Here you can find our entire library of folding knife reviews.
Folding Knife Reviews:
SOG Twitch II Review
I’m hardly the first to say it, but the rise of well-designed manual flippers has really thrown the value of automatic knives into question. When already-good flippers are paired with assisted-opening mechanisms, true autos are obviated ever further. That said, my beef with many assisted-opening flippers is that they’re chasing an aspect of autos I ...
Kershaw Pub Review
Well, it’s finally happened: After several years of buying almost all of the models I really wanted, my knife purchases are slowing down dramatically. (Heretical, I know, but bear with me.) Today, I have a drawer full of knives with great ergonomics, good steel, and excellent blade shapes for particular tasks. I also have several ...
SOG SEAL XR Review
For some, getting right up to the point of “too much” is exactly the point. I’d read once that Chevrolet didn’t see any need to put a stronger engine in the Corvette in the sixth and seventh generations because without a mid-engine chassis, adding more power would just spin the tires. Sensible enough. Meanwhile, Dodge ...
Spyderco Matriarch II Review
The Spyderco Matriarch’s predecessor, the Civilian, carries a somewhat curious warning. As the company writes on the knife’s product webpage, “Because of its distinctly specialized features it is not intended or designed for general utility or everyday use.” Reading this and knowing nothing about the Civilian, the layperson might wonder why a consumer might spend ...
Kershaw Chill Review
If there’s a gripe I have with Kershaw as a whole, it’s that there are simply a lot of products in the company’s lineup to keep track of. Over the last decade or so I’ve paid attention to their catalog, I’d argue half of Kershaw’s offerings are similar to the point of being completely undifferentiated. ...
Ruike P801 Review
The vice president under Woodrow Wilson, a man named Thomas Marshall, once said that “What this country really needs is a good five-cent cigar.” Even when the world is going to hell in a handbasket, there’s reassurance to be had in getting a great bargain. Admittedly, today’s consumers are spoiled for choice when it comes to ...
Magpul Rigger Review
The Magpul Rigger is the Gray Man of knives. It’s yet another titanium framelock with average EDC knife dimensions and a forgettable-looking design, but like the literary character the Gray Man, it kicks major ass. Before I get into the review, here’s a little background info on Magpul and the Gray Man: Magpul Industries is a ...
Gerber Jukebox Review
If you hadn’t heard: the war between form and function continues to rage. Sure, in a perfect world we’d end up with tools that look fantastic and work great. That said, the reality of the knife world is that most of us end up with pug-ugly blades we don’t mind hammering on, and a lot ...
QSP Penguin Review
As most of you know, the Ontario Knife Company threw down the gauntlet a little over a decade ago with the Rat Model I. At the sub-$30 price point, the EDC knifebuying public received a well-constructed product with a slick action, great ergos, good-enough steel, and simple-but-effective blade geometry. Since then, OKC followed up with ...
CRKT CEO Review
I knew I had to have the CRKT CEO as soon as I saw it. A miniature katana blade hiding inside of a package that resembles an elongated cigarette lighter? Sold! Over the better part of a year and since that impulse buy, I’ve come to appreciate what CRKT’s knife represents, and I’ve additionally come ...
Lionsteel BestMan Slip Joint Review
Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but 2020 was a year of changes for me. One of those was career related, turning my collar from blue to a gray-ish shade of white. With this transition comes a change in scene. Where before I’d been free to carry tools like the Spyderco PM2, I’ve reached ...
CJRB Talla Review
A few months back, and I fully admit I’m late to this party, I stumbled across a Youtube interview with self-defense expert, knife designer, and all around “guy who knows his stuff” Michael Janich. I became familiar with Janich years ago because he’d produced quite a bit of content for some of the shooting sports ...
Shirogorov Ne0n Review
I spend a lot of time imagining what it must be like to create a masterpiece. Putting the final brushstroke on Monet’s Water Lilies or for John Frusciante to idly strum the opening chords to Can’t Stop for the very first time. What must be to be involved in the creation of something truly great. ...
Civivi Mckenna Review
Ever been accused of going about something bass-ackwards? Behold the Civivi Mckenna: one of the new breed of “front flippers” that has quietly been developing a following of… well, I wouldn’t say devotees, but definitely a contingent of pleasantly bemused knife flippers who will always give a quirky design a day in court. Buy the Civivi ...
CRKT Provoke Review
Where to begin with the CRKT Provoke? This is a knife that defies convention, and it hardly relates to any other knife that has crossed my desk. Buy the CRK Provoke at BladeHQ If I were to draw a comparison to a knife in my collection, the Provoke most reminds me of the HALO VI. Not ...
Kershaw Lucha Review
The Punisher, The Outsiders, Blood In Blood Out, Face/Off, Red Dawn (’84 version of course), and of course, Big Trouble in Little China were all some of my favorite flicks growing up. Do you know what they had in common? Besides being awesome? They all have Butterfly knives in them. I grew up with a ...
Spyderco Rhino Review
Expectations are a terrible thing to shake. As gear geeks, hopping onto the hype train is all too easy, especially because most of us are passionate about our hobbies. We see something cool – either the newest catalog or the latest teaser on Instagram – and start forming our own idea of what the end ...
Bestech Marukka Review
Kombou is on fire lately! In the last few years, Bestech Knives has released 8 knives that he’s designed, including the Marukka reviewed here. I bought the Marukka the day it was released, and as I write this review 60 days later, two more Bestech/Kombou knives are starting to hit stores: the Wibra and the ...
Kershaw Shuffle 2 Review
I’m on a mission. A mission to find the best, budget-priced EDC knives. Many people carry budget knives for a variety of reasons, one being they often lose them. I’ve been there and done that, so I see the logic. One budget knife brand that seems to garner some respect is Kershaw, and with that ...
Victorinox Hunter Pro Alox Review
The term “Swiss Army Knife” conjures up a certain image. It’s arguably the most universally recognizable pocket knife, spanning the gulf between lay person and hardcore knife enthusiast. These knives are universally popular in part because they are universally useful. Sure, the models with 20+ tools begin to border on the absurd. Fun, but maybe ...
Zero Tolerance 0308 Review
I got a little silly with my knife purchases in the last few years. If it wasn’t an automatic knife, my purse strings got tight. I’m not saying I’m a cheapskate, but I was ignoring some great knives in the premium market if they didn’t have a button to flip them into action. A friend ...
Benchmade Mini Bugout Review
Last Updated: July 17, 2021 If you have handled the original Benchmade Bugout, then it won’t take any explaining to understand why the Mini Bugout is such a big deal. The original Bugout was a home run for Benchmade. Slim, lightweight, capable, and attractive with its classic drop point hunter lines and vibrant blue handle. Buy ...
Chris Reeve Knives Impinda Review
Chris Reeve Knives doesn’t release many new models. And when they do it’s often a variation on a theme rather than a brand new design. That’s part of the reason why the last time I reviewed a CRK was a review of the Sebenza 25 back in 2014. Another interesting tidbit about CRK is that ...
Begg Knives Steelcraft Kwaiken (3/4) Review
I really enjoy Blade Magazine. I’ve subscribed for years, and smile when their magazine finds its way into my mailbox each month. Part of what I enjoy is how they write articles I could never write. Deep dives into the history of custom knife making, coverage of high end customs pieces, and interesting commentary on ...
Gerber Fastball Review
I haven’t reviewed much Gerber stuff on here. That’s because these days Gerber’s best known products are plastic handled collaborations with Bear Grylles, or is just super low end, or something like the Downrange Tomahawk – cool, but not something I can review well. I enjoy the occasional fixed blade, but confess that I’m mostly ...
Spyderco Atlantic Salt Review
This review is a series of firsts. After over 400 reviews, this is the first time we have reviewed a knife with a fully serrated blade. It’s also the first time we have reviewed a knife with H1, an uber stainless blade steel. At first glance, that may hold some significance. But really, this is ...
Gerber Key Note Review
Guns may be the main draw the SHOT Show, but there is a healthy amount of knives at the Show. One I saw at 2019’s SHOT Show that caught my eye was the Gerber Key Note. I loved the unique look, small size, and how lightweight it was. I saw it at SHOT, and after ...
Kizer Yorkie Review
Ray Laconico designs some elegant knives. I like the clean lines, and the practicality of his pieces. I’m not alone, and over the past few years his work has taken off. Kizer was smart to collaborate with him, and the results so far have been excellent. Buy the Kizer Yorkie at BladeHQ We previously reviewed the ...
Manly Comrade Review
The Manly Peak and Peak 2 are a charming blend of modern knife design and utility. I still feel comfortable saying that there is unique value proposition with the Peak series. It’s hard to describe, but the design, materials, fit and finish, and price all came together like a perfectly seasoned stew. Humble origins, but ...
Victorinox Hiker Review
The Swiss Army Knife is likely to the most well-known knife in the world. Something about its name, distinctive red handle, and the fact it was one of the first successful multi-tools has cemented its place into our cultural collective. Swiss Army Knife is even a misnomer because American GI’s couldn’t properly pronounce the German ...
Kizer Vanguard Mini Sheepdog Review
Howdy knife nuts. It’s been awhile. Long story short, I’m working two jobs right now, so I haven’t really had time to focus on gear. Hopefully this review is a sign of more to come. Buy the Kizer Mini Sheepdog at BladeHQ I’ll be the first person to admit that I don’t “get” cleaver-style pocket knives. When ...
Doug Ritter RSK® MK1-G2 Review
Everyone who has been around the knife industry for a while knows Doug Ritter. Doug is the founder and chairman of Knife Rights, an advocacy organization that promotes pro-knife legislation and opposes anti-knife legislation, and they also work to pursue knife owner civil rights. It’s a hugely important organization for knife owners and the industry. ...
Reate T4000 Review
Whenever there’s the thinnest excuse to use a pocket knife, I do so. Over the last month of carrying the Reate T4000 nearly every day, I’ve noticed that when I open it up in public to do any of the small innocuous things I use a knife for, I’ve seen people’s eyes light up with…not ...
Spyderco Centofante 3 Review
The Centofante 3 is one of Spyderco’s most long-lived designs. Introduced in 2004 and unchanged to this day, it’s been around long enough to witness most of the rest of Spyderco’s lineup either evolve or go extinct. I think the reason why is simple: the Centofante still looks good. Buy the Spyderco Centofante 3 at ...
Benchmade Bailout Review
There has been something interesting going on at Benchmade Knife Co. I’ve said it a few times in recent reviews, but it’s worth highlighting here. They used to be the dusty old gun-shop knife brand. That’s not to say the old mini Griptillians were terrible, but just that I don’t think many people would have ...
Bestech Fanga Review
I love me a big knife. I particularly love a big, well designed knife. I recently acquired two similar big folding knives, and I’m going to do a full review of one and complain about the other one. Buy the Bestech Fanga at BladeHQ The Bestech Knives Fanga is the newest design from Polish knife designer Grzegorz ...
Cold Steel Bush Ranger Lite Review
Time to face it, fellow knife nerds – We’re living in an era of over-saturation. With so many companies releasing a deluge of new designs, it’s difficult to pluck the hits from the static. But after months of blade malaise, something interesting caught my eye – A cheap, rugged looking, aggressive green monster with a ...
Cold Steel AD-10 Review
Of all the words used to describe Cold Steel knives here on BladeReviews.com, “refined” isn’t at the top of the list. That’s not a metaphor – I literally made a list, and “refined” only appears three times. You’re much more likely to see Cold Steel knives described with adjectives like “strong” (41 times), “large” (39 ...
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 ...
CRKT Crossbones Review
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, ...
Kizer Begleiter Review
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 ...
Bestech Knives Malware Review
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 ...
SOG Terminus XR Review
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 ...
Reate T2500 Review
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 ...
Cold Steel Pro Lite Sport Review
Today we are taking a trip to value town. It has been a long time since I reviewed a sub $25.00 pocket knife, and as of the day of publication, the Cold Steel Pro Lite Sport is closer to $20 than $25. Buy the Cold Steel Pro Lite Sport at BladeHQ Ben reviewed the original Pro ...
Zero Tolerance 0470 Review
Reviewing the Zero Tolerance 0470 is about as safe as it gets. We have reviewed countless Sinkevich / Zero Tolerance designs. It is well within our comfort zone of review material. Buy the ZT 0470 at BladeHQ So why review the 0470? Well, it’s a beautiful knife, it appears to be built differently than the other ...
Spyderco Kapara Review
On paper, the Spyderco Kapara offers an attractive proposition: utilitarian design, high-end looks, and some of Spyderco’s most popular features fused together in a slim, pocket friendly package. Since it released in late 2018, the Kapara has been my near-daily companion. It took me longer than I expected to form my opinion of this beguiling ...
Kershaw Launch 4 Review
Regular readers may recall I’m attempting to step outside of my comfort zone and review more automatic knives. I started with a couple high end Microtechs, swung down to the Boker AK-74, and have now changed course towards something resembling the middle ground: The Kershaw Launch 4. Buy the Kershaw Launch 4 at BladeHQ The Launch ...
Emerson Mini CQC-15 Review
The Emerson CQC line of folding tactical knives are downright legendary. Mr. Emerson’s knives were the first folding tactical knives and are common to see among the armed forces, with police, and of course average Joes like me. CQC stands for ‘close quarters combat,’ and these knives are designed to be used as weapons as ...
Cold Steel Golden Eye Review
One visitor to the site commented that we are “a little biased towards Spyderco”. It’s probably because we have reviewed a lot of Spyderco knives over the years. More than any other brand. I like Spydercos and so does Ben, Grayson, Josh, and pretty much everyone who has written for the site. We all like ...
Gerber Flatiron Review
What’s with the rise in popularity with cleaver knives? It just seemed like one day they were everywhere. We had options from Spyderco, Boker, Kershaw, CRKT, and of course the Gerber FlatIron. The FlatIron made a big showing at SHOT, and it makes sense why. Gerber is a massive company, the FlatIron looked cool as ...
Review of the Spyderco Ouroboros (and a review of reviews)
Spyderco released Paul Alexander’s Ouroboros in 2016, and they discontinued the model last year. I waited until now to review it because I’ve carried and used the knife as my primary every day carry for several months—the only worthwhile review comes from someone who has actually cut something with the knife. Knife unboxings are fun ...
Viper Rhino Review
The Rhino is a large folder from Tecnocut’s Viper brand. Honoring its namesake, it features an oversized frame, robust build and armored appearance. Created by long time collaborator and custom knife maker Fabrizio Silvestrelli, it has flowing considered lines and a distinct appearance. Buy the Viper Rhino at BladeHQ General Dimensions and Blade ...
Spyderco Native 5 Lightweight Review
Last updated: January 24, 2019 The Native has been a staple in Spyderco’s catalog since 1997. Back when I first got into pocket knives it struck me as a potentially excellent knife. It has great specs on paper. Lightweight, high quality blade steel (at a time when that wasn’t a given), a good useful size to ...
Steel Will Cutjack Mini Review
When you look over the the stuff I reviewed last year, it’s a lot of high end pieces. With all that titanium and carbon fiber, you would think I’ve lost touch with the budget knives. In fact, when Travis wrote in his review of the Hogue OTF that the knife was expensive, a commenter said ...
Spyderco Hundred Pacer Review
At first, nothing about the Spyderco Hundred Pacer appealed to me. For someone intent on wringing maximum utility from every inch, every ounce, and every dollar’s worth of blade, the Hundred Pacer seems absurd: too big, too heavy, and too expensive. It’s also… weird. Impressively weird, even for Spyderco, whose catalog is persistently peppered with ...
Benchmade 535 Bugout Review
The Benchmade Bugout is a knife I was interested in reviewing when it first came out. But my original role as the sole author of this website has transitioned to more of a “contributing author and editor” role, and the Bugout was on someone else’s list to review. These days I need to work with ...
Spyderco Spydiechef Review
I didn’t get it. After tearing open the box and turning the knife over in my hand, I simply didn’t get it. Flat colors. Slow deployment. Boring construction. This is the legendary Spydiechef? It’s a weird-shaped blade sandwiched between two pieces of gray titanium, with a retail price of $215. What manner of magic has ...
Maxpedition Excelsa Review
Last Updated: September 17, 2019 Maxpedition is a company best known for their military inspired backpacks. They offer a wide range of fabric goods, including packs, pouches, slings, and related accessories. This is a niche brand that has developed a loyal following over the years in the outdoor recreation and daily carry communities. Buy the Maxpedition Excelsa ...
ESEE Avispa Review
I reviewed the ESEE Zancudo back in 2014. I gave it high marks, and since then it has gone on to be my pick for the best budget EDC knife. I stand by that recommendation, and still own and use the Zancudo to this day. It’s a great affordable every day carry knife and I’m ...
Spyderco Native 5 in Fluted CF and S90V Review
Several years ago I watched a Nutnfancy video while I was trying to research a new firearm that I had purchased (I did this backwards back then). This led me to the realization that my life wasn’t complete without a pocket knife. My first purchase was a Spyderco and that led to nearly a decade ...
Zero Tolerance 0609 Review
This is a reader request. Proof that if you twist my arm hard enough I’ll review the latest full titanium Zero Tolerance flipper. Only for you guys. Buy the Zero Tolerance 0609 at BladeHQ The Zero Tolerance 0609 is an R.J. Martin design, and is another step in ZT’s trend of releasing smaller, more EDC friendly ...
Giant Mouse ACE Nimbus Review
Last Updated August 14, 2019 Few names in the knife world garner as much respect as Jesper Voxnaes and Jens Anso. Together, they’re a veritable dynamic duo of knife design. So, when the folks at Giant Mouse Knives agreed to send over a loaner of the pair’s new ACE Nimbus model, the clouds parted and I ...
GEC #15 Tidioute Boy’s Knife
I was just reading some statistics about Great Eastern Cutlery: in 2007 GEC produced approximately 7300 knives whereas in 2017 it’s nearly 30,000 pieces. This is remarkable in today’s hyper competitive EDC pocket knife market. That’s a 310% increase over ten years for a traditional knife company. Admittedly, these numbers are based on hearsay, but ...
Kizer Sheepdog Review
Imagine you can pick out anything from Kizer‘s lineup. I was recently put in that position. Not a bad place to be. Thumbing through their catalog yields all sorts of stuff from the pedestrian to the outlandish. The Sheepdog is more in that second camp. It’s a big bold design. Not likely to dislodge something ...
Kershaw Concierge Knife Review
Dmitry Sinkevich and Kershaw are on a roll. Following the success of the critically-acclaimed Atmos, they’re leaping back into service with the Concierge – A slightly larger pocket knife boasting the same sci-fi elegance and everyday accessibility. With an out-the-door cost of ...
Giant Mouse ACE Biblio Review
Wandering the hallowed halls of BladeShow in Atlanta can be an overwhelming and even intimidating experience. Knives are (not literally) being thrown at you right and left and it’s difficult to remember what you’ve seen, what you wanted to see, and what you haven’t been able to find yet. Several things stuck out to me ...
Microtech Halo VI Review
“I tried being reasonable. I didn’t like it.” Buy the Microtech Halo VI at BladeHQ I always enjoyed that quote from Clint Eastwood, and couldn’t help but think about it as I wielded the Halo VI. There is absolutely nothing reasonable about this knife. Any justification that this would be my “new EDC” went completely out ...
Fantoni HB-01 Review
The Fantoni HB-01 is a collaborative design with William Harsey Junior. Harsey is a well known American designer and custom knife maker. He’s notably popular for producing several knives for, and with the collaboration of divisions in the U.S. Special forces. This design has its production roots in a discontinued iteration put out ...
Kershaw Emerson Collaboration Review
For 2014 KAI USA and Emerson Knives have teamed up to deliver the first high volume, overseas produced Emerson designed ‘CQC’ knives. The release targets a thirsty market of consumers looking for the designer’s distinct ‘tactical’ aesthetic coupled with the wave opening feature at an affordable price point. Buy the Kershaw Emerson Collaboration at Amazon The CQC ...
Hinderer Knives XM-18 Slippy Review
Hinderer Knives is a company best known for their overbuilt XM Series. Burly titanium framelock flippers that helped popularize the titanium framelock flipper. So to see them release the XM-18 Slippy, a slip joint using their XM pattern, is a bit of an oddity. But then again, it’s not that surprising given the recent resurgence ...
Custom Knife Factory Decepticon 2 Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 Ever since the explosion of the Shirogorov brother’s knives, there has been an increased interest in what is being produced in Russia. This has been pushed further along by a growing amount of breakout designers, most notably Dmitry Sinkevich. Buy the CFK Decepticon 2 at BladeHQ Sinkevich, a long time Shirogorov collaborator, ...
Demko Knives AD-15 MG Review
There are knives that elicit feelings of elegance and delicate class, and then there are knives that make you feel like you’re carrying a tool that can handle damn near any task that you throw at it. Demko Knives belong solidly in the latter camp. Buy the Demko Knives AD-15 at BladeHQ For those of you ...
Rockstead RYO Review
The RYO is the latest folder from Rockstead, coming after their futuristic SHUN collaboration that was the work of Belorussian designer Dmitry Sinkevich. The SHUN was a tangent from the company’s previous aesthetic sensibilities, carrying much more futuristic lines in a larger form factor. Rockstead’s unmistakable mirrored blade grind and stylized fuller aside, ...
Kershaw Atmos Review
Look – We all try to stick to a budget. But as knife enthusiasts, we sometimes have a bit more difficulty than most. This is one of the reasons I’ve gravitated toward the shallow end of the blade pool. So, when the Kershaw Atmos made a big splash with some fellow reviewers, I decided to ...
Rockstead Higo Review
Today I’ll be reviewing an expensive knife. There is no way around it. The Rockstead Higo retails for the better part of $1000. It’s insanely expensive, and it’s taken me the better part of 10 years of writing about knives to work my way up to purchasing one. I’ve considered it before, but always had ...
Benchmade Anthem 781 Review
Last Updated: July 18, 2019 There was a time when Benchmade was kinda the sleepy “Gunshop Knife Brand.” There would always be a few dusty Griptillians sitting in the case next to the preowned Glocks, and while the Grips might be fantastic value-props, they a bit vanilla-icecream-y if you get my meaning. Buy the Benchmade Anthem ...
Great Eastern Cutlery #71 Bullnose Review
Traditional knives are like genre fiction: they’re expected to follow certain tropes. These conventions are more restrictive than those we impose when we say things like ‘tactical knife’ or ‘EDC knife,’ maybe because they’ve been cultivated over a longer period of time. However, as with a fantasy or horror novel, it’s possible for a traditional ...
DPx Gear HEST/F Urban Review
DPx Gear has been at it for a while now. They caught everyone’s attention with the original HEST fixed blade knife in 2008. Their first folder was the HEST/F, a knife I reviewed back in 2012. It was promising in a lot of ways, but ultimately a sticky lock and ponderous footprint kept it from ...
Benchmade Proxy Review
Last Updated: September 7, 2019 Warren Osborne is one of the most recognized names in knife making. While he was an extremely talented custom maker, a large part of his renown is due to a series of high profile collaborations with Benchmade. The 940 is one of the most notable collabs, but Warren Osborne is also ...
Steel Will Modus F25-12 Review
For most gear geeks, big box stores are a disappointment. Generally the most you can expect to find are some of the nicer Kershaw models, or, if they cater to hunters and law enforcement, a few Benchmades. The one store that broke that model was Sport Chalet. In the year and a half prior to ...
Spyderco Polestar Review
When you have a thing as simple and relatively unchanging as a folding knife, the most meaningful innovation we customers can see is quality brought to affordability. A few years ago my sincerest wish for the knife market was that manufacturers would turn their attention away from the high-end and back to the sub-$100 arena. Buy ...
Cold Steel 4-Max Review
This is a knife that requires little in the way of an introduction. The Cold Steel 4-Max is arguably the most overbuilt hard use folding knife of all time. Modeled after designer Andrew Demko’s custom 4-Max folder the 4-Max brings Andrew’s clean design and attention to detail to life. Buy the 4-Max at BladeHQ This isn’t your ...
Rike Thor4s Review
Rike doesn’t enjoy the same name recognition that Reate, Kizer, or WE Knives does. While those companies are easily recognizable as the leading names in the renaissance of Chinese knife manufacturing, Rike is often left out of the conversation. On one hand, that’s perfectly understandable: unlike Kizer, WE, or Reate, Rike hasn’t cultivated much cachet ...
Great Eastern Cutlery Tidioute 43 Oregon Trapper Review
I’ll never forget when my family was cleaning out my late Grandfather’s house after he passed. I found an old band-aid tin that was full of a variety (in both style and age) of small multi-bladed slip joints. They were all he carried and on most of them one blade was worn down to a ...
Manly Peak Review
I have a couple Manly knives for you today. That’s not a typo. Manly is a Bulgarian knife manufacturer. More recently they have started distributing knives in the USA through their aptly named Manly USA distributor. A couple articles on Nemo Knives Review put their products on the map for me, and I quickly became ...
Zero Tolerance 0450CF Review
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I lust after knives for months, or even years, before pulling the trigger. That was the case with this Zero Tolerance 0450CF. The original 0450 was cool, but the carbon fiber version put me over the top. It’s a little lighter and sleeker, and the choice of green ...
Spyderco Chaparral FRN Lightweight Review
The word ‘refinement’ is one of those bits of critical shorthand that gets people nodding their heads without, most of the time, meaning anything. But in the case of the Chaparral FRN, the latest, least expensive entry in a series that began in 2011, we know it’s been worked over, thought about, maybe even agonized ...
Boker Plus Kalashnikov AK-74 Automatic Knife Review
My recent review of the Microtech Stitch ignited my interest in automatic knives. I think it’s easy to see why. The Stitch is a beautiful and unique knife. It is also a $400 knife. That’s a significant chunk of change. I wanted to check out a more affordable segment of the market.
Benchmade Proper 319 Review
Two or three years ago if you told me that Benchmade was your favorite knife company I’d roll my eyes and mutter something like, “Okay Griptillian dude…” now, that’s no disrespect to the Grip, those are great knives at a great price point, but they’re kinda vanilla for my tastes. That was Benchmade a few ...
Spyderco Bradley Folder 2 Review
I’ve set some odd goals throughout my life. Goals that are a personal measure of my own success. One of those goals was to carry a Spyderco as an EDC knife. I always associated Spyderco with expensive and high quality. Why? I’m not exactly sure. Realizing that knives from companies like Microtech can cost 5 ...
Boker Patriot Review
Last Updated: August 30, 2019 The Boker Patriot started with a great premise. A lightweight, affordable utility knife made in the USA with a 154CM blade. Who can argue with that? I for one was excited about the Patriot. Buy the Boker Patriot at BladeHQ But for whatever reason it hasn’t gotten a ton of traction. I ...
Todd Begg Steelcraft Bodega Review
Todd Begg is known for his heavily machined and highly ornamented knives. A few years ago it would have been inconceivable to think that his Bodega folder could be recreated as a mass market production piece. Buy the Bodega at BladeHQ | Buy the Bodega at KnivesShipFree But there it was, staring back and Andrew ...
Hogue X5 Review
Last Updated: August 5, 2019 The button lock flipper is an intriguing concept. The fun of a flipper paired with a sturdy button lock sounds great in theory. We have reviewed a couple, namely the Spartan Pallas and Freeman 451. Ben reviewed the Freeman, and he reported that the flipping action was good, but the flipper ...
CRKT Pilar Review
For a long time, I didn’t really ‘get’ CRKT. When I first got interested in knives, the company was well behind the curve. It seemed stodgy, outdated. Companies like Spyderco and Benchmade opened my eyes to what a modern pocket knife could be; CRKT just confirmed the pedestrian image I had of knives before I ...
Zero Tolerance 0055 Review
Continuing on with my recent interest in reviewing unusual knives, the Zero Tolerance 0055 caught my eye for obvious reasons. This is an unusual looking knife. Designed by acclaimed Brazilian custom knifemaker Gustavo Cecchini of GTC Knives, the 0055 is a collaboration fusing the practical with the fantastical. Buy the ZT 0055 at BladeHQ I think ...
Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Left Handed C81GLE2 Review
Last Updated: August 7, 2019 In 2009 my house was broken into while I was living in West Nashville. This caused me to do two things in quick succession. First, I adopted a huge Irish Wolfhound mix named “Apple,” and secondly, I bought a handgun. Now, since I tend to dive headfirst into anything that I ...
Spartan Blade Works Pallas Review
Last Updated: August 8, 2019 Most of us who have been following Spartan Blades know the company started with high end fixed blade knives. A few years ago they launched the Akribis, a carbon fiber clad titanium framelock folder. I always appreciated the lines of the Akribis, but never got around to acquiring one. Although some ...
Spyderco Roadie Review
Enthusiast culture is the weirdest thing. At the far end of five years of talking, thinking, and fretting about knives, knowing more now than I ever have about steels, grinds, locks, etc., in a way I’ve never been further away from what first drew me to pocket knives in the first place. Originally, I ...
Grant and Gavin Hawk MUDD Review
Last Updated: August 12, 2019 I haven’t reviewed many mid-tech knives. This is because I find a lot of them to be expensive and boring. Many follow the standard formula of slab sided titanium handles with a stainless steel blade. In theory, mid-techs can be a great way for a custom knife maker to get their ...
Great Eastern Cutlery #66 “Calf Roper” Review
I have a small confession to make. Though my articles may not reflect this, I have a crippling addiction to Great Eastern Cutlery knives. For every modern knife in my collection, there’s a traditional knife (often in matching or complimentary colors), and I fear it won’t be long before the old timers actually outnumber the ...
KA-BAR Dozier Folding Hunter Review
Last Updated: July 27, 2019 The KA-BAR website tends to be pretty laconic with its product descriptions in general, but the terse, colorless description they provide for the KA-BAR Dozier Folding Hunter would make the editor of technical manuals nod off mid-sentence: “Award-winning lock back designed by Bob Dozier is an affordable, practical all-purpose knife appropriate ...
Buck 505 Knight Review
Last Updated: July 26, 2019 When we think of Buck lockbacks, our first thought goes to the 110. That’s the knife that launched a genre, and started thousands on their journey as folding knife collectors. The 110 remains one of the most iconic and popular folding knives today. At least on paper. In practice it’s a ...
Benchmade 560 Freek Review
Last Updated: July 15, 2019 As much as I enjoy picking up the latest “gee whiz” must have knife of the moment, I get the most satisfaction in sharing a great knife that may have flown under the radar. This particular knife has flown so far under the radar, I would not have even heard about ...
Kizer Cutlery Guru Review
Last Updated: July 30, 2019 It’s been interesting to watch Kizer’s evolution over the years. They had an ambitious, albeit amorphous, beginning, with somewhat forgettable designs rendered in high-quality materials at head-turning prices; I still get a little jolt when I see the Sliver going for $70 with S35VN steel. Buy the Kizer Guru at BladeHQ Then Kizer ...
Cold Steel Broken Skull Review
I try not to read too much into the name of a knife. After all, the name has no impact on the performance. But sometimes good knives can have bad names. Even after learning that this knife was designed by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and named after his Broken Skull Ranch, I still thought the ...
Kizer Alter Ego Review
Last Updated: September 7, 2019 Kizer’s 2017 catalog wasn’t released to the same fanfare as Spyderco’s or KAI’s. That may be partially due to the fact that it’s massive. Most of their old designs are still on there, so don’t worry, there’s no need for panic purchases a la Spyderco’s discontinued list. At the same time, ...
Emerson Sheepdog Review
Last Updated: July 30, 2019 Having reviewed many Emerson knives over the years, and reaching largely the same conclusions, you would think I am a glutton for punishment in selecting the Emerson Sheep Dog for review. However, the Sheepdog brings something new to the table. This is the first Emerson flipper I have reviewed, and it ...
WE Knife Company Model 605 Review
WE Knife Co. (or “WE Knives”) is a relatively new manufacturer from China. Technically that isn’t true as, they produced OEM knives for other brands for years, but WE Knives has recently garnered attention from knife collectors under their own brand. This is thanks to a combination of precision machining, high end materials, and a ...
Spyderco Para 3 C223GP Review
The Para 3 started as a fantasy: “Wouldn’t it be great if there were a smaller version of one of the most storied modern production knives of all time?” Then, this fantasy became a rumor, and that rumor became a confirmed project. Then there was a year-long lull. Then all of a sudden, in a ...
Chris Reeve Knives Small Sebenza 21 vs. Strider PT CC – Knife Showdown
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 Five years ago the $300+ production knife market was a frontier town, with just a few big names able to operate successfully at these empyrean price points. Two of the biggest were Chris Reeve Knives and Strider. For a long time the line between production and custom knives was drawn by ...
CRKT Squid Review
I’ve listened to Gear Geeks Live practically since its inception. My commute is around 4 hours round trip, so that’s a lot of time spent in cars trying not to look at my smartphone, and podcasts help with that. One particular episode is always easy to recall, and that’s the episode where Thomas W. (of ...
Southern Grind Spider Monkey Review
Last Updated: July 30, 2019 Southern Grind is the pet project of country musician Zac Brown. Zac has a strong interest in pocket knives, and he apparently created Southern Grind in part to explore that interest. Southern Grind produces their knives in house, in the USA, and the knives feature a number of design decisions that ...
Kizer Ki3480 Dirk Pinkerton Rogue Review
The Kizer Ki3480 Rogue is a series of firsts for me. It’s the first Dirk Pinkerton design I have ever reviewed, it’s my first review of a mid-tier Kizer knife, and it’s the first wharncliffe I have reviewed in a while. The designer, Dirk Pinkerton, is an interesting guy. He is a custom knifemaker from Huntersville, ...
Okapi 907 Review
A while back, I did a review of the Cold Steel Kudu, Lynn Thompson’s modern take on the South African Okapi 907. Within that article, I made some statements concerning the quality and reliability of the traditional Okapi which were based on personal research and input from South African friends experienced with the Okapi. ...
Boker Plus Tech-Tool Review
When I visited Smoky Mountain Knifeworks over the Thanksgiving holiday, one of my favorite parts of the store was the Boker booth. With a lot of production knife companies I already either handled most of their product line, or have a good feel for what their product line is like. Boker is a company I ...
Zero Tolerance 0900 Review
Last Updated: May 20, 2019 Alright, peer pressure, you win. You finally got to me. After holding out for god knows how long, I finally jumped on the titanium-flipper-framelock (henceforth TFF) bandwagon. Not just any TFF, mind: if I’m challenging my own tastes, I’m going all the way. Full bore. Thus, I decided to pick up ...
Emerson Gentleman Jim Review
Last Updated: September 9, 2019 When I think of Emerson Knives, I think of purpose built tactical knives. Models like the CQC-7, the Commander, and the CQC-15. These stout utility/”tactical” knives epitomize the company. But Emerson has released a few designs over the years that have strayed off the beaten path and caught my eye. The ...
Kizer Intrepid Ki4468A1 Review
Last Updated: August 12, 2019 The high end Chinese Renaissance has been blossoming for a couple years, and Kizer is arguably the Michelangelo of the movement. Yet there hasn’t been much coverage here of this rapidly expanding segment of the market. Ben has capably covered a couple knives from Kizer including the original Ki3404-A3 and the ...
Hinderer MP-1 Review
It seems like every time I write a review of a Hinderer knife I can’t help but open with a commentary on the state of the Hinderer market. Maybe it’s the finance degree talking. At any rate, a few years ago a Hinderer XM-18 would sell for well north of retail. Some were selling for ...
Ontario Utilitac 2 8904 Review
Last Updated: August 26, 2019 Some knives never quite get their due. The community only has so much bandwidth for new product every year, and the criteria for making the transition from flash in the plan to fully qualified classic are hazy. We see not so good knives getting attention they don’t deserve, and ...
Fantoni Hide Review
Last Updated: August 11, 2019 Author’s Note: I wrote this introduction before I saw Dan’s review of the Pohl Force Mike One. Suffice to say that Andrew Gene has long been a scourge on the wallets of knife collectors. Buy the Fantoni Hide at KnifeArt.com It may be hard to imagine now, but it wasn’t so long ago ...
Ka-Bar Jarosz Folder Review
Last Updated: August 1, 2019 A couple things drew me to the Ka-Bar Jarosz Folder. First, Ka-Bar doesn’t release a lot of folding knives. They are a knife company best known for their classic USMC combat knife, and have a reputation for being a traditional knife company with a lot of fixed blade designs. Buy the ...
Pohl Force Mike One Review
Last Updated: July 31, 2019 I have lusted after the Pohl Force Mike One for years. I wanted one for years. For the uninitiated, Pohl Force is a tactical knife company owned by Dietmar Pohl, a long time knife collector, knife designer, knife enthusiast, and author of books on knives. I have met with Dietmar, and ...
Freeman Outdoor Gear 451 Flipper Review
Last Updated: August 5, 2019 Few of us have the money to shell out hundreds of dollars for every knife we think we might like. We have to cull the herd. Maybe we splash out for a promising ‘Maybe’ every once in a while, but 80% of the time we go for the sure thing. Most ...
Cold Steel Kudu Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 There is a knife in South Africa known as the Okapi. Originally produced in Germany in the early 1900s for export to the German colonies in Africa, the trademark and tooling was purchased by All Round Tooling (aka Okapi South Africa) in 1988 and all production moved to South Africa. Made ...
Fantoni Dweller Review
Last Updated: July 30, 2019 I have been holding out on you guys. Several years ago I purchased what is arguably my all time favorite gentleman’s folder, and have yet to write a review on it. That is, until now. Buy the Fantoni Dweller at KnifeArt.com I’m talking of course about the Fantoni Dweller. This is is ...
Spyderco Mantra 1 Review
Last Updated: August 30, 2019 Admittedly, the Mantra 1 had a hill of biases to climb from the start with me. It is a titanium frame lock flipper, a style of knife that I’ve never warmed up to. I find the flipper to be an inferior deployment method for knives, and while I’ve had positive experiences ...
Zero Tolerance 0888MAX
First of all, this is not really a review. The 0888MAX is a pure collectible for me. A collectible I was able to acquire through a trade with my good friend Andrew of the Edge Observer. The knife has been admired and “fondled” (as much as I hate that word – it’s right up there ...
Cold Steel Pro-Lite Review
I was excited when Cold Steel announced the Pro-Lite. I like good knives, and I like cheap knives, and the Pro-Lite looked like it might check both boxes. And while there’s definitely a lot to say about Cold Steel’s behavior in the last few years, it’s nice to see a genuinely interesting budget knife ...
CRKT Homefront K270GKP Review
Last Updated: August 12, 2019 One of the hallmarks of a quality folding knife is to be able to take it apart and put it back together without any problems. That is one of the qualities I find most admirable in my Spyderco Sage 1, which remains one of my all time favorite EDC knives to ...
Buck 110 Folding Hunter Review
No history of the folding pocket knife is complete without the Buck 110 Folding Hunter. It is arguably the first modern folder, in ethos if not in design. “Buck knife” is now a catch-all term for a certain style of blade, and the 110 is responsible for that. More than other knife ...
Shirogorov F3 Review
Last Updated: July 27, 2019 The Shirogorov 95t is arguably the nicest knife I have reviewed to date. It is a beautiful piece embodying all the characteristics one would seek out in a high end titanium framelock flipper: top shelf materials, amazing action, a beautiful design, plenty of details, and an otherwordly level of machining, fit, ...
Spyderco Manix 2 Lightweight Review
One of the biggest events of the year for knife nuts is Blade Show. Put on by Blade Magazine, this industry wide convention draws a cavalcade of steel-toting enthusiasts to Atlanta, Georgia, where custom knives are fought over and new production designs are revealed. For the last several years, their Overall Knife of ...
Kizer Vanguard Gemini Review
Last Updated: August 2, 2019 It’s a question I (and others) have been asking a lot lately: Where is the middle? The Budget Knife has had its day: the Tenacious, the Cryo, the Skyline, the RAT-1, the Drifter; value was the byword of the industry, and knife makers were showing some serious creativity and finesse working under ...
Viper Dan 2 Review
I have a bit of a love affair going on with slipjoint knives. Part of the reason for that is – if I may be frank – that the framelock flipper is a pretty stale form right now. Don’t get me wrong, many blades of that stripe are beautiful, functional, and deserving of ...
Benchmade G10 Griptilian 551-1 Review
I wasn’t one of those guys that had a big issue with the plastic handles on the original Griptilian. I always thought they were light and durable. Maybe not the sexiest choice of materials, but certainly practical. But for many the plastic handles of the Griptilian were a source of contention at best. At worst ...
Victorinox Pioneer X
Last Updated: August 18, 2018 2016 is shaping up to be a damn fine year for gear geeks. Buy the Victorinox Pioneer X at BladeHQ I think this began when Benchmade unveiled a shake-up in their Griptilian line, offering an upgraded steel (from 154cm to 20CV) and handle material (from nylon to G10). This was something ...
Sanrenmu 710 Review
Last Updated: June 18, 2019 As an OEM for various knife companies, Sanrenmu is responsible for a lot of excellent, affordable budget knives: models like the CRKT Drifter helped establish just how much we can expect from a cheap knife, setting the standards for things like the steel choice, fit and finish levels, and utility on ...
Gerber Applegate Fairbairn Covert Review
The first knife I ever owned, even before my Swiss Army knife, was a Gerber that my Dad gave me. It awed me then and awes me now, and is being passed down within my family; hopefully for generations to come. When a couple of military buddies mentioned the Gerber Applegate Fairbair Covert ...
Spyderco C149G Vallotton Sub-Hilt Folder Review
I purchased my very first tactical folder during my Freshman year of college in 1992. That knife was a Spyderco Edura. Since that time, I have always been a fan of Spyderco knives. They were pioneers in that they were the first to incorporate a pocket clip into a knife design, deeply ...
Cold Steel Code 4 Review
I have slowly worked my way through most of Cold Steel’s standard folders. I have reviewed the Voyager series, the Recon 1s, the American Lawman (probably my favorite), and even some of their more colorful offerings like the Spartan and Rajah III. Buy the Cold Steel Code 4 at BladeHQ For some reason it has taken ...
Emerson Mini CQC-7 Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 As Dan wrote in his review of the full-size model, the CQC-7 is one of the very first and most influential tactical knives in the world. Ernie Emerson’s influence on the perception and use of folding knives for self-defense is incalculable. I had wanted an Emerson knife for a long ...
Gerber Downrange Tomahawk Review
The tomahawk is a North American hand-axe first used by the Algonquian Indians. Originally made from stone, the introduction of metal blades came with the arrival of the Europeans to North America. The tomahawk remains one of the most versatile bladed tools in existence. Modern uses of the hawk include breaching, rescue, survival, and close-quarter ...
Zero Tolerance 0452CF Review
When it comes to folding knives, I am extremely selective in what I choose to carry, especially if it is a blade that I am going to carry for self-protection. It has to be light, reliable, sharp, and geometrically efficient. These are just a few of the qualities I look for in a ...
Benchmade 300-1 Axis Flipper Review
Last Updated: August 2, 2019 The Benchmade 300 is a knife that I originally passed on reviewing. This wasn’t an easy decision. As Benchmade’s first flipper, this is an important knife. But initial reports said that the flipping action was weak, and the knife seemed chunky. I was turned off for those reasons. Rather than going ...
Spyderco Clipitool C175 Review
Recently, in a comment on an article on Everyday Commentary, the always-astute R.D. gave a summary of each major knife company’s chief weakness. For Spyderco, he said that they were “diluting their core identity (cerebral, highly engineered, function-based knives) to chase trends.” Buy the Spyderco Clipitool at BladeHQ I couldn’t have put my current feelings about ...
Kershaw Strobe 1086 Review
I’ll be honest: budget knives are rarely on my radar. Not because I’m sitting on wads and wads of cash, but because most of the time budget knives are compromised in some way that triggers my snob reflex. There are exceptions, but those tend to stand so far above the rest of the ...
Benchmade Small Summit Lake Review
Last Updated: August 14, 2019 Benchmade’s Hunt series (or “Munt”, depending on how you interpret their packaging), is a series of outdoor inspired hunter focused knives. I have never been a hunter, so my first impulse was to ignore the Hunt series. But a deeper dive into the line left me curious about a couple of ...
Cold Steel Large Espada Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 Although knife collecting, like any hobby, is a mild form of mania, I like to think that within this gentle madness I am a reasonable man. My uses for my tools are reasonable. My knife preferences are reasonable: I prefer simple handles, simple blades, and I generally like those ...
Spyderco Positron Review
Last Updated: August 5, 2019 The original Southard Flipper was a landmark knife for the Spyderco. The company’s first flipper, and a collaboration with popular knifemaker Brad Southard, the Southard Flipper helped prove the flipper concept for Spyderco and set the bar for things to come. Subsequently Spyderco released the Domino, an in-house Spyderco design, and ...
Benchmade 940-1 Review
Last Updated: July 13, 2019 Benchmade is a company that prefers iteration over innovation. Most of the new knives fall comfortably, and somewhat uninspiringly, within the boundaries of its recognizable, slow-to-change design language. Even really good new Benchmade knives, like the Valet, aren’t that differently from the Benchmades of five, even ten years ago. Buy the Benchmade ...
Victorinox Alox Pioneer and Electrician Review
There are few companies which possess the brand recognition that Victorinox does. At one time, they were one of the co-producers of the Swiss Army Knife. In 2005, they purchased their ailing rival, Wenger, and have since consolidated the two brands under one label. For many, the word “pocketknife” is synonymous ...
Boker Plus Urban Trapper Review
If you have been following knife trends at all, you will know there is big interest in both titanium framelock flippers and traditional folding knives. So it shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to come up with the idea of combining these two trends, but they have really been viewed as two mutually exclusive phenomena. That ...
DPx Gear HEAT/F Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 It has been a long time since I have examined a DPx Gear product. You may recall a review done on the HEST back in 2012. This was DPx’s first effort, and is the knife that put them on the map. The HEST is a solid tool and is well made, ...
Spyderco UK Penknife (UKPK) Review
Last Updated: August 12, 2019 For a long time I believed that the Delica was not a well-designed knife. I realized recently, however, that what I actually meant was that, compared to many other designs in the Spyderco catalog, the Delica is simply outdated. Everything that I find irksome about it – the compromised ergonomics, ...
Hinderer XM-18 3″ Review
Last Updated: August 5, 2019 If you have been following Hinderer Knives on the secondary market, you will have noticed that the prices have fallen dramatically over the past couple years. A few years ago, it would have been hard to find a used XM-18 for less than $700. Some were fetching closer to a grand. ...
Spyderco Air Review
Last Updated: August 11, 2019 Although working with custom makers has become common practice for knife companies, many of these collaborations end up feeling like compromises. Whether it’s because of restrictive budgets, or sub-par execution, or whatever else, rare is the collaboration knife that feels like an unhindered expression of a maker’s vision and style. Buy ...
DPx Aculus Review
The first time I noticed a gear company use the words “executive protection,” I was browsing the Goruck website. I was in the market for a backpack (my Jansport had succumbed to a combination of heat, dirt, and heavy loads) and saw that Goruck had recently released a sleeker bag that was stripped of ...
Zero Tolerance 0808 Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 Zero Tolerance has had some interesting releases in 2015. What especially intrigued me was their addition of a few smaller folders to the line up. The 0450, 0900 and
Opinel No. 8 Review
Do you want to hear another “the knife that got me into knives story?” No? Alright, I’ll spare you and just say that, a few years ago, it was the lines and material of the Opinel knife that caught my eye when I was wandering around labyrinthine hardware store/Boulder landmark McGuckin’s, and to ...
Fallkniven U2 Review
They say less is more. That is, until, less becomes less. That is the question with the [U2, an ultra minimalist blade from Fallkniven. The U2 is about as simple of a knife as you could ask for. A slim, refined folding lockback with plain black handles, a gleaming laminated blade, and just enough hardware ...
Southard Knives Tolk Review
Midtechs. If there was a single thread that bound Blade Show 2015 together for me, that thread would be midtechs. Specifically, midtechs offered directly from custom knife makers. Midtechs are nothing new, and have been in the knife enthusiast’s vernacular for several years now, although it is admittedly a fuzzy term to define. But at ...
Great Eastern Cutlery #73 “Cody Scout” Review
Last Update: August 11, 2019 Just a few years ago, it seemed that fans of traditional pocket knives and modern “tactical” folders didn’t intersect. Enthusiasts of modern designs (myself included) were often leery of the carbon steel, clipless carry, and two-handed opening. Before the days of Instagram, the most popular way for people to ...
Viper Odino Review
The “Italian Renaissance” of knife making has been on my radar for a few years now. Manufacturers like LionSteel, Fox, Fantoni, and Viper are getting more traction stateside. The Italians have been doing some interesting stuff with manufacturing and innovation over the past few years, and the level of quality is often exceptionally high. Buy ...
Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter Review
You won’t find too many hunting knife reviews on this website. The reason is because I am not much of a hunter. But despite being advertised as a hunting knife, there was something intriguing about the Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter that made me buy the knife. Buy the Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter at BladeHQ [easyazon_cta ...
Northwoods Knives Indian River Jack Review
I have been interested in traditional slip joint knives for a while now. I am not alone. Many have come to enjoy the pocket friendly lines of a simple slip joint, and the thinly ground blades cut like nothing else. Some might find the absence of a lock unnerving, but in my experience most of ...
Spyderco Slysz Bowie Review
Last Updated: August 1, 2019 An often enjoyed pastime of production knife collectors is to discuss various “Sebenza Killers” arriving on the market. The Sebenza has long been considered a gold standard in high end production cutlery, and the thought that a competitor might knock the Sebenza off it’s podium has been a topic of conversation ...
Shirogorov 95t Review
I have had folks occasionally confess that they live vicariously through my reviews of high end pocket knives. I have handled some nice stuff over the years, but for the most part my wallet and I have been able to resist the renaissance of mid tech and custom knives. This is despite the deluge of ...
Benchmade 485 Valet Review
Last Updated: February 2, 2019 2013 and 2014 marked pretty quiet years for Benchmade. Not a whole lot of interesting stuff rolled off their shelves. The Volli was my favorite and has proven itself to be an excellent knife. Beyond that there wasn’t a whole lot to report. Buy the Benchmade Valet at BladeHQ Benchmade’s 2015 SHOT Show ...
Spyderco Pingo Review
Last Updated: August 5, 2019 I have spoken about the revival of interest in traditional slip joint knives a few times now. Today we have another slip joint review, but rather than featuring a traditional knife today’s blade could not be a more progressive collaboration. Acclaimed Scandinavian custom knife makers Jens Anso and Jesper Voxnaes have ...
Zero Tolerance 0620CF Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 I have given Zero Tolerance over the past year. So I actually had to pause and think when my pre-order for the 0620CF popped into my inbox. I try to feature a variety of knives from different manufacturers. Would I purchase and review this knife? I slept on it for a ...
Al Mar Mini SERE 2000 Review
Last Updated: August 9, 2019 The SERE 2000 is one of the more iconic folding tactical knives of our time. The knife was originally designed in the 80s by Al Mar and Colonel Nick Rowe for the Army’s SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) school. The fact that you can even still buy the knife is a ...
Spyderco Rubicon Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 Spyderco has released a number of high end knives of the past year. Blades like the Slysz Bowie, K2, Firefly, and Burch Chubby are all retailing at north of $200. Meanwhile, there doesn’t seem to be much of interest going on in the ~$100 price point or sub $100 price points ...
CRKT Eros SS Review
Last Updated: August 7, 2019 It is cool to see the trickle-down effect at work. 5 years ago, if you wanted to buy a bearing equipped manual action framelock flipper you either forked over the dough for a custom knife, or it simply didn’t exist. 3 years ago, if you wanted one you had to shell ...
Cold Steel Rajah III Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 I almost entitled this review “confessions of a mall ninja”. Yup, your buddy Dan has something of a dirty secret: I’m a fan of ridiculous knives from Cold Steel. You may have guessed as much after reading reviews of the Spartan and XL Voyager. I just didn’t talk openly about it. ...
Spyderco Tuff Review
Ed Schempp’s designs are something of an acquired taste. The man isn’t afraid to try new things, and his “function over form” design philosophy aligns nicely with Spyderco’s credo. He has worked on a series of ethnic folders with Spyderco which have intrigued me, although never to the point of acquisition. I have always found ...
GEC #47 Viper Review
Last Updated: August 5, 2019 I have recently seen a resurgence of interest in classic slipjoint knives. Maybe folks are getting tired of shelling out $200+ for the latest framelock flipper. Or maybe they like the idea of carrying something their grandpa may have carried. Who knows for sure. Buy the GEC Viper at KnivesShipFree Personally I ...
Kershaw CQC-6K Review
Last Updated: August 11, 2019 Occasionally a knife comes along that I feel almost obligated to review. Almost as if I would be doing the site a disservice by not reviewing the knife. My goal with the website from day one was to build a resource, and a resource on folding knives would be pretty ...
Buck Marksman Review
Last Updated: December 2, 2019 You may have noticed a lack of reviews of Buck knives. I have nothing against Buck. I reviewed the Vantage a couple years back, and haven’t gotten around to reviewing anything else because nothing else in their lineup interested me that much. That is, until I saw the Marksman. Buy the ...
Boker Kwaiken Flipper Review
Last Updated: January 10, 20198 Back when the original Boker Kwaiken came onto the scene I was pretty excited. Modeled after knifemaker Lucas Burnley’s custom offering, this sleek design looked too cool to resist. That is, until, reviews started to pour in. People stated that the knife was difficult to open and the tip of the ...
LionSteel TiSpine Review
Last Updated: July 27, 2019 Especially astute readers may note that I debuted a review of the LionSteel SR-1 a while back, and then published the world’s first review of the TM-1 not so long ago, but I conveniently skipped over the other folder in their SOLID lineup – the Ti-Spine. Rest assured it wasn’t because ...
Zero Tolerance 0562CF Review
Last Updated: July 14, 2019 By this point we have seen quite a few of Hinderer / KAI collabs hit the market, and I have covered them extensively on the blog. We started with the heavily built 0550, moved to the critically acclaimed 0560, a knife that raised the standard for high end production pieces, spent ...
Cold Steel American Lawman Review
Last Updated: March 9, 2018 When I hear the words “hard use folder” it’s often accompanied by a mental image of dollar signs. For whatever reason, we have equated hard working blades with titanium, super steel, and triple digit price tags. Those knives are cool, and I am sure some are capable of getting work done, ...
Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza 25 Review
How do you improve on perfection? That may have been a question asked by the engineers at Chris Reeve when they approached the Sebenza 25. I wasn’t in the room, so I really have no idea. The Sebenza has received incremental improvements over the years, but for it’s 25th anniversary CRK really wanted to up ...
Emerson Roadhouse Review
Last Updated: August 5, 2019 I’ve mentioned a couple times before that every now and then I get the urge to pick up an Emerson, and make it my EDC. I know the knife is going to be too large for me to comfortably carry, and way overboard when I stop to consider my actual needs ...
Zero Tolerance 0801 Review
Last Updated: August 7, 2019 Titanium framelock flippers. Are we sick of them yet? No? Great, because I’ve got another titanium framelock flipper review for you today. Given the rapid influx of titanium framelock flippers on the market, I initially thought that I would pass on the Zero Tolerance 0801. The wide shape, chunky build, and ...
Spyderco Chaparral Review
Last Updated: September 28, 2017 They say that a good way to measure the quality of a production knife is to take it apart and then put it back together. A high quality knife will come back together just as easily as it comes apart. Buy the Spyderco Chaparral at BladeHQ I recently took apart my Spyderco ...
Fantoni CUT Flipper Review
Last Updated: August 30, 2019 We are in the midst of another Italian Renaissance. This time around it’s not a blossoming of politics and art, but of steel and titanium. The Italians are making some absolutely beautiful knives, and I can think of few examples that typify this as much as as the Fantoni CUT Flipper. ...
LionSteel TM1 Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 I hope the regular readers are interested in high end knives, because the next few posts are all going to be doozies. The TM-1 is so mythical a knife, that it isn’t even out yet, although LionSteel tells me that they will be introducing it to market any day now. I ...
Zero Tolerance 0454 Review
Last Updated: July 27, 2018 Every so often as a knife collector I have had my expectations taken up a notch. For purposes of this introduction I’ll call them “game changing blades.” Making the jump from a $25 knife to a $65 knife was one such moment – my move from a CRKT M16 to a ...
Boker Plus 01BO188 Titan Drop Review
Last Updated: August 11, 2019 Have you ever bought a knife while drinking? I’m not sure if this is a common thing or not, but I was putting back a few beers one night while recording yet another morally suspect episode of GearGeeksLive when I decided to pick up this Boker Titan. Buy the Boker Plus ...
Lionsteel SR-1 Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 A topic knife nuts love to ponder is the age old question of “is it worth it?” This question is probably as old as knife ownership is itself. I imagine that first cave man who showed off his fancy new blade hewn from obsidian rather than the typical rock was met ...
Kershaw Injection 3.0 Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 These days in the world of high value folding knives we have some pretty stiff competition. Old standbys like the Spyderco Tenacious and CKRT Drifter continue to be tough to beat while recent contenders like the ESEE Zancudo, Ontario Rat II, and CKRT Swindle are re-defining what is possible with a ...
Chris Reeve Mnandi Review
Last Updated: January 10, 2018 When I think Chris Reeve Knives, I first think of the Sebenza, their flagship blade. Then my mind wanders to the Umnunzaan, their amped up tactical offering. Only after sampling both of those knives did I take a genuine interest in the Mnandi. It was one of those knives that I ...
CRKT Swindle Review
I have been on a bit of a high value folder kick recently, focusing especially on the $30-40 segment. I’ve neglected this part of the market over the past year or two, favoring fixed blades and higher end folders, but a good deal of interesting stuff has come out in the $30-40 arena, hence the ...
ESEE Zancudo Review
Last Updated: September 30, 2017 By now most people are well acquainted with ESEE knives and their variety of fixed blade offerings. Hallmarked by their thick powder coatings, 1095 steel, USA origins, and unlimited lifetime warranty, I have grown to be quite a fan of ESEE products, and hold their Junglas and Izula II in especially ...
Ontario Rat II Review
Last Updated: March 9, 2018 Not everyone who reads the site knows about this, but I do have a couple sections dedicated to knives I have reviewed and recommend. Of particular interest could be the recommended EDC knives section, and the recommended tactical knives section, as these types of knives are generally pretty popular. When browsing ...
Svord Peasant Knife Review
Last updated: September 20, 2018 Over the years I’ve had the fortune to be friends with several excellent chefs. What’s funny is that when I ask them what and where they like to eat, they don’t tell me about some 5 star restaurant or spout off some obscure or complex dish. I was surprised to learn ...
Chris Reeve Knives Large Sebenza 21 Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 For many the Sebenza 21 is a knife obtained on the steep ascent to the upper echelons of production knife collecting. It’s not a starter knife. It is something to be gradually aspired to, pined over, and then climatically acquired. I had such an experience when I bought and reviewed a ...
Strider SJ-75 Review
I have come to really enjoy my Strider SnG. Perhaps its because I won it in a contest, and therefore, had no qualms about carrying and beating the crap out of it. Regardless, it is a knife I have really enjoyed. But honestly, if my money was on the table, I’m really not sure the ...
Zero Tolerance 0566 Review
Last Updated: July 13, 2019 I have recently been making regular appearances on the GearGeeksLive podcast with Tony and Andrew. Tony and I recently had Thomas Welk from KAI (Kershaw/Zero Tolerance) on the air for an episode about KAI. I found it fascinating to get inside the head of a prominent representative of a major cutlery ...
Case Sod Buster Jr Review
Last Updated: July 20, 2019 I recently reviewed the Victorinox Cadet. This is a time honored knife, but frankly I was unsure whether many people would be interested in reading a review on it. The feedback was actually really good. So much so that it has encouraged me to write a review on another classic slip ...
Viper Start Review
Last Updated: September 9, 2019 I got my first introduction to Viper at the 2013 Blade Show in Atlanta this past summer. A couple of my favorite reviewers, the EdgeObserver and Stefan Schmalhaus, have sampled Viper’s offerings quite extensively. It has taken me a little while longer to warm up to this interesting Italian brand. Buy ...
Victorinox Alox Cadet Review
Think back to your first experiences with a pocket knife. If you are anything like me, it probably came in the course of exploring your father or grandfather’s desk drawers or perhaps rifling through that treasure box of items many men keep. Invariably, you would come across at least one well-worn red handled Swiss army ...
Strider PT Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 One of the best parts of blogging about knives is checking out other people’s blogs, and seeing what they really like. It often piques my interest and expands my collection into all sorts of unhealthy directions. Case in point, I had absolutely zero interest in the Strider PT until I read ...
Benchmade Volli Review
Last Updated: July 27, 2019 I’m not sure how to put this delicately, so I’ll just come out and say it: Benchmade hasn’t done a whole lot of exciting stuff in 2013, and it has resulted in a lack of reviews on new Benchmade knives. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the lack of cool ...
Spyderco Domino Review
Last Updated: August 4, 2019 The Spyderco Domino is a knife that I almost wasn’t going to review. I’ve been following the Titanium Framelock Flipper Arms Race closely ever since the ZT 0560 took the production knife market by storm. Like pretty much everyone else, I’ve enjoyed these knives, but felt some initial hesitance to the ...
Hogue EX04 Review
Last Updated: August 4, 2019 It’s fun covering the latest knife trends. Case in point, the whole titanium flipper framelock schtick has has been an absolute blast. That said, I love it when a knife company completely bucks the trend and comes out with something that is bold, inventive and well executed. Buy the EX-04 at ...
Emerson Horseman Mini CQC-8 Review
Last Updated: August 4, 2019 I have bought a number of Emerson knives under the guise that they were going to be my next EDC. Ernest’s blades have an American bravado to them that I really enjoy, and on several occasions I’ve found myself say, “Oh yeah, I’m going to EDC the heck out of this ...
Spyderco Southard Flipper C156GBN Review
Last Updated: July 30, 2019 If you have been following the production knife scene the past couple years, then you know that titanium framelock flippers have gotten extremely hot. This has a lot to do with custom and mid-tech makers that often set the trends, which eventually trickle down into production knives. Larger companies have finally ...
Kershaw Turbulence Review
Last Updated: September 17, 2019 I’ve mentioned in previous reviews that I sometimes find that Kershaw’s product line falls into a bit of a slump. In the $20-50 range you have a number of what I feel are quite frankly, forgettable knives. Typically it involves some sort of black handle, and bead blasted blade. Many come ...
Strider SnG Review
Last Updated: February 13, 2018 For many knife collectors the Strider SnG is a holy grail of sorts. Much like the Chris Reeve Sebenza, the Strider SnG represents the top of the line for production grade folders. Toss in a Hinderer XM, and you have what many knife collectors like to call “the holy trinity” of ...
Kershaw Cryo Review
Last Updated: March 18, 2019 At long last, the Kershaw Cryo. This is another one of those Hinderer/KAI collabs that tantalized knife collectors back at SHOT Show 2011 (or was it 2012? the years just blend together). Whichever year it was, we waited what seemed like forever for this little knife. Finally, after eons of patiently ...
Spyderco Techno Review
Last Updated: August 4, 2019 The Spyderco Techno is a small titanium framelock folder with all the fixings. It is designed by Polish maker Marcin Slysz, who doesn’t seem to have much in the way of background information on the internet. According to Spyderco, Marcin is an extremely talented knifemaker of international repute. Buy the Spyderco ...
Brous Blades Silent Soldier Flipper Review
Last Updated: August 10, 2019 Ah, it seems like only yesterday I was sitting down with up and coming knifemaker Jason Brous. Jason is a maker that caught my eye early on – his wild designs and youthful ambition told me this would be someone to watch. Lo and behold a year later he has sold ...
Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite Review
Last Updated: August 5, 2019 When you get into collecting knives it is easy to get caught up in the moment. There is so much cool stuff out there if you aren’t careful you can easily get sucked away in a torrent of carbon fiber and titanium. And really there is nothing wrong with that (although ...
CRKT Eraser Review
The Eraser is a relatively new offering from CRKT and is arguably their most ambitious knife yet. Designed by Liong Mah, this large tactical folder is his first knife collaboration with CRKT although Mah has collaborated with numerous custom makers in the past. Mah’s designs typically blend old styles with modern materials, and he maintains ...
Boker Pipsqueak Review
Last Updated: September 17, 2019 The Boker Pipsqueak is a “little big knife” designed by Neil Blackwood of Blackwood Custom Knives and manufactured by Boker in Solingen, Germany. As an urbanite who primarily carries a knife for utility purposes, I have grown quite fond of smaller EDC blades. In fact, I am perfectly alright with toting ...
Famars Lama Prima Edizione Review
A relative newcomer to the cutlery scene, Famars is a company best known for crafting extremely high end shotguns. In fact, they happen to be the largest high end shotgun manufacturer in the world. Headquartered in Gardone, Italy, Famars has been creating functional works of art for over 50 years now, and build guns that ...
Benchmade 940 Review
Last Updated: September 4, 2019 If you are as obsessed with knives as I am, you may be on the hunt for “the perfect EDC knife.” You know, the one blade that has it all. Naturally, it is the perfect size, features great materials, is beautifully designed, and carries like a dream. But in my mind ...
Spyderco Lum Chinese Folder Review
Last Updated: August 4, 2019 I have always enjoyed Bob Lum’s elegant approach to designing knives. I have previously reviewed a couple of Bob Lum’s creations, including the Spyderco Lum Tanto and the Benchmade Onslaught. The Lum Chinese Folder is another elegant knife, and in some ways it is even more special than his other ...
CRKT Ikoma Sampa Review
Last Updated: November 28, 2019 The CRKT Ikoma Sampa designed by Brazilian knife maker Flavio Ikoma is dubbed a “gentleman’s tactical folder” by the fine folks over at CRKT. If I had to give this blade a one line review, I’d say CRKT pretty well summed it up themselves. The Sampa was primarily designed by Flavio ...
Benchmade 275 Adamas Review
Last Updated: February 21, 2019 Designed as a tool for law enforcement and military personnel, the 275 Adamas could be the epitome of a hard use folder. The 275 shares the classic lines of many “normal” folding tactical knives, but is massively overbuilt in every direction. Designed by custom maker Shane Sibert, a man who strives ...
Buck Vantage Pro Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 I know my father has a couple Buck Knives stashed away in a sock drawer somewhere, and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that a majority of American men over the age of 50 are in a similar position. Buck is known for making reliable hunting and outdoor blades, and they ...
Benchmade 581 Barrage Review
Benchmade has always struck me as a company that both innovates and inspires. They can take a functional object, refine it’s performance, and give it a slight twist to elevate a knife something beyond mere G10 and steel. That is a rare accomplishment in the world of production knives, and this handsome 581 Barrage a ...
Iain Sinclair CardSharp 2 Review
Last Updated: August 8, 2019 I can safely say that the Iain Sinclair CardSharp 2 is unlike anything else I have previously reviewed. A few months back the folks at Iain Sinclair contacted me about reviewing their latest version of their lightweight folding credit card knife, the CardSharp 2. Without much thought I decided it was ...
DPx HEST/F 2.0 Review
Last Updated: March 3, 2018 A hard use frame lock with multi-tool capabilities, the is a unique offering from a small company with an interesting pedigree. The HEST is designed by journalist Robert Young Pelton, who is known for traveling to dangerous places and going ...
Cold Steel Ti-Lite Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 The Cold Steel Ti-Lite is a knife that I received in a trade. As a collector I find myself often buying and selling knives, and I routinely get it hit up with trade propositions. I must confess, the decision to acquire a Ti-Lite was really a product of impulsiveness rather than ...
Spyderco Paramilitary 2 Review
Last Updated: July 13, 2019 Poll any knife reviewer, knife YouTube Channel, or knife forum, asking what the best Every Day Carry (EDC) knife is, and the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 is going to come up time and time again. It’s a rock star in the EDC world, and for good reason. It’s a form follows function ...
Zero Tolerance 0350 Review
Last Updated: April 5, 2020 My Zero Tolerance 0300 got a lot of looks when I carried it around. At over 9″ long and with a weight of 8.6 ounces, it definitely raised some eyebrows. The excellent S30V blade was a force to be reckoned with, and I really enjoyed the loud “thwack” of the assisted ...
Benchmade Mini Griptilian 556 Review
Last Updated: November 30, 2019 As much as I enjoy discussing the latest and greatest knives, sometimes we need to stop and appreciate the modern classics. As someone who tries to stay on top of all the new stuff coming out, I can tell you that the knife world moves at a breakneck pace. Companies are ...
SOG Visionary II Review
Last Updated: August 23, 2019 To many, SOG is known for their more inexpensive knives. As far as folders go, when you say “SOG Knives” people often have images of the Aegis, Trident and Flash in their head. Perhaps a SEAL Pup fixed blade might be on the back of their mind as well when they ...
Cold Steel Voyager Review
Last Updated: February 25, 2018 New in 2011, the updated Cold Steel Voyagers took the knife world by storm. There was a lot to like about the original CS Voyagers, but as technologies advance old classics need updating. And I gotta say, the new version really packs some nice improvements. Lighter, faster, with better locks and ...
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 ...
Kershaw Nerve Review
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 ...
Emerson Super Commander Review
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. ...
CRKT Shenanigan Review
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 ...
Benchmade 890 Torrent Review
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 ...
Chris Reeve Knives Small Sebenza 21 Review
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 ...
Kershaw Volt II Review
Last Updated: August 8, 2019 It has been too long since I’ve examined a nice budget EDC blade. This time around I picked up a Kershaw Volt II, and could immediately tell that I grabbed a real winner. First off, the original Volt is a true collectors piece. It’s not a particularly old design, but it’s ...
Cold Steel Hold Out II Review
Last Updated: August 23, 2019 Cold Steel has really been making a statement in 2011 with their new and improved lines of lightweight and ultra strong folders. Their updated series of Cold Steel Voyagers has really built up some buzz, and rightfully so. But keep in mind that the Cold Steel 2011 roster runs much deeper ...
Spyderco Dragonfly II Review
Last Updated: March 29, 2020 Back in the day, I didn’t think I would like the Spyderco Dragonfly 2. I’m a big guy, and tend to carry medium size folding knives. I always felt that I would be under-equipped with a small knife. Maybe it’s a macho thing, I really don’t know. I like a good ...
CRKT M16 Review
Last Updated: July 16, 2018 My recent reviews of the CRKT Minimalist and the Drifter have proven that CRKT is legitimate contender in the affordable EDC game. But for many this is old news as knives like the popular CRKT M16 have been around for years delivering excellent every day performance at a price that can’t ...
Boker Plus S2 Review
Last Updated: August 30, 2019 I’ve been drooling over Sniper Bladeworks custom knives for a long time now. For the uninitiated, Sniper Bladeworks is the brainchild of Lance Abernathy and Jody Muller. Jody handles fabrication and Lance comes up with the designs. The result has been a number of award winning tactical knife designs and superbly ...
Cold Steel Spartan Review
Last Updated: August 4, 2019 Tired of reading reviews on wussy EDC knives? Need something capable of holding off an army of blood thirsty Persians? Consider the Cold Steel Spartan. Yeah, I enjoy reviewing EDC blades just as much as the next guy, but sometimes I need a little more. Thankfully, Cold Steel is around to ...
Spyderco Delica 4 Review
Last updated: February 10, 2018 Ah, the Spyderco Delica – is there a more classic EDC design? Well, if we are talking about modern folding knives, I’d argue there really isn’t. One of Spyderco’s most popular knives, the Delica 4, is the brand’s bread and butter; a simple, reliable folding knife that is built with easy ...
SOG Aegis Review
Last Updated: August 26, 2019 The term “aegis” has ancient roots. Commonly used in Greek mythology, aegis means “protector” and has been often symbolized in the form of a shield. In many ways the ]SOG Aegis is emblematic of a protector as well. Buy the SOG Aegis at BladeHQ If ever needed the Aegis could certainly offer ...
Spyderco Bob Lum Tanto Review
Last Updated: August 26, 2019 I recently acquired a Spyderco Bob Lum Tanto. This is a sprint run (limited edition) knife limited to around 700 pieces. It’s a pretty unique offering designed by custom maker Bob Lum. Buy the Spyderco Lum Tanto at BladeHQ As you probably know, Bob recently passed away (RIP) and so this ...
Benchmade Bone Collector Mini Review
Last Updated: May 22, 2019 I never grew up hunting. It was something my family never got into, and so I was deprived of that early introduction to the classic hunting knives that so many Americans get to enjoy. However, my family was big into fishing, so I’ve got some pretty mean filet knives – small ...
Kershaw Needs Work Review
Last Updated: August 21, 2019 In my opinion the wharncliffe is one of the most under-appreciated blade shapes out there. Many may write the shape off as a novelty, but in my experience a wharncliffe blade can be incredibly useful for a lot of every day tasks. That’s why I wanted to make sure I eventually ...
Cold Steel Recon 1 Review
Last Updated: July 15, 2019 I love it when knife companies refine their existing designs. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for new and exciting models, but I’m almost more excited when a “good” knife turns into a “great” one. Cold Steel did just that with their latest version of the Cold Steel Recon 1. The ...
SOG Flash II Review
Last Updated: July 29, 2019 SOG is a company that has always intrigued me. They have eschewed the more mainstream model of production knife design, which typically involves a team of in-house designers and a deep roster of freelancers, instead favoring a one man approach. All of SOG’s knives are designed by president and founder Spencer ...
CRKT Drifter Review
Last Updated: August 8, 2019 For those who can’t get enough high value EDC knives, or simply need a tool for every day use that is both well made and inexpensive, I think it’s going to be tough to ignore the CRKT Drifter. For some, this may be their first “real knife” that sends them down ...
Ontario RAT 1 Review
Last Updated: July 13, 2019 These days, if you want a high value EDC knife, then there are plenty of options. Kershaw and Spyderco make some great knives in the $30 and under category that are easy choices for EDC. But if you want something that is both hard use and high value, it gets a ...
Spyderco Sage 1 Review
Last Updated: July 20, 2019 A while back I took a look at the Spyderco Sage 2. The Sage 2 is an absolutely fantastic knife and with it’s eye catching titanium handle, I find that the Sage 1 often plays second fiddle. Buy the Sage 1 at BladeHQ That is a shame, because I think that ...
Kershaw Blur Review
Last Updated: February 20, 2019 While I enjoy reviewing all kinds of knives, it’s the mid size edc “working man’s” knives that I especially enjoy reviewing because these mid size EDC’s are what spend the most time in my pockets and in my hands. The Kershaw Blur is such a quintessential mid size EDC knife that ...
CRKT Ripple Review
Last Updated: August 4, 2019 The CKRT Ripple is a design that had me doing a double take. The flowing lines and sharp looks were very “Ken Onion-y” and upon closer inspection the knife was in fact designed by Ken Onion. It turns out Mr. Onion has parted ways with the folks at Kershaw and he ...
Benchmade Dejavoo 740 Review
Last Updated: August 12, 2019 Today I am taking a look at the ultra classy Benchmade Dejavoo. Designed by the late Bob Lum, known for his simple and elegant designs and the Dejavoo is no exception. Now that he is no longer with us, his custom pieces are becoming incredibly difficult to find so for many ...
Al Mar Hawk Ultralight Review
From big to small, I review them all. That little jingle may be pretty lame, but it is also pretty true. My last review was of the ESEE Junglas, 16 inches of high carbon steel. Worth a look if want a knife that you can strap to your back and enter the breach with. Buy ...
Spyderco Manix 2 Review
Last Updated: July 31, 2019 The Spyderco Manix 2 is one of those knives that I have been meaning to review pretty much since the start of this website. I’ve examined a lot of blades since then and now I finally have my thoughts on the Manix 2 together and can write on this fantastic heavy ...
Kershaw Junkyard Dog II Review
Last Updated: August 11, 2019 To the average person the pocket knife has remained virtually unchanged over the years. But as collectors and enthusiasts know, this industry is full of innovation. In fact, I argue that there has been more innovation in knife design over the past 20 years than in the previous 200 years. ...
Benchmade 915 Triage Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 Rescue knives often go unnoticed in the knife community. There are large groups of enthusiasts gathered around tactical, survival, and EDC knives, but I have yet to see the rescue knife develop such a loyal following. One could argue that the average person doesn’t “need” a rescue knife, but do we ...
Mcusta Tactility Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 I recently reviewed a Mcusta MC-1 and I was impressed by this relatively little-known Japanese knife manufacturer. Based out of Seki, Japan, Mcusta is part of the city’s proud cutlery making tradition that began hundreds of years ago. If you haven’t checked out my MC-1 review yet, I loved the high ...
Mcusta MC-1 Review
Nestled in the heart of Seki Japan, Mcusta has been a part of Japan’s renown knifemaking industry since 1964. Often compared to Solingen, Germany, Seki is a knife-nut’s dream. Rich in resources such as iron sand, charcoal and water, Seki has been the center of Japanese cutlery production for over 780 years. Buy the ...
Emerson CQC-7 Review
Last Updated: October 3, 2016 Tactical knives are trendy, and it’s easy to get swept up in the latest trends. While I have seen a lot of great new knives come out recently, I’m still drawn to the classics… and you can’t talk about classic folding tactical knives without mentioning Emerson Knives. Buy the CQC-7 ...
Spyderco Sage 2 Review
Last Updated: August 2, 2019 Today I am looking at another beautiful knife, the Spyderco Sage 2. The Sage series is designed to pay homage to various pioneers in the knifemaking industry and to recognize some of the talented custom knifemakers that have helped re-define pocket knives. Buy the Sage 2 at BladeHQ The Sage 1 pays ...
Benchmade 710 Review
Last Updated: December 29, 2018 I recently reviewed the Benchmade Griptilian, a model I consider to be a classic Benchmade knife. The Benchmade 710 is another one of those classic Benchmade knives. The 710 was designed by knife makers Bill McHenry and Jason Williams. This is a father and stepson team that invented the Axis lock. ...
Boker SubCom Review
Last Updated: September 16, 2019 Boker has recently done some great collaborations with custom knife makers (like the previously reviewed Boker Eskelibur). The Boker SubCom is another collaborative effort, this time with designer Chad Los Banos. A native of Hawaii, Chad has done a lot of really cool collaborations with production knife companies and ...
Spyderco Endura Review
Last Updated: July 14, 2019 The Spyderco Endura is a knife that you won’t fully appreciate until you hold it in your hand. I remember when I first saw this blade at a local gun show. I had heard a lot about the Endura from friends and on various knife communities but it didn’t click until ...
Benchmade Griptilian 551 Review
Last Updated: November 30, 2019 The Benchmade Griptilian is a household name in the knife world. It is one of Benchmade’s most popular designs and it appears in countless variations. Buy the Benchmade Griptilian at BladeHQ For many, this will be their first “real knife”. A gateway blade into the world of high end pocket knives. ...
Kershaw Leek Review
Last Updated: December 1, 2019 The Kershaw Leek is a popular EDC knife designed by legendary custom knife maker Ken Onion. Between his designs for Zero Tolerance Knives, Kershaw, and CRKT, Ken’s work has received a lot of attention on this site. This is for good reason as he is highly regarded as a knife designer. ...
Spyderco Gayle Bradley C134CF Review
Last Updated: August 26, 2019 The Spyderco Gayle Bradley (C134CF) is one of those knives that was built for use and abuse, but is so nice I wasn’t sure if I could bring myself to really scuff it up. I guess the only reasonable answer is to buy two of these, one for carry and the ...
Zero Tolerance 0550 and 0551 Review
Last Updated: August 3, 2019 Today I am taking a look at the Zero Tolerance 0550, a special collaboration between ZT and Rick Hinderer of Hinderer Knives. Rick has been making knives and self defense weapons for over 20 years. He started out specializing in Damascus and art knives, but over the past decade has ...
Cold Steel AK-47 Review
Last Updated: February 22, 2018 The AK-47 rifle was designed by Russian Gunsmith Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1946. These guns were designed to be simple and rugged, and for these reasons the AK-47 design has enjoyed much popularity for over 60 years. The Cold Steel AK-47 was designed with similar intentions. The original Cold Steel AKs ...
Benchmade 14210 Heckler and Koch Snody Review
Last Updated: November 29, 2019 For those looking for a rock solid edc knife with a sub 3″ blade, the Benchmade 14210 may be just the ticket. This knife is part of Benchmade’s Heckler and Koch (HK) line, which is a partnership between the two companies where the knives are made by Benchmade and branded with ...
Zero Tolerance 0300 Review
When Zero Tolerance first came on the scene the 0300 is one of their knives that really caught my eye. The graceful curves reminded me of some deep sea mammal while the construction reminded me of a semi truck. So I wasn’t surprised to learn that the 0300 was a collaboration between Ken Onion and ...
Spyderco Caly 3 Carbon Fiber Review
Last Updated: August 7, 2019 Hands down the best part about operating a website like this, is the excuse to play around with bad ass knives like the Spyderco Caly 3.5 in Carbon Fiber. This special version of the Caly3 uses exotic Japanese laminated steel and carbon fiber handle scales to give the original Caly3 an ...
Boker Plus Exskelibur I (01BO001) Review
Last Updated: August 11, 2019 Every now and then I see a knife that I absolutely have to own. Now, believe it or not, my collection of knives is small in comparison to the size (and value) of many knife collectors, so I like to think I exercise some “restraint” in my purchases. This might have ...
Kershaw Skyline Review
Last Updated: March 19, 2019 The Skyline is often regarded as a reference point. A knife we compare other knives to. It’s also a damn good Every Day Carry (EDC) knife. Back when I originally reviewed the Skyline in 2010, it was among the first reviews to be published on the site. It was a great ...
Spyderco Military Review
Last updated: February 14, 2019 Those in the military, law enforcement and contract defense firms require high quality gear designed to meet the rigorous demands of these types of positions. The Spyderco Military was designed to meet these demands as either a large utility knife or a full on tactical blade. In addition to law enforcement ...
Benchmade 741 Onslaught Review
Last Updated: August 21, 2019 Once in a while you run into a knife that really blows you away. The Benchmade 741 Onslaught is certainly one of those breathtaking knives for me. Designed by the late Bob Lum, the Onslaught is a large and elegant folding tactical knife that speaks to me on a lot ...
Benchmade 950 Rift Review
Last Updated: July 28, 2019 Ah, the Benchmade 950 Rift. What a sweet piece of steel. The Rift originally came out in 2008 as part of Benchmade’s “black class” which are designed to be military and police grade blades built for extreme duty. Designed by famed knifemaker Warren Osborne, the 950 Rift certainly is extreme ...
Kershaw Scallion Review
Last Updated: August 30, 2019 The Kershaw Scallion is another one of those timeless EDC knives that should be considered by collectors and enthusiasts alike. The Scallion is a remarkable little blade that shares some great similarities to the Kershaw Skyline, but is very much it’s own animal. Designed by custom knifemaker Ken Onion, ...
Spyderco Tenacious Review
Last Updated: December 1, 2019 I found the Spyderco Tenacious when I was looking for a good sized EDC knife on a budget. I did some research and saw that the Tenacious ticked a lot of my boxes. Buy the Spyderco Tenacious at BladeHQ At the time I was interested in a knife with a full ...
Smith and Wesson SWBG2TS BORDER GUARD Rescue Knife
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The Schrade SCALY is small knife that has received a large amount of attention. There is a lot of interest in a discrete, legal, automatic knife and the Schrade SCALY claims to be just that. Below is my review of the knife. Blade and Construction The Schrade Scaly is a small knife that can be ...
Hey
Next time you review the folder (as i said in another post) definitely check out the Ritter Grip. The main reason why I keep saying this is that its my favorite knife in production and it is an awesome value imo for what your getting.
I also love the Vantage and Para Military 2 (those are my 3 EDC Blades)
Hey Peter!
I will definitely check out the Ritter Grip. It’s a knife I have been wanting for a while now, and well, if ya twist my arm like that it looks like I will have to buy one. 😉 I just did a couple Benchmade reviews and I have a 940 up next, but I’ll definitely purchase a Ritter Grip and give it a full evaluation. Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving the excellent recommendation. Much appreciated!
Dan
Thanks for the heads up Bernard! I will check him out!
Dan
Hi Dan,
I just started having an interest in folding knives. I found your web site and really enjoy your reviews. I plan on purchasing the Spyderco Sage carbon fiber and will use the link from your web site.
Mike
Mike,
Thank you very much for the very kind comment! The Sage 1 in carbon fiber remains one of my favorite knives for every day carry and use. If you get a chance, let me know what you think once the knife arrives and you have an opportunity to check it out. I also greatly appreciate you supporting the site by going through one of my links. Thanks again!!
Dan
Hi,
I just wanted to add a little. I do a ton of research before buying a knife. This is an excellent place for it. I’m pretty conservative with my purchases. I’ve bought all my knives in person. Some I overpaid on but a piece of mind knowing I’m not getting a fake or sub par example. I’m thinking about getting anything else from Amazon or anywhere that has decent prices and return policy. Out of 35-40 knives, I really only regret (and I’m stretching it) buying a couple Spyderco Enduras.
I’ve held the Sage 1 several times and it’s on my short list. I own a Manix 2 LW and Manix 2 LW S110V. I like them both and also plan on getting the regular G10 Manix 2. I can live with the weight on a really good knife. Besides the knives I already own from Spyderco-PM2s, Manix 2 LWs, Military, Enduras, Delicas, Cats, Tenacious, only the Manix G10, Sage and Dragonfly interest me. I want no part of a $240 Southard or any of the other expensive offerings.
Another knife that is really underrated is the Cold Steel Code 4. Aluminum handle, large beautiful blade. Go with the Spearpoint blade. The new ones have upgraded steel from the AUS8. It’s a thin knife but wide and comfortable in hand. Another knife with little to no jimping that does not need it.
I apologize for my babbling comments but hope they might help somebody out.
Keep up the great reviews. You have saved me a lot of money and aggravation.
Thanks Again
Tom