Buck Hartsook

07/07/2011 by Matthew

-Price Paid: $24.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

When I first got this knife I was a little worried with how small it actually was, but after about a day I was used to it. I really like having a fixed blade EDC. The jimping works great. The coating is starting to fade now, but I dont mind.

Heckler and Koch Soldat

07/05/2011 by Addison

-Price Paid: $48.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Less than 1 Month

Comments:

I bought this knife as i needed a budget U.S.A made folder to do almost anything i put it up to. hasnt seen serious use yet but i can comment on what i like and dont like, what works and what doesnt. First off my Gripes

Complaints>

Handle- The handle is made completely out of a plastic material. Although extremely lightweight and also very tough, it feels cheap. it isnt coated onto steel or aluminum, the completey handle assembly body is plastic.

The clip- There are only two options to carry the knife. both options are upside down so fast drawing the knife is slow and awkward

The lock- Although i havent had any problems with the Push button lock yet, it seems like it wouldnt be the strongest thing in the world either. lock-up is firm and tight, but i feel like if the knife was put to extreme stress it might fall short where tough Liner locks exceed.

The grip- the texture used on the handle of the knife is that of those Truck bed tool boxes, the diamond like texture, using this texture kind of feels cheap to me. if they had pebbles or a finer grain surface it would grip better than it does. plastic just doesnt feel as good as metal.

What i like about the knife>

Made in U.S.A- these HK knives are made my Benchmade, and this model (Soldat) is made here in America, for americans.

Weight- It is insanely light wieght, this is due to the use of a plastic handle and good ergonomics

Spyder hole opening- Instead of the traditional thumb stud or even kicker/flipper, this knife utilizes the proven thumb hole which is a perfect circle cut right out of the blade. i find this the best opening system in the world. this knife isnt even assisted but with a slight twitch of the thumb and snap of the wrist this folder comes out faster than an automatic.

Blade steel-Although the steel used in the blade isnt of American origin, it is of austrian origin which many consider better, purer steel. N680 is a high performance, All-around use stainless steel which holds and edge well and is easy to re-razor.

All-around use- I got the tanto, serrated model which offers the razor sharpness and stabbing capability of a tactical knife but has the durable, practical serrations for anything to cutting rope, vine, or any object difficult with an ordinary straight edge.

For a $45 dollar knife i would say it is a good value. It doesnt feel as durable as it really is and its like a glock- cheap, reliable, durable, austrian, and practical, but not as nice as a 120 dollar benchmade or say a 1911.

Kershaw Clash

06/29/2011 by RealOutlawBiker

-Price Paid: $30.00
-Used for Self Defense
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

Awesome,medium sized AO knife. I have the blacked out serrated blade version(1605CKTST). It's a very quick spring assist (flipper only) opening blade,faster than most switch blades I've owned. Only wish Kershaw made it 1 or 1 1/2 inches larger overall,then IMHO it would be the near perfect defense,EDC knife. Posted video was not made by me,but gives you a good look at the Clash.

Kershaw Blackout

06/29/2011 by RealOutlawBiker

-Price Paid: $55.00
-Used for Self Defense
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

I have the non-black blade version of this knife,(Kershaw Whirlwind 1560ST),which is the only difference. USA made,great all around EDC knife,but it's right hand,tip up carry only.

Cold Steel Vaquero Extra Large

06/28/2011 by Dennis

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Outdoor/Survival
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

you gotta get one of these to know what i'm talking about; too bad Coldsteel took them off their production line. The new ones absolutly have no appeal and even produce them now with plain blades, ( Oh well Coldsteel has made big mistakes in the past); I hope, like the Recon Scout they bring them back in the old configuration. Lynn your design team really didn't put too much thought in the new Vaqueros...sorry; epic fail!!!

Chris Reeve Umnumzaan

06/27/2011 by Jankerson

-Price Paid: $419.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Less than 1 Month

Comments:

After doing my testing on the Umnumzaan I have nothing but good things to say about it.

It was the sharpest knife out of the box I have ever seen. Semi convex edge bevel that was semi polished and around 40 degrees inclusive.

The blade grind was very consistent within .001" all along the edge and that makes for a very even easy to sharpen edge.

The knife handles very nice even during hard cutting tasks. The thin hollow grind and blade design works extremely well. The overall knife design is excellent and ment to be used.

You will need to buy the toolkit and grease if you want to keep the knife clean. Take down is easy as is putting it back together due to the very tight tolerances.

RAT Cutlery Izula

06/27/2011 by lootnabber

-Price Paid: $60.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

I love this knife, the only reason I didnt give it all tens is because a perfect 10 is something all together different in a knife. Its really a matter of opinion. This knife performs everyday, I have owned mine just over a year now and must say it has done everything I could have ever expected. The one problem I have with it is the powder coating, I regularly cut rubber base and other rubber items and it seems to hang when pinched, more so than a stainless knife. Also for people who like to keep their stuff spotless, if you intend to use this it will scuff up, from a utilitarian stand point it is perfect though. I have even pryed and hammered this thing (lightly, and do not recommend) and it is still fantastic!

Kershaw Chive

06/27/2011 by Jon G.

-Price Paid: $30.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

The Kershaw Chive is an assisted opening folding knife with a 1-7/8" 420HC plain edge blade, a closed length of 2-7/8", and an overall length of 4-3/4". It weighs 1.9oz. All measurements are according to the Kershaw manufacturer's website. My observations and critiques in this review are based upon my experience with the matte stainless handled version. Several variations of this model exist, so obviously some of my observations may not apply to them.

The tiny recurved blade came razor sharp out of the box, like most Kershaws I've handled. For everyday light-duty tasks like opening packages and envelopes, the 420HC stainless steel used in the knife blade holds its edge reasonably well for a steel of its quality. However, the Chive lost its edge quickly when I tried whittling sticks for roasting marshmallows.

Compared to other knives like the Spyderco Dragonfly, the Kershaw Chive's curvy blade shape is challenging to sharpen. Following the curves to put an even bevel on the edge using a whetstone or the Spyderco Sharpmaker was a bit difficult. It may be easier to avail yourself of Kershaw's free mail-in sharpening service when your Chive goes dull. However, as the steel is 420HC, it is soft and relatively forgiving when you do try to sharpen it yourself.

Ergonomically, the Chive is a TINY blade. Combining the stainless handles with the small form factor, this knife is difficult to maintain a grip on in anything other than ideal conditions (and I have fairly small hands). The anodized aluminum scales might do better in this respect, but between the small blade length and its propensity to slip out of my hands, I would not recommend this knife for anything resembling hard use.

The Kershaw Chive features Ken Onion's SpeedSafe mechanism, actuated by either dual thumbstuds or an index finger flipper. Using the index finger flipper appears to the the primary intended opening method for the Chive. As this knife is absolutely tiny, I found that using the thumbstuds to open the knife actually got in the way of opening the knife efficiently. Oftentimes I could not get my thumbs out of the way fast enough after actuating the SpeedSafe mechanism, and my thumbs actually kept the blade from opening all the way. Nevertheless, the assisted-opening mechanism is elegantly simple and opens the blade swiftly and with minimal effort. As the hold-closed detent and pressure needed to open the blade is so light, Kershaw included a hold-closed safety on the Chive, which consists of a plastic tab held on a sliding track, which can be actuated to cover the tip of the blade when the knife is closed. It is very simple and certainly does the job. If you plan to carry the Chive using the clip, I don't think the safety is necessary. However, if you are planning to deep-pocket carry the knife, using the safety might not be a bad idea, as the knife has opened inadvertently in my pocket twice during three years of carry and use.

The Chive in stainless steel is a frame lock design, and for its size is as tight as any folding knife I've handled. Blade-handle lockup is rock-solid; absolutely no wiggle back and forth or side to side is evident, even after over three years of use and being disassembled twice.

As with most assisted opening knives I've encountered, closing the Chive requires more pressure than a comparable manual action knife, as you are compressing the SpeedSafe torsion bar by pushing the blade back into the handle. It is certainly not unsafe, but feels very different than closing a more traditional action knife.

The Chive comes with a tip-down-only metal pocket clip, fastened to the frame with two T6 torx screws. It is proportionately-sized to the knife handle, and holds the knife unobtrusively to the pocket. The clip-to-handle tension is perfect, as it holds the knife securely to the pocket, but is easy to draw and stow. Certainly the slippery stainless handles help in this regard. Clipped to the pocket, it is certainly identifiable as a knife, but its unassuming size makes it easy to overlook. Between the tiny closed length and light weight, this is a knife you will forget you're carrying until you need it.

I carried the Chive for over three years, but have moved on to greener pastures. It certainly can handle the rigors of light-duty urban daily carry, but you can do better in terms of overall ergonomics (unless you're looking for a tiny knife) and blade steel.

Gerber Fast Draw

06/22/2011 by ottprof

-Price Paid: $40.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

Bought this knife shortly after buying a Kershaw Leek. At first I loved this knife. Positives - Opens very quickly and solidly. Very easy to open also. Looks good and feels good in the hand.

Negatives - I feel the blade steel is sub-par but for the price isn't horrible. My example dulled very quickly and took a while to get back the edge. Mine is a serrated version which I really didn't want but it was the only one available at the time. I like Gerber as a company and do carry this knife when out working in the garage or checking cattle etc. The unlocking mechanism is okay but a little awkward for one-handed closing. Overall it is an okay knife but wouldn't use it as my EDC. Going to look at other Gerbers to buy.

Spyderco Sage

06/20/2011 by Jon G.

-Price Paid: $97.00
-Used for Every Day Carry
-Owned for Less than 1 Month

Comments:

The Spyderco Sage1 is a manual-action folding knife with a 3" S30V plain edge blade, a closed length of 4-3/16", and an overall length of 7-1/8". It weighs 3.2oz. All measurements are according to the Spyderco manufacturer's website.

Like all of the Sage series, the blade is a fully flat-ground spear-point design made out of CPM-S30V stainless steel. Out of box, the Sage came absolutely hair-splitting sharp with nice even bevels on both sides. The blade stock is 3mm thick and tapers to a fine, but not needle-thin tip. So far, I have used my Sage to cut office paper, a thin cardboard hang pack containing a Leatherman Micra for my girlfriend, thicker cardboard IKEA boxes, and heavy plastic furniture shrinkwrap, all of which were an absolute breeze to cut through. As far as I can tell, the blade is every bit as sharp as it came from the box. Granted, this is not very hard use and isn't a good gauge of edge retention, but reputation puts Spyderco's S30V as among the best among production knife-makers, in terms of their heat treat and overall performance.

Like many Spyderco knives, the Sage has a 50/50 choil (half steel, half handle) between the handle and blade, in which the index finger is meant to rest during use. This facilitates "choking up", allowing finer control over the blade during more precise cutting tasks. Behind the first choil is a narrow hump and fairly large handle cutout to access the liner lock release. When gripped, my middle finger and part of my ring finger fit into this cutout. Certainly usable, but not ideal for me and my hands. Behind that, the handle flares out slightly into the fairly blocky butt. The top of the handle is a basic arc shape.

The Sage's overall ergonomics seem to be designed for users with larger hands, but is still fairly comfortable in my smaller hands. Compared to the UKPK/Caly3 (a comparably-sized Spyderco folder), the Sage's choil is incrementally deeper and narrower, which makes it slightly more comfortable in larger hands. Nevertheless, I wear small/medium gloves, and the Sage's choil and overall ergonomics are quite comfortable for me. I actually find the Sage's blockier handle butt easier to grasp compared to the more tapered handle butt on the Caly3/UKPK.

The handles are made of twill-woven carbon fiber finished with some kind of epoxy-like resin, and have a slightly bumpy texture. I would consider the Sage1's "grippiness" in-hand between smooth FRN and textured G-10. The carbon fiber handle slabs sit atop skeletonized full-length stainless steel liners, lending both strength and aesthetics to the design.

The Sage is absolutely the smoothest and most solid liner lock knife I've encountered. As the Sage1 is meant to be a tribute to Michael Walker and his invention of the liner lock mechanism, this makes a certain amount of sense. The ball-bearing detent holding the knife closed is perfectly tuned: the in-handle retention is outstanding, shaking the knife when closed failed to bring the blade out of the handle. However, when the user deliberately moves the blade out of the handle, the knife glides easily out of the detent position. Whether you prefer opening your Spydies with the pad of your thumb in the hole, "flicking" the blade open with your thumbnail, or the infamous Spyder-drop, all will open the Sage in short order. The knife just glides open and closed with the slightest pressure, but has just enough tension/friction so that the blade doesn't swing freely on its pivot. It probably goes without saying, but the Sage locks up like a bank vault, with zero movement or play in any direction. Though liner lock mechanisms might be theoretically weaker and more susceptible to failure under stress, the liner lock on the Sage is absolutely solid, with the liner thickness taking up just under half of the blade's locking surface.

The Sage comes with an inconspicuous wire pocket clip, fitted into two handle indentations and attached with a single mini-torx screw. It can be repositioned for right- or left-handed tip-up carry, or removed entirely. It might look delicate, but from what I've read, Spyderco heat-treats their wire pocket clips, and they are much more durable than they appear. When clipped to the pocket, the knife buries quite deeply, with less than 1/2 inch of the handle butt showing. The clip tension against the carbon fiber handles is perfect: tight enough to ensure the knife will not fall out inadvertently, but loose enough to easily withdraw the knife and not wear out the clothing material.

Like most Spydercos, the Sage's closed width is somewhat wider than comparable knives from other makers, but the low-riding wire pocket clip helps compensate somewhat for this. I can fetch my keys from the same pocket my Sage is clipped to with minimal difficulty. When seated, the Sage is about the largest knife I'd like carrying in-pocket before getting uncomfortable. Your mileage (and attire and body shape) may vary though.

It's also worth mentioning that the fit and finish of this knife is flawless. I have never seen a production knife with this level of build quality and construction, made anywhere. I'm starting to believe that the country of origin isn't as relevant or accurate of a measure of quality. The manufacturer's quality control is what really matters, and Spyderco's is outstanding.

The Sage 1 is the first knife in a very long time that I've been legitimately excited about. I spent months researching this knife, and in my eyes, the hype around the Sage is well deserved. It has supplanted my Benchmade 943 as my daily carry favorite, and is absolutely perfect for my regular day-to-day urban cutting tasks. I would carry something a bit more robust for hiking or camping (my saber-ground Delica comes out then), but if you're looking for a solid, handsome urban carry knife, the Sage is an outstanding choice.

Kershaw Chill

06/19/2011 by David

-Price Paid: $19.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for Less than 1 Month

Comments:

Purchased a Kershaw Chill at my local sporting goods store. Really liked the design, opening system, blade shape and weight. However, after three weeks of handling, the blade is already showing signs of surface RUST along the entire length of the blade! This knife was never used to cut anything but paper. Like many Kershaw knives, the blade is made from 8CR13MOV steel with a bead blasted finish. Plan to return the knife for a full refund.

Al Mar Nomad

06/17/2011 by Jeff Rodgers

-Price Paid: $165.00
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

This is my second Al Mar. The Nomad has a beautiful design and the looks is what sold it to me. The blade design is great; thin yet strong with decent belly. I love the VG-10. The handle scales are G10 and have a fine grip. Lockup is solid and operation is smooth. Fit is disappointing as the liners have sharp inner edges and catch the fingers. Liners stick up a fraction above the grip scales. Opening with the thumb fast can result in a nice cut on your thumb as the ergonomics are just not designed well for opening. You cannot let your thumb ride in as it wants to when opening.

All that said though, it is a great looking knife, solidly made and the looks make you forgive alot.

A bit pricey considering the fit and finish of the liner. Still love it though!