Knives By Purpose

Al Mar Mini SERE 2000 Review

Last Updated: August 9, 2019
The SERE 2000 is one of the more iconic folding tactical knives of our time. The knife was originally designed in the 80s by Al Mar and Colonel Nick Rowe for the Army’s SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) school. The fact that you can even still buy the knife is a testament to the efficacy of the design.

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As an enthusiast of modern folding knives, I have had my eye on the SERE 2000 for some time. It’s one of those “cornerstone” tactical knives like the Paramilitary 2 and Benchmade 710 that I feel almost obligated to try (twist my arm).

So why the hell would you buy the miniature version? Good question. I guess if you want “tactical” but are forced to be a little more “practical” then the Mini SERE 2000 (or MS2K) could be the knife for you. This is taboo in some circles, kind of like buying a 4 door Porsche. But I’m a sucker for compromise, and I got a good deal on this MS2K, so that’s why the mini version is the subject of today’s review.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The MS2K has an overall length of 7″, a 3″ blade, and weighs 3.5 ounces. Compare that with the full size SERE 2000 with an overall length of 8.5″, a 3.6″ blade, and weighing in at 6 ounces. I have enjoyed the Mini SERE 2000 as an every day carry (EDC). Having never attended SERE school, I couldn’t really tell you the merits of this folder in a Survival, Evasion, Resistance, or even an Escape capacity. I helped a couple hot dogs escape from their package the other weekend with the MS2K, if that counts for anything.

The SERE 2000 has a modified drop point / spear point blade with a mid height flat grind and a large flat ground swedge. This is a classic Al Mar profile that has shown up in a variety of their offerings, including the Eagle and Falcon lines. This simple blade shape is a good all round performer, combining excellent piercing capability with strength and slicing performance. Al Mar offers the blade with a satin finish or a black ceramic coating. I really like my satin finished blade – it has been beautifully done with crisp grind lines, an even finish, and a neatly applied edge.

The SERE 2000 comes in VG-10 blade steel. This was probably a great choice when the knife came out 20 years ago, but is only OK by today’s standards. These days there are a number of higher end steels, especially at the price point the MS2 is offered at. The SERE 2000 is made for Al Mar by Moki Knives in Japan, and VG-10 is made in Japan, so that makes sense.

Practically speaking, the knife is capable of getting screaming sharp and it slices well. The tip strikes a nice balance between strength and precision. VG10 is very easy to maintain. I tend to strop my MS2K and I occasionally run it on the fine stones of my Sharpmaker. I have had zero issues with corrosion or chipping. However, I would not complain if they upgraded the steel to something more wear resistant, especially given the price of this knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The SERE 2000 features a no-nonsense handle design with black, O.D. green, or digi-cam G10 handle scales over full steel liners with a combination of stand offs and a small stainless steel backspacer. The handle is immaculate. The finish work is seamless, replete with satin hardware and lightly chamfered edges. I can’t feel a single crack or seam as I run my thumb over the backspacer that bridges the G10 scales and steel liners – a hallmark of excellent finish work and a close attention to detail. Although the liners are not skeletonized, the knife feels light and reasonable for its size. All told I am very impressed with the build quality of the handle.

The MS2K was originally designed to be a much larger knife. I am guessing the mini version was an afterthought to appeal to a broader audience, and it is simply a scaled down version of the full size SERE 2000. I am pleased to report that the ergonomics of this design translate well to a smaller knife – another testament to the universal appeal of the original SERE 2000.

There is just enough room for me to get a full four finger grip, and my thumb perches nicely on the spine of the blade. This is a relatively thick knife, and it fills the hand. The chamfered edges are extremely comfortable and melt into your skin. The flared handle contributes to the MS2K’s signature profile, and also helps ensure your fingers don’t slide around on the knife. There is no jimping, but the thumb perches nicely on the spine of the blade. The knife is also comfortable in a reverse grip. I found this to be a good working knife, and had no real issues with hot spots even after a couple intense encounters with rope and cardboard. This handle ascribes to a KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) mantra, and the end user is all the better for it.

The deep carry pocket clip has been given a glossy black coating. It allows for ambidextrous tip up carry. I like this relatively discrete clip design. It is a really tight clip and butts up to high traction G10. There is definite potential for pocket tearing, so keep that in mind. The clip provides very good retention and generally functions well. Being a knife with a relatively thick blade, full steel liners, and thick G10 handle scales, it’s a little thick in the pocket. Still, the knife carried fine for me, and I didn’t really notice it.

Deployment and Lockup

The Mini SERE 2000 has ambidextrous thumb studs, teflon washers, and a liner lock. The thumb studs are accessible on both sides of the handle, but the knife is designed primarily for right hand users. The teflon washers make it impossible to flick open, but it’s a very smooth knife.

The liner lock engages early and securely. Like my Sage 1, the MS2K makes a distinctive “chirp” as you snap the blade into the open position. There is no blade play in any direction at all. Blade centering isn’t perfect on my knife, but it’s close.

I also like how the tang of the blade has been rounded off at the spine, so the knife looks just as good closed as it does open. It’s this attention to detail in the design and execution of the knife that gets me excited about the SERE 2000.

Mini SERE 2000 Review – Final Thoughts

When it comes down to my final thoughts on the Mini SERE 2000, I am a little conflicted. On one hand it’s a beautiful knife. It’s well made, balanced, with decent materials, and it’s very practical. It is an excellent knife. But on the other hand we are talking about a Japanese linerlock with G10 handles and VG10 steel with a retail price at $200+. For $150 I would recommend it without reservation. But at an actual retail of $200+ it is much harder to give this the fullest of endorsements. This isn’t because the SERE 2000 is a bad knife – it isn’t. It’s a wonderful knife. My problem with it is that I think that there is more out there at a better value.

Case in point, the Spyderco Sage 1 is another linerlock folder with 3″ blade, similar fit and finish (maybe not quite as good, but close), and better blade steel. The Spyderco Caly 3 is a beautiful Japanese folder with laminated ZDP 189 blade, real carbon fiber handle scales, and equally impressive fit and finish to the MS2k. At nearly twice the price of both the Sage 1 and Caly 3, I have a real hard time recommending the SERE 2000 carte blanche. It’s still a beautiful knife, just spendy.

It is also worth noting that the full size SERE 2000 is only a couple dollars more than the Mini. It might also be easier to justify spending the money on the full size version, especially if you are going to rely on it every day as a member of the military or law enforcement.

If you can get past the price the SERE 2000 is worth acquiring. It’s a timeless folding tactical knife, and fans of the genre owe it to themselves to at least check it out eventually.

Al Mar MS2K Mini Sere 2000

4 inch closed linerlock
Satin finish VG-10 stainless spear point blade with dual thumb studs
Textured black G-10 handles with black finish Reversible stainless pocket Clip
Lanyard Hole

I recommend purchasing the Mini SERE 2000 at Amazon and BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Spyderco Rubicon Review

by Dan Jackson 12 Comments

Last Updated: August 3, 2019
Spyderco has released a number of high end knives of the past year. Blades like the Slysz Bowie, K2, Firefly, and Burch Chubby are all retailing at north of $200. Meanwhile, there doesn’t seem to be much of interest going on in the ~$100 price point or sub $100 price points – both of which have been sweet spots for Spyderco in the past with cherished blades like the Paramilitary II, Sage, Caly 3, Dragonfly, Manix 2, and of course the Endura and Delica.

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So I have been forced to pick my battles a little bit. I can’t review everything Spyderco turns out, especially if the majority of their stuff is going to set me back 2 bills+. So as 2014 drew to a close I decided to acquire one of their most ambitious pieces to date: the Rubicon. Retailing for over $300, this is the most expensive Spyderco I have ever acquired.

The Rubicon is a collaboration with custom knife maker Peter Carey, a designer / maker that I have previously had zero experience with. The Spyderco Rubicon is an interpetation of Peter’s custom Rubicon. Peter’s knives are meticulously hand finished and coveted by collectors, and one of Spyderco’s goals with the collaboration was to celebrate that aspect of his knives. Don’t get me wrong, this is still a production knife, but the end result, while expensive, is unlike any other Spyderco I have handled to date.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Rubicon has an overall length of 7.48″, has a 3.03″ blade, and weighs 4.2 ounces. This folder is compact enough for daily carry, but to me it is more of a collectible. It feels very lightweight for its size, which is fantastic for daily carry, but I can’t say I remodeled a bathroom with this knife, or had it clipped to my pocket while swapping out the transmission of my truck.

The blade is a bulbous piece of S30V and the shape is faithful rendition of Peter’s custom Rubicon. I think the blade shape is a little too curvy, but it’s faithful to the original design. Of course being a Spyderco collab this blade features a thumb hole. Both the primary bevel and swedge are belt finished and the hollow grinds ripple in the light. A nice touch is the horizontally polished satin flats. This is a high end detail you don’t see on many Spyderco’s. No doubt this was done to mimic the “hand rubbed” flats of a real Carey. The end result is something lustrous and difficult to photograph.

At this point, Spyderco’s CPM S30V is a known quantity. I own several Spydies in S30V (some for 4+ years) and have been reasonably happy with their edge retention and performance, although at this stage in the game I may have preferred something a little different: S35VN or CTS-XHP come to mind. I am not too concerned about squeezing every last drop of performance out of this knife, but I would be remiss if I didn’t lightly admonish Spyderco for not springing for an even more premium steel given the price point. I suppose that just goes to show how good we actually have it.

The hollow grind is lean, the edge is keen, and I have been happy with the way this knife carves through cardboard and paper. There is a slight recurve, which has a way of improving cutting performance, but hampering your ability to easily sharpen the edge. The recurve is mild so I’m not expecting too much difficulty, but this is a knife that I will relegate to my Sharpmaker and strops for touch ups, rather than flat stones.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is where things really start to get interesting. The star of the show is the 3-D machined high polished carbon fiber handle scales with bright orange G10 pivot collars surrounding an oversize decorative pivot. As an avid knife collector I have had the opportunity to get my hands on all kinds of carbon fiber handled knives over the years. I can say that this is the nicest carbon fiber and the best finished carbon fiber handle I have ever seen in the production world. The weave of the carbon fiber is ultra tight, and there are no pin holes or voids. The polish has almost reached mirror like qualities and rotating the knife in your hand reveals a depth and character to the carbon fiber unlike anything else I have seen. I have often been critical of Spyderco for using cheap carbon fiber overlays over G10 on their knives (like the Sage and Domino). They didn’t skimp in this instance.

The pivot collar, while entirely decorative, has been beautifully and seamlessly integrated into the handle. The two-tone tri-tip pivot is the nicest I have seen. The carved g10 backspacer, while bold, has also been beautifully rendered. I realize that this is starting to sound like a Jim Skelton video, but if these kinds of details mean anything to you then you will be impressed with the job done on the Rubicon. And construction of the handle is perfect. There are 2 thick stonewashed and skelotonized titanium liners. A couple simple button head fasteners hold everything together, allowing you to revel in the gloriously finished handle.

The Rubicon is comfortable and is a nice knife to work with if you can bring yourself to actually use it. Those 3-d finished handles don’t just look good, they provide plenty of meat for you to hold on to. The handle shape itself is thoughtful, allowing your fingers to wrap around it easily and naturally. You do have a forward choil of sorts that you can use to choke up on, and a short run of jimping on the spine provides tactile feedback without being overly sharp and aggressive. As for the polished carbon fiber being “smooth” and “slippery”, I haven’t had any issues holding onto this knife. The handle shape provides lots of traction naturally by virtue of its design. That said, I didn’t take the Rubicon into the shower with me, so this could be one of those “Your Mileage May Vary” situations. If you really need a high traction handle on every knife in your collection, buy a Griptilian and call it a day.

In comparison to the rest of the knife, the pocket clip seems like something of an afterthought. The clip on the custom knife is similar, so there is that to consider. The clip isn’t offensive to look at or anything, but next to the rest of the knife the simple stamped clip seems basic and stock. I will say that this is a sturdy titanium clip, and this is a step up from the clip on the Southard Flipper. I will also say that it functions fine as a pocket clip. It has strong retention and buries decently low in the pocket. The Rubicon feels lightweight for its size and I don’t notice it that much in my pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

The Rubicon gives you the option of a flipper tab or thumb hole, and both work well. This is the 3rd flipper in the Spyderco flipper dynasty, and the action is smooth and reliable. The detent isn’t super stong, but the way the flipper tab is canted ensures that the blade will gracefully flip open without fail pretty much every single time. The bearings are very smooth and the blade floats around the pivot.

The Rubicon makes use of a thick titanium liner lock to hold the blade in place. Mine is a little sticky. I have never been a huge fan of titanium liner locks, but I am not sure I would have built this knife any differently myself. The beautiful carbon fiber handles are the star of the show, and I think it would have been a shame (and boring) to make this another titanium framelock knife. The lock bar isn’t the easiest to get at to disengage. It’s not impossible to wedge the meat of your thumb in to free the blade, but when compared with other knives it’s a little less convenient. To be fair I think that is how Peter designed the knife – perhaps favoring aesthetic considerations over raw functionality.

Blade centering on my example is perfect.

Spyderco Rubicon Review – Final Thoughts

The Rubicon is an ambitious piece from Spyderco. Overall I would say it’s a great success. Spyderco should be proud to have put together such a nice knife. Lately, Zero Tolerance and LionSteel have both been making most of the waves in the high end production knife world. In many ways Spyderco has raised their bar in terms of high end finishing and production quality. I am excited to see some of this trickle down into future offerings. No knife is perfect, and I have a couple minor quibbles with the Rubicon, but I its pros easily outweigh its cons. As a tool the fundamentals are there: it’s comfortable, lightweight, and it cuts well. That said, there were some form over function considerations with this knife, and for me it’s more of a collectable than a true tool knife. I don’t have a problem with that, but for some folks that just won’t work.

Like most expensive things, one question many will ask is, “Is it worth the money?” I can’t answer that question for you. I will readily admit that $325 is a lot of money to pay for a production knife, and I can understand if some view this simply as needless pocket frosting. I will say that I can see where the dollars go when comparing this with a Domino or Southard Flipper. The handle is truly amazing and one look at the material selection and finish work shows you where the $100 or so went. Personally, while I don’t deny that $325 is a lot of money for a pocket knife, I don’t think they are out of line with the asking price. You are welcome to disagree.

If I were to make any refinements I would address the lockbar area. I am not a knife maker so I couldn’t tell you how to take the slight amount of stick out of the lockbar. I might have opened up the lock release area to make the liner lock easier to disengage. And some sort of 3-D machined pocket clip would be uber cool. My guess is that would make the knife even more expensive.

All in all I am impressed with the Rubicon and can recommend it to die hard Spyderco fans and fans of high end production folders. The Rubicon is something truly different from Spyderco, and I am glad I selected it out of the melange of high end 2014 releases.

Spyderco Rubicon 3.04" Folding Knife C187CFP

Folding Knives, Knives & Tools

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

CRKT Eros SS Review

by Dan Jackson 8 Comments

Last Updated: August 7, 2019
It is cool to see the trickle-down effect at work. 5 years ago, if you wanted to buy a bearing equipped manual action framelock flipper you either forked over the dough for a custom knife, or it simply didn’t exist. 3 years ago, if you wanted one you had to shell out the $225 for a Zero Tolerance 0560. Today, you can get into bearing equipped manual flippers for as little as 30 bucks.

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I must admit that I was a touch skeptical when I purchased a CRKT Swindle. I figured at that price something definitely had to give. I was wrong. What an awesome blade. So when CRKT announced the release of a plain stainless steel handled Eros I was pretty confident that it would be worth my while. I wasn’t so crazy about the baroque handle or the $100 price tag of the original Eros.

At around $45, this plain version is much more in line with knives like the Skyline, Leek, Zancudo, and Rat II… all blades I would consider to be rockstar budget knives.

Like the Swindle, the Eros SS is a manual action flipper designed by Ken Onion and equipped with an IKBS bearing system. Where it departs from the Swindle is that it’s a little more traditional in its design and appearance.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Eros comes in two sizes: large (the subject of this review) and small. The large Eros SS has an overall length of 6.94″, a 2.84″ blade, and weighs 3 ounces. The small Eros SS has an overall length of 4.96″, a 2.03″ blade, and weighs 1.5 ounces.

For me the large Eros is the way to go. Frankly I can’t imagine using a smaller version of this knife, as this size is about perfect for me to easily manipulate the blade open and get a full grip. The small version is, well, really damn small. That is fine I suppose for some applications, but since the Eros is such a delicate knife to begin with I really appreciate the larger version. CRKT bills these as gentleman’s folders and every day carry (EDC) knives, and I used mine for light EDC work.

The blade of the Eros is a almost a sliver of stainless steel. This is among the most delicate of blades I have handled, which is fine if you mostly use the knife for letters and boxes as I have. My Eros has sat on my desk at work for months now and gets plenty of work opening the daily deluge of mail. The ultra fine tip and gentle curve to the belly is perfect for getting under the fold of an envelope. CRKT went with a thin hollow grind with a long swedge and deep satin finish. Just like on the Swindle, the spine of the blade has been rounded a la Chris Reeve Knives.

I love the extra attention CRKT has spent on the blade. It’s hard for me to capture in photos, but this is a beautiful little blade and is perfect for light use. Of course great care needs to be taken with the tip. This isn’t something you will want to process a deer with or use to remodel a kitchen.

The Eros SS runs AUS8 blade steel, which is par for the course for a small knife at this price point. I haven’t done anything too extreme with my Eros, but the blade has busted open plenty of boxes, cut lots of paper, and it holds up well to that kind of use. It is extremely easy to sharpen and maintain and is heat treated to 57-58 HRc. The satin finish should hold up better against rust better than the bead blasted finish we often see this steel come in. No complaints here.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Eros has full bead blasted stainless steel handles, leaving the knife with a faux titanium appearance. This is a simple handle design with 2 stainless steel standoffs, a slender lockbar cut out, and screw together construction. There is a lanyard hole, which could be useful if you decide to remove the pocket clip. All said handle construction is great. CRKT did not get fancy 3-D machining the handle like on the Swindle, but the simple handles function well and allows the eye to wander to the beautiful blade.

The Eros is a small but comfortable knife to use. I am able to perch all 4 fingers on this handle, with maybe a 1/4″ or so to spare, so it should accommodate most people. There is no jimping or texture to speak of, save for 4 notches on the flipper tab. Some may bemoan the lack of texture on this handle, but for light duty this is fine. I have had no trouble using this knife for light EDC tasks around the house and at my office.

The Eros has a pocket clip situated for right side tip down carry only. I have complained pretty heavily about most of Ken Onion’s funky pocket clip designs in the past, and this Eros clip still leaves something to be desired in my book. It isn’t terrible, but I would prefer a more standard clip. That said, this clip functions fine. It feels somewhat thin but is actually very secure slipped to the pocket of a pair of dress pants. Although the Eros isn’t ridiculously heavy, being a solid steel framelock it is a denser knife and I do notice it a little in pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

The Eros SS is an IKBS equipped manual action flipper. The detent is well tuned, and the blade pops open reliably with the push of a finger. CRKT has done a great job with their IKBS flippers and I am no less impressed by the action of the Eros than I was on the Swindle. Today we may take stuff like this for granted, but I think the fact that for $45 or so you can get a nice bearing equipped manual flipper designed by a world renown custom knife maker is just incredible.

For lockup with have a stainless steel frame lock. Mine engages about 95%, and is very secure. There is no blade play. There is not much as far as a relief in the handle to disengage the lock bar, although there is a little scalloping for your thumb to grab on to. This isn’t a problem, but is another reason why I prefer the Large Eros over the Small version. Any smaller than this and it just gets kind of futzy to deal with. It is worth mentioning that the blade is perfectly centered.

CRKT Eros SS Review – Final Thoughts

I can’t help but compare this knife with the stainless steel Leek. As many of you know, Ken designed the Leek for Kershaw many years ago, and it has endured as a top budget friendly EDC choice to this day. It is also a stainless steel framelock flipper (although it does come in a liner lock version as well). I like the Eros a little more than the Leek. The addition of a satin finished blade with a slight belly and slightly reinforced tip is nice. I also much prefer the unassisted opening of the Eros over the spring assisted Leek. I like how the Leek is made in the USA, and would say that the build qualities are close to on par.

Another obvious comparison would be the acclaimed CRKT Swindle. Perhaps my favorite knife from CRKT to date, I think the Swindle is a little more interesting than this knife with its 3-D machined handles and swayback styling. Functionally, the Swindle is actually a little bigger and stouter than the Eros, although both should be considered EDC / gent’s folders.

All said, the Eros SS is a winner. This is more of a classic design from Ken, but it still has some of his flourishes. Those pesky pocket clips can always be complained about, but beyond that I have a hard time finding fault with the Eros SS. The tip is very delicate, and for that reason this is not a budget knife that can take a beating like my Zancudo or Rat II.

If you are looking for a more traditional gentlemanly high value framelock flipper then the Eros SS is well worth considering. Mine has performed admirably and I am impressed with how well made it is. For $45 you really cannot go wrong.

CRKT Eros EDC Folding Pocket Knife: Gentleman's Knife, Everyday Carry, Satin Blade, IKBS Ball Bearing Pivot, Frame Lock, Stainless Steel Handle, Pocket Clip K456XXP

Fast Opening: IKBS ball bearing pivot deploys the blade fast
Fast Opening: The flipper deploys the blade fast
Ultimate Durability: Stainless steel handle withstands hard use
Designed by Ken Onion in Kaneohe, Hawaii
Limited Lifetime Warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, see company site for details

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

Fallkniven F1 Review

by Dan Jackson 10 Comments

Last Updated: September 25, 2018
I am not sure if I have the patience for a compact survival knife. I tend to favor a brute force approach when working in the outdoors. Maybe I am lazy, or stupid… or lazy and stupid… but when in doubt I often find myself reaching for the biggest, heaviest tool I can find.

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That’s probably why I get such a kick out of knives like the Junglas and Ontario Machete. I get that heavy piece of steel in my hand and say, “Hey, I can probably chop down a tree with this thing,” and then proceed to blast whatever lies in my path. Hours later my shoulder is aching, my shirt is soaked through with sweat, but I still have a smile on my face. What I lack in technique I try to make up for with pure stubbornness. I have the same problem when I go fishing.

So I may not be the best guy to review the Fallkniven F1. It’s an elegant smallish fixed blade designed in Sweden, and made in Japan. The Scandinavians are folks who really seem to appreciate the great outdoors. The Japanese are extremely passionate about pretty much everything, and have an extraordinarily rich culture of blademaking. Both have a zen like approach to nature (and life) that I could never match.

I have previously reviewed the Fallkniven A1, and offhand the A1 seems to be more my speed. It’s not a big chopper, but it’s a meaty knife and a solid performer. The F1 is much smaller, and working with it has forced me to slow down for a moment, explore the possibility that less is more, and, god forbid, try to cultivate some technique when using my tools.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The F1 has an overall length of 8.3″, a 3.8″ blade, weighs 6 ounces, and is made in Japan. Fallkniven calls the F1 the Pilot’s Survival Knife, and this is the standard issue fixed blade for the Swedish Air Force. So this is a knife that presumably needs to be small enough to fit on your person while in the confines of a military aircraft, yet be effective enough for soldiers to rely on worst case scenarios like a downed airplane deep behind enemy lines. For us civilians this could be a camp knife, or a knife for hiking, hunting, and exploring the great outdoors.

Here is a shot of the F1 next to the S1 and A1. The F1 is of course on the bottom:

The blade of the F1 is a simple drop point with a full convex grind. The blade shape is simple. There are no organic shapes, no swedges, no jimping. Just traditional drop point awesomeness with your choice of a bright satin finish or a black CeraKoted blade. This is about as simple as it gets.

Blade thickness is a generous 4.5mm, and this combined with the full convex grind allows the F1 in some ways to function like a larger knife. I adore the convex grind. It can be used to pop open small pieces of wood, yet it cuts deeply into material and can be used for more detail oriented tasks.

The F1 features a laminated VG10 blade. Twin slabs of 420J stainless flank a VG10 core (also stainless). 420J is tougher than VG10, whereas VG10 is harder and better for edge retention than 420J. The idea is to combine 420J with the VG10 to make an overall tougher knife with the edge holding qualities of VG10.

Using VG10 for a survival knife is a hotly contested issue. I have found that VG10 is fine for little EDC knives like the Dragonfly 2, but if you troll the forums there is great debate as to whether it is an appropriate choice for an outdoor fixed blade.

Personally, I think that this is an instance where geometry makes the biggest difference. The convex edge gives the VG10 greater resilience and durability, and belies it softer qualities. Still, you need to be careful with this knife. If you are batoning with it, make sure you aren’t batoning on top of sand or a rock pile or something. Put a piece of wood underneath whatever you are trying to cut and understand that if the edge comes in contact with a rock, the edge will likely lose. With this strategy in mind, I have not had issues with the edge on any of my Fallkniven knives chipping out.

Here is another size comparison with the F1 next to the ESEE-3:

As far as edge retention is concerned, I have found that the VG10 blade holds up well to wood and meat. It doesn’t last as long when cutting fibrous materials like cardboard. Sharpening is very easy. I mostly strop the knife, and occasionally freehand the edge with a fine Sharpmaker stone. I know that the sandpaper and mousepad method is a popular way to sharpen a convex edge.

Fallkniven also offers this knife in their “3G” configuration. 3G is another 420J laminate with a core of Super Gold Powder Steel (SGPS), a high end powdered steel by Japanese manufacturer Takefu. They heat treat the SGPS to 62HRc. By way of contrast the VG10 version is taken up to 59HRc. The main benefit to the 3G version is it gives you greater edge retention. Apparently durability is about the same although I have no hands on experience with this version of the knife. The downside is that the 3G version retails for $100 more than the F1.

Personally, it was not worth the extra money to spring for the 3G version. If I used this knife every day I could see where the upgraded version has its appeal. I look forward to checking out the SGPS in depth when I eventually pick up a Fallkniven U2.

Handle and Ergonomics

The F1’s handle is made of Thermorun, a high density plastic. Thermorun has a slightly rubbery feel to it, and the handle all but completely encases the tang of the knife. About an 1/8″ of tang sticks out from the pommel, which can be used for hammering/crushing things. There is also a large sleeved lanyard hole that easily accommodates 550 cord. The handle has a strong diamond texture on the sides, while the top an bottom of the handle are left untextured.

All said construction of the handle is very simple and solid. I can’t detect any gaps in between where the handle and blade join together. There has been no cracking splitting has occurred after months of ownership and use. Like the rest of the knife, the handle has a very basic and utilitarian feel to it.

The F1 is a comfortable knife to use. The diamond texture helps lock your hand in place, and the broad flat spine is perfect for your thumb. The handle shape is simple and it will accommodate all sorts of hand sizes. There is no jimping. I mostly tested the F1 on wood, cardboard, and by trying it out with some light food prep. At all times I felt comfortable and in control of the knife. There were no issues with hot spots.

Sheath

The F1 comes with a plastic or leather sheath. Shown here is the leather sheath, although the plastic sheath is essentially a scaled down version of the sheath on my A1, so you can check that review out to get a little more information on Fallkniven’s zytel sheathes. The leather used for this sheath is thick, sturdy, and exudes quality. It’s a high quality no-nonsense sheath that has been finished simply. The belt loop is non-removable and the blade is held in place with a fold over button clasp. The blade doesn’t rattle or move around at all inside the leather sheath. It’s very secure and a nice option for people who prefer a more traditional belt sheath.

When I reviewed the A1 2 years ago I ragged on the plastic sheath a little. I felt like the sheath was a little flimsy, especially when paired with such a sturdy knife. The blade also rattled around in the sheath, which some people use as a metric to for sheath quality (this is kind of stupid when you think about it, although I’m guilty of pointing out whether the blade rattles in the sheath).

Opinions are subject to change and mine has evolved over the years. While Fallkniven’s plastic sheathes are lightweight, it doesn’t mean they aren’t of high quality. The plastic on my A1’s sheath has held up tremendously well and is very light and practical. Apparently it is a good choice for cold climates and will perform better than a leather or Kydex sheath in sub-freezing temperatures. Since I live in Florida I have been unable to really test that out.

Fallkniven F1 Review – Final Thoughts

You don’t have to be a level 10 bushcrafter to realize that this is a very nice knife. The F1 strikes a good balance of being lightweight and manageable yet high performance. The convex blade works miracles with wood, and the handle does a great job of not getting in the way. To me that is what makes an ideal working knife. It should not be a chore or an obstacle in your path – you should be able to actually use the thing. The F1, much like the A1 when I reviewed it, seems to invite use.

I may still favor the bigger knives for my outdoor exploits, but The F1 is an all around performer and a pleasure to work with. This is an excellent knife for camping or survival and has rightfully earned its reputation as a no-nonsense tool. It has also earned a spot on my recommended survival knives page, which is about as high of an endorsement as I can offer.

Fallkniven F1, Thermorun Handle, Plain, Zytel Sheath

8 1/4" overall.
3 3/4" laminate VG-10 stainless drop point blade with satin finish.
Black checkered Thermorun elastomer handle with visible tang end and lanyard hole.
Country of Origin: Sweden
Includes Black Zytel sheath.

I recommend purchasing the Fallkniven F1 at Amazon and BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Cold Steel Rajah III Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

Last Updated: July 28, 2019
I almost entitled this review “confessions of a mall ninja”. Yup, your buddy Dan has something of a dirty secret: I’m a fan of ridiculous knives from Cold Steel. You may have guessed as much after reading reviews of the Spartan and XL Voyager. I just didn’t talk openly about it.

Buy the Cold Steel Rajah III at BladeHQ

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The truth is I think some of these more outlandish Cold Steel knives are fun, and some are also legitimately good knives. And let me add that there is something about buying a folding knife knowing you can blast through a side of beef with it (whilst rocking out to heavy metal music) that lends a certain pride of ownership that I don’t quite get with my Delica. There is a je ne sais quoi, if you will, with select Cold Steel products. It keeps bringing me back.

The Rajah series is among their more mall ninja-y folders, but, as with most things, there are shades of gray. If you want to go full ninja then check out the oversized Rajah II. If you are secure, but not quite Open-Carry-Bear-Mace-On-Your-Web-Belt secure, then there is the more middling Rajah III, which also happens to be the subject of today’s review.

Some might argue the Rajah III is small enough for normal people to carry. Some might argue it’s not for mall ninjas at all. Some might argue I’m a jerk for even implying that the knife may be for mall ninjas. Regardless of your personal proclivities, I’ve had my eye on it for some time.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Rajah III has an overall length of 8-3/8″, a 3-1/2″ blade, and weighs 4.4 ounces. Despite being the smallest version in the series it is still a big knife. It’s not totally ridiculous for me to carry, but at close to 3/4 of an inch thick, this is one I feel in the pocket. Definitely an after hours carry for me. The Rajah II with it’s 6″ blade is a dedicated outdoor tool, or perhaps a mostly a folding novelty.

The Rajah series was designed by Andrew Demko, who has designed a number of great folders for Cold Steel. Apparently, the classic Nepalese kukri was the inspiration for this design. Cold Steel waxes poetic about the “dramatic power of the kukri as both a tool and weapon” in their product literature. I can attest that kukris make for great choppers, but here we are talking about a 4.5 ounce folding knife.

The blade is kukri shaped. I guess that could be described as a modified clip point with a recurve if you wanted to try and get technical. It has the big kukri belly and a deep recurve. The recurve isn’t quite as crazy as the Spartan’s, but it is still pretty serious. The 4mm thick blade tapers down to the tip, and has been given a full flat grind. It slices well – especially with that recurve. The knife carves aggressively too. I was very pleased with how this blade performed, and think there is some truth to the Cold Steel sales copy regarding kukris. Sharpening can be a chore, but there is truth to this being a high performance blade shape.

Cold Steel initially offered the Rajah III with a bead blasted blade finish (shown here). Not my favorite choice, but it works. They have since updated the knife to feature a stonewashed / tumbled finish. I prefer that finish over the beadblast as it is not as susceptible to rust and I think it looks a little nicer.

Cold Steel originally offered the Rajah in AUS8. They changed the steel to BD1 in 2015-2016. Both AUS8 and BD1 are softer steels. Cold Steel got a lot of feedback from customers wanting something with better edge retention than AUS-8, so they upgraded their premium line of knives to CTS-XHP (and then S35Vn in 2018), and their more budget oriented knives they upgraded to BD1.

I don’t have a lot of experience with BD1, but it’s a softer steel. Easy to sharpen, and presumably holds a better edge than AUS-8. I think it was a good option for the Rajah series as the price is still reasonable.

On the subject of sharpening, I sharpen this knife with the rods of my Spyderco Sharpmaker. Rod style sharpeners are best for curved blades like this. You will have an extremely hard time trying to sharpen this with bench stones or paddle sharpeners.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Much like the Spartan, the Rajah’s handle is grivory (high density plastic) over full nested steel liners. The back spring is hardened steel, and the backspacer is more grivory. Everything has been screwed together for your convenience. This is a lightweight yet strong handle design that has been meticulously crafted. This knife is made in Taiwan, and like virtually every other knife from Taiwan that I have handled, it has been really nicely finished. They even included a lanyard hole.

Andrew Demko is a man who clearly understands ergonomics. His designs are among the most comfortable I’ve handled, perhaps only second to Ernest Emerson. Although the Rajah III is a scaled down version of the Rajah II, you aren’t sacrificing a comfortable grip. I take a large glove and there is just enough room for a good full grip. You can move up on the handle for more detailed work, and lean back into the handle for light chopping. The Rajah III also feels very at home in reverse grip. There is no jimping, and the scales have been given a very light texture. I’d say its pretty much perfect for my applications.

Like on many of their other designs, Cold Steel has included two pocket clips: one for each side of the curved handle. They also included 2 sets of screws, which is a nice touch. These clips don’t allow for super deep carry, but it is still a fairly discrete package. The clips are simple but they work well. They have been given Cold Steel’s trademarked crappy black teflon coating, so don’t expect them to look new for long.

As far as carry is concerned, this is a thick knife and you will feel it in your pocket. It isn’t very heavy for its size, so it has that going for it, but I can’t deny that this is a bulkier knife. If you are looking for a very discrete slim line EDC knife then I would look elsewhere.

Deployment and Lockup

The Rajah makes use of a large thumb plate for deployment. You can push the blade open with your thumb, or the plate can function similarly to an Emerson Wave, allowing you to open the knife from your pocket. With a little wrist action I can flick the knife open with my thumb. The strong backspring gives the closed blade a healthy “detent” (resistance to opening). I will say that the action of this knife is extremely smooth. Smooth to the point where the blade will fall freely on it’s own upon disengaging the lock.

Cold Steel has equipped the Rajah III with their tri-ad lock. For the uninitiated, the tri-ad lock is an improved back lock strengthened by the inclusion of a hardened steel stop pin between the tang of the blade and the lock bar. This stop pin absorbs much of the shock that would otherwise transfer directly to the locking mechanism and potentially compromise the lock.

In my experience these tri-ad lock knives are tough. My knives have held up well over the years without failing, developing blade play, etc. In addition to normal use as an EDC knife, I did beat on this knife a bit in my back yard. I chopped through some bamboo and hacked away at firewood – stuff I wouldn’t normally do with a folding knife. The knife held up beautifully. The way I see it, the only downside to the tri-ad lock is that it can be tough to disengage – especially with one hand.

Cold Steel Rajah III Review – Final Thoughts

Is the Rajah III a realistic EDC option, or is it going to be on the cover of next month’s “Mall Ninja Monthly”? I think the truth lies somewhere in between. While the Rajah III is aggressive looking and somewhat impractical for your average suburban/urban EDC, I cannot deny that this is a solid tool that is capable of getting real work done. It may not be the most convenient choice for an armchair general like myself, but I still respect and the Rajah III for being well made, and enjoy how it is a little different than the rest of the knives in my collection.

Also, the fundamentals to the Rajah are solid: the tri-ad lock is extremely sturdy, the knife is lightweight yet strong, the handle is comfortable, the blade slices and dices with the best of them, the fit and finish is extremely good, and the price is very attractive.

If you want a no-nonsense, high performance Cold Steel lockback folder with a 3.5″ blade then I suggest checking out the American Lawman. The Lawman continues to be one of my favorites. It is slimmer than the Rajah III and less intimidating. In my mind it is clearly a more practical EDC choice. But if you are looking for something a little further out there, and like the lines of the Rajah series, then check out the Rajah III. For $45 this is a tremendous value and an excellent knife. I like mine a lot.

Cold Steel (CS62KGCM-BRK) Rajah III Plain BD1 Steel Stone Wash, Black

Blade length: 3-1/2 inch
Overall length: 8-3/8 inch
Steel: carpenter CTS Bd1 alloy with stonewash finish

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

Ka-Bar Becker BK-2 Review

by Dan Jackson 22 Comments

Last Updated: July 20, 2019

Down here in Florida we don’t get a lot of seasonality. For example, I wore shorts and flip flops on Christmas. But when the air starts to turn cool I get a hankering for 2 things: cigars and fixed blade knives. I am pleased to say I have been able to indulge in both this fall, and am ready to provide a review on a quintessential camp knife: the Becker BK-2.

Buy the Ka-Bar BK-2 at BladeHQ

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Built in the USA by Ka-Bar, and designed by Renaissance man Ethan Becker, the BK-2 has been widely accepted as a go to survival / camp knife for years now. I can’t tell you why I haven’t reviewed this classic fixed blade yet. There are many knives out there I’d love to review (one day I’ll even get to the classic USMC Ka-Bar) but just haven’t found the time for. Well, scratch the BK-2 off the list. This one has been tried and tested and I’m pleased to share some thoughts with you today.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The BK-2 has an overall length of 10-5/8″, a 5-1/4″ blade, and weighs 16 ounces. The BK-2 is a chunky knife. Pictures really don’t do it justice, as the proportions may suggest a smaller knife. I was pleasantly surprised by this, although if I were planning an ultra lightweight backpacking trek along the Appalachian trail I’d be less pleased. This strikes me as a tool for a camp site, truck, or your back yard – not something you will want to schlep for miles and miles on end.

Here is a size comparison with the ESEE-3:

The blade is a .25″ (6.35mm) thick slab of 1095 high carbon steel. For whatever reason when I ordered this knife I thought it might be interesting to compare it with my ESEE-3. It turned out to be a poor comparison, because next to my ESEE-3 the thickness of the blade is almost comical. The ESEE-3 might as well be made of aluminum foil when compared with the BK-2. Anyhow, the blade of the BK-2 is a classic drop point shape with a high flat grind and a sturdy tip. The knife has also been powdercoated. The powdercoating is heavily textured like on my ESEE blades. The coating will provide some rolling resistance when trying to cut deeply into things – at least until it gets smoothed down with use.

The BK-2 is interesting in that it can accomplish a lot of different tasks within its relatively small footprint. It’s good for batoning / splitting wood. I used it with great success to prepare a stack of wood for a couple bon fires. I was able to split logs with up to a 4″ diameter easily. You can do some carving with the knife, and I used the BK-2 to whittle up some shavings / tinder to start the fire, and to carve a few stakes for cooking.

Although it’s a little thick and clumsy in my hands for serious carving, I was able to get the job done. The BK-2 is also a decent chopper considering its size. This is a shorter knife, so naturally it won’t chop like an axe or a big fixed blade like the Junglas, but if you need to do limited chopping it will get the job done. Case in point, I needed to chunk up some large frozen sardines for a fish trap I was using – the BK-2 blew through those suckers. For these reasons the BK-2 is a natural choice for camp chores: building fires, prepping food, and odd jobs around a camp site where a sharp object might come in handy.

The only downside is that the BK-2 doesn’t particularly excel at anything. If you need a dedicated chopper, or an ultra fine carving knife, then you will want to look elsewhere. If you want a tough “do it all” knife, then the BK-2 could be a good choice.

As previously mentioned, the BK-2 comes in 1095 high carbon steel. I have wrote about this steel at length, especially over the course of reviewing an number of ESEE knives. 1095 is inexpensive and hearty. It’s easy to sharpen and holds a nice edge, especially when working with wood. It’s tough, but if you do chip it, you will be able to salvage the edge. 1095 is a good working steel, and I think it’s a great choice for this knife.

Handle and Ergonomics

The BK-2 features a spacious zytel (high density plastic) handle over it’s full steel tang. This is a very basic handle design, and it’s perfect for a workhorse knife like this. Ethan Becker apparently spent a lot of time getting this handle shape right, which is why you find it on his whole series of knives. The handle material is humble (although you can easily pick up a pair of micarta scales), but it’s lightweight, and very tough. The finish work on the handle is great. There are no sharp edges, and all of the hardware is sunk deeply into the handle. Rounding things out are an oversize lanyard hole and a generous exposed pommel that can be used for hammering / crushing things. This is a very clean and highly functional handle design. It has also been well executed.

From an ergonomic standpoint the handle of the BK2 feels as straightforward as it looks. This is a thick handle with a generous palm swell. There is plenty of room for larger hands and the absence of jimping / aggressive texture allows you to work with this tool for extended periods of time without blistering your thumb. Those wanting a little more grip could upgrade to micarta scales, or wrap the handle with athletic tape or a “ranger band” (a section of bicycle inner tube). I did not notice any hot spots while using this knife. This is a fantastic handle shape.

Sheath

The BK-2 comes complete with a plastic and nylon sheath. The sheath is simple, lightweight, and sturdy. It has excellent retention, yielding a very satisfying snapping sound when you shove the knife in place. There is no blade rattle at all, and I am not the least bit concerned about the blade ever falling out from the sheath. There is also a drain hole.

The nylon belt loop is simple and features a snap fastener for extra retention. It is fully removable with a Phillips head driver, and the plastic sheath is riveted together. The rivet holes and slots leave you with plenty of options for molle locks, tek-loks, paracord, and webbing. This is an outstanding sheath and it compliments the knife perfectly. Also, the snap fastener lies flat, so I have yet to cut into it when drawing the knife. The only creature comfort missing is that you need to take your belt off to feed it through the belt loop. I like being able to remove a belt sheath without having to take my belt off, but it’s not a deal breaker.

Becker BK-2 Review – Final Thoughts

The BK-2 is an impressive knife, especially when you consider that they are selling for right around $65.00. This is a lot of high quality tool for the money. The simplicity of the design, the quality of materials, and the extremely high level of fit and finish all make the BK-2 punch above its weight. Plus, it works. The stout geometry of the blade is excellent for processing wood, the handle is about as comfortable as they come, and the sheath is lightweight and functional. Finally, the knife itself is made in the USA (the sheath is made in Taiwan). I happen to like a USA made product, although it certainly isn’t a requirement for a favorable review.

All told, it is easy for me to see why the Ka-Bar Becker BK-2 has earned such a following and reputation. It’s simple and it works. If you are looking for an indestructible camp knife or a compact (but very stout) survival knife, then I highly recommend the BK-2.

Sale

KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife, Carbon Steel

Full tang heavy duty field knife suited for camping chores.
Made in Olean New York, U.S.A
Designed by Ethan Becker
Manufactured by KA-BAR Knives Inc.
Comes with a hard shell black nylon sheath.

I recommend purchasing the BK-2 at Amazon.com or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.