carbon fiber

Kershaw Atmos Review

Look – We all try to stick to a budget. But as knife enthusiasts, we sometimes have a bit more difficulty than most. This is one of the reasons I’ve gravitated toward the shallow end of the blade pool. So, when the Kershaw Atmos made a big splash with some fellow reviewers, I decided to see what all the fuss was about.

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General Dimensions and Blade Details

Let’s get the obvious comparison out of the way – Yes, the Atmos looks like a budget version of the Zero Tolerance 0450. And it should, considering they share a common designer in the great Dmitry Sinkevich. But, as you’ll see in the comparison photos, the Atmos is between 10 and 15-percent smaller in most of its physical dimensions. We’ll come back to this comparison later, but let’s focus on the Kershaw for now.

The centerpiece of the Atmos is its 3-inch drop-point blade, wearing a satin finish over its hollow grind and upper swedge. It’s been crafted from a 0.10-inch thick piece of Chinese 8Cr13MoV steel, which is sure to illicit groans from about 90-percent of the audience. Look – I don’t like this steel any more than you do. But, hang with me for a while, and maybe you’ll learn to look past it.

Overall, the Atmos measures 6.9-inches, nearly four of which make up the G-10 handle. There’s a stainless steel insert on the clip side, housing the linerlock mechanism. Kershaw has included attractive carbon-fiber overlays on each handle slab (read: stickers), which somehow manage to avoid looking tacky on this budget-minded blade. I’m not usually a huge carbon fiber fan, but the added layer brings the handle width to a pleasing 0.43-inches. Weight-wise, the Atmos tips the scales at just 2-ounces. For those of you keeping track, that’s within 0.1-ounces of the Kershaw Fraxion, despite housing a bigger blade and far superior design.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Dmitry Sinkevich is a master of form, and the Atmos represents the very best aspects of his work. It cuts an attractive figure, with futuristic angles that somehow meld perfectly into my medium/large hand. It also manages to be more comfortable, practical, and carriable than its premium cousin.

Don’t believe me? Let’s break it down point by point. First, the grip. While I always adored the 0450 from an aesthetic standpoint, its hand-feel is always a bit of a disappointment. This is partially due to personal preference, since I find slab-sided titanium blades to be more difficult to grip. I’ll take G-10, Micarta, or even Grivory any day of the week. The Atmos’ G-10 and carbon fiber overlay provide solid purchase, even with damp or greasy hands. The jimping along the finger-facing portion of the flipper tab is a thoughtful touch, as well. While some may find it to be a bit aggressive, its extra friction really holds my index finger in place. Though we’re used to seeing flipper tabs pull double duty as blade guards, the setup on the Atmos feels extra secure.

Next, let’s cover the practicality of this blade. The hollow grind glides through onions, carrots, and cardboard with genuine ease. Yes, 8Cr13MoV is nowhere near as good as the 0450’s S35VN. But the grind, in conjunction with the thinness of the Atmos’ blade stock, allows it to cut far longer than you’d expect from a cheap Chinese steel. The ZT, on the other hand, features a saber grind with a tendency to split foods rather than slice.

We’ll wrap this portion of the review with a discussion of carriability. When I say that the Atmos is easier to carry than the 0450, I’m really making two different statements. On the scientific side, this is simply a more pocketable design. It weighs almost an ounce less than the titanium model (2-ounces vs. 2.9), and the deep-carry pocket clip is far superior to the semi-high ride affair on the ZT. It also manages to produce less of a hotspot under firm grip.

On the more personal side, I’ve found this to be an easier knife to use. Like, if someone asks me to cut a plastic tie-wire from a segment of steel grating, I’ll always hesitate before pulling out the 0450. It’s an attractive, expensive knife, and I find it difficult to shake the fear of dinging it up. But with the Atmos? Hell, it’s only $30. What do I care if the blade accidentally knocks up against a rock or piece of structural steel? It’s a more capable cutter, without the nagging pocket-jewelry connotation. Sure, it’s not the most hard-use tool on the table, but let’s be honest – Neither is the 0450.

Deployment and Lockup

The Kershaw Atmos is a fidgeter’s dream. I’ve spent more time playing with this knife than any other in my collection. Even the ZT0450 pales in comparison when it comes to fidget factor. There’s just something about the Atmos’ deployment – The snikt/clack that lands pleasantly on the ear.

The linerlock itself lands at a solid 40-50% lockup, with the blade flying through its arc after a firm press on the flipper tab. Kershaw has dialed in the detent to the point that it’s actually rather difficult to cause a misfire. Here’s a breakdown shot of the Atmos, showing the internal hardware responsible for its excellent action.

As you can see, Kershaw has included both metal washers and captive bearings. The setup works well, though the arrangement is a little strange. On the show side, the bearing is sandwiched between the washer and blade. On the clip side, the bearing rests between the washer and the linerlock steel. This is something you’ll need to remember during reassembly, if you want the blade to remain centered.

And you will need to take this blade down. See that deep hook on the blade tang? After household chores and a weekend of camping, gunk started to accumulate in its inner recesses. Thankfully, the simple screws and D-shaped pivot make disassembly a relatively routine affair. As mentioned, just be sure you’re putting the washers and bearings back in the proper order.

Even with proper oiling, however, the blade’s swing isn’t completely utterly smooth. I still encountered a bit of rolling friction when working it back and forth manually, but this is more than covered by the strength of its detent. When firing with the flipper, you’ll never notice.

Kershaw Atmos Review – Final Thoughts

Take a deep breath, fellow knife nerds. I have a confession to make: The 0450 is on its way out of my collection, while the Atmos is staying for the foreseeable future. It’s not a question of cost, since the ZT was provided to me for a previous review. Rather, it’s an issue of usability. Yes, the 0450 is fun. Its fit, finish, materials, and design place it in the pantheon of great EDC knives. But, for all of the reasons discussed above, I find myself drawn to the down-to-earth usability of the Atmos.

That isn’t to say the Kershaw is perfect, however. I’d love to see an upgraded version, maybe with 154CM, 14C28N, or another budget-friendly steel. Dmitry Sinkevich has come up with a world-class design here, and it deserves world-class materials. But, with an entry price of just $30, this is one of the best budget EDCs on the market.

Sale

Kershaw Atmos Folding Pocketknife (4037); 3-in. 8Cr13MoV Stainless Steel Drop Point Blade; Black G10 Handle with Carbon Fiber; Inset Liner Lock; KVT Manual Open; Reversible Deep-Carry Pocketclip; 1 oz

KERSHAW ATMOS POCKET KNIFE: The Atmos is a 2019 Bikepacker magazine top choice for a lightweight pocket knife. Designed by Dmitry Sinkevich with a slim, modified drop point blade that will handle the job without ever weighing you down.
DROP POINT PLAIN EDGE BLADE: Made from high-quality 8Cr13MoV stainless steel for edge retention and wear resistance. A satin blade finish with sanded flats reduces reflectivity.
DURABLE , ALL-WEATHER G10 HANDLE with a black eye-catching carbon overlay. A textured grip ensures a comfortable, secure feel in your hand. Includes a reversible deep-carry (right/left, tip-up) pocket clip for convenient, discreet carry.
DESIGNED WITH SAFETY IN MIND: This folding knife opens manually, but just as smoothly as an assisted knife with the manual KVT ball bearings and built-in flipper. A liner lock secures the knife blade in place during use to ensure user safety.
SIZE SPECIFICATIONS: Blade Length: 3in. Overall Length: 6.9in. Closed Length: 4in. Weighing in at 1.9oz. Backed by Kershaw’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.

I recommend purchasing the Kershaw Atmos 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.

UPDATE: Kershaw has chimed in on the Atmos’ use of carbon fiber. Here’s what they had to say: “The one thing is that the carbon fiber on the handle is not a ‘sticker’. It is actually an integral part of the G10 handle material. For this knife, when they are making the G10 (which is an epoxy-fiber material), they make it by layering sheets of fiber with epoxy…but in this case, the top is composed of two thin layers of carbon fiber. So rather than being stickered on, the carbon fiber is part of the handle—just like all the other fiber layers in the material. The black G10 below is exposed when we machine the contours of the handle. There’s no way the carbon fiber would peel off as a sticker might.”

Kershaw also takes issue with the idea that 8Cr13MoV is a “groaner of a steel.” As their representative pointed out, Blade Magazine/KnifeForums has singled the company out as having attained the best heat treatment for this particular metal. I stand by my desire to see the Atmos in something a bit higher-end, but it’s good to know that they’re getting the most mileage out of ol’ 8Cr.

Zero Tolerance 0450CF Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I lust after knives for months, or even years, before pulling the trigger. That was the case with this Zero Tolerance 0450CF. The original 0450 was cool, but the carbon fiber version put me over the top. It’s a little lighter and sleeker, and the choice of green anodized accents isn’t something you see on a lot of knives. I decided I wanted one, but could never find a decent deal on it.

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Fast forward a couple years later, and I received a trade offer that included this 0450CF. Right on. I immediately responded back that I was interested, and a few days later the knife was at my doorstep.

By way of a more formal introduction, the 0450 series is a riff on the original Dimitry Sinkevich designed 0454CF that I reviewed back in 2014. Chad McBroom reviewed the mass marketed 0452CF and Ben reviewed the shrunken down full titanium 0450. I’ve got the ultra light 0450CF for your consideration today.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0450CF has an over all length of 7.375″, a 3.25″ blade, and weighs a mere 2.45 ounces. Like all Zero Tolerance knives, the 0450CF is made in the USA.

The 0450 and the 0450CF are reactions to the knife market. Zero Tolerance is know for large overbuilt knives, but they received feedback that everyone didn’t want to carry around a big honking pocket knife. So the 0450 hit the scene, and then this 0450CF took that even further by replacing the titanium show side handle with carbon fiber. This shaved over almost half an ounce off the already lightweight 0450. This, my friends, makes for an ideal EDC knife in my book.

The 0450CF shares the same low slung blade that made us all fall in love with the 0454CF when it hit the scene. It’s a long, sleek, modified drop point blade, featuring a little belly and plenty of tip. The knife has a high flat grind and a decorative swedge. The blade has been given a semi-glossy black DLC coating. The edge has been uniformly applied, and there is a sharpening choil so you can easily sharpen this blade from tip to heel.

ZT opted for S35VN for the blade steel. Regulars to the site or high end knives need no introduction to S35VN. It’s a high performance stainless steel from Crucible designed specificaly for pocket knives with the help of Chris Reeve. It’s an excellent all round blade steel and a good choice for small pocket knives like this as it offers a good balance of edge retention, toughness, and ease of sharpening. I like S35VN generally, and they did a great job with the heat treat on this 0450CF. As always if you want to dive deeper into blade steel check out our steel section for all sorts of additional info.

Practically speaking this little 0450CF is a capable cutter. The blade shape is perfect for getting under envelopes, breaking down boxes, cutting fruit, and performing all the little odd ball chores I require of my EDC knives. That said, I must agree with Ben that this knife is not the best slicer. The partial flat grind binds up in material. While it cuts, it’s no Alox Cadet. This is probably my biggest gripe with the knife.

The S35VN blade has held up great, and so has the Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coating. DLC coatings are among the best money can buy, and unless you scrape this knife on concrete or metal it will hold up well.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the 0450CF is a solid piece of carbon fiber on the show side, and a black DLC coated titantium framelock on the reverse. The knife is held together with two green aluminum standoffs and an oversized pivot. Construction is simple yet elegant. All the hardware is black save for the green anodized standoffs. The fit and finish is exceptional. The screws are all the right length, the parts line up perfectly, and the finish work is excellent. The carbon fiber is lightly textured, and shimmers slightly in the light. This handle has been beautifully done.

The 0450CF is a small knife, but it doesn’t compromise in the ergonomics department. Dimitry’s design is simple and it should work well for most people. I take an “XL” size glove and have no problem getting a full four finger grip on this knife.

There is a short row of jimping on the spine that provides you with a little traction and something to index your thumb on. Beyond that there is not much in the way of texture. That’s fine by me as I don’t think this knife needs aggressive texturing. It works well as is.

The pocket clip is a standard parkerized black spoon style pocket clip. It’s relatively discreet and unobtrusive. While it’s not a true deep carry clip, it buries the majority of the knife in your pocket and keeps the 0450CF tucked away. The clip is swappable for right or left side tip up carry. A deep carry clip would have been nice.

I have carried this knife quite a bit. The 0450CF is a knife that you forget you are carrying. At just under 2.5 ounces this is not going to pull your pants down. The clip has great retention and the knife stays where you want it to in your pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

This is a Dimitry Sinkevich designed flipper made by Zero Tolerance, so the flipping action is outstanding. The detent is perfectly tuned for crisp, snappy flipping action each and every time. I’ve never “flubbed the flip” with this knife and I’d say the action is a solid “8” on the 0-10 scale. It’s good. Inside you have a caged bearing system. It is exceptionally smooth and you can shake the knife closed easily.

Please note I’m a lefty, so I don’t have any issues with putting my fingers on the lock bar when flipping the knife. I tried flipping this 0450CF with my right hand. Beside it being incredibly awkward for me, it works fine. No issues flipping open this knife. I think ZT fixed the issue that plagued their earlier knives.

Here is a shot of the 0450CF next to another excellent EDC knife, the Spyderco Sage 1:

For lockup we have a titanium frame lock with a stainless steel insert. Zero Tolerance does such a good job with these, that I almost feel that writing this section is unnecessary. The lock bar engages early and securely. The lockup is rock solid with zero blade play in any direction. The lock is smooth and easy to manipulate with no lock stick. This is titanium frame lock perfection and continues to be something of a gold standard in my world.

Blade centering is dead nuts center on my knife.

Zero Tolerance 0450CF Review – Final Thoughts

Ben was a little lukewarm on his 0450. He didn’t like the way the knife cut, the ergonomics, and he had issues with the action. Aside from that Mrs. Lincoln tells me the play was OK.

I think Ben raises valid points. A little knife like this should zip through stuff, but the combination of narrow blade and partial flat grind impacts the 450CF’s slicing performance. It still cuts, but it could be better. Personally, the ergonomics were spot on for my hand, and I found that the 0450CF flipped great. Ergonomics will vary from person to person, and I think ZT addressed the flipping action.

All in all, I am glad I picked up this little 0450CF. It’s as cool in person as I always hoped. I like the look of it over the standard 0450 and how it’s even lighter with this carbon fiber handle.

The 0450CF is an excellent little EDC knife in my book. With a retail price at close to $200 it’s not cheap, but I’m glad I went for it. The 0450 is probably ZT’s most practical EDC offering for the average person. This carbon fiber version takes things up a notch.

Zero Tolerance 0450CF Folding Knife, 3.25" DLC S35VN Blade, Carbon Fiber & Titanium Handle, KVT Ball-Bearing Opening, Frame Lock, 2.45oz

3.25-inch S35VN steel blade shows amazing toughness and resistance to edge chipping, with improved edge retention. Blade Thickness: 0.121 inches
Handle features a carbon fiber front and sturdy titanium back for comfortable in-hand feel, increased strength and excellent size/weight proportion
DLC-coating on the blade gives sleek matte-black look and enhanced performance characteristics
Great companion for hunters, business professionals, wilderness guides, survival experts, first responders, military, law-enforcement and more
Ideal gift for any special occasion such as birthdays, holidays, graduations, anniversaries, promotions, weddings and more

I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0450CF 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.

Spyderco Bradley Folder 2 Review

by Travis Pike 5 Comments

I’ve set some odd goals throughout my life. Goals that are a personal measure of my own success. One of those goals was to carry a Spyderco as an EDC knife. I always associated Spyderco with expensive and high quality. Why? I’m not exactly sure. Realizing that knives from companies like Microtech can cost 5 times as much as a Spyderco didn’t change my mind. To me a Spyderco was a measure of a certain kind of success.

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I had a bit of a rush when I finally purchased my first Spyderco. This is my third Spyderco and I get that same rush. The Spyderco we are talking about today is the Gayle Bradley Folder 2. The Spyderco Bradley Folder 2 has been my EDC for most of the fall and winter so I’ve had the time to get to know it.

We all know who Spyderco is and we know they produce high quality knives designed for hard work. Gayle Bradley may be familiar to some readers, but let’s talk about him a bit for those who aren’t familiar with his work (we previously reviewed Bradley’s original collaboration with Spyderco, and the Spyderco Air as well). Gayle Bradley has been designing knives for over 30 years. His knives have set Blade Sports world records twice and stay in high demand. The calling card of his knives is the combination of form and function.

Gayle Bradley’s knives work and look good doing it. The Spyderco Bradley Folder 2 is no different. The collaboration between Gayle Bradley and Spyderco has produced my favorite Spyderco yet.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Bradley Folder 2 has an overall length of 8.48 inches, has a 3.66-inch blade, weighs 4.5 ounces and is built in Taiwan. Since it has a 2 in the name you can assume this is the second Bradley and Spyderco collaboration. The Bradley Folder 2 is longer in both blade and handle than the original, but remains the lighter knife. The Bradley 2 is a half an ounce lighter than the original.

This knife is too pretty for me. It’s so good-looking I almost hate to carry and abuse it. As you can see from the pictures I seemed to have gotten over that. I’ve used and abused it quite a bit. The handle features carbon fiber and G10 laminate grips. This gives the knife it’s eye catching outward appearance. It’s not until you spend some real time with this knife you appreciate it’s refinement. Once you get to third date you can take a peek under the skirt.

The blade is hollow ground and the symmetry is painfully perfect. The way the grinds on the top of the blade catch the light is something you can only experience with one in your hand.

The blade is made from CPM M4 steel. The benefits of this steel are numerous. It’s strong, it holds an edge forever, and it can be razor sharp with little effort. The knife gods can’t give without taking though. M4 is a tool steel and not a stainless steel so it will rust if you don’t take care of it.

My blade isn’t rusted, that’s tar. I’ve been re roofing my home and the Bradley Folder 2 has been along for the ride. Once I have the time I’ll sit down with some blade oil and a stiff AP brush and try to clean it. For now, it just adds character.

From the factory the blade is a razor. It sliced through any and everything with ease. Paper, roof shingles, cardboard, rope, and more. Dragging it over certain materials was enough to make cuts. I remain impressed by how sharp I can get this blade. Equally impressive is how long it remains sharp.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The extended handle on the Bradley Folder 2 will be appreciated by anyone with XL hands. The design includes a subtle finger guard to help resist hand slippage when working hard. The rear of the handle has an inward curve that accommodates a thumb on top grip. The screws that hold the grip panels to the knife are countersunk and blackened to blend in with the grips. There is a total of 8 Torx screws in the grips, 4 on each side.

That carbon fiber pattern offers you a grippy texture. It helps keep the knife in your hand, but isn’t abrasive or uncomfortable. The pattern itself is not just nice to look at, but functional.

The back of the blade has a small textured session to rest your thumb on. It’s nice but it could be bigger. There is plenty of room to extend the texturing if they chose to do so. The blade is easy to control for fine cuts and the handle is comfortable during long stretches of work.

Included is a simple, but long pocket clip. It’s 2.5 inches long and adorned with a cute little Spider. The pocket clip can be moved to 4 different positions. You can carry the knife tip up or tip down and it can be orientated for left or right handed carry. The Bradley Folder 2 is a completely ambidextrous knife.

Deployment and Lockup

The Bradley Folder 2 has a larger ½ inch deployment hole. When it comes to Spyderco’s deployment hole design you either love it or hate it. For me it’s easy to reach and puts the blade into action fast enough. It’s far from the fastest deployment system, but its smooth and reliable. There isn’t a little piece of metal screwed to the side of the blade that’s waiting to fall off.

Once the blade is locked in place it’s staying there. The blade has zero play in any direction. You can feel the slight hiccup right before the liner lock engages. This the only point where deployment isn’t 100% smooth. The liner locked is textured which is a nice touch. This makes it easier to unlock the knife, especially when your hands are cold and numb.

Spyderco Gayle Bradley Folder 2 Review – Final Thoughts

The Gayle Bradley Folder 2 is a great little knife. It mixes both form and function flawlessly. It gives users something they can admire with the hand and the eye. The Bradley Folder 2 is a workhorse. Just because it’s pretty doesn’t mean it can’t get dirty. This isn’t the cheapest Spyderco, and you are probably paying a little extra for the looks. Are looks worth it?

Well, that’s subjective. To me, it’s worth every dime. I think it’s a fantastic knife and it will likely stay in the carry rotation for some time.

Spyderco Bradley Folder 2 Specialty Knife with 3.66" CPM M4 Premium Steel Blade and Black Carbon Fiber Laminate Handle - PlainEdge - C134CFP2

Folding Knives: Locking folding knives are safe, compact, and easy to carry. They also happen to be where the Spyderco revolution began.
Carbon Fiber: Graphic fibers (the size of a human hair) woven together then fused with epoxy resin. Lightweight with a high level of tensile strength it is three dimensional in appearance.
Hollow Grind: It comes with bevels that are ground with a concave radius. The bevels may extend the full width of the blade (full Hollow Grind) or only a portion of its width.
PlainEdge Blade: This knife has a sharpened blade with no serrations or teeth sometimes referred to as a smooth blade.
Specifications: Closed Length (Inches): 4.82, Overall Length (Inches): 8.42, Blade Length (Inches):3.6, Blade Steel: CPM M4, Grind: Hollow

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Bradley Folder 2 at Amazon.com and 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.

Grant and Gavin Hawk MUDD Review

by Dan Jackson 4 Comments

Last Updated: August 12, 2019
I haven’t reviewed many mid-tech knives. This is because I find a lot of them to be expensive and boring. Many follow the standard formula of slab sided titanium handles with a stainless steel blade.

In theory, mid-techs can be a great way for a custom knife maker to get their designs into more hands, have more control over production, and keep more of the profit then collaborating with a production knife company. But at an average price of $400, and thanks to advances in small-batch manufacturing, this has become a crowded segment of the market. After the novelty of this genre wore off I came to the conclusion that I can’t justify purchasing most of these knives.

Buy the G&G Hawk MUDD at BladeHQ

That said, there are some super inventive mid tech knives out there. Knives that offer the enthusiast something more special than a production knife, but at a fraction of the price of a custom. That was the original promise of a mid-tech knife, even if the semantics of what a “mid-tech” is remains unclear. I consider a mid-tech to be not a custom knife, and not a mass production knife. It’s sort of a bridge between the two. You can peel apart the onion further, but arguing the definition beyond that point seems unnecessary to me.

The Grant and Gavin Hawk M.U.D.D. is one of those inventive mid-tech knives. I have been intrigued by the design since Zero Tolerance released now discontinued the 0500, and have been tempted by that knife on the forums several times. More recently, Grant and Gavin Hawk developed a mid-tech line, and the M.U.D.D. was on their list. I found it impossible to resist the allure of this amped up rendering of the 0500.

MUDD stands for Multi-Utility-Dirt-Defiant. This knife is sealed with a rubber boot around the lock release button and polyurethane seals around the pivot. The end result is a knife that is resistant to dirt and grime. In addition to the unique concept, the MUDD is designed differently. This isn’t another titanium framelock flipper in S35VN. The MUDD is unique and detailed. To me this seems less like an effort to cash in on the mid-tech craze, and more an opportunity to produce something special on a larger scale. I think that’s something worth exploring.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The MUDD has an overall length of 7.75″, a 3.25″ blade, and weighs 4.88 ounces. The MUDD is made in the USA. It’s worth noting that this knife is almost 3/4″ thick. It’s almost twice as thick as my Para 2. This thickness is due to the “Hawk Lock” and the overbuilt nature of the knife. So it won’t win any lightweight EDC awards. Still, you can carry the MUDD if you want to, especially if overbuilt knives are your thing. I mostly purchased mine as a collectible and for the novelty of the knife. In that sense it doesn’t disappoint, but if I expected this to replace a Dragonfly II then I would be disappointed.

The blade is a modified drop point, but to leave it at that would be an injustice. There is a lot of intricate machining here. The ricasso features a series of stepped grooves lending a futuristic look to the blade. The grind is of the deep hollow variety, and there is a crisply applied swedge running along most of the spine. The “G&G Hawk” logo and “MUDD” moniker have both been engraved on the blade. A dark stonewashed finish round things out, although black Cerakoted versions are also available.

G&G Hawk went with Elmax for the blade steel. Elmax remains a high end offering from Bohler Uddeholme. I liken Elmax to steels like CTS-XHP and S35VN: good all around blade steel that is reasonably easy to sharpen and holds a good edge. This blade is about 3.5mm thick, but gets thin behind the edge thanks to the deep hollow grind. I found the MUDD to be a capable slicer. It came with a perfectly symmetrical beautifully ground edge and made quick work of cardboard and rope. I’ve had no issues with rust or corrosion and have been able to maintain my edge with routine stropping.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the MUDD is complicated. I am sure a ton of engineering went into this, but the end result appears effortless. There is a single stand off near the pommel. Two carbon fiber scales sandwich beefy titanium liners. The carbon fiber scales are 3-D contoured and the perimeter of the scale steps down to meet the titanium handle for further effect. The edges of the titanium are all chamferred. My particular knife has come with blue / purple anodization that contrasts with the raw stonewashed blade, pivot, and standoff. The fit and finish is outstanding.

The MUDD doesn’t look like a particularly comfortable knife. It’s an odd assortment of boxy lines and gentle curves. Despite all that the knife feels natural in my hand. The finger groove lines up with my index finger, my thumb naturally finds the thumb ramp and oversized thumb studs, and my pinky lines up with the last step down of the handle. There is plenty of room, and you can even choke up on the round “anti-choil” (my own term to define the round segment by the pivot). It’s atypical, but it works.

The pocket clip is among the most inventive clips I have come across. It’s 2 pieces of milled titanium. The portion serving as the spring is quite strong. There is a sizable tab for your thumb, and you need to depress this to lift the tip of the clip so you can make room for your pocket. It takes a little getting used to, and isn’t a design that I would want to see replacing my go-to EDC knives, but it’s different and it works. I think it is a great touch for this particular design, but practically speaking I don’t view it as an improvement over your standard clip.

As far as carry is concerned, this is a thick and relatively heavy knife. You definitely feel it in the pocket. That said, I think you get something interesting and unique for the extra bulk. Not every knife can carry like a Dragonfly II. Again, I don’t fault the MUDD for trying something new. The novelty is what makes it worth investigating. If you are seriously considering the MUDD, then you already have a raft of daily carry blades. This is for the collector that wants something different.

Deployment and Lockup

The MUDD features 2 oversized knurled thumb studs. They are easy to access. The pivot of this knife is on bearings and the action is smooth and effortless. The detent is pretty good. The blade flicks out easily with your thumb, and if I hold the MUDD by the tail I can shake the blade out with a snap, but it takes a strong flick of the wrist.

For our locking mechanism we have the Hawk Lock. This is manipulated by a button on the side of the handle that you slide back to release the lock. A simple way to explain the mechanics of the lock, is that there are a couple stop pins set into the blade, and a spring loaded pin holds the blade in the open and closed position. You manipulate the pin with the button, sliding it back to allow the blade to travel, in the same way you pull back on an axis lock.

As an aside, here is a shot of the MUDD next to my Para 2 for a size comparison:

I like the look and feel of the oversize decorative pivot. It requires a special tool to disassemble this knife, something I typically don’t care for, but I don’t mind it on this unique piece. This is because I don’t anticipate disassembling my MUDD any time soon. While that sort of attitude may dilute the hard use, dirt defiant spirit of the knife, that’s the reality of owning a $500 knife when you already have dozens of well worn inexpensive knives to do your dirty work. At least I’m being honest about it.

For those who are curious I found a good YouTube video on the disassembly. This can give you a better appreciation for how the MUDD is built and how the Hawk Lock functions.

G&G Hawk MUDD Review – Final Thoughts

The MUDD is one of a kind. It’s anything but your typical formula of slab sided titanium framelock flipper. That alone made it worth exploring. In practice, this is a superbly constructed knife. I suspect the Hawks were heavily involved in the production and finishing given how polished the final product feels. For $475+ you would expect that.

And $475 is a lot of money to spend on a knife. One critique is that I would have enjoyed learning more about how they made this knife prior to my purchase. How it’s manufactured, the level of hand work involved, etc. The quality is apparent to the point of being eerie. I assume a lot of work went into this, and I’d like to peek behind the curtain to better appreciate the process. On the other hand, maybe I don’t want to know exactly how the sausage was made. It’s an odd critique, but the knife is so well made that I can’t help wonder, “How did they do it?”

Lets quickly evaluate the knife on a more practical level. Where the design clearly falls short for me is in the thickness. This isn’t my idea of an EDC knife. It’s big, bulky, and impractical. Again, I don’t mind that as I didn’t buy it for daily carry, but I think it’s worth reiterating. The pocket clip is also not as practical as your standard spring clip. But every knife reviewed can’t be the Delica 4.

Regardless of my criticisms, the Hawks appear to be having no problems moving the MUDD. It’s sold out on their website, and sold out on BladeHQ and other online retailers. Holding the knife in my hand I can understand why. It’s solid and unique.

So if you are in the market for something overbuilt and different, perhaps with some dirt-defying capabilities, then the Grant and Gavin Hawk M.U.D.D. hits the mark.

G&G Hawk M.U.D.D. – From $475.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Grant and Gavin Hawk MUDD (or any other G&G designs) at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for checking out the review.

Southern Grind Spider Monkey Review

by Dan Jackson 16 Comments

Last Updated: July 30, 2019
Southern Grind is the pet project of country musician Zac Brown. Zac has a strong interest in pocket knives, and he apparently created Southern Grind in part to explore that interest. Southern Grind produces their knives in house, in the USA, and the knives feature a number of design decisions that stray from the beaten path. What I find especially interesting is that they make their custom own hardware.

Buy the Southern Grind Spider Monkey at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

Southern Grind’s first folder was the Bad Monkey, a quirky take on the large linerlock EDC knife. For whatever reason I never pulled the trigger on the Bad Monkey, but with the release of the smaller, lighter, and more refined Spider Monkey I finally moved forward.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Spider Monkey features an overall length of 7.50″, a 3.25” blade, and it weighs 3.2 ounces. The Spider Monkey compares favorably to Sage 1. The blade on the Spider Monkey is a 1/4″ longer than the blade of the Sage, but the handle is the same size. While the original Bad Monkey was a large utility folder with a 4″ blade, the Spider Monkey is much smaller and geared towards the EDC crowd.

The blade is a gently sloping drop point shape with a prominent thumb ramp and small swedge. This knife also features a high flat grind and has been finished with a polish and stonewash. This is a classic no-frills blade shape, that gives you a little of everything. The tip is fine and ideal for piercing cuts, there is some belly, but also plenty of edge for draw cuts. The grind is thin and the knife slices well, and the edge has been applied neatly. This is a capable blade, ideally suited for daily tasks. I used my knife to open boxes, cut fruit, and help out with chores around the house.

Southern Grind also offers the Spider Monkey with a tanto blade shape, a partially serrated version, and with an optional black coating.

Southern Grind used S35VN steel for the blade, a good choice given the price point and intended use. I’ve written a lot about S35VN. We seem to see it crop up in more and more premium knives these days. I like how this steel holds a good edge, but is still is easy to sharpen. I prefer it over harder steels that are more difficult to maintain. I like how I can run this knife over a ceramic rod and bring it back to hair shaving sharp without a ton of work.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Spider Monkey features carbon fiber handle scales over titanium liners. The carbon fiber is contoured, and it features a ribbed texture that starts at the pommel and fades into smooth carbon fiber about half way into the handle. The handle is held together with custom hardware and pillars. The fit of all the parts is excellent. The profile of the handle is unique with its swayed back and large pommel, but it all works. Even the laser etched logo on the custom pivot is perfectly aligned. It is little touches like this that show the thought and care that went into engineering this knife.

I am also not a fan of the proprietary body screws. While I can appreciate the fact that these are custom machined parts, you need a special tool to take the knife apart, and it doesn’t ship with the knife. I’d prefer torx hardware for ease of disassembly, or at least charge me a little extra and ship the knife with the necessary take down tool.

The handle of the Spider Monkey may look a little boxy, but it is comfortable. The finger choil does a good job indexing your finger, and the rounded back corner of the handle is fits neatly into your hand. While the carbon fiber scales don’t offer tons of grip, there is some texture here. Plus, there is some aggressive jimping on the thumb ramp. I would dial that back or do away with it, but I know some people will appreciate the extra traction here.

The pocket clip is perhaps the most novel feature of the knife. This is a shortened version of the clip you will find on a Benchmade or Emerson. This is something Zack Brown himself developed after being frustrated with longer pocket clips. This won’t be to everyone’s taste, but I think it’s cool. The clip works well. Retention is strong and there is no danger of the Spider Monkey slipping out of your pocket. If you don’t like it you could always swap it out with a Benchmade or Emerson clip.

Deployment and Lockup

The Spider Monkey uses dual thumb studs to get the blade open. Again, we have proprietary hardware here, which is cool to see in this application. I found the action on my knife to be a little stiff, and because of the custom body screws I was not able to take the knife apart for a cleaning. I could flick the blade open with some wrist action, but that was it. The action is smooth thanks in part to phosphor bronze washers, but the blade doesn’t want to fly open like on some of my other knives.

The titanium liner lock is substantial and executed wonderfully. Lockup is early and secure. There is absolutely no blade play in any direction, and the lock is easy enough to disengage when you are ready to close the blade. This liner lock works so well, I thought it was stainless steel. I bemoaned titanium liner locks in my Emerson Gentleman Jim review because the titanium liner lock on my knife (and in most Emersons I have handled) stick like crazy. Clearly, not all titanium liner locks are created equal, and this is a great liner lock. It is easily on par with my Sage 1.

Blade centering is perfect on my knife.

Southern Grind Spider Monkey – Final Thoughts

The Spider Monkey is a cool little knife. I have been intrigued by this company, ever since they arrived on the scene a few years ago, but I ended up liking the Spider Monkey more than I thought I would. It’s a great size and there are a number of details that set this apart from your typical slab construction liner lock folders. I like the stubby pocket clip, the custom pivot and thumb studs, and the contoured carbon fiber handles. In a way, this is how I would expect an Emerson knife to be made: beautiful construction, modern materials, and a ~~stainless steel~~ thick titanium liner lock that doesn’t stick with phosphor bronze washers. But like an Emerson, this Southern Grind knife has its quirks as well.

The biggest quirk, and my biggest beef with the Spider Monkey, is that I don’t like the proprietary body screws. I have found that being able to periodically disassemble and clean my EDC knives is essential to a piece being a true “user” knife for me. I don’t care if I never disassemble my 888, but I need to be able to take apart a simple liner lock EDC knife like this.

Still, the pros outweigh the cons with the Spider Monkey. Southern Grind is a young knife company, and they are coming out with some cool stuff. Plus, they clearly know how to make things. The tolerances are great, and the end result is a premium product. I enjoy this Spider Monkey and look forward to keeping it for long term testing and evaluation. In the meantime, buy it if you like the design. I can vouch that it is a quality tool.

Southern Grind Spider Monkey Drop Point Folding Knife with Carbon Fiber Handle

PREMIUM QUALITY: Made from S35VN steel for a strong and dependable knife. Your blade stays safe and secure with our 6AL4V Titanium lock and liner.
BUILT TO LAST: Our tough, durable USA-made tactical knives give you unmatched reliability - resistant to edge chipping and corrosion.
STRONG GRIP: Textured carbon fiber matte finish for a strong and solid, all-conditions grip. The short pocket clip ensures a secure pocket carry with minimal interference.
VERSATILITY: An all-around EDC knife perfect for every day use as well as tactical or military purposes. Foldable and compact to store in your backpack, survival gear kit, and more.
100% GUARANTEE, MADE IN USA: Your Southern Grind knife is guaranteed under our Limited Warranty for the lifetime of the original purchaser. A portion of each sale goes to benefit Camp Southern Ground.

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

Spyderco Sage 5 Compression Lock C123CFCL Review

by Dan Jackson 23 Comments

I am sure a few people saw this review coming. When you consider my recommended EDC knives page, you can see that my general top 2 choices for someone is either the Spyderco Paramilitary 2, or the Sage 1.

Buy the Spyderco Sage 5 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

I arrived at this conclusion after handling and reviewing hundreds of knives. There are a ton of other great Every Day Carry (EDC) options out there, but if I had to just suggest 2 knives to any random person off the ~~street~~ internet I’d say go with a Para 2 if you want a bigger knife with a 3.5″ blade, or go with a Sage 1 if you want something with a 3″ blade. Granted this assumes you are willing to spend $100+ on a pocket knife.

The Sage 5 takes the unassuming footprint of the Sage series, a product line designed to celebrate knife locks and their inventors, and matches it with the beloved compression lock. People have clamored for a smaller compression lock knife for years, and Spyderco has finally delivered with the Sage 5.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Sage 5 has an overall length of 7.17″, a 3″ blade, weighs 3.1 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I like this size of knife for EDC. It’s not too big, and not too small. Compared with the Sage 1 this knife is a little lighter and thinner thanks to nested and heavily milled out stainless steel liners. The Sage 1 weighs 3.2 ounces, so only .1 of an ounce more, but it feels heavier in hand. I hate to use the “P” word these days, but I still think this may be the perfect size EDC knife for my purposes.

Like all the other knives in the Sage series, this knife features Spyderco’s leaf shaped blade. It’s simple and unassuming with its full flat grind and satin finish. The blade is ground from 3mm thick stock, and the end result is a blade that is thin and agile. It easily tackles cardboard, food prep, and mail. It will press into harder tasks if necessary. The tip is a reasonable balance of strength and precision. No surprises and no complaints with the blade.

Spyderco went with CPM S30V blade steel. This is the same steel they have used on the other Sages I’ve handled. I think CPM S30V is good, but these days I would prefer to see Spyderco upgrade this to S35V. S35VN is tougher and I find it a little easier to sharpen. S30V can be brittle, and it can be relatively tough to sharpen. The heat treat can make a difference, but all things equal I think S35VN is a nice little upgrade of over S30V.

That said, the S30V here is plenty good and I have a lot of experience with it. The blade is relatively easy to sharpen, exhibits good edge retention, and is decently tough. As always, for more information on blade steel I invite you to check out my page on knife steel or I suppose you could re-read this section on my Sage 1 or Sage 2 reviews. The blades and steel are all identical.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle design is where we begin to see the uniqueness of the Sage 5. To the untrained eye you may not think there is much different from the original Sage 1. Sure, they share a similar faux carbon fiber cladding, but beyond that there are key differences to note. Specifically, the Sage 5 has nested stainless steel liners, while the liners of the Sage 1 are not nested. As previously mentioned, this results in a thinner and lighter knife. The Sage 5 has only 2 stand offs while the Sage 1 has 3. However, the Sage 5 does come with a sleeved lanyard hole, something I could live without. Also, the color of the carbon fiber veneer is slightly different from the Sage 1.

As you would expect, the fit and finish of this knife is immaculate. The handle is put together with the same eerie precision of all the other Taiwanese Spydies. If it wasn’t for the fact that someone wrote on the inside of the handle scales with a pencil, I would have not have guessed that a human hand touched this knife.

Like a lot of Spyderco knives that share this profile, the ergonomics are great. Just like the Para 2 and Dragonfly 2, you have a forward 50/50 finger choil. You also get a pleasantly jimped thumb ramp. It provides traction without being overly aggressive. The main portion of the handle easily accommodates a full 4 finger grip, while that finger choil gives you some extra options.

The Sage 5 comes with Spyderco’s wire clip. Ah, the wire clip. This is a love it or hate it thing. Personally, I love the wire clip. Here it is a bright stainless steel. My preference is for the black chrome version found on the Sage 1, but I must admit that this satin version looks nice with the rest of the stainless steel hardware. It reminds me of the Chaparral.

This knife carries like a slimmer and lighter Sage 1. That is to say, it carries pretty damn good. This is a knife you could carry with a suit or slacks if you wanted to. The fold over wire clip buries deep, and most people will probably mistake it for a pen. The Sage 5 is a knife you will forget is in your pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

Of course like all the other Sages the blade is opened with a thumb hole. It’s easy to access and the blade moves on phosphor bronze washers. No complaints there. However, I did run into a problem when trying to close the knife. The action was very stiff from the factory. I didn’t mind at first as I knew that my Sage 1 required a break in period due to its tight tolerances, but I became concerned when the action didn’t improve after a couple weeks of carry and a healthy application of Tuf Glide.

So I decided to take my Sage 5 apart to take a closer look and try to resolve the issue with the stiff action. The problem was that the blade would not shut easily, and I actually needed 2 hands to close the knife. Not ideal, especially when compared with the easy action of my Para 2.

I found that Spyderco used an industrial strength version of Loctite on this knife. I am glad I had my new WiHa drivers as I am sure my Husky set would have stripped out. It required a lot of force to crack the pivot open, but with a little patience and elbow grease I was able to get the knife apart.

I ended up adding a little more Tuf Glide and then re-assembled the knife. Everything came back together without issue and now the blade moves freely. I can now easily open and close the knife with one hand. I think the pivot was adjusted a shade too tight at the factory. If you run into this problem there is no need to take the knife completely apart. Just carefully adjust the pivot.

The compression lock works great here, now that the blade moves freely. For the uninitiated, this is not a “liner lock on the back of the knife”. This is a totally different lock that sandwiches the locking leaf between the tang of the blade and a stop pin. You can get a better feel of this from the picture. Spyderco claims this makes for a stronger lock, but I think the most significant benefit is that you can close the blade with one hand, and without putting your fingers in the path of the blade, much like an axis lock.

I was concerned that the compression lock might be a little figety on the small profile of the Sage, but it works fine. The lock itself is easy to manipulate and lockup is tight. This is a nice locking mechanism worthy of a spot on the Sage lineup.

Sage 1 vs. Sage 5

I am sure at least a couple people will be curious to get my opinion on whether I like the Sage 1 or the Sage 5 more. This was actually a lot harder than I thought it would be. Before I took my Sage 5 apart I would have said the Sage 1. It was just too tough to manipulate with one hand. Now that the pivot is loosened slightly and the knife has broken in, I really like the thinner and lighter Sage 5. It is very easy to manipulate with one hand and it carries even better than the Sage 1. As much as I enjoy the Sage 1, I gotta “keep it real” – I think the Sage 5 is an improvement.

Still, the Sage 1 will always have special significance for me. It was one of the first higher end knives I bought for myself, and I love the simplicity of the knife. It’s solid and perfectly made. I also appreciate the familiarity of the liner lock. The compression lock is great, but there is something very simple and comfortable about a liner lock. The Sage 1 is a great pocket knife and you can’t go wrong with it. But I do think Spyderco managed to make some improvements with the Sage 5. Neither will be leaving my collection. I’ll update the review if my opinion changes.

Spyderco Sage 5 Review – Final Thoughts

I am not sure a review of this knife was entirely necessary. Combining the footprint of the Sage series with a compression lock is a no brainer, and Spyderco executed this knife near perfectly.

In a perfect world I’d like to see S35VN and the pivot perfectly adjusted out of the box, but these are small quibbles on an otherwise excellent knife. I’m sure some might want a different pocket clip, but I love the simplicity and elegance of the wire clip. Sorry wire clip haters.

The Sage 5 will likely be a “must buy” for Spyderco fans, and a serious contender for anyone seeking a 3″ EDC knife in the ~$100 range.

Looks like I’ll have to make some room on my best EDC knives page. We have a winner.

Spyderco Sage 5 Prestige Folding Utility Pocket Knife with 3" CPM S30V Stainless Steel Blade and Black Carbon Fiber Laminate Handle - PlainEdge - Everyday Carry - C123CFPCL

High Performance: The Spyderco's Sage Series is a unique family of knives showcasing the innovative lock mechanisms that have helped define modern folding knife technology.
Designed to be Safe: The Sage 5 uses a compression Lock mechanism. This mechanism is substantially stronger than Linerlocks and its location allows the knife to be safely closed with only one hand without placing your fingers in the path of the edge
Dependable: Every Sage Series knife in the series features the same basic design parameters: a full-flat-ground, leaf-shaped CPM S30V blade, an ergonomic handle design with textured forefinger choil and thumb ramp, and wire clip.
Versatile: The Sage 5 is an extremely capable all-purpose cutting tool with skeletonized Stainless Steel liners nested into textured carbon fiber/G-10 laminate scales.
More To Love: The open-backed construction reduces the knife's weight and allows easy cleaning, while a reversible deep-pocket wire clip provides convenient tip-up carry on either side of the body.

I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Sage 5 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.