jimping. It would not be my go to knife for a 3 month expedition through the Amazon, but it’s fine for urban EDC. I would suggest using this knife the same way you would use a slip joint. That said, I have gotten a lot of work done with the UT and I can say with confidence that this knife is comfortable for normal use.

The Urban Trapper comes with a nice fold over deep carry titanium pocket clip. The handle has been milled so the clip slots in to it and is held in place with 2 flush mount screws. This is nice because there is nothing for your pocket to get caught on when you insert the knife into your pocket. The drawback is that the knife is set up for right side tip up carry only. Not a big deal for me, but worth mentioning.

The UT carries well. At under 2 ounces you quickly forget it’s in the pocket. The knife is wafer thin and the clip is very unobtrusive. This is a fantastic knife for my style of daily carry.

Deployment and Lockup

The flipper tab on the Urban Trapper may take some getting used to. It’s squarish and has jimping, and I find that the knife opens best when you “light switch” the flipper by resting your index finger on the corner of the flipper tab. Personally I never had any problems getting the knife open, and I am able to push button the flipper too, but in reading up a bit for the review I noticed some people complain about the flipper. It works fine for me. The detent is solid and the knife is on a bearing system. It flips well, and fires hard. The action is smooth to the point where I can shake the blade closed.

For lockup we have a simple titanium framelock. There is no steel insert. Just simple titanium on steel. My knife locks up early (around 20%) and is secure and without play. This is after opening the knife hundreds of times and beating on it in a series of little remodeling projects. I realize Boker does not have the best track record with their titanium framelocks, but this Urban Trapper is trouble free after a couple months of use. I plan on keeping the knife and will update the review if anything changes.

Blade centering on my knife is basically perfect. The pivot has loosened up a couple times, but a twist of my allen wrench brings things back to true.

Boker Urban Trapper Review – Final Thoughts

Although I think it was released in 2014, the Urban Trapper is on my short list for “Best Knife of 2015”. For $60 I consider it a production folder masterpiece, blending two of the current hottest trends in knives while coming in at the notoriously tough $50-75 price range. When I first got the Urban Trapper I immediately compared it with another favorite of mine: the CRKT Swindle. The knives share some similarities: they are slim, inexpensive, bearing equipped framelock flippers. The Urban Trapper sells for twice as much, but I think it’s twice as nice of a knife. It’s much lighter and the pocket clip is way better. Well worth the price premium in my book.

And let me attempt to put any quality control fears to rest – my Urban Trapper has been problem free, and that seems to be par for the course based on my research. The fit and finish is excellent. There is no blade play, lock rock, or anything like that. Say what you will about Chinese knives, but this one is dialed in. The Urban Trapper truly is a combination of the things I love most about traditional folders (their pocketability, people friendly profile, and thin blades) with all of the creature comforts we have come to know and love with framelock flippers (one hand opening, pocket clips, lightweight materials). For $60 it’s a no brainer.

The Urban Trapper comes with my highest endorsement. It easily makes its way onto my best EDC knives page. There are nicer more expensive knives out there, but the Urban Trapper is a perfect storm of price, workmanship, and performance. This is something everyone can appreciate. Buy it and enjoy it. You can thank me later.

Sale

Boker Plus 01BO730 Urban Trapper Knives with 3-1/2 in. Straight Edge Blade, Silver

Vg-10 premium steel blade
Titanium frame lock
8mm grip thickness

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

Spyderco Air Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 6 Comments

Last Updated: August 11, 2019
Although working with custom makers has become common practice for knife companies, many of these collaborations end up feeling like compromises. Whether it’s because of restrictive budgets, or sub-par execution, or whatever else, rare is the collaboration knife that feels like an unhindered expression of a maker’s vision and style.

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The Spyderco Air, a knife made in collaboration with Gayle Bradley, quite conspicuously unsettles that trend; it is a considered collaboration, and the result is a knife that is fully a Gayle Bradley even as it is clearly a Spyderco. It feels thoroughly thought-out in a way most knives do not. It isn’t the perfect knife for every task, but for the tasks it is designed for, I can’t think of a knife that performs any better.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Air has a blade length of 2 5/8”, a 3 ½” handle, and an overall length of almost exactly 6”; thanks to a combination of milled out titanium liners and thin silver twill scales, it weighs just 1.3 oz. Its lightness is one of the reasons why the Air is billed as a gentleman’s folder, but it is surprisingly robust (more on that later). The Air is made in Taichung, Taiwan.

Although the whole knife benefits from Bradley and Spyderco’s attention to detail, the blade is the heart and soul of the Air – as it should be with any knife. It begins with the shape, a Wharncliffe with a few small, but very important, tweaks: first, a subdued swedge that not only reduces material and weight but gives the Air genuine piercing capability for biting into packaging or cardboard or the like. Second, either a slight cant to the blade or an actual curvature that gives it a little belly, making the traditionally neutral -feeling Wharncliffe shape a little more aggressive with material.

The Air’s blade is made from CPM-M4 steel, a tool steel with a reputation for extreme edge retention. Looking at the composition chart for M4, the standout element is the amount of Molybdenum; at 5.25%, that’s significantly more than any steel I know of or was able to find. Molybdenum makes a steel tougher and keeps the grain size small, allowing for finer edges – and indeed the edge on my Air came clean and has remained so despite a fairly rigorous couple years of use. It doesn’t get toothy or cut rougher as it dulls – and it hasn’t dulled much in two years of fairly rigorous use.

I think the grind is responsible for the edge’s longevity; although the Air is ground thin, the stock isn’t as thin as you’d maybe expect, and there’s still a fair bit of material right behind the edge, which keeps the edge stable. I would take issue with this grind if it affected cutting performance at all, as I’d gladly trade toughness for slicing ability with a knife of this size, but it doesn’t; Bradley and Spyderco seem to have really understood what makes M4 appealing, and ground the Air to best take advantage of that appeal. The end result, as Gayle Bradley discusses in this video interview, is that you have a small, discreet knife that can actually be used pretty hard.

That’s not to say that M4 is perfect. It is a tool steel, which, at least when we’re talking about knives, tends to mean something non-stainless. In my experience M4 tends to tarnish where it is handled a lot, such as around the Spyder Hole. I don’t cut a lot of food with my knives, so my Air wasn’t exposed to the acidity of an apple or a tomato very often; if you use your knife for food prep you may see more discoloration than I did. Even if that were the case, such discoloration is an aesthetic issue, and doesn’t affect performance.

During the testing period for this review I forgot to take the Air out of my pocket and sent it through the wash. When I found it, it was spotted with surface rust over one side, but thankfully a few minutes with a polishing cloth and the rust was gone. This isn’t an indictment of M4, because most steels would rust in that situation; just a public service announcement to check your pockets before doing laundry.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Air is interesting: like the full-size Spyderco Bradley folder, it consists of scales laid over slightly larger liners. This allows the Air to fill the hand while still looking sleek; I think if the twill scales were extended to covert the liners entirely that it, along with the then-necessary chamfering, would make the Air look chunky. All that aside, the arrangement is visually interesting, and I can’t complain about the functionality either: the Air fills the hand better than something like the Al Mar Hawk Ultralight. You can fit all four fingers on the Air, and there’s even a divot in the spine of the knife to rest your thumb during harder cuts – another sign that it was meant to do some heavy-duty cutting.

The Air doesn’t have a pocket clip. Apparently Spyderco conducted a survey, and half of the people asked wanted a clip, and the other half didn’t. Ultimately, I think going clipless with the Air was the right decision. The Air is so sleek and lightweight that you truly don’t notice it in your pocket. I always notice a knife that I have clipped to my pocket, no matter small and unobtrusive. Also, I feel that Spyderco would have opted for the wire clip like on the Dragonfly II and, as nice as that clip looks and performs, I find it too easy to break. Finally, the materials the Air is made of are conducive to in-pocket carry; whereas I worry about my Hawk or my Indian River Jack if I carry it without a slip, the Air looks as good today as when I got it, and seems impervious to wear and tear.

Deployment and Lockup

We all know that the Spyder Hole is an excellent deployment method. Mr. Bradley buried the hole pretty deep into the handle, and although it is slightly occluded, there is more than enough exposed to get purchase with your thumb, and the super smooth deployment takes care of the rest.

For lockup there is a titanium liner lock. Although I don’t remember quite how far the liner travelled when my Air was brand new, after two years it is quite close to the opposite side:

Whether this is how it was when I got it, or if it’s a result of the titanium deforming over time, I’ve never had the least amount of bladeplay, and there are very few knives in my collection about which I can say that. And, one of those “The More I Use Knives” things I’ve learned is that the amount of travel on a liner lock isn’t a clear indicator of how well it will work.

One interesting note about the Air: it has an internalized stop pin that’s set into the back of the tang and rides in channels around the pivot. Mr. Bradley talks about the aesthetic merits of this design in the previously-cited interview, and I can’t say that there’s any other concrete benefit to it, but it’s certainly very cool.

Spyderco Air Review – Final Thoughts

In its product class – an EDC blade, or perhaps the increasingly nebulous ‘gent’s folder’ designation- the Air is about as good as it gets. There are knives that I like as much, like the Indian River Jack or the Hawk Ultralight, but I can’t say that either of those knives are objectively better- and in fact there are definite advantages the Air has over either: one-handed opening over the IRJ, and better steel than the Hawk.

Ultimately, when we’re looking at a collaboration knife like the Air, the faithfulness of the collaboration isn’t the point: what matters is what the faithfulness resulted in, and in this case the result is a knife of unmistakable quality.

Spyderco Air Glass Fiber Plain Edge Knife

Made using the highest quality materials
Tested for quality and durability
The most trusted name in you cutlery needs
Clip less folding knife
Walker Liner Lock

I recommend purchasing the Air at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading!

DPx Aculus Review

by Grayson Parker 12 Comments

The first time I noticed a gear company use the words “executive protection,” I was browsing the Goruck website. I was in the market for a backpack (my Jansport had succumbed to a combination of heat, dirt, and heavy loads) and saw that Goruck had recently released a sleeker bag that was stripped of the exterior MOLLE webbing. Their product literature claimed that these design changes were meant to appeal to individuals working in high-end private security. While I thought the justification was a little silly, the design was still attractive to me – all the moreso because I am (contrary to what you may have heard) not working in executive protection.

Some time passed, and I had entirely forgotten about it. Then it cropped up again: Triple Aught Design had finally gotten around to releasing a pair of jeans, but marketed them to the corporate security crowd. I can tell you from personal experience that the jeans are awesome, but again the marketing was confusing.

Enter the DPx Gear Aculus: another lust worthy piece of gear that was apparently designed with undercover operations in mind. While I can’t speak for its effectiveness in that regard, I can tell you that it’s what I would expect Robert Young Pelton’s version of a “gentleman’s knife” to look like. If you believe the rumors, the Aculus was first designed on a napkin – though with R.Y.P.’s reputation, that doesn’t sound like a tall tale. The design was then licensed to LionSteel, who produced it as the TiSpine. Under the terms of the agreement, DPx would sell the Aculus in limited quantities and only sell it directly from their website.

DPx sells the Aculus as their “gentleman’s knife”; and, compared to the rest of their product line, that makes sense. However, when you are not comparing it to blades that are ¼” slabs of tool steel, that claim falls apart. I can’t presume to be a gentleman, but I’ve found myself in a suit on a few occasions, and none of them were situations where a knife like the Aculus would be appropriate. Does that mean that the Aculus is a bad knife? Far from it, but there are some caveats you need to be aware of.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Aculus has a blade length of 3.35”, a closed length of 4.33”, and weighs 3.53 oz. Overall, it’s a bit smaller than a Spyderco Paramilitary 2, but has a cutting edge about as long. Although I can’t quite see the resemblance to a scorpion tail (the namesake of the knife), I have to admit the blade shape is very attractive. There is plenty of belly, but not so much that the blade slips during fine cutting tasks. The swedge takes away a moderate amount of steel—not enough to compromise the tip geometry, but certainly enough to help with piercing tasks. It adds a nice aesthetic touch to boot.

Sadly, that durability makes the Aculus a poor slicer. It handled cardboard just fine, but food prep was challenging. This was disappointing, as picnic lunches seem to be one of the few true occasions where a “gentleman’s knife” is warranted. For some reason I had always assumed the Aculus featured a hollow grind. While that wouldn’t make it an insane cutter, it would be a big help. If you have an Aculus and feel that the blade is too thick behind the edge, I’d look into having it reground. However, that’s assuming that you do a lot of slicing. Many of today’s cutting tasks are just that: cutting. Breaking down boxes, opening packages, and other utility jobs don’t often require a thin blade, and in some cases it can even be a liability. As for me, I use my knives at lunch frequently and would prefer a hollow grind.

This was my first experience with Niolox steel, and online research provided confusing and often contradictory information. In this iteration, the steel was very impressive. I used the Aculus to prepare food, break down cardboard boxes, and even shave some drywall. It handled everything I threw at it, kept a working edge for a long time, and stropped easily. From what I saw online I expected corrosion to be an issue, but that hasn’t come up. DPx loves their tool steels, and I can’t see any reason why they shouldn’t.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

Of course, the handle is the draw of the Aculus. Integral frame locks (especially at the production level) are technical marvels and a sign of how far the cutlery industry has advanced in recent years. DPx and LionSteel knocked it out of the park. The diamond pattern is striking – almost like corrugated steel brought to a high polish. Between the attractive curves, slight contouring, and aforementioned machining, the Aculus is quite pleasant in the hand. The handle is a bit slim, but the traction from the 3-D machining makes up for that. It’s comfortable in just about any grip, including when the knife is closed.

The Aculus is slim, contoured, and features an over-the-top pocket clip. Said pocket clip meets the butt of the handle at an angle, and while it does increase the rate of pocket wear in jeans, it nestles pleasantly in slacks and suit pants. Honestly, the only complaint I can make about the clip is that DPx etched their skull logo on the clip. I’m not one for logos, especially on a knife that’s supposed to be unobtrusive. It’s not that the logo is garish or without charm; it just feels out of place. I’d like to see the same approach they take with the ‘Triple Black’ series applied here, where most of the branding is hidden or left off. Robert Young Pelton’s design motif speaks for itself – you won’t mistake his style for someone else’s.

Deployment and Lockup

After doing some research on the internet, I was under the impression that the Aculus was – despite the cut out for the thumb – a two-handed opening knife. For the first three weeks that I had the Aculus, it was tricky to open it with one hand. It wasn’t until I saw a video on DPx Sean’s Instagram page that I realized the Aculus could actually be ‘coin-flipped’ open. Opening it that way is a little unintuitive, but once you get the hang of it it’s pretty easy, even addictive. I don’t know if that’s something I would recommend on a knife this nice, but if the folks at DPx can get away with it, I think the end user can too.

Throughout the testing period, the lock-up was fine. I didn’t have a problem with a sticky lock (which has plagued other DPx models) and the lock-up is stable at 70%. There is no blade play in any direction, and I never thought it would give. Still, integrals make me nervous. I can’t help but feel that if something goes wrong, you are up a certain creek without a paddle. A lock-bar insert (as featured on the LionSteel SR-1) would do a lot to put my mind at ease, but for whatever reason one wasn’t included here. Because of this, I have trouble with the “hard use” moniker. Bear in mind DPx has a stellar warranty service, so my fears are likely unwarranted.

DPx Aculus – Final Thoughts

I can’t refer to this as a “gentleman’s knife” or a “hard use” knife, much less both. The former because there is really no use for such a tool at an academic conference, at a cocktail party, a political function, or a courtroom. In some of those cases the Aculus would even be confiscated on the way in. If you’re the one doing the confiscating (for instance, working private security), then you probably need this knife for reasons that a twenty-something graduate student can’t relate to. As for the “hard use” claim, I’m skeptical enough of normal frame-locks in that role. Besides, the Aculus is really too pretty to shunt into rough tasks.

For modern knife enthusiasts, the Aculus pushes a lot of buttons. It is fun to fidget with, easy to carry, and drop-dead gorgeous. It doesn’t slice very well, but for most people that won’t be a big deal. Ultimately, even though the Aculus isn’t a “gentleman’s knife,” or a “hard use” knife, it’s quite impressive and undeniably attractive. For collectors and folks that don’t mind thicker blade grinds, I’d recommend this knife. However, if you regularly use your knives for food prep, this is one you might want to pass on. In either case, I’m excited to see what DPx will do in the future, even if I have to endure a bit of unnecessary marketing.

DPx Aculus – From $350.00
From: dpxgear.com

Note: The Aculus has been discontinued, so if you are looking to buy one at retail I think you will have a hard time. You may be able to snag a used one off the forums. I recommend buying other DPx knives at Amazon and BladeHQ. Please keep in mind that purchasing anything through the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com. Thank you very much!

Editor’s note – having reviewed the TiSpine myself, I thought it would be fun to get Grayson’s take on the Aculus. I think he makes some valid points. Not my first choice for a gent’s folder, or a hard use tool, but it’s undeniably a beautiful knife and a marvel of engineering and craftsmanship. Well worth considering if you are at all intrigued by the design.

Opinel No. 8 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 28 Comments

Do you want to hear another “the knife that got me into knives story?” No? Alright, I’ll spare you and just say that, a few years ago, it was the lines and material of the Opinel knife that caught my eye when I was wandering around labyrinthine hardware store/Boulder landmark McGuckin’s, and to this day I’m still plummeting headfirst down the rabbit hole.

Buy on Amazon

There are certain objects whose design is so complete that they have an innate, immediate appeal to the mind; the Opinel is such an object. And even now, years down the road, after many permutations in personal taste, I still carry and use my first real knife, the Opinel No. 8.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Opinel No. 8 is made in France. Each knife in the main Opinel line is given a number that is the approximate length of the blade in centimeters: the No. 8 is historically the most popular size. My No. 8 has a blade length of 3 3/16”, a handle length of 4 3/8”, and an overall length of 7 5/8”; it weighs just 1.6 oz.

The No. 8 is comprised of just five pieces: the blade, the wooden handle, a steel collar around the pivot, a pin to keep that collar in place, and the rotating Virobloc locking ring, which fits over the steel collar. It’s a hoary old quote, but since it’s from a French writer and we’re talking about a French knife, it seems appropriate: Antoine de St-Exupéry once said that “A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” The five parts of the Opinel are all integral to its function; a single addition would be superfluous, and a single subtraction would impact performance. The smaller Opinels (nos. 2-5) lack the Virobloc ring, but with a blade as large as the one on the No.8, I think the lock is necessary.

That blade is a beautiful, sweeping clip point, with a glorious full flat grind, unadorned save for a nail mark, the words “Opinel Carbone,” and the famous main couronnée logo stamped close to the pivot. The length of the No. 8 allows for excellent food-slicing capabilities; generally I don’t cut food with my pocket knives, but the ease with which the No. 8 does it is impressive. Beyond food prep, although it doesn’t look the part, the No. 8 can perform medium-duty EDC tasks like breaking down boxes with grace: I used it to cut up a ton of cardboard and, besides a white-hot blade, I had no issues. It is also wonderful for whittling. It has been said in a thousand different places, by myself and others, but simple blade shapes are the best, and the Opinel is a textbook example of this fact.

This is a carbon steel model, made from XC90 steel. This a soft, durable carbon steel, and like all carbon steels can rust easily. It also sharpens easily-easier than any other steel I’ve ever used, in fact, including the famously easy-to-sharpen Victorinox steel. XC90 responds to the stones with a plasticity that is shocking if you’re used to more ornery modern steels: the No. 8 will go from dull to super sharp in ten minutes. XC90’s softness also means that it recovers from abuse quite well, tending to roll instead of chip. It also means, of course, that it doesn’t stay sharp for all that long, but with how easy it is to put an edge back on I find it hard to complain.

I will say, though, that when I pick up another Opinel, I will opt for a stainless steel model. Opinel’s stainless steel of choice is 12C27N, an excellent steel, especially when you consider how inexpensive an Opinel is ($15ish), that will significantly lessen rust issues, as well as eliminate the weird taste carbon steel imparts to food (I’ve had my No. 8 for years and I still notice it). And it will still sharpen up readily when the time comes. Carbon steel has its place in the knife world, but in my opinion that place is in big fixed blades; on an EDC folding knife, I think it’s a suboptimal choice.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The standard Opinel handle material is wood, and the standard wood is Beech, which is (I believe, correct me if I’m wrong, woodsmen) what mine is made out of. It offers decent traction without any sort of gimping or other modern considerations. The handle is a sort of piscine shape, with a gentle curve instead of aggressive scalloping or finger grooves, and this, along with its round shape, make for an excellent knife in the hand. It’s really a ‘grip-neutral’ knife: it works equally well in all grips. The spine of the blade is flat, allowing for a place to put your thumb for extra control, and the flat butt-end of the knife creates a good spot for your thumb in a reverse grip.

There is no clip, of course. And you probably knew this the minute you saw the knife, but its round, hand-filling shape, although great from an ergonomics perspective, is less than stellar in the pocket; this knife will take up quite a bit of room if you want to EDC it. I don’t have an issue with it, but I generally go pretty light on pocketables, so your experience may differ. The good news is that it is made out of durable materials and won’t get dinged or scratched up by your keys and other paraphernalia, and at 1.6 oz. is very light.

Deployment and Lockup

The nail mark tells you that this will be a two-hand-opening knife. I know that some two-hand knives (like the Pingo) can be kind of ‘cheesed’ into opening with one hand, but you’ll have no such luck with the Opinel No. 8: the blade buries deep in the handle, so there isn’t any place for your thumb to gain traction.

The good news is that the No. 8 is a smooth, effortless opener. Unlike a slipjoint, it has no spring putting tension on the blade, and so it comes out without a struggle; indeed, I rarely use the nail mark, instead just preferring to pinch the blade and pull. The only time I’ve had issues with it is when the wooden handle has swollen some; this creates some tightness, but it’s temporary and doesn’t render the knife unusable regardless.

The No. 8’s blade comes out so smoothly, in fact, that I would feel uncomfortable using with without the Virobloc locking ring. This is a proprietary Opinel feature, and is basically a ring around the pivot collar of the knife that, when the knife is either opened or closed, can be rotated around until it meets up against the tang of the blade and locks it either open or closed.

I like the Virobloc a lot. As with deployment, locking it is a two-handed endeavor, but speed isn’t something you should come to the Opinel looking for. I can only guess how it would stack up in strength against other locks, because I’ve never had a lock of any sort fail on me, but if you use the No. 8 for the tasks it was designed for, I don’t think you’ll ever have any issue with the Virobloc.

One interesting historical note: there is a traditional opening method for the Opinel, called the Coup de Savoyard. You tap the beak of the Opinel’s handle on a table so the blade jumps out a bit, and then open it. Not any faster than just opening it normally, but undoubtedly classier.

Opinel No. 8 Review – Final Thoughts

The Opinel No. 8 is a great knife. It has one of the best blade shapes in the world, and a comfortable, attractive handle. The two major issues I have with it-the choice of steel and the bulky carry-can be addressed by getting a stainless steel model in a smaller size. But even as it stands, years after I first picked it up, and after a hundred other knives have passed through my hands, I still come back to the No. 8, and every time I do I am pleasantly surprised-although maybe I shouldn’t be; great design doesn’t get outmoded after all, and I think the No. 8 is one of the inarguable masterpieces of our hobby.

Opinel No.08 Carbon Steel Folding Pocket Knife with Beechwood Handle, Brown (2540089)

This essential tool is unchanged since 1890 and is a must have for outdoorsmen and handymen alike
The Stainless Virobloc safety ring has two sections, one fixed and one sliding for secure locking
Opinel's carbon steel is extremely hard, thereby guaranteeing excellent cutting quality
Handle is made from hard, durable Beechwood from France
Opinel products are guaranteed under normal use and exchanged in case of manufacturing defects

If you are thinking of buying an Opinel knife, I please consider purchasing it at Amazon.com. 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.

Fallkniven U2 Review

by Dan Jackson 6 Comments

They say less is more. That is, until, less becomes less. That is the question with the [U2, an ultra minimalist blade from Fallkniven. The U2 is about as simple of a knife as you could ask for. A slim, refined folding lockback with plain black handles, a gleaming laminated blade, and just enough hardware to hold it all together.

Buy the Fallkniven U2 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

I’m no stranger to Fallkniven’s minimalist approach. I have found it works wonderfully in the context of a fixed blade and I have enjoyed their A1 and F1 tremendously. So the time has finally come to examine this little U2, which is arguably the brand’s most popular folding knife, and is marketed as the first folding knife with a Super Gold Powder Steel (SGPS) blade.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The U2 has an overall length of 5.9″, a 2.52″ blade, weighs 1.5 ounces, and is made in Japan. This knife is made for Fallkniven by Moki. There really is not much to this knife. Oddly enough, when the U2 first arrived I was most surprised with how small the box was. It was not much more than a matchbox. Needless to say, but the U2 is extremely lightweight and eminently pocketable.

The blade of the U2 is a simple drop point with full flat grind. There is no swedge or distinguishing feature, save for the ambidextrous nail nicks, laser etched Fallkniven logo, and demarcation between the steels of this laminated blade. This is about as simple as it gets. The tip is capable enough for household chores and there is a slight belly to the blade.

Fallkniven selected a laminated blade with VG10 cladding, and a Super Gold Powder Steel (SGPS) core. I discussed this steel a little in my review of the F1, but this is my first experience with it. On paper SGPS is a very interesting steel. It is heat treated to 62 HRc, and is sold at a serious premium on the F1 series.

In practice my initial reaction to the cutting ability of the U2 was underwhelming. This is a thin and sharp blade out of the box. I expected laser like performance on cardboard, but my knife was hanging up on something when I tried to cut with it. Don’t get me wrong, it cut, but it wasn’t the silky smooth performance I was expecting from a knife like this. In performing a little research for the review I realized that I was not alone, and the knife benefited greatly from a re-profiling.

I’m no expert at re-profiling, but I first attempted to “relieve the edge” a little with the 30 degree feature of my Sharpmaker. That didn’t give me the result I was after, and I ended up running it on the diamond stones of DMT Aligner. Now the U2 responds a lot better to cardboard, paper, and other fine slicing tasks. The blade stock is very thin, and so is the grind, but for whatever reason I needed to spend some time tweaking the edge before I could realize the knife’s full potential.

I found edge retention to be merely “OK”. I’d say it was a step up over VG10 and AUS8, but not leaps and bounds ahead. When it came time to touch up the edge on the rods of my Sharpmaker, it came back without a ton of work. I would place this steel above VG10, but I would not put it on the same level as ZDP-189 (at least in terms of edge retention). I had zero issues with corrosion resistance.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The handle of the U2 is injection molded Zytel, a high density plastic resin. It is lightweight, strong, and functional. However, fans of more substantial knives (including those that dislike the “plasticy” feel of the handles on the Griptilian) will likely not be a fan of the U2’s handle. Personally, I don’t mind the plastic feel of the handles. I have owned a number of zytel handled knives in the past, and have never had a problem.

However, this is one aspect of the knife that is tough for me to describe, and I don’t think pictures do a great job conveying the feel of the handle either. I will say the handle is nicely finished. The edges (save the inside edges) are nicely chamfered. There is as generous lanyard hole, and the pivot screw and single rivet give the knife a clean appearance.

The handle of the U2 is just big enough for me to get a full 4 finger grip on. Any smaller and this would become a 3-finger knife. I take an XL glove, so this handle should work for most people. There is no jimping to speak of on this knife. Not a bad thing if you ask me. The inside edges of the handle are a little sharp, but I otherwise found the U2 to be comfortable. The handle itself has a light texture to it. This isn’t a high traction handle, but it’s fine for normal tasks.

The U2 doesn’t have a pocket clip. The nice thing about the plastic handle, is that I have absolutely no reservations in dropping this knife into my pocket with my keys, loose change, etc. It wears well and I have zero concerns of marring the finish. At 1.5 ounces it is like carrying an Alox Cadet. You don’t notice the knife until you need it.

Deployment and Lockup

The U2 is equipped with dual nail nicks. These are generous nicks and they make it easy to open the knife. It is possible to open the knife one handed with a little finger gymnastics, but this was designed to be a 2 hand opener. At any rate, I have no issue with the nail nicks, but I did have an issue with the gritty and noisy pivot. I thought that was strange. I couldn’t see if there were washers inside the handle, so I ended up disassembling the knife and found that there were no washers. It’s metal on plastic.

I don’t need each knife in my drawer to be “Sebenza Smooth” but even my $20 Swiss army knife is smoother than the U2. For me that is a bummer and is one of my least favorite aspects of the knife. Bronze or even teflon washers would be welcome here like WD-40 on the hinge of a squeaky door.

For lockup we have a tried and true lockback mechanism here. The lock on the U2 is sturdy, although this isn’t a knife that I am going to start prying with. The blade snaps crisply in place, is free of play, and disengages with a press of the thumb. The lockback is perfectly fine for this kind of knife. I will say that the tang of the blade and the backspring of the lock do not have a particularly good transition. There is a noticeable “jump” between the 2 pieces of metal. Not a big deal for a user knife, but this is something I usually notice on a slip joint or lockback folder.

My blade is just a touch off center. Nothing rubs.

Fallkniven U2 Review – Final Thoughts

Frankly I am a little torn with the U2. Having had good results with Fallkniven’s fixed blade knives I was excited about finally acquiring the U2. It has generally received good feedback from Amazon and several other reviewers I respect, and I have been enjoying traditional knives and gentleman’s folders. So I thought I would really take to this one.

While I appreciate the practicality of it, I was disappointed by some aspects of the finish work of the knife. The edge required a good amount of tweaking to cut the way I wanted it to, I wasn’t blown away by the Super Gold Powder Steel, and the pivot and action of the knife is gritty thanks to the washer-less design.

On the plus side, it’s lightweight, pocketable, and cuts well once you get it profiled correctly. I think that it can be good as an urban carry or back up piece. So it really depends on what you care about. If you trend towards being anal retentive, then there are quirks with the U2 that may make it a deal breaker. If you are looking for an ultra-light, no-frills, EDC knife without a pocket clip, then it could be the perfect tool.

For my money, I would recommend either the Spyderco Dragonfly, Pingo or the Victorinox Cadet before the U2. I honestly like them more than this knife, and they are all significantly less expensive.

3D Peep Sight Fallkniven U2 Gemini Folding Knife

Closed length: 3.85 inches
Blade length: 2.52 inches
Blade material: lam.Sgps
Blade edge: plain
Point: drop point

With that said, if you are in the market to buy a U2, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.