Titanium Frame Lock Knives

Strider PT Review

Last Updated: August 3, 2019
One of the best parts of blogging about knives is checking out other people’s blogs, and seeing what they really like. It often piques my interest and expands my collection into all sorts of unhealthy directions. Case in point, I had absolutely zero interest in the Strider PT until I read Tony’s post on it. Boom. It instantly elevated the knife up to “want” status and several weeks later I had the PT you see before you resting comfortably in my pocket.

Buy the Strider PT at BladeHQ

As usual, Tony did a great job reviewing the PT with a catchy intro weaving artfully into background info on the knife and of course leading into his famous (infamous?) 20 point scale. I won’t even pretend like I’m that sophisticated. I’ll just babble on in my usual, loosely organized fashion, and ultimately try to determine whether the PT meets my approval as highly as Tony’s did.

General Dimensions and Pocket Clip

The PT has an overall length of 6.5″, sports a 2.75′ blade, and weighs in at a paltry 2.3 ounces. Compared to it’s bigger brethren, the SnG and SMF, the PT is very much a true daily carry knife, and was designed with fans of small pocketable knives in mind. The PT falls into the pocket with hardly a whisper and rolls around with my keys and flashlight just like a $20 Swiss Army Knife might.

The blade is Strider’s iconic drop point, complete with oval thumb hole and well spaced jimping. The blade is flat ground but still has plenty of meat behind the edge. It will open letters and cut boxes, just don’t expect it to peel away translucent thin pieces of cheese like a true gentleman’s folder. The grind of the PT leans towards hard use, just like it’s bigger brothers.

My particular PT came in S30V blade steel, and features a gently stonewashed with an even edge bevel. I find the S30V relatively stubborn to work with, but I am still able to keep a decent edge on it. Despite the knife being well, a Strider, I opted not to super hard use instead relegating it mainly to cardboard and kitchen tasks> These are more of my normal EDC tasks for a knife of this size rather than a back yard beat down. It performed adequately in all the tasks I put it up to, although I wasn’t blown away by the performance of this blade. As I alluded to before, the grind on this knife is fairly chunky, and like my full size SnG, isn’t the best slicer in my knife drawer. The trade off of course is that you have a much stronger edge.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle is classic Strider. You have an integral G10 backspacer and display scale, a titanium frame lock, and a proprietary pivot. Despite Strider’s notoriety for subpar fit and finish, my PT came superbly finished. Every aspect of the handle, from the tumbled titanium down to the lanyard hole, has been delightfully well done. So no fit and finish gripes here. It looks to me like Strider has listened to customer feedback and tightened up their tolerances. All of my Strider knives are well made and my PT is a wonderful collector’s grade piece.

It is also worth noting that this is the concealed carry (CC) version, meaning the handles have been convexed for a thinner, lighter, more discrete knife. Compare the CC PT with my traditional (aka “lego”) styled SnG below to see what I mean.

Despite being a small knife, the PT boasts very solid ergos. It’s unique handle shape and elongated dual finger choils make for a comfortable 4 fingered grip, even with larger hands. There is a rough run of jimping on the spine. It is not a big deal on a light use sub 3 ounce folder like this, but it does provide plenty of traction for opening clamshell casings and other harder tasks.

The pocket clip section is moot as there is no pocket clip on the PT CC. I know some will have a problem with this, but I don’t mind the clipless PT as I usually carry an Alox Cadet this way. I will say the toughest part about carrying this $300 knife clipless is dropping it into the lint filled abyss to have it rattle and roll with keys and spare change. While my classic SnG with tiger striped blade seems to only look nicer with wear, I find scratches harder to ignore with this this stonewashed clean shaven look.

I will say that the regular Strider PT comes with a clip.

Deployment and Lockup

The PT makes use of a thumb hole for blade deployment. The “thumbstuds” are external stop pins, and don’t work well for opening the knife. True to the knife’s meticulous fit and finish, I find the action on my PT nice and stiff. This is after months of opening and closings. Perhaps “purposeful” is the better way to describe the PT’s action, as I like stiff opening. The sturdy detent sucks the blade down with a satisfying click, not unlike the way the doors fall shut on a German car.

Lockup is accomplished by the titanium frame lock. There have been issues in the past with Strider lock ups, and the PT wasn’t spared in that controversy. My understanding is that Strider has gone to great lengths to address this issue in all their knives. My PT is the most recent generation of the knife, and it locks up early, sturdy, and without play in any direction. The lock release can be a little difficult to access. Given the stiff action and small lockbar, it’s more of a two hand closer in my book. I will say that everything feels is very secure.

Strider PT Review – Final Thoughts

The Strider PT is a lovely little knife. It is beautifully made, boasts classic Strider lines, and is small enough to carry in a suit pocket. This Strider is perfect for a paper-pusher like myself, but is tough enough to stand up to some real use.

I like the knife for what it is, small, well crafted, and unique. Some may not like it for what it isn’t. And one things it isn’t is a cheap knife. Retailing at $300 (if you can even find one) the PT isn’t for the light of wallet, and like most of my high end knife reviews, probably begs some discussion of value. I’ll spare you that lecture. Only you can decide for yourself whether the PT is “worth” the premium price tag.

I’m happy with mine but confess that 9 times out of 10 I still reach for my trusty Alox Cadet when I need a slim workhorse pocket knife to bump around with my car keys and flash light. But, the PT appeals to me on more than just a practical level and I do enjoy it. For that reason I don’t see it leaving my collection any time soon.

Strider PT – $300.00
From:BladeHQ KnifeArt

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

Spyderco Domino Review

by Dan Jackson 23 Comments

Last Updated: August 4, 2019
The Spyderco Domino is a knife that I almost wasn’t going to review. I’ve been following the Titanium Framelock Flipper Arms Race closely ever since the ZT 0560 took the production knife market by storm. Like pretty much everyone else, I’ve enjoyed these knives, but felt some initial hesitance to the Domino for some reason. I talk about this in my video, but I feel like the knife was almost too easy for Spyderco. After all, it parrots many of their already successful designs only this time we have a flipper, framelock, and bearings.

Buy the Spyderco Domino at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

Obviously I caved and bought the knife, and I am actually very happy I did. The Domino is a stellar performer and at a sub $200 price point I also think it’s a pretty decent value. Where else are you going to find the impressive feature set of the Domino, with a level of fit and finish that few companies can rival, with all the creature comforts of a Spyderco, for less than $200?

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Domino comes in with an overall length of 7.68″, a 3.13″ blade, and weighs 4.1 ounces. The knife is a decent size for EDC. It’s a little larger and heavier than my Sage 1 (the quintessential EDC knife), but it still pockets well and makes for a reasonable daily carry.

The blade is a classic Spyderco leaf shape, and includes a full flat grind, a very fine tip, and a slight curving belly. It’s everything you need for an EDC blade. The 3mm thick stock is ground thin and the knife slices well. Although I must say that I find the wide blade is a little precarious tasks like carving apples, a task I often relegate to my trusty Victorinox Alox Cadet. Still, it will slice and dice with the best of them and I find it a good match to common tasks like opening letters and breaking down boxes.

Spyderco selected CTS-XHP steel for the Domino. CTS-XHP is made in America by Carpenter, and is supposed to be formulated with cutlery in mind. In practice I think it’s a good steel. It combines moderate edge retention with an ease of sharpening that I find lacking in steels like S30V. I had no issues with chipping or corrosion, and the steel took very well to both my strop and Spyderco stones. For those interested in extreme edge retention, I must confess that I found the steel a little lacking, but I am one of those people who prefers easy sharpening to ultimate edge retention so I wasn’t disappointed. I discuss this in greater detail in my video review.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Domino sports a faux carbon fiber scale over a titanium liner with a titanium frame lock. You also get flow-through construction, a sleeved lanyard hole, and a steel lockbar insert that doubles as a lockbar stabilizer. My biggest beef with the knife has to be the ridiculous handle scale. I suppose Spyderco wanted to step it up a bit with an unusual handle appearance, but I could have done without the Domino patterned carbon fiber. Ruminating on this further, I think the knife would have been even nicer if they went for a full titanium handle rather than the carbon fiber (which is really just a thin veneer of carbon fiber over black G10 anyway). Some may appreciate this “unique” handle material, but I think the after-market knife modifier crowd will be in business for a very long time if companies continue to release knives with such blatantly distasteful handle materials.

The ergonomics of the Domino are good. This is what you would expect from a mid-size Spyderco. The bulbous handle fills the palm, while the double choils give you plenty of options for finger placement. There is a mild run of jimping on the spine of the blade that provides a little feedback without being overly aggressive, making the knife acceptable for extending cutting while still appealing to the TNP and mall ninja crowds. Although every folding knife handle is a study in compromise, I still found the knife reasonable to use in hard cutting situations like 1/2″ rope cuts and carving into bamboo.

The pocket clip of the Domino is sturdy and functional, although it won’t win any beauty contests. Spyderco selected a standard hour-glass clip and gave it a lustrous black chrome finish. It definitely beats a satin finished clip, while the chromed finish gives it a little depth and character. The handle is drilled and tapped for 4 corner carry, and the knife doesn’t ride too deep in any of the positions. On these more expensive knives I tend to like a knife with a one or two position clip over a knife with tons of holes in it, but functionally speaking there is no reason to complain. This knife itself is relatively thin and light and isn’t too obtrusive in the pocket. While the pocket clip and carry isn’t anything outstanding, the knife will certainly be able to get from A to B without issue.

Deployment and Lockup

Of course the Domino features a flipper, after all, that’s probably why you are interested in the knife. I am very pleased to report that the knife flips phenomenally. The detent is so well tuned that the blade practically explodes out of the handle when you press down on the flipper tab. I am very happy Spyderco took the time to ensure this aspect of the knife was squared away, as the action alone makes the knife worth the price. The over-sized pivot and caged bearing system certainly doesn’t hurt the performance either, and the knife is very fluid even when using the thumb hole.

For lockup you have a very nice stonewashed titanium framelock that includes a steel lockbar insert. In theory this steel insert should prolong the lifespan of the lock, and if things ever wore out you could (again, theoretically) replace the insert. In practice the knife is rock solid, without even a suggestion of blade play in any direction. Much like the other titanium framelocks I have seen come out of Spyderco’s Taichung factory, they got the geometry right and the lockup is worry free.

The steel insert also performs double duty as an overtravel-stop mechanism (sometimes called a “lockbar stabilizer”). This prevents you from hyper-extending the titanium when disengaging the lock. I’ve never had this problem, it’s a nice touch and aesthetically it doesn’t detract from the knife.

Spyderco Domino Review – Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the Domino is one hell of a knife. Here we have classic Spyderco fare like a thumb hole, 4-corner pocket clip, and good ergonomics coupled with the latest crazes in modern knifemaking. That alone should be reason enough to give this one a try, but I am very happy to report that they really executed this right. As I mentioned alone, for a flipper aficionado the action alone will be worth the price of admission, and Spyderco has once again turned out a very high quality product from Taichung Taiwan.

Of course an obvious comparison would be with their previous flipper, the Southard, and it’s worth taking a second to differentiate the knives. First of all, the action on the Domino is vastly superior to the Southard. The detent on the Southard is acceptable, but it is weak in comparison to the crisp action in the Domino. Also, the design of Southard may be a little “out there” for classic Spyderco fans. Personally, I find the Southard to be a far more interesting knife, but to each their own. I am sure the Domino will appeal to traditional Spyderco fans.

Of course I do have a few issues with the knife, and I might as well re-cap them now. Mainly I wish they went a different route with their handle scale, but I could also do without 4-corner carry on a $200 knife, and same with a sleeved lanyard hole. I think both the lanyard sleeve and funky carbon fiber detract from the appearance of the knife. The pocket clip could use a little work too. But by and large this is a solid effort for Spyderco, and I think it will be an excellent addition to anyone’s collection of high end production knives.

Spyderco Domino Plain Edge Knife

Category name: locking-knives
Country of origin: taiwan
Brand name: Spyderco
Tip Carry Position Tip-Up/Down

I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Domino at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thanks for checking out the review.

Spyderco Southard Flipper C156GBN Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

Last Updated: July 30, 2019
If you have been following the production knife scene the past couple years, then you know that titanium framelock flippers have gotten extremely hot. This has a lot to do with custom and mid-tech makers that often set the trends, which eventually trickle down into production knives. Larger companies have finally taken notice, and now they want their piece of the framelock flipper pie.

Buy the Spyderco Southard Flipper at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

This has resulted is something that Andrew and I refer to as the “framelock flipper arms race.” When Zero Tolerance released their 0560 model not too long ago, it upped the ante in terms of materials selection, build quality, and technology. ZT loaded their knife to the gills with features like a caged bearing system, 3D contoured handles, and even going so far as to pocket out the titanium to lighten the knife. The 0560 continues to be a technological marvel as far as the production knife industry is concerned, but other companies, including Benchmade and Spyderco, have stopped to take notice – to the point where both companies have released their first models featuring a flipper in 2012-2013.

In this case we have Spyderco’s addition to the framelock flipper arms race: the Spyderco Southard Flipper. They decided to damn the titanium torpedoes and embark on a high-end collaboration with acclaimed custom knife maker Brad Southard. Known for his practical and well engineered designs, Brad has slowly carved a name for himself since he started making knives full time in 2009. Brad subscribes to the ideology that form should follow function, and he ultimately believes that good design is a marriage of aesthetics and performance. Technology also plays a key role in his knives, and this collaboration with Spyderco is a veritable cornucopia of the latest and greatest. Unfortunately for the consumer the price tag reflects this as well, with the knife arriving with a whopping $399.95 MSRP.

Does the fabled Southard Flipper deliver enough bang for the buck to make it worth adding to your collection? How does it stack up to something like the ZT 0560? Lets find out…

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Southard Flipper has an overall length of 7.96″, features a 3.46” blade, and weighs a solid 4.1 ounces. This is a jewel of a knife, beautifully manufactured for Spyderco in Taichung, Taiwan. Proud Americans may dismiss the knife offhand for having both a $250 retail price and the words “Taiwan” laser engraved on the blade, but I assure you the quality is 100% there. The knife is beautifully made and has a reassuring heft to it – made possible by thick slabs of steel, titanium, and G10.

As for the knife’s intended use, I mainly see the Southard Flipper as a collectible or high end EDC option. I have mostly been carrying mine on the weekends, as I find it a little too chunky to be paired with slacks in an office EDC. Your mileage will certainly vary.

The blade is a signature Brad Southard modified drop point design. Cut from a thick piece of Carpenter CTS-204P stainless steel, the profile swoops and slopes into an abrupt tip. The partial hollow grind terminates at a neatly applied edge, and the entire blade has been given the ever popular stonewashed finish.

CTS-204P is apparently the latest in a line of high performance steels from Carpenter. According to their data sheet this steel has been specifically formulated for high end cutlery applications. This is the part of the review where more sophisticated reviewers would spend a few moments to wax poetic about the chemical structure and technical merits of the steel, but I have neither the time nor the inclination for such diversions. Instead, I elected to simply start cutting stuff. Hey, at least I’m honest.

My knife came with an extremely sharp and aggressive edge. It almost reminded me of the M4 on my Gayle Bradley in how razor sharp and aggressive it was out of box. I actually moved to a new house in the middle of my testing phase, so the Southard Flipper got a chance to open up many cardboard boxes. It zipped through cardboard with alarming speed and efficiency. I decided at this point I wanted to try a more formal cut test to get a better feel for the knife and the steel.

I started out with a 6″ length of 3/8” sisal rope. I made cuts every inch. In some cases this is a difficult and painful test for me to get through. The Southard Flipper crunched through the rope without even blinking. It was one of the easier rope cut tests I have done, and the knife could have easily handled 2-3x as much rope.

I then moved on to some more cardboard boxes. The Southard flipper once again worked with impressive speed and agility as I cleanly cleaved a couple pieces of 3-ply commercial grade cardboard into confetti. At this point in the test I felt the edge could use some help, so I stropped it briefly. The 204p came back to factory sharpness with little effort – surprising considering how the blade has likely been heat treated to well over 60 hrc (Spyderco does not list the actual hardness of the steel).

I wrapped things up by whittling some 2x2s. It worked through the wood, but I was not super impressed with the carving performance of this knife. This shouldn’t be too surprising as the blade is 4mm thick and features a partial hollow grind. I found it was not the most efficient tool for cutting up apples either.

At the end of the day I was pleased with the performance of both the knife and the 204p steel. The steel is capable of taking an amazing edge, I had no issues with rust or corrosion, and the edge held up well. It’s a nice knife and is well suited for EDC tasks.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Southard Flipper is primarily comprised of titanium and g10. On the locking side you have a full titanium frame lock with a G10 overtravel prevention mechanism. On the non-locking side there is a brown G10 scale over a thick titanium liner. Everything is screwed together, and features flow-through (pillar) construction.

The knife is immaculately finished. The hardware gleams, every corner has been meticulously finished, and the knife feels like an absolute gem. The titanium liner has been drilled out to reduce the weight somewhat, but this is still a knife that I feel in my hand and in my pocket.

One thing to note is the asymmetry of the thickness of the handle; the non-locking side is noticeably thicker than the locking side. I am not sure if this was a conscious design decision, or if Spyderco was not willing to have the G10 side 3d machined like on the ZT0560. Since the knife is equipped with an internal stop pin and captured ball bearing system, it is necessary to have a metal liner of some sort. At any rate the asymmetry is interesting. In my video review I talk about the character of the knife and the odd juxtaposition of high end materials and meticulous finish next to the somewhat quirky and almost primitive design. I think it’s an interesting contrast, although I’m sure the asymmetrical handle will drive some people nuts.

Moving to ergonomics, I find the Southard Flipper to be extremely comfortable. A rope cut test is always a good workout for the handle of a knife, and hard carving / whittling can also quickly reveal hot spots and ergonomic issues. I found that the Southard performed fantastically in the rope cut, and was decently comfortable when carving. The knife is pretty thick and that chunkiness serves it well when putting some extra force behind the edge. The jimping on the spine of the blade is damn near perfect in my book. It’s got a little bit of traction without being obnoxiously sharp or painful. It’s just a comfortable knife.

In contrast, the pocket clip is a little underwhelming. Stylistically it looks cool, and is plenty sturdy / well made. However, I find it’s a little sharp on the tip, doesn’t exactly run with the lines of the handle, and doesn’t carry particularly well. I think a thick and heavy knife like this could benefit from a deeper carry clip. Although none of this strikes me as a deal breaker, I’ll openly confess that I feel the pocket clip is the weakest link.

Deployment and Lock

The more reviews I write the more I wonder how painfully obvious this section is. Of course what we have here is a flipper mechanism, and Spyderco’s first at that. I find it generally works pretty well.

When you have a firm grip on the flipper the detent is strong enough to easily pop the knife open. That said, I’ve flubbed the flip many many times, and wonder if an even stronger detent would be appropriate here. I’ll be the first to admit that this is me being nit picky, but on a knife of this caliber I might as well provide the entire story.

The knife does open nicely however, and the blade rotates smoothly around an over-sized pivot and caged bearing system. There is also the “trademarked” Spyderco thumb hole on the blade, but it’s impossible to use with your left hand, and a challenge to actuate with your right, so I find myself not having a whole lot to say about it.

Lockup is exceptional. My lock engages around 40-50%, and has been like that since the day I bought it. The lock engages easily, has no stick at all, and the knife is absolutely rock solid in every direction. The pivot must have some industrial strength [easyazon-link asin=”B0043EK14O” locale=”us”]loctite[/easyazon-link] on it, because I have been opening the knife obsessively for weeks and have yet to have a need to adjust it.

There is also a small g10 lock bar stabilizer inset into the framelock that matches the G10 scale on the opposing side. It looks interesting and does a good job of preventing the lock bar from over-extending. All said and done I am impressed with the lockup on this knife.

Spyderco Southard Flipper Review – Final Thoughts

So, Spyderco’s first flipper… did they nail it or fail it? I have to say, I like the knife a lot. Brad’s design is sexy and sophisticated, and the Taichung factory has once again produced an amazingly well built knife. Say whatever you want about overseas manufacturers, but the Southard Flipper is immaculately made.

The Southard Flipper also performs. It’s comfortable, balanced, and cuts nicely. I had a blast working through rope and cardboard. It’s not the keenest slicer, so chores like cutting apples and carving wood won’t be it’s forte, but overall the Southard Flipper is a capable tool.

If I had to point out the weaknesses of the knife, I’d say the pocket clip could use a little work, the flipper could benefit from a stronger detent, and I could live without the lanyard tube. Aside from that I find little fault with the knife. I will say once again that this is a heavier knife and in my pocket it is more appropriate for jeans or casual clothing – this is not a gentleman’s folder.

And lets spend a moment on the “value proposition” of the Southard Flipper. Some will balk at the $220 price tag, and I can appreciate that – this is an expensive knife, and it isn’t for everyone. But frankly, discussions about value don’t interest me much. Sure, I appreciate a good deal, and understand the value of a dollar, but much like a Chris Reeve Sebenza or a Strider SNG, we are looking at luxury items. No one ‘needs’ a Southard Flipper.

As someone who owns a wide range of folding knives I think the Southard Flipper will be well worth it to fans of high end Spydercos, and fans of titanium framelocks / flippers. It’s a beautiful knife.

And where does it stand next to the ZT 0560? Personally, I prefer the Southard. The 0560 is a cool knife, but I prefer the size of the Southard more and the knife has this wonderfully solid and well balanced feel to it. Practically speaking I find it more comfortable to cut with too. Sure, the 3D machining on the 0560 is nice, and it’s great to see the 0560 being made in the USA, but I still prefer the Southard more. Have an opinion? Feel free to leave it in the comments section below.

Spyderco Southard Folder G-10 Plain Edge Knife, Brown

Made using the highest quality materials
Tested for quality and durability
The most trusted name in you cutlery needs
Flipper blade opening device
CTS 204P hollow-ground blade

I recommend purchasing the Southard Flipper at Amazon, or BladeHQ. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated! Thank you very much for reading.

Strider SnG Review

by Dan Jackson 15 Comments

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

Buy the Strider SnG at BladeHQ

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

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

General Dimensions and Blade Details

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

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

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

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

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

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

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

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

Deployment and Lockup

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

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

Strider SnG – Final Thoughts

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

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

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

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

Strider SnG – $400
From: BladeHQ

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

Spyderco Techno Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

Last Updated: August 4, 2019
The Spyderco Techno is a small titanium framelock folder with all the fixings. It is designed by Polish maker Marcin Slysz, who doesn’t seem to have much in the way of background information on the internet. According to Spyderco, Marcin is an extremely talented knifemaker of international repute.

Buy the Spyderco Techno at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

I must admit, the knife designer’s pedigree isn’t what drew me to this one. Rather, I was taken in by the Techno’s charming design. Featuring bold lines and plenty of personality, this one really struck a chord with me. The fact that this knife also includes CTS-XHP supersteel and 6AL-4V titanium handles further piqued my interest. And when I learned it would be produced at Spyderco’s now legendary Taichung Taiwan facility, well, that sealed the deal.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

With an overall length of 6″, a 2.55″ blade, and a weight of 3.6 ounces the Techno falls firmly into what Spyderco likes to call “little big knife” territory. This a nice little nugget of a knife. It’s a great size for EDC and would also do well in anyone’s collection of titanium framelock folders.

The drop point blade has been fully flat ground from a very thick (4.5mm) piece of steel. Out of the box I wasn’t super impressed with how this knife cut paper, but I quickly gained respect for the Techno after attacking some super tough 5/8″ manilla rope, and carving up a pressure treated piece of pine. While the thick blade is not the most amazing slicer, the knife is ground relatively thin so you still have a capable cutter on your hands. The thick stock carries out all the way to the tip, leaving you with a stout blade able to handle a large variety of tasks.

Spyderco selected CTS-XHP steel, which has previously never been used on a production level Spyderco knife. This is also my first experience with CTS-XHP, and I was eager to try it out.

So far my experience with CTS-XHP has been extremely favorable. It’s a powdered stainless steel with an ultra fine grain structure. When I sharpened the knife I didn’t have any issues and it has held a hair shaving edge through a number of nasty cutting chores including the aforementioned rope and wood tests, a good deal of cardboard, and a number of little EDC tasks that I encountered in my several weeks of carry time. The edge holding was extremely impressive, I had no issues with chips or rolling, and saw no signs of rust or staining either. I would definitely place CTS-XHP above something like S30V, and I look forward to spending more time familiarizing myself with this steel.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle slabs are full titanium, and they have been given a tumbled finished for an attractive and easy wearing look. The handles have a smooth feeling to them (contrast it with a blasted finish on something like the small Sebenza), but it feels really high quality, and there actually is a decent amount of grip. There is a partial backspacer made of blue G10. I know some guys will really like the blue G10. Personally, I would have preferred to see titanium or carbon fiber instead. This is one of those “your mileage may vary” situations, so feel free to disagree. Overall, handle construction is rock solid. Everything screws together and all the edges have been nicely chamfered and meticulously finished. It’s really very impressive, and difficult to describe in a single paragraph.

The ergonomics on this knife are surprisingly good. It’s a small blade so naturally I wasn’t sure how it would fit my larger hand, but I can get a comfortable 4 finger grip here without issue. There is a run of coarse jimping on the spine that looks good and provides a little traction for your thumb. The back of the blade is also wide enough to accommodate your thumb, giving you plenty of room if you desire it. There is more jimping on the backspacer. Again, it is more for decoration than anything, but it does offer some traction. There are definitely more comfortable knives on the market (consider the Sage 2 if you want to keep it reasonably small and also in the Spyderco titanium framelock family), but all in all I am very pleased with how this knife feels in hand.

The pocket clip is the excellent Spyderco wire clip. This is a proven clip design that I personally have had a lot of experience with. This one has been sandblasted for a unique finish that will wear well, and it is positioned for ambidextrous tip up carry. I happen to be a big fan of the wire clip, and think Spyderco did an excellent job integrating it with the Techno. The knife rides very deep, and makes for an extremely discrete carry. At 3.6 ounces I did tend to notice this one in my pocket but, it’s not going to weigh you down.

Deployment and Lockup

Since this is a Spyderco, deployment is made possible by a thumb hole – this time of the 13mm variety. It is well placed for right hand access, and is easy enough to get at with your thumb. Unfortunately, lefties will have a slightly different story. The thumb hole is partially blocked by the titanium lock bar, and it is difficult to access with the left thumb. I can pinch out the blade with my thumb and middle finger, but don’t expect to open this like a normal Spyderco. I can also sort of flick the knife open with my index or middle finger, but really it is a design with right handed people in mind. I still like the knife despite these issues, but it’s definitely something to consider if you are a lefty eying this design.

The detent is firm, but the blade gives way to very smooth action aided by the phosphor bronze washers. Initially the knife was a little stiff, but that is because the tolerances are so tight. Mine almost immediately started to break in, and within a week or so of use it is became very smooth.

For lockup we have a titanium frame lock. Spyderco pays homage to the lock’s designer Chris Reeve, and refers to it as a Reeve Integral Lock (RIL) in the Techno’s documentation. This is a nice touch in an era of intellectual property shenanigans.

Practically speaking, I am extremely impressed with how this knife locks up. I hate to use hokey catch phrases like “this knife locks up like a bank vault,” but this knife locks up like a bank vault. It’s really impressive to slowly move the blade and hear the chunky framelock fall into place. My lock engages early (around 25%), hasn’t budged a millimeter (even after hard use and repeated flicking of the blade open), and there is zero blade play to speak of. Much like the finish of the titanium handles, you just have to feel this one for yourself to truly appreciate how nice it really is. It blows the Sage 2 out of the water, and gives the Chris Reeve Knives I’ve owned a good run for their money.

Spyderco Techno Review – Final Thoughts

Spyderco has another winner on their hands here. From a fit and finish perspective this knife is immaculate. If you have owned any of Spyderco’s other Taiwanese knives you will begin to understand where I am coming from, but even for their Taiwanese factory this knife is impressive. No doubt fans of Spyderco and titanium framelocks will find a lot to like with this little knife. It’s just really well done.

Now that I am done gushing over the knife I do have some caveats for you. First of all, it is expensive and small. I don’t necessarily have a problem with either of those things, but I’m not going to say this knife is for everyone either. From a cutting perspective the geometry is a little chunky. Spyderco did thin the blade out, but the relatively narrow profile and thick stock has its limitations. Also, the ergonomics are good, but not outstanding. So the Techno is far from a perfect knife – at least on paper. However, if you are willing to overlook that sort of thing, and approach the knife from a wider perspective, then I think you will be very pleased with the Techno. It’s one of the most solid folding knives I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing, and the feeling of quality I get from this knife is difficult to describe.

I also have to “keep it real” for my fellow lefties. This really isn’t a knife designed for us. I’ve managed to overcome the opening adversity, but unless you really like the design I don’t think it is worth the struggle.

All in all I’m really impressed with the Techno. If you like smaller knives and have the money, check it out. It’s a very cool little knife.

Spyderco Techno Titanium Plain Edge Knife

Collaboration with knifemaker Marcin Slysz
Fully flat ground CTS-XHP blade
Titanium handle with blue spacers
Chris Reeve Integral Lock (RIL) with a deep pocket wire clip
Closed Length (Inches): 3.43, Overall Length (Inches): 5.98, Blade Length (Inches):2.55, Blade Steel: CTS XHP, Grind: Full-Flat

I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Techno at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for checking out the review.

Zero Tolerance 0560 Review

by Dan Jackson 30 Comments

Last Updated: July 27, 2019
Finally! A Zero Tolerance 0560 review. It feels like forever ago since the 560 was first announced at the 2011 BLADE Show.

Buy the ZT 0560 at BladeHQ

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Since then I have heard the rumors, ogled the pre-production photos, and even caught a glimpse or two of the knife in some 2012 SHOT Show coverage. But that wasn’t going to do it. I needed this knife. What is it about Hinderer’s designs that have us fiending like depraved characters on a rerun of The Wire? Needless to say, I pre-ordered this bad boy a long time ago, and didn’t think twice about plunking down over $250 for the chance to check out this knife. After all, compared to a real Hinderer it seemed like a steal.

And for me, that really was part of the allure. If you spend any amount of time in knife circles, Rick Hinderer is a name that constantly resurfaces. Known for making highly sought after custom and semi-production folding tactical knives, his pieces easily command prices of $600 and up. So his recent relatively inexpensive collaboration with Zero Tolerance really caught my eye. Much like the ZT 0550, the 0560 allows you to get your hands on a Hinderer design without paying the Hinderer price tag. And I will tell you, as someone who owns both the 0550 and 0560, the praise for Rick’s designs is well deserved. This is a phenomenal knife, and it’s not going to make resisting a XM-18 any easier!

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0560 has an overall length of 8.8″, a 3.75″ blade, and a weight of 5.8 ounces. So yes, this is a big knife. For me it isn’t the most practical size for EDC, although that certainly didn’t prevent me from cramming the 560 into my pocket the moment it arrived. I have to say that one thing you will not hear me complain about is the weight. The 0560 is an incredibly light and balanced knife for its size. For example, the 0560 is substantially larger than the 0550, but weighs the exact same. It’s wonderful. And next to something like a ZT 0300 there is no comparison at all. For such a large knife I had no problem carrying it as my primary blade.

The blade is a sturdy modified drop point design. It shares a number of similarities to the blade on the 0550, having a similar swedge, and being made from 4mm thick blade stock. Both designs have high flat grinds, neatly applied edges, and feature a stone washed finish. This is a highly functional blade shape. The tip is extremely sturdy, there is a lot of belly for utility work, and the knife arrived exceptionally sharp. Considering the thick blade stock this is actually a very decent slicer, and zipped through cardboard without issue. In my experience this well rounded blade shape works great for most of daily tasks.

Kershaw and Rick went with ELMAX for the blade steel. This is a high end powdered steel made by the Austrian manufacturer Bohler-Uddeholm. I don’t have a ton of experience with ELMAX yet, but my initial research revealed that this is very interesting steel. According to Bohler, this is a high Chromium formulation that is extremely wear and corrosion resistant, while also being quite tough. It does best heat treated to between 58-60 HRC, and is often used as a high speed tool steel in both the electronics and food processing industries, where wear and corrosion resistance are both extremely important. These same properties are also important for cutlery, making ELMAX a natural choice for high end knives.

This is exotic stuff, and my initial impressions are very good. ZT heat treated the blades to around 60 HRC, which is right in the sweet spot. As far as edge retention is concerned, I expect this to perform better than S30V, but not quite as well as as M390 or S90V.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

Handle construction on the 0560 is truly next level stuff. I have always been impressed by the extreme levels of fit and finish found in ZT knives, but the 0560 has really been kicked up a notch. What we have here is a black G10 scale over a stainless steel liner on one side, and a titanium framelock on the other. Zero Tolerance also makes the 0561, which is the same knife with a brown G10 scale. What I found especially impressive about the 0560 is how they have 3d machined these handles. The surface of the handles are slightly radiused and everything has been precision cut. The stainless steel liner has been thoroughly milled to reduce weight, and even the titanium side has been milled out. These “weight relief pockets” really lighten the knife up. It’s an ingenious detail that I haven’t seen before, and it really sets the 560 apart.

In hand the 0560 feels extremely secure. There is aggressive jimping on the thumb ramp and choil, and it really locks your hand in place. The ergonomics are aggressive, and some might find the jimping too sharp. Personally I found that they were not aggressive to the point where the knife was uncomfortable to use. This knife was designed to get work done in all conditions so I can’t fault the knife for providing all this traction. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The pocket clip is a brand new design for the 0560. This was especially interesting to me because with a big knife like this, the pocket clip will be the difference between making the knife a daily carry item, or a sock-drawer novelty. The clip ZT previously used was actually pretty good, so I approached this new design cautiously.

So I am very pleased to say that I like the new clip a lot. It’s functional, discrete and a little more refined than the old style of clip found on many Zero Tolerance offerings. It is an attractive deep carry clip that can be mounted on all 4 corners. I am also happy to say that retention is excellent. Additionally, I found the 0560 to carry very well. Living in Florida, I often wear lightweight shorts. The clip on the 0560 performed flawlessly, holding the knife exactly where I wanted it. This great clip combined with the thin and lightweight design made the 0560 a joy to carry.

Deployment and Lockup

Deployment on the 0560 is absolutely effortless thanks to a nice flipper design and Kershaw Velocity Technology (KVT). KVT is a bearing system that replaces a more traditional phosphor bronze or teflon washer with a series of small ball bearings. In this case, the bearings are pressed into a nylon race so when you take the knife apart, the bearings don’t go everywhere (contrast that with IKBS, where the bearings sit loose in a groove, and they can go everywhere if you disassemble they knife). In practice, KVT makes for exceptionally smooth deployment. The design gives you the option of a flipper or ambidextrous thumb studs, and either method results in smooth, near-effortless deployment.

I will say that I have noticed that some people have had issues deploying the 0560 with the right hand thumb stud. What can happen is if you try to deploy the knife with your right hand, you can you end up putting pressure on the lock bar. This makes it more difficult to overcome the ball detent with this particular design. The thumb studs actually double as a stop pin, so some argue that this knife was designed to only used as a flipper (like say, the Kershaw Skyline). As a lefty I had no problem with using the thumb studs, and found that I could even use them with my right hand if I was careful not to put a lot of pressure on the lock bar. I don’t think this is a huge deal at all, but since there are (very) few gripes with this knife I thought it was worth mentioning.

Like Hinderer’s in-house knives, the 0560 makes use of a beefy titanium framelock. The knife world knows Rick can design a frame lock, and Zero Tolerance has proven time and time again that they know how to make production framelocks right. My knife locks up early, there is no blade play at all. Also there is also no stickiness when you go to disengage the lock bar. This is pure framelock bliss, and is exactly what I expect from a high end titanium framelock knife.

Zero Tolerance 0560 Review – Final Thoughts

As far as I am concerned, the ZT 0560 is a marvel of a folding knife, and a technological masterpiece. The folks at ZT absolutely loaded this one to the gills with the latest and greatest features and manufacturing – and the resulting knife is absolutely wild.

The 0560 is impossibly light, the blade opens effortlessly, the machining and overall level of fit and finish is astounding, and the materials are absolutely top notch. I also think the design is quite attractive – that never hurts. The lightening pockets in the titanium handle slab is nothing short of revolutionary, and I don’t doubt that this will be a game changer for other manufacturers. This is easily another home run for Zero Tolerance and is without a doubt their most exciting offering to date.

Zero Tolerance ZT0560 Hinderer Design Black Folding Knife

Steel: ELMAX, stonewashed finish
Handle: 3-D machined G-10 front scale, 3-D machined titanium back handle, stonewashed finish
Blade Length: 3.75 inches; Closed Length: 5 inches; Overall Length: 8.8 inches; Weight: 5.8 ounces
Frame lock; Thumb stud; Lanyard hole; Flipper; Deep-carry pocketclip; Quad mounting
Made in the USA

I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0560 at Amazon or BladeHQ. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this site helps support BladeReviews, and keeps this review train running. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated!