Survival Knives

Blackwater Ursa 6 Review

Blackwater Knives has recently released a cadre of new tools that caught my eye – both visually, and from a specification standpoint. The Ursa 6 is one of those tools, with an uncompromising design geared towards high speed professionals.

Buy the Blackwater Ursa 6 at BladeHQ

The Ursa 6 was designed by Robert Young Pelton, the same man behind the designs for DPx Gear. The knife is manufactured by Lionsteel in Maniago, Italy – a company known for high end offerings like the SR1. Upon arrival everything about the Ursa just reeked of quality. Even the box was cool, complete with iridescent embossed sleeve and black tissue paper lining. Inside was a something long and lean, yet full figured and deadly. My heart was already racing, and the blade wasn’t even out of the box – it was like a cross between a high school fantasy and comic book noir. Needless to say, if looks could kill I’d already be in the ground. But can she cut? Lets find out…

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Ursa 6 has an overall length of 11.1″, has a 5.95″ blade, and it weighs 11.10 ounces. The spine is an extremely thick 6mm. I spent a good amount of time going over the intended use of this knife in the video, and I think it’s worth mentioning again here. This is a dedicated combat knife, designed for soldiers. It’s not a camp knife, bushcraft knife, or even your typical survival knife. It’s a purpose built tool for self defense (and in many cases, offense) as well as hard use utility work. The 6mm thick blade doesn’t make for the best slicer or the lightest backpacking knife, but it ensures that it will hold up against the demanding situations often thrust upon soldiers.

The blade itself is a modified drop point design. It sort of resembles a spear point or dagger blade shape, but it’s definitely a drop point of some sort (not that the semantics particularly matter here). One of the first features people will notice is the run of serrations along the spine of the knife. I like this feature because it keeps the main edge plain – leaving plenty of room for fine cutting. The primary edge is partially flat ground and the 6mm thick blade carries a good deal of steel all the way out to the tip. This is definitely a knife that can get some stabbing / thrust cuts in without a problem. The thick grind means it is not the best slicer, but I had no issues cutting through rope, cardboard, and wood. The entire knife has been given a PVD coating, which generally held up great, only scratching a little when I used the Ursa 6 to open up a can of potatoes.

Blackwater selected Niolox steel for this knife – a steel that I have previously had zero experience with it. Apparently it’s made in Germany by Bohler Uddeholm, and it has been well received. This particular piece of Niolox has been heat treated to 59 HRC, which is supposedly on the low end of what it can take.

In my cutting tests I found that Niolox was extremely tough, held a nice working edge, and sharpened easily on basic stones. The edge it took was extremely keen. I liken it to a high carbon steel such as 1095, but it’s stainless steel and seems to have better edge retention. It may not be quite as tough as 1095, but then again I didn’t have any issues at all with chipping or rolling. I also drove the blade through a 2×4 in a fairly extensive tip test without any issues. Based on that experience I think the Ursa 6 has the potential to be a good breaching tool.

I’m still relatively inexperienced with the steel, but so far I like it a lot. I think it’s a good choice for a combat knife because I found it very tough and extremely easy to sharpen – a must when you are out in the field, miles away from your regular sharpening equipment.

Handle and Ergonomics

The handle of this knife is extremely impressive. The ultra wide piece of steel is flanked by 2 thick pieces of black peel ply G10. It really beefs up the handle and provides this rugged overbuilt feel that can’t help but inspire confidence. The spine of the handle is gently rounded and flows perfectly into the G10 scales. The scales themselves have been wonderfully finished with a series of finger grooves milled into the handle. All the corners have been meticulously rounded and everything is held together with 2 sets of flat head bolts. The bolts are easy to take down with a multi-tool or coin, and you can lash the knife to a piece of wood for a spear, or store small pieces of survival equipment in the hollow handle. Rounding things out are a generous lanyard hole, and an exposed striking pommel for hammering, prying, or using as a “non-lethal” defensive option.

Ergonomically speaking the Ursa 6 is well thought out and executed. The knife is well balanced, and the fat handle is extremely nice; providing excellent grip and a comfortable purchase. The knife feels solid in both forward and reverse grips.

My only gripe has to do with the jimping. Blackwater installed this interesting wirestripping jimping – it works as jimping but also can strip wire. It’s a cool idea, but I found the jimping irritated my thumb under hard use. If you are wearing leather gloves I doubt you would feel it, but it could tear up fabric gloves and can certainly eat into bare flesh. My advice would be to tweak the jimping so it isn’t quite as abrasive. Then again, perhaps I was using the knife differently from how a real professional would. All things considered I like how the Ursa 6 feels in hand.

Sheath

The Ursa 6 comes equipped with a full featured cordura sheath. There are multiple attachment points at the top and bottom for paracord and webbing. The back of the sheath is fully MOLLE compatible and can also accept a belt. There is a good sized pocket on the front of the sheath for a sharpening stone or whatever else you want to cram into it.

Inside the sheath is a molded plastic insert. It provides good retention for the blade, and is fully reversible for left or right side carry. There is a strong secondary retention strap with a metal snap. I like this style of retention strap because it is made of thick plastic that can be bent out of the way, and also will resist abrasion if you do happen to nick it when you withdraw the knife from the sheath. The metal snap is strong and does a great job further securing the knife.

All in all this is a well thought out sheath. It’s lightweight, secure, and you have multiple mounting options. I think for most people this will work very well.

Blackwater Ursa 6 Review – Final Thoughts

The Ursa 6 is a tank of a knife. Everything about it is overbuilt with durability and utility in mind. The 6mm thick backbone and tough tool steel make this knife practically indestructible. I beat the Ursa 6 though a 2×4 and it didn’t even blink. While I have zero military experience I think this is a robust design that will hold up well to the rigors of aggressive daily use.

Also, the folks at Lionsteel did an exceptional job realizing Blackwater’s design. The construction as well as fit and finish is outstanding. Everything from the cardboard box to the rounded spine oozes quality and attention to detail. The knife is so pretty I initially cringed at the thought of plunging it into a tin can – but I know this is a tool that was meant to be used, and I thought the very least I could do was give it a thorough test drive.

It’s also worth mentioning Blackwater offers an extended warranty for military personnel who register their knife. Under this policy the knife is protected against loss, breakage, defects, theft or any other issues for 2 years (and additional coverage can be purchased). This is another awesome detail that has me walking away from the Ursa 6 extremely impressed.

In closing, I definitely recommend the Ursa 6 if you need a high quality tool that will hold up well under hard use.

Blackwater Ursa 6 – $260
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Ursa 6 at BladeHQ. Buying the knife though the links on this site earns me a small commission and helps support the website. As always, thanks for reading – please let me know if you have any comments or questions in the comments section below.

ESEE Candiru Review

by Dan Jackson 12 Comments

Last Updated: August 1, 2019
Small, sharp, and damn near indestructible. If you want the short version of my Candiru review, that was it. Coming from ESEE, a company with a pedigree for making tough as nails outdoors and survival blades, that should come as no surprise. Fans of their extremely popular Izula pattern will no doubt be intrigued by this smaller cousin. Named after a most nefarious of jungle catfish, the Candiru is meant to be lightweight, discrete, and versatile.

Buy the ESEE Candiru at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

I carried mine for some time as an urban EDC, and also tested the knife outdoors on an extended trip to the rugged Canadian coast. Does it live up to expectations forged by ESEE’s other blockbuster blades like the ESEE 3 and Junglas? Lets find out…

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Candiru is a small knife with an overall length of 5.13″, a 2″ blade, and a weight of 1.7 ounces (not including the sheath). The Candiru is made in the USA. This has been a nice backup knife for suburban EDC and has also served as a (very) small outdoors blade. ESEE also suggests this knife to round out your Personal Survivavl Kit (PSK), or as part of your First Aid Kit. I think all of these are legitimate uses for the Candiru.

Each knife ships with a fold-over cordura sheath, and the entire package makes for an extremely slim and discrete carry. I find the knife very easy to tuck away in a pocket and also would work well as a neck knife. Any way you carry it, the Candiru is the kind of blade that is soon to be forgotten until that moment arrives when you need something sharp.

The blade is a simple drop point shape with a partial flat grind. The entire knife is cut from a piece of 1/8″ thick 1095 high carbon steel, powdercoated in your choice of OD green, desert tan, or black. As I mentioned earlier, the entire package is damn near indestructible. The Candiru has held up well to heavy cutting, batoning, and even prying apart a particularly nasty piece of salt cured driftwood. The edge geometry on the Candiru is pretty stout, and the powdercoat finish is textured – so don’t expect the most amazing slicer. On the plus side you can pound this thing through a 2×4, and the knife will be no worse for the wear. I found the knife useful for everything from opening package, to building fires, to even helping dismantle a lobster dinner.

The choice of steel is 1095 – a high carbon non-stainless steel selected for it’s toughness and ability to easily take a keen edge. All ESEE knives come in 1095, and at this point I am very familiar with the steel. 1095 will rust if you aren’t careful, and I experienced some slight rust spotting on the logo and edge – so you will want to keep the knife clean and oiled. That said, I think the corrosive tendencies of the steel are well outweighed by the excellent toughness of the steel. I experienced no issues with chipping, and the tip passed some gruesome pry tests with flying colors.

Handle and Ergonomics

A stock Candiru ships without any handle scales. I didn’t mind this at first as it kept the weight down and the knife slim, but I have greatly enjoyed the micarta scales on my Izula II and I kind of regret not purchasing the optional micarta or G10 scales for the Candiru. My guess is they are well worth the $15, although I am sure an enterprising individual could fashion his own scales for a fraction of the price.

As far as ergonomics are concerned the Candiru is a 3 finger knife. For most of your EDC tasks this isn’t going to be an issue, but I found that for outdoor use the small knife tended to slip in my rather clumsy grip. A short run of jimping helps control the blade, but I found myself using this one in a pinch grip a lot. That said, this thing is plenty capable, and will be fine for small woodworking jobs as well as typical chores around camp. I managed to prepare food, cut rope, and whittle sticks without major issues. Like I said before I think the optional scales would have been nice on this one, and I would recommend the upgrade.

Sheath

The original Candiru came with a small black cordura sheath. It’s a fold-over style sheath with a little piece of velcro for the closure. Inside the sheath is a plastic lining where the blade fits snugly inside. Besides that the only other landmarks are a belt loop and a small metal grommet for attachment to a lanyard. The sheath works. It requires 2 hands to get at the knife, but given the size of the knife it all seems reasonable. That said, I am such a big fan of the plastic sheath on the Izulas that I would prefer that ESEE shipped the Candiru with a polymer (plastic) sheath.

Well, I was apparently not alone in my desire for a polymer sheath for the Candiru, and ESEE eventually switched over and now a polymer sheath comes standard. I have not had a chance to check it out personally, but from what I have gathered it is a nice upgrade over the original cloth sheath.

ESEE Candiru Review – Final Thoughts

The Candiru is a charming little knife. It manages to pack rugged functionality into a tiny sub 2 ounce package, and is built with the same practical and rugged mindset of everything else in the ESEE lineup. And of course the knife comes with ESEE’s legendary no questions asked use-or-abuse warranty, and the Candiru is 100% made in the USA. Those in need of an ultra light backup knife, or a small fixed blade for a PSK or First Aid Kit could certainly do much worse than the Candiru. I happen to like mine a lot. That said, I do have one lingering issue with the knife.

My biggest beef is with the price. ESEE knives are typically on the spendy side, and I tend to justify the premium with the USA craftsmanship and the killer warranty (well justified in my opinion). But the Candiru is priced at the point where it starts to compete with other blades in the ESEE lineup – which is where the real dilemma emerges.

As shown the Candiru sets you back $47. If you were to buy the OEM scales the entire package easily pushes the $60 mark. At that price, you are firmly in Izula territory. Around $55 gets you an Izula, and around $65 gets you the excellent Izula II (which includes the knife, micarta scales, and a nice plastic sheath). If you want an ESEE and are able to carry the larger Izula II, I would definitely go with the Izula II. I find it to be a much easier knife to work with as it includes full 4 finger grip ergonomics, a bigger and beefier blade, and a more convenient plastic sheath.

So for that reason I have some difficulty giving the Candiru my absolute full endorsement. It’s a cool knife, but unless you absolutely need something that small I think the Izula is a much better buy. That said, if you really do need something as small as the Candiru (maybe for ultralight backpacking or a PSK) then I can definitely say the knife is a cool piece of kit. It is also just as well built as anything else in the company’s lineup – which is saying a lot as ESEE’s build quality is typically excellent.

While I wouldn’t call the Candiru a “must have knife,” it’s certainly not a bad blade either. If you can get past the price you are left with a solid performer for urban EDC and outdoor use alike. Small, sharp, and damn near indestructible.

ESEE Knives Black CANDIRU Fixed Blade Knife w/Polymer Sheath

I recommend purchasing the Candiru at Amazon or BladeHQ.

Boker Plus Vox BOB Review

by Dan Jackson 13 Comments

Last Updated: August 11, 2019
Designed by Jesper Voxnæs of Vox Knives, the Boker Plus Vox BOB is an interesting blend of chunky fixed blade and simple Scandinavian design. Mr. Voxnaes has done a number of collaborations with Boker, perhaps most notably his small Gnome neck knife, but this was my first hands-on experience with some of his work.

Buy the Boker BOB at BladeHQ

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I loved the look of the knife, but admit that Jesper’s design puzzled me a little. It’s a compact shape, but quite heavy for it’s size. I could envision several practical applications for the BOB, but I felt like there was a missing link in my analysis. So I went to Jesper himself for his take on the knife. I’m really glad I did because Jesper proved to be both incredibly insightful, and more than happy to answer my questions. So it’s not only a pleasure for me to review a great knife, but to review a great knife designed by a really cool designer.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Vox BOB has an overall length of 7-3/4″, a 3-3/4″ long blade, and the knife weighs 9.5 ounces. If this sounds hefty for a relatively modest knife, that’s because the Vox BOB is made from a piece 7mm thick steel!

Jesper informed me that the “BOB” in Vox BOB actually stands for Bug Out Bag (or Bail Out Bag), which of course is a bag that you pack in preparation for an emergency with enough supplies for 72 hours of survival. His goal was to create a bug out knife that satisfied a number of criteria. The knife needed to be:

Small enough for a pocket.
Heavy enough for chopping.
Slim enough for easy slicing and food prep.
Thick enough for splitting wood.
Have enough belly to dress and skin game.

With all that in mind, the heavier blade started to make sense. The knife is still light enough to be easily carried in a bug out situation, if you choke back on the handle with a 3 finger grip it can chop, the full flat grind makes the knife a very capable slicer, it’s stout enough for batoning, and there certainly is enough belly there for field dressing game. I also happen to think that this would make a great camp knife too. So lets continue along the review in my typical format and hit some of the high points of this design.

The blade shape is a classic clip point. There is a nice tip and tons of belly. Although I didn’t “bug out” with this knife, I did carry / use it and found the full flat grind and sweeping belly to be especially useful in the kitchen. Despite the thick blade stock the Vox BOB proved to be a capable slicer, and it didn’t hurt that the knife came extremely sharp from the factory. The edge on this knife has been beautifully ground, and I really like the bright satin finish.

AUS 8 was chosen for the blade steel. At first I was unsure of the choice, but I am now convinced that the selection makes sense.

In a survival situation you need a forgiving steel that won’t chip easily and is not difficult to sharpen. That’s why high carbon steels like 1095 as often used in wilderness survival blades, they fit that description to a T. But if you want to use a stainless steel, it’s best to leave the high end super steels on the shelf as they are typically more difficult to sharpen and are much more brittle. On the other hand, AUS 8 is extremely tough and can be easily sharpened in the field. It’s also completely stainless so there is no need for a blade coating or to worry as much about how you store and use the knife. For this particular blade I think AUS 8 was a good choice.

Handle and Ergonomics

The Vox BOB sports an attractive green canvas micarta handle with red liners and a couple of stainless steel tubular pins. I really like this handle design, it’s a pleasing color combination and a nice choice of materials. Everything is well put together. The scales are flush, nicely finished, and everything lines up.

The ergonomics are also nicely done here. The BOB is very comfortable in a regular 4 finger grip. The wide handle fills the hand well, there is a large finger choil, and the broad flat tang has plenty of room for your thumb. There isn’t any jimping, but I find that the overall design offers plenty of grip and jimping is unnecessary.

If you want to chop with the knife, Jesper recommends choking back on the handle with a 3 finger grip. Slip a lanyard through one of the tubular pins and you are ready to go. It’s not my first choice for a chopper but again, you have to understand the paradigm within which the knife was designed. The BOB has plenty of weight behind it and should get most chopping tasks done.

Rounding out our handle is what Jesper calls the “bonk stud.” Many will recognize this as a “skull crusher” or “non-lethal impact device,” but Jesper prefers to look at this protrusion as a tool rather than a weapon. He suggested that the bonk stud would be especially appropriate for pounding sticks into tinder. Regardless of the semantics (or philosophies) you subscribe to, I think this is a nice addition to the handle.

Sheath

For many overseas made knives the sheath is often the weakest link. Thankfully that’s not the case here. The Vox BOB comes with a hand made and hand fitted black kydex sheath by none other than Tom Krein. For those unfamiliar with Mr. Krein, he is a highly respected US knifemaker, and is also known for his own collaborations with Boker. His designs for Boker include the Pocket Bowie and Personal Survival Knife (PSK). Coincidentally, Tom also makes a great kydex sheath.

It’s almost goes without saying, but this sheath is beautifully made and has excellent retention. When secured the knife doesn’t wiggle around at all, but it is still easy enough to draw when you need it. The blade and sheath fit together with an extremely satisfying “snap.” It’s just been really well done.

In addition to the great sheath you also get a tek-lock, which typically sells for around $10 by itself. Tom designed this sheath for horizontal or vertical carry with the tek-lock, but you could secure the sheath with paracord or some other means. Regardless of the way you decide to carry this knife, the sheath is an absolute home run.

Boker Plus Vox BOB Review – Final Thoughts

I thought the Vox BOB was an extremely cool design on paper, and I’m pleased to say that it’s a exceptionally nice knife in person too. I love the clean lines meshed with the raw versatility of the design. The thick tang is very unique on a production knife, and when combined with all the other details it makes for a very versatile tool. The level of fit and finish is high, and the choice of materials here are all quite good.

But what really drives this knife home for me is the inclusion of an awesome sheath. A handmade kydex sheath on a production knife is totally unheard of (but completely welcomed). Retention is crisp, the details are great, and the sheath elevates the BOB from a good production fixed blade into a great one.

With a retail price of around $100, the BOB is not particularly cheap. But when you consider that this is a well made knife that comes with both a handmade sheath and a tek-lock I think the price is well justified. The Vox BOB really is a complete package, and I think it’s well worth a look for fans of prepping, camp knives and survival blades.

Boker Plus Bob Knife

AUS-8 steel blade
Canvas Micarta handles
Includes Kydex sheath.
AUS-8 stainless steel blade, with a thickness of 7mm
3-D canvas Micarta handles

I recommend purchasing the Vox BOB at Amazon.com and BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Cold Steel Bushman Review

by Dan Jackson 16 Comments

When I ordered a Cold Steel Bushman I wasn’t sure what to expect. My previous experiences with Cold Steel knives have all been good, but for under $20 I had no idea what I was in for.

Buy the Cold Steel Bushman at BladeHQ

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All I knew for sure was that the knife was popular and cheap, which, as a reviewer, made it an easy purchase to justify. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality, and having now owned and used the knife for a while I’m a little closer to understanding what this blade is all about.

Purpose

The Bushman is billed as a survival blade, and I think it’s capable of all the major tasks. First of all, it can chop and baton – no surprises there. It’s also lightweight and easy to carry, a big plus for me. It could also easily be fashioned into a makeshift spear, very valuable in a survival situation. Finally, the knife is tough as hell and is pretty much indestructible. So yeah, it could certainly work as a survival knife.

I also think this could be a decent choice for a bug out bag – especially one done on a budget. This could also be a handy tool for the yard, clearing brush and general messing around type jobs. Finally, this could be great for the cabin, truck or anywhere else you would want to stash an inexpensive but highly functional fixed blade knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Bushman comes in two flavors, the bowie blade shown here and a more traditional shape. Both are 12-1/4″ long, have 7″ blades and weigh around 10 ounces. These are slender and light knives, not designed to be serious choppers, but capable of chopping, batoning and being fashioned into spears. If I could go back and buy the knife again, I would have gone with the non-bowie version. I think it would be easier to baton with it and I might be able to choke up and control it a little better for detail work.

The blade has a hollow saber grind that starts about 3/4 of an inch up the blade. Cold Steel supplies you with a good out of box edge and the knife has a nice tip for piercing, that held up really well to some of my prying tests. I took this knife to the wood pile in my back yard and went to town chopping, batoning and carving. I processed wood for a couple fires and generally tested the knife the best I could. The blade is 2.5mm thick and has a large flat portion due to the saber grind. I found it batoned “ok” – it would jam easily in dense pieces of oak but could tackle dry pieces of 4-5″ diameter pine without a problem. For batoning in my back yard I would prefer a wider blade with a higher bevel, but the Bushman got the job done.

The entire knife is made from a single piece of SK-5 high carbon steel. My research indicates that SK-5 is close to 1080, a durable tool steel. Being a high carbon steel, the blade will rust (and my knife shipped with prodigious amounts of grease on the blade and handle) so Cold Steel elected to provide a black powder coating. The black powder coating is attractive and durable but began to show signs of wear – totally expected. Cold Steel tempered the knife to 54 HRC. The result is that you have an edge which is pretty soft but incredibly tough – excellent for hard chopping without chipping or breaking. I found that the edge held up quite and came back very easily with a couple swipes on my strop.

One thing I noticed is that I actually managed to bend the edge a little in testing. Again, we appear to be flirting with the limitations of a thin survival knife made from a softer steel. I don’t think this really hurts anything but is worth noting – I’d much rather see the steel bend a little than chip out or break.

Handle and Ergonomics

The Bushman’s handle is about as simple as they come; it’s a single piece of steel that has been folded into a tube and welded together. What I like about this handle is that you can really beat on it. I would often strike directly on the handle and pommel as I tried to drive the knife through larger logs. Cold Steel claims that the handle / blade transition is capable of withstanding 2000 pounds of force. You could hit this handle all day and it’s not going to break.

Another great benefit to this design is that it is very lightweight. Depending on what you like to carry this could potentially serve as a backup knife and is a good option for camping trips and day hikes. I also like how you can easily convert the knife into a spear. This is something I didn’t try out myself, but it seems easy enough to do.

As far as ergonomics go the handle is surprisingly comfortable. After working with the knife for an hour I didn’t notice any hot spots. However, the handle doesn’t provide much in the way of traction. If it’s a hot day and your hand is sweaty I highly advise using a lanyard as there is no texturing to speak of. Perhaps you could wrap the handle with some sort of athletic tape or paracord and add some texture. That said, I personally had no issues with slipping and I found the handle to fill the hand well and offer a decent grip considering.

Sheath

The sheath is almost as simple as the knife. It’s made of Cordura and reinforced with plastic sheeting, stitching and rivets. My biggest problem with the sheath is the absence of any means of retention. If you turn the sheathed knife upside down, the blade will fall out. In my mind really this is more of a “pocket” than a sheath. Speaking of pockets, there is a large pocket on the front of the sheath with a velcro flap – could be handy. I’d throw a small strop or stone in there and maybe a fire steel. The only mounting option is a belt loop. Honestly I think given the price the sheath works, but a retention strap would make it work so much better. It might jack the price up a little but I think it would be worth it.

Cold Steel Bushman Review – Final Thoughts

This is a sturdy offering from Cold Steel. This is a no frills knife, but for around $25 shipped, I doubt anyone would be disappointed with this simple and hearty blade.

In fact, there is a lot to like about the Cold Steel Bushman. It uses a good high carbon steel, is pretty much indestructible, doesn’t weigh much and takes a keen edge. The ability to easily convert the knife into a spear is also really cool. Add a retention strap to the sheath and you have a very capable survival knife that could be pressed into a variety of roles.

Cold Steel 201052 Bowie Bushman 95Bbuskz

Made of highest quality material
Manufacturer: Cold Steel
Cold Steel bowie bushman 95Bbuskz

I recommend purchasing the Cold Steel Bushman at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Combative Edge SALUS Review

by Dan Jackson 8 Comments

Last Updated: September 18, 2019
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, one of my favorite parts of running this website is the excuse to check out sweet knives. I can try to do this under the pretense that I am offering the reader some noble service, and perhaps even some entertainment, but lets not kid ourselves here – it’s all about the blades!

Buy the Combative Edge SALUS at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

So when I got the chance to pick up a Combative Edge SALUS I didn’t waste any time. Limited to only 50 pieces, this thing epitomizes cool yet maintains a level of practicality that makes it work just as good as it looks. Regular readers will notice that this is a little outside the more “mainstream” knives I review. In fact, I’m sure quite a few people will be entirely unfamiliar with Combative Edge, as they are a relatively new boutique brand. Guys, I love to review these more exotic knives but it all comes down to money, time and availability… but with any luck this won’t be my last Combative Edge review.

I also want to mention that this knife was made for Combative Edge by Fox Knives of Maniago, Italy. I do not have a lot of experience with Fox Knives (or Italian knives in general) but due to the rising popularity of Italian blades I hope to remedy this quickly. I will say that my initial impressions of Italy’s cutlery capabilities are extremely favorable. This knife in particular is beautifully made and I will get more specific as we work through the review.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The SALUS has a 5-7/8″ blade, an overall length of 10-7/8″ and a weight of 10.5 ounces. Considering that this is a full tang knife made from 5mm stock I think this is a lightweight and carry-able knife (that is, if you can carry a foot long fixed blade in the first place). The almost 6″ blade gives you plenty of cutting space and a good amount of reach, while the handle allows for a comfortable grip in a variety of positions. This is a very practical knife that can be used in tactical and survival applications.

The SALUS is made from a large piece of Bohler N690Co stainless steel. Admittedly, I do not have much experience with this steel. However, Sal Glesser, owner of Spyderco Knives, refers to N690Co as a “European VG-10”. Additional research has found that this steel has a tight grain structure and is capable of taking a very fine edge. Also, this steel is supposed to be highly resistant to corrosion. My understanding is that this N690Co takes some work to sharpen (much like VG-10) but is overall a very good steel.

The N690Co on the SALUS has been given a black Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating. For those unfamiliar with DLC coatings, this is the bonding of a carbon material that displays some of the properties of diamonds to the bladesteel. Unlike more typical decorative coatings, DLC coatings can actually increase resistance to wear and have many industrial applications. Naturally, depending on the manufacturer the formulation of the coating and other variables, you will experience different results with a DLC coating on the blade of a knife. While I have not hard used this knife I have noticed that the coating is very durable. I’m sure if you were to really gouge the steel it would leave a mark, but DLC is generally one of the toughest coatings out there and Fox did a great job with the SALUS.

The blade itself is a large American tanto shape with a drop point and swedge on the front half. The American tanto blade shape offers awesome penetration power. The 5mm thick blade tapers down at the very tip, but by and large this is a very stout blade. A flat grind has been applied about half way up the knife. I have no doubt that in a the SALUS could baton and perform other bushcraft/wilderness survival tasks.

Handle and Ergonomics

The SALUS features a highly textured G10 handle. These are 3-D machined handle scales and they feel awesome. It’s obvious that a lot of time has been spent getting the palm swell perfect and all of the lines are flush and wonderfully finished. The texture that was milled on is aggressive yet comfortable, which ensures a firm grip as the handle seems to melt into your hand.

In addition to the awesome scales, ergonomic features abound on the handle. There are two finger choils and two thumb ramps providing a ton of options for the user. You can choke up or pull back on the knife, in forward, reverse and every grip in between. I’ll tell you it’s really hard to write about this (so hopefully the video can fill in a little) but the way this has been executed is near perfect. The jimping is sharp and meaningful and the choils are well spaced. Everything works, and there are no compromises. It’s obvious a ton of time went into designing this handle. It’s an outstanding part of the knife that separates it from the pack.

Rounding out the handle is a large exposed pommel (for a “non lethal” option – I would NOT want to get cracked with this thing) and a couple lanyard holes.

Sheath and Carry Options

If the excellent steel, superb design and marvelously finished handle weren’t enough to distinguish the SALUS, take a look at the sheath. In some ways the sheath impressed me the most because it shows how far the guys at Combative Edge went to ensure this is a 100% high quality product.

The sheath itself is made of kydex and is mated to a removable cordura carry system with a series of 4 velcro straps. The kydex sheath is snug, with a very secure fit and a small drain hole at the bottom. If you want to run just the kydex sheath there are plenty of slots and holes for webbing and paracord. However, I think the cordura part of the sheath is a nice option and has been reinforced with plastic and extra stitching. The blade is further secured with a double snap strap that falls out of the way when open so you don’t inadvertently cut into your strap when drawing the blade. The sheath is Molle capable and includes two genuine Blade-Tech Molle locks with all the hardware.

Combative Edge also included two adjustable straps for use in a thigh rig. And just like everything else, this isn’t some cheap strapping. This is high quality nylon and one side has been given a rubberized no slip coating. A small amount of elastic ensures a secure and comfortable fit. Details like this really impress me and show the level of thought that went into even the more minor details.

At first glance, the sheath does not appear to be lefty friendly, but if you mess with the velcro straps you can carry this for left handed draw – admittedly it’s not as elegant as the right hand setup, but it does work.

Combative Edge SALUS – Final Thoughts

All in all I am very pleased with the SALUS. The design, the materials and the fit and finish are all top notch. Rob Walker and the crew at Combative Edge really thought this one out and executed a brilliant take on the modern combat knife.

The SALUS is typically made and sold in small quantities. As of 2013 CE is no longer offering the SALUS with a tanto blade shape. Instead, they have decided to offer the knife with a drop point blade instead. Limited quantities give the brand an even tighter “botique” feel and in my mind, further distinguishes Combative Edge from other offerings.

Combative Edge CBE00404 Salus Fixed Blade Knife

10 7/8 inch
5 7/8 inch blade length
Black textured G-10 handles

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Combative Edge SALUS from Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Cold Steel Spartan Review

by Dan Jackson 14 Comments

Last Updated: August 4, 2019
Tired of reading reviews on wussy EDC knives? Need something capable of holding off an army of blood thirsty Persians? Consider the Cold Steel Spartan. Yeah, I enjoy reviewing EDC blades just as much as the next guy, but sometimes I need a little more. Thankfully, Cold Steel is around to supply me with all kinds of testosterone laden products. Lets take a look at this ridiculously awesome hard use folding knife.

Buy the Cold Steel Spartan at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

Purpose

Let me start off by saying this is a heavy knife. Cold Steel claims it weighs 7.5 ounces. For the amount of knife you are getting I think it’s reasonable, but lets not mince around here; it’s still heavy. Naturally I made a point to carry the Spartan to get an idea as to how it handles. If you are wearing a decent belt it actually carried pretty well for me in a roomy pair of shorts. That said, for most this certainly isn’t an EDC knife.

Ultimately I want to call this a “hard use” knife and leave you to decide the specific application. You could carry it as a tactical knife, and you could also carry it as an outdoors knife. Honestly I think the Spartan would also make a great folding camp knife as it is more than capable of light chopping, batoning, and other tasks normally associated with a fixed blade. The shape of the blade is also really good for food prep (tons of belly, wicked slicer). And of course this could be a cool collectable as well. For some this will be a serious tool and for others this is just a cool knife to have in the collection.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Spartan has a 4.5″ blade, an overall length of 10.5″ and a weight of 7.5 ounces.

The blade on this thing is impressive. The unique shape is designed after the ancient Greek “Kopis” sword, but in more modern terms it’s a drop point with a large recurve. This recurve offers incredible slicing power and as a defensive tool, well, lets just say I wouldn’t want to be cut with a Cold Steel Spartan. As you draw the blade over your cutting surface, the recurve grabs material and shears it with amazing precision.

The only downside to a knife with such a substantial recurve is that it’s difficult to sharpen. I ended up giving sharpening a try with my Spyderco Sharpmaker, and I managed to restore the factory hair shaving edge with some work. So sharpening the Spartan certainly isn’t impossible; especially if you have sharpening rods. Note that if you are going to carry the knife on extended outings, say, in some sort of military capacity, it could be tough to sharpen in the field.

And as a warning, seriously, be very careful with this blade. I inadvertently cut through my shirt and a cleaning cloth on multiple occasions when I tried to clean this blade up a bit – this is a first. The big recurve makes it behave a little differently from a more ‘normal’ knife.

The blade on this knife has a reinforced tip and a high hollow grind that begins about 3/4 of the way up the blade. The tip is great for penetration and the hollow grind is excellent for slicing. The Spartan has very versatile blade geometry and it’s a great performer. The knife has been given a beautiful blasted finish and the Cold Steel and “Spartan” logos have been nicely etched into the knife.

The blade on the Spartan is made of AUS 8A stainless steel. This is good mid range steel, and when you consider the price of the knife (around $50) this was very satisfactory. I like AUS 8A on my hard use knives because it’s a very tough steel that resists chipping. It does tend to lose it’s edge a little faster than harder premium steels, but it’s an easy steel to sharpen – a must with the challenging recurve.

Hande, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle scales on the Spartan are made of grivory, a kind of high impact plastic. The grivory handle scales are over full stainless steel liners. No doubt, this is where the chunky Spartan gets some of its weight from. I would have loved to have seen these liners milled out, but I’m happy to see how flush they are in the scales and how strong this knife is. Even if you milled the liners out I think you would still have a very heavy knife – it’s just built tough. Everything has been bolted together so you can take this knife apart as needed. The pommel is big and would serve as a very effective impact tool.

The ergonomics on the Spartan are really unique. One glance at the handle and you can tell something different is going on. First of all, the handle wraps around your hand. The textured scales have been given a tiger striped pattern that is both attractive and comfortable. When you grip the Spartan your hand feels secure. This is not a knife that will slip away easily. Potential negatives are that there is nothing in the way of jimping, and the thumb plate feels a little awkward when choking up. That said, I really like the ergonomics as a whole. This is a knife designed to cut through anything you put in front of it and the handle keeps the knife in your hand – it’s simple but effective.

All in all, the pocket clip on the Spartan is excellent. First of all you get two pocket clips; one for left hand carry and one for right hand carry. Cold Steel does this on a lot of their knives and I love it. The clip is black and has been given a very durable semi-gloss coating. The clip is also designed to ride low in the pocket – this is good for carry but can be awkward when trying to use the wave feature of the knife. In some ways I would prefer a clip placement that didn’t put the knife so deep in the pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

The Spartan uses a large thumb plate to deploy the knife. You can use this plate like a thumb stud, or you can use this plate to wave the knife open off your pocket like an Emerson folder. The spring on the Spartan is pretty strong so flipping the knife open with your thumb is not that easy, especially because the knife is big and the thumb plate needs to travel a good distance to fully engage. For that reason I really like the wave. It pops the Spartan open with amazing speed.

The Cold Steel Spartan makes use of the now legendary Tri-Ad lock. Designed by Andrew Demko, this lock is probably the strongest locking mechanism in existence. There are videos of people absolutely wailing on this knife and the lock holds up. Once you get the Spartan in your hand it all makes sense. Lock up feels like a bear trap engaging – the “snap” the knife makes is incredible. It’s no wonder people have used this like a fixed blade.

Disengaging the lock took some effort. For reference, I’m 6’2″ 240 lbs. Over the years I have spent a fair amount of time in the gym and have developed pretty decent hand and grip strength. I’ll tell you, I have trouble unlocking this knife if I don’t have a good grip on it. It’s a very very strong spring on a very sturdy design. For many people I think the lock will take some practice. I might even suggest Cold Steel puts a weaker spring on there, but I wouldn’t want to look like a total wuss.

Cold Steel Spartan Review – Final Thoughts

I can’t help but feel like I’m having difficulty adequately describing the knife. Perhaps I wasn’t prepared for the tank that arrived in the Cold Steel box, but this big blade totally took me by surprise. I think Cold Steel once again raised the bar with affordable toughness. It is very well built and the Tri-ad lock is the toughest lock out there. For the money I do not think you will be able to find a bigger and stronger folding knife.

I was also very impressed by the Spartan’s build quality. This knife was made in Taiwan and they really paid a lot of attention to detail. The blade is centered, the grinds are even, and finishing is very nice. Everything is smooth and lines up. It’s a well thought out knife that has been expertly executed.

When it comes to negative aspects of the knife, the only thing I can really say is that the blade is somewhat difficult to sharpen and I might prefer a carry that isn’t so deep. These are minor issues and I generally think the Spartan is an awesome blade.

If you want something big and bomb proof, and don’t particularly care about things like weight and local carry laws (I’m joking but definitely check your local laws before carrying in public), check out the Cold Steel Spartan. I don’t think you will be disappointed with the knife but you have been warned – it’s big.

Cold Steel Tactical Pocket Folding Knife, Spartan

Super Sharp Knife - The stonewashed blade was designed to echo the aesthetics and cutting performance of the world famous Kukri, a Nepalese knife similar to a machete, cut through meats, rope, bamboo, and aluminum with ease
Kopis-Inspired Handle - Super thick spine with finger cutouts makes holding the Cold Steel Spartan comfortable and safe, handle is molded out of Griv-Ex with heat treated steel liners for extra security
Tri-Ad Lock - The safest folding knife locking system on the market, holding 800 lbs of hanging weight. The blade is shouldered around the stop pin for increased resistance to wear and tear. The full surface of the lock and blade tang sit flush, making the lock system more secure
Additional Features - Folding knife with ambidextrous pocket and belt clip for both right- and left-handed draws. Does not imprint in the pocket for a stealthy carry. Perfect for battle gear
Tactical Knife - A great everyday carry knife for self-defense. The Demko thumb plate can be used to open the knife at lightning speed by snagging on the edge of a pocket during the draw stroke

If you are interested in purchasing a Cold Steel Spartan, then I recommend purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for checking out the review.