Gentleman's Folder

Fantoni Dweller Review

Last Updated: July 30, 2019
I have been holding out on you guys. Several years ago I purchased what is arguably my all time favorite gentleman’s folder, and have yet to write a review on it. That is, until now.

Buy the Fantoni Dweller at KnifeArt.com

I’m talking of course about the Fantoni Dweller. This is is a knife that I fell in love with after watching Stefan Schmalhaus’ excellent video review. He is the man when it comes to reviewing dress knives, and I think that his video review of the Dweller is among his best work. If you haven’t checked out his review before, then you owe it to yourself to give his short video your attention:

After watching a video review like that there isn’t much left for someone to say about the Dweller. This is part of the reason why I have remained quiet for so long, but I’ll try my best to give you my take on this knife.

This is a riff on the Bob Loveless City Knife, which is a fixed blade pattern. I believe Fantoni made a similar knife for Lone Wolf in the early 2000s, with bolsters and no finger choil. This version was designed by Massimo Fantoni. Massimo is the son of Renzo Fantoni, the founder of Fantoni Knives in Italy. Massimo is perhaps best known for designing the Nilte Quiete. I have had the pleasure of meeting with Massimo and Renzo at several Blade shows over the years. They are great guys making some of the best production knives in the world.

The only problem with Fantoni Knives is that they produce their models in limited quantities. Their stuff is hard to acquire unless you are vigilant. KnifeArt is Fantoni’s exclusive U.S. dealer, but their selection is touch and go based upon Fantoni’s production schedule. For these reasons Fantoni doesn’t get a ton of press here in the States. This is a shame because their work is immaculate and they have fantastic designs. Their CUT Flipper remains one of my all time favorite production pieces. The Dweller isn’t far behind.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Dweller has an overall length of 6.5″, a 2.6″ blade, and weighs 1.8 ounces. The Dweller is made in Maniago, Italy. In my opinion this knife is the perfect size for EDC or carry as a gents folder. Some people may get bent out of shape about the blade to handle ratio. The blade is notably and purposely smaller than the handle. Personally I find that aspect of the design charming. I don’t typically ascribe to golden ratios or metrics when examining a knife. These metrics can be useful and interesting, but I like to explore each knife on the merits.

Here, I find the short blade endearing. It’s a big part of what makes the Dweller so unique and whimsical. Plus it’s still practical. This knife is non-threatening and elegant. No one is going to mistake the stubby blade of the Dweller for a weapon, yet it is still perfectly suited for opening mail, trimming loose threads, and handling mild food prep chores like slicing an apple at lunch, or preparing a cheese plate after work. You know, the stuff gentlemen do. And despite the smaller blade there is still plenty of handle, so the user gets the benefit of a full grip when using this knife.

The blade is a short modified drop point with a full flat grind. It is ground like a traditional slip joint, meaning that it is thin behind the edge and slices well. The tip is fine, and represents a good balance of strength and precision. The blade has been given an attractive satin finish. All around this is a practical and nicely executed blade for a little folding knife.

Fantoni went with Sandvik 19C27 steel for the Dweller. I haven’t had a lot of experience with 12C27 outside of the Dweller. Sandvik advertises this as their most well-rounded knife steel. My research suggests that Fantoni has heat treated their 19C27 all the way up to 61HRc.

The 19C27 takes a nice edge that holds up well and is easy to maintain. I have had zero issues with rust or corrosion, despite carrying and storing the Dweller in a leather sheath in Florida for years. I have also used the knife on all manner of acidic fruits. While 19C27 isn’t a super steel, its a good practical choice for a small slip joint. No complaints.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The Dweller’s handle is wood scales over brass liners. This is a slip joint, and the stainless steel backspring doubles as a full backspacer. As with all of my other experiences with Fantoni, everything is put together beautifully. I especially like the fact that this slip joint is bolted together rather than pinned. That means the pivot is adjustable and the handle scales are fully removable with a tiny torx driver.

My particular knife came with Snakewood covers, but Fantoni offers this knife in a variety of different exotic wood handle scales, including Olive, Burl, and Cocobolo. I like Snakewood because of the warm color and interesting figuring. Although my particular handles don’t have much of a “snake skin” pattern it’s still beautiful. I have also seen the Dweller offered in Micarta. My preference is for a wood handle as that compliments the gentleman’s folder vibe of this knife nicely.

The Dweller features a generous handle. It dwarfs the handle of the Cadet, and also features a small forward finger choil that allows you to choke up on the blade. Either way there is plenty of room for a full grip, even if you take a large glove like I do. Being a gents folder there is no jimping to speak of. The wood handle is not slippery, but this is not a high traction handle either. I have used my Dweller for tasks ranging from cleaning my finger nails to breaking down boxes. It isn’t a combat folder, but should handle most urban daily carry tasks without issue.

The Dweller does not come with a pocket clip, and instead is shipped with a thin leather slip sheath. The sheath is made of a rich chestnut colored leather that matches the Snakewood handles on my knife almost perfectly. What I like about this slip sheath is that it is thin and small. The sheathes that came with both my Mnandi and Indian River Jack, while nicely made and serviceable, are both notably larger than the sheath of the Dweller. That is because the Dweller’s sheath is custom made to the knife, while the knives for the IRJ and Mnandi were designed to accommodate other knives as well. Over time my sheath has broken in and burnished, which added to the character of this knife.

Walk and Talk

This is a slip joint, so my usual discussion of “deployment and lock up” more or less goes out the window. For “deployment” we have a single nail nick. The spring on this knife isn’t particularly strong. I’d say the pull strength is a 3 or 4 and is comparable to my Cadet.

The nice thing about the Dweller is that it has a great little half stop. I am a big fan of half stops, and it works well on the Dweller. The blade does not lock open, but it is secure. There is no blade play. If you are smart about how you use this knife you can get a lot of use out of it despite the lack of a lock.

Centering on my knife is a off by a millimeter. The pivot appears to be a bushing style pivot, so I am guessing I could adjust it to center, but haven’t tried because it hasn’t bothered me.

Here is a shot of the Dweller next to another rock star gent’s folder, the CRK Mnandi:

Fantoni Dweller Review – Final Thoughts

I almost feel bad waiting so long to write this review. I bought this knife for my personal collection, and have enjoyed it for several years now. While many knives have come and gone over the years the Dweller is something I don’t see myself ever parting with. I love the simple design rooted in Bob Loveless’ timeless aesthetic. The stubby blade is charming and practical, the wood and brass handles are warm and inviting, and the superb execution of the knife and pocket sheath elevate the Dweller to something special an unique.

While it may not be the fanciest gentleman’s folder, the Dweller’s simplicity and restraint make it one of my favorites. This is a beautiful knife, but it is still humble. This is a dress knife that I can actually use without regret. Some gent’s folders are so nice that they are almost objets d’art, and I feel guilty when using them. I don’t get that feeling with the Dweller. It’s a nice little knife, but it’s also unmistakably a tool.

Unfortunately, the Dweller has become exceedingly rare over the years. A search of “Fantoni Dweller” on the BladeForum’s buy / sell / trade section yielded zero results. Buy it if you can find it.

I would recommend buying the Dweller at KnifeArt, as they are Fantoni’s only US dealer. The only problem is, they don’t have the Dweller currently in stock. You may be able to find them on the secondary market. Regardless, please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website, including links to Amazon and BladeHQ, helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Viper Dan 2 Review

by Grayson Parker 10 Comments

I have a bit of a love affair going on with slipjoint knives. Part of the reason for that is – if I may be frank – that the framelock flipper is a pretty stale form right now. Don’t get me wrong, many blades of that stripe are beautiful, functional, and deserving of praise, but they’ve taken up and held such a large portion of the market that I’ve been dying for something different. Fortunately, just as that malaise peaked, I saw that the Viper Dan 1 & 2 were available on BladeHQ. Almost immediately, I ordered a Viper Dan 2 in burgundy micarta.

Buy the Viper Dan 2 at BladeHQ

Now I can’t pretend that the Viper Dan was a lightning bolt out of blue sky; I’d been excited about it since seeing it previewed at last year’s Blade Show. The Dan was designed by Tommaso Rumici, an Italian designer who has worked for a number of manufacturers. Andrew Gene AKA The Edge Observer said it best describing his style as a “combination of flowing organic lines and hard angles.”

The knife’s name is an acronym for Daily Assorted Needs, and the design is a reflection of that intent. This isn’t a “tactical” knife, but it is a solid working tool for everyday tasks. The Dan is one of a number of designs emerging from Europe, where knife laws are typically stricter than those in the United States, typically concerning locks. While I can’t say that I’d enjoy knife laws that restrictive, I have to admit that those limitations have spurred some unique and functional designs.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Viper Dan 2 measures in at 7” while open and weighs 3.2 oz., featuring a 2.875” blade housed in a 4.25” handle. The Viper Dan 1 is nearly identical, but offers a more traditional drop point blade shape. I’ve long been a fan of the modified wharncliffe as far as blade shapes are concerned; they strike a fine balance between tip strength and piercing, and the slight but continuous belly of the blade is suitable for a wide range of tasks. This iteration of the wharncliffe is executed quite well. All Viper by Tecnocut knives are (as far as I know) produced in Maniago, Italy.

Both blade shapes feature a partially flat grind. While I prefer hollow ground blades, it is refreshing to see a well-done flat grind on a blade thin enough to support it. I haven’t encountered any difficulties in cutting tasks, regardless of whether I’m using the Dan for food prep, breaking down cardboard, or just opening packages. Every aspect of the blade is meticulously ground. Even the swedge (an aspect of the grind that is easy to screw up) is symmetrical, and meets up with the rounded spine cleanly.

If you can’t tell by this point, I’m biased towards simple, working steels. N690 is certainly in that class, despite widespread use on high end production and even handmade knives. It won’t require as much care as 8Cr13MoV or Aus8a, but I do recommend regular stropping. I’ve never experienced rust or staining on any of my knives with N690. Overall, it demonstrates a great balance between ease of care, rust resistance, edge retention, and toughness.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The handle is formed of two contoured slabs of burgundy micarta over nested steel liners. When it first arrived, the color of the handle scales was somewhere between red and pink. More than a month of use has darkened that color to a subdued purple. Micarta is one of my preferred handle materials for precisely this reason; it absorbs the oils in your hand and forms the equivalent of a patina. When polished, the pores of the material are closed and this process won’t occur. Fortunately Viper left the handle slabs just rough enough to facilitate the “aging” process. If this material isn’t to your taste, don’t worry: the Dan is also available in carbon fiber, green G10, and silver twill/G10.

Contoured handles were once a rarity in high-end production knives, but fortunately most companies are starting to see the ergonomic benefits of doing so. The contouring on the Dan is executed perfectly; the handle slabs are symmetrical, smooth, and comfortable. There are no sharp corners, and the only point that could generate a hotspot is the pocket clip (but no more than any other clip).

Most folding knives that are comfortable in the hand are likewise comfortable in the pocket, and this is no exception. The clip provides plenty of tension, but isn’t so tight that I’m worried about tearing a stitch. If I had to find a complaint it’s that the Dan is a bit long in the pocket. Not only is the handle pretty long for a relatively small blade, but the extended tang compounds the issue. It’s never been a real cause for worry, but I feel some attention should be called to it. It’s comparable in length to the Paramilitary 2 (though nowhere near as wide).

Deployment and Lock-Up

As much as I love slipjoints, I’m always slightly disappointed that I can’t access the blade with one hand. It’s not always essential, but sometimes the extra step is a tad inconvenient. The process of “pull pocket slip out, pull knife out of pocket slip, put pocket slip back in pocket, open knife, cut,” looks pretty silly next to “pull knife out of pocket, open knife, cut.” That said, most of the slipjoints I’ve handled that can be opened with one hand are less than cooperative, and by extension aren’t fun to fidget with. In this, the Viper Dan is different. The blade is deployed by rotating the extended tang with your thumb, similarly to a friction folder. Machining on the tang (jimping) ensures that your finger doesn’t slide off mid-deployment. Overall, the Viper Dan is quick, easy, and even a bit addictive to open and close.

Viper chose their patented Action Stopper system instead of a lock on the Dan series. How it works is pretty simple: each of the liners has a spring tab with a ball detent, similar to a frame or liner lock. These detent balls drop into corresponding slots in the blade at the closed, half-stop, and opened positions. While the mechanism isn’t fundamentally new, it does feel more secure than other iterations of this system that I’ve handled. If I had to make a comparison, I’d say it offers as least as much resistance as the Victorinox Pioneer.

The advantage of this system over a traditional backspring is twofold: one, it allows for a wider blade to be housed within the handle, and two, it accommodates space for an extended tang (much like what you’d see on a friction folder). If you grip the Dan with your thumb resting on the spine of the blade, you’ll have a strong slipjoint mechanism, a half stop, and the pressure of your own thumb keeping the blade away from your fingers. On the whole it’s a very secure system.

Viper Dan 2 Review – Final Thoughts

Typically, the Viper knives that get the most attention are the collaborations with Jesper Voxnaes (for good reason). Thus far, the Dan series of knives haven’t been hit by the spotlight, and I think that’s truly a disservice. I can’t say this often, but I don’t have any real complaints about this knife. The design is unique, the materials are top shelf, and it’s manufactured to very tight tolerances.

Slipjoint knives are the sort of thing that I can recommend to anyone. Even people that don’t like slipjoints occasionally need to go somewhere where locking folders are discouraged (or illegal), so most knife nuts should have at least one non locking folder in their collection. Should this knife be it? That I can’t say. But I can say that if you want a slipjoint that can scratch that flipping itch, this should be it. It sells for just over $100 USD and is a fantastic value at that price point.

I recommend purchasing the Dan 2 at BladeHQ or Amazon. 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 Positron Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

Last Updated: August 5, 2019
The original Southard Flipper was a landmark knife for the Spyderco. The company’s first flipper, and a collaboration with popular knifemaker Brad Southard, the Southard Flipper helped prove the flipper concept for Spyderco and set the bar for things to come. Subsequently Spyderco released the Domino, an in-house Spyderco design, and the extravagant Rubicon, an over the top high end collaboration with Peter Carey. But everything leads back to the Southard Flipper.

Buy the Spyderco Positron at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

The Positron is Spyderco and Southard’s second collaboration. At first glance it more resembles a piece of modern art than a knife, blending Brad’s primitive lines with gleaming steel and carbon fiber. But the simplicity to Brad’s design belies a refinement matched by few knife designers. The Positron was a knife I couldn’t help acquiring.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Positron has an overall length of 7″, a 3″ blade, weighs 2.6 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. This is a smaller and more gentlemanly offering than the original Southard Flipper. A 3″ blade is appropriate for most settings, and 2.6 ounces is feather light. However, at slightly over half an inch thick, the Positron is a chunky folder. I may be spoiled by my Boker Urban Trapper, but at first glance the knife seemed very thick – especially given the thin and slender blade.

Speaking of blade, the Positron shares the same hook-nosed profile of many of Brad’s designs. This time things have been scaled down, and the gently curved spine meets with with a gently curved edge. There is a slight belly and the entire blade is set on a slight negative angle to the handle. Spyderco went with a full flat grind, and the blade has been given a sparkling stonewash over a highly polished finish.

Spyderco chose CPM S30V for the blade steel. I am not wild about this decision, especially for a higher end 2015 release from Spyderco. I would have preferred S35VN or CTS-XHP, but lets no kid ourselves into thinking S30V isn’t capable of peeling apples or opening mail – which is most of what I have done with the Positron. I also broke down a ton of cardboard boxes. It performed well. The bitingly sharp blade combined with a thin grind blade and fine finish make the Positron a good slicer. The narrow blade and thin grind remind me of a traditional knife, and it is slicier than the hollow ground Southard Flipper or the Domino.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle is where things start getting interesting with the Positron. Spyderco and Brad decided to nest skeletonized stainless steel liners into a full 3-d contoured carbon fiber handle with a low profile black G10 backspacer. The result is a dramatic yet understated handle. The carbon fiber has been left with a matte finish, and there are no voids in the carbon fiber. The end result looks simple, but only because it has been executed with such technical precision. The fit and finish is perfect on my example, and it makes for an impressive knife.

This is a smaller handle, and a number of smart design decisions make the most of it. The thickness and deep finger choil make the Positron a natural in the hand. There is a short run of jimping on the spine and backspacer. Both serve their purpose to index and secure the hand. If you are careful you can perch your index finger on the small forward finger choil and choke up. There is no texture on the handle, but that never bothered me. The matte finish of the carbon fiber is not slippery, and the Positron is comfortable for normal use.

The Positron makes use of Spyderco’s wire clip. I have come to enjoy it on a variety of my favorite Spydercos, including the Sage 1 and Dragonfly 2. This is one of the most discrete pocket clips on the market, and I can easily clip this knife to a pair of slacks without raising eyebrows from co-workers or shredding your pants. The handle has been milled for ambidextrous clip up carry.

As far as carry is concerned, the Positron is thick, but at 2.6 ounces I never noticed it. It carries discretely. I have enjoyed my Positron in the office and in the back yard. It’s a versatile tool that you quickly forget is in your pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

This is a rare Spyderco folder that doesn’t feature a functional thumb hole. Instead, you get a “trademark” thumb hole and a flipper as your sole means of opening the knife with one hand. The flipper is snappy and pops the knife open easily enough, but it’s still possible to “flub the flip” if you aren’t paying attention. I’d put the detent strength at a “6” on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being ZT 0454 thumb chafing tough, and 1 being totally non-functional. So it’s a good flipper, but not on par with a Zero Tolerance 0562 (which I might peg at an 8). There are caged bearings inside and the action is smooth.

For lockup we have a nested steel liner lock. The lock engages early and the blade is free of play. Being a steel liner lock, there is no lock stick either. I like the liner lock for a couple reasons: the knife is lighter than if it had a titanium frame lock, and it gives the Positron more of a gents folder vibe. It’s a nice change of pace from all the framelock flippers that grace these digital pages.

Readers have commented that the jimped lockbar is a little difficult to disengage, because there is no cut out on the show side handle scale. I must have fat thumbs, because I never had a problem disengaging the knife, but I see what people are saying. This is worth mentioning.

It is also worth mentioning that blade centering is perfect.

Spyderco Positron Review – Final Thoughts

The Positron is a solid offering from Spyderco. I think it carries the torch established by the original Southard Folder and the Domino and moves things into an interesting direction. This is a more refined knife making use of real carbon fiber, nested liners, and 3-d machined scales. The blade is thin, the knife is a good size for EDC, and it carries well. It’s not as wild as the Rubicon, and strikes me as something that I actually want to carry. As usual, fit and finish from the Taichung Taiwan factory is superb. I showed the knife to my dad and he commented that it shared similarities to his Kershaw Skyline, an interesting observation that puts the Positron in excellent company.

I also think the price is fair for what you get. Retailing for well under $200, it almost seems like an affordable Spyderco – a rarity in a sea of $200+ offerings. It’s not a value monster like the Urban Trapper, but it’s not highway robbery either.

The biggest con I can come up with is that the handle is a little thick. It’s comfortable in hand, and I don’t notice the knife in pocket, but at over half an inch thick it still looks thick. The lack of a cutout for the lock release is another potential con.

Ultimately, this is a beautiful knife, and a step in the right direction for Spyderco. I look forward to seeing how their line of flippers continues to evolve. I recommend the Positron to Southard and Spyderco fans, and for those wanting a discrete and refined daily carry blade.

Spyderco Positron Flipper PlainEdge Fold Knife W/3.01" Blade

Made of highest quality material
Manufacturer: Spyderco
Spyderco positron Flipper PlainEdge fold knife w/3.01 inch blade

I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Positron at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Benchmade 940-1 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 22 Comments

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.

Buy the Benchmade 940-1 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

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.

Buy the Boker Urban Trapper at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

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 01BO730 Plus Urban Trapper

for everyday use
Can take rough handling and use
Tactical knives for the professional user

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.

Buy the Spyderco Air at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

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!