Folding Knives

CJRB Talla Review

A few months back, and I fully admit I’m late to this party, I stumbled across a Youtube interview with self-defense expert, knife designer, and all around “guy who knows his stuff” Michael Janich. I became familiar with Janich years ago because he’d produced quite a bit of content for some of the shooting sports / self-defense print publications I also write for, so as soon as the name crept into my “suggested for you” feed, my eyes widened a bit.

Janich helped provide an answer to a question that had lingering in the back of my mind for some time: what’s the deal with Wharncliffes, and what functional advantage do they offer over something like a tanto or drop point? (They look weird, I often thought to myself.)

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To summarize Janich’s thoughts: the blade style makes for an unexpectedly aggressive cutter. In a test of several different types of blades, Janich found that none penetrated as deep or as effortlessly with slashing motions as did the wharncliffe. Theoretically, a knife of this type would have a distinctive advantage in terms of being able to cleave deeply through the muscle groups of a violent aggressor and disable further attacks. As a collaborator-turned-employee of Spyderco, Janich’s insights ultimately culminated in the company’s Ronin and Yojimbo designs, which receive uniformly high praise and I have no doubt are well-equipped to handle the self-defense roles he imagined.

Now, rare is the Blade Reviews reader who isn’t also a Spyderco fan. For that reason, no one would be blamed for listening to Janich and promptly buying one of his designs, as many of his students tend to do after taking one of his self-defense classes. That said, and as good as Spyderco is, I doubted it held a monopoly on the concept of the wharncliffe as a tactical tool. Thus began the hunt for a similar breed of knife suited to a defensive role, but at a more affordable price point.

My search concluded quickly. Within a few days of watching Janich’s video, I discovered the CJRB Talla. While not an absolutely textbook example of a fighting wharncliffe, I think it hews close enough to what he had in mind and I’d also heartily recommend it to anyone just plain looking for “a good knife” large EDC.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The CJRB Talla is a large knife. Not gargantuan, “Cold Steel” levels of absolute ridiculousness, mind you: it’s just a regular kind of big. With a closed length of nearly 4 and 3/4”, a width of about a half inch (not including the clip), and a weight of 4.43 oz, you’ll feel it in the pocket. But, as some experts say of handguns carried for self defense, “It’s supposed to be comforting, not comfortable.”

Here is a size comparison with a Para 3 and a RAT II.

The blade itself is an imposing, flat-ground wharncliffe with an overall length of three and a half inches. The spine of the knife narrows into the tip through a series of angles and swedges that are likely more for visual interest than functionality. While not a 100% true Wharncliffe due to just a slight amount of belly, the subtle curve of the knife puts the tip only about ten or fifteen degrees away from where it’d be located if the edge was perfectly linear.

Delivering good value right out of the gate, the CJRB Talla’s blade is D2 steel. While D2 is known to be a little bit of a bear to sharpen in comparison to the other budget steels (to wit: 440, 8Cr13MoV, or AUS-8), the relatively straight blade of the Talla should make restoring a good edge an easier proposition if you’re using the blade enough to dull it.

The drawback of the Wharncliffe is that it has a fairly delicate tip in comparison to other blade types. This is not an ideal blade for chopping wood or penetrating through 55 gallon drums, and it is especially not for prying. Supposing, however, that you snapped off the last half inch of tip, it’s not like the rest of this knife would suddenly burst into flames— you’d still have a good 3” of usable blade left.

That tip, however, allows for remarkably precise work on softer material. Put the tip at whatever you’d like cut, flick your wrist, and thy will be done. The knife is a little on the big side for ultra delicate operations, but in general it’s pretty darn good at getting into tight, small work spaces and that last eighth of an inch of blade can do some impressive things.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

If there’s a grippier knife, I don’t know of it. The Talla features G10 handles that are scored with a series of parallel striations. These grooves aren’t necessarily sharp, per se, but they really do lock into the skin. With a secure grip, this knife isn’t going anywhere. Additionally, the handles are subtly contoured into an oval-like grip shape, so it sits a little less flat in the hand than most EDC knives.

Additionally, in the deployed position, the flipper forms a very prominent and reassuring finger guard to make sure that there’s no way your hand is ever going to get out in front of the blade. I’ve read that some users initially thought the tab was sharp around the edges, but mine seems adequately rounded. This might be something CJRB addressed in successive iterations and small design fixes.

The Talla comes with a deep-carry pocket clip that only exposes about a sixteenth of an inch of handle. It’s not absolutely flush with the end of the bottom of the knife, but it’s very close. The clip is ambidextrous and only oriented for tip up carry, so those who prefer a tip down style might want to look elsewhere.

Personally, I quite like this clip: it doesn’t provide too much tension (the G10 will provide additional purchase anyway), and doesn’t result in any significant hot spots during use or hard gripping. I tend to instantly excise most pocket clips that provide any ergonomic headache, so the fact that I’ve left mine on is as high of praise as I can provide.

Deployment and Lockup

The CJRB Talla is a non-assisted mechanical flipper that runs on ceramic ball bearings. To me, this passes all of the hallmarks of the “good flipper” test. With a perfectly straight wrist, a normal amount of pressure on the generous flipper tab will cause the blade to kick out and into lockup every time. Additionally, the Talla doesn’t rely on a monstrously, stupid-heavy detent. This may be because the larger blade has a better ability to build up momentum as the flipper is depressed.

The Talla uses a full-profile stainless steel liner for lockup. On a knife of this size, those non-skeletonized liners are probably a contributor to the relatively hefty weight of 4.43 ounces. They are decently beefy, and the entire front edge of the liner nestles into the middle of the blade for a good sixteenth of an inch of contact surface. I couldn’t detect any issues with either blade centering or lateral play.

On the whole, the knife is extremely solid on lockup and idiot-proof to deploy from any position. There are no thumb studs or nail nicks, but admittedly the blade has so much exposed real estate that you can always pinch it and pull it out into deployment if you didn’t want to use the flipper for whatever reason.

CJRB Talla Review – Final thoughts

I’ll admit that I have absolutely no idea if CJRB envisioned the Talla as having a primary application of personal defense. Maybe they did, or maybe they would wince at the suggestion; I really don’t know. What I do know is that considering the qualities I’d want in a carry knife, the Talla has a lot going for it. I’d absolutely trust it if I needed to cut my way out of a problem. In fact, it seems too well-suited to this purpose for me to consider it to have arisen purely by accident.

Note that I don’t mean to be too sanguine or nonchalant about this self-defense business. To paraphrase Masaad Ayoob, expert witness and author of numerous books about lethal force, “Every bullet fired has a lawyer behind it.” The decision to wield any weapon in defense of one’s life or the lives of others is not one to be taken lightly. If rushed or ill-considered, your actions could put you squarely in a jail cell—or worse. All of us who carry a knife should hope to god we never have to draw it in desperation.

With that disclaimer, those specifically looking for a defensive tool should give this a look. The knife offers an imposing blade that is more than up to aggressive slicing, and the D2 steel is hardy and takes a great edge. Naturally, the Talla is just as much capable of opening letters, breaking down boxes, and scoring surfaces. However, if you flick this thing out in the middle of the office, that large, aggressive blade might raise a few eyebrows.

At the end of the day, this is remarkable value for a street price of forty bucks, regardless of whatever you plan to use it for. CJRB (as well as its parent company, Artisan Cutlery) hadn’t been on my radar before, but suffice it to say that they certainly are now.

CJRB Talla Linerlock Green J1901GNC

Equipped with a flipper opening mechanism to allow you to open the knife with either hand
The straight edge drop point blade is crafted with durable D2 steel; blade measures 3.5 inches long
Overall knife length is 8.27 inches; liner lock keeps the blade firmly in place while in use
Handle material consists of lightly textured G10 to improve grip and prevent slipping
A steel clip is attached to the handle so you can carry the knife conveniently in your pocket

Editor: I recommend purchasing the CJRB Talla at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Shirogorov Ne0n Review

by Aaron Shapiro 1 Comment

I spend a lot of time imagining what it must be like to create a masterpiece. Putting the final brushstroke on Monet’s Water Lilies or for John Frusciante to idly strum the opening chords to Can’t Stop for the very first time. What must be to be involved in the creation of something truly great. That must be something like how Sergey and Igor Shirogorov felt when the Ne0n was designed. It’s rare for me to be such a fan of a knife, this came together in a perfect storm of materials and lines to make something that I truly enjoy putting in my pocket. Although to spoil the ending, it does have one major flaw and that is cost. This is an expensive knife, but in my eyes, I find it well worth the ask.

Buy the Shirogorov Ne0n at BladeHQ

The Shirogorov lineup is a confusing one. They make many different models that seem almost identical to someone that isn’t familiar with their collection. The Neon is one of Shiro’s smaller pieces, the “Zero” or Ne0n has some additional features that earn it this moniker. We’ll get into the specifics here shortly, but suffice to say that I think this is one of the pocket friendliest high-end EDC knives available that isn’t made in Boise.

All Measurements are my measurements and may differ from manufacturers specifications.

Blade: 3.25”

Overall Length: 7.75”

Thickness: .53” with the clip

Blade Thickness: .13”

Steel: M390

Weight: 3oz

Lock: Titanium Framelock with Steel Lockbar Insert

Blade Details

I’ve had two different folks refer to the blade on the Neon as different shapes. It’s a coin toss between a traditional drop point or a subtle reverse tanto. I’m on team drop point, as the spine of the blade DROPS to the point but I’m not going to fight about it. The finish that Shirogorov has used is a really fine, matte stonewash on the blade. This finish is perfect, in my opinion. It catches the light nicely, doesn’t show tape stickies when you’re opening packages or breaking down boxes, and hides any machining marks from manufacturing.

In practice, this knife is a pure laser beam. It moves through paper like it’s not there. It’ll cleanly quarter up an apple to go with your turkey sammy. Cardboard holds no power against the mighty Zero. This is largely due to the thin blade stock and perfectly executed flat grind. Speaking of the grind, it’s pretty remarkable. The plunge lines on either side are perfectly executed and matched. I’m certain that Shirogorov is grinding these, at least mostly, with some sort of CNC machine, but the angle and precision are unusual (and good to see). Just like the plunge, there is a thin swedge that runs the length of the blade until you reach the negative angle near the tip. It’s a very sharp swedge that’s perfectly symmetrical the whole length of the blade.

So, steel… Shirogorov generally makes good steel decisions, in my opinion. They continued that trend with the Ne0n here when they picked M390. M390 is the same (or at least similar enough) to 20CV or CTS-204P. It’s stainless steel that is known for its good edge retention. I’m not one for cut tests or any other of exhibitive “sharpness testing,” let’s just say that I’ve pretty much carried this knife exclusively for a month or so, using it for everything I’d use a knife on, and it’s still SCARY sharp.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Let’s go over the handle finish first. It’s a dark tumbled finish. I’m not going to pretend that I know how they achieved the finish that they did, but it appears to be a “smoother” tumbled finish than I’ve seen – it will, however, repel wear well. I want to point one element of criticism that I’ve heard: I’ve heard people comment on the coarseness of the handle finish. By this I mean you can see some of the tumble marks from the media. This isn’t a problem or even unattractive in my eyes; tumbling after all is just a collection of repetitive scratching. I just wanted to comment on it.

Ergonomically, the Ne0n is just so great. I wear a large glove and this knife sits perfectly in my hand. The handle tapers right behind the pivot then flares back out as it moves into your hand. The edges are all either radiused or chamfered, there are no sharp edges on this handle. It’s super comfy.

The Ne0n’s pocket clip is really interesting. It’s milled from titanium and built using a hidden screw construction. It works great, if you turn and look at the bit that contacts the knife scale you’ll notice that it doesn’t touch the lock bar at all. So provided that you keep your fingers on the clip when deploying you won’t run into any “failures to launch,” due to lock bar pressure.

To round this section out I wanted to touch on a couple of key features that Shirogorov incorporated into this knife. If you look inside of the handle you can see that there is a channel milled out of the backspacer to accommodate the blade. The blade is slightly longer than the handle scales themselves, so the tip and edge sit inside the backspacer. Next, I wanted to point out the milled relief near the flipper tab, this allows you to get a solid press when you’re opening the knife. I think this particular detail adds to this knife’s excellent action.

The lanyard attachment point is equally cool to see. There’s a milled relief towards the rear of the handle that opens up the area around the backspacer to allow for a paracord lanyard to pass through the loop on the backspacer itself. This shows an extra level of detail simply due to the fact that what Shirogorov could have done is allow the backspacer to extend past the scales, but instead of increasing the overall profile of the knife, Shirogorov came up with this clever solution. I can only guess that this along with some of the other elements they’ve folded into this knife increased the cost of production, but it shows the quality of their design. At least that’s my opinion.

Deployment and Lock

The lock on the Shirogorov Neon is a pretty straightforward frame lock with a steel insert. It’s nice to see a steel insert included on this knife, it should prevent any undo lock wear and extend the lifetime of that framelock.

The real special sauce on this knife, however, is the MRBS employed. MRBS stands for Multi-Row Bearing System, the name pretty much describes what this is but I also think a picture on Bladeforums is worth a thousand words. There’s a lot of debate out there as to whether the MRBS is really better than a Single-Row Bearing System (SRBS). I’m not sure how you could actually “prove” that this system is better. In my mind having more bearings would mean that there is a larger bearing surface for the blade to move on, that seems positive. Based on my experience, the knife is incredibly smooth and fires like a rocket, for these reasons MRBS gets a solid thumbs up from me.

Shirogorov Ne0n Review – Final Thoughts

To conclude I don’t think I have hidden my opinion on the Shirogorov Neon Zero at all. I love this knife. It’s well made, capable, and looks extremely cool. If there was any critical flaw it’s simply that this is an expensive knife. They weigh in at $715, this puts them into the realm of a decent custom build or other high-end production brands like Rockstead. Is it worth it? Well, that’s going to be an individual determination. I feel like it is. Between the quality of manufacture and attention to detail, I can see the money in it. As with all things, your mileage may vary.

Shirogorov F3
From: BladeHQ

Occasionally Shirogorov knives find their way to BladeHQ, and I recommend purchasing them there. They aren’t available on Amazon.

Civivi Mckenna Review

by Clayton Walker 3 Comments

Ever been accused of going about something bass-ackwards? Behold the Civivi Mckenna: one of the new breed of “front flippers” that has quietly been developing a following of… well, I wouldn’t say devotees, but definitely a contingent of pleasantly bemused knife flippers who will always give a quirky design a day in court.

Buy the Civivi Mckenna at BladeHQ
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If you’re not familiar with Civivi, it’s a brand extension of the We Knife Company, a Chinese firm founded back in 2000 with a mission of competing on the same quality level with American knife stalwarts like Spyderco and Benchmade (instead of, say, the kind of knives you’d find at a gas station). Civivi specializes in striking a balance of fit, finish, and respectable materials with the intent of higher-volume production.

Note that most people describe Civivi as the “budget” wing of We Knife. I think that’s stretching it a bit, as a shipped price of about seventy bucks here isn’t really “budget” in my book. It’s also questionable to use that term given that this wouldn’t really be anyone’s choice for a rough-and-tumble, tackle the weekend chore list, bet your life on it if you had to kind of knife. The Mckenna is an indulgence through and through, but that’s hardly a bad thing.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Mckenna is an Elijah Isham design. If you’re not familiar with his work, it exists in a continuum ranging from angular to extremely angular. Isham’s Arrakis design for We Knife looks essentially like the kind of knife you’d find in the medical wing of a UFO. His Eschaton (also for We Knife) looks like a bunch of scalpel blades fused together to make a larger knife. I think they’re neat, but they’re not for everyone.

You can find that design lineage here on the Mckenna if you go looking for it, but thankfully Isham has dialed it back. The Mckenna has an intriguing combination of curves and geometric lines, and when deployed the knife has an subtle, angular “S” shape that’s somewhat reminiscent of a lightning bolt.

First and foremost: the Mckenna is not a large knife by any stretch of the imagination. At just under 3 and 7/8” closed and about four tenths of an inch wide, the knife edges pretty close to “pack of gum” sizing. This will absolutely disappear in a pocket and you’ll be hard-pressed to notice the length, but size-wise it may feel more toy than tool.

The near 3” knife blade can best be described somewhere between a wharncliffe, sheepsfoot, and a reverse tanto. Functionally, I think it’s more wharncliffe than anything, with the spine of the blade breaking at a sharper arc in the last inch or so to meet the tip of a mostly straight blade. There is just a very, very small amount of upswell from the sharpening choil to the end of the blade. Put all of these qualities together, and you get a little more tip strength than you might with a typical wharncliffe, but tends to be a better poker than a traditional sheepsfoot.

Like a lot of Civivi knives over the $50 price point, the blade steel is D2. This is a nice upgrade over the typical 8Cr13MoV / AUS 8 normally used within this quality tier thanks to better edge retention, but it does come with the drawbacks of being harder to sharpen and having a little more tendency to rust. Those in wetter and more humid climates might want to keep a bottle of gun or knife oil handy and reapply it every now and again.

As it came from the factory, the blade sharpness was only middling. However, about ten minutes on a Work Sharp Angle Set sharpener and the knife had a razor edge that was surprisingly resilient. The spine of the blade is only about a tenth of an inch wide, which means that the Mckenna is a great slicer. With a pinch grip allowing the index finger to sit halfway up the spine of the blade, the knife allows for extremely precise cuts and excels at scoring. Anyone looking for a classier replacement for an X-acto knife would be well served with this knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Mckenna features G10 construction with stainless steel liners. This surprised me; from handling alone I would have sworn it was nylon. This is all to say that the G10 on the Mckenna is not going to be as grippy as you’re probably used to, but it’s well-textured and not slippery by any means. There’s about a quarter inch of jimping on the top and rear of the flipper that allows for a good purchase, and the liner lock is nicely scalloped and only slightly proud of the scales. No complaints here. This isn’t a knife you’re going to need to bear down on.

The pocket clip is fine, if underwhelming. The Mckenna has a provision for left or right tip-up carry, but no holes are drilled near the pivot of the knife. That makes tip-down carry is a no-go if that’s your preference. The clip is not deep carry, but there’s only about a half-inch triangle of handle that protrudes from the pocket.

Frankly, I ditched my clip. The detent is strong enough to give me confidence that the blade will stay closed in a pocket, and the small dimensions ensure that I’m not going to be constantly preoccupied about how this sits loose. Additionally, the action of the knife seems to work best pressed flat between the meat of the thumb and tips of the fingers. For that reason, nixing the pocket clip gives me a substantial real estate upgrade when it comes to getting a comfortable purchase.

Onward to what I’d say is the clearest flaw of the knife (or at least in my hands and given the usage I subject it to): the hot spots. The top rear corners of the Mckenna meet at a near 90-degree angle and aren’t particularly rounded. Given the small dimensions of the knife, almost invariably those corners are going to rub against the tenderest part of the palm along the center-line of the hand during use. Note that this isn’t a dealbreaker by any means, but given the knife’s positioning as being a fidget-friendly knife par excellence, these corners become all the more conspicuous.

Deployment and Lockup

If the ergos and size were a bit of a downside, we’re getting to the “good news” part of the review. As expected, the Mckenna is a whole lot of goofy, stupid fun to play with.

If you’ve never used a front flipper, you basically want to cradle the thing in your hand like a bic lighter, only imagine that you’re flicking the exposed nub backwards as opposed to downwards. With a quick snap of the thumb, you should be able to get your digit out of the path of the blade’s spine, and momentum will carry the blade into full lockup. It is weird, but gratifying.

Hard-nosed, serious business types will ask, “Is there any benefit to this over a tried-and-true flipper tab, or a good thumb stud?” The answer to this is an unqualified “no.” Front flippers, in my opinion, are attempting to reinvent the wheel. In direct comparison to deployment methods that are now the industry standard, I don’t envision any serious context where they become a superior choice.

But is it fun? Oh, you betcha. There’s certainly a learning curve to the front flipping function, and even though I think I’ve gotten the hang of it there’s still a 5% chance I screw something up. However, the knife is just as easily deployed using what I’d call a “three point turn” approach, where you use the thumb to present the blade 90 degrees to the handle, then push down on the jimping on the flipper with the index finger to reach full lock-up. This is also a good deployment method if you’re not looking to spook your co-workers.

The pivot is running on stainless bearings and everything clicks open and shut with quiet authority. Build quality is excellent here: the blade is nicely centered, there’s no squeaking or rattling, and the liner finds the center of the blade with the measliest amount of pressure. There are no hitches in the action, and the blade moves smoothly and evenly. It is extremely, extremely satisfying to work.

Civivi Mckenna Review – Final Thoughts

As a knife, the Civivi Mckenna is a lot like a good bottle of scotch: hardly essential, pricey enough that it’s outside the realm of an impulse purchase, but a great way to treat yourself if you’re feeling a little indulgent.

Again, I don’t think front flippers are going to become a new paradigm in the world of knives anytime soon. Pair that action with the small size, and the Mckenna feels even more like a novelty. But in the same breath: let’s be honest with ourselves: 95% of people could buy a Benchmade Griptilian or Spyderco Paramilitary 2 and not need to own another knife for the rest of their lives. Considering you’re spending your free time reading a review on a knife website, that probably doesn’t describe you.

CIVIVI Knives McKenna Folding Knife - Small Pocket Knife with Satin Blade -One Hand Open Knife for Everyday Outdoor Carry - C905C(Black)

✅【Designed by Elijah Isham and Precision Engineered by We Knife】Folding knife with unique shape features a razor sharp well-built centered D2 2.92” blade,smooth action and nice edge retention pocket knife
✅【Slim Build and Solid G-10Handle】Knife with G10 scales make this folding hunting knife comfortable enough that brings you a nice camping and outdoor knife used experience
✅【Lightweight Carry Knife】Weight 1.76oz with ease carry in your pocket,ideal knife for men and women,a pocket clip for easy and safe carry
✅【Always Ready Utility Knife】Ball bearing pivot offers quick blade deployment, knife art to your collection or as a gift to husband,dad or friends
✅【Civivi Care】Civivi is a subset brand of We Knife Co.,Ltd,limited lifetime warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, see official site for details

$68.00
Buy on Amazon

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Civivi Mckenna at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Also, please join me in welcoming Clayton Walker to the website. Clayton some good stuff in the pipeline so stay tuned for more from him.

CRKT Provoke Review

by Dan Jackson Leave a Comment

Where to begin with the CRKT Provoke? This is a knife that defies convention, and it hardly relates to any other knife that has crossed my desk.

Buy the CRK Provoke at BladeHQ

If I were to draw a comparison to a knife in my collection, the Provoke most reminds me of the HALO VI. Not so much from a nuts and bolts standpoint, but from the standpoint of how this knife makes you feel. It’s an entirely unreasonable pocket knife, and that’s why I’m drawn to it.

Of course all things have their origin, and the Provoke is no different. The Provoke is a production version of Joe Caswell’s Morphing Karambit. Joe is well known for his innovative and robust designs. His EDX is a good example of his over engineered design philosophy distilled into a more traditional folding knife pattern. The Morphing Karambit takes the idea to an entirely different level, linking the traditional Karambit pattern with a novel design that allows you to deploy the blade with the forward push of your finger.

Like the HALO VI I can only describe it as a “serious piece of hardware”. It is satisfies in a way that something like a Spyderco Delica or Benchmade Griptilian could never dream of.

CRKT’s decision to work with Joe to bring this knife to the mass market was bold and admirable. But CRKT is known for its more budget oriented offerings, and the original Morphing Karambit retails for $650. CRKT’s version comes retails in the $200 range. Much more palatable, but not a cheap knife by any stretch of the imagination. Does it make the grade? I’ll attempt to answer that question as I explore this highly unique offering.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Provoke has an overall length of 7.37″, a 2.41″ blade, weighs 6.1 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. As I mentioned in the intro, this is a hefty piece of hardware. Few knives have the substance, the gravitas, of the Provoke. This is a heavy hitter. It is thic with 3 c’s, as the youths are saying. Purportedly saying, as I am no longer a youth. I am reminded of that as I watch the youths walk the window of my office as the shadows lengthen and the earth goes cold. Regardless, it’s a thick knife. 1.25 inches thick according to BladeHQ.

And at 6.1 ounces you feel it in the hand. It’s not an EDC. At least not for me. But not all knives should be a featherweight EDC. That would be boring. And the Provoke is definitely not boring. Here is a size comparison with a Delica and Endura:

The blade is a chisel ground hawkbill shape. Hawkbills are common on karambits. Chisel grinds may be less common, but here we are working with over 5mm of D2 steel. It tapers out as you reach the tip, and it gives the knife a little symmetry. I will note that the actual edge is V ground. I think that was a good idea as in practice it helps this thick chisel ground blade track through material when cutting.

Speaking of cutting, I have had the chance to do a fair amount of work with this knife. The curve of the blade accelerates materials into the cut. It makes quick work of cardboard. From a utility standpoint, I think cardboard is where this knife excels. The thick blade makes it less effective for food prep. It can cut rope and fabric, and the fine tip works well for the modern equivalent of cutting coupons, but the curved handle and blade allow you to rake long cuts through cardboard. The entire knife has been given a titanium nitride coating, and so far it is held up well. I haven’t tested the knife in any martial capacity, but assume it would perform alright in the hands of a skilled martial artist.

I think D2 was a decent choice for blade steel. It’s a tough semi-stainless steel. It’s less expensive but still gets the job done. Certainly there are better steels on the market, but I am not convinced a knife like this really “needs” to come in a super steel. Since the blade has been coated you don’t need to worry about rust, and in practice the heat treat on this is pretty good. It holds a nice, durable edge, and I am able to keep it touched up on my Sharpmaker, Golden Stone, or any other rod style sharpener.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is made from 3 pieces of aluminum. You have the main part of the handle, and then 2 smaller aluminum links that connect the handle to the blade. All the pieces are bolted together and given the same black coating as the handle. In practice the handle construction is impressive. It’s solid and heavy. All the parts are nicely finished and everything lines up as it should. Excellent fit and finish on this piece.

For such an unconventional design, this Provoke feels surprisingly good in hand. I suppose this is due in part to the karambit design. Karambits provide plenty of room for your hand thanks to the short blade relative to the handle and the ring. I am able to stretch out and get a good grip. And although there are a few moving parts, none of them are sharp where your fingers go in both a forwards and reverse grip. So while it doesn’t look comfortable, it is. This is a testament to Joe Caswell’s remarkable design.

Let’s talk about the pocket clip. This is another highly unusual element of the knife. It is the only park that isn’t black, offering some contrast to the design. The clip curves all the way around the ring of the karambit and sits flush with the handle. You have to press the textured area on the pommel to push the pocket clip up and provide room to slide it into the pocket.

It’s an usual design but it works well, holding the Provoke securely in place, and providing you with a decently deep and discreet method of carry. Given the unusual shape of the clip it doesn’t really read like a pocket clip to me. Here’s your pocket shot:

Of course at 6+ ounces, you will feel this knife if you decide to carry it daily. But for what it is, I think the Provoke carries well.

Deployment and Lockup

This is another point in the review where the Provoke colors outside the lines of conventional folding knife design. Rather than a thumb stud, or flipper tab, or blade hole, you nudge the blade open with your thumb. CRKT calls this their “Kinematic” system but it doesn’t really matter. If you are reading this review you likely are already aware of how the knife works. It’s difficult to describe so I’ll provide some pictures.

Knife junkies will need a cigarette after deploying this blade. There is a ballistic quality to this knife, and you don’t so much open the blade as you launch it. It’s a singularly satisfying experience let down only by the comparatively clunky method of unlocking the blade and bringing it back to closed position.

To unlock the blade you have to push a small tab near the ring. That frees the links to retreat to their closed position. It works well, but like most folders, it isn’t as fun as kicking the blade open.

I’ve been playing around with this knife for months. It lived at my office for a while, and I took it home to test it around the house and put the review together. I’ve opened and closed it hundreds if not thousands of times. It has worked flawlessly for me. Granted, I didn’t skin a hog with this knife, or take it out to the desert for a week, but I’ve used it and it has held up well.

Here is a parting size comparison with the Zero Tolerance 0350:

CRKT Provoke Review – Final Thoughts

I recall when Joe Caswell first introduced the Morphing Karambit as a Kickstarter Project. I was instantly intrigued, and know a lot of folks were. I believe our own Grayson Parker owns one of the Morphing Karambits and may eventually review it. It’s a design that is too unique to ignore. But at $450 it might be a little too expensive for most people to buy. I know the price was a hurdle for me personally.

So the idea of CRKT making a more approachable version of the knife appealed to me, and CRKT has a good track record of executing custom designs. At $200 CRKT’s version is still not cheap, but people are buying it. I see that it has over 500 reviews on Amazon, which is impressive for a niche product like this.

I don’t typically comment on Amazon reviews, but I found it interesting that some people on Amazon are disappointed with the Provoke stating “there are better options out there” for an EDC knife. No shit? This is a highly unusual design. It’s not going to replace a Delica or Griptilian. If you are buying this as your primary EDC knife be prepared to make many compromises. This should not be your first knife. It probably shouldn’t be your 10th if you are building a collection of users. It’s heavy and impractical as an EDC tool, but it’s an amazing design that has been well executed.

I think if you like the design you will like the knife. In my mind it’s more of a collectible or a design object than an every day carry piece, but it is 100% functional. CRKT did a great job bringing Caswell’s vision to the masses. I really dig the Provoke, and it will have a special place in my collection.

CRKT Provoke Kinematic EDC Folding Pocket Knife: Morphing Karambit, D2 Blade Steel, Kinematic Pivot Action, Integrated Safety Lock, Low Profile Pocket Clip 4040

Unique Innovation: Kinematic deploys the blade with push of the thumb
Superior Performance: D2 blade steel for excellent edge retention
Strong And Lightweight: Aluminum handle combines strength with minimal weight
Designed by Joe Caswell in Newbury Park, California
Limited Lifetime Warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, see company site for details

$175.00
Buy on Amazon

Editor: I recommend purchasing the CRKT Provoke at BladeHQ or Amazon Thank you very much.

Kershaw Lucha Review

by Travis Pike 1 Comment

The Punisher, The Outsiders, Blood In Blood Out, Face/Off, Red Dawn (’84 version of course), and of course, Big Trouble in Little China were all some of my favorite flicks growing up. Do you know what they had in common? Besides being awesome? They all have Butterfly knives in them. I grew up with a fascination for butterfly knives, or Balisongs if you’re fancy. I had a pile of cheap pot-metal junk butterfly knives and always wanted a real one. By real, I mean a quality model, and I found that in the Kershaw Lucha.

Buy the Lucha at BladeHQ or GP Knives

Lucha means the fight or struggle, and this Filipino design became famous for its camera catching action. It flips and spins into place, and a skilled practitioner can put on quite the show with a Butterfly knife. They are honestly my version of a fidget spinner, and if it’s in my hands, I’m probably flipping it around. It’s bad enough that I have to set it down and away from me to type this out. This Filipino design has a Spanish name but is made in the USA. It’s a gosh darn melting pot of a knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

This is a big knife. The Lucha has an overall length of 10.25 inches with a total blade length of 4.6 inches. The blade is .875 inches wide and .16 inches thick. The blade has a clip point with a nice aggressive belly to it. The blade length of 4.6 inches is not the cutting length. Due to the design of balisongs, the cutting edge is a bit shorter at 4.375 inches. The knife is built like a pro basketball player. It’s tall but skinny. It’s a hefty guy at 5.9 ounces as well.

The blade is made from stainless steel from Sandvik, known as 14C28N. Stainless means we excellent protection from corrosion, and the knife needs it. The balisong handle is not a sealed design, so it’s exposed to everything all the time. The steel itself was exclusive to Kershaw for a few years, and they seem to be producing amazing knives with it. This steel holds a bloody brilliant edge. It gets super sharp and sharpens up nice and smooth.

With us all staying at home and doing a little less adventuring, I have been focused a lot on cooking tasty meals. This has allowed me to slice and dice through meat, and that seems to be the role of the Lucha. It’s a cutter, a deep slasher, and relentless in its ability to cut through meat. I sliced and diced a pound of steak, a pound of chicken, some onions, and a bell pepper to make some fantastic fajitas.

The aggressive belly makes deep cuts easy, and the swedge at the top of the blade ensures it glides through the thickest of materials without getting stuck. I cut through tomatoes and oranges, and the blade never stuck. Balisongs have a reputation as a weapon, and the Lucha proudly takes that name. Without a doubt, it would be an effective weapon for self-defense. With a little practice, you’ll be able to flip it open quickly and with a single hand.

The clip point and good belly give it a good bit of versatility to allow the knife to fulfill your everyday EDC tasks. It’s a lot of knife for those tasks, but it will get you there. The large size and blade design could even make it a half-decent game skinning knife.

Handle and Ergonomics

The Kershaw Lucha’s split handle is made from stainless steel and is a sandwich-style construction versus a liner lock style. The handles are square-like but have rounded edges that allow the knives to smoothly flip in hand for both opening and doing all sorts of fun tricks. The trick with Balisongs is having a handle thats smooth enough to flip but is textured enough to provide a good grip with.

The Lucha does both, and the way it provides a good grip is the cuts in the handle. They give both weight reduction for easy flipping and texture for your hand to grip. It works and does provide a suitable means to grip the knife. The absolutely massive handle also offers plenty of room for you to grasp and grab the handle in any way you see fit.

The Lucha’s blade has a small handguard built into it and allows you to rest your thumb and apply leverage and control to the blade as it cuts.

The Balisong handle isn’t the most comfortable thing in the world. There is no round palm smells or G10 grips. It’s pretty simple and minimalist. If you are planning to do heavy-duty cutting, another knife might be for you. The grips will tire your hand if you use the knife outside of its intent.

Deployment and Lockup

The blade’s deployment is entirely dependent on how you can handle a balisong. With all my practice from cheap pot metal Chinese knives, it’s a natural motion for me. The rounded handle bevels do make the task a little easier and ensure you can spin the blade into action when needed. It’s just gonna take practice, and if you are new to these knives, then get a trainer, they’re cheap and worth it.

Trust me, as a kid who cut himself a lot get the trainer.

The blade and handles swing smoothly into action. They are guided by the KVT ball-bearing pivots, and you can feel the quality with every deployment. Those ball bearings also ensure the lockup is nice and tight.

The lockup is also friction, and the blade stays in place by holding the handles together. The latch can lock it into place as well. The latch does lock up the knife rather well and remains very tight. With the latch, the blade doesn’t move even a bit, not a hair’s worth of movement. This tight lockup occurs with both the latch and a friction-filled hold.

Kershaw Lucha Review – Final Thoughts

I’m a fan of this knife, and as someone who desired a real Butterfly knife for years, I’m glad to finally have one. The Lucha delivers in all the cool ways a butterfly knife is supposed to. At the same time, the blade is ultra-sharp, incredibly robust, and designed to be used.

It’s a big knife admittedly, and it’s one of those knives that is incredibly well built, but it’s not necessarily a practical choice. There are knives that are more efficient and better built for hard work, but that’s not exclusive to the Lucha. That’s a reality of butterfly knives. As far as butterfly knives go, the Lucha is a fantastic example of what a real butterfly knife should be.

Kershaw Lucha – From $119.95
From: BladeHQ

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Kershaw Lucha at BladeHQ or GP Knives. Thank you very much.

Spyderco Rhino Review

by Grayson Parker 1 Comment

Expectations are a terrible thing to shake. As gear geeks, hopping onto the hype train is all too easy, especially because most of us are passionate about our hobbies. We see something cool – either the newest catalog or the latest teaser on Instagram – and start forming our own idea of what the end product will be like. All too often, those expectations proceed to get in the way of enjoying the product for it is.

Buy the Spyderco Rhino at BladeHQ
Buy on Amazon

Enter the Spyderco Rhino. When it was first teased (long enough ago that I can’t remember the date), it was slated to be a refreshing new entry to Spyderco’s line-up, sporting G10 scales, BD1 steel, and a compression lock in a reasonably sized package. What’s more, its original street price was going to fall right around $50.00. That was a hell of a steal at the time, and honestly would still be a great buy today, even with the recent price drops in premium steels.

Unfortunately, that version of the Rhino never made it beyond the trade show demonstration booth. Apparently that package was too much of an ask for the factory, and the project was put on hiatus. The next time we caught a glimpse of the Rhino, it was a radically different product: the steel was upgraded to CTS-XHP, the handle scales were upgraded to carbon fiber, and the street price was upgraded all the way up to $140.00.

That’s the point I lost interest in the Rhino. It had morphed from a product that would challenge the market to yet another overpriced and oddly designed Spyderco, destined to hang out in the inventories of cutlery purveyors across the world.

In the months that followed its debut, I started to see it pop up online. Folks that I follow on Instagram (whose taste I respect) started including the Rhino in their daily updates. After seeing it a few more times, my curiosity was once again piqued. That’s when I started to realize that on paper, it was still a good product: high-end steel, carbon fiber*, a great lock, and the perfect size for everyday chores. It didn’t take too much speculation along those lines before I picked one up. I’m glad I did, but you’ll need to read on to learn why.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Spyderco Rhino is considered part of the “little-big-knife” family, a design ethos that seeks to pack the maximum amount of cutting power into a compact package. Other standouts include the much-acclaimed Techno as well as the Dragonfly 2. Like its cousins, the dimensions of the Rhino aren’t great on paper. Its 2.37” blade is housed in a 3.57” handle, and the overall package weighs in at 2.27 oz. Taken together, neither the blade to handle or blade to weight ratio is very compelling. Much like its cousins, however, these numbers don’t speak to the whole truth.

My tastes are depressingly pedestrian when it comes to blade shapes. Give me a nice drop point or modified wharncliffe and I’ll be happy; give me more than one angle to worry about when resharpening and I won’t. The Rhino’s trailing point walks a very thin line between being interesting and being a hassle, and – in my case at least – the jury is still out. When grappling with a clamshell package, it’s great: the refined tip and thin grind make short work of that modern headache. When it comes to spreading peanut butter or condiments (essential picnic tasks, in my view), the trailing point is uniquely unqualified. If that isn’t a concern for you, there are few downsides to this blade shape. The exaggerated belly also means that the cutting edge is longer than the listed blade length.

As expected, the grind that the fine folks at Taichung put on the Rhino is impeccable. The stock starts at .118” thick and is brought down to a very keen edge by a full flat grind. Between the stock and grind, the Rhino makes for a very mean cutter, passing the apple test with ease. If there’s a complaint to be made, it’s that the satin finish is slightly tacky and seems to attract gunk. Regular cleaning and a bit of extra vigilance is probably required.

This is actually my first experience with Carpenter’s CTS-XHP steel. If rumors hold true, it was designed to have the upsides of D2 (great edge retention and toughness) while mitigating D2’s chief drawback (poor rust resistance). My experiences with the Rhino generally reflect that: the edge rarely needs touching up, and it’s warded off rust handily, ever after I inadvertently stored it with fruit juice on the blade. Unfortunately, most users report that it can be a pain to sharpen, so I’ve been proactive with my strop, and actual resharpening hasn’t been necessary.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

Unfortunately, the handle breaks two of my cardinal rules when it comes to knives: avoid finger scallops and Spyderco’s carbon fiber/G10 composite scales. The former rule is rooted in ergonomics; the latter in priggish snobbery. My experience with the Rhino has made me reevaluate both – to an extent. The composite scales are reinforced by a skeletonized and recessed steel liner, and have endured everyday wear and tear without showing it. Moreover, they don’t have the glossy, too-light quality I’ve felt in other knives with carbon fiber scales.

The composite scales are well-suited to the role. There is enough texture that your fingers don’t slide around, but not the rough kind of texture you’d expect from Spyderco’s normal G10 treatment. Additionally, the edges and corners of the scales have been chamfered to the point that they are very nearly contoured. I’m very glad they went the extra mile in the finishing process; otherwise the Rhino would be an ergonomic flop, and that’s entirely due to the finger scallops. Apart from those problematic little curves, the Rhino is really quite good in the hand. The dip in the spine of the blade is a perfect place to put your thumb when you need more control, and the organic curve of the handle means that the Rhino can be gripped in a number of ways.

To be frank: finger scallops should be avoided as a rule. They force the user to hold the knife in a set grip, despite the fact that all of our muscular and skeletal structure varies wildly person to person. They do not actually improve our grip on a knife’s handle, according to hand surgeon and knifemaker Kyle Ver Steeg; in fact, by forcing our fingers farther apart, it weakens our grip instead. Finally, why on earth were finger scallops “necessary” on a knife this size? The Rhino isn’t going to be someone’s last ditch boot knife, or stowed in a bugout bag. It’s going to be toted around in some gear geek’s chinos, broken out to to open packages and trim loose threads. The Rhino’s saving grace is that the finger scallops have been chamfered to the point that I hardly notice them.

The Rhino is equipped with Spyderco’s classic spoon-shaped clip. It’s a classic design for a reason: it doesn’t cause ergonomic issues, it keeps the knife in the pocket without shredding your pants, and it’s only a little bit of a paint scraper.

Deployment and Lock-Up

At this point, there’s not a whole lot that can be said about Spyderco’s trademark thumb hole. Even as flippers reign supreme, the thumb hole stands out: it’s simple, versatile, and only there when you need it. The Rhino has at least as much fidget factor as any of my flippers, in part due to the phosphor bronze washers the blade rides on and the excellent detente. Absolutely no complaints in this regard.

In keeping with the “quintessentially Spyderco” theme, the Rhino utilizes the compression lock, an in-house design that’s strong, simple, and lightweight. By using a locking leaf that wedges between the blade tang and the stop pin, the compression lock blends the convenience and strength of an axis-style lock with the snappy action and simplicity of a liner lock. Unfortunately, compression locks do tend to have a bit of vertical blade play, and the Rhino is no exception. It doesn’t register visually or audibly, but you can feel it if you wiggle the blade around.

Spyderco Rhino Review – Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the Rhino is a fine addition to both Spyderco’s catalog and my collection. Part of me still wishes that the original version would have made it to market, but to be honest, the extra finishing on the handle scales probably wouldn’t be feasible at a sub-$50 price point, and the finger scallops would go from a theoretical pet peeve to a very literal pain to deal with. That aside, there’s a lot to recommend here. The blade uses some of the best steel on the market and is ground to be a lean cutter; the handle is remarkably comfortable, in and out of the pocket; and the deployment method and lock are some of the most reliable and convenient available.

As mentioned above, the street price for the Rhino falls around $140. That’s nothing to sneeze at; most of the major production knife companies have strong entries at this price point, from Benchmade’s upgraded Griptilian line to a veritable dragon’s hoard of Kizer offerings. While the competition is fierce, I think the Rhino holds its own. The blade – from the steel to the grind – makes the Rhino stand out in its own way, especially if you like the funky design aesthetic.

There are some people who should pay special attention to the Rhino, and a few who should actively avoid it. The Rhino is especially well-suited to modern office workers: opening packages, breaking down cardboard boxes, and maybe peeling an orange at lunch. If you have more specific needs (like frequent food prep or a knife suited to harder use), look elsewhere, as the Rhino was clearly not designed with those tasks in mind.

Spyderco Reinhold Rhino Specialty Folding Knife with 2.37" CTS XHP Premium Stainless Steel Blade and Black Carbon Fiber Handle - PlainEdge - C210CFP

PLAINEDGE BLADE - This knife has a sharpened blade with no serrations or teeth sometimes referred to as a smooth blade.
CARBON FIBER HANDLE - Graphic fibers (the size of a human hair) woven together then fused with epoxy resin. Lightweight with a high level of tensile strength it is three dimensional in appearance.
FULL-FLAT GRIND - This knife features a blade ground with flat bevels that extend from the spine all the way to the cutting edge. This grind reduces drag during cutting and decreases overall weight.
COMPRESSION LOCK - Developed and patented by Spyderco, the compression lock mechanism uses a leaf-like spring from a split liner in the handle to wedge laterally between a ramp on the blade tang and the stop pin (or anvil pin).
SPECIFICATIONS - Closed Length (Inches): 3.6, Overall Length (Inches): 5.95, Blade Length (Inches):2.35, Blade Steel: CTS XHP, Grind: Full-Flat

$140.00
Buy on Amazon

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Rhino at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.