Folding Knives

Cold Steel Ti-Lite Review

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

Buy the Cold Steel Ti-Lite at BladeHQ

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

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

General Dimensions and Blade Details

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

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

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

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

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

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

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

Deployment and Lockup

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

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

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

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

Cold Steel Ti-Lite Review – Final Thoughts

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

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

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I recommend purchasing the Cold Steel Ti-Lite at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Review

by Dan Jackson 50 Comments

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

Buy the Para 2 at BladeHQ

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

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

General Dimensions and Blade Details

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

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

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

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

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

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

Deployment and Lock

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blade centering on my knife is perfect.

Spyderco Paramilitary 2 vs. Para 3

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

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

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

Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Review – Final Thoughts

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

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

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

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

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

Zero Tolerance 0350 Review

by Dan Jackson 38 Comments

Last Updated: April 5, 2020

My Zero Tolerance 0300 got a lot of looks when I carried it around. At over 9″ long and with a weight of 8.6 ounces, it definitely raised some eyebrows. The excellent S30V blade was a force to be reckoned with, and I really enjoyed the loud “thwack” of the assisted opening. It was generally a really cool knife to carry, but lets be real, it’s not always practical to tote around such a beast of a blade every day. After a while a knife of that size (and weight!) might get pushed to the back of your EDC rotation, to eventually fall off into a dark corner of your knife collection.

Buy the Zero Tolerance 0350 at BladeHQ

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So the good folks over at Zero Tolerance decided to tone things down a little and offer a slightly tamer, yet no less cool version of the original 0300; the Zero Tolerance 0350. This little brother packs many of the great features that made me fall in love with the 0300, but comes in a size that is much more practical for many people to EDC (although it’s still a big knife – lets not kid ourselves). Lets take a closer look and see what the ZT 0350 is all about.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

WHile the 0350 is not as portly as it’s big brother, it still is not what I would call a “small knife.” The 0350 has an overall length of 7-5/8″ a 3-1/4″ blade and a weight of 6.2 ounces. So it’s still on the heavy side, and perhaps still too big for some to EDC, but if a sturdy good size folder is what you are after I don’t think it’s a huge issue.

The blade is a modified drop point design. There is a small recurve and tons of belly. This is the same blade shape found on the 0300, just shrunk down slightly. I like how the tip has been left very strong. The tip of the 0350 has good piercing strength, and the high flat grind makes the knife excellent for slicing. While recurves can be a pain to sharpen, they really help feed material into the edge and are great slicers. ZT rounded things off by applying a beautiful edge and laser engraved hallmarks. This is a great blade shape a wide variety of applications.

The steel on this knife is S30V, which is absolutely awesome stuff. I am a big fan of S30V because it holds a very nice edge for a long time, and is still reasonably easy to sharpen. S30V is also resistant to rust and corrosion. Zero Tolerance applied a very nice DLC (diamond like carbon) coating to the knife, which is about as durable as knife coatings get. In summary, this is a great blade shape made of great steel with a great coating applied to it.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The ZT 0350 features a classic handle formulation – black G10 over very thick stainless steel liners. The handle has been meticulously finished – I absolutely love how everything lines up perfectly, and there isn’t a machining mark to be seen. As far as construction goes, everything is held together with torx bolts, and you have a partial G10 backspacer. My only suggestion for Zero Tolerance would be to mill out the liners a little to perhaps shave off a few tenths of an ounce. Really though, this handle is built like a tank and finished like a Swiss watch.

The ergonomics on the 0350 are extremely satisfying. I wear a large glove and it feels like the knife was custom made for my hand. The width and thickness to the handle really fills the palm while the choil and thumb ramp prevent your fingers from slipping forward. The G10 has a medium level of traction, which is very pleasant feeling and offers good feedback. In reverse grip there is additional jimping for your thumb. All in all it’s a very comfortable and secure grip.

The pocket clip is right out of the Kershaw parts bin and is simple, but effective. First of all, it’s unobtrusive with it’s flat black coating. It has excellent retention, which I find extremely important for a heavier knife – this means that the knife won’t slide around your pocket (or worse, fall out entirely). The fact that this is a true 4 corners clip (ambidextrous tip up or tip down carry) almost brings a tear to my eye. This is truly a well done pocket clip.

Actual carry isn’t that bad. I found the knife is about as unobtrusive as 6+ ounces can get, although it’s certainly a change from say, my more typical 3-4 ounce EDC knives. For guys who regularly carry larger knives, I don’t anticipate any problems at all.

Deployment and Lockup

The ZT 0350 gives you the option of either a flipper or thumb studs for deployment. In practice, only the right hand thumb stud is available (the left side sits too close to the handles) but my preference is for the flipper anyways. Either way the knife springs to life with very little effort due to the stellar Speedsafe assisted opening mechanism and high quality phosphor bronze washers. This is a knife that fires hard and fires fast. And on a tactical knife, this kind of easy of deployment can be the difference between life and death. If assisted opening knives aren’t your thing, it’s easy enough to remove the spring – deployment will be smooth regardless.

Lockup on the 0350 is accomplished by a very beefy liner lock. This is a very well executed liner lock, and it bites in early with plenty of room for wear. One of the biggest differences between the 0350 and the 0300 is the absence of the titanium framelock, but I have just as much confidence in this very thick liner. It almost goes without saying, but I didn’t detect blade play in any direction.

Zero Tolerance 0300 or Zero Tolerance 0350?

A common question people have is whether they want the ZT 0350 or the larger ZT 0300. If you are one of those people, I made a video comparing the two knives.

Zero Tolerance 0350 Review – Final Thoughts

The Zero Tolerance 0350 is an absolutely outstanding knife. I love everything about it, from the choice of materials, to the incredible fit and finish, to the stellar design, to the great ergonomics, right on down to the excellent pocket clip. I am also very pleased to see that this knife is made in America and still comes in at a decent price.

Currently these can be had for right around $100. When you consider how well this knife is made, I think it represents an excellent value – especially when the 0300 costs over $200. It’s been a real pleasure having this knife in my collection and it really makes me excited to review more Zero Tolerance knives in the future. The company really seems to know how to put together a great blade and am truly excited to see what they have coming up next.

Zero Tolerance 0350 Folding Pocket Knife; 3.25” S30V Stainless Steel Blade with Black Tungsten DLC Finish; Textured G-10 Handle Scales, SpeedSafe Assisted Opening, Liner Lock, Quad-Mount Clip; 6.2 OZ.

High performance and premium quality S350V stainless steel makes the recurve blade extremely durable, corrosion resistant and wear resistant
Non-reflective black Tungsten DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) blade coating and black G-10 handle scales cleanly pair together for a sleek, smooth
Quad-mount pocket clip convenient for left or right handed, tip-up, or tip-down carry
Ideal EDC, easy folding pocket knife for everyday tasks—survival tool, precision cutting, self-defense, tactical use or the perfect gift
General all-purpose knife great for EDC or use while working, camping, fishing, hunting, utility or any outdoor activity

I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0350 at Amazon.com or BladeHQ. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this site helps earns BladeReviews a small commission at no cost to you, and keeps this review train running. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated.

Benchmade Mini Griptilian 556 Review

by Dan Jackson 26 Comments

Last Updated: November 30, 2019
As much as I enjoy discussing the latest and greatest knives, sometimes we need to stop and appreciate the modern classics. As someone who tries to stay on top of all the new stuff coming out, I can tell you that the knife world moves at a breakneck pace. Companies are constantly introducing new and exciting models vying for our attention and dollars.

Buy the Benchmade Mini Griptilian at BladeHQ

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As much as I can appreciate their desire to shower us with awesome new products, I try to occasionally pause and reflect on the real classics in the world of modern folding knives.

Without a doubt one of these classic knives is the Benchmade Mini Griptilian. The little brother to the full size Benchmade Griptilian, the Mini Griptilian takes a lot of what makes the full size so great and shrinks it down into a package that is perfect for urban EDC. For most people this knife is everything you need, and nothing you don’t.

Lets take a closer look at this “modern classic” knife, and see what the Mini Griptilian is all about.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Mini Griptilian has a 2.91″ blade, an overall length of 6.78″ and a weight of 2.5 ounces. These dimensions make the Mini Grip ideal for EDC. This is a knife that is small enough to comfortably carry, friendly enough to use in public without questions, and still big enough actually get some work done when you need it to.

However, if you need something that is capable of bigger tasks can also work as a defensive knife, I recommend checking out the full size Griptilian. Here’s a size comparison between the two:

The blade on the Mini Griptilian is a classic drop point shape. This is a timeless design that features a hollow grind and a swedge. This gives you a nice tip for piercing and detail work, along with plenty of belly for common utility tasks. You have a choice of a satin finish (shown here) or a black coated blade. Benchmade also makes a tanto version of the knife and a sheepsfoot, and you have your choice of plain edge or partial serrations. All in all, you have an excellent blade here, with tons of options to make it your own.

The steel on the Mini Griptilian is 154CM. This is a nice all-around steel. It’s not quite a super steel by today’s standards, but definitely a mid to high end steel. I like how it is easy to sharpen and how it holds a nice edge for a good amount of time. 154CM is a proven blade steel that still gets used. Benchmade also offers this knife in S30V. Benchmade’s S30V is excellent, but I find little reason to upgrade from 154CM.

In practice, the Mini Griptilian performs great. I’ve carried and used mine for years. It has performed countless daily tasks. Whether that’s breaking down a box, or helping out with a car or construction project, the Mini Griptilian can get it done. When the edge eventually dulls, it’s easy enough to bring back on my Spyderco Sharpmaker.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Mini Griptilian has a solid handle made of fiberglass reinforced nylon (FRN) over full stainless steel liners. Just so everyone is on the same page, FRN is fiberglass reinforced plastic. I have no problem with this handle material, although many consider it to be inferior to G10. It’s a lightweight and strong material that I have had a lot of experience with and have never had any issues (at all).

If the FRN bothers you, then pick up a G-10 Mini Griptilian. It’s more expensive, but a great upgrade if you have the money.

Underneath the FRN we have nested stainless steel liners. This is a solid handle design, with no flex. All the parts line up flush and are of high quality. Everything is bolted together for easy take down. Like the full size Grip, this is a closed back design.

Ergonomics on the Mini Griptilian are good for a small EDC knife. With larger hands I was able to get a firm 4 finger grasp without an issue. It’s a tighter fit than the full size, but it’s definitely doable (and remember, this is the Mini). Of course, being a Griptilian, this thing is tricked out in the texture department. Benchmade included tons of jimping, a nice thumb ramp, a good choil, and a tight diamond pattern on the handle scales. This knife isn’t going anywhere – in forward or reverse grips.

The pocket clip is the exact same clip found on the full size Griptilian, which is great. I am a huge fan of this clip, it’s a good size, offers good retention and buries deep. Benchmade gives you the option of ambidextrous tip up carry. The attractive flat black coating will wear off with use, but if you ever send this knife into Benchmade for service (or just email em) they will hook you up with a brand new clip.

As far as actual carry goes, the Mini Grip is effortless. The knife is fairly slim and at 2.5 ounces you will hardly feel it. This is a knife that you will want in your pocket every day. Here is a photo of what the knife looks like in your pocket:

Deployment and Lockup

Like the full size Grip, the Mini comes with either thumb studs or a thumb hole. I like the look of the thumb studs (plus it matches my full size Grip) so I went with that. Both options provide near effortless ambidextrous deployment. There are large phosphor bronze washers in the knife that account for the incredibly smooth deployment. Both my full size and Mini Grip rank the fastest deploying blades in my collection. Also, blade centering is perfect.

Here’s a size comparison with a Spyderco Delica and Spyderco Endura:

As far as lockup is concerned, the Mini Grip makes use of the now legendary Axis lock. I’m a huge fan of this style of lock because it is incredibly easy to operate with either hand, is strong and is incredibly elegant. Hands down this is my favorite style of lock. The axis lock on the Mini Grip has been flawlessly executed.

If you live in the US or Canada I really cant think of enough nice things to say about the Axis lock. However, if you are an international reader, you may need to consider that if the spring on the axis lock breaks (which has never happened to me), you would have to send in the whole knife for repair. This would be a hassle, and rather expensive. That is the only downside I can see to the axis lock.

After owning dozens of axis lock knives for years and years, I’ve never had an issue with an Omega spring breaking. But I do occasionally get comments from international readers saying that this has happened to them. It would be great if Benchmade reconsidered their policy in these conditions, and just shipped out a new Omega spring.

Here is a size comparison of the Mini Grip with a Kershaw Skyline:

Full Size Benchmade Griptilian vs. Mini Griptilian

Now if you are anything like me, you might be interested in the Griptilian series, but are unsure whether you want the full size or the Mini. To help you out I recorded a little video comparing the two knives. I hope this helps.

Benchmade Mini Griptilian Review – Final Thoughts

I originally published this review in 2012. In 2019 I performed a major update to the review, complete with better pictures, and updated thoughts after owning the knife for the better part of a decade. The Mini Griptilian is an outstanding knife, and it has remained in my daily carry rotation over the years. This smaller version of the Griptilian makes for a great discreet EDC. I have had zero issues with my knife. It has stood the test of time.

The Mini Griptilian is an absolutely fantastic EDC option. It’s lightweight, sturdy, and very well made. It should be no surprise that this is one of Benchmade’s most popular and iconic designs. Perhaps the only issue is the price. This isn’t a cheap knife, but it is wonderfully made and I think you get what you pay for. Plus, it’s made in the USA.

The Mini Griptilian is a knife with a proven track record and has earned its place as one of the Best EDC knives. I can recommend it without hesitation.

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I recommend purchasing the Mini-Griptilian from Amazon and BladeHQ. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

SOG Visionary II Review

by Dan Jackson 18 Comments

Last Updated: August 23, 2019
To many, SOG is known for their more inexpensive knives. As far as folders go, when you say “SOG Knives” people often have images of the Aegis, Trident and Flash in their head. Perhaps a SEAL Pup fixed blade might be on the back of their mind as well when they are thinking of the brand. This is fine, as SOG makes some excellent high value knives, but they do a lot more than make knives in the ~$50 and under range. The Visionary II just happens to be one of these knives.

Buy the SOG Visionary II at BladeHQ

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Made in SEKI City Japan and retailing for around $100, it only takes a moment upon handling the knife to realize that this is not your typical SOG. I think these are somewhat under-appreciated blades so I’m excited to take a closer look and share some thoughts on the knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Visionary II has a 3.75″ blade, an overall length of 8.37″ and a weight of 4.3 ounces. With these dimensions, and the inclusion of an arc lock (which is very similar to an axis lock) I can’t help but compare this knife to the Benchmade Griptilian. Indeed, the stats are similar (3.45″/8.07″/3.8oz for the Grip). They also share similarities in handle construction (reinforced plastic handles over steel liners) and they both feature mid/high end blade steel. However, the Visionary is a completely different knife so I’ll try to remain as detached as the hamster wheel in my head will allow.

The blade shape on the Visionary II is a modified drop point. It’s a sleek and sexy design with a swedge and belly forming a nice sturdy tip. There is a slight recurve for draw cutting and the entire knife has been given an attractive black powdercoat. This blade shape strikes me as particularly well suited for tactical applications. You have some good penetration power and recurves can be devastating when used on soft materials. I also think there are a lot of good utility applications for this blade, so we could have a larger EDC knife on our hands too. All in all this is a very nice blade, it’s well thought out and beautifully executed with a keen edg and high hollow grind.

The steel on the Visionary II is VG10. This is a very nice mid to high end Japanese stainless steel. VG10 is capable of getting extremely sharp, and will do a good job holding onto that edge. It’s a high quality steel and I find it to be a substantial upgrade over the AUS8 found in SOG’s more affordable offerings.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handles on the Visionary II are glass reinforced nylon (GRN), which is very similar to FRN (in fact I think it’s actually the same as FRN). Underneath the GRN we have full stainless steel liners. These liners are not milled out, but instead have been given an almost mirror polish. They are very well put together and line up flush. The rest of the handle is a simple, open back design with a couple pillars and a small lanyard hole.

Ergonomics on the Visionary II are good. The handle is plain but it features a nice finger choil and the corners have all been nicely rounded. On the spine of the blade there is a nice thumb ramp with some functional jimping. This style of handle emphasizes maximum reach rather than choking for ultimate control. It’s a design well suited for tactical tasks, but could do detailed work in a pinch.

The pocket clip is odd looking but well done. It’s been given a black coating, and like many SOG folders this is a deep ride clip that allows for ambidextrous tip up carry. Clip retention is good and despite the admittedly funky design, I think it works well and is a good clip overall.

Deployment and Lockup

The Visionary II has ambidextrous thumb studs for deployment. They are fairly easy to get at and with some force the knife springs to life. Honestly, compared with something like the Griptilian I found deployment to be a little difficult. Maybe it’s the shape of the thumb studs, maybe it’s the positioning, maybe it’s the washers. This is me being extremely picky, but something about it just didn’t 100% click. I suspect that swapping out the teflon washers for phosphor bronze washers would offer a substantial improvement in speed. I will say the deployment was very smooth overall.

Lockup on the Visionary II is solid. The nice thing about the arc-lock on these higher end SOGs is that it is fully ambidextrous and you can disengage it with one hand. If you are unfamiliar with this kind of lock, it is similar to the axis lock. If we are to do an apples to apples comparison here, my preference leans slightly towards the axis lock. But I know some people favor the arc lock. Really they are both pretty similar and function very well.

SOG Visionary II Review – Final Thoughts

All in all the Visionary II is a nice offering from SOG. What you get here is a well made Japanese knife, with good steel, excellent fit and finish and solid construction. I like the powdercoated blade, the comfortable handle, and how everything is assembled to very tight tolerances. To me deployment was just slightly awkward, but perhaps I needed to spend more time playing with the pivot (blade centering was perfect by the way).

All in all, this is a very solid offering, and a nice upgrade over SOG’s more basic offerings. If the Visionary II is a knife you like on paper, then I think that you will be pleased with it. Recommended to those that like the design.

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I recommend purchasing the SOG Visionary II at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Cold Steel Voyager Review

by Dan Jackson 34 Comments

Last Updated: February 25, 2018

New in 2011, the updated Cold Steel Voyagers took the knife world by storm. There was a lot to like about the original CS Voyagers, but as technologies advance old classics need updating. And I gotta say, the new version really packs some nice improvements. Lighter, faster, with better locks and beautiful details – there is a lot to love about these knives. With 3 sizes, 3 blade shapes and the option of fully or partially serrated edges there is something for everyone.

Buy the Cold Steel Voyager at BladeHQ

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I have one of each size for your consideration here (the Medium Voyager, Large Voyager, and the XL Voyager). After testing them all I can safely recommend any one of these knives. Take the “voyage” with me and learn why I like them so much.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Since I’m reviewing 3 knives here I figured it would be easiest to throw the dimensions into a table instead of listing them out.

Model:	Blade Length	Overall Length	Weight
Extra Large	5-1/2″	12-1/4″	7.2 oz
Large	4″	9-1/4″	4.6 oz
Medium	3″	7-1/4″	3.1 oz

All the knives feel light for their size. Especially the Large and XL.

The 2011 Voyagers come in 3 major blade shapes. You have the classic clip point shown here, you also have a nice tanto version, and a version known as the “Vaquero.” The Vaquero is a modified clip point with a serious recurve. The knife you decide on comes down to your personal preferences. I think they are all pretty good, but the Vaquero will the hardest to sharpen due to the extreme recurve. I probably should have bought one of each blade style, but what can I say, I’m a sucker for a nice clip point.

And this clip point is really well done. Cold Steel started things off with a full flat grind. You also have a small swedge that forms a nice tip. There is plenty of belly and the edge is beautifully ground. Topping things off is an excellent stone wash. This blade finish really sets this knife apart. I greatly prefer the stonewash over Cold Steel’s teflon coating or blasted finish blades. All said and done the blade is really nice, especially when you consider the modest price tag.

Steel on the 2011 Voyagers is AUS 8. This changed to BD1 in 2015-2016. Both are softer steels. Cold Steel got a lot of feedback from customers wanting something with better edge retention than AUS-8, so they upgraded their premium line of knives to CTS-XHP (and then S35Vn in 2018), and their more budget oriented knives they upgraded to BD1. I don’t have a lot of experience with BD1, but it’s a softer steel. Easy to sharpen, and presumably holds a better edge than AUS-8. I think it was a good option for the Voyager series as the price is still reasonable.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle on the Voyager is a combination of grivory (Cold Steel’s proprietary high density plastic) over aluminum liners. Aluminum strikes me as a great choice for liner material here. It’s been hardened so we have good strength, and it’s nice and light. Grivory on its own is pretty tough stuff too, so we are left with a very robust handle design.

In addition to the materials, I’m a big fan of the way these handles have been put together. Everything is screwed together for easy take down. The aluminum liners are neatly nested into the grivory. Everything lines up well and has been well finished. This is a high quality handle and it really shows.

The ergonomics on the entire Voyager line are also very nice. Naturally you would expect the XL to work in your hand (and it does, in a variety of positions). The Large also functions quite well. The Medium had me most concerned as it was the smallest and was a knife I wanted to EDC. Poor ergos would have kept me from doing that. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised with how well the Medium fit in my hand. I wear a large glove and the Medium rested comfortably, with my pinky taking residence on the shelf making up the back part of the handle. I was even able to choke up a little (which I only recommend for light tasks). All the knives have deep finger choils and light jimping on the spine which give you a nice grip.

Speaking of grip, all of the knives feature a kind of “iron cross” pattern on the grivory. This pattern is nice and grippy, but is not so abrasive that it tears up my pockets (although some people have had some issues with this – which sanding lightly under the clip would fix). All the corners have been rounded and all the knives fill the hand really well. All in all I am very satisfied with the ergonomics on these knives.

The pocket clip on the Voyager generally great, but comes kind of stiff. It worked well with the thin shorts I wear down here in Florida, but I found the stiff clip a bit of a pain with thicker materials. However, it will naturally bend out with use, and if you want to you could always bend the clip out slightly yourself. You can only carry this knife in the tip up position, but I like how Cold Steel included 2 clips (for left or right side carry). I also like how CS gave these clips a black coating. The coating held up well in my 2 months of carry, although it finally started to wear off when I scraped it on some concrete.

As far as actual carry goes, the Voyagers are pretty good considering their size. They are thicker knives, and the Large and XL are quite big, but they are very light so they are more manageable than they appear. I know several people who regularly carry an XL around and I gotta admit the knife slips into my jeans really well. Between the three sizes the Medium Voyager was my personal favorite for every day carry. The stiff clip kept the knife in place in my pocket. All in all these knives carry well.

Deployment and Lockup

The Voyagers all use ambidextrous thumbstuds for deployment. They are good size thumbstuds, and it doesn’t take much effort to get any of the knives open (even the XL). I had my concerns that the backspring on the tri-ad lock would be too strong for easy deployment, but it really isn’t the case. I can even shake these knives open (with a good amount of force). CS put some high quality phosphor bronze washers in these knives and they feel very smooth. All in all I’m quite pleased with deployment.

All of the Voyagers feature the now legendary Tri-Ad lock. I’ve spoken at length about these locks. They are basically an improved backlock. They actually feature a stop pin, so any force applied to the blade goes to the stop pin instead of the rest of the lock. This feature, combined with a very beefy lockback, make the strongest lock on the market. Performance is excellent – to the point where these knives will almost act like a fixed blade.

But perhaps the biggest positive to these particular Tri-Ad locks is how Cold Steel adjusted the back spring. The Tri-Ad locks on both my Spartan and Hold Out II were very stiff. It took a lot of effort to disengage these locks, even after breaking them in. I was really concerned this would be the case for the Voyager. Again, I was absolutely wrong (man, sometimes it’s great to be wrong). The locks were very easy to disengage with one hand. Of course, they are still safe and stay locked when you want it locked, but when the time comes to put the knife back in your pocket, it won’t take a ton of pressure to disengage the lock bar. This is a huge win for the Voyagers.

Cold Steel Voyager Review – Final Thoughts

Cold Steel has really raised the bar here. The entire Voyager line is extremely well done. These are Taiwanese knives and I’ll tell you the fit and finish is fantastic. The various Voyagers sell in the $40-65 range depending on the size. At that price I think it’s a great value. Especially the Large Voyager. It’s hard to find a full size utility knife built this well at this ~$50 price point.

I continue to be impressed with how perfectly everything lines up, how wonderfully everything has been finished, and how smooth the deployment, lockup and disengagement is. From a design standpoint there is a lot to like. The great choice of blade shapes, the comfortable lightweight handles, the excellent lock, the awesome pocket clip, the great materials – I could go on and on.

So in conclusion, I like the Voyager series lot. It was one of the best releases in 2011, and when the upgraded the steel in 2016 they made the knives even better. In 2018 I still have my Medium Voyager. I find it a little thick for EDC, but it’s a hell of a work knife. If you are looking for a large utility knife then pick up a Large Voyager. Tough to beat. And if you are looking for a folding sword then snag the XL. The XL is a fun knife, but it’s not a gimmick.

Cold Steel 29TMCH Voyager Med

Blade Length: 3-Inch
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Overall Length: 7 1/4-Inch
Weight: 3.5 oz (approx.)

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Cold Steel Voyager Large 4" AUS10A Clip Point Razor-Sharp Blade 5.25" Griv-Ex Handle Everyday Carry Tactical Folding Knife, Boxed

CLIP POINT BLADE - Lightweight, comfortable, and super sharp, the Cold Steel Voyager Large Clip Point folding knife is rugged, dependable and perfect for hunting and camping as well as general utility and daily cutting chores
AUS10A STEEL BLADE - The Cold Steel Voyager Large folding knife's blade is crafted from premium Japanese AUS10A steel, renowned for its outstanding corrosion resistance and remarkable ability to maintain a sharp and durable edge over time
ERGONOMIC HANDLE - The ergonomic Griv-Ex handle is reinforced with heat-treated 6061 aluminum liners to ensure ultimate durability; This handle provides great comfort and a secure grip even under extended use in tough conditions
TRI-AD LOCK - Equipped with Cold Steel's renowned Tri-Ad locking mechanism, the Voyager Large folding knife offers unparalleled strength and shock resistance; This locking mechanism enhances the knife's reliability and safety during heavy-duty tasks
SPECS - Weight: 5 oz (141.7 g); Blade Thickness: 3.5 mm; Blade Length: 4"; Blade Steel: AUS10A; Handle Length/Material: 5.25" Griv-Ex; Overall Length: 9.25"; Knife Type: Folder; Blade Shape: Clip Point; Locking Mechanism: Tri-Ad Lock

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Cold Steel Voyager Clip 5.5 inch Plain Edge Knife

Blade thickness: 4 mm, Blade Length :- 5.5 Inches
Handle: 6.75 Inches long. Griv-ex
Blade style: Clip point
Steel: carpenters cts Bd1 alloy with stone wash finish
Pocket Clip: ambidextrous pocket/belt Clip

I recommend purchasing the Cold Steel Voyager at Amazon or Buy the Cold Steel Voyager at BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.