Tactical Knives

SOG SEAL XR Review

For some, getting right up to the point of “too much” is exactly the point. I’d read once that Chevrolet didn’t see any need to put a stronger engine in the Corvette in the sixth and seventh generations because without a mid-engine chassis, adding more power would just spin the tires. Sensible enough. Meanwhile, Dodge threw a 1200 horsepower engine into the “Demon” variation of the Challenger, because you know, MORE. Muscle car guys threw their wallets at it.

Buy the SOG SEAL XR at BladeHQ

In the knife world, the efforts directed towards making a robust and bulletproof folder typically result in a design that ends up overly big and heavy. At a certain point, you cross a line where it would have been easier and more cost-efficient if the consumer found a good fixed blade and called it a day.

Enter the SOG Seal XR. Primarily designed as a law enforcement / military grade tool (the name is indeed a clue), the knife is additionally billed as being ready and willing to cut through any problem regular guys like us have to throw at it.

Now, the sensible part of my brain knows that there’s no shortage of sub-$50 machetes from name brands like Kershaw, Ontario, and Cold Steel that are up to the task of being batoned through a piece of firewood. What’s the use, then, of subjecting a folding knife retailing at $190 to that same degree of use and abuse?

The damndest thing happened on my way to trying to answer that question. Once I unboxed the knife and started using it, the Seal XR put “sensible” into a headlock from which it never emerged.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

As you might already expect, the Seal XR is a big boy. My specimen weighs in at 7.98oz on my digital scale. Closed, the knife is 5.25” top to bottom, about three quarters of an inch across the widest point of its body (not counting the clip), an inch and a quarter at its widest point when folded from back to front, and a hair over 9” in overall length when deployed. Here it is between our usual suspects, the Spyderco PM2 and the Ontario Rat II.

Note that these specs may preclude pocket carry for some. For real-world reference, my iPhone is about 4.7ounces in weight (with case). The Seal XR’s size and density is certainly enough to make it pants-saggingly conspicuous if worn all day in the front pocket of your shorts. Then again, and especially when it comes to overbuilt tools, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Personally, I’ve felt the Seal XR to be less burdensome when carried in a sturdier jacket pocket. It’s going to feel better clipped to thicker, utility-grade denim as opposed to skinny jeans. Those who actually might need to rely on the Seal XR as part of any kind of military or law enforcement use might have more kit to play with, from tactical vests to Batman-style utility belts, which might allow a more secure and confident carry. My point is that not all wardrobe is compatible if you want to EDC this thing.

The blade shape of the Seal XR is excellent: I always like the look and performance of clip points, and there’s a lot of belly that allows the knife to cut aggressively just based on geometry. By my measurements, the Seal XR provides about 3.5” of cutting edge and 4” of blade length. The stock on the blade measures a respectably beefy 0.19” across. Put all of these dimensions together, in combination with the always-great S35VN steel, and you end up with a big knife that can poke and cut with the best of them.

A word on this: if you’ve never used a big knife for normal household tasks, you’re in for a treat. The Seal XR positively decimates cardboard boxes, and it was a joy to use in breaking down a six-foot long branch that I woke up to find blocking my driveway. The Seal XR also pierced very well through some eighth-inch thick plastic to make several impromptu drainage holes in a makeshift planter. The blade remains paper-cutting sharp.

This is pedestrian stuff for a knife designed to withstand the rigors of fighting ISIS operatives or being run over by a Humvee, but I was surprised by how a hard duty knife made short work of light duty tasks. It certainly never felt like overkill.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The word of the day when it comes to the Seal XR is “jimping.” While the FRN handles are nicely grippy on their own, the finger grooves, blade spine, backspacer, liners, and flipper tap are all aggressively machined in order to really let the Seal XR lock into a gloved hand. With a solid grip, this thing is only getting away from you if you lose a couple fingers.

It seems excessive at a glance, but let me assure you: you can definitely come away from a bare-handed work session without feeling like you’ve been juggling a few cheese graters. The finger grooves are comfortably spaced, and the knife balances nicely just behind the XR lock, so despite the weight it’s never unwieldy.

As for the pocket clip: I don’t love it. Normally my biggest beef with knife clips is that they produce hot spots during use. Not so here: in this respect, the SOG clip is actually workable. It’s also aesthetically very nice, and the company’s logo is understated compared to other models like the Terminus. In the past, SOG has gotten a deserved amount of flack for pocket clips that seem to literally shout the branding at you, and for that reason I appreciate the no-BS approach here.

What irks me about it is that its size ends up blocking off the part of the knife where my middle and ring fingers want to land while operating the XR lock, as might be a little more evident below.

If I try to secure those digits on the clip, it’s slippery thanks to the mostly smooth steel. But secured just forward of the clip, it puts the meat of my fingertips a little too close to the blade’s closing path for comfort, and especially so given the momentum it has when it slams home. (More on this to come.) Without the clip, I feel a lot more confident and comfortable working the action.

Deployment and Lockup

No bones about it: the XR lock is a treat. I quickly found this to be my preferred deployment method. The beefy blade practically carries itself through the arc of travel with the laziest of wrist flicks, as the inner workings of the XR lock actually begin to push the blade out and away when the button is actuated, as seen below.

You can certainly use the eminently functional flipper tab, though it requires just a little more effort than the average pocketknife to kick out the blade. The “thumb hole,” if you ask me, is purely decorative and not a serious deployment option.

Lockup is as rock solid as I could ask for. Expect excellent centering open and closed, and no detectable play in any direction upon deployment. SOG has been getting deservedly good press as a result of its take on Benchmade’s AXIS lock. The verdict is that the XR lock is durable and reliable, and smooth enough to make every one of SOG’s manual folders fidget friendly. Unlike some of my Benchmades, however, there was no appreciable early stiffness or break-in period necessary. Right out of the box, I was flicking the blade open and closed with ease.

As for flicking the blade closed—it’s a little thrilling and a little scary. Disengage the XR lock and the blade slams home like a runaway vault door with an audible clack of metal against metal. (More reason I want my fingers firmly planted on the handle.)

SOG Seal XR Review – Final Thoughts

The Seal XR is proof positive that SOG has listened to the feedback provided by knife aficionados and is genuinely competing to stand neck and neck with stalwarts like Benchmade and Spyderco. The build is quality through and through, and the company has seemingly done the impossible in making a nigh-indestructible “serious business” tactical knife utterly fun and fidget friendly.

But with an MSRP of about $190, is an eight-ounce slab of S35VN built for the horrors of war something you need? For most, the answer is no. That said, my knife drawer would be a lot less crowded if I’d limited myself only to buying what I needed rather than what I found cool or interesting. Although the Seal XR was a little much for my personal EDC considerations, those who want a tough-as-nails folder like this will likely find a way to make the size and weight work. Big knife guys, you already know who you are.

At the end of the day, the Seal XR gets a big thumbs up. Sure, you can probably get through your household or workshop tasks with a smaller, lighter blade. But if you’ve never used a knife like this, you might be surprised by how it soldiers through whatever material you need to cut in less time and with less effort than you’re used to.

SOG SEAL XR
From: BladeHQ

Editor: I recommend purchasing the SOG SEAL XR at BladeHQ. They aren’t currently available on Amazon.

Spyderco Matriarch II Review

by Clayton Walker 1 Comment

The Spyderco Matriarch’s predecessor, the Civilian, carries a somewhat curious warning. As the company writes on the knife’s product webpage, “Because of its distinctly specialized features it is not intended or designed for general utility or everyday use.” Reading this and knowing nothing about the Civilian, the layperson might wonder why a consumer might spend upwards of $250 on a knife that he doesn’t plan to use much—if ever. But if said layperson were to lay eyes on the deployed blade, an “ah-ha” realization would follow swiftly thereafter.

Buy the Spyderco Matriarch 2 at BladeHQ
Buy on Amazon

In essence, the Spyderco Civilian is a pocket velociraptor claw. It has a thin profile and aggressive serrations to rip through clothing and soft tissue. Make no bones about it: the Civilian is explicitly for self-defense against human assailants. Designed in the 1990s for law enforcement officers who couldn’t carry a gun in certain situations, it is a brutally effective “second best” option that can be wielded by an inexperienced user to disable a combatant as a matter of last resort.

The Civilian, however, suffers a few well-known drawbacks. First, the tip is legendarily fragile (probably the reason for Spyderco’s warning not to use it outside of dire circumstances). Second, and perhaps more importantly: it’s expensive at MSRP, but combine that with limited production and a demand that never seems to abate, and it’s not uncommon to see them sell north of $300.

Enter the Matriarch II. If not a direct replacement for the Civilian, the Matriarch II retains the same purpose-built design of the Civilian at about half the cost. Some might hear “half price” and wonder if the Matriarch II is an inferior copy or an exercise in cutting as many corners as possible. Much to the contrary, the Matriarch is a knife that adds enough features that I’d consider it an improvement over its infamous big brother.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Let’s not bury the lede: The Matriarch II gives you 3.57” of a “reverse-S” serrated blade, and a hollow, chisel-shaped grind further helps the knife to cut and slash. The reason for that “S” shape, incidentally, is that any kind of material (organic or inorganic) will be naturally directed from the tip into the hollow of the blade during a natural arc of travel. It’s a scary one-two. The thin tip digs in deep, and the remainder of the blade saws and cuts to extricate itself as the user pulls away.

In direct comparison to the blade of the Civilian, the Matriarch II has about a half-inch less of length to work with and a more robust tip. From Spyderco’s perspective, this likely cuts down on the number of broken knives returned for service while not losing hardly anything by way of self-defense effectiveness. It also means that the Matriarch II is more at home in an EDC capacity, where that last eighth-inch of tip can be used to dig into tape and envelope seams. Even given the changes to the profile, you have to look far and wide to find something more intimidating.

As for the rest of the knife, the Matriarch II mates its S-curve blade into just under 5” of handle and a weight of about 3.5 ounces. At only .44 inches thick, the Matriarch II is deceptively thin and light. As such, it easily checks that most coveted of boxes for any self-defense tool: you can carry it all day and forget it’s even there.

As you’ll notice from the photo, where it’s nestled between Spyderco’s Para 2 and Ontario’s Rat II, the Matriarch II offers significantly more length. However, that extra length is unnoticeable in most pockets and it’s a far flatter carry than either of the accompanying EDC stalwarts.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

One of the biggest factors that differentiates the Matriarch II from the Civilian is the use of fiberglass-reinforced nylon (FRN) over G10. Don’t think of this as a downgrade. In my opinion, the square texture Spyderco uses on its FRN is one of the grippiest and best in the business. This absolutely will not slip out of the hand, and the finger grooves further help the knife to stay anchored.

The ergonomics are quite interesting. The Matriarch II shares the same body and construction as the fourth-generation Endura, differing only in the blade itself. Never having owned or held an Endura, this was altogether new to me.

Basically, there are two good grip options. With the thumb placed on the back of the blade, you have more control over the tip and an extremely secure grip. However, one can also align the middle finger in the finger groove lower down the knife and place the thumb along the grooves on the back of the handle, permitting about another inch of reach.

Normally I look for a more pronounced index finger groove or some kind of guard on a self-defense knife. Here it’s a total non-issue. The Matriarch II is absolutely not made for making push cuts. If the blade stops on anything solid, it’s going to be pulled out and away from the hand during any kind of cutting task. Ergonomically, the handle is perfect for the intended use.

Onto the pocket clip. The tip-up carry design exposes about a full inch of handle, so people will see you have a knife if they’re looking. Fortunately, the aftermarket comes to the rescue: since this is again identical to the Endura 4, a variety of deep carry clips are available, such as those available from Lynch Northwest or MXG Gear.

Deployment and Lockup

The Matriarch II’s “wave” opener, licensed from Emerson and incorporated here, is an undeniable upgrade over the original Civilian model. As the knife is pulled out of the pocket, the wave protrusion hooks into the fabric of your pants and basically deploys itself. I’ve read about this several times, but this was actually the first knife I’ve owned to actually have the feature.

I’ll say this: it’s hard not to pull this knife out of the pocket without the blade kicking out. It is the fastest deployment system on a folder, bar none. You will want to be very careful when removing this from your pocket at the end of the day, lest you get bit or rip a hole in your jeans. I can only reliably get the knife out of my pocket in the folded position by holding the blade shut against the handle throughout the draw motion. This is an annoyance on a utilitarian EDC, but a welcome feature on a dedicated self-defense tool. If you need the Matriarch II, you will likely need it quickly.

Fortunately, the ease of deployment with the wave counteracts the biggest flaw of the Matriarch II: from the factory, the action is stiff as all get-out. This is a criticism I’ve heard leveled at a number of Spyderco’s back-lock designs, but those used to handling a Tenacious or a Paramilitary of any kind are in for a rude awakening when they try to middle finger flick this thing.

The thumb hole is functional, but only in combination with an aggressive, do it like you mean it wrist snap. The blade locks up bank-vault tough and is perfectly centered, but boy howdy does it require some force to overcome the lock bar tension, especially right out of the box. Again, this knife deploys fine with gross muscle movements, but it does not take kindly to the kinds of fine motor control manipulations that make a knife fidget friendly. Perhaps it wants you to really know that this is a tool, not a toy.

The tradeoff to the stiff action is faultless centering and lockup. Deployed, the Matriarch II feels very much like a fixed blade, and I have utter confidence in the action’s strength.

Spyderco Matriarch II Review – Final Thoughts

There’s often ample overlap between gun people and knife people, and it’s by no means accidental. I would wager that most of the members of either group have spent some time musing about the harsh realities of defending life and limb and at some point came to the conclusion that some options are better than others.

The Matriarch II is the most gun-like knife I’ve yet to come across. It’s the easiest crossover knife to convert someone who carries into the world of folding blades, and it’s a design that necessitates the same kind of respect and caution one would give to a loaded firearm. My desk drawer is filled with a lot of designs that are quirky and fun and I happily screw around with them. The Matriarch II is not one of those knives.

At the end of the day, and given the primary use of a knife like this, you’ll know if this is for you or not. And if you do need to draw the Matriarch II in defense of life and limb, may God help the poor son of a bitch who’s on the other end of it.

Sale

Spyderco Matriarch 2 Lightweight Knife with Emerson Opener and 3.57" VG-10 Steel Reverse S Blade - SpyderEdge - C12SBK2W

Game Changer - The Matriarch 2 is the combination of the Civilian
Superior Quality - Its SpyderEdge VG-10 stainless steel blade is scientifically designed to maximize cutting performance
Dependable - One of the vital features of the Matriarch 2 are its sturdy back lock mechanism, four-position clip, and Trademark Round Hole
Ergonomic - It ensures unmatched carry versatility and high-speed deployment with either hand
Easy To Carry - By adding an Emerson Opener - a small integral hook on the spine of the blade - the latest version of the Matriarch 2 raises the bar even further by offering the ultimate in high-speed deployment

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Matriarch 2 at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Shirogorov Ne0n Review

by Aaron Shapiro 1 Comment

I spend a lot of time imagining what it must be like to create a masterpiece. Putting the final brushstroke on Monet’s Water Lilies or for John Frusciante to idly strum the opening chords to Can’t Stop for the very first time. What must be to be involved in the creation of something truly great. That must be something like how Sergey and Igor Shirogorov felt when the Ne0n was designed. It’s rare for me to be such a fan of a knife, this came together in a perfect storm of materials and lines to make something that I truly enjoy putting in my pocket. Although to spoil the ending, it does have one major flaw and that is cost. This is an expensive knife, but in my eyes, I find it well worth the ask.

Buy the Shirogorov Ne0n at BladeHQ

The Shirogorov lineup is a confusing one. They make many different models that seem almost identical to someone that isn’t familiar with their collection. The Neon is one of Shiro’s smaller pieces, the “Zero” or Ne0n has some additional features that earn it this moniker. We’ll get into the specifics here shortly, but suffice to say that I think this is one of the pocket friendliest high-end EDC knives available that isn’t made in Boise.

All Measurements are my measurements and may differ from manufacturers specifications.

Blade: 3.25”
Overall Length: 7.75”
Thickness: .53” with the clip
Blade Thickness: .13”
Steel: M390
Weight: 3oz
Lock: Titanium Framelock with Steel Lockbar Insert

Blade Details

I’ve had two different folks refer to the blade on the Neon as different shapes. It’s a coin toss between a traditional drop point or a subtle reverse tanto. I’m on team drop point, as the spine of the blade DROPS to the point but I’m not going to fight about it. The finish that Shirogorov has used is a really fine, matte stonewash on the blade. This finish is perfect, in my opinion. It catches the light nicely, doesn’t show tape stickies when you’re opening packages or breaking down boxes, and hides any machining marks from manufacturing.

In practice, this knife is a pure laser beam. It moves through paper like it’s not there. It’ll cleanly quarter up an apple to go with your turkey sammy. Cardboard holds no power against the mighty Zero. This is largely due to the thin blade stock and perfectly executed flat grind. Speaking of the grind, it’s pretty remarkable. The plunge lines on either side are perfectly executed and matched. I’m certain that Shirogorov is grinding these, at least mostly, with some sort of CNC machine, but the angle and precision are unusual (and good to see). Just like the plunge, there is a thin swedge that runs the length of the blade until you reach the negative angle near the tip. It’s a very sharp swedge that’s perfectly symmetrical the whole length of the blade.

So, steel… Shirogorov generally makes good steel decisions, in my opinion. They continued that trend with the Ne0n here when they picked M390. M390 is the same (or at least similar enough) to 20CV or CTS-204P. It’s stainless steel that is known for its good edge retention. I’m not one for cut tests or any other of exhibitive “sharpness testing,” let’s just say that I’ve pretty much carried this knife exclusively for a month or so, using it for everything I’d use a knife on, and it’s still SCARY sharp.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Let’s go over the handle finish first. It’s a dark tumbled finish. I’m not going to pretend that I know how they achieved the finish that they did, but it appears to be a “smoother” tumbled finish than I’ve seen – it will, however, repel wear well. I want to point one element of criticism that I’ve heard: I’ve heard people comment on the coarseness of the handle finish. By this I mean you can see some of the tumble marks from the media. This isn’t a problem or even unattractive in my eyes; tumbling after all is just a collection of repetitive scratching. I just wanted to comment on it.

Ergonomically, the Ne0n is just so great. I wear a large glove and this knife sits perfectly in my hand. The handle tapers right behind the pivot then flares back out as it moves into your hand. The edges are all either radiused or chamfered, there are no sharp edges on this handle. It’s super comfy.

The Ne0n’s pocket clip is really interesting. It’s milled from titanium and built using a hidden screw construction. It works great, if you turn and look at the bit that contacts the knife scale you’ll notice that it doesn’t touch the lock bar at all. So provided that you keep your fingers on the clip when deploying you won’t run into any “failures to launch,” due to lock bar pressure.

To round this section out I wanted to touch on a couple of key features that Shirogorov incorporated into this knife. If you look inside of the handle you can see that there is a channel milled out of the backspacer to accommodate the blade. The blade is slightly longer than the handle scales themselves, so the tip and edge sit inside the backspacer. Next, I wanted to point out the milled relief near the flipper tab, this allows you to get a solid press when you’re opening the knife. I think this particular detail adds to this knife’s excellent action.

The lanyard attachment point is equally cool to see. There’s a milled relief towards the rear of the handle that opens up the area around the backspacer to allow for a paracord lanyard to pass through the loop on the backspacer itself. This shows an extra level of detail simply due to the fact that what Shirogorov could have done is allow the backspacer to extend past the scales, but instead of increasing the overall profile of the knife, Shirogorov came up with this clever solution. I can only guess that this along with some of the other elements they’ve folded into this knife increased the cost of production, but it shows the quality of their design. At least that’s my opinion.

Deployment and Lock

The lock on the Shirogorov Neon is a pretty straightforward frame lock with a steel insert. It’s nice to see a steel insert included on this knife, it should prevent any undo lock wear and extend the lifetime of that framelock.

The real special sauce on this knife, however, is the MRBS employed. MRBS stands for Multi-Row Bearing System, the name pretty much describes what this is but I also think a picture on Bladeforums is worth a thousand words. There’s a lot of debate out there as to whether the MRBS is really better than a Single-Row Bearing System (SRBS). I’m not sure how you could actually “prove” that this system is better. In my mind having more bearings would mean that there is a larger bearing surface for the blade to move on, that seems positive. Based on my experience, the knife is incredibly smooth and fires like a rocket, for these reasons MRBS gets a solid thumbs up from me.

Shirogorov Ne0n Review – Final Thoughts

To conclude I don’t think I have hidden my opinion on the Shirogorov Neon Zero at all. I love this knife. It’s well made, capable, and looks extremely cool. If there was any critical flaw it’s simply that this is an expensive knife. They weigh in at $715, this puts them into the realm of a decent custom build or other high-end production brands like Rockstead. Is it worth it? Well, that’s going to be an individual determination. I feel like it is. Between the quality of manufacture and attention to detail, I can see the money in it. As with all things, your mileage may vary.

Shirogorov F3
From: BladeHQ

Occasionally Shirogorov knives find their way to BladeHQ, and I recommend purchasing them there. They aren’t available on Amazon.

Ka-Bar TDI Shark Bite Review

by Travis Pike Leave a Comment

I have a real thing for discrete weapons. It might be a focus I have on concealed carry, but it’s extended to more melee type weapons as well. Part of this love of discrete weapons leads to weapons made from nontraditional materials, like carbon fiber, G-10, and all variance of polymers. These weapons are typically incredibly light and invisible to metal detectors and make me feel spy-like. The Ka-Bar TDI Shark Bite is one such weapon.

Buy the Ka-Bar TDI Shark Bite at BladeHQ
Buy on Amazon

Ka-Bar’s TDI series are very distinctive knives that position the blade at a 90ish degree angle. These knives were made specifically for police officers as a last-ditch weapon for self-defense purposes. The TDI Sharkbite variant is an all-polymer variant made of something called Ultramid. This super lightweight polymer design forms the Shark Bite’s entirety and creates a rather exciting self-defense knife.

An all-polymer knife isn’t made to cut up cardboard, cut through rope, tape, or other EDC tasks. It’s made for self-defense purposes. The TDI’s design is also not lent to EDC tasks, so when you make a polymer TDI, you only have one real option for it.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The TDI Sharkbite has an overall length of 5.125 inches with a 2.625-inch blade and a handle length of 2.625 inches. The cutting edge is 2.125 inches long on the main portion of the blade. The blade has a quasi dagger-like design that leaves the top of the blade with about half the bottom part’s cutting edge. The point is a spear point design.

The TDI Sharkbite weighs a mere 2.4 ounces, and it feels like nearly nothing. The included sheath is also polymer and lightweight. The TDI Sharkbite is super easy to carry and disappears as a concealed carry weapon.

The entirety of the knife is made from Ultramid. Ultramid is a polymer, but it seems like the fancy term for it is molding compound. This ‘molding compound’ is known for its high mechanical strength, stiffness, and stability variance regarding temperatures. As far as the Sharkbite is concerned, the best property of Ultramid is its impact resistance. According to my research Ultramid is perfect for this type of weapon. It won’t crack, bend, or break when driven hard into a target.

I set up 12 layers of cardboard (thanks Amazon and Christmas shopping), duct-taped them together, and then taped them to a pole. I drove the Sharkbite into the cardboard a half dozen times, and each time it penetrated through all twelve layers, and the point struck the wood. I was pleasantly surprised at the blade’s ability to penetrate.

I attempted a few slashes, and while it made abrasions in the cardboard, this is not a very effective slashing weapon. It wouldn’t be a pleasant situation to be in, but it’s better at stabbing

The tip did dull a fair bit from those few attacks into the cardboard. Sharpening the point is possible with a file or using a blade from a pocket knife. This does make the tool disposable, but it’s a tool you’d use in a fight, not for everyday tasks. If you only use it for one fight, it’s likely worth the low admission cost.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Sheath

The 90-degree positioned blade makes this a quasi punch dagger, and the handle works well for that. The handle itself is short and thin, but the curved design offers you an excellent grip on the blade. Your thumb sits on top of the grip, and the jimping on the back of the blade shows you exactly where to rest your thumb. The grip and the blade work together for a good retention based grip. Due to how the handle is designed, there is no need for aggressive texturing, which is great because you don’t get any.

When striking with the TDI, there is an impact point behind the blade that strikes your finger. It causes some pain as it digs back into your trigger finger. This little pain is unlikely to be noticed when the TDI is used defensively.

The sheath is all polymer and designed to accommodate a variety of carrying styles. This includes on the belt, around a necklace, into a MOLLE section, or even laced into your boots. The lightweight design also makes carrying the knife easy, but the sheath is a little bulkier than it needs to be.

The blade weirdly locks into the sheath. The blade has a cutout in the middle that locks into two posts that are part of the sheath. To deploy the blade, you have to press down on the posts with your finger and lift with your hand. The sheath covers the edge portions of the Sharkbite, but the majority of the knife is left exposed.

TDI Sharkbite Review – Final Thoughts

The TDI Sharkbite is a compact and well-designed polymer-based knife, that is half impact weapon and half stabbing tool. It’s solely for self-defense and will disappoint you if you choose to try it for anything else. The Ultramid blade is a smart design that is impact resistant and suited for the Sharkbite’s design.

The polymer design does allow you to squeeze passed metal detectors, but you’ll still be breaking the law should you take the knife into an airport or courthouse. If you want to get through an area with metal detectors that don’t have the force of law backing their use, then the Sharkbite is a perfect choice.

The ultra-lightweight design makes it convenient to carry, but the sheath is somewhat bulky. However, the sheath’s polymer design would allow it to be easily modified and trimmed via Dremel tool.

The TDI Sharkbite is super cheap, often selling for less than twenty bucks online. The Sharkbite is a discrete self-defense tool that is worth the few bucks it costs. It’s not perfect, but in a last-ditch situation, it’s better than harsh words.

KA-BAR Knives KA9908 TDI Shark Bite, Knife, Black

Made in United States
The KA-BAR/TDI (Tactical Defense Institute) Shark Bite is made completely of Ultramid B3EG6, a synthetic hard plastic material
Features a 2.625" long and 1.438" wide blade.
The overall length is 5.125" and the approximate weight is 0.15 lb..
The Shark Bite comes with an Ultramid sheath and 24" #3 black epoxy coated steel ball chain.

Editor: I recommend purchasing the TDI Sharkbite at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Gerber 06 Auto Review

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

The Gerber 06 Auto has always struck me as a stand out piece for Gerber. A well worn trope in knife reviewing is to bag on Gerber for their decline from an American standard to a mass market, Wal-Mart oriented, overseas produced stuffed shirt of a brand.

Buy the Gerber 06 Auto at BladeHQ

The poster child for that era of corner cutting was their plastic handled Bear Gryles Parang that would break in half if you tried to use it. I’m not sure you could even saber open a bottle of Dom with it on the hotel pool deck, much to Bear’s chagrin. If there ever was a rock bottom for Gerber, that was it.

The 06 Auto is a standout for the brand because it is USA made piece geared towards military and law enforcement instead of mall ninjas and glampers. It’s an automatic knife, so federal law forced Gerber’s corporate overlords to produce the 06 in the USA. The bean counters were pissed when they realized this, and groused about the diminished margins. But enthusiasts have referred to the USA made 06 as a “happy accident”, because the resulting knife was not an orange plastic encased turd best known for its propensity to break in half. Imagine that!

In the past few years Geber has attempted a turn around. Knives like the Fastball have shown the company is committed to making high quality blades again, but the 06 has been around for 10 years. In fact, the 06 I have here happens to be the 10 Year Anniversary variant with an OD green handle. It’s high time we check this modern classic out.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 06 Auto has an overall length of 8.625″, a 3.625″ blade, weighs 7.14 ounces and is made in the good ole USA. This is a full size knife with a similar footprint to my Strider SnG or Spyderco Paramilitary 2, but it’s about twice the weight thanks to a thick blade, full steel liners under aluminum handles, and a chunky steel backspacer. It’s not my top choice for an urban EDC knife, but if you are looking for a heavy duty piece this 06 feels like it can be used to bust through cinder blocks.

Here is a size comparison with a Spyderco Delica and an Endura. All in green!

The blade is a handsome traditional drop point, with a saber flat grind and a long swedge. The blade of my 10th anniversary edition has been given a simple stonewashed finish, but generally the 06 comes with a flat black blade coating. The grinds are clean and even and the edge has been neatly applied, the last 1/8th of an inch at the heel is unsharpened for some reason. I’m not a fan of that as I find material can get hung up on the unsharpened portion. I suppose that could be ground out, but would prefer to see the edge completely sharp all the way to the heel straight out of the box.

Gerber runs S30V steel on their O6s these days. I have no real issue with S30V. It’s a fine steel that gets the job done, although these days there are more exotic steels available. Depending on the heat treat S30V can be stubborn to sharpen. I found that this 06 is easy enough to touch up on my Spyderco Goldenstone, so that’s good. No issues with rust or corrosion so far.

I’ve used this 06 a bit. It doesn’t leave the house much, as I prefer to carry smaller lighter knives when I’m on the go, but I’ve carried it around the house and neighborhood, and used it on many cardboard boxes. It’s an effective box cutter, tracking smooth cuts through cardboard and other packing materials. It also whittles well, peeling off long thin strips of wood and bark. It’s also a stout blade that should hold up well in harder use cases. I think it would be a good choice as folding camp knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

As I mentioned before, this knife comes with hard anodized aluminum scales over full steel liners and a thick steel backspacer. All the hardware has been given a black oxidized finish. This Ten Year Anniversary edition comes with OD green handles. I find that to be fun and a nice change of pace from the blacked out regular edition. Some of the finish is a little crude, most notably the tool marks on the backspacer, but the parts all fit together nicely. It’s a solid and well made handle.

You can also see Gerber went through the trouble of skeletonizing the steel liners. The big honking backspacer also provides room for a lanyard hole and an “impact tool”. As far as impact tools go, this 06 Automatic means business. I would not want to get hit with this thing.

The ergonomics of this knife are quite good. The handle is generous and can accommodate larger hands and gloved hands. The anodized handles offer a little texture without being abrasive. There is some millwork in the handle for extra traction, but it seems that the 06 benefits the most from its simple and large handle shape. The knife is a little pommel heavy, and I find the most balanced grip is when I am choking back on the handle. However if you decide to choke up, the flared handle shape prevents your fingers from slipping forward. All in all this is a comfortable handle that should work well for most people.

The pocket clip is large, and doesn’t provide for particularly deep carry. A good inch or so sticks out, which makes the knife easy to retrieve, but not super discreet. The pocket clip is secure with good spring retention. That is essential for a heavy knife like this.

Here is your in the pocket shot:

In practice I found the 06 to be a large and somewhat cumbersome knife to carry. If you are used to a heavy load out then the 06 is just another day at the office, but if you regularly carry a Dragonfly 2 or Mini Bugout like I do, then the 06 will take some getting used to. No surprise there, the knife is over 7 ounces.

Deployment and Lockup

Now for the fun part. As you know, the Gerber 06 is a push button automatic. The coil spring inside the handle is strong and snappy. It has no problem propelling the blade out. Gerber has also included a large safety button, or safety slide, that will lock the blade open or closed. Most safetys are fiddly and detract from the knife. The safety on the 06 actually enhances the experience. It’s surprisingly satisfying to use. It’s large and takes a purposeful amount of force to manipulate. I have yet to accidentally manipulate the safety. I don’t mind it at all on this knife.

For lockup the 06 comes equipped with a button lock. This is a robust locking mechanism, and the safety slide allows you to lock the knife open if you choose. I like button locks in generally, and think the button lock here is pretty good. The blade is secure although there is a small amount of side to side play. No up and down play. When it’s time to disengage the lock, an appropriate amount of force is required. There is no stickiness in the lock. It’s good. No complaints here.

Here is a parting size comparison with my Strider SnG. I still enjoy this knife, and imagine it’s a collectible at this point. I thought it would make for a cool size comparison.

Blade centering is good on my knife. I’d say it’s off by a hair, but is still good enough for government work.

Gerber 06 Auto Review – Final Thoughts

The 06 Auto has been on my radar for as long as it has been in production. It has that universal cool, and is a strong departure from Gerber’s standard stuff. It’s handsome, rugged, and overbuilt. Who wouldn’t want one?

Well, an argument against the 06 is it’s a heavy duty tool. If you are a normal person, you could carry one for the novelty, but I think you will find that it’s overkill for most EDC use cases. Certainly if you are in law enforcement, military, or have a reason to carry a heavy duty piece like this, then the 06 is a great choice. But if your typical carry is an ultralight EDC knife, then the 06 Auto will get old fast.

With those caveats aside I can recommend the 06 Auto. It’s a robust knife and it shows what Gerber is capable of if they put their minds to it. It’s a quality piece, and I’d love to see them riff on this design and offer lighter and maybe even non-automatic variants. More “happy accidents” please, and less orange plastic.

Gerber 06 Auto – From $169.00
From: BladeHQ

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Gerber 06 Auto at BladeHQ. Thank you for reading.

Microtech Dirac Review

by John Burridge 1 Comment

Buy the Microtech Dirac at BladeHQ

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” (Arthur C. Clarke, 1962)

Every time I use my Microtech Dirac, I feel like I’m doing a magic trick. The Dirac is an out-the-front (OTF) switchblade, and its 2 7/8” (74 mm) blade snaps out and back in so fast that my eye can’t perceive the movement of the blade springing out of the handle- there’s no blur of motion, the blade just appears where there was previously nothing. I’ve been carrying the Dirac on and off for several months and I never get tired of watching it. I’ve also come to some conclusions about it as an EDC knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Dirac is a light, compact, stabby little knife. The blade is just over an inch shorter than the handle, which is 4” (102 mm) long, not counting its 9/32” (7 mm) glassbreaker. May I just add that the Imperial measurement system is antiquated and absurd, and I refuse to use it any more. The rest of the review will be using Cubits, notated as “cu”, with handy conversions into Biblical Cubits (Bcu) and Ancient Egyptian Royal Cubits (AERcu). The Dirac’s blade is a pretty handy EDC length of 0.162 cu (0.128 Bcu / 0.141 AERcu) and is quite thin at 0.0054 cu (0.0043 Bcu / 0.0047 AERcu) and the knife weighs a scant 0.00193 bushels. It’s obviously a thin, light knife that you barely notice in your tunic.

My Dirac has a double edge dagger-shaped blade made of Bohler M390 steel. M390 is a “super steel” made using a process called powder metallurgy. After reading a couple of very well-written articles on KnifeSteelNerds.com (thank you!) I think I can explain why M390 is so desirable for knife blades: small carbides. Powder metallurgy steel is made by heating iron, chromium, vanadium, etc. to a liquid form and thoroughly mixing it together. How finely ground the individual ingredients are affects how thoroughly it can be mixed together, and the goal is to eliminate big chunks. Have you ever not stirred pancake batter enough and gotten a lump of grainy batter in your pancake? Powder metallurgy pancakes would never have lumps like that. M390’s tight, homogenous grain structure makes it extremely hard (for sharpened edge retention) and pretty tough (resistant to chipping). Its tiny grain structure also enables it to be sharpened to a very fine edge. To sum it up, M390 is just about as good as it gets for blade steel in 2021.

The Dirac’s blade has a black DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating, which I scratched cutting a cardboard box in the first week I had the knife. I have a few other non-Microtech knives with DLC coatings, and I never managed to scratch any of them. Maybe my DLC coated knives by Reate, WE, and Bestech and would have gotten scratched under the same circumstances, but I doubt it. Microtech’s DLC coatings are known to The Internet to get scratches and edge wear easily, and I can personally verify that. My Microtech Ultratech (aka my favorite knife in the world) looked just as worn-in after a few months of EDC as my Dirac does now.

The aluminum handles on both knives are scratched, the steel pocket clips have shiny edges, and the sliders (Microtech, like White Castle, calls ‘em sliders), have shiny raw metal showing where my thumb has rubbed the DLC off. I certainly don’t mind- I’m not a knife collector, I’m an enthusiast (aka knife nerd) and I think Jeeps and Microtech knives both look better with some dents and scratches. Microtech clearly agree with me that their knives still look good after some use, so they’ve done limited runs of most of their knives with a “distressed” finish. Microtech really took the distressed concept to the next level with their “Bounty Hunter” series, which are designed to look like knives that Boba Fett (a bounty hunter from the Star Wars films) would use.

I’m sure these Bounty Hunter models were popular when they were initially released in 2016, but since the premiere of the Star Wars Universe TV series “The Mandalorian” in 2019, these little suckers have become nearly impossible to come by. This one was snagged through a combination of Instagram stalking and checking several Microtech reseller websites ten times a day. The knife pictured is a UTX-85 Bounty Hunter, and it’s about the size of the Dirac, which I consider to be a good, small-ish EDC knife size. There’s also a much larger version of the Dirac, named the Dirac Delta. The Delta’s overall length of 9.4” (235 mm) makes it nearly as big as the Microtech Cypher seen dwarfing the regular Dirac in the picture below.

I personally find huge knives like the Microtech Cypher, Dirac Delta, and Combat Troodon to be unnecessarily large for anyone who doesn’t have giant sausage fingers, but what does necessary have to do with expensive switchblades? That’s my Cypher in the picture below, and I love that thing despite the fact that it makes me look like I have baby hands.

I’m always interested in the origins of names, and Microtech specializes in badass aggressive ones: The HALO, named after the US special forces High Altitude Low Opening skydiving technique, the now-discontinued Nemesis, named after the Greek mythological spirit of divine retribution, and the Troodon, named after an 11 foot tall bird-like dinosaur. I therefore naturally assumed that the Dirac and its larger variant, the Dirac Delta, were named after a bareknuckle boxer or something. I emailed Microtech customer service and was told this: “As far as the name DIRAC goes, it is actually a mathematical term. Dirac Delta is the “function”… represents an impulse.” It’s named after a math equation. WTF? I then actually did some research, and the aforementioned theory is by Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac (1902-1984) who predicted the existence of antimatter. Antimatter is definitely badass, so Dirac is still a cool Microtech name, but it’s a thinker…

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The ergonomics are what initially attracted me to the Dirac. Before I bought my Dirac I had the opportunity to handle a Benchmade Infidel at SHOT Show 2020 and in the context of fiddling with it at Benchmade’s booth, I knew I intuitively liked the ergonomics of its top-mounted slider, but couldn’t quite explain why. When I got my Dirac and started EDC-ing it, I discovered the huge advantage of a top-mounted slider vs. a standard OTF spine-mounted slider:

When pulling the Dirac out of my pocket, I pinch the knife between my thumb, which slides into my pocket, and the middle joint of my index finger, which is below the tip of the pocket clip. It’s a pretty deep grip- my thumb is on the top slider, and my index finger is just as far forward on the back side. This deep drawstroke allows me to open the blade and use the knife without adjusting my grip. I can’t think of any other style of folding knife that allows for instant use right out of the pocket. Spine-mounted sliders require a grip adjustment to get your thumb on the switch, and any non-OTF knife (even ones with the Emerson Wave opening feature) require your fingers to get out of the way when the blade swings out.

As I was figuring out the mechanics of this draw, it felt a little un-natural using a knife with my thumb on the flat side of the knife instead of the spine. I realized the awkwardness was because I had extensively used single edged knives- I hold single edge knives with my thumb on the spine in a “forehand” style when cutting left to right, or I flip my hand over into a “backhand” style when cutting right to left. With a double edged knife, there’s no need to flip my wrist over to change cutting direction- there’s blade on either side, and my thumb can just sit in the middle and drive the knife left or right with equal ease.

I used this grip style to destroy a large stack of cardboard boxes, and the only problem I had was that the “shoulder” of the pocket clip (see circle on pic below) created an uncomfortable hot spot on my hand fat.

The most comfortable grip of all was with the slider facing my palm, which further reinforces the utility of double-edged knives: it doubles the practical grip options.

The Dirac is Microtech’s first new OTF design in several years, and although it’s clearly in the Microtech in-house design style, there are some subtle improvements to the handle and slider that I noticed in my obsessive examination of the knife.

The top and bottom of the handle are convex instead of flat, which adds to the Dirac’s pleasant feel in the hand. It’s hard to see in the picture, but it’s easy to feel.

The Dirac’s jimping pattern is less sharp. On every other OTF except the Combat Troodon, the jimping pattern is two or three little narrow close-together scoops, then a little plateau, then more close-together scoops. The Dirac’s jimping pattern more spaced out. It’s a little less grippy than other Microtechs, but more comfortable when I have a tight grasp on the handle.

The slider now has angled sides instead of the classic flat sides like the Ultratech and Cypher in the picture, providing more contact surface area with fewer sharp edges, which makes it noticeably more comfortable to use.

The Dirac’s pocket clip is similar to Microtech’s normal bent steel double-dip clip, but there are small improvements here as well.

The simple genius of the double-dip clip is a higher section at the base of the clip near the glassbreaker that’s designed to loosely sit over the thick, folded seam at the top of a pants pocket, but still have good retention due to the lower, tighter section below it. Compared to the Ultratech clip (left) the Dirac can ride lower in the pocket because it doesn’t have a useless little tight section between the glassbreaker and the high section of the double dip. The clip works very well on the Dirac, which is rather light at 2.27 oz (64.4 g). My copper Ultratech, which weighs more than twice as much at 4.95 oz (140.5 g) has a similar clip, but due to it’s heavy copper top, I feel like the clip barely keeps it in place when I’m horizontal or upside-down. My Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza (another somewhat heavy knife) came with a similar double-dip style clip, and I had the same retention problem with it. I was so afraid of losing my fancy Large Sebenza that I went to the Chris Reeve Knives website and ordered a Hawk Pocket Clip (pictured below), which requires the user to pinch the little lever with the hole in it to open the tip of the clip, resulting in a very secure grip.

In case any of my hard-core knife nerd brothers are wondering, my Sebenza is technically a Chris Reeve/Wilson Combat collaboration knife called the “Star-Benza 21” with the optional Insingo blade shape. The only way this differs from a regular CRK Sebenza (besides costing $50 more) is the groovy Wilson Combat machined starburst pattern on the scales and the Wilson Combat logo on the clip, which I swapped out for the Hawk clip.

One other difference between the Dirac and most other Microtech knives is the clip doesn’t have the little lanyard hole that virtually no one uses.

I did a Google image search for “Microtech OTF” and found 19 million pictures of Microtech OTF knives, but not a single one with a lanyard attached. I then did a search for “Microtech OTF lanyard” and of the 19 billion pictures, I found 6 knives with lanyards. That’s 6 out of 19 trillion. My scientific research indicates it was a smart move by Microtech to remove a feature that was used by only 6 out of 19 gazillion people.

Deployment and Lockup

The deployment is the reason I bought this knife- it’s magically delicious. The lockup, which has wiggly blade play in two directions, is the price you pay for the awesome deployment. If this were a manual folding knife, I wouldn’t accept this much blade play in a $10 gas station folder, much less one that cost $270 like my Dirac. Unless you drop $2,500 for a G&G Hawk Deadlock OTF (made by the designers of the CRK Hawk clip on my Sebenza, by the way) your OTF is going to have lots of blade wiggle. Therefore, the only fair lockup comparison I can make is is against other OTF knives, and I don’t have any non-Microtechs to compare to the Dirac.

The other three Microtechs I have on hand also all have blade wiggle in one vertical direction (up) and one horizontal direction (right). My memories of handling a few Benchmade Infidel and Autocrat OTFs 11 months ago aren’t super sharp, other than noting that they had blade wiggle too and that the Benchmade switches were significantly easier to actuate than any Microtech I’ve handled. I personally prefer the heavier Microtech trigger weight because I don’t want any auto knife unintentionally opening in my pocket.

The Dirac, like all other Microtech OTF knives other than the HALO, are designed to basically fall off their coiled spring train tracks if the knife encounters resistance during deployment. Launching the blade into something as soft as a piece of thick paper is enough to stop the blade from fully extending, and the blade has to be manually pulled out to get back to its normal functioning state. The HALO has no such safety feature, and is meant to be carried in a sheath. It deliberately doesn’t have a pocket clip to try to discourage people like my friend Shaun from pocket carrying it. Shaun’s HALO opened in his pocket and luckily it just ripped a hole in his pants instead of in his femoral artery.

I don’t have a way to measure the pounds-per-inch of force to move the slider on my Dirac, but it’s heavy enough to require deliberate effort to deploy or retract, and it’s not so stiff that I can’t easily manipulate it. My Cypher’s spring is so strong (perhaps because it’s a significantly longer and thicker blade) that I can barely close it with one hand, and it leaves a dent in my thumb. Microtech seems to have a lot of variation in their slider tension and whether the slider rattles.

My Dirac’s slider doesn’t make a sound, my Ultratech’s slider rattles when the blade is out but not when it’s in, and the UTX-85’s slider rattles all the time. I know that the coiled spring that powers the action is at rest in both the open and closed positions, but why the slider would be loose on some individual knives is beyond my understanding. I do know that it doesn’t seem to affect mechanical performance.

Regarding mechanical performance, The Dirac is my least expensive, still-in-production (AKA replaceable) OTF knife, so I really worked this knife hard, using it for tasks I wouldn’t ordinarily touch with any of my other OTF knives. While cutting cardboard and plastic, I put so much pressure on the blade edges that several times I thought the blade might snap out of the handle. It held up perfectly and the deployment is unchanged after months of use.

Microtech Dirac Review – Final Thoughts

I’ve had a few side-opening switchblades over the years (in fact I just got the Kershaw Launch 13 side-opening switchblade for an upcoming review) and I used to think their level of convenience and ease of use was unmatched. But after carrying and really using the Dirac, I found the form factor of this small OTF knife to be ideal in almost every way. I absolutely love the one-handed ease of use of an OTF knife- the instant it clears the top of my pocket it’s ready for use, and it’s just as easy to put away. The Dirac’s size and shape are well-suited to most tasks I encounter in my life, the M390 blade steel keeps a sharp edge for a very long time, and I consider the handle length of four inches (0.22 Biblical Cubits) to be the minimum usable length for my medium-large hands. By the way, the Microtech UTX-85, which is comparable in size to the Dirac, is generally thought of as an 85% size version of the Ultratech (thus the 85 in its name) but that 85% number only refers to blade length, since the UTX-85 is dimensionally nearly identical to the Ultratech in everything except length. The Microtech UTX-70, however, is actually smaller in all dimensions than an Ultratech. Fun fact? It’s fun for me at least.

I’ve only found three real downsides to carrying the Dirac:

There’s no quiet way to open the knife, other than fake coughing to cover the sound of the addictive in-out-in-out-in-out (until your significant other tells you to stop it with the fuckin’ clicking!)
If the blade has food or tape residue on it, I try to not retract the blade until I clean it because there are parts inside the handle that don’t like sticky goo.
OTF knives seem to be extra scary to non-knife people, at least in my beloved Los Angeles. The other day I was picking up a big bag of vegan fast food at Veggie Grill, where they tape up the takeout bags (to keep the COVID out I guess) and out came the Dirac to cut the tape and check my order. I am not a person who derives pleasure from other peoples pain, but I must say that the looks of shock I saw on the faces of the two employees behind the counter was… satisfying. Sorry not sorry.

Oh yeah, and switchblades are illegal in a bunch of places, so that’s another thing to keep in mind. What I primarily keep in mind however, is that I never, ever, ever, get tired of doing the Dirac’s magic trick.

Thank you to Sara O’Neil for the use of her painting.

Microtech Dirac – From $280.00
From: BladeHQ

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Microtech Exocet at BladeHQ. Thank you for reading.