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Best Ways to Test Your Knife’s Sharpness

December 13, 2018 / / 10 Comments

This post has been updated since it was first posted in August 2012.

The vast majority of people can’t tell a dull knife from a sharp knife. People automatically assume that if a knife can cut, it’s sharp.

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

A dull knife will usually cut, but it requires much more force and energy than if you’re cutting with a truly sharp knife. So how can you tell if a knife is truly sharp? Here are a few ways to determine the sharpness of a blade.

Let us know your sharpness tests in the comments.

1. The Paper Test

Probably the most tried and true method is the good ol’ fashioned paper test. Grab a piece of paper, hold it between your fingers, and slide the knife downward. If it’s sharp, it will cleanly and easily slice the paper with just the weight of the knife. If it’s dull, it will usually be ragged or slip right off. This test also allows you to find any jagged or missed spots if you cut the whole length of the edge on a single stroke.

For an even better test of a blade’s sharpness, use a piece of magazine paper. Paper from a magazine is exceptionally thin and slick, which makes it even more difficult for a knife to slice through. According to Mike Vellekamp (who used to work at Spyderco before his current venture of V Nives), Sal Glesser used to make them use paper from National Geographic magazines. Phone book paper is an even tougher test, and  toilet paper is the toughest.

Yet another variation fo the paper test is to fold the paper in half so it has a rounded edge. Cut the paper along the rounded edge and if it’s sharp, it will catch and cut the page.

Here’s a good clip from the legendary Bob Kramer on the paper test.

2.  The Shaving Test

If you’ve ever watched knife reviews on YouTube, you’re probably familiar with the next test. It involves running the knife along your hair (usually your arm hair) and watching the little hairs get lopped off as the blade comes gliding through. Any hairs that fold under will indicate that the blade is not up to snuff.

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Kizer Feist Review

December 11, 2018 / / 4 Comments

If you haven’t heard of Kizer, you probably fall into two categories: 1) you only buy American knives and ignore everything else or 2) you’re not a big knife person.

Kizer has firmly moved from the up-and-coming category of knife companies to a bona fide knife manufacturer to be reckoned with. I’ve been following Kizer for a few years and even wrote about them in my article tackling the myth that knives from Chinese companies are junk. I haven’t had the opportunity to take a deep dive into a specific knife from the company. So when the chance to work with them arose, I jumped on it.

They wanted to send me a knife to review, so I selected the intriguing Kizer Feist.

Here is my review.

Kizer Feist Specs

Part of the reason I chose to review the Feist over the dozens of other Kizer offerings is that it is very much aligned with what I look for in a good folder: it’s small, sleek, unobtrusive, and has the potential for a high fidget factor.

Designed by custom knife maker Justin Lundquist, the Feist has an overall length of 6.54 inches when open — which translates to 2.83 inches for the blade and 3.71 inches for the handle. The blade is described as a drop point profile, though it’s almost a spear point.

The blade is made from CPM-35VN stainless steel with a hardness of 58-60 HRC (see here if you want to learn more about what that actually means).

The handles are essentially two slabs of 6Al4V titanium. A frame lock keeps it open while a single position pocket clip rounds out the features of the handle.

A front flipper is the most notable part about the Feist design, but we’ll get into that later.

The knife has an MSRP of $256 and a street price at $168.

Kizer & the Feist Controversy

Before I delve deeper into the actual knife, I must address the Feist controversy.

Kizer has been around for a few years but really started making its name when it began working with popular knife makers. Despite being a company from China, people everywhere started fawning over the designs and quality of the knives. For example, the Gemini designed by Ray Laconico was widely considered one of the best knives of 2015.

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CRKT Squid – Badass Knife of the Week

December 10, 2018 / / 1 Comment

 

It’s very challenging to make a small knife that feels big when you hold it, but that’s precisely what our latest Badass Knife of the Week achieves.

The CRKT is a small and inexpensive knife with a big design that’s made to be put to work.

Designed by knifemaker Lucas Burnley, the Squid is inspired by the concept of a compact pistol — a device you can carry easily but also packs a big punch. It starts with the 2.15-inch drop point blade. The steel is functional 8Cr13MoV stainless steel, an alloy that won’t win awards but will sharpen easily and get the job done.

The stonewashed blade itself is well-balanced and features dual thumb studs that facilitate a smooth opening.

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Uncle Henry LB5 Smokey – Badass Knife of the Week

December 3, 2018 / / 0 Comments

 

With all the new fangled knife designs these days, it’s hard to keep track of what trends are in and what trends are out. If you’re tired of following the fads, it’s time to stick with a design that’s tried and true like our latest Badass Knife of the Week.

The design of the Uncle Henry LB5 Smokey folder first appeared in 1981 as a simple folder that carried the same class and functionality as knives from the 1800s.

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Our Most Anticipated 2019 CRKT Knives

November 29, 2018 / / 2 Comments

 

The year is coming to a close in a month, and that means companies are going to start announcing their offerings for the new year.

CRKT is one of the first to announce its 2019 knives. By my count, there are more than 15 new or updated models coming in the new year. While I’m sure the designers put a lot of thought and time into their creations, some knives from the lineup stand out more than others.

Instead of just listing all of them, I’ll pick the ones that intrigue me the most.

CRKT Seismic

First up is the Seismic, which is designed by Flavio Ikoma of No Time Off and Fossil fame. The knife is a fairly good looking with a massive 3.9-inch blade that uses 1.4116 stainless steel (not a premium steel by any means but a welcome change from the typical CRKT steels).

What makes this knife stand out to me is the use of a Ikoma’s new Deadbolt lock. Here’s how it works:

Steel bolts interlock with the blade when it’s deployed to yield outrageous strength. A prominent button sits at the pivot point for simple, intuitive disengagement without fingers crossing the path of the blade.

It sounds really interesting, although I admit I was a little disappointed after I realized it had nothing to do with the Hawks’ Deadbolt Over Grabstep lock found on the old CRKT DOG. They really should bring that back.

CRKT Provoke

If you follow knives at all, you’ve likely seen the Provoke, but maybe not with that name or from CRKT. How about the Caswell Morphing Karambit? Yup, the knife first seen in the highly successful Kickstarter campaign was picked up by CRKT for the masses.

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James Dean wielding a switchblade in "Rebel Without a Cause."

Knife Myths: The Switchblade Act Bans Owning & Carrying Automatics

November 27, 2018 / / 17 Comments

Since the 1950s, switchblades — sometimes known as automatic knives — have been demonized as the preferred weapon of criminals. All these years later, most people have the ability to understand that switchblades are no bigger threat than any other tool.

Unfortunately, there remains a common misconception about the legality of switchblades. Most people think that owning and carrying a switchblade is illegal. We’re here to bust the myth.

What the Switchblade Act Actually Says

The Federal Switchblade Act was passed in 1958 after films like Rebel Without a Cause and Crime in the Streets glorified switchblade use among gangs. I dove much deeper into the early switchblades and why they were banned in my article Why Switchblades Should Be Legal, but it boils down to unnecessary panic.

Congress used its power to regulate commerce through the Commerce Clause of the Constitution to limit the sales of switchblades.

Kershaw Launch 6 Automatic Folder

Kershaw Launch 6 Automatic Folder

Here are the two pertinent sections:

§ 1242. Introduction, manufacture for introduction, transportation or distribution in interstate commerce; penalty

Whoever knowingly introduces, or manufactures for introduction, into interstate commerce, or transports or distributes in interstate commerce, any switchblade knife, shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

and

§ 1243. Manufacture, sale, or possession within specific jurisdictions; penalty

Whoever, within any Territory or possession of the United States, within Indian country (as defined in section 1151 of title 18), or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in section 7 of title 18), manufactures, sells, or possesses any switchblade knife, shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Knife Rights does an excellent job going through the whole act with notes, but here’s a basic breakdown.

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Boker Plus Rold – Badass Knife of the Week

November 26, 2018 / / 1 Comment

 

Jesper Voxnaes is one of the hottest knife designers around. He’s best known for his intuitive folders and small fixed blades that are simple and functional. In our latest Badass Knife of the Week, Voxnaes focused on putting his signature design elements on a large fixed blade.

Voxnaes’ attempt at making a functional outdoor knife culminated in the popular Boker Plus Rold fixed blade. Coming in at an overall length of 11 inches, the large camp knife has so much going in its favor.

The 6.2-inch blade is thoroughly considered for maximum usage. The blade boasts a flat grind that cuts like no one’s business while the drop point profile offers superb versatility. Despite its large blade, Voxnaes gives more control to the user with a finger choil that allows you to choke up on the blade for finer tasks.

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How to Stop Losing Your Swiss Army Knife

November 23, 2018 / / 8 Comments

The other day, I wrote about the welcomed news that Victorinox is adding a clip to a new folding knife called the Hunter Pro M. It doesn’t mean the iconic maker of Swiss Army Knives will add them to their multitools, but it could be a sign of the future.

Unfortunately, we’re still stuck in a world where losing a Swiss Army Knife is all too common for many people. I always find them on the seat of my car or in couch cushions.

Here are some solutions for keeping a Swiss Army Knife from getting lost.

Get a Suspension Clip

The best and most inexpensive remedy to the problem of Swiss Army Knives slipping out of pockets while sitting down is a suspension clip. Not only are these types of clips cheap but they’re also nonpermanent solutions that won’t mess up your knife.

My recommendation is the KeySmart Pocket Clip.

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Kershaw Amplitude 2.5 – Badass Knife of the Week

November 19, 2018 / / 0 Comments

 

The EDC knife these days has ballooned in size and price. Some knives touted as everyday carry tools boast 3.5-inch blades and shocking pricetags. Well, our latest Badass Knife of the Week shows a small EDC folder at a reasonable price is still an excellent option.

The Kershaw Amplitude 2.5 is a small pocket knife designed by Todd Rexford, a knifemaker known for his clean lines and understated looks.

Featuring a 2.5-inch blade, the Amplitude 2.5 comes in at an overall length of 6 inches when fully open. Despite the smaller size and low profile, the knife is designed to slice. The blade bursts open every time using the SpeedSafe assisted-opening mechanism. The steel is 8Cr13MoV, a working steel that’s easy to maintain.

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Watch YouTuber Make a Knife From a Stone

November 16, 2018 / / 2 Comments

Kiwami Japan is one of the my favorite YouTubers out there. Not only do his videos show the process of turning some extraordinary material into a knife but they typically follow some sort of entertaining or bizarre story structure.

For example, his latest video saw his toy dog die and he had to make an unbreakable and unscratchable knife to hold its picture. I’ll just stick that here for your enjoyment:

But one of my favorite of his recent videos is a pretty straightforward video on making a primitive knife out of stone. Continue reading

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