8Cr13MoV

CRKT Compact Batum Review

By the time this review is published SHOT Show 2017 will be old news. But as I write this introduction, the releases from SHOT are still fresh in my mind. After perusing everyone’s catalogs, I’ve noticed something; something that I’ve been waiting to see for some time. You see, it appears that the knife industry has finally realized that not everyone wants to (or is capable of) buying knives that cost upwards of $200 at a sustainable rate. Well…part of the industry at least.

There was a bevy of budget and mid-priced blades released at SHOT, and one of the more impressive showings was put forward by CRKT. Apart from undercutting the Snailor market, they also expanded their collaborations with Jesper Voxnaes, who designed a few knives for them last year. The 2016 models didn’t seem to grab the attention of the knife community. I’d venture that the reason why is that they lacked Vox’s typical design language: bold lines, dramatic edge profiles, and a quintessentially Nordic minimalism.

Happily for us, it looks like CRKT realized the amount of money they were sitting on and tapped Mr. Voxnaes for some of that Danish magic. While most of these collaborations are enticing for one reason or another, I eventually ordered the Compact Batum. After more than a month of on and off carry, I think I’ve got enough experience to offer my opinion.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Batum has a blade length of 2.45”, a closed length of 3.71”, and weighs 3.6 ounces. The Batum is made in China. These are some pretty middle of the road performance specs, but it’s a big step up from the relatively chunky specifications on the Squid. By comparison, the Batum has a longer blade and a more comfortable handle for nearly the same weight. Fit and finish is likewise improved: centering is perfect, primary grind is symmetrical, and everything is nice and polished. The only “real” complaint I can register is that the secondary bevel gets a bit wobbly near the tip. Not bad for a sub-$30 blade.

I’m working on a standardized cutting test, but until then, you’ll have to rely on my ad hoc testing. That means two (incredibly unscientific) tests: one for edge retention and one for slicing performance. I don’t test rust resistance or chipping: not because they’re unimportant, but because those faults – if present – are typically revealed without any help. To measure slicing performance, I used the Batum on a diverse array of fruit, including apples, pears, and oranges. It quartered the pears just fine and peeled the oranges with ease. The Batum split – not sliced – the apples, but to be fair they were large and crisp. Ideal for eating, not cutting.

During normal use, the 8Cr13MoV held up fine. It’s the budget steel of choice for Chinese made knives, and I wasn’t surprised to see it featured on the Batum. I strop it twice a week or so and that’s kept it serviceable. The only opportunity I had to “rigorously” test the edge retention was using the Batum to break down a pile of cardboard boxes destined for the bin, during which it exhibited odd behavior. After a few boxes, it wouldn’t cut as cleanly, but when I checked the edge against my thumb it was still passably sharp. The Batum just kept slipping out during protracted cuts. It’s likely a combination of the dramatic belly and budget steel. As soon as the edge starts to degrade, the blade will start to slide more in cuts. This in turn means you’ll glance onto that steep belly and slip right out of the material.

That’s not to say I dislike the blade shape. While the belly is too dramatic for my tastes, it does occasionally come in handy. On a cutting board, it allows for great slicing cuts, much like the front end of the Spyderco Zulu. A buddy of mine who’s an electrician also swears by the Vox blade shape, as he loves the straight edge for cable work.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

I was on the fence about reviewing the Batum; originally, it was a toss up between it and the Pilar. Both looked interesting, but in the end the G10 scale of the Batum was the more attractive proposition, as the G10 substantially decreases the weight and improves the grip. Still, I had concerns. On cheaper knives finishing is often the first thing to go, and if the G10 was as raspy as, say, Cold Steel’s, I’d be put out to say the least. Luckily that wasn’t the case. Out of the box I was impressed by the fit and finish on the Batum. The G10 was perfectly textured: not rough enough to feel like sandpaper, but just enough to register a grip. Both the steel and the G10 scales are generously chamfered. Even the backspacer – one of my complaints from the CRKT Squid review – is perfect. Not only is the machining improved, but the dark grey doesn’t have the “off-white next to regular white” look that the Squid’s backspacer had.

The ergonomics on the Batum are tough to evaluate. When it first arrived, I noticed within seconds that the forward finger choil was too small for my hands. I couldn’t choke up on the blade without feeling like the knife was about to bite me. So – as shipped – the ergonomics were poor to say the least. Fortunately I have a set of diamond stones for my Spyderco Sharpmaker, and after a day or two of intermittent filing, the choil was big enough to accommodate a four finger grip. It was relatively easy fix, but buyer beware.

In the pocket, the Batum is an excellent companion. It carries quietly, and even though it doesn’t have a deep carry clip, it doesn’t leave enough of the butt end hanging out to alarm the masses. The clip seems like it could be a real paint scraper. I haven’t run into that issue personally, but that may just be luck.

Deployment and Lock-Up

For deployment, the Batum features Vox’s signature thumb…eye…thing. Folks online seem to love it; a deranged few like it more than the Spydie-hole. It’s arguable that it offers the ease of deployment that a thumbhole does without the larger footprint in the pocket, but I find the thumbhole easier to use most of the time. Mastering deployment on the Batum took all of a day on my end, so it’s probably not a major issue for most users. The teflon washers give deployment a slightly hydraulic feel. My only complaint is that the bit of the handle that covers the tang also blocks the path my thumb follows when I’m flicking the knife open. It’s less of an issue now, but you may need to spend some time getting acquainted with the Batum’s deployment.

I’m really tempted to just copy and paste the lock-up section from the Squid review. Nothing is really different here: lock up is stable at 50%, there’s no blade play in any direction, and there’s no lock stick. Disengagement is simple despite the lack of a cut out to access the lock. There is one improvement – if a negligible one – over the frame lock on the Squid, and that is the addition of an overtravel stop. Is it necessary? Probably not, but some will appreciate it, and there’s no real downside to its inclusion.

CRKT Compact Batum – Final Thoughts

For the money, it’s difficult to find a more compelling knife. There’s the perennial Alox Cadet, of course, but that’s hitting a slightly different need. You can find the Batum for around $30 after shipping, and I think it’s a steal at that price. It’s better finished than the Cryos that I’ve handled, the design is (in my opinion) much more attractive, and you don’t have to deal with an assisted opening. The ergonomics – once adjusted – are better than most knives in this price range. It may be a bit chunky behind the edge, but no worse than the Squid.

Knowing all that, who should buy the Batum? Well, fans of Jesper Voxnaes should probably line up. This knife has most of the design cues Vox is famous for: burlesque drop point, simple lines, and an open profile that’s strangely animated. While not perfect – the drop point is a tad overdone, and the choil may need tweaking – it’s one of the strongest budget knives to hit the market in quite some time.

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

Sanrenmu 710 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 11 Comments

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 budget folders.

As a knifemaker on its own, however, Sanrenmu has attracted controversy. Not only does it sell its knives at very low prices (a lot of times even lower than the budget knives it makes for other companies), but there are also features and designs in their catalogue that are taken directly from other knife companies, without their consent: most famously the Benchmade Axis Lock and the knife I’m reviewing today, the Sanrenmu 710, a knife that is commonly described (and decried) as a rip-off/knock-off/copy of the Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza.

I feel like any review of the 710 has to address this issue, however briefly. The 710 echoes the Small Sebenza’s lines, but a comparison of the two knives will show that the overall designs are different: the 710 is smaller, with a different blade shape and grind. Additionally, speaking as somebody who has always wanted but never owned a Small Sebenza, I can say that the 710 has never struck me as a substitute or cheaper replacement for one.

It has, however, struck me as an excellent little knife. It has all the quality of Sanrenmu’s OEM knives and as the unofficial ‘flagship’ of their SRM-branded blades, I think it’s worth looking at a little closer.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 710 has a blade length of 2-11/16”, a handle length of 3-11/16”, an overall length of 6-9/16”, and is made in China. The size of the 710 is just about right for an EDC knife. The weight, at 3.25 oz., is not inspiring, but with an all stainless steel construction you go in expecting to be disappointed in this regard.

I do think it’s worth discussing the fit and finish a little because, to be frank, Sanrenmu has a reputation for doing a slapdash job on their blades. I’ve owned two other SRM knives. My first was a 763, purchased three years ago. Out of the box it was completely adequate, besides a sloppy (but not catastrophically sloppy) edge bevel. The next, purchased maybe a year later, was a 605. Out of the box the blade centering was off, but a tightening of the pivot pin fixed this.

While neither my 763 nor 605 were bad out of the box, my 710 was almost pristine: the blade was centered, the scales were chamfered and lustrous, the edge bevel was much more even. The only issues were a slightly uneven finish on the blade itself, and blade decentering over time(easily fixable). Sanrenmu has always been seen as a bit of a gamble fit and finish-wise, but that’s never been my experience. Even so, the 710 was a step up.

The part of me that wants everything to be connected thinks that maybe, with the middle of the market bottoming out, the communal fixation on low- and high-end knives that this bottoming-out entails, and the new levels of quality and popularity Chinese companies like Kizer and Reate have been attaining, SRM has decided to work on their image and the level of quality in their products. Conspiracy theorizing aside, I find the 710’s fit and finish excellent.

The 710’s angular drop point is also excellent, a gloriously task-neutral, light-to-medium duty blade. The proportion of straight edge to belly is perfect. The tip is acute, and dropped to just the right point, making it easy to ‘lead’ a cut and accurately follow through. The 710’s blade offers very good, and very consistent, performance in all the standard EDC tasks.

An aggressive high hollow grind plays a key role here. Despite starting from fairly thick stock, the grind is very thin behind the edge, ensuring that the primary characteristic of a hollow grind – reduced friction and drag through material – is noticeable. In fact, out of the last few knives that I’ve reviewed, the 710 has done the best with cardboard cutting, the efficient, low-drag hollow grind making up for an edge that dulls fairly quickly.

As you’d expect the 710 is made from 8Cr13MoV, default budget knife blade steel. For me, 8Cr13MoV is the baseline for modern steel, setting the bar for acceptability in every area, but impressing in none other than sharpenability. I’ve never been surprised by 8Cr13MoV, but never really disappointed by it either. Adequate, a known quantity, and endearingly mediocre: what else is there to say?

Well, maybe just one last note: I think that, in our spec-obsessed modern age, we forget that poor edge retention in any modern steel is steel pretty decent: I cut through a lot of cardboard with the 710, more than I could reasonably expect to deal with in a month of standard use, before I noticed any real performance issues. I still prefer better steels, don’t get me wrong: I just think that we tend to hyperventilate when it comes to comparisons that, in 90% of the situations we find ourselves using blades in, don’t matter. Yes, 154CM or N690Co or S30V are better steels by a long shot, but in a regular week of use I certainly wouldn’t appreciate the difference.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The 710 is all stainless steel, never my preferred material for a handle, but good execution of substandard materials goes a long way with me, and on this 710 the handles are cleanly-cut and chamfered all around the edges inside and out, making them comfortable and solid-feeling in the hand.

The general lines of the handle also help. Clean and simple, just like I like it. There aren’t any unnecessary grooves, besides the acceptable choil/lock access cutout. Indeed, the handle would almost be too flat if a gentle, almost unnoticeable curve to the inside portion of the handle (the part your fingers cross over) didn’t lend some dimensionality to the knife.

The jimping on the spine of the blade is really good, the same squarish, ‘gear teeth’ jimping that you see on the CRKT Drifter. It keeps your thumb right where it needs to be to steer cuts, aided by the somewhat back-heavy balance: normally this isn’t something I like, but on a knife this small, with a blade ground so thin behind the edge, it feels right.

The texturing on the handle is less successful. Nail file or grip tape is definitely the cue visually, but it is much less textured than either. I appreciate the way it breaks up the monotony of the steel handle, but it doesn’t help with the grip during deployment, which this knife could use. The jimping and balance provide grip during use, but when you’re deploying the knife or trying to manipulate the lock you may fumble with it a little bit.

As is the case with a lot of SRM knives (Drifter included), the 710’s clip cannot be repositioned: tip-down, right-hand carry is all you get here. The lack of options is definitely a bummer, particularly considering how easily this knife could be drilled for all four positions, but the clip itself is good: slim, strong, effective. I like it much better than the wide, too-tight clip on the Drifter.

Thanks to the stainless steel scales, stowing and retrieval is effortless. This is the one area in which the handle material is an unequivocal win. Smooth retrieval/stowage and a slim overall profile make the 710 a great carry.

Deployment and Lockup

The 710 deploys via good old fashioned thumb studs and a common budget knife washer setup: a thin phosphor bronze/Teflon washer combo on one side, a lone Teflon washer on the other. This is probably a cost-saving measure, but regardless the performance here is indisputably good – great, even. Out of the box it was reliable and quick; after a drop of Nano Oil it became glass-smooth, rocket-fast: wonderful. Until I got my hands on a Vanguard Gemini, this was the early frontrunner for Highest Fidget Factor 2016.

I just don’t like framelocks. I’ve used a lot of them over the years, and I’ve never used one that didn’t immediately exhibit or quickly develop bladeplay. It isn’t really an issue, per se, because it can usually be tightened out again, but the fact is that framelocks are finicky in a way that a lockback or a liner lock just aren’t. The faster this obsession with framelocks ends, the happier I’ll be.

For all my grumpiness, however, the 710’s framelock is good. Steel framelocks are stronger and more reliable than titanium ones (and much cheaper, of course), and, while I did eventually get bladeplay, it isn’t much and yes, can be tuned back out. Besides this everything is good: the lockbar is easy to access thanks to that choil/cutout, and the lockbar disengages smoothly, every time. I like the liner lock on the G-10 Drifter better, but this’ll do.

Sanrenmu 710 – Final Thoughts

Sanrenmu knows how to put together an affordable, useful blade: they’ve proven that with their OEM work for Spyderco, CRKT, and others, and proven it again with their own knives. The 710 is very affordable, even in the context of the budget knife category, and it’s stiff competition for affordable favorites like the Drifter.

Sanrenmu helped to establish the budget knife archetype, and here we have as distilled a representation of that archetype as possible. The 710 is a very, very good knife.

High Performance and Very Popular Outdoor Sanrenmu 710 Folding Knife Pocket Knife

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I recommend purchasing the Sanrenmu 710 at Amazon. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

CRKT Hootenany Review

by Dan Leave a Comment

Hootenany, noun, a social gathering or informal concert featuring folk singing, and sometimes, dancing.

I don’t read too far into names, but I had to look Hootenanny up in an attempt to gain a little context. If you ever meet Ken Onion, the designer of the Hootenanny, you will quickly learn he is a fun and lighthearted guy. Perhaps the name offers more of a view into the designer himself, than the product at hand.

The Hootenanny is Ken’s take on a folding hunting knife crossed with a modern Every Day Carry (EDC) piece. So perhaps the name harks back to old timey days, when people might regularly use their folding knives to prepare meals and whittle sticks around the cracker barrel prior to a good ole fashioned hoe down.

Either way, this struck me as one of CRKT’s best offerings of 2015, and I wanted to give it a shot.

General Dimensions and Blade Steel

The Hootenanny has an overall length of 7.84″, a 3.34″ blade, weighs 4.8 ounces, and is made in China. Since partnering up with CRKT, Ken Onion has seemed to favor thinner, lighter knives. I think that is a good thing. The Hootenanny is still a big knife, so any attempts to pare it down to something manageable are welcome in my book.

This is a “fish and fowl” knife, so it’s primary application is for hunting and processing small game. Extra length to the blade and handle are important for being effective in that role.

With that said, most people who buy this will likely use it as a EDC piece, and that is the main perspective that I evaluated Hootenanny from.

The Hootenanny has a slender upswept blade with a long curving belly and high hollow grind. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the blade is the run of jimping midway along the spine. All of these features were built into the knife with processing meat in mind. I’m not a hunter, and didn’t get a chance to take this one fishing, but I have used it in the kitchen. The knife slices well, and the upswept tip stayed out of the way when I broke down a chicken for dinner. I could see this having a place at a camp site, but did not test the knife in that capacity.

CRKT went with 8Cr13MoV steel. I’ve discussed this steel quite a bit (and you can always read further about knife steel on the knife steel page), but for the uninitiated 8Cr13MoV is a lower end Chinese stainless steel. It is easy to sharpen, but not particularly great in the edge retention department.

Given the ~$40.00 price point I think the choice of steel is appropriate here. You won’t find much else from a Chinese knife in this price range. I personally do not mind 8Cr13MoV at the right price. I was careless and my blade did develop a little corrosion during testing, so be sure to keep it cleaned and oiled like any other pocket knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Hootenanny is a bolstered knife, with a stainless steel frame, FRN (reinforced plastic) handle scales, and a FRN backspacer. The handle has some nice details, with flush mount bolts holding the scales in place, curving lines cut into the gunmental gray bolsters, bolsters that are integrated into the liners, and an oversize decorative pivot. The construction is solid and the finish work is good. The pieces line up, the tolerances are tight, and the end result is a thoughtfully executed handle that makes the most of its humble materials.

The Hootenanny is a large folder and provides plenty of room for a variety of grips and hand sizes. The blade has a large foward finger choil, allowing you to move in close on the blade. The handle scales are lightly textured. The scales offer some traction, but aren’t as grippy as peel ply G10. There is jimping on the back of the handle, and also on the spine. All of these features are designed to hold your hand in place; presumably while gutting a trout or plucking bird shot from a dove. I used the knife in more pedestrian applications, and found the Hootenanny to be be comfortable and grippy. Ken knows ergonomics and that shows in the design and execution of the Hootenanny.

In the past, Ken Onion’s pocket clip designs have been criticized for being goofy. The clip on the Hootenanny is relatively subdued and discrete. It curves along the back side of the handle, and is really set for right side tip up carry only. Being a lefty, I prefer an ambidextrous option, but if you are only going to put the clip in one spot, this is the place to do it. The clip has good spring retention, and it buries the knife deeply in the pocket.

In practice the Hootenanny caries well for a larger knife. At nearly 5 ounces, you feel this knife in the pocket – especially with most of the mass being around the pivot. Still, the Hootenanny is a comfortable carry. The knife is thin and the pocket clip is strong, so you can clip the knife in place and then forget about it.

Deployment and Lockup

Like many of Ken’s designs, the Hootenanny is a flipper. The flipper is prominent, heavily textured, and easy to locate and flip. The detent is strong and the blade fires out with a loud metallic “thwack”. CRKT has done a good job with flippers in the past, and this Hootenanny is no exception. Inside there are what appears to be caged bearings, although CRKT has marketed this as an IKBS (Ikoma Korth Bearing System) knife. The action is smooth and the blade glides into the open or closed position.

CRKT and Ken decided to make the Hootenanny a bolster lock knife, which is basically a frame lock where scales run 3/4 the length of the handle. The bolsters are 2CR13 steel, and hold the blade securely in place. There is no lock rock or side to side blade play in my knife, which is what I would expect from a steel frame lock. My knife locks up around 70% – so it’s a later lockup, but it has stayed there since day one and there is no stickiness to the lock at all.

My blade favors the lock side by a millimeter, but does not rub.

CRKT Hootenanny Review – Final Thoughts

The Hootenanny is a successful knife, and is probably my favorite CRKT design for 2015. This is a more subdued design for Ken. There is no recurve in the blade, the pocket clip is normal looking, the overall look is handsome with the dark scales and gunmetal gray bolsters.

The fit and finish of CRKT’s stuff has always been nice, and the Hootenanny is no exception. And I think given the budget CRKT made some nice choices here with the satin finished blade, IKBS, strong flipper and oversize pivot. The use of FRN keeps the knife reasonably light (that is a big reason why I decided to not review the CRKT G.S.D. – a handsome knife by a popular designer, but just too heavy for my taste).

If I had to complain, I would complain about the knife begging for higher end materials. Better blade steel would be at the top of my list. People harped on Cold Steel for years about their use of AUS-8, and now that everything is being rolled out in CTS-XHP, I think we need a new company to “encourage”. And CRKT is actually heading in that direction. They have collaborated with LionSteel, TOPS, and Condor to venture in to higher end products like the Hi Jinx, Hoodwork, and Mah-Chete. While CRKT is a company whose bread and butter is value and volume, the enthusiast in me can’t help but ask for a higher end version of the Hootenanny.

For around $40, the Hootenanny delivers a lot of bang for your buck. If you are in the market for a sturdy 3.5″ folder, you will be hard pressed to find much better at this price point. Perhaps the Kershaw Blur is the closest competitor, but these days they retail for well over $50.

The Hootenanny is a thoughtfully designed and well made tool, that works as either a folding field knife or large EDC.

Columbia River Knife and Tool K300KXP Hootenanny EDC Knife

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Spyderco Clipitool C175 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 10 Comments

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.”

I couldn’t have put my current feelings about Spyderco any better. Although the Positron or the Nirvana are beautiful, immaculately-finished, and eminently useable and enjoyable knives, I feel like they lack the spark that the best Spyderco designs have. I feel like Spyderco has the Bethesda problem: they’ve become complacent and the products they’ve been putting out recently reflect that – and even if those products aren’t bad, they’re unimaginative, and unrepresentative of what makes Spyderco special.

The last brand new Spyderco design that excited me was the Clipitool line. In particular, I had my eye on the Clipitool Driver; a tool that echoes the immortal Cadet in terms of its verb set (cut, screw, pop, pry), but with the Spyderco cerebreality that R.D. mentioned in his appraisal of the company. In short, it seemed like something special, and I was excited when Dan sent me one to review a month or so ago.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Clipitool has a blade length of 2”, a handle length of 2 ¾”, and an overall length of about 4 ½”. It’s made almost entirely out of stainless steel, and weighs 1.9 oz. – a really dense 1.9 oz., which is to be expected given its tiny overall footprint what all is crammed into it.

It’s a small knife: the Dragonfly is up a size class from this thing. And as much as I prefer smaller knives this is almost too far – almost. A knife like the Dragonfly can do about 95% of what you could expect to use a knife for in normal, day-to-day life; the Clipitool’s micro blade can do about 90%. Food prep is out of the question, so if that’s something you use a pocket knife for (I don’t, generally) you may find the Clipitool’s utility more restricted than that.

The blade steel is 8Cr13MoV, the standard for entry level-priced knives and probably one of the most written-about steels on the internet. Its primary characteristic is the ease with which it can be sharpened; everything else about it is just enough: just tough enough, just rust-resistant enough, holds an edge for just long enough. I’d take just about any other modern AUS-8-and-up steel over 8Cr13MoV, but that speaks less to its inadequacies than to the embarrassment of riches we have when it comes to good, affordable steels.

The other implement you can fold out of your Clipitool is the distinctly Spyderco bottle opener/screwdriver. It has that distinctly Spyderco pseudo-fugliness to it, but it works really well in both its intended roles as well as in its unofficial capacity as a miniature pry bar. I was worried that the length of the driver arm would make it too fragile to really beat on, but I used it in a pretty careless fashion taking an old computer apart, and it held up well: there was a bit more side-to –side play afterwards, but nothing that tightening the pivot screw wouldn’t fix.

In general, the fit and finish on the Clipitool is what I would describe as pleasingly sloppy. There was a little wiggle in both the blade and the driver arm to begin with, there are some gaps at the butt end of the knife where the springs meet, and most of the edges, with the exception of the outer edge of the handle scales, are sharp, albeit not troublingly so. I find that there’s something reassuring in a knife with some small-scale, non-performance-affecting issues; I’m less afraid to beat on it because that feeling of hallowedness I get from, say, a Taichung, Taiwan Spyderco isn’t present.

The stainless steel scales do attract scratches, though, as you can see in the pictures, so if that bugs you be warned.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

I hate finger grooves and ‘ergonomic’ scalloping; the weird curves on the Delica’s handle are the primary reason why I dislike that knife as much as I do. And yet here we are looking at the Clipitool, a knife whose handle is entirely finger grooves, and I really like it.

I think the reason why I like the Clipitool’s handle is that it is designed with the overall size of the knife in mind. The Clipitool is so small that, when you’re using it, there’s only one way to hold it, unlike the Delica, which could theoretically be held a few different ways. The grooves keep your hand where it should be to use the knife most effectively, and prevent it from slipping around on the slick steel scales.

When you’re using the caplifter/driver, the ergonomics are different, although equally good. The folded-in blade is what your fingers wrap around, not the grooves, and the neck of the driver arm sort of extends the handle, meaning you can actually fit all five fingers on the Clipitool for lifting caps or driving screws, making both tasks easy to perform:

The Clipitool comes with a micro version of what I feel is probably my favorite clip on the market, the standard Spyderco spoon clip. I’ve mentioned before that I’m hard on my knives’ pocket clips, which is why I prefer the spoon clip to the wire clip on my Spydercos. This miniature one is so good: just-right tension and the smoothness of the steel scales makes stowing it away and retrieving it thoughtless, and it is very durable. I don’t know how popular the Clipitool has been overall, but if Spyderco takes anything away from this design I hope it’s the clip: I would love to see it on the Dragonfly 3.

Deployment and Lockup

The Clipitool, despite having Clipit in the name, is a Slipit knife – Spyderco parlance for a slipjoint knife (I assume they called it a ClipiTool and not a SlipiTool both to advertise the fact that it has a clip and because Slipitool sounds vaguely dirty). In the official Clipitool literature Spyderco says that the opening hole is meant to function as a nail mark would on a traditional slipjoint knife, facilitating easier two-handed opening, but, as with the Pingo, you can open the Clipitool with one hand, albeit somewhat awkwardly. The driver arm however will always need to be opened with two hands.

It feels silly to be talking about the walk and talk of this emphatically non-traditional knife, but since it’s a slipjoint I feel obligated to bring it up (and indeed, the overall shape and two-pivot design remind me a lot of the Case Peanut): it’s decent, probably a half-step up from what I was expecting given the price. The driver arm in particular has a really pleasing snap to it. The pull would probably be about a 4 on the blade, and a 2 or 3 on the driver arm.

Lockup, or maybe slipup in this case, is good. The Clipitool feels a little harder to close than my Peanut or my UKPK, and about on par with the Cadet. The choil precludes virtually any chance of accidental closure. There isn’t a lot to talk about on this point, so suffice it to say that the Clipitool is adequately secure, as you would expect from a Spyderco-designed slipjoint.

Spyderco Clipitool Driver – Final Thoughts

Some people remain optimistic about Spyderco, but I find it harder and harder to do so. Knives like the Nirvana or the Mike Draper or the divisive Rubicon strike me as empty displays of virtuosity, undoubtedly good, but overpriced and fundamentally unimaginative; knives from a company at the height of its manufacturing powers but at the nadir of its creativity. The best non-collaboration knives Spyderco released this year were upgrades of existing designs. Because it was a totally new design, and because it seemed so in tune with what drew me to the company in the first place, the Clipitool would be memorable to me even if it were only an interesting failure.

But of course it isn’t a failure: it’s a wonderful tool – I would call it almost genuinely great. I do wish the blade was a bit longer, but I’m not sure how that could be accomplished without making the overall footprint a little too big. I would also like to see it in FRN or G-10, if the price could be kept where it is. The best thing I can say about it is that I’m going to keep it in my pocket for a bit even though I’m done reviewing it. It’s just a pleasing thing to own and use, and I recommend it without hesitation to anybody.

Spyderco ClipiTool Stainless Bottle Opener/Screwdriver Plain Edge Knife, Stainless Steel, Right

List Price: $27.68

Current Price: $23.97

Price Disclaimer

If you would like to buy a Spyderco Clipitool, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon.com. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Kershaw Strobe 1086 Review

by Grayson Parker 1 Comment

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 field that it’s easy to write off the entire category. Not every budget offering is a Kershaw Skyline or an Alox Cadet, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good knives. Oftentimes, they’re just flawed in some way that makes the knife community shrink away before taking a deeper look. One such product is the Kershaw Strobe.

The Strobe is a Chinese-made knife, designed by Matt Diskin and produced by Kershaw. Although Matt’s designs aren’t the trendiest, I prefer his design cues to other, more marketable names. Prior to the release of the Strobe, the only production with Matt’s name on it was another Kershaw release, the Diskin Hunter. I’ll come out right now and say it: had Kershaw used the same materials on the Strobe that they did on the Hunter, this knife could have been the next Skyline. The combination of G10 and Sandvik 14c28n is one of the reasons I love Kershaw’s stateside offerings, and to see them miss this opportunity is disheartening. Still, the Strobe is no slouch. Apart from one obvious design flaw (hopefully one Kershaw will address in a future release), the strengths of the Strobe carry it past the lackluster materials.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Perfectly sized for a “do-anything” work knife, the Strobe boasts a 3.3” blade, an overall length of 7.55”, weighs in at 4.37 oz, and is made in China. It’s a bit on the heavy side when compared to all stars like the Skyline, Mini-Grip, and some of the lightweight options from Spyderco, but in my two months of on-and-off carry the Strobe’s weight hasn’t been a real detriment. The blade is long enough to actually be justified, as opposed to knives with blade lengths that are just over the common limit of 3”.

The blade itself is plain, but better for it. A narrow drop point profile is complemented by a funky angular swedge that sits at the middle of the spine, and the full flat grind matches the technical aesthetics behind the knife. It’s quite impressive how wide of a blade Diskin managed to fit onto a (relatively) slim knife. There’s a nearly perfect amount of belly to the blade, and it slices nearly as well as my Paramilitary 2.

8Cr13MoV is a pretty common choice for budget Chinese knives, and in this iteration I can’t complain. Bead-blasted 8Cr is very susceptible to rust, but fortunately the Strobe comes with a nice stonewash. There’s not a whole lot to say about this steel. It sharpens easily and holds a decent edge, but needs frequent touch-ups. While I don’t have any complaints, I’m not impressed either. It’s a solid choice given the country of origin.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

However, it’s harder for me to warm up to the handles. The plastic isn’t even the problem – on the contrary, I think it’s a great way for companies to produce contoured handles on budget knives. What really bugs me is the “K-Texture” pattern they used on the scales. It’s not pronounced enough to improve the grip, so all it does is turn your pocketknife into an ad for Kai. From a distance the “K-Texture” looks like a simple geometric pattern, but in your hand it’s pretty garish. To their credit, Kershaw and Zero Tolerance have been toning down the logos and branding on their products, but they clearly took a step backwards here. I can’t advocate removing the scales (some have done so) as the scales help the grip, but it’s the shape and thickness of the scales that help, not the texture.

Despite the disappointing handle scales, the Strobe is great in the hand. The shape of the handle locks the user’s hand in place without generating any hotspots. Even the clip (which I thought would poke me right in the palm) fails to negatively impact the grip, but I will say that it could be problematic in someone else’s hands. There is no jimping on the Strobe, which is definitely a welcome omission. I haven’t once found myself wishing otherwise.

The Strobe carries fairly well. It doesn’t need to be wrestled into or out of the pocket, but the clip is a bit tight on thicker pants. My feelings on the pocket clip are pretty polarized: on the one hand, the over-the-top clip is great. On the other, it lifts up pretty significantly to allow the clip room to slide over pockets, which makes it something of a paint scraper. It also snags on my jacket far too frequently. Is it a big issue? No, but I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t rub me the wrong way.

Deployment and Lock-up

Kershaw has been really dialing in their flippers across their product line, and the Strobe is no exception. The combination of a strong detent and the bearing pivot results in a flipper that fires almost every time. While the pull is a bit strong for my tastes, most of the knife community seems to prefer their flippers that way. And as much as I love the Skyline…the Strobe does deploy faster and more consistently.

Although some have billed the lock on the Strobe as a liner lock, it’s really a framelock in disguise. I haven’t noticed any blade play or lock rock, and the knife feels pretty stout. I do wish there was a larger cutout for disengaging the lock; as it stands, it’s pretty easy for your thumb to slip off the lock when attempting to close the knife. Other than that I can’t complain.

Kershaw Strobe Final Thoughts

Viewed in a vacuum, the Strobe is a great value knife. It’s readily available at big box stores, costs less than $30.00, and can take a beating. I’ve got major issues with the “K-Texture” on the handle scales (I’m not alone in that either) and a minor complaint concerning the clip, but in the grand scheme of things neither are mortal sins. When you compare it to other options around this price point, I don’t think it’s quite as competitive. Personally, I still think the Skyline blows it out of the water, with better steel, G10, and less weight. But the Skyline also costs around ten dollars more. If I had to choose between the Strobe and one of the Hinderer/Onion/Emerson collaborations at the same price point, I’d go with the Strobe most of the time.

If you’re on a budget or enjoy budget knives, the Kershaw Strobe should definitely be on your radar. The lines of the design are pretty beautiful, and if it weren’t for the K-Texture it’d be a great looking blade. It’s probably out of the question for Kershaw to re-release the Strobe with better materials, but hopefully it sells well enough to merit future Diskin/Kershaw collaborations. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to sand the “K’s” off of my Strobe.

Kershaw Strobe 1086 Plain Edge Folding Blade Hunting Knife, (Box Version) 3.3"

List Price: $24.06

Current Price: $21.92

Price Disclaimer

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

Kershaw CQC-6K Review

by Dan 25 Comments

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 crummy if I didn’t have reviews of things like the Benchmade Griptilian or Kershaw Skyline. These kinds of knives have become so ubiquitous to our understanding of what a modern folding knife is, to the point where I feel that it would be a failure on my part not to include a review on them.

I think that the CQC-6k could be another one of those knives. The CQC-6K is one knife in a series of collaborations between Emerson and Kershaw. That alone is reason enough to review it. Ernest Emerson is known for his quirky designs and relatively expensive knives. Between chisel grinding the edge, drilling and tapping the pocket clip for right side tip up carry only, and retailing the blades for (usually) over $180, his work is inaccessible to lots of people. These Kershaw collaborations can be had for under $40, and feature creature comforts like ambidextrous clips and v-ground edges. These knives could be perfect for someone who doesn’t want a cask strength Emerson.

I decided to pick out the CQC-6K specifically because it seemed like their flagship model. If you want to see an overview of the entire collaboration I invite you to check out the awesome work The Edge Observer did on the series. He really did a fantastic job and it gives you a good feel for the entire lineup. I am entirely too cheap and too lazy to purchase and review the entire collection.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The CQC-6K has an overall length of 7.75″, a 3.25″ blade, and weighs 5.1 ounces. Kershaw has produced a number of smaller designs in the Kershaw/Emerson lineup, but I feel like this is a good size for my needs. 3.25″ is a good size blade for EDC, it fits the hand well, and just feels right. I will say that at over 5 ounces, my biggest complaint is the weight. I don’t mean to sound like NutnFancy, but I think it is a valid criticism of the knife. Part of me wants to justify the heavy build because of the stainless steel frame lock, but with knives like the ESEE Zancudo being stainless steel framelocks coming in a full 2 ounces lighter than this 6K, I can’t help but wonder if things could have been done differently to save some weight. The flip side is that this knife appears to be very tough.

The CQC-6K comes with a classic clip point blade. Fans of a tanto blade may prefer the CQC-7K, which is basically the same knife with a tanto. You don’t need to be a history major to realize that the clip point is a very functional blade shape that has stood the test of time. I really enjoyed my CQC-13, which is an even more aggressive clip point. Here you get a capable tip, a good belly, and plenty of edge, all mated to a hollow grind. I like this blade shape a great deal.

Emerson’s blades are one of my favorite aspects of his knives. The grinds are beautiful and I love the 2-toned finishes found on his stonewashed models. Here Kershaw attempted a 2 tone effect: satin flats and a stonewashed primary bevel. It’s not nearly as nice as a real Emerson, but I give them props for trying something different. I like this touch.

For steel Kershaw went with 8Cr13MoV. I don’t mind 8Cr13MoV on a $30 knife. As I have mentioned dozens of times before, it sharpens easily and it takes a good edge. Sure it won’t hold onto that edge forever, but that’s part of the game. My blade has held up well under normal use. Can’t say I did anything too crazy with the knife, but it broke down boxes, carved wood, and opened up plastic packaging on several occasions. If the intended use is EDC, the CQC-6K should do just fine.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The CQC-6K has a G-10 handle scale and stainless steel liner on the non-locking side, and a stainless steel framelock on the locking side. There is a partial G-10 backspacer. Construction is solid. The framelock and liner are both substantial, and is where this hefty knife picks up several of its extra ounces. I like how Kershaw went with Phillips head hardware for the body screws, and a slotted pivot, paying homage to Emerson’s original creations. The fit and finish of the handle is also quite good. The corners of the framelock were all chamfered, and the pieces line up well. One thing I did notice is that this framelock will rust if you aren’t careful. I am not sure what I was doing with my knife (maybe I used it prepare food or carried it around in a sweaty pocket), but one day I picked it up and noticed little rust spots on it. Bar Keeper’s Friend saved the day yet again, but it’s an observation I wanted to mention.

Ergonomically, the CQC-6K feels like an Emerson. That’s a great thing. This is a ridiculously comfortable knife. The handle is thick and spacious, and you have a deep finger groove that locks your hand in place. There is a prodigious amount of jimping on the knife, a feature I have shied away from, but it’s subdued and works well here. There is plenty of space to grab this in forward and reverse grips. This is just a good handle design.

The pocket clip on the CQC-6K is modeled after the standard Emerson clip. It has been scaled down to fit the proportions of this smaller knife, but it’s the same shape of the clip regular Emersons come with. The clip is a proven design and was well implemented here, especially since Kershaw decided to drill and tap this thing for ambidextrous tip up carry. It’s a Christmas miracle – an Emerson with holes on both sides of the handle! (In case you couldn’t tell, I am very happy to see this.)

As far as carry goes, this is not a deep carry knife. There is room to easily grab the knife and make use of the wave feature. This is a heavy and relatively thick knife, but it carries well thanks in part to the sturdy clip design. The clip has also been laser etched with Emerson’s skull logo, an interesting detail that I could probably live without.

Deployment and Lockup

For deployment, you have the option of either using the wave feature, or the thumb disk. For the uninitiated, the wave feature is essentially a hook on the spine of the blade that catches on the corner of your pocket when drawing out the knife. As the hook catches on your pocket it forces the blade open. The wave feature is a lot of fun and it works well on this smaller knife. The thumb disk also works well and I actually find it a little easier to use on this compact design than on Emerson’s full size offerings.

As I mentioned earlier, this knife makes use of a stainless steel framelock. This is a departure from Emerson’s liner locks. It adds a lot of unnecessary weight to the knife, but most people seem to prefer frame locks for the perceived increase in strength, so I can see why they did it. I am happy to report that this is a good stainless steel frame lock. My knife locks up around 50%. The blade is secure, and is without any sort of play. Also the lock doesn’t stick, and is easy to manipulate. At this price point I can’t ask for much more than that.

Kershaw CQC-6K – Final Thoughts

By and large this knife is a winner. Kershaw has successfully brought Emerson’s designs to the mass market. Most of the stuff that makes an Emerson an Emerson has been ported over, and you also get things like a “V” edge, and ambidextrous pocket clip. Fit and finish is very good and the end result is a well made, satisfying knife, with classic Emerson attitude and ergonomics. I am thankful for the fact that they didn’t make this a Speedsafe knife. Kershaw loves to do that on budget blades (because their market research has shown most people prefer assisted openers), and I’m glade this one was spared. This price is also hard to beat. KAI has been on fire with their collaborations with Hinderer, and these new collaborations with Ernest Emerson may just make KAI the collaboration king.

If I were to lodge a complaint against the CQC-6K it would be the weight. Some might try to cut the 6K some slack because it’s a $30 knife, but the Zancudo is similarly priced but is much lighter. For that reason this one doesn’t quite make my best EDC knives list, but it comes pretty close. This is an otherwise great knife so I feel the need to point out this potential issue. The flip side is that it makes for a very tough knife, and this could be a good choice for a beater / work blade. Emerson purists may bemoan the fact that this knife is made overseas. If that is such a big issue I would suggest saving up and buying a real Emerson.

At the end of the day I think you are getting a lot of nice knife for the money, and I recommend it for fans of Emerson’s designs or those looking for a tough and compact EDC that won’t break the bank.

I recommend purchasing the CQC-6K at Amazon.com. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Kershaw 6034 Emerson Designed CQC-6K Knife

List Price: $54.99

Current Price: $23.95

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