Knives By Purpose

Case Sod Buster Jr Review

Last Updated: July 20, 2019

I recently reviewed the Victorinox Cadet. This is a time honored knife, but frankly I was unsure whether many people would be interested in reading a review on it. The feedback was actually really good. So much so that it has encouraged me to write a review on another classic slip joint in my collection, the Case Sod Buster Jr.

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I got into the Sod Buster Jr after realizing how much I enjoyed carrying the Cadet, and wanted to venture further into the world of traditional slip joint knives. I’ve been into modern EDC and Tactical knives for 5 years now, but really know very little about traditional slip joints. So when I knew that I wanted to try another slip joint out it wasn’t long before I stumbled across the Sod Buster Jr. Three things really drew me to this knife: 1. It’s made in the USA 2. It’s under $25 and 3. it features a nice carbon steel blade (although you can get the knife in stainless steel if you want). Throw in the fact that it’s made by Case, a company that I know has a serious pedigree in the world of traditional American knives, and I figured it was a great starting point.

I have to say though, I’m not much of a historian. If you are looking for a definitive history of the sod buster pattern then this won’t be the place for it. My understanding is that the pattern or style of knife is anywhere from 100-130 years old, and emerged from Germany as a kind of a folding butcher’s knife or a clasp knife. It can be loosely classified as a type of peasant or farmer’s knife. Case apparently associated the name “sodbuster” with their knife design in the 1960s. If any historians want to correct me or drop some knowledge in the comments section, by all means be my guest. I’ll be approaching the knife purely from a utilitarian/general knife enthusiast’s standpoint.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Sod Buster Jr has an overall length of 6.45″, sports a 2.8″ blade, and weighs 2.19 ounces. For a mild mannered suburbanite these are great numbers. Much like my trusty Cadet, I can easily slip this knife into a pair of slacks and not miss a beat. Of course if you are looking for something a little larger, Case does offer the full size Sod Buster, and it could easily be carried as well.

The blade is a classic drop point design with a short belly and tough tip. The knife was designed to be used as a utility blade, and it certainly functions that way in the 21st century. The grind is a full flat grind, or something close to it, and it gets nice and thin behind the edge. It is a tool knife and it cuts quite well.

Case actually offers the knife with 2 distinct steel choices. You have their “TrueSharp Surgical Stainless Steel” and their Chrome Vandium (CV) high carbon steel. I opted for the high carbon steel version as the thought of a pocket knife with a carbon steel blade was intriguing (and, believe it or not, is actually a first for this website), and what little preliminary research I did do before buying the knife suggested that the CV steel superior to the TrueSharp stainles steel in the arenas of sharpening and edge retention. Whether that is true in practice is impossible for me to say at this point, but I did notice a good deal of info floating about the web comparing CV to TrueSharp, if that sort of question tickles your fancy.

In practice the CV steel exhibited a lot of the qualities I like about carbon steel. It was easy to sharpen and it held a decent edge. It’s not a super steel in the edge retention department, but for my purposes it got the job done.

I will say that the CV steel does patina (and will rust if you aren’t careful). The knife arrives from Case with something of a mirror polish to it. My blade started to get some color after cutting up an apple, and I actually noticed a couple little spots of rust forming on my knife when I left it in a drawer for a few weeks (without oiling it first). At that point it wasn’t the nicest knife to photograph so I tried my hand at forcing a patina with some mustard. My results were interesting. The knife definitely darkened and I think it looks pretty cool. It would be even nicer to “earn” that patina over decades of use, but I guess there is still plenty of time for that.

At the end of the day for a $20 slip joint the performance of the blade and steel definitely surpassed my expectations. This is a nice little cutter and you will have a hard time finding much else that will exceed it’s performance given the price tag.

Handle and Ergonomics

My Sod Buster Jr came with yellow synthetic handles. They offer the knife with black plastic handles, but there is a bunch of writing on the blade, and that didn’t appeal to me. The synthetic yellow material is actually quite dense and has a quality feel to it. The yellow has some old school charm to it, almost as if it were made of bone or ivory, and I enjoy that aspect of it. The handle is of pinned construction with brass pins and pivot and brass liners. The backspacer / spring is stainless steel.

Ergonomically, the chunky yellow scales fill the hand nicely and there is just enough room for a 4 finger grip (with large hands). There is no jimping or texturing anywhere on the knife. I wouldn’t call the handle slick, but it’s not a traction machine either. I was able to comfortably accomplish normal EDC tasks including opening my mail, cutting up fruit, and breaking down boxes. If I had a rocking chair I could easily spend an afternoon whittling on the porch with a corn cob pipe and a fat slug of whiskey.

While we are discussing the handle, it’s worth noting that the handle is pretty thick. For example, it is way thicker than my Alox Cadet:

This also isn’t a bad time to point out that the blade centering on this $25 knife is dead nuts center.

Deployment and Lock Up

For your “deployment” you have a nail nick, and the knife doesn’t have a lock, so this section once again proves to be a little off point. The action or, “walk and talk” as slip joint aficionados call it, seems pretty good. I don’t have enough slip joints to form a frame of comparison, so I won’t attempt to rank it on a 10 point scale (slip joint enthusiasts sometimes rank the pull or strength of the spring on a 1-10 scale). I will say that this knife sure as heck isn’t opening up by accident, and the blade makes a satisfying snap when it pops open. There is no half stop on this knife.

The lock up is pretty good considering that there is no lock. I didn’t have any issues with the knife closing on my hand, but I was careful in using it. If you mind your p’s and q’s and use the right tool for the job then you should be able to get a fair amount of work done with this knife.

Case Sod Buster Jr. Review – Final Thoughts

I am frankly very impressed that they can still make these in the US and sell them for under $25. Little details like a centered blade a sharp even edge bevel are present at a price point where these kinds of details often cant be found. Case in point, I bought a little plastic handled Buck lockback knife a couple years ago, and the thing was such a piece of junk that I didn’t even bother reviewing it. The Sod Buster Jr is legitimately a nice knife. Much like the Cadet, this would also make a great gift knife.

What else can I say? The Case Sod Buster Jr is an absolute classic. There are folks who have dedicated their collections to traditional slip joint knives, and could lend far keener insights than I have. So I hope I didn’t do it too grave of an injustice with this review. I still wanted to take an opportunity to talk about it, because I can appreciate the knife even as a relative outsider to the world of traditional folders. It’s a nice gateway knife, and a safe starting point for a traditional collection. I like and recommend it.

Case Sod Buster Pocket Knives, Yellow, Small

Chrome vanadium (CV) steel blade
Skinner blade; smooth yellow synthetic handle
Great everyday pocket knife for projects around the house, the outdoors, and hunting
Length: 3.63 inches closed and 2.1 ounces
Limited Lifetime Warranty

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Case Sodbuster Jr. at Amazon 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.

Viper Start Review

by Dan Jackson 3 Comments

Last Updated: September 9, 2019
I got my first introduction to Viper at the 2013 Blade Show in Atlanta this past summer. A couple of my favorite reviewers, the EdgeObserver and Stefan Schmalhaus, have sampled Viper’s offerings quite extensively. It has taken me a little while longer to warm up to this interesting Italian brand.

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I really enjoyed the blend of rugged utility and flowing lines in the last Viper model I reviewed, the Carnera, and the Start has caught my eye for the same reasons. Fabrizio Silvestrelli is the designer of Start, and he knows how to capture my attention while Viper knows how to take the designs’ muscular lines and pair it with a blend of modern manufacturing and old world charm. The result is an offering unlike anything else in the marketplace.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Start has an overall length of 9.25″, features a 4″ blade, and weighs 6.4 ounces. Any knife with a 4″ blade is going to be big, and the Viper is no exception. This is a serious departure from what I would consider an EDC knife. Viper has crafted a full on tactical folder, and the result is a suitably large offering.

The blade is a modified drop point design that excels at piercing and slicing. The deep belly has a slight recurve. It’s not impossible to sharpen like a serious recurve, yet it still feeds material into the edge. Given its size the Viper is still ground thinly. I found that it slices cardboard and other soft materials with ease yet it still has enough beef behind the edge to hold up under harder use. One thing to note about the blade is that the tip is extremely acute. It is great for stabbing things and detail work, but the the user needs to be careful not to damage it.

The Start is offered in 2 blade steels, PVD coated D2 and N690. I opted for the version with N690. This is steel I have heard a lot of nice things about, but haven’t had a ton of experience with. So far I am a big fan. I found that the N690 on my knife sharpens easily, takes a very nice edge, and holds onto it for a decent amount of time. I might consider it a beefed up 154CM. Certainly the thin grind has also done the knife a lot of favors. It’s a terrific slicer and is very fun to use. N690 is also a stainless steel, and despite the knife coming with a bead blasted finish (which is notorious for attracting rust) I have had zero issues with rust or staining.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

My Start came with black canvas micarta handle scales. I should point out that the knife is available with cocobolo or carbon fiber scales as well. Relief cuts have been placed by the finger choil, which lends itself to being held in a pinch style grip, although in practice I prefer a more conventional hold. Underneath the micarta you have thin stainless steel liners and a full stainless steel backspacer and lockbar. The pivot is hidden and the handles are put together with a series of small torx screws. I love how the edges of the spine, the lockbar, the backspacer, and even the liners have all been rounded. It’s such a nice little detail. The scales themselves are gently contoured and all the parts and pieces line up well. All in all the handle is sturdy and well executed.

In terms of ergonomics, Viper provides you with plenty of handle, and it affords a wide variety of grips. There is a finger choil, but there is also plenty of room left to choke back on the knife, providing reach that may even give some Cold Steel offerings a run for their money. The flared pommel does have a bit of a sharp corner, but overall this is a comfortable knife to use. The canvas micarta affords a sure grip in both wet and dry conditions, while a short run of jimping provides enough feedback to index the thumb without making the thumb ramp uncomfortable under hard cutting conditions.

The pocket clip of the Start is a straight forward stamped out piece of steel. It offers reasonably low right side tip up carry with no other options for placement. The clip is very secure and the knife rides well given its size and weight. Given the polarizing nature of pocket clip designs, Viper went with a safe route. I think they could have done way worse with the clip.

Deployment and Lockup

The Start makes use of stylized ambidextrous thumb studs pressed close to the back of the blade. I find them easy enough to open at my desk, but acknowledge that the knife takes some work to get open. I don’t mean to detract from the action, as it is very smooth and very purposeful, but this is not a knife I can flick open with my thumb, and it may provide some challenges if you are operating it under duress. It is also worth noting that the pivot is hidden, and you need to take off the handle scales to service it. So far I have had no need to do that, as the blade is well centered and the lock is free of play.

Here is a shot of the Viper Start next to my Spyderco Paramilitary 2:

The Start features a back lock, but this is not like your traditional back locks. It is extremely smooth and refined, and the blade falls into place with the softest click. Upon further examination you will notice that the tang of the blade and the lock face are both given a satin finish, and the two pieces of steel fit together extremely well. The result is effortless play free lockup, and a really satisfying knife to open and close. This is a durable lock design and it has held up well in all my testing.

Viper Start Review – Final Thoughts

If you are in the market for a high end large folding knife, the Viper Start could be an excellent option. The knife is beautifully executed, and that enhances the sumptuous curves of Silvestrelli’s design. But the Start isn’t a creampuff either. It is definitely built to be carried and used. The end result is an elegant knife that performs as good as it looks. The high performance blade and generous handle offer the end user plenty of performance, with the added bonus of this knife being thoughtful and unique.

I also like how Viper offers the Start in several flavors, including satin, beadblasted, and PVD coated blades, and handle materials varying from classic choices like micarta and wood, to hand-laid carbon fiber. Finally, the price is also very reasonable considering what you get. You can get into a Start for well south of $150 shipped, while the highest end versions can be currently had for $175. Not bad for a European made knife of this size with these materials.

The only potential cons I can really think of are that the knife isn’t the absolute easiest and fastest to open, and that the pocket clip is right side only. For some these gripes will matter, for many they will not. This is all assuming you are in the mood (or have the need) to carry a 6.5 ounce knife. By and large this is a very nice offering from Viper and I do recommend it if you are in the market for a unique large folding knife.

Viper Knives 5840CB Viper Start Lockback with Brown Cocobolo Wood Handles

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Viper Start – From $133.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Viper Start at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thanks for reading.

Victorinox Alox Cadet Review

by Dan Jackson 18 Comments

Think back to your first experiences with a pocket knife. If you are anything like me, it probably came in the course of exploring your father or grandfather’s desk drawers or perhaps rifling through that treasure box of items many men keep. Invariably, you would come across at least one well-worn red handled Swiss army knife (SAK). For many that would be their first encounter with a pocket knife.

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And for many more, their first practical experiences with a pocket knife may very well have have been at boy scouts. I vaguely recall my first pocket knife while camping as part of my tenure at scouts. I am unsure on the exact model number, but it was some sort of a classic SAK. I would use it to prepare tinder for a fire, get ingredients ready for the dutch oven, and even used it to try my hand at carving one of those wood handkerchief slides. These were some of my first experiences with pocket knives. When I pause to reflect on those moments I am instantly transported back in to a much more simple and wholesome time of my life, with much of it centering around the ubiquitous Swiss army knife.

Fast forward to me starting to seriously get into the hobby of knives. My first “real” knife was a Benchmade Griptilian. From there I then ran fast and hard down the rabbit hole. I have handled many many pocket knives. Hell I have reviewed over a hundred here on this website alone. In my search for a perfect pocket knife I have spent thousands of dollars. At this point I don’t think twice about spending several hundred dollars on a single knife if it catches my eye. I’ve traveled to Blade show, joined a knife collecting club, appeared on podcasts, videos, and guest blog posts all to advance my interests in the latest and greatest portable cutlery.

But my knife collecting came full circle when a little over a year ago I was given the gift of a Victorinox Cadet. Mine was the very same unassuming blade that I would find in my father’s dresser drawer. Red plastic handles. Unassuming blade complete with the usual cap lifter and can opener. Instinctively, upon unboxing this new blade and admiring the snappy action of all the little tools I put the Victorinox into my pocket. It has been over a year later, and I haven’t left the house without some sort of a SAK since.

For many I am surely preaching to the choir. This is after all, the quintessential pocket knife. An unwavering staple in the every day carry of men the world over. I still want to pay my respects, write this review, and share with you a tool that I hold quite near and dear; the humble Victorinox Alox Cadet.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Alox Cadet has an overall length of 5.75″, a 2.5″ blade, and weighs 1.6 ounces. Victorinox makes the Cadet in a number of variations, I happen to like the one with the silver aluminum “alox” handles because it keeps the knife nice and thin and seems to wear a little better than its plastic-scaled counter parts. It’s also worth noting that Victorinox makes larger and smaller knives with the Alox handles as well. Ones that quickly come to mind include the Pioneer (larger) and Classic (smaller).

The Cadet is the perfect size for daily carry. Mine rolls around loose in the bottom of my pocket every day. At a sub $25 price point, I could care less if it gets beat up by my flashlight and car keys. Even if by some freak accident the knife it were to fall out my pocket some day I would have no problem plunking down the coin for another one.

When I am at work this is the only knife I carry. I spend most of my day behind a desk banging away at a keyboard or talking on the phone, so this little slip joint is plenty of knife for the things I do, which is mostly opening letters and packages. At home the Cadet can often be found cutting up apples, smearing cheese onto crackers, or handling whatever other minor task I may have at hand.

The thinly ground blade of the Cadet slices as good or better than anything else I have handled. Seriously, it’s a little laser and it cuts really well. Whatever stainless steel Victorinox uses sharpens very easily and doesn’t stain. This is a softer steel so it doesn’t earn a blue ribbon for edge retention, but it holds a decent edge and a couple licks on a strop will restore it to hair shaving performance at the end of the day. I’d say it’s on part with 8Cr13MoV and other lower end steels. The only other maintenance I perform is regularly washing the knife out with hot soapy water.

When I’m not at work I may clip a larger folder to my pocket, but the Cadet still comes in handy as a secondary blade. It’s perfect for situations where you don’t want to bust out a large knife, and the extra tools are real handy too. Victorinox includes a nail file / phillips driver, a can opener, and a bottle opener/flat head driver. Next to the blade my bottle opener sees the greatest amount of use, but the drivers can come in handy and the file can maintain your fingernails in a pinch. In a sub 2-ounce package you won’t find much else that packs as much utility as the Cadet.

Handle, Ergonomics

Handle construction of the Cadet is simple, but everything is clean and nicely finished. The knife is pinned together. The tools and backspacer are given a high satin finish while the aluminum handles are given a matte finish. After a year of daily carry and use my Cadet does show some signs of wear, but it is still a handsome knife. The action for all the tools is still springy and satisfying and there is no play with any of the parts.

A discussion of the “ergonomics” of the Cadet is almost laughable, as I have never used the knife for tasks harder than breaking down a cardboard box, but the handle is big enough to get 4 fingers around and is plenty comfortable for my needs. The handle texture is pleasing to touch and visually interesting. It provides some traction without being obnoxious. The red Victorinox shield provides a splash of color and that extra touch of class.

There is no pocket clip on the Cadet, which is just the way I like this knife. Unlike my $300 Strider PT, I have absolutely no reservations to pocket carrying the Cadet. It doesn’t need a little leather slip-sheath or anything like that, although Victorinox does include a split ring if you want to put a lanyard on it or attach it to your keys. It’s a beater knife and gets beaten up quite a bit in my pocket, but the slim design and durable aluminum scales allows the knife to age gracefully.

Victorinox Cadet Review – Final Thoughts

What is left there to say about the Cadet? Buy one. Seriously, this is an absolute must have knife. Buy a couple and give them as gifts to family and friends. You won’t find a nicer knife for $20 and you won’t find anything as functional and disarming either. That said, despite the small price tag this is still a very classy knife and it comes with an unexpected level of pride of ownership. And it performs too. This thinly ground edge can’t be beat for managing your mail and cutting up food. And all the extra tools are gravy… delicious, delicious gravy ladled on top of one of the finest little EDC knives money can buy.

If I had a gripe about the knife, it would be that I really like the little tweezers and toothpick included with the thicker plastic handled version of the knife, and sometimes miss that with the Alox Cadet. But there is a price to pay for style and durability, and the trade off is that Victorinox cant squeeze in those tools.

At this point I have waxed poetic about EDC knives for the better part of 5 years. This is the gold standard for EDC. Whether it’s your primary knife or a secondary blade paired with a larger folder or fixed blade, the Cadet is sure to get lots of use and will be appreciated by seasoned knife collectors and laypeople alike. I don’t say this often, but the Cadet is a must have knife.

Sale

Zero Tolerance (0450); With 3.25” DLC-Coated S35VN Stainless Steel Blade, All-Black Carbon Fiber and Titanium Handle Scales, KVT Ball-Bearing Opening, Frame Lock Reversible Pocketclip; 2.45 OZ., Silver, Small

Titanium frame lock houses hardened steel lockbar; frame lock secures blade in position so it does not close accidentally
Flipper works for left- and right-handed users; assists blade’s manual release with one-handed convenience
Finger guard, jimping and choil protect fingers during rigorous use while slicing, cutting, chopping, scaling, slashing, piercing or digging in any environment, in any conditions
Drop-point tip provides extra strength and chip resistance and eliminates pitch momentum
Overall length: 7.4 inches; closed length: 4.1 inches; blade thickness: 0.121 inches; weight: 2.9 ounces

$185.09
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I recommend purchasing the Victorinox Cadet at Amazon or BladeHQ. 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.

Strider PT Review

by Dan Jackson Leave a Comment

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.

Benchmade Volli Review

by Dan Jackson 19 Comments

Last Updated: July 27, 2019
I’m not sure how to put this delicately, so I’ll just come out and say it: Benchmade hasn’t done a whole lot of exciting stuff in 2013, and it has resulted in a lack of reviews on new Benchmade knives. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the lack of cool new stuff to examine makes for boring blogging.

Buy the Benchmade Volli at BladeHQ

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One 2013 Benchmade has been on my radar for some time, and that is the Volli. It hasn’t gotten a lot of attention, probably because it appears to be some sort of a rehash between the Griptilian and Barrage, but again that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And frankly there is a lot to like here. In the time I’ve spent testing out the Volli I’ve found it to be a very functional and practical knife. We sometimes overlook those qualities as the industry focuses more and more on big names and exotic materials, but I still think there is room in many people’s pockets for a robust EDC/tactical knife without a lot of frills or hype.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Volli runs the gamut from an urban EDC to a “tactical” pocket knife depending on where your needs and preferences lie. For me, it’s more of a nights and weekends knife than a true daily carry, but for many I’m sure it would do well as an EDC. It has a feature set that I would think appeals to the law enforcement / military crowd, and I’m sure Benchmade also had those types of users in mind when they put this knife together.

The drop point blade is clean and simple with a high flat grind, and fine tip. My model comes in a bright satin finish although they do offer a black coated version as well. The grind lines are crisp and the knife came wickedly sharp out of the box. This is a simple drop point pattern but it has been done right.

The blade is S30V, a steel that I haven’t always been a huge fan of despite it’s popularity and billing as a premium knife steel. In practice I’ve found that S30V has a reluctance to take a really fine edge, especially on a couple Spydercos that I own, and I’ve sometimes dismissed it as more trouble than it’s worth. Well, I’m pleased to say that whatever Benchmade did with the S30V on my Volli, they really did it right. This is one of the nicest S30V blades I have owned.

The Volli came screaming sharp out of the box, which is always nice, but more importantly I’ve been able to keep that screaming edge with some judicious stropping. The knife has proven itself to be a really capable cutter. As always, I did test this knife thoroughly. I went through a great deal of 1/2″ sissal rope without any problem – it was almost comical how easily it cut through the rope. Eventually the edge slowed down, but I was able to quickly bring it back with my strop. Same went for wood and cardboard – it cut large amounts of both with no problem. This is because of the relatively (2.5mm) thin blade stock and the nice lean grind. 2.5mm isn’t alarmingly thin but many EDC blades (like my Spyderco Sage 1 – also in S30V) comes in at 3mm. While some may find the thinner stock a turn off, I like it because the knife cuts, and it cuts damn well.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Volli is G10 over full skelotonized stainless steel liners. Probably the first thing you will notice is the heavy texturing to the handle, but it’s also important to point out that it has a full plastic backspacer and you can’t access the pivot without taking off the display side scale. Construction is sturdy. All the parts line nicely while corner of the handle has been broken to accommodate your hand. There is a small unobtrusive lanyard hole and all the hardware is of the torx variety.

Ergonomically, this is a straight forward and practical handle design. Relative to something like the Griptilian this is a thin handle, but there is still plenty there to fill your palm and all the corners are nicely contoured. I found it to be comfortable, even under hard use. There isn’t any jimping, which is fine in my book. I was able to really bear down on the knife when carving and cutting and I didn’t notice any major hotspots. Much like the simple blade shape this is a practical handle, and I found it to largely be a pleasure to work with.

The pocket clip is Benchmade’s classic split arrow clip. This time it has been configured for ambidextrous tip up carry. The aggressive texture to the G10 means this knife will destroy your pockets if you aren’t careful (you will never find me carrying this with slacks), and that may be my greatest gripe. I understand that there is a fine line when designing a knife like this, and you don’t want something that offers no grip at all. Aside from the pant shredding texture the Volli carries well. This is a classic pocket clip and it holds the knife securely and discretely.

Deployment and Lockup

The Volli takes advantage of Benchmade’s axis assisted opening technology. It snaps opens quickly with the brush of a thumb. An assisted opening knife is mostly a novelty for me, but I can see the advantage if you are in a line of work where you really need your knife to open. Benchmade included a safety located on the back of the handle. It stays out of the way but can lock the knife in both the open and closed position, a nice feature when you have a tip up carry assisted opening knife.

For lockup Benchmade went with their trusty axis lock, a personal favorite. My knife came with a small amount of lateral play, and I had to tweak the pivot by removing the G10 scale. The covered pivot looks nice, but it’s a departure from the otherwise practical design and I’d be remiss to not consider it a problem with the design.

In addition to the axis lock there is a secondary locking mechanism on the spine of the handle. It allows the user to lock the blade in either the open or closed position. It’s not a bad feature to have on a tip-up assisted open knife. It’s unobtrusive and functional.

I have to say that after Michael commented on this post (see below) I both de-assisted the knife and I took the secondary lock out. I don’t proclaim to be an expert when it comes to disassembling knives, but I’ve taken down plenty. The Volli was a little tricky to take apart and the whole process took me the better part of a half hour. That said, if you are patient and don’t mind potentially voiding your warranty it shouldn’t be impossible. The knife works just fine without the spring and the safety.

Benchmade Volli Review – Final Thoughts

The Volli isn’t a show stopper. It isn’t the latest and greatest. It’s no ZT 0560 or Spyderco Domino as far as the “wow” factor is concerned. But I’m still pleased with the knife and it seems to fill a spot in Benchmade’s catalog. Detractors of the Griptilian’s plastic handles may have finally met their match, and I’m impressed with how nicely the knife cuts and feels in hand. The thinly ground blade is one of the best slicers I’ve handled in recent memory, and the S30V steel performed way better than I’m used to seeing out of S30V.

If I were designing it from scratch I’d tweak a couple things. I’d leave it so the pivot could be readily adjusted, tone back the texture slightly and (if it were me) remove the spring assist. But these are all pretty minor and subjective complaints that may not be relevant to your needs or preferences. While I’m not completely head over heels with the Volli, it is still a very nice knife, and I’d go so far to say that if you are someone looking for a robust folder in the 3.5″ blade category with S30V steel I’d put it above the Zero Tolerance 0350 and say it is very strong competition for the Spyderco Paramilitary 2.

It may not be a runaway blockbuster blade of 2013, but that isn’t because it’s a bad knife, it’s because it has been overshadowed by some very interesting and very adventurous offerings in a very competitive marketplace. If you are in the market for a sturdy high performance folder in S30V with a ~3.5″ blade, then the Volli is well worth your consideration.

Benchmade - Volli 1000001 Knife, Plain Drop-Point, Coated Finish

HIGH-QUALITY: The CPM-S30V stainless steel blade is extremely well-balanced, offering superb edge qualities and rust resistance. The G10 handle is durable, impervious to moisture, and stable under extreme temperatures.
WELL-DESIGNED: The Volli 1000001 features Benchmade's AXIS Assist mechanism. It can be opened and closed quickly with either hand.
ALWAYS READY: The 1000001's quick, one-handed opening makes it easy to hold and use. The reversible pocket clip offers ultimate accessibility.
VERSATILE: The Volli 1000001's drop-point, utility blade style and all-around functionality make it ideal for everyday carry.
SERVICES AND BENEFITS: For information and terms regarding Benchmade's Limited Warranty and LifeSharp Service, please visit Benchmade's website.

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Benchmade Volli – $153.95
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Volli at BladeHQ or Amazon. 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

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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

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