titanium

Kizer Sheepdog Review

Imagine you can pick out anything from Kizer‘s lineup. I was recently put in that position. Not a bad place to be. Thumbing through their catalog yields all sorts of stuff from the pedestrian to the outlandish. The Sheepdog is more in that second camp. It’s a big bold design. Not likely to dislodge something like the FRN Chaparral from your pocket, but definitely a conversation piece.

Buy the Kizer Sheepdog at BladeHQ

The Sheepdog is a design from Chris Conway of Sheepdog Knives, and is the production version of Conway’s C01C custom knife. The Sheepdog even has “C01C” laser engraved on the blade. It’s a big and chunky offering for fans of big and chunky knives. Clearly this one won’t be for everyone, but the unique design and loyal following piqued my interest.

This knife was provided to me free of charge from Kizer. All thoughts are my own.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Sheepdog has an overall length of 7.75″, a 3.125″ blade, and it weighs 6.17 ounces. Right now I have the open knife resting on my chest as I type this review out on my couch. The resulting sensation is what I would expect the early onset of a heart attack to feel like. It’s a heavy pressing weight, bearing down on my solar plexus. I better move this review along before my girlfriend has to call 911.

While the Sheepdog is categorized as an EDC knife, you will need to be a fan of BBKs (Big Beautiful Knives) to tote this one around.

For those seeking something smaller, Kizer wisely decided to introduce the Kizer Mini Sheepdog a while back. As part of the Vanguard series, the Mini Sheepdog comes with G10 scales and a liner lock, but it also clocks in at a mere 3.25 ounces. I received a Mini Sheepdog from Kizer as well, but stupidly forgot to take a size comparison photo before sending the Mini over to Grayson for review. I liked the size and weight of the Mini Sheepdog and could see that making for an interesting daily carry tool.

The Sheepdog’s blade is a massive slab of S35VN stainless steel. It’s a modified sheepsfoot, with a gently curving edge, high flat grind, and dual swedges. Sheepsfoot knives generally don’t have a penetrating tip, but the Sheepdog’s leading edge is canted out slightly, resulting in a strong tip that won’t pick out splinters, but could easily blow through a hollow core door.

The blade has been nicely made. The grind lines are crisp, the edge is clean and even, and the finish is a fine stonewash. No complaints.

Given this blade is a hair over 4mm thick, I was dubious of the Sheepdog’s cutting abilities. But much like an NFL linebacker, this big boy has some moves. I started with an apple, as apples are a great test of the slicing ability of a pocket knife. A slicey knife will cut the apple cleanly, while a chunky blade will plow through it, leaving a series of fault lines in your apple slices.

Much to my surprise the Sheepdog cut the apple cleanly. It’s like a small butchers cleaver.

I moved on to cardboard. No problems there either. The S35VN blade peeled through the cardboard boxes. It eventually slowed down as the edge dulled, but the edge geometry is good and the knife cuts well. After the boxes, I touched the Sheepdog up on the ceramic rods from my Sharpmaker and we were back in business. At that point I carried the knife with me. Mostly on the weekends when I could carry a big blade like this. It performed regular EDC tasks, including opening mail and packages containing other knives, without any issue.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Handle construction is simple and elegant. At the front of the knife you have an oversized pivot with an anodized blue titanium pivot collar. Towards the butt of the handle are two stainless steel standoffs. A series of three slots have been milled into the show side, offering a little extra traction and a view inside. Not much to see except for an expanse of dully shining titanium when the knife is open, or the glinting stainless steel blade when the knife is closed.

There is something oddly cathartic to the handle of this knife. It’s a hefty piece of contoured and bead blasted titanium, and it reminds me of palming a well worn river rock.

While the Sheepdog doesn’t have much of a “traction plan” with respect to aggressive texturing or jimping, the knife has clearly been built for comfort. Your hand naturally wraps around the handle, fingers finding the grooves, and thumb sliding across the broad spine of the blade. The result is a secure and confident grip without hot spots or ergonomic issues. I had no problems using my knife during the testing period. Granted I didn’t try to break down a yak with it, but for normal utility tasks the knife worked fine. I suppose you could always slap some skateboard tape on it, dudes.

The pocket clip is not without its controversy. First of all, it’s a milled titanium clip, so by default it’s going to raise the ire of a percentage of our knife loving brethren. I’m talking about those who have sworn their swords against the recent rebel uprising of milled pocket clips. Those folks will forever condemn the Sheepdog with its milled clip as a glorified paperweight, unfit for daily carry.

I’m a little less dogmatic when it comes to this sort of thing. Yeah, I’ve handled some knives with milled clips that didn’t work, but the one on this Sheepdog isn’t bad. It has been designed in a way to produce a lot of spring tension. Spring tension is critical for the success of any pocket clip, as this is what keeps the knife in your pocket.

The pocket clip works fine. I mostly wear lightweight shorts with a triangular pocket, and like to keep my knives high in the pocket up near my belt. Nothing upsets me more than a loose clip that allows my EDC knife to constantly sink towards the bottom of my pocket. That is the worst. Thankfully we don’t need to worry about that here. The Sheepdog’s pocket clip defies gravity and keeps my knife where I want it. No small feat given how heavy this thing is. Job well done, Kizer.

Ultimately, the Sheepdog carries well for what it is, but this is still a 6 ounce+ pocket knife. It isn’t a Dragonfly. You are going to notice it. It may even pull your pants down if you forget to wear a belt.

Deployment and Lockup

The Sheepdog makes use of an oversized flipper tab to get the blade open. The flipper is a substantial piece of steel allowing the user to pop the blade open with a lightswitch stroke. The detent is dialed in, and the blade runs on caged washers. The end result is a knife with reliable and satisfying flipping action. I’d put it at a solid “7” on the 1-10 scale. It gets the job done, but this is still a big heavy blade, and you feel that in the action. There is no jimping on the flipper tab, and I don’t think it needs it. My index finger has never slipped on the flipper.

For lockup we have a standard titanium framelock with steel lockbar insert. This is much like the Kizer Intrepid I reviewed two years ago. Kizer has the lock tuned to perfection. It locks up early, there is no blade play, and the lock is easy to disengage. There is no lock stick, and thanks to some contoured edges I can easily jam my thumb in place to release the lock bar. Much like the framelocks you find on a Zero Tolerance knife, this one just works.

Here is a parting shot of my Sheepdog next to the Paramilitary 2:

Blade centering is perfect on my knife.

Kizer Sheepdog Review – Final Thoughts

The Sheepdog is not for everyone. In fact, the Sheepdog is not for most people. It’s simply too big and too heavy. Despite that this knife has been well received. After carrying one for a while I can see why. It’s well made and functional. For those who want something big and chunky, the Sheepdog could be the one.

While the Sheepdog a big chunky knife, it is surprisingly light on its feet. The blade cuts cleanly, the knife feels good in hand, and it actually carries alright thanks to an especially strong milled pocket clip. And you can’t argue with the material selection or the fit and finish. Top notch materials combined with excellent fit and finish all lend a premium feel to this knife. That’s important given its ~$200 price tag.

The end result is a big but surprisingly refined knife. It isn’t for everyone, but I suspect that those that find themselves drawn to the Sheepdog will be pleased with its performance and execution.

KIZER Cutlery Pocket Knives Flipper Knife Frame Lock Folding Knife Titanium Handles Tactical EDC Knife, Sheepdog C01C Ki4488

List Price: $204.00

Current Price: $204.00

Price Disclaimer

I recommend purchasing the Kizer Sheepdog 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.

Custom Knife Factory Decepticon 2 Review

by Andrew Gene Leave a Comment

Ever since the explosion of the Shirogorov brother’s knives, there has been an increased interest in what is being produced in Russia. This has been pushed further along by a growing amount of breakout designers, most notably Dmitry Sinkevich. Sinkevich, a long time Shirogorov collaborator, has also worked extensively with KAI USA. The outcome was a high end knife in the Limited Edition 0454, mid range knives in the 0452CF and 0450 as well as budget conscious models like the Kershaw Nura.

Buy the CFK Decepticon 2 at BladeHQ

The KAI collaboration has resulted in wider exposure and greater accessibility to Russian designs outside of Shirogorov, who were previously the go to brand. The issue with enjoying a Shirogorov has always been the initial price point and/or inflated after market cost, partly due to available knives and a near monopoly on their distribution in North America. While somewhat inaccessible, the popularity of Shirogorov has opened up a wider market for other Russian designers and manufacturers. At the same time, the KAI collaboration put similar designs into more peoples hands.

Enter Custom Knife Factory. Custom Knife Factory is a relatively young manufacturer headed by Mikhail “Mike” Kulygin. The aim of the brand is to work with some of the “newer” talent on the Russian Knife scene. I quote ‘newer’ as some of these designer/makers have been around for quite some time. It’s just that they are only coming into our popular North American knife culture as of late. One such designer is Alexey Konygin the creative mind and craftsman behind the knife in this review. I personally have been very interested in Alexey’s designs after seeing a video of a custom Decepticon “1” on YouTube in 2012. Impressively 2011 is when the designer came onto the scene, hitting the ground running with his original offerings. Three years and a new iteration later, I’m very happy to present a review of the Konygin/CKF Decepticon 2.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Decepticon 2 is a large folder, produced in a limited run of 300 natural-finish titanium handle versions. The over all dimensions are 9.69” with a substantial 4.33” blade and weight of 6.06 oz. It’s difficult to perceive the size of the knife based on the numbers alone, it’s best to hold one to get the idea. The designer has stated a liking for big knives and this certainly fits the bill. Despite its size, it actually feels quite light in hand due to the handle’s structure.

The blade is made from Crucible’s S35VN, a widely used powder metal “super steel”. It is considered an upgrade to S30V through the addition of Niobium and has pretty much taken its predecessors place in mid to high end folders. Overall, this stainless has great edge retention and toughness, yet is still fairly easy to maintain.

The profile is a stylish modified drop point. A high flat grind adequately reduces the .156” stock at which point it receives a secondary edge bevel. The spine has a slight concave curve for thumb placement which changes direction mid-spine, arcing downward to meet the belly at a fine tip. The upper portion of the blade is detailed with a stylized thumb hole that is accented by a deep swedge grind and line milled into the upper corner of the opening. Visually, the line here continues up to a small thumb ramp that has a row of fine jimping. The blade has a light stone wash finish and is kept clean of markings except for text indicating the steel type. To help with sharpening, there is a good sized choil allowing you to work the edge right to the heel.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is constructed of sculpted slabs that stack together integrating to define the Decepticon’s distinct aesthetic. The two inner parts of the frame include all of the key mechanical components, like the lock and a channel for the stop pin. The outer scales add more width for a full feeling grip while their cutouts create counterpoints with the inner, latticed frame. At each end, the layers shear off at contrasting angles adding another interesting aspect to the multi-faceted design. Although the shapes appear to have several hard angles, the overall profile, coupled with some nice chamfering makes for a surprisingly comfortable grip. The only exception to this for me, is the end of the clip which can feel sharp if you hit it the wrong way.

While on the topic of the clip, it works well with a good amount of tension. It blends into the rest of the design and has been nicely machined. As another feature, the partial back-spacer raises away from the frame creating a spot for a lanyard. The back-spacer is marked with the knife’s unique serial number, this one being #67 of 300. The CKF logo also appears etched on one of the exposed surfaces of the liner.

Deployment and Lockup

While there is the thumb hole, the Decepticon 2’s main deployment method is its flipper. As with most details of the knife it is also embellished with a cutout. Functionally it works well, snapping the substantial blade into place with a push or pull, equally well.

The lock up is very solid with good tension allowing it to seat and disengage easily. The end of the lock arm has a steel insert with a similar configuration to Zero Tolerance’s knives in that the part also includes the detent. To help comfortably unlock the knife and to provide easier access to the lock arm, the inside of the scales are chamfered. The mechanism travels on thrust bearings for smoothness and lateral stability. Everything is held in place by an over-sized custom pivot.

Custom Knife Factory Decepticon 2 Review – Final Thoughts

Although individual taste will vary, it is undeniable that the Decepticon designs are unique. If looking at it objectively, all of the key functional components are there. The blade is useful, handle comfortable, lock strong and materials premium. More impressively the design does this while visually setting itself apart from anything else currently out there.

I think that the name might be a little confusing when approaching this design because of it’s association to the movie franchise. Michael Bay might narrow the market appeal. As a note, Konygin named the knife after designing it and has stated that it was not inspired by the movies…

Personally I really enjoy this iteration and production of the Decepticon. It has achieved a delicate balance of generous embellishment without looking gaudy or ostentatious. I would equate this to the approach of creating shapes and lines by removing stock, instead of piling on extra details, like moku-ti or engraving. It clearly shows off a creative, innovative liner lock assembly with an intelligent utilization of modern methods and materials.

I especially appreciate how well thought out the lines and shapes are on this design. Alexey Konygin has paid great attention to the interaction of all the elements when the knife is both open and closed. From a manufacturing perspective the knife is very well made with a top end fit and finish. I’m looking forward to seeing more CKF collaborations and Konygin designs in the future. I’m sure that these collaborations will help quench the healthy thirst for more Russian designs.

CKF Decepticon 2
From: BladeHQ

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Custom Knife Factory Decepticon 2 at BladeHQ. The knife is no longer in production, but BladeHQ offers plenty of CKF knives, including the Decepticon 4. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website, including Amazon.com, helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Photo Credits: Andrew Gene

Rockstead RYO Review

by Andrew Gene 2 Comments

The RYO is the latest folder from Rockstead, coming after their futuristic SHUN collaboration that was the work of Belorussian designer Dmitry Sinkevich. The SHUN was a tangent from the company’s previous aesthetic sensibilities, carrying much more futuristic lines in a larger form factor. Rockstead’s unmistakable mirrored blade grind and stylized fuller aside, the knife was definitely something more akin to other Sinkevich designs like the ZT 0452CF or his Shirogorov collaborations.

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The RYO design is a redirect back toward Rockstead’s other models, with a distinctly Japanese look that draws inspiration from an iconic friction folder. While most models reflect sword patterns, the RYO references the Higonokami (Higo for short) resulting in something similar to a modified wharncliffe, in Western cutlery terms. The blade shape is paired with an undulating handle texture reminiscent of waves, or in this case maybe black raku ceramics or “Japan Black” lacquerware. The name RYO translates to “good”. From my research it can be used to describe something of superior quality or character and is also used as a persons name.

As a side note, it might have been appropriate to call the RYO the HIGO however, Rockstead already has a knife named that. Although claiming the name, the model carries it in spirit only, and does not share a similarity in blade style.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Although the Rockstead RYO has a foot in the past, it’s clearly a modern knife showing off a finished product that is only possible through a combination of modern machining and the latest high-tech materials. The over-all length measures 7.716” (196mm) with a 3.125″ (79mm) blade, and a weight of 4.37 oz (124 g).

New to the folding knife collection, the RYO has a “concealable” clip design. We are also seeing a titanium handle, rather than the Duraluminum that’s has been used in the past. This isn’t that surprising as most of the newer, all metal handles (as seen in the SAI and SHUN) are full Titanium.

The 3.15” (80 mm) blade is made from one of Hitachi Metal’s flagship cutlery steels, ZDP-189. ZDP-189 boasts rather extreme specifications with a chromium content at 20%, nearly double the 10.5% needed to consider it a stainless, and a carbon content of 3%, just over four times the 0.7% needed to be classified as “high carbon”. The full specifications are as follows:

Carbon	Chromium	Molybdenum	Tungsten	Vanadium
3.00	20.00	1.50	1.50	0.10

Such impressive specifications are reached through a powder metal technology which helps to avoid the uneven (segregated) carbide micro-structure caused by cooling steel into a traditional ingot. During the process, molten alloy is pushed through a nozzle where it meets a high pressure stream of air. At contact with the compressed air, the molten metal rapidly solidifies creating a tiny, near-to segregation free, sphere-like particle. Because the cooling is so fast, the component elements are fixed in place with a more even micro-structure. The powdered batch is then mixed and sealed into inert-environment containers to avoid unwanted reactions. Finally it’s Hot Isostatically Pressed (HIP), trapping all of the ideal properties, evenly into place.

With such generous levels of elements that make for a high-performance steel, ZDP-189 is able to reach an incredible finished hardness and take an equally impressive edge. Rockstead measures each piece and the small dimple left from measurement is proudly displayed on the blades ricasso. The hardness of this particular RYO measures 67 RC.

While seemingly the end goal for a steel, the result does compromise other desirable attributes. The first is accessibility. Using ZDP-189 and finishing it to these standards increases cost. Secondly, such a high hardness makes the steel more brittle since it lacks any real ductility, limiting application to lighter duties.

This steel is chosen to support the grind, and as on all other Rockstead knives, the grind is nothing short of amazing. Rockstead defines the convex, zero geometry as Hon-zukuri which is traditionally reserved to describe sword patterns. The meaning loosely translates to “base style” and is Rockstead’s go to configuration. On other models they also offer flat grinds that include a secondary bevel as seen on the TEI-S DLC.

I’ve had the opportunity to handle three Rockstead knives and the mirrored finish is perfectly executed on all, only showing distortion from the curvature of the convex shape or on the compound angles that radius the belly of the blades. Because the mirrored finish runs right to the edge, the cutting performance is outstanding with a sharpness that seems to pass effortlessly while in use. This is partly because the blades are pretty much perfectly symmetrical and there isn’t any tooth to the edge that can catch on the material you’re cutting. While pretty legendary for a knife; as mentioned before the edge is fragile and it will micro-chip under normal use. This is where questions of practicality comes into play. Your flawless blade can be maintained – if you use Rockstead’s paid sharpening service. Otherwise you can do the job yourself at the expense of the perfect finishing.

As for the profile, the Higonokami-like pattern is very useful. The slightly curved edge is excellent for everyday tasks while the tip excels at fine work over something like a drop-point. For detailing Rockstead’s stylized fuller gives the blade an animated, vigilant stare while the media blasted flats provide a contrast that intensifies the polished grind.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The fully sculpted “3D machined” handle of the knife is very comfortable. The inner edge has a series of shallow finger grooves that conform to your hand nicely. At 4.566” in length you get a full grip for average sized hands. The area of use is extended by a deep choil that meets a curve toward the front of the handle, allowing you to choke up for more control. Added grip and tactile feedback is helped along by jimping on the clip’s back and a double row of jimping along the handle’s spine that’s continued by a run onto the blade’s thumb pad. There’s also a small swatch on the choil so you know exactly where you’re at when your finger is near the heel of the edge. Jimping mission accomplished.

The cross cut ridges add a significant dress factor to the polished handle, catching the light and defining the overall form. As you hold the knife in your hand, highlights roll across the surface giving the grip a jewel-like appearance that’s amplified by the dark, glassy DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating. The same reflective qualities that give the handle its presence also create some challenges. With so many surfaces and such a tricky polish, any small marks or areas of unevenness during the process tend to be exaggerated by the DLC and under very close inspection, some are visible. This can only really be observed when the knife is spotlessly cleaned up and under good light as was the case when producing the video overview. Also, it’s an epic finger print magnet. From one perspective I’d like to see the handle as immaculately rendered as the blade and from the other I appreciate the ambition.

An area where I definitely feel the handle could be improved however, is weight. Milled out pockets on the inner scales could trim fat from the 4.37 oz. While this won’t bother some and others will equate weight with value, I prefer a lighter folder, and sub 4 oz would feel better with this smaller form factor.

For deployment there are two ambidextrous thumb-studs. While polished, they have a conical shape that narrows at the base, sit high and are exposed by a handle cut-out so you can easily and repeatably use them.

When opened the blade is held solidly by a button lock. Most button locks I’ve handled have a small tick of movement that eventually settles in, and this seems to be the case with the RYO. As of now, after handling the knife for some time, the lock-up feels totally solid and without play. Although seating confidently under significant spring tension, the action is smooth and without stickiness. When unlocking, the polished button head feels good under your thumb.

Normally, a button lock’s plunger serves double duty and is also used to hold the blade closed. In many cases the tension in the closed position is light allowing the blade to more easily fall out of the stowed position than something like a liner or frame lock. With the RYO, Rockstead has smartly added a separate detent that holds the blade closed, so the tension can be dialed in independently. As a small gripe, I’m not overly fond of the high pitch click the knife makes when overcoming the detent, but in a luxury item I tend to split hairs. Regardless of any criticism, the sum of parts of this button lock equals one the nicest I’ve handled to date.

Rounding out the details there is what Rockstead calls their “concealable” pocket clip. This is primarily an ergonomic feature so you don’t feel the clip when cutting. The integration is nicely executed and works visually when the knife is both open and closed. To reveal the clip, you manually push on its end which sits slightly proud when hidden. Although the small tab is visible, you don’t really feel it under normal use. The clip sits on a larger base that supports it, for a smooth yet robust feeling action. Because the clip is oriented to the back of the handle, its attachment point is best at your pocket seam (as opposed to along the opening) and works better with thinner fabrics. The fact that the clip is machined rather than stamped and bent, makes for a strong tension and, because of the orientation, the knife can twist to the side with thicker materials. I guess this isn’t really a jogging pants type of knife anyway.

Apparently this concealable clip design infringes on a patent filed by knife maker Joseph Caswell, who has a design called the EDX with a clip that automatically changes position with the action of opening and closing the blade. As such Rockstead has had to license in order to stay above board. As an additional carry option there is a lanyard hole that is discretely milled into the pommel.

Rockstead RYO Review – Final Thoughts

From the material choices through to the finished functional design, Rockstead personifies the ethic of Japanese bladesmithing. An approach where there is a thirst for the best technology and materials while still respectfully integrating knowledge and concepts from the past in balanced measure. Rockstead’s ability to harmoniously combine historic patterns with contemporary features is unique to the brand. While costly, these knives are truly distinct, no small feat in a market that is increasingly more saturated. The RYO is certainly “good”.

Rockstead Higo
From: BladeHQ

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

It is with tremendous pride that I get to share the news that Andrew Gene has allowed me to republish his articles from EdgeObserver here on BladeReviews. We will be rolling them out slowly over the coming months.

Those who have pursued their passion for knives on the internet for any extended period of time won’t need an introduction to Andrew, but for the uninitiated he is the polymath behind the EdgeObserver, a website that celebrated knives by showcasing them with gorgeous high definition video and photography. Andrew retired the EdgeObserver earlier this year, but some of his articles and photography will get to live on here. Check out his website and follow him on Instagram to stay on top of his latest projects.

Benchmade Anthem 781 Review

by Aaron Shapiro 3 Comments

There was a time when Benchmade was kinda the sleepy “Gunshop Knife Brand.” There’d always be a few dusty Griptillians sitting in the case next to the preowned Glocks, and while the Grips might be fantastic value-props, they a bit vanilla-icecream-y if you get my meaning.

Buy the Benchmade Anthem at BladeHQ

However, something has been changing in the last few years. I don’t know if someone put some sriracha on the break table over there in Oregon City, or what, but something has injected some pep into their design team. Introducing the Anthem 781, Benchmade’s first Integral Titanium folding knife. There are lots to say about this one, but before I get too deep let’s go over some specs:

(Please note these measurements are according to my ruler and calipers, manufacturer’s listed measurements may vary.)

Blade Length: 3.25” of cutting edge, 3.375
Overall Length: 8.125”
Thickness: .585” with clip, .421 handle only
Blade Thickness: .115”
Steel: 20CV
Weight: 3.7oz
Lock: The famed Axis Lock
Country of Origin: USA

Blade Details

With a knife like the Anthem, I believe that it’s intended to be a daily carry type piece. It’s not overly large, doesn’t have any sort of complicated aspect to it, and the functional bits are designed to be, well, functional.

The blade is a great example of this: drop pointed shaped with a rounded (or crowned) spine. Eyeballing it, I’d guess that it’s flat ground but I suppose it could be a shallow hollow grind as well; either way, it’s a great slicer. It came out of the box with a very nice, toothy, utility edge and I didn’t feel the need to change this on my wicked edge. In the couple of weeks that I’ve been carrying it I have had occasion to break down boxes, slice up food, and perform just daily “knife-stuff” tasks with it, nothing crazy, no batoning or zombie apocalypse type stuff, but in terms of daily EDC tasks, it excelled.

In terms of the steel, I will briefly comment on it: Benchmade chose 20CV for this blade, and I believe that to be an excellent choice for a knife like this. 20CV is a high toughness and corrosion resistance steel, that hardens to around 62HRC. I have no means testing to see if my knife is in that range, but I can tell you that it’s performed beautifully and has been easily maintained on a strop. 20CV is very similar to M390 (one of my favorite steels) and I have been really pleased with it in this application.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Ah yes… The INTEGRAL handle. This is really what makes this knife stand out, isn’t it? This is the first Integral from Benchmade. For those of you not familiar with the term: Integral means that the handle of this knife is milled out of a single block of Titanium as opposed to two that are screwed together. There aren’t any screws holding the knife handle together. In the past, this level of knife making was reserved to custom makers that had a lot of time on their hands (it takes a while to mill a channel out of a block of Ti) but recently a few companies have started incorporating integrals into their lineup.

One of the interesting things about Benchmade’s execution of the integral handle is how they incorporated the axis lock into it. When you look at the spine of the knife (the money shot of any integral) you’ll see two screws hidden in the decorative milling, these hold the locking method in place.

In the hand the first thing that came to mind for me was how thin the knife is; It carries very well in the pocket and feels great in hand. The handle itself is trim in both dimensions thickness and height, but there is a sort of faux-choil towards the blade that locks the hand in securely when holding the knife open. Otherwise, the milled texture gives you a little bit of grip on what would otherwise be a pretty slick knife.

The pocket clip is an ambidextrous milled Ti clip that is more than a little phallic, but it is also very functional. There are several makers out there that are offering custom clips made from Moku-Ti so if you want something different there are options for you. The knife carries well with approx 1/2” sticking out of the pocket, offering a perfect grip to withdraw it.

Deployment and Lockup

The blade on the Anthem opens by way of ambidextrous thumb studs. The blade deploys easily thanks in part to bearings washers. The action is smooth and easy.

For lockup, the Anthem comes equipped with Benchmade’s Axis lock. I’m not sure there’s much to say about the Axis lock that hasn’t already been said. It’s an incredibly solid lock mechanism that isn’t prone to lock rock, doesn’t really suffer from failures in the way a liner or frame lock might, and it is completely ambidextrous to use. The execution of the Axis lock is worth noting on the Anthem, there’s a block screwed to the spine of the knife that acts as the anchor point for the axis lock mechanism.

Benchmade Anthem Review – Final Thoughts

So to wrap all this up…the Benchmade 781 Anthem is a great step forward for Benchmade knives. I think it shows a focus shift on Benchmade’s part too, hopefully, starting to produce some higher-end knives. I am also very pleased to see their adoption of some different steels. I love CPM154 and S30V, but it’s good to have some variety. Between the 20CV here and the S90 in the 940-1, it’s been refreshing.

Now, the caveat to this entire review: This is an expensive knife. MSRP is around $500, with retail landing closer to $425 on BladeHQ and Amazon. Competitively, this puts you in the ballpark of a Chris Reeve, or above the ballpark of some really nice Zero Tolerances, but what you’re paying for here is the time and difficulty in making the handle. It’s a remarkable feat, but you have to decide if it’s worth it to you, for me it was too cool to pass up. The nice thing, however, is that you won’t be getting a gimmicky integral for that price—you’re going to be putting a knife that will make a great daily carry in your pocket.

Benchmade - Anthem 781 Knife, Plain Drop-Point

List Price: $425.00

Current Price: $425.00

Price Disclaimer

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Anthem at BladeHQ or Amazon. 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.

DPx Gear HEST/F Urban Review

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

DPx Gear has been at it for a while now. They caught everyone’s attention with the original HEST fixed blade knife in 2008. Their first folder was the HEST/F, a knife I reviewed back in 2012. It was promising in a lot of ways, but ultimately a sticky lock and ponderous footprint kept it from being a truly covetable piece of urban EDC gear in my book.

Buy the DPx Gear HEST/F Urban at BladeHQ

Since then we’ve reviewed a couple other DPx Gear folders, including the elegant Aculus and the cherry bomb proportioned HEAT/F. Both were beautifully made Italian knives. The HEST/F Urban is different from the other folders in that it is their first folder 100% made in the USA. Some may remember that DPx ran a Kickstarter campaign for this knife back in 2015. The Kickstarter campaign was a success, and the knife has since made it’s way into production.

Robert Young Pelton himself reached out to ask if I would review a HEST/F Urban, and this knife was provided to me by DPx Gear for review. All thoughts on this knife are my own.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Urban has an overall length of 6.75″, a 2.875″ blade, and weighs 4.27 ounces. The knife is made in the USA. As the name suggests, this is a smaller folder designed for urban or suburban Every Day Carry (EDC). DPx Gear has made some big and interesting stuff over the years, including their HEFT 12 Chopper, so to see them move towards a true urban daily carry knife is interesting.

Here is a size comparison with the Urban next to my Spyderco Sage 1:

The HEST/F Urban features the same signature blade profile of their entire HEST series. It’s a drop point with a big sweeping belly, that tapers upwards towards the tip. The shape reminds me of the profile of a boat. The integrated cap lifter / wave feature is another novel aspect of the blade and a signature RYP design element. I’ll discuss the functional aspects of that further in the “deployment” section of the review.

The blade is ground from over 4mm thick stock. It’s substantial for a small folder like this, but the high flat grind gives the knife decent slicing performance. I found the Urban to be very capable with cardboard working through several thick cardboard boxes that I encountered in my latest round of work with my rental property.

The blade was extremely keen out of the box, and edge retention was excellent. The thick stock and partial flat grind means it won’t slice an apple like a traditional folder, but the knife will get the job done, and there are plenty of practical touches. The stonewashed finish on the blade hides wear and matches the hardware. There is a sharpening choil. And the edge has been evenly applied, a detail I always consider, as it can be a good indicator of quality control.

In 2015 the Urban was originally offered in S30V blade steel. These days the Urban has been upgraded to S35VN. I’ve reviewed dozens of knives in S35VN at this point. Although it may not be the most exotic choice of blade steel, S35VN is excellent stuff and was a good choice for the Urban. This is a proven steel that holds a good edge, sharpens easily, exhibits high corrosion resistance, and is reasonably tough which means it will not chip out easily. S35VN is a great all round high performance blade steel.

I find that if you don’t completely dull the knife, then all you need to do to maintain a hair shaving edge is run the knife along the fine stones of the Spyderco Sharpmaker. Those fine stones are all you need to keep a razor edge on this knife.

Handle, Ergonomics and Pocket Clip

The handle of the Urban is comprised of two thick titanium slabs and a black hard anodized partial aluminum backspacer. The handle has been beautifully executed. Fit and finish is top notch. The titanium handle slabs have been chamferred and left with a bead blasted finish. The silver hardware and all the pieces are perfectly flush. There is a decorative oversize pivot. Everything exudes a level of quality that you would expect from a knife at this price point.

The Urban is a small knife, but the spare design gives you plenty of room for a full 4 finger grip, and the thick build fills the hand. I found the Urban to be both a comfortable and capable work knife.

My only gripe with the ergonomics relates to the “wire stripping jimping”. Specifically, the biggest jimp farthest away from the tip of the blade. I find that to be too grabby for my tastes and would prefer either a smaller jimp, or more traditional toothed jimping. I levied this same criticism against the original HEST/F. While I understand that the Urban is designed to have a few multi-tool features integrated into the design, I’m still not sold on the wire stripping jimping.

The Urban features a reversible tip up deep carry pocket clip. The clip has excellent spring strength, and it buries the knife into your pocket. While the knife is relatively thick and over 4 ounces, I don’t notice it during carry thanks to the small footprint and the excellent clip. The knife stays in place and out of the way until you need it. That is exactly how I like my folding knives to carry.

Deployment and Lockup

The Urban is interesting because it is a bearing equipped folder with thumb studs or a wave opener. As a lefty I find the thumb studs to be a little tight as there is not as much room to access the stud on the locking side of the knife, but there is plenty of room on the right side and once you get placement on the thumb stud the blade almost explodes open thanks to the strong detent and bearings.

The bottle opener on the blade doubles as a wave opener. It’s an easy knife to wave off your pocket. Additionally you can use this as another spot to flick the blade open in addition to the thumb studs. The bearings are smooth to the point where you can easily shake the blade closed.

For lock up DPx Gear went with a titanium framelock reinforced with a steel lock bar insert. The steel insert doubles as an over-travel stop, but it also fixes the sticky lock issue that plagued the original HEST/F. Lockup is early. Around 40% of the lock face engages with the blade. Lockup is also secure. There is not a shadow of blade play in this knife. It’s rock solid.

Here is another size comparison with the ZT 0454CF:

I think DPx Gear nailed the lockup and deployment section. The knife rivals any Zero Tolerance folder I’ve handled. I think ZT is a good benchmark as their knives are consistently good. I think at some point DPx will need to use this OEM to build them a flipper of some sort.

Blade centering is perfect on my knife.

DPx Gear Urban Review – Final Thoughts

Hands down this is the best DPx Gear folder I’ve handled to date. I think they took all the lessons learned from their prior designs and built on those lessons to develop the Urban. I also think that the choice to work with a US based manufacturer is a good one. I like Lionsteel knives, but was never a big fan of the original HEST/F and the way it was built or the rotolock. This Urban is simply a better knife with its bearings and stainless steel lockbar insert. The rest of the knife has been beautifully built. The parts line up perfectly. The machining is crisp and clean. The finish work is superb.

For constructive criticism my biggest gripe is probably that one section of wire stripper jimping. It’s a little too sharp and toothy for me. But in practice I didn’t find that to be a deal breaker as I didn’t notice the jimping much when I actually cut things. Beyond that I don’t think I would change anything on this knife.

If you are a fan of sturdy little full titanium knives, knives like the Spyderco Techno, then I think you are going to enjoy this one. It’s nicely built, performs admirably, and is entirely unique. It’s not inexpensive, and the full titanium version here will set you back about as much as a Small Sebenza, but I think the quality is comparable. Additionally, DPx Gear offers a version of the Urban with a G10 scale that is around $200 and weighs about 3.6 ounces. At that price and with a near 1 ounce weight reduction, I think that is a highly competitive offering.

DPx HEST/F DPHSF027 Urban Ti First Run Limited Edition Folding Knife

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I recommend purchasing the DPx Gear Urban 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.

Benchmade Proxy Review

by Dan Jackson Leave a Comment

Warren Osborne is one of the most recognized names in knife making. While he was an extremely talented custom maker, a large part of his renown is due to a series of high profile collaborations with Benchmade. The 940 is one of the most notable collabs, but Warren Osborne is also known for designing the Rift and Barrage, among others.

Buy the Benchmade Proxy at BladeHQ

Warren Osborn passed away in 2016, after a long a long struggle with a cancer. The Benchmade Proxy was his final collaboration with Benchmade. I happen to think it was an interesting design. Benchmade has only recently gotten into flippers, and this Proxy is one of their takes on a titanium framelock flipper. As Warren’s last collaboration with Benchmade I knew it was something I needed to get my hands on.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Benchmade Proxy has an overall length of 8.85″, a 3.87″ blade, weighs 4.86 ounces, and is made in the USA. This is a substantial knife. A bit too much for me to carry on a daily basis, but I’m sure it will make a fine EDC for those that like larger knives. At under 5 ounces, it’s plenty light and pocketable for a near 4″ bladed folder.

The Proxy features a long sloping drop point blade. It kind of reminds me of the head of a shark. For whatever that is worth. It’s a strong blade cut from near 4mm thick stock. The knife has a high flat grind and has been left thin behind the edge. It’s fine for cutting boxes or fruit, and I suspect it would hold up under tougher chores as well. The tip is placed low on the knife. That shortens the belly but makes it good at stabbing things. Benchmade went with what appears to be a matte satin finish. It’s a utilitarian finish that hides wear well.

The most prominent feature on the blade is the oversized sharpening choil. That makes it easy to sharpen, but you lose some edge, and if you aren’t careful material you are wanting to cut can get caught up in the large choil.

Benchmade selected CPM-20CV for the Proxy’s blade steel. This is the same steel my G-10 Griptilian came in, and now that I’ve owned that knife for almost 2 years, I have a little experience with it. Manufactured by Crucible Industries, CPM-20CV is advertised as a steel with high corrosion resistance and wear resistance, and good toughness. Chemically it is similar to M390, which is an excellent steel. CPM-20CV has an extremely high chromium content, which results in its corrosion resistant qualities.

In practice I have found that CPM-20CV performs admirably. It exhibits a nice balance of edge retention and sharpenability, while exhibiting excellent rust and corrosion resistance. To be compared with M390 places it in excellent company, and I consider CPM-20CV to be top tier blade steel. A great choice for a high end folding knife.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Benchmade Proxy features a titanium frame lock mated to a one piece G-10 backspacer and handle scale. Everything is held together with torx fasteners. It’s kind of an odd combination between the light brown G-10, the sandblasted titanium, the satin hardware and the mirror polished clip. The varying textures and angular design almost make the Proxy feel like a small piece of modern art. The build quality is excellent. Tolerances are tight, the parts line up, and the 3-D machining on the handles is excellent.

I also like the omission of the lanyard hole. I’m not a big lanyard guy, but you see them on pretty much every knife. It’s refreshing to get something without a lanyard hole. While that is bound to piss some people off, personally I don’t miss it.

The Proxy is a large and comfortable knife. It’s got a big simple handle, so it will conform to most hand sizes. There is little in the way of texture on the knife, but still my fingers fall naturally in place. Warren did design a forward finger choil, and that feature allows you to choke up on the blade and get close to what you are cutting. You can also choke back on this handle, providing you a couple inches of additional reach. Potentially useful if you have to do some light chopping or use the Proxy in a “tactical” application.

The pocket clip is Benchmade’s split arrow clip, buffed up to a high shine. While I generally like the split arrow clip, I’m not a huge fan of the shiny version shown here. It’s kind of loud and it doesn’t match the rest of the knife. It feels out of place, although I’m not sure what I would have put instead of this clip. I probably would have reconsidered the entire hardware selection, finishes, and color choice.

The Proxy carries well considering it’s almost a 9″ folding knife. The sturdy split arrow clip, and bead blasted titanium handle work together to provide good traction without tearing up your pocket. At .5″ thick the Proxy is not the thinnest knife, but it’s not the thickest either. Benchmade milled out some large grooves to make it a little slimmer and more pocketable. All said, I think the Proxy is not a bad knife to carry.

Deployment and Lockup

This is a bearing equipped titanium framelock flipper. I haven’t reviewed a Benchmade framelock flipper before, so this is new territory for me. In practice it flips great. I’d say it scores a solid “7” on my 0-10 scale. Maybe a little behind the action you would find on a Zero Tolerance flipper, but not by much. It’s snappy and responsive action and the bearings are smooth. So smooth you can shake the blade closed. Nice.

The titanium frame lock is reinforced with a stainless steel insert. The insert does not double as an over travel stop mechanism, a feature I’ve come to find standard on most flippers from ZT, Spyderco, and Kizer. That said, the lockup on this knife is early, and free of any sort of play. It’s rock solid.

Here is a shot of the Proxy next to my Strider SnG. I chose the SnG because the Proxy borrows the integral G-10 handle / backspacer.

Blade centering is pretty good on my knife. Not perfect. It favors the G-10 side by a mm or so, but is nowhere near rubbing.

Benchmade Proxy Review – Final Thoughts

The Proxy is a curious knife. Warren Osborne made a name for himself providing unique designs, and I think the Proxy continues that legacy. Individually, there are number of seemingly dissimilar components. Added up they all come together. Sorta. Part of me can’t help but feel that this blade was put together with leftovers from Benchmade’s parts bin, but other parts of me appreciate the simple design. The knife is nicely made and is both comfortable to use and a capable cutter. It’s a great work knife.

While it may not be to everyone’s taste, I think the Proxy is a good knife. I appreciate the Proxy and I appreciate Warren Osborne for his contributions to the knife world. I can safely recommend the Proxy for fans of Warren and fans of this design.

Benchmade - Proxy 928, Plain Drop-Point

List Price: $230.00

Current Price: $289.00

Price Disclaimer

I recommend purchasing the Benchmade Proxy 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.