Tactical Knives

Bestech Knives Malware Review

Over the years, I’ve noticed that in polite society when I whip out a folding knife to open a box or cut a loose thread, most people’s reactions are some variation of “Oh God, why do you have/need/carry that?” My usual reply is that a knife is the most useful tool in the world, but I’ve found that no matter how “non-threatening” looking the knife is, I still get that same reaction. Therefore, why not carry whatever I want?

Buy the Bestech Malware at BladeHQ

So, a month ago I put down my already scary-looking Microtech Ultratech OTF switchblade and picked up the seriously murder-ey looking Bestech Malware.

The Malware was designed for Bestech Knives by Todd Knife and Tool. TKT was started in 2016 by prolific knife reviewer Teryl Todd (Zelrick42 on YouTube) and his brother Seth Todd. They went from being fans to designers, and have a thoroughly modern company. Teryl lives in Ozark, Missouri, and Seth lives in Houston, Texas. They jointly design their knives by sharing 3D CAD files online, then Seth makes physical prototypes that they both test. TKT have developed a distinct visual style also apparent in their We Knife Co. made Roxi folder, and in the many prototype images shared on the toddknifeandtool Instagram account.

General Dimensions & Blade Details

The Malware’s blade is 3.875” (9.8 cm) long, the blade stock thickness is 0.15” (3.9mm), and it’s full open length is 8.75” (22 cm). The long stabby blade folds into a titanium handle, the blade pivots on ball bearings, and it’s framelock has a steel lockbar insert. The steel lockbar insert is a theoretically replaceable part that protects the titanium framelock from rubbing against the lock face of the steel blade. My experience has been that often a titanium framelock rubbing against a steel blade tends to “stick” in place, but steel on steel doesn’t have the same problem.

Here is a size comparison with a large Sebenza Insingo:

It weighs 3.68 oz. which is technically a little more than a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 or a Chris Reeve Knives large Sebenza, but it feels lighter than either of them in the hand. I attribute this feeling to the weight balance of this knife. If I’m holding the Malware in a normal thumb-on-top grip, and I slowly open my hand, the knife will not fall to the floor, but will stay balanced on my index finger. This nearly perfect weight distribution helps the Malware feel very agile in my hand.

The titanium pocket clip is configured as a right side, tip up only, but there are dedicated left handed versions as well. I have the “Ti Black” version. The titanium backspacer and pocket clip are anodized a brassy gold color, and contrast nicely against the black stonewashed finish of the rest of the knife. The stonewashed treatment gives the edges and corners a worn-in look similar to Kershaw Knives’ “blackwash” finish.

It’s blade steel is S35VN, which was developed specifically for high-end knife blades by steelmaker Crucible Industries and Chris Reeve Knives. It’s a powdered metal steel, which has the advantage of more uniform blending of it’s elements (iron, niobium, chromium, vanadium, etc.) than conventional steel. The end-user benefits of this manufacturing process and the S35VN formula are excellent blade toughness (it can take a hit without breaking or bending), corrosion resistance, and edge retention.

So it’s a modern production knife made in China with premium materials and it’s priced accordingly at $196 on BladeHQ. What makes it different than every other new Kizer, Reate, We, and Rike knife? Style and details.

What I love about good pocketknives is that they’re pieces of functional art you can hold in your hand. The Malware is full of interesting details and I keep noticing more. The design is a strange futuristic combination of curves, straight lines, and, as on the cutting edge of the blade, straight lines that almost imperceptibly turn into curves. The blade has a finger choil which, although it’s a little too small for my index finger, is the full 3.9mm width of the blade stock, which is yet another design detail that I appreciate.

Handle, Ergonomics, & Pocket Clip

In pictures, the handle looks very thin, and in the days between ordering the Malware and receiving it, I wondered if it would be too small to properly wrap my medium-large-ish hands around. When it arrived, I found that it fills my hand very well, and the long, flat clip doesn’t create much of a hotspot any way I hold it.

Some edges are pretty squared off, like the machining on the backspacer, but almost every part of the handle that comes in contact with my hand is chamfered, making it quite comfortable to hold. And the more I have it in my hands, the more I keep discovering new functional design details that I had, at first glance, written off as being cosmetic- like the three holes in the show side near the flipper tab. Those holes are exactly where my right thumb needs traction when flipping the knife open.

On the lock side of virtually all framelock knives, there’s a machined indentation in the frame that allows the locking part of the frame to flex inward and lock the blade open. A lot of knives cover this indentation with their pocket clips, but as yet another example of how well thought out this design is, the pocket clip on the Malware sits right above, but not covering, the indentation. So when gripping the knife to flip it open, my ring finger is naturally pushed into that square indentation, which gives me a secure grip when flipping it open.

I don’t ordinarily use my pocketknives for food prep, but in the spirit of thoroughness I sliced up some veggies with it. The blade has a full flat grind and gets very thin at the bottom, which made slicing easy. The ergonomics for general food prep were fine as long as I didn’t try to spread anything- the thin blade definitely doesn’t work as a butter knife. The flipper tab extends below the cutting edge, so it can’t really be used for dicing either, but kitchen work is clearly not this knife’s intended use.

The pocket clip is rather long and thin and has more flex to it than any other milled clip I’ve handled. The good news is that it doesn’t chew up my (already chewed up) pants pockets, but the bad news is that it seems like it could easily get bent.

I carried this knife during a T.C.C.C. medic class, and when we were learning how to improvise tourniquets, I used the Malware as a windlass (the stiff piece that you twist to tighten the tourniquet.) Despite really cranking this thing down tight on my training partner’s arm, I had no fear of the knife breaking or bending until the instructor decided to show the class how to tie off the end of the improvised tourniquet using the pocket clip. He was bending the clip way out and jamming fabric under it, and I desperately wanted to ask him to stop so he didn’t break it. I resisted this urge because I didn’t want to seem like a weenie to our super-badass Los Angeles SWAT Medic instructor. So he manhandled the clip, and when he was done, it just sprung back to it’s normal state. It may be thin and flexible, but it’s not fragile.

Overall, the Malware isn’t an “overbuilt” knife like a Hinderer Knives XM or a Strider SMF, but it’s definitely tougher than it looks.

Deployment & Lockup

A gripe I have with every single framelock flipper is if I grip it in such a way that I’m putting a lot of pressure with my middle finger on the front of the lock near the pivot, then the knife becomes very difficult to flip open. The worst offender on this front that I have is a Brad Zinker midtech version of the Boker Urban Trapper. The only knife I have that is immune to this problem is my GiantMouse GM1, which is an awesome knife overall, but perhaps solves this problem by having a weak detent which makes it difficult to flip open. However, the ergonomics of the Malware naturally place my fingers where they don’t get in the way of the mechanism at all.

The Malware’s flipper tab is relatively small but has comfortably rounded jimping that provides good traction for flipping. The amount of detent tension that has to be overcome to flip the knife open is tough for me to objectively define- but subjectively, I think it flips perfectly. The Malware’s framelock engages at about 40%, which you can jam over to about 60% if you’re worried about it slipping (not that that’s ever happened to me or anyone I know.)

I don’t carry a knife specifically for self defense, but I must say that I certainly never felt under-prepared while carrying the Malware on the weird streets of Los Angeles. It’s never accidentally opened while in my pocket or while drawing it out of my pocket. It’s flipped and locked open securely every single time I’ve flipped it. I don’t think an especially scary-looking knife like this is going to make a bad man run away in terror, but it’s a long, mean looking blade with a big handle I can get a very firm grip on. So I’ll add self defense to the Malware’s growing list of positive attributes.

Bestech Malware Review – Final Thoughts

I carried the Malware every day for a month and primarily used it for un-challenging tasks like opening packages, slashing open bags of cat food, and as an improvised medical device. At the end of the month, the finish on blade, handle, and clip are unblemished. The S35VN blade was still very sharp in most places, but after a quick, ham-fisted touch up on a Wicked Edge sharpener, it’s back to 100%. There’s no sharpening choil, but I don’t really care if the last few millimeters of my blade are super sharp.

What is the Bestech Malware made to do? I don’t want to sound like a knife snob a-hole, but I tend to compare everything to my Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza 21. The word “Sebenza” is literally the Zulu word for “work”, and the Sebenza feels like an indestructible precision tool. The Bestech knife doesn’t feel like a tool, it feels like a blatantly offensive weapon that can also open boxes from Amazon. Malware is the perfect name for this knife because it’s so badass. Not flaming skull badass, but sci-fi villain badass. It brings to mind futuristic heavy metal music by the band Voivod, it’s like the knife version of the Space Marines’ rifle from the movie Aliens, it should be a weapon in the DOOM video games, and I obviously really like it.

The deciding factor for anyone considering buying the Malware is definitely it’s looks- if you immediately like it’s vibe, I say get it. Nothing is perfect (except kittens), but the Malware excelled at everything I wanted it to do, and looked super-murder-ey doing it. Recommended!

Bestech Knives Malware – From $196.00
From: BladeHQ

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Bestech Knives Malware at BladeHQ and Amazon. Thank you very much.

About the Author: This guest review was written by John Burridge. John lives in Los Angeles and has a deep passion for knives. I plan on adding to this section to include more info about John and where to find him. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this in depth review.

Emerson Mini CQC-15 Review

by Travis Pike 2 Comments

The Emerson CQC line of folding tactical knives are downright legendary. Mr. Emerson’s knives were the first folding tactical knives and are common to see among the armed forces, with police, and of course average Joes like me. CQC stands for ‘close quarters combat,’ and these knives are designed to be used as weapons as well as useful EDC tools. This particular model is the Mini CQC-15.

Buy the Mini CQC-15 at BladeHQ

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The Mini CQC-15 is a compact option that retains the legendary quality and reliability of Emerson’s knives. The CQC series is quite expansive these days, and the knives come in various sizes, colors, and configuration. The Mini CQC 15 is a hybrid of the two most popular knives in the CQC line, the Commander and the CQC-7.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Mini CQC-15 is smaller than the CQC 15, but it isn’t a small knife by any means. It’s an average size EDC knife with a 3.5-inch blade. The overall length with the blade deployed is 7.9 inches, and total weight is light 4 ounces. The blade is .125 inches thick and is made from 154 CM.

The Mini CQC 15 sports the piercing tanto point of the famed CQC-7B and the recurve blade of the Commander. This odd combination does give you a versatile knife blade that stabs and slices easily. The belly isn’t as prominent as the Commander, but it’s still enough to make it a good choice for skinning deer. You also get that extra cutting edge in a shorter profile. The tanto blade is, of course, a great piercer. If used as a weapon in a military scenario it will make quick work of clothing, web gear, or uniform shirts.

The blade is made from a durable and corrosion resistant 154 CM steel. Its Emerson’s steel of choice for these knives and is a good steel for these knives in particular. It’s tough, but not hard to sharpen. The blade is a chisel grind which has some strengths, but also weaknesses. It’s very strong, easy to sharpen and the edge lasts a good while. A chisel grind is a rough cutter and feels like it catches and jumps when you are trying to do precise cuts.

In my time as a Marine, I carried an Emerson CQC-7BW. At that time I knew nothing about knives, but I knew the CQC-7BW was ‘the’ tactical knife. Over time I grew to appreciate 154CM steel and the chisel grind as something that was easy and quick to sharpen in the field. Often I had nothing more than the sharpening rod on my bayonet sheath.

Getting the Mini CQC-15 ready can be done quickly with minimal tools, time, or effort. In the tactical world, you might not have the tools and time to get a nice sharpening in. Your day patrol may turn into a three-day mission, and all you have is what’s on your back and in your pockets. You also want the edge to last and the blade to be strong. If it breaks in country, you can’t exactly go online and order another

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Mini CQC-15 is a fat bottom girl, and I love it. The handle is wide and fills my paws well. The knife has a palm swell, and a decent jimping for the thumb. The handle fills my hand very nicely, and I have no complaints about its design or shape. The grip design reminds me of a more subtle version of the ancient Greek kopis handle. It’s designed to aid in retention when cutting or stabbing.

The G-10 grips panels are aggressively textured, and some people might find it uncomfortable. You should bear in mind that by order gloves are part of the personal protective equipment of the uniformed services. Gloves can challenge grip, so this aggressive texturing is a must have for a knife like this.

The clip is nice and straightforward. It’s robust and has never bent or accidentally grabbed my chair as I go to sit. It’s tight, so the knife stays planted in the pocket. As the mini variant, it’s a bit more pocket-friendly. I never noticed any discomfort when carrying the knife. I never notice its even there until I need it. Unfortunately, it’s for righties only, but left-handed models of these knives are available. Seems a little ridiculous not to tap the knife for lefties

Deployment and Lockup

The Mini CQC-15 has a titanium liner lock that’s strong, but the knife seems to lock-up at different points. This is especially true if you use the wave method of opening these knives. Sometimes it goes extremely far and other times barely at all. However, I have never had the lock fail me in any way. I will admit I find myself subconsciously checking to make sure the blade is locked before getting the work.

Deployment can be done through a top thumb disk that’s ambidextrous, well textured and feels strong. It’s a slow deployment method, but a functional one. If you want to go a little faster, you have the wave method. The wave is based on that little hook on the thumb rest that is supposed to catch on your pants and open the knife as you draw it.

It’s a neat feature, but it doesn’t always work. It seems to work better in some pants than others. Pulling the knife like that is not dependable enough to trust in a self-defense scenario. I will say it works way better in jeans than in the typical material uniform pants is made of, which is odd seeing as who these knives are designed for. I may also be bad at opening a knife this way. The utility is there, but I can’t seem to master the wave.

Emerson Mini-CQC 15 Review – Final Thoughts

The lens you view this knife through is likely going to significantly affect your opinion on it. It’s not a graceful tool, and for the cost, you can get a knife that cuts smoother, features an ambidextrous pocket clip, and a more natural method of deploying the blade.

The Mini CQC-15, as well as the rest of the CQC series, is designed for folks in uniform. They have a broad set of features that make them an excellent knife for those in uniform. I still love it, and my CQC-7BW, but I am aware of my own bias and nostalgia. That being said its an objectively good knife, and one I would suggest if strength and simplicity are your main desire.

Emerson Mini CQC-15 with Plain Black Blade

Plain Black Blade
Black G10 Handles
154CM steel
Titanium Liners

If you are thinking of buying an Emerson Mini CQC-15, please consider purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Cold Steel Golden Eye Review

by Dan Jackson 8 Comments

One visitor to the site commented that we are “a little biased towards Spyderco”. It’s probably because we have reviewed a lot of Spyderco knives over the years. More than any other brand. I like Spydercos and so does Ben, Grayson, Josh, and pretty much everyone who has written for the site. We all like their knives and consequently Spyderco has gotten a ton of air time over the years. If reviewing Spyderco knives is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.

Buy the Cold Steel Golden Eye at BladeHQ

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Perhaps more controversial is my attraction to Cold Steel Knives. I have reviewed a bunch of them over the years. I’m a big fan, although most of them are too big and impractical for me to truly carry and use. I think I may have a fetish because none of the other authors appear to share the desire to review C.S. stuff. Ben reviewed the Large Espada and the Pro-Lite, so I suspect he may also have a little Lynn Thompson in him, and Chad reviewed the Kudu, but that’s it.

Me? I’ve reviewed 15 Cold Steel knives. 16 if you include this Golden Eye. Yeah… that’s an addiction. I blame it mostly on their excellent marketing videos. Also Cold Steel keeps coming out with stuff I want to review. Andrew Demko keeps turning out hits, and I keep buying them. The Golden Eye is no exception. It looked cool, and slightly different from the other Cold Steel knives with it’s golden thumb hole. Had to have it. Sorry (not sorry).

General Dimensions and Blade Details

For some reason I thought the Golden Eye would be smaller. Maybe that’s because Tony wrote a quick review on it a few years back, and he typically picks out smaller more practical knives. Who knows. This is not a small knife. It has an overall length of 8.375″, a 3.5″ blade, and weighs 4.3 ounces. It’s made in Taiwan like most of Cold Steel’s other folders.

This is a bigger knife. The handle in particular is pretty large, but that’s OK as we will soon learn it is comfortable. That said, it feels light for its size and will make a great work knife. Not a great urban EDC option.

The blade is a big beautiful drop point. The overall profile reminds me of the Terzoula Slipit with its angled thumb ramp extending into a swedged drop point blade. It’s the kind of no-nonsense blade shape that will serve you well in virtually any task. The blade is ground thin with a deep hollow grind, has been given a two-tone satin finish, and is finished with a neat and evenly applied edge.

Cold Steel selected S35VN for this knife. These days the vast majority of their premium folders come in S35VN, replacing CTS-XHP, which replaced AUS-8. S35VN should need little introduction at this point. It is an American made steel designed as a follow up to S30V. It is specifically formulated for knife steels and is great stuff. It takes a good edge, has good edge retention, doesn’t rust or stain easily, finishes nicely, is reasonably tough, yet is easy to sharpen. It’s an excellent blade steel.

And the S35VN really sings on the Golden Eye. I was borderline shocked with how well this knife performed. It slices cardboard with aplomb. It absolutely zips through the stuff. No issues with rope. Great for slicing fruit and other work in the kitchen as well. This is a sturdy knife but it’s ground to slice and has performed phenomenally well in my use and testing.

I’ve been touching up the Golden Eye on my [easyazon_link identifier=”B001JL1I6Y” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Spyderco Golden Stone[/easyazon_link], and the edge stays freaky sharp that way. Must be all the gold. No complaints with the blade or blade steel on this knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Golden Eye uses Cold Steel’s tried n’ true method of thick linerless G-10 handle scales. I’ve reviewed many of their knives with similar construction, and this knife works just as well as the others. The G-10 is thick and sturdy. There is very little flex when you try to squeeze the handle slabs together.

Fit and finish on the handle is excellent. Everything has been neatly finished. The parts are all flush and the handle screws together so the knife can be taken apart and maintained. The choice of forest green for the handles is a nice touch. It’s a little different without being too far out there, and contrasts with the gold hardware.

I wasn’t sure how the ergonomics would be on the Golden Eye. I guess that’s true for every knife I order, but the Golden Eye in particular had me guessing thanks to the multiple finger scallops. Complicated finger grooves can be a mistake if they force your hand into an awkward position. Here the groves are generous. They feel comfortable and work well for me. I think that most people will find this knife comfortable to use, but I haven’t taken a poll on this. Let me know in the comments section if you have this knife but don’t like the way it feels in hand. Personally, I’m a fan.

In addition to the finger grooves you have peel ply G10 for grip, and some light jimping along the back of the handle. These features provide a good amount of texture without going over the top. Overall I find this to be a comfortable knife to hold in forward and reverse grips. I’ve used this knife extensively and find it to be comfortable to cut with.

The Golden Eye comes with a large gold colored pocket clip and is configured for ambidextrous tip up carry. The clip appears to be designed for strength. You have milled recesses in the handle for the clip along with 3 screws. Spring strength is excellent and the knife is kept firmly in place.

In the pocket the Golden Eye carries well for what it is. It’s a bigger knife, so I tend to notice it, but it’s also a thin handled knife and it’s relatively light for its size. Not a boat anchor, but not a feather either. The strong clip keeps the knife firmly in place. All said I think the Golden Eye behaves nicely in the pocket for a larger knife.

Deployment and Lockup

This knife uses a stepped thumb hole to get the blade open. Cold Steel calls this the “Hollow Thumb Ramp” (HTR), and that acronym is pretty accurate. In practice the HTR works well and is a cool idea. It’s kind of a hybrid between a thumb hole and thumb stud. There is a lot for your thumb to grab onto, and this knife can be opened with gloves as well. The serrated thumb hole is held in place with a set screw, which is kind of interesting. It’s a nice design and one I wouldn’t mind seeing on more knives.

It’s worth noting that the gold plating on the thumb hole has worn off. I bought this knife off BladeForums in “Like New” condition, and it clearly was not like new. Disappointing, but given the price I paid and the fact I was going to use this knife I ultimately decided to keep it. However, the pictures you see here demonstrate that the gold finish is subject to wear.

The action of this knife is smooth thanks to a large pivot and phosphor bronze washers. Like most Cold Steel Tri-Ad lock knives, a good amount of force is required to open and shut the blade. This isn’t a blade you will be able to flick open. But you will find the action to be smooth and reliable, and that’s what I would expect from a rugged utility knife like this.

For lockup we have the aforementioned Tri-Ad lock. I’ve reviewed a dozen or so knives featuring this knife of lock, so forgive me if this sounds a little repetitive, but the Tri-Ad lock is a lock back reinforced with a stop pin. It’s an extremely strong lock design. The Tri-ad lock on the Golden Eye knife is no exception. You can’t muscle blade play out of this even if you try to move the blade out at the tip.

Here is a size comparison with another workhorse in my collection, the Buck Marksman. Still rocking the Marksman:

Disengaging the lock requires a good amount of force, but it’s not as bad as something like the 4-Max. Actually, I find the amount of effort it takes to open and close this knife to be reasonable. That said, this knife has been used quite a bit. Out of the box these can be stiff to open and close, so you may need to break your knife in.

Blade centering is perfect on my knife.

Cold Steel Golden Eye Review – Final Thoughts

Cold Steel has done it again. This is a strong and practical utility knife. It handles well, cuts like a beast, and features the strongest lock on the market. The “Golden Eye” (Hollow Thumb Ramp) works great. The HTR combined with the unique profile, gold hardware, and green handles help distinguish this knife in Cold Steel’s lineup. With so many great Demko designs on Cold Steel’s roster you would think that they cannibalize each other. The Golden Eye is a unique knife, even if it follows Cold Steel’s formula in many ways.

Where the knife may fall short is that this is another large folding knife from Cold Steel. It’s a great performer if you can carry and use this knife, but this isn’t a knife I can pull out at the office or the grocery store. It’s just too big. If I worked on a ranch or something this would be a great choice, but as a mild-mannered couch commando I usually carry a smaller knife. Also, the finger scallops in the handle won’t work for everyone.

That said, I found this to be an impressive knife. Especially the way it cuts. It’s a joy to cut things with this knife. Andrew Demko knows what he is doing and Cold Steel has a track record of executing his designs to brilliant standards. The Golden Eye is no different. Well worth seeking out if you like the design or are an unabashed Cold Steel fan like me.

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If you are thinking of buying Cold Steel Golden Eye, please consider purchasing it at [easyazon_link identifier=”B019RSXKXO” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Amazon[/easyazon_link] or BladeHQ. By purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.

Viper Rhino Review

by Andrew Gene Leave a Comment

The Rhino is a large folder from Tecnocut’s Viper brand. Honoring its namesake, it features an oversized frame, robust build and armored appearance. Created by long time collaborator and custom knife maker Fabrizio Silvestrelli, it has flowing considered lines and a distinct appearance.

Buy the Viper Rhino at BladeHQ

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General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Rhino has an over-all length of 9.96”, a 4.25″ blade, weighs between 8.6 and 9.9 oz depending on the choice of scales, and is made in Italy. Don’t kid yourself, “Rhino” was not a misnomer. This is a big knife and is designed for those seeking something, well, built like a Rhinoceros.

The blade has an unusual shape that sits in between a sheep’s foot and a harpoon pattern. At 4.25” and with a maximum width of 1.375” it offers a long cutting surface along with resistance against lateral stresses. The nature of the sloping spine also provides excellent tip strength.

While a typical sheep’s foot blade is designed to avoid penetrating cuts, the combination of an elongated radius meeting a sloping belly results in an aggressive point. This is augmented by a swedge, improving the Rhino’s ability to perform thrust cuts. A dip after the nose-like tip adds visual interest as well as a practical place for your free hand for reinforced push cuts. The grind is a full flat with a secondary bevel. Because of the large width, the edge geometry is shallow, producing a fine edge despite the generous .157” stock.

The steel used depends on the finish. Satin blades are stainless Böhler N690 while the charcoal blades are D2 achieving their corrosion resistance through the applied PVD coating.

Both blade steels are good options and provide solid value for money. N690 in particular offers an excellent combination of stain resistance, ease of sharpening, and edge retention. D2 has a reputation for being more finicky, as it’s a tough semi-stainless steel that can be more challenging to sharpen, but it’s a good choice for harder use applications.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is substantial in both length and width. At 5.5” it will easily accommodate medium and large sized hands with or without gloves. The construction is closed with scaled, full stainless liners. You have your choice of carbon fiber or cocobolo handle scales.

Designed for maximum retention, there are three distinct finger grooves that lock your hand in place. A slight flare on both sides of the inside edge prevent slipping in either direction. The back side is convex and nests in the palm comfortably. The back spacer is rounded adding style and avoiding hot spots while an adequately jimped thumb ramp provides extra control and feedback. Another run of aggressive, file-like jimping can be found on the lock release leaver for easy disengagement.

Over-all the ergonomics are excellent. While several people don’t like finger groves I personally think they work well here. The grip is very secure. A full, natural feeling in hand is partly achieved by a palm swell equally .83” (21mm) at its apex. This could be somewhat of a downside when considering pocket carry as the knife tends to hog space. Even though the clip is deep riding, the ornate appearance along with the handles bulge might generate some unwanted attention. Is that a Rhino in your pocket….?

As an additional carry option there is a recessed lanyard slot in the pommel. I’m a fan of these as it keeps everything clean looking and orients your lanyard in a sensible direction. It would be nice if Viper also included a MOLLE compatible belt sheath. I could see a folder this size benefiting from the ability to carry it on a bag, vest or belt straight out of the box.

Deployment and Lockup

Deployment is achieved via ambidextrous thumb studs. Phosphor Bronze washers and a finely dialed in spring tension make opening very fluid and easy. The thumb studs are large and easy to access. One downside is that the pivot is not adjustable unless you remove the handle scales. That said, I have not needed to adjust the pivot on this knife.

Back locking knives aren’t often associated with smooth operation however Viper has, on a number of models, achieved a perfect balance between ease of use and a reliable, tough play free lock-up. The lock is easy to disengage when you are ready to close the knife. Blade centering is perfect on these knives.

Viper Rhino Review – Final Thoughts

Everything considered the Rhino is an unusual yet attractive knife. Unapologetically oversized, it will probably appeal to a very niche market of collectors and users. If massive appeals to you, it will surely impress in the over all fit, finish and value. With a maximum price of $200.00 for the the PVD D2 and Carbon fiber model, you are getting a ton of premium materials and craftsmanship for your money. I could easily see this knife in any collection, in the bag of an outdoorsman or on the vest of a serviceman.

7Regardless of its quirks it is undeniable that the Rhino is extremely well made and functional. It’s also great that Viper, as with many of their other models, offer the Rhino in a variety of handle and blade materials accommodating a variety of tastes. To further this, it might be good for the company to consider a scaled down version as an EDC for a wider audience.

Viper Rhino – From $175.00
From: BladeHQ

VIPER Rhino PAU Wood

Crafted from the highest quality materials
Built for performance and durability
Made in Italy

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Viper Rhino at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thanks for reading.

Spyderco Hundred Pacer Review

by Seth Vietti 7 Comments

At first, nothing about the Spyderco Hundred Pacer appealed to me. For someone intent on wringing maximum utility from every inch, every ounce, and every dollar’s worth of blade, the Hundred Pacer seems absurd: too big, too heavy, and too expensive. It’s also… weird. Impressively weird, even for Spyderco, whose catalog is persistently peppered with odd and ugly ducklings.

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I guess it’s a good thing I had a chance to handle this odd and imposing design in person before buying one, otherwise I would have almost certainly missed out on one of the most useful and interesting knives I’ve carried this year.

General Dimensions & Blade Details

The Hundred Pacer is named after a venomous snake, a Taiwanese viper supposedly so deadly that – according to local folklore – whoever suffers its venomous bite will stagger just one hundred paces away before dropping dead. The name isn’t the only thing designer Jonny Liao borrowed from the snake; the knife’s blade shape is inspired by its characteristically upturned snout, and the two-toned texture in the G-10 handle is inspired by the rhomboid pattern of brown and tan scales running down its back.

The Hundred Pacer is such an oddly proportioned design that it’s hard to get a sense of this knife’s scale from pictures alone. Comparisons can help – here it is against the Spyderco Military family:

While it may be shorter overall than the full-sized Military, the Hundred Pacer manages to fit in a bit more edge thanks to an efficient use of handle space. The knife feels substantial, weighing in at just over five ounces, but given its sheer bulk it doesn’t feel disproportionate.

It’s hard to overstate just how broad the blade of the Hundred Pacer actually is. For a folding knife, it’s downright gratuitous: at its widest point, the blade of the Hundred Pacer is just a few millimeters shy of my classic Victorinox 8 inch chef’s knife. In use, however, it feels purposeful; intuitive, even. The edge begins below the handle, affording it near full-length contact against a cutting board. It slopes steadily from heel to point in a single uninterrupted arc, slicing aggressively but predictably, without abrupt changes in geometry that can cause cuts to push or pull away. The tip sits just above the centerline of the knife and feels precise and easy to control. And the extra-wide flat ground blade, coupled with an acute distal taper, makes for startlingly good cutting performance.

I have observed that a knife with good blade geometry will continue to cut comfortably through all but the most delicate materials even after the edge has dulled. Long after the Hundred Pacer had lost its hair-shaving sharpness from cutting in the kitchen, at the fireplace, and in front of the recycling bin, it continued to perform well.

No doubt Spyderco’s choice of blade steel, CTS-XHP, played a significant role here, too. It is said to be an advanced, stainless version of D2. I can’t speak to the science behind the alloy, but after more than a year of use I can say it has become a personal favorite for its well-balanced combination of good corrosion resistance, excellent edge retention, and ease of sharpening. It plays nicely with my cheap sharpening stones, polishes well, and seems to take a fine edge easier and hold it noticeably longer than comparable industry favorites S30V and S35VN.

Handle, Ergonomics, & Pocket Clip

In hand, the Hundred Pacer feels practically paleolithic, a fistful of G10 fit for a neanderthal’s fist. There’s plenty of room on the handle to accommodate different grips, but the hump above the pivot tends to push the hand away, either back on the handle for a natural grip:

or forward, with the thumb nestling down onto the sloped spine of the blade to apply pressure directly into a cut:

Both grips are useful and comfortable, but more often than not (and especially when working on a cutting board) I find myself using the knife in a pinch grip.

The snakeskin pattern milled into the G10 is attractive and substantially grippy, even when wet. Compared to the typical peel-ply stuff, it has a variegated, organic feel. And mercifully, Spyderco have opted to leave a patch of the handle smooth under the clip so the texture doesn’t gnaw away at your pockets.

When you need to apply some force, it’s nice to have a handle that your hand can stretch out on. However, there are some ergonomic drawbacks to such a broad, flat handle. Tasks that require deft rotation of the knife in the hand (e.g. peeling small fruit) are a little awkward, and the bulbous rear end of the knife can feel oversized in some grips.

Perhaps the biggest drawback of all is how the knife carries. Despite being equipped with Spyderco’s deep carry wire clip – a minimal, functional design that on any other knife I might call discreet – the Hundred Pacer carries… conspicuously. It dominates pocket space like a limo dominates curbside parking. The knife starts wide at the clip and gets even wider around the pivot, so the experience of reaching past it for something else in your pocket ranges from awkward to impossible. Thankfully, the clip is always cooperative. Once you cede control of your pocket over to the Hundred Pacer, getting the knife into and out of it is thoughtless; a real testament to the utility of Spyderco’s wire clip design.

Deployment & Lockup

Because most of the mass in the Hundred Pacer’s blade is centered around the pivot, flicking it open doesn’t have the weighty, wrist-snapping feel you might expect from such a big blade. Its unusual kinetics take a little getting used to, but thanks to generous access to the thumb hole and a firm – but not hard – detent, one-handed deployment is reliable whether you want to open it slow and sure, flick it out with your thumb, or “spydieflick” it with your middle finger. The pivot turns fluidly on robustly thick phosphor bronze washers.

The nested liner lock has been drama-free since day one, providing secure engagement with the blade at exactly the same spot today as it did when I first opened the knife. Unlocking it is simple, and more importantly, safe: unless you deliberately move your thumb away from the lockbar release cutout, there’s no way for the blade to cut your finger while closing.

Spyderco Hundred Pacer Review – Final Thoughts

It almost goes without saying, but the Hundred Pacer won’t be for everyone. Even for those it does appeal to, I suspect that its price ($234 on BladeHQ as of December 2018) makes it easy to choose something else. If this knife was under $200, I think it would be a much more compelling buy.

That said, if I lost my Hundred Pacer tomorrow I would not hesitate to replace it. There are knives that carry more discreetly (most of them), but in use, the Hundred Pacer might be the best all-rounder I’ve ever owned. It’s a superlative slicer, but it still has enough rigidity at the tip and strength behind the edge to handle forceful stabs and torquey cuts. The ergonomics on a cutting board are a huge practical advantage – when I expect to be cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen, I bring the Hundred Pacer.

It’s perfect for long trips away from home – or just long days – when it can flex fluently from pocket knife, to work knife, to kitchen knife. Just don’t forget to clean it in-between.

Spyderco Hundred Pacer Folding Knife - Brown G-10 Handle with PlainEdge, Full-Flat Grind, CTS XHP Steel Blade and LinerLock - C225GP

FOLDING KNIVES - Locking folding knives are safe, compact, and easy to carry. They also happen to be where the Spyderco revolution began.
G-10 - An epoxy filled woven glass fiber that is rigid, non-slip, and impervious to temperature changes and chemicals.
FULL-FLAT GRIND - This knife features a blade ground with flat bevels that extend from the spine all the way to the cutting edge. This grind reduces drag during cutting and decreases overall weight.
PLAINEDGE BLADE - This knife has a sharpened blade with no serrations or teeth sometimes referred to as a smooth blade.
SPECIFICATIONS - Closed Length (Inches): 5.21, Overall Length (Inches): 9.2, Blade Length (Inches):3.99, Blade Steel: CTS XHP, Grind: Full-Flat

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Hundred Pacer at Amazon or BladeHQ.

Fantoni HB-01 Review

by Andrew Gene Leave a Comment

The Fantoni HB-01 is a collaborative design with William Harsey Junior. Harsey is a well known American designer and custom knife maker. He’s notably popular for producing several knives for, and with the collaboration of divisions in the U.S. Special forces. This design has its production roots in a discontinued iteration put out by Beretta knives.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Fantoni HB-01 has an overall length of 9.37” (238 mm), a 4.13” (105 mm) blade, weighs 5.93oz (168 g), and is made in Italy by Fantoni Knives. This is a large folding knife. Fantoni also makes the HB-02, with a smaller more EDC friendly footprint.

The limited edition model’s blade is made from CPM S125V, a very exotic, extremely wear and corrosion resistant stainless steel from Crucible. Notoriously difficult to machine on a production level; only a run of 100 of these limited edition knives were produced. Fantoni also offers a standard HB-01 and smaller HB-02 in CPM S30V with black, forest green or tan scales.

The blade steel has been made possible through Crucible’s Powder Metallurgy (C.P.M) process. It currently has the highest Carbon and Vanadium available in a stainless steel. To make a comparison against another popular Crucible “super steel” S30V, S125V has over twice the amount of Carbon and nearly four times the Vanadium.

Here is a comparison between the popular CPM S30V, 440C and CPM S125V

Steel	Carbon	Chromium	Vanadium	Molybdenum	HRc	Wear Resistance	Corrosion Resistance
CPM S125V	3.30	14.00	12.00	2.50	61-62	39.00	Very high
CPM S30V	1.45	14.00	4.00	2.00	61-62	9.50	High
440C	1.20	16-18	–	.75	57-58	4.0	Low

To yield the maximum performance from the alloy Fantoni utilizes an exacting heat treating process. First the steel is brought up to 2050ºF (1121ºC) (Austenite) with a 15 minute hold to homogenize the material. An inert gas quench is executed to avoid surface oxidation. It is then processed through a freezing treatment of -176ºF (-80ºC) for three hours to maximize the transformation from an Austentic to Martensitic phase. Finally two complete tempering procedures bringing the blades up to 356ºF (180ºC) for three hours and back down to room temperature results in the final hardness of 61-62 Rockwell.

Conservatively speaking, users can easily expect over twice the performance than that of S30V. When considering the specs this would likely be more like 3-4 times however there isn’t enough empirical evidence to fully claim that (yet).

The blade pattern is a very lean drop point that produces a fine tip optimized with a long swedge. The grind is a high flat that is finished with a secondary, edge bevel. As to be expected, with the steel’s specifications, the blade is very sharp and holds its keen edge for a long time. This is helped along by the high hardness. In fact, with all the cutting that I’ve been doing, I haven’t had to touch it up yet. When it does come time to sharpen It would be nice if there was a choil since I prefer an even edge right up to the plunge.

Cut from 4mm stock and with a length of 4.13” the blade strikes an exceptional balance between strength and function. It also has plenty of reach if needed. A fine stone-wash gives a clean, finished appearance. Fantoni’s logo and word-mark appear on one side of the blade while the designer name, steel type and unique number are on the other. This knife is 37 of 100.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The knife has great ergonomics. At 5.25” there is plenty of handle real estate to have a full grip with or without gloves. Slight grooves for your first two fingers followed by some coarse, deep jimping for the rest lock things in place. The inner jimping wraps around the pommel working as a grippy thumb rest in a reverse grip. The blade’s spine forms a ramp with finer, square slotted jimping followed by some corresponding texture on the handle for your thumb. For good measure, the G10 Scales have a fine, high-traction peep ply texture.

The handle is an open back, pillar construction. This will allow for easy cleaning and helps cut weight. At an over-all length of 9.37” the knife sits at a modest 5.93 oz. For its size it has enough heft to give a satisfying, quality feel and confidence in use without adding dead weight.

For carry there is a tip up, ambidextrous pocket clip. It works well and, with the G10’s texture has a great retention. The clip’s fairly low and wide profile doesn’t feel obtrusive in use which is a huge plus. The surface is blasted and laser etched with the Fantoni Logo and word-mark adding a tasteful detail.

Deployment and Lockup

For deployment there are dual, ambidextrous thumb studs. These also serve as the stop-pin when the blade is both open and closed. Because of their function, the studs contact the edge of the scales in the closed position. Regardless, their size coupled with a tiered cap makes deployment easy.

While there is a flipper like protrusion, the knife isn’t a true flipper and requires a healthy wrist flick if you want to open it this way. On opening the tang meets a solid, play free titanium liner lock. A deep texture on the lock leaf allows for easy, one handed closing. The pivot is smooth and the components travel against phosphor bronze washers.

Fantoni HB-01 Review – Final Thoughts

The HB-01 is the third Fantoni knife I have reviewed and solidifies the company as one of my favorites. A strong focus on the fit, finish and foremost function, strips away superfluous details. High end materials, an exceptional heat treat along with William Harsey’s experienced time proven design has produced a true modern classic. The only downside to this folder is its extremely limited run of 100. If you are lucky enough to own and use one I’m sure it will satisfy.

Fantoni HB-01
From: KnifeArt

Editor: I recommend buying the Fantoni HB-01 at KnifeArt. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website, including links to Amazon and BladeHQ, helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. Any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Additional Specifications

Total Length: 9.37” (238 mm)
Weight: 5.93oz (168 g)

Blade:

Length: 4.13” (105 mm)
Thickness: .157 (4 mm)
Steel: CPM-S125V
Hardness: 61-62 HRc
Finish: stone wash

Handle:

Length: 5.24” (133 mm)
Thickness: .55” (14 mm)
Liners: 6AI4V Ti liners
Scales: black G10
Clip: Ambidextrous 6AI4V Titanium Tip Up
Lock: Liner

Made In Maniago, Italy

Photo Credits: Andrew Gene