VG-10

Spyderco Matriarch II Review

The Spyderco Matriarch’s predecessor, the Civilian, carries a somewhat curious warning. As the company writes on the knife’s product webpage, “Because of its distinctly specialized features it is not intended or designed for general utility or everyday use.” Reading this and knowing nothing about the Civilian, the layperson might wonder why a consumer might spend upwards of $250 on a knife that he doesn’t plan to use much—if ever. But if said layperson were to lay eyes on the deployed blade, an “ah-ha” realization would follow swiftly thereafter.

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In essence, the Spyderco Civilian is a pocket velociraptor claw. It has a thin profile and aggressive serrations to rip through clothing and soft tissue. Make no bones about it: the Civilian is explicitly for self-defense against human assailants. Designed in the 1990s for law enforcement officers who couldn’t carry a gun in certain situations, it is a brutally effective “second best” option that can be wielded by an inexperienced user to disable a combatant as a matter of last resort.

The Civilian, however, suffers a few well-known drawbacks. First, the tip is legendarily fragile (probably the reason for Spyderco’s warning not to use it outside of dire circumstances). Second, and perhaps more importantly: it’s expensive at MSRP, but combine that with limited production and a demand that never seems to abate, and it’s not uncommon to see them sell north of $300.

Enter the Matriarch II. If not a direct replacement for the Civilian, the Matriarch II retains the same purpose-built design of the Civilian at about half the cost. Some might hear “half price” and wonder if the Matriarch II is an inferior copy or an exercise in cutting as many corners as possible. Much to the contrary, the Matriarch is a knife that adds enough features that I’d consider it an improvement over its infamous big brother.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Let’s not bury the lede: The Matriarch II gives you 3.57” of a “reverse-S” serrated blade, and a hollow, chisel-shaped grind further helps the knife to cut and slash. The reason for that “S” shape, incidentally, is that any kind of material (organic or inorganic) will be naturally directed from the tip into the hollow of the blade during a natural arc of travel. It’s a scary one-two. The thin tip digs in deep, and the remainder of the blade saws and cuts to extricate itself as the user pulls away.

In direct comparison to the blade of the Civilian, the Matriarch II has about a half-inch less of length to work with and a more robust tip. From Spyderco’s perspective, this likely cuts down on the number of broken knives returned for service while not losing hardly anything by way of self-defense effectiveness. It also means that the Matriarch II is more at home in an EDC capacity, where that last eighth-inch of tip can be used to dig into tape and envelope seams. Even given the changes to the profile, you have to look far and wide to find something more intimidating.

As for the rest of the knife, the Matriarch II mates its S-curve blade into just under 5” of handle and a weight of about 3.5 ounces. At only .44 inches thick, the Matriarch II is deceptively thin and light. As such, it easily checks that most coveted of boxes for any self-defense tool: you can carry it all day and forget it’s even there.

As you’ll notice from the photo, where it’s nestled between Spyderco’s Para 2 and Ontario’s Rat II, the Matriarch II offers significantly more length. However, that extra length is unnoticeable in most pockets and it’s a far flatter carry than either of the accompanying EDC stalwarts.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

One of the biggest factors that differentiates the Matriarch II from the Civilian is the use of fiberglass-reinforced nylon (FRN) over G10. Don’t think of this as a downgrade. In my opinion, the square texture Spyderco uses on its FRN is one of the grippiest and best in the business. This absolutely will not slip out of the hand, and the finger grooves further help the knife to stay anchored.

The ergonomics are quite interesting. The Matriarch II shares the same body and construction as the fourth-generation Endura, differing only in the blade itself. Never having owned or held an Endura, this was altogether new to me.

Basically, there are two good grip options. With the thumb placed on the back of the blade, you have more control over the tip and an extremely secure grip. However, one can also align the middle finger in the finger groove lower down the knife and place the thumb along the grooves on the back of the handle, permitting about another inch of reach.

Normally I look for a more pronounced index finger groove or some kind of guard on a self-defense knife. Here it’s a total non-issue. The Matriarch II is absolutely not made for making push cuts. If the blade stops on anything solid, it’s going to be pulled out and away from the hand during any kind of cutting task. Ergonomically, the handle is perfect for the intended use.

Onto the pocket clip. The tip-up carry design exposes about a full inch of handle, so people will see you have a knife if they’re looking. Fortunately, the aftermarket comes to the rescue: since this is again identical to the Endura 4, a variety of deep carry clips are available, such as those available from Lynch Northwest or MXG Gear.

Deployment and Lockup

The Matriarch II’s “wave” opener, licensed from Emerson and incorporated here, is an undeniable upgrade over the original Civilian model. As the knife is pulled out of the pocket, the wave protrusion hooks into the fabric of your pants and basically deploys itself. I’ve read about this several times, but this was actually the first knife I’ve owned to actually have the feature.

I’ll say this: it’s hard not to pull this knife out of the pocket without the blade kicking out. It is the fastest deployment system on a folder, bar none. You will want to be very careful when removing this from your pocket at the end of the day, lest you get bit or rip a hole in your jeans. I can only reliably get the knife out of my pocket in the folded position by holding the blade shut against the handle throughout the draw motion. This is an annoyance on a utilitarian EDC, but a welcome feature on a dedicated self-defense tool. If you need the Matriarch II, you will likely need it quickly.

Fortunately, the ease of deployment with the wave counteracts the biggest flaw of the Matriarch II: from the factory, the action is stiff as all get-out. This is a criticism I’ve heard leveled at a number of Spyderco’s back-lock designs, but those used to handling a Tenacious or a Paramilitary of any kind are in for a rude awakening when they try to middle finger flick this thing.

The thumb hole is functional, but only in combination with an aggressive, do it like you mean it wrist snap. The blade locks up bank-vault tough and is perfectly centered, but boy howdy does it require some force to overcome the lock bar tension, especially right out of the box. Again, this knife deploys fine with gross muscle movements, but it does not take kindly to the kinds of fine motor control manipulations that make a knife fidget friendly. Perhaps it wants you to really know that this is a tool, not a toy.

The tradeoff to the stiff action is faultless centering and lockup. Deployed, the Matriarch II feels very much like a fixed blade, and I have utter confidence in the action’s strength.

Spyderco Matriarch II Review – Final Thoughts

There’s often ample overlap between gun people and knife people, and it’s by no means accidental. I would wager that most of the members of either group have spent some time musing about the harsh realities of defending life and limb and at some point came to the conclusion that some options are better than others.

The Matriarch II is the most gun-like knife I’ve yet to come across. It’s the easiest crossover knife to convert someone who carries into the world of folding blades, and it’s a design that necessitates the same kind of respect and caution one would give to a loaded firearm. My desk drawer is filled with a lot of designs that are quirky and fun and I happily screw around with them. The Matriarch II is not one of those knives.

At the end of the day, and given the primary use of a knife like this, you’ll know if this is for you or not. And if you do need to draw the Matriarch II in defense of life and limb, may God help the poor son of a bitch who’s on the other end of it.

Spyderco Matriarch 2 Lightweight Knife with Emerson Opener and 3.57" VG-10 Steel Reverse S Blade - SpyderEdge - C12SBK2W

Dynamic Blade Design: Features a 3.57-inch VG-10 stainless steel blade with a unique 'reverse-S' serrated edge and hollow grind for exceptional cutting and slashing performance.
Superior Quality: Its SpyderEdge VG-10 Stainless Steel blade is scientifically designed to maximize cutting performance.
Dependable: One of the vital features of the Matriarch 2 are its sturdy back lock mechanism, four-position clip, and Trademark Round Hole.
Ergonomic: It ensures unmatched carry versatility and high-speed deployment with either hand.
Easy To Carry: By adding an Emerson Opener: a small integral hook on the spine of the blade: the latest version of the Matriarch 2 raises the bar even further by offering the ultimate in high-speed deployment.

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Matriarch 2 at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Spyderco Moran Drop Point Review

by Travis Pike 3 Comments

I’m always amazed by what I don’t know. For example, before I got my hands on this Bill Moran and Spyderco collaboration, I never knew who Bill Moran was. That sounds like sacrilege on a knife website, but I’m being honest. This isn’t an article on the greatness of Bill Moran, but he makes some beautiful knives that go for a small fortune. He helped found the American Bladesmith Society, and has been making knives for decades. The Bill Moran and Spyderco collaboration seems to blend the simple but effective Moran designs with an affordable price tag.

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The Moran Drop Point knife is mass-produced, unlike Mr. Moran’s knives, and are made for heavy-duty use and not so much for collecting. This isn’t a wall hanger but a reliable and well-made working knife. I’ve had it most of hunting season, but sadly I’ve been an unsuccessful hunter. In the many months, I’ve been carrying it, and I’ve gotten a good bit of use out of it.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

Bill Moran’s designs are mostly known for their simple and elegant designs, and the Spyderco collaboration is no different. The blade is 3.875 inches long with an edge length of 3.375 inches. The blade is a standard .125 inches thick. The knife has a ¾ tang and the handle is molded directly to it. If you can’t tell by the knife’s name, it is a drop point design.

The stainless blade is quite shiny, but also very rust-resistant. The handle is made from FRN, and the overall length of the knife is 8.063 inches. It’s also one of the lightest fixed blade knives I’ve ever picked up. It weighs 3 ounces. 3 freaking ounces, holy crap is this thing light. I loved strapping it to my belt and never worrying about causing my pants slowly slide downwards on one side. I didn’t have to tighten my belt to an uncomfortable level to easily carry this knife.

From Spyderco, this knife was razor sharp. I always love it when companies send their knives out with a sweet edge, but get sad because I can’t replicate it. The Moran Drop Point is made from VG 10 steel, which is a very common kitchen knife steel. The main reason why is that it’s super resistant to corrosion. It’s stainless steel, but a solid and tough one. It’s perfectly suitable as a woods knife or a lightweight EDC blade for those working in more outdoor professions.

VG-10 proved to be a little challenging to sharpen for me, but to be fair, I suck at sharpening knives. Once you get it sharp, it stays sharp for quite some time. I only sharpened it, so I would have some perspective on sharpening it for this review. It’s also an ultra-sharp knife, and with a fine stone, you can get it very sharp.

I’ve used this knife for filleting trout, cutting chicken up for my famous chicken tacos, and doing typical knife work cutting tape, cordage, wire, boxes, and more. When it came to cutting up fish and chicken, I found the knife to be a delight. For the precise cuts required for cleaning trout, the knife was perfect. FOr cutting 4 pounds of chicken breasts into small chunks, it was a comfortable tool that made the task easy.

The same goes for your routine tasks. Admittedly when Christmas came and went, this knife got a lot of work. Why are toys so well secured in boxes? Holy crap, the number of cords, zip ties, and cardboard I had to cut before the day was over. The Moran powered through it with ease, though.

Handle and Ergonomics

What’s impressive is that the handle and the knife as a whole weigh about the same. This creates a super balanced knife that’s easy to control. The handle is made from fiberglass-reinforced nylon or FRN. This is a robust and lightweight material that provides a bit of grip to it. Spyderco is a master with FRN and uses it in some of their folding knives.

The FRN grips have non-removable Kraton panels. These are ultra-sticky panels that allow for a sure grip when working. Unlike most knives these days, there is no aggressive texturing. The combination of FRN and Kraton is enough to give you a no-slip grip under most conditions. I can testify that the grip is still strong even when your hands are wet and covered in fish slime.

Besides giving a sure grip, it’s also very comfortable. Aggressive texturing is excellent, but it tends to create hotspots. You’ll find no of those here. The grip is rounded off and ultra-comfortable in hand. The handle gives you excellent control of the blade and allows you to make fine cuts with little difficulty.

Sheath

The sheath is a lightweight boltaron model that comes with a multi-purpose G-Clip fastening system. The sheath’s G-Clip system is a polymer belt attachment with a sharp hook that connects under the belt to keep the knife in place. The system is reversible for lefties, and you can move the clip around quite a bit.

The angle of wear can be moved around for your comfort, and this includes wearing the knife horizontally if you so choose. The sheath comes up right over the blade and the knife locks in positively. It’s a good solid hold, and the knife stays put without the need for an active retention device.

The handle is also left with enough room for a good grip and an easy draw. The belt clip does its job well and hangs onto the belt without a hair of movement as the knife is drawn. The sheath is quite robust but keeps the theme of being lightweight, which keeps the entire knife system lightweight.

Spyderco Moran Drop Point Review – Final Thoughts

While the name Moran might not have meant anything to me before owning this knife, I can certainly see why Mr. Moran was such a popular bladesmith. This simple knife is far from tactical or high speed, but entirely practical. The ultra-lightweight and well-balanced design makes it an excellent tool. It’s one you can strap on and forget about, but when you need it, it’s there and razor-sharp. Plus, this is the only Moran knife I’ll ever be able to afford.

ESEE Knives 6P Fixed Blade Knife w/Molded Polymer Sheath

Editor: I recommend buying the Spyderco Moran Drop Point at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Kizer Vanguard Mini Sheepdog Review

by Grayson Parker 2 Comments

Howdy knife nuts. It’s been awhile. Long story short, I’m working two jobs right now, so I haven’t really had time to focus on gear. Hopefully this review is a sign of more to come.

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I’ll be the first person to admit that I don’t “get” cleaver-style pocket knives. When they started to appear in catalogs and Instagram feeds, I couldn’t shake the feeling that they’d be a pain to carry and an easy way to spook people. From the oversized blades to the chunky grinds, there just didn’t seem to be a case for them. So when Dan asked if I’d be interested in reviewing the Kizer Mini Sheepdog, I was a bit reluctant, but ended up saying yes, in part to challenge my own prejudices. Fortunately, I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Read on to learn more.

Full disclosure: this knife was provided cost-free by Kizer. While the company’s reputation for quality is high enough that I feel comfortable claiming that my sample is representative of the line at large, some of you might feel differently.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Kizer Mini Sheepdog weighs 3.15 ounces, has a 2.63” blade, and measures 3.6” long while closed. It’s neither a featherweight nor a brick. The blade is short enough to be legal to carry in most US cities, and I’ve yet to encounter someone put off by it, despite the distinctive blade shape. On the whole, the quality of construction is excellent, and I was pretty impressed when it slid out of the box.

Depending on your point of view, the Mini Sheepdog’s blade is either the draw, or the drawback. If you like cleaver-style blades, then this should be right up your alley. The lines are bold, the modified wharncliffe reinforces the tip quite well, and the shallow belly of the blade makes it a fine utility cutter.

The blade steel is VG10, a Japanese steel whose reputation has suffered quite a bit over the years. When I first got into this hobby, VG10 was lauded for its rust resistance, ability to take a keen edge, and easy maintenance. Those haven’t changed. Nowadays, however, you are more likely to hear about how quickly VG10 loses an edge, and part of that is because of the rapid pace of technology. Amazing steels are available at hitherto unheard-of prices. Still, if you regularly touch up the edge on a strop, you won’t be disappointed. Just don’t try to break down a pile of cardboard boxes: the edge will disappear long before you’re done.

Despite the slightly outdated blade steel, the Mini Sheepdog is still a lean cutter. The combination of a tall blade, .125” stock, and keen flat grind make for a very effective slicer, especially during food prep. Don’t mistake my meaning: this isn’t a replacement for a Swiss Army Knife, let alone a kitchen knife. However, if you need a utility knife that can also slice an apple on your lunch break, this is a fine option.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Like most of the Vanguard line, the Mini Sheepdog’s handle is comprised of G10 scales over stainless steel liners. Both materials are excellent choices for working tools, provided that the manufacturer puts the time and effort into properly finishing them. G10 is lightweight, durable, and isn’t damaged by moisture, but if it isn’t sanded down or contoured it can be rough and uncomfortable in the hand. Stainless steel, depending on the treatment, isn’t necessarily rustproof.

Fortunately, Kizer knocked it out of the park here. The G10 scales are smooth enough that they won’t wear out your pockets (or hands, for that matter), yet have enough texture to remain grippy in adverse conditions. Likewise, the stainless steel liners are polished enough to ward off most incidental rust (though, full disclosure, I live in what is technically a desert).

The ergonomics on the Mini Sheepdog are perfectly serviceable. There’s little to complain about, but not much to write home about, either. I can get three and a half fingers onto the handle of the Mini Sheepdog, but most of the time it’s a three-finger knife. The hump-backed handle coaxes your fingers into a slight pistol grip, which might be annoying if that wasn’t how I used most of my work knives already.

As I mentioned in the introduction, one of my concerns regarding cleaver-style blades was that they’d be a pain to carry. Luckily those fears weren’t justified. Yes, the Mini Sheepdog is a bit wide, but it’s not so wide that you can’t reach past it to grab the keys at the bottom of your pocket (which is the real test, in my experience). The pocket clip is perfectly functional. It doesn’t damage pants, it’s not difficult to remove or stow, and it doesn’t generate hotspots. In a world filled with terrible pocket clips, “perfectly functional” is high praise.

Deployment and Lock-Up

The blade of the Mini Sheepdog is deployed with the quintessential modern flipper tab, and rides on a ball-bearing pivot. This combination is fairly common these days, and the Mini Sheepdog is a fine example of the breed. It has a crisp detent, a smooth pivot, and an intuitive flipper tab, making deployment reliable and effortless.

Liner locks tend to get a bad rap these days. Ever since framelocks started to dominate the market, liner locks have seemingly been relegated to the realm of budget knives, and that doesn’t seem quite fair. More often than not, a liner lock is actually more effective. They don’t change the geometry of the handle when the blade is deployed, they’re just as strong, and they’re much easier to replace in the event of catastrophic failure, so I’m more than happy to see a liner lock on the Mini Sheepdog. As the locking liner is made of steel, there’s no break-in period or galling issues. More importantly, there is neither horizontal nor vertical play in the lock, and lock-up is stable at around 50%.

Kizer Vanguard Mini Sheepdog Review – Final Thoughts

I didn’t expect to like the Mini Sheepdog at first, but it’s since won me over. The cleaver-style blade was neither off-putting to strangers nor did it make the knife a pain to carry. It’s a fine cutter, perfectly sized for everyday needs, and falls at a great price point, especially considering the materials and quality of construction.

Honestly, I’ve been out of the loop for too long to comment on what slice of the market the Mini Sheepdog is competing with. If I might borrow from fellow BladeReviews writer Ben Schwartz, the Mini Sheepdog, much like the Begleiter, “sails perilous close” to waters dominated by the sub-$100 Spyderco offerings, but these are old and well-established stalwarts. In my opinion, the Mini Sheepdog has enough charm to stand on its own, and its materials and quality of construction are at least as compelling.

If you like cleaver-style blades, but don’t need to perform ad hoc butchery, the Mini Sheepdog is right for you. It’s inexpensive enough to test the waters, innocuous enough to fly under the radar, and handy enough to keep around alongside much more expensive knives.

Kizer C01C (Mini) Pocket Knife, 2.6" 154CM Cleaver Sheepsfoot Blade Folding Knife with Black G10 Handle, Camping Knives with Flipper Opener, Liner Lock EDC Knives for Outdoor, V3488C1

Sharp 154CM Blade: The Kizer Sheepdog pocket knife boasts a 154CM steel blade that has been expertly refined and heat-treated to deliver outstanding sharpness, hardness, edge retention, toughness, and corrosion resistance for reliable everyday use; Additionally, the sheepsfoot blade shape enhances versatility and utility
G10 Handle: The black G10 handle of edc camping folding knife offers a combination of durability and lightweight properties; It is known for being waterproof and corrosion-resistant, making it well-suited for use in harsh environments; Additionally, it provides an excellent grip, enhancing safety and ensuring secure handling of the knife
Liner Lock & Flipper Opener: Kizer hunting pocket folding knife features a reliable liner lock mechanism that ensures the blade opens securely and prevents accidental closure; Its flipper design facilitates one-handed operation and is suitable for beginners; The knife strikes a perfect balance between safety and functionality, making it especially suitable for outdoor sports enthusiasts
Suitable for EDC Use: The Kizer edc pocket knife is highly versatile, suitable for daily tasks and more; Its razor-sharp blade slices effortlessly through meat, food, and packaging, and even handles delicate tasks like cutting pancakes or removing crumbs. Additionally, its convenient clip makes it easy to carry
Swift After-sale Service: Kizer survival knives and tools provide swift service against defects in material and workmanship; Kizer service center provides fast response to take care of your requests

Editor: I recommend buying the Kizer Vanguard Mini Sheepdog at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Spyderco Centofante 3 Review

by Seth Vietti 1 Comment

The Centofante 3 is one of Spyderco’s most long-lived designs. Introduced in 2004 and unchanged to this day, it’s been around long enough to witness most of the rest of Spyderco’s lineup either evolve or go extinct. I think the reason why is simple: the Centofante still looks good.

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Even a diehard Spyderco fan will admit that the company’s design language can be… polarizing. The Centofante achieves broader appeal by standing apart from the typical Spyderco style: no bulging blade, no forward finger choil, no full-flat grind. It’s slim, simple, yet dramatic. If not for the round hole and the silver bug in the handle, it could easily pass as a knife from another brand.

I’ve long been tempted to pick one up for myself, but skepticism of its old-fashioned pinned construction always held me back. Until now. So, is the Spyderco Centofante 3 really as timeless as it looks?

General Dimensions & Blade Details

The blade on the Centofante is just shy of three and a quarter inches long. Thanks to a tiny ricasso and the absence of a finger choil, it has almost the same amount of usable edge as the significantly larger Paramilitary 2.

Despite all the edge, the blade still feels petite – no doubt due to its exceptionally thin blade stock. It’s the Centofante’s most noteworthy spec: at 1.95mm thick (according to my calipers), it’s easily the longest, thinnest folding blade in Spyderco’s entire catalog, if not the knife market at large. The only knives I own with thinner blades are either keychain-sized novelties or flexible kitchen knives. The Centofante makes the Delica’s blade stock look generous in comparison, and the Para 3’s, outrageous.

A hollow grind was definitely the right choice here. As much as I appreciate Spyderco’s full-flat grinds, they necessarily get quite thin towards the tip. The steady hollow grind on the Centofante has no such distal taper, preventing this sliver of a blade from being drawn too thin. There’s no flex, and the tip is narrow but not delicate. While I would never recommend prying with it, the blade seems better equipped for the task than, say, a full-flat ground Delica, since it’s supported by full thickness blade stock almost all the way to the tip.

My Centofante didn’t arrive as sticky sharp as I have come to expect from Seki City, Japan Spydercos. Thankfully, the neatly applied factory edge and sharpening choil made it easy enough to touch up. As you might expect with a knife this thin, it cuts quite well. It doesn’t have the shearing power of a broad, flat ground blade, but it’s much more agile – able to twist quickly mid-cut without much resistance. Whether it’s a drop point or a spearpoint, the blade shape just works: a stretch of flat edge, a gentle belly, and a focused tip.

The blade steel is VG-10, a time-tested alloy with excellent corrosion resistance and decent edge retention. While today’s best powder metallurgy concoctions outclass it in one way or another, I don’t really miss them here. The more knives I use, the more I appreciate well-balanced steels; especially ones that deliver good value like VG-10. Also, on a knife that can’t be taken apart for cleaning, VG-10’s stainlessness is a major asset.

Handle, Ergonomics, & Pocket Clip

At a glance, the handle of the Centofante looks like anodized aluminum. If it was cool to the touch, it would feel like it, too. It’s actually plastic (fiberglass reinforced nylon, to be specific) with a similarly smooth, light texture. The silver bug and “speed lines” molded into the handle seemed a bit odd at first, but they grew on me: they give an otherwise plain knife some personality without being ostentatious.

The Centofante is exceedingly comfortable in hand. The four and a half inch handle is lightweight, nimble, and well-sized for the blade. Its ergonomic features are subtle. No finger grooves or jutting guards, just gentle curves that suggest – not demand – how to hold it. I especially like how it bows down into the palm: it helps the skinny handle feel more substantial, and keeps the angle of the blade better aligned with the arm. If you’ve ever used a Spyderco Military, the Centofante will feel weirdly similar. Despite the size difference, the knives share the same sloping ergonomic geometry.

The pocket clip is highly functional, doubly so because the handles are smooth. It comes from the factory configured for tip-down carry. I’m no tip-up evangelist, but after carrying it tip-down for a few days it was obvious the factory got it wrong. The exposed tang, pointy thumb ramp, and aggressive jimping on the blade snag everything in their path. Front pocket, back pocket; didn’t matter – retrieving a tip-down Centofante from any pocket was awkward and unpleasant, as was reaching past it. Luckily, flipping the clip to tip-up instantly and entirely solved the problem.

The real snag with the Centofante – well, the one you can’t fix with a screwdriver – is the handle’s pinned construction. I understand why it’s a deal-breaker for some people, especially the tinkerers who like to modify their knives and those who need something 100% rust proof. Given the choice, I’d take threaded fasteners over pins myself.

Nevertheless, my experience with the Centofante was completely undiminished by the way it was put together. Honestly, I was fishing for a problem and still couldn’t find one. We knife nerds can get swept up in hypotheticals. What if the pivot comes loose? What happens if the knife gets filled with sand? In reality, most of the projected problems with pinned construction have simple solutions – just not the same ones as a knife held together with screws. The pivot came perfectly set from the factory, and, being incapable of twisting itself loose, it has stayed that way. When I got sharpening stone slurry all over the knife, I cleaned it with soap and hot water, followed by a squirt of penetrating oil. Basically, I used the Centofante with impunity and it’s only gotten better. So, why worry?

Deployment & Lockup

A back lock secures the Centofante open. Like many old-school back locks, there’s a touch of vertical flex in the lockup – not enough to hear or see, just enough to feel when bearing down into a cut. Spyderco’s newer back locks have stamped out this endemic blade play with tight manufacturing tolerances and refinements to lock geometry. It would be nice to see those improvements carried over to older designs like the Centofante, but since it doesn’t affect the lock’s strength or security, I didn’t let it bother me.

The blade has a springy self-close, and once broken in it was easy to thumb or spydie-flick open. There’s enough ricasso to allow for one-handed closing, so long as you’re mindful of where your fingers are on the handle.

Spyderco Centofante 3 Review – Final Thoughts

This is a chimera of a knife. It’s almost as if it was built to satisfy a bunch of contradictory design objectives all at the same time. A strong grind on a delicate blade. An upper class look for a middle class price. Traditional construction on a modern folder. Somehow, the Centofante manages to hit those opposing targets simultaneously instead of splitting the difference and missing them altogether – if the late Frank Centofante was a bowler instead of a knifemaker, the Spyderco Centofante would be a 7-10 split conversion.

Ironically, the contradictions that make the Centofante unappealing to knife enthusiasts are probably the exact reasons for the Centofante’s long-term success. It’s not a niche knife. It’s a classy, charming, low-maintenance workhorse of a blade that belies its price point. For me, that makes the Spyderco Centofante 3 the consummate gift knife: handsome enough to appeal to anyone, and uncomplicated enough to work for someone who’s never even heard of a “torx bit.” No instructions necessary, no setup required (well, maybe you should go ahead and flip the pocket clip before wrapping it up). Give one to someone who appreciates nice things but knows nothing about knives, or someone who appreciates knives but knows nothing about nice things.

Spyderco CENTOFANTE 3 Prestige Folding Utility Pocket Knife with 3.14" VG-10 Stainless Steel Hollow Ground Blade and Lightweight FRN Handle - PlainEdge - C66PBK3

One of a Kind: Designed in collaboration with Frank Centofante, longtime custom knifemaker and past President of the Knifemaker's Guild, the Centofante 3 captures the spirit of his custom designs.
Ultra-Lightweight: The Centofante 3 has a thin-profiled, lightweight FRN Handle. Two channels are furrowed out of the handle for better grip and a Palladium silver Spyderco bug is inlayed into its surface.
Easy-to-Use Lock: For added security and convenience the back-lock is positioned midway on the spine and David Boye Dent is cut from the locking lever.
Pocket-Friendly: To ensure discreet carry the Centrofante 3 has a black steel pocket clip positions for tip-up/down, right-hand carry.
Versatile: The VG-10 blade has both a hollow-grind and swedge-grind with non-sharpened spine serrations (jimping) to hold the thumb steady when cutting.

I recommend purchasing the Spyderco Centofante 3 at Amazon or BladeHQ. Thanks for checking out my review.

Kizer Begleiter Review

by Benjamin Schwartz 1 Comment

I’m not sure any single knife company has impacted the industry more in the last ten years than Kizer. They may not have been the very first company pushing the boundaries in terms of price-to-performance, but they were the first one to get lots of attention in so doing, not only forcing their existing competitors to deliver more value for money, but also informing new companies’ entry into the knife world. Reate, WE, Ruike, Real Steel, Artisan, Steel Will, and many others owe something, I think, to Kizer’s precedent.

Buy the Kizer Begleiter at BladeHQ

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But after laying the template for the modern enthusiast knife – titanium frame lock, ball bearing flipper, trendy designers, sub-$200 price tag – Kizer seems to be fading into the background somewhat, getting drowned out in the bustling genre that it more or less established.

Which would be a shame, because Kizer has a lot to offer. While their various followers have gone up into the high high-end, playing with baroque stylings and highwire feats of machining prowess, or down into true budget territory, delivering good steel at great prices, Kizer has walked the middle ground. Their catalog mixes price-consciousness with smart, attractive designs, value with subtle flair and desirable designer pedigree. Kizer knives may not be flashiest or most fun, but they are often reliable, intelligently-designed, well-made and relatively affordable.

And speaking of well-made reliability and smart design, we come to the Begleiter. This knife has been around for some time and, although I don’t get the impression it was a massive immediate hit, it seems to have accrued some word-of-mouth mojo over the years; you definitely see it around. In part this can be chalked about to the impulse buy (for knife nerds) price tag, but also I think thanks to the (you guessed it) quality materials and solid, all-purpose design.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Begleiter has a blade length of 3.5 inches, an overall length of 8.125 inches, and weighs 3.8 oz. It is made in China and came impeccably fitted and finished. My particular Begleiter might look a little road-weary in the pictures, because it came to me at a time when I needed to do a lot of outdoors, yard-worky-type stuff. There’s a lot of unruboffable plant viscera on the blade, and some gunk in the pivot I’ve yet to wash out; but fresh from the factory, it was in pristine condition.

The Begleiter’s blade, a mid-sized drop point, doesn’t feel as long as it is, and it’s actually wider and stouter, blade stock-wise, than you’d think just looking at pictures of it. Flat ground, but not overly thin behind the edge, it’s a capable, durable slicer. I cut cardboard, paper, weeds, dug in pebbly garden soil, and accidentally banged the edge a couple times against brick; throughout it all the Begleiter cut well, and withstood my misuse with rugged stolidity. I actually like the look of the smoky gray titanium coating, and it held up well through the testing.

VG-10 – a good, good steel; I already knew I liked it, but I did learn one new thing about it in testing the Begleiter, and that’s that it can be relatively durable, despite its reputation for brittleness. As I said earlier, I smacked my Begleiter against bricks during multiple lapses in my bladesmanship. However, it only chipped at the very outermost, wafer-thin part of the tip, and there just minorly. I was impressed all over again. It’s not my favorite steel to sharpen up, but not so ornery I’d be hesitant to recommend it even to non-knife nerd users.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

I’m not sure that Kizer still adheres to the old nomenclature for their various lines, but if they do the Begleiter falls into the Vanguard class, which means standard Vanguard handle materials: G-10 scales and stainless steel liners. On the Begleiter, those liners stand proud and letterbox the scales, and both scales and liners have been chamfered extensively.

Like the blade, the handle is less narrow in person than it looks in pictures, and the letterboxing on the handles injects dimensionality into the grip. Those proud liners are shiny-smooth, and the chamfering makes them feel almost crowned. The lone finger groove is well-proportioned, and the finger guard/pivot area doesn’t push your hand so far back that you feel like you lack control over the blade.

I don’t know who designed the Begleiter; I thought I found out the name of the man behind it at one point, but now I can’t seem to track that information down. So maybe I misremembered, or maybe it’s a Kizer in-house team effort; but either way the designer (s) deserve credit for a thoughtful ergonomic layout.

Less thoughtful, but by means bad, is the Begleiter’s clip. It doesn’t have a particularly appealing look, nor does it offer deep carry, and the contact point is right on the un-smooth G-10. That last point is one uncharacteristic bit of boneheadedness in the design of this knife. Granted, it’s an oversight most companies make, but it’s still disappointing. On the positive side, the clip’s tension is just right and it vanishes when you’re using the knife.

Opening and Lockup

Thumb stud and phosphor bronze washers: that’s the good stuff. This setup, combined with spot-on detent tuning, means the Begleiter’s blade pops into place when you flick it open – and you will be flicking it: a slow roll open is possible but this is a blade tuned to fly, and fly it does. I’m not much of a knife fidgeter these days but even sitting here writing the review I keep picking up the Begleiter and popping it open and closed. It’s fun, addictive, and most importantly reliable in use.

The stop pin is also plenty large and durable too; there’s nothing I dislike or would change about the opening configuration on the Begleiter and it’s one reason why I’m not at all interested in the new, premium, frame lock flipper Begleiters that recently released.

Here is a size comparison with the Spyderco Delica 4:

Are we past the age of dodgy lockups? I don’t remember the last knife I handled with a bad lock, or even a lock that has been anything less than great. Makers all around the world have been expected to Do Better in recent years, in no small part thanks to companies like Kizer setting new standards for quality in all price ranges.

Unsurprisingly, then, I have no complaints about the Begleiter’s liner lock. There’s still not an iota of play in any direction after many bouts of rugged and ungainly use. A cutout on the show side scale gives nice access to the locking leaf, and disengagment is as frictionless as the lockup is firm. Again, good stuff.

Kizer Begleiter Review – Final Thoughts

Let’s be frank: the Kizer Begleiter is not a knife that it’s easy to get excited about, here in 2019. Its materials are good, but not outstanding. The fit and finish is great, but so is the fit and finish on many, many other knives. The design is smart, but subdued almost – almost – to the point of colorlessness.

At $60 it’s a good value, but also sailing perilous close to the fatal Endura/Delica 4/Chaparral Lightweight Bermuda Triangle where other value-driven knife designs get lost forever. You struggle to find anything bad to say about the Begleiter, and use it approvingly, but it doesn’t endear itself in any singular way.

Which is maybe (definitely) a silly thing to ask a knife to do. If you’re looking for a good knife in this price category, this is a good choice, a smart choice even. If you have a friend who isn’t really into knives but could use one, this is one you could hip them to. I think this is money better spent than buying most Kershaws, for instance (although again, the shadow of the sub-$100 Spydercos looms large…).

In 2019, the Begleiter is a perfect synecdoche for Kizer itself. In the turbulent, baroque, saturated knife market, where we were spoiled for choice years ago and now we’re somewhere beyond spoiled, it can be easy to lose sight of Kizer. But they’ve maintained a steady output of sensible, solid, well-made and generally well-priced designs. You may not be wowed when you pick up a Begleiter, but you definitely won’t be disappointed either, and that’s worth something.

Kizer Cutlery Begleiter Folding Pocket Knife Liner Lock Green G10 Handles Knife, Kizer Begleiter V4458A2

A reversible pocket clip and stainless steel liners.
Tactical pocket folding knife offers rapid one-handed deployment, locks securely into place with liner lock
3.5" N690 blade with a drop point shape and gray titanium coating.The bronze washers allow for smooth blade opening
Handle Material:G10 /Blade Material:N690 /Weight:3.69 oz (0.23 pounds)
Overall Length:8.17 inch (20.75 cm) /Blade Length:3.58 inch (9.09 cm)

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Kizer Begleiter at Amazon or BladeHQ. Please keep in mind that purchasing anything through any of the links on this website helps support BladeReviews, and keeps the site going. As always, any and all support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Review of the Spyderco Ouroboros (and a review of reviews)

by A Sharp Guest Contributor 2 Comments

Spyderco released Paul Alexander’s Ouroboros in 2016, and they discontinued the model last year. I waited until now to review it because I’ve carried and used the knife as my primary every day carry for several months—the only worthwhile review comes from someone who has actually cut something with the knife. Knife unboxings are fun to watch but they aren’t valuable reviews. And although the claim seems counterintuitive, I’m also reviewing the Ouroboros now because Spyderco discontinued it. Many reviews are nothing more than unwanted advertisements disguised as friendly advice. The Ouroboros provides an excellent option for a small EDC blade, and the reason you can be certain is that you can’t buy it from a retailer anymore.

An EDC blade should have a good steel in a versatile blade shape, and the Ouroboros has both. Even though VG-10 no longer excites steel junkies, its balance of toughness, corrosion resistance, edge retention, and ease of sharpening make it a solid all-round steel. There are better steels on the market, for sure, but VG-10 takes a mirror edge and holds it fairly well. Under light use such as slicing paper and cutting packing tape, VG-10 can hold an edge of 15 degrees per side, but the 20-degree factory bevel on my Ouroboros gives it the extra strength needed to push through cardboard and carrots. I wouldn’t try to baton through kindling with it but the blade has been tough enough for everyday use, and I haven’t seen a spot of rust.

Sharpening VG-10 with machine-guided stones followed by hand stropping has been about as easy as 440C, and much easier than notoriously hard steels such as ZDP-189 or S90V. The blade’s leaf shape and deep finger choil allow for a number of secure grips: you can rest your thumb on top of the blade with your forefinger behind the choil, pinch the thin tang near the Spyder-hole for kitchen tasks, or pinch-grip the handle just behind the tang to use the whole blade (just under 3 inches). The blade design also aids sharpening by avoiding Spyderco’s dreaded plunge grind where the edge bevel gets close to the ricasso, making it difficult to sharpen the blade along the entire edge.

The Ouroboros uses Spyderco’s patented compression lock, one of the most secure locking mechanisms on the market. We expect a folding knife’s lock not to fail, but the compression lock offers something that others don’t: it’s just plain fun to use! I Spyder-flick the blade with my middle finger and then press the liner tab to let the blade drop freely back into the handle. I hold the tab down and wrist-flick the blade back out. I shoot the blade back out with my thumb… It’s addictive.

The lock’s tab is the only visible part of the nested liners. The handle scales are grippy, but they aren’t the pattern of G-10 that shreds denim as you pull the knife out of your pocket. The Ouroboros fits snugly into the watch pocket of jeans because its handle is under a half-inch wide and it is just over 4 inches long. Once it’s clipped into the pocket, the lanyard hole and the paperclip-style pocket clip (the same size as the Dragonfly 2’s) are all that’s visible.

The knife’s specs and features make it a solid EDC choice, but it’s the subtle aesthetic details that make it not just my favorite knife to carry but also my favorite to admire. When it’s closed, the Ouroboros looks like it was designed to stay closed. Resting upright on a table, the knife balances on a few millimeters of G-10 behind the lock’s tab. Blade and handle look like an elongated oval, with the base of the blade’s spine emerging smoothly from the top of the handle, and the blade’s ample tip concealed within the narrow swirl at the handle’s base. The G-10 dips at the center of the handle, and a grind line—the transition from the thicker spine to the blade’s flat grind—cuts through the opening hole and across the blade at an angle that matches the handle’s sinuous line.

When the knife is open, it’s hard to believe that the tall blade came out of the narrow handle. The knife uniformly curves from tip to handle base, as if it were a few degrees taken from a large circle. In the hand, the spine’s curve rests comfortably along your palm. The balance point sits just below the lock’s tab, about where your middle finger rests in a standard grip. The curve and the balance point make an already light knife (just over 2.5 ounces) seem to be a weightless extension of your hand.

The Ouroboros is, for me, a perfect EDC. No two users will completely agree, but the foregoing review was my honest opinion, taken from months of enjoyment. Reviewers during the initial marketing push following the knife’s release had some fair criticisms: the knife was priced too high ($289.95 MSRP) for a small knife with a VG-10 blade, and Spyderco skimped when they used Teflon rather than phosphor-bronze
washers. In my experience, the washers have felt smooth and have been durable. The price kept me from buying the knife initially; I waited until the street price was well under 50% of MSRP before I bought one. With that said I’d pay full MSRP to replace it, if I had to.

New reviews all but disappeared shortly after the marketing phase, as they usually do. Some people reviewed the Ouroboros because they enjoy collecting or using knives and they wanted others to experience the same. They also might have done it because they hoped that attracting subscribers to their social media accounts would eventually allow them to quit their 9-5 grinds. Both are noble causes. But it has become more difficult to sort honest knife reviews from disguised advertisements.

I found myself confused during the time that I was reading and watching reviews, trying to decide whether to spend my hard-earned money on an Ouroboros. I struggled to answer simple questions: Is this a good knife, or have I just read an “advertorial”? A portmanteau of advertisement and editorial, an advertorial is a way for marketers to deliver ads that appear to be friendly advice. Search for a review online and you’ll encounter advertorials that conveniently offer a link to purchase the knife. Watch video reviews and the reviewers might mention that a manufacturer or a retailer provided the samples, or they might not. The most valuable PR is a consumer’s endorsement of a
product on social media, which appears to be unsolicited but is often just the opposite.

Knife addicts, steel junkies, edge snobs… all of us are susceptible to nefarious marketing schemes when we’re researching a potential purchase. One way to make a clearer decision is to avoid reviews of knives still available for purchase, or at least to maintain a healthy skepticism. Consider the reviewer’s or the website’s ethics. Does the reviewer pull the knife out of a box and tell you how great it is, with a few detractors added for credibility, or has the reviewer already carried and used the knife? Does the reviewer disclose who provided the knife and how that might influence the review? Does the website explain why there are links to purchase the knife within an article, or just following it? If you can’t answer those questions, then you should move on to another review.

My review of the Ouroboros arose from a deep enjoyment of the knife, and I wanted to share that with like-minded people. If you’d like to purchase any of the Ouroboroses that I’ve stockpiled since it has been DISCONTINUED, click on the link below to check out my online auctions…

Author: Christian Zawojski

Note from the Editor: Christian wanted to submit this as a guest review for publication, so I thought “why not?” It’s interesting knife and commentary on knife reviewers. Thank you, Christian for the entertaining and thought provoking article!