slip joint

Great Eastern Cutlery #71 Bullnose Review

Traditional knives are like genre fiction: they’re expected to follow certain tropes. These conventions are more restrictive than those we impose when we say things like ‘tactical knife’ or ‘EDC knife,’ maybe because they’ve been cultivated over a longer period of time. However, as with a fantasy or horror novel, it’s possible for a traditional knife to transcend its label and achieve greatness, whether it’s working outside of its associated tropes or within them. When a traditional becomes great outside its tropes you get things like the Spyderco Roadie. When it achieves greatness within them, you get Great Eastern Cutlery.

Buy the GEC Bullnose at BHQ Buy the Bullnose at KniveShipFree

GEC makes traditional knives, not as they actually were back in the day, but as we fondly remember them to be (or are told to remember them). Operating out of historic Titusville, PA, GEC turns out batches of knives ritualistically grabbed up by collectors and enthusiasts eager to own these tangible remembrances of a perceived better time.

But GEC doesn’t just peddle nostalgia porn. They make truly great knives, with fantastic fit and finish, in a variety of materials both man-made and (sadly) natural. And among patterns both original and obscure, GEC also puts out classic styles, often with some slight tweaks to them. Such is the #71 Bullnose, which is GEC’s gentle revision of the Sodbuster pattern.

I picked up a Bullnose in 2017. GEC produces their knives in batches, and the latest run of Bullnoses has hit the market. Should you buy one?

General Dimensions and Blade Details

GEC’s Bullnose has a blade length of 3.1 inches, a handle length of 3.8 inches, and a weight of 2.4 oz. It is made in the United States.

This take on Sodbuster doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, but you get a few little perks not seen on most Sodbusters: a wider butt end, and a big lanyard hole. The Bullnose hovers pleasantly in that arena of decent-sized knives that still maintain high pocketability. It can tackle most any cutting chore and yet drops into a pocket without a second thought.

Superlative fit and finish is a hallmark of a GEC knife. These are lovingly crafted knives, pleasures simply to hold. I’ve had some very nice GECs including two different Tom’s Choice Barlows, and they’ve all been beautifully finished, but my Bullnose is the nicest of the lot. The layers are airtight, the corners chamfered, the blade centered. The swedges are somewhat uneven, but I haven’t seen any outfit get something like that consistently perfect. Basically it’s all good, no matter which way you turn it or where you look.

Presumably we get the name ‘Bullnose’ from the blade shape: a drop point, but with a squat front end, squashed in like the face of a pug. I suppose the idea is to add some meat to the tip without compromising piercing power, and it mostly succeeds in that. The Bullnose isn’t exactly a needle point but it punches through material easy enough. Another effect of the blade shape is to reduce the belly to a compressed section just below the tip, meaning that most of the working edge is a straight line. Not a bad thing, and when I needed the extra cutting muscle of a belly I angled the knife so that portion was pushing down into the material and went to town.

1095 steel is one of the traditional knife tropes. It’s a carbon steel, so you have rust to worry about – but you know that going in so I’m not going to fault it for that. Once you get a patina forming, the blade turns a smoky, cloudy gray and receives a noticeable boost in corrosion resistance. It holds an edge well if you’re cutting softish things like thread or food, but on rougher media like cardboard, edge retention isn’t going to be phenomenal.

Simply put, 1095 is mediocre. Not bad, but not great – not even merely good. GEC used to implement 440C on some of their blades and I would like to see that on the Bullnose, at least as an option for those who want it. If the Bullnose is sincerely meant as a working knife, I think the rust resistance and boosted edge retention would be worthwhile.

On a side note: I think I’m alone in this, but this is my fourth GEC and I’ve always found their 1095 exceptionally difficult to sharpen. Like, harder to get sharp than VG-10. From what I understand they run the steel a little harder than normal, and maybe this, combined with the thin edge geometry on these traditional blades, stymies my sharpening skills. But it’s definitely another black mark against the steel choice.

A Brief Digression into Warranty Stuff

You may be able to tell from my pictures, but there’s a nick in the blade of my Bullnose. Turns out that the blade was smacking against a portion of the backspring in the channel, where it rises to accommodate the pin that keeps it in place. Basically, it folded over a bit of the cutting edge.

Once I figured this out, I sent the Bullnose to GEC, and they called me when they received it with a diagnosis. They said they could fix it, but because they don’t have a dedicated warranty department the turnaround wasn’t going to be lightning quick. A few weeks later, I got it back, and it seems like they fixed it, seemingly by sharpening the blade itself down a bit – not an elegant solution. The fold wasn’t completely sharpened out, just enough to stop it from happening anymore.

All of this isn’t to hate on GEC’s warranty work. Given the nature of how they operate, the full fat warranty departments of the big production companies isn’t feasible. But just be warned that if you have an issue, the resolution of that issue is going to be a little more homespun than what you’d get with LifeSharp, for example.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The Bullnose’s handle starts with a sizable butt end that tapers into a narrow, square neck. The finger side of the handle describes a gentle arc from tail to tip, with a flattened region just below the pivot where your index finger goes in a natural grip.

That’s a lot of words to describe what, in practice, is about as simple a handle as you can get – and the simplicity works. I was worried the beak would bite into my largish hands, but there’s enough room so that it keeps my hand in place without digging into it.

GEC releases its models in a gaggle of different handle materials, so the ‘grippiness’ of your particular choice may vary from my own. I chose the natural canvas Micarta which, despite its burlapy appearance, is pretty smooth – there’s just a hint of traction, more than enough for my uses, but you can probably find grippier options in the lineup. Something that may not be clear in pictures is that the Bullnose is a thick knife: the handle is half an inch wide. Wideness doesn’t always equate to comfort, but in this case it does. All work knives should be comfortable and the Bullnose handily makes the grade.

I lavished many words on the Bullnose’s simple handle, so I’ll be more concise in describing how it carries: perfectly well. Drop it in your pocket of choice and forget about it.

Deployment and Lockup

We’re back into trope land here – nail mark, two-hand deployment; you know the drill. I don’t really get nail marks. And I don’t mean that I find them outdated. For me, they just don’t work well. Is there any knife where sliding your stubby, frangible nail into a shallow divot is easier than just pinching the blade and pulling?

Well, I guess you can deploy the Bullnose either way without undue fuss. Pull is a stiffish 7, about perfect for a knife of this size and intent. I also appreciate the half stop. We’ve all had regular folding knives come down on our fingers when we close them negligently – but imagine the blade coming down with the force of a backspring behind it. Half stops are a safety feature that makes sense to me.

The strong backspring keeps the Bullnose’s blade open with surety, too. We associate the term ‘hard use’ irrevocably with locking knives, but the Bullnose feels like it could do rigorous chores without any danger of failure, as long as it’s used sensibly.

GEC #71 Bullnose Review – Final Thoughts

The Bullnose is without a doubt my favorite GEC knife. I don’t truck with multibladed traditionals, and while GEC makes quite a few single blade patterns, the Bullnose in particular enjoys a harmonious alchemy between size, utility, and (most importantly) affordability.

It checks all the GEC boxes – old school materials, delectable fit and finish, refined traditional patterns – without any specialized characteristics and extras, and it comes out in a large enough quantity that you can get one without having to queue up in a raffle or face a hardy gouging on the secondary market. You may end up getting more GECs after the Bullnose, but I don’t think you’ll ever find a better one.

GEC #71 Bullnose
From: KnivesShipFree

Editor: I recommend purchasing the GEC 71 Bullnose at BHQ or KnivesShipFree. 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.

Great Eastern Cutlery Tidioute 43 Oregon Trapper Review

by Aaron Shapiro 1 Comment

I’ll never forget when my family was cleaning out my late Grandfather’s house after he passed. I found an old band-aid tin that was full of a variety (in both style and age) of small multi-bladed slip joints. They were all he carried and on most of them one blade was worn down to a nub, whereas the rest were shiny and like-new. He was a true EDCer, he didn’t think about the concept of carrying things like I do, he just made sure he had what he needed. A traditional knife was always included.

Buy the GEC Oregon Trapper at KnivesShipFree or GPKnives

Slipjoints, or traditional knives, have seen a bit of a resurgence in the last couple years with the knife community at large. So much so that you see dedicated slip joint knives being made by brands like Spyderco, Benchmade, and Lionsteel.

Great Eastern Cutlery while being relatively new on the slip joint scene when compared with the likes of Queen, or Imperial, have been generating new levels of interest and collectibility with traditional knife collectors since their founding in 2009. They’ve reborn some classic brands such as Northfields and Tidioute and honor a lot of the classic production patterns that have been in pockets for decades. All that to say, today we are going to be looking at the Great Eastern Cutlery Tidioute 43 – Oregon Trapper. Now, before we get too far into this review, I want to be upfront and say that I am not a history expert on traditional knives, so please forgive some discrepancies in that regard. This review will take into consideration actually putting the knife in your pocket and carrying it in your day-to-day life. So, without further ado, some specs:

Blade Length: 3.25”
Closed Length: 4.25”
OAL: 7.5”
Steel: 1095 Carbon Steel
Weight: 3.8oz
Handle Materials: “Frontier Bone” handle scales, I think this is just a form of cow bone, but I’m not sure.

I’ve owned a handful of GEC’s knives over the last few years, even been able to get my paws on some of their much sought after Tom’s Choice (or TC by the cool kids) special factory runs. So, when I got the Oregon Trapper in hand I was struck by one thing right off the bat, this knife is large for a slip joint. I was, obviously, aware of the size when I ordered it. The specs were clearly listed on knivesshipfree.com but it wasn’t until I got the knife that I realized exactly how big it is. Now, depending on where you fall in the slip joint community that could be a good thing, or that could be a bad thing. As a tactical knife carrier in recovery, I dig the larger size. I think it’s easy to feel, “under-gunned,” for some reason when you’re carrying a small slip joint knife by itself, but this Oregon Trapper dispels that feeling.

GEC’s chosen steel is the venerable 1095 high-carbon steel. 1095 is like a bowl of vanilla ice cream when it comes to knife steels. It’s really all ya need, but there’s nothing really special here. It’s high-carbon, so it will take and hold a fine edge very well, but it will also stain and rust if you let it. To add onto that, there is also a whole “sub-culture,” that forces patinas on their blades, and I have to admit, a well-done patina (or a naturally formed one over a long period of honest use) looks really, really nice. The steel thickness on the GEC starts at 0.113” and is ground to a blistering 0.018 before the final edge. There are sharp knives, and then there are “sticky” sharp knives where when you lightly touch the edge your skin sticks to it. This knife is the latter.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

As I stated earlier the handles of the GEC 43 Oregon Trapper are made from a material GEC calls it’s “Frontier Bone,” which is a vaguely frightening term that makes you think of bleached buffalo bones in a sandy Arizona desert landscape, however, the truth is less menacing. Frontier Bone is a portion of light cow bone that’s burnt or toasted, and then polished. I think it looks pretty cool and is generally cheaper and easier to find compared to something like stag or jigged bone handles.

The one catch with GEC’s (and really all traditionals) is that these type of bone handles can vary greatly in thickness. Looking straight down at my example shows that the right-hand scale is slightly concave, whereas the left is convex. So that will always be a gamble with this particular handle material, something like micarta will not have this issue. The handle shape itself is simple, straight back with a slight swell and negative angle at the tail. This allows a solid purchase in hand but doesn’t have any choils or jimps to provide texture.

It terms of carrying the GEC 43, I use a leather pocket sheath. knivesshipfree.com include their own branded buffalo leather pocket slip, that I used for a while. I have a custom pocket slip made by a friend of mine that carries a slipjoint and a Muyshondt Maus. Due to the fact that the knife is a bit larger than your normal slipjoint it may not work with all your carry methods, but it seems to work well with these. I generally suggest some sort of pocket organizer to keep the knife vertical in your pocket, there’s nothing worse than knife sitting sideways in your pocket.

Walk and Talk

Lastly, the action. Slipjoints are measured on a scale of 1-10. 1 being the blade having zero resistance on it from the spring, and 10 being it needs the screaming He-Man strength to open it. Most GEC’s are a 6-7, they have a stronger pull than I like, but are usable and manageable. The Oregon Trapper clocks in at a solid 5, nice and smooth action with a pinch-able blade. I found the walk and talk to be a little spongey, but there is still a good positive half-stop and audible snap when closing/opening. Once opened the knife is solid and doesn’t have any movement side to side. For a production, this is perfectly acceptable.

Great Eastern Cutlery Tidioute 43 Oregon Trapper Review – Final Thoughts

So, would I suggest this to someone else? Sure, if what you want is a larger slip joint that could serve as your only EDC knife. I think the decision to transition from a locking folder to a slip joint as part of your EDC is one that takes some consideration. I would personally say that non-locking folder of any sort is more of a lighter-duty knife. So if you’re in law enforcement, construction, fire fighting, etc – I think that you’d need to think long and hard about what the lack of a lock would mean on your knife.

If you’re like me and you work in an office, and primarily open mail, packages, and cut food with your EDC knife, this is an obvious choice; and a great way to introduce some variety into your EDC rotation. As always our preferred source of everything sharp is either from knivesshipfree.com or bladehq.com both of which have this particular Great Eastern Cutlery 43 Oregon Trapper in stock.

GEC #73 Oregon Trapper
From: KnivesShipFree

Editor: I recommend purchasing the GEC 43 Oregon Trapper at KniveShipFree or GPKnives. 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.

Benchmade Proper 319 Review

by Aaron Shapiro 1 Comment

Two or three years ago if you told me that Benchmade was your favorite knife company I’d roll my eyes and mutter something like, “Okay Griptillian dude…” now, that’s no disrespect to the Grip, those are great knives at a great price point, but they’re kinda vanilla for my tastes. That was Benchmade a few years ago.

Buy the Benchmade Proper at BladeHQ

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I’m not sure what happened over at Benchmade HQ but man are they putting out some absolute HEATERS in the last year or so. Starting with the Benchmade Proper slip joint (reviewed here) to the Benchmade Bugout and the full titanium integral Anthem 781.

Now, the slip joint thing is kinda interesting. Over the 2-3 year period, slip joints have begun to increase in popularity with the “tactical knife” folks. With the growth in popularity, it only makes sense that companies like Benchmade and Spyderco with the Roadie would begin to investigate the slip joint market.

Slipjoints are a very traditional style of knife designed so that a steel spring runs down the spine of the knife, the tension of that spring on the tang of the blade holds the knife open or closed. This design has been around for hundreds and hundreds of years so they’re really nothing new but I do believe that they are seeing a more widespread adoption in the last few years.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Let’s get some specs before the review:

Blade Length: 2.75” (by my reckoning, BM puts it at 2.86”)
Overall Length: 6.625” (again by my ruler, BM states 6.69”)
Weight: 2.4oz (BM states 2.32oz)
Steel: CPM-S30V
Country of Manufacture: USA

Like most traditional folders, the Proper is an EDC knife through and through.

The Proper is available in two different blade shapes a sheep’s foot/wharncliffe type deal, and a clip point. At the risk of over simplifying the matter, I think that the clip point probably looks the best whereas the sheep’s foot is the most functional. I haven’t handled the clip personally, so take that with a grain of salt.

The sheep’s foot is exceptionally useful though, and is ideal for draw cuts when breaking down boxes, or slicing food. The blade stock is .09 thick steel and tapers to a nice .026 behind the edge. If you want to make it REAL crazy you can see if you can get a reground Krein version that is a literal lightsaber.

So how about the steel? S30V is a tried and true workhorse. Developed by Crucible with the help of legendary knife maker Chris Reeve, intended to hold a fine sharp edge for a long time, as well as having a very healthy amount of chromium making it extremely rust resistant.

In my experience, I find S30V to be a little chippy (in fact my Proper has a little chip out of the edge). Sharpening it is easy enough, and the edge does last a long time, to some extent S30V has become a little ho-hum in the realm of super steels. It’s still a performer though, and I do recommend it.

Handle and Ergonomics

The Proper, at the time of this review, is available in two handle materials. The first being red G10, and the second being the (more popular) green micarta. In terms of material I think they are equal, both G10 and micarta will stand up to a lot of wear and tear. They both offer a decent amount of grip traction for your hand in normal EDC use (what you’d use a slip joint for, no skinning wild boars or Hollywood-style knife fights).

The shape of the handle provides a great grip as well, with two very slight depending angles or you might call them quasi-choils on either end of the handle lock my pointer, middle, and ring fingers in place. The knife also has a bit of a badonkadonk, with a larger handle that extends past the downward angle of the choil, giving you an even more secure grip on the knife itself. That some extension also houses the lanyard hole.

I think all-in-all the knife is well designed for its intended use. This is not going to be a knife that you’re going to put through serious/hard work. A folding, non-locking, knife like this you’re going to perform pretty lightweight tasks.

Walk and Talk

So, the knife does not technically lock. It’s held in its various positions by the tension of the backspring. That being said, the Proper has a softer action than I’ve felt on other slip joints. Customs that I have had, or even GEC’s have very positive “walk and talks,” or the feeling and sound of the knife moving into its different positions.

I would prefer a positive action on the knife throughout, but when opened it doesn’t feel insecure.

Benchmade Proper Review – Final Thoughts

All things said and done, I think that the Benchmade Proper offers a lot to be had in terms of a modern/non-traditional slip joint. More interesting than that, however, I think seeing knives like this, the Spyderco Roadie, and even the Hinderer XM18 slippy hitting the marketplace shows an interesting trend when it comes to how people are choosing to spend their money.

If you had told me two years ago that I’d see a Hinderer slip joint or that Benchmade was making their own version of a non-locking folder I would have thought you were nuts, but here we are. I think the value is there, you’re going to spend nearly the same for a new Great Eastern Cutlery slippy, but you’re getting a modern design with a modern blade steel, versus GEC’s tried and true 1095.

If you’re not a slip joint guy, I think the Benchmade Proper is a great place to start. And if you’re already “in the fold,” then maybe it’s a good way to diversify your collection.

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COLD STEEL AD-10 3.5" S35VN Steel Ultra-Sharp Drop Point Blade 5.25" G-10 Handle Tactical Folding Knife with Tri-Ad Locking Mechanism

CONSTRUCTION - The AD-10 tactical folding knife features an ultra-wide, ground thin at the edge, honed to razor-sharpness blade that offers unprecedented cutting, shearing, and piercing power while resisting bending, breaking, or chipping
S35VN STEEL BLADE - Crafted from S35VN steel, the AD-10 folding knife's blade ensures super-fine cutting edges and exceptional edge retention; This premium steel is renowned for its durability and ability to maintain sharpness through rigorous use
STRONG HANDLE - The handle of the AD-10 knife boasts heat-treated, full-length aluminum liners and 3D machined G-10 scales, providing unparalleled strength and grip; Its precise contouring and integral finger guard ensure a snug and secure fit in the hand
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SPECS - Weight: 7 oz (198.4 g); Blade Thickness: 3.8 mm; Blade Length: 3 1/2"; Blade Steel: S35VN; Handle Length/Material: 5 1/4" G-10; Overall Length: 8 3/4"; Knife Type: Folder; Blade Shape: Drop Point; Locking Mechanism: Tri-Ad Lock

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

Spyderco Roadie Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 14 Comments

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

Buy the Spyderco Roadie at BladeHQ

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

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

General Dimensions and Blade Details

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

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

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

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

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

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

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

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

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

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

Lockup and Deployment

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

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

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

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

Spyderco Roadie Review – Final Thoughts

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

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

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

Great Eastern Cutlery #66 “Calf Roper” Review

by Grayson Parker 19 Comments

I have a small confession to make. Though my articles may not reflect this, I have a crippling addiction to Great Eastern Cutlery knives. For every modern knife in my collection, there’s a traditional knife (often in matching or complimentary colors), and I fear it won’t be long before the old timers actually outnumber the fresh blood. The latest addition to my little menagerie is the Great Eastern Cutlery #66 “Calf Roper” in olive drab canvas micarta. It’s far from perfect, but at the same time it’s often the first traditional knife I reach for before leaving for work.

Buy the GEC Calf Roper at KniveShipFree

You may be asking yourself why I don’t review Great Eastern Cutlery products more often. The problem with reviewing their knives is twofold: one, they sell out quickly, and two, all of their knives are produced in batches. If a run of their knives is sold out, it may be years before they make another version; even if they do, there’s no guarantee that they’ll use the same blade configuration or handle materials. So before we get into the meat of the review, a word of advice: if you’re interested in it, go buy it. You can finish the review afterwards.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Great Eastern Cutlery #66 “Calf Roper” weighs 2.57 ounces and measures at a hair under 3.5 inches in the closed position. This particular version of the #66 has three blades: a clip point blade 2.5 inches long, a sheepsfoot blade 1.9 inches long, and a spey blade 1.8 inches long. If the #66 had just a single blade and weighed this much, it’d just be average, but as it packs three blades into the frame it’s nothing short of fantastic.

Of course, if those blades never get used, they might as well not be there. The clip point is the easiest to justify: it’s popular on single and multi bladed traditional knives alike. It offers plenty of straight edge for push cuts, but has enough belly to be the all-star of a picnic lunch. Consider it your go-to blade for most tasks. The utility of the sheepsfoot blade is similarly obvious: a short, straight edged blade is perfect for opening packages and breaking down boxes. Really, the only inclusion that I haven’t found an explicit use for is the spey blade. It’s fine as a pen blade, but otherwise is just a holdover from days when animal husbandry and horticulture was more common.

I’m a junkie for thin grinds, and the Calf Roper delivers that in spades. All three blades start as thin stock and are brought down to a fine working edge. The grinds are clean and even, though the cutting bevel itself is pretty narrow. While I don’t have any complaints, apparently enough people do that there’s a robust market for reground GEC knives.

The #66 features 1095 steel on all three of its blades. 1095 has been a staple of American cutlery since the early 1900s, though now it’s seen primarily on traditional pocket knives and large fixed blades. It’s a carbon steel, so without care it will rust, but there are steps that can ward that eventuality off. You can clean the blade off after use and keep it well oiled; or (my preferred method), you can use your knife on a lot of fruit and produce and let it build up a protective patina.

Edge retention on the #66 is passable. Great Eastern runs their 1095 at a Rockwell hardness of 57-59, which is a bit harder than the steel on Victorinox (Swiss Army) knives. In practical terms, this means that any blade getting regular use should be touched up on a leather strop two or three times a week. If pressed into work cutting cardboard or other abrasive media, more care will be required.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The #66 “Calf Roper” is listed as a Serpentine Jack; to be honest, I’m not entirely sure why. Given the blade configuration, most companies would list the #66 as a Stockman variant. My suspicion is that A.G. Russell cornered the market on the “Serpentine Stockman” quite awhile ago…but that’s just speculation. Regardless of the nomenclature, the handle is pleasantly simple. It’s a simple cigar shape with a subtle curve. Nickel silver bolsters pair well with the brass liners, both of which are given a brushed finish. A plain oval shield ties it all together. As this is Great Eastern, it should go without saying, but the handle is immaculately constructed. Using my fingernail, I can hardly tell where the bolster ends and the micarta begins.

If you follow me on social media or have read past articles of mine, you might have guessed that I have a small fixation with micarta. It is – bar none – my favorite handle material. Why shouldn’t it be? It’s light, strong, grippy, and has an organic quality rarely found in G10. The olive drab micarta on the #66 is perfectly implemented, left just rough enough to have some texture, but still smooth enough to not feel out of place on a traditional knife. Of course, if micarta isn’t your thing, the #66 is also available in ebony, acrylic, stag, and two variants of jigged bone.

Sadly, the ergonomics aren’t as good as the handle would suggest. While the handle shape is great, the sheepsfoot blade adds a sharp hump right where your fingers go if you’re using the clip point or the spey blade. Neither of those blades causes a similar problem when the sheepsfoot blade is in use. It’s not a crippling issue; you’d have to be gripping the handle pretty tightly to generate real discomfort. All the same, I can’t help but wonder how much better the #66 would be if the spey blade was removed so the sheepsfoot blade could ride lower in the handle.

At a closed length of 3.5 inches, the #66 is one of the most pocketable knives produced by Great Eastern Cutlery. Between the serpentine handle shape, the generously chamfered edges, and the modest size, it’s easy to carry the #66 however you’d like. It’s a touch large for smaller coin pockets, but only just. I carry mine in a leather slip, as I do with most of my traditional knives. A slip distributes the weight more evenly, and prevents the knife from rolling to the bottom of your pocket and generating discomfort. Is it necessary? No, but I’d recommend giving one a shot if you haven’t already.

Deployment and Walk and Talk

There’s no two ways about it: compared to modern folding knives, any traditional knife is going to be less convenient to pull out and use. Before I can actually use my knife, I have to pull the slip out of my pocket, pull the knife out of the slip, put the slip down (or back in my pocket), and then use two hands to open whichever blade I need. In the office or around the house, those extra steps aren’t an issue. When I’m in the field, I want quick, convenient access to a blade that I know won’t close on my fingers if I torque it in a weird way. I still carry a traditional at work, but only so I have a knife on me that I know won’t frighten anyone.

There’s no grit in the action, and the blades snap crisply into place, whether in the open or closed position. None of the blades have any side-to-side play or worrisome wiggle. The pull on the clip blade is about as strong as it is on a Swiss Army Knife, while the spey and sheepsfoot blades only need about half as much effort to open and close. A half stop would be a welcome addition, but isn’t a necessity.

Great Eastern Cutlery #66 “Calf Roper” Review – Final Thoughts

Even accounting for the vestigial spey blade, the funky ergonomics, and the lack of a half stop, the Great Eastern Cutlery #66 is a personal favorite of mine. It’s handy, pocketable, and beautifully finished, with subtle touches of modernity that grant it a timeless appeal. The only competition that comes to mind is the aforementioned A.G. Russell Serpentine Stockman, but I don’t know if that comparison is entirely fair. The Serpentine Stockman is a fine knife – I owned one – but it’s larger and made with cheaper materials. Between the two, I’d pick the #66 every time.

If traditionals don’t interest you, I don’t know if this should be your first. Single bladed traditionals are often a better way to test the waters. That said, once this run is sold, it’s unclear when Great Eastern will produce another run of the #66. If you like the design, or even think you might like the design, pick one up. They’re easy to sell on the secondary market should you be disappointed. Clearly, I’m not.

GEC #66 Calf Roper – From $109.00
From: KnivesShipFree

I recommend purchasing the Calf Roper (and any of its derivatives) at KniveShipFree. 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.

Viper Dan 2 Review

by Grayson Parker 10 Comments

I have a bit of a love affair going on with slipjoint knives. Part of the reason for that is – if I may be frank – that the framelock flipper is a pretty stale form right now. Don’t get me wrong, many blades of that stripe are beautiful, functional, and deserving of praise, but they’ve taken up and held such a large portion of the market that I’ve been dying for something different. Fortunately, just as that malaise peaked, I saw that the Viper Dan 1 & 2 were available on BladeHQ. Almost immediately, I ordered a Viper Dan 2 in burgundy micarta.

Buy the Viper Dan 2 at BladeHQ

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Now I can’t pretend that the Viper Dan was a lightning bolt out of blue sky; I’d been excited about it since seeing it previewed at last year’s Blade Show. The Dan was designed by Tommaso Rumici, an Italian designer who has worked for a number of manufacturers. Andrew Gene AKA The Edge Observer said it best describing his style as a “combination of flowing organic lines and hard angles.”

The knife’s name is an acronym for Daily Assorted Needs, and the design is a reflection of that intent. This isn’t a “tactical” knife, but it is a solid working tool for everyday tasks. The Dan is one of a number of designs emerging from Europe, where knife laws are typically stricter than those in the United States, typically concerning locks. While I can’t say that I’d enjoy knife laws that restrictive, I have to admit that those limitations have spurred some unique and functional designs.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Viper Dan 2 measures in at 7” while open and weighs 3.2 oz., featuring a 2.875” blade housed in a 4.25” handle. The Viper Dan 1 is nearly identical, but offers a more traditional drop point blade shape. I’ve long been a fan of the modified wharncliffe as far as blade shapes are concerned; they strike a fine balance between tip strength and piercing, and the slight but continuous belly of the blade is suitable for a wide range of tasks. This iteration of the wharncliffe is executed quite well. All Viper by Tecnocut knives are (as far as I know) produced in Maniago, Italy.

Both blade shapes feature a partially flat grind. While I prefer hollow ground blades, it is refreshing to see a well-done flat grind on a blade thin enough to support it. I haven’t encountered any difficulties in cutting tasks, regardless of whether I’m using the Dan for food prep, breaking down cardboard, or just opening packages. Every aspect of the blade is meticulously ground. Even the swedge (an aspect of the grind that is easy to screw up) is symmetrical, and meets up with the rounded spine cleanly.

If you can’t tell by this point, I’m biased towards simple, working steels. N690 is certainly in that class, despite widespread use on high end production and even handmade knives. It won’t require as much care as 8Cr13MoV or Aus8a, but I do recommend regular stropping. I’ve never experienced rust or staining on any of my knives with N690. Overall, it demonstrates a great balance between ease of care, rust resistance, edge retention, and toughness.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Carry

The handle is formed of two contoured slabs of burgundy micarta over nested steel liners. When it first arrived, the color of the handle scales was somewhere between red and pink. More than a month of use has darkened that color to a subdued purple. Micarta is one of my preferred handle materials for precisely this reason; it absorbs the oils in your hand and forms the equivalent of a patina. When polished, the pores of the material are closed and this process won’t occur. Fortunately Viper left the handle slabs just rough enough to facilitate the “aging” process. If this material isn’t to your taste, don’t worry: the Dan is also available in carbon fiber, green G10, and silver twill/G10.

Contoured handles were once a rarity in high-end production knives, but fortunately most companies are starting to see the ergonomic benefits of doing so. The contouring on the Dan is executed perfectly; the handle slabs are symmetrical, smooth, and comfortable. There are no sharp corners, and the only point that could generate a hotspot is the pocket clip (but no more than any other clip).

Most folding knives that are comfortable in the hand are likewise comfortable in the pocket, and this is no exception. The clip provides plenty of tension, but isn’t so tight that I’m worried about tearing a stitch. If I had to find a complaint it’s that the Dan is a bit long in the pocket. Not only is the handle pretty long for a relatively small blade, but the extended tang compounds the issue. It’s never been a real cause for worry, but I feel some attention should be called to it. It’s comparable in length to the Paramilitary 2 (though nowhere near as wide).

Deployment and Lock-Up

As much as I love slipjoints, I’m always slightly disappointed that I can’t access the blade with one hand. It’s not always essential, but sometimes the extra step is a tad inconvenient. The process of “pull pocket slip out, pull knife out of pocket slip, put pocket slip back in pocket, open knife, cut,” looks pretty silly next to “pull knife out of pocket, open knife, cut.” That said, most of the slipjoints I’ve handled that can be opened with one hand are less than cooperative, and by extension aren’t fun to fidget with. In this, the Viper Dan is different. The blade is deployed by rotating the extended tang with your thumb, similarly to a friction folder. Machining on the tang (jimping) ensures that your finger doesn’t slide off mid-deployment. Overall, the Viper Dan is quick, easy, and even a bit addictive to open and close.

Viper chose their patented Action Stopper system instead of a lock on the Dan series. How it works is pretty simple: each of the liners has a spring tab with a ball detent, similar to a frame or liner lock. These detent balls drop into corresponding slots in the blade at the closed, half-stop, and opened positions. While the mechanism isn’t fundamentally new, it does feel more secure than other iterations of this system that I’ve handled. If I had to make a comparison, I’d say it offers as least as much resistance as the Victorinox Pioneer.

The advantage of this system over a traditional backspring is twofold: one, it allows for a wider blade to be housed within the handle, and two, it accommodates space for an extended tang (much like what you’d see on a friction folder). If you grip the Dan with your thumb resting on the spine of the blade, you’ll have a strong slipjoint mechanism, a half stop, and the pressure of your own thumb keeping the blade away from your fingers. On the whole it’s a very secure system.

Viper Dan 2 Review – Final Thoughts

Typically, the Viper knives that get the most attention are the collaborations with Jesper Voxnaes (for good reason). Thus far, the Dan series of knives haven’t been hit by the spotlight, and I think that’s truly a disservice. I can’t say this often, but I don’t have any real complaints about this knife. The design is unique, the materials are top shelf, and it’s manufactured to very tight tolerances.

Slipjoint knives are the sort of thing that I can recommend to anyone. Even people that don’t like slipjoints occasionally need to go somewhere where locking folders are discouraged (or illegal), so most knife nuts should have at least one non locking folder in their collection. Should this knife be it? That I can’t say. But I can say that if you want a slipjoint that can scratch that flipping itch, this should be it. It sells for just over $100 USD and is a fantastic value at that price point.

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