Made in Italy

Lionsteel BestMan Slip Joint Review

Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but 2020 was a year of changes for me. One of those was career related, turning my collar from blue to a gray-ish shade of white. With this transition comes a change in scene. Where before I’d been free to carry tools like the Spyderco PM2, I’ve reached a point where I’m seeking out more discreet options for daily use. Enter the LionSteel BestMan, my first traveling companion on this strange new road.

Buy the LionSteel BestMan at BladeHQ or GP Knives

Buy on Amazon

Lionsteel’s thesis here is simple: Produce a traditional style blade with modern, high-end materials. A capital idea, for sure. But, speaking of capitals, how exactly am I supposed to spell this? Bestman? BestMan? bestMAN? I’ve seen it each way. For the purposes of this review, I’ll be using the middle option. Read on to see how it faired after nearly two months of testing.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Hailing from Maniago, Italy, the BestMan is a thoughtfully crafted knife. The handle and bolsters are spun from lightweight titanium, measuring 3.75-inches. Nestled between the scales is a 2.875-inch blade, wearing a satin finish over its clean, flat grind. I opted for the clip point model, but Lionsteel also offers a drop point version under the moniker of BestMan 2.

Whichever you choose, you’ll be treated to 0.10-inch thick blade wrought in Bohler M390. Its overall length of 6.625-inches place it squarely in the medium-sized range, with a narrow profile of just under a half inch. At 2.32 ounces, its weight is on par with beefier folders such as the Spyderco Native 5.

Now, I’ve heard complaints about the fit and finish, specifically with the handle scales. I can’t speak for others, but my model from DLT Trading arrived with perfectly finished slabs of Santos wood, and a flawlessly centered blade. It’s still mostly centered, despite my efforts to the contrary. But we’ll get to that fiasco in a bit.

So, it’s beautiful. But how does it cut? Well, that depends on who you ask. Some reviewers have lauded the BestMan as an excellent slicer, while others believe it’s too thick behind the edge. After a few weeks of cardboard, paper, and packages, I’m definitely in the later camp. Don’t get me wrong – The blade is functional. But both my finger-calipers and in-hand experience tell me that its bevel isn’t quite steep enough.

This isn’t the end of the world, however. A high-end sharpening system or set of stones would allow you to refinish the M390. It was a little difficult to do with my Spyderco Sharpmaker, but I was able to thin it out a bit.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

I can sum up the BestMan’s ergos in two words: Deceptively comfortable. At first glance, the handle appears to be an elongated rectangle with some screws and matching scales. In practice, Lionsteel has created a knife that’s surprisingly easy to hold and use.

Take another look at the overall shape. See that gentle arc toward the spring side? It helps nestle the knife against your palm, while providing a nice concavity for your fingers. The blade spine is beautifully chamfered, creating a natural landing spot for the thumb. Even the Santos wood scales are well thought out, providing a nice bit of warmth and personality.

As far as pocket clips go, well, it doesn’t have one. This is a classically patterned tool, after all. Other than the thickness of its edge, this was the biggest sticking point for me. The BestMan would occasionally slide to the very bottom of my pocket, laying flat against the side of my leg. This isn’t ideal, which is why leather slips are so popular among traditional enthusiasts. Still, I consider this a relatively minor complaint.

Let’s move onto something a little more serious. Now, I know many gear reviewers are advocates of disassembling your new knife. Normally, I’m in the same boat. But not this time. Do not, and I cannot stress this enough, DO NOT take your BestMan apart. I made that mistake of completely taking down this knife, and it took me more than two hours to get back together. The process involved multiple screwdrivers, a pair of pliers, and a potato masher. I do not, under any circumstances, recommend that you follow in my footsteps.

Why so difficult? It has to do with the configuration of the back spring and the front and rear pivots. While this model of BestMan has only one blade, the internals are set up for two. This means that the spring is always applying pressure somewhere, making it very hard to snap pieces back into place. It’s a wonder I didn’t cut myself getting everything back together. So, skip it. If the action feels a little stiff, loosen the pivot or shoot some oil along the brass washers. You’ll be much happier, and less likely to ruin your handsome new knife.

Deployment and Lockup

As much as I complained about the disassembly process, LionSteel has done a good job with the backspring. Traditionals aren’t really meant to be taken apart, after all. When left to do its thing, the BestMan’s backspring produces satisfying pulls and zero blade play.

The process starts with the nail notch. It’s well positioned, subtly chamfered, and adequately sized. Personally, I prefer to pinch the blade between my thumb and index finger and, with the backspring facing up, draw the blade from the underside.

While there’s technically no “lock up” on a slipjoint, the knife feels secure under light to medium use. I could place my thumb on the spine without fear of the blade closing on my fingers. The half-stop is equally commendable, halting the edge far above the knuckles. This is by no means a knife I’d recommend closing one handed, but it can be done.

Overall, I find the walk and talk on BestMan to be satisfying. It doesn’t have the same fidget factor you’d find on a Benchmade 940 or Spyderco PM2, but the solidity of its pinch opening and snap of its closure provide a different kind of tactile thrill.

LionSteel BestMan Review – Final Thoughts

I like so many things about this knife. Its construction impressed me early on, but it took a while for me to warm up to the idea of using a non-locking blade. A few days of real-world use quickly turned me into a fan. LionSteel has succeeded in their quest to produce a “modern traditional”, taking the user-friendly mechanism and stamping it in cutting edge materials.

But, speaking of the edge, this is where I feel the BestMan is a little too modern. Many new-release blades tend to be thicker than necessary, trading effortless cutting for a perception of durability. This is mildly annoying, because I bought this knife specifically to fill the role of a lightweight, high-class slicer. Its premium material and quality build have exceeded expectations. Now, if only the edge was a bit finer, it’d be the Best-est Man.

Lionsteel BestMan – From $129.00
From: BladeHQ

Lion Steel Bestman BM1 Slipjoint Santos LSTBM1ST

3.88" closed.

Editor: I recommend purchasing the LionSteel BestMan at BladeHQ, GP Knives or Amazon. Thanks for reading!

Fantoni C.U.T. Review

by Andrew Gene 6 Comments

Last Updated: November 3, 2019
The C.U.T. is a knife conceived by Dmitry Sinkevich and produced by Fantoni Knives. Sinkevich is an interesting Russian custom knife maker who creates a wide variety of designs, a folding version of this knife being one of them.

Buy the Fantoni C.U.T. at KnifeArt

C.U.T stands for Contrast Utility Tactical. I’m not really sure what that means but it doesn’t detract from the fact that this is an awesome knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The C.U.T. has an overall length of 9.06″, a 4.00″ blade blade, weighs 6.173 ounces, and is made in Italy. Fantoni makes a production C.U.T. folder as well that comes in black with either a flipper or a stylized thumb hole. The fixed blade also comes in a ‘tactical’ variation with black G10 handle scales and a Kydex sheath. This version, which is marketed toward the outdoor crowd ships with a natural or black, top grain leather sheath.

The blade steel, S-30V, contains 1.46% carbon. With more than 1.2% it is enough to be classified as an “ultra high carbon” alloy. The addition of 14% chromium also makes it a stainless. 2% molybdenum and 4% vanadium has been added to improve the edge qualities through grain refinement and an even distribution of stable carbides.

The unique composition of S30V is achievable through a powder metallurgy (sintering) process that allows the combination of contrasting elements. The result garners the “super steel” classification. Although an impressive title, there are many other competitive super steels, notably Böhler M390, Damasteel RWL-34 and Carpenter CTS 204P.

The blade has an up-swept profile that increases the cutting surface and creates a long, sloping belly. This is similar to a trailing point except that the opposite edge drops to meet at the tip producing a straight point, rather than a hooked one. The steel has an over-all thickness of .154″ (4mm) and has been reduced with a high flat grind ending in a good sized choil for maintenance. A secondary bevel creates the keen, final cutting edge. A long swedge is ground along the majority of the spine for easy push cuts. From the side it would appear to be a double edge but it isn’t. Rounding things out is an interesting choil like notch at the ricasso.

The grinds are well rendered and the blade has received a fine stone wash finish. Fantoni and Sinkevich’s logos and word marks along with the steel type are tastefully laser etched on the sides of the blade.

While .25″+ blade stock has been popular in fixed knives these days, it is apparent that this thinner blade is a great choice for users who don’t abuse their tools and want performance over brawn. That’s not to say that the C.U.T. won’t hold up to serious use. It’s just well balanced, with a slight lean toward high cutting efficiency.

Handle and Ergonomics

For the handle scales Fantoni has used G10. This glass reinforced epoxy laminate has a high resistance to solvents and is extremely tough. The material has a slightly abrasive finish that provides good grip.

As with many higher end fixed blades the C.U.T. has a full tang construction. This means that the handle is backed up by the same piece of steel that makes the blade and travels to, or extends past the handle scales. While a full tang construction normally adds some weight, it is superior in strength to a partial, hidden “stick tang”. To keep things lean, Fantoni has removed a substantial amount of stock beneath the handle scales to keep the knife at a modest 6.2 oz.

The ergonomics one the knife are also well thought out. There is a row of jimping on the thumb ramp with more on each edge of the pommel working to add traction in a standard or reverse grip. The inner edge of the handle has subtle finger grooves that help to lock the hand in place without feeling restrictive. Toward the blade there is a front guard that prevents your hand from sliding forward. The detailing here is exceptional. The way that the guard appears to be wrapped by the blade and blends into the grind is beautifully executed.

The back side of the handle has a slight peak that creates a convex shape that nests against your palm. While slightly angular it doesn’t create a noticeable hot spot for my medium sized hand. The scales are a good, filling thickness. All edges have been contoured for comfort and the corners are cleanly chamfered. The same is true for the edges of the tang which extend slightly past the orange G10’s edges. An exposed pommel includes a lanyard cut-out and can be leveraged as an impact tool.

It’s welcome that there isn’t a heavy texture on the handle nor is the jimping saw-like. The features that the handle has are already enough for extended, safe use and won’t abrade your hands.

Sheath

For carry the knife ships with an elegant top-grain leather sheath. The belt loop and two sides are made from one piece of leather. This smart construction is form fitted to the handle then glued and stitched for strength.

The version in this review has a classic, natural color with a fine glossy finish. Fantoni’s logo is embossed on the front side with “Made in Italy” on the back. The sheath also comes in black but this version has a more dynamic look in my opinion.

Fantoni C.U.T. Review – Final Thoughts

When everything is considered the C.U.T. is an exceptional belt knife. The materials are a solid choice while the fit and finish is outstanding. The design has some elements that remind me of classic eastern European hunting knives. That aside the clean, angular lines and precise execution of all the elements are very modern. They could easily have the C.U.T., along with other Sinkevich knives, comfortably residing somewhere in the future.

Fantoni has done a great job teaming up with talented designers like Tommaso Rumici and William Harsey in the past. Their collaboration with Dmitry Sinkevich also falls into this category, combining key elements in a effective, winning combination.

Fantoni CUT
From: KnifeArt

Editor: I recommend buying the Fantoni C.U.T. at KnifeArt. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website, including links to Amazon and BladeHQ, helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. Any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Additional Specifications:

Overall length: 9.06″(230 mm)
Weight: 6.173 oz (175g)

Blade

Length: 4″ (102 mm) (measured to out most point of the scales to the tip)
Thickness: 0.154″ (4 mm)
Blade: CPM S30V
Hardness: HRC 61-62
Finish: Stonewashed

Handle:

Length 4.92″ (128 mm)
Full Tang Construction
Orange or Black G-10

Sheath: Black or Tan Leather or Kydex

Made In Maniago, Italy

Giant Mouse ACE Nimbus Review

by Josh Wussow 1 Comment

Last Updated August 14, 2019
Few names in the knife world garner as much respect as Jesper Voxnaes and Jens Anso. Together, they’re a veritable dynamic duo of knife design. So, when the folks at Giant Mouse Knives agreed to send over a loaner of the pair’s new ACE Nimbus model, the clouds parted and I beheld the aura of a truly excellent EDC blade.

Buy the Giant Mouse ACE Nibus at BladeHQ

Mythical and meteorological references aside, this is a surprisingly grounded tool. Based off a venerable midcentury motorcycle, Anso and Vox drew inspiration from the “rugged, utilitarian design objectives of the Nimbus.” The Giant Mouse website hails it as their “take on a great tool knife… the kind of knife you will love to use for years to come.”

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Let’s start with the Nimbus’ centerpiece – Three inches of flat-ground Bohler M390. This beautiful blade is a full inch tall, with a thickness of 0.14 at its well-chamfered peak. The satin finish provides a glow worthy of its namesake’s Merriam-Webster definition, with beautifully etched logos on the clip side. The teardrop opening hole is rounded along its top (where your finger is most likely to make contact), though the lower edge has been left square.

Behind the blade, users will be treated to 4.25-inches of textured G-10, with stainless steel liners and a reversable wire pocket clip. The Nimbus is fairly wide through the hips, exactly twice as tall in the handle (1.1”) as it is across (0.55”). This brings the weight to a not-inconsiderable 4.04-ounces – Hefty, but not bad for a heavy-use tool.

And indeed, this is how Giant Mouse wants us to consider the Nimbus. They advertise it as “the knife you’ll want to keep in your winter coat, backpack, working jeans or toolbox.” In that vein, here’s a comparison with the two other folders I reach for when the going gets tough: The Spyderco Native 5 and Zero Tolerance 0562.

So, how does it perform? Honestly, this one took a while to grow on me. The blade felt undersized at first, struggling to straddle apples and medium sized onions. The turning point came in the form of several large bookshelf boxes from my construction trailer. These paper behemoths fell to pieces in the face of the Nimbus. Its tall edge glided through six-foot swaths of quarter-inch cardboard, almost reminiscent of a razor knife. Consider me sold.

Performance aside, there are additional advantages to a sub-3.5 blade, legality being foremost among them. From city warehouses to country cabins, it’s a knife that can go where the work is.

A few nitpicks: While I love the cutting capability, I actually feel that the blade may be a little under-branded. The ACE and Giant Mouse logos are great, but the show side has been left completely blank. I’d like to see these split, perhaps with one logo on each side, in addition to a mark announcing the M390 steel.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Nimbus is a nice match for my medium/large hand. The humpback design creates a solid grip, especially when paired with the handle’s overall thickness. The thumb jimping is perfectly placed, just forward of the opening hole. The texturing of the G-10 is sublime, marking a nice balance between smoothness and grip. I’d compare it to the feeling of a Micarta handle from ESEE, making it a bit softer than the G-10 on the ZT 0562 shown above.

The weakest point of this ACE’s ergos lies in its lockbar. The slight scallops cut for thumb traction tend to rest in the joint of my index finger, causing a bit of a sawing effect under heavy grip. It’s not a major issue, and just mentioning it makes it sound like more of an issue than it really is. At no point did I develop a skin irritation because of this bit of texturing. Still, you’ll certainly know it’s there.

Speaking of touchy spots, take a look at the tip in the photo below. More specifically, check out how close it is to the top of the liners.

Yeesh. While it’s not close enough to catch a finger as it slides across the surface, this is my strongest criticism of the knife. A slight alteration in the blade’s angle would have dropped the point safely beneath the surface. As it is, it’s not close enough to be considered a fatal flaw. But you’ll definitely want to mind the gap, as our British friends say.

The wire clip, too, is something of a conundrum. While I’m a huge fan of its overall design and deep-carry function, it does create a minor hotspot in the palm. The pros outweigh the cons here, so I’m happy with it overall.

Let’s take a moment to talk about the internals. The folks at Giant Mouse were kind enough to allow me to take the Nimbus apart, and I’m very glad they did. Take a look at the full breakdown:

Beyond the solidity of its machining, there’s some excellent detail work here. The badging on the liners is very attractive, and obviously meant to be enjoyed by tinkerers such as myself. Then there are the washers, inset with a race track for the bearings. There’s so much to like here, and the disassembly process is relatively straightforward. My lone complaint lies in the free-spinning pivot, which requires a TORX driver on both sides for takedown and dial-in. Otherwise, this knife’s maintenance process was a breeze.

Deployment and Lockup

Giant Mouse said it best themselves: “If you are looking for a trick knife to middle-finger flick and play with during office breaks, we have other options coming in the ACE-line.” This held true throughout my time with the Nimbus.

While the finger hole is certainly capable of producing snappy opens, this isn’t exactly a fidget-friendly tool. For one, the lack of a flipper tab/blade guard makes it possible to flick the edge down onto your thumb during closure. It didn’t happen to me, but careless users may find themselves with a nick or two if they’re not careful. This isn’t something I’d consider as a flaw, especially since Giant Mouse straight up warns you that this is a function-first knife. Still, lockup is solid and satisfying, with the linerlock leaf snapping into place flush with the clip side of the blade tang.

Dialing the action in can take a bit after disassembly, due to the nature of a free-spinning pivot. But once you have the screws in right, you’re left with nothing but smooth solidity.

Giant Mouse ACE Nimbus Review – Final Thoughts

The Nimbus looks, feels, and cuts like a $175 knife – Every inch, every penny. From its excellent construction to the thoughtfulness of its design, this is a rare case where the silver linings outshine whatever troubles make up the cloud. Fans of Anso and Voxnaes will find a lot to like here, and newcomers can use it as a primer for their design philosophy. At the risk of making a pun, the folks at Giant Mouse… Well, they ACE’d it.

Giant Mouse ACE Nimbus – From $175.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Giant Mouse ACE Nimbus at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thanks for reading.

Giant Mouse ACE Biblio Review

by Aaron Shapiro 6 Comments

Wandering the hallowed halls of BladeShow in Atlanta can be an overwhelming and even intimidating experience. Knives are (not literally) being thrown at you right and left and it’s difficult to remember what you’ve seen, what you wanted to see, and what you haven’t been able to find yet. Several things stuck out to me during my time in Atlanta and high amongst them was the Giant Mouse ACE Biblio.

Buy the Giant Mouse ACE Biblio at BladeHQ

For those of you who haven’t heard of the Giant Mouse brand before, it is a collaborative production brand between custom knife makers Jens Ansø and Jesper Voxnaes; with the mission to design the highest quality production knife possible at the most reasonable price point they can. Over the past couple of years, I have had the opportunity to handle several knives from GM, but this was the first model that they produced with an ambidextrous clip which I need as a lefty.

The ACE line from GM is an unlimited production run of knives whereas the pure Giant Mouse lines are limited in production to 400 pieces per model. Currently, GiantMouse is offering two different models under the ACE umbrella, the Biblio (reviewed here) and the newly released Nimbus.

But first, as always, some specs:

Blade: 2.75” (with a cutting edge around 2.5”)
OAL: 6.75”
Thickness: .585”
Blade Thickness: .119”
Steel: M390
Weight: 3.8oz
Lock: Liner Lock

(These are my personal measurements made with my calipers and my faithful ruler, manufacturer’s published numbers may vary.)

Blade

The Biblio’s blade can best be described as a nicely bellied Wharncliffe. The blade has an ascending angle from the handle and terminates at a nice fine point. A nice thing about this shape is that when the edge is flat on a surface, the handle is raised above, allowing you to utilize the full length of the cutting edge without your hand interfering.

GiantMouse opted for a full flat grind as well, making this a pretty great utility slicer equally at home in the kitchen or campsite (not that these two need be separate). It’s ground thin and sharpened well straight from the factory. One last detail, GiantMouse has chosen to crown the spine on the blade, as I’ve stated countless times before this is a GREAT way to class up a knife.

The steel choice of M390 comes as an expected choice—the GiantMouse Knives are made in Maniago Italy by, I assume, Lionsteel who uses M390 in a lot of their models (Editor: I think Viper makes it, but I could always be wrong). I personally love this steel, it’s elementally similar to 20CV but manifests a finer grain that becomes apparent once you start sharpening it. I’ve always big a huge fan of M390 and request it whenever possible in custom orders. It’s been a solid performer, is very stain/wear resistant, and holds an edge well.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

GiantMouse has opted to offer two handle material options for the ACE Biblio, either black G10 (which is accompanied by a satin blade finish) or green micarta (which comes with a stonewashed blade) both of which offer a nice grip and texture. The lines of the handle really lend themselves to locking into the hand, however, I do find that the grip itself is a little on the shorter side, with my pinky falling off the end—this is fixed if I choke up on the knife and utilize the large choil on the blade.

The clip is a simple wire clip that has the option for either “handed” carry. This is a simple method, but effective and has worked fine for me.

In the pocket, the GM is a squish on the thicker side, but being a liner lock you can’t expect much different. The ACE Biblio is far from the worst offender in this category.

Deployment and Lockup

I’ve always thought that having two different deployment methods on a knife generally meant that one took priority over the other. The Biblio, for example, has both an opening hole and a flipper tab but the detent is tuned for the flipper making it relatively difficult to open via the hole. That being said, using the flipper the action is smooth and snappy as expected with bearings.

The Biblio features your typical liner lock situation here, with a small bevel on each side of the lock to allow ambidextrous unlocking. My example engages fully, is solid in all directions, and hasn’t required any adjustment.

Giant Mouse ACE Biblio Review – Final Thoughts

Generally speaking, I think the GiantMouse project as a whole is a great exploration in what happens when two prestigious custom knife makers explore the production side of the knife-world without simply licensing a design or offering a mid-tech. Giant Mouse is a sole entity that operates within the design language of both Anso and Vox.

While I think that limiting the production runs of the of the GiantMouse offerings seems like a play for extrinsic value, it is nice to see that they have adopted an unlimited production run of affordable options.

The Biblio seems like a great choice for anyone that’s a fan of these two specific knife makers, wants a high-value option, or is looking for something that’s a little outside the “canon of normal knife brands.” The ACE Biblio is available (in Black G10) from BladeHQ for $175, and if you think about that… You’re getting an M390 flipper, designed by two well-respected makers, made to the exacting standards of (again what I assume to be) Lionsteel, for less than $200. Pretty hard to beat that these days, in my opinion.

Giant Mouse ACE Biblio – From $175.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Giant Mouse ACE Biblio 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.

Fantoni HB-01 Review

by Andrew Gene Leave a Comment

The Fantoni HB-01 is a collaborative design with William Harsey Junior. Harsey is a well known American designer and custom knife maker. He’s notably popular for producing several knives for, and with the collaboration of divisions in the U.S. Special forces. This design has its production roots in a discontinued iteration put out by Beretta knives.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Fantoni HB-01 has an overall length of 9.37” (238 mm), a 4.13” (105 mm) blade, weighs 5.93oz (168 g), and is made in Italy by Fantoni Knives. This is a large folding knife. Fantoni also makes the HB-02, with a smaller more EDC friendly footprint.

The limited edition model’s blade is made from CPM S125V, a very exotic, extremely wear and corrosion resistant stainless steel from Crucible. Notoriously difficult to machine on a production level; only a run of 100 of these limited edition knives were produced. Fantoni also offers a standard HB-01 and smaller HB-02 in CPM S30V with black, forest green or tan scales.

The blade steel has been made possible through Crucible’s Powder Metallurgy (C.P.M) process. It currently has the highest Carbon and Vanadium available in a stainless steel. To make a comparison against another popular Crucible “super steel” S30V, S125V has over twice the amount of Carbon and nearly four times the Vanadium.

Here is a comparison between the popular CPM S30V, 440C and CPM S125V

Steel	Carbon	Chromium	Vanadium	Molybdenum	HRc	Wear Resistance	Corrosion Resistance
CPM S125V	3.30	14.00	12.00	2.50	61-62	39.00	Very high
CPM S30V	1.45	14.00	4.00	2.00	61-62	9.50	High
440C	1.20	16-18	–	.75	57-58	4.0	Low

To yield the maximum performance from the alloy Fantoni utilizes an exacting heat treating process. First the steel is brought up to 2050ºF (1121ºC) (Austenite) with a 15 minute hold to homogenize the material. An inert gas quench is executed to avoid surface oxidation. It is then processed through a freezing treatment of -176ºF (-80ºC) for three hours to maximize the transformation from an Austentic to Martensitic phase. Finally two complete tempering procedures bringing the blades up to 356ºF (180ºC) for three hours and back down to room temperature results in the final hardness of 61-62 Rockwell.

Conservatively speaking, users can easily expect over twice the performance than that of S30V. When considering the specs this would likely be more like 3-4 times however there isn’t enough empirical evidence to fully claim that (yet).

The blade pattern is a very lean drop point that produces a fine tip optimized with a long swedge. The grind is a high flat that is finished with a secondary, edge bevel. As to be expected, with the steel’s specifications, the blade is very sharp and holds its keen edge for a long time. This is helped along by the high hardness. In fact, with all the cutting that I’ve been doing, I haven’t had to touch it up yet. When it does come time to sharpen It would be nice if there was a choil since I prefer an even edge right up to the plunge.

Cut from 4mm stock and with a length of 4.13” the blade strikes an exceptional balance between strength and function. It also has plenty of reach if needed. A fine stone-wash gives a clean, finished appearance. Fantoni’s logo and word-mark appear on one side of the blade while the designer name, steel type and unique number are on the other. This knife is 37 of 100.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The knife has great ergonomics. At 5.25” there is plenty of handle real estate to have a full grip with or without gloves. Slight grooves for your first two fingers followed by some coarse, deep jimping for the rest lock things in place. The inner jimping wraps around the pommel working as a grippy thumb rest in a reverse grip. The blade’s spine forms a ramp with finer, square slotted jimping followed by some corresponding texture on the handle for your thumb. For good measure, the G10 Scales have a fine, high-traction peep ply texture.

The handle is an open back, pillar construction. This will allow for easy cleaning and helps cut weight. At an over-all length of 9.37” the knife sits at a modest 5.93 oz. For its size it has enough heft to give a satisfying, quality feel and confidence in use without adding dead weight.

For carry there is a tip up, ambidextrous pocket clip. It works well and, with the G10’s texture has a great retention. The clip’s fairly low and wide profile doesn’t feel obtrusive in use which is a huge plus. The surface is blasted and laser etched with the Fantoni Logo and word-mark adding a tasteful detail.

Deployment and Lockup

For deployment there are dual, ambidextrous thumb studs. These also serve as the stop-pin when the blade is both open and closed. Because of their function, the studs contact the edge of the scales in the closed position. Regardless, their size coupled with a tiered cap makes deployment easy.

While there is a flipper like protrusion, the knife isn’t a true flipper and requires a healthy wrist flick if you want to open it this way. On opening the tang meets a solid, play free titanium liner lock. A deep texture on the lock leaf allows for easy, one handed closing. The pivot is smooth and the components travel against phosphor bronze washers.

Fantoni HB-01 Review – Final Thoughts

The HB-01 is the third Fantoni knife I have reviewed and solidifies the company as one of my favorites. A strong focus on the fit, finish and foremost function, strips away superfluous details. High end materials, an exceptional heat treat along with William Harsey’s experienced time proven design has produced a true modern classic. The only downside to this folder is its extremely limited run of 100. If you are lucky enough to own and use one I’m sure it will satisfy.

Fantoni HB-01
From: KnifeArt

Editor: I recommend buying the Fantoni HB-01 at KnifeArt. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website, including links to Amazon and BladeHQ, helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. Any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Additional Specifications

Total Length: 9.37” (238 mm)
Weight: 5.93oz (168 g)

Blade:

Length: 4.13” (105 mm)
Thickness: .157 (4 mm)
Steel: CPM-S125V
Hardness: 61-62 HRc
Finish: stone wash

Handle:

Length: 5.24” (133 mm)
Thickness: .55” (14 mm)
Liners: 6AI4V Ti liners
Scales: black G10
Clip: Ambidextrous 6AI4V Titanium Tip Up
Lock: Liner

Made In Maniago, Italy

Photo Credits: Andrew Gene

Spyderco Roadie Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 14 Comments

Enthusiast culture is the weirdest thing. At the far end of five years of talking, thinking, and fretting about knives, knowing more now than I ever have about steels, grinds, locks, etc., in a way I’ve never been further away from what first drew me to pocket knives in the first place. Originally, I just liked the idea of carrying something useful with me every day, for the small, unexciting cutting chores I might run into. But now, as a collector with more knives than I can possibly use in a lifetime, the question is usually “What’s next?” instead of “What’s enough?”

Buy the Spyderco Roadie at BladeHQ

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Looking at it honestly, every blade I’ve ever owned, loved, even hated, is overqualified for the job of being my EDC. Which makes reviewing knives like the Spyderco Roadie a bracing experience. You expect a knife this small to have limits. And it certainly does. But for me – domesticated, deskbound, and suburban – it did everything I asked of it for a whole month without issue, and made me question the wisdom and value of owning so damn many knives.

But side-by-side with this access of regret, there was a familiar surge of knife nerd pleasure at experiencing an interesting new design from one of my favorite companies. The Roadie can do all that I need it to, but is it good enough to merit a spot in the permanent collection? Let’s take a look.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Roadie has a 2-1/8” blade counting the finger choil and a cutting edge of 1-3/4”. Handle length with the choil is 3-5/16”, and 2-7/8” without. Overall length is about 5” and it weighs just under an ounce. It is made in Maniago, Italy.

Some knives have different ‘regions’ along their cutting edge, but Roadie’s consists of a single continues run of gentle belly. It functions nearly like a straight edge, but the slight curve imparts muscle in certain chores like cutting zip ties. The small blade excels at small tasks: opening letters, cutting tape on boxes, nipping stray threads. It’s airy and nimble, but thanks to the thick stock it still feels substantial enough to use with confidence.

I would like a more acute tip, personally. And notably, the Roadie can’t do food prep, so if that’s a central cutting chore for you, be warned that this knife will not cope. But outside of these complaints the Roadie gets a lot done with very little.

Being a Maniago-born Spyderco the Roadie has N690Co steel. This is superb stuff. It can be sharpened to a fine, clean edge, and stays sharp for a long while – significantly longer than VG-10, and a smidge longer 154CM. Moreover as it dulls it doesn’t fall through the pronounced ‘steps’ of baser steels like 8Cr13MoV or 420HC. That is, it doesn’t go from ‘screaming sharp’ to ‘semi-dull’ with no apparent transitional phases in between. Its wear pattern is much more gradual. In this regard it reminds me of S35VN, albeit not quite so long-lived. It does, however, have top-tier stain and corrosion resistance.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The Roadie’s handle consist of two pieces of FRN, lightly textured and slightly contoured. A standout feature is the half and half finger choil. The choil itself and the base of the blade spine are both covered in jimping.

The ergonomics are good. Despite having a handle not much longer than a toothpick, the Roadie is quite accommodating. I don’t hear angels singing when I hold it but I never felt cramped, even with my large hands – which is quite a feat. The choil seems like a great idea and works fine, but it is (obviously) undersized compared to a standard Spyderco finger choil. It also isn’t really necessary on a knife this small. You’re going to have plenty of control over the blade just by virtue of the Roadie’s overall size.

Instead of the choil, I’d like to see the handle thickened up a bit because the Roadie almost feels too thin. Most traditional knives in this size class are a little more ample, and better in the hand for it. More pronounced texturing on the scales would be great too. As it is I have cut myself a couple of times while closing the knife because my fingers slid around.

No pocket clip here – but obviously you don’t need one. Loose in a full-size pocket, the Roadie is invisible. The only downside is that it can get tangled up in your keys, or slip out and slide down between the couch cushions without you knowing it. One time I pulled out my keys and the Roadie went flying out of my pocket, taking a pretty nasty ding as it landed. All of this is a function of its Lilliputian dimensions and a not a mark against the knife, but worth knowing if you plan on carrying the Roadie in your main pocket.

But here’s my pro-up: carry it in your watch pocket. I’ve never been an advocate of the watch pocket carry; I always thought it was one of those weird Knife Nerd affectations, like pocket sheaths or whipping out your folding knife to cut steak in a restaurant. But the Roadie is perfect carried that way. It’s readily accessible, stays in place, and doesn’t peek out of the top like most folding knives would. Non-believers, give it a try.

Lockup and Deployment

Although it’s a slipjoint, the Roadie is not a traditional knife in any real sense; it wasn’t made with considerations of walk and talk or pull weight in mind. It isn’t meant to ‘feel nice’ in the way a GEC or a Case might. There’s nothing poetic or soulful about this knife’s lockup or deployment – but it undoubtedly works.

There’s a watery half stop before the blade snaps fully into the open position. The spring tension when open is about where I like it: easy to intentionally overcome, but stout enough to preclude accidental closure in all but the most extraordinary circumstances. Combined with the half-and-half choil, there isn’t much need to worry here.

We get a Spyderco original for deployment, the Double Dent: a shallow concave ‘dent’ on either side of the blade that you pinch to open the knife. These dents have been left with a little rougher finish than the satin on the rest of the blade to aid in grip. They work great, definitely better than the average nail mark. Like the Round Hole, they do dictate the knife’s profile to a greater degree than other two-hand knife opening methods, but the extra width on a knife so small is not a problem.

A secondary, although welcome, advantage of the Double Dent is that it is easier to clean out than a nail mark. I find nail marks to be a common problem area when it comes to rust and that’s largely because they are so hard to properly clean out. You won’t have any issues like that here.

Spyderco Roadie Review – Final Thoughts

The Roadie did everything I asked of it with aplomb. If you live a relatively undemanding life it’s a fun way to cover all your bases in as small a format as possible. Even if you ask for more out of your EDC it’s a great backup knife or a people-friendly option for delicate situations. It may not be able to with you on an airplane right now, but it can go anywhere else without scaring anybody and without making you feel unprepared.

A note on price: at $50, the Roadie is expensive for what you’re getting. But it’s so friendly and fun, I can’t really crack down too hard on it for this. My particular Roadie originally came to me on loan from Gear Geeks Live After Dark co-host Mike Rixman. Within ten minutes of opening the package I made an attempt to buy it off him. I got mine for a little less than $50, but even at full price I would have already gotten my money’s worth in terms of carry and use. I think you’ll be surprised how often you reach for the Roadie, and I recommend it highly.

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I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Roadie 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.