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Maxpedition Excelsa Review

Maxpedition is a company best known for their military inspired backpacks. They offer a wide range of fabric goods, including packs, pouches, slings, and related accessories. This is a niche brand that has developed a loyal following over the years in the outdoor recreation and daily carry communities.

Buy the Maxpedition Excelsa at BladeHQ

So it was a little surprising to hear in 2013 that Maxpedition was going to start selling knives. On some levels it makes sense, as knives definitely compliment outdoor and “tactical” backpacks, but on the other hand they are completely different products. I’d say it’s akin to Apple deciding to sell office furniture.

At any rate, the Maxpedition Excelsa is the second knife from the Maxpedition, the first being the Ferox. The design closely resembles their previous offering, but sees a significant upgrade in materials and construction.

While considerably more expensive, the Excelsa is still aggressively competitive for a titanium frame-lock. Coming in below $130, it has features found on knives over double the price, including an over-travel stop and tool-steel blade.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Excelsa comes in two sizes. The small version is 6.7” in total length with a 2.9” blade and weighing 2.9 oz while the large version is 8.3” in with a 3.6” blade and weight of 5.1 oz. Both sizes are good for Every Day Carry (EDC) depending on your needs and preferences in an EDC knife. The knives are made in Taiwan.

The pattern is a straight forward drop point. This is commonly used on sport and utility knives for its well rounded performance in both slicing and penetrating cuts. It is also easy to maintain with a bellied profile which lacks any kind of re-curve or otherwise unusual geometry. A full flat grind with a secondary bevel produces a keen working edge. A choil will make sharpening to the end of the edge possible. The spine is capped adding nice detailing and there is a jimped thumb ramp for added control.

The blade steel used is D2. In this case it has been hardened between 58-60 Rockwell.

Unusually, there are no markings on the blade denoting the materials or manufacturer. While I like this clean aesthetic, it would be helpful to have the steel type embossed on the ricasso to let the user know how to care for the blade. This is especially true since D2 is a semi-stainless tool steel that will require some maintenance to keep it free of corrosion. If you were the second owner of the knife and didn’t have or read the documentation, then you might be surprised to see the blade behave differently from a true stainless steel folder.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Excelsa has a simple two slab open build with a minimal amount of fasteners: three including the pivot. The inner edge has a first finger groove and another convex sweep that helps to lock the hand in place. The back edge is primarily straight with a slight turn down at the pommel that nests in the hand or serves as a thumb rest in a reverse grip. The titanium and hardware have been given a matching matte, bead blast finish.

The ergonomics are simple but comfortable. This relatively handle design will accommodate most people. You won’t be surprised to hear that the large version is larger and more comfortable for big hands. There is wide toothy jimping on the spine of the blade that captures the thumb without irritating it.

For carry there is a lanyard hole and right handed, tip up or down deep carry pocket clip. When you consider that there is only a single thumb-stud and frame-lock, this adds up to the knife being for right handed people only.

At under 3 ounces, the smaller version of this knife is imminently pocketable. It carries easily and something you will quickly forget thanks to it’s light weight, and the strong spring retention in the pocket clip. The large version is more noticeable in the pocket, but still carries well for what it is thanks to the discreet deep carry clip and thin design.

Deployment and Lockup

For deployment there is a tiered thumb-stud with an angled face. Set a good distance away from the scale’s inner edge, producing the blade is easy with one hand. This is helped along by good tolerances and phosphor bronze washers. These thumb studs remind me of those found on the Kershaw Blur.

On opening the tang meets a solid, titanium frame-lock. On the review samples provided, both were play free in any direction and easily disengaged. In order to protect the spring integrity Maxpedition has added a small tab on the inner surface to prevent over-travel when unlocking. While there are several variations of this type of mechanism, Maxpedition is in the process of patenting theirs, asserting differences in the implementation.

Unlike the blade without any markings, the locking leaf has “Maxpedition” laser etched on the surface. The branding here is a little too bold for my taste and I feel the logo could definitely be dialed back a bit to uphold the sober aesthetic.

Maxpedition Excelsa Review – Final Thoughts

Over all the Excelsa is an interesting design. While I understand and very much appreciate minimal design, this may border on sterile for some. It could have been nice to add a little something to make it more personable. Something that wasn’t a large Maxpedition logo. Maybe some added texture or subtle anodized details? Possibly a greater departure from the Ferox design could have expanded the design vocabulary of the line-up? Outside of design taste my only real issue with this knife is the lack of marking for the steel type.

Criticisms aside Maxpedition has done an excellent job with the utility as well as the pricing. You would be hard pressed to find another folder that can boast the features, materials, fit and finish at this price point.

Maxpedition FRMLCKL Excelsa Large Framelock Folding Knife with D2 Blade and Titanium Handle

List Price: $149.59

Price: $149.59

Price Disclaimer

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Maxpedition Excelsa 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.

Additional Specifications:

Small Version

Overall Length: 6.7″
Weight: 2.7 oz

Blade:

Length: 2.9″
Thickness: 0.11″
Steel : D2
Hardness : 58-60 HRC

Handle:

Slab and lock thickness: 0.12″
Length: 3.9″

Large Version

Overall Length: 8.3″
Weight: 5.1 oz

Blade:

Length: 3.6″
Thickness: 0.14″
Steel : D2
Hardness : 58-60 HRC

Handle:

Slab and lock thickness: 0.15″
Length: 4.7″

Made In Taiwan

Arthos Knives Drop Point Fixed Blade Knife Review

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

It’s not every day I get to share a new manufacturer. I was recently approached by Robert Yates with Arthos Knives about checking out his new line of fixed blade outdoors knives. Robert is an engineer by day, who decided to take the leap and start his own knife company. I think basically anyone who enjoys knives long enough eventually dream of designing their own knives, or starting a knife company. I thought it would be interesting to see what he developed, and I told him I’d be happy to check out his new knife.

Arthos stands for “The ART of Hunting, Outdoors, and Survival”. This drop point fixed blade is the only knife in their catalog currently, and it does not have a name. I will refer to it as the “Arthos” throughout the review.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Arthos has an overall length of 8.6″, a 4.0″ blade. The handle and sheath are made in the USA while the blade is made in China. The knife is finished an assembled in the USA.

The Arthos is geared towards the outdoors crowd. It is a little bigger than my ESEE-3. This could be a good camp knife. It’s big enough to do some light chopping and batoning, but small enough to carry around on your belt without issue. I’m not a hunter, but could see it being used in that capacity.

The Arthos has a simple drop point blade. This classic blade shape is capable and versatile. The edge is almost a continuous belly ending in a strong tip. Arthos went with a saber hollow grind. It makes for a strong knife.

I tested this knife on some seasoned oak firewood, bamboo, 2x2s, and green wood. The Arthos came sharp, and is a good carver. The uncoated blade peeled off thin slices of wood with ease, and did a good job limbing small branches. I am a little spoiled by heavy duty convex ground blades like my Fallkniven A1, and Bark River Bravo 1 (to be reviewed), but for a mid size knife I felt like the Arthos held its own. The tip is strong and held up under some light prying.

I also did a little batoning with the Arthos. The relatively thin and short blade don’t make this a great choice for batoning, and neither does the saber hollow grind, but the blade held up to the beating and I was able to pop apart smaller diameter pieces of wood.

Arthos decided on D2 steel for their fixed blade. D2 is a good choice for a camp knife. It’s tough and it holds a good edge. D2 has a reputation for being stubborn to sharpen, but I haven’t noticed any issues with this simple blade shape. In fact, the Arthos sharpens up nicely on my Lansky Crock Sticks. D2 is a semi-stainless steel, so it will stain and it may rust if you aren’t careful with it. Arthos does offer this knife with a black coating, which may not be a bad idea for humid environments.

Handle and Ergonomics

Robert mentioned to me that it always bugged him how the handles on knives felt like an afterthought. Here he wanted to give the handle special attention. I gotta say he did a great job with it. The Arthos features a fully contoured CNC machined G10 handle. These were done by Stoner CNC, and they did an excellent job.

I will note that there is no locktite on the torx hardware. If you plan on using this knife spiritedly you will want to add some thread locker prior to taking it out.

Arthos offers their knife with a variety of color options. The scales are held in place with T-10 torx bits.

As you can imagine, the handle feels great. There is plenty of palm swell to support your hand, and your fingers fall naturally into the countours of the handle. There is a short run of jimping on the spine of the blade. Personally, I feel that the jimping is too sharp to be useful without gloves. On the bare thumb the jimping is painful for any kind of serious cutting. Beyond that I found the handle to be comfortable. I think the choice of machined G-10 handles kicks things up a notch on the Arthos.

Sheath

The sheath is another part of the knife where Arthos went above and beyond. The Arthos features a hand fitted custom kydex sheath. This pancake style sheath has been nicely finished; no sharp edges and a generous drain hole. The blade pops out with the deliberate push of a thumb, and slides back in with a satisfying “thwack”. There is no rattle or wiggle.

Arthos also included a Tek-lok pre-attached to the sheath. This is an expensive add on to include, and makes the sheath easy to attach to a belt. At this price point you will be hard pressed to find a knife with a nicer sheath.

Arthos Knives Drop Point Fixed Blade – Final Thoughts

For a first offering, I think Arthos did a great job with their D2 hunter. The handles and sheath are top notch, and serve to elevate the basic blade. I can’t think of anything else that has handles and a sheath as nice as the Arthos at anywhere near this price point. The blade is serviceable, but pales in comparison to the sheath and handles. The grind is basic and I am not a fan of the jimping, but the blade performs well and the D2 steel is a good choice for and outdoor fixed blade.

If I were to offer Arthos Knives some constructive criticism, I’d recommend upgrading the blade. I might suggest thicker stock with a full flat or higher grind, and perhaps bringing the manufacturing of the blade over to the USA. It may significantly increase the price, but at that point you would have a truly premium product, and I think the handles and sheath justify it.

As it stands I think this an impressive first offering from a new company. For those that are interested in this knife, I think that the Arthos provides a lot of value for money, and the exceptional handles and sheath distinguish it from a competitive market. I’d recommend it.

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

Freeman Outdoor Gear 451 Flipper Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 6 Comments

Few of us have the money to shell out hundreds of dollars for every knife we think we might like. We have to cull the herd. Maybe we splash out for a promising ‘Maybe’ every once in a while, but 80% of the time we go for the sure thing. Most of the knives I skip I forget about, with nary a second thought given them. But every so often a Maybe knife won’t be forgotten. It lingers in the memory and asks me over and over again, “What if you’re missing out on something special?”

Such was the case with the Freeman Outdoor Gear 451 Flipper. I heard good things, and admired the flipping action, unique aesthetic, and button lock mechanism from afar. My cursor would hover over the “Add to Cart” button on the Freeman website, but I never could quite commit. Thankfully, a friend and fellow gear geek offered to send his 451 my way to try out.

After wondering for years what this knife is like, I’ve had a chance to try it out, and the news is mostly very good. The Freeman 451 flipper manages to bring a unique set of features to a section of the market that is saturated with a lot of sameness. It goes deeper than a straightforward recommendation, but there’s a lot of interesting things to cover.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 451 has a blade length of 3 5/8”, a handle length of 5 1/8”, an overall length of 8 13/16”, and is made in the USA. There are bigger blades than the 451, but this pushes up right against the limit of what I would consider reasonable proportions for something that folds and is meant to be carried the pocket. That is strictly a function of the 451’s overall shape, however: at 5.5 oz. it’s actually quite light for its size.

The market is so rife with drop points that you think I’d be sick of looking at them. However, the proportions and grind make the 451’s blade shape memorable and useful. This feels like a blade that can take a beating , with thick blade stock and a lot of material brought right up behind the edge, but the grind is masterful: a mirror-polished secondary bevel that is nice and wide without being thin or brittle. The result is a combination of toughness and slicing ability that is rare in big blades. This is probably as good a balance as you’re likely to see on a knife this size.

The striations on the blade are bound to polarizing. I actually think they’re look pretty good, and they make cutting through choky material like cardboard easier. The knife almost ‘revs up:’ the longer the pull through material, the easier it gets. They might cause issues with long-term sharpening, but other than that I can’t complain.

Steel here is D2. This is a venerable tool steel that I have had very little experience with before now. The edge was very clean and very sharp. I think the thick stock and wide-but-not-narrow edge bevel really accentuate D2’s edge holding ability while minimizing its reported tendency to chip. In another smart move Jeff Freeman chose to Cerakote the blade. As a semi-stainless tool steel, rust is a concern with D2. In an uncoated blade the grooves would give me pause; I can see moisture creeping into them and wreaking havoc. Thankfully, between the coating and the mirror polish on the bare edge, I’d say you’re pretty much protected set barring grossly neglectful behavior.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The handle on the 451 looks like your average one finger groove affair, but that isn’t quite how it feels when you’re holding it. That finger groove is huge. It can accommodate two fingers, actually, but it works best with one finger in it. Holding the knife naturally, the pointer finger rests at the very bottom of the groove. This gives your knuckle some clearance so it isn’t butting up against the flipper tab – something that so many flipper knives neglect to do.

In terms of control, it’s good. Your hand is situated pretty far back. You undoubtedly lose fine control, but fine cutting tasks aren’t the 451’s calling. I used to think that all big knives that couldn’t also do fine cutting were needlessly sacrificing something, but that’s not true. Just because the PM2 can function as an EDC doesn’t mean that all larger knives have to, and really the PM2 is just barely a big a knife anyway. The 451 is much more clearly meant for specific kinds of tasks, and in those tasks the ergonomics are great. There’s a sort of finger choil on the blade itself as well, but I found it a little too close to the edge for my comfort.

The 451 carries quite well for a big knife. You could EDC it if you wanted and not be totally displeased with the in-pocket feel. But where I think the 451 excels is in its lightness and narrow frame relative to other hard-use big blades. You aren’t going to feel like you have a paperback strapped to your thigh carrying the 451 on a hike. The aluminum frame is gentle on your pockets and the titanium clip is adequately-tensioned and beefy as hell.

Deployment and Lockup

I don’t think flippers are, in any way, an improvement over thumb studs or opening holes. I tend to think that they are in fact actively worse. They often muck up the ergonomics of a knife, and they always make it a worse carry. The 451 makes its flipper as agreeable as possible.

It deploys surely and swiftly every time. The weight of the blade and the strength of the detent make the 451 a snappy and sure flipper. You have to try to mess up the flipping in order to get the 451 to not lock up. It’s hard to do.

The button lock is still something of a novelty in the knife world, isn’t it? Hogue has been using it with success, but other than that the only non-automatic production maker using button locks regularly is Gerber. Maybe this is a vestige of Freeman’s influence on the company (he was head designer there for many years), who knows.

Either way, the Freeman clearly believes in the button lock, and it’s easy to see why. On the 451 it is strong, secure, and easy to engage/disengage. Your fingers don’t have to be in the blade channel to disengage it – a major positive given the free-swinging blade. There is variability in the amount of play I get when I lock the 451 up, but it’s never enough play that I care. The button lock also sticks to greater or lesser degrees depending on how hard you flick it. I think these are characteristics of the lock design, and not indicative of poor fit and finish or tolerancing.

In many ways this button lock reminds me of the Axis Lock. It’s probably slightly worse than the Axis, if only because it isn’t ambidextrous, but I never doubted its strength or security, and I am happy to see something in this price range without a frame lock.

Freeman 451 Flipper – Final Thoughts

I’m glad I got to try out the 451 flipper. It answers a question I’ve been asking for a long time: Is it a good knife? The answer is a definite yes. Would I buy one for myself? That’s a tougher call. When the 451 first came out, it was a little cheaper ($200 instead of $225), and the market was way less competitive. If you’re looking for a big high-end knife there are a lot of choices out there at or under the same cost, some with better features like S35VN steel – which you can get on the 451, but for a significant premium that puts the knife well outside of reasonable.

If I had bought and reviewed the 451 when I first learned about it, it would have my unreserved recommendation. What a difference a couple years and $25 can make! The 451 is still a competitive knife in a lot of respects. The materials are simple but very well-executed. It’s nice and light for its size without sacrificing any sort of durability. And personally, I think it’s a really cool-looking knife. I can’t say that the 451 is a must-buy, but definitely don’t ignore this knife when you’re looking for something big and bold.

I recommend purchasing the Freeman Outdoor Gear 451 Flipper at Amazon, KnifeArt, BladeHQ, or you can buy it direct from Freeman Outdoor Gear. 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.

Zero Tolerance 0454 Review

by Dan Jackson 12 Comments

Updated: 11/29/2015
Every so often as a knife collector I have had my expectations taken up a notch. For purposes of this introduction I’ll call them “game changing blades.” Making the jump from a $25 knife to a $65 knife was one such moment – my move from a CRKT M16 to a Benchmade Griptilian opened my eyes to what nice knives were all about. Climbing up the ladder further I have experienced the incremental improvements that often come with expending increasingly more money on a knife.

The jump to a CRK Sebenza was one such revelation. And I have to consider the Zero Tolerance 0560 and the Lionsteel SR-1 as game changers in their own right as well. Maybe these weren’t leaps directly correlated to the price of the knife, but each blade brought it’s unique strengths in quality of construction, innovation, and design. I have appreciated the experience as a collector and that is a huge part of the reason why I continue to spend time working on this website.

Well the 0454 is another game changer – in so many ways that I hardly know where to begin. Designed by Belarusian knifemaker Dmitry Sinkevitch the Zero Tolerance 454 may be the sexiest blade to cross my path yet. This knife has not yet been released to the public and was named the Blade Show 2013 knife of the year. I was extremely fortunate to be one of the lucky 10 individuals selected at random at the 2014 Blade show for the opportunity to buy this knife.

I remember winning the 454 like it was yesterday, because it actually was only a few weeks ago. I had entered this lotto among many others on offer at the Blade show. In addition to the 0454 I was hoping for the chance to score a Brad Southard, Michael Burch, or perhaps even a Hinderer XM-18 at a reasonable price. Most of the time these lottos don’t pan out, but you have to be in it to win it. So I could barely believe my ears when my name and number were called by Kershaw Jen for the 0454 lotto.

My first thought after parting ways with $500 and tucking the 454 into my backpack was, “I hope I don’t get stabbed in the parking lot over this thing” because I knew that the fabled 888 has sold for as much as $3,000 at auction. Thankfully I made it out of the parking lot and all the way back home to Florida with only a scrape, and I feel incredibly fortunate to bring you this review.

Let me start by disclaiming that I have not carried this knife nor have I actually used it to cut anything. I will in all likelihood keep it as a collectible as it’s an incredible knife and very rare. I will be examining it as critically as I can, but take this “review” with a big grain of salt…

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 454 has an overall length of 9.385″, sports a 4.1″ blade, and weighs a mere 4.1 ounces. This is the cutlery equivalent of a supermodel, with biologically improbable dimensions and curves that make the jaw drop and eyes glaze over. The knife feels like a feather in hand, and they have crammed a ton of blade into this slender profile.

The 454 has a modified drop point blade. There is something about Dmitry Sinkevich’s designs that really speak to me. Whether it’s his collaborations with Shirogorov, Fantoni, or this one with ZT, I am really enjoying the hard lines and athletic curves of his designs. The this is a long narrow blade, and it fits well with the long narrow handle. It has a high flat grind and a long swedge. The tip is very fine but it feels like there is still some meat behind it. If I actually cut anything with it I’ll let you know how it performs but I can say it came shaving sharp and I’ve already managed to cut myself twice with this long blade.

One of the proudest features of the 454 is its composite steel blade. The dark sections are CPM D2 while the silver middle section is 12C28N. The pieces have been braised together with copper. It isn’t clear what they have managed to heat treat this knife to, although I know that ZT has struggled to properly manufacture and heat treat some of these fancy composite blades in the past. I have plenty of knives that I can cram into my pocket and cut with, so I don’t feel the need to do that with this very rare knife. Some people feel the need to carry and use every knife in their collection – even expensive custom pieces. I have my users and and I have my collector pieces, and the 454 is firmly in the collectible category. I won’t make any qualms about that.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Every piece of the 0454’s handle has been 3-D machined. ZT started with two slabs of carbon fiber, sandwiched them between a titanium backspacer, and went to town with them. The finishing work is immaculate and the carbon fiber handle makes the knife feel exceptionally light for its size. Even the lanyard hole has been elegantly rendered. Everything is just super nice.

The 454 is a long knife, so it should come as no surprise that there is plenty of room for your hand. The curves of the handle fit my fingers naturally and the 3-D machined carbon fiber fills the hand. There is a row of mild jimping on the thumb ramp. It does a great job indexing and holding the thumb in place without being overly sharp or irritating. I haven’t used this knife hard, but I think this will be a comfortable knife to use.

The pocket clip is an elegant piece of 3-d machined titanium, and looks like something out of the Shirogorov catalog. Jim Skelton has told us that any knife over $700 should have a 3-d machined pocket clip. My only experience with these kinds of clips has been with my Mnandi (a knife I have really grown to enjoy), and I am very happy to see this clip on the 454. It elevates it and makes it even more unique. I’ve never used this pocket clip, but the spring is very strong and is positioned for deep right side tip up carry. I’m glad they didn’t go ahead and drill a bunch of holes in this piece. As Thomas W can attest to, pocket clips can be tough to get right, but I wouldn’t change a thing with this one.

Deployment and Lockup

I have publicly commented that I think that people that wax poetic for extended lengths about how well their knives flip are blowhards. I made sure to skip lunch before writing this review because I am about to eat my own words. Deploying the 454 is like deploying a surface to air missile. The detent is strong and the blade explodes open, without fail, every single time. By far it is the most robust flipper in my collection. Zero Tolerance installed their KVT bearing system and the blade rotates around a large decorative pivot. The action is smooth. Fall closed with the force of gravity smooth. I will say that the flipper tab can be tough to use some time. The combination of uber strong detent and total lack of jimping on the tab means that my finger has slipped off the trigger on more than one occasion when trying to flip open the knife.

ZT installed a sub frame lock on the 454. This is the same technology used in their higher production products, like the recently reviewed Kershaw Knockout, and I think it is cool to see that translate up and down their product line. This time around they upped the ante by 3-D machining the sub frame lock out of titanium, and then installing a stainless steel lock insert that doubles as a hidden over-travel stop mechanism. Lockup is early and secure, and blade centering is perfect. One thing I noticed on my 0454 is that the oversized pivot screws on my knife did not come with locktite. After only a couple flips they began backing out. I could cinch them back down with the meat of my thumb, but after a couple days I noticed a slight rattle with the handle. After torquing down the pivot with a driver I was able to fix the problem and remove the rattle entirely.

Zero Tolerance 0454 Review – Final Thoughts

I don’t think anyone will be surprised when I say that the 0454 is one hell of an awesome knife. As a collector and enthusiast of high end production pieces I am extremely impressed by the 454. The beautiful design, high end materials, advanced manufacturing, and impeccable fit and finish all make this well worth the $500 asking price to me. The 0454 is yet another showcase of Zero Tolerance’s talent and we can only hope that the sweet stuff found in these high end limited production knives continue to trickle down to ZT’s mass market products.

Buy one without regret if you have the funds and the opportunity, but don’t wait long – I see no reason why the 0454 won’t be as coveted and collected as the triple seven or 888.

Zero Tolerance Small Sinkevich Pocketknife (0450) 3.25” Stonewash S35VN Steel Blade with Satin Finish; Stonewashed Titanium Handle with KVT Ball-Bearing Opening, Frame Lock and Reversible Clip; 2.9 OZ

List Price: $160.00

Price: $160.00

Price Disclaimer

These currently aren’t for sale, although I guess you could always lust over them at BladeHQ or pick up a ZT452 at Amazon to try and scratch that itch. As always, buying anything through the links on this site helps support BladeReviews.com, and I greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much for all of your support.

Viper Carnera Review

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

Viper Knives is a relative newcomer to the US cutlery scene, and is a division of the Italian manufacturer Tecnocut, a company that I am frankly not that familiar with. I was first acquainted with Viper at Blade Show 2013 it was there that I had the opportunity to handle most of their line. Like many of the knives coming out of Maniago Italy I was impressed with the sophisticated designs coupled with tight fit and finish. One blade that especially caught my eye is the Carnera – a long lean chopper named after Italian pugilist Primo Carnera.

Buy the Viper Carnera at BladeHQ

The knife’s sleek lines remind me somewhat of an Italian sports car, which certainly doesn’t hurt a first impression, but what I found most intriguing was how balanced and comfortable the knife felt in hand. This was something that had the potential to be a serious tool: light, balanced, comfortable, and featuring well finished high end materials. I couldn’t resist, so the Carnera ended up traveling back with me from the show.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Carnera has an overall length of 15.25″, features a 9.5″ blade, and weighs in at 17.5 ounces. The knife is approximately the same length as the ESEE Junglas, but in hand they are radically different knives. The Junglas is an absolute tank. If I needed something to survive the end of days and didn’t mind some extra weight I would put the Junglas on my short list. It was and continues to be one of my all time favorite heavy duty choppers. The Carnera, on the other hand, is much more efficient and refined. Its sweeping handle flows into a broad and confident clip point blade. It has a slight forward bias lending it towards chopping, but it still feels fast and fluid. The stock is thick but the wide blade coupled with a full flat grind lightens the knife significantly. Where the Junglas could be considered an all out survival knife, I feel like the Carnera is more suited for work as a camp knife or heavy machete.

I should mention that the knife comes in 2 main flavors; the stonewashed version with wood handles and leather sheath shown here, and a more military inspired version with a black PVD coated blade, micarta scales, and a cordura molle compatible sheath. Both versions can be examined on the Viper wesbite.

Viper selected D2 for the Carnera. D2 is a semi stainless, which on paper seems like a good compromise given that the blade is naked but still needs to be tough enough to resist chipping under heavy use. Done right D2 provides a good mix of toughness, edge retention, and resistance to corrosion. I’ve had good experiences with D2 and I’ve had OK experiences with D2 – it depends entirely on the heat treat. Done right it can be a great steel (as evidenced by master knifemakers like Bob Dozier using D2 exclusively).

Thankfully my experience with the Viper and it’s D2 blade has been nothing short of excellent.

As usual, I wish I could have taken this guy up into the Rocky mountains, or better yet, the Italian countryside for some extended use and testing. I had to settle on the less exotic location of my back yard. The good news is that I had a dead ficus tree that was in desperate need of an ass kicking, so I can at least assure you that this knife saw a good amount of use.

I mostly chopped with this knife. I chopped through thick tree limbs (anywhere from 4-7″ in diameter) and did quite a bit of limbing, light chopping, and clearing as well. It’s a great chopper. The full flat grind gets reasonable thin and comes to a nice traditional V edge. The knife bites deeply into wood and the D2 holds a nice aggressive edge, even after extended chopping sessions. There is enough weight behind the blade to get some good work done without the knife being overly heavy. A practiced hand should be able to get a lot of work done with it. My technique leaves something to be desired, but I was still pleased with the end result.

I will say that the full flat grind does not lend itself to batoning, which was not a big issue for me. If I really needed to split with this knife I’d use the Carnera to carve up a wood wedge and use that instead.

With a retail price of over $200, it’s worth talking about the fit and finish of the blade. The grinds on my knife were even and the edge was perfectly applied. The spine is capped (rounded) which is a very nice detail on a production knife. My version of the Carnera came with a lightly tumbled finish. This is a good choice for a semi stainless steel like D2. That said, I did notice a light patina form on my knife, and generally found it more difficult to keep clean. An application of Bar Keeper’s Friend or a similar cleaning agent will brighten it back up instantly. Alternatively, you could always opt for the PVD coated variant.

Handle and Ergonomics

One thing I immediately liked about the Carnera was the traditional wood handle scales. I think the wood is a very handsome option, although their micarta offering would probably be a little more practical. Viper selected Pau Santo wood for the handles, a wood I was previously unfamiliar with, but it has a pleasing and tight symmetry to the grain and strikes me as a great choice. The handle slabs have been bolted on, and were left with a smooth semi-glossy finish. There are 2 lanyard holes although I always used the knife without any lanyards and found that the grip was still secure.

The secure grip is thanks in large part to the elegant flowing handle design. The handle has these seductive curves t that are visually appealing but also highly functional. The knife felt very controllable in my hand, even when I was tired and sweaty after an extended chopping session. Not once did the knife slip of feel insecure, and it was extremely comfortable as well. I am very pleased with the handle design. It’s beautiful, comfortable, and entirely functional.

Sheath

The Carnera comes with 2 options for the sheath: the leather sheath (shown here) or a cordura molle compatible military style sheath. Generally speaking, I like the leather sheath. They used thick pieces of leather and it compliments the traditional wood handles, although I would have loved it if Viper made this with a brown leather sheath – I think that would have looked especially handsome. The wide blade profile means they had to get creative with the sheath design, but the end result looks good and works well.

Practically speaking, the knife is securely held in place with a single snap, and the sheath features a generous belt loop with an easy to remove snap. It is adjustable and comes with a piece of cord that could be used as a thigh rig. I can see how the wide clip point blade provides a challenge for designing the sheath (much like a kukri style blade does), and given that limitation Viper came up with a sturdy and functional sheath. That said, this is a knife that I could justify having a custom kydex sheath made for – and I may eventually decide to do just that.

Viper Carnera Review – Final Thoughts

The Carnera is my first extended experience with a Viper product, and I was left very impressed. For a guy that likes capable choppers the Carnera is a lot of fun, but it is a serious tool that benefits from a very practical, very functional lightweight and balanced design. The sleek Italian lines, tasteful material selection, and excellent fit and finish make it a very well rounded package that should appeal to both collectors and enthusiasts.

As for potential downsides, this is a premium offering from Viper and the price reflects that, but you get what you pay for and I don’t think their retail price is entirely out of line. Perhaps the biggest problem is that these knives are still somewhat difficult to acquire here in the States. Thankfully, BladeHQ has recently picked them up (at least the stone washed version of it), so I expect we will be seeing more and more of this knife in the days to come.

Viper Carnera – $239.95
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Viper Carnera at BladeHQ. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated! Thank you very much.

Benchmade 275 Adamas Review

by Dan Jackson 11 Comments

Last Updated: February 21, 2017
Designed as a tool for law enforcement and military personnel, the 275 Adamas could be the epitome of a hard use folder. The 275 shares the classic lines of many “normal” folding tactical knives, but is massively overbuilt in every direction. Designed by custom maker Shane Sibert, a man who strives to build practical knives that aren’t afraid of hard work, the 275 is as rugged as it is functional. The Adamas dwarfs typical tactical folders, and has these striking proportions that intrigued me ever since the knife was first announced in 2011.

Buy the Benchmade Adamas at BladeHQ

Having owned my 275 for a while, I will say that whether the 275 is “tactical” or “impractical” will rely heavily on your individual needs and preferences – but there is no question that this knife is solid, and well built.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 275 has an overall length of 8.7 inches, sports a 3.82 inch blade and comes in at a hefty 7.7 oz. Yeah I wasn’t kidding, this is a big knife. Holding this chunk of G10 and steel in the palm of your hand is an interesting sensation, weighing on both body and mind. There is no doubt that fans of feather-weight folders will be disappointed here, but those in need of a tool capable of taking a real beating might feel reassured by these extra ounces. For daily use I find the 275 to be too heavy, and for a mild-mannered student that should come as no surprise. So it really depends on what you need from your knife.

The 275 has a bold drop point blade that compliments the rest of the knife nicely. The blade has a partial flat grind that starts about halfway up the blade, and the edge has been neatly applied by a practiced hand. On top we have a small swedge that refines the 4mm blade stock into a sturdy tip. There is a small fuller (or “blood groove”) on the flat of the blade, a design element often found on Sibert’s custom knives. These components all combine to form a blade that is very strong and functional. While this thick blade doesn’t make for the finest slicer, the flat grind is surprisingly capable. The weight and geometry allows this knife to chip and I wouldn’t be surprised if this knife could hold up to even more demanding tasks like prying and batoning. It’s a surprisingly versatile design and allows the 275 to work in a variety of situations.

Benchmade went with D2 for the blade steel here. I don’t have a ton of knives in D2, but in my experience I have found it to be a very tough and durable steel. Here it has been hardened to 60-62 HRC, and in my experience it is not the easiest steel to sharpen. The good news is that it will take a nice edge, and edge retention blade is quite good. I generally like D2 but I wonder if it was the best choice for a knife meant to be used by soldiers in the field, where access to sharpening tools is limited.

Because D2 is often regarded as a “semi-stainless” steel (D2 technically isn’t stainless) it is more prone to corrosion than a true stainless steel. For that reason you will want to be careful to keep the blade clean and dry (and possibly oiled depending on where you live). Benchmade helped mitigate any potential corrosion by applying a durable black coating to the blade.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The 275’s handle is made of G10 over stainless steel liners. Everything is screwed together and there is a partial backspacer by the pommel. The liners have been milled out to reduce the weight (somewhat) and everything has been nicely finished. Like the rest of the knife, this is a very large and sturdy handle. Shown here is a limited edition of the knife with black handle scales and a black blade. I actually prefer the regular version of the knife that comes with tan scales and a black blade. It’s just a little different, and sets the knife apart from the sea of black handled knives already in my collection.

The ergonomics of the Adamas are as solid as the rest of the knife. The large handle offers plenty of room for any style of grip and there is jimping everywhere. The thumb ramp offers great control and additional texturing in the choil region prevents your fingers from slipping forward on the blade. The knife feels just as comfortable in a reverse grip with a great spot for your thumb and tons of texture.

If there were an Achilles heel on the 275, it would have to be the pocket clip. First off, I like how it’s a discrete clip that rides reasonably low and offers ambidextrous tip up carry – that is all great. Where the clip misses it’s mark (for me at least) is the lack of retention. You can see in the video that the clip doesn’t even touch the handle, and that the clip has a lot of spring to it. A knife this heavy really needs a stiffer clip to hold it in place. If Benchmade stuck one of their classic clips on there I think it would have worked out better – but the bolt pattern is different so it can’t be swapped out. [Update – I’ve since been told that the pocket clip issues have been fixed, and the clip now offers much better retention. Kudos Benchmade!]

Since we are talking about carry, I want to mention that the 275 Adamas comes with an optional carry pouch. The pouch is made out of nylon, is MOLLE compatible, and comes with a malice clip. For low-speed high-drag guys like myself it’s about as useful as an extra hole in the head, but if you are a military operator or regularly wear MOLLE compatible gear it could be a good way to carry this heavy knife.

Deployment and Lockup

The Adamas makes use of ambidextrous thumb studs. These thumb studs are easy to get at and allow you to flick this big blade open with surprising speed. The action is extremely smooth thanks to some oversized phosphor bronze washers. I love how Benchmade doesn’t skimp on details like the washers, it really gives the knife a quality feel. The 275 should deploy smoothly and easily under almost any conditions.

The 275 makes use of an oversized Axis lock. Not only is the lock bar extra wide to accommodate the huge handle, but it’s much thicker than the normal Axis lock found on models like the Griptilian. Benchmade claims this knife can withstand 800 pounds of force, and that is extremely impressive. And of course this axis lock is fully ambidextrous and the knife easily closes with 1 hand. It’s phenomenal.

Benchmade 275 Adamas – Final Thoughts

If tank like construction is your primary concern, and you can get around the 7.7 ounce carry weight, the 275 Adamas is pretty dang cool. But if you are looking for a lightweight EDC or folding tactical knife, then I would suggest looking elsewhere. I will say that the materials are all top notch, the knife is extremely well built, and the price is very reasonable. I would prefer a stiffer pocket clip (an issue that has now been addressed), and a blade steel other than D2. Aside from that I really couldn’t find much to complain about.

My guess is that the sheer size and weight of this thing will be the biggest deal breaker for people, and I totally respect that. But if you want a knife that will take a lot of abuse, and weight really isn’t a concern, then the Adamas could be just what you are looking for. I certainly have been enjoying mine.

Benchmade - Adamas 275, Plain Drop-Point, Sand Handle

List Price: $195.00

Price: $193.00

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Price Disclaimer

I recommend purchasing the 275 from Amazon and BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website earns a small commission to help support BladeReviews.com at no cost to you. This support keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.