Made in Italy

Viper Odino Review

The “Italian Renaissance” of knife making has been on my radar for a few years now. Manufacturers like LionSteel, Fox, Fantoni, and Viper are getting more traction stateside. The Italians have been doing some interesting stuff with manufacturing and innovation over the past few years, and the level of quality is often exceptionally high.

Buy the Viper Odino at BladeHQ

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However, if the end goal is selling knives in the USA, one way these companies have totally missed the mark is by failing to collaborate with high profile custom knife makers. This is a technique that has been leveraged to great success by companies like Spyderco, Kershaw, and CRKT. Viper has worked with some great Italian designers in the past, but if the goal is selling knives in the US market you need to play the game. That game involves working with designers that are popular in the US.

Viper finally got the memo, and entered into a bold high end collaboration with custom knifemaker Jesper Voxnaes to bring us the Odino. When I went to Blade Show 2014, the Odino was in pre-production, and all they had were some prototypes to handle. The knife was one of the highlights of the weekend, and I predicted that it would be a substantial success for the company when the knife eventually released. When I returned for the 2015 show, the Odino had been in production for the better part of a year and was a best seller for Viper. Jesper Voxnaes’ designs are as in demand as ever, and the quality in Viper’s manufacturing is top notch. I was not about to let another year slip away without reviewing the Odino.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Odino has an overall length of 7.25″, a 2.875″ blade, weighs 4.35 ounces (the carbon fiber version), and is manufactured in Maniago Italy. I would describe the Odino as a medium size every day carry (EDC) knife. It is more substantial than something like the Anso/Vox Pingo, but it won’t pull your pants down. The sub 3″ blade make it acceptable to carry in many locations. It comes in a variety of handle configurations, including full titanium, G10 / titanium, and carbon fiber / titanium (shown here). I prefer the carbon fiber version because it is lightweight and a little cooler than than the G10 model. The full titanium Odino is nice, but is a little hefty for my taste.

The Odino features a dramatic clip point blade. The knife has a wide profile, and the blade is relatively stubby when compared to the handle. The result is a substantial belly that meets at an acute tip. The blade is 3.8mm thick, and has a high flat grind, and comes with either a PVD coated blade or satin finish. The spine is rounded and the edge has been neatly applied.

Viper went with Bohler n690 stainless steel for the blade, a common choice among Italian manufacturers, and a steel that I am experienced with. I like n690 for an EDC knife. It reminds me somewhat of 154CM: it holds a nice edge, exhibits good corrosion resistance, yet is easy to sharpen and won’t break the bank. It takes a nice finish and strikes me as a great all round steel for a folder.

My Odino came sharp and was quickly taken to task on some plastic and cardboard. These can be challenging materials for a pocket knife, and I was pleased with the way the Odino’s thin flat grind handled them. Having carried the Odino for several weeks now I have found it capable as a daily carry piece. It is a good slicer, and has held up well under normal use.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Odino includes a titanium locking side, your choice of titanium, carbon fiber, or G10 for the show side, and an anodized titanium backspacer. Construction is screw together, and the knife is simply finished with chamfered edges. The carbon fiber on my knife is nice, and I can’t detect any voids in the surface of it. The titanium has been stonewashed and left with a pleasant matte finish. The backspacer is arguably the nicest detail of the knife. It juts from the back of the handle, is designed to accept a very large lanyard, and is contoured and jimped. The powder blue anodizing provides a touch of color without being over the top. It’s a lovely feature. Everything has been beautifully implemented.

The Odino benefits from good ergonomics and is a solid performer in the kitchen and around the house. Naturally, being an Italian knife I had to make a pizza with it. There is no jimping on the spine, and none of the surfaces are especially “high traction”, yet the smart design kept the knife in hand without issue. I find myself choking up quite a bit on the ricasso, although the default grip sets you back on the handle a bit.

The pocket clip of the Odino kind of like a deep carry Strider SnG clip. Viper milled a slot into the handle, and a tab on the clip sits into the slot and allows the clip to be mounted with a single screw. It’s simple, but the end result is functional and elegant. The clip itself is nice. It does a good job burying the knife discretely into the pocket, has good retention, and isn’t funky. The clip has been bead blasted and it compliments the rest of the hardware.

Deployment and Lockup

The Odino makes use of an oval thumb hole to open the knife. Due to the low profile of the blade in the closed position, this isn’t the most convenient knife to open, but the thumb hole works well and is still relatively easy to get at. The detent is tuned to a good balance of blade retention and easy access. There are caged bearings inside and the action is extremely smooth.

The framelock on the Odino is simple and well executed. There is no steel lock bar insert or overtravel stop mechanism (2 features that have become increasingly common on titanium framelock knives). Some might be disappointed with the omission of these features, but the Odino’s lock performs great. Lockup on my knife is early and solid. There is no lock rock or blade play to speak of. The lock disengages smoothly from the blade and there is no stick. This is one of the better true titanium framelocks I have handled.

Blade centering is also perfect on my Odino.

Viper Odino Review – Final Thoughts

The Odino has sold well for Viper. In my weeks of carry and use, it is easy to see why. The design is thoughtful and elegant, the materials are top notch, the build quality is superb, and the price is reasonable for what you are getting. Viper was smart to pair up with Jesper Voxnaes for their first big collaboration. Vox is not just a respected name in the knifemaking community, he is a talented designer that brings function and restraint to his work. Viper did a beautiful job rendering his design, and the resulting knife is likely to appeal to audiences on both sides of the pond.

I especially like the G10 and Carbon Fiber versions for EDC. Weighing a full ounce less than the full titanium version, this compact folder has a very capable blade, is comfortable to use, and carries well. The full titanium version is tank like, and may appeal to folks who appreciate more substantial knives.

I don’t see much in the way of downsides when examining the Odino. The profile is a little chunky, and an oval thumb hole is not my all time favorite means of opening a folding knife, but if you are a fan of the design I think you will love the Odino. It is beautifully done and hopefully a sign of more high profile collaborations to come from Viper.

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Viper Odino – From $169.00
From: BladeHQ

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I recommend purchasing the Odino at BladeHQ or [easyazon_link asin=”B00SNANNFI” locale=”US” new_window=”default” nofollow=”default” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″ add_to_cart=”default” cloaking=”default” localization=”default” popups=”default”]Amazon[/easyazon_link]. Please consider that buying anything through 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.

Spyderco Pingo Review

by Dan Jackson 4 Comments

Last Updated: August 5, 2019
I have spoken about the revival of interest in traditional slip joint knives a few times now. Today we have another slip joint review, but rather than featuring a traditional knife today’s blade could not be a more progressive collaboration. Acclaimed Scandinavian custom knife makers Jens Anso and Jesper Voxnaes have joined forces with Spyderco to bring us the Pingo, a completely modern slip joint folder.

Buy the Spyderco Pingo at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

The idea with the Pingo was to make a folding knife that is legal to carry in Denmark, which doesn’t allow for locking folders or folders you can open with one hand. Both Jesper and Jens are from Denmark. Although that hasn’t stopped them from making all manner of bad ass folding knives, they apparently wanted to provide something even their countrymen could enjoy.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Pingo has an overall length of 5.80″, a 2.35″ blade, and weighs 1.9 ounces. This is a lightweight and slim every day carry (EDC) knife that disappears into the pocket. I can’t help but compare this to the Dragonfly 2, a knife I refer to as the Pingo’s distant cousin. It is also small, features a linerless FRN handle, and has a wire pocket clip. The Pingo is a great size for daily carry and should be legal to use pretty much anywhere knives are allowed.

The sheepsfoot blade of the Pingo is funky and functional. The high flat grind makes it a capable slicer, while the absence of a serious tip make the Pingo great for delicate tasks. Case in point, I used the Pingo to cut away a bandage from my dog’s foot the other week. It worked great – both animal and handler walked away without any problems. Denmark’s law for folders restricts blade lengths to 2.756″. The Pingo easily meets the standard with its 2.35″ blade. While 2.35″ isn’t a ton of blade to work with, I got a lot done with the knife. It easily broke down boxes, opened mail, and performed mild food prep. The knife is also fine for harder chores like cutting rope and whittling wood. The absence of a serious tip doesn’t make this ideal for stabbing things or cutting out coupons, but for most tasks the Pingo was fine.

The Pingo is made in Maniago Italy and features a blade of Böhler-Uddeholm’s N690 stainless steel. N690 is great stuff and I would compare it to something like 154CM or CTS-XHP in that it holds a nice edge but it is still easy to sharpen. It gets screaming sharp with very little effort. It is also very resistant to rust and corrosion. I have really come to enjoy N690 and was pleased to see it on the Pingo.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Pingo has a simple FRN handle with a stainless steel backspacer / spring. The FRN has a very fine waffle iron texture to it. It provides good grip but I find that it holds dirt and the little pores get clogged. Not a problem really until you decide to photograph the knife for the world to see. I’m not a huge fan of the oversize Spyderco bug logo in the center of the handle. I have never been a fan of over the top branding, and would have preferred something a little more restrained.

With all of that said, the overall handle construction is great. The button head hardware is nice and simple, and each edge of the handle has been rounded for comfort. The absence of any kind of liners make the knife extremely lightweight. While I wouldn’t pry with this knife, I am not concerned about the strength of the handle under normal use.

The overall shape of the handle is kind of elf-like, and the whole knife has a sort of otherworldly vibe to it. I will say that it feels great in hand. The simple elongated handle has plenty of room for all 4 fingers. A small run of jimping on the choil area of the blade holds your index finger in place. The absence of jimping on the spine makes the knife comfortable to use. This is a great little knife for lighter tasks.

Spyderco included the wire clip on the Pingo, which happens to also be on the Sage 1 and Dragonfly 2, a couple of my favorite Spydies. So I might be a bit biased when I say that I really like the clip on the Pingo. It’s simple, discrete, and highly functional.

In pocket the Pingo carries beautifully. It’s a wider knife, but slim and lightweight. Perfect for urban daily carry.

Deployment and Lockup

The whole point of the Spyderco Pingo is that you are not supposed to be able to open the knife with one hand. The knife is hard to open one handed, but with some finger gymnastics I can still get it done. The back spring or (“pull”) isn’t super strong, but feels appropriate and I’m not afraid of the blade falling out of the handle or anything like that. The pivot is smooth, and the action is crisp as the blade slides into its half stop, and then opens completely with a satisfying snap. All said this is a well implemented slip joint. Spyderco did include their trademarked round hole here, and when the knife is closed the hole sort of winks out at you over the FRN scales.

Here is the Pingo next to my Dragonfly 2:

Of course being a slip joint there is no lock on the knife. Personally this doesn’t turn me off and I think it is fine for an EDC knife (at least for my purposes). People have been using slip joints as work knives for hundreds of years. You just need to be careful with it and treat the tool with respect.

There is no blade play to speak of, and blade centering is perfect.

Spyderco Pingo Review – Final Thoughts

The Pingo strikes me as an excellent convergence of traditional sensibility, forward design, and modern materials. It appears simple enough, but this is a deceptively refined knife from the benches of two of the hottest custom makers on the market. The choice of materials is great and the fit and finish is good (not amazing, there are some tooling marks on the inside of the spring and the spring bows out ever so slightly from the handle at one point). Although it’s not a locking folder, it’s still a practical choice for EDC, even if you can carry a locking folder in your jurisdiction.

The Pingo is also priced attractively at under $50. I have been critical of Spyderco for mostly introducing expensive knives these days, so I have to give credit where it’s due. The Pingo is accessible, and it doesn’t feel cheap either.

If you are torn between this and the Dragonfly 2 (and your local laws allow you to carry both) I would probably recommend the Dragonfly because you can open it with one hand and it locks. But the Pingo is still a fun and functional knife and worth your consideration. Ultimately, you can’t go wrong either way. Recommended.

Spyderco PINGO Slip It Plain Edge Knife, Black

Made using the highest quality materials
Tested for quality and durability
The most trusted name in you cutlery needs
Two-hand opening Slip It
Reversible wire clip

I recommend purchasing the Pingo at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.

Fantoni CUT Flipper Review

by Dan Jackson Leave a Comment

Last Updated: August 30, 2019
We are in the midst of another Italian Renaissance. This time around it’s not a blossoming of politics and art, but of steel and titanium. The Italians are making some absolutely beautiful knives, and I can think of few examples that typify this as much as as the Fantoni CUT Flipper. At its core the CUT Flipper is a meat and potatoes knife. It is sturdy and well made, unpretentious, and intended for real use. Yet this knife has been elevated. The elegant design coupled with a fanatical attention to detail lifts the CUT Flipper from object to art.

Buy the CUT Flipper at KnifeArt

The CUT Flipper has been on my radar for several years. Carried by boutique purveyors and retailing for around $400.00, the CUT Flipper has eluded my grasp for some time. This is a collaboration between Fantoni and Dmitry Sinkevich, the same designer who brought us such things as the Zero Tolerance 0454 and many Shirogorov designs. The problem with the ZT 0454 and Shirogorov flippers is that you can hardly find them, let alone find them for a reasonable price. The CUT Flipper, while no means widely circulated, can still be found at retail (at least at the time of this article and for the past few years – Fantoni has never been known for high production volume). That places the CUT Flipper at a unique spot in the marketplace, and practically begs for a closer examination.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The CUT Flipper has an overall length of 3.5″, has a 8.375″ blade, and weighs 5.3 ounces. This a larger knife meant for work. Some might call it a tactical knife. It’s obviously too big of a knife to carry around in an office setting, but it works fine with jeans and could certainly be an EDC item if you like carrying larger knives. There isn’t anything wrong with viewing this as a collectible either.

The blade shape of the CUT Flipper is an upswept modified drop point. I really love this blade shape, and I think it is part of the reason why I gave the Kershaw Turbulence such high marks. You have a high flat grind, swedge, and a neatly applied edge. The finish on this knife is very nice. It’s a high polish with a stonewash over it (or maybe a stonewash that was then high polished – hard to tell really). Regardless the blade has a deep luster that looks great and hides wear. It’s also a low friction finish, and it helps the blade slide through material.

Fantoni went with tried and true CPM S30V for their blade material. I have no complaints with the steel selection. I’ve had some issues with S30V in the past, but done right S30V is a proven steel. Here Fantoni has heat treated the blade to 60-61 HRc, and the knife takes a nice working edge that touches up easily on a strop or my ceramic rods. The CUT Flipper isn’t super thin behind the edge, but it thins out enough to be a capable slicer. It’s a good compromise between strength and agility. The upswept tip is strong, but the steep angle means that it isn’t my first choice for clipping coupons or other fine tip work. All in all, the blade lives up to its namesake, and it performs if you are looking to put the CUT Flipper to work.

As an aside, I know that Renzo Fantoni, the founder of Fantoni Knives, is a big fan of super steels. Don’t be surprised if Fantoni ends up producing a limited run these in S125V or some other insane steel.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the CUT Flipper has a lot of really nice details – there is lot for a collector to admire here. 3-D machined slabs of G10 rest atop thick cut pieces of sandblasted titanium. All of the edges have been painstakingly radiused. At the end of the day construction appears simple, but that is only because they have pulled it off so flawlessly. I love the oversized hardware and how the backspacer was finished and slots around a lanyard pin. I’ll try to do my best with the pictures, but you really need to examine one of these in person to get a true feel for the workmanship.

In hand the CUT Flipper feels fantastic. It’s a larger knife and the handle is pretty thick, so those two factors add to this, but the slight pistol grip to the handle shape leave great spots for your palm and thumb. There is a a run of mild jimping that looks nice and serves its purpose, while the rest of the knife is devoid of aggressive texture. This knife feels natural in the hand and I had no problem breaking down boxes and carving up 2x2s with this.

The pocket clip is a simple bent titanium clip, and is given the same sandblast as the liners and laser engraved with Fantoni’s subdued logo. This is a small detail, but I like the choice of domed pocket clip screws – even they seem to be of very high quality. It is a sturdy clip that holds the knife steady, and reasonably low in the pocket. The handle is tapped for ambidextrous tip up carry, a nice nod to this knife’s utilitarian roots. At 5.3 ounces, the CUT Flipper is definitely something that you will notice in your pocket, but I don’t think the weight or the way the CUT carries is unreasonable given the size and construction of the knife.

Deployment and Lockup

The CUT Flipper is obviously a flipper style knife. If you prefer a non-flipper variant, check out the aptly named CUT. The flipping action on this knife is not something to write home about. You need to pushbutton (preload) the flipper to ensure a speedy and complete deployment, and that is a mild let down for such an otherwise fantastic knife. Still, the CUT Flipper is quite smooth and I still enjoy opening and closing it ceaselessly, periodically pausing to admire the blade or the gentle play of titanium and G10.

The CUT Flipper is a liner lock. The generous titanium liner engages fully and the blade locks up solidly and without play. It looks like Fantoni may have heat treated or carbidized the lock face, as there is slight discoloration in the last quarter inch of the liner lock – right where it meets with the tang of the blade. Performance of the liner lock is excellent and the blade centering is dead center.

Here is a shot of the CUT Flipper next to my Strider SnG:

Fantoni CUT Flipper Review – Final Thoughts

I can think of few folding tactical knives that have that holy trinity of form, function, and uber tight finish work. Some may argue that the “holy trinity” is just that: the Chris Reeve Sebenza, the Strider SnG, and the Rick Hinderer XM-18. Having owned two out of the three and handled several XM-18’s, I think the CUT Flipper belongs right next to these standard bearer blades. The CUT Flipper may not have the track record (or the marketing effort) of these other knives, but it certainly has the design chops, build quality, and functionality of these other knives.

This is a knife I have been drooling over for some time. Sometimes when that is the case I get a little underwhelmed when the actual knife arrives. Not so with the CUT Flipper. I think I actually like the knife more now that I have it. The CUT Flipper hangs with the best of them and has earned my wholehearted approval and recommendation. If you are at all on the fence about this knife, my suggestion would be to buy it with confidence. You will not be disappointed.

I would recommend buying the CUT Flipper at KnifeArt, as they are Fantoni’s only US dealer. However, their stock is limited.

I would also recommend purchasing the CUT Flipper at Amazon or BladeHQ, however, neither retailer seems to carry Fantoni Knives. Regardless, please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. Thank you very much.

LionSteel TM1 Review

by Dan Jackson 12 Comments

Last Updated: August 3, 2019
I hope the regular readers are interested in high end knives, because the next few posts are all going to be doozies. The TM-1 is so mythical a knife, that it isn’t even out yet, although LionSteel tells me that they will be introducing it to market any day now. I was fortunate enough to snag one of the pre-release samples on display at the 2014 Blade Show.

Buy the LionSteel TM1 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

As a lover of knives, I had an extremely tough time putting down the TM-1 LionSteel had on display at their booth. As a lover of deals, I couldn’t resist asking whether they would be willing to part ways with one for purposes of review. Gianni, co-owner and CEO of LionSteel, was kind enough to oblige me. That said, I do need to make clear that this knife was one of the 4 or 5 display pieces sitting at the Blade Show booth, and it has been handled by hundreds of people over that weekend. As such it has a few scuffs and carry marks, and I of course have been carrying and using it myself as well.

The TM1 is another knife in LionSteel’s SOLID® line, which means that the handle has been milled out of a single block of material. In the past titanium has been LionSteel’s handle material of choice, and I examined my titanium-handled SR-1 not too long ago. This time around LionSteel has decided to use either carbon fiber or micarta. Being the material girl that I am, I of course opted for carbon fiber. The carbon fiber is handsome and makes the knife much lighter than my SR-1 (which is about the same size).

Perhaps even more interesting than the material selection is the fact that this time around LionSteel wanted to make a monolithic handled knife with a back lock and IKBS bearings; two firsts for the company. I have been admiring the knife for almost a month now and I am still unsure as to how exactly they pulled that off. Regardless of what draws you to the TM1, there is something to admire. And I feel very fortunate to share some early thoughts on this brand new knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The TM1 has an overall length of 8.07″, has a 3.54″ blade, and weighs 4.48 ounces. Much like when handling the Zero Tolerance 0454, another carbon fiber handled knife, one of my first remarks when picking up the TM1 was how light it felt. The knife feels deceptively light for its size, and is way lighter than a titanium handled counterpart. This is a largish EDC knife in my book. Not only is it a pretty long knife, it is thick and wide as well. That said, the TM1 was definitely built with use in mind. Construction is stout, the handle and blade are capable, and the light weight means that it is actually something that can be carried.

The TM1 has a unique reverse tanto blade. Reverse tantos are uncommon. Arguably the best known production knife to feature the reverse tanto blade shape is the Benchmade 940, which happens to be one of my favorite Benchmades. So the blade profile of the TM1 is different from most of the knives in my collection, and is a welcome divergence from all of my drop points. The reverse tanto not only looks unique, but it is quite practical too. You get all of the belly of a drop point with the fine tip of a tanto. LionSteel further enhanced the usability of this knife but giving it a full flat grind, which gets nice and thin behind the edge. This isn’t just a show piece, this is a practical tool.

LionSteel elected to equip the TM1 with a Sleipner stainless steel blade. This is my first real experience with Sliepner, and it has been fun to put this knife through its paces. I am not particularly interested in the chemistry of the steel, but here is a link to the data sheet so you can check all of that information out.

In practice I found Sliepner to perform well for daily carry tasks. Like I mentioned in the intro, this was something of a scratch and dent model, so I had no problem with beating on this knife a little (the first scratch is always the hardest). I worked with cardboard, wood, paper, and plastic, and the knife never had a problem. When the edge did start to slow down it quickly came back after stropping. My final thoughts on Sliepner are still in the works, but so far this steel seems very promising. No issues with rust or corrosion either.

My knife did come with a black blade coating. I am pretty sure it is a black oxide blade coating, and it has held up really well under use. Granted I haven’t use this knife to open up a can of Chef Boyardee, but so far there is no scratching or visible signs of wear.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Obviously handle construction the reason to buy this knife. Milled from a solid block of micarta or carbon fiber (shown here) handle construction is impressive, to say the least. Every corner has been masterfully chamfered (in some cases it has been so decoratively), and the handle is contoured for comfort and style. The end result is beautiful and displays the carbon fiber weave in a number of different facets. The workmanship is flawless; all the lines are crisp and clean. My satisfaction with the execution of the carbon fiber handle cannot be overstated.

The TM1 feels at home in my hand. It’s a stout knife, with plenty of handle and an abrupt finger choil. The body of the handle gently swells to fill the palm, and the absence of jimping is not a problem for me. Despite the apparent lack of a dedicated “traction plan” the knife magically manages to remain in my grasp. This is a comfortable and fully functional handle.

The TM1 features an ambidextrous deep carry pocket clip. This is the same clip found on the SR-1. Mine has been given the same black oxide coating as the blade (so far no wear), and is held in place with a carbide glass breaker. SR-1 owners will attest that this is a very nice pocket clip. It is discrete and holds the knife very securely in your pocket. The fact that it is mounted on the butt of the handle is very elegant. There are no extra holes in the handle of the knife and I love the simplicity and practicality of this clip design.

For a larger and bulkier knife the TM1 does carry well, in part because it has a well implemented and secure pocket clip, and in part because it is so lightweight for its size. This is definitely a knife that can be carried.

Deployment and Lockup

The TM1 makes use of a thumb disk to open the blade. This is probably my least favorite aspect of the knife. It works fine for slow and purposeful openings, but I have found it impossible to flick open. I guess at the end of the day that is perfectly acceptable, but this is a knife I would love to flick open given the IKBS bearing system and the massively satisfying “thwack” sound the knife makes upon deployment. It makes almost a chirping noise, kind of like the Sage 1, which also happens to feature carbon fiber. My guess is that they opted for the thumb disk so that they wouldn’t spoil the lines, and I suppose that is a worthy compromise.

My knife locks up without even a hint of bladeplay. Again, the sound this knife makes upon locking up is very unique, and very satisfying. Upon disengagement of the lock bar the blade falls about halfway closed, where it can then be shaken completely shut. I have never handled a lockback that smooth before. No doubt this is due in part to the use of an IKBS bearing system, and LionSteel definitely deserves some kudos for this. The large decorative pivot is very smooth, and the action is a lot of fun. I still have no idea how they got all of those bearings into this thing.

It is worth noting that my blade is perfectly centered.

LionSteel TM1 Review – Final Thoughts

The TM1 is the third addition to their integral line, and I think it is my favorite. I say that because in my opinion this knife is meant to be used; a vibe I don’t really get from my TiSpine or my SR1. LionSteel has managed to elevate the humble back lock to a drool worthy, collector status knife yet they have also kept it durable and functional. The lightweight handle makes this a knife that I actually want to pocket and use, while the TiSpine and SR-1 are knives that I want to enjoy while sitting on my couch. Plus, titanium scratches easily, and this carbon fiber really hides wear well. Same with the black oxide coated blade.

I think LionSteel is really doing some exciting things. While other manufacturers seem to be caught in something of a creative rut, LionSteel’s creativity and willingness to push the envelope further elevates themselves as serious contenders in the US production knife marketplace. And I don’t think I am the only one to notice this. LionSteel won the 2014 Blade Show manufacturer of the year award, and their HiJinx collaboration with CRKT and Ken Onion netted them a 2014 knife of the year award as well. As I look towards their next move, I can’t help but wonder if we will see some of this technology filter down into some budget minded products. I doubt we will see a 4-axis machined carbon fiber handled knife retail for under $200.00, but if there is one thing I have learned about LionSteel, it is to expect the unexpected.

Given the premium price tag, this knife won’t wind up in everyone’s collection, but I definitely recommend it if the TM1 is one that you want to buy. This is an amazing knife and I am very impressed by it.

Lionsteel TM1 – From $400.00
From: BladeHQ

Lionsteel TM1 Micarta, Knife TM1 MB

MADE IN ITALY by LionSteel, one of the world's premier knife manufacturers
KNIFE HANDLE is precision machined from a solid block of Micarta for extra sturdiness and strength
BLADE is made from Sleipner steel, a chromium/molybdenum/vanadium alloy which is a variant of D2 steel
INCLUDES tungsten carbide glass breaker and an ambidextrous pocket clip
DIMENSIONS: Blade Length 3.54", Blade Thickness: 0.18", Total Weight: 3.5 oz.

I recommend purchasing the SR-1 at BladeHQ or Amazon./i>

Lionsteel SR-1 Review

by Dan Jackson 14 Comments

Last Updated: July 28, 2019
A topic knife nuts love to ponder is the age old question of “is it worth it?” This question is probably as old as knife ownership is itself. I imagine that first cave man who showed off his fancy new blade hewn from obsidian rather than the typical rock was met with his fair share of detractors (I am not sure if they used the term “haters” back in 6000 BCE). Whether an expensive knife is “worth it” in comparison to its cheaper counterparts continues to amuse us to this day, and a great example of a knife that gets the brunt of that question is the Chris Reeve Sebenza.

Buy the Lionsteel SR-1 at BladeHQ

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It doesn’t take long into seeking out info on the Sebenza before you stumble across a forum post, YouTube video, or even the comments section of your favorite knife review website to see folks passionately argue the merits of Sebenza and its $400.00 price tag. Opinions run the gamut from the Sebenza not being worth $100, let alone $400, to being the holy grail of blades and easily justified at any cost. I don’t agree with either of those extremes, but I think there is plenty of room in the middle to make valid arguments for and against the “value” of the knife, so I try my best to stay out of it. (If you absolutely must know, personally, I own and enjoy several CRKs and have concluded that they are worth it to me to have in my collection. Part of how I justify the cost is that if some day I woke up and didn’t like the knife, I could sell it and recover 90% of my money. Anyhow, I digress…). My point with all of this is that a lot of people seem obsessed with value and getting more for their money. Especially when it comes to high end production knives.

Enter the Lionsteel SR-1. I’ve drooled over this knife ever since it made it’s debut in 2010 with its dramatic blade shape, imposing sculpted handle, and top shelf materials. I felt like this was a knife truly befitting of a king and the fact that a company called Lionsteel was making it made perfect sense. But what really did it for me was the fact that this is an “integral”. By that I mean the handle has been carved from a single chunk of glorious 6A14V titanium. Here we have a knife that has truly done something different from a construction perspective. There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that certainly we are getting *something* more for our money with the SR-1. So with that out of the way I intend to explore the merits of this blade…

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The SR-1 has an overall length of 8.3″, has a 3.7″ blade, and weighs 6.8 ounces. This is a sizable knife. Definitely larger than my average EDC, and is not something I am really prepared to carry on any kind of a regular basis. I consider it a collectable more than anything, but it certainly has been made for carry and use, and I am sure plenty of people do carry theirs regularly. Lionsteel has recently offered a mini version of the SR-1, the SR-2, and that may be a better bet for my style of EDC. That said, there is nothing wrong with buying this knife purely for collectable purposes – especially if you opt for the sweet version with a damascus steel blade like I have. What you are looking at is the SR-1 in Chad Nichols raindrop damascus. I’m not a huge damascus guy, but I thought this one was pretty cool.

The blade shape on this knife is a typical drop point. What I always liked about this knife was the ridiculously wide blade and the deep belly. Not for any practical reasons, mostly because it looks impressive and is unlike anything else in my collection. Blade stock is generous at .18″/ 4.5mm thick. The spine is capped (rounded over) while the high flat grind terminates in a durable, but plenty capable, edge. This isn’t a particularly awesome slicer, but it will hold up under harder use and can certainly cut stuff.

Like I mentioned before, this particular knife comes in Chad Nichols damascus, but if you were to buy a regular one off the shelf it will likely come in either D2 (for the aluminum handled version) or Sleipner steel (for the titanium handled version). Sleipner is manufactured by Bohler Uddeholm and from the limited research I did it is supposed to share some similarities to D2, in that it is a tough tool steel, semi-stainless, and capable of being heat treated to a high hardness, but it is supposed to be more resistant to chipping. Bohler put together a handy data sheet for those looking for more technical information on the steel. Because I haven’t personally used it, I have no real comments on it at this time.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the SR-1 is what really steals the show. 3-D machined from a single block of titanium or aluminum (the SR-1A), this handle is as beautiful as it is technically impressive. A monolithic handle like this is commonly referred to as an “integral” these days, but there is nothing common about this handle. I’ve examined my fair share of high end knives, including custom pieces, but holy shit is this thing is cool. And the fit and finish on this handle is really nice too. The exterior has been given an attractive grooved pattern, while inside the handle has been cleanly excavated to accommodate the blade. Adding to the interest, Lionsteel offers the SR-1 anodized in a rainbow of different colors. Simply put, this handle is spectacular.

Adding to my love of the SR-1’s handle is how nice and comfy it is. Lionsteel did an excellent job softening all of the edges and the SR-1 just melts in place. Next to the actual handle construction, I was most impressed by how good this handle felt. It’s a large knife so there is plenty of room, and the chamfering they have done is just superb.

The pocket clips is another well-implemented and elegant feature of the knife. I have to hand it to the Italian’s, they really now how to design beautiful stuff (and I’m not just saying that because my last name ends in a vowel). The clip is a deep carry design mounted on the pommel. It is reversible with a single screw. In practice the SR-1 carries discretely and decently for its size. I like the look of the deep carry clip, and the fact that this design does not put a lot of unnecessary holes in the beautiful titanium frame.

Deployment and Lockup

The SR-1 takes advantage of a pair of ambidextrous thumb studs for deployment. They are mounted for easy access with the thumb, and the blade rides on teflon washers. I’m not a huge fan of teflon washers because they don’t deploy particularly fast, but they are still found in some high end knives and I guess I’ll just have to learn to deal with that. Deployment isn’t particularly fast and I was unable to ever flick the blade open with my thumb, but it’s smooth and purposeful, which is pretty much what I’ve grown to expect with teflon washers.

On the other hand, lockup on the SR-1 is nothing short of glorious. You have a thick titanium lock bar with a steel insert, and when the blade opens up the lock bar falls into place with a really satisfying snap. Engagement is early and extremely secure. The fact that the handle is cut from a single piece of titanium makes for a very rigid frame, and I didn’t even notice a suggestion of blade play. I will say that my blade is ever so slightly off center, and I was not able to tune that out with the supplied pivot tool. This is a slight let down, but I guess there are some limitations with the integral design.

I also need to briefly note the rotoblock (which is the big round thing in the middle of the lock bar cut out). Much like the DPx Hest 2.0 I reviewed a couple years ago, the SR-1 comes with Lionsteel’s rotoblock, which doubles as lockbar stabilizer (preventing you from over-extending the lock bar when disengaging it) and as a secondary locking mechanism. The way it works is that you torque it down to lock the knife open or closed. A common criticism with the rotoblock is that it can come loose and put you in a position where the knife accidentally gets locked open or closed. The rotoblock on my SR-1 is very stiff, so maybe Lionsteel has completely addressed that issue. Personally, I see the secondary locking mechanism as a novelty at best, and a nuisance at worst, but I do like having some sort of lock bar stabilizer.

One final aspect of the knife worth mentioning is the packaging. Each SR-1 comes nestled in its own wood display case. It’s a cool feature and I have yet to see a knife come packaged like this. I know the box is the least important thing about a knife, but when you are already paying $400.00, it’s cool to see that Lionsteel went the extra mile to do something besides your typical cardboard crate.

Lionsteel SR-1 Review – Final Thoughts

The SR-1 is a hell of a knife. I know it’s expensive, and that is part of the reason why it took me so long to acquire one, but it’s different, and generally very well done. And I guess if you really cared about the price you could go for the less expensive aluminum handled version, the SR-1A, which sells for less than $200.00. I ran into a couple minor issues (slow action with the teflon washers, a slightly off center blade), but by and large this is a masterpiece and a tremendous accomplishment for a production knife. In this day in age it’s easy to argue that a lot of high end production knives aren’t worth the premium in price because they aren’t much different from their cheaper counterparts, but here the SR-1 really does deliver something different. The mono-block handle is just super duper cool and everything else has been really well done.

It isn’t the most practical knife in my collection, but if you have the dough and the desire, I definitely recommend checking it out. Because I favor smaller sleeker knives for daily use I definitely see myself acquiring a TiSpine in the not so distant future. Hopefully it doesn’t take 4 years for me to pull the trigger on that one.

Lionsteel SR-1 – From $379.00
From: BladeHQ

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I recommend purchasing the SR-1 at BladeHQ or Amazon. Please consider that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Viper Carnera Review

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

Last Updated: September 16, 2019
Viper Knives is a relative newcomer to the US cutlery scene, and is a division of the Italian manufacturer Tecnocut, a company that I am frankly not that familiar with. I was first acquainted with Viper at Blade Show 2013 it was there that I had the opportunity to handle most of their line. Like many of the knives coming out of Maniago Italy I was impressed with the sophisticated designs coupled with tight fit and finish. One blade that especially caught my eye is the Carnera – a long lean chopper named after Italian pugilist Primo Carnera.

Buy the Viper Carnera at BladeHQ

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

General Dimensions and Blade Details

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With a retail price of over $200, it’s worth talking about the fit and finish of the blade. The grinds on my knife were even and the edge was perfectly applied. The spine is capped (rounded) which is a very nice detail on a production knife. My version of the Carnera came with a lightly tumbled finish. This is a good choice for a semi stainless steel like D2. That said, I did notice a light patina form on my knife, and generally found it more difficult to keep clean. An application of [easyazon-link asin=”B000V72992″ locale=”us”]Bar Keeper’s Friend[/easyazon-link] or a similar cleaning agent will brighten it back up instantly. Alternatively, you could always opt for the PVD coated variant.

Handle and Ergonomics

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

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

Sheath

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

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

Viper Carnera Review – Final Thoughts

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

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

Viper Carnera – $239.95
From: BladeHQ

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