titanium

Reate T4000 Review

Whenever there’s the thinnest excuse to use a pocket knife, I do so. Over the last month of carrying the Reate T4000 nearly every day, I’ve noticed that when I open it up in public to do any of the small innocuous things I use a knife for, I’ve seen people’s eyes light up with…not terror, but a distinct “What the hell is that?” look mixed with a tingle of atavistic fear.

Buy the Reate T4000 at BladeHQ or GPKnives

It looks like a large double edged dagger- which, to the subconscious mind of most people, looks like what the ruling classes have been using to kill people with for the last four thousand years, and/or what everybody gets stabbed with in Game Of Thrones. I have two friends who are into knives on almost the same nerdy level that I am, and even their first responses were “Whoa!”

The instant I saw the T4000, I knew I wanted it simply for the fear/thrill reaction it gave me. But when writing a knife review, I always try to determine the knife’s intended purpose. In this case, it’s easy: when Reate Knives began teasing the T4000 in July 2018, BladeReviews.com’s own Ben Schwartz wrote an article about it for KnifeNews.com. Here’s what the designer of the knife, Tashi Bharucha, had to say about it:

[It] does not pretend to be anything other than a stabbing pocket sword.

It’s intended purpose is to be a stabbing pocket sword? Sign me the fuck up!

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Reate Knives T4000 is part of a four-knife series, all designed by French knife auteur Tashi Bharucha. At the time of writing, only the smallest of the four, the T2500 and the T4000 have been released. The naming convention reflects the length of the blades in inches- the T2500 is 2.5” long, the T4000 is 4”, etc. The T3000 and T3500 have yet to be released.

I find it curious that a French designer and a Chinese knife manufacturer are using the antiquated Imperial measurement system for the names of these knives- I’m going to assume their target market is ‘Merica. I don’t know if the pricing scheme is also related to the blade length, but the T4000 cost me $400 USD. I suppose that’s a bargain compared to Tashi Bharucha’s custom, handmade knives, which cost at least $1,000. Even though I’m a big fan of his work, I’m not going to spend over a thousand bucks on something I can’t drive, ride, or shoot.

It comes with a bunch of nice, unnecessary stuff like a Reate Knives Zipper pouch, a cleaning cloth, a microfiber knife bag, a velcro embroidered “Reate” patch, and extra handle screws, which are actually a really nice touch.

There are three handle choices: Titanium with inlaid carbon fiber, inlaid brown canvas Micarta, or inlaid green canvas Micarta, which is what I bought. It’s an unusually large and heavy folder, even bigger in every respect than my collection’s previous champion of unnecessary size and weight, the Microtech Sigil MK6.

The T4000 weighs 5.3 oz (150 g), is 8.86” (225 mm) long when open, 4.92” long (125 mm) closed, and 1.75” (44 mm) tall when open or closed. Some knives disappear into your pocket- this definitely doesn’t. It’s not particularly thick though, at .68” (17.2 mm) at it’s widest point, pocket clip included.

The blade steel is Bohler M390, which is considered a “super steel” due to it’s extreme hardness and corrosion resistance. I’ve been reading up on blade steel, and want to give a shout out to knifesteelnerds.com for a lot of in-depth articles that a non-scientist like myself can understand. What I’ve learned about M390 is that it’s high hardness resists edge deformation, which keeps it sharp. The trade-off for high hardness is a reduction in toughness, which is basically resistance to chipping. A lot of these hardness/toughness qualities seem to be imparted into the blade during the manufacturing process known as heat treating. My limited understanding of heat treating boils down to this: you heat up the unfinished steel blade to get the individual molecules to bond together in a very specific way, then remove the blade from the heat to lock in the molecular structure.

Most knife manufacturers guard their heat treating methods as proprietary secrets, but Reate Knives has made this little nugget known: after the heat treating is complete, they use a technique called “freeze edging skill.” This process cools the blade while the cutting edge is being ground, so that the friction-induced heat of grinding doesn’t undo the specific molecular structure from it’s heat treating. It may just be marketing hype, but it makes sense to me.

I was recently talking to a guy who is several orders of magnitude higher than me on the Blade Steel Nerdiness spectrum, and he gave me an earful about how modern super steels like M390 are too brittle, and he prefers softer, “tougher” steel like VG10 or 154CM which are easier to sharpen. I totally get it because he’s way into sharpness- he sharpens his daily carry Sebenza with a leather strop every day whether he’s used it or not. Personally, I have a bunch of nice pocket knives that I carry and use, and I wait until they’re good and dull before I sharpen them. I would rather have a knife with a crazy hard edge that I can use longer between sharpenings. In a month of light duty cutting, I’ve barely dulled the edge of my T4000, so Reate’s M390 is working great for me.

The blade is surprisingly slim for such a big knife. It has a thin hollow grind with a decorative fuller, which briefly flares the blade’s maximum width to 3.8 mm in the center. I looked up a ton of information about blade fullers for this review, but it’s far too boring to include here.

Suffice it to say that fullers are basically for structural reinforcement on long blades and are not “blood grooves.” The T4000’s standout feature is it’s aggressive symmetrical dagger shape, but the top of the blade, which is exposed when the knife is closed, has a 1.1 mm thick unsharpened edge.

This knife has excelled at my usual mundane tasks of box and bag opening and loose thread cutting, but I like trying new things, and I’ve never used a dagger for food prep before. I stabbed and slashed and hacked my way through tomatoes, onions, artichokes, sausages, etc. My experience using the T4000 in the kitchen was pretty much like with every other pocket knife I’ve used in this capacity- I couldn’t dice anything like with a chef’s knife because my knuckles would hit the cutting board before the blade would. It’s thin blade slices well, and the fuller seemed to keep food from sticking to the side of the blade. The false edge on the top of the blade is wide enough to push down on for some extra leverage.

Other uses for the T4000’s false edge are:

Opening mail- the false edge opens envelopes perfectly without dulling the sharpened side.
Removing staples- slip the tip of the blade under the staple and twist towards the unsharpened side.
Pretending to slash my wrist- I’ve absolutely horrified several people.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

On the T4000, designer Tashi Bharucha used a variation of his signature handle shape. From an aesthetic standpoint I love it, but I find it’s ergonomics often make the knife difficult to use. The problem, in my opinion, is how far back my hand is from the blade’s tip. There’s no place on the handle to choke up and gain the mechanical advantage of having my hand closer to the tip of the blade.

That being said, I don’t really care, because I don’t buy his knives for the ergonomics. I would never classify myself as a “fanboy” because first of all I’m not a boy, I’m a goddamn man, but Tashi’s design style really speaks to me, and I now own five of his production knives.

The handle ergonomics on three of the others are similar to the T4000, with the exception being the Massdrop-produced Prism (far left in photo), which cleverly exchanges some sharpened blade length for the ability to choke up on the handle. The Tashi B./Reate Knives Baby Machine (not pictured) knife has a similar ergonomically friendly shape.

The T4000’s handle is made of two pieces of titanium and one piece of green canvas Micarta. This is my first knife utilizing Micarta, and I was dismayed that after a month of sweat and cooking oil and dirty hands, the Micarta’s color has permanently changed from light green to a darker olive drab. It’s somewhat grippy texture is unchanged. The mating of the Micarta into the handle is so precise I can see where the inlaid Micarta meets the titanium, but I can’t feel the seam.

Reate’s fit and finish on this knife are superb. Every angle machined into the handle looks sharp but feels smooth. The T4000’s shape is just so weirdly aggressive that I can’t stop looking at it- it’s the knife equivalent of an Italian sports car. Specifically, the Lamborghini Urus: a 641 horsepower all wheel drive SUV that, to my eye, shares many design cues with the T4000. Please forgive my crude Photoshop skills:

Both the car and the knife are fascinating combinations of severe lines and curves, and both come off as being large, lumpy and aggressive. I periodically see one of these big stealth tank-looking SUV’s rolling by, and my response is always “Whoa!” By the way, for an excellent review of the Lamborghini Urus, I suggest checking out the Amazon Prime TV show “The Grand Tour” season 3, episode 5 “An Itchy Urus.” Anyway, back to the knife…

The forward tip of the pocket clip is very sharp. Not cut yourself sharp, but certainly scratch the paint off your car door sharp.

Nonetheless, the clip looks great, and I think it’s pointy design is entirely appropriate for a stabbing pocket sword. The T4000’s titanium clip is milled into Bharucha’s signature stylish shape, and the clip’s shape and position mirror the titanium inlay inside the Micarta inlay on the show side. The amount of flex is great, it’s amount of offset from the body of the knife is great for thick denim jeans pockets, and it’s shape melts into the fold of my hand when I’m using it.

When carrying the T4000 while wearing reasonably tight pants (as I often do), the knife, though heavy, stays put due to it’s robust clip. But when wearing loose shorts, I feel that big hunk of titanium and steel rhythmically slapping my thigh as I walk.

Deployment and Lockup

The blade is heavy and the flipper detent is strong, so it takes a bit of finger muscle to open it. It swings smoothly on ceramic bearings, and has a nice strong magnet-like feel that snaps the blade closed when it’s open less than 6 mm. It’s a framelock, and locks up securely with about half of it’s 3 mm steel lock face in contact with the blade. It’s not a hard use knife like my DPX HEST F1, which has a 75% lockup on it’s 4 mm wide lockbar, but the T4000’s lock doesn’t seem to be likely to fail under reasonable use.

There is one weird thing about it though- it’s sound. When flipping it open, instead of the normal, satisfying “click” that I’ve come to expect from titanium knives, there’s a two-part sound like a metal soap bubble popping, followed by an unusually high-pitched snap. One of the nice things about having a lot pocket knives is that I have them on hand to compare and contrast with each other. At the moment, I have 16 reasonably good folding knives, and I sat down in a quiet room and flicked or thumbed open every single one. Through this highly scientific investigation I have determined that the sound the Reate T4000 makes when opening is utterly unique. The sound has nothing to do with it’s functionality at all, but it’s odd enough that I feel compelled to mention it.

Two last things: first, the T4000 has a party trick- it can stand on it’s head. Second, I was driving on US Interstate 5 on the East side of Los Angeles and noticed a 125 foot (38 meter) tall Tashi Bharucha pocket clip rising above the LA River. It’s the central spire of the North Atwater Bridge which is due to be completed in 2020. Say what you will about the evils of social media, but thanks to Facebook I was able to send the picture below to T4000 designer Tashi Bharucha. He responded that he hadn’t seen it before and, no, he did not design the bridge.

Reate T4000 Review – Final Thoughts

The T4000 is definitely a niche item. It’s not for everyone, it’s not perfect, and it’s relatively expensive at $400. But I dig the Reate T4000 stabbing pocket sword on a deep, visceral level – I don’t know if it’s an ancient, hardwired feeling of security or a Roman-Legionnaire-in-a-past-life kind of thing, but I sure do like it.

Reate T2500 – From $419.95
From: BladeHQ

I recommend purchasing the Reate T4000 at BladeHQ or GPKnives. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website (including Amazon) helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. Thank you very much.

Bestech Knives Malware Review

by John Burridge 4 Comments

Over the years, I’ve noticed that in polite society when I whip out a folding knife to open a box or cut a loose thread, most people’s reactions are some variation of “Oh God, why do you have/need/carry that?” My usual reply is that a knife is the most useful tool in the world, but I’ve found that no matter how “non-threatening” looking the knife is, I still get that same reaction. Therefore, why not carry whatever I want?

Buy the Bestech Malware at BladeHQ

So, a month ago I put down my already scary-looking Microtech Ultratech OTF switchblade and picked up the seriously murder-ey looking Bestech Malware.

The Malware was designed for Bestech Knives by Todd Knife and Tool. TKT was started in 2016 by prolific knife reviewer Teryl Todd (Zelrick42 on YouTube) and his brother Seth Todd. They went from being fans to designers, and have a thoroughly modern company. Teryl lives in Ozark, Missouri, and Seth lives in Houston, Texas. They jointly design their knives by sharing 3D CAD files online, then Seth makes physical prototypes that they both test. TKT have developed a distinct visual style also apparent in their We Knife Co. made Roxi folder, and in the many prototype images shared on the toddknifeandtool Instagram account.

General Dimensions & Blade Details

The Malware’s blade is 3.875” (9.8 cm) long, the blade stock thickness is 0.15” (3.9mm), and it’s full open length is 8.75” (22 cm). The long stabby blade folds into a titanium handle, the blade pivots on ball bearings, and it’s framelock has a steel lockbar insert. The steel lockbar insert is a theoretically replaceable part that protects the titanium framelock from rubbing against the lock face of the steel blade. My experience has been that often a titanium framelock rubbing against a steel blade tends to “stick” in place, but steel on steel doesn’t have the same problem.

Here is a size comparison with a large Sebenza Insingo:

It weighs 3.68 oz. which is technically a little more than a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 or a Chris Reeve Knives large Sebenza, but it feels lighter than either of them in the hand. I attribute this feeling to the weight balance of this knife. If I’m holding the Malware in a normal thumb-on-top grip, and I slowly open my hand, the knife will not fall to the floor, but will stay balanced on my index finger. This nearly perfect weight distribution helps the Malware feel very agile in my hand.

The titanium pocket clip is configured as a right side, tip up only, but there are dedicated left handed versions as well. I have the “Ti Black” version. The titanium backspacer and pocket clip are anodized a brassy gold color, and contrast nicely against the black stonewashed finish of the rest of the knife. The stonewashed treatment gives the edges and corners a worn-in look similar to Kershaw Knives’ “blackwash” finish.

It’s blade steel is S35VN, which was developed specifically for high-end knife blades by steelmaker Crucible Industries and Chris Reeve Knives. It’s a powdered metal steel, which has the advantage of more uniform blending of it’s elements (iron, niobium, chromium, vanadium, etc.) than conventional steel. The end-user benefits of this manufacturing process and the S35VN formula are excellent blade toughness (it can take a hit without breaking or bending), corrosion resistance, and edge retention.

So it’s a modern production knife made in China with premium materials and it’s priced accordingly at $196 on BladeHQ. What makes it different than every other new Kizer, Reate, We, and Rike knife? Style and details.

What I love about good pocketknives is that they’re pieces of functional art you can hold in your hand. The Malware is full of interesting details and I keep noticing more. The design is a strange futuristic combination of curves, straight lines, and, as on the cutting edge of the blade, straight lines that almost imperceptibly turn into curves. The blade has a finger choil which, although it’s a little too small for my index finger, is the full 3.9mm width of the blade stock, which is yet another design detail that I appreciate.

Handle, Ergonomics, & Pocket Clip

In pictures, the handle looks very thin, and in the days between ordering the Malware and receiving it, I wondered if it would be too small to properly wrap my medium-large-ish hands around. When it arrived, I found that it fills my hand very well, and the long, flat clip doesn’t create much of a hotspot any way I hold it.

Some edges are pretty squared off, like the machining on the backspacer, but almost every part of the handle that comes in contact with my hand is chamfered, making it quite comfortable to hold. And the more I have it in my hands, the more I keep discovering new functional design details that I had, at first glance, written off as being cosmetic- like the three holes in the show side near the flipper tab. Those holes are exactly where my right thumb needs traction when flipping the knife open.

On the lock side of virtually all framelock knives, there’s a machined indentation in the frame that allows the locking part of the frame to flex inward and lock the blade open. A lot of knives cover this indentation with their pocket clips, but as yet another example of how well thought out this design is, the pocket clip on the Malware sits right above, but not covering, the indentation. So when gripping the knife to flip it open, my ring finger is naturally pushed into that square indentation, which gives me a secure grip when flipping it open.

I don’t ordinarily use my pocketknives for food prep, but in the spirit of thoroughness I sliced up some veggies with it. The blade has a full flat grind and gets very thin at the bottom, which made slicing easy. The ergonomics for general food prep were fine as long as I didn’t try to spread anything- the thin blade definitely doesn’t work as a butter knife. The flipper tab extends below the cutting edge, so it can’t really be used for dicing either, but kitchen work is clearly not this knife’s intended use.

The pocket clip is rather long and thin and has more flex to it than any other milled clip I’ve handled. The good news is that it doesn’t chew up my (already chewed up) pants pockets, but the bad news is that it seems like it could easily get bent.

I carried this knife during a T.C.C.C. medic class, and when we were learning how to improvise tourniquets, I used the Malware as a windlass (the stiff piece that you twist to tighten the tourniquet.) Despite really cranking this thing down tight on my training partner’s arm, I had no fear of the knife breaking or bending until the instructor decided to show the class how to tie off the end of the improvised tourniquet using the pocket clip. He was bending the clip way out and jamming fabric under it, and I desperately wanted to ask him to stop so he didn’t break it. I resisted this urge because I didn’t want to seem like a weenie to our super-badass Los Angeles SWAT Medic instructor. So he manhandled the clip, and when he was done, it just sprung back to it’s normal state. It may be thin and flexible, but it’s not fragile.

Overall, the Malware isn’t an “overbuilt” knife like a Hinderer Knives XM or a Strider SMF, but it’s definitely tougher than it looks.

Deployment & Lockup

A gripe I have with every single framelock flipper is if I grip it in such a way that I’m putting a lot of pressure with my middle finger on the front of the lock near the pivot, then the knife becomes very difficult to flip open. The worst offender on this front that I have is a Brad Zinker midtech version of the Boker Urban Trapper. The only knife I have that is immune to this problem is my GiantMouse GM1, which is an awesome knife overall, but perhaps solves this problem by having a weak detent which makes it difficult to flip open. However, the ergonomics of the Malware naturally place my fingers where they don’t get in the way of the mechanism at all.

The Malware’s flipper tab is relatively small but has comfortably rounded jimping that provides good traction for flipping. The amount of detent tension that has to be overcome to flip the knife open is tough for me to objectively define- but subjectively, I think it flips perfectly. The Malware’s framelock engages at about 40%, which you can jam over to about 60% if you’re worried about it slipping (not that that’s ever happened to me or anyone I know.)

I don’t carry a knife specifically for self defense, but I must say that I certainly never felt under-prepared while carrying the Malware on the weird streets of Los Angeles. It’s never accidentally opened while in my pocket or while drawing it out of my pocket. It’s flipped and locked open securely every single time I’ve flipped it. I don’t think an especially scary-looking knife like this is going to make a bad man run away in terror, but it’s a long, mean looking blade with a big handle I can get a very firm grip on. So I’ll add self defense to the Malware’s growing list of positive attributes.

Bestech Malware Review – Final Thoughts

I carried the Malware every day for a month and primarily used it for un-challenging tasks like opening packages, slashing open bags of cat food, and as an improvised medical device. At the end of the month, the finish on blade, handle, and clip are unblemished. The S35VN blade was still very sharp in most places, but after a quick, ham-fisted touch up on a Wicked Edge sharpener, it’s back to 100%. There’s no sharpening choil, but I don’t really care if the last few millimeters of my blade are super sharp.

What is the Bestech Malware made to do? I don’t want to sound like a knife snob a-hole, but I tend to compare everything to my Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza 21. The word “Sebenza” is literally the Zulu word for “work”, and the Sebenza feels like an indestructible precision tool. The Bestech knife doesn’t feel like a tool, it feels like a blatantly offensive weapon that can also open boxes from Amazon. Malware is the perfect name for this knife because it’s so badass. Not flaming skull badass, but sci-fi villain badass. It brings to mind futuristic heavy metal music by the band Voivod, it’s like the knife version of the Space Marines’ rifle from the movie Aliens, it should be a weapon in the DOOM video games, and I obviously really like it.

The deciding factor for anyone considering buying the Malware is definitely it’s looks- if you immediately like it’s vibe, I say get it. Nothing is perfect (except kittens), but the Malware excelled at everything I wanted it to do, and looked super-murder-ey doing it. Recommended!

Bestech Knives Malware – From $196.00
From: BladeHQ

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Bestech Knives Malware at BladeHQ and Amazon. Thank you very much.

About the Author: This guest review was written by John Burridge. John lives in Los Angeles and has a deep passion for knives. I plan on adding to this section to include more info about John and where to find him. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this in depth review.

Reate T2500 Review

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

Well, that didn’t take long. Only a couple months after acquiring the Reate Crossroads, another Reate has found it’s way into the collection. This time Reate has teamed up with knife designer Tashi Bharucha with a 4 knife series.

Buy the Reate T2500 at BladeHQ

I’ve long been a fan of Tashi. His designs are super clean, yet they all have a dynamic look to them. I’m an admirer, but mostly at a distance as his stuff is usually released in expensive limited edition runs. I haven’t been able to summon the ~$400 from my bank account to acquire one of his designs.

This T2500 is interesting because it’s a sub $200 knife. That’s unique for both Tashi and Reate. So I had to snag one.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The T2500 has an overall length of 5.6″, a 2.5″ blade, weighs 1.76 ounces, and is made in China. This is the smallest knife in the series, and it’s pretty damn small. I can see why it retails for $190. It’s beautiful, but charging much more would be a little ridiculous. Here it is next to my Spyderco Dragonfly 2:

As you can see, the T2500 compares favorably with the DF2. This makes a nice small EDC knife. It could also be called a Gentleman’s folder, although it has a bit of a “tactical” vibe to it.

The blade is an elegant drop point. It’s mostly belly, terminating in a fine tip. This is the kind of simple blade shape that will take care of any small task. The blade has been given a high flat grind, and has been left with a satin finish and stonewashed flats. There is a small swedge and a harpoon tip. A tiny sharpening choil allows you to sharpen the edge all the way to the heel.

The blade stock is a hair over 3.3mm thick, so this is a relatively thick blade especially given the size of this knife. All the details have been considered. There are no sharp edges save the cutting edge. All the others have been gently chamferred for comfort.

Blade steel is tried and true M390. Reate always uses a premium steel and this knife is no exception. M390 has the covetable qualities of excellent edge retention, relatively easy sharpening, good rust and corrosion resistance, good toughness. It’s one of the best all round EDC knife steels.

I have to confess that initially I was a little reluctant to put this knife through its paces. It’s a beautiful piece, and the small size and exceptional fit and finish gives the knife something of a jewel like quality. But I quickly got over myself and went to work. Boxes were broken down, food was prepared, packages containing yet more knives were opened. I didn’t take this one salt water fishing (I’ll leave that for the $22 Cold Steel Pro Lite Sport), but I basically did everything else with it.

The T2500 is a phenomenal slicer. It came screaming sharp out of the box. The fully flat ground blade easily worked its way into boxes, got underneath the folds of envelopes, and could do a little food prep. The short blade doesn’t make it the most effective apple slicer, but you can get the job done with it. I didn’t have any issues with rust or corrosion. When it was time to touch up the edge, I was able to do that easily on my [easyazon_link identifier=”B001JL1I6Y” locale=”US” tag=”brdfkdfk-20″]Spyderco Golden Stone[/easyazon_link]. This reminds me, I still need to review my Spyderco Golden Stone.

No complaints with the blade or the blade steel.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle of the T2500 is a miniature engineering marvel. It’s two pieces of bead blasted titanium with a carbon fiber insert. The way the handle pieces come together is super impressive. I’ve tried to capture it in a photograph:

It’s hard to tell, but there is a seam running down the spine of the handle where the two pieces meet.

I’m also impressed by how the show side doesn’t show any hardware except for the pivot. Oh, and the carbon fiber inlay. That is a work of art. Running my fingers across it you cannot feel where the titanium ends and the carbon fiber begins. It’s absolutely seamless and perfect. I don’t own any inlayed knives to compare it with, but this strikes me as a tough standard to beat. Reate offers this with regular woven carbon fiber or marbled carbon fiber. I chose marbled to match my Crossroads. That was a good choice.

There are a number of other interesting details with the handle. One is the lanyard hole, which has been integrated in a way to not spoil the beautiful lines of the knife. Another detail is the blue titanium hardware. All the machining is top notch. The handle has been exceptionally well considered. It’s an impressive job and one you need to hold to truly appreciate.

This is a small knife, so it’s not going to work in the hand like a larger folder. The Dragonfly 2 is the most impressive small handled knife I’ve reviewed, and the T2500 is serviceable, but it’s not a Dragonfly 2. If you just use the handle you can get a comfortable 3 finger grip. If you use the flipper tab as a finger choil, then I can get all 4 fingers onto the knife, but it’s a little tight for my larger hand. That’s a trade off you get with most small knives.

I will say the T2500 does feel good in hand. No sharp corners or hot spots. You would think the angled pommel would be uncomfortable, but it hasn’t been an issue for me. It slides in between my fingers. There isn’t much in the way of texture on this knife, but I haven’t had issues with it slipping out of my hand either. Bead blasted titanium provides enough traction for my purposes.

The T2500 comes with a machined titanium clip. That’s a nice detail on a sub $200 folder. I know some folks aren’t fans of sculpted clips, but I think some companies have dialed them in. Reate is one of those companies, as the clip offers good looks and excellent spring retention. It works great as a pocket clip, holding the knife firmly in place. I haven’t had the knife slip down in my pocket or fall out.

At well under 2 ounces, this T2500 carries like a dream. It’s excellent and reminds me a lot of the way the Dragonfly 2 carries. You simply don’t feel it in the pocket. It disappears until you need it. I wear shorts and pants with triangular pockets (rather than the “U” shaped pockets found on blue jeans), and the knife stays high in my pocket. That keeps it out of the way and avoids contact with things like keys and my flash light.

Visually, the knife is relatively discreet in the pocket. The pokey looking handle and titanium clip with blue hardware will draw the eye more than something like a small Spyderco wire clip, but that’s the trade off you get when you opt for a fancier pocket knife like this.

Deployment and Lockup

This is a titanium framelock flipper. The action is dialed in thanks in part to ceramic bearings and a ceramic detent. The flipper tab is generous and easy to get at. The knife flips with the best of them. I’d rate the action at an 8 out of 1-10. This is a small knife, so it’s a little more fiddly then a full size folder, but it’s not bad and I haven’t had any issues flipping the blade open.

Here is a shot with my Crossroads. All my marble fiber clad pocket knives in one photo:

For lockup we have a titanium framelock with a stainless steel insert. Lockup is early on my knife, with the tang of the blade engaging with approximately 40% of the lock bar. Lockup is secure with zero blade play in any direction. Disengaging the lock is easy thanks to cutouts both on the lockbar and the non-locking side of the knife. There is zero lock stick. It’s a perfectly executed framelock.

Here is a parting size comparison with the CRKT Pilar (the carbon fiber BladeHQ exclusive). A couple nice smaller knives featuring carbon fiber:

Blade centering is perfect on my knife. No surprises there given the price point and how dialed in everything else is on this piece.

Reate T2500 Review – Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a small high end titanium framelock flipper, then look no further. This knife delivers. It is beautifully made from the finest materials, and Tashi’s design is as striking as ever. The T2500 is loaded with detail and the execution of every aspect of the knife is superb. This is a beautiful little knife.

The T2500 strikes me as a high end and slightly less practical version of the Dragonfly 2. It’s pretty much the same size and weight. It carries similarly. It’s not as utilitarian as the Dragonfly 2, but it gets the job done. The ergonomics of the DF2 with it’s curved handle and forward finger choil remain unmatched by the T2500, but that’s OK.

That said, not everyone is looking for a micro knife. And although I knew this one would be small, but it’s very small. There are some sacrifices with a smaller knife like this. Mostly in the ergonomics. I would not be opposed to picking up the T3000, although I’m not sure they are even available at this point.

Then again, I don’t have a lot of 2.5″ bladed knives in my collection. I expected the T2500 to be beautiful, but what surprised me was how much I ended up enjoying carrying and using it. It is lightweight and practical. I bought the T2500 as more of a collectible, but I will continue to carry and use the knife in my regular EDC rotation.

So I suppose I could sum up this review by saying the T2500 is “surprising”. It’s both surprisingly small, and a surprisingly practical EDC knife. I recommend the T2500 for fans of small flippers, and those like me that wanted to try out a Tashi Bharucha design at a price point under $200.

Reate T2500 – From $192.00
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I recommend purchasing the Reate T2500 at BladeHQ or GPKnives. Please consider that buying anything through any of the links on this website (including Amazon) helps support BladeReviews.com, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Zero Tolerance 0470 Review

by Dan Jackson 4 Comments

Reviewing the Zero Tolerance 0470 is about as safe as it gets. We have reviewed countless Sinkevich / Zero Tolerance designs. It is well within our comfort zone of review material.

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So why review the 0470? Well, it’s a beautiful knife, it appears to be built differently than the other ZT/Sinkevich collabs I’ve reviewed, and I bought the knife at a fantastic price. I hope no one minds.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The 0470 has an overall length of 7.8″, a 3.4″ blade, weighs 3.3 ounces, and is made in the USA. Like the recently reviewed 0609 this model is aimed towards the EDC enthusiast. This 0470 is thinner, lighter, and more discreet than the ZTs that got the ball rolling for the company.

I still remember the halcyon days of the 0560 and the 0300. Those models put Zero Tolerance on the map, but those were some big knives. Totally impractical for most people, but they paved the way for blades like this 0470. Personally, I’m glad ZT is continuing to head in this direction. I’m sure they will still release some big knives as well.

Lets talk about the blade. It shares the same low slung lines that make a Sinkevich a Sinkevich. It’s a beautiful triangle of steel with a high flat grind, partial swedge, and two-tone satin and stonewashed finish.

A detail I love on the blade of this knife is how the spine has been subtly chamferred up by the jimping. This is a feature on my Shirogorov F3 and on the Sebenza. To see this detail brought to a ~$250 knife is awesome. That chamferring has also been brought to the flipper tab. It eliminates any sharp edges on the flipper that can cut your finger. Another small touch is the generous sharpening choil. Frankly, a sharpening choil something I would expect to see, but it doesn’t always make it into every pocket knife.

A blade shape like this can do no wrong, unless perhaps you are wanting to skin a buck with it. In that case the tip is probably a little too prominent, but for everything else this is a versatile and functional blade shape.

As a quick aside, here is a size comparison with the ZT 0609. They compare favorably in size, but are built differently:

For blade steel ZT went with CPM-20CV. CPM-20CV is made by Crucible Industries in Solvay, New York. CPM-20CV is chemically similar to M390, a high end European steel I have long appreciated. Crucible has a long track record of making high end specialty knife steel. Their catalog includes 154CM, S30V, S35VN, and S90V. They are specialty steel makers and know what they are doing.

CPM-20CV and M390 have both earned a reputation for high hardness and excellent edge retention, while not being as stubborn to sharpen as something like S90V or ZDP-189. CPM-20CV is also stainless and tough. It’s arguably the best all-round blade steel money can buy as of early 2019.

In practice, the blade of my 0470 has been a excellent performer. The blade came razor sharp. The edge bevel was neat and even, and the stock blade easily popped hairs off my arm. After sanitizing the blade thoroughly (ie, wiping it on my shorts), I put the knife into my daily carry rotation. I used it at home and at work for opening mail, breaking down boxes, and food preparation. I used the 0470 in place of my paring knife for vegetables and fruit.

The blade has performed admirably. It tracks through cardboard and holds up well under harder use, but the geometry is nimble enough to slice apples cleanly, route the tops off of strawberries, and mince garlic. Edge retention has been excellent. When the edge begins to slow I show it to my near mythical Spyderco Golden Stone, and all becomes right in the world again. No issues with the edge chipping or rolling, and no signs of rust, staining, or corrosion either.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is where things get interesting. If you peruse our pretty decent catalog of ZT reviews, you will notice there is nothing quite like this 0470 with it’s 3-d machined titanium handles and marble carbon fiber inlay. It’s a level of complexity and workmanship I haven’t seen on any of their other production knives.

That’s what drew me to this knife. If the handle didn’t have this unique twist I probably would have passed on it. The end result is an simple and classy handle. It’s elegant, not ornate. And it has been done beautifully. There is not a stray mark on this knife. And I love the simplicity of the handle construction. There is only one body screw at the tail end.

Inside the titanium handle pieces have been deeply milled out to reduce the weight. Holding it all together is a black aluminum backspacer with an integrated lanyard hole. Again, this integrated lanyard hole is a feature found on my significantly more expensive Shirogorov. Since I’m not a big lanyard guy, I appreciate how they avoided drilling a big ugly hole into the handle of the knife. It’s a level of care you simply don’t see on most pocket knives.

There used to be a nice ZT 0470 disassembly video on YouTube that showed the tight tolerances and attention to detail of this knife. It has since been taken down unfortunately, but the inner workings of the 0470 were surprisingly complex. I would not be quick to disassemble this knife.

The ergonomics of the 0470 are excellent. It’s a simple open design that will accommodate most hand sizes, and the spine of the canted handle meets my palm easily. The balance point is just behind the pivot, making the knife feel light and natural in hand.

Texture has been used strategically on the 0470. A run of fine jimping on the spine of the blade is balanced by coarser jimping on the back of the handle. The handle pieces aren’t heavily textured, but they are deeply contoured to meet your fingers and given an attractive end mill finish. The net result is a positive grip and a knife that isn’t going anywhere. It’s comfortable to hold in forward and reverse grips.

The pocket clip is a simple metal spring clip. No 3-d machining on this model. I’m OK with that. The clip design is simple and effective. It was designed for this knife and follows the lines of the handle. It also lacks any overt branding. It offers good spring retention and is easy to insert and remove from your pocket. The handle is drilled and tapped for ambidextrous tip up carry. It’s not a deep carry clip, but most of the handle is buried.

Here is your in pocket shot:

In practice the 0470 carries well. With a near 3.5″ blade, the 0470 is still on the larger side of a true EDC knife for me. It is substantially bigger than the Dragonfly 2, the most pocketable folding knife of all time.

But I don’t think comparing the 0470 to a DF2 is fair. In defense of the 0470, it isn’t a huge knife, and it has a gentleman’s folder quality to it. It’s just a little over 3 ounces. For its size the knife carries well and the pocket clip does a good job keeping the knife in place.

Deployment and Lockup

The 0470 is a titanium framelock flipper running on caged bearings. The flipper keeps a low profile and heavily jimped. The action is smooth and easy. After disengaging the lock the blade will fall shut with a flick of the wrist.

Here is a size comparison with my Shirogorov F3:

However, the detent on this knife is surprisingly light. The blade doesn’t fall out of the handle, but it’s not the level of snappiness I’m used to. The best way to open this blade is using the light-switch technique. Push buttoning it gives me mixed results. The angle of the flipper tab seems to be designed for light switching.

I find the light detent highly unusual given ZT’s long track record of dialed in detents. I would often comment in my reviews how they are the industry standard in my book. But here the 0470’s detent was surprisingly light, and I don’t think I’m alone either. The knife works fine and with the right technique there are no issues opening the knife, but those expecting the typical action of a ZT flipper will be disappointed. At least initially. Now that I know to lightswitch it I’m able to get the blade open every time, but still this came as a surprise.

For lockup we have a titanium framelock with stainless steel lockbar insert. Thankfully there were no surprises with the lockup on this knife. Perfectly rock solid, with early engagement, and easy to disengage. No sticking, and absolutely no blade play. This is exactly what I would expect from a Zero Tolerance blade.

Blade centering is also perfect on my knife.

Zero Tolerance 0470 Review – Final Thoughts

If you are like me, and think there is no room for another ZT in your collection, then the 0470 might just change your mind. It’s a different knife from this company. Just when I was beginning to lose interest in their offerings they tempted me with this dressed up EDC knife.

I think this constant evolution of their products is what keeps the brand interesting and relevant. They continually step out of their comfort zone, and don’t mind pivoting in different directions. Another example of this is their 2019 0022. It’s the smallest knife they have made, and I just might have to grab one.

But lets get back to the 0470 in particular. I love the classic Sinkevich lines paired with the heavily machined and highly engineered titanium handles. The carbon fiber inlay adds a touch of class. The blade cuts well, the handle is comfortable, the fit and finish is top notch. It’s everything you would expect executed near perfectly.

The only surprise was the light detent. Frankly when I first got this knife I thought something was wrong with it. I was shocked. But now that I’ve had the chance to carry and use the knife for a few months, I have no issues getting the blade open. And my understanding is that this is typical on the 0470. If you own the knife please let me know how the flipper action is for you.

At the end of the day I think the pros far outweigh any cons cons. At ~$250 this is not a cheap knife, but you can see where the money went. I have enjoyed mine and can easily recommend it if the design intrigues you.

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I recommend purchasing the Zero Tolerance 0470 at Amazon, or BladeHQ. Please consider that by purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support BladeReviews.com, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much.

Spyderco Spydiechef Review

by Josh Wussow 3 Comments

I didn’t get it. After tearing open the box and turning the knife over in my hand, I simply didn’t get it. Flat colors. Slow deployment. Boring construction. This is the legendary Spydiechef? It’s a weird-shaped blade sandwiched between two pieces of gray titanium, with a retail price of $215. What manner of magic has bewitched my fellow knife lovers?

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And yet, I seem to land smack in the middle of the Spydiechef’s target market: Knife guys (check) who care deeply about edge retention and rust resistance (double check) and encounter a variety of daily cutting tasks (indeed) while also cooking on the go with some degree of regularity (bingo).

Designed by the legendary Marcin Slysz and manufactured by Spyderco’s wizards in Taiwan, this knife should be right up my alley. And, while it may not have been love at first sight, the Spydiechef spent the last few weeks working its way to the head of the table.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Dimensionally, there’s nothing too special here. You’re looking at a 3.32-inch blade, with a thickness of just under 0.12-inches. The handle/closed length is a middling-sized 4.46-inches, stretching the overall number to 7.78. Weight is low (3.8-ounces), thanks to the Chef’s flow-through titanium chassis. You’ve got the standard Spyderco wire clip, which can be mounted on either of the side slabs. Boring bronze washers, a snooze-inducing frame lock, and *yawn* a lanyard hole.

Here is a size comparison with the Spyderco Shaman:

But, it’s not the specs that make the Spydiechef such an excellent knife. It’s those delicious details that will bring one into my permanent collection.

Let’s start with the blade. Its LC200N steel has been formed with some sort of metallurgical witchcraft. While we’ve seen “rust-proof” steels before, such as H1 on Spyderco’s Salt line, this stuff is a whole new animal.

Here’s what the maker has to say about LC200N: “This state-of-the-art nitrogen-based alloy is extremely corrosion resistant and is actually used by NASA for the ball bearings used in aerospace applications.” Sounds great, but ball bearings aren’t known for holding an edge.

This is where Youtubers like Pete from Cedric & Ada come into play. His barrage of edge-retention and corrosion tests has established LC200N as one of the premier steels for EDC tools. While I didn’t subject the Chef to these sorts of extreme conditions, I can confirm that it showed no sign of rust after multiple cooking sessions. I’ve used this knife almost every day since it arrived, and the edge has yet to dull or dim.

The Chef’s blade shares two traits with many of my favorite cooks – It’s friendly to strangers, and it’s all belly. Despite its 3-plus inches of shiny steel, the graceful curve of Slysz’s design is easy for even the more paranoid to stomach. And, thanks to its flat grind and Nick Shabazz sharpening job, it’s been a slicer since day one.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The Spydiechef’s handle is gray, like the color of boiled meat or the hair of an overworked cook. This titanium blandness was at least partially responsible for the knife’s poor first impression. But, once I got it in the hand, the subtlety of Slysz’s design became immediately apparent.

Take a look at my hand position:

Beyond its ergonomic excellence, the curve of the Chef’s titanium handle offers a significant advantage in the kitchen. It keeps the edge (mostly) below my knuckles, greatly easing the slicing and chopping process. Not as much as a dedicated kitchen knife, sure, but more so than any other folder I’ve handled.

The pocket clip offers another bit of subdued excellence. On the surface, it appears to be just another iteration of the classic wire clip. But take a look at that angle. It allows the knife to curve down and into the back of the pocket, keeping it out of the way of whatever else you may be carrying.

There are a few caveats here. While the reversible clip makes this technically an “ambidextrous” knife, the placement of the lock bar in relation to the Spydie-hole will make one-hand opening a challenge for lefties. And, though it’s technically stainless, the titanium handles do pick up smudges and snail trails. Neither of these is terribly troubling to me, though. I’m more than pleased with the Chef’s ergonomics, both in the hand and in the pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

As evolutionary as the rest of the Chef may be, the knife’s deployment and lockup are as basic as bacon and eggs. Not to say that chicken ovum and cured pork aren’t delicious (they are), but there’s a skill to handling even the most humble of ingredients. The combination of Spydie-hole and bronze washers is classic – Never flashy, but accessible and delicious. It’s a no-fuss, low maintenance setup for those who use their knives rather than playing with them.

If there’s one complaint I have with the Chef, it’s the closing action. Have you ever worked in a restaurant? The closing shift almost invariably sucks. Same goes for the Spydiechef. You have to nudge the blade up and over its detent, which requires applying force to the blade while your thumb is still in the slicing path. Exert too much pressure, and it could theoretically pop down and filet your knuckle. Now, I haven’t had this happen. The detent is soft enough that a gentle push will pop it over the ceramic ball. But, it’s definitely something that requires some fine motor skills.

Spyderco Spydiechef Review – Final Thoughts

This is a knife that’s put my collection in crisis. Between the Spydiechef, the FRN Chaparral, and the Kershaw Atmos, the other folders in my case aren’t getting much pocket time. The Native 5 has subbed in for a day or two, but the Kizer Begleiter, Steel Will Cutjack, and even my ZT0562 have been unable to crack the rotation.

This knife is so damned good that it’s dampened my enthusiasm for other knives. And honestly, I think I’m okay with that. This is a tool I feel good carrying, using and, in the near future, owning. It’s the Chaparral all over again – Nick Shabazz loans me a knife, and I wind up buying one. Thanks again, Nick, and a hearty “Well done” to Marcin Slysz and Spyderco.

Spyderco Spydiechef Premium Chef Knife with 3.32" LC200N Ultra-Corrosion-Resistant Steel Blade and Titanium Handle - PlainEdge - C211TIP

One of a Kind: The Spydiechef is an extremely refined folding knife that takes the user-friendly Ergonomics and balance of a world-class chef.
Ultra Corrosion Resistant: It features a gracefully curved blade crafted from LC200N. This state-of-the-art nitrogen-based alloy is extremely corrosion resistant and is actually used by NASA for the ball bearings used in aerospace applications.
Reliable High Performance: It offers an extreme cutting performance in a package that is immune to even the harshest environments.
Versatile: For additional security when working around water, the handle also includes a lined Lanyard hole for easy attachment of safety lines and Lanyards.
Ergonomic: To reduce weight, optimize balance, and simplify cleaning, the Spydiechef features an open-backed handle constructed with two precision-machined solid titanium scales.

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Spydiechef 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.

Olamic Wayfarer 247 Review

by Dan Jackson 5 Comments

Years ago, when I was in law school and just starting this web site, Olamic came onto the scene with their damascus fixed blade knives. They actually reached out to me, to see if I would write an article on their knives for the site. I agreed, as I thought it was pretty cool that a knife manufacturer actually cared about what I was doing, and they ended up sending 3 knives over for examination.

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Due to some intellectual property complications on their end I was asked not to proceed with the article, but I still had the chance to check out the knives. They were cool, but never something I would have bought for myself. In fact, not even Olamic knows who buys those things. Ultimately I boxed them up and sent them back at their request.

Since then Olamic has continued to make damascus fixed blades in Russia, but they are best known are their high end folders. Olamic means “everlasting” and their motto is “Never the Same”. That’s because they offer the knives in a near infinite number of configurations. Even their logo is the infinity symbol. Pretty cool.

Originally their folders were true custom pieces, and they still make custom knives, but the Wayfarer 247 is more of a mid tech knife. What I mean by that is the basic parts are pre-machined in Italy, and then the folders are completed by hand in California.

This is a high end folder with the basic model starting at $375, but most of them are priced at $500+ with various hand worked finishes. At that price, it’s no wonder it has taken me this long to buy one of these knives. But plenty of people buy them. In fact they appear to fly off the shelves. The high praise intrigued me, so I ponied up and acquired a 247 for review.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Wayfarer 247 has an overall length of 8.125″, a 3.5″ blade, and it weighs 5 ounces. The knives are made in America. This is a larger EDC knife. Olamic recently came out with the Busker, which is more of an urban EDC knife with its 2.5″ blade. I’m sure the Busker is more practical as a daily carry, but the Wayfarer caught my eye with its sleek lines.

The 247 comes in your choice of blade shapes. I went with what Olamic refers to as their “original drop point”. It has a high flat grind, a long swedge, and a fine clipped point. My blade has been given an excellent satin finish, but you can also get the blade stonewashed, coated, or two tone. The grinds are pretty crisp, and the edge is neat and even. There is a sharpening choil so you can easily sharpen the knife all the way to the heel. It’s a nice functional blade shape.

For blade steel we have M390. I think that’s all they are offering the knife in currently, as I don’t see an option for blade steel on their website. That’s fine by me as M390 is good stuff. Relatively easy to maintain, excellent edge retention, good toughness, stainless, it has a proven track record as a high end knife steel.

I bought this knife used off the forums, and it came with what appears to be the used factory edge. The prior owner had nicked it in a couple spots and it was quite dull. So to bring the edge back I started out with my DMT Diafold to work out the nicks. I then switched to the ceramic rods from my Sharpmaker.

At that point it was pretty sharp, certainly a workable edge for my basic purposes, but I decided to hone it on my new Spyderco Golden Stone. This is an ultra fine ceramic stone with an interesting ducks foot shape. I thought it would be good for my kitchen knife given the stone’s size and unique configuration, but at this point I’m using it on all my blades. I was able to get an extremely fine hair popping edge with this stone. It is truly an excellent stone and I look forward to reviewing it in the future.

The moral of the story is despite it’s high hardness, M390 is an easy steel to maintain. If I can get it sharp most people will be able to. The knife has held a good edge and has worked just fine for my usual EDC tasks, which these days is mostly opening up cardboard boxes containing cigars and more knives. It makes great carrot sticks as well.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

The handle is where things start getting interesting. This is a full titanium framelock. Just like all their other knives. You have a wide choice of finishes. My particular knife features holes in the show side slab, a bronze anodization, and their “kinetic earth” finish. The hardware has been anodized as well. The end result is a unique knife.

Everything has been beautifully put together. The titanium slabs are thick, and everything has been nicely finished. Perhaps the most interesting feature is the floating backspacer. It’s a cool detail, and has been given the same finish of the rest of the handle. Another detail is the custom pivot. I’m happy to say Olamic includes a pivot tool with each knife. The pivot looks good, but it’s a little more fiddly to adjust than a regular torx or allen pivot, as the tool has a tendency to slip out of the pivot. At least when I’m using it.

Another cool detail is that you can order replacement sets of hardware for your knife. My guess is that this is mostly for those that want to change up the look of their knife, not so much replacing missing hardware, but either way you are covered.

Let’s turn to ergonomics. This is a comfortable knife. First off, it’s quite thick, clocking in at .46″. The thickness combined with the sweeping full size handle gives you plenty to grab onto. The knife fills your hand, and Olamic has done a great job knocking down any sharp edges. The Wayfarer almost feels like a cold stick of butter in your hand. It’s not slippery, but it is extremely smooth and comfortable. It feels unique when compared with everything else in my collection.

The simple handle design provides one groove for your index finger to nestle into place. Plenty of room even for larger hands. I suppose if you run out of real estate you can always graduate to the full size custom Wayfarer, but that may require a second mortgage. Rounding things out is a short run of jimping on the spine of the blade. The jimping captures your thumb nicely, and strikes a balance between providing traction without blistering your thumb.

The pocket clip is another interesting detail. The clip borrows heavily from the designs found on the Todd Begg Steelcraft Bodega. Olamic licensed it, so no worries there. The clip is a slab of titanium secured by 3 stand offs and then for retention you have an oversize ceramic ball bearing pressed into the titanium.

The end result is a highly robust pocket clip. Spring tension is excellent, so strong I sometimes have trouble getting this knife into my pocket. No worries about it falling out accidentally I suppose. It’s a good stiff pocket clip, and another high end detail.

In practice the 247 carries well for it it is. This is a big chunky titanium frame lock folder. The chunkiness makes it feel great in hand, but the Wayfarer 247 will never carry like my Spyderco Dragonfly, or even my Native for that matter. But the strong clip keeps the knife securely in place. It’s not a deep carry clip, but must of the knife buries discreetly in the pocket. That’s about all I can ask for.

Deployment and Lockup

This is a titanium framelock flipper. There is a lot of competition in this space, but Olamic spent the time to distinguish their knife from the rest. They utilize caged bearings, a ceramic ball detent, an internal stop pin, and a detent ramp. A detent ramp is a small groove or chamfer milled into the tang of blade. What it does is make the action a little smoother when you close the knife. Rather than the ball detent hitting the tang jarringly, this groove makes rentry smoother and easier. Its details like this that help set the knife apart.

And the knife does have a different action than anything else I own. The detent ramp and other details give the action of the 247 an almost hydraulic feel. The blade practically “whooshes” open as if there were a pneumatic piston inside. The blade fires hard no matter what, and the action is smooth and glassy. The detent is strong, but the detent ramp and thick handle smooth it out whether you are opening or closing the knife. Opening and closing the blade of the 247 is a uniquely satisfying experience.

Here is a shot of the detent ramp:

Moving towards lockup, we have a titanium framelock with a stainless steel lock bar insert and an internal stop pin. The internal stop pin is another interesting feature. It makes for a simpler design (no visible stop pin), and it works well. There is zero blade play in this knife. No lock rock, no lock stick, no side to side, no nothing. It’s a perfectly executed framelock. You would expect that at this price point, and Olamic delivers.

Here is a size comparison with the ZT 0609:

A final point is the blade centering. My blade is perfectly centered. I noticed that the pivot came loose during testing causing the blade to wander. and I was able to tighten it back up to true without a problem.

After publishing the review I decided to disassemble the knife. The 247 was straight forward to disassemble. You can see that in addition to caged bearings, there are stainless steel washers to prevent the bearings from wearing into the titanium handles. Reassembly was easy and the knife came back together perfectly.

Olamic Wayfarer 247 Review – Final Thoughts

Olamic’s goal for the 247 was to build a top shelf titanium framelock flipper that can be customized to the end user, yet still sold at a reasonable price. By and large I think they have accomplished that. I detect very little in the way of compromise here, and that is reflected in the build quality and price tag. Every aspect of the knife has been lavished with attention, from materials selection to engineering to finish work, it has all be carefully considered and expertly executed.

Where the 247 really stands apart is in its ability to be factory customized. A handful of years ago “modding” knives was all the rage. You see less of that these days, but the success of knives like the 247 show that people still care enough to want to have a customized knife. The standard 247 is really a blank canvas, and Olamic will do whatever you want with it. Of course it quickly gets expensive, but that doesn’t seem to deter people.

So that begs the question, a knife like the one shown here retails for approximately $500. For that amount of money, would you rather have the 247 or 2 high end Spyderco’s or ZTs? When I plunked my 0609 down next to the Olamic, I could see where the extra money went. Olamic has succeeded in creating a unique feel for their factory custom framelock flipper. The ergonomics and action are unlike anything else I own. The ZT is an excellent knife for the money, but there is no comparison. Especially if you get a base model 247 for around $350. At that price you get the exceptional flipper action and ergonomics without the additional cost of the extra finish work.

And Olamic doesn’t seem to be competing with these major brands anyways. They are essentially building the Chris Reeve Knives of flippers. Actually, I’m not sure if that is still a fair comparison. While CRK may have shown us what was possible with a high end production folder in the early 2000s, Olamic shows us what’s possible today.

Some will scoff at the robust price tag, but this is a high end knife. It simply isn’t aimed at the price conscious. If you want a titanium flipper framelock with uncompromising quality and the ability to “make it your own”, then the 247 is an excellent choice.

Olamic Wayfarer 247 – From $375.00
From: BladeHQ

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