aus-8

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, but not everyone has that kind of cash – and even if you do it can be hard to really buy a knife like that and drive it like you stole it.

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That’s why I like the Cold Steel American Lawman. For around $85 you get a rock solid knife that you aren’t afraid to beat on. After all, what’s the point of a hard use knife if you can’t actually bring yourself to hard use it? I have thrashed on my review sample for years. Lets take a closer look at one of my favorite every day working tools.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The American Lawman has an overall length of 8-1/8″, a 3.5″ blade, weighs 4.5 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. This is a nicely proportioned medium sized folder designed by Andrew Demko. I found it reasonable enough for every day carry, but could definitely see this as a dedicated work knife or tactical blade. The “Lawman” designation seems to fit well.

The Lawman features a simple drop point blade with a high hollow grind. The knife is thinly ground, making it an aggressive slicer, and the tip is reinforced to hold up against hard use and thrusting. I like the blade shape. It’s not as aggressive as many of Cold Steel’s other offerings but is still very useful. There is plenty of belly, the tip gets nice and sharp, and the knife generally cuts really well.

Originally, Cold Steel used AUS8a for the blade steel, which is basically the same as AUS8. AUS8 is known as a softer steel and a lot of people don’t like it. I like AUS-8 because a couple swipes on a Spyderco Sharpmaker restores the knife back to hair shaving sharpness.

In 2015 Cold Steel updated their lineup of knives to include CTS-XHP steel, an American stainless steel forged by Carpenter. This is a superior steel to AUS-8, although it adds approximately $30 to the price tag of the knife. I have experience with CTS-XHP with other knives, and have had hands on experience with the Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter in CTS-XHP. CTS-XHP will hold an edge longer than AUS-8, and it is still easy to sharpen.

Cold Steel also upgraded to blade coating from a cheap black teflon coating, to a high end DLC coating. DLC is probably the best coating there is, so it’s a great upgrade.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the American Lawman is made primarily of two thick pieces of black peel ply G10. There are no liners of any kind inside the handle and the G10 screws directly into a black aluminum backspacer and stainless steel lock bar. In practice the handle is quite strong. The G10 is thick and I was not able to flex the handle at all – so I would not worry that this handle will not be up to hard use. Fit and finish is nice too. All of the edges have been nicely rounded and everything lines up well. This is a strong and well put together handle.

I really like the ergonomics of the Lawman. The handle is plenty large and allows for a comfortable grip. There is some shallow jimping on the top of the handle. It’s not aggressive but provides some texture and feedback for your thumb. The G10 is extremely high traction and provides a good deal of grip. One of my favorite ergonomic features is the forward choil. Much like the Spyderco Sage or Paramilitary 2, this forward choil allows you to choke up and really get some detail work done. I am a huge fan of the forward choil. Cold Steel usually doesn’t include this feature so I think it’s worth mentioning. Finally I want to say that the knife also feels comfortable in a reverse grip.

The pocket clip is standard fare for Cold Steel. It’s small black coated stainless steel clip. It’s very tight. The tight clip combined with the aggressive G10 means it can tear up your pants if you aren’t careful. The clip is reversible (they actually include 2 clips since it’s a curved design) and it allows for tip up carry only. In pocket the American Lawman carries well. The small clip buries the knife deep, so it’s a discrete carry, and the slim profile and relatively light weight makes for an easy carry.

Deployment and Lock

The CS Lawman uses a thumbstud and a half to get the blade out of the handle. The thumbstud is not entirely ambidextrous out of the box, but it is swappable. This is not the fastest deploying knife and it will require some wrist action if you really want to snap the knife out. This is mainly due to the strong backspring of the triad lock. I don’t mind the slow and purposeful deployment of the American Lawman, but if you are one to habitually flick your knife open and closed the Lawman be advised that this isn’t really that kind of knife.

The lock on this knife is quite interesting. It uses the Cold Steel Triad locking system. The Triad is a modified lock back system that utilizes a “stop pin” to redistribute pressure placed on the knife and lock and in theory it provides for a stronger lock. My experience with the Triad lock suggests that it is in fact very strong. Lockback knives are very strong in general and the Cold Steel version is at least as strong as a regular lockback. I like how this lock is designed to break in with the knife so it won’t require maintenance. The lock feels very crisp and nice and secure.

American Lawman or the Recon1 or the AK-47?

Chances are, if you are interested in the American, you may also be interested in the Cold Steel Recon 1 or the AK-47. If that is the case, I recorded a video where I do a detailed comparison of these 3 models that you may find useful.

Cold Steel American Lawman Review – Final Thoughts

If you are in the market for a hard use folding knife and have around $50 to spend, the American Lawman should be on your short list. This is an extremely rugged knife that feels good in hand and is capable of some serious cutting. The relatively light weight design and non-threatening blade make this a good choice for EDC, although the knife could definitely flex into a more “tactical” role. No doubt this is why Cold Steel has marketed the knife toward law enforcement.

The biggest gripe with this knife was always the sub-par AUS-8 blade steel and cheap teflon coating. Cold Steel blew those complaints out of the water, when they upgraded this knife to CTS-XHP and a DLC coating. At this point, the only grievance I can raise is that the pocket clip can be a little small / tight for some. It’s not my absolute favorite clip, but it’s not that bad either.

All said this is one of my favorite folders from Cold Steel. They don’t make a ton of stuff in the 3.5″ blade length and the subdued looks really gels with me. I highly recommend the American Lawman if you need hard a wearing utility knife and don’t want to shell out a ton of cash.

Cold Steel American Lawman Black Folder

Blade thickness: 3.5 mm
Blade length: 3 1/2 inch
Handle: 4 5/8 inch long. G-10

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

ESEE Zancudo Review

by Dan Jackson 32 Comments

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 high regard. ESEE is known for their no nonsense form over function tools, so it was quite interesting to see that ESEE was taking on a folding knife, and a sub 3″ framelock at that.

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The design of the Zancudo, which, by the way, is the Spanish word for mosquito, is unassuming enough. Whether it will live up to the legacy of their fixed blade offerings is an entirely different question.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Zancudo has an overall length of 7″, sports a 2.94″ blade, and weighs 3.1 oz. This is a great size for suburban EDC, although I don’t doubt it will do well at a camp site preparing food or performing other light camp chores. The sub 3″ blade is an interesting choice. There is plenty of room to gain a few extra millimeters so my guess is ESEE is trying to make a knife that flies under jurisdictions where 3″+ blades are outlawed. The full steel liner and steel frame lock add some heft to the knife, but it’s still slim and light enough to be an easy carry. In talking with globe-trotting renaissance man Kyle Ver Steeg on the podcast, I was surprised to learn that he prefers a small folder for most of his adventures. This could very well be an option for a trip to the Amazon, or disaster relief effort in the Philippines.

Your blade shape is a sloping modified drop point design. The spine of the knife droops down to almost a spearpoint, and the end result is a very utilitarian design with a thicker tip and relatively short belly. The blade is flat ground nice and thin, and the edge bevel has been neatly and uniformly applied. In practice the knife makes easy work of typical daily carry tasks like opening mail, cutting up fruit, and breaking down packages. A handsome dark stonewash has been applied for a well worn look right out of the box. The end result is an innocuous looking blade that packs plenty of punch for daily tasks. There are a lot of logos and markings on the blade. The mosquito on the back side is interesting; can’t say I have any other folders that share that distinction.

Blade steel is classic AUS 8, par for the course for any low price Taiwanese or Japanese made knife. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, AUS-8 is a relatively mild steel. Edge retention isn’t its claim to fame, but I have gotten plenty of work done with AUS-8, and it is extremely easy to sharpen and maintain. It’s also a very tough steel. For a sub $30 folder it’s a welcome choice.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle on the Zancudo is so simple it is almost boring. It’s a form follows function kind of knife, and I don’t have a problem with that. On the show side you have a faux G10 scale over a full steel liner, on the lock side you have a tumbled stainless frame lock. The knife is of pillar construction and features a lanyard hole. One interesting detail is that the hardware on the locking side is stainless while the hardware on the non-locking side is black. This is a thoughtful and attractive touch. Thy could have easily gone with all stainless or all black hardware, so I like that they paid attention to this detail. It is also important to note that everything has been really well finished. There isn’t a sharp corner or unnoticed detail. Even the liner and inside of the frame lock has been polished to a mirror-like sheen.

While on paper the handle of the Zancudo looks a little goofy, in hand it all makes sense. Mike Perrin decided to stretch this handle out to afford the user the full length of the handle without a choil or large guard. The resulting grip is sure and comfortable, and the knife is ready for work. The very short run of mild jimping is perfect for indexing your thumb and providing some level of traction without chewing into your flesh. The plastic scale, while inexpensive and not my favorite feature of the knife, has been patterned to mimic peel ply G10. The results are understated, and you have traction without the trauma often associated with aggressive G10 handles.

The pocket clip is functional but has an almost Ken Onion-esque curvature to it. I think it may be some sort of OEM piece, as I could have sworn I have seen this clip on another knife. The bend to the clip is quite severe, and it results in very sturdy and secure retention. The fact that it butts up against smooth stainless steel will save your pockets and make this knife easy to access. The clip comes right side tip down but the handle is also ready for right side tip up carry. The Zancudo is nice and slim and I found it very pocketable. The extra weight isn’t really noticible on heavy denim, but there are lighter knives out there if watching weight is your thing. I think ESEE’s product line is ripe for a lightweight version of the knife, as that would likely be of greater appeal to the weight conscious hiking and outdoors crowd.

Deployment and Lockup

Much like my Rat II, a firm flick of the ambidextrous thumb studs will send the blade flying out, and the blade glides on phosphor bronze washers. The thumb studs are simple and easy to get at, the way thumb studs on this kind of knife should be. No complaints in the deployment department.

For lockup you have a steel framelock, and it is very robust and well implemented. Fresh out of the box I noticed a little blade stick, but that quickly calmed down and has been replaced by effortless rock solid lockup. Given how relatively thin both the blade stock and lockup are, I am impressed by the early (50%) lockup on this knife. That combined with the dead center blade provides a sense of pride of ownership that you don’t typically encounter with bargain basement blades.

ESEE Zancudo Review – Final Thoughts

Much like the Rat II, the Zancudo isn’t a particularly sexy knife, but it is practical, robust, and well made. You also can’t argue with the price. ESEE always manages to infuse a good deal of character with their knives, and I am happy to report that the trip overseas didn’t wash that character away. The tumbled steel, matching hardware, and big black bug on the blade all play a part in distinguishing this knife from the competition.

2017 Update: This is among my favorite knives in the $30 range, and it makes it to my best EDC knives list. Although I have always liked this knife, I didn’t come to this conclusion immediately. It was only after years of carry and use that I realized the depth of the Zancudo – how thoughtfully designed it was. It’s beautifully built for the money. I prefer it over the Rat II, and can think of little else that matches it at this price point. If you are on the fence about the Zancudo my recommendation is to buy it without hesitation.

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

Ontario Rat II Review

by Dan Jackson 19 Comments

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 those lists there are a few special knives that make the cross over to both categories.

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Typically, these are gold standard blades like the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 and Benchmade Griptilian which are great knives, but clock in at $110+ and $70+ respectively. But then there is another category, the recommended high value knives section, where I try to limit the knives to $50 or less. It is quite rare to find a knife that can fall into all 3 categories. The Ontario Rat I is one of those knives.

I reviewed the RAT I a couple years ago, and I am still of the opinion that those seeking serious bang for their buck when it comes to a big EDC / “tactical” knives would be well served with a RAT I. That’s great for guys wanting a big knife, but what about the rest of us who are looking for a more pocket friendly EDC?

Enter the Rat II. It has everything we all know and love about the Rat I, but in a much more compact package.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Rat II is 7″ long, has a 3″ blade, weighs 2.75 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. This is a great size for urban EDC. It is both pocket and people friendly, and you still have enough knife to get some real work done. Of course, if you are looking for something larger then the Rat I has you covered.

The blade is a modified drop point design. Nothing about this knife is particularly sexy looking, but this plain utilitarian blade gets the job done. The full flat grind is thin, and the knife zips easily through all manner of material. The tip is plenty pokey for detail work while the bright satin finish is both attractive and corrosion resistant. They do offer the knife with a shiny black coating, but it is not very durable. I prefer the satin finished version.

Just like the Model I, the Rat II comes in AUS 8 blade steel. Steel snobs may turn their nose up at AUS 8, but my own testing and use has proven again and again that AUS 8 takes a great edge, is super easy to maintain, doesn’t chip out easily, and resists rust and corrosion. For a $30 folder, AUS 8 is about as good as it gets.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle on the Rat II features the same robust design of it’s bigger brother. You have plastic scales over full stainless liners with pillar (or “flow through”) construction. It is simple and effective. I also like the choice of handle colors and the black hardware. This knife is made in Taiwan, and like many of the other Taiwanese knives I have handled, this knife features exceptional fit and finish. One nit pick is that the handle scales are plastic. I would prefer some G10, but some corners have to be cut when your are targeting the under $40 market.

From an ergonomic standpoint the Rat II is pretty good. Obviously it’s not going to be as comfortable as the oversized Rat I, but, given the size of the knife I was still able to get a nice grip on it with my larger hands. Extra large hands may run out of real estate, but you could always choke up near the ricasso and gain a little extra room. The plastic scales are comfortable. All the corners have been rounded, and a texture provides some feedback without being aggressive. The jimping on the other hand is pretty aggressive. Under extended use this jimping definitely bites into your thumb, and I don’t like that aspect of the knife. All said though, and this is a decent knife to work with.

The pocket clip is a classic shape (think Benchmade or Emerson), comes with a painted satin black finish, and can be put on any of the 4 corners of the knife. It’s simple, discrete, and totally functional. The painted clip does show wear easily, but this is a user so I don’t mind. In pocket the knife rides low and stays where you want it to. I really cant complain about its simple and utilitarian design.

Deployment and Lock Up

For a low end knife the Rat II is surprisingly smooth. The Aus 8 blade glides on sintered bronze washers. A gentle nudge of the ambidextrous thumb studs sends the blade cascading out with a satisfying “thwack”. The blade on my knife came perfectly centered, which adds another level of enjoyment to the knife.

For lock up, you have a robust liner lock. This is a beefy liner lock, and there isn’t even a suggestion of play when I tug the blade in any direction. This is a great choice for hard use tasks, and I don’t hesitate to use this as a work knife. In fact, it’s a great choice for those nasty jobs you don’t want to risk a more expensive knife with. The blade locks up tight and the lock bar disengages easily when you need it to.

Ontario Rat II Review – Final Thoughts

For the money the Rat II is a hall of fame blade that makes my lists for both recommended EDC and recommended high value knives. It may not be the prettiest pony in the stable, but if you subscribe to the philosophy of function over form, want a folding knife with a 3″ blade, and have around $30 to spend, then the Rat II could be just the knife you are looking for. My biggest gripes were about the plastic handle scales and aggressive jimping. Beyond that I find very little to complain about, and these are easy objections to overcome given the price.

Just like it’s big brother, the Rat II is a no-nonsense tool ready to provide years of service.

Sale

Ontario Knife Company Rat II, Satin AUS-8 Stainless Steel Drop-Point Blade Folding Pocket Knife, Black Nylon Handle Liner Lock Knife, Everyday Carry Knife – ON8860

secure: the ambidextrous handle features textured black nylon 6 scales with an open-built steel linerlock frame
comfortable: the rat-2 knife is a handheld size designed for comfort and performance making it ideal for everyday carry
dependable: quick and easy access with dual thumb studs and a 4-way reversible pocket clip
"durable: the rat-2 comes equipped with a 3" plain edge blade made of reliable aus-8 stainless steel as well as a textured nylon handle"
"convenient size: the 4. 1" closed length handheld size is ideal for every day carry and fits in the hand and pocket comfortably"

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

Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite Review

by Dan Jackson 11 Comments

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 your bank account/significant other/retirement plan is free to disagree).

Buy the Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite at BladeHQ

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But sometimes you just want a tool that will get the job done without having to spend a ton of money. This is how a lot of us got started with collecting knives, and for some level-headed individuals it remains their approach to this day.

Personally, I try to strike a balance when building my collection. I like smart designs that provide great value, but also am known to indulge in the new and shiny. So this time around we are going to head back to earth and check out a cool, reasonably priced knife from Cold Steel: the Mini Tuff Lite (or “MTL”). It isn’t the sexiest blade in the collection, but for those who don’t wish to shell out $200, $100, or even $50 for a quality knife, the MTL brings you edged excellence at a sub $25 price point.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite is 5″ long, sports a 2″ blade (1.25″ edge), and weighs a mere 1.7 ounces. What drew me to this knife are the striking similarities to one of my favorite little EDC blades, the Spyderco Dragonfly II. It’s right around the same size and weight, and also features thumb holes and a back lock. The biggest difference is the price – the Dragonfly goes for $45+ while the Mini Tuff Lite can be had for right around $25.

Needless to say both knives make for great little EDCs. I like pairing the MTL with a larger knife although it easily accomplishes 95% of my EDC tasks. It is also a nice little option for a first aid kit, pocket survival kit, or any other place you would like to stow a small folder. If you want something bigger, Cold Steel also offers the full size Tuff Lite.

The blade is a wharncliffe shape. It’s a very functional shape, with a precise tip and razor edge. The steel is thick enough for serious use (2.5mm thick), and the hollow grind makes for a capable slicer. I will say that the sharpening choil and ricasso can get caught up on material that I am cutting (eg, cardboard), especially if I’m trying to really blast through it. That is to be expected from a 1.25″ edge. If you have a big job, I recommend a larger knife.

Steel on this knife is Cold Steel’s AUS8a. Stainless and relatively soft, AUS8 won’t hold an edge forever, but it gets very sharp very fast. I have no problems maintaining a hair shaving edge with this knife, and it doesn’t require any special skills. No issues with rust or corrosion either. Given the price, AUS8 is a great choice here.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Mini Tuff Lite is some sort of plastic (Griv-Ex™ according to Cold Steel). It’s tough and lightweight – entirely adequate for my mostly suburban purposes. Construction is very good. Three bolts hold the small handle together, and everything is nicely finished. There is a large lanyard slot for those who like lanyards, and all the corners are nicely rounded.

From an ergonomics perspective the MTL is very impressive. Much like the Dragonfly II, the MTL makes use of a forward choil. This allows you to really choke up on the blade, but it also affords you a full four finger grip. I really like to have a full grip on my EDC knife so for me this is exceptional. The plastic handle is lightly textured, and the spine of the blade is sparsely jimped. I find that this is plenty of traction and makes the knife both comfortable and practical to use.

The pocket clip is where you start to feel the budget aspects of this knife. Satin finished, and positioned for right side tip down carry only, it’s not as feature rich as some of your higher end knives. That said, there is still a lot to like here – retention is excellent and the knife is very discrete. I tend to forget it is clipped to my pocket, often having to double check before heading out the door. I think the lack of multiple carry options is a really minor issue as the clip generally works well, and the knife carries like a dream.

Deployment and Lockup

The Mini Tuff Lite makes use of a oval thumb hole for deployment. It’s small, but the sharp edges of the thumb hole make it easy to get at, and with a little effort you can manipulate the blade open. This isn’t the fastest draw in the west, but once again given the intended use I find it adequate. There is a firm backspring holding the blade closed, so you don’t need to worry about accidental deployments, but care should be taken when closing the knife as the blade tends to snap down with speed.

For the locking mechanism Cold Steel went with their most excellent Tri-Ad lock. For the uninitiated, the Tri-Ad lock is an overbuilt lockback with an added stop pin. This makes for an extremely strong lock, and is far superior to your regular lockback. You can really feel this when aggressively carving. I tested both the Mini Tuff Lite and the Dragonfly out on some 2x4s, and you can feel the the lockback on the Spyderco flex under the pressure of a strong push cut while the Tri-ad lock remains rock solid under pressure – a testament to the exceptional design of this locking mechanism.

Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite Review – Final Thoughts

Lets face it, the Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite wasn’t designed to win any beauty contests. This is definitely an instance where form follows function.

But there is something endearing about the MTL. A face only a mother could love. And if you need a small, lightweight, and inexpensive tool to get the job done I think you will be hard pressed to find a more outstanding value. This little knife is rock solid and capable of providing years of service. Plastic and AUS8 are a far cry from cutting edge knife technology, but the MTL will still happily satisfy the vast majority of your EDC chores.

For those interested in a Spyderco Dragonfly or a Benchmade Mini Griptilian, but are unwilling to pay the $50 and $80 price tags I give the Mini Tuff Lite my full endorsement.

In fact, this is a great small EDC knife regardless of what you compare it to.

Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite Serrated Knife

Blade Thickness: 2.5 mm
Handle: 3" Long Griv-Ex
Blade Grind: Hollow
Steel: Japanese AUS 8A Stainless
Pocket Clip: Ambidextrous Pocket/ Belt Clip

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

Boker Plus Vox BOB Review

by Dan Jackson 13 Comments

Last Updated: August 11, 2019
Designed by Jesper Voxnæs of Vox Knives, the Boker Plus Vox BOB is an interesting blend of chunky fixed blade and simple Scandinavian design. Mr. Voxnaes has done a number of collaborations with Boker, perhaps most notably his small Gnome neck knife, but this was my first hands-on experience with some of his work.

Buy the Boker BOB at BladeHQ

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I loved the look of the knife, but admit that Jesper’s design puzzled me a little. It’s a compact shape, but quite heavy for it’s size. I could envision several practical applications for the BOB, but I felt like there was a missing link in my analysis. So I went to Jesper himself for his take on the knife. I’m really glad I did because Jesper proved to be both incredibly insightful, and more than happy to answer my questions. So it’s not only a pleasure for me to review a great knife, but to review a great knife designed by a really cool designer.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Vox BOB has an overall length of 7-3/4″, a 3-3/4″ long blade, and the knife weighs 9.5 ounces. If this sounds hefty for a relatively modest knife, that’s because the Vox BOB is made from a piece 7mm thick steel!

Jesper informed me that the “BOB” in Vox BOB actually stands for Bug Out Bag (or Bail Out Bag), which of course is a bag that you pack in preparation for an emergency with enough supplies for 72 hours of survival. His goal was to create a bug out knife that satisfied a number of criteria. The knife needed to be:

Small enough for a pocket.
Heavy enough for chopping.
Slim enough for easy slicing and food prep.
Thick enough for splitting wood.
Have enough belly to dress and skin game.

With all that in mind, the heavier blade started to make sense. The knife is still light enough to be easily carried in a bug out situation, if you choke back on the handle with a 3 finger grip it can chop, the full flat grind makes the knife a very capable slicer, it’s stout enough for batoning, and there certainly is enough belly there for field dressing game. I also happen to think that this would make a great camp knife too. So lets continue along the review in my typical format and hit some of the high points of this design.

The blade shape is a classic clip point. There is a nice tip and tons of belly. Although I didn’t “bug out” with this knife, I did carry / use it and found the full flat grind and sweeping belly to be especially useful in the kitchen. Despite the thick blade stock the Vox BOB proved to be a capable slicer, and it didn’t hurt that the knife came extremely sharp from the factory. The edge on this knife has been beautifully ground, and I really like the bright satin finish.

AUS 8 was chosen for the blade steel. At first I was unsure of the choice, but I am now convinced that the selection makes sense.

In a survival situation you need a forgiving steel that won’t chip easily and is not difficult to sharpen. That’s why high carbon steels like 1095 as often used in wilderness survival blades, they fit that description to a T. But if you want to use a stainless steel, it’s best to leave the high end super steels on the shelf as they are typically more difficult to sharpen and are much more brittle. On the other hand, AUS 8 is extremely tough and can be easily sharpened in the field. It’s also completely stainless so there is no need for a blade coating or to worry as much about how you store and use the knife. For this particular blade I think AUS 8 was a good choice.

Handle and Ergonomics

The Vox BOB sports an attractive green canvas micarta handle with red liners and a couple of stainless steel tubular pins. I really like this handle design, it’s a pleasing color combination and a nice choice of materials. Everything is well put together. The scales are flush, nicely finished, and everything lines up.

The ergonomics are also nicely done here. The BOB is very comfortable in a regular 4 finger grip. The wide handle fills the hand well, there is a large finger choil, and the broad flat tang has plenty of room for your thumb. There isn’t any jimping, but I find that the overall design offers plenty of grip and jimping is unnecessary.

If you want to chop with the knife, Jesper recommends choking back on the handle with a 3 finger grip. Slip a lanyard through one of the tubular pins and you are ready to go. It’s not my first choice for a chopper but again, you have to understand the paradigm within which the knife was designed. The BOB has plenty of weight behind it and should get most chopping tasks done.

Rounding out our handle is what Jesper calls the “bonk stud.” Many will recognize this as a “skull crusher” or “non-lethal impact device,” but Jesper prefers to look at this protrusion as a tool rather than a weapon. He suggested that the bonk stud would be especially appropriate for pounding sticks into tinder. Regardless of the semantics (or philosophies) you subscribe to, I think this is a nice addition to the handle.

Sheath

For many overseas made knives the sheath is often the weakest link. Thankfully that’s not the case here. The Vox BOB comes with a hand made and hand fitted black kydex sheath by none other than Tom Krein. For those unfamiliar with Mr. Krein, he is a highly respected US knifemaker, and is also known for his own collaborations with Boker. His designs for Boker include the Pocket Bowie and Personal Survival Knife (PSK). Coincidentally, Tom also makes a great kydex sheath.

It’s almost goes without saying, but this sheath is beautifully made and has excellent retention. When secured the knife doesn’t wiggle around at all, but it is still easy enough to draw when you need it. The blade and sheath fit together with an extremely satisfying “snap.” It’s just been really well done.

In addition to the great sheath you also get a tek-lock, which typically sells for around $10 by itself. Tom designed this sheath for horizontal or vertical carry with the tek-lock, but you could secure the sheath with paracord or some other means. Regardless of the way you decide to carry this knife, the sheath is an absolute home run.

Boker Plus Vox BOB Review – Final Thoughts

I thought the Vox BOB was an extremely cool design on paper, and I’m pleased to say that it’s a exceptionally nice knife in person too. I love the clean lines meshed with the raw versatility of the design. The thick tang is very unique on a production knife, and when combined with all the other details it makes for a very versatile tool. The level of fit and finish is high, and the choice of materials here are all quite good.

But what really drives this knife home for me is the inclusion of an awesome sheath. A handmade kydex sheath on a production knife is totally unheard of (but completely welcomed). Retention is crisp, the details are great, and the sheath elevates the BOB from a good production fixed blade into a great one.

With a retail price of around $100, the BOB is not particularly cheap. But when you consider that this is a well made knife that comes with both a handmade sheath and a tek-lock I think the price is well justified. The Vox BOB really is a complete package, and I think it’s well worth a look for fans of prepping, camp knives and survival blades.

Boker Plus Bob Knife

AUS-8 steel blade
Canvas Micarta handles
Includes Kydex sheath.
AUS-8 stainless steel blade, with a thickness of 7mm
3-D canvas Micarta handles

I recommend purchasing the Vox BOB at Amazon.com and BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Cold Steel Ti-Lite Review

by Dan Jackson 18 Comments

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

Buy the Cold Steel Ti-Lite at BladeHQ

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

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

General Dimensions and Blade Details

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

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

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

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

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

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

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

Deployment and Lockup

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

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

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

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

Cold Steel Ti-Lite Review – Final Thoughts

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

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

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