Folding Knives

Chris Reeve Knives Umnumzaan Review

Last Updated: July 28, 2019
The ink had barely dried on my Small Sebenza review. I was sitting peaceably at my desk and distinctly remember saying how it would be a good while before I got my hands on another Chris Reeve knife. Shockingly enough it was only a couple weeks before the sweet Siren that is Chris Reeve Knives beckoned me back. Well, lets be real. The only thing that was really shocked by this purchase was my back account.

Buy the CRK Umumzaan at BladeHQ

This time around I picked up a CRK Umnumzaan (or “Umnum” for short). Right off the bat I could tell this was something special. Much like the small Sebenza the Umnumzaan was so attractive because of its simplicity. And in many ways the Umnum is even more simple than the Sebenza. But each piece is so carefully considered that the simple shapes belie an incredibly detailed design. It’s a really interesting knife, so lets dive on in and take a closer look.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Umnumzaan sports a 3.675″ blade, has an overall length of 8.445″ and weighs 5 ounces. This is a larger knife, suited for utility work or perhaps as an emergency defensive tool. I think most people will use the knife as an EDC item. On paper 5 ounces may seem kind of heavy, but in my hand the knife feels light for its size.

This Umnumzaan comes with a tanto blade shape. This was actually a special limited run of the knife that is completely sold out. The Umnumzaan traditionally has a drop point blade. Truth be told, I’m a bigger fan of the drop point version, but I couldn’t resist this unique tanto shape. The tanto shape is very powerful looking and quite aggressive with the hollow grind, swedge, and wonderful flat ground tip.

Speaking of grinds, everything has been ground with laser-like precision. I can spend hours staring at the blade alone, it’s really very satisfying. The blade stock is 3.56mm thick and the edge of the tanto version has a slight amount of belly. The blade on my Umnum has been given a nice stonewash. This is a beautiful finish that doesn’t show wear as easily as other finishes and will resist rust.

The steel on this particular Umnumzaan is CPM S30V which has been hardened to 58-59 RC. In 2011 CRK started to make these knives in S35VN. This is supposed to be an improvement over the original S30V, but I have no experience with it and there has been some controversy as to whether S35VN truly is superior. Apparently CRK worked closely with Crucible (the manufacturer of both S30V and S35VN) to develop this steel. I would expect S35VN to perform as well as S30V, if not better. Knowing CRK, they didn’t take the switch from S30V to S35VN lightly. Once I’ve had more experience with the steel I can provide my thoughts. I will say that S30V is excellent stuff, so if you snag an older version of the knife expect it to perform very well.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Umnumzaan is simple, but it is wonderfully refined and beautifully finished. CRK started with two slabs of 3.8mm thick 6AL4V titanium. There is a single stand off (pillar) near the pommel, so the knife is held together only at 2 places (at the standoff and at the pivot screw). The edges of the handle have been wonderfully rounded and contoured. A lanyard hole has been sunk into the back of the handle and on my knife a leather lanyard has been threaded through. All the stainless steel hardware has been polished to a bright sheen and the titanium scales have been sandblasted, which is attractive but will quickly pick up small scratches (unavoidable given the material).

Ergonomics on the Umnum are also very nice. The handle easily accommodates my larger hands. An attractive pattern has been milled into both sides of the handle. This provides both visual interest and extra grip. However, the bare titanium itself is also fairly grippy. It’s obviously not rough like G10, but definitely resists slipping. Additionally, there is nice, totally functional jimping on the spine of the blade and there is even something of a choil. I have no problem at all with the ergonomics on this knife.

The pocket clip is the legendary CRK “double dip clip” which is so good it’s almost beyond description. When you insert the knife into your pocket, the first dip is quite sturdy. However, once it reaches the second dip, the knife is totally locked in place. The best part is, the knife is still very easy to insert and withdraw from the pocket. Simply put, this is a big improvement over a standard clip. I happen to think that this is the best pocket clip currently on the market.

Deployment and Lockup

The Umnumzaan has dual thumb studs. These studs also double as the stop pin in both open and closed positions. The thumb stud is only useful for deployment from the right hand, but the left hand stud is too close to the lock bar to work as an opening mechanism. As a southpaw I was a little disappointed by this, but I understand that this was necessary if the thumb studs are to double as an integral stop pin.

However, I did notice that the nub that CRK refers to as glassbreaker can be used to open the knife left handed. If you push on this glassbreaker, it opens the knife enough so you can access the thumb stud and full engage the knife. It’s a less than perfect solution, but in a less than perfect world I’m totally willing to accept it – especially since CRK also makes a dedicated left hand version of the Umnumzaan.

As for the deployment itself, the Umnum moves with a feeling of purpose. The action is exceptionally smooth and the blade locks into place with a soft yet satisfying “click.” I like the deployment a lot. The knife features phosphor bronze washers that have been perforated and loaded with fluorinated grease to reduce friction.

I also want to discuss the pivot on this knife, which is quite unique. This is a very thick pivot screw, and it has a special 4 hole bolt pattern that requires a special tool to unscrew it. Thankfully CRK sends you all the tools needed to take this knife apart along with detailed full color instructions. This is great because most companies really don’t want you to take apart your knife. In some cases it will void your warranty. I like how CRK acknowledges and encourages the responsible disassembly of your knife. In my mind this shows how much CRK stands behind their products.

As far as lockup goes, the Umnumzaan makes use of a modified framelock. I say “modified” because the frame of the knife doesn’t actually come in contact with the tang. Instead, a ceramic ball has been inset into the face of the lock bar. This ball is what comes in contact with the tang, not the titanium frame itself. This ball also doubles as your blade detent. This is great because now you don’t need to worry about the titanium on your lack bar wearing out. Lockup on my knife is excellent with no blade play at all.

Disengaging the lock is also worth talking about. The handle is shaped in a way so that there is a slight lip on the lock bar, so you can easily catch the bar with your thumb and disengage the knife. This lip doubles as the choil. The blade slides into the closed position with another soft “click.”

Chris Reeve Knives Umnumzaan Review – Final Thoughts

The CRK Umnumzaan is just an absolutely fantastic knife. There is no way around it. The materials are all top notch, the fit and finish is incredible, the design is absurdly well thought out, and the overall style of the knife is just super super cool. At $425 new it definitely isn’t cheap, but I do feel like you are getting something for the price premium.

I tried to touch on some of the extra details that make this knife special, but there is only so much I can do in a ~1,500 word review or a 10 minute video. Let me just restate how precise this knife has been engineered. Every day of Chris’s 20+ year knifemaking career shows with this knife – absolutely no stone has gone unturned here. I am impressed with the Umnumzaan and recommend it if you like the knife and can get around the price tag.

Chris Reeve Knives Umnumzaan – $425
from: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Umnumzaan at BladeHQ or KnifeArt. 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.

Kershaw Nerve Review

by Dan Jackson 12 Comments

I could probably spend all of my time writing about Kershaw budget EDC blades. Their roster is deep, and for many it can be a challenge to pick out just one. Thankfully they are all pretty good so the odds are great that you will find a winner. I am pleased to report that was exactly what happened with Kershaw Nerve. Labeled as one of their larger EDC knives, the Nerve packs a good deal of features into a relatively small price tag. I already said it’s a good knife, but lets take a closer look to see if this is something you want in your pocket as part of your every day carry.

General Dimensions and Blade Steel

The Nerve has an overall length of 7-1/2″ a 3-1/8″ blade and it weighs 3.8 ounces. It’s a good size knife for EDC but it has a little extra heft. I don’t mind heavier knives, and found the Nerve to be a good choice for my larger hands. Of course this kind of thing comes down to personal taste.

The blade is a modified drop point design. It’s an unconventional shape that may not excite everyone, but I found it likeable enough. Fans of blades with big belly will probably pass on this one as the blade shape is almost a wharncliffe. There is just a slight amount of sweep as you get towards the tip. Speaking of the tip, the one on the Nerve is fairly fine. This makes the Nerve a great choice for detail work, but somewhat delicate as well.

Kershaw went with their usual sandblasted finish for the Nerve’s blade. I like the look of it, but have found that this kind of finish is more likely to rust than other finishes. You will want to be careful when using and storing this knife – especially in humid climates. However, a little rust on a $20 knife isn’t going to be a deal breaker, just an observation having owned a number of these sandblasted blades.

Being a relatively inexpensive Chinese made knife, it should come as no surprise that 8Cr13MoV was used for the blade steel. As I have mentioned in past reviews, I like 8Cr13MoV a lot. For the money I don’t think they could have put a better steel in here. It’s an easy to sharpen steel that can take a very keen edge. It’s a little softer than other steels, so you will need to sharpen it regularly, but it will hold up alright and I generally think its a great choice for a value priced EDC knife.

Handle Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Nerve features G10 scales which is a nice feature for a knife at this price. Kershaw has been using Polyimide on a lot of their Chinese made knives, which is a kind of dense plastic. Personally, I like Polyimide, but I definitely see G10 as an upgrade here. Under the G10 we have full stainless steel liners that have been milled out to help reduce the weight. A black backspacer runs 2/3 of the length of the knife and everything is neatly bolted together for easy take down.

Ergonomics on the Nerve are really nice. First off, I like the size of the handle. To me, this is how big the handle of the Volt II should have been. There is plenty of room on this handle for my fat fingers in forward or reverse grips. Functional jimping on the thumb ramp and a nicely pronounced choil give me a good deal of confidence when wielding the Nerve. While it’s not really a tactical knife, I think you could get a good enough grip on it if you really needed to.

The pocket clip is surprisingly normal looking for a Kershaw. This is actually the best clip I have seen on a smaller Kershaw knife in a while. It’s not perfect, but I found it buries deep and has good retention. My major gripe has to be that once again Kershaw has opted not to make this knife fully ambidextrous. Drilling and tapping out 4 more holes on the other side would go a long way with their left handed customers and I really doubt it would take much away from the bottom line.

Deployment and Lockup

The Nerve utilizes a thumb disk for deployment. Really it isn’t a disk, it’s more of a rectangle, but it does work pretty well. Deployment is pretty smooth, with a combination of nylon and mystery metal washers. I kind of glossed over that in my video review but upon closer inspection I would have preferred phosphor bronze washers here – after all, the Tenacious has them and it’s a direct competitor to the Nerve. The advantage to phosphor bronze is that they will hold up better, and over the long term will probably be smoother.

The Nerve uses a thick liner lock and it offers solid and dependable lock up. Kerhsaw designed the lock bar so it would be very easy to get at. I find the knife easy to disengage when I want it to disengage it, but I also noticed that it stays firmly locked in place while in use. Lockup on my knife was nice and early and I could detect zero blade play in any direction.

Kershaw Nerve Review – Final Thoughts

Well there you have it, another solid EDC offering from Kershaw. This is a nice medium sized knife and packs a good deal of utility for its price and dimensions. G10 is a welcome upgrade and the fit and finish is excellent. My biggest gripes would include the non-ambidextrous pocket clip and the nylon/ metal washer combo. That said, I think many people will be able to easily forgive these minor faults, as the knife really does have a lot going for it.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, in my mind knives like the Nerve are part of what Kershaw does best. This is a knife that packs a lot of value into a small price tag. I noticed that Amazon is actually selling the Nerve for only $20 shipped. At that price I think it’s a steal. Usually these go for around $30, and I think even at that price this is a safe buy for anyone wanting a nice EDC knife with without breaking the bank.

[easyazon-block asin=”B002IVNI3K” align=”center”]

Emerson Super Commander Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

Last Updated: March 4, 2018
Fans of Emerson Knives are no stranger to the Commander. It’s one of Emerson’s original designs and is among their most popular models to this day. So it would seem like a no-brainer to take this classic knife and come out with a mini version, and the Super Commander shown here. Having owned this one for a while now I can say that this knife not only has all the things that made the original Commander so desirable, but a lot more.

Buy the Emerson Commander at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Super Commander has an overall length of 9.5″, a 4″ blade, and it weighs 7 ounces. Yeah, this is not one that I’d like to EDC (although plenty of people do), but it actually felt surprisingly good in my pocket and feels light for its size. This of course would make a great tactical knife, large utility knife, or just a welcome addition to the collection.

The blade on this beast is just a thing of beauty. I tell you, Emerson does not mess around when it comes to grinding their steel, and Super Commander’s blade is nothing short of epic. Of course you have that classic Commander blade shape, the nice drop point with the swooping recurve and nasty belly. They started with a thick piece of steel and everything has been ground with laser like precision (including the swedge – a recent refinement to the Commander series). I am super impressed with the blade on this knife.

Note that this Super Commander is “V” ground – although the actual edge is a chisel grind. I know this polarizes people but the grind works alright for me and the knife gets extremely sharp.

What I especially love about my Super is the gorgeous stone wash on the flats. Now, stonewashes have recently experienced a resurgence in popularity. I have to say this is the finest, most beautifully stonewashed knife I have ever seen – nicer even than the Chris Reeve knives I have handled. The stonewashing is so well done it basically has given the knife a jeweled appearance. My recommendation is if you are picking up an Emerson don’t get the coated version, don’t get the satin finish – get the stonewash (you can thank me later).

Emerson uses 154CM for all of the blades on all of their knives. They found something that works and are sticking with it – I can totally appreciate that. 154CM is a long time favorite steel of mine, it gets sharp, holds the edge and is fairly resistant to corrosion. A good all-round steel.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle on the Super Commander is relatively plain next to the beautiful blade. Again, Emerson has a formula, and they tend to stick with what works. In this case it’s black G10 over steel and titanium liners with a G10 backspacer. The handles are held together with phillips screws, an interesting touch that was designed for easy maintenance in the field. All in all, handle construction is solid. The liners haven’t been milled out, but the titanium liner lock helps lighten the load. The steel liner could be milled to reduce weight, but I find that unnecessary here. Everything is sturdy and lines up well.

You would expect the ergonomics on such a large knife to be decent, and the Super Commander doesn’t disappoint. The spacious handle gives you plenty of room for any grip, and the Commander feels very comfortable in hand. There is a large choil that forms a nice guard, and the thumb ramp is substantial and nicely jimped. The edges of the handle have all been rounded and the G10 has a nice medium rough texture to it. No complaints with the ergonomics.

The pocket clip on the Super Commander is a nice sturdy blackened clip. It’s not a low rider clip, but it rides low enough for my tastes and has good retention. The one issue is that it is not ambidextrous. I could send this knife in to the factory and they will drill and tap some holes for like $25, but really – this should have already been done. Ambidextrous clips are important – not only for lefties like me, but for right-handers who like carrying knives on their weak side.

Deployment and Lockup

My Super Commander came with a black thumb disk. It works alright, not really my first choice (especially with such a big blade). I think you might be able to get this one with a thumb hole – that may be preferable although personally I’m not a huge fan of the Emerson style thumbholes. What I am a fan of is the wave deployment. In my mind this is the only real way to deploy this sucker. There is nothing like having 4 inches of gleaming steel at your fingertips, and the wave is the absolute fastest way to make that happen with a folding knife.

Lockup is done through a nice titanium liner lock. Mine engages very early, and it’s an extremely solid lockup. It’s a well executed lock that has held up so far. On the subject of deployment and lockup, my blade didn’t come perfectly centered and I wasn’t able to get it tuned with the pivot screw – it’s not that bad though. An interesting thing to note about the pivot screw is that it is it uses a flat head driver rather than more conventional torx bits.

Emerson Super Commander Review – Final Thoughts

The Super Commander is one hell of a knife, I don’t know any other way to really say it. The blade is the showpiece here – it is beautifully ground, and the stonewash finish on the flats provides awesome visual interest. I’d buy this knife just for the blade.

That said, everything else is pretty solid on this one. The materials are all great. Fit and finish is good – not outstanding, but good. Lockup on mine is super early and deployment is very smooth. My blade isn’t perfectly centered, and I noticed just some small things that could have been finished a little better (like the thumb ramp, and the backspacer isn’t 100% flush with the handles). But these are very minor issues, and are par for the course with all the Emersons I’ve handled.

So if an Emerson Super Commander is on your radar I think it’s a great knife. These retail for around $250, which is on the spendy side – but this is a big knife made in America (and it’s an Emerson) so frankly price wasn’t a big factor for me… and I suspect that would be true for many Emerson enthusiasts. So for the final word on the Super Commander – I think it’s a great knife, and I recommend the stonewash finish.

Emerson Super Commander – $234.95
Retail Price: $312.00
You Save: $78.00
from: BladeHQ

Emerson Commander Plain Folding Knife,Standard Edge Blade, Black G10 Handle COM SF

Emerson Wave Feature
Plain Edge
Black G-10 Handles
Titanium Liner Lock
Made in the USA

I recommend buying the Emerson Super Commander at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thanks for checking out the review.

CRKT Shenanigan Review

by Dan Jackson 5 Comments

Last Updated: September 6, 2019
I find myself typing this review as I usually do, in the wee hours of the morning. Dregs from a once cold beer are drying on the side of the glass at my desk, and knives scattered across the room are glinting faintly under lamp light. I had trouble with the intro on this one so I decided to save it for the end. Now that I’m done I still haven’t come up with anything witty to say. Not that I would classify my typical intros as “witty,” but I mean, the knife is called the “Shenanigan.” This should be an easy lay up – even for a hack like myself. Unbelievably, I’m still drawing a blank here…

Buy the CRKT Shenanigan at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

That’s probably for the best though, because this knife is no laughing matter. Despite the goofy name the CRKT Shenanigan is a seriously well thought out knife at a price that you would be silly to ignore. Designed by Ken Onion, and manufactured by the good folks at CRKT, the Shenanigan brings great utility to anyone willing to cough up enough money to cover the very modest $35 price tag. While the knife is by no means perfect I think that the good here far outweighs the bad.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Shenanigan sports a 3-1/4″ blade and an overall length of 8-1/4″. CRKT claims that the PPS (plastic handled version) weighs 4.1 ounces, but in my hand it feels much lighter. I’ve seen listed weights fluctuate from 4.1 all the way down to 3.7 ounces, and I’d put it closer to 3.7. Anyhow, not like that really matters too much, but my point here is the knife feels light for its size. It is a bigger knife, straddling the gap between EDC and tactical. Depending on your preferences I think it could lean either way.

The blade is a long and elegant modified-drop point design with a slight recurve and a swedge. The blade shape is one of my favorite features of the knife. The recurve, high hollow grind and good belly are all excellent for slicing, and the reinforced tip enables good penetration. CRKT did a very nice job with the edge; it is both well ground and extremely sharp from the box with an almost mirror-polished appearance. The blade’s good looks have been rounded out with a bead blasted finish and laser etched hallmarks.

Blade steel on the Shenanigan is tried and true AUS 8. For a knife at this price point I am very pleased to find AUS 8 here. A good mid range steel from Japan, AUS 8 easily takes an edge and holds up well to EDC tasks.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The Shenanigan PPS gets its name from the PolyPhenylene Sulfide (PPS) polymer that has been used for the handle material. This is some sort of highly engineered plastic, and it didn’t take a chemistry degree to figure that out. The PPS material is both lightweight and durable and is part of what enables this knife to be had at such a great price. CRKT set out to make a high value work horse, and I think this material selection fits the bill. The PPS is dense enough to feel satisfying and is virtually indestructible. Inside the handle are some partial steel liners adding strength and rigidity to the design.

For those that would like an upgrade to the handle material, CRKT offers just that. An aluminum version is also available if you absolutely cannot stand the idea of carrying around a plastic-handled knife. I think for many people the PPS will be totally sufficient as the aluminum scales almost double the price, but I’m really tempted to check out this upgraded version as well.

Ergonomics are excellent with the Shenanigan. First of all, it is a larger knife, and there is a good amount of palm swell to fill the hand. Curvature to the handle design allows for a precision fit into the palm. Meaningful texturing adds grip and feedback. Additionally, there is a good deal of functional jimping on the thumb ramp and the choil is large and well placed. The net result is that the Shenanigan is extremely comfortable in hand.

Unfortunately, the many things that make the Shenanigan so great in hand work to make it not so great in pocket. Being a longer knife I found the Shenanigan to take up a good deal of room, and the thick handle made it a bulky carry as well. Certainly this won’t be a problem for folks who like to carry a bigger knife, but the size and thickness could be a turn-off for those who want to streamline their EDC.

I will say, the pocket clip position doesn’t do the knife any favors. It’s mounted for right side tip down carry only. I’d love to see CRKT make this a 4 corners clip, or at the very least allow for tip up carry. That said, I found retention on the Shenanigan’s clip to be nice and snug. It’s a discrete looking clip that rides low and looks pretty good.

Deployment and Lock-up

Some will be surprised to learn that the Shenanigan is not an assisted open knife. Ken Onion is famous for designing assisted open folders so it could be easy to assume that the Shenanigan would feature a spring assist as well. This one does not have a spring assist however, and you need to use a flipper to get it open. The blade still deploys fast and smooth, with a combination of nylon and bronze washers inside. I don’t miss a spring assist at all with the Shenanigan. The blade jumps open with very little effort.

The Shenanigan uses a liner lock to hold the blade open. First impressions were that the lock looks kind of thin. Upon closer inspection I think it should work for EDC and utility tasks, but for harder uses I’m not as confident. Then again, the handles are made of plastic, so I wouldn’t suggest hard using this one in the first place. I got to play with two Shenanigans and both had good engagements. One had no blade play at all, the other had a slight amount of play (or an off-center blade – could never get it to balance 100% perfectly). For a $35 knife the lock meets my expectations, but if you can visually inspect the knife before purchase I’d go ahead and do that.

CRKT Shenanigan PPS Review – Final Thoughts

Ken Onion really hit this one out of the park when he designed this incredibly comfortable and functional knife. If you need big utility out of a small budget blade, I think there is a lot to like with this one. Stuff that I really liked included the blade shape, the steel, and the ergonomics. I wasn’t quite as wild about the position of the pocket clip, and found the lock bar a little on the thin side given the size of the knife and its potential purposes.

However, for $35 I think you are getting a hell of a knife here. You could pick up a couple without breaking a sweat and have a nice dedicated folder for the car, work or anywhere in else. I wouldn’t hesitate to suggest the CRKT Shenanigan to anyone looking for an inexpensive large utility blade. And that my friends, is no joke. 😉

CRKT Shenanigan PPS Folding Pocket Knife, Serrated Edge K480KKS

Bead Blast Blade Finish
Glass-Reinforced Nylon Handles
Triple Point Serrations
Designed by Ken Onion in Kaneohe, Hawaii
Limited Lifetime Warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, see company site for details

I recommend buying the CRKT Shenanigan at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Benchmade 890 Torrent Review

by Dan Jackson 15 Comments

Last Updated: August 7, 2019
It has been decided – I am a total sucker for a cool “gentleman’s tactical folder.” I remember first drooling over the 890 Torrent when it came out in 2009. Flash forward a couple years, and today I am the proud owner of my very own Torrent, a sleek Steigerwalt design made by Benchmade.

Buy the Benchmade Torrent from BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

As I said before, I am calling this one a “gentleman’s tactical folder.” In many ways this one reminds me of the Mcusta Tactility. It’s an elegant knife, and while I’m sure it could work well in a defensive role, this knife is just too pretty to really use and abuse. Also the build quality, while solid, simply isn’t meant for hard use tasks. I have no doubt this would hold up as an EDC blade, but as you will learn in my review – I don’t recommend this one as an all out tactical knife or hard use folder. Lets take a closer look to see what I am talking about.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Torrent has an overall length of 8.2″ a 3.6″ blade and it weighs 3.5 ounces. At this size the Torrent is light enough to EDC but large enough to be wielded as a tactical (emergency defensive) tool.

Part of the reason why this knife is so light weight is because of the thin blade and liners. Benchmade says the blade is 1/10″ thick. Now I’m not complaining, the blade seems adequately thick for EDC, but I would be concerned about really testing the tip with repeated stabs and thrust cuts. Adding to the thin appearance is the swedge running the length of the drop point blade, and the thin flat grind. It’s a beautiful look but it doesn’t exactly inspire confidence when it comes to tip strength. The knife has been given Benchmade’s “satin finish” which appears to have a very light stonewash upon closer inspection. All in all it’s a really handsome blade with a good amount of functionality.

Benchmade went with 154CM for blade steel, a very common choice for their knives. Personally, I’m a big fan of 154CM for it’s ability to sharpen easily, hold an edge, and to resist rust and corrosion. A good all-around steel, and hardened to between 58-61HRC, 154CM will accomplish most cutting tasks with ease.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handles on the 890 Torrent are smooth G10 and they cover full stainless steel liners. The G10 has a very attractive finish that resembles wood grain. It’s very similar to the finish on the scales of the Benchmade Onslaught and Deja Voo. The steel liners have not been skeletonized, but to me that isn’t a big deal since the knife only weighs 3.6 ounces. Everything has been bolted together and there is an aluminum backspacer doubling as a glass breaker (or “non lethal” option).

Ergonomics on the 890 are fairly unremarkable. Don’t get me wrong, this handle is plenty big and comfortable, but there isn’t much in the way of a finger choil and there is no thumb ramp or jimping to speak of. Considering the overall build of this knife I’m not disappointed. Again, I see this as more of a gentleman’s folder with a tactical flair rather than an all out purpose-built tool. The G10 is smooth, but it isn’t slippery. The handle works well enough in forward and reverse grips, although I feel that some jimping on the spine wouldn’t hurt.

The pocket clip is a sturdy piece of folded over stainless steel. It has been attractively finished and is set up for a nice deep carry. However, this is a right side tip down carry only. The absence of an ambidextrous clip is something of a deal breaker for for me since I am left handed. However, I actually like tip down carry with this knife because this is an assisted opening knife and it has a very light trigger. Carrying the Torrent tip up without an external safety would be an accident waiting to happen.

Deplyment and Lockup

The Torrent is an assisted opening knife and features Benchmade’s Nitrous Assist technology. This is my first real experience with a Benchmade assisted opener, and I was pleased with how fast and hard this knife fired. I was less pleased with the right side only thumb stud – again, it really limits my ability to carry this one. That said, the large thumb stud was easy to get at and I had no problem brushing this blade open with my fingers. The “trigger” is very light on this knife which makes it very easy to deploy. There is no external safety and I would not feel comfortable carrying this one tip up.

To be perfectly honest, while I generally like spring assist knives I don’t think the Torrent needs to be spring assisted. If it was built heavier as a real folding tactical knife then the Nitrous assist would be more appropriate, but for a gentleman’s knife I think it’s overkill.

The Torrent makes use of a liner lock and I found mine to engage nice and early with no blade play. That said, this looks to me like a thin lock and there isn’t much spring tension holding it in place. I found that the lock disengaged without much effort. I would seriously think twice before engaging in any kind of serious cutting tasks with this one. I don’t think it’s at the point where the knife is unsafe, but I don’t have as much confidence in it as with other liner locks. Of course, you want to be extremely careful with any folding knife – I just found lockup on the Torrent to be a little sketchier than I’m used to.

Benchmade Torrent Review – Final Thoughts

I found myself immediately attracted to the 890 Torrent. The blade is a classic shape, lean and beautifully finished. The handles are simple, and flow gracefully with the lines of the blade. The fit and finish is top notch and I love the details like the jimped backspacer and polished pocket clip.

Where the Torrent let me down was on the practicality of it. First of all, a right side only thumb stud and pocket clip is not going to work for me – that goes without saying. But more concerning was the overall light build of this knife. The blade steel is thin, as are the liners. The ergonomics are not aggressive and the lock seems very easy to disengage. While it’s a beautiful knife I really can’t recommend it for serious work. In my mind this one is ideally situated for the collector, or someone looking for an EDC knife with some tactical inspiration, a “gentleman’s tactical folder” if you will.

Despite my gripes I’m still walking away liking the Torrent a lot. I know I may have been fairly critical with this one, but there is still a lot to like. This is great blade for the collection and I did enjoy carrying it despite it’s shortcomings – I just want to make sure that if you are interested in the knife, you are interested for the right reasons.

Benchmade 890 Torrent Steigerwalt Design Knife

HIGH-QUALITY: The 154CM stainless steel blade is tough, rust resistant, and holds an edge well. The G10 handle is durable, impervious to moisture, and stable under extreme temperatures.
WELL-DESIGNED: The Torrent 890 features a simple yet strong liner lock with added Nitrous Assist. The 890 can be opened and closed quickly and single-handedly.
COMFORTABLE: The 890's contoured handle and lightweight design make it comfortable to use and hold. The deep-carry pocket clip offers ultimate accessibility.
VERSATILE: The Torrent 890's drop-point, utility blade style and all-around functionality make it ideal for everyday carry and use.

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Torrent from Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for checking out the review.

Chris Reeve Knives Small Sebenza 21 Review

by Dan Jackson 23 Comments

Last Updated: June 2, 2019
I don’t think many people get into the hobby of collecting knives with the idea that one day they will buy a pocket knife that costs hundreds of dollars.

Well, at least I didn’t start out my little edged adventure with the thought of purchasing a $300+ knife. However, as I wandered down the rabbit hole, and became further consumed by my blade obsession, justification for more expensive knives became easier to find. Any reservations I once had about owning a $350 knife soon went out the window.

Buy the CRK Sebenza at BladeHQ

So that takes us here. You and me, about to discuss the Small Sebenza 21 made by Chris Reeve Knives (CRK) which retails for right around $350. In many ways this review is a challenge because for such an expensive knife, a lot of people have already given their opinion on it. It’s a very well known blade with an extremely loyal following.

But hey, it’s just a knife so I’m just going to treat it like I would any other, and try to provide you with a fair and honest review…

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The small Sebenza 21 is the little brother to the large Sebenza 21 (no surprises there, right?). This knife has an overall length of 6.9″ a 2.94″ blade and a weight of exactly 3 ounces. This is a great size for EDC and that is exactly what this knife was designed for – to be a high end edc knife.

The blade is a classic drop point shape. The knife has been given a high hollow grind (a very shallow one) and the spine has been rounded, a very elegant touch. Blade stock is 1/8″ thick, which is nice and stout for a smaller blade like this. The blade manages to maintain this thickness well, eventually tapering down to a sturdy point. Being a classic drop point there is plenty of belly for your EDC tasks, and the entire blade has been given a nice durable stonewashed finish.

Blade steel on my Sebenza is the tried and true S30V. If you are already reading a Sebenza review I think an in-depth discussion of S30V is probably unnecessary, but suffice it to say that this is a very fine steel with excellent all-around properties including good edge retention and corrosion resistance. However, my Sebenza was made in 2009. As of mid-2011 Chris Reeve has started making Sebenzas in S35VN, a slightly upgraded version of S30V. This is certainly a welcomed addition, and it’s great to see how CRK continues to refine and upgrade their knives.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

One of the great draws to this knife is that the handle slabs have been made entirely from titanium. Indeed there are two thick pieces of 6Al4V titanium here and they have been given a nice sandblasted finish. This finish will show wear, and I see some very light scratches on mine, but if you wanted to you could have the handles sandblasted again for a factory fresh finish. As far as construction goes, this is a minimalistic free-flowing design, and everything has been bolted together for easy take down.

That said, if you want to get fancy, CRK can give you fancy, and this knife is available with a lot of interesting hardwood and micarta inlays. CRK also offers these knives with a huge variety of different graphics engraved into the handle. This adds an additional layer of collectability to the knives.

There is nothing too complicated with the ergonomics of this knife either. But again, the handle just works. There is a nice thumb ramp with good functional jimping and a very shallow choil is also present. For a smaller handle it fits me pretty well; I’m able to get a 4 finger grip without any trouble and I can easily control the blade.

The pocket clip is pretty special. First of all, it is made of titanium and secures with a single bolt. It’s a very secure fit so I’m not complaining. More importantly this clip works – and it works very well. It has a kind of double retention system, which in a way acts like two pocket clips at once (a “double-dip” clip? Just came up with that one…). It’s difficult to describe so take a look at the pictures (and video) to get a better idea of what I am talking about, but in short it makes for a very secure fit into your pocket and a nice comfortable carry.

Lockup and Deployment

The Sebenza uses either single or dual thumb studs for deployment. My particular model has a single thumb stud (or thumb “lug” as they like to call them in the Sebenza circles) set up for right hand deployment. CRK does in fact make versions with double thumb studs and they even make an entirely left handed version of the knife. My thumb stud came with blue anodizing, and while the blue anodizing provides a striking contrast, it does wear off with use. Kind of a bummer, but what can you do.

Deployment is slow, smooth and extremely purposeful. This is not a knife that you can flick out easily, nor would you want to for fear of compromising the titanium framelock. The smoothness of the deployment is near legendary, and it’s not uncommon for people to compare the deployment of everything else to the Sebenza.

The Sebenza features a Chris Reeve Integral lock – or a “frame lock” if you prefer. This was the frame lock that started them all, as Chris Reeve designed the lock for this knife. An exercise in absolute minimalism, the lock is part of the handle and it engages with a very satisfying and forceful “click.” To me this kind of lock oozes strength and security and lockup is very strong.

Now, I need to say there have been a report or two that this lock has occasionally failed under spine whacks, but to be honest (and as respectful as I possibly can), I don’t really care. (I was never into “spine whacking” and certainly wouldn’t subject that to a little EDC knife. I think for cutting tasks this lock is going to be plenty strong for pretty much everything you would put it up to.

Chris Reeve Knives Small Sebenza 21: Final Thoughts

The small Sebenza is an excellent all-around edc knife. Hand made in the USA, this is the ultimate combination of an intelligent design, premium materials, and American craftsmanship. The Sebenza oozes quality and is an incredibly simple design done right. It is no wonder that most consider the CRK Sebenza the pinnacle of production pocket knives.

Perhaps the 900 lb gorilla in the room is the question, “is it worth the money?” Well, I think so, but then again I run a website entirely dedicated to cutlery, so perhaps I’m the wrong guy to ask. But really though, I hate answering this question.

Sure, you could just as easily carry a knife for a fraction of the cost. Lets face it, you don’t need a Sebenza to cut up a card board box, just like people don’t need a Ferrari to go from point A to point B, or a Rolex to tell the time – they buy these items because they want the best. In my mind this is a much cheaper thrill than a Rolex or a Ferrari so if you are someone who only wants the best, or someone who appreciates fine craftsmanship, or someone who has simply reached that point in your knife obsession where you have no where else to turn, then I think you will enjoy a small Sebenza.

Chris Reeve Knives Small Sebenza 21 – $350
from: BladeHQ

I recommend buying the Sebenza at BladeHQ or KnifeArt. If you purchase anything through any of the links on this website, I earn a small commission (at absolutely no additional cost to you) that helps keep the site running. Any support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.