wharncliffe

Magpul Rigger Review

The Magpul Rigger is the Gray Man of knives. It’s yet another titanium framelock with average EDC knife dimensions and a forgettable-looking design, but like the literary character the Gray Man, it kicks major ass.

Before I get into the review, here’s a little background info on Magpul and the Gray Man: Magpul Industries is a giant in the world of firearms accessories, with contracts to supply ammunition magazines to multiple branches of the US and UK armed forces.

Magpul also manufactures a remarkable variety of outdoorsy gear for the civilian market, and have earned a very good reputation for making innovative, durable, and competitively priced products, all with a minimalist design aesthetic.

The Gray Man is a conceptual term for a person who is prepared for any dangerous situation, but is inconspicuous to the point of being forgettable.

It’s also the name of an extremely fun (and violent) series of books written by Mark Greaney, who is better known as the co-author the last three “Jack Ryan” books with Tom Clancy, and who has continued writing the series after Clancy’s death in 2013. I’ve read the entire 11-book Gray Man series, and highly recommend them to anyone who reads in-depth knife reviews, AKA you. The Gray Man will also be a motion picture starring Ryan Gosling, and is slated for release in 2022.

And a Gray Man knife isn’t necessarily gray- my Microtech Ultratech (pictured below) is gray in color but is extremely aggressive looking and makes a loud, sharp click when opening and closing – there’s no subtlety in this OTF switchblade.

The Ultratech makes the Rigger look like a utility knife, and most people would never suspect that the Magpul Rigger is an extremely well made, expensive, hard use knife.

I try to never read internet comments, but in the case of online posts about the Rigger, I couldn’t help myself. What I saw was basically 10% of people dying to get one, and 90% of people bitching about the $425 price tag. Well, now there’s a significantly less expensive production version about to come out for $239.95, and people are still going to bitch about the price. However, I don’t think the criticism will be just about the price, because that’s a decent MSRP for a knife of this caliber. I think it’s because the Rigger doesn’t look like an expensive knife.

It really doesn’t look like much- it’s an extremely sparse, utilitarian design. It doesn’t look bombproof like a Rick Hinderer Knives XM-18, and it doesn’t magically emanate high-quality vibes like a Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza. I like to show people the folders that I’m carrying for review, and no one even gave the Rigger a second look other than two friends of mine who have been dual-diagnosed as both knife and gun nerds. So unless you know its pedigree, it’s not even interesting to most people. So why did I drop $425 on one? Because I’m one of the relatively few people who’ve actually handled one. I pestered the nice people staffing Magpul’s booth at SHOT Show 2020 (as documented in this BladeReviews article) until they dug out a Rigger prototype they didn’t even have on display. The moment I got my hands on it, I knew the build quality, mechanical action, balance, and blade shape were exactly what I like in a knife.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Rigger is a little under 7-1/2” (18.7 cm) open, with a 3.25” (8.25 cm) long blade made of S35VN steel. The Titanium handle is relatively thin and flat, and is 1-1/4” (30 mm) wide at the pivot, tapering to 3/4” (20 mm) at the bottom. The flipper tab adds another quarter inch (5 mm) to either the dorsal or ventral width, depending on whether the blade is open, or folded into its generally symmetrical handle.

Every Magpul product is 100% American made, and they chose a high-end American blade steel for their high-end knife: Crucible Industries powdered metallurgy S35VN. Steel, like life, is a series of tradeoffs, and in the tradeoff between hardness (resistance to bending) and toughness (resistance to breaking) S35VN chooses hardness. This translates to excellent edge retention, which I personally prefer because I like it when my stuff stays sharp.

The blade style is described by Magpul as a modified wharncliffe with a tapered dual bevel grind, “modified” meaning that the cutting edge is slightly rounded. I don’t know if giving the wharncliffe blade a belly was an ergonomic or an aesthetic decision, but it cuts very well and looks great. From a design philosophy point of view, putting a curved blade on a knife dominated by straight lines seems weird, but I think it really ties the room together, Dude.

I prefer the ergonomics of wharncliffe style blades because most of the cutting I do is with the tip. If I’m slicing open a box on a table in front of me, the Rigger’s blade tip is nearly parallel to the top of the box, and I can slice packing tape without bending my wrist or sticking my elbow up in the air more than about 10 degrees. A traditional drop point blade shape (such as on the excellent Kombou-designed Bestech Knives Samari, pictured above) requires angling the knife to a nearly vertical 70 degrees to make the same cut.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

I admittedly have a lot of pocketknives (25 or so) but I do not self-identify as a collector- I’m a user who like variety. And when it comes to knives that are destined to be used relatively hard, I definitely have a “type”, and the Rigger is it.

I obviously like titanium framelock flipper-opening knives with wharncliffe blades, and if they have a pronounced cutout for my index finger like the Rigger does, that’s even better. Last year in my review of the WE Knife Scoppio, I performed a slippery-ness test with ten of my folding knives, and learned that the single most important factor in grip retention on a wet knife is an index finger groove.

I also like my knives well-balanced, and using the Rigger’s finger groove, I can effortlessly balance the open knife on one finger. This is possible because the insides of the handle scales have been lightened by machining away excess material. You can kind of see the hollowed-out inside of the handle in the picture below. The Rigger has perfect 50/50 front/rear weight distribution like a sports car- Magpul was really paying attention to details here, which I appreciate.

The handle and pocket clip are 6AL4V titanium, held together with only two large, steel screws, which have a wide slot for use with a standard screwdriver or a coin as thick as a US or Canadian quarter, or a 5 cent Euro coin. The front screw doubles as the blade’s pivot. The rear screw doubles as the pocket clip attachment. and triples as a lanyard attachment point, because it has a hollow pass-through big enough for a paracord lanyard. I personally don’t get the appeal of adding lanyards to knives with pocket clips, so I did a little research and found this little tidbit on the internet: “Lanyard comes from the French word “laniere” which means strap or thong.” I personally don’t get the appeal of wearing a thong either, but to each their own.

Nonetheless, this is the simplest, cleanest folding knife design I’ve ever seen, yet it manages to slip in a few features that are actually useful. The first useful feature is the Rigger’s reversible pocket clip- It can be switched between left or right handed tip-up carry. Magpul managed to ambi this knife up without leaving two or three little empty screw holes in the handle scales like on many Spydercos, and nearly every Benchmade, such as the Adamas, pictured below.

The pocket clip is wide, flat, and centered, and has a slight downward angle, meaning it’s taller towards the butt. This bellbottom shape is probably intended to aid in grip retention (I have a pistol with bellbottom-ey grips and they definitely help keep my grip properly high) but I see this feature as yet another example of the subtle, nearly un-noticeable details that make this an excellent knife. The clip’s width and placement make it melt into my hand, and I never noticed it as a “hotspot” during hard use. The pocket clip’s usability is also optimal- it slides easily over thick denim pants pockets, and stays put in thinner material as well. The titanium has the perfect amount of flex- it’s not too loose, and it’s not an inflexible pants-destroyer like the clip on my Microtech Sigil (below, right).

The Rigger’s spartan design is further evident in that it has machined jimping in the only two places it’s absolutely needed: the flipper tab and the spine of the blade, where it gives excellent traction to my thumb when used in a traditional overhand grip.

The only ergonomic gripe I have with the Rigger is that, during my more vigorous testing (mainly slicing thick cardboard furniture boxes into pieces that fit into my recycling bin) the handle was a little too short for me to get a comfortable four-finger grip. The handle is already longer than it strictly needs to be to hold the blade, and I appreciate the extra real estate for my fingers, but it’s a little tight for my medium-large hands.

Deployment and Lockup

There’s no way to open the Rigger without using the flipper tab, but when I want to avoid the satisfying, crisp finger snap sound effect of the Rigger locking open, I can deliberately short-stroke the flipper and quietly ease the blade open on its caged ceramic bearings. The lockbar has a steel insert to avoid titanium-on-titanium stickiness, and is 3 mm wide. My well worn in Rigger locks securely with zero blade wiggle, using about 60% of its surface area, and I can muscle it to about 80% if I want. But I never do, because if it’s a secure lock I’m craving, I can use another useful feature of the Rigger: its secondary locking mechanism.

I appreciate that Magpul has mercifully not given it a tough-sounding name like Deadbolt, Axis Lock, RotoBlock or Shark Lock, which are already taken. The secondary lock engages with a crisp little snick like a 1911 pistol safety, which it was designed to emulate. I’ve used it just to see if it worked, and it functions as intended, which is to lock the framelock in its open position. It might be an unnecessary gimmick, but I’m not complaining- I applaud innovation and understand the need to stand out in a crowded commercial marketplace.

The Rigger really hits the sweet spot for me- it has the stabby blade tip of the Microtech Sigil (top), the deep and far-forward finger groove of the GiantMouse GM1 (2nd from top), the simple harmonious design of the Chris Reeve Knives Sebenza Insingo (3rd from top), and it has a better pocket clip than any of them and takes up less pocket space.

Magpul Rigger Review – Final Thoughts

At the time of writing, I’ve had my Limited Edition Rigger for over eight months,
but during the COVID lockdown months of 2020-2021 I was way too busy being depressed to review it. Now that Magpul is poised to release the Rigger EDC, a lower-cost, production version of the Rigger, I figured I’d better start sharing my knowledge of the Rigger with the world so people can make an informed decision about getting one.

Magpul says the only physical difference between the Rigger EDC and the Limited Edition models is that the handle scales and pocket clip are aluminum instead of titanium. I noticed in a promotional picture provided by Magpul (below) that the Rigger EDC’s aluminum pocket clip looks a little chunkier than my titanium version, but I’m guessing that shouldn’t negatively affect the good ergonomics of the knife.

The most significant difference is in price and availability. The EDC will cost $239.95, which is $185 less than the Limited Edition. If I hadn’t already obsessively stalked and bagged one of the 800 Limited Riggers currently in the wild (I had it in my cart literally one second after it dropped), I’d definitely buy one of the Rigger EDC’s.

I think the following sums up my experience with the Magpul Rigger: Over the last couple of months, I’ve been carrying this Benchmade Adamas (pictured below) for an upcoming review.

After having thoroughly used and abused the Adamas, I can confidently say that the little titanium Rigger can do everything this huge, steel and G-10 tactical knife can do, but without looking like you’re about to storm an ISIS safehouse. That’s the essence of the Gray Man, and that’s why I recommend this knife.

Big thanks to Sara O’Neil for the use of her painting.

Gerber Jukebox Review

by Clayton Walker Leave a Comment

If you hadn’t heard: the war between form and function continues to rage. Sure, in a perfect world we’d end up with tools that look fantastic and work great. That said, the reality of the knife world is that most of us end up with pug-ugly blades we don’t mind hammering on, and a lot of drawer queens that we feel wrong about putting to hard use.

Buy the Gerber Jukebox at BladeHQ
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The Gerber Jukebox has oddly fallen right into the middle of that continuum for me. Like most of the knife’s buyers, I originally saw the retro-cool looks and unique operation and found I couldn’t say no. However, after getting the piece in hand, I encountered a few clear drawbacks that prevented me from absolutely falling in love with the design.

Now here’s the ironic part of it all: the fact that I didn’t initially love it caused me to beat on the thing and push it a little harder than I would have ordinarily. As a result, it’s one of the few knives I own that’s both a neat showpiece and gets a frequent nod when there’s a job to be done.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Gerber Jukebox mates a 2.75” blade into a 3 7/8” long handle. Much of the retro appeal comes from a 7/8” broad sheepsfoot blade with a very steep descent between spine and tip. So much so it really resembles a straight razor more than a sheepsfoot. I find this blade shape to be well-suited to most blue collar cutting tasks.

Compared to the usual suspects of the Spyderco PM2 and the Ontario Rat II, the Jukebox is small, but squat. Closed, the knife is a hair under a half-inch thick (not counting the clip) and sits about an inch and a quarter at its widest point. Overall, the knife is weighty without feeling cumbersome at 3.8 ounces on my digital scale.

Now for the negative: the Gerber Jukebox uses a 7Cr17MoV steel. This was a new one on me, and required some Googling: apparently it’s even more budget than the Chinese standard bearer of 8Cr13MoV. Roughly equivalent to 440a, expect it to have slightly less edge retention than 8Cr but be even easier to sharpen. Considering that just about every knife these days from a quality manufacturer has landed on 8Cr as the bare minimum in steel quality, and given the $35 to $40 price point of the Jukebox, this seems an odd choice from Gerber.

What I can forgive less than the steel was the absolutely atrocious factory grind, which was not only dull but completely asymmetrical. One side looks like a flat grind, the other a hollow grind, and there’s a visible difference in terms of where the grinds start from the spine of the blade. At one point I might have accepted this as what one could expect from a “budget” knife, but competition is stiff these days. The sloppiness becomes even less excusable for a company trying to woo the enthusiast market segment.

You’ll notice my knife doesn’t have a perfectly straight edge and has a slightly rounded tip. That’s on me, not Gerber. In putting an edge on the knife, I turned to the Work Sharp company’s WSKTS-W model. Yeah: the electric-powered one. Maybe I was a little too aggressive in my first outing with the device and was a little heavy-handed with the coarse grit belt. Maybe my lack of finesse was an especially bad fit with the softer 7Cr steel. Live and learn. In my defense, it gave the Jukebox a razor-sharp edge for the first time in its life, and as the kids say, you only YOLO once.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Undoubtedly the biggest draw of the Gerber Jukebox past the straight-razor aesthetic is the tortoiseshell treatment on the acrylic handles. These are just awesome, and I hope this catches on. A lot of us gravitate to a single cool feature of a knife as reason enough to buy it for a collection, and this was the golden ticket that allowed the Jukebox entry to my shopping cart.

The ergos aren’t too bad when it comes to the Jukebox. It’s very nicely rounded and dehorned, making it virtually hotspot free. The stainless hardware is nicely polished, and the acrylic panels are nicely fitted to the frame. The knife has a satisfying weight in the hand, and the handle is right-sized to permit a four-finger grip without feeling bulky.

One issue made itself known in a way I’m glad didn’t amount to much. I realized that while the Jukebox feels good in the hand, its symmetric nature makes it harder to tell the orientation of the knife if you pick it up in the dark. I was breaking down some boxes at about 10pm when I realized I’d picked the knife up ass-backwards. One would think the flipper tab and pocket clip would’ve served as significant tactile clues as to which way the sharp end is pointing, but somehow I found a way to misorient the knife, so be careful.

The Jukebox’s pocket clip is deep carry in a non-ambidextrous, tip down orientation. Neither should be a dealbreaker: the knife is easily opened and deployed with the left hand, and I don’t think this is built to be opened at speed (more on this in the next section) or designed around a self-defense role. That said, we’d be remiss not to talk about the flipper. Some of the benefits of deep carry are slightly negated by a half-inch metallic protuberance. I didn’t get prodded by the flipper as some other online reviewers have mentioned, but it does make the knife a little conspicuous in the pocket.

Deployment and Lockup

I’m going to upgrade my original assessment of the Jukebox’s deployment from “awkward” to a new verdict of “unexpectedly gratifying.”

First, you might see the upward extension on the blade in the closed position and assume that this is a fidget-friendly front flipper. It is not. The blade is under stiff enough tension that you can’t easily flick this into deployment. Even if you did try to build up momentum with a wrist snap, the way you’d be gripping the knife would mean that you’d probably just end up pinning your index finger between the handle and the extension before the liner had a chance to engage.

If you make peace with the fact that your deployment won’t be instantaneous, you can still have some fun here. The Jukebox does indeed open one-handed quite easily. The thumb can roll the blade out to a ninety degree position, at which point the index finger can hook over the back of the tab and click the blade into lockup. It might not be as fast as most EDC deployment methods, but after a small learning curve the process becomes very smooth. While the action is a little heavy for my liking, it’s free of grit or any hitches.

Lockup is decent if unexceptional. My Jukebox has a little lateral wiggle if I apply a bit of force, but it’s nothing that bugs me. The liner is a little thin, but it consistently finds the middle of the blade even with light pressure. I wouldn’t hammer on it, but this would be fine for light to moderate use.

Gerber Jukebox Review – Final Thoughts

As you might have gathered, the blade steel, action, and ergonomics all add up to a knife that I like, but don’t love. In considering what Gerber’s trying to do these days, the Fastball (and Gerber’s custom knife program) is more representative of the company’s potential, and something that moves my personal needle a little more than the Jukebox.

But indulge me in a baseball analogy. If I look at my knives the same way a manager does with pitchers, my Benchmade Bugout is one of my starting “aces.” It will give me a lot of output, look good doing it, and is a good choice for most situations. Oppositely, something like the ESEE Junglas works as a “closer.” It won’t be an everyday sight—much to the contrary, it’s a specialized tool that gets brought in when a specific problem needs to be solved decisively.

The Gerber Jukebox, then, is that relief pitcher who’s brought into the middle of the game when your team has a commanding lead. Granted, it might not be as flashy or as effective as another option, but often the job that needs to be done won’t be meaningfully impacted by the limitations of the tool. Additionally, by relying on that tool, you save aces and closers alike from unnecessary wear and tear.

My point is that there’s a place in every bullpen for a pitcher of this sort, and there’s a place in a lot of knife drawers for the Gerber Jukebox. It’s not a perfect knife, but it is striking, and it can certainly put in work.

Sale

GERBER Jukebox, EDC Pocket Knife with Straight Edge Blade Flipper, Tortoise Shell [31-003761]

The Jukebox is reminiscent of a knife that could be found in an old school barber shop, a polished gentleman's knife that can be easily carried in pocket.
An extended tang finger flipper is uniquely designed for easy deployment without sacrificing design.
A fully fine edge, modern sheep foot blade is not only on trend, but offers practical utility for everyday tasks.
The Liner Lock safety feature provides confidence during use and easy one-handed closing, and pocket clip to keep it secure when stored.
The Jukebox features a 2.7 Inch satin finished fine edge blade, with acrylic handle scales available in two unique colorways.

Editor: I recommend purchasing the Gerber Jukebox at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

QSP Penguin Review

by Clayton Walker Leave a Comment

As most of you know, the Ontario Knife Company threw down the gauntlet a little over a decade ago with the Rat Model I. At the sub-$30 price point, the EDC knifebuying public received a well-constructed product with a slick action, great ergos, good-enough steel, and simple-but-effective blade geometry.

Since then, OKC followed up with the Rat II, which has become maybe the most ubiquitous EDC knife on the planet earth. And, uh, they didn’t have to do much else. Except maybe assume a comfortable posture on the throne they built and watch the money roll in. From the moment the Rat II developed a buzz, it’s been arguably the budget knife to beat in terms of features-to-cost.

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In truth, we consumers have been the real winners in this knock-down, drag-out fight among manufacturers to give us more for less. I monitor the value category quite a bit, if only because it gives me a great way to reward my impulsiveness while adding knives to the drawer that I actually like carrying and using. Within the last year especially it seems like the QSP Penguin grew into something of a dark horse entry into the value EDC category, and eventually my curiosity shouted down any other reservations.

Cutting to the chase: the QSP Penguin feels in my hands like a sixty dollar knife. The build quality is easily on par with what brands like Kizer, Civivi, or even Spyderco are offering at their budget price tier. If someone put the Penguin in my hands and asked me to guess what it cost, I’d guess much higher than $30.

So don’t kill me when I address the elephant in the room, but I suppose the QSP Penguin represents the platonic ideal of a Chinese-made knife: getting more for less. Too often, we end up with a copycat of a known design from a reputable company that disappoints as soon as we get it out of the box. And that suspicion is certainly warranted given the frequency of how often it seems to happen to us.

QSP, though? They seem legitimate and eager to contend. Just on paper I was excited to get a combination of D2 and micarta in a thirty dollar package, or at least intrigued enough to throw the knife in the cart. I figured something along the way would fall flat, but I only grew more impressed with the design the more I got to know it.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The QSP clocks in at 3.2 ounces of weight, with a 3” blade and a closed length of 4.” The knife is about 1.25” across its widest point laterally, and just less than half an inch thick, not counting the clip. It’s sits little taller than a Rat II and is infinitesimally thicker, but in all other dimensions it’s nearly identical. It’s also significantly smaller than that next step up into that category of full-sized knives like the Rat I or Spyderco PM2.

Onto the main event: D2 steel and a full, absolutely traditional wharncliffe. While I previously wrote about the benefits of the blade shape’s self-defensive utility in my CJRB Talla review, I’d be remiss not to note here that the QSP could be pressed into a similar role and gives you just about the same amount of cutting edge as the Spyderco Yojimbo.

For me though, the Penguin excels at far more genteel purposes. If there’s something you’d use a utility knife for, the Penguin can sub in easily. The tip is extremely easy to control, but the design of the knife ensures that you won’t over-penetrate what you’re trying to work on, so it’s good for scoring or precision cuts. Additionally, that blade shape can generate enough power to go through denser material with downward push cuts. And, being perfectly straight, it’s easy to sharpen. Or at least as easy as D2 is capable of getting.

Thankfully, my QSP came from the factory hair-shaving sharp. This is a nice box to check if you want to give a non-knife person a gift that will have a good edge right out of the gate—and will likely stay that way for some time if it endures only the kind of light office use the layperson will throw at it.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

Another “I really get this for less than thirty bucks?” feature: micarta. The QSP Penguin is available in a few fun colorways, but I opted for a nice shade of bluish green. Combined with the polished stainless, the Penguin is a real attention getter and especially pops when set alongside more tactical blades. It can do serious work, but the green + stainless option seems especially anodyne and office friendly.

The ergos are good; maybe not fantastic, but certainly beyond what I would have expected for the price. (Sensing a theme yet?) All of the stainless hardware on the knife is well-polished and adequately rounded, so there aren’t too many hot spots to be found, even though the knife is generally squarish.

For power-type cutting, the knife feels good with the thumb resting on the functional-but-nonagressive jimping, and for precision cuts the index finger easily settles onto the spine of the blade. The micarta has a subtle, natural texture that provides friction, and the Penguin never feels like it’s going to squirt out of your hand under use. The micarta’s not as toothy as a good G10, but it’s certainly grippier than molded plastic.

The clip is an excellent deep carry variety that puts all visible handle well below the seam of the pocket. Here, the bright stainless finish gives this additional “gentleman knife” points: most will assume you have a pen in your pocket; not a medium-sized blade. If we’re picking nits, flush-sitting screws would be a nice thing to have, but they’re rounded and the clip is tensioned well enough that the Penguin will slide into a pocket with ease.

Carry is tip-up only, but reversible for the right or left side.

Deployment and Lockup

The final perk: the action is really, really good.

I normally didn’t care for thumbstuds until I (like everyone else on the planet) bought a Rat II and realized, “Oh, okay: this is how it’s supposed to work.” Flick a good design with the thumb and the blade is supposed to fly out and into lock-up. There’s a small learning curve (as evidenced by my father, who still can’t figure it out on his Rat II), but once you get it it’s second nature.

The QSP Penguin is similarly excellent. The detent seems just right, and the stepped thumb studs are actually the one part of the knife that’s left a little more squared-off, so it’ll easily grab the meat of the thumb pad. I can foresee how that could, in theory, be a little hard on one’s pocket lining over time, but the design decision really lets you feel like you’ve got good control to flick the blade out regardless of your digit’s angle of approach.

Blade centering is immaculate both closed and open with no perceptible play. Liner engagement is adequate: a good 90% of the surface makes contact with the blade and finds its mark consistently. There’s only really a twentieth of an inch-thick piece of metal here, so I wouldn’t put the QSP into “hard use” category, but I feel like you’d need to be trying to induce a failure to get it to happen.

QSP Penguin Review – Final Thoughts

If you were wondering, the QSP stands for Quality, Service, Price. It’s hard not to read the Penguin as working proof of that ethos. But given how neatly the Penguin fits into that box of maxing out the feature set at the $30 price point, where does QSP go from there?

A browse through their product lineup indicates they’re answering that question pretty well. For ten dollars less, the QSP Parrot would make for a good first knife for a youth, though the lower price comes with the compromise of 440C steel and plastic handles. For ten or twenty dollars more than the Penguin, there’s a host of other “bird” knives that will give you a multiplicity of deployment and blade choices. Really going up the ladder to the $200+ Woodpecker will get you a titanium frame lock and M390 steel.

QSP Penguin Pocket Knife,D2 blade,Various Handle Option,Carbon Fiber Overlay G10 Handle Version

Sharp D2 Blade with Jimping, Satin Finish/black stone wash finish, HRC58-60, different handle options
Left and Right Handed Thumb Stub Opening, Copper Washes for Smooth Opening
Left and Right Reversible Pocket Clip
Convenient for Everyday Carry, 4.0" Handle, comfortable when hold in hands.
100% MONEY BACK if the New Knife has Defects in Material and Workmanship. QSP KNIFE has US representative for customer service

Editor: I recommend purchasing the QSP Penguin at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

CJRB Talla Review

by Clayton Walker 7 Comments

A few months back, and I fully admit I’m late to this party, I stumbled across a Youtube interview with self-defense expert, knife designer, and all around “guy who knows his stuff” Michael Janich. I became familiar with Janich years ago because he’d produced quite a bit of content for some of the shooting sports / self-defense print publications I also write for, so as soon as the name crept into my “suggested for you” feed, my eyes widened a bit.

Janich helped provide an answer to a question that had lingering in the back of my mind for some time: what’s the deal with Wharncliffes, and what functional advantage do they offer over something like a tanto or drop point? (They look weird, I often thought to myself.)

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To summarize Janich’s thoughts: the blade style makes for an unexpectedly aggressive cutter. In a test of several different types of blades, Janich found that none penetrated as deep or as effortlessly with slashing motions as did the wharncliffe. Theoretically, a knife of this type would have a distinctive advantage in terms of being able to cleave deeply through the muscle groups of a violent aggressor and disable further attacks. As a collaborator-turned-employee of Spyderco, Janich’s insights ultimately culminated in the company’s Ronin and Yojimbo designs, which receive uniformly high praise and I have no doubt are well-equipped to handle the self-defense roles he imagined.

Now, rare is the Blade Reviews reader who isn’t also a Spyderco fan. For that reason, no one would be blamed for listening to Janich and promptly buying one of his designs, as many of his students tend to do after taking one of his self-defense classes. That said, and as good as Spyderco is, I doubted it held a monopoly on the concept of the wharncliffe as a tactical tool. Thus began the hunt for a similar breed of knife suited to a defensive role, but at a more affordable price point.

My search concluded quickly. Within a few days of watching Janich’s video, I discovered the CJRB Talla. While not an absolutely textbook example of a fighting wharncliffe, I think it hews close enough to what he had in mind and I’d also heartily recommend it to anyone just plain looking for “a good knife” large EDC.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The CJRB Talla is a large knife. Not gargantuan, “Cold Steel” levels of absolute ridiculousness, mind you: it’s just a regular kind of big. With a closed length of nearly 4 and 3/4”, a width of about a half inch (not including the clip), and a weight of 4.43 oz, you’ll feel it in the pocket. But, as some experts say of handguns carried for self defense, “It’s supposed to be comforting, not comfortable.”

Here is a size comparison with a Para 3 and a RAT II.

The blade itself is an imposing, flat-ground wharncliffe with an overall length of three and a half inches. The spine of the knife narrows into the tip through a series of angles and swedges that are likely more for visual interest than functionality. While not a 100% true Wharncliffe due to just a slight amount of belly, the subtle curve of the knife puts the tip only about ten or fifteen degrees away from where it’d be located if the edge was perfectly linear.

Delivering good value right out of the gate, the CJRB Talla’s blade is D2 steel. While D2 is known to be a little bit of a bear to sharpen in comparison to the other budget steels (to wit: 440, 8Cr13MoV, or AUS-8), the relatively straight blade of the Talla should make restoring a good edge an easier proposition if you’re using the blade enough to dull it.

The drawback of the Wharncliffe is that it has a fairly delicate tip in comparison to other blade types. This is not an ideal blade for chopping wood or penetrating through 55 gallon drums, and it is especially not for prying. Supposing, however, that you snapped off the last half inch of tip, it’s not like the rest of this knife would suddenly burst into flames— you’d still have a good 3” of usable blade left.

That tip, however, allows for remarkably precise work on softer material. Put the tip at whatever you’d like cut, flick your wrist, and thy will be done. The knife is a little on the big side for ultra delicate operations, but in general it’s pretty darn good at getting into tight, small work spaces and that last eighth of an inch of blade can do some impressive things.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clip

If there’s a grippier knife, I don’t know of it. The Talla features G10 handles that are scored with a series of parallel striations. These grooves aren’t necessarily sharp, per se, but they really do lock into the skin. With a secure grip, this knife isn’t going anywhere. Additionally, the handles are subtly contoured into an oval-like grip shape, so it sits a little less flat in the hand than most EDC knives.

Additionally, in the deployed position, the flipper forms a very prominent and reassuring finger guard to make sure that there’s no way your hand is ever going to get out in front of the blade. I’ve read that some users initially thought the tab was sharp around the edges, but mine seems adequately rounded. This might be something CJRB addressed in successive iterations and small design fixes.

The Talla comes with a deep-carry pocket clip that only exposes about a sixteenth of an inch of handle. It’s not absolutely flush with the end of the bottom of the knife, but it’s very close. The clip is ambidextrous and only oriented for tip up carry, so those who prefer a tip down style might want to look elsewhere.

Personally, I quite like this clip: it doesn’t provide too much tension (the G10 will provide additional purchase anyway), and doesn’t result in any significant hot spots during use or hard gripping. I tend to instantly excise most pocket clips that provide any ergonomic headache, so the fact that I’ve left mine on is as high of praise as I can provide.

Deployment and Lockup

The CJRB Talla is a non-assisted mechanical flipper that runs on ceramic ball bearings. To me, this passes all of the hallmarks of the “good flipper” test. With a perfectly straight wrist, a normal amount of pressure on the generous flipper tab will cause the blade to kick out and into lockup every time. Additionally, the Talla doesn’t rely on a monstrously, stupid-heavy detent. This may be because the larger blade has a better ability to build up momentum as the flipper is depressed.

The Talla uses a full-profile stainless steel liner for lockup. On a knife of this size, those non-skeletonized liners are probably a contributor to the relatively hefty weight of 4.43 ounces. They are decently beefy, and the entire front edge of the liner nestles into the middle of the blade for a good sixteenth of an inch of contact surface. I couldn’t detect any issues with either blade centering or lateral play.

On the whole, the knife is extremely solid on lockup and idiot-proof to deploy from any position. There are no thumb studs or nail nicks, but admittedly the blade has so much exposed real estate that you can always pinch it and pull it out into deployment if you didn’t want to use the flipper for whatever reason.

CJRB Talla Review – Final thoughts

I’ll admit that I have absolutely no idea if CJRB envisioned the Talla as having a primary application of personal defense. Maybe they did, or maybe they would wince at the suggestion; I really don’t know. What I do know is that considering the qualities I’d want in a carry knife, the Talla has a lot going for it. I’d absolutely trust it if I needed to cut my way out of a problem. In fact, it seems too well-suited to this purpose for me to consider it to have arisen purely by accident.

Note that I don’t mean to be too sanguine or nonchalant about this self-defense business. To paraphrase Masaad Ayoob, expert witness and author of numerous books about lethal force, “Every bullet fired has a lawyer behind it.” The decision to wield any weapon in defense of one’s life or the lives of others is not one to be taken lightly. If rushed or ill-considered, your actions could put you squarely in a jail cell—or worse. All of us who carry a knife should hope to god we never have to draw it in desperation.

With that disclaimer, those specifically looking for a defensive tool should give this a look. The knife offers an imposing blade that is more than up to aggressive slicing, and the D2 steel is hardy and takes a great edge. Naturally, the Talla is just as much capable of opening letters, breaking down boxes, and scoring surfaces. However, if you flick this thing out in the middle of the office, that large, aggressive blade might raise a few eyebrows.

At the end of the day, this is remarkable value for a street price of forty bucks, regardless of whatever you plan to use it for. CJRB (as well as its parent company, Artisan Cutlery) hadn’t been on my radar before, but suffice it to say that they certainly are now.

CJRB Talla Linerlock Green J1901GNC

Equipped with a flipper opening mechanism to allow you to open the knife with either hand
The straight edge drop point blade is crafted with durable D2 steel; blade measures 3.5 inches long
Overall knife length is 8.27 inches; liner lock keeps the blade firmly in place while in use
Handle material consists of lightly textured G10 to improve grip and prevent slipping
A steel clip is attached to the handle so you can carry the knife conveniently in your pocket

$36.86
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Editor: I recommend purchasing the CJRB Talla at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Spyderco Atlantic Salt Review

by Dan Jackson 2 Comments

This review is a series of firsts. After over 400 reviews, this is the first time we have reviewed a knife with a fully serrated blade. It’s also the first time we have reviewed a knife with H1, an uber stainless blade steel. At first glance, that may hold some significance. But really, this is a purpose built knife. The Spyderco Atlantic Salt is designed for marine use. This is a mariner’s knife.

Buy the Spyderco Atlantic Salt at BladeHQ

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Actually, according to Spyderco this is a rescue knife adapted for marine use. They took their Spyderco Rescue, and outfitted it with a high visibility handle and rust proof H1 steel. It’s a purpose built tool and probably not something most people are going to consider for their Every Day Carry (EDC) knife.

I have wanted to check out a knife in H1 for a while. According to Spyderco this is a completely rust proof steel. That’s different from a “stainless” steel, as even stainless steel can and will rust. Stainless steel will simply “stain less” than a non-stainless steel.

And as most steel enthusiasts know, blade steel is an exercise in compromise. Improving one quality of a knife’s blade steel, like hardness, often comes at the expense of something else, like toughness, ease of sharpening, or stain resistance. So what will be the compromise with H1? Will it cut like a butter knife and be impossible to sharpen? Let’s find out.

General Dimensions and Blade Details

The Atlantic Salt has an overall length of 8.25″, a 3.678″ blade, weighs 2.75 ounces, and is made in Japan. This is a pretty large folding knife, but it doesn’t feel overly big thanks to the unusual blade shape, high visibility handle, and ultra-light construction. EDC knives this big typically give off a tactical or “weapon” vibe, but this Atlantic Salt reads more like a tool and doesn’t strike me as being particularly threatening.

For these reasons I’ve actually carried the Atlantic Salt quite a bit. I don’t own a boat, and while I live in South Florida, I don’t get on to the water as much as I would like. So at the time of writing this review I can’t say I’ve used it as a mariner’s knife. But I have carried it and used it, and plan on keeping the knife for long term testing. It will join me on fishing trips and the occasional boat ride.

Here is the Atlantic Salt next to my Delica and Endura. As you can see, it’s only a little shorter than the Endura.

The blade is purpose built, and will take some getting used to if you are a fan of drop points. It’s a hollow ground wharncliffe with a fully serrated edge after all. Of course this was done for a reason. It’s a wharncliffe to reduce the risk of stabbing yourself on the pitching deck of a boat. It’s serrated to cut through line, and possibly clothing, and to take advantage of H1’s unique properties. It’s hollow ground because some believe H1 is “work hardened” rather than heat treated. What that means, is that as the blade is ground and the metal is removed blade steel hardens due to the force on the steel rather than a heat treat. This phenomenon is also referred to as “plastic deformation”. So they need to grind both sides simultaneously to avoid warping the blade, and they can do that with a hollow grind. Each aspect of the Atlantic Salt’s blade was done for a reason.

And lets turn to H1 itself. H1 is a high chromium austenic steel. The term “austenic” has to do with the crystal microstructure of the steel. I won’t get into a chemistry lesson, but if you want a deep dive on H1 I recommend this article by Knife Steel Nerds. You will learn all you want to know about H1 in that article.

The takeaway is that H1 is structurally different from the typical ferric stainless steels you find in most knife blades. It’s hallmarked by being completely stain proof, but the sacrifice is hardness. Bro science and anecdotal evidence suggest that a serrated blade best takes advantage of H1, and provides better edge retention. But modern metallurgy doesn’t explain why that would work scientifically. The Knife Steel Nerd even says that grinding a blade shouldn’t be enough to work harden it, and he’s the Knife Steel Nerd. So who’s to say?

All I can really do is test this stuff out, so that’s what I did. The knife came surprisingly sharp out of the box. It cut paper cleanly and easily. It tore through cardboard. I bought this knife on Black Friday, so it survived the holiday season with me. Lots of boxes lay broken in the wake of the Atlantic Salt. The serrated edge is surprisingly effective. I got a lot of work done with the knife before needing to sharpen it.

In fact, the knife was still tearing through things effectively, but I decided to pull out my Spyderco Golden Stone anyways to see what a sharpening session would do for the H1 blade. I used the rounded corner of the Golden Stone and zipped the serrated edges along the edge of the stone. Spyderco recommends sharpening both sides of a serrated blade, and that’s what I did here. The results were great. The knife got extremely sharp quickly. The Atlantic Salt slipped through cardboard as if it were butter. This is an easy knife to sharpen if you have a rounded stone for the serrated edge. I happened to use my mythical Golden Stone, but the Sharpmaker works beautifully for a knife like this.

Here is another size comparison. This time I have the Atlantic Salt next to my Para 2 and Tenacious:

The blade steel also exhibits excellent toughness. I didn’t test this in any particular manner, but noticed that the steel is so tough that it scratches easily. I noticed this immediately after cutting cardboard, and this YouTube video shows the wear on an H1 blade after 5 years. I think it’s interesting how the person who made that video compared the wear pattern on the H1 blade more to titanium than stainless steel. I would agree. My other blades don’t wear like this.

All said, I was surprised with the utility of the H1 blade. Now I know H1 to sharpens easily, keeps a decent edge, and has the benefit of being completely rust proof. The serrations may be important. I need to buy another knife with a plain edge in H1 to test it out.

Handle, Ergonomics, and Pocket Clips

In contrast to the unique and alien blade, the handle of the Atlantic Salt is familiar territory. Anyone who has handled a Spyderco Delica or Endura will immediately recognize the construction and materials of the Atlantic’s handle. That said, there are still plenty of things to note here.

First of all, the handle is a shock of bright yellow. That’s great for marine use and work knives in general. It’s possible you could drop this knife in shallow water and still locate it. Certainly it would stand out on the forest floor. The handle design is also completely devoid of metal liners. Instead, it’s 100% injection molded FRN (Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon). It still feels sturdy without the liners, but I wouldn’t consider the Atlantic Salt to be a hard use knife.

Continuing with the Mariner’s knife theme is the inclusion of a shackle key. That’s the elongated teardrop shaped hole in the handle. This is used to tighten screw pin shackles that you find mostly on sail boats. The Glessers were sailors, presumably before they settled in landlocked Colorado, so they are especially sensitive to the needs of a mariner.

It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that the Atlantic Salt is comfortable in hand. The handle is generous, easily accommodating large hands, and balances high traction with comfort. There is contouring all around the handle feeding into the heavily textured flats. There is good jimping on both the forward “50/50” finger choil (meaning 50% of the choil is handle, 50% is blade), and the severely angled thumb ramp. Your fingers are unlikely to slip forward towards the edge, even if your hands are wet. The balance point of the knife is right behind the pivot, lending the knife a slightly blade heavy feel unless you use the forward choil. All said the handle is well considered and exceedingly comfortable.

Even the pocket clip of the Atlantic salt is different. Here it’s a spring clip made of powder coated titanium. That’s another first for the blog. It sits high on the handle in a tip up configuration, and can swapped to the right or left side. The screw that holds the clip in place is slotted and drilled through so you can run a thin lanyard through it. It’s an elegant approach to the typical awkwardly placed lanyard hole, and one I wouldn’t mind seeing in other designs.

In pocket the Atlantic Salt carries pretty well. It’s a lightweight knife, so that’s nice. It’s also relatively thin; about the thickness of a Delica. Where the Atlantic Salt falls a little short, is that it’s a very wide knife. That’s due to the unusual design. I definitely feel this knife in the pocket. That’s not the end of the world, but worth noting. There is some bulk associated with the Atlantic Salt.

The clip is secure and has excellent retention. While the knife rides low in the pocket, that canary yellow handle is tough to ignore. Here is your in the pocket shot:

Deployment and Lockup

The blade is opened by the prominent thumb hole. It is oversized and easy to access. I tend to take that granted on a Spyderco, but what caught me by surprise was how smooth the action is on this knife. It’s buttery smooth. I can’t tell by peering down into the handle, but this may be a washerless design. I don’t know, but whatever is going on works, so I’m hesitant to take the knife apart. Once you overcome that initial spring tension the blade opens easily and locks with a satisfying click.

Speaking of locks, the Atlantic makes use of a lockback. It’s secure, and my knife is free of blade play in any direction, but this is not a knife I’d use for serious woodwork or other hard use tasks. Sure, it can cut into a board, but where the Atlantic salt truly excels is in sawing through fibrous materials and cardboard. But the linerless design doesn’t inspire confidence with truly tough tasks, and I’d be careful not to test the limits of the design. That said the lockback performs flawlessly. It is secure when open, and disengages easily with the push of a thumb.

Blade centering is perfect on my knife.

Spyderco Atlantic Salt Review – Final Thoughts

As a collector, I find the Atlantic Salt to be a quirky and charming knife. It’s different. That’s for sure. As a purpose built tool I think it’s a success. Granted I have yet to take this one on a boat, but I grew up on boats so I have some understanding of the application. And I live a quarter mile from the Gulf of Mexico so I’m around salt water regularly. The Atlantic Salt is well considered and a practical marine work knife.

What surprised me was how much I enjoyed the Atlantic Salt as an EDC. It kept finding it’s way back into my pocket. It’s wide, which is it’s biggest downfall in my book as a daily carry piece, but it’s lightweight and carryable. The H1 steel is actually a pretty decent blade steel. It’s nothing like M390 or a super steel in terms of edge retention, but I got a lot of work done with the serrated edge, and the knife sharpened quickly and easily. I was expecting a bigger compromise from a completely rust proof steel.

In the end, I’d buy another knife with a H1 blade. I’d like to try out a plain edge, just to get a better feel for how well the steel holds its edge.

For now, the Atlantic Salt will remain in my permanent collection. It’s unique, well considered, and fully functional. I’d recommend it if you need a rust proof knife, or are simply curious about it like I was.

Sale

Spyderco Atlantic Salt Lightweight Folding Knife with 3.68" Corrosion Resistant H-1 Sheepfoot Blade and Durable Hi-Viz Yellow FRN Handle - SpyderEdge - C89SYL

SUPERIOR QUALITY - It is made from H1-Steel which is a precipitation-hardened steel containing nitrogen instead of carbon, which cannot rust.
FRN HANDLE - It is textured with a Volcano Grip pattern, the molded fiberglass reinforced nylon (FRN) handle is visible marine yellow, equipped with a reversible titanium pocket clip for right or left- handed use.
GAME CHANGER - The serrated hollow-ground blade offers remarkable cutting performance in and around fresh and saltwater.
DEFENDS AGAINST CORROSION - The knife is completely ambidextrous and utterly impervious to corrosion.
SPECIFICATION - It has a overall length of 8.25", blade length of 3.6" and a weight of 2.75 oz. This knife is made from Japan.

$99.40
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Editor: I recommend buying the Spyderco Atlantic Salt at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.

Kizer Vanguard Mini Sheepdog Review

by Grayson Parker 1 Comment

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.

Buy the Kizer Mini Sheepdog at BladeHQ

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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 Knives Pocket Knife with Clip G10 Handles Material EDC Folding knife Mini Sheepdog V3488 (Black)

Blade material:154CM
Overall Length:5.77 inch(14.66cm)
Weight:3. 17oz (0.20 pounds)
154CM stainless steel takes a razor sharp edge.Textured G-10 handle ensures excellent grip security.
Caged ceramic ball bearing pivot for swift, responsive blade deployment

$69.00
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Editor: I recommend buying the Kizer Vanguard Mini Sheepdog at BladeHQ or Amazon. Thank you for reading.