Tactical Knives

Spyderco Gayle Bradley C134CF Review

Last Updated: August 26, 2019
The Spyderco Gayle Bradley (C134CF) is one of those knives that was built for use and abuse, but is so nice I wasn’t sure if I could bring myself to really scuff it up. I guess the only reasonable answer is to buy two of these, one for carry and the other to keep pristine in the bowels of the collection.

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The knife was named after its designer, Texas custom knifemaker Gayle Bradley. Mr. Bradley has been making custom knives out of his shop in Weatherford, Texas for over 22 years. He also has the distinguishment of winning BladeSports International Cutting competition in 2008 (he had the most points for the 2008 season).

The Spyderco C134CF is Bradley’s first production knife collaboration. The knife is made from heavy duty M4 steel – the same steel Mr. Bradley uses in his competition cutting knives. With Mr/ Bradley’s credentials and the use of such a high end steel you know that this knife has the potential to go the distance.

General Dimensions and Blade Steel

The Gayle Bradley has an overall length of 8.078″, a 3.438″ blade, weighs 5.5 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. This is a large and thick folder with graceful lines and a rock solid feel. The knife is manufactured in Spyderco’s Taichung Taiwan factory. Sure, I’d love to see this knife made in Golden Colorado, but I can’t deny that some of Spyderco’s best knives, from a fit and finish perspective, are currently coming out of Spyderco’s Taiwanese factory.

The Gayle Bradley has extremely high build quality – it’s difficult to describe on paper but the moment you handle this knife it all comes together. The dimensions and feel of this knife make it slightly large and heavy for EDC, although it would certainly work in that role. This knife is a work horse and it’s intended use is heavy cutting tasks.

The blade is a modified drop point with a high hollow grind and a sloping swedge. The blade has been given a beautiful satin finish that gleams in the light. This blade is a thing of beauty from any angle. Blade thickness is right at 3mm. It is thick enough for tough tasks, but is still ground thin enough to be a capable slicer. This blade is almost all edge and the long curving belly provides tons of room for cutting.

The blade is made from Crucible CPM-M4 steel. M4 is a high quality tool steel and Crucible’s version uses their Crucible Particle Metallurgy (CPM) manufacturing process to enhance the toughness and ensure the M4 has a consistent grain. What this means is that the knife will really hold an edge and is capable of getting extremely sharp (sharp enough to win Mr. Bradley a couple world records in cutting competitions). This is not a stainless steel so you will need to take care to keep the blade dry and (preferably) oiled.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The knife has a flow through, pillar construction handle made of textured carbon fiber and full-length steel liners. The liners have been milled out in an attempt to reduce the weight, but this is still a substantial folder. The handle is bolted together (rather than pinned) which is great if you ever have the desire to take this knife apart (perhaps you want to try and mill it out yourself). If you are thinking of milling the liners out I want to wish you good luck because these are some of the thickest liners I have seen. This is a very heavy duty handle.

The carbon fiber Spyderco selected is the textured version used on the Spyderco Sage (review coming soon). This has a “weave” like texture that provides decent grip considering it’s carbon fiber, a traditionally smooth material. There is light jimping on the lock bar and on the thumb ramp, which combined with the finger choil and flowing handle make for a very comfortable and ergonomic grip. This all helps to make the knife a great work knife. For those that intend to use this knife heavily I think the handle design and ergonomics will be great for that.

The pocket clip is also quite interesting. It has a smokey gray black finish that almost looks anodized although the clip is definitely steel. It is a unique looking finish that I really like and is another detail that makes this a special knife. I also like how the clip can be mounted on all four corners of the knife. The knife rides low in the pocket and the blackened clip won’t attract much attention (unless you are around a bunch of knife knuts).

Deployment and Lock

The Gayle Bradley uses an extra large (1/2″ diameter) Spyder hole and phosphor bronze bushings for deployment. This knife is very easy to open and it is super smooth. The deployment feels just as good as the rest of the knife which is great news indeed. The ultra thick liner lock sits snugly on the blade. This knife is constructed very solidly and with that extra thick liner lock I think this knife is capable of taking some abuse. Really the lock-up and deployment are both very impressive; it’s hard to put it into words.

Spyderco Gayle Bradley Review – Final Thoughts

Mr. Bradley said that he was very pleased with the way the knife came out, and he gave it his full endorsement. I have to say, the knife has my endorsement too. The beautiful design, the high quality materials and the excellent construction make this a great knife in my book. It also is a great value. The knife has a $225 MSRP but I am seeing it retail for right around $130. At that price I think it is a steal. Of course, this knife isn’t for every one. The weight may be an issue, and it may be on the large size as well, but overall I think this is a great knife and I look forward to more Gayle Bradley collaborations.

Spyderco Gayle Bradley Folder Carbon Fiber PlainEdge Knife

Made using the highest quality materials
Tested for quality and durability
The most trusted name in you cutlery needs
Carbon fiber handle. Screw-together construction.
4-way hourglass steel clip. Full-length internal liners.

I recommend purchasing the Gayle Bradley at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Zero Tolerance 0550 and 0551 Review

by Dan Jackson 10 Comments

Last Updated: August 3, 2019
Today I am taking a look at the Zero Tolerance 0550, a special collaboration between ZT and Rick Hinderer of Hinderer Knives. Rick has been making knives and self defense weapons for over 20 years. He started out specializing in Damascus and art knives, but over the past decade has made a transition into heavy use knives. These knives are extremely popular with military and law enforcement due to their uncompromising quality and extreme hard use durability. Naturally, knife collectors, enthusiasts and general consumers also became very interested in these knives and they have become a benchmark for quality among the knife community.

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Mr. Hinderer is also known for his various knife innovations, the most famous being his “Lockbar Stabilizer,” which is used on his titanium frame-lock knives to prevent over-extension of the frame-lock when you are disengaging the lock. Over the years Mr. Hinderer has been involved in several other collaborations with Gerber and Benchmade, designing various production knives.

The Rick Hinderer and Zero Tolerance Collaboration

What excites me about his latest collaboration with Zero Tolerance, is that ZT is really taking Hinderer’s hard use philosophies to heart by combining premium materials with USA craftsmanship to build the 0550 series of knives. The end result appears to be a knife with a lot of the qualities people lust over in Hinderer’s very rare and expensive custom and semi-custom knives at a price that many collectors can afford.

The 0550 series currently contains 2 knives. The 0550 is the regular production version of the knife and the 0551 (shown here) is a special edition limited to only 1000 pieces. The 0551 differs from the 0550 in that it uses a different type of steel and has a special pattern on the G10 handle scale. Rumor has it that ZT may make more of the 0551.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The ZT 0551 has a blade length of 3.5″, a closed length of 4.5″, a blade thickness of 0.156″ and a weight of 5.8 ounces. I know for some that the words “5.8 ounces” will be a deal breaker, and I can understand that if weight is a concern, but that doesn’t stop this from being an excellent knife if you enjoy heavier blades. As for purpose here, the ZT 0550 is a hard use tool all the way. Every aspect of this knife has been overbuilt and the Hinderer pedigree shines here at every angle.

The on blade the 0550 is a modified drop point made from thick stock and features a high flat grind. If you run your fingers behind the edge you can feel how thick this knife is. The blade steel actually thickens out as you reach the tip – it’s pretty crazy. I never recommend prying with a knife, but if you had to use a knife for prying, I think the 0550 would hold up better than the average knife. The caveat to this kind of design is that the knife is not the best slicer. That’s the trade off.

The 0550 features CPM S35VN. S35VN was designed to be a successor to the wildly popular S30V blade steel. The knife community has met S35VN with some skepticism so I took it upon myself to really cut with this knife, and I sharpened the blade a couple times. I feel like S35VN is really good stuff. It sharpened easily, held a nice edge and I had no issues with rust or corrosion. I also feel like the steel exhibited good toughness, as the blade never chipped out or warped in my use. Of course, this is just one knife (with a very thick blade) and I am only one guy. It’s going to take a lot more experience to fully appreciate S35VN. If my opinion ever changes, I’ll be sure to update the review. For the time being I’ll continue to use and enjoy my 0550.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The 0550 has a handle made of G10, stainless steel, and titanium. The non-locking side has a thick piece of G10 over a painstakingly milled out stainless steel liner. The locking side is made of a solid slab of 6AL4V titanium and features a Hinderer lockbar stabilizer to prevent over-extension of the lock. The knife has a flow-through design with thick pillars securing the two handle pieces together. Hinderer also makes aftermarket G10 scales for both the 0551 and 0550 in pretty much any color you want. This is a really cool way to add some style and make this knife your own.

The 0550 has solid ergonomics and the knife works in a variety of grips. Starting things off, we have a nice finger choil and a thumb ramp with coarse, but very purposeful jimping. This gives you great control over the blade and really fits my fingers well. The handle itself is thick and it fills the hand nicely. It’s a boxy handle, but the corners have been slightly rounded for comfort. I find the 0550 to feel very nice in both forward and reverse grips and I’m pleased with the amount of traction this design offers.

The pocket clip is a piece of steel with the Zero Tolerance logo lightly milled onto it. Like many other Zero Tolerance knives, this is the same clip found on the Kershaw Skyline. For some that might be a turn off, but I’m pleased with the great retention and deep carry of this design. I also am a huge fan of how ZT drilled and tapped this handle for 4 corners carry.

Deployment and Lockup

The 0550 features chunky ambidextrous thumb studs. There is plenty of room to get your thumb behind it and give the knife a nice flick. ZT selected thick phosphor bronze washers, and the knife is extremely smooth. This is a heavy blade, and it takes a little effort to get it moving with any speed, but I’ve found deployment on the 0550 to be incredibly smooth and reliable.

The 0550 features an ultra thick titanium frame lock. This is one of the thickest pieces of titanium I have ever seen used for a lock. The lock engaged early and provides a solid lockup. I am extremely impressed not only by the thickness of the lock, but by how well the lock has been designed. I typically don’t flick open framelock knives, but the 0550 seems to like it. Having flicked the knife open knife hundreds of times the lock still engages as early as it ever did. To me this is a great achievement and is a testament to how well this knife has been made.

The Hinderer lockbar stabilizer ensures that you will not over-extend the lock bar as you disengage it. This will prolong the life of your lock and is a really nice feature to see. In my video I said that the stabilizer was the cherry on top of this delicious ice cream sundae of a knife. I don’t typically have a sweet tooth, but I still stand by that statement.

Zero Tolerance 0550 Review – Final Thoughts

The ZT 0550 is an absolute home run of a knife. I love pretty much everything about this knife. The materials are great, the level of fit and finish is phenomenal, it features an awesome Rick Hinderer design, outstanding options for carry, excellent ergonomics and the best frame lock I have ever seen in a production blade. Given everything you get, it’s difficult to believe that the 0550 retails for only $200.

For some the only reasonable criticism here is the weight (and perhaps that the blade is so thick it doesn’t slice particularly well). But fans of big knives, fans of hard use knives, and fans of big hard use knives made in America will absolutely love this offering from Zero Tolerance. I am walking away extremely impressed by this knife and can easily recommend it if big tactical folders are your thing.

Zero Tolerance has truly raised the bar with this one providing a great knife and outstanding value to the consumer.

Zero Tolerance 0550 – $199.95
Retail Price: $250.00
You Save: $50.05
from: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the ZT0550 from BladeHQ or Amazon.com.

Benchmade Nimravus 140BK Review

by Dan Jackson Leave a Comment

Last Updated: July 26, 2019

The Benchmade Nimravus is one of Benchmade’s original fixed blade designs. It has stood the test of time and remains popular to this day. A “Nimravus” is an ancient cat with large teeth. I’d say that’s fitting when you consider this blade’s profile.

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Benchmade has offered the Nimravus in a number of blade steels and colors over the years. Today I’m checking out a 154CM version that has been blacked out completely.

General Dimensions and Blade Characteristics

The Nimravus has a blade length of 4.5″, a total length of 9.45″, weighs 6.2 ounces, and is made in America. This is a lightweight tactical fixed blade. Generally, a tactical fixed blade is going to be primarily used as a utility knife, but it needs to be able to serve in a defensive role as well. The Nimravus has the ability to flex into both of those roles. The 4.5″ blade gives you plenty of options. This knife will get plenty of work done, but can also be used as a martial blade if necessary.

The Nimravus comes both tanto and drop point versions, and you can get it with a plain edge or partially serrated. I opted for the drop point with partial serrations. Partial serrations can be handy for cutting rope and other fibrous materials, and it doesn’t dull as quickly as a plain edge, which can be helpful for use in the field when you may not have ready access to a knife sharpener.

My drop point blade has been given a high flat grind. The blade gets thin behind the edge, and this knife can assist with food prep, baton smaller pieces of wood, and take care of the myriad of small tasks that crop up in the out-of-doors. There is a partial swedge, that is mostly for decoration. The tip is fine and must be used carefully.

My blade has been coated in BK1, Benchmade’s proprietary poly-ceramic coating. BK1 is tough stuff, but it does show wear. Personally, I’m not a big fan of blade coatings, and would prefer to see Benchmade offer this knife in a stonewashed or satin finish. Especially since this knife is offered in stainless steel.

Speaking of stainless steel, my Nimravus came in 154CM. 154CM is the same workhorse steel that Benchmade uses on their Griptilian. It’s an excellent all-round steel, exhibiting good edge retention, corrosion resistance, and easy sharpening. This is a proven steel that is a good choice for this smaller fixed blade knife.

Handle and Ergonomics

The Nimravus is a full tang knife that has two hard-anodized aluminum handle scales. Handle construction is simple and neat. The scales are fastened to the handle with large torx hardware. Everything has been meticulously finished. The edges of the handle are chamferred and sit slightly proud of the aluminum scales. The scales themselves are deeply textured for traction.

This is a very grippy knife. The handle scales provide excellent grip, there is a large finger choil to keep the knife securely in hand, and there is a row of toothy jimping. I find the jimping too toothy without gloves. It digs into the pad of your thumb, and can be uncomfortable. Thankfully, the aluminum handles have been milled so you can hold the knife in a pinch grip. I find that to be more comfortable.

The balance point of the knife is right behind the finger choil. It gives the knife a neutral feel and hand and helps the Nimravus feel fast and balanced.

Rounding things out is a metal pommel with a hole for a lanyard. While it isn’t designed to be a glass breaker per se, this pommel could be used to break some glass or as an impact device.

Sheath

The Nimravus a sturdy nylon sheath with a kydex insert. The sheath offers several methods of attachment and you can remove various straps and connections to modify the knife as you like, however, I much prefer the optional kydex (hard plastic) sheath.

As far as nylon sheathes go this one is top notch, but the durability of the kydex sheath is hard to beat. Keep in mind that it’s a $40 option, which may seem pricey but I assure you that it is money well spent if you are going to seriously carry this knife. In a perfect world I’d like to see this come with the knife.

A final thing to note about the nylon sheath is that it comes MOLLE compatible. For those that use MOLLE (a system of attaching gear to yourself and your equipment) this is a nice feature that you don’t find with a lot of sheathes and it is worth taking a moment to mention.

Benchmade Nimravus Review – Final Thoughts

The Nimravus is a lightweight and capable knife that could fit the role of a large EDC or tactical blade. One thing that I may not have communicated through the review is the quality and level of fit and finish. This knife is well built. The blade is thinly ground, the balance is good, and the finish is everything you would expect from Benchmade. This is a durable blade and a convenient size to get real work done.

Here is the Nimravus next to my Ka-Bar BK-16, a more inexpensive tactical fixed blade:

It is lightweight enough to be a backup blade, but it’s got enough length on it that you could use it as a primary field knife or tactical option. For those seeking a piece of Benchmade history, or simply a good fixed blade knife, the Nimravus is well worth considering.

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If you would like to buy a Benchmade Nimravus, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon.com or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Cold Steel AK-47 Review

by Dan Jackson 6 Comments

Last Updated: February 22, 2018
The AK-47 rifle was designed by Russian Gunsmith Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1946. These guns were designed to be simple and rugged, and for these reasons the AK-47 design has enjoyed much popularity for over 60 years. The Cold Steel AK-47 was designed with similar intentions. The original Cold Steel AKs were solid knives, but they received some severe criticism about their weight and durability.

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A second generation of the knife has appeared on the scene and both AKs has received a complete overhaul with a new beefier Triad lock, a slimmed down handle and a solid aluminum glass breaker / striker to replace the old pommel made of Grivory, a type of engineered plastic from Switzerland, that was the subject of many complaints. It seems that Cold Steel has given us an entirely new knife so I am interested to see how the second generation of measures up with a Cold Steel AK-47 review.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The full size Cold Steel AK-47 has an overall length of 9″, features a 3.5″ blade, and weighs 5.5 ounces. This is a large folder, suitable for work as a tough EDC knife and perhaps suitable in more tactical / self defense roles.

The AK-47 has a large clip point blade. What I find especially attractive about this knife is that it is pretty much all belly. From the choil to the tip, the blade arcs out providing tons of practical space to get work done. Speaking of tips, the tip is reinforced with a swedge, and allows for excellent penetration while still being fairly durable. Furthermore, the inclusion of a high hollow grind makes for a great slicer. This is a well thought out and functional blade design, that works well in a wide variety of situations.

Originally, this knife was offered in AUS-8 steel with a teflon blade coating. That’s the version shown in the pictures. In 2016 Cold Steel upgraded their entire line, and now their premium blades all come in CTS-XHP. The previously teflon coated blades now come with a black DLC coating. While this increased the price of the knives, the upgrades are well worth it. CTS-XHP is a superior steel, and DLC coatings are the best in the business. That, combined with this knife’s excellent deep hollow grind, make it a capable slicer.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle on the AK-47 is completely linerless, and features thick slabs of G10 that bolt into an aluminum backspacer. Some people (myself included) would immediately question the strength and durability of a linerless folding knife handle. I can assure you that the handle design is extremely solid. These knives were made to take a ton of abuse, and I can’t make the G10 budge a millimeter, even when pushing on the handle with all my strength. Everything is very well finished, with all the corners rounded off and the parts lining up perfectly.

The AK-47 feels great in hand. The knife was designed to provide an extremely secure grip, and to maximize reach. Unlike say, the American Lawman, you are not going to be able to easily choke up on this handle, but if you need to use the knife for a lot of slashing, it’s going to be almost impossible to take it out of your hand. The G10 is exceptionally grippy, but I will say that the thumb ramp is pretty smooth. The design couple probably benefit from some better jimping. However, because of the way the handle is shaped, I really don’t see the absence of jimping as a huge deal. It is going to be nearly impossible to slide forward on this knife.

The it is also worth mentioning that the AK-47 features an exaggerated pommel. This time the pommel is made of 6061 aluminum and is a big step up from the old plastic version. Not only is it light and strong, but it serves as a solid anchor point for the handle screws. This is what allows the knife to be linerless and so lightweight. Naturally, this pommel could be used as a glass breaker, a hammer, or some sort of non-lethal defensive option.

Rounding out our handle is the pocket clip. Cold Steel actually gives you two pocket clips; one for either side. The position of clip doesn’t allow for deep carry, and is instead optimized for easy of deployment. Also, this knife only allows for tip up carry. I have found retention to be very good with these clips, with the only downside being that the strong clip and rough G10 can tear up your pockets a little. Despite these perceived negatives I have found this to be a very sturdy and reliable clip. The AK actually carries really well for its size and the strong clip keeps the knife in place.

Deployment and Lock

To open the knife, the AK-47 utilizes a thumb plate and phosphor bronze washers. The thumb plate allows for ambidextrous opening of the knife. It is possible to flick this knife open, but it takes some skill and wrist action, because the backspring for the lock requires a good amount of force to overcome. If you really want to open this knife fast your best bet is to use the thumb ramp as a wave feature. By far this is the easiest way to quickly and consistently open the knife.

Now arguably the biggest change between this AK-47 and the old version is the brand new Triad lock. The Triad lock is a type of modified lock back designed by Andrew Demko. It includes beefier hardware and a stop pin, so force gets placed on the pin instead of the locking mechanism. In practice the lock on this knife is extremely strong and is capable of withstanding repeated spine whacks, batoning, and other common torture tests. The only issue with the Triad lock is that sometimes the spring can be too strong to use the knife comfortably. I will say that once you get the hang of it, disengaging the Triad lock isn’t bad (it also gets easier as the knife breaks in).

AK-47 vs. the Recon1 or the American Lawman?

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

If you still have any questions or are interested in another comparison feel free to leave a comment or contact me.

Cold Steel AK-47 Review – Final Thoughts

I was very by these new versions of the Cold Steel AK-47. It’s great to see how CS listened to feedback and responded with a highly improved knife. In fact, since I originally published this review in 2011, Cold Steel continued the upgrade path and bumped up the blade steel from AUS-8 to CTS-XHP. A solid knife has kept getting better and better.

The relatively lightweight design, the improved handle and lock, the better pomel and pocket clip – it’s all been fixed up, and still at a good price. In the past, people would gripe about the the cheap AUS-8 steel, but now that the steel has been upgraded there is little to complain about. Some wont care for the aggressive styling of the AK-47 design, and for those folks I might recommend the American Lawman or the Recon 1.

Cold Steel AK47 Folding Knife, Black 58TLCAK

Blade thickness: 3.5 mm
Blade length: 3 1/2 inch
Steel: carpenter CTS xhp alloy with DLC coating

I recommend purchasing the Cold Steel AK-47 at Amazon and BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

ESEE-3 Review

by Dan Jackson 22 Comments

Last Updated: July 14, 2019
ESEE Knives specializes in outdoor fixed blade knives designed to take a beating and perform in a number of environments. Something special about ESEE knives is their no questions asked warranty that covers everything but rust. If anything happens to your knife through use or misuse, ESEE will replace it – no questions asked. This is great for a hard use tool because these knives aren’t cheap.

Buy the ESEE-3 at BladeHQ

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The ESEE-3 is one of ESEE’s smaller knives designed for anything from general field and utility work, to use as a full on survival knife or bug out bag blade. These knives (like all of ESEE’s offerings) have been proven in their jungle survival training courses. If you are looking for a smaller survival knife, or simply want to add a versatile fixed blade to your system, the ESEE-3 could be an excellent choice.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The ESEE-3 has a total length of 8.31″, a 3.88″ blade and a weight of 5.2 ounces without the sheath (9.3 ounces with the sheath). This is a great all purpose size and a lightweight carry for such a strong knife. Could see the ESEE-3 doing great in a variety of scenarios, from a day hike to life on a ranch.

The ESEE-3 is of full tang construction and comes powder coated in black or desert tan. This makes the knife both strong and durable. The blade is a drop point shape and features a full flat grind, excellent for slicing, and batoning. The point is reinforced on which is almost critical for use as a survival blade but it also serves well in defensive scenarios. I looked at the plain edge version although ESEE offers this knife in a combo edge as well.

The ESEE-3 is made of 1095 high carbon steel. 1095 is a durable tool steel that is very good choice for survival knives because it is easy to sharpen, holds a good edge, and doesn’t chip under hard use. It’s a high carbon steel, not a stainless steel, so one issue with 1095 is that it will rust if you aren’t careful. You must oil this knife. Something as simple as WD-40 will be adequate although some prefer specialized knife and gun oils.

Handle and Ergonomics

The handle scales on the ESEE-3 are made of micarta. They are fixed onto the tang with 3 allen bolts. The handle scales are nicely milled and rounded. They provide good grip and the knife feels good in the hand with no noticible “hot spots” after use. The level of fit and finish on ESEE knives is very high, and one way to confirm that is by examining how the handle and the tang meet together. Examining the handle and tang on the ESEE-3 reveals that everything is flush with no edges or gaps. This is a nod to the high quality control and production values ESEE adheres to. The overall length of the handle is very adequate, even for larger hands. For a knife that is meant to be used, a large and comfortable handle is very important and ESEE did a great job with the handle on the ESEE-3.

The pommel (butt) of the ESEE-3 is pointed and can be used as a glass-breaker. This is a cool little addition that I may never need but like to have. Naturally, it’s good for breaking glass but it is also as a potentially non lethal way to use the knife (although I think there is still great potential to seriously injure someone with it – be careful). There is also a lanyard hole drilled into the pommel which is essential for heavy chopping and other hard use tasks.

Sheath

The sheath on the ESEE-3 is also very well done. The standard sheath is made of molded kydex and has a boot clip. An optional MOLLE adapter is made of cordura and provides the option to mount the sheath with a MOLLE system. When you secure the knife in the sheath there is a nice snap as it fits together. There is a retention strap and a elastic cover which is used if you want to mount the sheath for upside down carry. There is a small drain hole at the base of the sheath which helps keep your blade dry (especially important with that 1095 steel).

ESEE-3 Review – Final Thoughts

The ESEE-3 is a very heavy duty and high quality fixed blade knife. If you are looking for something on the smaller side, I think the “3” combines a light weight with a lot of utility. That blade has a lot of belly and the full flat grind is always nice. I could see the ESEE-3 performing well as an EDC knife (if you can swing carrying a fixed blade), a tactical knife, a camp knife, a hunting knife or as part of your gear for bushcraft and wilderness survival.

I love how the ESEE-3 has been built in the USA to very high tolerances and is backed by one of the best warranties in the industry. I’m not sure I can say this knife is an outstanding bargain, but you will definitely get what you pay for. As long as you don’t lose the knife, or leave it in a bucket of salt water, the RC-3 will serve you well for the rest of your life.

ESEE Knives ESEE-3MIL-P Military Plain Black Edge / w Green Canvas Micarta Handles

Overall Length: 8.31"
Cutting Edge Length: 3.38", Overall Blade Length: 3.88"
1095 Carbon Steel
Finish: Textured Powder Coat
Made in the USA

I recommend purchasing the ESEE-3 at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Zero Tolerance 0300 Review

by Dan Jackson 10 Comments

When Zero Tolerance first came on the scene the 0300 is one of their knives that really caught my eye. The graceful curves reminded me of some deep sea mammal while the construction reminded me of a semi truck. So I wasn’t surprised to learn that the 0300 was a collaboration between Ken Onion and the Strider Knife Corporation. Ken Onion is known for making a lot of really nice designs for Kershaw (and now CRKT) and Strider is known for making some of the toughest folders in the world. When you get two powerhouses like this in the same room working on a knife that is made in the USA with the fit and finish Kershaw is known for – well, I start to pay attention.

Before we go forward I need to say that “0300” is used to designate the coloration of the knife. All the knives in the 0300 Zero Tolerance line (which include the 0300, 0301 and 0302) are identical except for the color schemes. Pictured in this review is the black on black 0300. The ZT 0301 has a Forest Green handle and Tiger Striped blade finish and the ZT 0302 has a Coyote Brown handle with a Tiger Striped blade finish. All 3 knives are made in the USA.

General Details and Blade Dimensions

The size and heft of this knife are the first things you notice. The 0300 has the profile of a bulldozer and it is incredibly stout. The total length is 9″, the blade is 3-3/4″ and the weight is a solid 8.6 ounces. This is a heavy knife and the weight may deter some people from wanting to carry it. I’ll admit, it’s not my ideal EDC and this is definitely a knife that you don’t forget that is in your pocket, but I have carried it no problem with a sturdy pair of shorts or jeans. I feel that whether the knife is “too heavy” is up to you, so I’m not going to pass judgment in that regard.

The blade is a modified drop point, marked by Ken Onion’s signature styling. It features a high flat grind, and a partial swedge near the top. What I really like about this knife is the big belly on the blade. This is great for utility tasks. The blade steel is thick (4mm) and it holds the thickness all the way to the tip. This knife wasn’t designed for stabbing, it was designed to hold up to hard use tasks. There is a nice subtle recurve for enhanced slicing power and the Zero Tolerance logo and various other insignia has been laser etched onto the blade.

The steel on the 0300 series is a large piece of S30V. For those unfamiliar with S30V, it is one of the finest knife steels available, and it’s been this way for a number of years now. More expensive steels have arrived on the scene but it’s really tough to match the combination of ease of sharpening, edge retention and corrosion resistance that S30V is known for.

The blade has been further treated with a Tungsten DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) Coating. This is a high quality blade coating that will hold up a lot better than more inexpensive painted coatings. The tiger stripes on the 0301 and 0302 are really killer and quite unique in the production knife world.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the 0300 is really well done. As far as construction goes, on one side we have textured G10 over a stainless steel liner. The other side (the lock side) is made of a single piece of titanium. There is a G10 spacer between the two sides and everything has been screwed together. Everything lines up flush, and it’s all been beautifully finished with no rough edges or anything of that nature.

Ergonomics on the 0300 are excellent. The handle has the same wide profile of the blade and it feels very satisfying in the hand. The flipper doubles as a choil and there is a generous amount of jimping on the thumb ramp and pommel. Both sides of the handle are machined with a very aggressive textured pattern. All of these elements combine to provide superior grip and response. I am not worried about my hand slipping forward on the knife at all. It is very comfortable to hold this knife, with zero hot spots. The 0300 is a large knife so I expected good ergonomics, but the designers really went out of their way to cover all of the bases. I am very impressed with the ergonomics of this knife.

The pocket clip of the 0300 is straight out of the Kershaw parts bin. I have an almost identical clip on my Skyline (and a number of other Kershaw knives). That is ok though, because this is a proven clip design, it’s simple, and it totally works. This is a very stiff clip, which works well with the flat and wide profile of the knife; it will hold the knife in place anywhere in your pocket. Heavy knives have a tendancy to sink down to the corners of my pants pockets, which can interfere with some of the other gear I carry (like my flashlight). The stiffness of the 0300’s clip avoids that issue.

Another great thing about the clip is that it is mountable on all 4 corners of the knife. This gives you the freedom to carry your knife the way you want to. I also like how the clip has been blackened. All in all this is a very secure and discreet carry, I am very pleased with how well everything works considering it such a heavy knife.

Deployment and Lock-up

First of all, the 0300 is an assisted opening knife, making use of Kershaw’s SpeedSafe assisted opening technology. With the 0300 you have the option of either deploying the knife with the thumbstuds or flipper. This is really cool because the thumb studs actually work as the stop pin here, and often it’s very difficult to get at the thumbstuds on this type of knife. For me, I had no problem – even left handed, getting at the thumbstuds. Either way you want to deploy the knife, the SpeedSafe quickly engages and moves this big blade out with a good amount of speed. It’s a fun and satisfying knife to open and the SpeedSafe is a proven assisted opening mechanism. Of course, you could always disable this feature if you preferred 100% manual operation.

Deployment is not only fast, but it’s very smooth. The 0300 uses a pair of very large phosphor bronze washers. These low friction washers are very smooth. Also, the pivot pin is very big. It’s actually a large bolt that requires a 3/8″ driver to loosen it. This may be problematic in the field, but everyone owns a 3/8″ driver so for my use it wasn’t an issue. I think it’s a pretty cool look and is appropriate given how overbuilt the rest of the knife is.

The lock on the 0300 is a titanium frame lock. This is a very sturdy style of lock and ZT really put this one together correctly. As you can see, mine engages nice and early, with plenty of room to break in with use. It almost goes without saying, but there is absolutely no blade play in this knife. Despite the strength of the lock, it is still easy to disengage when you want to fold the knife up. A cool detail is that they included a Hinderer lockbar stabilizer (that dark circular portion) on the side of the lock. This handy feature prevents you from overextending the titanium frame lock, which could compromise the integrity of the knife.

Zero Tolerance 0300 vs. Zero Tolerance 0350

A common question a lot people have is whether they want the ZT 0300 or the smaller Zero Tolerance 0350. If you are one of those people, I made a video comparing the two knives.

Zero Tolerance 0300 Review – Final Thoughts

The ZT 0300 is an incredible knife. The build quality is superb, the selection of materials is top notch and the design and features are outstanding. The knife retails for around $230, which is actually an outstanding value when you consider that this knife is very similar in both design and build quality to several Strider knives selling for $400-$500. I don’t think you will be able to find another folding knife as well built and feature rich as the ZT 0300 in the $230 range.

Perhaps the biggest complaint would be the weight. It is not a light knife. However, if you want a large, beautiful, hard use folder with premium materials made in the USA then I can safely recommend the 0300 or any of it’s siblings.

I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0300 at Amazon.com.

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