flipper

Boker Plus S2 Review

Last Updated: August 30, 2019
I’ve been drooling over Sniper Bladeworks custom knives for a long time now. For the uninitiated, Sniper Bladeworks is the brainchild of Lance Abernathy and Jody Muller. Jody handles fabrication and Lance comes up with the designs. The result has been a number of award winning tactical knife designs and superbly built tools that are revered by collectors and users alike.

Buy the Boker Plus S2 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

The Boker S2 is Sniper Bladeworks’ first collaboration with a production company. I recently got my hands on one of these knives and was really impressed by how well the knife worked and the level of fit and finish. The intriguing design lead me to contacting Lance himself in order to gain some insight on this unique knife. Lance was able to provide some of the details and explain why the S2 was built the way it was. It was a real pleasure speaking with Lance, and I hope our conversation helps provide a better review.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

It should be no surprise that Sniper Bladeworks focuses on tactical knives. Lance comes from a heavy law enforcement background and served on a SWAT team for over 11 years. The Sniper Bladeworks custom knives are all built with utility, ergonomics and aesthetics in mind. The S2 is no different. This is a big knife so I would put it in the tactical and/or utility role. I think it’s big for EDC, but it doesn’t look that threatening so it could be a good choice if you like to carry a bigger knife.

The S2 has an overall length of 8-3/4″, a 4″ blade, weighs 5 ounces, and is made in China. This is not a small knife. By way of comparison, I find it holds it’s own next to a Spyderco Military (which also has a 4″ blade, but has a total length of 9 1/2″).

The blade is a big piece of 440C stainless steel. Boker uses a lot of 440C in their plus line and I welcome it with open arms. It’s a good mid-range steel and an all around performer. The width of the blade is impressive and it has a large flat grind that begins almost at the top of the knife. The long curved spine drops off into a nice functional tip. This tip isn’t reinforced and the overall bladeshape is faintly reminiscent of a sheepsfoot shape. Naturally there is a lot of utility with this blade for day to day tasks. I also think this could possibly serve as a rescue knife. And naturally I think the knife could also be used as an emergency defensive tool too. The excellent slicing capabilities of the flat grind mean you could use this knife for anything from cutting seatbelts to preparing food.

Finally, I wanted to comment on the stone wash Boker applied to this blade and hardware. It’s a rough and tumble stonewash and it has created a nice effect. Between the design and finishes of this knife, I get a really utilitarian vibe, and this knife just begs to be used.

Handle Details

The handle is one of the most interesting aspects of the S2. It’s construction is simple enough, with black G10 over matte gray steel liners. The liners have been milled to reduce weight and a black G10 backspacer runs a little over half the length of the handle. All in all, construction is good and all the pieces line up flush with no gaps or irregularities.

Ergonomics on the S2 are pretty special, and it’s where the knife really starts to shine. At first glance the handle is boxy looking and doesn’t appear to be that comfortable. I’ve heard some go so far to say that the handle is “ugly” – I disagree, but to each his own. I’ll say it’s a somewhat unconventional shape, but it really works in your hand. First off, it’s a pistol grip, meaning that the handle attaches to the blade at an angle and naturally orients the blade towards the cutting surface. Lance told me they like this style of handle because it puts the tip on target without bending the hand. In my experience, this design totally works.

The flat back of the handle fits the palm perfectly and your thumb falls into a nicely jimped thumb ramp. When I first picked up the knife I felt like this was a blade I could get some work done with. The flipper also acts and integral guard/choil so your whole hand wraps around the knife nicely. It’s a clever design and the guys at Sniper Bladeworks made the handle plenty big so you have lots of room to move and use various grips.

As a final touch there are some grooves milled into one side of the handle. This provides some extra grip to the already nicely textured G10 and adds some visual interest as well. Lance told me that they like designing knives that look good open and closed – the lines to add a little something extra.

The S2 actually ships with 2 pocket clips, for tip up or tip down carry. Its a good size clip that rides low in the pocket. Retention is good and I found it to be easy to insert into my pocket. Unfortunately the handle has been drilled for right hand carry only.

Deployment and Lock-up

The S2 is deployed by a large flipper on the back of the handle. This knife quickly broke in and I find that deploying this big blade is effortless. I think a flipper was a good idea for this wide blade because your thumb would have to travel far to fully activate a thumb stud. No complaints with the deployment of this knife.

Lockup is achieved through a liner lock. This is a pretty thick liner lock and it engages early with a crisp snapping sound. I found it to be easy to disengage, but because the handle isn’t cut away it does take a little more effort than other knives with a cutout for your thumb. I think for most tasks the liner lock will be more than adequate.

Boker S2 Review – Final Thoughts

All in all I am very pleased with my S2. To be honest, I can’t find a major fault with the knife (the lack of an ambidextrous pocket clip would be my biggest complaint). I think Boker was smart to pick up this cool design from Sniper Bladeworks. When I spoke with Lance he said that they wanted to create something big and functional – just like one of their custom pieces. I think Boker executed that concept wonderfully, as the fit and finish is very high on this knife, with the country of origin being China.

When you consider that the S2 can be acquired for around $50, it’s a pretty good value. I won’t be able to afford a custom anytime soon so this is the closest I will be getting to a real Sniper Bladeworks knife for a while.

Boker 01BO160 Plus S2 Knife with 4 in. Straight Edge Blade, Black

Durable and sharp 440C stainless steel blade
Structured G-10 scales for maximum stability
Reversible clip for tip-up or tip-down carry
Blade Length: 4 inches. Overall length: 8 3/4 inches
Limited lifetime warranty

I recommend purchasing the Boker S2 at Amazon.com and BladeHQ. Thanks for checking out the review.

CRKT Ripple Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

Last Updated: August 4, 2019
The CKRT Ripple is a design that had me doing a double take. The flowing lines and sharp looks were very “Ken Onion-y” and upon closer inspection the knife was in fact designed by Ken Onion. It turns out Mr. Onion has parted ways with the folks at Kershaw and he has been picked up by competitor CRKT.

Buy the CRKT Ripple at BladeHQ

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The Ripple was one of Ken’s first designs for CRKT. It’s something of a gentleman’s EDC knife, with Ken’s signature flowing curves in a low profile package.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Ripple comes in a few sizes. What you see here is the large version with a 3 1/8″ blade, an overall length of 7 1/2″ and a weight of 2.9 ounces. This is a nice size for an EDC knife. Not only is the Ripple lightweight at under 3 ounces, but it’s thin too. The whole knife is less than 5/16″ thick. Plenty of blade in a lightweight package. It’s a slim design that begs to be carried.

The blade is an attractive drop point design. There is an absence of the typical organic curves that Ken Onion is known for, but it still has his style and I find myself wanting for nothing. This is a really slender and refined blade and it comes with an exquisite tip. The swedge running 3/4 of the top of the blade is another elegant touch and the high hollow grind makes this a nice slicer as well. Personally, I love this blade shape.

CRKT has released this knife in several different steels over the years, but 8Cr14MoV is going to be the most common configuration. 8Cr14MoV has been discussed at length before, but this is a Chinese steel that is best known for being expensive, easy to sharpen, and holding an adequate edge. It’s on par with AUS-8, but below VG-10 and 154CM in the steel hierarchy. Feel free to check out my knife steel article for more information on different types of steel.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Ripple is either made of 420J2 stainless steel (the framelock version) or aluminum (the linerlock version – shown here). The handle pieces have first been CNC milled with a ripple pattern. The handle has then been either a blue or black titanium nitride coating and then has been rubbed to reveal the silver look of the steel. It is a very unique look and can be difficult to capture in photographs although darkchild69, our featured photographer, has done an excellent job here. Another design element is the series of 44 small holes milled into the side of the handle. This is more for decoration I think, although it does lighten the handle up slightly. Finally, the handle is bolted together with two pillars. Very simple and as always, very easy to keep clean. This is a very slim handle and all the detail is unlike anything else currently on the market.

This is a thin metal handle so logic would suggest that this won’t be the most comfortable knife. In fact, the ergonomics are surprisingly good. The handle has been rounded and the flipper helps define the choil. Additionally, there is nice jimping on both the thumb ramp and handle. This provides plenty of traction and makes this a very easy knife to use for general tasks.

The clip is another interesting component. It is mounted high for tip down carry. It sits flush with the top of the handle and follows the line of the handle. One gripe is that the pocket clip it is tip-down right hand carry only. With the assisted open and the flipper, I can totally see why CRKT opted for tip down carry, but with 44 holes already in this knife, they really need to drill a couple more and make this clip ambidextrous.

Deployment and Lockup

The Ripple is a non-assisted open knife actuated by a flipper on the back of the handle. Those familiar with Ken Onion’s Leek, Chive, ZT 302, etc will be very familiar with this style of deployment. The flipper has been given some aggressive jimping that really bites into your thumb, you will not be slipping on this flipper. There are no thumb studs.

An interesting feature of the Ripple is the IKBS opening system. IKBS stands for “Ikoma Korth Bearing System” and means just that. There are a total of 16 ball bearings (8 per side of the blade). The bearings are uncaged and sit in little grooves machined into the handle and are used in place of teflon or phosphor bronze washers. Initial impressions are very good – the bearings make for a very fast and smooth deployment. This is one of the smoothest opening knives currently on the market (production blades at least). The IKBS combined with the assisted feature makes for effortless blade presentation. And apparently the bearings do not need much maintenance, which is good because I would not want to take this knife apart.

Here is an update from 2019: Over the past 8+ years I’ve owned countless bearing equipped knives. Generally they have held up real well. The versions with caged bearings are easier to take apart. This IKBS equipped knife includes loose bearings. You can take these knives apart too, but you need to be careful. Here is a great video from CRKT on how to clean an IKBS equipped knife.

The Ripple uses a steel frame lock, which is plenty strong for the kind of EDC tasks this knife was designed. Due to the intricate design on the handle you can hardly tell the framelock is there. I like how this looks and I also like how the framelock and adds to the simplicity of the design. However, I have noticed on multiple knives, the framelock extends very far over (see below) while others lock up early. Frame locks are designed to slowly break in and will travel over with extended use. Having the lock engage “late” from the start means that you may get less life out of the lock. If you get a Ripple with this late lock up, I would recommend talking with CRKT and getting it fixed because in my opinion, this shouldn’t happen with a new knife.

Here is a parting size comparison with my Boker Plus Urban Trapper:

CRKT Ripple Review – Final Thoughts

The Ripple is a beautiful knife. Ken Onion took a sexy blade shape and melded it with a wonderful handle. This knife “flows” from an aesthetic standpoint and I think the design is just phenomenal. The IKBS is both interesting and functional, long term testing will tell if this is a mere novelty or truly a revolutionary way to deploy a blade. The Ripple is made in Taiwan, which we now know (thanks to Spyderco) is capable of making some great higher end blades at a terrific value.

All things considered the CRKT did a great job with the Ripple. I would prefer if they re-worked the pocket clip so that it was ambidextrous, and a little less weird, but beyond that you get a lot of nice knife for the money. The Ripple is one of the knives that laid the foundation for Ken Onion / CRKT collaborations, and continues to be a great lightweight high value option for folks years after its original release.

CRKT Ripple EDC Folding Pocket Knife: Gentleman Everyday Carry, Satin Blade, IKBS Ball Bearing Pivot, Liner Lock, Textured Aluminum Handle, Pocket Clip K415KXP

Fast Opening: IKBS ball bearing pivot deploys the blade fast
Fast Opening: The flipper deploys the blade fast
Strong And Lightweight: Aluminum handle combines strength with minimal weight
Designed by Ken Onion in Kaneohe, Hawaii
Limited Lifetime Warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, see company site for details

I recommend buying the CRKT Ripple at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading and Stay Sharp.

Zero Tolerance 0300 Review

by Dan Jackson 10 Comments

When Zero Tolerance first came on the scene the 0300 is one of their knives that really caught my eye. The graceful curves reminded me of some deep sea mammal while the construction reminded me of a semi truck. So I wasn’t surprised to learn that the 0300 was a collaboration between Ken Onion and the Strider Knife Corporation. Ken Onion is known for making a lot of really nice designs for Kershaw (and now CRKT) and Strider is known for making some of the toughest folders in the world. When you get two powerhouses like this in the same room working on a knife that is made in the USA with the fit and finish Kershaw is known for – well, I start to pay attention.

Before we go forward I need to say that “0300” is used to designate the coloration of the knife. All the knives in the 0300 Zero Tolerance line (which include the 0300, 0301 and 0302) are identical except for the color schemes. Pictured in this review is the black on black 0300. The ZT 0301 has a Forest Green handle and Tiger Striped blade finish and the ZT 0302 has a Coyote Brown handle with a Tiger Striped blade finish. All 3 knives are made in the USA.

General Details and Blade Dimensions

The size and heft of this knife are the first things you notice. The 0300 has the profile of a bulldozer and it is incredibly stout. The total length is 9″, the blade is 3-3/4″ and the weight is a solid 8.6 ounces. This is a heavy knife and the weight may deter some people from wanting to carry it. I’ll admit, it’s not my ideal EDC and this is definitely a knife that you don’t forget that is in your pocket, but I have carried it no problem with a sturdy pair of shorts or jeans. I feel that whether the knife is “too heavy” is up to you, so I’m not going to pass judgment in that regard.

The blade is a modified drop point, marked by Ken Onion’s signature styling. It features a high flat grind, and a partial swedge near the top. What I really like about this knife is the big belly on the blade. This is great for utility tasks. The blade steel is thick (4mm) and it holds the thickness all the way to the tip. This knife wasn’t designed for stabbing, it was designed to hold up to hard use tasks. There is a nice subtle recurve for enhanced slicing power and the Zero Tolerance logo and various other insignia has been laser etched onto the blade.

The steel on the 0300 series is a large piece of S30V. For those unfamiliar with S30V, it is one of the finest knife steels available, and it’s been this way for a number of years now. More expensive steels have arrived on the scene but it’s really tough to match the combination of ease of sharpening, edge retention and corrosion resistance that S30V is known for.

The blade has been further treated with a Tungsten DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) Coating. This is a high quality blade coating that will hold up a lot better than more inexpensive painted coatings. The tiger stripes on the 0301 and 0302 are really killer and quite unique in the production knife world.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the 0300 is really well done. As far as construction goes, on one side we have textured G10 over a stainless steel liner. The other side (the lock side) is made of a single piece of titanium. There is a G10 spacer between the two sides and everything has been screwed together. Everything lines up flush, and it’s all been beautifully finished with no rough edges or anything of that nature.

Ergonomics on the 0300 are excellent. The handle has the same wide profile of the blade and it feels very satisfying in the hand. The flipper doubles as a choil and there is a generous amount of jimping on the thumb ramp and pommel. Both sides of the handle are machined with a very aggressive textured pattern. All of these elements combine to provide superior grip and response. I am not worried about my hand slipping forward on the knife at all. It is very comfortable to hold this knife, with zero hot spots. The 0300 is a large knife so I expected good ergonomics, but the designers really went out of their way to cover all of the bases. I am very impressed with the ergonomics of this knife.

The pocket clip of the 0300 is straight out of the Kershaw parts bin. I have an almost identical clip on my Skyline (and a number of other Kershaw knives). That is ok though, because this is a proven clip design, it’s simple, and it totally works. This is a very stiff clip, which works well with the flat and wide profile of the knife; it will hold the knife in place anywhere in your pocket. Heavy knives have a tendancy to sink down to the corners of my pants pockets, which can interfere with some of the other gear I carry (like my flashlight). The stiffness of the 0300’s clip avoids that issue.

Another great thing about the clip is that it is mountable on all 4 corners of the knife. This gives you the freedom to carry your knife the way you want to. I also like how the clip has been blackened. All in all this is a very secure and discreet carry, I am very pleased with how well everything works considering it such a heavy knife.

Deployment and Lock-up

First of all, the 0300 is an assisted opening knife, making use of Kershaw’s SpeedSafe assisted opening technology. With the 0300 you have the option of either deploying the knife with the thumbstuds or flipper. This is really cool because the thumb studs actually work as the stop pin here, and often it’s very difficult to get at the thumbstuds on this type of knife. For me, I had no problem – even left handed, getting at the thumbstuds. Either way you want to deploy the knife, the SpeedSafe quickly engages and moves this big blade out with a good amount of speed. It’s a fun and satisfying knife to open and the SpeedSafe is a proven assisted opening mechanism. Of course, you could always disable this feature if you preferred 100% manual operation.

Deployment is not only fast, but it’s very smooth. The 0300 uses a pair of very large phosphor bronze washers. These low friction washers are very smooth. Also, the pivot pin is very big. It’s actually a large bolt that requires a 3/8″ driver to loosen it. This may be problematic in the field, but everyone owns a 3/8″ driver so for my use it wasn’t an issue. I think it’s a pretty cool look and is appropriate given how overbuilt the rest of the knife is.

The lock on the 0300 is a titanium frame lock. This is a very sturdy style of lock and ZT really put this one together correctly. As you can see, mine engages nice and early, with plenty of room to break in with use. It almost goes without saying, but there is absolutely no blade play in this knife. Despite the strength of the lock, it is still easy to disengage when you want to fold the knife up. A cool detail is that they included a Hinderer lockbar stabilizer (that dark circular portion) on the side of the lock. This handy feature prevents you from overextending the titanium frame lock, which could compromise the integrity of the knife.

Zero Tolerance 0300 vs. Zero Tolerance 0350

A common question a lot people have is whether they want the ZT 0300 or the smaller Zero Tolerance 0350. If you are one of those people, I made a video comparing the two knives.

Zero Tolerance 0300 Review – Final Thoughts

The ZT 0300 is an incredible knife. The build quality is superb, the selection of materials is top notch and the design and features are outstanding. The knife retails for around $230, which is actually an outstanding value when you consider that this knife is very similar in both design and build quality to several Strider knives selling for $400-$500. I don’t think you will be able to find another folding knife as well built and feature rich as the ZT 0300 in the $230 range.

Perhaps the biggest complaint would be the weight. It is not a light knife. However, if you want a large, beautiful, hard use folder with premium materials made in the USA then I can safely recommend the 0300 or any of it’s siblings.

I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0300 at Amazon.com.

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Kershaw Skyline Review

by Dan Jackson 11 Comments

Last Updated: March 19, 2019

The Skyline is often regarded as a reference point. A knife we compare other knives to. It’s also a damn good Every Day Carry (EDC) knife. Back when I originally reviewed the Skyline in 2010, it was among the first reviews to be published on the site. It was a great knife then. Today, it is just as relevant and excellent of a knife.

Buy the Kershaw Skyline at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

This is an in-house design from Kershaw, meaning it wasn’t designed by a popular custom knife maker, and I doubt that when they originally created the knife they expected to have such a run away success on their hands. The Kershaw Skyline is an American-made, high-value, lightweight, EDC knife with all the features you would expect from a modern folding knife that is widely available and accessible at almost any budget.

General Dimensions and Blade Steel

The Skyline has an overall length of 7.375″, a 3.125″ long blade, weighs 2.3 ounces, and is made in the USA. In addition to being long and light, the knife is slim, measuring an inch across when closed and 3/8″ wide. The Skyline is ideal for EDC.

The Skyline sports a long spearpoint blade shape with a plain edge and a hollow saber grind. This is a very practical blade shape that is good for piercing and slicing. It is surprising how much blade you get considering the weight. The full size blade and handle lend a lot of versatility to a little 2.3 ounce knife.

The blade, liner, and pocket clip are all made of Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel. This is a hearty Swedish steel that holds an edge well and is easy to sharpen. My Skyline came sharp out of the box and is easy to maintain. The blade and the clip has a beadblasted finish. This isn’t my favorite finish, because it is more susceptible to rust than a stonewash or satin finish, but it works here (especially at the price).

Given the tremendous popularity of the Skyline, Kershaw has released this knife in a number of different handle colors and blade steels (including carbon fiber covers, a damascus blade, etc). So the knife can also have a collectible element to it if you want to go that route.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of this knife is made of lightly textured G10. The G10 is lightweight, feels nice and provides decent grip. The liner lock has received some jimping which works well however the spine of the knife has no jimping at all, which means your thumb has no real grip on the top of the knife when in use. This can be a problem, especially if you were to do some stabbing or thrust type cuts or were working with something like slimy foods, and is one of my few complaints with this knife.

The Skyline has a a pocket clip that allows for tip up or tip down carry. I found the clip to be very tight and I had to bend it with a plastic spatula before I got the desired pocket retention – an easy adjustment. One problem I do have with the clip is that it is not ambidextrous. Being left handed, this is something of a concern, and I would prefer if they drilled and tapped the handles for 4 way carry. They may have opted not to do that because there is only 1 liner.

The pocket clip rides fairly low in the pocket, there is about an inch of knife sticking up when the clip is mounted for tip up carry. I would prefer a lower riding clip, but the knife is still pretty discrete.

Deployment and Lock

The Skyline uses a flipper to open the blade. This was back before flippers were cool. Consequently, it does not have the dialed in, rocket the blade out action that we have come to expect on modern flippers. You need to pre-load the flipper tab or use your wrist to ensure fast opening, but it certainly gets the job done. There are thumb studs, but they are primarily blade stops. You can use the thumb stud if you are right handed to roll the blade open, but the flipper is the preferred way of opening the knife. Inside there are phosphor bronze washers, a feature typically found on higher end knives – especially when this knife originally came out.

The Skyline uses a liner lock to lock the blade open. This knife has only one steel liner (on the side of the lock) which greatly reduces the weight and thickness of the knife. I think this was a wise decision by Kershaw although some might prefer a beefier knife. In that case, I would simply suggest buying a bigger knife. The lock itself performs admirably. I like liner locks in general and this knife has a good one. Blade centering on my knife is perfect.

Here is a size comparison with the Skyline and another top shelf EDC blade, the Benchmade Mini Griptilian:

Kershaw Skyline Review – Final Thoughts

This is an amazing knife that has stood the test of time. The build quality is extremely high. Everything feels nice, the knife is well put together, and the materials are all of high quality. The Skyline is thin, lightweight and unassuming, which makes it an ideal choice for EDC. I often forget that I have it in my pocket. For around $40, you can use it guilt free.

In a perfect world, the Skyline would come with a 4 way pocket clip to ensure maximum versatility, and the detent strength would be improved to ensure better flipping action. Beyond that it is tough to find fault with the Skyline.

There is a reason why the Skyline remains so popular among knife enthusiasts for years and years: it is an excellent knife.

Kershaw Skyline (1760), Lightweight Pocketknife, Manual Open 3.1” High-Performance Sandvik 14C28N Stainless Steel Blade, Stonewashed Finish, Textured G-10 Handle, Reversible Pocket Clip, 2.5 OZ

3.1” blade made of high-performance Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel, offers excellent strength, corrosion and wear resistance
Lightweight G-10 handle scales offer a secure grip with texture and a deep index-finger contour
The drop-point blade offers good balance and a strong, hard tip. The rugged Stonewash finish is capable of hiding scratches and fingerprints
The perfect EDC for cutting tasks such as opening difficult packages, breaking down boxes, removing zip-ties, cleaning small game, aggressive animal defense, slicing fruit, and stripping small wire
An excellent gift idea for any hunter, hiker, hobbyist, carpenter, angler, backpacker or any knife enthusiast in need of a highly reliable, American made pocket folder

I recommend purchasing the Kershaw Skyline at Amazon or BladeHQ. Purchasing anything through any of the links on this site helps support BladeReviews. Any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.