Made in USA

ESEE-4 Review

If you are a fan of Randall’s Adventure Training®, then you are probably somewhat familiar with their influence in the knife world. Operating under the parent company TransEquatorial Solutions, Inc., which is co-owned by Jeff Randall and Mike Perrin, Randall’s Adventure Training was started in 1997 as a school to train military, law enforcement, and civilians in the art of jungle survival. After identifying the need for some knife designs that better suited their requirements, they began developing their own knife designs.

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Their first design, the RTAK, was built by Newt Livesay of Wicked Knife Company. In order to mass produce the RTAK, they signed a 5-year licensing contract with Ontario Knives who also later produced the RAT series. In an attempt to “build a higher quality line of knives outside of the mass production capabilities of Ontario,” Randall and Perrin began a company called RAT Cutlery to produce mid-tech versions of their popular knife designs. The company was later renamed ESEE® Knives to avoid confusion with the Ontario RAT line of knives which are still endorsed by Randall’s Adventure Training.

The ESEE-4 is the “wilderness” model of the ESEE-3. It features a longer and thicker blade than the 3, and sits comfortably (and predictably) between the ESEE-3 and ESEE-5 in the ESEE lineup. The 4 is designed to be a more robust camp and woods knife than the 3, but isn’t as heavy duty as the 5.

I bought my first ESEE-4 about five years ago and have acquired several more since then. I carried an ESEE-4 daily for the past several years as part of my personal kit in a profession that requires the frequent use of a dependable knife. It only makes sense that I would jump at the opportunity to write a review on this fine blade.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The ESEE-4 has an overall length of 9″, a 4.5″ blade (4.1” cutting surface), weighs 7.45 ounces, and is made in the USA. This is a .188” thick full-tang knife that has a flat-ground, drop point blade made from 1095 high carbon steel (55-57rc). The blade features a large choil that make sharpening and reconditioning the cutting edge much easier that a blade with a small or nonexistent choil.

The geometry of the ESEE-4 drop point design makes it an excellent all-purpose knife. The large belly area makes it perfect for slicing. The lowered point in relation to the spine (hence the term “drop point”) dissipates energy as the cutting stroke approaches the point. This gives the user more control over the tip, which is very important during skinning and other survival tasks. The drop point also adds strength to the tip, and the thicker flat spine makes this knife excellent for batoning. The one disadvantage of the drop point design is that it is not as suitable for piercing as a spear point, tanto, or some other designs, but every blade design has its strengths and weaknesses.

High carbon steels like 1095 are ideal for bushcraft/survival knives like this one. While these metal compositions are prone to rust if not properly cared for, their high carbon content make them easy to sharpen in the field. For a defensive blade, super steels like CPM S35VN and S30V are great because you can sharpen them in a controlled environment with high-tech sharpening systems like the Wicked Edge or Work Sharp; however, when you are in a survival situation and your knife is your lifeline, you want something that you can sharpen on whatever hard, abrasive surface might be available. Although ESEE powder-coats the knife, keeping the blade dry (especially the edge) and lightly lubricated with a rust inhibitor like TUF-GLIDE will prevent the ESEE-4 from staining or rusting.

Editor’s note: ESEE recently released a version of the 4 with an uncoated 440C stainless steel blade. 440C is a hearty steel and probably a good choice for a outdoor focused fixed blade like the ESEE-4 if you are looking for something stainless. In addition to being more stain resistant, the uncoated version will slice better than the 1095 version of the ESEE-4, as ESEE’s powder coat is thick and textured. The trade off is that 440C is not as tough as 1095, and for that reason you lose ESEE’s lifetime warranty with the 440C version.

It would be cool to see ESEE offer this knife in 3V, which would theoretically give you the best of both worlds, but my guess is a 3V knife would add another $100 to the price tag.

Handle and Ergonomics

ESEE knives have a reputation for their handle ergonomics and the ESEE-4 is no exception. If you are acquainted with the ESEE-3, then you already know the ESEE-4 handle, because it is the exact same handle minus the additional 0.063” difference in metal thickness of the ESEE-4 over the ESEE-3. This is a simple and time-tested handle design.

The ESEE-4 handle fits very well in the hand and the linen Micarta handle scales provide a positive gripping surface dry or wet. When you really need to choke up on the knife for some fine blade manipulation, the large choil serves as an additional finger groove. The spine jimping offers an additional level of control for thumb-supported cutting and extends far enough forward that it can be used in conjunction with the finger-sized choil.

Sheath

The ESEE-4 comes with a friction-fit molded sheath that locks the knife very securely in place and has an attachment clip plate that can be mounted on either side of the sheath. This is an improvement over their original Kydex sheath that came with my first ESEE-4. Not that there is anything wrong with Kydex, but injection molding is a much more expensive process and the plastic does hold up to extremely hot temperatures better than Kydex, which is a plus if you live in the southwest and wish to keep a knife inside your car during the summer.

A length of 550 cord and a cord lock is also included with the knife. This cord may be used as a lanyard, or for lashing the sheath to a belt or pack. A quick shoelace-style threading of the cord through the eyelets of the sheath makes an excellent attachment point that can be locked down with the cord lock. There is also a MOLLE backing available (purchased separately) that can be worn as a drop leg sheath or attached to MOLLE gear.

ESEE-4 Review – Final Thoughts

I have spent many nights curled up next to a campfire with an ESEE-4 in hand. This is without a doubt my favorite field knife, which has been used for making fuzz sticks, shaving tinder, cutting branches and rope, batoning wood, field dressing game, and a slew of other tasks, and has required very little maintenance. It is the simplicity of the design that makes it so desirable and user friendly. If you are looking for a reasonably sized, all-around outdoor knife, then I can’t recommend the ESEE-4 enough.

ESEE® offers a no questions asked lifetime warranty on all of their 1095 carbon steel knives. If it breaks, they will replace it. There are also a large number of Chinese knockoffs floating around on the internet, so do your homework before you buy.

Esee Knives, ESEE-4, Sharpened Clip Point Plain Edge, Coyote Brown Sheath, Clip Plate

Blade Length: 4. 50"
Cutting Edge: 4. 06"
Blade Material: 1095 Carbon Steel

Editor: If you are thinking of buying an ESEE-4, please consider purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. By purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, keep the website free of annoying banner ads, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.

Buck 110 Folding Hunter Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 62 Comments

No history of the folding pocket knife is complete without the Buck 110 Folding Hunter. It is arguably the first modern folder, in ethos if not in design. “Buck knife” is now a catch-all term for a certain style of blade, and the 110 is responsible for that. More than other knife besides the Swiss Army Knife, the Buck 110 is an icon.

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But for all that it heralds modern folder design, the 110 is more antithetical to a Paramilitary 2 or a Griptilian than a traditional knife. It’s a question of refinement. Traditionals evolved on a separate path, and even if that evolution peaked 100 years ago there is a lot more refinement in a Case Peanut than in the 110. Its design is iconic and influential, but it does seem crude by modern standards.

Is it fair to hold the 110 to modern standards? Well, Buck still markets this knife as a tool, not a collectible. The implication here is that they believe it is a competitive offering in today’s knife market. And crude doesn’t necessarily equate to bad. So I’ve tested it as I would any other knife under review, and after several weeks of dedicated carry and use, I have come to my conclusions regarding the 110.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 110 has a handle length of 4 ¾”, a blade length of 3 ¾”, and an overall length of 8 9/16”. It weighs 7.2 oz. The lines of the 110 are so familiar that I hardly need to go over them. The gleaming brass bolsters and wooden scales have been copied by dozens and dozens of manufacturers over the years. Although I take issue with Buck’s decision to keep the 110 design more or less as is for 50 years, I can certainly sympathize with it. Buck struck a chord with the 110. There are major issues with the tolerances, but the finish on the 110 is quite good for a $40 knife. This is a handsome blade.

And beyond looks the 110 has plenty of merit, mainly thanks to its utter simplicity. I’ve talked about handles being task neutral before, but here we have a task neutral knife. Although called a hunter, there’s just an alchemy between the lines and proportions of the 110 that make it able to perform any kind of cutting task.

Some of that versatility is delivered by the blade shape. A low-slung, sharkish clip point, it leverages its length to great effect. The larger blade means that you have a decent run of straight edge before the sweep to the tip, so sawing and slicing are on the table. In relation to the handle, the belly is angled so that you can really push down and get through material quickly. The tip is acute for effective leading and good piercing. And, unlike many large blades, it is a great slicer. A workhorse blade shape that manages to retain its grace as well.

The steel is 420HC. Much is made of Buck’s Paul Bos heat treatments. I have no experience with this steel outside of Buck knives so I can’t say whether it makes a difference. The Buck/Bos 420HC is probably a smidge better than 8Cr13MoV, but not quite as good as AUS-8A. It dulls rather quickly, but you can sharpen the hell out of this 420HC very easily. Some steels, like VG-10, I can work and work and work on without getting past a certain level of sharpness. Here, 420HC got super sharp super quick, which I appreciate.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

I have no complaints about the 110’s handle shape. The bow shape handle is as neutral as it gets. A lot of makers seem to think that we need finger grooves and scallops and jimping to show us the different ways we can hold our knife, but it is always better when the handle lets us decide. There isn’t a wrong way to hold the 110.

I find balance to be an essential part of good knife design. The closer the balance is to the pivot, the more control we have over the blade. The 110’s Dymondwod and brass construction lead to a rather Rubenesque knife. Balance is right in the middle of the handle, where the swell is most pronounced – a decent distance from the pivot. There’s nothing unpleasant about this while holding the knife, but in use it means you lose so much control for finer work. A shame, considering the surprising competency of this nearly 4” in delicate tasks.

But where the weight really kills the 110, of course, is in carry. There is no better way to learn about the advantages of lightweight knives than to spend a little time with a Buck 110. No clip here. My 110 came with a leather sheath, the traditional carry method for this knife, but I find that to be impractical for day-to-day suburban life, so my 110 rode in the back pocket. It wasn’t good, but at 7.2 oz. you’re going to notice this thing wherever you have it. It’s less ‘just bad’ than it is ‘really unfeasible.’

Deployment and Lockup

The 110’s two-handed opening is a bummer. Nail nicks are part of the charm of traditional knives, but the 110 isn’t a traditional knife. That’s why it’s famous. On the other hand I understand that thumb studs weren’t a common sight when the 110 came out, so I’m not faulting Buck for releasing the 110 without them, I just wish that they would have added them at some point in the last 50 years.

Complaints aside, the nail nick on the 110 works well, as does simply pinching the blade as I normally do on my Opinel. The opening action is smooth and positive, and the sound when the lock engages is satisfying, and all of this was how the knife was out of the box. You expect these things to feel right on a classic, and they do.

Much less right is the lock. I have faith in its safety, but it’s sloppy. From day one there was play in every direction on my 110, and the lock bar flexes quite readily during hard downward cuts. If I don’t sound particularly disappointed it’s probably because it’s the level of QC I’ve come to expect from Buck – which is itself the worst kind of condemnation.

If Buck is going to continue to espouse the virtues of stateside production, I really would like to see them recognize the level of competition out there and up their game. Newer products like the Marksman seem to indicate they’re capable of tight tolerances and complicated designs, and I for one would willingly pay more to see that same attention to detail on their flagship product.

Buck 110 Folding Hunter – Final Thoughts

There is no unqualified recommendation I can make for the 110 other than collectability. If you’re interested in knives and the history of their design, the 110 is 100% required reading. But as a tool, in any application, I can suggest a dozen other knives that outperform it. I can suggest better cutters, better locks, better fit and finish, all at or around the same price and all considerably lighter.

Buck is a company with a proud history, and the 110 is central to that history. I think they’ve convinced themselves that, by changing the 110, they are flouting the tradition it represents. That’s simply not true. Spyderco has been tweaking their flagships for years and nobody’s forgotten the significance of the Delica. There is a difference between honoring your past and being imprisoned by it. It’s frustrating that there aren’t readily available modern variations on the 110 from Buck. A model with G-10 scales, aluminum bolsters, and a clip would be cool. KA-BAR recently released such a knife and it is 2 oz. lighter than the 110.

I don’t even know that it’s a particularly good value at $40. The finish is good in a rough and tumble, barroom countertop kind of way, but the tolerances are way below par. I think that Buck is still trying to work out its priorities and in the meantime customers are left in the lurch with some very shoddy production. The Mini Spitfire I handled was worse than this, but not much worse.

The iconic character of the 110 saves it from being a total pass. This is real knife history that can be had for $40. Go grab one and see how far we’ve come. You’ll learn a lot, but don’t expect to end up using it much. It’s hard not to like the 110, but it is even harder to want to carry it.

If you are considering buying a Buck 110, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon or BladeHQ. By purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, keep the website free of annoying banner ads, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.

Emerson Mini CQC-7 Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 13 Comments

Last Updated: August 3, 2019
As Dan wrote in his review of the full-size model, the CQC-7 is one of the very first and most influential tactical knives in the world. Ernie Emerson’s influence on the perception and use of folding knives for self-defense is incalculable. I had wanted an Emerson knife for a long time, but my general reluctance to carry a blade over 3” meant that most of their standard models, the CQC-7 included, were a no-go. I had my eye on the Mini CQC-7 for a long time before it came back into production and I was able to pick one up.

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History aside, my thoughts on this design are mixed. I think that the CQC-7’s pedigree has made EKI loathe to futz with the design of the knife, and users loathe to criticize it. This is a shame, because I think there’s a lot of room for improvement. Like the Delica, the Mini CQC-7 is an outdated knife. When it first released, it must have seemed like a revelation, but in 2016, it is neither the best design around, nor worth the price it is being sold at.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Mini CQC-7 has a blade length of 2.9”, a handle length of 4 1/8”, and an overall length of 7.25”. It weighs 4.4 oz. This is a fat knife, but one that feels quite balanced in the hand. The exact weight of a knife isn’t as important as the distribution of that weight: that’s why some light knives, like the Clipitool, can feel heavier than they are, and chunky knives like the Mini CQC-7 lighter.

The 2.9” blade, on my Mini CQC-7, is a chisel ground tanto. This is a real one-two punch in terms of things I have grown to dislike. There’s an unwarranted reverence for the tanto blade shape. I appreciate a run of straight edge on my blades but I want some belly too, and the stylized, angular shape of the American tanto lacks any at all.

Of course, it’s the tanto’s reputation as an ideal tactical blade shape that gives it its cachet. And it is a good piercer, with a quite a robust tip. But a good drop point or clip point blade would have excellent piercing capability and more than adequate tip strength, as well as a significantly more useful overall shape. I don’t carry a knife with the intention of using it for self-defense, but even if I did, I would prefer another blade shape: the tanto doesn’t do anything significantly better than a drop point or a clip point, and many things worse.

The Mini CQC-7 is chisel ground. The argument for the chisel grind is as follows: better strength, better edge retention, and it’s easier to sharpen. There have been long and articulate counterpoints made against these arguments, but for me it comes down to the simple fact that a chisel grind just cuts worse.

So much control is lost. Cuts track terribly through material. Approaching thin material like paper is a chore. I understand that some knives are made for hard use, and in these cases durability is more desirable than finesse, but here’s the thing: you can have both. The well-executed, traditional v-grind of the Paramilitary 2 can take a beating and slices like a dream.

Maybe, maybe, in the vacuum of theory, a chisel grind can withstand more abuse than a traditional V-grind, but I would bet it isn’t much more, and in what real-life scenario is it going to matter? And as far as sharpening goes: well, I guess it takes less time to sharpen one edge bevel than two, although you still need to maintain the unsharpened side of a chisel-ground knife, so you’re only saved a modicum of effort.

The steel on the Mini CQC-7 is 154CM. This is one of my favorite steels, and one I think can compete with N690Co for the title of Most Underrated Steel in the World. It is a solid upper-mid-tier steel that responds to sharpening as well as something like 8Cr13MoV, but holds an edge longer. No complaints about 154CM itself.

But the Mini CQC-7 costs about $165. As much as I’m sad to see the middle of the market drop out, one good thing that’s come from it is that we can expect a lot from knives in $150 – $200 price point. The Benchmade Valet costs $170 and has M390. The Zero Tolerance 0770 comes in Elmax for $120. You can get the Spyderco Mantra comes in M4 for $167. The Native 5 LW is half the price of the Mini CQC-7 and comes with S35VN.

This segment of the market is so competitive that I feel alright harping on the price a bit. Amidst such company, at such a price, 154CM is unacceptable – even more so when you consider that CPM-154, the powder metallurgy variant of 154CM, has been around for a while now. I think that, like the chisel grind and the tanto blade, EKI’s steel choice has been given a pass because of the historical significance of the brand and its blades, and the Mini CQC-7 suffers as a knife for it.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The Mini CQC-7’s handle is wonderful. The thickness of the knife and the swell in the middle of the handle work to make the Mini CQC-7 very comfortable in hand. The jimping is mild, really better for indexing than for locking your hand in place. The real grippiness comes from the G-10, which is very coarse without being overly aggressive like Cold Steel G-10. Superbly executed all around.

The clip is the same clip you see on almost every Emerson, and like the ergonomics it is an unqualified win. And, as thick as the knife is, I don’t mind it in the pocket. It stays out of the way and isn’t so bulky as to be noticeable when I’m walking around – again, showing how important distribution of weight is with pocket knives.

The Mini CQC-7 isn’t tapped for left hand carry. Emerson can tap it for you, but A) you have to get the knife from EKI or send it in, and B) it will cost you $25. There are a lot of knives with non-repositionable clips, even at this price point, but given how integral the wave opening is to the design of the Mini CQC-7 it should come drilled for righties and lefties out of the box. For reference, the Emerson/Kershaw collabs are all drilled for both.

Deployment and Lockup

The Mini CQC-7 can be deployed via two different methods: either by the thumb disk or by the Emerson wave opener.

The thumb disk works but is slow – pretty smooth, admittedly, but slow. It almost feels like the knife is pivoting between two layers of cloth. From what I understand the Nylatron washers here are another Emerson standby. I don’t mind them, and if they are supposedly lower-maintenance than phosphor bronze or Teflon washers then that’s fine. Just know that you’re never going to flick this knife open.

Of course, the way you’re supposed to deploy the Mini CQC-7 is with the wave opening feature. The wave is a small hook on the end of the thumb ramp that, when you pull the knife from your pocket, catches on your pants seam, opening the knife as you are retrieving it. It’s…fine, I guess? I’ve had multiple wave opening knives and I don’t really buy into the utility. I’m not good at it. I get a lot of misfires. It makes traditional retrieval a bit complicated; the wave will catch a lot of the time and half-open the knife; I’ve cut myself more than once because I pulled a half-open Mini CQC-7 out of my pocket.

It’s also not a ‘polite’ way of opening a knife around folks who may not be comfortable around edged tools. I wouldn’t fault it for that if it were a larger, more distinctly tactical knife, but even the Emerson literature implies that the Mini CQC-7 is something you can take with you anywhere. If subtlety or politeness is a concern, then you may find the wave opening method a little theatrical for the non-knife people around you.

The Mini CQC-7 has a titanium liner lock. It works. Like any lock made of titanium, I worry about wear over time, but the worst thing I can say for it over two years of ownership is that it doesn’t always lock up at the same point against the tang. If I deploy it hard it travels far across, but if I roll it slowly it just barely slides underneath. To be expected? Probably. I don’t recall noticing this happening on any steel liner lock knives I own, but regardless lockup is very good.

Emerson Mini CQC-7 Review – Final Thoughts

I’ve been hard on the Mini CQC-7. I want to stress that, in a vacuum, it’s a fine blade. But it doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and not even years of accreted Emerson mythology and reputation can save it from looking hopelessly out of step and overpriced in today’s market.

A Mini CQC-7 with CPM-154, a slimmer handle, a conventionally-ground drop point blade, and tapped for both left- and right-handed carry would be an interesting proposition at the price it’s being offered at.

But that isn’t the knife we have. We have the same blade, more or less, that Emerson was selling a decade ago, and probably the same blade they’ll be selling five years from now. I know that Ernie Emerson and his team are probably working on new designs instead of trying to update old ones, but if there were one in the lineup that deserves an update, it’s the CQC-7. This pioneering tactical knife has been left in the dust. I’d like to see it be at the vanguard again.

EMERSON MINI CQC-7 2.9 inch SATIN Plain

I recommend purchasing the Emerson Mini CQC-7 at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for checking out the review.

Editor’s Note: This is a fairly critical review from Ben, but I think it is well reasoned and ultimately fair. The value proposition for knives like this Mini CQC-7 continues to shrink in light of all the advancements in the marketplace. Also, the price point of these Emersons are just painful. If this was a $100-120 knife, I think a lot of the CQC-7’s perceived shortcomings could be overlooked. Still, the CQC-7 remains a classic, and if you are curious about Emerson knives or can find a nice deal then I think this is a good place to start.

Hinderer XM-18 3″ Review

by Dan Jackson 18 Comments

Last Updated: August 5, 2019
If you have been following Hinderer Knives on the secondary market, you will have noticed that the prices have fallen dramatically over the past couple years. A few years ago, it would have been hard to find a used XM-18 for less than $700. Some were fetching closer to a grand. Today, if you hunt around you can find them for close to retail ($385), and some online stores even carry Hinderer products. That’s right, you may actually have a shot at buying the knives from a retailer(!)

Buy the Hinderer XM-18 3″ at BladeHQ

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I am not sure why the prices of Hinderers have dropped. It may be due to increased manufacturing capabilities so that supply actually begins to meet demand. Or perhaps the company is facing pressure from the rise of mid techs and high end Chinese knives. Or maybe it has something to do with excellent Hinderer / ZT collabs like the 0562CF driving down demand?

This is great news, regardless of the cause of the price drop. Personally, the reduction in price has allowed me to carry and use my 3″ XM-18. Don’t get me wrong, I carried and used my 3.5, but after shelling out over $500 for it I was pretty ginger with the knife. Plus it was really too big for me to carry regularly. I eventually sold it off. Now that the prices have come down to earth, I picked up a 3″ version of XM-18 to try.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The XM-18 3″ has an overall length of 7″, a 3″ blade, weighs 3.6 ounces, and is made in the USA. While the XM-18 3.5 is an impressive piece of hardware, it is hardly an every day carry (EDC) item in my book. It is built like a tank, with a thick slab of titanium, meaty blade, and over-sized stand offs. The 3.5 is a much more substantial knife than the 3. The 3″ version of the XM-18 is better for my minimalist style of daily carry. As a result this knife has been getting a ton of pocket time. I would consider this to be either an EDC knife, or a collectible.

Hinderer used to only offer the production XM in a drop point (with a spanto or “slicer” grind). Over the past year or two they have rolled out a number of different blade shapes including a clip point, “skinner”, and the wharncliffe version shown here. Rick’s wharncliffe design has grown on me. The shape is attractive and the blade has been executed flawlessly. The knife is ground thin and cuts well. The edge is about as neat of an edge as I have seen. The grinds are crisp and the stonewashed finish is subtle.

My XM came in S35VN stainless steel – just like the blade on my 3.5, the new Chris Reeve knives, and a number of other higher end offerings I have sampled. So at this point I am very familiar with S35VN as a blade steel, but I have still taken the time to put this knife through its paces.

This XM-18 has spent many weekends clipped to my pocket, and has broken down innumerable boxes, and assisted with home improvement tasks. I like the combination of S35VN steel and wharncliffe blade; this is like the worlds most expensive box cutter. The blade tracks easily through material, and the straight edge results in pressure being uniformly applied throughout the entire cut. The absence of belly means that this won’t be a great hunting or filet knife, but the straight edge is useful for a lot of other jobs. I have had zero issues with corrosion and have not much need to sharpen (although it certainly dulls after use – this isn’t some miracle steel). I have mostly maintained the edge on my strop and it continues to shave hair and push cut paper with regular maintenance. S35VN is excellent stuff, and you will find the 3″ XM in S35VN to be a capable cutter.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Handle construction of the XM-18 3, follows Rick’s pattern of titanium lock side, custom stainless steel standoffs, titanium liner and G10 handle scale. A slotted pivot helps hold it all together. Everything has been executed with surgical precision. The titanium on my model has been stonewashed and has held up well. The filler tab is flush with the handle. Every detail has been carefully considered and masterfully executed. What I especially enjoy about the 3″ version of this knife is how light the handle is. It is significantly lighter than the 3.5, and despite everything being over built the knife still tucks away neatly into the pocket.

The XM series includes one of my favorite ergonomic features: the forward finger choil. As demonstrated on some of my all time favorites like the Paramilitary 2, American Lawman, and Sage 1, this forward choil gives the user several options in gripping the knife. I find myself using the choil for detail work, and not using it when breaking down a box or engaged in an extended cutting chore. If you ignore the forward choil, the rest of the handle is plenty adequate for a full grip, and the simple shape naturally conforms to the hand. There is a run of jimping on the spine. The jimping is wide, and it strikes a good balance between providing traction and not shredding your thumb. The corrugated G10 handle scale and jimping by the pommel provides additional traction. This little XM is not going to fall out of your hand easily.

The 3″ XM features the same titanium pocket clip found on the rest of the XM line. It’s a spoon style clip that fits into a recess machined into the handle. This is not a deep carry clip, but when mounted for tip up carry the knife buries into the pocket decently. While it isn’t my all time favorite clip design, it certainly works. The clip has good retention and is reasonably discrete. The handle has been milled for right side tip up or tip down carry, and a “filler tab” is included to cover up the recess in the handle.

I like the way the 3″ XM carries. It feels even lighter than it’s 3.6 ounces would suggest, and the knife is as thin as my beloved Sage 1. For these reasons the 3″ has been getting a lot of pocket time, and it has proven itself to be a viable EDC option for me.

Deployment and Lockup

Hinderer sells the 3″ XM-18 in flipper and non-flipper variants. I have a flipper version, but it might as well be a non-flipper. The flipping action is pathetic. The blade barely makes it out to half mast – even when preloading the flipper. This is a shame. I still like the knife, but when you consider that a $30 Swindle flips better than this, it makes you wonder what is going on at Hinderer HQ. I have heard rumors that Hinderer was going to fix the weak detent on their new knives. I am not sure when this wharncliffe was made, but I don’t think they have been offering the blade shape for longer than a year. Thankfully, thumb studs are also included on the knife, and they can be used to “coin flip” the blade open. All XMs come with teflon washers, and my little 3″ is no different. The action is smooth, but personally I still prefer phosphor bronze (and suspect bronze washers would help the action).

The titanium framelock on this knife is extremely nice. It engages early and without stick. There is no blade play and the blade is perfectly centered. Hinderer has this part down to a science and it shows. This is an excellent framelock and it is certainly up for heavy cutting. Blade centering on my knife is perfect.

Hinderer XM-18 3″ Review – Final Thoughts

The high end titanium framelock flipper market has become fiercely competitive over the years, and shows zero sign of slowing down. Hinderer’s XM series has long been considered a gold standard for titanium framelock knives and high end carry pieces. If you get your hands on one it will not take long to understand why. The knives are beautifully made to exceptionally high tolerances.

Although the prices have dropped these are still far from cheap. Most people reading this probably think I am nuts to own a $400 knife, and that is OK. I’ll spare everyone the “value” discussion – either you want an XM (and are willing to pay for it) or you don’t. But at close to MSRP I think these are excellent knives, built extremely well, and I am surprised at how much I have enjoyed the 3″ XM. I bought it on a whim, and it has won me over. This is a great high end EDC option because it carries and cuts well, and oozes quality. I just wish the flipper actually flipped. That would be the cherry on top of this knife sundae. But as it stands there is still a lot to enjoy.

This is a rugged no-nonsense tool that will serve it owner well for many many years, and I think the 3″ version is practical for a normal guy to EDC if you can get around the price tag and sub-par flipping action. Recommended.

Rick Hinderer Knives XM-18 3″ – $425.00
From: BladeHQ

RICK HINDERER XM-18 3.0 SPANTO-WORKING FINISH

KnifeArt has a great selection of XM-18s, and occasionally they pop up on BladeHQ as well. And lately, they have been popping up on Amazon too. I recommend purchasing them at these retailers. Thank you for read.

Ka-Bar Becker BK-2 Review

by Dan Jackson 22 Comments

Last Updated: July 20, 2019

Down here in Florida we don’t get a lot of seasonality. For example, I wore shorts and flip flops on Christmas. But when the air starts to turn cool I get a hankering for 2 things: cigars and fixed blade knives. I am pleased to say I have been able to indulge in both this fall, and am ready to provide a review on a quintessential camp knife: the Becker BK-2.

Buy the Ka-Bar BK-2 at BladeHQ

Buy on Amazon

Built in the USA by Ka-Bar, and designed by Renaissance man Ethan Becker, the BK-2 has been widely accepted as a go to survival / camp knife for years now. I can’t tell you why I haven’t reviewed this classic fixed blade yet. There are many knives out there I’d love to review (one day I’ll even get to the classic USMC Ka-Bar) but just haven’t found the time for. Well, scratch the BK-2 off the list. This one has been tried and tested and I’m pleased to share some thoughts with you today.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The BK-2 has an overall length of 10-5/8″, a 5-1/4″ blade, and weighs 16 ounces. The BK-2 is a chunky knife. Pictures really don’t do it justice, as the proportions may suggest a smaller knife. I was pleasantly surprised by this, although if I were planning an ultra lightweight backpacking trek along the Appalachian trail I’d be less pleased. This strikes me as a tool for a camp site, truck, or your back yard – not something you will want to schlep for miles and miles on end.

Here is a size comparison with the ESEE-3:

The blade is a .25″ (6.35mm) thick slab of 1095 high carbon steel. For whatever reason when I ordered this knife I thought it might be interesting to compare it with my ESEE-3. It turned out to be a poor comparison, because next to my ESEE-3 the thickness of the blade is almost comical. The ESEE-3 might as well be made of aluminum foil when compared with the BK-2. Anyhow, the blade of the BK-2 is a classic drop point shape with a high flat grind and a sturdy tip. The knife has also been powdercoated. The powdercoating is heavily textured like on my ESEE blades. The coating will provide some rolling resistance when trying to cut deeply into things – at least until it gets smoothed down with use.

The BK-2 is interesting in that it can accomplish a lot of different tasks within its relatively small footprint. It’s good for batoning / splitting wood. I used it with great success to prepare a stack of wood for a couple bon fires. I was able to split logs with up to a 4″ diameter easily. You can do some carving with the knife, and I used the BK-2 to whittle up some shavings / tinder to start the fire, and to carve a few stakes for cooking.

Although it’s a little thick and clumsy in my hands for serious carving, I was able to get the job done. The BK-2 is also a decent chopper considering its size. This is a shorter knife, so naturally it won’t chop like an axe or a big fixed blade like the Junglas, but if you need to do limited chopping it will get the job done. Case in point, I needed to chunk up some large frozen sardines for a fish trap I was using – the BK-2 blew through those suckers. For these reasons the BK-2 is a natural choice for camp chores: building fires, prepping food, and odd jobs around a camp site where a sharp object might come in handy.

The only downside is that the BK-2 doesn’t particularly excel at anything. If you need a dedicated chopper, or an ultra fine carving knife, then you will want to look elsewhere. If you want a tough “do it all” knife, then the BK-2 could be a good choice.

As previously mentioned, the BK-2 comes in 1095 high carbon steel. I have wrote about this steel at length, especially over the course of reviewing an number of ESEE knives. 1095 is inexpensive and hearty. It’s easy to sharpen and holds a nice edge, especially when working with wood. It’s tough, but if you do chip it, you will be able to salvage the edge. 1095 is a good working steel, and I think it’s a great choice for this knife.

Handle and Ergonomics

The BK-2 features a spacious zytel (high density plastic) handle over it’s full steel tang. This is a very basic handle design, and it’s perfect for a workhorse knife like this. Ethan Becker apparently spent a lot of time getting this handle shape right, which is why you find it on his whole series of knives. The handle material is humble (although you can easily pick up a pair of micarta scales), but it’s lightweight, and very tough. The finish work on the handle is great. There are no sharp edges, and all of the hardware is sunk deeply into the handle. Rounding things out are an oversize lanyard hole and a generous exposed pommel that can be used for hammering / crushing things. This is a very clean and highly functional handle design. It has also been well executed.

From an ergonomic standpoint the handle of the BK2 feels as straightforward as it looks. This is a thick handle with a generous palm swell. There is plenty of room for larger hands and the absence of jimping / aggressive texture allows you to work with this tool for extended periods of time without blistering your thumb. Those wanting a little more grip could upgrade to micarta scales, or wrap the handle with athletic tape or a “ranger band” (a section of bicycle inner tube). I did not notice any hot spots while using this knife. This is a fantastic handle shape.

Sheath

The BK-2 comes complete with a plastic and nylon sheath. The sheath is simple, lightweight, and sturdy. It has excellent retention, yielding a very satisfying snapping sound when you shove the knife in place. There is no blade rattle at all, and I am not the least bit concerned about the blade ever falling out from the sheath. There is also a drain hole.

The nylon belt loop is simple and features a snap fastener for extra retention. It is fully removable with a Phillips head driver, and the plastic sheath is riveted together. The rivet holes and slots leave you with plenty of options for molle locks, tek-loks, paracord, and webbing. This is an outstanding sheath and it compliments the knife perfectly. Also, the snap fastener lies flat, so I have yet to cut into it when drawing the knife. The only creature comfort missing is that you need to take your belt off to feed it through the belt loop. I like being able to remove a belt sheath without having to take my belt off, but it’s not a deal breaker.

Becker BK-2 Review – Final Thoughts

The BK-2 is an impressive knife, especially when you consider that they are selling for right around $65.00. This is a lot of high quality tool for the money. The simplicity of the design, the quality of materials, and the extremely high level of fit and finish all make the BK-2 punch above its weight. Plus, it works. The stout geometry of the blade is excellent for processing wood, the handle is about as comfortable as they come, and the sheath is lightweight and functional. Finally, the knife itself is made in the USA (the sheath is made in Taiwan). I happen to like a USA made product, although it certainly isn’t a requirement for a favorable review.

All told, it is easy for me to see why the Ka-Bar Becker BK-2 has earned such a following and reputation. It’s simple and it works. If you are looking for an indestructible camp knife or a compact (but very stout) survival knife, then I highly recommend the BK-2.

Sale

KA-BAR Becker BK2 Campanion Fixed Blade Knife, Carbon Steel

Full tang heavy duty field knife suited for camping chores.
Made in Olean New York, U.S.A
Designed by Ethan Becker
Manufactured by KA-BAR Knives Inc.
Comes with a hard shell black nylon sheath.

I recommend purchasing the BK-2 at Amazon.com or BladeHQ. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza 25 Review

by Dan Jackson 7 Comments

How do you improve on perfection? That may have been a question asked by the engineers at Chris Reeve when they approached the Sebenza 25. I wasn’t in the room, so I really have no idea. The Sebenza has received incremental improvements over the years, but for it’s 25th anniversary CRK really wanted to up the ante, or at least do something different from the tried and true Sebenza 21. The Sebenza 25 is that knife.

Buy the CRK Sebenza 25 at BladeHQ

The 25 is beefier and has more attitude than the 21, but there is still no mistaking it for a Sebenza. Is the 25 a worthy buy? Should you get it instead of a Sebenza 21? How does it compare with other knives in CRKs lineup? Having owned a Unumzaan, and presently owning a large Sebenza 21, I decided to pick up a Sebenza 25, give it a whirl, and attempt to answer some of these questions.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Sebenza 25 has an overall length of 8.375″, a 3.625″ blade, and it weighs 5.2 ounces. It’s similar in size to a large 21, but it’s definitely a more heavily built knife and weighs a full half ounce more. Offhand I would consider it as a hybrid between the 21 and the Umnumzaan. Unlike the 21, CRK does not currently offer a small version of the 25. Will we eventually see a mini 25? Only time will tell. I know plenty of people like to EDC the large 21, so I don’t see why you couldn’t EDC a 25. Personally I prefer a small Sebenza or a Mnandi for EDC, but I did make a point to carry the 25 around a bit to understand how it performs as a daily carry.

The blade of the 25 is a classic CRK drop point, with a few subtle (or not so subtle) changes over the 21. First of all the blade stock is visibly thicker at .14″ (which is approximately 3.5mm – the blade on the Sebenza 21 is about 3.1mm thick). Chris Reeve also gave the knife what they are calling a “large hollow grind” which is billed as a compromise between the thinness and slicing performance of a hollow grind and the toughness of a full flat grind.

I recently expanded my office at work and bought some new office equipment including a monitor, printer, computer, etc. As a result I had a lot of extra cardboard on my hands and decided to give the ole 25 a whirl at breaking down all of the boxes. I wasn’t blown away by the performance of the 25 on cardboard, but I wasn’t disappointed either. My large 21 slices a little better, but then again, so does my Benchmade Volli with it’s thin flat ground blade. It’s still miles ahead of the Strider SnG. The 25 is more heavily built than the 21, and it comes with a thicker grind. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, just different. Speaking of different, there is also a little depression in the blade after the jimping. I have no idea what it is for, so I’ll wait for someone to let me know in the comments section.

Steel on the 25 is S35VN, which is what CRK is using on pretty much everything these days if my understanding is correct. The blade on the 25 is heat treated to 58-59 HRc, and at that hardness it seems like a good combination of edge retention and sharpenability. Some might find it a little too soft, but I like a knife that easily takes a good edge, and the 25 has been very easy to maintain with my strop. I will say after testing the blade out thoroughly on cardboard the edge didn’t feel that sharp, but it still sliced paper with no problem. A few swipes on the strop brought it all the way back. If edge retention is super important for you, then you are probably better off finding something in M390 or S90V (harder more exotic steels), but if you are OK with the idea of regularly maintaining the edge of your knife then I don’t see a big problem with S35VN and this milder heat treat that CRK favors.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the 25 is the typical full titanium goodness you would expect from Chris Reeve. Construction is simple and elegant, with a pivot, stop pin, and single standoff. Some may lament the lack of a lanyard hole, but it looks like CRK designed it so you can loop some cord around the standoff. Personally, I don’t miss the lanyard doohickey on my large 21 at all. Construction is top notch, as expected. This is a Sebenza after all. I like the choice of beefier hardware. The pivot has seen a serious upgrade and the domed body screws are beefed up as well. The disadvantage to this setup is that 2 allen keys are required (and supplied), rather than just the one required to take down a standard Sebenza.

Perhaps the biggest change in the Sebenza 25 is the inclusion of double finger choils. It certainly adds a visual element to the knife not previously evident on CRK models. In practice I think the choils work well and capture the index and middle finger nicely. My hand feels very at home with the standard grip. A revision I am less enthused about is the razor wire inspired jimping installed on the back of the blade. I would say that the jimping on my large 21 is a damn near perfect blend of traction and comfort. Why Chris Reeve felt the need to mess with that winning formula is a mystery to me, but it certainly looks more aggressive. The jimping is fairly abrasive, but I only really noticed it on hard cuts, like cutting rope. Still I think they could have toned it down a bit. All said the 25 is a reasonably comfortable knife. I’m not sure I would call it an improvement over the 21, but it’s definitely different.

The pocket clip for the 25 is the same legendary double dip clip found on the 21. I’m glad they didn’t fool around with this. It works well and is one of my favorite clip designs. In pocket the 25 carries pretty good. It is a big knife, and is full titanium, but with that in mind I’d say it still carries well for its size.

Deployment and Lockup

The term “Sebenza smooth” is something of a gold standard in knife collector circles when considering the action of a pocket knife. So it’s interesting to see that CRK made some tweaks to ensure the deployment of the 25 is even smoother than its predecessors. In addition to a much larger pivot, the knife features extra large perforated phosphor bronze washers. According to the Chris Reeve website these were installed to carry more grease and make the action smoother. In practice I think it has worked. My 25 is noticeably smoother than my 21. Granted I am testing a pretty small sample size here, and some may disagree because the 25 doesn’t include the 21’s famous bushing pivot system.

The knife flicks open easily via the ambidextrous titanium thumb studs. Speaking of thumb studs, or thumb “lugs” as CRK calls them, I think it’s about damn time that dual thumb studs came standard equipment on a Sebenza. I also can’t help but wonder if CRK has plans to introduce a bearing equipped knife in the future. Bearings are by no means a necessity, but since that is where a lot of the industry is going I would be curious to see them offer a knife with bearings.

For lock up Chris Reeve went with a ceramic ball detent. Just like on the Umnumzaan, it serves double duty as both an interface between lock and tang, as well as detent to hold the blade in place. It works well and I have no complaints. The blade locks open with a satisfying thunk and lockup is steady at right around 50%. No blade play at all and the blade is perfectly centered.

CRK Sebenza 25 Review – Final Thoughts

For whatever reason I always find myself under some pressure to come up with a poignant parting thought on Chris Reeve products. Perhaps it’s to justify the price in my own mind, or justify the level of excitement and expectation that has been built up around these knives, or attempt to get ahead of the inevitable discussion about Chris Reeve knives and “value”. I’m going to avoid that this time around, and instead focus on my honest take on the knife.

I think the 25 is a solid and well made product. I consider it a hybrid between the Umnumzaan and 21. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if you already have a 21 or an Umnumzaan I don’t really see the “need” for this knife. Then again, I don’t really see the “need” for a $450 pocket knife in general, yet I have owned dozens, so that is beside the point. Like other high end knives, people will buy this because they want it. I’m here to tell you that if you want it, it’s a nice knife. But I’ll also play the role of devil’s advocate:

The 25 is thoughtfully designed and well made, but isn’t a huge enough leap from Chris Reeve’s other offerings for me to truly get excited over it. Maybe if they installed bearings, milled the handle from a single piece of titanium, or did a flipper or something like that it might move the Richter scale a bit further. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a perfectly fine knife, and if this is your first CRK I think you will like it, but when you compare it with the rest of the CRK product line I can’t help but feel like it’s more of what we have already seen. I’m glad I got to check one out, and recommend you to do the same if the 25 interests you, but I don’t feel compelled to hang onto both the 25 and my large 21 or to tell you that this is the most amazing thing since the titanium frame lock.

Chris Reeve Sebenza – From $445.00
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Sebenza 25 at BladeHQ or KnifeArt. 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.