Knives By Purpose

Benchmade 581 Barrage Review

Benchmade has always struck me as a company that both innovates and inspires. They can take a functional object, refine it’s performance, and give it a slight twist to elevate a knife something beyond mere G10 and steel. That is a rare accomplishment in the world of production knives, and this handsome 581 Barrage a perfect example.

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Simple, robust, and crafted with just a touch of class, I absolutely love the details on this knife. And the details are always so glorious. That’s why I keep reviewing Benchmade knives. They all but beg for a closer examination.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 581 Barrage has an overall length of 8.35″, a 3.6″ blade, and the knife weighs 5.2 ounces. This is another Warren Osborne design, and the man is a master for a reason – he’s designed yet another lightweight and functional knife. I’m going to classify this one mainly as a tactical knife, but it would make a nice larger EDC as well. Some might call this a “gentleman’s tactical knife,” and I don’t think there is anything wrong with simply collecting this one either!

The 581 sports a drop point blade, which is a departure from Warren’s usual designs for Benchmade. This is a long sloping blade with a slight amount of belly and a thin swedge running along the top. The blade stock on this knife is 3mm thick, and the resulting tip is quite sturdy. This isn’t a knife with a ton of belly, but it should be fine for most normal tasks. The grind is either a partial flat grind or a shallow hollow grind, it’s difficult for me to really tell, and I don’t think it particularly matters. Either way I’ve found the knife to be a very capable slicer (and it came wickedly sharp).

Blade steel on the 581 is Bohler M390. This is a powdered steel, and is currently the most advanced blade steel that Bohler makes. Benchmade heat treated this M390 to between 60-62 HRC, and the stuff can really retain an edge. It’s also a high Chromium steel so you have excellent corrosion resistance too. My edge has held up so well that I’ve yet to need to sharpen this knife, despite weeks of carry. I understand that when the time does come to touch up my edge, it will take a fair amount of work. That’s to be expected from a hard and tough super steel like this.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle construction is one of my favorite features of the knife. I know some won’t be fans of the aluminum bolsters, but it’s a unique look and I really like it. From a practical standpoint, this isn’t a cold weather knife (since there is bare metal on the handle) but down here in Florida I’d say it compliments my shorts and sunglasses nicely. Construction is screw together, and in addition to the combination of G10 and aluminum scales, you have full stainless steel liners (milled out to reduce weight), a full backspacer, and a small lanyard hole. It’s a beautifully constructed handle.

All in all, I’d say the ergonomics on the 581 are quite good. I mentioned the handle is boxy, but that doesn’t mean it’s uncomfortable. There is a good amount of thickness to the handle and it fills the hand nicely. The finger choil region benefits from some grooves that have been milled into the scales. I thought these were merely decorative at first, but they also provide some traction for your index finger. The thumb ramp is completely naked, and I feel like this is another Benchmade design that could benefit from a little jimping (at the slight expense of aesthetics). If you really wanted some traction, you could always cut little slice of skateboard tape and apply it to the thumb ramp. Since this is a tactical knife you may be interested in how the 581 feels in reverse grip – I’m happy to say it feels great. All in all this is a very comfortable knife. I’m not as fanatical about jimping as some, but do I feel like a little jimping on the thumb ramp would round this one out in hand.

The pocket clip is a classic Benchmade “split arrow” clip. It’s a great clip, proven time and time again in many of my other Benchmade knife reviews. Retention is excellent, it’s a nice discrete clip, and the knife rides low in your pocket. You have the option of ambidextrous tip up carry – which works great for me.

Deployment and Lockup

The 581 is an assisted opening knife that makes use of dual thumb studs. This is my first review of an axis assisted opener, and I must say I’m quite pleased with it. For normal use I think an assisted opener on a well made knife is unnecessary, but for a tactical knife it could mean the difference between life and death. The thumb studs are very easy to reach and with a little pressure the blade springs to life. This is a very smooth and very fast deploying knife.

One thing I found extremely interesting about the 581 is that Benchmade covered the pivot with the bolster. So this isn’t a knife that has been designed to be tuned. It basically says “we turned this knife perfectly from the factory, you will never need to service the pivot.” It’s a bold claim, especially for an assisted opener that exerts so much force on deployment. But I’ll tell you, I have no problems with blade centering at all. The knife locks up like an absolute vault, and the blade travels smooth as silk along phosphor bronze washers. And the tolerances on this knife are very very tight. We are almost talking Sebenza tight here. This is a real testament to Benchmade’s quality control and manufacturing capabilities. It’s incredible.

And of course the lock here is the famous Axis lock. The assisted opening makes 1-hand closing something of a challenge but it’s not impossible. Lockup is absolutely rock solid. The Axis lock has yet to fail me – on any knife. This is a fantastic lock and it rounds out a great knife.

Benchmade 581 Barrage Review – Final Thoughts

Well, there you have it, Benchmade has produced another outstanding knife. By this point in the review half the readers probably assume I’m on their payroll or something, but truthfully I can’t find much to fault with this blade. I love the beautiful lines, the rich details, the excellent materials, and the incredible level of fit and finish. And it never hurts to discover that this knife is made in America. I can’t find a single issue with my knife, although I feel a touch of jimping on the thumb ramp would make the Barrage slightly better in hand.

I know this is a fairly expensive blade with a retail price of around $200, but I feel like this is an instance where you truly get what you pay for. For those out there considering a Benchmade 581 I can totally recommend it. Benchmade has once again taken a humble folding knife, applied their magic, and have created something that appeals to users and collectors alike. Having a 581 in my collection has truly been a pleasure.

Benchmade - Barrage 581 Knife, Drop-Point Blade, Plain Edge, Satin Finish, G10 and Aluminum Handle, Made in the USA

HIGH-QUALITY: The 154CM stainless steel blade is tough, rust resistant, and holds an edge well. The Valox handle is strong and stable, making it ideal for everyday use.
WELL-DESIGNED: The Barrage family is the first to feature the AXIS Assist. The Barrage 583 can be opened and closed quickly with either hand.
ALWAYS READY: The 583's quick, one-handed opening makes it easy to hold and use. The reversible pocket clip offers ultimate accessibility.
VERSATILE: The Barrage 583's tanto blade has a very high tip strength, making it good for tactical uses. It's also versatile enough for everyday applications.

Benchmade 581 Barrage – $204.00
Retail Price: $220.00
from: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Barage from 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.

Iain Sinclair CardSharp 2 Review

by Dan Jackson 11 Comments

Last Updated: August 8, 2019
I can safely say that the Iain Sinclair CardSharp 2 is unlike anything else I have previously reviewed. A few months back the folks at Iain Sinclair contacted me about reviewing their latest version of their lightweight folding credit card knife, the CardSharp 2. Without much thought I decided it was something I’d be interested in. After all, it was a knife, I review knives – it seemed like an easy decision.

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The package that arrived a few weeks later totally took me by surprise. I knew what I had signed up for, I would be looking a some sort of fancy folding credit card knife, but I really never expected something this light and slim. I don’t have a lot of experience with with credit card knives, and at first glance this small piece of steel and folding plastic puzzled me. I opened my wallet with a shrug, and slipped the Card Sharp 2 inside. After an extensive period of use and testing I’m ready to offer some thoughts on this unique offering from Iain Sinclair.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The CardSharp 2 really is a light use tool. It is as long and wide as a credit card, weighs just under half an ounce, and is a mere 2.2mm thick (similar to 2 credit cards stacked on top of each other). You won’t be able to break down a refrigerator box, blast through zip ties, pry, chop or even tackle a well cooked steak with the CardSharp 2. But I think that is ok. The CardSharp 2 is designed to be ridiculously light, impossibly slim, and totally unique.

As for practical applications, this is a blade for those minor emergencies many people find in their day to day urban and suburban lives. I’m talking about opening a letter without damaging the envelope, clipping a coupon, or trimming a thread off your suit just before an interview. In my opinion, anything beyond cutting up a regular cardboard box is asking too much from the knife.

The blade is a 3 inch drop point made from some sort of “surgical steel.” Knife circles commonly refer to this as “mystery steel” and it’s really anyone’s guess what exactly this blade is made of. I found that it’s pretty soft stuff, and can easily take a working edge. Edge retention? It’s ok – I’d put it on par with 420HC. Certainly passable for its intended use.

Handle, Ergonomics and Carry

So the handle of the CardSharp 2 is really what this knife is all about. Everything comes folded up into the shape of a credit card, and if you disengage the safety latch, pop out the blade, and fold a couple flaps over you get a fully assembled knife. Actual assembly is really quite simple, but if you would like a more detailed demonstration I recommend checking out my video.

As far as construction is concerned, the handle of the CardSharp 2 is made entirely of plastic. The handle has flexible plastic hinges a couple series of snaps. This is what holds everything together. I’ve opened and closed the knife many times over the months and everything has held up fine. Will the plastic wear out after years of use? I have no idea. But over the past few months everything has been working well.

I know a few people were disappointed to learn that the handles were made of plastic when I released a pseudo-video review a few months back, but honestly I wasn’t sure what else to expect for $25. Sure aluminum and carbon fiber would be great, but for under $30 I just don’t see how that would happen. Plus, the plastic handles have held up fine.

I think another point worth noting is how well the Card Sharp 2 carries. Even though it didn’t get tons of use, the mere fact that I kept it in my wallet for all that time really goes to show how slim and light this thing actually is. When it comes to EDC, I’m a picky guy. I don’t like tons of bulk and I carry a very slim wallet. I don’t have much experience with credit card knives, but the the CardSharp 2 is much easier to carry than say, the popular Swisscard, which I find to thick to be regularly carried in my wallet.

Dedicating a section to “ergonomics” here is something of a misnomer but I figured that I would say a few words. The CardSharp 2 is actually designed to fit the hand with some jimping and something of a finger choil, but in practice I found the knife best performed if you held it in a pinch grip. This is mainly to keep the knife from coming apart, but it did feel fine for light use.

Deployment and Lockup

On the subject of deployment, the CardSharp 2 once again falls outside of my usual framework for a knife review. “Deployment” in practice is quite slow. You need to take out your wallet, remove the knife, put your wallet down, and fold the knife together. Needless to say you won’t want to count on this thing to save your life! However I think given it’s intended use the “deployment” here is just fine.

And “lockup” would be another misnomer. The blade kind of snaps together, but it’s quite flimsy and easily comes undone. I think that’s fine, again, when you consider the intended use and overall limitations of the design. If you hold the blade in a pinch grip around where the pivot would be on a normal folding knife, the CardSharp 2 is sturdy and I think you will be able to get your light use tasks accomplished.

A Word of Caution

I want to insert a small disclaimer cautioning you about attempting to take this knife on an airplane, or into a courthouse, or anything along those lines. The CardSharp 2 is easy to forget about, but if TSA found this knife in your wallet, it may generate an experience that you will always remember.

Iain Sinclair CardSharp 2 Review – Final Thoughts

As a fan of sturdy folding and fixed blade knives, the CardSharp 2 is not the first tool I would reach for when I need a job to get done. I feel like the CardSharp 2 caters first to the design crowd, then to gadget lovers and finally enthusiasts of cutlery. It’s an interesting design, but I would never replace my primary EDC knife with it. It’s a backup utility blade (or a backup for your backup) and a light use one at that.

But doesn’t mean that the CardSharp 2 is without merit. The knife weighs practically nothing, disappears into a wallet, and can be had for around $25. Personally, I view it as cheap insurance for those rare instances when I don’t have a real knife on my person. If you like the design, are a fan of credit cards knives, or are simply looking for a little extra blade insurance, I think the CardSharp 2 is a good buy.

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I recommend purchasing the CardSharp 2 on Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

DPx HEST/F 2.0 Review

by Dan Jackson 22 Comments

Last Updated: March 3, 2018
A hard use frame lock with multi-tool capabilities, the [easyazon_link asin=”B006QFBOG2″ locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]DPx HEST[/easyazon_link] is a unique offering from a small company with an interesting pedigree. The HEST is designed by journalist Robert Young Pelton, who is known for traveling to dangerous places and going after the stories few journalists dare to pursue. RYP is the founder of knife company DPx Gear, and designed the HEST for those kinds of dangerous excursions and his adventurous spirit is reflected in nearly every aspect of the knife. In fact, DPx stands for “Dangerous Places Extreme” and HEST stands for “Hostile Environment Survival Tool.”

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While I can’t say that I took my HEST 2.0 to any dangerous places or particularly hostile environments, but I did EDC the knife for a while. So with that in mind I’ll attempt to uncover some of the nuances of this unique offering from DPx.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The HEST has an overall length of 7.63″, has a 3.1″ blade, and it weighs 5.1 ounces. 5.1 ounces may seem kind of chunky on paper, but honestly the HEST feels fairly light for it’s size. Or maybe I’ve just been spending too much time playing around with incredibly beefy Zero Tolerance folders… either way I think the HEST is not too big for EDC although it’s definitely billed as a hard use tool and will be overkill for most typical urban and suburban EDC tasks. I also want to mention that the HEST has been manufactured by LionSteel, an Italian knife manufacturer known for their innovative designs and high quality cutlery.

The blade is a modified drop point defined by a massive belly forming a needle sharp tip. I like the bold and aggressive lines – it’s a unique shape for sure. Adding further interest to the knife is the 5mm thick blade stock. This is quite impressive for a medium sized folding knife, and reinforces the hard use mantra RYP ascribes to. The knife has been given a high flat grind, so it’s still a decent slicer. Rounding things off is a bottle opener. I typically carry a small bottle opener on my keys, but you can never have too many cap lifters and it’s inclusion makes for a memorable blade shape.

DPx selected D2 tool steel for the HEST, and I like their choice. D2 is often referred to as a “semi-stainless” steel. It’s actually a high carbon tool steel, but it will not rust as easily as say, 1095. What I like about D2 is the great combination of edge retention and toughness it offers. It will still rust however, so I’m glad DPx went with a high quality Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) blade coating – it both looks good and will make maintenance a little easier.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The HEST features a thick olive drab G10 scale on one side of the handle. On the other side, the HEST has a full titanium slab which doubles as the frame lock. I really like the way the handle has been finished. The G10 has been crisply contoured and the titanium slab has been given a beautiful stonewash. Everything bolts together with a partial backspacer. The handle slabs are nice and thick, and there is a real feeling of quality with the way this handle has been put together.

The DPx HEST benefits from a solid ergonomic plan. First of all, the handle is a good size and it’s shaped in a way to capture your fingers. There is also a nice thumb ramp with excellent jimping that doubles as a set of wire strippers. I’m not sure how well it actually strips wire, but it does a great job of holding your thumb in place. The G10 is roughly textured but the knife feels very comfortable thanks to the well contoured edges.

The knife feels good in reverse grip too, provided you do not have the optional glass breaker in place. The glass breaker actually holds the pocket clip in place, so DPx also includes a flat replacement screw and a little one piece multi-tool that works to replace the glass breaker, remove the pocket clip and adjust the pivot screw. I’d recommend swapping out the glass breaker if you plan on using this knife in reverse grip a lot.

Speaking of pocket clips, the HEST has a nice deep carry clip. I’m not a huge fan of how the “H.E.S.T.” insignia is emblazoned on the clip, but the hardened stainless steel clip is nicely stonewashed to match the handle slab and does offer great retention in the pocket. As for mounting options, it’s right side tip up carry only. DPx also offers a left-handed version for southpaws like myself.

Deployment and Lockup

The HEST makes use of ambidextrous thumb studs for deployment, which are large and easy to get at. DPx also selected teflon washers for the knife, which personally I’m not a huge fan of. Now, I’ve received some interesting feedback from readers in defense of the teflon washers, and I agree that they do make for a smooth deployment. I prefer phosphor bronze washers because they are more durable, only get smoother with time, and generally like to flick open faster. But I also acknowledge that some people prefer teflon, and they are found in a good number of high end knives (especially Japanese and European folders). So teflon washers must be good for something, right? So I will leave this as an “it is what it is” situation. If you like teflon washers then you will love the HEST 2.0.

Unfortunately, lockup also raises a couple issues with the HEST. One thing I noticed about my particular knife is that the lock sticks a little. It’s mildly annoying, but in my opinion it’s better than blade play (or even worse, total failure of the lock). After posting my video review of the knife I received a couple suggestions to apply graphite to the lock face. This actually eliminated my sticky lock issue, which is great, but I wonder how long this fix will last. So far so good, but I can’t say the initial lockup inspired a ton of confidence. For this reason, I avoid using the bottle opener feature as a wave to rapidly deploy the knife. Given my already shaky experience with the lock I didn’t feel like the knife was really designed for the stress of being repeatedly waved open. I know some (many?) will disagree, and that is fine.

I also noticed that several people have mentioned that their HEST 2.0’s exhibit some blade play. I didn’t experience that with my knife, but having noticed that my lock sticks a little I could see how play might develop. I know some people like to use the bottle opener as a wave feature – guys, I do not recommend waving this knife or being overly rough with deployment. Most framelocks can’t take being flicked open repeatedly and I don’t think repeatedly subjecting your HEST to the force of waving the knife open is a good idea if you want your frame lock to go the distance.

Finally, I wanted to mention the RotoBlock, which is a cool innovation from LionSteel. Basically it acts as a lockbar stabilizer (which prevents over-extension of the lock upon disengagement), but it can also be cinched down to keep the lock from accidentally disengaging. This is a neat little invention and I’m happy to see it on the knife.

DPx HEST 2.0 Review – Final Thoughts

All in all I like the HEST 2.0. When you consider the high quality materials, interesting design and beautiful finishes it’s almost hard to believe the knife can be had for $175 brand new. There are a lot of little things that set the HEST apart from the pack, and I like the bold lines and aggressive look of this knife. One thing I don’t normally talk about is the packaging. The HEST comes in a beautiful box with a nice manual. The inclusion of the little skull multi-tool is another nice touch. It’s obvious a lot of pride went into the design and implementation of this knife.

However, I have to admit I’m somewhat concerned about my lock. A sticky lock isn’t dangerous, but it is annoying. I was able to stop the lock from sticking by adding some graphite to the lock face, but am not sure how great of a fix this is. I’m also suspicious of blade play developing, as I’ve heard that is possible from a couple reputable sources.

So the HEST is a cool knife, but it’s not perfect. If an extremely consistent frame lock is important to you, I might recommend something like the rock-solid Zero Tolerance 0550 or the wonderfully done Spyderco Sage 2 instead. Or if you are in love with the design, perhaps consider one of the many cool [easyazon_link asin=”B00DSVU9RM” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]fixed blade versions[/easyazon_link] of the knife. That said, I still think that the HEST has its merits. If you like the design it’s a cool knife and that is worth considering.

DPx Gear HEST 2.0 – $175.00
Retail Price: $218.75
You Save: $43.75
from: BladeHQ

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I recommend purchasing the HEST at BladeHQ or [easyazon_link asin=”B00DSVU9RM” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]Amazon[/easyazon_link]. 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.

Boker Plus Vox BOB Review

by Dan Jackson 13 Comments

Last Updated: August 11, 2019
Designed by Jesper Voxnæs of Vox Knives, the Boker Plus Vox BOB is an interesting blend of chunky fixed blade and simple Scandinavian design. Mr. Voxnaes has done a number of collaborations with Boker, perhaps most notably his small Gnome neck knife, but this was my first hands-on experience with some of his work.

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I loved the look of the knife, but admit that Jesper’s design puzzled me a little. It’s a compact shape, but quite heavy for it’s size. I could envision several practical applications for the BOB, but I felt like there was a missing link in my analysis. So I went to Jesper himself for his take on the knife. I’m really glad I did because Jesper proved to be both incredibly insightful, and more than happy to answer my questions. So it’s not only a pleasure for me to review a great knife, but to review a great knife designed by a really cool designer.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Vox BOB has an overall length of 7-3/4″, a 3-3/4″ long blade, and the knife weighs 9.5 ounces. If this sounds hefty for a relatively modest knife, that’s because the Vox BOB is made from a piece 7mm thick steel!

Jesper informed me that the “BOB” in Vox BOB actually stands for Bug Out Bag (or Bail Out Bag), which of course is a bag that you pack in preparation for an emergency with enough supplies for 72 hours of survival. His goal was to create a bug out knife that satisfied a number of criteria. The knife needed to be:

Small enough for a pocket.
Heavy enough for chopping.
Slim enough for easy slicing and food prep.
Thick enough for splitting wood.
Have enough belly to dress and skin game.

With all that in mind, the heavier blade started to make sense. The knife is still light enough to be easily carried in a bug out situation, if you choke back on the handle with a 3 finger grip it can chop, the full flat grind makes the knife a very capable slicer, it’s stout enough for batoning, and there certainly is enough belly there for field dressing game. I also happen to think that this would make a great camp knife too. So lets continue along the review in my typical format and hit some of the high points of this design.

The blade shape is a classic clip point. There is a nice tip and tons of belly. Although I didn’t “bug out” with this knife, I did carry / use it and found the full flat grind and sweeping belly to be especially useful in the kitchen. Despite the thick blade stock the Vox BOB proved to be a capable slicer, and it didn’t hurt that the knife came extremely sharp from the factory. The edge on this knife has been beautifully ground, and I really like the bright satin finish.

AUS 8 was chosen for the blade steel. At first I was unsure of the choice, but I am now convinced that the selection makes sense.

In a survival situation you need a forgiving steel that won’t chip easily and is not difficult to sharpen. That’s why high carbon steels like 1095 as often used in wilderness survival blades, they fit that description to a T. But if you want to use a stainless steel, it’s best to leave the high end super steels on the shelf as they are typically more difficult to sharpen and are much more brittle. On the other hand, AUS 8 is extremely tough and can be easily sharpened in the field. It’s also completely stainless so there is no need for a blade coating or to worry as much about how you store and use the knife. For this particular blade I think AUS 8 was a good choice.

Handle and Ergonomics

The Vox BOB sports an attractive green canvas micarta handle with red liners and a couple of stainless steel tubular pins. I really like this handle design, it’s a pleasing color combination and a nice choice of materials. Everything is well put together. The scales are flush, nicely finished, and everything lines up.

The ergonomics are also nicely done here. The BOB is very comfortable in a regular 4 finger grip. The wide handle fills the hand well, there is a large finger choil, and the broad flat tang has plenty of room for your thumb. There isn’t any jimping, but I find that the overall design offers plenty of grip and jimping is unnecessary.

If you want to chop with the knife, Jesper recommends choking back on the handle with a 3 finger grip. Slip a lanyard through one of the tubular pins and you are ready to go. It’s not my first choice for a chopper but again, you have to understand the paradigm within which the knife was designed. The BOB has plenty of weight behind it and should get most chopping tasks done.

Rounding out our handle is what Jesper calls the “bonk stud.” Many will recognize this as a “skull crusher” or “non-lethal impact device,” but Jesper prefers to look at this protrusion as a tool rather than a weapon. He suggested that the bonk stud would be especially appropriate for pounding sticks into tinder. Regardless of the semantics (or philosophies) you subscribe to, I think this is a nice addition to the handle.

Sheath

For many overseas made knives the sheath is often the weakest link. Thankfully that’s not the case here. The Vox BOB comes with a hand made and hand fitted black kydex sheath by none other than Tom Krein. For those unfamiliar with Mr. Krein, he is a highly respected US knifemaker, and is also known for his own collaborations with Boker. His designs for Boker include the Pocket Bowie and Personal Survival Knife (PSK). Coincidentally, Tom also makes a great kydex sheath.

It’s almost goes without saying, but this sheath is beautifully made and has excellent retention. When secured the knife doesn’t wiggle around at all, but it is still easy enough to draw when you need it. The blade and sheath fit together with an extremely satisfying “snap.” It’s just been really well done.

In addition to the great sheath you also get a tek-lock, which typically sells for around $10 by itself. Tom designed this sheath for horizontal or vertical carry with the tek-lock, but you could secure the sheath with paracord or some other means. Regardless of the way you decide to carry this knife, the sheath is an absolute home run.

Boker Plus Vox BOB Review – Final Thoughts

I thought the Vox BOB was an extremely cool design on paper, and I’m pleased to say that it’s a exceptionally nice knife in person too. I love the clean lines meshed with the raw versatility of the design. The thick tang is very unique on a production knife, and when combined with all the other details it makes for a very versatile tool. The level of fit and finish is high, and the choice of materials here are all quite good.

But what really drives this knife home for me is the inclusion of an awesome sheath. A handmade kydex sheath on a production knife is totally unheard of (but completely welcomed). Retention is crisp, the details are great, and the sheath elevates the BOB from a good production fixed blade into a great one.

With a retail price of around $100, the BOB is not particularly cheap. But when you consider that this is a well made knife that comes with both a handmade sheath and a tek-lock I think the price is well justified. The Vox BOB really is a complete package, and I think it’s well worth a look for fans of prepping, camp knives and survival blades.

Boker Plus Bob Knife

AUS-8 steel blade
Canvas Micarta handles
Includes Kydex sheath.
AUS-8 stainless steel blade, with a thickness of 7mm
3-D canvas Micarta handles

I recommend purchasing the Vox BOB at Amazon.com and BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Cold Steel Ti-Lite Review

by Dan Jackson 18 Comments

Last Updated: July 28, 2019
The Cold Steel Ti-Lite is a knife that I received in a trade. As a collector I find myself often buying and selling knives, and I routinely get it hit up with trade propositions. I must confess, the decision to acquire a Ti-Lite was really a product of impulsiveness rather than a well researched and rationalized decision. All I knew was the general shape of the knife and that it was a fairly popular offering from Cold Steel.

Buy the Cold Steel Ti-Lite at BladeHQ

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A few days later the Ti-Lite was in my hands. Again, it’s confession time. The styling of this particular knife was not my cup of tea, and I was turned off by how unfriendly the design was to left handed people like myself. So I stuck the Ti-Lite on a shelf and would revisit it occasionally. It was a great knife for when I needed a little distraction. I’d practice waving it off my pocket and imitating some of the “sweet moves” you often find in Cold Steel’s promotional videos.

So when I first got it I really wasn’t interested in reviewing the knife, but the Ti-Lite has slowly grown on me. It still isn’t a part of my EDC rotation, I don’t think it’s a practical utility knife, and it really isn’t lefty friendly, but the Ti-Lite is a well made purpose-built tactical knife, and I’d still like to spend some time and talk about it.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Ti-Lite comes in 2 blade sizes, the 4″ version shown here and a much larger 6″ version. I happen to have the 4″ version which sports an overall length of 8-3/4″ and weighs 3.6 ounces. This is a long and slim design, and I immediately likened it to a Spyderco Endura. However, a big difference between the Ti-Lite and Endura is that the Endura is a much more versatile design, and can excel at both utility and “tactical” (defensive/offensive) tasks. In my mind the Ti-Lite is much less versatile and really is best suited for stabbing stuff. As we will learn, this Ti-Lite does that job quite well.

The blade on the Ti-Lite is a spearpoint design. The knife is hollow ground, and grind line pretty much goes down the center of the blade and reinforces the very sharp tip. On the spine of the knife you have a long aggressive swedge, and the edge has been neatly applied. There is just a very slight amount of belly here – like I said earlier, I don’t think this would make a particularly good utility knife. A nice satin finish rounds things out. All in all the blade is very well done, and resembles a folding railroad spike.

The blade is made from a 3mm thick AUS 8A stainless steel. This is a mid range Japanese stainless steel known for it’s ability to be easily sharpened and take a great edge. It’s common on Cold Steel’s current offerings and I generally don’t mind it, even if it won’t hold an edge as well as higher end steels. Really you aren’t going to do much actual cutting with this thing, mainly you need something tough – AUS8 is tough and reasonably inexpensive. Given the price, the intended use, and the way you would primarily use this knife I think AUS8 was a good choice here.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

My Ti-Lite came with Zytel (reinforced plastic) handle scales over full stainless steel liners. A full Zytel backspacer rounds out the design. There is also a more expensive [easyazon-link asin=”B001DZNST6″]aluminum version[/easyazon-link] that weighs about an ounce more. I really don’t see any advantage to the aluminum version, but I know some people simply aren’t fans of reinforced plastic handles. The Zytel on my knife is nicely finished, and the stainless steel liners have been given a little polish. Everything is well lined up and fits flush together. I like the screw type construction and how light and sturdy the handle feels. All in all this is a well made handle.

Like the blade shape, the ergonomics of the Ti-Lite are fairly one-note. 2 sharp quillions dominate both the aesthetic considerations and ergonomic qualities of the knife. These quillions are great for deploying the blade (more on that later) but make actually handing the knife somewhat awkward in most normal positions. The quillion on the top of the knife is right where the thumb ramp would normally be, and is rather sharp and uncomfortable. Really the knife is best held in either a reverse grip or a ice pick style grip, although you could straddle the quillion and rest your thumb on the spine of the blade. In the more stabbing oriented grips, the handle really fills the hand and I found the knife to be plenty comfortable. Regular forward grips for utility work are much more awkward.

The pocket clip is a sturdy piece of steel that has been given a bright satin finish. On a knife like this I’d really prefer a blackened clip, but it does match the rest of the stainless steel hardware quite well. A bigger gripe might be that the clip allows for right side tip up carry only. But the good thing here is that the clip is sturdy and offers nice retention. Also, the knife rides rather high in the pocket, not really a big deal in my opinion because of the way the knife deploys.

Deployment and Lockup

With the Cold Steel Ti-Lite you have several options for deployment. My favorite by far is using the quillion to “wave” this knife off the right pocket. Of course what I’m referring to is the wave feature found on many Emerson knives that opens the knife as you draw it from your pocket by catching a protrusion on the blade on the corner of your pocket. This action it snaps open the blade almost instantly, and is easily the fastest way to deploy the knife.

Traditionalists may prefer using the included thumbstud. Southpaws beware, this knife only has a right side thumb stud, and it’s not reversible in the slightest. For that reason, you may prefer to use the quillions to open the knife. If this part of the review was kind of confusing, I suggest checking out my video review – I think I do a slightly better job of explaining the various deployment methods there.

Regardless of the method you choose to deploy your Ti-Light deployment will be very smooth thanks to some teflon washers. Typically I am not a huge fan of teflon washers, but they are well implemented here and I honestly didn’t even realize they were teflon until I closely examined the knife before review (after months of ownership). Blade centering is dead on as well, so I’ve got no complaints.

The Ti-Lite makes use of a large liner lock to secure the blade open. My liner lock engages about 3/4 of the way, and is extremely sturdy. I did not experience any blade play at all, even after waving the knife open hundreds of times. It is a strong lock.

Cold Steel Ti-Lite Review – Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a dedicated defensive knife and are a fan of the retro styling, then I can recommend the Cold Steel Ti-Lite. It’s well made, features good materials, and at around $40 new you aren’t going to break the bank. I will say that this is definitely a specialized knife. It is really only good for stabbing stuff in my opinion, and leaves much to be desired as an EDC or utility knife. Also, the knife is really not lefty friendly – if you are left handed I’d just leave this one alone.

But what the Ti-Lite does, it does really well. It’s a very strong stabbing implement. So ultimately the decision rests on the desires of the consumer. Is this a must have knife? Not in my opinion, but for what it is the Ti-Lite is a nicely done knife.

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I recommend purchasing the Cold Steel Ti-Lite 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.

Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Review

by Dan Jackson 50 Comments

Last Updated: July 13, 2019
Poll any knife reviewer, knife YouTube Channel, or knife forum, asking what the best Every Day Carry (EDC) knife is, and the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 is going to come up time and time again. It’s a rock star in the EDC world, and for good reason. It’s a form follows function design with great cutting ability, great ergonomics, and that difficult to describe “X” factor that keeps people coming back year after year.

Buy the Para 2 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

I originally purchased and reviewed this knife in 2012. Looking back, the review is a little stale, but the knife continues to be in my personal rotation of daily carry blades, and it continues to have captured the hearts and minds of knife enthusiasts around the globe. So I am going to try to break down why the knife is so good in this updated Spyderco Paramilitary 2 review.

And let me assure you that this is not some flash in the pan hot take. I’ve owned this knife for over 5 years now, and have compared it to hundreds of knives. I’m giving the review a major update in 2018. So strap in and lets explore why this USA Made gem continues to hit all the buttons for edged enthusiasts.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Para 2 has an overall length of 8.3″, a 3.4″ blade, weighs 3.75 ounces, and is made in the USA. This is a larger knife, designed to be either a tactical knife or a heavy-duty utility folder. I also know that for many, this is an EDC knife. Personally, the Para 2 is a little bigger than what I typically like to carry, but my knife has seen plenty of use on the weekends.

I must not be alone in finding the Para 2 on the large side, because in 2017 Spyderco released the Paramilitary 3. Ben wrote a full review on it.

The Para 2 features a classic Spyderco drop point blade. It’s been given a full flat grind and is made from 3.5mm blade stock. The knife has a nice amount of belly, an excellent tip and has proven to be a tremendous slicer. Rounding things out is a well ground edge that came extremely sharp. I have found that this is a great knife for food prep. For example, I had to slice a lot of large ciabatta rolls, and the 3.4″ blade really made easy work of the task.

You have the option of a satin finish (shown here) or a diamond like carbon (DLC) coating for the blade on your Paramilitary 2. I like DLC coatings a lot, they are about as good as a knife coating can get, but I have no experience with Spyderco’s formulation. I can say that everything I read about their DLC coating was favorable, and I love my satin finished version.

Blade steel is the very capable S30V. Knife enthusiasts won’t need me to say much about S30V, it has been popular for close to a decade now. But for the uninitiated this is an all around excellent steel. It has been usurped by S35VN and other even more premium steels over the year, but S30V remains more than adequate for most people. S30V is relatively easy to sharpen, takes a very nice edge, and can hold a good working edge for a very long time. It’s also quite resistant to rust and corrosion.

Spyderco has released a number of sprint runs of the Paramilitary 2 over the years in a wide range of exotic steels and handle colors. I’d like to see them upgrade the standard Para 2 to S35VN or CTS-XHP at some point. For the time being a premium version of the knife in S110V with blurple scales is available (apparently as a non-sprint run on Spyderco’s regular lineup for the foreseeable future).

And here is a size comparison with the Para 2 next to my Sage 1:

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The Paramilitary 2 handle is black G10 over nested stainless steel liners. The liners have been milled out somewhat to reduce the weight, and at 3.75 ounces the knife is very light overall. The corners have all been nicely rounded and the liners sit flush with the G10. Everything is screwed together and you have an open construction design with 2 pillars and a very large lanyard loop. All in all, handle construction is top notch.

The ergonomics on the Para 2 are outstanding. Spyderco has once again made excellent use of a 50-50 choil to give you more options and better control over your knife. A 50-50 choil is a finger choil made from both the blade stock and the handle. What I like about this is that you have the option of setting your hand back on the knife to maximize reach, or you can choke up for more detailed cutting tasks. Either way the handle is plenty big and extremely comfortable.

The 50-50 choil is part of the reason why so many Spyderco knives consistently get excellent ergonomic ratings from me. Rounding things out is perhaps one of the best jimped thumb ramps I’ve ever come across. The jimping is just phenomenal on this knife. It practically super-glues your thumb in place without being so toothy it’s uncomfortable.

The pocket clip is a standard Spyderco hour-glass shaped clip. It’s large and has a bright satin finish. It offers good retention and a decently deep carry. The clip works, but I’d love to see a blackened deep carry clip to come standard. That would make the knife more discreet in your pocket. Casey Lynch has developed a deep carry titanium pocket clip for the Para 2, and frankly I think I should get one of these. The standard Spyderco clip works, but it’s not my favorite.

The Spyderco Paramilitary 2 carries great in the pocket. Although this is a larger knife, the Para 2 is thin and relatively lightweight, so it doesn’t weigh down your pockets and doesn’t create much bulk. It’s no Dragonfly II, a knife I routinely forget I’m carrying, but the Para 2 carries surprisingly well for a larger knife thanks to the thin design.

Deployment and Lock

Deployment on the Paramilitary 2 is accomplished via an oversized Spyder-hole. And I really do mean oversized. At 14mm in diameter it is really a much bigger thumb hole than I am used to – but I quickly grew accustomed to it and now I absolutely love it. Deployment is incredibly, fast, smooth and consistent. This is a great knife to use with gloves and it ensures a smooth and effortless deployment with every flick. Backing up that oversized thumb hole is a pair of large phosphor bronze washers. These washers are very smooth and only get better as the knife breaks in. So deployment is just outstanding.

The Spyderco Paramilitary 2 makes use of a compression lock to lock the blade open. This is my first review of a knife with a compression lock, and my impressions of the mechanism are extremely favorable.

At first glance this might just appear to be a liner lock on the back of the knife – in practice that really couldn’t be further from the truth. The compression lock works by wedging a piece of the liner between the tang and a stop pin. As force is applied to the knife (from either the spine or the edge) the lock compresses and the sandwich of tang, liner and pin hold the blade firmly in place. The harder you push on the knife, the tighter the lock gets. It’s an incredibly strong design and is really quite ingenious.

There is no blade play of any kind with my knife, and the compression lock is easy to use with one hand. I like how you can disengage the lock and fold away the blade without placing your fingers within the path of the blade.

Another thing I really like about the compression lock is how easy it is to disengage with one hand. It may take a little practice at first, but it’s easy to close the knife one hand without putting your fingers anywhere near the path of the edge – a total impossibility with a liner lock or frame lock. This makes the knife infinitely fun to manipulate. In terms of pure blade-flicking enjoyment I rank it right up there with an axis lock. I’ve heard some accounts of the lock being sticky, I have not experienced that personally and would think that any stickiness would go away as the knife breaks in.

Here is a parting shot of my Para 2 next to the Benchmade Griptilian. And while I’m at it, here is a link to an article I wrote on the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 vs. the Benchmade Griptilian if you are trying to decide between the two.

Blade centering on my knife is perfect.

Spyderco Paramilitary 2 vs. Para 3

I’m sure many readers are looking for a size comparison between the Para 2 and Para 3. Ben reviewed the Para 3 back in 2017, and I acquired and reviewed a Para 3 Lightweight in 2019. Here is a size comparison between the two knives:

As you can see the Para 3 is significantly shorter. Now, I’ve got the LW version of the Para 3 so this isn’t exactly an “apples to apples” comparison, but the major difference between the Para 2 and 3 that I noticed is the shorter handle of the Para 3. It’s a good deal shorter. I’ve found the ergonomics aren’t quite as good on the Para 3, but it’s much more pocketable. That’s the biggest trade off.

You sacrifice some comfort and blade length for a smaller, easier to carry knife. True Spyderco fans will inevitably acquire both.

Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Review – Final Thoughts

The Spyderco Paramilitary 2 is just an outstanding knife. It’s no surprise that this is the EDC of a lot of serious knife collectors. If you poll a group of people who routinely purchase $100-500+ knives, odds are very good that a Paramilitary 2 is a serious part of their EDC rotation. This is for very good reason. You have a tough knife with premium steel that is wonderfully balanced, highly ergonomic, and extremely functional. When you factor in the ~$100 price tag and fact that it’s made in the USA, well, the knife just speaks for itself.

If you want a workhorse of an EDC or a robust folding tactical knife, I think that the Paramilitary 2 should be very high on your list. It easily makes my best EDC knives list and receives my highest endorsement.

Sale

Spyderco Para Military 2 Signature Knife with 3.42" CPM S45VN Steel Blade and Durable G-10 Handle - PlainEdge - C81GP2

An Improved Classic: Undeniably one of Spyderco's most popular and in-demand designs, the Para Military 2 distills the world-class performance of our legendary Military Model into a more compact, Pocket-Friendly package.
Superior Quality: We kept the same high-performance full flat-ground blade but we've also lengthened the blade's tip and added additional surface jimping to both the spine and finger coil.
A Secure Grip: The G-10 handle is narrowed at the end improving the Ergonomics. The handle and blade have been profile thinner; removing uncomfortable angles when in the closed position.
Easy-to-Use: The Para Military 2 features extreme strength, reliability, and ease of use of our patented Compression Lock mechanism and versatility of a 4-position pocket clip.
Dependable: Refinements to overall construction may not be drastic but from the G-10 textured handle to the steel full flat blade, everything is sharper, smoother and guaranteed to provide performance and user comfort.

I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 at Amazon or BladeHQ. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this site helps support BladeReviews.com, and keep this review train running. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated.