Folding Knives

Emerson Mini Commander Review

The Mini-Commander is my third Emerson folder and third in the line of CQC knives. I guess I’m an Emerson collector. I initially purchased a CQC-7BW during my Marine Corps days, then I purchased a Mini CQC-15 that I thought combined a cool tanto edge and a good belly to replace the 7. Now I have a Mini-Commander that I purchased for no real reason.

Buy the Mini Commander at BladeHQ

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Of course, it’s been serving as my EDC for several months now because you don’t buy a knife like this and not carry it. It’s a knife designed for guys and gals in the military as well as those who typically work in non-permissive environments, and its in a handier size. The Mini-Commander isn’t for everyone, and its combination of features do make it more or less suited for a niche group of users.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Mini-Commander loses half an inch of the blade from the standard Commander model and has a 3.4-inch blade with a deployed length of 8 inches. The Mini-Commander’s blade is .125 inches thick and is made from 154CM. The handle is 4.6 inches long and the knife weighs 4.5 ounces.

It’s a convenient and easy knife to pocket carry. The Mini-Commander features a recurve blade design that sports a very prominent belly. You get a lot of cutting edge in a very compact package. It’s got a standard drop point tip and has a black cerakote finish. A stonewash finish is also available.

The use of 154 CM is pretty standard with Emerson knives and a great overall steel. It’s an excellent compromise of features and specs, but also makes an outstanding metal if you deploy to harsh conditions with your knife. Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, wildland firefighters, Border Patrol, etc.

154 CM is very corrosion resistant, and it is tough steel. It’s relatively easy to sharpen and can get quite sharp. 154 CM steel seems to be excellent steel when paired with a chisel grind. A chisel grind is quick and easy to sharpen, something I appreciated with the CQC-7BW when I was in the field and deployed.

You can get a good sharp edge with minimal tools and effort. The blade will also last. A chisel grind is a strong grind and when combined with a strong steel it makes a very dependable knife. When logistics suck you want something you won’t need to replace.

A chisel grind is great for most things, but don’t expect super smooth cuts. It has some grind to it while cutting. While it does cut, it doesn’t give me that tactile satisfaction I get from a super smooth cut. The belly of this blade makes it a great slasher.

The CQC knives and Emerson knives, in general, are designed to be weapons and EDC tools. I’ve never used a knife as a weapon, and likely never will. However, the belly on this knife would deliver deep, penetrating slashes in such an encounter. From my purposes, it’s perfect for cleaning game or cutting apples up for my kid’s basketball team. I do suggest washing the knife in-between those activities.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is designed to fully fit the hand and it does well. The handle curves slightly forward, reinforcing the blade’s slashing design. The grips are made from G10 material and its heavily textured for comfort and control. The finger guard is deep and ensures nothing will slip and cause an accident.

The rear of the grip has jimping on both the handle and blade. It’s quite a bit and the thumb feels comforting pushing on it. Combined with the deep fingerguard and you’ll have a hard time losing your grip. If you do the grip does have a lanyard hole to ensure you really can’t lose this knife.

The grip is very comfortable and the grip design is well suited for slashing and slicing.

The pocket clip is nice and robust, very durable and it clings to your pants well. It’s certainly strong and well made. As a reader and commenter pointed out in my Mini 15 review the knife is only tapped for right-handed use.

Left-handed models exist and a right-handed model can be tapped for left-hand carry but that costs money. However, for the price of this knife, it should be ambidextrous. Most of the knife is ambi so a left-handed clip option should be standard.

Deployment and Lockup

This model features the Wave opening system. This allows you to open the knife as you remove it from your pocket. It’s neat, and if you were about to get into a fight its faster than an auto knife. However, it takes practice to learn.

In addition to the wave feature you have a thumb disk that is ambidextrous and easy to use. A flick of the wrist and thumb will send the blade flying out and locking reliably with just the thumb disk. This takes time and a little wear. The blade is initially tight and opens slowly but over time mine has become easy to flick open with the thumb stud.

The lock is made from titanium and its slightly jimped for an easy push release. What’s interesting is that my Mini 15 seems to lock up all over the place. The Mini-Commander locks up in the same spot every time regardless of how fast or slow I open it.

The lock is nice and tight and hasn’t let me down yet. Titanium may wear with time but it seems like little pressure or force is exerted over this lock so I doubt we are going to see many issues. I still haven’t seen any of the CQC-7 I’ve owned for years.

Emerson Mini-Commander Review – Final Thoughts

This is an expensive knife, with the price being close to 200 dollars. There are admittedly knives out there at that price that cut smoother, are thinner, and have left handed pocket clip options. However, the Mini-Commander’s combination of features does fill a certain role in the military and frontier world.

It’s nice to have a traditional point with a deep belly for slicing when fall deer season comes around and for tasks with a bigger cutting emphasis. It’s better for EDC than the CQC-7 and the mini designation makes it more comfortable than the standard Commander.

It’s a rock solid and well-made knife and it joins what appears to be my ever growing Emerson Collection with its own rightful place.

Emerson Mini Commander SF Plain Stonewashed Blade

Patented Wave Feature
Plain Stonewashed Blade
154CM Steel
Black G10 Handles
Made in the USA

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Emerson Mini-Commander 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.

CRKT Crossbones Review

by Dan Jackson 6 Comments

It has been a good while since I have reviewed a CRKT knife. I wanted to remedy that situation, but struggled with selecting a knife. I like a lot of their designs, but sometimes weight gets in the way. For example, I like how they paired up with Eric Ochs to create the CRKT Avant, but at 5.4 ounces I couldn’t quite pull the trigger.

Buy the CRKT Crossbones at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

The Crossbones caught my eye in part because it weighs less than 2.5 ounces, but also because CRKT has decided to double down on the design and release a high end version of the knife. To me, that signals the design has gotten some traction, and we may have something special on our hands.

The story behind this knife and it’s designer is also intriguing. This knife was designed by Jeff Park. Jeff has worked for Ken Onion for 10 years in Ken’s shop in Hawaii. The job quickly blossomed into a mentorship, and Jeff collaborated with Ken on the design that ultimately became the Crossbones. CRKT did a superb video overview of the knife that offers back story and a view into the design considerations.

So after careful consideration I bought the Crossbones off Amazon and a few days later it was at my door. On that note, I bought this knife with my own money. This is the same for every other knife I review unless noted otherwise.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Crossbones has an overall length of 8.06″, a 3.54″ blade, weighs 2.4 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. This is a lightweight big-bladed EDC not unlike the Boker Urban Trapper. Where the Crossbones differs from the Urban trapper is that the Crossbones is much thicker. On the flip side the Crossbones will hold up to harder use much better than the Urban Trapper.

Speaking of the Urban Trapper, here is a quick size comparison:

Another obvious comparison is with the CRKT Swindle. The swindle is about half an inch shorter and an ounce heavier. The Swindle is also half the price of the Crossbones. When you hold the two knives at the same time, you can see where the extra money went on the Crossbones. The machining, especially in the handle, is much more elaborate. Both knives fall into that “slim and slicey” EDC knife category, and the Crossbones in particular reminds me of a folding filet knife.

It’s worth mentioning that if you are looking for something much larger, CRKT also offers the Jumbones, which is a version of this pattern with a near 5″ blade. That is getting you even further into folding filet knife territory.

The Crossbones features a dramatic trailing point blade. Designer Jeff Park apparently took inspiration from the tanto blade shape, and he describes the blade as a “modified tanto”. Regardless what you have here is a long and thin blade. Blade stock is actually pretty robust at approximately 3.3 mm thick tapering down to a fine tip. The full flat grind gets pretty thin towards the edge and the satin finish is clean and easy to maintain.

CRKT selected AUS-8 for the blade steel. That is likely to get some grumbling, especially given the over $50 price tag. If you like the design and want to splurge, there is the premium version in M390, but it would be cool to see this in VG-10 or 154CM. I realize from a manufacturing logistics standpoint that could be expensive at best and impossible in some instances.

AUS-8 has a reputation of being a softer steel that is easy to sharpen but won’t hold an edge as a long as harder more expensive cutlery steels. On the plus side I’ve found AUS-8 to be a hearty steel that is tough, takes a nice finish, and is easy to maintain.

In practice the Crossbones performed as I would have expected. That slim blade is easy to get underneath the fold of an envelope, or into the seam of a box. The full flat grind aides in slicing, easily paring apples and breaking down boxes. The blade did slow down after some heavy cardboard cutting, but it was easy enough to bring back on my Spyderco Goldenstone. No issues with rust or corrosion.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is kind of wild and crazy, and I suspect this is where CRKT allocated the majority of their budget. The 6061 aluminum handles have been heavily machined and given a dramatic 2 tone finish with bead blasted and satin finished elements. The profile of the handle resembles a dog bone, and that inspired the name. Inside you can see that the aluminum handles have been pocketed to accept stainless steel liners. Rounding things out are a partial backspacer that doubles as a lanyard hole, and custom hardware.

Fit and finish on the handle is excellent. The machining is meticulous. There is a fine diamond pattern milled into the handles. Not sure how they do that, but it probably takes some small endmills to get that level of detail. I am especially impressed by how well the steel liners fit into the aluminum handle.

The ergonomics on the Crossbones are interesting. On one hand this is a knife with a lot of sharp edges. That satin “X” shape in the handle looks cool, but the edges are sharp. Not to the point of cutting you sharp, but it’s certainly noticeable. But what I find interesting is that these sharp ridges offer a lot of traction while using the knife. Certainly this is not a piece that will easily slip out of your hand. I think for normal use the traction will be appreciated. Under more hard use conditions such as heavy rope cutting and carving wood, I think the traction is excessive and this knife is going to develop some hot spots.

I’m left a little conflicted on the elaborate design work in the handle. Some people will like this, but I would have been OK with less detail and less sharp edges. I notice that Jeff’s knife in his CRKT overview lacked the crazy millwork. Part of me wonders how that knife feels in hand compared to this production version.

In contrast to the elaborate handle, the pocket clip is a small no-frills deep carry offering. The clip is positioned for right side tip up carry only, but it’s secure, offers good spring retention, and is discreet. The knife pretty much buries itself into your pocket. Great if you are looking for your pocket knife to fly under the radar. It’s also fairly easy to retrieve from the pocket.

This Crossbones carries well. The heavily textured handle and stout pocket clip means that the knife is not going anywhere. At 2.4 ounces this is a knife you will quickly forget you are carrying until the time comes to use it. The knife is thick, but it’s not unreasonable. All said I think it behaves well in the pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

The blade of the Crossbones is accessed via a low profile flipper tab. The flipper tab is almost too low profile, thanks in part to a strong detent and rounded edges of the flipper tab. Rounded edges aren’t necessarily a bad thing. I noted in my SOG Terminus XR review that the sharp edges of the flipper tab on that knife actually cut my finger, so I’m glad that isn’t the case here.

But on the flip side, my finger has slipped off this tab without opening the blade many times. It takes both technique and concentration. So that’s a bit of a bummer, but the good news is the detent is crisp and dialed in. When the knife opens, it opens with authoritay. The blade rockets out thanks to a strong detent and IKBS bearing system.

For lockup we have a stainless steel liner lock. The lockbark engages fully with the tang of the blade, and it sits in the middle of the tang. There is no lock rock, or blade play in this knife. Out of the box the lockup was just a little sticky, but that has smoothed out with use.

Here is a size comparison with my Swindle. I still have this knife 5 years later, and it’s still an impressive budget knife. Time flies.

Blade centering is close to perfect on my knife. Maybe off by a hair.

CRKT Crossbones Review – Final Thoughts

The Crossbones is an interesting knife. I am not sure if it rises to the level of being an “iconic folding knife” but it’s certainly different, and everything and has been well implemented. Retailing around $65, it’s on the expensive side for CRKT, but they have dialed in the fit and finish on this blade and a lot of work was put into the handle. Visually the knife is striking, with it’s unique profile and monochromatic look. The heavily machined handle will read as busy to some, but I appreciate that they tried to do something different here.

Functionally the knife has a lot going for it. It’s lightweight and easy to pocket. It’s a long bold looking knife, so maybe not appropriate for all social situations, but the long thin blade can get into places other knives can’t. The handle is heavily textured and easy to grasp. I found the flipper tab a little slippery at times, but nothing egregious. Of course I’d always like to see a better steel than AUS-8, but jumping up to a better steel would probably require a corresponding jump in price. If you really like the design then perhaps snagging one of the limited edition versions is worthwhile.

At the end of the day, I can see why CRKT has offered the Crossbones in a few different configurations. It’s a cool design, and it has been well executed. While I can’t give it a blanket endorsement, I think if you are interested in the design, then the Crossbones is worth picking up.

Sale

CRKT Crossbones EDC Folding Pocket Knife: Gentleman's Knife, Everyday Carry, Satin Blade, IKBS Ball Bearing Pivot, Liner Lock, Brushed Aluminum Handle, Deep Carry Pocket Clip 7530

Fast Opening: The flipper deploys the blade fast
Classy Appearance: Satin finish blade has a modern look
Custom Stylings: Two-tone aluminum handle has distinctive look
Designed by Jeff Park in Mililani, Hawaii
Limited Lifetime Warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, see company site for details

I recommend purchasing the CRKT Crossbones at Amazon or BladeHQ.

Kizer Begleiter Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 1 Comment

I’m not sure any single knife company has impacted the industry more in the last ten years than Kizer. They may not have been the very first company pushing the boundaries in terms of price-to-performance, but they were the first one to get lots of attention in so doing, not only forcing their existing competitors to deliver more value for money, but also informing new companies’ entry into the knife world. Reate, WE, Ruike, Real Steel, Artisan, Steel Will, and many others owe something, I think, to Kizer’s precedent.

Buy the Kizer Begleiter at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

But after laying the template for the modern enthusiast knife – titanium frame lock, ball bearing flipper, trendy designers, sub-$200 price tag – Kizer seems to be fading into the background somewhat, getting drowned out in the bustling genre that it more or less established.

Which would be a shame, because Kizer has a lot to offer. While their various followers have gone up into the high high-end, playing with baroque stylings and highwire feats of machining prowess, or down into true budget territory, delivering good steel at great prices, Kizer has walked the middle ground. Their catalog mixes price-consciousness with smart, attractive designs, value with subtle flair and desirable designer pedigree. Kizer knives may not be flashiest or most fun, but they are often reliable, intelligently-designed, well-made and relatively affordable.

And speaking of well-made reliability and smart design, we come to the Begleiter. This knife has been around for some time and, although I don’t get the impression it was a massive immediate hit, it seems to have accrued some word-of-mouth mojo over the years; you definitely see it around. In part this can be chalked about to the impulse buy (for knife nerds) price tag, but also I think thanks to the (you guessed it) quality materials and solid, all-purpose design.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Begleiter has a blade length of 3.5 inches, an overall length of 8.125 inches, and weighs 3.8 oz. It is made in China and came impeccably fitted and finished. My particular Begleiter might look a little road-weary in the pictures, because it came to me at a time when I needed to do a lot of outdoors, yard-worky-type stuff. There’s a lot of unruboffable plant viscera on the blade, and some gunk in the pivot I’ve yet to wash out; but fresh from the factory, it was in pristine condition.

The Begleiter’s blade, a mid-sized drop point, doesn’t feel as long as it is, and it’s actually wider and stouter, blade stock-wise, than you’d think just looking at pictures of it. Flat ground, but not overly thin behind the edge, it’s a capable, durable slicer. I cut cardboard, paper, weeds, dug in pebbly garden soil, and accidentally banged the edge a couple times against brick; throughout it all the Begleiter cut well, and withstood my misuse with rugged stolidity. I actually like the look of the smoky gray titanium coating, and it held up well through the testing.

VG-10 – a good, good steel; I already knew I liked it, but I did learn one new thing about it in testing the Begleiter, and that’s that it can be relatively durable, despite its reputation for brittleness. As I said earlier, I smacked my Begleiter against bricks during multiple lapses in my bladesmanship. However, it only chipped at the very outermost, wafer-thin part of the tip, and there just minorly. I was impressed all over again. It’s not my favorite steel to sharpen up, but not so ornery I’d be hesitant to recommend it even to non-knife nerd users.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

I’m not sure that Kizer still adheres to the old nomenclature for their various lines, but if they do the Begleiter falls into the Vanguard class, which means standard Vanguard handle materials: G-10 scales and stainless steel liners. On the Begleiter, those liners stand proud and letterbox the scales, and both scales and liners have been chamfered extensively.

Like the blade, the handle is less narrow in person than it looks in pictures, and the letterboxing on the handles injects dimensionality into the grip. Those proud liners are shiny-smooth, and the chamfering makes them feel almost crowned. The lone finger groove is well-proportioned, and the finger guard/pivot area doesn’t push your hand so far back that you feel like you lack control over the blade.

I don’t know who designed the Begleiter; I thought I found out the name of the man behind it at one point, but now I can’t seem to track that information down. So maybe I misremembered, or maybe it’s a Kizer in-house team effort; but either way the designer (s) deserve credit for a thoughtful ergonomic layout.

Less thoughtful, but by means bad, is the Begleiter’s clip. It doesn’t have a particularly appealing look, nor does it offer deep carry, and the contact point is right on the un-smooth G-10. That last point is one uncharacteristic bit of boneheadedness in the design of this knife. Granted, it’s an oversight most companies make, but it’s still disappointing. On the positive side, the clip’s tension is just right and it vanishes when you’re using the knife.

Opening and Lockup

Thumb stud and phosphor bronze washers: that’s the good stuff. This setup, combined with spot-on detent tuning, means the Begleiter’s blade pops into place when you flick it open – and you will be flicking it: a slow roll open is possible but this is a blade tuned to fly, and fly it does. I’m not much of a knife fidgeter these days but even sitting here writing the review I keep picking up the Begleiter and popping it open and closed. It’s fun, addictive, and most importantly reliable in use.

The stop pin is also plenty large and durable too; there’s nothing I dislike or would change about the opening configuration on the Begleiter and it’s one reason why I’m not at all interested in the new, premium, frame lock flipper Begleiters that recently released.

Here is a size comparison with the Spyderco Delica 4:

Are we past the age of dodgy lockups? I don’t remember the last knife I handled with a bad lock, or even a lock that has been anything less than great. Makers all around the world have been expected to Do Better in recent years, in no small part thanks to companies like Kizer setting new standards for quality in all price ranges.

Unsurprisingly, then, I have no complaints about the Begleiter’s liner lock. There’s still not an iota of play in any direction after many bouts of rugged and ungainly use. A cutout on the show side scale gives nice access to the locking leaf, and disengagment is as frictionless as the lockup is firm. Again, good stuff.

Kizer Begleiter Review – Final Thoughts

Let’s be frank: the Kizer Begleiter is not a knife that it’s easy to get excited about, here in 2019. Its materials are good, but not outstanding. The fit and finish is great, but so is the fit and finish on many, many other knives. The design is smart, but subdued almost – almost – to the point of colorlessness.

At $60 it’s a good value, but also sailing perilous close to the fatal Endura/Delica 4/Chaparral Lightweight Bermuda Triangle where other value-driven knife designs get lost forever. You struggle to find anything bad to say about the Begleiter, and use it approvingly, but it doesn’t endear itself in any singular way.

Which is maybe (definitely) a silly thing to ask a knife to do. If you’re looking for a good knife in this price category, this is a good choice, a smart choice even. If you have a friend who isn’t really into knives but could use one, this is one you could hip them to. I think this is money better spent than buying most Kershaws, for instance (although again, the shadow of the sub-$100 Spydercos looms large…).

In 2019, the Begleiter is a perfect synecdoche for Kizer itself. In the turbulent, baroque, saturated knife market, where we were spoiled for choice years ago and now we’re somewhere beyond spoiled, it can be easy to lose sight of Kizer. But they’ve maintained a steady output of sensible, solid, well-made and generally well-priced designs. You may not be wowed when you pick up a Begleiter, but you definitely won’t be disappointed either, and that’s worth something.

Kizer Cutlery Begleiter Folding Pocket Knife Green G10 Handles Knife, Begleiter V4458N2 (Green G10 handle +N690 blade)

A reversible pocket clip and stainless steel liners
Tactical pocket folding knife offers rapid one-handed deployment, locks securely into place with liner lock
3.5" N690 blade with a drop point shape and gray titanium coating.The bronze washers allow for smooth blade opening
Handle Material:G10 /Blade Material:N690 /Weight:3.69 oz (0.23 pounds)
Overall Length:8.17 inch (20.75 cm) /Blade Length:3.58 inch (9.09 cm)

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Kizer Begleiter at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please keep in mind that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Bestech Knives Malware Review

by John Burridge 3 Comments

Over the years, I’ve noticed that in polite society when I whip out a folding knife to open a box or cut a loose thread, most people’s reactions are some variation of “Oh God, why do you have/need/carry that?” My usual reply is that a knife is the most useful tool in the world, but I’ve found that no matter how “non-threatening” looking the knife is, I still get that same reaction. Therefore, why not carry whatever I want?

Buy the Bestech Malware at BladeHQ

So, a month ago I put down my already scary-looking Microtech Ultratech OTF switchblade and picked up the seriously murder-ey looking Bestech Malware.

The Malware was designed for Bestech Knives by Todd Knife and Tool. TKT was started in 2016 by prolific knife reviewer Teryl Todd (Zelrick42 on YouTube) and his brother Seth Todd. They went from being fans to designers, and have a thoroughly modern company. Teryl lives in Ozark, Missouri, and Seth lives in Houston, Texas. They jointly design their knives by sharing 3D CAD files online, then Seth makes physical prototypes that they both test. TKT have developed a distinct visual style also apparent in their We Knife Co. made Roxi folder, and in the many prototype images shared on the toddknifeandtool Instagram account.

General Dimensions & Blade Details

The Malware’s blade is 3.875” (9.8 cm) long, the blade stock thickness is 0.15” (3.9mm), and it’s full open length is 8.75” (22 cm). The long stabby blade folds into a titanium handle, the blade pivots on ball bearings, and it’s framelock has a steel lockbar insert. The steel lockbar insert is a theoretically replaceable part that protects the titanium framelock from rubbing against the lock face of the steel blade. My experience has been that often a titanium framelock rubbing against a steel blade tends to “stick” in place, but steel on steel doesn’t have the same problem.

Here is a size comparison with a large Sebenza Insingo:

It weighs 3.68 oz. which is technically a little more than a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 or a Chris Reeve Knives large Sebenza, but it feels lighter than either of them in the hand. I attribute this feeling to the weight balance of this knife. If I’m holding the Malware in a normal thumb-on-top grip, and I slowly open my hand, the knife will not fall to the floor, but will stay balanced on my index finger. This nearly perfect weight distribution helps the Malware feel very agile in my hand.

The titanium pocket clip is configured as a right side, tip up only, but there are dedicated left handed versions as well. I have the “Ti Black” version. The titanium backspacer and pocket clip are anodized a brassy gold color, and contrast nicely against the black stonewashed finish of the rest of the knife. The stonewashed treatment gives the edges and corners a worn-in look similar to Kershaw Knives’ “blackwash” finish.

It’s blade steel is S35VN, which was developed specifically for high-end knife blades by steelmaker Crucible Industries and Chris Reeve Knives. It’s a powdered metal steel, which has the advantage of more uniform blending of it’s elements (iron, niobium, chromium, vanadium, etc.) than conventional steel. The end-user benefits of this manufacturing process and the S35VN formula are excellent blade toughness (it can take a hit without breaking or bending), corrosion resistance, and edge retention.

So it’s a modern production knife made in China with premium materials and it’s priced accordingly at $196 on BladeHQ. What makes it different than every other new Kizer, Reate, We, and Rike knife? Style and details.

What I love about good pocketknives is that they’re pieces of functional art you can hold in your hand. The Malware is full of interesting details and I keep noticing more. The design is a strange futuristic combination of curves, straight lines, and, as on the cutting edge of the blade, straight lines that almost imperceptibly turn into curves. The blade has a finger choil which, although it’s a little too small for my index finger, is the full 3.9mm width of the blade stock, which is yet another design detail that I appreciate.

Handle, Ergonomics, & Pocket Clip

In pictures, the handle looks very thin, and in the days between ordering the Malware and receiving it, I wondered if it would be too small to properly wrap my medium-large-ish hands around. When it arrived, I found that it fills my hand very well, and the long, flat clip doesn’t create much of a hotspot any way I hold it.

Some edges are pretty squared off, like the machining on the backspacer, but almost every part of the handle that comes in contact with my hand is chamfered, making it quite comfortable to hold. And the more I have it in my hands, the more I keep discovering new functional design details that I had, at first glance, written off as being cosmetic- like the three holes in the show side near the flipper tab. Those holes are exactly where my right thumb needs traction when flipping the knife open.

On the lock side of virtually all framelock knives, there’s a machined indentation in the frame that allows the locking part of the frame to flex inward and lock the blade open. A lot of knives cover this indentation with their pocket clips, but as yet another example of how well thought out this design is, the pocket clip on the Malware sits right above, but not covering, the indentation. So when gripping the knife to flip it open, my ring finger is naturally pushed into that square indentation, which gives me a secure grip when flipping it open.

I don’t ordinarily use my pocketknives for food prep, but in the spirit of thoroughness I sliced up some veggies with it. The blade has a full flat grind and gets very thin at the bottom, which made slicing easy. The ergonomics for general food prep were fine as long as I didn’t try to spread anything- the thin blade definitely doesn’t work as a butter knife. The flipper tab extends below the cutting edge, so it can’t really be used for dicing either, but kitchen work is clearly not this knife’s intended use.

The pocket clip is rather long and thin and has more flex to it than any other milled clip I’ve handled. The good news is that it doesn’t chew up my (already chewed up) pants pockets, but the bad news is that it seems like it could easily get bent.

I carried this knife during a T.C.C.C. medic class, and when we were learning how to improvise tourniquets, I used the Malware as a windlass (the stiff piece that you twist to tighten the tourniquet.) Despite really cranking this thing down tight on my training partner’s arm, I had no fear of the knife breaking or bending until the instructor decided to show the class how to tie off the end of the improvised tourniquet using the pocket clip. He was bending the clip way out and jamming fabric under it, and I desperately wanted to ask him to stop so he didn’t break it. I resisted this urge because I didn’t want to seem like a weenie to our super-badass Los Angeles SWAT Medic instructor. So he manhandled the clip, and when he was done, it just sprung back to it’s normal state. It may be thin and flexible, but it’s not fragile.

Overall, the Malware isn’t an “overbuilt” knife like a Hinderer Knives XM or a Strider SMF, but it’s definitely tougher than it looks.

Deployment & Lockup

A gripe I have with every single framelock flipper is if I grip it in such a way that I’m putting a lot of pressure with my middle finger on the front of the lock near the pivot, then the knife becomes very difficult to flip open. The worst offender on this front that I have is a Brad Zinker midtech version of the Boker Urban Trapper. The only knife I have that is immune to this problem is my GiantMouse GM1, which is an awesome knife overall, but perhaps solves this problem by having a weak detent which makes it difficult to flip open. However, the ergonomics of the Malware naturally place my fingers where they don’t get in the way of the mechanism at all.

The Malware’s flipper tab is relatively small but has comfortably rounded jimping that provides good traction for flipping. The amount of detent tension that has to be overcome to flip the knife open is tough for me to objectively define- but subjectively, I think it flips perfectly. The Malware’s framelock engages at about 40%, which you can jam over to about 60% if you’re worried about it slipping (not that that’s ever happened to me or anyone I know.)

I don’t carry a knife specifically for self defense, but I must say that I certainly never felt under-prepared while carrying the Malware on the weird streets of Los Angeles. It’s never accidentally opened while in my pocket or while drawing it out of my pocket. It’s flipped and locked open securely every single time I’ve flipped it. I don’t think an especially scary-looking knife like this is going to make a bad man run away in terror, but it’s a long, mean looking blade with a big handle I can get a very firm grip on. So I’ll add self defense to the Malware’s growing list of positive attributes.

Bestech Malware Review – Final Thoughts

I carried the Malware every day for a month and primarily used it for un-challenging tasks like opening packages, slashing open bags of cat food, and as an improvised medical device. At the end of the month, the finish on blade, handle, and clip are unblemished. The S35VN blade was still very sharp in most places, but after a quick, ham-fisted touch up on a Wicked Edge sharpener, it’s back to 100%. There’s no sharpening choil, but I don’t really care if the last few millimeters of my blade are super sharp.

What is the Bestech Malware made to do? I don’t want to sound like a knife snob a-hole, but I tend to compare everything to my Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza 21. The word “Sebenza” is literally the Zulu word for “work”, and the Sebenza feels like an indestructible precision tool. The Bestech knife doesn’t feel like a tool, it feels like a blatantly offensive weapon that can also open boxes from Amazon. Malware is the perfect name for this knife because it’s so badass. Not flaming skull badass, but sci-fi villain badass. It brings to mind futuristic heavy metal music by the band Voivod, it’s like the knife version of the Space Marines’ rifle from the movie Aliens, it should be a weapon in the DOOM video games, and I obviously really like it.

The deciding factor for anyone considering buying the Malware is definitely it’s looks- if you immediately like it’s vibe, I say get it. Nothing is perfect (except kittens), but the Malware excelled at everything I wanted it to do, and looked super-murder-ey doing it. Recommended!

Bestech Knives Malware – From $196.00
From: BladeHQ

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Bestech Knives Malware at BladeHQ and Amazon. Thank you very much.

About the Author: This guest review was written by John Burridge. John lives in Los Angeles and has a deep passion for knives. I plan on adding to this section to include more info about John and where to find him. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this in depth review.

SOG Terminus XR Review

by Dan Jackson 6 Comments

Travis’ SHOT Show 2019 round up brought a company back onto my radar: SOG. In his article he showcased the SEAL XR, a folding version of their classic Seal Pup fixed blade. I reviewed the Seal Pup a long time ago, and it’s cringe worthy to see that old review now. I should buy one again and re-review it. I’d also like to check the SEAL XR out at some point, but in the meantime I thought I would explore their current catalog.

Buy the SOG Terminus XR at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

The Terminus XR caught my eye. The spare, blocky design coupled with a modest sub $75 price point piqued my interest. It has been a long time since I reviewed a SOG product of any kind. What kind of knives are they making these days, and is the Terminus XR worth picking up? Let’s find out.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Terminus XR has an overall length of 7″, a 3″ blade, weighs 3.32 ounces, and is made in China. These are decent specs for an urban EDC. Certainly you can find lighter knives these days, but this design features full stainless steel liners. At first glance, the level of fit and finish is quite high, and the knife reminds me of my beloved Sage 1.

The Terminus XR features a stout clip point. Blade stock is just shy of 2.8mm thick, and it feels substantial thanks in part to the wide blade and partial hollow grind. There is a 3/4 swedge terminating at a substantial tip. The two tone satin finish looks nice, although the grinds bleed together on the triangular peninsula of steel where the flat meets the swedge and hollow grind. The edge is even.

In practice this is the kind of “do it all” blade shape people will have a hard time complaining about. Good tip strength, tons of belly, and a generous amount of edge, all make for a practical blade.

Blade steel is CTS-BDZ1.I’m not familiar with that one, so off to ZKnives I went to dig up some information. That site is an excellent resource and a true wealth of information (as opposed to the opinion riddled dick twirling you find here). Here is a link to the analytics on CTS-BDZ1.

Looks like it’s 6Cr14MoV, so a cousin of 8Cr13Mov, a steel most of us knife guys know well. Since it’s made by Carpenter my guess is that the quality control and consistency is a little tighter then some random Chinese foundry, but this is still going to be a milder steel that sharpens easily, resists rust, but won’t be as wear resistant as a higher end steel. According to SOG this has been heat treated to “60-62” RH. I’m not a metalurgist, but that sounds like an alarmingly wide range for a heat treat of a mass market production knife. Then again, this may be why the knife is less than $70.

In practice I found the Terminus XR to be a solid performer. It zipped through cardboard, opened mail with aplomb, and made quick work of the food prep I put it to.

This time of year in Florida strawberries are in season, and you can buy a huge flat of them for $6 at road side stands. The problem is they tend to go bad quickly, so you need to be prepared to gorge yourself on strawberries or make a pie or something. The Spyderco Dragonfly II has always been my go-to strawberry knife. That thin triangular blade is perfect for surgically removing the tops of the strawberry. The Terminus XR isn’t as nimble as the DF2, but it still got the job done.

Here’s a size comparison with the Dragonfly 2:

And as predicted by the chemical analysis, the Terminus’ edge didn’t hold on forever. This is especially true for abrasive materials like cardboard. But I was able to get a meaningful amount of work done with it, and the edge polished up easily on my [easyazon_link identifier=”B001JL1I6Y” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Golden Stone[/easyazon_link]. No issues with rust or corrosion. I’d say the steel choice is appropriate for the price point. That said, I’d never complain if they upgraded to CPM-154 or something along those lines.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle shares the same simple profile of the blade. It’s a big, blocky design featuring a G10/Carbon Fiber handle scales over full stainless steel liners. The steel liners have been skeletonized to reduce the weight of the knife. The partial backspacer is made of injected molded plastic. Matte black hardware, including an oversized pivot, holds everything together. Pretty standard stuff.

Handle construction is solid and the fit and finish is impressive. Again, I’m reminded of my Spyderco Sage 1. Granted, at this point my Sage 1 is 6 or 7 years old. Manufacturing techniques have advanced and tolerances have tightened, but still it’s a high level of fit and finish and it’s worth mentioning.

The Terminus XR feels OK in hand. When I grasp just the handle, the Terminus XR feels a little crowded for my larger hand. All 4 fingers fit, but just barely. SOG also included a forward finger choil underneath the ricasso, and I think that was a good idea. It gives you plenty of room and provides more control for precise cuts.

“Traction plan” fans will be pleased with the abundance of texturing on this knife. The inch or so of jimping on the spine is aggressive. It’s almost too aggressive for my tastes, but it hasn’t irritated my thumb. The milled handle provides plenty of texture on the scales. Again, its a little sharp and will tear up your pockets over time. The Terminus XR appears to be built for harder use in mind, and I think the level of texture and traction is appropriate.

SOG included a short deep carry pocket clip. It can be swapped for ambidextrous tip up carry. Spring retention is excellent and the Terminus stays in place. The knife buries completely in the pocket. I’m not a huge fan of branded pocket clips, but I think SOG did an OK job here. All in all the pocket clip is thoughtful and the knife stays out of the way.

The Terminus XR carries well thanks to the thoughtfully designed pocket clip. It’s not the lightest knife, or the thinnest, but I’d say it’s still reasonably thin and light. I didn’t notice it much in the pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

This part of the review is typically obvious and self explanatory. Here we have a folding knife, with a blade that can be opened via a flipper tap or ambidextrous thumb studs. Inside are phosphor bronze washers. Simple enough. What’s shocking about this knife is that the edges of the serrated flipper tab are so sharp it actually cut my finger open when using it. I didn’t need stitches, but it drew blood and I had to put the knife down. It’s way too sharp. I’ve tried to capture this in a picture I took. Not the best picture, but you get the idea.

To this day if I use the knife I still get small paper cut type incisions in my finger when I use the flipper. Maybe I got an especially sharp flipper tab, but this is the first time I’ve been cut by a flipper tab and it’s a major turn off.

If you can get past this issue somehow the blade opens smoothly. There is no ball detent in this knife, and the XR lock provides a good amount of resistance so you can flip the blade open. I’d rate the action at a “6” on my patent pending 0-10 scale for flipper action.

For lockup we have the aforementioned XR lock. This is a variation on their arc lock, which is really a take on the Benchmade Axis Lock. Now that the axis lock patent has expired, I think we can expect to see more companies experiment with this kind of lock. It’s a nice design because it’s secure, and easy to manipulate with either hand. It feels stronger and more secure than an axis lock. It’s a nice design and one I wouldn’t mind seeing in more knives.

Here is a parting shot with my tried and true Spyderco Sage 1. The Terminus XR reminds me of the Sage 1 for several reasons, including the EDC friendly size and similarities in construction.

Blade centering is perfect on my knife.

SOG Terminus XR Review – Final Thoughts

The Terminus XR has a lot going for it. A simple design made from adequate materials built to tight tolerances. And that sub $75 price is quite nice. It’s difficult to find good knives at this price point. The fit and finish is good, but I’d argue that it’s almost too good as evidenced by the sharp edges found on the flipper tab.

One of the 10 commandments of knife design is that “Only the edge shall be sharp.” Any sharp edges on the handle, liners, etc. are generally considered a violation of the sacrosanct. Certainly a flipper tab that flays your finger open with normal use is a serious problem. At best you need to be extremely careful with this knife. That’s a real shame given how nice every other aspect of the Terminus is.

Perhaps the issue can be rectified with a little emery paper. Perhaps I’m a little bitch and this issue won’t bother other people. Somehow the Terminus XR has garnered a number of 5 star reviews on BladeHQ and Amazon, so who’s to say? I’d rather not speculate.

I still appreciate this knife. It’s well made yet still priced reasonably. It’s a big step up from the plastic handled SOG knives of yore, and it’s not $100+ like their nicer Japanese blades. Also, the design of the Terminus is more straight forward, yet it’s still undeniably “SOG”.

In many ways the Terminus XR is a success, but in one major way it’s a failure. For that reason I can’t recommend it. Who can endorse a knife that cuts the user? I certainly can’t, regardless of how much I like the other aspects of the knife or the great price point. But the silver lining that it has SOG back on my radar. Despite the tragic flaw I acknowledge that there is a lot that went right here. Hopefully SOG can fix this flipper tab and do better with future releases. Ultimately I think they are heading in the right direction.

SOG EDC Knives - Terminus XR EDC Knife, Everyday Carry Pocket Knife with Clip, Flipper Knife with SOG XR Lock Mechanism (TM1021-BX)

EDC FOLDING KNIVES FOR EVERYDAY CARRY: The Terminus XR is a razor-sharp EDC folding knife and flipper knife made with strong, capable, cryo-hardened CTS BDZ1 stainless steel; blade measures 2.95 inches, knife measures 4.26 inches closed; model number: TM1021-BX
CARBON FIBER KNIFE HANDLE: At 3.2 ounces, these folding flipper knives are an essential addition to your EDC gear; black G10 & carbon fiber knife handle overlay is sleek, lightweight, with excellent grip and traction
OPEN YOUR LOCK POCKET KNIFE 3 WAYS: Use the knife thumb stud, flipper or kick mechanism to open these deep carry pocket knives with one hand; the SOG XR lock keeps the blade secure while allowing smooth manual actuation
TACKLE DAILY TASKS W/ CTS BDZ1 STRAIGHT EDGE: This compact everyday carry knife includes an ambidextrous pocket clip; small pocket knife blade is stout with superb edge retention and satin finish
SOG CARE: SOG knives and tools are built to last but may require initial tuning adjustments along with regular cleaning, lubrication and sharpening; we consider all repair and replacement requests

I recommend purchasing the SOG Terminus XR at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that by purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.

Reate T2500 Review

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

Well, that didn’t take long. Only a couple months after acquiring the Reate Crossroads, another Reate has found it’s way into the collection. This time Reate has teamed up with knife designer Tashi Bharucha with a 4 knife series.

Buy the Reate T2500 at BladeHQ

I’ve long been a fan of Tashi. His designs are super clean, yet they all have a dynamic look to them. I’m an admirer, but mostly at a distance as his stuff is usually released in expensive limited edition runs. I haven’t been able to summon the ~$400 from my bank account to acquire one of his designs.

This T2500 is interesting because it’s a sub $200 knife. That’s unique for both Tashi and Reate. So I had to snag one.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The T2500 has an overall length of 5.6″, a 2.5″ blade, weighs 1.76 ounces, and is made in China. This is the smallest knife in the series, and it’s pretty damn small. I can see why it retails for $190. It’s beautiful, but charging much more would be a little ridiculous. Here it is next to my Spyderco Dragonfly 2:

As you can see, the T2500 compares favorably with the DF2. This makes a nice small EDC knife. It could also be called a Gentleman’s folder, although it has a bit of a “tactical” vibe to it.

The blade is an elegant drop point. It’s mostly belly, terminating in a fine tip. This is the kind of simple blade shape that will take care of any small task. The blade has been given a high flat grind, and has been left with a satin finish and stonewashed flats. There is a small swedge and a harpoon tip. A tiny sharpening choil allows you to sharpen the edge all the way to the heel.

The blade stock is a hair over 3.3mm thick, so this is a relatively thick blade especially given the size of this knife. All the details have been considered. There are no sharp edges save the cutting edge. All the others have been gently chamferred for comfort.

Blade steel is tried and true M390. Reate always uses a premium steel and this knife is no exception. M390 has the covetable qualities of excellent edge retention, relatively easy sharpening, good rust and corrosion resistance, good toughness. It’s one of the best all round EDC knife steels.

I have to confess that initially I was a little reluctant to put this knife through its paces. It’s a beautiful piece, and the small size and exceptional fit and finish gives the knife something of a jewel like quality. But I quickly got over myself and went to work. Boxes were broken down, food was prepared, packages containing yet more knives were opened. I didn’t take this one salt water fishing (I’ll leave that for the $22 Cold Steel Pro Lite Sport), but I basically did everything else with it.

The T2500 is a phenomenal slicer. It came screaming sharp out of the box. The fully flat ground blade easily worked its way into boxes, got underneath the folds of envelopes, and could do a little food prep. The short blade doesn’t make it the most effective apple slicer, but you can get the job done with it. I didn’t have any issues with rust or corrosion. When it was time to touch up the edge, I was able to do that easily on my [easyazon_link identifier=”B001JL1I6Y” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Spyderco Golden Stone[/easyazon_link]. This reminds me, I still need to review my Spyderco Golden Stone.

No complaints with the blade or the blade steel.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the T2500 is a miniature engineering marvel. It’s two pieces of bead blasted titanium with a carbon fiber insert. The way the handle pieces come together is super impressive. I’ve tried to capture it in a photograph:

It’s hard to tell, but there is a seam running down the spine of the handle where the two pieces meet.

I’m also impressed by how the show side doesn’t show any hardware except for the pivot. Oh, and the carbon fiber inlay. That is a work of art. Running my fingers across it you cannot feel where the titanium ends and the carbon fiber begins. It’s absolutely seamless and perfect. I don’t own any inlayed knives to compare it with, but this strikes me as a tough standard to beat. Reate offers this with regular woven carbon fiber or marbled carbon fiber. I chose marbled to match my Crossroads. That was a good choice.

There are a number of other interesting details with the handle. One is the lanyard hole, which has been integrated in a way to not spoil the beautiful lines of the knife. Another detail is the blue titanium hardware. All the machining is top notch. The handle has been exceptionally well considered. It’s an impressive job and one you need to hold to truly appreciate.

This is a small knife, so it’s not going to work in the hand like a larger folder. The Dragonfly 2 is the most impressive small handled knife I’ve reviewed, and the T2500 is serviceable, but it’s not a Dragonfly 2. If you just use the handle you can get a comfortable 3 finger grip. If you use the flipper tab as a finger choil, then I can get all 4 fingers onto the knife, but it’s a little tight for my larger hand. That’s a trade off you get with most small knives.

I will say the T2500 does feel good in hand. No sharp corners or hot spots. You would think the angled pommel would be uncomfortable, but it hasn’t been an issue for me. It slides in between my fingers. There isn’t much in the way of texture on this knife, but I haven’t had issues with it slipping out of my hand either. Bead blasted titanium provides enough traction for my purposes.

The T2500 comes with a machined titanium clip. That’s a nice detail on a sub $200 folder. I know some folks aren’t fans of sculpted clips, but I think some companies have dialed them in. Reate is one of those companies, as the clip offers good looks and excellent spring retention. It works great as a pocket clip, holding the knife firmly in place. I haven’t had the knife slip down in my pocket or fall out.

At well under 2 ounces, this T2500 carries like a dream. It’s excellent and reminds me a lot of the way the Dragonfly 2 carries. You simply don’t feel it in the pocket. It disappears until you need it. I wear shorts and pants with triangular pockets (rather than the “U” shaped pockets found on blue jeans), and the knife stays high in my pocket. That keeps it out of the way and avoids contact with things like keys and my flash light.

Visually, the knife is relatively discreet in the pocket. The pokey looking handle and titanium clip with blue hardware will draw the eye more than something like a small Spyderco wire clip, but that’s the trade off you get when you opt for a fancier pocket knife like this.

Deployment and Lockup

This is a titanium framelock flipper. The action is dialed in thanks in part to ceramic bearings and a ceramic detent. The flipper tab is generous and easy to get at. The knife flips with the best of them. I’d rate the action at an 8 out of 1-10. This is a small knife, so it’s a little more fiddly then a full size folder, but it’s not bad and I haven’t had any issues flipping the blade open.

Here is a shot with my Crossroads. All my marble fiber clad pocket knives in one photo:

For lockup we have a titanium framelock with a stainless steel insert. Lockup is early on my knife, with the tang of the blade engaging with approximately 40% of the lock bar. Lockup is secure with zero blade play in any direction. Disengaging the lock is easy thanks to cutouts both on the lockbar and the non-locking side of the knife. There is zero lock stick. It’s a perfectly executed framelock.

Here is a parting size comparison with the CRKT Pilar (the carbon fiber BladeHQ exclusive). A couple nice smaller knives featuring carbon fiber:

Blade centering is perfect on my knife. No surprises there given the price point and how dialed in everything else is on this piece.

Reate T2500 Review – Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a small high end titanium framelock flipper, then look no further. This knife delivers. It is beautifully made from the finest materials, and Tashi’s design is as striking as ever. The T2500 is loaded with detail and the execution of every aspect of the knife is superb. This is a beautiful little knife.

The T2500 strikes me as a high end and slightly less practical version of the Dragonfly 2. It’s pretty much the same size and weight. It carries similarly. It’s not as utilitarian as the Dragonfly 2, but it gets the job done. The ergonomics of the DF2 with it’s curved handle and forward finger choil remain unmatched by the T2500, but that’s OK.

That said, not everyone is looking for a micro knife. And although I knew this one would be small, but it’s very small. There are some sacrifices with a smaller knife like this. Mostly in the ergonomics. I would not be opposed to picking up the T3000, although I’m not sure they are even available at this point.

Then again, I don’t have a lot of 2.5″ bladed knives in my collection. I expected the T2500 to be beautiful, but what surprised me was how much I ended up enjoying carrying and using it. It is lightweight and practical. I bought the T2500 as more of a collectible, but I will continue to carry and use the knife in my regular EDC rotation.

So I suppose I could sum up this review by saying the T2500 is “surprising”. It’s both surprisingly small, and a surprisingly practical EDC knife. I recommend the T2500 for fans of small flippers, and those like me that wanted to try out a Tashi Bharucha design at a price point under $200.

Reate T2500 – From $192.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Reate T2500 at BladeHQ or GPKnives. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website (including Amazon) helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.