flipper

Bestech Knives Malware Review

Over the years, I’ve noticed that in polite society when I whip out a folding knife to open a box or cut a loose thread, most people’s reactions are some variation of “Oh God, why do you have/need/carry that?” My usual reply is that a knife is the most useful tool in the world, but I’ve found that no matter how “non-threatening” looking the knife is, I still get that same reaction. Therefore, why not carry whatever I want?

Buy the Bestech Malware at BladeHQ

So, a month ago I put down my already scary-looking Microtech Ultratech OTF switchblade and picked up the seriously murder-ey looking Bestech Malware.

The Malware was designed for Bestech Knives by Todd Knife and Tool. TKT was started in 2016 by prolific knife reviewer Teryl Todd (Zelrick42 on YouTube) and his brother Seth Todd. They went from being fans to designers, and have a thoroughly modern company. Teryl lives in Ozark, Missouri, and Seth lives in Houston, Texas. They jointly design their knives by sharing 3D CAD files online, then Seth makes physical prototypes that they both test. TKT have developed a distinct visual style also apparent in their We Knife Co. made Roxi folder, and in the many prototype images shared on the toddknifeandtool Instagram account.

General Dimensions & Blade Details

The Malware’s blade is 3.875” (9.8 cm) long, the blade stock thickness is 0.15” (3.9mm), and it’s full open length is 8.75” (22 cm). The long stabby blade folds into a titanium handle, the blade pivots on ball bearings, and it’s framelock has a steel lockbar insert. The steel lockbar insert is a theoretically replaceable part that protects the titanium framelock from rubbing against the lock face of the steel blade. My experience has been that often a titanium framelock rubbing against a steel blade tends to “stick” in place, but steel on steel doesn’t have the same problem.

Here is a size comparison with a large Sebenza Insingo:

It weighs 3.68 oz. which is technically a little more than a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 or a Chris Reeve Knives large Sebenza, but it feels lighter than either of them in the hand. I attribute this feeling to the weight balance of this knife. If I’m holding the Malware in a normal thumb-on-top grip, and I slowly open my hand, the knife will not fall to the floor, but will stay balanced on my index finger. This nearly perfect weight distribution helps the Malware feel very agile in my hand.

The titanium pocket clip is configured as a right side, tip up only, but there are dedicated left handed versions as well. I have the “Ti Black” version. The titanium backspacer and pocket clip are anodized a brassy gold color, and contrast nicely against the black stonewashed finish of the rest of the knife. The stonewashed treatment gives the edges and corners a worn-in look similar to Kershaw Knives’ “blackwash” finish.

It’s blade steel is S35VN, which was developed specifically for high-end knife blades by steelmaker Crucible Industries and Chris Reeve Knives. It’s a powdered metal steel, which has the advantage of more uniform blending of it’s elements (iron, niobium, chromium, vanadium, etc.) than conventional steel. The end-user benefits of this manufacturing process and the S35VN formula are excellent blade toughness (it can take a hit without breaking or bending), corrosion resistance, and edge retention.

So it’s a modern production knife made in China with premium materials and it’s priced accordingly at $196 on BladeHQ. What makes it different than every other new Kizer, Reate, We, and Rike knife? Style and details.

What I love about good pocketknives is that they’re pieces of functional art you can hold in your hand. The Malware is full of interesting details and I keep noticing more. The design is a strange futuristic combination of curves, straight lines, and, as on the cutting edge of the blade, straight lines that almost imperceptibly turn into curves. The blade has a finger choil which, although it’s a little too small for my index finger, is the full 3.9mm width of the blade stock, which is yet another design detail that I appreciate.

Handle, Ergonomics, & Pocket Clip

In pictures, the handle looks very thin, and in the days between ordering the Malware and receiving it, I wondered if it would be too small to properly wrap my medium-large-ish hands around. When it arrived, I found that it fills my hand very well, and the long, flat clip doesn’t create much of a hotspot any way I hold it.

Some edges are pretty squared off, like the machining on the backspacer, but almost every part of the handle that comes in contact with my hand is chamfered, making it quite comfortable to hold. And the more I have it in my hands, the more I keep discovering new functional design details that I had, at first glance, written off as being cosmetic- like the three holes in the show side near the flipper tab. Those holes are exactly where my right thumb needs traction when flipping the knife open.

On the lock side of virtually all framelock knives, there’s a machined indentation in the frame that allows the locking part of the frame to flex inward and lock the blade open. A lot of knives cover this indentation with their pocket clips, but as yet another example of how well thought out this design is, the pocket clip on the Malware sits right above, but not covering, the indentation. So when gripping the knife to flip it open, my ring finger is naturally pushed into that square indentation, which gives me a secure grip when flipping it open.

I don’t ordinarily use my pocketknives for food prep, but in the spirit of thoroughness I sliced up some veggies with it. The blade has a full flat grind and gets very thin at the bottom, which made slicing easy. The ergonomics for general food prep were fine as long as I didn’t try to spread anything- the thin blade definitely doesn’t work as a butter knife. The flipper tab extends below the cutting edge, so it can’t really be used for dicing either, but kitchen work is clearly not this knife’s intended use.

The pocket clip is rather long and thin and has more flex to it than any other milled clip I’ve handled. The good news is that it doesn’t chew up my (already chewed up) pants pockets, but the bad news is that it seems like it could easily get bent.

I carried this knife during a T.C.C.C. medic class, and when we were learning how to improvise tourniquets, I used the Malware as a windlass (the stiff piece that you twist to tighten the tourniquet.) Despite really cranking this thing down tight on my training partner’s arm, I had no fear of the knife breaking or bending until the instructor decided to show the class how to tie off the end of the improvised tourniquet using the pocket clip. He was bending the clip way out and jamming fabric under it, and I desperately wanted to ask him to stop so he didn’t break it. I resisted this urge because I didn’t want to seem like a weenie to our super-badass Los Angeles SWAT Medic instructor. So he manhandled the clip, and when he was done, it just sprung back to it’s normal state. It may be thin and flexible, but it’s not fragile.

Overall, the Malware isn’t an “overbuilt” knife like a Hinderer Knives XM or a Strider SMF, but it’s definitely tougher than it looks.

Deployment & Lockup

A gripe I have with every single framelock flipper is if I grip it in such a way that I’m putting a lot of pressure with my middle finger on the front of the lock near the pivot, then the knife becomes very difficult to flip open. The worst offender on this front that I have is a Brad Zinker midtech version of the Boker Urban Trapper. The only knife I have that is immune to this problem is my GiantMouse GM1, which is an awesome knife overall, but perhaps solves this problem by having a weak detent which makes it difficult to flip open. However, the ergonomics of the Malware naturally place my fingers where they don’t get in the way of the mechanism at all.

The Malware’s flipper tab is relatively small but has comfortably rounded jimping that provides good traction for flipping. The amount of detent tension that has to be overcome to flip the knife open is tough for me to objectively define- but subjectively, I think it flips perfectly. The Malware’s framelock engages at about 40%, which you can jam over to about 60% if you’re worried about it slipping (not that that’s ever happened to me or anyone I know.)

I don’t carry a knife specifically for self defense, but I must say that I certainly never felt under-prepared while carrying the Malware on the weird streets of Los Angeles. It’s never accidentally opened while in my pocket or while drawing it out of my pocket. It’s flipped and locked open securely every single time I’ve flipped it. I don’t think an especially scary-looking knife like this is going to make a bad man run away in terror, but it’s a long, mean looking blade with a big handle I can get a very firm grip on. So I’ll add self defense to the Malware’s growing list of positive attributes.

Bestech Malware Review – Final Thoughts

I carried the Malware every day for a month and primarily used it for un-challenging tasks like opening packages, slashing open bags of cat food, and as an improvised medical device. At the end of the month, the finish on blade, handle, and clip are unblemished. The S35VN blade was still very sharp in most places, but after a quick, ham-fisted touch up on a Wicked Edge sharpener, it’s back to 100%. There’s no sharpening choil, but I don’t really care if the last few millimeters of my blade are super sharp.

What is the Bestech Malware made to do? I don’t want to sound like a knife snob a-hole, but I tend to compare everything to my Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza 21. The word “Sebenza” is literally the Zulu word for “work”, and the Sebenza feels like an indestructible precision tool. The Bestech knife doesn’t feel like a tool, it feels like a blatantly offensive weapon that can also open boxes from Amazon. Malware is the perfect name for this knife because it’s so badass. Not flaming skull badass, but sci-fi villain badass. It brings to mind futuristic heavy metal music by the band Voivod, it’s like the knife version of the Space Marines’ rifle from the movie Aliens, it should be a weapon in the DOOM video games, and I obviously really like it.

The deciding factor for anyone considering buying the Malware is definitely it’s looks- if you immediately like it’s vibe, I say get it. Nothing is perfect (except kittens), but the Malware excelled at everything I wanted it to do, and looked super-murder-ey doing it. Recommended!

Bestech Knives Malware – From $196.00
From: BladeHQ

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Bestech Knives Malware at BladeHQ and Amazon. Thank you very much.

About the Author: This guest review was written by John Burridge. John lives in Los Angeles and has a deep passion for knives. I plan on adding to this section to include more info about John and where to find him. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this in depth review.

SOG Terminus XR Review

by Dan Jackson 8 Comments

Travis’ SHOT Show 2019 round up brought a company back onto my radar: SOG. In his article he showcased the SEAL XR, a folding version of their classic Seal Pup fixed blade. I reviewed the Seal Pup a long time ago, and it’s cringe worthy to see that old review now. I should buy one again and re-review it. I’d also like to check the SEAL XR out at some point, but in the meantime I thought I would explore their current catalog.

Buy the SOG Terminus XR at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

The Terminus XR caught my eye. The spare, blocky design coupled with a modest sub $75 price point piqued my interest. It has been a long time since I reviewed a SOG product of any kind. What kind of knives are they making these days, and is the Terminus XR worth picking up? Let’s find out.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Terminus XR has an overall length of 7″, a 3″ blade, weighs 3.32 ounces, and is made in China. These are decent specs for an urban EDC. Certainly you can find lighter knives these days, but this design features full stainless steel liners. At first glance, the level of fit and finish is quite high, and the knife reminds me of my beloved Sage 1.

The Terminus XR features a stout clip point. Blade stock is just shy of 2.8mm thick, and it feels substantial thanks in part to the wide blade and partial hollow grind. There is a 3/4 swedge terminating at a substantial tip. The two tone satin finish looks nice, although the grinds bleed together on the triangular peninsula of steel where the flat meets the swedge and hollow grind. The edge is even.

In practice this is the kind of “do it all” blade shape people will have a hard time complaining about. Good tip strength, tons of belly, and a generous amount of edge, all make for a practical blade.

Blade steel is CTS-BDZ1.I’m not familiar with that one, so off to ZKnives I went to dig up some information. That site is an excellent resource and a true wealth of information (as opposed to the opinion riddled dick twirling you find here). Here is a link to the analytics on CTS-BDZ1.

Looks like it’s 6Cr14MoV, so a cousin of 8Cr13Mov, a steel most of us knife guys know well. Since it’s made by Carpenter my guess is that the quality control and consistency is a little tighter then some random Chinese foundry, but this is still going to be a milder steel that sharpens easily, resists rust, but won’t be as wear resistant as a higher end steel. According to SOG this has been heat treated to “60-62” RH. I’m not a metalurgist, but that sounds like an alarmingly wide range for a heat treat of a mass market production knife. Then again, this may be why the knife is less than $70.

In practice I found the Terminus XR to be a solid performer. It zipped through cardboard, opened mail with aplomb, and made quick work of the food prep I put it to.

This time of year in Florida strawberries are in season, and you can buy a huge flat of them for $6 at road side stands. The problem is they tend to go bad quickly, so you need to be prepared to gorge yourself on strawberries or make a pie or something. The Spyderco Dragonfly II has always been my go-to strawberry knife. That thin triangular blade is perfect for surgically removing the tops of the strawberry. The Terminus XR isn’t as nimble as the DF2, but it still got the job done.

Here’s a size comparison with the Dragonfly 2:

And as predicted by the chemical analysis, the Terminus’ edge didn’t hold on forever. This is especially true for abrasive materials like cardboard. But I was able to get a meaningful amount of work done with it, and the edge polished up easily on my [easyazon_link identifier=”B001JL1I6Y” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Golden Stone[/easyazon_link]. No issues with rust or corrosion. I’d say the steel choice is appropriate for the price point. That said, I’d never complain if they upgraded to CPM-154 or something along those lines.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle shares the same simple profile of the blade. It’s a big, blocky design featuring a G10/Carbon Fiber handle scales over full stainless steel liners. The steel liners have been skeletonized to reduce the weight of the knife. The partial backspacer is made of injected molded plastic. Matte black hardware, including an oversized pivot, holds everything together. Pretty standard stuff.

Handle construction is solid and the fit and finish is impressive. Again, I’m reminded of my Spyderco Sage 1. Granted, at this point my Sage 1 is 6 or 7 years old. Manufacturing techniques have advanced and tolerances have tightened, but still it’s a high level of fit and finish and it’s worth mentioning.

The Terminus XR feels OK in hand. When I grasp just the handle, the Terminus XR feels a little crowded for my larger hand. All 4 fingers fit, but just barely. SOG also included a forward finger choil underneath the ricasso, and I think that was a good idea. It gives you plenty of room and provides more control for precise cuts.

“Traction plan” fans will be pleased with the abundance of texturing on this knife. The inch or so of jimping on the spine is aggressive. It’s almost too aggressive for my tastes, but it hasn’t irritated my thumb. The milled handle provides plenty of texture on the scales. Again, its a little sharp and will tear up your pockets over time. The Terminus XR appears to be built for harder use in mind, and I think the level of texture and traction is appropriate.

SOG included a short deep carry pocket clip. It can be swapped for ambidextrous tip up carry. Spring retention is excellent and the Terminus stays in place. The knife buries completely in the pocket. I’m not a huge fan of branded pocket clips, but I think SOG did an OK job here. All in all the pocket clip is thoughtful and the knife stays out of the way.

The Terminus XR carries well thanks to the thoughtfully designed pocket clip. It’s not the lightest knife, or the thinnest, but I’d say it’s still reasonably thin and light. I didn’t notice it much in the pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

This part of the review is typically obvious and self explanatory. Here we have a folding knife, with a blade that can be opened via a flipper tap or ambidextrous thumb studs. Inside are phosphor bronze washers. Simple enough. What’s shocking about this knife is that the edges of the serrated flipper tab are so sharp it actually cut my finger open when using it. I didn’t need stitches, but it drew blood and I had to put the knife down. It’s way too sharp. I’ve tried to capture this in a picture I took. Not the best picture, but you get the idea.

To this day if I use the knife I still get small paper cut type incisions in my finger when I use the flipper. Maybe I got an especially sharp flipper tab, but this is the first time I’ve been cut by a flipper tab and it’s a major turn off.

If you can get past this issue somehow the blade opens smoothly. There is no ball detent in this knife, and the XR lock provides a good amount of resistance so you can flip the blade open. I’d rate the action at a “6” on my patent pending 0-10 scale for flipper action.

For lockup we have the aforementioned XR lock. This is a variation on their arc lock, which is really a take on the Benchmade Axis Lock. Now that the axis lock patent has expired, I think we can expect to see more companies experiment with this kind of lock. It’s a nice design because it’s secure, and easy to manipulate with either hand. It feels stronger and more secure than an axis lock. It’s a nice design and one I wouldn’t mind seeing in more knives.

Here is a parting shot with my tried and true Spyderco Sage 1. The Terminus XR reminds me of the Sage 1 for several reasons, including the EDC friendly size and similarities in construction.

Blade centering is perfect on my knife.

SOG Terminus XR Review – Final Thoughts

The Terminus XR has a lot going for it. A simple design made from adequate materials built to tight tolerances. And that sub $75 price is quite nice. It’s difficult to find good knives at this price point. The fit and finish is good, but I’d argue that it’s almost too good as evidenced by the sharp edges found on the flipper tab.

One of the 10 commandments of knife design is that “Only the edge shall be sharp.” Any sharp edges on the handle, liners, etc. are generally considered a violation of the sacrosanct. Certainly a flipper tab that flays your finger open with normal use is a serious problem. At best you need to be extremely careful with this knife. That’s a real shame given how nice every other aspect of the Terminus is.

Perhaps the issue can be rectified with a little emery paper. Perhaps I’m a little bitch and this issue won’t bother other people. Somehow the Terminus XR has garnered a number of 5 star reviews on BladeHQ and Amazon, so who’s to say? I’d rather not speculate.

I still appreciate this knife. It’s well made yet still priced reasonably. It’s a big step up from the plastic handled SOG knives of yore, and it’s not $100+ like their nicer Japanese blades. Also, the design of the Terminus is more straight forward, yet it’s still undeniably “SOG”.

In many ways the Terminus XR is a success, but in one major way it’s a failure. For that reason I can’t recommend it. Who can endorse a knife that cuts the user? I certainly can’t, regardless of how much I like the other aspects of the knife or the great price point. But the silver lining that it has SOG back on my radar. Despite the tragic flaw I acknowledge that there is a lot that went right here. Hopefully SOG can fix this flipper tab and do better with future releases. Ultimately I think they are heading in the right direction.

SOG EDC Knives - Terminus XR EDC Knife, Everyday Carry Pocket Knife with Clip, Flipper Knife with SOG XR Lock Mechanism (TM1021-BX)

EDC FOLDING KNIVES FOR EVERYDAY CARRY: The Terminus XR is a razor-sharp EDC folding knife and flipper knife made with strong, capable, cryo-hardened CTS BDZ1 stainless steel; blade measures 2.95 inches, knife measures 4.26 inches closed; model number: TM1021-BX
CARBON FIBER KNIFE HANDLE: At 3.2 ounces, these folding flipper knives are an essential addition to your EDC gear; black G10 & carbon fiber knife handle overlay is sleek, lightweight, with excellent grip and traction
OPEN YOUR LOCK POCKET KNIFE 3 WAYS: Use the knife thumb stud, flipper or kick mechanism to open these deep carry pocket knives with one hand; the SOG XR lock keeps the blade secure while allowing smooth manual actuation
TACKLE DAILY TASKS W/ CTS BDZ1 STRAIGHT EDGE: This compact everyday carry knife includes an ambidextrous pocket clip; small pocket knife blade is stout with superb edge retention and satin finish
SOG CARE: SOG knives and tools are built to last but may require initial tuning adjustments along with regular cleaning, lubrication and sharpening; we consider all repair and replacement requests

I recommend purchasing the SOG Terminus XR at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please consider that by purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.

Reate T2500 Review

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

Well, that didn’t take long. Only a couple months after acquiring the Reate Crossroads, another Reate has found it’s way into the collection. This time Reate has teamed up with knife designer Tashi Bharucha with a 4 knife series.

Buy the Reate T2500 at BladeHQ

I’ve long been a fan of Tashi. His designs are super clean, yet they all have a dynamic look to them. I’m an admirer, but mostly at a distance as his stuff is usually released in expensive limited edition runs. I haven’t been able to summon the ~$400 from my bank account to acquire one of his designs.

This T2500 is interesting because it’s a sub $200 knife. That’s unique for both Tashi and Reate. So I had to snag one.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The T2500 has an overall length of 5.6″, a 2.5″ blade, weighs 1.76 ounces, and is made in China. This is the smallest knife in the series, and it’s pretty damn small. I can see why it retails for $190. It’s beautiful, but charging much more would be a little ridiculous. Here it is next to my Spyderco Dragonfly 2:

As you can see, the T2500 compares favorably with the DF2. This makes a nice small EDC knife. It could also be called a Gentleman’s folder, although it has a bit of a “tactical” vibe to it.

The blade is an elegant drop point. It’s mostly belly, terminating in a fine tip. This is the kind of simple blade shape that will take care of any small task. The blade has been given a high flat grind, and has been left with a satin finish and stonewashed flats. There is a small swedge and a harpoon tip. A tiny sharpening choil allows you to sharpen the edge all the way to the heel.

The blade stock is a hair over 3.3mm thick, so this is a relatively thick blade especially given the size of this knife. All the details have been considered. There are no sharp edges save the cutting edge. All the others have been gently chamferred for comfort.

Blade steel is tried and true M390. Reate always uses a premium steel and this knife is no exception. M390 has the covetable qualities of excellent edge retention, relatively easy sharpening, good rust and corrosion resistance, good toughness. It’s one of the best all round EDC knife steels.

I have to confess that initially I was a little reluctant to put this knife through its paces. It’s a beautiful piece, and the small size and exceptional fit and finish gives the knife something of a jewel like quality. But I quickly got over myself and went to work. Boxes were broken down, food was prepared, packages containing yet more knives were opened. I didn’t take this one salt water fishing (I’ll leave that for the $22 Cold Steel Pro Lite Sport), but I basically did everything else with it.

The T2500 is a phenomenal slicer. It came screaming sharp out of the box. The fully flat ground blade easily worked its way into boxes, got underneath the folds of envelopes, and could do a little food prep. The short blade doesn’t make it the most effective apple slicer, but you can get the job done with it. I didn’t have any issues with rust or corrosion. When it was time to touch up the edge, I was able to do that easily on my [easyazon_link identifier=”B001JL1I6Y” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Spyderco Golden Stone[/easyazon_link]. This reminds me, I still need to review my Spyderco Golden Stone.

No complaints with the blade or the blade steel.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the T2500 is a miniature engineering marvel. It’s two pieces of bead blasted titanium with a carbon fiber insert. The way the handle pieces come together is super impressive. I’ve tried to capture it in a photograph:

It’s hard to tell, but there is a seam running down the spine of the handle where the two pieces meet.

I’m also impressed by how the show side doesn’t show any hardware except for the pivot. Oh, and the carbon fiber inlay. That is a work of art. Running my fingers across it you cannot feel where the titanium ends and the carbon fiber begins. It’s absolutely seamless and perfect. I don’t own any inlayed knives to compare it with, but this strikes me as a tough standard to beat. Reate offers this with regular woven carbon fiber or marbled carbon fiber. I chose marbled to match my Crossroads. That was a good choice.

There are a number of other interesting details with the handle. One is the lanyard hole, which has been integrated in a way to not spoil the beautiful lines of the knife. Another detail is the blue titanium hardware. All the machining is top notch. The handle has been exceptionally well considered. It’s an impressive job and one you need to hold to truly appreciate.

This is a small knife, so it’s not going to work in the hand like a larger folder. The Dragonfly 2 is the most impressive small handled knife I’ve reviewed, and the T2500 is serviceable, but it’s not a Dragonfly 2. If you just use the handle you can get a comfortable 3 finger grip. If you use the flipper tab as a finger choil, then I can get all 4 fingers onto the knife, but it’s a little tight for my larger hand. That’s a trade off you get with most small knives.

I will say the T2500 does feel good in hand. No sharp corners or hot spots. You would think the angled pommel would be uncomfortable, but it hasn’t been an issue for me. It slides in between my fingers. There isn’t much in the way of texture on this knife, but I haven’t had issues with it slipping out of my hand either. Bead blasted titanium provides enough traction for my purposes.

The T2500 comes with a machined titanium clip. That’s a nice detail on a sub $200 folder. I know some folks aren’t fans of sculpted clips, but I think some companies have dialed them in. Reate is one of those companies, as the clip offers good looks and excellent spring retention. It works great as a pocket clip, holding the knife firmly in place. I haven’t had the knife slip down in my pocket or fall out.

At well under 2 ounces, this T2500 carries like a dream. It’s excellent and reminds me a lot of the way the Dragonfly 2 carries. You simply don’t feel it in the pocket. It disappears until you need it. I wear shorts and pants with triangular pockets (rather than the “U” shaped pockets found on blue jeans), and the knife stays high in my pocket. That keeps it out of the way and avoids contact with things like keys and my flash light.

Visually, the knife is relatively discreet in the pocket. The pokey looking handle and titanium clip with blue hardware will draw the eye more than something like a small Spyderco wire clip, but that’s the trade off you get when you opt for a fancier pocket knife like this.

Deployment and Lockup

This is a titanium framelock flipper. The action is dialed in thanks in part to ceramic bearings and a ceramic detent. The flipper tab is generous and easy to get at. The knife flips with the best of them. I’d rate the action at an 8 out of 1-10. This is a small knife, so it’s a little more fiddly then a full size folder, but it’s not bad and I haven’t had any issues flipping the blade open.

Here is a shot with my Crossroads. All my marble fiber clad pocket knives in one photo:

For lockup we have a titanium framelock with a stainless steel insert. Lockup is early on my knife, with the tang of the blade engaging with approximately 40% of the lock bar. Lockup is secure with zero blade play in any direction. Disengaging the lock is easy thanks to cutouts both on the lockbar and the non-locking side of the knife. There is zero lock stick. It’s a perfectly executed framelock.

Here is a parting size comparison with the CRKT Pilar (the carbon fiber BladeHQ exclusive). A couple nice smaller knives featuring carbon fiber:

Blade centering is perfect on my knife. No surprises there given the price point and how dialed in everything else is on this piece.

Reate T2500 Review – Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a small high end titanium framelock flipper, then look no further. This knife delivers. It is beautifully made from the finest materials, and Tashi’s design is as striking as ever. The T2500 is loaded with detail and the execution of every aspect of the knife is superb. This is a beautiful little knife.

The T2500 strikes me as a high end and slightly less practical version of the Dragonfly 2. It’s pretty much the same size and weight. It carries similarly. It’s not as utilitarian as the Dragonfly 2, but it gets the job done. The ergonomics of the DF2 with it’s curved handle and forward finger choil remain unmatched by the T2500, but that’s OK.

That said, not everyone is looking for a micro knife. And although I knew this one would be small, but it’s very small. There are some sacrifices with a smaller knife like this. Mostly in the ergonomics. I would not be opposed to picking up the T3000, although I’m not sure they are even available at this point.

Then again, I don’t have a lot of 2.5″ bladed knives in my collection. I expected the T2500 to be beautiful, but what surprised me was how much I ended up enjoying carrying and using it. It is lightweight and practical. I bought the T2500 as more of a collectible, but I will continue to carry and use the knife in my regular EDC rotation.

So I suppose I could sum up this review by saying the T2500 is “surprising”. It’s both surprisingly small, and a surprisingly practical EDC knife. I recommend the T2500 for fans of small flippers, and those like me that wanted to try out a Tashi Bharucha design at a price point under $200.

Reate T2500 – From $192.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Reate T2500 at BladeHQ or GPKnives. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website (including Amazon) helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Steel Will Cutjack Mini Review

by Dan Jackson 4 Comments

When you look over the the stuff I reviewed last year, it’s a lot of high end pieces. With all that titanium and carbon fiber, you would think I’ve lost touch with the budget knives. In fact, when Travis wrote in his review of the Hogue OTF that the knife was expensive, a commenter said that it’s “Weird BladeReviews would call a $229 knife expensive!”

Buy the Steel Will Cutjack at BladeHQ

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In a way that comment warms my heart, because this is a true enthusiast’s site and we have dived deep into all sorts of high end knives here. I’ve personally purchased and reviewed so many expensive knives that a $229 knife amounts to a rounding error. I probably have $229 in knives lost in my couch cushions. One time I wiped my ass with a $229 knife. Not really, but you get the point. I have a problem. That’s part of the reason why I use a penknife name.

But in another way, it shows I may have been focusing a little too much on the higher end of the hobby. $229 is an expensive knife for a lot of people, including myself, and the hobby isn’t only about buying expensive knives. At the end of the day I use a lot of my knives, and the knives I tend to keep are users. The pocket frosting is what typically gets sold off.

I’m still interested in budget pieces, but I pick them carefully. Rather than review every single Chinese made Kershaw that comes out, I’d rather review stuff that interests me. Not all the budget stuff interests me.

But sometimes you can find cool knives for not a lot of money. The Steel Will Cutjack is one such candidate. When Steel Will came onto the scene a few years ago I wasn’t that interested. Most of their knives were plastic handled fixed blades, and I wasn’t that excited.

I believe their first folder was the Gekko. A sleek Italian made piece retailing for around $150. Nice knife, but I wasn’t ready to pay $150 for it.

I sort of lost sight of the brand at that point, but Steel Will continued to blaze forward with new designs and at different price points. Their stuff earned a following and the Cutjack kept popping up again and again. It slowly crystalized in my subconscious until it eventually found itself at my door step. Ok, maybe an Amazon shopping list and credit card were involved, but for $40 I didn’t think too hard about it. This is BladeReviews after all.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Cutjack has an overall length of 7″, a 3″ blade, and weighs 3.01 ounces. The knife is made in China, although it’s interesting to note I don’t see “China” anywhere on this knife or in the packaging. The Cutjack is firmly marketed as an EDC knife and is part of Steel Will’s “Urban” series. Originally when I wrote this review I though I had the regular Cutjack, but turns out this is the mini version. It’s a good size for EDC. Lightweight and easy to pocket. If you want something bigger, Steel Will offers a full size Cutjack with a 3.5″ blade and overall length of 8″.

The Cutjack’s blade is a riff on the modern drop point. The swooping belly compliments the curvy backside of the handle. There is a long lean swedge that runs the entire length of the blade. A high flat grind and satin finish lend a smart look to the knife. One thing to note is the edge on my knife is almost perfectly even. For a $40 folder I’m impressed, as it’s tough to find a perfectly even edge on any production knife.

Steel Will selected D2 steel for the blade. An interesting choice, as D2 has a reputation for being semi-stainless and a bit of a bear to maintain, unless you by a knife made by Bob Dozier. But this isn’t a Bob Dozier knife. When I think “D2” I think of the Benchmade 710. Great knife, but a bitch to sharpen. For this reason I wasn’t sure about a budget knife in D2 steel. At least it would give me something new to write about. Writing countless reviews of knives in Aus8 and 8Cr13MoV has worn a permanent groove in my brain. But D2 in a budget blade. That’s something different.

Here is a size comparison with the Benchmade Bugout. Buying lots of blue knives lately…

So I put the Cutjack through its paces. I’m writing this review after the holidays, so this knife has gone through an impressive quantity of cardboard. I’ve used it quite a bit in the kitchen as well. Cutting fruit and cheeses in place of a paring knife. I’ve had a chance to sharpen it on my Spyderco Sharpmaker a few times to maintain the edge. The D2 blade has held up great. No staining at all, easy to sharpen, and it has held a good edge. Hard to believe it’s actually D2 with performance like that, but I’m not complaining.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The Cutjack’s handle is FRN scales over stainless steel liners with a high density plastic backspacer. This is similar to what you would find on a Delica. In practice the FRN plastic handle scale isn’t quite as heavy as what you find on a Japanese Spyderco, but it’s pretty nice. In fact the handle is surprisingly nice and well constructed. All the parts line up, the steel liners have been skeletonized, and there is custom hardware for the body screws and pivot. For $40 this is great.

I will say that the inside edges of the handle are all a little sharp. Some ultra fine sandpaper would take care of that. Beyond those sharp edges, there is little to grouse about when it comes to the Cutjack’s handle construction.

How does it feel in hand? Well, some of the inside edges are a little sharp as I’ve mentioned, but on the all the handle is comfortable. Plenty of room for a 4 finger grip, whether you are choking up on the forward finger choil, or laying back in the cut. As far as traction is concerned, there is no lack of texture on this knife. The thumb ramp is finely jimped, the backspacer is a big toothy geared affair, and the handle scales themselves have a pleasant woven texture to them. Not as grippy as Spyderco’s bi-directional texturing, but it gets the job done.

In practice the Cutjack feels good in hand and I’ve had no issues breaking down boxes, slicing fruit, and doing some light carving to get a campfire going in my back yard.

The pocket clip is a silver spoon style clip. It buries the knife deeply, but isn’t a low rider clip. All in all I think it’s a good clip. It has good retention, keeps the knife tucked away, and the handle is drilled and tapped for ambidextrous tip up carry.

The Cutjack carries well. It’s neither ultra thin nor ultra light, but it is passably thin and passably light. It’s the kind of knife that I quickly forget I’m carrying until the anointed time arrives and I need to produce a pocket knife. The Cutjack earns strong marks for its practical carry clip and easy pocktability.

Deployment and Lockup

When I look at my list of best budget EDC knives, I notice only the Kershaw Skyline is a flipper. And the Skyline isn’t a great flipper when we think about modern flipping knives. It was designed before the renaissance in flipper folders.

The only knife that comes to mind as a great sub $40 flipper is the excellent CRKT Swindle. Could the Cutjack join the ranks? I think it’s possible. However, the flipping action of the Cutjack isn’t as good as the Swindle. The Cutjack uses phosphor bronze washers rather than bearings, and the detent isn’t as crisp on the Cutjack. But it’s still pretty good. I’d put the action around a “5” on the 0-10 scale. It’s not bad, but it’s not going to come close to the feel of a Zero Tolerance flipper or even the Swindle.

For lockup we have a stainless steel liner lock. Lockup is pretty good. I have a little side to side wiggle. Nothing crazy, but it’s there. I tried tightening the pivot, which removed the blade play but made the blade impossible to flip open. No up and down play at least. Lockup is fully engaged but is still early. The lockbar is jimped and easy to get at when it’s time to close the knife.

Blade centering is perfect on my knife. That is always nice to see. Here is a parting shot with the Cutjack next to the ESEE Zancudo:

Steel Will Cutjack Review – Final Thoughts

The Cutjack is pretty damn good for the money. It’s not perfect, but what do you expect for $40? I’d say its about 90% there. You get a lot of knife for the money. The overall design is excellent. The blade feels good in hand and cuts well. The knife carries nicely. The D2 steel is better than I expected. Little touches like the custom hardware show you that this knife was carefully considered.

It’s not a perfect piece. The inside edges of the handle are a little sharp. The deployment is on the sluggish side, and there is some side to side blade play. But this is a $40 knife, which means there will always be compromises in the execution of the knife. I think Steel Will has done a lot here, and that they allocated the money to the right places. I can’t think of much else that comes close to it if you want a flipper. What would you rather have for $40? The Skyline and Swindle are still excellent options, but they are lighter duty knives. The Cutjack is the kind of grab and go piece that finds itself making its way into my pocket over and over. It’s a great no-nonsense tool.

For these reasons I’m adding the Cutjack to my list of Best EDC Knives. I can easily recommend it if you are looking for a $40 EDC knife, and especially if you want a flipper. I still think the Zancudo represents an excellent value, and I think it’s slightly better made than the Cutjack, but the Cutjack is an excellent knife.

This knife will remain in my collection for the long term, and I’ll update the review as I continue to carry and use it.

Sale

Steel Will Cutjack C22M-1BL Linerlock, 3.0" (C22M- 1BL)

Steel liners on both sides, increasing overall strength and durability
Smooth and fast deployment with the press of a finger
D2 Steel Blade
G10 fiber handles

I recommend purchasing the Steel Will Cutjack 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.

Olamic Wayfarer 247 Review

by Dan Jackson 5 Comments

Years ago, when I was in law school and just starting this web site, Olamic came onto the scene with their damascus fixed blade knives. They actually reached out to me, to see if I would write an article on their knives for the site. I agreed, as I thought it was pretty cool that a knife manufacturer actually cared about what I was doing, and they ended up sending 3 knives over for examination.

Buy the Wayfarer 247 at BladeHQ

Due to some intellectual property complications on their end I was asked not to proceed with the article, but I still had the chance to check out the knives. They were cool, but never something I would have bought for myself. In fact, not even Olamic knows who buys those things. Ultimately I boxed them up and sent them back at their request.

Since then Olamic has continued to make damascus fixed blades in Russia, but they are best known are their high end folders. Olamic means “everlasting” and their motto is “Never the Same”. That’s because they offer the knives in a near infinite number of configurations. Even their logo is the infinity symbol. Pretty cool.

Originally their folders were true custom pieces, and they still make custom knives, but the Wayfarer 247 is more of a mid tech knife. What I mean by that is the basic parts are pre-machined in Italy, and then the folders are completed by hand in California.

This is a high end folder with the basic model starting at $375, but most of them are priced at $500+ with various hand worked finishes. At that price, it’s no wonder it has taken me this long to buy one of these knives. But plenty of people buy them. In fact they appear to fly off the shelves. The high praise intrigued me, so I ponied up and acquired a 247 for review.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Wayfarer 247 has an overall length of 8.125″, a 3.5″ blade, and it weighs 5 ounces. The knives are made in America. This is a larger EDC knife. Olamic recently came out with the Busker, which is more of an urban EDC knife with its 2.5″ blade. I’m sure the Busker is more practical as a daily carry, but the Wayfarer caught my eye with its sleek lines.

The 247 comes in your choice of blade shapes. I went with what Olamic refers to as their “original drop point”. It has a high flat grind, a long swedge, and a fine clipped point. My blade has been given an excellent satin finish, but you can also get the blade stonewashed, coated, or two tone. The grinds are pretty crisp, and the edge is neat and even. There is a sharpening choil so you can easily sharpen the knife all the way to the heel. It’s a nice functional blade shape.

For blade steel we have M390. I think that’s all they are offering the knife in currently, as I don’t see an option for blade steel on their website. That’s fine by me as M390 is good stuff. Relatively easy to maintain, excellent edge retention, good toughness, stainless, it has a proven track record as a high end knife steel.

I bought this knife used off the forums, and it came with what appears to be the used factory edge. The prior owner had nicked it in a couple spots and it was quite dull. So to bring the edge back I started out with my DMT Diafold to work out the nicks. I then switched to the ceramic rods from my Sharpmaker.

At that point it was pretty sharp, certainly a workable edge for my basic purposes, but I decided to hone it on my new Spyderco Golden Stone. This is an ultra fine ceramic stone with an interesting ducks foot shape. I thought it would be good for my kitchen knife given the stone’s size and unique configuration, but at this point I’m using it on all my blades. I was able to get an extremely fine hair popping edge with this stone. It is truly an excellent stone and I look forward to reviewing it in the future.

The moral of the story is despite it’s high hardness, M390 is an easy steel to maintain. If I can get it sharp most people will be able to. The knife has held a good edge and has worked just fine for my usual EDC tasks, which these days is mostly opening up cardboard boxes containing cigars and more knives. It makes great carrot sticks as well.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is where things start getting interesting. This is a full titanium framelock. Just like all their other knives. You have a wide choice of finishes. My particular knife features holes in the show side slab, a bronze anodization, and their “kinetic earth” finish. The hardware has been anodized as well. The end result is a unique knife.

Everything has been beautifully put together. The titanium slabs are thick, and everything has been nicely finished. Perhaps the most interesting feature is the floating backspacer. It’s a cool detail, and has been given the same finish of the rest of the handle. Another detail is the custom pivot. I’m happy to say Olamic includes a pivot tool with each knife. The pivot looks good, but it’s a little more fiddly to adjust than a regular torx or allen pivot, as the tool has a tendency to slip out of the pivot. At least when I’m using it.

Another cool detail is that you can order replacement sets of hardware for your knife. My guess is that this is mostly for those that want to change up the look of their knife, not so much replacing missing hardware, but either way you are covered.

Let’s turn to ergonomics. This is a comfortable knife. First off, it’s quite thick, clocking in at .46″. The thickness combined with the sweeping full size handle gives you plenty to grab onto. The knife fills your hand, and Olamic has done a great job knocking down any sharp edges. The Wayfarer almost feels like a cold stick of butter in your hand. It’s not slippery, but it is extremely smooth and comfortable. It feels unique when compared with everything else in my collection.

The simple handle design provides one groove for your index finger to nestle into place. Plenty of room even for larger hands. I suppose if you run out of real estate you can always graduate to the full size custom Wayfarer, but that may require a second mortgage. Rounding things out is a short run of jimping on the spine of the blade. The jimping captures your thumb nicely, and strikes a balance between providing traction without blistering your thumb.

The pocket clip is another interesting detail. The clip borrows heavily from the designs found on the Todd Begg Steelcraft Bodega. Olamic licensed it, so no worries there. The clip is a slab of titanium secured by 3 stand offs and then for retention you have an oversize ceramic ball bearing pressed into the titanium.

The end result is a highly robust pocket clip. Spring tension is excellent, so strong I sometimes have trouble getting this knife into my pocket. No worries about it falling out accidentally I suppose. It’s a good stiff pocket clip, and another high end detail.

In practice the 247 carries well for it it is. This is a big chunky titanium frame lock folder. The chunkiness makes it feel great in hand, but the Wayfarer 247 will never carry like my Spyderco Dragonfly, or even my Native for that matter. But the strong clip keeps the knife securely in place. It’s not a deep carry clip, but must of the knife buries discreetly in the pocket. That’s about all I can ask for.

Deployment and Lockup

This is a titanium framelock flipper. There is a lot of competition in this space, but Olamic spent the time to distinguish their knife from the rest. They utilize caged bearings, a ceramic ball detent, an internal stop pin, and a detent ramp. A detent ramp is a small groove or chamfer milled into the tang of blade. What it does is make the action a little smoother when you close the knife. Rather than the ball detent hitting the tang jarringly, this groove makes rentry smoother and easier. Its details like this that help set the knife apart.

And the knife does have a different action than anything else I own. The detent ramp and other details give the action of the 247 an almost hydraulic feel. The blade practically “whooshes” open as if there were a pneumatic piston inside. The blade fires hard no matter what, and the action is smooth and glassy. The detent is strong, but the detent ramp and thick handle smooth it out whether you are opening or closing the knife. Opening and closing the blade of the 247 is a uniquely satisfying experience.

Here is a shot of the detent ramp:

Moving towards lockup, we have a titanium framelock with a stainless steel lock bar insert and an internal stop pin. The internal stop pin is another interesting feature. It makes for a simpler design (no visible stop pin), and it works well. There is zero blade play in this knife. No lock rock, no lock stick, no side to side, no nothing. It’s a perfectly executed framelock. You would expect that at this price point, and Olamic delivers.

Here is a size comparison with the ZT 0609:

A final point is the blade centering. My blade is perfectly centered. I noticed that the pivot came loose during testing causing the blade to wander. and I was able to tighten it back up to true without a problem.

After publishing the review I decided to disassemble the knife. The 247 was straight forward to disassemble. You can see that in addition to caged bearings, there are stainless steel washers to prevent the bearings from wearing into the titanium handles. Reassembly was easy and the knife came back together perfectly.

Olamic Wayfarer 247 Review – Final Thoughts

Olamic’s goal for the 247 was to build a top shelf titanium framelock flipper that can be customized to the end user, yet still sold at a reasonable price. By and large I think they have accomplished that. I detect very little in the way of compromise here, and that is reflected in the build quality and price tag. Every aspect of the knife has been lavished with attention, from materials selection to engineering to finish work, it has all be carefully considered and expertly executed.

Where the 247 really stands apart is in its ability to be factory customized. A handful of years ago “modding” knives was all the rage. You see less of that these days, but the success of knives like the 247 show that people still care enough to want to have a customized knife. The standard 247 is really a blank canvas, and Olamic will do whatever you want with it. Of course it quickly gets expensive, but that doesn’t seem to deter people.

So that begs the question, a knife like the one shown here retails for approximately $500. For that amount of money, would you rather have the 247 or 2 high end Spyderco’s or ZTs? When I plunked my 0609 down next to the Olamic, I could see where the extra money went. Olamic has succeeded in creating a unique feel for their factory custom framelock flipper. The ergonomics and action are unlike anything else I own. The ZT is an excellent knife for the money, but there is no comparison. Especially if you get a base model 247 for around $350. At that price you get the exceptional flipper action and ergonomics without the additional cost of the extra finish work.

And Olamic doesn’t seem to be competing with these major brands anyways. They are essentially building the Chris Reeve Knives of flippers. Actually, I’m not sure if that is still a fair comparison. While CRK may have shown us what was possible with a high end production folder in the early 2000s, Olamic shows us what’s possible today.

Some will scoff at the robust price tag, but this is a high end knife. It simply isn’t aimed at the price conscious. If you want a titanium flipper framelock with uncompromising quality and the ability to “make it your own”, then the 247 is an excellent choice.

Olamic Wayfarer 247 – From $375.00
From: BladeHQ

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

Zero Tolerance 0609 Review

by Dan Jackson 11 Comments

This is a reader request. Proof that if you twist my arm hard enough I’ll review the latest full titanium Zero Tolerance flipper. Only for you guys.

Buy the Zero Tolerance 0609 at BladeHQ

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The Zero Tolerance 0609 is an R.J. Martin design, and is another step in ZT’s trend of releasing smaller, more EDC friendly knives. The last R.J. Martin / ZT collab I handled was the 0600, a massive, 9.5″ framelock flipper. It was big and beautiful piece, but few people are going to want to carry a folding knife with a 4.25″ blade on a regular basis. Plus it was a $400 limited edition knife.

The 0609 is much more reasonable in its footprint, price point, and availability. When you consider that I reviewed pieces like the 0300 and 0560 only a handful of years ago, it shows how the market has evolved. Big chunky knives are losing favor to more pocket friendly offerings. Lets take a deep dive into this recent release from Zero Tolerance.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0609 has an overall length of 7.4″, a 3.4″ blade, weighs 3.3 ounces, and is made in the USA. This is a good size knife, but you may be surprised to learn that the 0609 is both smaller and lighter than a Benchmade Griptilian. I think this is a great size for those wanting a full size knife, but still something thin, lightweight, and special.

The blade is a twist on R.J.’s classic drop point, found on models from his Q36 customs, to the Kershaw Volt. This particular blade has been given a harpoon and swedge, lending a more exotic, technical look to the knife.

Blade stock is thin, clocking in at .12″ (just over 3mm thick), and the high flat grind combined with a wide edge makes for a knife that slices well right out of the box. I had no problem slicing apples, and the knife absolutely decimates cardboard.

Blade steel is CPM-20CV, which is chemically similar to M390, but made in the USA by Crucible. Edge retention has been excellent and there are no signs of chipping or rolling. No issues with rust or corrosion either.

The knife has served well in its role as a high end EDC or “gentleman’s tactical” folding knife. It’s a knife that has been built for speed. I can’t help analogizing it to a sports car. It’s low-slung and has a premium feel.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The 0609’s handle is comprised of two heavily milled pieces of bronze anodized titanium. The anodization is interesting, as the bronze picks up hues of blue and purple from the oils on your skin. I think it’s a nice change of pace over standard raw titanium, but wonder how it will wear over time.

Handle construction is simple and clean. You have two simple handle pillars, and then you have the oversized See-Through Pivot (STP). The STP is an R.J. Martin creation that allows you to see through the pivot. It’s cool and different, but the draw back is you need to buy a special tool from KAI to adjust the pivot or take apart the knife. That’s a definite drawback to an otherwise practical offering from ZT. Still, the STP is one of the more interesting details of the knife.

The ergonomics of the 0609 are pretty good. The handle is long enough to accommodate a full 4 finger grip, while the textured titanium, jimped thumb ramp and spine, and finger grooves all serve to lock your hand in place. The only rub is that this knife is 1.125″ at its widest. Its very thin, making it great for carry, but less comfortable for extended use. Personally, I’m fine with sacrificing a little ergonomic comfort for a lighter and more streamlined knife, but if you are expecting this to fill the hand like an 0808, well, it won’t.

For carry the 0609 comes with a simple inoffensive pocket clip. Even the Zero Tolerance logo has been dialed back on the clip of this knife. Gone are the days of the big “ZT” billboard. Now we have “Zero Tolerance” lettered in a small and spare font. The clip offers good retention and the knife rides relatively deep in the pocket. The handle has been drilled and tapped for ambidextrous tip up carry.

In practice the 0609 carries great. It’s slim, and lightweight. You will quickly forget that you are even carrying it. The sturdy pocket clip keeps the knife firmly in place. Perhaps a deep carry clip would have been nice, but this clip is small and stays out of the way.

Deployment and Lockup

Like most ZTs, this is a titanium framelock flipper. And once again, Zero Tolerance demonstrates that they know how to put a titanium framelock flipper together. The flipper tab is prominent and lightly jimped. The blade pops open easily with either a push button or lightswitch flick. The detent is strong, and the blade rides smoothly on Kershaw’s KVT caged bearing system.

For lockup we have a titanium framelock with stainless steel lockbar insert. Lockup is early and secure. There is no play in any direction and the lockbar disengages easily without any stick. I often consider Zero Tolerance to be the best in the business when it comes to production titanium framelock flippers. The 0609 is another example of why that’s the case.

Here is a shot next to my ZT O450CF. It’s actually not much bigger than the 0450CF. Mostly it’s a wider knife than the 0450CF.

Blade centering is perfect on my knife.

Zero Tolerance 0609 Review – Final Thoughts

I think this is the most refined non-limited production ZT I have handled to date. Clearly they have listened to customer feedback, and this strikes me as an evolution of the Zero Tolerance lineup. Some people may want big chunky folding knives, but there are plenty of us who want something thin and light.

While the brand has been obviously trending towards more practical knives over the years, this 0609 strikes me as the total package. A slick R.J. Martin design, a thinly ground blade married to a lightweight and strong titanium handle, with great flipping action and solid lockup. What’s not to like? The answer is “not much”. It’s a great knife.

Even the price is reasonable. These retail for a little over $200. Not cheap by any stretch, but not unreasonable for a USA made premium pocket knife either. This is easily my favorite regular production Zero Tolerance folder to date. Highly recommended.

Zero Tolerance 0609 Pocketknife; 3.4-inch CPM 20CV Drop Point Blade with Two-Toned Finish; 3D Textured Titanium Handle, Anodized Bronze; KVT Ball Bearing Manual Open; Reversible Pocketclip; 3.3 oz

CPM 20CV premium powdered steel selected for hard use; produced by Crucible with high volume vanadium carbides and highest level chromium to ensure blade’s polish, exceptional durability and longevity
Lightweight and razor sharp, 0609 measures 4. 25 inches closed, 7. 4 inches open; it boasts a titanium frame lock with angled lock bar for secure, reliable lockup that prevents unintentional closing
A perfect EDC, the multi-faceted 0609 can aid in self- and home-defense, emergencies, meal prep, wilderness survival, job site maintenance, daily chores, recreational activities and military maneuvers
Ultimate knife is memorable gift for a spouse, co-worker, close friend, graduate, parent, first responder, relative embarking on special journey, bride or groom, generous host or extraordinary retiree
ZT knives are designed for heavy-duty use and to provide maximum strength and versatility; they are domestically produced and against manufacturing defects in material and construction

I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0609 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.