made in Taiwan

Cold Steel American Lawman Review

Last Updated: March 9, 2018
When I hear the words “hard use folder” it’s often accompanied by a mental image of dollar signs. For whatever reason, we have equated hard working blades with titanium, super steel, and triple digit price tags. Those knives are cool, and I am sure some are capable of getting work done, but not everyone has that kind of cash – and even if you do it can be hard to really buy a knife like that and drive it like you stole it.

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That’s why I like the Cold Steel American Lawman. For around $85 you get a rock solid knife that you aren’t afraid to beat on. After all, what’s the point of a hard use knife if you can’t actually bring yourself to hard use it? I have thrashed on my review sample for years. Lets take a closer look at one of my favorite every day working tools.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The American Lawman has an overall length of 8-1/8″, a 3.5″ blade, weighs 4.5 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. This is a nicely proportioned medium sized folder designed by Andrew Demko. I found it reasonable enough for every day carry, but could definitely see this as a dedicated work knife or tactical blade. The “Lawman” designation seems to fit well.

The Lawman features a simple drop point blade with a high hollow grind. The knife is thinly ground, making it an aggressive slicer, and the tip is reinforced to hold up against hard use and thrusting. I like the blade shape. It’s not as aggressive as many of Cold Steel’s other offerings but is still very useful. There is plenty of belly, the tip gets nice and sharp, and the knife generally cuts really well.

Originally, Cold Steel used AUS8a for the blade steel, which is basically the same as AUS8. AUS8 is known as a softer steel and a lot of people don’t like it. I like AUS-8 because a couple swipes on a Spyderco Sharpmaker restores the knife back to hair shaving sharpness.

In 2015 Cold Steel updated their lineup of knives to include CTS-XHP steel, an American stainless steel forged by Carpenter. This is a superior steel to AUS-8, although it adds approximately $30 to the price tag of the knife. I have experience with CTS-XHP with other knives, and have had hands on experience with the Cold Steel Ultimate Hunter in CTS-XHP. CTS-XHP will hold an edge longer than AUS-8, and it is still easy to sharpen.

Cold Steel also upgraded to blade coating from a cheap black teflon coating, to a high end DLC coating. DLC is probably the best coating there is, so it’s a great upgrade.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the American Lawman is made primarily of two thick pieces of black peel ply G10. There are no liners of any kind inside the handle and the G10 screws directly into a black aluminum backspacer and stainless steel lock bar. In practice the handle is quite strong. The G10 is thick and I was not able to flex the handle at all – so I would not worry that this handle will not be up to hard use. Fit and finish is nice too. All of the edges have been nicely rounded and everything lines up well. This is a strong and well put together handle.

I really like the ergonomics of the Lawman. The handle is plenty large and allows for a comfortable grip. There is some shallow jimping on the top of the handle. It’s not aggressive but provides some texture and feedback for your thumb. The G10 is extremely high traction and provides a good deal of grip. One of my favorite ergonomic features is the forward choil. Much like the Spyderco Sage or Paramilitary 2, this forward choil allows you to choke up and really get some detail work done. I am a huge fan of the forward choil. Cold Steel usually doesn’t include this feature so I think it’s worth mentioning. Finally I want to say that the knife also feels comfortable in a reverse grip.

The pocket clip is standard fare for Cold Steel. It’s small black coated stainless steel clip. It’s very tight. The tight clip combined with the aggressive G10 means it can tear up your pants if you aren’t careful. The clip is reversible (they actually include 2 clips since it’s a curved design) and it allows for tip up carry only. In pocket the American Lawman carries well. The small clip buries the knife deep, so it’s a discrete carry, and the slim profile and relatively light weight makes for an easy carry.

Deployment and Lock

The CS Lawman uses a thumbstud and a half to get the blade out of the handle. The thumbstud is not entirely ambidextrous out of the box, but it is swappable. This is not the fastest deploying knife and it will require some wrist action if you really want to snap the knife out. This is mainly due to the strong backspring of the triad lock. I don’t mind the slow and purposeful deployment of the American Lawman, but if you are one to habitually flick your knife open and closed the Lawman be advised that this isn’t really that kind of knife.

The lock on this knife is quite interesting. It uses the Cold Steel Triad locking system. The Triad is a modified lock back system that utilizes a “stop pin” to redistribute pressure placed on the knife and lock and in theory it provides for a stronger lock. My experience with the Triad lock suggests that it is in fact very strong. Lockback knives are very strong in general and the Cold Steel version is at least as strong as a regular lockback. I like how this lock is designed to break in with the knife so it won’t require maintenance. The lock feels very crisp and nice and secure.

American Lawman or the Recon1 or the AK-47?

Chances are, if you are interested in the American, you may also be interested in the Cold Steel Recon 1 or the AK-47. If that is the case, I recorded a video where I do a detailed comparison of these 3 models that you may find useful.

Cold Steel American Lawman Review – Final Thoughts

If you are in the market for a hard use folding knife and have around $50 to spend, the American Lawman should be on your short list. This is an extremely rugged knife that feels good in hand and is capable of some serious cutting. The relatively light weight design and non-threatening blade make this a good choice for EDC, although the knife could definitely flex into a more “tactical” role. No doubt this is why Cold Steel has marketed the knife toward law enforcement.

The biggest gripe with this knife was always the sub-par AUS-8 blade steel and cheap teflon coating. Cold Steel blew those complaints out of the water, when they upgraded this knife to CTS-XHP and a DLC coating. At this point, the only grievance I can raise is that the pocket clip can be a little small / tight for some. It’s not my absolute favorite clip, but it’s not that bad either.

All said this is one of my favorite folders from Cold Steel. They don’t make a ton of stuff in the 3.5″ blade length and the subdued looks really gels with me. I highly recommend the American Lawman if you need hard a wearing utility knife and don’t want to shell out a ton of cash.

Cold Steel American Lawman Black Folder

Blade thickness: 3.5 mm
Blade length: 3 1/2 inch
Handle: 4 5/8 inch long. G-10

I recommend purchasing the American Lawman at Amazon or BladeHQ. 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.

Ontario Rat II Review

by Dan Jackson 19 Comments

Last Updated: March 9, 2018

Not everyone who reads the site knows about this, but I do have a couple sections dedicated to knives I have reviewed and recommend. Of particular interest could be the recommended EDC knives section, and the recommended tactical knives section, as these types of knives are generally pretty popular. When browsing those lists there are a few special knives that make the cross over to both categories.

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Typically, these are gold standard blades like the Spyderco Paramilitary 2 and Benchmade Griptilian which are great knives, but clock in at $110+ and $70+ respectively. But then there is another category, the recommended high value knives section, where I try to limit the knives to $50 or less. It is quite rare to find a knife that can fall into all 3 categories. The Ontario Rat I is one of those knives.

I reviewed the RAT I a couple years ago, and I am still of the opinion that those seeking serious bang for their buck when it comes to a big EDC / “tactical” knives would be well served with a RAT I. That’s great for guys wanting a big knife, but what about the rest of us who are looking for a more pocket friendly EDC?

Enter the Rat II. It has everything we all know and love about the Rat I, but in a much more compact package.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Rat II is 7″ long, has a 3″ blade, weighs 2.75 ounces, and is made in Taiwan. This is a great size for urban EDC. It is both pocket and people friendly, and you still have enough knife to get some real work done. Of course, if you are looking for something larger then the Rat I has you covered.

The blade is a modified drop point design. Nothing about this knife is particularly sexy looking, but this plain utilitarian blade gets the job done. The full flat grind is thin, and the knife zips easily through all manner of material. The tip is plenty pokey for detail work while the bright satin finish is both attractive and corrosion resistant. They do offer the knife with a shiny black coating, but it is not very durable. I prefer the satin finished version.

Just like the Model I, the Rat II comes in AUS 8 blade steel. Steel snobs may turn their nose up at AUS 8, but my own testing and use has proven again and again that AUS 8 takes a great edge, is super easy to maintain, doesn’t chip out easily, and resists rust and corrosion. For a $30 folder, AUS 8 is about as good as it gets.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle on the Rat II features the same robust design of it’s bigger brother. You have plastic scales over full stainless liners with pillar (or “flow through”) construction. It is simple and effective. I also like the choice of handle colors and the black hardware. This knife is made in Taiwan, and like many of the other Taiwanese knives I have handled, this knife features exceptional fit and finish. One nit pick is that the handle scales are plastic. I would prefer some G10, but some corners have to be cut when your are targeting the under $40 market.

From an ergonomic standpoint the Rat II is pretty good. Obviously it’s not going to be as comfortable as the oversized Rat I, but, given the size of the knife I was still able to get a nice grip on it with my larger hands. Extra large hands may run out of real estate, but you could always choke up near the ricasso and gain a little extra room. The plastic scales are comfortable. All the corners have been rounded, and a texture provides some feedback without being aggressive. The jimping on the other hand is pretty aggressive. Under extended use this jimping definitely bites into your thumb, and I don’t like that aspect of the knife. All said though, and this is a decent knife to work with.

The pocket clip is a classic shape (think Benchmade or Emerson), comes with a painted satin black finish, and can be put on any of the 4 corners of the knife. It’s simple, discrete, and totally functional. The painted clip does show wear easily, but this is a user so I don’t mind. In pocket the knife rides low and stays where you want it to. I really cant complain about its simple and utilitarian design.

Deployment and Lock Up

For a low end knife the Rat II is surprisingly smooth. The Aus 8 blade glides on sintered bronze washers. A gentle nudge of the ambidextrous thumb studs sends the blade cascading out with a satisfying “thwack”. The blade on my knife came perfectly centered, which adds another level of enjoyment to the knife.

For lock up, you have a robust liner lock. This is a beefy liner lock, and there isn’t even a suggestion of play when I tug the blade in any direction. This is a great choice for hard use tasks, and I don’t hesitate to use this as a work knife. In fact, it’s a great choice for those nasty jobs you don’t want to risk a more expensive knife with. The blade locks up tight and the lock bar disengages easily when you need it to.

Ontario Rat II Review – Final Thoughts

For the money the Rat II is a hall of fame blade that makes my lists for both recommended EDC and recommended high value knives. It may not be the prettiest pony in the stable, but if you subscribe to the philosophy of function over form, want a folding knife with a 3″ blade, and have around $30 to spend, then the Rat II could be just the knife you are looking for. My biggest gripes were about the plastic handle scales and aggressive jimping. Beyond that I find very little to complain about, and these are easy objections to overcome given the price.

Just like it’s big brother, the Rat II is a no-nonsense tool ready to provide years of service.

Sale

Ontario Knife Company Rat II, Satin AUS-8 Stainless Steel Drop-Point Blade Folding Pocket Knife, Black Nylon Handle Liner Lock Knife, Everyday Carry Knife – ON8860

secure: the ambidextrous handle features textured black nylon 6 scales with an open-built steel linerlock frame
comfortable: the rat-2 knife is a handheld size designed for comfort and performance making it ideal for everyday carry
dependable: quick and easy access with dual thumb studs and a 4-way reversible pocket clip
"durable: the rat-2 comes equipped with a 3" plain edge blade made of reliable aus-8 stainless steel as well as a textured nylon handle"
"convenient size: the 4. 1" closed length handheld size is ideal for every day carry and fits in the hand and pocket comfortably"

I recommend purchasing the Ontario Rat II at Amazon or BladeHQ. 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.

Spyderco Southard Flipper C156GBN Review

by Dan Jackson 17 Comments

Last Updated: July 30, 2019
If you have been following the production knife scene the past couple years, then you know that titanium framelock flippers have gotten extremely hot. This has a lot to do with custom and mid-tech makers that often set the trends, which eventually trickle down into production knives. Larger companies have finally taken notice, and now they want their piece of the framelock flipper pie.

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This has resulted is something that Andrew and I refer to as the “framelock flipper arms race.” When Zero Tolerance released their 0560 model not too long ago, it upped the ante in terms of materials selection, build quality, and technology. ZT loaded their knife to the gills with features like a caged bearing system, 3D contoured handles, and even going so far as to pocket out the titanium to lighten the knife. The 0560 continues to be a technological marvel as far as the production knife industry is concerned, but other companies, including Benchmade and Spyderco, have stopped to take notice – to the point where both companies have released their first models featuring a flipper in 2012-2013.

In this case we have Spyderco’s addition to the framelock flipper arms race: the Spyderco Southard Flipper. They decided to damn the titanium torpedoes and embark on a high-end collaboration with acclaimed custom knife maker Brad Southard. Known for his practical and well engineered designs, Brad has slowly carved a name for himself since he started making knives full time in 2009. Brad subscribes to the ideology that form should follow function, and he ultimately believes that good design is a marriage of aesthetics and performance. Technology also plays a key role in his knives, and this collaboration with Spyderco is a veritable cornucopia of the latest and greatest. Unfortunately for the consumer the price tag reflects this as well, with the knife arriving with a whopping $399.95 MSRP.

Does the fabled Southard Flipper deliver enough bang for the buck to make it worth adding to your collection? How does it stack up to something like the ZT 0560? Lets find out…

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Southard Flipper has an overall length of 7.96″, features a 3.46” blade, and weighs a solid 4.1 ounces. This is a jewel of a knife, beautifully manufactured for Spyderco in Taichung, Taiwan. Proud Americans may dismiss the knife offhand for having both a $250 retail price and the words “Taiwan” laser engraved on the blade, but I assure you the quality is 100% there. The knife is beautifully made and has a reassuring heft to it – made possible by thick slabs of steel, titanium, and G10.

As for the knife’s intended use, I mainly see the Southard Flipper as a collectible or high end EDC option. I have mostly been carrying mine on the weekends, as I find it a little too chunky to be paired with slacks in an office EDC. Your mileage will certainly vary.

The blade is a signature Brad Southard modified drop point design. Cut from a thick piece of Carpenter CTS-204P stainless steel, the profile swoops and slopes into an abrupt tip. The partial hollow grind terminates at a neatly applied edge, and the entire blade has been given the ever popular stonewashed finish.

CTS-204P is apparently the latest in a line of high performance steels from Carpenter. According to their data sheet this steel has been specifically formulated for high end cutlery applications. This is the part of the review where more sophisticated reviewers would spend a few moments to wax poetic about the chemical structure and technical merits of the steel, but I have neither the time nor the inclination for such diversions. Instead, I elected to simply start cutting stuff. Hey, at least I’m honest.

My knife came with an extremely sharp and aggressive edge. It almost reminded me of the M4 on my Gayle Bradley in how razor sharp and aggressive it was out of box. I actually moved to a new house in the middle of my testing phase, so the Southard Flipper got a chance to open up many cardboard boxes. It zipped through cardboard with alarming speed and efficiency. I decided at this point I wanted to try a more formal cut test to get a better feel for the knife and the steel.

I started out with a 6″ length of 3/8” sisal rope. I made cuts every inch. In some cases this is a difficult and painful test for me to get through. The Southard Flipper crunched through the rope without even blinking. It was one of the easier rope cut tests I have done, and the knife could have easily handled 2-3x as much rope.

I then moved on to some more cardboard boxes. The Southard flipper once again worked with impressive speed and agility as I cleanly cleaved a couple pieces of 3-ply commercial grade cardboard into confetti. At this point in the test I felt the edge could use some help, so I stropped it briefly. The 204p came back to factory sharpness with little effort – surprising considering how the blade has likely been heat treated to well over 60 hrc (Spyderco does not list the actual hardness of the steel).

I wrapped things up by whittling some 2x2s. It worked through the wood, but I was not super impressed with the carving performance of this knife. This shouldn’t be too surprising as the blade is 4mm thick and features a partial hollow grind. I found it was not the most efficient tool for cutting up apples either.

At the end of the day I was pleased with the performance of both the knife and the 204p steel. The steel is capable of taking an amazing edge, I had no issues with rust or corrosion, and the edge held up well. It’s a nice knife and is well suited for EDC tasks.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Southard Flipper is primarily comprised of titanium and g10. On the locking side you have a full titanium frame lock with a G10 overtravel prevention mechanism. On the non-locking side there is a brown G10 scale over a thick titanium liner. Everything is screwed together, and features flow-through (pillar) construction.

The knife is immaculately finished. The hardware gleams, every corner has been meticulously finished, and the knife feels like an absolute gem. The titanium liner has been drilled out to reduce the weight somewhat, but this is still a knife that I feel in my hand and in my pocket.

One thing to note is the asymmetry of the thickness of the handle; the non-locking side is noticeably thicker than the locking side. I am not sure if this was a conscious design decision, or if Spyderco was not willing to have the G10 side 3d machined like on the ZT0560. Since the knife is equipped with an internal stop pin and captured ball bearing system, it is necessary to have a metal liner of some sort. At any rate the asymmetry is interesting. In my video review I talk about the character of the knife and the odd juxtaposition of high end materials and meticulous finish next to the somewhat quirky and almost primitive design. I think it’s an interesting contrast, although I’m sure the asymmetrical handle will drive some people nuts.

Moving to ergonomics, I find the Southard Flipper to be extremely comfortable. A rope cut test is always a good workout for the handle of a knife, and hard carving / whittling can also quickly reveal hot spots and ergonomic issues. I found that the Southard performed fantastically in the rope cut, and was decently comfortable when carving. The knife is pretty thick and that chunkiness serves it well when putting some extra force behind the edge. The jimping on the spine of the blade is damn near perfect in my book. It’s got a little bit of traction without being obnoxiously sharp or painful. It’s just a comfortable knife.

In contrast, the pocket clip is a little underwhelming. Stylistically it looks cool, and is plenty sturdy / well made. However, I find it’s a little sharp on the tip, doesn’t exactly run with the lines of the handle, and doesn’t carry particularly well. I think a thick and heavy knife like this could benefit from a deeper carry clip. Although none of this strikes me as a deal breaker, I’ll openly confess that I feel the pocket clip is the weakest link.

Deployment and Lock

The more reviews I write the more I wonder how painfully obvious this section is. Of course what we have here is a flipper mechanism, and Spyderco’s first at that. I find it generally works pretty well.

When you have a firm grip on the flipper the detent is strong enough to easily pop the knife open. That said, I’ve flubbed the flip many many times, and wonder if an even stronger detent would be appropriate here. I’ll be the first to admit that this is me being nit picky, but on a knife of this caliber I might as well provide the entire story.

The knife does open nicely however, and the blade rotates smoothly around an over-sized pivot and caged bearing system. There is also the “trademarked” Spyderco thumb hole on the blade, but it’s impossible to use with your left hand, and a challenge to actuate with your right, so I find myself not having a whole lot to say about it.

Lockup is exceptional. My lock engages around 40-50%, and has been like that since the day I bought it. The lock engages easily, has no stick at all, and the knife is absolutely rock solid in every direction. The pivot must have some industrial strength [easyazon-link asin=”B0043EK14O” locale=”us”]loctite[/easyazon-link] on it, because I have been opening the knife obsessively for weeks and have yet to have a need to adjust it.

There is also a small g10 lock bar stabilizer inset into the framelock that matches the G10 scale on the opposing side. It looks interesting and does a good job of preventing the lock bar from over-extending. All said and done I am impressed with the lockup on this knife.

Spyderco Southard Flipper Review – Final Thoughts

So, Spyderco’s first flipper… did they nail it or fail it? I have to say, I like the knife a lot. Brad’s design is sexy and sophisticated, and the Taichung factory has once again produced an amazingly well built knife. Say whatever you want about overseas manufacturers, but the Southard Flipper is immaculately made.

The Southard Flipper also performs. It’s comfortable, balanced, and cuts nicely. I had a blast working through rope and cardboard. It’s not the keenest slicer, so chores like cutting apples and carving wood won’t be it’s forte, but overall the Southard Flipper is a capable tool.

If I had to point out the weaknesses of the knife, I’d say the pocket clip could use a little work, the flipper could benefit from a stronger detent, and I could live without the lanyard tube. Aside from that I find little fault with the knife. I will say once again that this is a heavier knife and in my pocket it is more appropriate for jeans or casual clothing – this is not a gentleman’s folder.

And lets spend a moment on the “value proposition” of the Southard Flipper. Some will balk at the $220 price tag, and I can appreciate that – this is an expensive knife, and it isn’t for everyone. But frankly, discussions about value don’t interest me much. Sure, I appreciate a good deal, and understand the value of a dollar, but much like a Chris Reeve Sebenza or a Strider SNG, we are looking at luxury items. No one ‘needs’ a Southard Flipper.

As someone who owns a wide range of folding knives I think the Southard Flipper will be well worth it to fans of high end Spydercos, and fans of titanium framelocks / flippers. It’s a beautiful knife.

And where does it stand next to the ZT 0560? Personally, I prefer the Southard. The 0560 is a cool knife, but I prefer the size of the Southard more and the knife has this wonderfully solid and well balanced feel to it. Practically speaking I find it more comfortable to cut with too. Sure, the 3D machining on the 0560 is nice, and it’s great to see the 0560 being made in the USA, but I still prefer the Southard more. Have an opinion? Feel free to leave it in the comments section below.

Spyderco Southard Folder G-10 Plain Edge Knife, Brown

Made using the highest quality materials
Tested for quality and durability
The most trusted name in you cutlery needs
Flipper blade opening device
CTS 204P hollow-ground blade

I recommend purchasing the Southard Flipper at Amazon, or 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 for reading.

Cold Steel Voyager Review

by Dan Jackson 34 Comments

Last Updated: February 25, 2018

New in 2011, the updated Cold Steel Voyagers took the knife world by storm. There was a lot to like about the original CS Voyagers, but as technologies advance old classics need updating. And I gotta say, the new version really packs some nice improvements. Lighter, faster, with better locks and beautiful details – there is a lot to love about these knives. With 3 sizes, 3 blade shapes and the option of fully or partially serrated edges there is something for everyone.

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I have one of each size for your consideration here (the Medium Voyager, Large Voyager, and the XL Voyager). After testing them all I can safely recommend any one of these knives. Take the “voyage” with me and learn why I like them so much.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Since I’m reviewing 3 knives here I figured it would be easiest to throw the dimensions into a table instead of listing them out.

Model:	Blade Length	Overall Length	Weight
Extra Large	5-1/2″	12-1/4″	7.2 oz
Large	4″	9-1/4″	4.6 oz
Medium	3″	7-1/4″	3.1 oz

All the knives feel light for their size. Especially the Large and XL.

The 2011 Voyagers come in 3 major blade shapes. You have the classic clip point shown here, you also have a nice tanto version, and a version known as the “Vaquero.” The Vaquero is a modified clip point with a serious recurve. The knife you decide on comes down to your personal preferences. I think they are all pretty good, but the Vaquero will the hardest to sharpen due to the extreme recurve. I probably should have bought one of each blade style, but what can I say, I’m a sucker for a nice clip point.

And this clip point is really well done. Cold Steel started things off with a full flat grind. You also have a small swedge that forms a nice tip. There is plenty of belly and the edge is beautifully ground. Topping things off is an excellent stone wash. This blade finish really sets this knife apart. I greatly prefer the stonewash over Cold Steel’s teflon coating or blasted finish blades. All said and done the blade is really nice, especially when you consider the modest price tag.

Steel on the 2011 Voyagers is AUS 8. This changed to BD1 in 2015-2016. Both are softer steels. Cold Steel got a lot of feedback from customers wanting something with better edge retention than AUS-8, so they upgraded their premium line of knives to CTS-XHP (and then S35Vn in 2018), and their more budget oriented knives they upgraded to BD1. I don’t have a lot of experience with BD1, but it’s a softer steel. Easy to sharpen, and presumably holds a better edge than AUS-8. I think it was a good option for the Voyager series as the price is still reasonable.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle on the Voyager is a combination of grivory (Cold Steel’s proprietary high density plastic) over aluminum liners. Aluminum strikes me as a great choice for liner material here. It’s been hardened so we have good strength, and it’s nice and light. Grivory on its own is pretty tough stuff too, so we are left with a very robust handle design.

In addition to the materials, I’m a big fan of the way these handles have been put together. Everything is screwed together for easy take down. The aluminum liners are neatly nested into the grivory. Everything lines up well and has been well finished. This is a high quality handle and it really shows.

The ergonomics on the entire Voyager line are also very nice. Naturally you would expect the XL to work in your hand (and it does, in a variety of positions). The Large also functions quite well. The Medium had me most concerned as it was the smallest and was a knife I wanted to EDC. Poor ergos would have kept me from doing that. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised with how well the Medium fit in my hand. I wear a large glove and the Medium rested comfortably, with my pinky taking residence on the shelf making up the back part of the handle. I was even able to choke up a little (which I only recommend for light tasks). All the knives have deep finger choils and light jimping on the spine which give you a nice grip.

Speaking of grip, all of the knives feature a kind of “iron cross” pattern on the grivory. This pattern is nice and grippy, but is not so abrasive that it tears up my pockets (although some people have had some issues with this – which sanding lightly under the clip would fix). All the corners have been rounded and all the knives fill the hand really well. All in all I am very satisfied with the ergonomics on these knives.

The pocket clip on the Voyager generally great, but comes kind of stiff. It worked well with the thin shorts I wear down here in Florida, but I found the stiff clip a bit of a pain with thicker materials. However, it will naturally bend out with use, and if you want to you could always bend the clip out slightly yourself. You can only carry this knife in the tip up position, but I like how Cold Steel included 2 clips (for left or right side carry). I also like how CS gave these clips a black coating. The coating held up well in my 2 months of carry, although it finally started to wear off when I scraped it on some concrete.

As far as actual carry goes, the Voyagers are pretty good considering their size. They are thicker knives, and the Large and XL are quite big, but they are very light so they are more manageable than they appear. I know several people who regularly carry an XL around and I gotta admit the knife slips into my jeans really well. Between the three sizes the Medium Voyager was my personal favorite for every day carry. The stiff clip kept the knife in place in my pocket. All in all these knives carry well.

Deployment and Lockup

The Voyagers all use ambidextrous thumbstuds for deployment. They are good size thumbstuds, and it doesn’t take much effort to get any of the knives open (even the XL). I had my concerns that the backspring on the tri-ad lock would be too strong for easy deployment, but it really isn’t the case. I can even shake these knives open (with a good amount of force). CS put some high quality phosphor bronze washers in these knives and they feel very smooth. All in all I’m quite pleased with deployment.

All of the Voyagers feature the now legendary Tri-Ad lock. I’ve spoken at length about these locks. They are basically an improved backlock. They actually feature a stop pin, so any force applied to the blade goes to the stop pin instead of the rest of the lock. This feature, combined with a very beefy lockback, make the strongest lock on the market. Performance is excellent – to the point where these knives will almost act like a fixed blade.

But perhaps the biggest positive to these particular Tri-Ad locks is how Cold Steel adjusted the back spring. The Tri-Ad locks on both my Spartan and Hold Out II were very stiff. It took a lot of effort to disengage these locks, even after breaking them in. I was really concerned this would be the case for the Voyager. Again, I was absolutely wrong (man, sometimes it’s great to be wrong). The locks were very easy to disengage with one hand. Of course, they are still safe and stay locked when you want it locked, but when the time comes to put the knife back in your pocket, it won’t take a ton of pressure to disengage the lock bar. This is a huge win for the Voyagers.

Cold Steel Voyager Review – Final Thoughts

Cold Steel has really raised the bar here. The entire Voyager line is extremely well done. These are Taiwanese knives and I’ll tell you the fit and finish is fantastic. The various Voyagers sell in the $40-65 range depending on the size. At that price I think it’s a great value. Especially the Large Voyager. It’s hard to find a full size utility knife built this well at this ~$50 price point.

I continue to be impressed with how perfectly everything lines up, how wonderfully everything has been finished, and how smooth the deployment, lockup and disengagement is. From a design standpoint there is a lot to like. The great choice of blade shapes, the comfortable lightweight handles, the excellent lock, the awesome pocket clip, the great materials – I could go on and on.

So in conclusion, I like the Voyager series lot. It was one of the best releases in 2011, and when the upgraded the steel in 2016 they made the knives even better. In 2018 I still have my Medium Voyager. I find it a little thick for EDC, but it’s a hell of a work knife. If you are looking for a large utility knife then pick up a Large Voyager. Tough to beat. And if you are looking for a folding sword then snag the XL. The XL is a fun knife, but it’s not a gimmick.

Cold Steel 29TMCH Voyager Med

Blade Length: 3-Inch
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Overall Length: 7 1/4-Inch
Weight: 3.5 oz (approx.)

Sale

Cold Steel Voyager Large 4" AUS10A Clip Point Razor-Sharp Blade 5.25" Griv-Ex Handle Everyday Carry Tactical Folding Knife, Boxed

CLIP POINT BLADE - Lightweight, comfortable, and super sharp, the Cold Steel Voyager Large Clip Point folding knife is rugged, dependable and perfect for hunting and camping as well as general utility and daily cutting chores
AUS10A STEEL BLADE - The Cold Steel Voyager Large folding knife's blade is crafted from premium Japanese AUS10A steel, renowned for its outstanding corrosion resistance and remarkable ability to maintain a sharp and durable edge over time
ERGONOMIC HANDLE - The ergonomic Griv-Ex handle is reinforced with heat-treated 6061 aluminum liners to ensure ultimate durability; This handle provides great comfort and a secure grip even under extended use in tough conditions
TRI-AD LOCK - Equipped with Cold Steel's renowned Tri-Ad locking mechanism, the Voyager Large folding knife offers unparalleled strength and shock resistance; This locking mechanism enhances the knife's reliability and safety during heavy-duty tasks
SPECS - Weight: 5 oz (141.7 g); Blade Thickness: 3.5 mm; Blade Length: 4"; Blade Steel: AUS10A; Handle Length/Material: 5.25" Griv-Ex; Overall Length: 9.25"; Knife Type: Folder; Blade Shape: Clip Point; Locking Mechanism: Tri-Ad Lock

Cold Steel Voyager Clip 5.5 inch Plain Edge Knife

Blade thickness: 4 mm, Blade Length :- 5.5 Inches
Handle: 6.75 Inches long. Griv-ex
Blade style: Clip point
Steel: carpenters cts Bd1 alloy with stone wash finish
Pocket Clip: ambidextrous pocket/belt Clip

I recommend purchasing the Cold Steel Voyager at Amazon or Buy the Cold Steel Voyager at 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.

SOG Ops Review

by Dan Jackson 10 Comments

Last Updated: September 6, 2019
For those in need of a sleek fixed blade tactical knife with a proven pedigree, the SOG Ops may be just the ticket.

Buy the SOG Ops at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

SOG describes the Ops as an evolution of their very popular SEAL Pup line of fixed blade knives. I wrote a SEAL Pup review a while back and was very impressed with this classic outdoors knife. Now that I have an Ops in hand I can say that there are some nice refinements that help this blade stand out from behind the shadow of it’s mighty predecessors. Lets take a closer look and see what the the Ops is all about.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Ops has a similar footprint to the SEAL Pup (and SEAL Pup Elite) with an overall length of 9.5″ a 4.85″ blade and a weight of 5.4 ounces. This is a great size for tactical and utility use. While we are on the subject of what this knife might be used knife for, it doesn’t strike me so much as a survival blade. I’m mainly drawing this from the blade shape, it seems much more purpose built for military and police use. Of course, your mileage may vary.

The curving blade is made from .185″ stock. This is a modified drop point design, and this unique blade shape features a nice recurve and long slender swedge forming a very capable tip. In my opinion this is a blade that was designed for penetration and slicing, and will not make a particularly good chopper. The recurve helps push material through the blade and aids in slicing tasks. The swedge enhances penetration while preserving the tip. SOG finished off the blade with a nice hollow grind and a beautifully ground edge.

You have your choice of either a plain satin finish or the Titanium Nitride (TiNi) coated version shown here. This coating will show wear with use but is a substantial improvement over a cheap teflon coating.

SOG used cryotreated AUS 8 stainless steel for the blade, a Japanese mid range steel that I’ve talked about at length. It’s a softer steel, so it won’t hold its edge forever, but for a smaller fixed blade I think AUS 8 was a good choice here.

Handle and Ergonomics

The handle on the Ops is exactly like the handle on a SEAL Pup (or Elite). The handle is made from glass-reinforced nylon (GRN). This is a very solid handle material giving the knife a pleasant amount of heft and a nice sturdy feeling. This is a handle designed to take a beating.

The ergonomics on the Ops are excellent. The handle is covered in medium texturing that provides good grip and response. The handle is formed with a series of finger grooves that accommodate my larger hands very well. One substantial difference between the SEAL Pup series and the Ops is the thumb ramp and aggressive jimping on the spine of the blade. This feature really locks your thumb in place, and in my mind, it completes the ergonomics on this knife. With your thumb locked up you can really control this knife for detailed tasks and it allows you to really dig into some of your harder cuts.

Sheath

The sheath on the Ops is just as nice as the knife itself. SOG started off with two thick pieces of kydex that have been riveted together with eyelets. The knife fits into the sheath with a snap and feels secure without being too difficult to remove. I didn’t notice any rattle but you can adjust retention to your level of preference. Topping things off, a small drainage hole has been drilled into the bottom sheath to help avoid corrosion.

Bolted onto the sheath is a belt loop and retention strap made of cordura and kydex. The retention strap secures the handle with both velcro and a large button strap. This portion of the sheath is removable and allows you to reverse the entire sheath for left side carry. If you aren’t a fan of belt loops, the eyelets allow you to mount a variety of attachments (such as MOLLE clips) or simply lash the sheath down. All in all this is a very high quality sheath that is designed to provide great blade retention and multiple carry options.

SOG Ops Review – Final Thoughts

All in all, the Ops is a solid piece of gear. This knife was made in Taiwan and the fit and finish is excellent. Honestly, I’m really struggling to find any kind of fault with the knife. Perhaps my only parting advice is that in my opinion this is a specialized knife designed mainly for tactical use. Some other ideas for the knife include home defense, something for the bug out bag or perhaps even hunting. Really though I think most people probably won’t find a ton of regular uses for a SOG Ops.

That said, if you are in the market for a fixed blade tactical I think it’s a very well built knife with a great sheath and a highly functional design.

SOG Specialty Knives & Tools M40K-CP SOG Ops Knife with Straight Edge Fixed 4.85-Inch AUS-8 Steel Drop Point Blade and GRN Handle, Satin Finish

Compact fixed blade tactical knife
4.85 inch blade made from aus 8 steel
Drop point tip
Recurved edge and large thumb scallops deliver unparallel control and a longer cutting length
Straight edge, fixed 4.85-inch AUS-8 steel blade has a drop point shape with a satin finish

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

Cold Steel Hold Out II Review

by Dan Jackson 22 Comments

Last Updated: August 23, 2019
Cold Steel has really been making a statement in 2011 with their new and improved lines of lightweight and ultra strong folders. Their updated series of Cold Steel Voyagers has really built up some buzz, and rightfully so. But keep in mind that the Cold Steel 2011 roster runs much deeper than that. Today I’d like to share another one of their light weight high value folders: the Holdout II.

Buy the Cold Steel Hold Out at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Hold Out II sports a 4″ blade, has an overall length of 9″ and weighs 4.2 ounces. This folder could work as a large EDC or tactical folder. Cold Steel also makes a smaller version, the Hold Out III. This knife has a 3 inch blade and weighs a mere 2.5 ounces. This would make a really sturdy EDC option/emergency tactical.

The blade on the Hold Out II is 3.5mm thick and tapers into a nice fine tip. It’s a simple drop point design and has been given a full flat grind. Thanks to the offset tip there is a good amount of belly on this knife and the Hold Out works well for a variety of tasks. The edge is beautifully ground and out of the box sharpness on my knife was excellent.

Cold Steel selected AUS 8A for the blade material, a mid range stainless steel that they use on a lot of their folders. I like AUS 8 alright as it is easy to sharpen and it helps keep the cost down. That said, I often wonder if Cold Steel would consider upgrading to something like 154CM. It would add some cost but I’d love to see the option of slightly better steel for improved edge retention.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Modeled after Skean Dhu knives carried by ancient Scottish warriors, the Hold Out has a long and slender handle. The handle is a linerless design made of two thick pieces of G10 bolted into steel and aluminum backspacers. The G10 feels very solid and I can just barely flex the handles when pressing down hard on them. This is a strong and lightweight handle design that I can really appreciate – especially after lugging around some heavy folders.

Ergonomics on the Hold Out II are good. It’s a big handle so you have plenty of room to position your fingers in a variety of grips. The G10 is very rough and provides a lot of traction. There is a small choil and the knife has neither a hilt nor a thumb ramp. Fairly sharp jimping has been applied to the bottom of the handle and less aggressive jimping has been applied to the top. There is no lack of traction with this knife.

At first, the lack of a thumb ramp or really aggressive choils was seen as something of a negative. But I noticed that when you consider Cold Steel’s entire lineup of knives there are a ton of blades in Cold Steel’s catalog that have much more aggressive ergonomics. So instead of knocking the knife for this, I’m going to note that it’s simply different. I will say I love the look of this handle, and the overall look of the knife. It’s a sleek design. Crazy ergonomic features would definitely spoil the clean lines of this knife.

The pocket clip on the Hold Out II is excellent. This is a simple polished clip but it allows for ambidextrous tip up carry. It rides deep and provides a good amount of retention. I like the clip a lot.

Deployment and Lockup

Deployment of the Hold Out is accomplished through a large thumb stud. This thumb stud is not 100% ambidextrous, but it is reversible with a flat head driver. I need to first mention here that the Tri-ad lock requires a good amount of force to overcome the spring tension and get the knife open. With that in mind, at first I found the thumb stud to be kind of slick and it took quite a bit of effort to flick the knife open quickly.

As the lock broke in (and I got some practice) it became easier to open the knife. Today I can flick the blade open pretty much every time. I still think some improvements could be made to the thumb stud to catch your thumb a little better, but I was happy with the way the lock broke in and the knife ended up deploying.

The Hold Out II uses Cold Steel’s Tri-Ad lock, which is just a beast of a lock (and I discussed it in many of my previous Cold Steel reviews). In a nutshell, this is an improved back lock that is able to withstand a ton of force. I regard this as the strongest locking mechanism on the market. So naturally lock-up on this knife was rock solid with no blade play at all.

I noticed some reviews on Amazon where people were saying it was very hard to disengage the lock. It will take a little force, but as the lock breaks in it becomes much easier. Compared to my Cold Steel Spartan, this lock was a piece of cake.

Cold Steel Hold Out II Review – Final Thoughts

There is a lot to like about the Hold Out II. The gently sloping shape of the blade and handle has timeless appeal. I like the overall size and proportions and have no complaints with the strength of construction or the materials themselves. That said, I did find flicking the blade open to be difficult given the shape of the thumb studs and the powerful spring on the Tri-Ad lock. A version with upgraded blade steel would be really cool too (and I think it would sell well).

All in all, this is a solid offering from Cold Steel. For folks wanting something a little smaller I think the Hold Out III will be a very attractive option too. If you like rock solid folders, the Hold Out II is very deserving of your consideration.

Cold Steel 11HL Hold Out II Plain

Plain Edge
Blade Length: 4"
Handle 5" Long, G-10
Japanese AUS 8A Stainless
Overall length: 9"

I recommend purchasing the Cold Steel Hold Out at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for reading.