Knives By Purpose

Spyderco Tenacious Review

Last Updated: December 1, 2019
I found the Spyderco Tenacious when I was looking for a good sized EDC knife on a budget. I did some research and saw that the Tenacious ticked a lot of my boxes.

Buy the Spyderco Tenacious at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

At the time I was interested in a knife with a full flat grind, a large plain edge, G10 handle scales and pillar construction. The Tenacious had that and more – all for under $50. So I ordered the knife and had it at my door a couple days later. The following are my thoughts on the Tenacious after using it as a daily carry for several months.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Tenacious has an overall length of 7-3/4″, a 3 3/8″ blade, weighs 4.0 oz, and is made in China. The blade is not only long but it is fairly wide (from edge to spine) at almost an 1.5″ inches. This is a large knife for EDC (Every Day Carry), and people contemplating the Tenacious for that use may prefer it’s smaller brother, the Persistence or the Ambitious. Here is a size comparison with the Mini Griptilian and Kershaw Skyline so you can see what I mean:

It’s a big knife. Not so much how long it is, but the combination of how long and wide it is. It’s a little more at home next to a full size Benchmade Griptilian and a Spyderco Paramilitary 2:

For this reason, the Tenacious is more of a large utility knife than a true EDC. Sure, it can be carried every day, but it’s a good size knife.

The leaf shaped blade of the Tenacious is made of 8Cr13Mov Stainless steel. 8Cr13Mov is a more inexpensive steel that is comparable with Aus 8. However, Spyderco does an excellent job with the heat treat on this steel and my experiences have found that 8Cr13Mov sharpens well and holds a good edge. That said, compared to harder, more expensive steels you will have to sharpen the knife more frequently.

Also, I really like the full flat grind on this knife. It is like a small kitchen knife and is great for slicing, especially through cardboard. That full flat grind just zips through cardboard. The shape is fairly generic, but there is enough belly for EDC tasks

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle is a of pillar construction, which I really like because it makes the knife easy to clean. The handle is layers of steel with G10 scales. The steel has been milled out to reduce the weight, which is a great touch that I love to see on a cheaper knife. The G10 is lightly textured and feels good. It isn’t super abrasive so your pockets will be spared, but it offers nice tactile feedback. I haven’t had any problems with the knife slipping out of my hand, probably because the ergonomics are so good. The G10 has been contoured around the liner lock and there is very good jimping on the thumb ramp and the lock, this makes the knife very easy and comfortable to use.

The ergonomics on the Tenacious are quite good. It has a pretty big handle and it has been well designed. My palm fits nicely and the corners have been rounded slightly for comfort. Also the knife is designed to provide the user good traction, which I find to be important for a mid sized folding EDC knife like this. Since it is a cheap knife, I have a tendency to have it do my “dirty work” that I wouldn’t subject some of my more expensive knives too. The large thumb ramp and jimping really helps keep your thumb in place and maintain control when putting some power behind the blade. I’ve used this knife pretty hard and “Tenacious” is an apt name because it keeps on ticking.

Pocket clips can be a problem with expensive knives, let alone cheap ones, so I was really pleased with the clip on the Tenacious. It’s a signature Spyderco Hourglass shaped clip that provides good pocket retention without shredding your pants up. Also the clip is mountable on all 4 corners of the knife, so you can carry this knife in your left or right pocket, tip up or tip down. As a lefty on a budget, I loved this feature. The knife rides pretty low in your pocket.

I will say that my clip had a tendency to come loose until I hit it with some lock-tite. My guess is that you are going to want to do the same.

Deployment and Lock Up

The deployment on this knife is very nice. The thumb hole (“Spyderhole”) makes it easy to access the blade with bare hands or gloves – in rain or shine. The action is smooth, thanks in part to phosphor bronze bushings. The bushings on this knife are apparently pretty thin, but I’ve been flicking this knife open for months and it still deploys very smoothly.

Also, the lock on this knife is solid. The Tenacious uses a thick liner lock that bites deep into the blade. I detect zero up and down movement when the knife is locked and a tiny amount of side to side movement.

Here is a parting size comparison with the Delica and Endura:

Overall Fit and Finish

So one thing that kind of concerned me about this knife was that it was made in China. At the time the Tenacious originally came out, there was a lot of stigma regarding Chinese manufacturing and Chinese knives. Today, with the advent of high end Chinese knife manufacturers like Reate, there is less of a concern, although certainly some of that original stigma still exists.

I will say that the build quality of the Tenacious is impressive considering the price. I am pleased with the fit and finish and whoever manufactured this for Spyderco did a good job.

Spyderco Tenacious Review – Final Thoughts

As I turn to my final remarks on the Tenacious, I think we should consider the topic of “value” – as that often plays in to the commentary on the Tenacious, and many consider this to be a “value” knife. To be honest, I think the knife is well priced right around $30. It’s a good amount of knife for the money, it’s well designed, the materials are adequate, the fit and finish is adequate – I really cant complain. That said, I would likely not pay $50, or $75 for this knife, and think it is priced appropriately for what it is.

The Tenacious rounds out Spyderco’s product line nicely and is an affordable knife that has all of the design elements and features Spyderco is known for. I like the Tenacious and recommend it for someone seeking an affordable larger EDC knife, or a hearty utility knife that can be used hard guilt free.

Spyderco Tenacious Folding Utility Pocket Knife with 3.39" 8Cr13MoV Stainless Steel Blade and Durable Non-Slip G-10 Handle - Everyday Carry - PlainEdge - C122GP

Game Changer: Being tenacious means you are persistent and cohesive. It's being tough and tireless in achieving your best performance; all worthy descriptive words for a hard-use knife
Superior Blade Steel: The 3.39" 8Cr13Mov stainless blade is leaf-shaped and ground flat from spine to cutting edge for non-stop cutting performance.
A Secure Grip: It has a black G-10 laminate handle, Ergonomically milled with prolonged fatigue-free cutting in mind.
Easy-To-Use: The blade's shape coupled with an oversized Spyderco Round Hole and textured spine jimping allows you to open the blade and position your thumb on the spine in slip-proof confidence ready for work.
Pocket-Friendly: The Tenacious includes a Walker Linerlock and a 4-way pocket clip lets the folder be set in a variety of carry and draw positions: Tip-up/tip-down left-hand/right-hand.

I recommend buying the Spyderco Tenacious at Amazon or BladeHQ. Buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com and keeps the website going. Any support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Smith and Wesson SWBG2TS BORDER GUARD Rescue Knife

by Dan Jackson 19 Comments

The Smith and Wesson SWBG2TS Border Guard Rescue Knife is one mean SOB. I’ve been wanting to review this knife for a while now, and now that I’ve carried it I can finally do a review.

Basic Information

This knife has a large 4.4″ blade of 440C stainless steel and an overall length of 10″. Combine the big blade with a heavy glass breaker and solid steel liners and this knife sits right around 9 ounces. No doubt, it’s a heavy knife for heavy duty tasks. Don’t let the weight fool you, the deployment on this blade is fast, very fast. It has teflon washers that help flick out the blade with authority. The sound of the deployment alone is quite impressive. Its got a nice “crack” sound to it, faintly reminiscent of cambering a round in my S&W 1012.

Blade Details

This is a tanto blade with a saber grind. It’s coated in black teflon and has a couple reliefs / blood grooves cut into it. A tanto blade is great for piercing and thrust movements because of the heavily reinforced tip. This knife is designed for heavy, tactical use and the “border control” designation triggers in my mind visions of heavy duty tactical situations against Mexican drug lords; extreme defensive counters, slicing open large packages of black tar heroin, and conducting complicated field surgeries in addition to more mundane EDC tasks around the office like opening dossiers and spreading extra butter on your Texas toast – your mileage may vary.

Handle

The handle is made of 2 slabs of machined aircraft aluminum. It’s textured for grip and feels good in the hand. It’s anodized a jet black and has a deep glossy finish. Inside is a blackened steel liner lock that holds the blade very securely. The knife is a pillar construction, which I prefer because it makes it easy to clean.

The pocket clip is held in place by 3 allen screws and allows for right handed tip up carry only. Tip up carry is good for these knives but I would have preferred to see an ambidextrous option.

Glass Breaker and Seatbelt Cutter

The glass breaker is a big chunk of steel in the back of the handle. I think this knife would work very well in this capacity although I haven’t had a chance to break any glass yet. As I said before, the knife is heavy so you will have a lot of weight coming down on that point. Also, there is a seat belt / cord cutter. This is handy and helps give the knife it’s rescue designation. The blade on this is like a razor and easily slices through clothing and cord.

Smith and Wesson Border Guard – Final Thoughts

The Border Guard is a fairly ridiculous knife, but given the price point, I wouldn’t completely dismiss it. With aluminum handles and a 440C blade, this is an inexpensive beater blade, and is not something I would recommend to true knife enthusiasts. Fans of the Smith and Wesson brand may also be disappointed to learn that this knife is made in China, and S&W sold the right to use the Smith and Wesson name to Taylor Brands. So this is not actually made by Smith and Wesson.

That said, for less than $20 you do get a functioning folding knife with plenty of bells and whistles. It’s not really my thing, but you may find room for it in your collection.

If you would like to buy a S&W Border Guard, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon.com. 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.

[easyazon-block asin=”B0037F1B9E” align=”center”]

Smith & Wesson SWFRS First Response Knife

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

Last Updated: August 2, 2019
The Smith & Wesson SWFRS First Response Knife is an emergency knife designed for those situations that you hate to think about but have to consider like a car accident or natural disaster. Smith and Wesson has put together a solid knife that is inexpensive enough to dedicate to your car or truck and nice enough to carry every day.

Buy the S&W First Response at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

First of all, the knife has a drop point, combo edge blade. Typically, I’m not crazy about combo edges, but for an emergency knife where you would potentially be sawing through clothing, rope or a seat belt, a partially serrated blade can be a good choice. The blade measures 3.3″ and is made of 440C high carbon stainless steel, a tough steel that holds it’s edge well. In addition to the primary blade, a seat belt cutter is sunk into the back part of the handle. This cutter is great for cutting seat belts, but also an serve to cut cord and other fibrous material.

In addition to the seat-belt cutter, a glass breaker has been molded into the pommel of the knife. If you were to get into an automobile and your vehicle went into a body of water, it could be difficult, if not impossible to open the doors or windows. That’s where a glass punch like this is essential. It concentrates the entire force of a swing into one tiny point, creating the impact necessary to shatter the tough glass used in modern vehicles.

The handle is a combination of stainless steel and G10 scales to provide a tough and slip resistant grip on the knife. The handle is large and comfortable and the blade rests securely in the hand. The handle compliments the large and heavy blade that you can easily deploy with a flick of the wrist. The primary mode of deployment is a large thumb disk on the top of the blade. This makes the knife easy to open in a variety of conditions, even when you are wearing gloves. When open, the knife locks up tight with a sturdy liner lock. This is a solid chunk of steel and I was impressed by the weight and balance of this inexpensive blade.

Smith and Wesson SWFRS First Response Knife Review – Final Thoughts

The SWFRS is an inexpensive rescue knife that could be a good option for someone looking for an inexpensive beater knife with rescue knife features. At well under $20, this is not the most finely crafted piece of cutlery on the market, but it is bound to appeal to certain buyers and represents decent value for money.

Potential buyers may be disappointed to learn that the SWFRS is not actually made by Smith and Wesson, but is made using the Smith and Wesson brand in China. Still, they say price cures all problems and for around $15 you get a reasonably solid folding knife that you can beat on without feeling guilty.

Sale

Smith & Wesson SWFRS 8in High Carbon S.S. Folding Knife with 3.3in Drop Point Serrated Blade and S.S. with G-10 Inlay Handle for Outdoor, Tactical, Survival and EDC

DIMENSIONS: 8 inch (20.3 cm) overall length with a blade length of 3.3 inches (8.4 cm) and a weight of 5.8 ounces
DURABLE: Blade is made of reliable 7Cr17MoV High Carbon Stainless Steel with stainless steel handle with G-10 inlay
DEPENDABLE: Quick and easy access with the convenient pocket clip and ambidextrous thumb plate making it ideal for everyday carry
SECURE: Have confidence that the blade will not slip with the security of the liner lock
BE PREPARED: Knife Features Glass Breaker And Seatbelt Cutter

If you are interested in purchasing the S&W SWFRS I recommend buying it at Amazon.com or BladeHQ.

Smith and Wesson Homeland Security Survival Knife

by Dan Jackson 3 Comments

The Rothco Smith and Wesson Homeland Security Survival Knife is a large Urban Survival Knife from Smith and Wesson. As the “Urban” designation suggests, this knife is designed differently from a forest survival knife. The large tanto blade, urban camo paint job, and large non-functional serrations on the back of the blade add to the urban effect.

Stainless Steel Blade

The tanto blade shape was a good choice for this knife. Tanto blades are great for stabbing and piercing attacks. In an urban survival situation I could see myself having to drive this knife through all sorts of things like drywall, sheet metal, or even an assailant so I really like the extra tip strength the tanto blade provides.

No products found.

The 8″ long 440C high stainless steel blade is<--!more--> plenty big and it has a titanium nitride coating for added durability. This is a large and solidly built knife and it feels nice and heavy in the hand. What I really like about this knife is the balance. It slightly favors the blade which makes it perfect for chopping survival tasks. I could see myself busting up pallets for a fire or hacking a door down with this knife.

G10 Handle

The S&W Homeland Security comes with 5 3/4″ handle. The handle scales are made of a textured G10 and are bolted on to the knife in 3 positions. The G10 offers nice grip and the shape of the handle feels good in the hand. Something I really like about this handle is S&W’s inclusion of three lanyard holes. This is important if you are going to do any kind of heavy chopping. Also, you can lash this knife to the end o a pole to make a spear.

Cordura Sheath

The Homeland Securty comes with a decent cordura sheath. This isn’t the best sheath in town but it will get the job done. It is pretty simple sheath with belt loop and a velcro strap for the handle. It has good blade retention and provides ambidextrous access. As an added bonus the outside pouch comes with a diamond coated sharpening stone. You can use the stone or replace it with a firestarter or whatever other survival gear you find necessary.

No products found.

Schrade SMEDB/SMEDY California Issue Knife

by Dan Jackson 3 Comments

The Schrade SMEDB California Issue is often referred to as a large version of the Schrade SCALY a very popular small folding knife that can be easily converted in to a “California Legal” automatic knife.

Model Name / Nomenclature

It took a little digging around before this really clicked for me but I am fairly certain that SCALY stands for Schrade California Legal, Yellow. SMEDB simply stands for Schrade Medium Black. SMEDY indicates that the handle scales are yellow.

Dimensions, Blade Steel and Specifications

The SMEDB has a 2.5 inch drop point blade with a 3.5 inch handle. At a mere 2.3 ounces, this is a nice every day carry (EDC) option. The knife is made of 440C, a go too steel for Schrade with good durability and edge retention. The SMEDB is a sized knife with a 440C drop point blade with a plain edge and a either a mirror polished finish or a black teflon coating depending on if you get the SMEDY or SMEDB. Schrade does a good job of putting an edge on this blade from the factory however I hit it with a few laps on my fine ceramic stone and a leather strop to get it hair popping sharp. It holds an edge very well.

Handle

The handle is made out of T6061 aluminum with a black or yellow delrin inserts. The handle is thick and slightly bowed giving it a nice feel in the hand. The pillar style construction of the handle makes it very easy to clean and I like the look of it a lot. A large aluminum push button is a prominent feature on the handle. You have to push the button to release the blade.

Automatic Capable

Ok so a lot of buzz around this knife is that it is an automatic. Well, its often advertised as an automatic, but when it gets to your door it probably won’t be an automatic. That’s due to the various legalities surrounding automatic knives in the US (assuming you are buying this in the States). Generally speaking, you will have to buy a spring for this knife to convert it into an automatic. Depending on where you live that could make the knife illegal so do some research before making the decision. The nice thing is, if you want to make this knife an automatic it is an extremely easy conversion. You can buy a coil spring on ebay (some online merchants carry them too) open up the knife, and the spring drops right in – everything is pre-drilled and ready to go.

Safety

An important feature of this knife (especially if you decide to do an auto conversion) is the safety on top of the handle. It’s a solid sliding lock safety that will keep the knife closed and prevent it from accidentally deploying. If you read my Schrade SCALY review you would know that this safety is a feature we may see disappearing from non-Benchmade automatic knives due to an ongoing lawsuit. If you are interested in this knife, I would buy it now rather than later so you get one with this important safety feature.

Limited Availability

In addition to the safety lock being in danger of disappearing it appears that the entire knife might be going the way of the dinosaur as well. I’ve heard rumors that Schrade is discontinuing these knives. If this is a knife you are interested in, get it while the getting is good.

[easyazon-block asin=”B00181R7KQ” align=”center”]

Schrade Extreme Survival Assisted OTF

by Dan Jackson 9 Comments

I was at a gun show outside New Orleans when I first saw the Schrade Extreme Survival Assisted Out The Front (OTF). I think I said something like “Dang that is COOL” when I first shot the blade out the front of the knife. 5 minutes and $35 later the OTF was heading home with me.

Buy on Amazon

I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I buy knives just because I plain think they are cool. Despite getting tons of “abuse” opening envelopes and the occasional cardboard box, this little assisted opening number by Schrade was definitely in the cool category. I never intended to use it hard, and I never have. You know what? That’s OK. In fact, I think it’s more than OK to buy a knife because it’s cool. A lot of enjoyment I get out of collecting knives is simply playing around with them. It’s safe to say I’ve had plenty of time to play with this one, and now it’s time to get to work and write a review.

Dimensions, Steel and Blades

This knife is actually a pretty good size for a EDC blade. It has a 3″ blade with a 4″ handle. At 4.8 ounces it might be a little on the heavy side, but this isn’t your typical folder and the weight seems justified.

The blade is made out of Krupp 4116 stainless steel. 4116 is a bit of a departure from what Scrhade uses for a lot of their knives (440C stainless steel). 4116 is fine grained German steel made by the TyssenKrupp Company. This kind of steel is often used as a surgical steel and is known for it’s corrosion resistance, hardness and edge retention. I’ve found it to be a better at edge retention than 440C and it is a very hard steel. This is a high quality steel more than adequate for the basic tasks I’ve thrown at the Schrade OTF.

This knife comes in a variety of blade shapes. I chose the plain tanto edge for mine, but I’ve noticed it carried in a drop point configuration as well as partially serrated options. The blade is nice and sharp and comes with a gun metal gray aluminum nitride coating which gives the knife a nice tactical look to it.

The Assisted Mechanism

The way this knife works, is that there is a thumbslide at the base of the handle that you push forward on. When you push it forward a little the spring engages and assists the knife open. I wouldn’t call this a “hair trigger” it does involve a little force to get it going. Once it does engage the knife snaps open very quickly. Keep in mind this knife is different from a full on automatic knife in that the assisted knife is legal to carry in many states. (The main functional difference between the 2 types of knives is that an assisted knife requires a little more work on your part to get it open, an automatic knife opens at the touch of the button and is illegal to carry in most states).

The spring mechanism on this knife is very nice. It shoots the blade out very quickly with a nice satisfying click and then it locks up tightly. With this kind of knife you will get a little blade play due to the nature of the design, but it’s really not bad with this Schrade. If you are anything like me, the assisted open will provide hours of entertainment during those long conference calls and times spent daydreaming at your desk.

Dual Safeties

One concern with a spring assisted knife is accidentally opening it. This is a really sharp knife so you do not want that to happen. Thankfully Schrade put some time into designing the two safeties on this knife. The first safety is located on the side of the handle and it locks the knife open or closed. The second safety is a thumb safety that will lock the blade open. You definitely want to take advantage of the safety features of this knife.

Aluminum Handle

The handle on this knife is made of 1061 machined aircraft aluminum anodized a matte black. It’s got a light texturing on the sides and a little bit of light jimping on the base and thumb ramp. It’s an angular shaped handle, not particularly comfortable, but solid and reassuring. Schrade did carve out something of a finger groove to make the handle a little more ergonomic. All in all it’s a solidly made handle.

Glass Breaker and Pocket Clip

A black glass breaker is set into the butt of this knife. It’s actually a pretty good sized breaker for a smaller knife(as you can see in the picture above). In a pinch this would have no problem breaking glass although ideally I would have something bigger.

There is a pocket clip on this knife. It’s made of steel with a semi-glossy black finish. It rides pretty low in the pocket which is good for concealment. This clip only works for tip down carry, which in this case makes sense due to the way you would draw it. All in all I would say this is a nice clip with good placement.

Schrade Extreme Survival Assisted OTF Review – Bottom Line

This is a fun knife that I like to keep around the house and take out with me occasionally. For an EDC blade I would go with something a little more practical; a more conventional liner, lockback or frame lock knife depending on what I feel like carrying that day. Also, I wouldn’t recommend this knife for self defense. I know a lot of people like the idea of using it for that purpose because it is an assisted knife. Really, I would much rather have a bigger knife in that kind of situation. The bottom line is that this is a very well made knife that has been a lot of fun owning.

Schrade SCHOTF2TB Extreme Survival Out The Front Knife with 2nd Generation Assisted Open, Black Tanto Blade

The best place for more reviews from people who have owned the knife is on Amazon. Click here see what the reviewers on Amazon have to say about the Schrade OTF.