g10

Kershaw Chill Review

If there’s a gripe I have with Kershaw as a whole, it’s that there are simply a lot of products in the company’s lineup to keep track of. Over the last decade or so I’ve paid attention to their catalog, I’d argue half of Kershaw’s offerings are similar to the point of being completely undifferentiated.

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A few examples: is there some particular feature on the Camshaft that sets it apart from the extremely-similar Airlock? Does the Concierge do something that the Atmos doesn’t? Do we need eleven different Emerson CQC models? Why not name the Bareknuckle the Natrix XL and avoid confusion? I could go on.

Beyond simply fatiguing would-be customers, Kershaw’s ceaseless glut of new products seems to require that older models be culled to make room for the new—apparently, even immensely popular designs aren’t safe from getting the ax. To point fingers, I know more than a few people who loved the Kershaw Skyline only to watch it vanish from the company’s catalog. (Seriously, what gives?)

At first blush, the Chill seems to be another knife that sticks to the Kershaw playbook: stainless blade, black G10 scales, 8Cr steel, and a sub-$30 price. I mean, the company definitely has a “type.” One would be forgiven for taking a sidelong glance at the Chill and electing not to give a hoot one way or another. However, after giving this one its day in court, I’m finding it a capable companion to my beloved Skyline.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Kershaw Chill mates a 3 and 1/8” blade to a sub 4” handle. Not counting the pocket clip, the width is a scant 3/8” at its widest point, and it clocks in at only 2.3 ounces on my scale. That’s far from cumbersome. Here it is nestled between two of the most ubiquitous EDC knives on the planet: the Spyderco PM2 and the Ontario Rat II.

I’ve read it in more than one place that the Chill feels like a glorified steak knife. That did get a giggle out of me. It is certainly a slender blade, and in deference to the design’s haters, this would be a very poor choice for splitting cords of wood, hacking through dense brush, or trying to process an entire Elk. It is decidedly a small knife and therefore should be relegated to doing small knife things.

What causes me to tip my cap to the Chill, first and foremost, is a supremely excellent ratio of weight to blade length. I have a lot of knives in the drawer, but the Chill seems to stand alone when it comes to giving me what feels like the longest usable blade in the smallest overall package.

Additionally, I really like the blade design. The drop point comes to a sharp tip that easily pokes through a variety of material, there’s adequate belly for cutting, and the 3”+ length allows for some good penetration depth. Also, the Chill is hollow-ground, making it a little more slicey than your average flat-ground EDC.

Granted, with the 8Cr13MoV steel and choice of grind, the Chill becomes something of a glass cannon in that it can be a very high-performance cutter, but it’s going to have a relatively fragile edge that requires touching up. The silver lining to the lack of edge retention on 8Cr steels is that they’re pretty easy to sharpen. About four minutes on a Work Sharp Angle Set system gets this back to hair-shaving levels of sharpness, even for a novice like myself.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

As I mentioned before, the Kershaw Chill is in many ways prototypical of the company’s black G10 + stainless aesthetic. However, the fit and finish of this knife as a whole bats well above a sub-$25 price point.

First, the G10 is grippy without being too abrasive on the hands or pockets, and the scales are very nicely centered to the frame. The pocket clip in both tip-up and tip-down carry configurations nicely settles into the hand, and every possible sharp corner on the knife has been dehorned. Even when I really bear down on the Chill, there’s not a hotspot to be found.

I also appreciate the very generous relief for the index finger. This detail, in combination with the finger guard formed by the deployed flipper tab, really allows me to lock in when using the knife forcefully.

I’d mentioned how pokey the blade was before. I feel a lot more comfortable about using the Chill to punch through hard plastics (or even as a last-ditch defensive tool) knowing that it’s that much harder for my fingers to jump the relief and get out in front of the edge. Suffice it to say that the ergos are great for a small knife.

The only real knock in this department is the pocket clip, pictured below with the Chill in its natural habitat.

I appreciate that it stays out of the way during use, but like a lot of clips it’s monstrously oversprung. You’ll also note that it’s far from deep carry, leaving at least 3/4” of knife peeking out of the pocket. Thankfully, the design is pretty non-threatening, so it’s unlikely to draw stares and most may simply mistake the matte stainless and black G10 for a pen if they’re not looking carefully.

Deployment and Lockup

A mixed bag here. I suppose we’ll start with the worst first: the detent is weak. While the blade definitely has a bias towards closure, even a light amount of pressure on the flipper tab will kick the blade out into a 70-degree, “not even close” level of deployment.

I’ll state for the record that I absolutely hate overly-stiff detents (Kizer: I’m looking at you). However, the Chill comes to it from the other extreme. If you want 100% reliable deployment, it’s going to require a decisive push on the flipper tab and/or a wrist flick. There’s a learning curve here for sure, but not one that’s insurmountable.

Additionally, there’s a little bit of side-to-side blade play. I’d estimate there’s maybe a couple degrees worth of wiggle if you’re applying a little bit of force to the deployed spine, but to me it’s not a dealbreaker, and especially not at the price point.

Now for the good: first, the blade is nicely centered, and the liner lock easily finds the midpoint of the blade’s bearing surface. Despite the thinness of the liner and the overall weight of the knife, the engagement of the lock is extremely positive.

Additionally, the action is extremely smooth. This is a little unexpected given that my knife is running on phosphor-bronze washers rather than any kind of ball bearing system, but from opening all the way through full deployment there is no grit or roughness in the travel. With a little bit of knife oil, the blade locks up with an authoritative and very satisfying click.

Kershaw Chill Review – Final Thoughts

I mean, I get it: you might be the kind of guy who carries M390 steel or nothing. You might only own Sebenzas and Striders. I’ll grant that the Kershaw Chill is going to be unlikely to impress if compared to knives that are more than fifteen times its cost.

But let’s really simmer in this fact alone: the Chill gives you a whole lot of functionality for the cost of a large pizza and a six pack. It’s a nice “first” knife that doesn’t break the bank and can fulfill a wide variety of “regular folk” type uses, it’s slicey, and the R.J. Martin design is well considered. “Glass half full” types will find a lot to dig and will be more able to contextualize the Chill’s faults as concessions made to keep costs reasonable.

As such, the name of the knife is fitting. Guys who can chill a little in terms of their expectations will find this to be a valid addition to their small-knife EDC rotation, and I’m totally that guy. I own better, but I just couldn’t give this design the cold shoulder.

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Editor: I recommend purchasing the Kershaw Chill at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

CJRB Talla Review

by Clayton Walker 7 Comments

A few months back, and I fully admit I’m late to this party, I stumbled across a Youtube interview with self-defense expert, knife designer, and all around “guy who knows his stuff” Michael Janich. I became familiar with Janich years ago because he’d produced quite a bit of content for some of the shooting sports / self-defense print publications I also write for, so as soon as the name crept into my “suggested for you” feed, my eyes widened a bit.

Janich helped provide an answer to a question that had lingering in the back of my mind for some time: what’s the deal with Wharncliffes, and what functional advantage do they offer over something like a tanto or drop point? (They look weird, I often thought to myself.)

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To summarize Janich’s thoughts: the blade style makes for an unexpectedly aggressive cutter. In a test of several different types of blades, Janich found that none penetrated as deep or as effortlessly with slashing motions as did the wharncliffe. Theoretically, a knife of this type would have a distinctive advantage in terms of being able to cleave deeply through the muscle groups of a violent aggressor and disable further attacks. As a collaborator-turned-employee of Spyderco, Janich’s insights ultimately culminated in the company’s Ronin and Yojimbo designs, which receive uniformly high praise and I have no doubt are well-equipped to handle the self-defense roles he imagined.

Now, rare is the Blade Reviews reader who isn’t also a Spyderco fan. For that reason, no one would be blamed for listening to Janich and promptly buying one of his designs, as many of his students tend to do after taking one of his self-defense classes. That said, and as good as Spyderco is, I doubted it held a monopoly on the concept of the wharncliffe as a tactical tool. Thus began the hunt for a similar breed of knife suited to a defensive role, but at a more affordable price point.

My search concluded quickly. Within a few days of watching Janich’s video, I discovered the CJRB Talla. While not an absolutely textbook example of a fighting wharncliffe, I think it hews close enough to what he had in mind and I’d also heartily recommend it to anyone just plain looking for “a good knife” large EDC.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The CJRB Talla is a large knife. Not gargantuan, “Cold Steel” levels of absolute ridiculousness, mind you: it’s just a regular kind of big. With a closed length of nearly 4 and 3/4”, a width of about a half inch (not including the clip), and a weight of 4.43 oz, you’ll feel it in the pocket. But, as some experts say of handguns carried for self defense, “It’s supposed to be comforting, not comfortable.”

Here is a size comparison with a Para 3 and a RAT II.

The blade itself is an imposing, flat-ground wharncliffe with an overall length of three and a half inches. The spine of the knife narrows into the tip through a series of angles and swedges that are likely more for visual interest than functionality. While not a 100% true Wharncliffe due to just a slight amount of belly, the subtle curve of the knife puts the tip only about ten or fifteen degrees away from where it’d be located if the edge was perfectly linear.

Delivering good value right out of the gate, the CJRB Talla’s blade is D2 steel. While D2 is known to be a little bit of a bear to sharpen in comparison to the other budget steels (to wit: 440, 8Cr13MoV, or AUS-8), the relatively straight blade of the Talla should make restoring a good edge an easier proposition if you’re using the blade enough to dull it.

The drawback of the Wharncliffe is that it has a fairly delicate tip in comparison to other blade types. This is not an ideal blade for chopping wood or penetrating through 55 gallon drums, and it is especially not for prying. Supposing, however, that you snapped off the last half inch of tip, it’s not like the rest of this knife would suddenly burst into flames— you’d still have a good 3” of usable blade left.

That tip, however, allows for remarkably precise work on softer material. Put the tip at whatever you’d like cut, flick your wrist, and thy will be done. The knife is a little on the big side for ultra delicate operations, but in general it’s pretty darn good at getting into tight, small work spaces and that last eighth of an inch of blade can do some impressive things.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

If there’s a grippier knife, I don’t know of it. The Talla features G10 handles that are scored with a series of parallel striations. These grooves aren’t necessarily sharp, per se, but they really do lock into the skin. With a secure grip, this knife isn’t going anywhere. Additionally, the handles are subtly contoured into an oval-like grip shape, so it sits a little less flat in the hand than most EDC knives.

Additionally, in the deployed position, the flipper forms a very prominent and reassuring finger guard to make sure that there’s no way your hand is ever going to get out in front of the blade. I’ve read that some users initially thought the tab was sharp around the edges, but mine seems adequately rounded. This might be something CJRB addressed in successive iterations and small design fixes.

The Talla comes with a deep-carry pocket clip that only exposes about a sixteenth of an inch of handle. It’s not absolutely flush with the end of the bottom of the knife, but it’s very close. The clip is ambidextrous and only oriented for tip up carry, so those who prefer a tip down style might want to look elsewhere.

Personally, I quite like this clip: it doesn’t provide too much tension (the G10 will provide additional purchase anyway), and doesn’t result in any significant hot spots during use or hard gripping. I tend to instantly excise most pocket clips that provide any ergonomic headache, so the fact that I’ve left mine on is as high of praise as I can provide.

Deployment and Lockup

The CJRB Talla is a non-assisted mechanical flipper that runs on ceramic ball bearings. To me, this passes all of the hallmarks of the “good flipper” test. With a perfectly straight wrist, a normal amount of pressure on the generous flipper tab will cause the blade to kick out and into lockup every time. Additionally, the Talla doesn’t rely on a monstrously, stupid-heavy detent. This may be because the larger blade has a better ability to build up momentum as the flipper is depressed.

The Talla uses a full-profile stainless steel liner for lockup. On a knife of this size, those non-skeletonized liners are probably a contributor to the relatively hefty weight of 4.43 ounces. They are decently beefy, and the entire front edge of the liner nestles into the middle of the blade for a good sixteenth of an inch of contact surface. I couldn’t detect any issues with either blade centering or lateral play.

On the whole, the knife is extremely solid on lockup and idiot-proof to deploy from any position. There are no thumb studs or nail nicks, but admittedly the blade has so much exposed real estate that you can always pinch it and pull it out into deployment if you didn’t want to use the flipper for whatever reason.

CJRB Talla Review – Final thoughts

I’ll admit that I have absolutely no idea if CJRB envisioned the Talla as having a primary application of personal defense. Maybe they did, or maybe they would wince at the suggestion; I really don’t know. What I do know is that considering the qualities I’d want in a carry knife, the Talla has a lot going for it. I’d absolutely trust it if I needed to cut my way out of a problem. In fact, it seems too well-suited to this purpose for me to consider it to have arisen purely by accident.

Note that I don’t mean to be too sanguine or nonchalant about this self-defense business. To paraphrase Masaad Ayoob, expert witness and author of numerous books about lethal force, “Every bullet fired has a lawyer behind it.” The decision to wield any weapon in defense of one’s life or the lives of others is not one to be taken lightly. If rushed or ill-considered, your actions could put you squarely in a jail cell—or worse. All of us who carry a knife should hope to god we never have to draw it in desperation.

With that disclaimer, those specifically looking for a defensive tool should give this a look. The knife offers an imposing blade that is more than up to aggressive slicing, and the D2 steel is hardy and takes a great edge. Naturally, the Talla is just as much capable of opening letters, breaking down boxes, and scoring surfaces. However, if you flick this thing out in the middle of the office, that large, aggressive blade might raise a few eyebrows.

At the end of the day, this is remarkable value for a street price of forty bucks, regardless of whatever you plan to use it for. CJRB (as well as its parent company, Artisan Cutlery) hadn’t been on my radar before, but suffice it to say that they certainly are now.

CJRB Talla Linerlock Green J1901GNC

Equipped with a flipper opening mechanism to allow you to open the knife with either hand
The straight edge drop point blade is crafted with durable D2 steel; blade measures 3.5 inches long
Overall knife length is 8.27 inches; liner lock keeps the blade firmly in place while in use
Handle material consists of lightly textured G10 to improve grip and prevent slipping
A steel clip is attached to the handle so you can carry the knife conveniently in your pocket

Editor: I recommend purchasing the CJRB Talla at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Civivi Mckenna Review

by Clayton Walker 3 Comments

Ever been accused of going about something bass-ackwards? Behold the Civivi Mckenna: one of the new breed of “front flippers” that has quietly been developing a following of… well, I wouldn’t say devotees, but definitely a contingent of pleasantly bemused knife flippers who will always give a quirky design a day in court.

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If you’re not familiar with Civivi, it’s a brand extension of the We Knife Company, a Chinese firm founded back in 2000 with a mission of competing on the same quality level with American knife stalwarts like Spyderco and Benchmade (instead of, say, the kind of knives you’d find at a gas station). Civivi specializes in striking a balance of fit, finish, and respectable materials with the intent of higher-volume production.

Note that most people describe Civivi as the “budget” wing of We Knife. I think that’s stretching it a bit, as a shipped price of about seventy bucks here isn’t really “budget” in my book. It’s also questionable to use that term given that this wouldn’t really be anyone’s choice for a rough-and-tumble, tackle the weekend chore list, bet your life on it if you had to kind of knife. The Mckenna is an indulgence through and through, but that’s hardly a bad thing.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Mckenna is an Elijah Isham design. If you’re not familiar with his work, it exists in a continuum ranging from angular to extremely angular. Isham’s Arrakis design for We Knife looks essentially like the kind of knife you’d find in the medical wing of a UFO. His Eschaton (also for We Knife) looks like a bunch of scalpel blades fused together to make a larger knife. I think they’re neat, but they’re not for everyone.

You can find that design lineage here on the Mckenna if you go looking for it, but thankfully Isham has dialed it back. The Mckenna has an intriguing combination of curves and geometric lines, and when deployed the knife has an subtle, angular “S” shape that’s somewhat reminiscent of a lightning bolt.

First and foremost: the Mckenna is not a large knife by any stretch of the imagination. At just under 3 and 7/8” closed and about four tenths of an inch wide, the knife edges pretty close to “pack of gum” sizing. This will absolutely disappear in a pocket and you’ll be hard-pressed to notice the length, but size-wise it may feel more toy than tool.

The near 3” knife blade can best be described somewhere between a wharncliffe, sheepsfoot, and a reverse tanto. Functionally, I think it’s more wharncliffe than anything, with the spine of the blade breaking at a sharper arc in the last inch or so to meet the tip of a mostly straight blade. There is just a very, very small amount of upswell from the sharpening choil to the end of the blade. Put all of these qualities together, and you get a little more tip strength than you might with a typical wharncliffe, but tends to be a better poker than a traditional sheepsfoot.

Like a lot of Civivi knives over the $50 price point, the blade steel is D2. This is a nice upgrade over the typical 8Cr13MoV / AUS 8 normally used within this quality tier thanks to better edge retention, but it does come with the drawbacks of being harder to sharpen and having a little more tendency to rust. Those in wetter and more humid climates might want to keep a bottle of gun or knife oil handy and reapply it every now and again.

As it came from the factory, the blade sharpness was only middling. However, about ten minutes on a Work Sharp Angle Set sharpener and the knife had a razor edge that was surprisingly resilient. The spine of the blade is only about a tenth of an inch wide, which means that the Mckenna is a great slicer. With a pinch grip allowing the index finger to sit halfway up the spine of the blade, the knife allows for extremely precise cuts and excels at scoring. Anyone looking for a classier replacement for an X-acto knife would be well served with this knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Mckenna features G10 construction with stainless steel liners. This surprised me; from handling alone I would have sworn it was nylon. This is all to say that the G10 on the Mckenna is not going to be as grippy as you’re probably used to, but it’s well-textured and not slippery by any means. There’s about a quarter inch of jimping on the top and rear of the flipper that allows for a good purchase, and the liner lock is nicely scalloped and only slightly proud of the scales. No complaints here. This isn’t a knife you’re going to need to bear down on.

The pocket clip is fine, if underwhelming. The Mckenna has a provision for left or right tip-up carry, but no holes are drilled near the pivot of the knife. That makes tip-down carry is a no-go if that’s your preference. The clip is not deep carry, but there’s only about a half-inch triangle of handle that protrudes from the pocket.

Frankly, I ditched my clip. The detent is strong enough to give me confidence that the blade will stay closed in a pocket, and the small dimensions ensure that I’m not going to be constantly preoccupied about how this sits loose. Additionally, the action of the knife seems to work best pressed flat between the meat of the thumb and tips of the fingers. For that reason, nixing the pocket clip gives me a substantial real estate upgrade when it comes to getting a comfortable purchase.

Onward to what I’d say is the clearest flaw of the knife (or at least in my hands and given the usage I subject it to): the hot spots. The top rear corners of the Mckenna meet at a near 90-degree angle and aren’t particularly rounded. Given the small dimensions of the knife, almost invariably those corners are going to rub against the tenderest part of the palm along the center-line of the hand during use. Note that this isn’t a dealbreaker by any means, but given the knife’s positioning as being a fidget-friendly knife par excellence, these corners become all the more conspicuous.

Deployment and Lockup

If the ergos and size were a bit of a downside, we’re getting to the “good news” part of the review. As expected, the Mckenna is a whole lot of goofy, stupid fun to play with.

If you’ve never used a front flipper, you basically want to cradle the thing in your hand like a bic lighter, only imagine that you’re flicking the exposed nub backwards as opposed to downwards. With a quick snap of the thumb, you should be able to get your digit out of the path of the blade’s spine, and momentum will carry the blade into full lockup. It is weird, but gratifying.

Hard-nosed, serious business types will ask, “Is there any benefit to this over a tried-and-true flipper tab, or a good thumb stud?” The answer to this is an unqualified “no.” Front flippers, in my opinion, are attempting to reinvent the wheel. In direct comparison to deployment methods that are now the industry standard, I don’t envision any serious context where they become a superior choice.

But is it fun? Oh, you betcha. There’s certainly a learning curve to the front flipping function, and even though I think I’ve gotten the hang of it there’s still a 5% chance I screw something up. However, the knife is just as easily deployed using what I’d call a “three point turn” approach, where you use the thumb to present the blade 90 degrees to the handle, then push down on the jimping on the flipper with the index finger to reach full lock-up. This is also a good deployment method if you’re not looking to spook your co-workers.

The pivot is running on stainless bearings and everything clicks open and shut with quiet authority. Build quality is excellent here: the blade is nicely centered, there’s no squeaking or rattling, and the liner finds the center of the blade with the measliest amount of pressure. There are no hitches in the action, and the blade moves smoothly and evenly. It is extremely, extremely satisfying to work.

Civivi Mckenna Review – Final Thoughts

As a knife, the Civivi Mckenna is a lot like a good bottle of scotch: hardly essential, pricey enough that it’s outside the realm of an impulse purchase, but a great way to treat yourself if you’re feeling a little indulgent.

Again, I don’t think front flippers are going to become a new paradigm in the world of knives anytime soon. Pair that action with the small size, and the Mckenna feels even more like a novelty. But in the same breath: let’s be honest with ourselves: 95% of people could buy a Benchmade Griptilian or Spyderco Paramilitary 2 and not need to own another knife for the rest of their lives. Considering you’re spending your free time reading a review on a knife website, that probably doesn’t describe you.

CIVIVI Knives McKenna Folding Knife - Small Pocket Knife with Satin Blade -One Hand Open Knife for Everyday Outdoor Carry - C905C(Black)

✅【Designed by Elijah Isham and Precision Engineered by We Knife】Folding knife with unique shape features a razor sharp well-built centered D2 2.92” blade,smooth action and nice edge retention pocket knife
✅【Slim Build and Solid G-10Handle】Knife with G10 scales make this folding hunting knife comfortable enough that brings you a nice camping and outdoor knife used experience
✅【Lightweight Carry Knife】Weight 1.76oz with ease carry in your pocket,ideal knife for men and women,a pocket clip for easy and safe carry
✅【Always Ready Utility Knife】Ball bearing pivot offers quick blade deployment, knife art to your collection or as a gift to husband,dad or friends
✅【Civivi Care】Civivi is a subset brand of We Knife Co.,Ltd,limited lifetime warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, see official site for details

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Editor: I recommend purchasing the Civivi Mckenna at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Also, please join me in welcoming Clayton Walker to the website. Clayton some good stuff in the pipeline so stay tuned for more from him.

Spyderco Rhino Review

by Grayson Parker 1 Comment

Expectations are a terrible thing to shake. As gear geeks, hopping onto the hype train is all too easy, especially because most of us are passionate about our hobbies. We see something cool – either the newest catalog or the latest teaser on Instagram – and start forming our own idea of what the end product will be like. All too often, those expectations proceed to get in the way of enjoying the product for it is.

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Enter the Spyderco Rhino. When it was first teased (long enough ago that I can’t remember the date), it was slated to be a refreshing new entry to Spyderco’s line-up, sporting G10 scales, BD1 steel, and a compression lock in a reasonably sized package. What’s more, its original street price was going to fall right around $50.00. That was a hell of a steal at the time, and honestly would still be a great buy today, even with the recent price drops in premium steels.

Unfortunately, that version of the Rhino never made it beyond the trade show demonstration booth. Apparently that package was too much of an ask for the factory, and the project was put on hiatus. The next time we caught a glimpse of the Rhino, it was a radically different product: the steel was upgraded to CTS-XHP, the handle scales were upgraded to carbon fiber, and the street price was upgraded all the way up to $140.00.

That’s the point I lost interest in the Rhino. It had morphed from a product that would challenge the market to yet another overpriced and oddly designed Spyderco, destined to hang out in the inventories of cutlery purveyors across the world.

In the months that followed its debut, I started to see it pop up online. Folks that I follow on Instagram (whose taste I respect) started including the Rhino in their daily updates. After seeing it a few more times, my curiosity was once again piqued. That’s when I started to realize that on paper, it was still a good product: high-end steel, carbon fiber*, a great lock, and the perfect size for everyday chores. It didn’t take too much speculation along those lines before I picked one up. I’m glad I did, but you’ll need to read on to learn why.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Spyderco Rhino is considered part of the “little-big-knife” family, a design ethos that seeks to pack the maximum amount of cutting power into a compact package. Other standouts include the much-acclaimed Techno as well as the Dragonfly 2. Like its cousins, the dimensions of the Rhino aren’t great on paper. Its 2.37” blade is housed in a 3.57” handle, and the overall package weighs in at 2.27 oz. Taken together, neither the blade to handle or blade to weight ratio is very compelling. Much like its cousins, however, these numbers don’t speak to the whole truth.

My tastes are depressingly pedestrian when it comes to blade shapes. Give me a nice drop point or modified wharncliffe and I’ll be happy; give me more than one angle to worry about when resharpening and I won’t. The Rhino’s trailing point walks a very thin line between being interesting and being a hassle, and – in my case at least – the jury is still out. When grappling with a clamshell package, it’s great: the refined tip and thin grind make short work of that modern headache. When it comes to spreading peanut butter or condiments (essential picnic tasks, in my view), the trailing point is uniquely unqualified. If that isn’t a concern for you, there are few downsides to this blade shape. The exaggerated belly also means that the cutting edge is longer than the listed blade length.

As expected, the grind that the fine folks at Taichung put on the Rhino is impeccable. The stock starts at .118” thick and is brought down to a very keen edge by a full flat grind. Between the stock and grind, the Rhino makes for a very mean cutter, passing the apple test with ease. If there’s a complaint to be made, it’s that the satin finish is slightly tacky and seems to attract gunk. Regular cleaning and a bit of extra vigilance is probably required.

This is actually my first experience with Carpenter’s CTS-XHP steel. If rumors hold true, it was designed to have the upsides of D2 (great edge retention and toughness) while mitigating D2’s chief drawback (poor rust resistance). My experiences with the Rhino generally reflect that: the edge rarely needs touching up, and it’s warded off rust handily, ever after I inadvertently stored it with fruit juice on the blade. Unfortunately, most users report that it can be a pain to sharpen, so I’ve been proactive with my strop, and actual resharpening hasn’t been necessary.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

Unfortunately, the handle breaks two of my cardinal rules when it comes to knives: avoid finger scallops and Spyderco’s carbon fiber/G10 composite scales. The former rule is rooted in ergonomics; the latter in priggish snobbery. My experience with the Rhino has made me reevaluate both – to an extent. The composite scales are reinforced by a skeletonized and recessed steel liner, and have endured everyday wear and tear without showing it. Moreover, they don’t have the glossy, too-light quality I’ve felt in other knives with carbon fiber scales.

The composite scales are well-suited to the role. There is enough texture that your fingers don’t slide around, but not the rough kind of texture you’d expect from Spyderco’s normal G10 treatment. Additionally, the edges and corners of the scales have been chamfered to the point that they are very nearly contoured. I’m very glad they went the extra mile in the finishing process; otherwise the Rhino would be an ergonomic flop, and that’s entirely due to the finger scallops. Apart from those problematic little curves, the Rhino is really quite good in the hand. The dip in the spine of the blade is a perfect place to put your thumb when you need more control, and the organic curve of the handle means that the Rhino can be gripped in a number of ways.

To be frank: finger scallops should be avoided as a rule. They force the user to hold the knife in a set grip, despite the fact that all of our muscular and skeletal structure varies wildly person to person. They do not actually improve our grip on a knife’s handle, according to hand surgeon and knifemaker Kyle Ver Steeg; in fact, by forcing our fingers farther apart, it weakens our grip instead. Finally, why on earth were finger scallops “necessary” on a knife this size? The Rhino isn’t going to be someone’s last ditch boot knife, or stowed in a bugout bag. It’s going to be toted around in some gear geek’s chinos, broken out to to open packages and trim loose threads. The Rhino’s saving grace is that the finger scallops have been chamfered to the point that I hardly notice them.

The Rhino is equipped with Spyderco’s classic spoon-shaped clip. It’s a classic design for a reason: it doesn’t cause ergonomic issues, it keeps the knife in the pocket without shredding your pants, and it’s only a little bit of a paint scraper.

Deployment and Lock-Up

At this point, there’s not a whole lot that can be said about Spyderco’s trademark thumb hole. Even as flippers reign supreme, the thumb hole stands out: it’s simple, versatile, and only there when you need it. The Rhino has at least as much fidget factor as any of my flippers, in part due to the phosphor bronze washers the blade rides on and the excellent detente. Absolutely no complaints in this regard.

In keeping with the “quintessentially Spyderco” theme, the Rhino utilizes the compression lock, an in-house design that’s strong, simple, and lightweight. By using a locking leaf that wedges between the blade tang and the stop pin, the compression lock blends the convenience and strength of an axis-style lock with the snappy action and simplicity of a liner lock. Unfortunately, compression locks do tend to have a bit of vertical blade play, and the Rhino is no exception. It doesn’t register visually or audibly, but you can feel it if you wiggle the blade around.

Spyderco Rhino Review – Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the Rhino is a fine addition to both Spyderco’s catalog and my collection. Part of me still wishes that the original version would have made it to market, but to be honest, the extra finishing on the handle scales probably wouldn’t be feasible at a sub-$50 price point, and the finger scallops would go from a theoretical pet peeve to a very literal pain to deal with. That aside, there’s a lot to recommend here. The blade uses some of the best steel on the market and is ground to be a lean cutter; the handle is remarkably comfortable, in and out of the pocket; and the deployment method and lock are some of the most reliable and convenient available.

As mentioned above, the street price for the Rhino falls around $140. That’s nothing to sneeze at; most of the major production knife companies have strong entries at this price point, from Benchmade’s upgraded Griptilian line to a veritable dragon’s hoard of Kizer offerings. While the competition is fierce, I think the Rhino holds its own. The blade – from the steel to the grind – makes the Rhino stand out in its own way, especially if you like the funky design aesthetic.

There are some people who should pay special attention to the Rhino, and a few who should actively avoid it. The Rhino is especially well-suited to modern office workers: opening packages, breaking down cardboard boxes, and maybe peeling an orange at lunch. If you have more specific needs (like frequent food prep or a knife suited to harder use), look elsewhere, as the Rhino was clearly not designed with those tasks in mind.

Spyderco Reinhold Rhino Folding Knife - Black Carbon Fiber Handle with PlainEdge, Full-Flat Grind, CTS XHP Steel Blade and Compression Lock - C210CFP

plainedge blade - this knife has a sharpened blade with no serrations or teeth sometimes referred to as a smooth blade.
carbon fiber handle - graphic fibers (the size of a human hair) woven together then fused with epoxy resin. lightweight with a high level of tensile strength it is three dimensional in appearance.
full-flat grind - this knife features a blade ground with flat bevels that extend from the spine all the way to the cutting edge. this grind reduces drag during cutting and decreases overall weight.
compression lock - developed and patented by spyderco, the compression lock mechanism uses a leaf-like spring from a split liner in the handle to wedge laterally between a ramp on the blade tang and the stop pin (or anvil pin).
specifications - closed length (inches): 3.6, overall length (inches): 5.95, blade length (inches):2.35, blade steel: cts xhp, grind: full-flat

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Editor: I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Rhino at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Kizer Vanguard Mini Sheepdog Review

by Grayson Parker 2 Comments

Howdy knife nuts. It’s been awhile. Long story short, I’m working two jobs right now, so I haven’t really had time to focus on gear. Hopefully this review is a sign of more to come.

Buy the Kizer Mini Sheepdog at BladeHQ

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I’ll be the first person to admit that I don’t “get” cleaver-style pocket knives. When they started to appear in catalogs and Instagram feeds, I couldn’t shake the feeling that they’d be a pain to carry and an easy way to spook people. From the oversized blades to the chunky grinds, there just didn’t seem to be a case for them. So when Dan asked if I’d be interested in reviewing the Kizer Mini Sheepdog, I was a bit reluctant, but ended up saying yes, in part to challenge my own prejudices. Fortunately, I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Read on to learn more.

Full disclosure: this knife was provided cost-free by Kizer. While the company’s reputation for quality is high enough that I feel comfortable claiming that my sample is representative of the line at large, some of you might feel differently.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Kizer Mini Sheepdog weighs 3.15 ounces, has a 2.63” blade, and measures 3.6” long while closed. It’s neither a featherweight nor a brick. The blade is short enough to be legal to carry in most US cities, and I’ve yet to encounter someone put off by it, despite the distinctive blade shape. On the whole, the quality of construction is excellent, and I was pretty impressed when it slid out of the box.

Depending on your point of view, the Mini Sheepdog’s blade is either the draw, or the drawback. If you like cleaver-style blades, then this should be right up your alley. The lines are bold, the modified wharncliffe reinforces the tip quite well, and the shallow belly of the blade makes it a fine utility cutter.

The blade steel is VG10, a Japanese steel whose reputation has suffered quite a bit over the years. When I first got into this hobby, VG10 was lauded for its rust resistance, ability to take a keen edge, and easy maintenance. Those haven’t changed. Nowadays, however, you are more likely to hear about how quickly VG10 loses an edge, and part of that is because of the rapid pace of technology. Amazing steels are available at hitherto unheard-of prices. Still, if you regularly touch up the edge on a strop, you won’t be disappointed. Just don’t try to break down a pile of cardboard boxes: the edge will disappear long before you’re done.

Despite the slightly outdated blade steel, the Mini Sheepdog is still a lean cutter. The combination of a tall blade, .125” stock, and keen flat grind make for a very effective slicer, especially during food prep. Don’t mistake my meaning: this isn’t a replacement for a Swiss Army Knife, let alone a kitchen knife. However, if you need a utility knife that can also slice an apple on your lunch break, this is a fine option.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Like most of the Vanguard line, the Mini Sheepdog’s handle is comprised of G10 scales over stainless steel liners. Both materials are excellent choices for working tools, provided that the manufacturer puts the time and effort into properly finishing them. G10 is lightweight, durable, and isn’t damaged by moisture, but if it isn’t sanded down or contoured it can be rough and uncomfortable in the hand. Stainless steel, depending on the treatment, isn’t necessarily rustproof.

Fortunately, Kizer knocked it out of the park here. The G10 scales are smooth enough that they won’t wear out your pockets (or hands, for that matter), yet have enough texture to remain grippy in adverse conditions. Likewise, the stainless steel liners are polished enough to ward off most incidental rust (though, full disclosure, I live in what is technically a desert).

The ergonomics on the Mini Sheepdog are perfectly serviceable. There’s little to complain about, but not much to write home about, either. I can get three and a half fingers onto the handle of the Mini Sheepdog, but most of the time it’s a three-finger knife. The hump-backed handle coaxes your fingers into a slight pistol grip, which might be annoying if that wasn’t how I used most of my work knives already.

As I mentioned in the introduction, one of my concerns regarding cleaver-style blades was that they’d be a pain to carry. Luckily those fears weren’t justified. Yes, the Mini Sheepdog is a bit wide, but it’s not so wide that you can’t reach past it to grab the keys at the bottom of your pocket (which is the real test, in my experience). The pocket clip is perfectly functional. It doesn’t damage pants, it’s not difficult to remove or stow, and it doesn’t generate hotspots. In a world filled with terrible pocket clips, “perfectly functional” is high praise.

Deployment and Lock-Up

The blade of the Mini Sheepdog is deployed with the quintessential modern flipper tab, and rides on a ball-bearing pivot. This combination is fairly common these days, and the Mini Sheepdog is a fine example of the breed. It has a crisp detent, a smooth pivot, and an intuitive flipper tab, making deployment reliable and effortless.

Liner locks tend to get a bad rap these days. Ever since framelocks started to dominate the market, liner locks have seemingly been relegated to the realm of budget knives, and that doesn’t seem quite fair. More often than not, a liner lock is actually more effective. They don’t change the geometry of the handle when the blade is deployed, they’re just as strong, and they’re much easier to replace in the event of catastrophic failure, so I’m more than happy to see a liner lock on the Mini Sheepdog. As the locking liner is made of steel, there’s no break-in period or galling issues. More importantly, there is neither horizontal nor vertical play in the lock, and lock-up is stable at around 50%.

Kizer Vanguard Mini Sheepdog Review – Final Thoughts

I didn’t expect to like the Mini Sheepdog at first, but it’s since won me over. The cleaver-style blade was neither off-putting to strangers nor did it make the knife a pain to carry. It’s a fine cutter, perfectly sized for everyday needs, and falls at a great price point, especially considering the materials and quality of construction.

Honestly, I’ve been out of the loop for too long to comment on what slice of the market the Mini Sheepdog is competing with. If I might borrow from fellow BladeReviews writer Ben Schwartz, the Mini Sheepdog, much like the Begleiter, “sails perilous close” to waters dominated by the sub-$100 Spyderco offerings, but these are old and well-established stalwarts. In my opinion, the Mini Sheepdog has enough charm to stand on its own, and its materials and quality of construction are at least as compelling.

If you like cleaver-style blades, but don’t need to perform ad hoc butchery, the Mini Sheepdog is right for you. It’s inexpensive enough to test the waters, innocuous enough to fly under the radar, and handy enough to keep around alongside much more expensive knives.

Kizer C01C (Mini) Pocket Knife, 2.6" 154CM Cleaver Sheepsfoot Blade Folding Knife with Black G10 Handle, Camping Knives with Flipper Opener, Liner Lock EDC Knives for Outdoor, V3488C1

Sharp 154CM Blade: The Kizer Sheepdog pocket knife boasts a 154CM steel blade that has been expertly refined and heat-treated to deliver outstanding sharpness, hardness, edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance for reliable everyday use; Additionally, the sheepsfoot blade shape enhances versatility and utility
G10 Handle: The black G10 handle of edc camping folding knife offers a combination of durability and lightweight properties; It is known for being waterproof and corrosion-resistant, making it well-suited for use in harsh environments; Additionally, it provides an excellent grip, enhancing safety and ensuring secure handling of the knife
Liner Lock & Flipper Opener: Kizer hunting pocket folding knife features a reliable liner lock mechanism that ensures the blade opens securely and prevents accidental closure; Its flipper design facilitates one-handed operation and is suitable for beginners; The knife strikes a perfect balance between safety and functionality, making it especially suitable for outdoor sports enthusiasts
Suitable for EDC Use: The Kizer edc pocket knife is highly versatile, suitable for daily tasks and more; Its razor-sharp blade slices effortlessly through meat, food, and packaging, and even handles delicate tasks like cutting pancakes or removing crumbs. Additionally, its convenient clip makes it easy to carry
Swift After-sale Service: Kizer survival knives and tools provide swift service against defects in material and workmanship; Kizer service center provides fast response to take care of your requests

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Editor: I recommend buying the Kizer Vanguard Mini Sheepdog at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

SOG Instinct Mini Review

by Travis Pike 3 Comments

After growing up with 80s action movies and 60s and 70s westerns I thought boot knives would be more of a thing. However, it seems like boots knives aren’t as big of a category as my 12 year old mind imagined. The SOG Instinct Mini is the first ever I’ve seen that advertises boot carrying potential. The SOG Instinct Mini also advertises the ability to carry on your belt, around your neck, or really anywhere else you want to.

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The SOG Instinct is a superbly small fixed blade knife that comes with a modular sheath system for easy and convenient carry. As a company SOG needs no introduction. They make any and every knife you can think of. They even provide a knife the Navy for SEALs canidates going through BUD/S. I was actually given the SOG Instinct Mini as a door prize at a SHOT event and only recently have I gotten around to taking a long look at. To be specific this is the Instinct Mini G10, which comes with G10 grips.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Instinct Mini sports a teeny-tiny 1.9 inch blade with an overall length of merely 4.8 inches. This is a fixed blade knife that weighs a mere 1.6 ounces and is made in China. This is a full tang fixed blade made from 5Cr15MoV steel. This is a stainless steel known for being an affordable blade steel. This makes sense because the Instinct Mini is an affordable knife.

The steel is rather soft and will dull quickly, add on the fact that this is a small blade and you’ll find yourself sharpening it often. The Instinct Mini went dull on me after cutting four chicken breasts into strips. Admittedly this isn’t a kitchen knife, but if I can make both dinner and test a knife at the same time I’ll take that opportunity. After chicken breast number 3 the knife was starting to bulldoze a bit, but I pulled it through.

The good news is, it’s easy to sharpen. I used a Smith’s pocket sharpener and spoofed it right up. The Instinct Mini has a clip point which is also a handy and versatile point type. Perfect for a variety of different tasks. The clip point gives you a good belly that allows for quick and deep cuts, and this proved perfect for cutting those chicken breasts. It digs in and glides through. The point is quite pointy and gives you a nice stabbing implement.

The steel is also very corrosion resistant and that’s something to appreciate if you carry the nice as a necklace or close to the body it will likely be exposed to sweat eventually. Outside of that this makes it a low maintenance knife overall.

Overall the blade design is very simple, and that makes it easy to maintain. The downside is I’m not sure what the knife is designed for? It’s not necessarily a purpose built weapon, and the small blade and small overall design makes it limited in how handy it is.

Handle and Ergonomics

As you’d imagine this is a full tang knife with G10 grips bolted to it. These G10 grip panels are not removable. The grip itself is very small and also deeply scalloped for a three finger grip. The grip is just large enough to accomodate my own three fingers and nothing more. These deep scallops are comfortable and do allow the knife to sit in your hand comfortably. The G10 grips are textured to provide a better grip and to keep your hands from sliding while they are working.

The Instinct Mini fits comfortably in the hand, but during the time I was cutting that chicken up my hand got tired and pained. No hotspots, but it takes a lot of effort for such a little knife to do big knife work. The jimping on the back of the blade is nicely textured and well suited for a little thumb leverage.

The pinky in particular cramps a bit as it rubs on what appears to be a lanyard eyelet while you cut. Additionally you have to hold the knife very tight because the grip is very small and the knife can easily get away from you. The thin handle presses into your fingers a bit and it becomes uncomfortable. It’s a knife that’s better suited for small, everyday tasks.

Sheath

The Instinct Mini sheath is absolutely fantastic. It’s a molded kydex sheath that features four slots around the outside of the sheath to allow you to use a chain for carrying it, or you could lash it to another piece of gear if you choose. On the sheath is a clip, very similar to the pocket clip you’d see on a folding knife.

This clip is held in with a single Allen key screw and this screw can be loosened and the pocket clip can be rotated 360 degrees around a textured sprocket. You can carry the knife in almost any angle you want. There is a sprocket present on both sides and you can swap the clip to either side.

The clip is like a standard clip, but much bigger and wider. The clip allows for it to clip over a belt, or inside the waistband. This allows you to carry it discreetly, which can be invaluable in a setting where discretion is wise.

The knife also locks into the sheath and stays there. It takes a bit of force to get it out, but it still draws smoothly.

SOG Instinct Mini Review – Final Thoughts

The Instinct Mini is an “OK” knife that doesn’t seem to have a solid purpose or to fulfill a niche. It’s not designed to be a weapon like many other ultra small knives, or at least not a good one. The best purpose I could see is for a compact EDC fixed blade knife. It’s small size, and lightweight design makes it comfortable to carry if you want a very small and lightweight fixed blade. It could serve as a backup knife for duty use, or an affordable neck knife for easy daily carry.

It’s not a bad knife. It’s very easy to sharpen and maintain. The blade design allows for some excellent cuts for such a small knife, and I did carve up that chicken with an excellent degree of precision. It’s just not a great knife, but it’s affordable and that’s always a plus.

SOG Instinct Mini Small Fixed Blade Knife- 8.75 Inch x 1 Inch x 4 Inch Full Tang Adjustable Clip Belt or Boot Knife with Tactical Knife Sheath and Neck Knife Lanyard (NB1002-CP)

1.9 INCH SMALL TACTICAL KNIFE WITH SHEATH: The SOG Instinct Mini is a small fixed blade knife for your EDC gear and protection knife kit; tactical knife measures 4.8 inches in total length
EDC NECK KNIFE: 1.4 oz. lightweight knife is a great everyday carry; use this full tang knife as a belt knife or boot knife with swivel sheath clip, or as a neck knife with the included neck chain
SATIN 5CR15MOV STAINLESS STEEL: Straight-edge clip point with durable steel construction can handle hard use as a back-up hunting knife or military knife; full tang blade makes the knife more solid
TEXTURED G10 HANDLE: G10 handle with finger grooves and jimping enhances the ergonomics, grip, and blade control of this compact tac knife; get maximum control from the Instinct Mini
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

$37.67
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Editor: I recommend purchasing the SOG Instinct Mini at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for checking out the review.