Hard Use Folding Knives

Rick Hinderer Knives XM-18 3.5 Review

Last Updated: June 23, 2019
In the past I have compared knife collecting to mountain climbing. Certainly there isn’t the element of physical accomplishment, as the only thing that really gets a workout is your wallet, but there is that spirit of pursuit and of course the ascent up a pile of incrementally more expensive knives. When considering the “summit” in the realm of production knives three big players in the US market come to mind: Chris Reeve, Strider, and Hinderer.

Buy the Hinderer XM-18 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

I have been tooling away at this website for the better part of 4 years now, and have already covered multiple Chris Reeve and Strider products, but I’ve yet to review a Hinderer. That is because I had yet to purchase a Hinderer until 6 months ago.

The reason it has taken me so long to review a Hinderer is the same reason why many people get so hung up on Hinderer knives in general. They are difficult to purchase unless you win a lottery at one of the knife shows Hinderer goes to, happen to qualify for Hinder’s active military / first responder program and buy directly from Hinder, or want to pay a substantial mark up for a Hinderer on the secondary market. With a retail price from Hinderer of $385, these knives were selling for $700, $800, $900+ on the forums. We could get into a huge debate as to whether they are “worth” the money. At the end of the day, they are worth what you will pay for them.

Over the past few years I have seen the secondary prices creep down a little, and was able to snag this new XM-18 3.5″ for $550. At that price I was comfortable buying the knife knowing that I could eventually sell it and recover most if not all of my money. Your mileage will vary.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 3.5″ XM-18 has an overall length of 8.25″, weighs 5.6 ounces, and of course it sports a 3.5″ blade. This is a very substantial tool. It is over half an inch thick, and was definitely not designed for desk jockeys like myself. Rick comes from a firefighting background, and built the XM with first responders in mind.

It’s a big and heavy knife designed to perform under the hugely demanding situations first responders run into. I run a small law office on the coast of Florida. The closest thing I come to being a first responder is responding to the office manager’s announcement that someone dropped off a dozen donuts in the break room. On weekends I mow the lawn, go to the beach, and occasionally write articles about pocket knives. Some might suggest the 3″ XM for someone like myself, but I have always wanted to check out a 3.5″ flipper slicer. So here we are.

The blade of the XM is Rick’s classic drop point shape. We have seen something similar to it in the myriad of KAI/Hinderer collabs that I have covered over the years. My particular XM has been given Rick’s “slicer” grind, which is his leaner more cutting oriented grind. Contrast this with his thicker reinforced “Spanto” grind. Even though this is the slicier of the two grinds, it’s still quite thick behind the edge and favors durability over raw slicing performance. I’m okay with that as it seems to suit the beefy, reinforced nature of the rest of the knife.

Hinderer offers their knives in a number of different blade finishes, and even a wharncliffe version now. Mine has been given a nice tumbled finish although you can also get them beadblasted, coated, or even hand ground by the man himself if you have the cash.

Over the years Hinderer has offered the XM in a proverbial cornucopia of different steels. The blade steel of this particular XM is S35VN which is probably what most of them are being made out of these days. S35VN is a good steel and has been adopted by Chris Reeve and Spyderco. The blade is heat treated to 60-61 HRc. This is a touch harder than what Chris Reeve has been heat treating his S35VN to, and the result is better edge retention, but it’s theoretically a little harder to sharpen. In use I have found that the edge stays keen, and I have only had to strop it to maintain sharpness. I haven’t had issues with rust, chipping, or anything else. No complaints here.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the XM is very well done. You have a G10 scale over titanium liner on one side, and then a full titanium frame lock on the other. Holding everything together is a bunch of custom hardware. This handle is beautifully made and you can really get to understand the quality of the XM by closely examining it. The parts are all overbuilt, but wonderfully finished. My titanium locking side has been completely stonewashed and this nice hard wearing finish compliments the blade nicely. It really is a beautifully made handle.

In hand the XM 18 is all business. Again, Rick designed this knife with firefighters and military in mind, and it’s a no-nonsense tool that works in a variety of grips. I have always been a fan of forward finger choils, and even without the choil there is plenty of room on this handle for large gloved hands. This is also a thick knife, and it really fills the hand. I can only imagine what the XM-24 is like. It’s probably akin to driving around in an S-Class Mercedes all day – solid and roomy. There is jimping on the spine, lock release, and pommel, but it’s wide soft jimping and doesn’t tear up your skin. I’d say the ergonomics are pretty solid with this one.

Hinderer equips the XM 18 with a reversible pocket clip. It’s not a deep carry clip and favors ease of access over concealment. It’s a big heavy knife, so you will feel the XM-18 in your pocket, but it carries alright for what it is. The clip sets into a recess in the handle so it’s a very sturdy design. I think it’s interesting that they include a “filler tab” for the clip mounting position you don’t use.

Deployment and Lockup

Hinderer offers these knives in flipper and non-flipper variants. Here of course I have the flipper version. Many view this as the knife that got the titanium frame lock flipper craze going, and the ZT0560 collab really brought that front and center to the masses.

What is sort of ironic about the XM-18 is that it’s not a particularly good flipper. Back when these first came out I am sure the flipping action was considered to be fine, but these days even my $30 Swindle out flips this knife. There are teflon washers inside and while I can pushbutton the blade open it isn’t a rocket launcher flipper by any stretch of the imagination. But that isn’t necessarily a kiss of death. This is still a very nice smooth knife with good action, and reliable deployment. You just need to decide whether you are looking for a really fast flipper or not. I will say the thumb studs work fine on this XM.

Lockup on this knife is the stuff of legends. The thick titanium lockbar engages early against the tang of the blade and there isn’t even a hint of play. The thumb studs double as blade stops and the stop pin is sleeved to avoid peening. There is zero stickiness to the lock despite not having a stainless steel lockbar insert. Also, lets not forget the inclusion of the Hinderer lockbar stabilizer. I’ve mentioned it in scores of other reviews, but this is where it all began. Lockup is just super duper good.

Hinderer XM-18 Review – Final Thoughts

Politics and price points aside, this is an impressive knife. I feel that there is a substantial bump up in beefiness and build quality when compared with a Strider or Chris Reeve offering, and it’s a big jump from Spydercos, Benchmades, and even new ZTs.

When I compare the XM to everything else I have reviewed before, I have to say that the XM is a different knife. It’s difficult to put into words, but it feels like every piece of this knife was first carefully contemplated, and then overbuilt and meticulously finished to a fanatical degree. This is an extremely solid knife and I am glad that I have finally been able to acquire one for long term testing.

That said, the 3.5″ XM-18 does have its potential draw backs. The fact that it’s heavy, and doesn’t flip very well are the biggest draw backs that come to mind.

This XM has been in my collection for several months now, and I’ve tried my best to approach the review cautiously given the enormous amount of hype built into these knives. While I can’t say I would spend $800 for one of these, I do think they are easily worth the $385 MSRP. At $550 I am less enthused, but still respect the knife for what it is. Like any other luxury good, some will love it while others will blast it as a ridiculous extravagance. Those that don’t like it can simply vote with their dollars and spend their money elsewhere.

Personally I view this as either a dedicated tool or a collectible. It’s not a daily carry item for me. But again, I don’t work as a first responder. I “need” this knife for work much like I “need” a Hummer to accomplish my 20 minute suburban commute every day. That said, I realize there are plenty of people who may actually need, or want, an over built knife like this. And if that’s the kind of knife you are looking for, Hinderer delivers in spades.

I can say without hesitation that the XM-18 is a beautiful knife, and I recommend checking one out if you are at all interested in it. I am glad I did.

Rick Hinderer Knives XM-18 3.5 – $550.00
From: BladeHQ

RICK HINDERER XM-18 3.0 SPANTO-WORKING FINISH

KnifeArt has a great selection of Hinderer XM-18s, and they pop up on BladeHQ as well. And lately Amazon has been stocking them as well. I recommend purchasing them at these retailers. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Cold Steel American Lawman Review

by Dan Jackson 27 Comments

Last Updated: March 9, 2018
When I hear the words “hard use folder” it’s often accompanied by a mental image of dollar signs. For whatever reason, we have equated hard working blades with titanium, super steel, and triple digit price tags. Those knives are cool, and I am sure some are capable of getting work done, but not everyone has that kind of cash – and even if you do it can be hard to really buy a knife like that and drive it like you stole it.

Buy the Cold Steel American Lawman at BladeHQ

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That’s why I like the Cold Steel American Lawman. For around $85 you get a rock solid knife that you aren’t afraid to beat on. After all, what’s the point of a hard use knife if you can’t actually bring yourself to hard use it? I have thrashed on my review sample for years. Lets take a closer look at one of my favorite every day working tools.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The American Lawman has an overall length of 8-1/8″, a 3.5″ blade, weighs 4.5 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. This is a nicely proportioned medium sized folder designed by Andrew Demko. I found it reasonable enough for every day carry, but could definitely see this as a dedicated work knife or tactical blade. The “Lawman” designation seems to fit well.

The Lawman features a simple drop point blade with a high hollow grind. The knife is thinly ground, making it an aggressive slicer, and the tip is reinforced to hold up against hard use and thrusting. I like the blade shape. It’s not as aggressive as many of Cold Steel’s other offerings but is still very useful. There is plenty of belly, the tip gets nice and sharp, and the knife generally cuts really well.

Originally, Cold Steel used AUS8a for the blade steel, which is basically the same as AUS8. AUS8 is known as a softer steel and a lot of people don’t like it. I like AUS-8 because a couple swipes on a Spyderco Sharpmaker restores the knife back to hair shaving sharpness.

In 2015 Cold Steel updated their lineup of knives to include CTS-XHP steel, an American stainless steel forged by Carpenter. This is a superior steel to AUS-8, although it adds approximately $30 to the price tag of the knife. I have experience with CTS-XHP with other knives, and have had hands on experience with the Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter in CTS-XHP. CTS-XHP will hold an edge longer than AUS-8, and it is still easy to sharpen.

Cold Steel also upgraded to blade coating from a cheap black teflon coating, to a high end DLC coating. DLC is probably the best coating there is, so it’s a great upgrade.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the American Lawman is made primarily of two thick pieces of black peel ply G10. There are no liners of any kind inside the handle and the G10 screws directly into a black aluminum backspacer and stainless steel lock bar. In practice the handle is quite strong. The G10 is thick and I was not able to flex the handle at all – so I would not worry that this handle will not be up to hard use. Fit and finish is nice too. All of the edges have been nicely rounded and everything lines up well. This is a strong and well put together handle.

I really like the ergonomics of the Lawman. The handle is plenty large and allows for a comfortable grip. There is some shallow jimping on the top of the handle. It’s not aggressive but provides some texture and feedback for your thumb. The G10 is extremely high traction and provides a good deal of grip. One of my favorite ergonomic features is the forward choil. Much like the Spyderco Sage or Paramilitary 2, this forward choil allows you to choke up and really get some detail work done. I am a huge fan of the forward choil. Cold Steel usually doesn’t include this feature so I think it’s worth mentioning. Finally I want to say that the knife also feels comfortable in a reverse grip.

The pocket clip is standard fare for Cold Steel. It’s small black coated stainless steel clip. It’s very tight. The tight clip combined with the aggressive G10 means it can tear up your pants if you aren’t careful. The clip is reversible (they actually include 2 clips since it’s a curved design) and it allows for tip up carry only. In pocket the American Lawman carries well. The small clip buries the knife deep, so it’s a discrete carry, and the slim profile and relatively light weight makes for an easy carry.

Deployment and Lock

The CS Lawman uses a thumbstud and a half to get the blade out of the handle. The thumbstud is not entirely ambidextrous out of the box, but it is swappable. This is not the fastest deploying knife and it will require some wrist action if you really want to snap the knife out. This is mainly due to the strong backspring of the triad lock. I don’t mind the slow and purposeful deployment of the American Lawman, but if you are one to habitually flick your knife open and closed the Lawman be advised that this isn’t really that kind of knife.

The lock on this knife is quite interesting. It uses the Cold Steel Triad locking system. The Triad is a modified lock back system that utilizes a “stop pin” to redistribute pressure placed on the knife and lock and in theory it provides for a stronger lock. My experience with the Triad lock suggests that it is in fact very strong. Lockback knives are very strong in general and the Cold Steel version is at least as strong as a regular lockback. I like how this lock is designed to break in with the knife so it won’t require maintenance. The lock feels very crisp and nice and secure.

American Lawman or the Recon1 or the AK-47?

Chances are, if you are interested in the American, you may also be interested in the Cold Steel Recon 1 or the AK-47. If that is the case, I recorded a video where I do a detailed comparison of these 3 models that you may find useful.

Cold Steel American Lawman Review – Final Thoughts

If you are in the market for a hard use folding knife and have around $50 to spend, the American Lawman should be on your short list. This is an extremely rugged knife that feels good in hand and is capable of some serious cutting. The relatively light weight design and non-threatening blade make this a good choice for EDC, although the knife could definitely flex into a more “tactical” role. No doubt this is why Cold Steel has marketed the knife toward law enforcement.

The biggest gripe with this knife was always the sub-par AUS-8 blade steel and cheap teflon coating. Cold Steel blew those complaints out of the water, when they upgraded this knife to CTS-XHP and a DLC coating. At this point, the only grievance I can raise is that the pocket clip can be a little small / tight for some. It’s not my absolute favorite clip, but it’s not that bad either.

All said this is one of my favorite folders from Cold Steel. They don’t make a ton of stuff in the 3.5″ blade length and the subdued looks really gels with me. I highly recommend the American Lawman if you need hard a wearing utility knife and don’t want to shell out a ton of cash.

Cold Steel American Lawman Black Folder

Blade thickness: 3.5 mm
Blade length: 3 1/2 inch
Handle: 4 5/8 inch long. G-10

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

Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza 25 Review

by Dan Jackson 7 Comments

How do you improve on perfection? That may have been a question asked by the engineers at Chris Reeve when they approached the Sebenza 25. I wasn’t in the room, so I really have no idea. The Sebenza has received incremental improvements over the years, but for it’s 25th anniversary CRK really wanted to up the ante, or at least do something different from the tried and true Sebenza 21. The Sebenza 25 is that knife.

Buy the CRK Sebenza 25 at BladeHQ

The 25 is beefier and has more attitude than the 21, but there is still no mistaking it for a Sebenza. Is the 25 a worthy buy? Should you get it instead of a Sebenza 21? How does it compare with other knives in CRKs lineup? Having owned a Unumzaan, and presently owning a large Sebenza 21, I decided to pick up a Sebenza 25, give it a whirl, and attempt to answer some of these questions.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Sebenza 25 has an overall length of 8.375″, a 3.625″ blade, and it weighs 5.2 ounces. It’s similar in size to a large 21, but it’s definitely a more heavily built knife and weighs a full half ounce more. Offhand I would consider it as a hybrid between the 21 and the Umnumzaan. Unlike the 21, CRK does not currently offer a small version of the 25. Will we eventually see a mini 25? Only time will tell. I know plenty of people like to EDC the large 21, so I don’t see why you couldn’t EDC a 25. Personally I prefer a small Sebenza or a Mnandi for EDC, but I did make a point to carry the 25 around a bit to understand how it performs as a daily carry.

The blade of the 25 is a classic CRK drop point, with a few subtle (or not so subtle) changes over the 21. First of all the blade stock is visibly thicker at .14″ (which is approximately 3.5mm – the blade on the Sebenza 21 is about 3.1mm thick). Chris Reeve also gave the knife what they are calling a “large hollow grind” which is billed as a compromise between the thinness and slicing performance of a hollow grind and the toughness of a full flat grind.

I recently expanded my office at work and bought some new office equipment including a monitor, printer, computer, etc. As a result I had a lot of extra cardboard on my hands and decided to give the ole 25 a whirl at breaking down all of the boxes. I wasn’t blown away by the performance of the 25 on cardboard, but I wasn’t disappointed either. My large 21 slices a little better, but then again, so does my Benchmade Volli with it’s thin flat ground blade. It’s still miles ahead of the Strider SnG. The 25 is more heavily built than the 21, and it comes with a thicker grind. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, just different. Speaking of different, there is also a little depression in the blade after the jimping. I have no idea what it is for, so I’ll wait for someone to let me know in the comments section.

Steel on the 25 is S35VN, which is what CRK is using on pretty much everything these days if my understanding is correct. The blade on the 25 is heat treated to 58-59 HRc, and at that hardness it seems like a good combination of edge retention and sharpenability. Some might find it a little too soft, but I like a knife that easily takes a good edge, and the 25 has been very easy to maintain with my strop. I will say after testing the blade out thoroughly on cardboard the edge didn’t feel that sharp, but it still sliced paper with no problem. A few swipes on the strop brought it all the way back. If edge retention is super important for you, then you are probably better off finding something in M390 or S90V (harder more exotic steels), but if you are OK with the idea of regularly maintaining the edge of your knife then I don’t see a big problem with S35VN and this milder heat treat that CRK favors.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the 25 is the typical full titanium goodness you would expect from Chris Reeve. Construction is simple and elegant, with a pivot, stop pin, and single standoff. Some may lament the lack of a lanyard hole, but it looks like CRK designed it so you can loop some cord around the standoff. Personally, I don’t miss the lanyard doohickey on my large 21 at all. Construction is top notch, as expected. This is a Sebenza after all. I like the choice of beefier hardware. The pivot has seen a serious upgrade and the domed body screws are beefed up as well. The disadvantage to this setup is that 2 allen keys are required (and supplied), rather than just the one required to take down a standard Sebenza.

Perhaps the biggest change in the Sebenza 25 is the inclusion of double finger choils. It certainly adds a visual element to the knife not previously evident on CRK models. In practice I think the choils work well and capture the index and middle finger nicely. My hand feels very at home with the standard grip. A revision I am less enthused about is the razor wire inspired jimping installed on the back of the blade. I would say that the jimping on my large 21 is a damn near perfect blend of traction and comfort. Why Chris Reeve felt the need to mess with that winning formula is a mystery to me, but it certainly looks more aggressive. The jimping is fairly abrasive, but I only really noticed it on hard cuts, like cutting rope. Still I think they could have toned it down a bit. All said the 25 is a reasonably comfortable knife. I’m not sure I would call it an improvement over the 21, but it’s definitely different.

The pocket clip for the 25 is the same legendary double dip clip found on the 21. I’m glad they didn’t fool around with this. It works well and is one of my favorite clip designs. In pocket the 25 carries pretty good. It is a big knife, and is full titanium, but with that in mind I’d say it still carries well for its size.

Deployment and Lockup

The term “Sebenza smooth” is something of a gold standard in knife collector circles when considering the action of a pocket knife. So it’s interesting to see that CRK made some tweaks to ensure the deployment of the 25 is even smoother than its predecessors. In addition to a much larger pivot, the knife features extra large perforated phosphor bronze washers. According to the Chris Reeve website these were installed to carry more grease and make the action smoother. In practice I think it has worked. My 25 is noticeably smoother than my 21. Granted I am testing a pretty small sample size here, and some may disagree because the 25 doesn’t include the 21’s famous bushing pivot system.

The knife flicks open easily via the ambidextrous titanium thumb studs. Speaking of thumb studs, or thumb “lugs” as CRK calls them, I think it’s about damn time that dual thumb studs came standard equipment on a Sebenza. I also can’t help but wonder if CRK has plans to introduce a bearing equipped knife in the future. Bearings are by no means a necessity, but since that is where a lot of the industry is going I would be curious to see them offer a knife with bearings.

For lock up Chris Reeve went with a ceramic ball detent. Just like on the Umnumzaan, it serves double duty as both an interface between lock and tang, as well as detent to hold the blade in place. It works well and I have no complaints. The blade locks open with a satisfying thunk and lockup is steady at right around 50%. No blade play at all and the blade is perfectly centered.

CRK Sebenza 25 Review – Final Thoughts

For whatever reason I always find myself under some pressure to come up with a poignant parting thought on Chris Reeve products. Perhaps it’s to justify the price in my own mind, or justify the level of excitement and expectation that has been built up around these knives, or attempt to get ahead of the inevitable discussion about Chris Reeve knives and “value”. I’m going to avoid that this time around, and instead focus on my honest take on the knife.

I think the 25 is a solid and well made product. I consider it a hybrid between the Umnumzaan and 21. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if you already have a 21 or an Umnumzaan I don’t really see the “need” for this knife. Then again, I don’t really see the “need” for a $450 pocket knife in general, yet I have owned dozens, so that is beside the point. Like other high end knives, people will buy this because they want it. I’m here to tell you that if you want it, it’s a nice knife. But I’ll also play the role of devil’s advocate:

The 25 is thoughtfully designed and well made, but isn’t a huge enough leap from Chris Reeve’s other offerings for me to truly get excited over it. Maybe if they installed bearings, milled the handle from a single piece of titanium, or did a flipper or something like that it might move the Richter scale a bit further. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a perfectly fine knife, and if this is your first CRK I think you will like it, but when you compare it with the rest of the CRK product line I can’t help but feel like it’s more of what we have already seen. I’m glad I got to check one out, and recommend you to do the same if the 25 interests you, but I don’t feel compelled to hang onto both the 25 and my large 21 or to tell you that this is the most amazing thing since the titanium frame lock.

Chris Reeve Sebenza – From $445.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Sebenza 25 at BladeHQ or KnifeArt. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Zero Tolerance 0566 Review

by Dan Jackson 14 Comments

Last Updated: July 13, 2019
I have recently been making regular appearances on the GearGeeksLive podcast with Tony and Andrew. Tony and I recently had Thomas Welk from KAI (Kershaw/Zero Tolerance) on the air for an episode about KAI. I found it fascinating to get inside the head of a prominent representative of a major cutlery company.

Buy the Zero Tolerance 0566 at BladeHQ

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One part of the show that really stuck with me was Thomas’ point that many knives are designed to fit into boxes. And no, I’m not talking about those fancy cardboard wrappers we have all come to know and love. I’m talking about MSRP. Most knives coming out of high volume manufacturers are designed around a price point, because these large knife manufacturers work with major retailers and these major retailers put manufacturers under tremendous pressure to deliver product at certain price points. If a manufacturer decides to base their business around working with large retailers, then this can make up a large part of their bottom line.

Ultimately, the point Thomas was making is that production knife making is usually a study of compromise, oftentimes to the chagrin of enthusiasts like you and me. Not every knife coming out of KAI’s doors can be a 0888. Hell, they can’t even just produce the 0560. Instead, these companies must appeal to a broad range of consumers with a varied budget. This is why we see everything from a $250 Zero Tolerance 0560, to a $25 Kershaw Cryo. ‘Tis the nature of the big production house beast.

And then we have the 0566, which fits in between the 0560 and the Cryo – both in size and in MSRP ($180 – $150 at retail). More interesting is that the 3 blades share a Rick Hinderer design pedigree, and loosely resemble his coveted XM series of folding knives.

This time around Zero Tolerance has tried to appeal to the persnickity middle market, attempting to tow the fine line between high end and high value. As I am sure Thomas will tell you, that isn’t always easy. I see the 0566 as a real exercise in compromise. There is a certain danger to trying to make everyone happy, and the goal of my review is to determine whether ZT struck a sweet spot, or pissed everyone off.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0566 has an overall length of 7.7″, has a 3.25″ blade, and weighs 5.3 ounces. While substantially smaller than my 0560 it only weighs .7 ounces less. This is due to the stainless steel frame lock and full steel liner. Depending on your perspective, the knife either feels “substantial” or “heavy”. Thomas talks on the podcast about how some consumers equate weight with quality. I’m not sure I am one of those customers.

Weight issues aside, I like this size for a robust EDC or, for lack of a better phrase, folding tactical knife. The size compares favorably to classics like the Benchmade Griptilian and Spyderco Paramilitary 2.

The blade shape is classic Hinderer drop point and looks identical to the 0560. Mine was ground evenly, came with a very rough stonewash, and came from a fairly thick piece of Elmax steel. The blade geometry is middle of the road. You aren’t going to win any cutting competitions with this knife, but it’s sturdy and will hold up well under regular and sustained use. It’s not nearly as thin as my Volli, but then few production folders in my collection are.

Elmax steel and Zero Tolerance is a pairing not without its controversies. People have said that ZT jacked up the heat treat on some of the earlier Elmax knives or burned the edges in the final sharpening. I did not find that to be the case on my 0566. I went through my usual favorite cutting demonstrations, which included working through sections of 3/8″ and 1/2″ manilla rope and some commercial grade cardboard. The Elmax held up well. It continued to hold a good edge, and when it was all said and done sharpened back up easily with stops and a fine Spyderco Sharpmaker stone.

The only thing to note, was that after a period of hard cutting I would get a little lock stick with the steel framelock. Nothing I couldn’t pop open with one hand, but definitely note worthy. The lock stick went away after I disengaged the lock.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Although the shape of the 0566’s handle mirrors the 0560, ZT definitely approached it with a $180.00 MSRP box in mind. You have flat peel ply G10 over a full stainless steel liner, pillar construction, and a solid steel frame lock. It’s a far cry from the 3D machined scales of the 0560 with swiss-cheesed liner and pocketed titanium frame, but it’s still a sturdy and well made handle. ZT went with relatively beefy hardware and finished everything nicely. Everything lines up well, and the pieces are cut out clean and crisp, while the edges of the handle are all nicely broken and comfortable to hold. While this isn’t cutting edge tech found in ZT’s higher end offerings, it’s still a well made handle.

Ergonomically you have a relatively thick and comfortable handle. The jimping, which is the biggest problem with the 0560 because it is so hellaciously sharp, has been fully addressed on this model. There is still some jimping, but it has been flattened out to reduce the chances of slicing your thumb open on an aggressive cut. The flipper tab limits your grip options, but the knife holds nicely in forward and reverse grips.

The pocket clip is an enlarged version of the clip found on the Cryo. It’s a black deep carry style clip. It works well, and offers the user discrete deep pocket carry. It’s a 4 position clip, which is appropriate on this user/tool grade knife. Thomas points out that pocket clips are the hardest part of the knife to design as you will always piss someone off regardless of the design, and they are one of the most expensive parts of the knife to manufacture. All things considered I think they did a good job with this clip.

Deployment and Lockup

I often wonder if dedicating an entire paragraph to “deployment” is worth my time and your attention, but with the 0566 at least there is some interesting stuff to talk about. The knife comes assisted with Ken Onion’s speed safe mechanism. What is interesting is that the 0566 also comes with a ball detent. Thomas said that ZT did that purposely so that the user could de-assist the knife if they wanted to. He stated that it would not perform as well as something like the 0560, which is fully designed to be a manual knife, because the combination of spring tension and a strong detent would make the knife very difficult to open with the spring in.

The assisted opening was snappy and there wasn’t any annoying torsion bar rattle like on most other speedsafe knives I’ve reviewed, but being a fan of manual action knives I took the speed safe torsion bar out early on in the review process. It took a little fiddling to get the blade centering and deployment to play nicely together, and my blade still heavily favors the G10 side (although it does not rub). But that is OK, as I understand the knife wasn’t designed to be a manual flipper.

All things considered, the flipping action is actually pretty good on this knife, especially after an application of TUF-Glide and a break in period. Don’t expect Spyderco Domino level performance, but if you preload and “push button” (as opposed to pulling back on the flipper like flicking a light switch) the flipper the blade pops out nicely. This knife uses phosphor washers, and they are really smooth. I am actually pretty happy with the manual action on this knife.

I’ve trolled the forums a little on this knife and some people have good results like me, while others haven’t gotten their knife to flip as well, so this is one of those your mileage may vary type things…

Lockup on the 0566 is solid and without play in any direction. You would expect that out of a 5.0+ ounce knife with a stainless steel lock bar. It met my expectations. Lockbar disengagement was nice and easy, and as I mentioned previously, I didn’t notice any blade stick unless I was using the knife hard.

Zero Tolerance 0566 Review – Final Thoughts

The 0566 is a pretty good tool knife. If you were like everyone else I spoke with, and liked the 0560 but found it to be too big, the 0566 might be a good choice. That is of course just as long as you aren’t expecting an actual mini 0560. Practically speaking, the 0566 checks many boxes. It’s a comfortable knife, and it cuts well enough. I have to say that it is heavy. If I had to give it a number rating, I’d go with maybe a 6.5 out of 10. Not a bad knife, but far from perfect. I could live without a bearing system and 3-d machined handles, but would have really loved to see KAI make the jump from stainless steel to titanium framelock on this model.

While I like the 0566 alright, I don’t think it will make as many waves as the 0560 or the Cryo. A danger with being too middle of the road is that you risk getting ignored. I don’t doubt that ZT will be able to move some product, as it is drafting off of the wildly popular relationship KAI and Rick Hinderer have formed, but whether it will remain as memorable (or infamous) as some of the other KAI/Hinder collabs remains to be seen. As a businessman myself I don’t have a problem with companies making money, but I must admit the enthusiast inside of me would have loved to see just a little more here. I think that a ZT/Hinderer collab with a ~3″ blade and most of the high end fixings would do really well, regardless of the MSRP.

Zero Tolerance Hinderer Folder Pocket Knife (0566); 3.25” Stonewashed S35VN Steel Blade; Handle with G-10 Front and Steel Back, SpeedSafe Opening, Frame Lock, Quad-Mount, Deep-Carry Pocketclip; 5.4 OZ

Collaboration between Zero Tolerance and custom knifemaker, Rick Hinderer with open construction, steel tube spacers, flat rounded edges, high-quality materials and solid lock up
Premium S35VN steel blade has enhanced toughness and long-lasting sharpness; resistance to edge chipping, wear and corrosion
SpeedSafe Assisted Opening for quick, fast, easy, safe, secure, one-handed blade deployment
Stonewashed blade finish has a roughed-up, non-reflective, scuffed, desirably worn look
Durable, stable, lightweight, textured, black G-10 front handle scale; all stainless-steel back handle scale

I recommend purchasing the ZT 0566 at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Viper Start Review

by Dan Jackson 3 Comments

Last Updated: September 9, 2019
I got my first introduction to Viper at the 2013 Blade Show in Atlanta this past summer. A couple of my favorite reviewers, the EdgeObserver and Stefan Schmalhaus, have sampled Viper’s offerings quite extensively. It has taken me a little while longer to warm up to this interesting Italian brand.

Buy the Viper Start at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

I really enjoyed the blend of rugged utility and flowing lines in the last Viper model I reviewed, the Carnera, and the Start has caught my eye for the same reasons. Fabrizio Silvestrelli is the designer of Start, and he knows how to capture my attention while Viper knows how to take the designs’ muscular lines and pair it with a blend of modern manufacturing and old world charm. The result is an offering unlike anything else in the marketplace.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Start has an overall length of 9.25″, features a 4″ blade, and weighs 6.4 ounces. Any knife with a 4″ blade is going to be big, and the Viper is no exception. This is a serious departure from what I would consider an EDC knife. Viper has crafted a full on tactical folder, and the result is a suitably large offering.

The blade is a modified drop point design that excels at piercing and slicing. The deep belly has a slight recurve. It’s not impossible to sharpen like a serious recurve, yet it still feeds material into the edge. Given its size the Viper is still ground thinly. I found that it slices cardboard and other soft materials with ease yet it still has enough beef behind the edge to hold up under harder use. One thing to note about the blade is that the tip is extremely acute. It is great for stabbing things and detail work, but the the user needs to be careful not to damage it.

The Start is offered in 2 blade steels, PVD coated D2 and N690. I opted for the version with N690. This is steel I have heard a lot of nice things about, but haven’t had a ton of experience with. So far I am a big fan. I found that the N690 on my knife sharpens easily, takes a very nice edge, and holds onto it for a decent amount of time. I might consider it a beefed up 154CM. Certainly the thin grind has also done the knife a lot of favors. It’s a terrific slicer and is very fun to use. N690 is also a stainless steel, and despite the knife coming with a bead blasted finish (which is notorious for attracting rust) I have had zero issues with rust or staining.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

My Start came with black canvas micarta handle scales. I should point out that the knife is available with cocobolo or carbon fiber scales as well. Relief cuts have been placed by the finger choil, which lends itself to being held in a pinch style grip, although in practice I prefer a more conventional hold. Underneath the micarta you have thin stainless steel liners and a full stainless steel backspacer and lockbar. The pivot is hidden and the handles are put together with a series of small torx screws. I love how the edges of the spine, the lockbar, the backspacer, and even the liners have all been rounded. It’s such a nice little detail. The scales themselves are gently contoured and all the parts and pieces line up well. All in all the handle is sturdy and well executed.

In terms of ergonomics, Viper provides you with plenty of handle, and it affords a wide variety of grips. There is a finger choil, but there is also plenty of room left to choke back on the knife, providing reach that may even give some Cold Steel offerings a run for their money. The flared pommel does have a bit of a sharp corner, but overall this is a comfortable knife to use. The canvas micarta affords a sure grip in both wet and dry conditions, while a short run of jimping provides enough feedback to index the thumb without making the thumb ramp uncomfortable under hard cutting conditions.

The pocket clip of the Start is a straight forward stamped out piece of steel. It offers reasonably low right side tip up carry with no other options for placement. The clip is very secure and the knife rides well given its size and weight. Given the polarizing nature of pocket clip designs, Viper went with a safe route. I think they could have done way worse with the clip.

Deployment and Lockup

The Start makes use of stylized ambidextrous thumb studs pressed close to the back of the blade. I find them easy enough to open at my desk, but acknowledge that the knife takes some work to get open. I don’t mean to detract from the action, as it is very smooth and very purposeful, but this is not a knife I can flick open with my thumb, and it may provide some challenges if you are operating it under duress. It is also worth noting that the pivot is hidden, and you need to take off the handle scales to service it. So far I have had no need to do that, as the blade is well centered and the lock is free of play.

Here is a shot of the Viper Start next to my Spyderco Paramilitary 2:

The Start features a back lock, but this is not like your traditional back locks. It is extremely smooth and refined, and the blade falls into place with the softest click. Upon further examination you will notice that the tang of the blade and the lock face are both given a satin finish, and the two pieces of steel fit together extremely well. The result is effortless play free lockup, and a really satisfying knife to open and close. This is a durable lock design and it has held up well in all my testing.

Viper Start Review – Final Thoughts

If you are in the market for a high end large folding knife, the Viper Start could be an excellent option. The knife is beautifully executed, and that enhances the sumptuous curves of Silvestrelli’s design. But the Start isn’t a creampuff either. It is definitely built to be carried and used. The end result is an elegant knife that performs as good as it looks. The high performance blade and generous handle offer the end user plenty of performance, with the added bonus of this knife being thoughtful and unique.

I also like how Viper offers the Start in several flavors, including satin, beadblasted, and PVD coated blades, and handle materials varying from classic choices like micarta and wood, to hand-laid carbon fiber. Finally, the price is also very reasonable considering what you get. You can get into a Start for well south of $150 shipped, while the highest end versions can be currently had for $175. Not bad for a European made knife of this size with these materials.

The only potential cons I can really think of are that the knife isn’t the absolute easiest and fastest to open, and that the pocket clip is right side only. For some these gripes will matter, for many they will not. This is all assuming you are in the mood (or have the need) to carry a 6.5 ounce knife. By and large this is a very nice offering from Viper and I do recommend it if you are in the market for a unique large folding knife.

Viper Knives 5840CB Viper Start Lockback with Brown Cocobolo Wood Handles

Viper Start – From $133.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Viper Start at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thanks for reading.

Strider SnG Review

by Dan Jackson 15 Comments

Last Updated: February 13, 2018
For many knife collectors the Strider SnG is a holy grail of sorts. Much like the Chris Reeve Sebenza, the Strider SnG represents the top of the line for production grade folders. Toss in a Hinderer XM, and you have what many knife collectors like to call “the holy trinity” of high end production blades.

Buy the Strider SnG at BladeHQ

I am by no means an authority on Strider, but if you are unfamiliar with the brand Strider was founded some time in the mid 90’s by custom knifemakers Mick Strider and Duane Dwyer. The company is headquartered in San Marcos, California, and their designs draw heavily from the strong military background at Strider. They make a number of fixed blade and folding designs, and have fulfilled contracts for the U.S. Military in the past.

Strider knives aren’t cheap, but the company has built a reputation on quality and has gained an extremely loyal following. I have always found the bold lines of their folders intriguing, and the rugged nature of the knives further piqued my interest. The SnG is their mid size folder, resting comfortably between the large SMF and the small PT.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The SnG has an overall length of 8.25 inches, a 3.5 inch blade, and a weight of 4.4 ounces. The SnG could work well as a larger EDC, or as more of a large utility / tactical (self defense) knife. I will say that I was surprised at how lightweight the knife felt. With the SnG’s reputation as a hard use blade I expected some sort of folding brick to show up in my mailbox. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised with how manageable the knife felt. It quickly found its way into my pocket.

The blade on the SnG is a modified drop point design. My particular SnG happens to be flat ground, but I have seen hollow ground blades and tanto versions as well. Of course there are custom versions of the knife in every grind imaginable. Blade thickness on this knife is just over 4mm thick (.165″) and tapers down to a stout tip. Despite being a near full flat grind the SnG is quite thick behind the edge, and I found the cutting performance underwhelming. This is surprising considering the $400 price tag (intuitively, I would somehow expect the knives to cut better as the price went up), but when you consider the hard use nature of the blade it does make sense – this knife is designed to stand up to more than just cutting. The signature Strider tiger stripes are a result of a black oxide coating that has been partially sandblasted off. The tiger stripes are optional, but it’s a unique feature that is distinctively Strider.

Blade steel on this particular model is S30V. S30V is interesting because it was formulated specifically for knives, and is something of a collaboration between Chris Reeve and Crucible. S30V is a proven steel, and my experience with the steel has generally been very favorable. S30V sharpens without too much trouble, holds a nice edge, and is resistant to rust and corrosion. Strider’s heat treat for S30V was originally formulated by Paul Bos, an innovator in the world of heat treating who is perhaps best known for his in-house work with Buck (Strider used to collaborate heavily with Buck). Again, the thick geometry of the blade didn’t make this the most exceptional cutter, but S30V got the job done whether it was rope, cardboard, or wood.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handles of the SnG are special because they feature a one-piece G10 scale and backspacer mated to a titanium integral lock. You do get a choice of color with the SNG (green, black, and brown are standard – various other colors are occasionally available), and Strider also offers them in concealed carry and Gunnar grip configurations as well. What is shown here is their standard “lego” style handle with brown G10 and a flamed titanium locking side. Everything is nicely cut out, well finished, and perfectly mated together. Oddly enough, what really impressed me about the handle of the SNG is the hardware. The body is held together with over-sized black domed screws, and the pivot is an equally beefy proprietary piece. However, I did notice one issue with the handle. The blade partially blocks the lanyard hole. C’est la vie if you want a Strider SnG.

From an ergonomics standpoint the SnG is a good size knife packed with features. I had plenty of room to maneuver my larger hand around this knife, and it accommodates a good number of grips. In the traction department the SnG is loaded down with jimping on both the spine and pommel for a secure hold in both forward and reverse grips. This is great if you plan on putting the SnG into a more “tactical” role, but I found the jimping extremely uncomfortable under hard cutting. Plan to wear gloves if you want to seriously test the SnG. The forward finger choil is great for choking up and does give you some versatility under use. All in all I found the SnG reasonably comfortable for a folding knife, but it’s not my first choice for sustained cutting.

Strider includes a removable right side tip-up carry pocket clip on every SnG. The clip is made of titanium, features good retention, and slips in and out of the pocket with relative ease. It’s a nice secure clip – a must when you are toting around a $400 folder. I’m sure many southpaws would prefer a reversible clip as lefty SNGs are quite rare and expensive.

All in all, I found that the SnG carried really well. The pocket clip doesn’t carry the knife very deep, but the knife itself is slim and feels light for its size. While it isn’t my first choice for school or the office, I do not mind having this as my primary EDC, and didn’t find it overly bulky or uncomfortable in the pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

The SnG uses an oval thumb hole for deployment. The thumbhole is easy to get at and the knife opens fast and smooth. It’s not a knife that flies open, but with a little wrist action I can get it done. Inside there are two bronze washers surrounding that massive pivot. The action is smooth and very pleasant. There are what appears to be thumb studs on the blade, but they are actually stop pins and don’t work super well as thumb studs. The ball detent on this knife is very good and it’s fun to watch the blade get “sucked in” upon closing.

Lockup is of course established via a beefy titanium framelock. This particular knife is a 9th generation SnG, and benefits from newly redesigned flat cut lock geometry. I have heard stories about Striders developing blade play, but this knife has held up really well. I have a very slight amount of side to side play, and no up and down. I’d tune up the pivot, but it requires a proprietary wrench that I haven’t acquired yet (really, it should come standard at this price). Lockup is pretty early and the titanium lock bar doesn’t stick at all. It’s also worth mentioning there is a small Hinderer lockbar stabilizer on the handle to prevent over extension of the lock.

Strider SnG – Final Thoughts

For many knife collectors the SnG will be something of a final destination in their knife collecting journey. It is an iconic American hard use folder with bold lines, contrasting finishes, and that kind of rough and tumble bravado that pairs well with a low slung Harley Davidson, a strong cigar, and several fingers of really good bourbon. I can totally see the appeal, and it’s been a lot of fun carrying, using, and admiring this really sweet folding knife.

However, I gotta be real here for a moment. If you are looking at knives from a purely practical perspective the SnG is functionally no better than something like a Spyderco Paramilitary 2. It’s not going to cut any better, the lock isn’t going to be any stronger, and it won’t feel any better in hand. But that’s ok, this is the nature of a luxury good. My $40 Casio keeps better time than a $5,000 Rolex – but I’ll be damned if I don’t own a Submariner one day. You buy a knife like this because you want it, and have a few extra dollars to spare.

That said, as a collector and an enthusiast I do think you get something more with the Strider. The G10 backspacer seamlessly integrated with the handle scale, the beefy custom hardware, the flamed titanium lockbar – these are a few details that make the SnG stand out in a crowd. You get something unique, tough, capable, and strangely refined. The only issue I could spot was the partially blocked lanyard hole – besides that this is a really meticulously executed knife. When it comes to titanium framelock hard use folders the guys at Strider know how to do it right, and the quality, materials, fit, finish, warranty, and U.S. manufacturing are all there. Simply said, it’s a great knife.

So if you want to buy an SnG, I say buy an SnG. I don’t think it’s perfect, and it’s definitely a luxury item, but at the end of the day it’s a really nice knife. While it may be the first Strider in my collection, I guarantee it wont be the last.

Strider SnG – $400
From: BladeHQ

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