Folding Knives

Fantoni Dweller Review

Last Updated: July 30, 2019
I have been holding out on you guys. Several years ago I purchased what is arguably my all time favorite gentleman’s folder, and have yet to write a review on it. That is, until now.

Buy the Fantoni Dweller at KnifeArt.com

I’m talking of course about the Fantoni Dweller. This is is a knife that I fell in love with after watching Stefan Schmalhaus’ excellent video review. He is the man when it comes to reviewing dress knives, and I think that his video review of the Dweller is among his best work. If you haven’t checked out his review before, then you owe it to yourself to give his short video your attention:

After watching a video review like that there isn’t much left for someone to say about the Dweller. This is part of the reason why I have remained quiet for so long, but I’ll try my best to give you my take on this knife.

This is a riff on the Bob Loveless City Knife, which is a fixed blade pattern. I believe Fantoni made a similar knife for Lone Wolf in the early 2000s, with bolsters and no finger choil. This version was designed by Massimo Fantoni. Massimo is the son of Renzo Fantoni, the founder of Fantoni Knives in Italy. Massimo is perhaps best known for designing the Nilte Quiete. I have had the pleasure of meeting with Massimo and Renzo at several Blade shows over the years. They are great guys making some of the best production knives in the world.

The only problem with Fantoni Knives is that they produce their models in limited quantities. Their stuff is hard to acquire unless you are vigilant. KnifeArt is Fantoni’s exclusive U.S. dealer, but their selection is touch and go based upon Fantoni’s production schedule. For these reasons Fantoni doesn’t get a ton of press here in the States. This is a shame because their work is immaculate and they have fantastic designs. Their CUT Flipper remains one of my all time favorite production pieces. The Dweller isn’t far behind.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Dweller has an overall length of 6.5″, a 2.6″ blade, and weighs 1.8 ounces. The Dweller is made in Maniago, Italy. In my opinion this knife is the perfect size for EDC or carry as a gents folder. Some people may get bent out of shape about the blade to handle ratio. The blade is notably and purposely smaller than the handle. Personally I find that aspect of the design charming. I don’t typically ascribe to golden ratios or metrics when examining a knife. These metrics can be useful and interesting, but I like to explore each knife on the merits.

Here, I find the short blade endearing. It’s a big part of what makes the Dweller so unique and whimsical. Plus it’s still practical. This knife is non-threatening and elegant. No one is going to mistake the stubby blade of the Dweller for a weapon, yet it is still perfectly suited for opening mail, trimming loose threads, and handling mild food prep chores like slicing an apple at lunch, or preparing a cheese plate after work. You know, the stuff gentlemen do. And despite the smaller blade there is still plenty of handle, so the user gets the benefit of a full grip when using this knife.

The blade is a short modified drop point with a full flat grind. It is ground like a traditional slip joint, meaning that it is thin behind the edge and slices well. The tip is fine, and represents a good balance of strength and precision. The blade has been given an attractive satin finish. All around this is a practical and nicely executed blade for a little folding knife.

Fantoni went with Sandvik 19C27 steel for the Dweller. I haven’t had a lot of experience with 12C27 outside of the Dweller. Sandvik advertises this as their most well-rounded knife steel. My research suggests that Fantoni has heat treated their 19C27 all the way up to 61HRc.

The 19C27 takes a nice edge that holds up well and is easy to maintain. I have had zero issues with rust or corrosion, despite carrying and storing the Dweller in a leather sheath in Florida for years. I have also used the knife on all manner of acidic fruits. While 19C27 isn’t a super steel, its a good practical choice for a small slip joint. No complaints.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The Dweller’s handle is wood scales over brass liners. This is a slip joint, and the stainless steel backspring doubles as a full backspacer. As with all of my other experiences with Fantoni, everything is put together beautifully. I especially like the fact that this slip joint is bolted together rather than pinned. That means the pivot is adjustable and the handle scales are fully removable with a tiny torx driver.

My particular knife came with Snakewood covers, but Fantoni offers this knife in a variety of different exotic wood handle scales, including Olive, Burl, and Cocobolo. I like Snakewood because of the warm color and interesting figuring. Although my particular handles don’t have much of a “snake skin” pattern it’s still beautiful. I have also seen the Dweller offered in Micarta. My preference is for a wood handle as that compliments the gentleman’s folder vibe of this knife nicely.

The Dweller features a generous handle. It dwarfs the handle of the Cadet, and also features a small forward finger choil that allows you to choke up on the blade. Either way there is plenty of room for a full grip, even if you take a large glove like I do. Being a gents folder there is no jimping to speak of. The wood handle is not slippery, but this is not a high traction handle either. I have used my Dweller for tasks ranging from cleaning my finger nails to breaking down boxes. It isn’t a combat folder, but should handle most urban daily carry tasks without issue.

The Dweller does not come with a pocket clip, and instead is shipped with a thin leather slip sheath. The sheath is made of a rich chestnut colored leather that matches the Snakewood handles on my knife almost perfectly. What I like about this slip sheath is that it is thin and small. The sheathes that came with both my Mnandi and Indian River Jack, while nicely made and serviceable, are both notably larger than the sheath of the Dweller. That is because the Dweller’s sheath is custom made to the knife, while the knives for the IRJ and Mnandi were designed to accommodate other knives as well. Over time my sheath has broken in and burnished, which added to the character of this knife.

Walk and Talk

This is a slip joint, so my usual discussion of “deployment and lock up” more or less goes out the window. For “deployment” we have a single nail nick. The spring on this knife isn’t particularly strong. I’d say the pull strength is a 3 or 4 and is comparable to my Cadet.

The nice thing about the Dweller is that it has a great little half stop. I am a big fan of half stops, and it works well on the Dweller. The blade does not lock open, but it is secure. There is no blade play. If you are smart about how you use this knife you can get a lot of use out of it despite the lack of a lock.

Centering on my knife is a off by a millimeter. The pivot appears to be a bushing style pivot, so I am guessing I could adjust it to center, but haven’t tried because it hasn’t bothered me.

Here is a shot of the Dweller next to another rock star gent’s folder, the CRK Mnandi:

Fantoni Dweller Review – Final Thoughts

I almost feel bad waiting so long to write this review. I bought this knife for my personal collection, and have enjoyed it for several years now. While many knives have come and gone over the years the Dweller is something I don’t see myself ever parting with. I love the simple design rooted in Bob Loveless’ timeless aesthetic. The stubby blade is charming and practical, the wood and brass handles are warm and inviting, and the superb execution of the knife and pocket sheath elevate the Dweller to something special an unique.

While it may not be the fanciest gentleman’s folder, the Dweller’s simplicity and restraint make it one of my favorites. This is a beautiful knife, but it is still humble. This is a dress knife that I can actually use without regret. Some gent’s folders are so nice that they are almost objets d’art, and I feel guilty when using them. I don’t get that feeling with the Dweller. It’s a nice little knife, but it’s also unmistakably a tool.

Unfortunately, the Dweller has become exceedingly rare over the years. A search of “Fantoni Dweller” on the BladeForum’s buy / sell / trade section yielded zero results. Buy it if you can find it.

I would recommend buying the Dweller at KnifeArt, as they are Fantoni’s only US dealer. The only problem is, they don’t have the Dweller currently in stock. You may be able to find them on the secondary market. Regardless, please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website, including links to Amazon and BladeHQ, helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Spyderco Mantra 1 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 23 Comments

Last Updated: August 30, 2019
Admittedly, the Mantra 1 had a hill of biases to climb from the start with me. It is a titanium frame lock flipper, a style of knife that I’ve never warmed up to. I find the flipper to be an inferior deployment method for knives, and while I’ve had positive experiences recently with the frame lock, unless it is done exceptionally well it’s temperamental nature make it a sub-optimal lock for daily use.

Buy the Spyderco Mantra 1 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

There was also the Mantra’s heritage to consider: it is more or less a retooled Delica 4. I like the Delica as it exists in knife community mythology: an affordable, ideal EDC blade, a true classic that anyone can afford. I enjoy the reality of the Delica much less: strange ergonomics, underwhelming VG-10 steel, and a just-slightly-too-high price point have made it hard for me to connect with this venerable blade.

So I picked up the Mantra 1 to see if it could prove itself worthy, both as a titanium framelock flipper, and as a reimagining of the Delica chassis.

And there are many ways in which the Mantra is a fine tool. But it has completely bounced off me. The Mantra is a safe design. Too safe. Not every knife needs to be a history-making masterpiece, but nothing about the Mantra’s design excites me. It is purely perfunctory, a competent knife, but a complacent design. Worse, there are things about it that drove me crazy from day one. The longer I carried the Mantra, the more I noticed major problems with its form, its function, and its purpose. Carrying it was never a chore, but it never distinguished itself in use, and now that it’s out of my pocket I can’t imagine why I’d ever carry it again.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Mantra has a handle length of 4”, a blade length of 3 1/8”, and an overall length of 7 ¼” and is made in Taiwan. It weighs 3 oz. As a modified Delica 4, it is a little bigger, and a little heavier.

The leaf shape blade is a workhorse. The additional cutting edge length and blade width over a Delica makes a difference when it comes to slicing. The Mantra’s blade is precise and efficient without being overlarge or cumbersome. The ergonomics mess with the cutting control somewhat, but the blade shape itself is pure gold.

The steel is my first big issue with the Mantra. I will never disparage CPM-M4’s sheer cutting ability. This is a knife that takes a sharp edge, holds it forever, and is tough, tough, tough. I liked its performance on my Air and I like it here on the Mantra – but when I’m not cutting with M4, I hate it.

M4 is not a stainless steel. It discolors, tarnishes, and stains with little provocation, and quite quickly. The minute I got my Mantra I wiped it down with oil, and even so every time I touched the blade my fingers left a mark. I left the Mantra out overnight on my desk in an air-conditioned apartment, and there was discoloration all over the next morning. If the Mantra was designed to be a true everyday user, M4 was a bad choice. I don’t want to have to baby and fret over my EDC knife; it should work well and virtually maintain itself.

I feel like Spyderco knows that M4 has a corrosion problem, because the Mantra’s flipper tab, ostensibly the place that will be receiving the most contact from your finger, is differently finished, almost polished, as if to counteract that additional contact – and it still discolors. If Spyderco wanted to go with M4 here, they should have coated or clad it. The sprint run HAP40 Delicas have a laminated blade to fight corrosion, and HAP40 actually has more chromium than M4, so I don’t know why they didn’t work to combat M4’s weaknesses on this more expensive knife.

M4 is a great steel for specialized applications, but its quirks preclude it from being an all-purpose folding knife steel. If it was the only steel in the world with great edge retention and toughness, that would be one thing, but we are literally spoiled for choice when it comes to super steels available on $150-200 knives. S35VN is not a ridiculous thing to ask for at $160, and it would have been perfect here. My suspicion is that we are seeing M4 on the Mantra for the same reason that we are still seeing a lot of Spyderco knives with S30V: they have a lot of the stuff lying around and need to get rid of it. But whether it was a matter of convenience or Spyderco really believes in this stuff, it just doesn’t work here.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

I may not love the Delica 4, but I readily acknowledge that the design has been gone over so much that nothing feels like an accident. Even the handle, which I find too prescriptive, is more refined and considered than most knives’. If there was one thing the Mantra seemed to carry over unmodified from the Delica 4, it was its handle design.

But here’s where the flipper starts to make life difficult. The Delica 4 handle may not be my favorite, but it does work. However, it needs every last centimeter of its handle length to do so. The Mantra retains the Delica 4 handle’s overall length, but doesn’t change the size to accommodate the flipper tab, which of course works as a forward guard, perpendicular to the handle, when the knife is open. What this means is that you actually lose usable handle length over the Delica.

Thus, in hand, I found the Mantra a Delica-but-less, and thus uncomfortable. The scalloping makes your pointer finger run right up against the flipper tab. You also have to stretch your thumb a bit to actually make use of the jimped thumb ramp. Holding the knife like you’re supposed to, your hand is canted at a weird angle, and strangely distant from the start of the cutting edge. You lose a lot of control.

The titanium handle scales themselves are quite nice, well-machined and chamfered, with an attractive large grain stone wash. They’re mildly textured, but positive enough grip-wise, aided by the jimping on the thumb ramp and the lockbar insert. All details that Spyderco and its Taichung facility generally get right, but the flawed fundamentals make the execution more or less moot.

The Mantra works well in the pocket. The deep carry wire clip keeps it buried and out of the way until you need it, and the scales won’t shred your pants. I have been a longtime disparager of the Spyderco wire clip, finding it a little fragile. If there’s a positive takeaway from my time with the Mantra, it’s that I was wrong about this clip. It survived weeks of carry with no problem, and actually looks handsome in its way, so I’m a semi-convert on the wire clip.

Deployment and Lockup

Judging by any standard, the Mantra’s flipper is mediocre. Despite utilizing a ball bearing pivot, it’s laggardly. It isn’t thoughtless: you have to be deliberate with your deployment motion. It misfires every once and a while. It even fails at the more frivolous things: it isn’t particularly smooth, particularly effortless, or particularly satisfying to fidget with. Ironically, the Spyder Hole works really well here, and this is a satisfying knife to flick open in the ‘traditional’ way: fast and sure.

The frame lock is good. No play, and disengagement is easy. A very scrawny-looking lock bar, but it manages to inspire confidence with its fuss-free performance.

Spyderco Mantra Review – Final Thoughts

I don’t like the Mantra. The steel choice isn’t right, the ergonomics are actually bad, and the main selling point, the flipper, is undercooked. It’s hard to make an unusable knife at the $160 price point, and Mantra does work, but its profound lack of spark, along with its flawed fundamental execution, scuttles what could be good here.

Spyderco is famous for thinking their knives through, but the Mantra feels like it’s one or two design revisions away from where it should be. There are better blades at pretty much every price point.

Spyderco Mantra Titanium Plain Edge Knife

material type: Synthetic
Mantra Framelock

If you are thinking of buying a Spyderco Mantra, please consider purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Zero Tolerance 0888MAX

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

First of all, this is not really a review. The 0888MAX is a pure collectible for me. A collectible I was able to acquire through a trade with my good friend Andrew of the Edge Observer. The knife has been admired and “fondled” (as much as I hate that word – it’s right up there with “hubby” and “moist” for me), but certainly not carried and used. Given the value and rarity of a knife like the 0888MAX, I hope those who came here for a rough and tumble review can look past that and enjoy the knife from the same collector’s mindset that I have.

It seems as if Zero Tolerance has lost their way in some respects with their recent limited editions. To me knives like the 0777>, the 454CF, and this 0888 represent the pinnacle of ZT’s limited editions: bold and innovative designs that are beautifully and meticulously executed, featuring feats of engineering largely unseen in their regular lineup, yet the knives are still timeless and universally appealing.

A 0392 with “toxic green” hardware doesn’t get me going in the same way an 0888 does. The 0427 is cool, but a little busy. It is more of an acquired taste, than a timeless classic. I have similar feelings about the 0999. To me they just gratuitously layered on more stuff, like a chef at a fancy restaurant simply piling on more expensive ingredients.

There is something about the 0888 that places it the top my favorite ZT LE’s. Maybe because it is an in house design, so simple and elegant yet so meticulously and beautifully rendered. The gentle play between the open blade and handle, the fully contoured titanium scales, and the ingenious one piece pocket clip that flows seamlessly with the rest of the knife, all serve to elevate this design from the rest. There is something almost magical about the 888, made even more etheral by the limited quantity: a mere 250 pieces of the 0888 and 250 of the 0888MAX. These days Zero Tolerance limited releases even seem to be less limited. But that’s OK, this only serves to make the 0888MAX more special.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0888MAX has an overall length of 9.125″, a 3.75″ blade, a weight of 7.56 ounces, and is made in the USA. I will use “0888” and “0888MAX” interchangeably throughout this article except for when specifically discussing the steel below. With that said, the difference between the 2 is that the 0888 is uncoated and comes with a composite S110V and 14C28N blade, while the 0888MAX is black DLC coated and approximately half of the 0888MAX knives feature Maxamet steel, and the other half have M390 steel blades after Zero Tolerance realized it would be too difficult to finish out the entire batch in Maxamet. Also the fuller on the regular 0888 does not extend the length of the blade like the 0888MAX.

The 0888 was apparently the 2012 Overall Knife of the Year. Although I agree with Tony that this is an award of dubious distinction, in this case I think they got the award right, and the 0888 is certainly worthy of the Knife of the Year title.

The 0888 features a modified drop point blade. It’s almost a spearpoint, and that spear shaped blade is further accented by a dramatic fuller that runs the length of the blade before transitioning into the handle. The knife is flat ground, with the grind running half the height of the blade. There is no swedge.

The “MAX” in 0888MAX signifies ZT’s choice of Carpenter’s Maxamet high speed powder tool steel. Here is a link to Carpenter’s datasheet. Here is a link to ZKnives always informative Composition Analysis Graph, Equivalents and Overview.

After reviewing Carpenter’s datasheet, it looks like Maxamet is to be hardened to anywhere between 66-71 HRc, which is super high on the Rockwell C scale for knife blades. For reference, steels like S110V and ZDP 189 are taken up to the low 60s (maybe as high as 65 for ZDP-189). According to Zknives, ZT had trouble grinding the Maxamet blades after heat treat, and experienced issues with warping if they ground the blades before heat treat. That is why they did not make the full 250 piece run of 0888MAXs in Maxamet, and that is what makes a “real” Maxamet clad 0888MAX so special.

This all sounds great, but since I have not used this knife I cannot comment on the real world implications of a knife with a Maxamet blade. I can’t imagine it being easy to sharpen.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The 0888 comes with a 3 piece titanium handle. I love the absence of visable hardware except for the custom pivot on the show side. The end result is an exceptionally clean and elegant knife; especially when you consider that this was released several years ago. These days we are seeing more integral designs hit the market, but at the time that wasn’t the case. The handle has a full titanium backspacer tastefully engraved with the “Zero Tolerance” wordmark.

The overall fit, finish, and execution of the handle is fabulous. Your fingers catch on the fine, almost herringbone, machining on the handle. The backspacer and handles are almost seamless, and the lockbar is precision cut. The all black MAX version is especially seductive, lending the knife a stealth fighter feel.

The 0888 is a large and comfortable knife. It’s simple shape provides the end user with excellent ergonomics. Again, I haven’t cut with this knife, or carried it, so I can’t offer much besides impressions after handling it. If you were to use it my best guess is that it would feel great. There is no jimping to speak of.

The pocket clip is also quite special. It’s a one piece ambidextrous tip-up pocket clip. Again, it is beautifully finished and 3-d machined from a single piece of titanium. This is easily the most elaborate clip I have ever seen on a knife. It is secured by a single phillips screw hidden from view unless you look down into the inside of the handle. I haven’t carried my 0888MAX. It’s a big heavy knife, and my guess is that you would really feel it in the pocket. Not my choice for an every day carry piece, but definitely a cool collectible.

Deployment and Lockup

The 0888 is a bearing equipped flipper. The action is crisp and smooth, and the knife opens with a distinctive metallic click. After disengaging the lock you can shake the blade closed. Blade centering is perfect on my knife. As with some ZTs, you need to keep your finger off the lock bar when using the flipper.

The 0888 is a titanium framelock with replaceable steel blade insert. I think having a steel insert is especially prudent with this Maxamet blade. If the blade is truly hardened to 66+ HRc, it will chew through a titanium lockbar. A steel insert is essential here. Lockup on my knife is early and secure. There is no blade play, and the lock does not stick. Typical ZT quality here. They have the 0888 dialed in just as good as any other Zero Tolerance framelock I have handled.

Zero Tolerance 0888MAX Review – Final Thoughts

It is a privilege to share a knife like the 0888MAX with you. I occasionally run into some cool stuff, but largely stay within the realm of normal production folders. I don’t own many custom knives, nor do I spent a lot of time in the midtech market.

With all that in mind, the 0888 is a special piece unlike anything else I have reviewed. Even compared to my 454CF or Shirogorovs this 888 is a totally different knife. I think it is especially interesting that this is an in house design. That is a testament to the team they have built over at Zero Tolerance. Given the somewhat “funky” nature of the new ZT LE’s I think they should consider another in house design. Clearly they have some talent over there, and I think an overreliance on custom maker designs may be a step in the wrong direction at this point.

The 0888MAX is no longer available at retail, and they rarely appear on the secondary market, but if you are in the market for a Zero Tolerance knife, please consider purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. By purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, keep the website free of annoying banner ads, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.

Cold Steel Pro-Lite Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 10 Comments

I was excited when Cold Steel announced the Pro-Lite. I like good knives, and I like cheap knives, and the Pro-Lite looked like it might check both boxes. And while there’s definitely a lot to say about Cold Steel’s behavior in the last few years, it’s nice to see a genuinely interesting budget knife from a company other than Kershaw.

Buy the Cold Steel Pro Lite at BladeHQ

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People talk about the Hinderer/KAI collaborations a lot but, really, the partnership between Cold Steel and Demko is where it’s at. Cold Steel’s affordability, competent machining, and quality materials complement the utility-driven Demko style perfectly. This harmonious pairing has allowed Cold Steel to first reinvent itself as a maker of reliable tools and not just oversized Mall Ninja props, and to move upmarket with compelling offerings in the mid-priced knife bracket.

That move meant there wasn’t really an entry-level Cold Steel knife anymore. Sure, there were a few cheap knives in the lineup, but they were all a little too corner case or niche to be representative of the brand. With the Pro-Lite, Cold Steel brings out a true modern CS design, at a low price. This is the Cold Steel budget flagship we were waiting for.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Pro-Lite has a blade length of 3 5/16”, a handle length of 4 ½”, and an overall length of almost exactly 8”. It is very light for its size, weighing only 3.2 oz, and is made in Taiwan.

Andrew Demko’s style is particularly adaptable to production knives. I think this is because his design philosophy is so practical. His blades are stylish, but that style derives from a commitment to utility. Every custom maker I’ve ever spoken to says they want their knives to be used, but few make this as obvious as Demko does. It also helps that his signature design element, the Tri-Ad Lock, is easy to implement in production knives.

Generally, I prefer smaller knives. I’ve been trying to carry more larger knives to get a feel for the advantages they offer. For what it’s worth, I think the Pro-Lite’s size is part of its charm. This wouldn’t work as a smaller knife. The incredible ergonomics would be compromised, and the very nice blade shape would be altered, likely for the worse.

My Pro-Lite has a clip point blade, long and low-slung, similar to the Buck 110’s blade. I think I’m still a drop point boy at heart, but the clip point is growing on me. The Pro-Lite’s tip is just south of the pivot, and the blade is ground thin enough that you get a lot of a control. The hollow grind starts fairly low, but given the thinnish initial stock you have a good combination of sliciness and stability. This is a burly blade I can get behind.

Steel is interesting. As much as I would have loved to see Cold Steel’s erstwhile standby, AUS-8A, on the Pro-Lite, what we have instead is Krupps 4116. A less common steel, seen on a few of Cold Steel’s previous super-budget options like the Pocket Bushman. I’ve never had a knife with 4116 before, and my experience with it on the Pro-Lite has left me ambivalent. Edge retention seems to be below AUS-8A, and while it is rust-resistant, it has a splotchy finish that just looks weird. Even in the glamour pics on retail sites it looks bad. In the end though 4116 is serviceable and easy to sharpen, which is tantamount in an ‘everyman’ blade, as the Pro-Lite is designed to be.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

Word on the street is that Andrew Demko was particularly fond of the Pro-Lite’s handle, and he has every reason to be. The ergos here are excellent. The bi-level sculpting puts your fore- and middle finger at a lower level than your ring finger and pinky, letting you pinch around the pivot for superlative control. The guard is pronounced enough to keep your hand from going forward, but shallow enough not to interfere with cutting. The beak at the back keeps your rear two fingers situated. This is one of the nimblest-feeling medium-sized blades I’ve ever handled.

Other nice things: there is a slight contour to the scales. The orange peel finish is positive-feeling, but not Cold Steel Classic abrasive. The extra-large jimping on the spine of the knife is great for indexing. Overall proportions for a medium-sized knife are spot on. The Pro-Lite feels hardy and dependable without feeling comically overbuilt, and it has a rugged, Jean Claude Van Dammian swagger that some of the more cerebral heavy-duty knives lack.

The Pro-Lite is a little wide in the pocket, but it’s nothing catastrophic. At its widest point it’s still narrower than a PM2, and it’s nice and thin compared to something like a Voyager. I also heartily approve of the clip. Angled clips are one of my pet peeves, and I’m hoping that Cold Steel is moving towards straight, unadorned clips like this one in the future. Tension is perfect, length is just right, and it seems durable. I have no complaints here. It may not be a revelation in the pocket as it was in the hand, but the Pro-Lite still carries damn good.

Deployment and Lockup

Cold Steel cheaped out big time on the washers: big plastic affairs. The pivot feels cottony, and deployment is very slow. A lockback isn’t ever going to be the fastest opener in the world, but these cheap washers really gunk it up. Once the knife is broken in they’re serviceable, and I can just about flick it open now, but really, phosphor bronze washers would be perfect here, and even at $30 that isn’t asking for the moon.

The Tri-Ad lock is here, and completely serviceable. I get the slightest amount of vertical play if I really wrench on the Pro-Lite, but it’s nothing to get upset about. For a working knife, the Tri-Ad lock is such a good choice. It’s dead simple to operate, requires no real maintenance, and is as unfinicky as they come. Worth noting, however, is that there are degrees of quality in Tri-Ad locks. This is a workmanlike variation, less tuned than the one on my Large Espada. If I flick open the Pro-Lite really hard the lockbar travels deeper into the notch on the tang and it takes some doing to unstick it. It doesn’t feel as dialed in as on a higher-end offering, but I don’t think it affects performance in the least.

Cold Steel Pro-Lite Review – Final Thoughts

The Pro-Lite makes a lot of sense for Cold Steel 2016: when most of their line was in the $40-60 range, they would undercut themselves with something like this. Now that they’ve moved upmarket, they can introduce a blade for somebody interested in their design ethos and the Tri-Ad lock, but without the money to spend on higher-end options. And, in the budget knife world, I think the Pro-Lite can compete with the all-time greats in the price bracket: the Drifter, the Tenacious, the Cryo.

If they made a Pro-Lite with contoured G-10 scales, CTS-XHP steel, and tighter fit and finish, I would gladly pay $120 for it. And you can’t always say that you’d be interested in higher-end versions of budget knives. A Drifter wouldn’t be all that interesting against more the diverse competition in the high-end market. It’s too generic. The Tenacious fails to impress next to the Native 5, or even the Delica. But I like the Pro-Lite design better than the Voyager or the Recon 1.

There is no dearth of cheap knives in the world, but there are precious few that we will remember in five years. There are budget knives that are good budget knives, and budget knives that are good knives. The Pro-Lite falls into this second, much smaller category. This is a great design, full stop. It is quite an accomplishment, and even amongst the string of great knives Cold Steel has been releasing, it stands out. Its own flaws can’t stop the design from shining through either. For $30 this is an easy, easy recommendation.

Cold Steel Pro Lite 3.5" 4116SS Clip Point Razor-Sharp Blade 4.5" GFN Handle Everyday Carry Pocket Folding Knife w/Tri-Ad Lock

PRO LITE CLIP POINT FOLDER - The Cold Steel Pro Lite heavy-duty folding knife aims to deliver superior strength and durability; Sporting a clip-point blade shape, the Pro Lite offers a thin, sharp tip, enhancing its piercing capabilities and precision
4116 STEEL BLADE - This Pro Lite folder features a resilient 3.5-inch blade crafted from 4116 stainless steel; Renowned for its toughness and ease of sharpening, 4116 steel ensures reliable cutting performance in various everyday scenarios
GFN HANDLE - The Pro Lite folders feature handles made from Glass-Filled Nylon (GFN), a durable and high-quality material that provides a secure grip and comfortable handling; GFN offers reliable performance, enhancing handling and control
TRI-AD LOCK - Equipped with Cold Steel's renowned Tri-Ad locking mechanism, the Pro Lite folding knife offers unparalleled strength and shock resistance; This locking mechanism enhances the knife's reliability and safety during heavy-duty tasks
SPECS - Weight: 3.3 oz (93.6 g); Blade Thickness: 3 mm; Blade Length: 3.5"; Blade Steel: 4116 Stainless Steel; Handle Length/Material: 4.5" GFN; Overall Length: 8"; Knife Type: Folder; Blade Shape: Clip Point; Locking Mechanism: Tri-Ad Locking Mechanism

Editor’s Note: I recommend purchasing the Cold Steel Pro Lite at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that by purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, keep the website free of annoying banner ads, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.

CRKT Homefront K270GKP Review

by Dan Jackson 20 Comments

Last Updated: August 12, 2019
One of the hallmarks of a quality folding knife is to be able to take it apart and put it back together without any problems. That is one of the qualities I find most admirable in my Spyderco Sage 1, which remains one of my all time favorite EDC knives to this day. Certainly that is one of the draws to the CRK Sebenza; its unapologetic simplicity and ease of disassembly and re-assembly. I think it’s one thing to put something together properly at the factory and have it work well in the short term, but if it doesn’t go back together correctly after being taken apart then something is horribly wrong.

Buy the CRKT Homefront at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

So when I saw CRKT roll out the Homefront, a knife that was designed to be taken apart, I took notice. At first glance this may seem gimmicky in the same way Lionsteel made a handle that changes color when you hold it. The knife industry is a tough one to innovate in, and some of features touted as “innovations” can be questionable at best. But the Homefront was designed by Ken Onion, and CRKT has a history of executing custom designs well. So I approached the Homefront with both interest and a healthy dose of skepticism.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Homefront has an overall length of 8.3″, a 3.5″ blade, weighs 4.8 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. I have a soft spot for utilitarian folders with a 3.5″ blade. Some of my favorite user pieces fall into this category, including the Cold Steel American Lawman, Kershaw Blur, and Buck Marksman. In an age of high dollar titanium framelock flippers these are the unsung heroes of my knife collection. While I am as guilty as the next guy for wanting to check out high end offerings, these humble pieces keep showing up in my pocket to get the job done.

The Homefront has that same “no bullshit” appeal that these other knives have. It’s simply constructed and geared towards functionality. But that is not to say that the Homefront is devoid of detail and visual interest. The knife has a military inspired aesthetic that has grown on me since acquisition. I am still not a fan of the oversize star on the pivot, but the rest of the design agrees with me, and the knife is nicely made and beautifully finished. In my mind this is a dedicated utility knife, and is one that could be pressed into a variety of roles as your situation requires.

The blade is a handsome drop-point design, with a prominent fuller, big belly, and a simple swedge terminating in a capable tip. You almost forget this is a Ken Onion design, except for that suggestion of a recurve. The blade features a hollow grind and a lustrous satin finish. The knife is ground reasonably thin and it slices well. This is a classic and useful blade shape.

One critique is that the edge is not sharpened all the way to the plunge line. Instead, you have about a quarter inch of unsharpened steel. The advantage is that you can use this as a poor man’s forward finger choil, but the disadvantage is that you lose that cutting surface and the knife can be a little harder to sharpen on some systems.

CRKT chose AUS-8 for the blade steel. I’m not a steel snob, but this is my biggest criticism of the knife. Given the near $100 retail price point (I paid $90 for mine, but now see the knife retail for a little over $80 on Amazon), this should be S30V, 154CM, or some other higher end stainless steel. Every other aspect of the Homefront is on par with a $100 knife, so it’s a shame to see the steel suffer here. Still, AUS-8 is serviceable stuff, and it will certainly work for a knife that is meant to be used. It is tough, doesn’t rust easily, and is easy to sharpen.

If you add up all my reviews I have probably written the equivalent of a full length novel on AUS-8, so I won’t belabor this further. At the end of the day I don’t mind the steel in a lower end knife, but would be remiss not to ding the Homefront for the choice of AUS-8 blade steel.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is constructed of 2 slabs of 6061 aluminum that have been type-3 anodized a rich olive green. There is a partial geared aluminum backspacer, and a nested steel liner lock. The handle is modified to accommodate the Field-Strip take down system (more on that below) with the inclusion of a release lever near the pivot and a geared wheel at the pommel.

Fit and finish on this knife is immaculate. The lines are crisp, there is an absence of tooling marks, and everything comes together perfectly. The anodization is tough to capture with photography – it has a subtle depth to it that doesn’t show up well in the pictures. The anodization has held up nicely, but I don’t doubt if I drop it on my driveway it will show signs of wear like my Marksman.

The Homefront benefits from a simple approach to ergonomics, and is a comfortable knife in hand. The handle itself is lightly textured and the aluminum is a far cry from abrasive G-10 or rough patterning. There is a shallow finger choil, and a row of toothy jimping – aggressive enough to bite in sharply if you really bear down on the knife, but easy to avoid if you place your thumb on the spine of the blade. The geared backspacer and release wheel provide additional traction if you need to use the knife in a reverse grip, but largely stay out of the way when you are using the knife with a normal forward grip.

Ken knows how to design a comfortable knife, and this Homefront benefits from his decades of experience.

The pocket clip is an unassuming piece of folded-over stainless steel. It’s black, rectangular, and does a decent job of keeping the knife held in place in your pocket. The aluminum handles don’t offer much traction, so retention isn’t outstanding. It is a deep carry clip, and the Homefront all but disappears into your pocket. Beyond that, there isn’t much to report, beyond the handle being milled, drilled, and tapped for right side tip up carry only – not a big deal for me, but a potential source of contention for some.

The Homefront carries nicely in the pocket. It’s not overly thick, heavy or large, and it carries like you would expect it to. No complaints.

Field-Strip Technology

The Homefront is the first production knife to feature Ken Onion’s Field-strip Technology. It’s a system that allows the knife to be taken apart without tools in seconds by way of a lever near the pivot and a release wheel at the butt of the handle. Flip the lever, turn the wheel, and in seconds you have a fully disassembled knife.

I have had my Homefront for about 6 weeks at this point, and in that space of time I have disassembled and re-assembled the Homefront probably 100 times. Not out of necessity, but out of that neurotic fidgety compulsion that drives most knife collectors to obsessively and absentmindedly flick the blades of their folders. This is the same neurosis that is responsible for grown men spinning $100+ tops and the TorqBar. Plus I wanted to test the system out thoroughly.

I am here to say that after taking the knife apart obsessively the Field-Strip system still works great. I can take the knife apart and put it back together in under 30 seconds at this point. There was a small learning curve, but with a little practice the Field Strip system becomes easy to manipulate.

The bigger question is, “How handy is this?” I don’t work a particularly dirty job. I’m not in the military, or law enforcement, or anything remotely physical. So I don’t really “need” a knife that I can strip in the field, because, let’s face it, I’m never in the field.

But I can tell you this is a nice well implemented feature. I do occasionally take my knives apart, and when I do it’s at best an ordeal necessitating the use of torx drivers, a quiet space, a clean surface, and 10-15 minutes of my time. At worst you can mess up the knife. I have stripped screws, lost pieces under my desk, and have taken a knife apart only to find out it doesn’t want to come back together quite right.

There is value to this system whether you are trying to take your knife apart inside a tent or at your kitchen table. I wouldn’t want to take my Benchmade apart on a camping trip. But taking apart the Homefront outside is something I am completely comfortable with.

Deployment and Lockup

The Homefront is a sub-liner lock flipper. The flipper looks like a bayonet lug, paying further homage to the Homefront’s throwback military-inspired design. The blade runs on nested teflon washers. I am typically not a fan of teflon washers, but they work here. The washers are nested in such a way that they don’t fall out when you disassemble the knife, and my guess is that was the primary consideration when selecting teflon. Regardless, the blade flips open easily and the action doesn’t have that “floaty” feeling that is typical of teflon washers. It actually flips well, especially after a break in. The oversize flipper provides plenty of leverage, and the blade pops opens with a satisfying snap.

You can get a good look at the nested steel liner lock in the picture of the dissassembled knife. It’s unassuming, but it works well. The lock bar is easy to get at and doesn’t stick. There is a little side to side play, an acceptable trade off for a toolless design, but nothing more than you would find on an axis lock. Also, the blade centering is dead center every single time, without any tweaking on my end. This is super impressive to me, as so many knives get this wrong. It’s a testament to how well the Homefront is engineered and manufactured.

CRKT Homefront Review – Final Thoughts

It would be easy to dismiss the Homefront and its Field-Strip system as a gimmick. But I think doing so would be a mistake. At its core this is a well made and functional piece, and the Field-Strip aspect of the knife works surprisingly well. The knife comes apart and goes back together easily and consistently. This is a legitimate improvement over a regular screw-together folder, and CRKT did a good job with this. I’d like to see them carry this out with other designs and dial the system in even further.

I’d also like to see CRKT beef up the blade steel. I realize that this knife was manufactured in Taiwan, which means there are logistical challenges to getting quality steel to the factory, plus this was probably an expensive knife both to develop and manufacture, but at this price point you really need to be above the AUS8/8Cr13MoV tier of steel. Both Spyderco and Cold Steel have figured out how to get good steel to their Taiwanese factories, so it can be done. The choice of AUS-8 is not a deal killer for me, but I know it will be a turn off for many.

At the end of the day I think the pros to the Homefront outweigh the cons. This is an excellently executed knife, and it’s the most interesting edged tool to cross my desk in 2016. I think this knife is a good choice for both collectors of interesting and unusual knives, and I also recommend it for those who are considering the Homefront as an EDC piece. I purchased this knife with my own money for long term testing and evaluation. I’ll continue to carry and use the Homefront and will update this review if my opinion about the knife or Field-Strip system changes over time.

As I close this review out I can’t help but compare my Homefront to my Marksman. Both feature aluminum handles, classic lines, and solid construction. Both are unique and innovative in their own ways. And both are rock solid workhorse knives. It’s my pleasure to highlight unique offerings like these.

COLUMBIA RIVER KNIFE & TOOL CRKT Homefront Aluminum Folding Pocket Knife: Take Apart Field Strip, Satin Blade, Flipper Open, Liner Lock, Aluminum Handle, Deep Carry Pocket Clip K270GKP

Easy Maintenance: Field Strip take apart your knife for cleaning without tools
Easy To Sharpen: High carbon stainless steel blade takes an edge well
Lightweight And Strong: Aluminum handle combines strength with minimal weight
Designed by Ken Onion in Kaneohe, Hawaii
Versatile Use: Suitable for every day carry around the home or office

If you are considering buying a CRKT Homefront, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Buck 110 Folding Hunter Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 62 Comments

No history of the folding pocket knife is complete without the Buck 110 Folding Hunter. It is arguably the first modern folder, in ethos if not in design. “Buck knife” is now a catch-all term for a certain style of blade, and the 110 is responsible for that. More than other knife besides the Swiss Army Knife, the Buck 110 is an icon.

Buy the Buck 110 at BladeHQ

But for all that it heralds modern folder design, the 110 is more antithetical to a Paramilitary 2 or a Griptilian than a traditional knife. It’s a question of refinement. Traditionals evolved on a separate path, and even if that evolution peaked 100 years ago there is a lot more refinement in a Case Peanut than in the 110. Its design is iconic and influential, but it does seem crude by modern standards.

Is it fair to hold the 110 to modern standards? Well, Buck still markets this knife as a tool, not a collectible. The implication here is that they believe it is a competitive offering in today’s knife market. And crude doesn’t necessarily equate to bad. So I’ve tested it as I would any other knife under review, and after several weeks of dedicated carry and use, I have come to my conclusions regarding the 110.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 110 has a handle length of 4 ¾”, a blade length of 3 ¾”, and an overall length of 8 9/16”. It weighs 7.2 oz. The lines of the 110 are so familiar that I hardly need to go over them. The gleaming brass bolsters and wooden scales have been copied by dozens and dozens of manufacturers over the years. Although I take issue with Buck’s decision to keep the 110 design more or less as is for 50 years, I can certainly sympathize with it. Buck struck a chord with the 110. There are major issues with the tolerances, but the finish on the 110 is quite good for a $40 knife. This is a handsome blade.

And beyond looks the 110 has plenty of merit, mainly thanks to its utter simplicity. I’ve talked about handles being task neutral before, but here we have a task neutral knife. Although called a hunter, there’s just an alchemy between the lines and proportions of the 110 that make it able to perform any kind of cutting task.

Some of that versatility is delivered by the blade shape. A low-slung, sharkish clip point, it leverages its length to great effect. The larger blade means that you have a decent run of straight edge before the sweep to the tip, so sawing and slicing are on the table. In relation to the handle, the belly is angled so that you can really push down and get through material quickly. The tip is acute for effective leading and good piercing. And, unlike many large blades, it is a great slicer. A workhorse blade shape that manages to retain its grace as well.

The steel is 420HC. Much is made of Buck’s Paul Bos heat treatments. I have no experience with this steel outside of Buck knives so I can’t say whether it makes a difference. The Buck/Bos 420HC is probably a smidge better than 8Cr13MoV, but not quite as good as AUS-8A. It dulls rather quickly, but you can sharpen the hell out of this 420HC very easily. Some steels, like VG-10, I can work and work and work on without getting past a certain level of sharpness. Here, 420HC got super sharp super quick, which I appreciate.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

I have no complaints about the 110’s handle shape. The bow shape handle is as neutral as it gets. A lot of makers seem to think that we need finger grooves and scallops and jimping to show us the different ways we can hold our knife, but it is always better when the handle lets us decide. There isn’t a wrong way to hold the 110.

I find balance to be an essential part of good knife design. The closer the balance is to the pivot, the more control we have over the blade. The 110’s Dymondwod and brass construction lead to a rather Rubenesque knife. Balance is right in the middle of the handle, where the swell is most pronounced – a decent distance from the pivot. There’s nothing unpleasant about this while holding the knife, but in use it means you lose so much control for finer work. A shame, considering the surprising competency of this nearly 4” in delicate tasks.

But where the weight really kills the 110, of course, is in carry. There is no better way to learn about the advantages of lightweight knives than to spend a little time with a Buck 110. No clip here. My 110 came with a leather sheath, the traditional carry method for this knife, but I find that to be impractical for day-to-day suburban life, so my 110 rode in the back pocket. It wasn’t good, but at 7.2 oz. you’re going to notice this thing wherever you have it. It’s less ‘just bad’ than it is ‘really unfeasible.’

Deployment and Lockup

The 110’s two-handed opening is a bummer. Nail nicks are part of the charm of traditional knives, but the 110 isn’t a traditional knife. That’s why it’s famous. On the other hand I understand that thumb studs weren’t a common sight when the 110 came out, so I’m not faulting Buck for releasing the 110 without them, I just wish that they would have added them at some point in the last 50 years.

Complaints aside, the nail nick on the 110 works well, as does simply pinching the blade as I normally do on my Opinel. The opening action is smooth and positive, and the sound when the lock engages is satisfying, and all of this was how the knife was out of the box. You expect these things to feel right on a classic, and they do.

Much less right is the lock. I have faith in its safety, but it’s sloppy. From day one there was play in every direction on my 110, and the lock bar flexes quite readily during hard downward cuts. If I don’t sound particularly disappointed it’s probably because it’s the level of QC I’ve come to expect from Buck – which is itself the worst kind of condemnation.

If Buck is going to continue to espouse the virtues of stateside production, I really would like to see them recognize the level of competition out there and up their game. Newer products like the Marksman seem to indicate they’re capable of tight tolerances and complicated designs, and I for one would willingly pay more to see that same attention to detail on their flagship product.

Buck 110 Folding Hunter – Final Thoughts

There is no unqualified recommendation I can make for the 110 other than collectability. If you’re interested in knives and the history of their design, the 110 is 100% required reading. But as a tool, in any application, I can suggest a dozen other knives that outperform it. I can suggest better cutters, better locks, better fit and finish, all at or around the same price and all considerably lighter.

Buck is a company with a proud history, and the 110 is central to that history. I think they’ve convinced themselves that, by changing the 110, they are flouting the tradition it represents. That’s simply not true. Spyderco has been tweaking their flagships for years and nobody’s forgotten the significance of the Delica. There is a difference between honoring your past and being imprisoned by it. It’s frustrating that there aren’t readily available modern variations on the 110 from Buck. A model with G-10 scales, aluminum bolsters, and a clip would be cool. KA-BAR recently released such a knife and it is 2 oz. lighter than the 110.

I don’t even know that it’s a particularly good value at $40. The finish is good in a rough and tumble, barroom countertop kind of way, but the tolerances are way below par. I think that Buck is still trying to work out its priorities and in the meantime customers are left in the lurch with some very shoddy production. The Mini Spitfire I handled was worse than this, but not much worse.

The iconic character of the 110 saves it from being a total pass. This is real knife history that can be had for $40. Go grab one and see how far we’ve come. You’ll learn a lot, but don’t expect to end up using it much. It’s hard not to like the 110, but it is even harder to want to carry it.

If you are considering buying a Buck 110, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. By purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, keep the website free of annoying banner ads, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.