After its debut at Knives UK 2018 (where eyes were opened, hopes dashed, legends toppled, and shock results revealed), the quality of entries for the Sharpest Knife Competition 2019 noticeably improved.
Drama and enlightenment added to a day of excitement at Knives UK 2019, with the vast array of beautifully hand crafted knives and tools, what more could you ask for?
The Competition Table:
In case you were not able to come along, the competition table was setup in the ‘social/display’ area of the show.
The main Sharpest Knife Competition table.
An Edge On Up Tester with multiple test fixtures.
The main prize.
This year I added a display for modifications.
UK Legal.
UK EDC Legal.
The Competition In Progress:
A few photos of the competition measuring in progress.
Testing the heel of the blade.
Reloading the test media (I did this a LOT).
Testing the tip of this blade.
Logging all results.
Time was flying.
The Results:
And the Results – an impressive quality to the entries with the overall second place score thanks to a superb BESS score of 51!! A typical double-edged razor blade fresh out of the packet scores 60, so this is very impressive.
If the Lionsteel M4 is not on your list of candidates for a utility / bushcraft / general purpose fixed blade knife, it should be. It is not a new model at the time of this review, now entering its third year of production, and the Mik Molletta designed M4 from Lionsteel seemingly finds that perfect – just right – size, weight and balance. Once you pick a M4 up, it feels like it was made for you, and simply belongs in your hand.
A few more details:
The M4 featured in this review is the Olive wood handled version. Given a choice, I thought what better handle material for a knife that is Italian designed and made (and grown).
What’s in the box?:
A good look round the M4 – Things to look out for here are:
Starting with the sheath, it is clear as you look through the photos how well made this sheath is.
A beautifully designed and made sheath is included with the M4.
Double stitching for durability.
The belt loop is formed from the same piece of leather as the sheath back.
The folded over belt loop is stitched onto the back of the sheath.
The belt loop is semi-formed round the knife handle.
The front and back of the sheath (and the belt loop) are all a single piece of leather with a couple of folds.
Great attention to details, with a rivet cover inside to protect the knife.
The retention strap sits tightly round the handle and the finger guard cannot get past it.
A fantastic pairing.
Then the M4 itself. Lionsteel’s premium quality of manufacture shines through in every detail. The faithful reproduction of Mik Molletta’s design, including the sculpted handle, makes this a pleasure to handle and use.
A great looking utility knife.
Lionsteel's logo and the type of steel is neatly engraved.
For this version it has Olive wood handles. Particularly appropriate for an Italian knife.
Torx bolts hold the handles in place.
The full tang extends beyond the handles to form a striker surface.
The lanyard hole.
Mik Molletta is so good at shaping handles, and Lionsteel reproduce them so well.
Looking along the back of the handle.
The plunge line is well rounded.
The cutting edge is finished with a sharpening choil.
Closeup view of the blade tip and factory edge.
Explained by the Maker:
The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.
Mik Molletta has generously given his time to explain design choices, and give some background to the M4. The descriptions in this section come from our discussion.
The M4 was actually designed some time ago and because the project was so satisfying, Mik decided to propose it to Lionsteel.
Intended as a little multipurpose knife, the size and shape of the blade (A) allows excellent versatility in all aspects of outdoor life. The finger guard (B) has been sized in order to stop it being cumbersome but still protect the hand, and it also provides an easy reference for the index finger.
A spear point (C) was chosen as it is versatile and robust, and allows you to do hard work. For its size the M4 has quite a thick blade, this thickness (D) was chosen because the knife is still a tool that can be called upon to perform even heavy work like batoning.
M390 (D) is one of few stainless steels that with specific heat treating can have secondary hardening. It is Mik’s opinion that tempering this steel in the ordinary way, as most of the cutlery does, does not fully exploit the potential of this steel.
The flat grind (E) is ‘high’ but not ‘full’. Having a full thickness part of the blade reinforces it and makes it suitable for heavier work.
Mik’s designs tend to include a sharpening choil (F). This is because during the subsequent sharpening, if there were not the choil, that part of the edge would be rounded up because it would not be able to contact the stones properly. This would result in having a long piece of edge that cannot be sharpened which ends up growing over time.
The handle is bolted (G) on instead of riveted. In Mik’s opinion, bolts are a better fastener for more durable tools. Rivets can yield or loosen and cannot be tightened.
Handle shaping (H) is a careful process of sculpting the form while looking at the fit into Mik’s own hand.
When it came to the sheath design (I), this was collaboration between Mik and Gianni. The double stitching (J) guarantees greater durability at the cost of a small increase in size.
For left-handed users (K), Mik and Lionsteel are thinking of making some specific sheath or modular sheath like the one on M7, that can also be used by left-handed users.
The butt of the knife has an exposed tang (M), and can be used to strike or press.
When asked about the palm swell (N) Mik commented – during use of the knife, the hand tends to move on the handle to look for the most comfortable grip. It happens naturally. A pronounced palm swell limits this possibility. On the big knives, like the M7, the bigger palm swell helps to hold the knife firmly.
The Blade and Handle – Detailed Measurements:
Now even more detailed!
Taking things far beyond most knife specifications, in this section I will be carrying out a detailed examination of geometry, balance, edge bevels, factory sharpness and structural edge testing using the industry leading measuring tools.
These measuring tools include a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges, the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge, Edge On Up’s BESS Certified PT50A and SET tester along with CATRA’s Hobbigoni LASER Edge Protractor. The BESS ‘C’ scale of sharpness (Brubacher Edge Sharpness Scale) will be used to verify the sharpness of the factory edge and allow the knife to be brought to a minimum standard sharpness before testing a blade’s cutting performance.
A set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the Arc Master adjustable radius gauge.
One critical parameter is the primary grind angle.
Using a straight-edge to confirm the primary bevel type.
The balance point is found using a pivot.
Sharpness is checked using an Edge On Up PT50A 'BESS Certified' tester.
A chart showing where on the BESS scale a blade is.
The CATRA Hobbigoni measures blade and bevel angles with a LASER.
The Hobbigoni provides a lot of information about the blade and cutting edge.
A CRK Inkosi with polished Wicked Edge bevel.
A fully convexed edge on the Fällkniven F1.
Movakniv's Bushcraft showing the Scandi-edge and micro-bevel.
Spyderco's Sliverax showing the effect of surface finish.
This is the Edge On Up SET (Structural Edge Tester). A precise load (the white tac on the platform is used to adjust the load) applies pressure to an 'impactor'.
The 'impactor' roller is at a 12 degree angle.
The impactor is moved along the edge to roll the edge apex. The amount of roll can then be measured.
After testing the blade is stropped to recover the edge.
The measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades. The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.
The factory edge was pretty uneven.
The blade is made from M390 steel.
What it is like to use?
Big knives; who doesn’t love them?! But the reality is that most of your normal ‘utility’ tasks are far better served with a smaller, lighter and more agile knife.
I have a confession – I very nearly passed over this knife. It doesn’t shout for attention amongst many other fine blades, and your every-day working knife is easily overshadowed by the glamorous show knives. Please don’t make the same mistake – it has been one of those small revelations as to how good this knife is.
Reflecting a little more on why I nearly overlooked this, I think it may stem from the general attitude the UK has towards knives and knife carry. If you have ‘good reason’ to carry something more than a SAK, the appeal is to take that big camp knife out rather than the more useful and sensible sized utility knife.
Before you even get onto using the M4, it really shows its quality of manufacture which marks it out as something special.
For reference I wear XL sized gloves, so even with reasonably large hands this knife doesn’t feel too small. It is very comfortable and nimble in the hand. The blade length lends itself to those controlled power cuts without any excess blade waving around. You only make a power cut with the first inch or two of blade next to the handle anyway. With only a sharpening choil (instead of a finger choil) you have that optimum power with all fingers on the wooden handle.
Power where you need it.
If the blade had a slightly thinner blade, it would make slicing cuts through thicker materials easier and the knife a bit lighter. However Mik Molletta’s designs tend to err on the side of strength, and so the blade stock used is just that bit thicker than many knives this size. This adds a reassuring solidity to the design without really impacting on its cutting ability. I can only really see an issue if cutting a lot of thick cardboard or similar stiff sheet material – not really a concern here as the M4 is described as a ‘bushcraft’ knife.
In its role as a bushcraft knife, the thickness of the blade means that you won’t have any worries batoning with it, and also being a full tang knife, it is just not going to let you down by breaking. Also importantly here, the comfort of the handle means you can carry out a lot of wood preparation without it causing fatiguing or creating hot-spots. Just going back to the blade thickness again, combined with the rounded spine, it is very comfortable to place your thumb on the spine for extra pressure or control.
As you will see in the summary section, I’ve been struggling to find things I don’t like about the M4. There are a couple of minor negatives. The first does not affect me, but is just to say that the sheath is right-handed only. The second has not yet fully become a problem, and might not, but I have found that when inserting the M4 into the sheath the blade tip has caught on the internal stitching of the belt loop. My worry is that if the threads get cut through they might unravel, and the belt loop then fail. I’ve started to be very careful and deliberate when sheathing the M4 to avoid this – not something I really want to think about.
The M4 is a superbly practical knife and in so many ways it is ‘just right’. Small and light enough for all-day carry without being weighed down. Large enough to be put to serious work. High performance steel without being impossible to sharpen. Strong enough to take everything in its stride. Manufacturing quality to make you smile without being ‘too good to use’.
Review Summary
The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.
Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.
_______________________________________________
Things I like
_______________________________________________
Super practical size.
Extremely well made.
Strong blade / full tang.
High performance steel.
Quality leather sheath.
Comfortable grip even for extended periods.
Beautiful Olive wood handle.
_______________________________________________
What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________
Sheath is only right handed.
Blade tip catches internal belt loop stitching when sheathed.
Discussing the Review:
The ideal place to discuss this reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion or start a new one.
In ‘Part Three’ we get to see how these lights really perform, what the beams look like, their output figures and insights into what they are really like to use. – This is Part Three of a group review of four models of Armytek’s ‘Prime Pro’ range of lights (plus the Armytek Uni C2 charger). When embarking upon this review I had not expected to generate quite so much content, so have had to split the review into three parts to make it more manageable. You will find links to these as each part becomes available.
Please be careful not to judge tint based on images you see on a computer screen. Unless properly calibrated, the screen itself will change the perceived tint.
The indoor beamshot is intended to give an idea of the beam shape/quality rather than tint. All beamshots are taken using daylight white balance. The woodwork (stairs and skirting) are painted Farrow & Ball “Off-White”, and the walls are a light sandy colour called ‘String’ again by Farrow & Ball. I don’t actually have a ‘white wall’ in the house to use for this, and my wife won’t have one!
There are a couple of key things to mention before you dive in and look at the beamshots. It is possible to make lights look very bright or very dim, regardless of their actual output, by adjusting exposure. So when you look at these don’t be swayed by the ‘apparent brightness’ instead concentrate on the beam quality. the intention is to show how the beam looks, not how bright it is. that is shown definitively in the next section.
This gallery also contains firefly comparison beamshots, and uses the original Predator V1.2 as a reference. These Prime Pro lights have Excellent firefly output.
C1 Warm White.
A1 Warm White.
C2 Cool White.
A2 Cool White.
C1
A1
C2
A2
The Prime Pro group with the original Predator V1.2.
L->R - Predator, C1, C2, A1, A2.
Comparing the firefly modes to the original Predator V1.2 light.
Taking the exposure to show the relative brightness most clearly.
Batteries and output:
To measure actual output, I built an integrating sphere. See here for more detail. The sensor registers visible light only (so Infra-Red and Ultra-Violet will not be measured).
Please note, all quoted lumen figures are from a DIY integrating sphere, and according to ANSI standards. Although every effort is made to give as accurate a result as possible, they should be taken as an estimate only. The results can be used to compare outputs in this review and others I have published.
The runtime graphs contain a lot of detail. One clear aspect of the control systems of these lights is that they maintain a constant output level as long as they can before stepping down to another level.
The gallery also contains the tables of output figures. Note that when I have ‘0’ for the output on firefly modes, this is actually below the threshold of measurement for the equipment I have and is clearly not actually 0. The Prime Pro A1 is measured with AA and 14500.
Focusing on the C1 using different chargers.
Zooming in to the first part of the output.
Only showing variations for the C1 / C2.
Including the A1 and A2 with the C1 / C2.
* Beacon and Strobe output measurements are only estimates as the brief flashes make it difficult to capture the actual output value.
Charging results were a little bit unexpected for a couple of reasons. When checking the cells in the C1 and C2 after the included chargers indicated a full charge gave the following measurements:
C2 – 4.13V
C1 – 4.06V
Both seem low, but when checking these cells with a ZTS loading tester they both indicated 100% charge.
The C1 and C2 USB chargers are interchangeable so I tried them both on the C1.
With the charger that came with the C2, after a full charge the result was:
C1 – 4.15V
Using the Uni C2 charger the cells measured 4.16V once taken off the charger.
There is parasitic drain but is incredibly low in all models. The following list the drain in uA and how many years it would take to drain the cell(s).
Armytek Prime C1 Pro – 1×18350 – 2.8uA – 36.67 years
Armytek Prime C2 Pro – 1×18650 – 6.5uA – 56.16 years
Armytek Prime A1 Pro – 1xAA – 3.9uA – 55.58 years
Armytek Prime A1 Pro – 1×14500 – 3.8uA – 22.52 years
Armytek Prime A2 Pro – 2xAA 2S1P – 2.3uA – 94.24 years
The Prime Pro models in use:
I don’t want to come across biased, but I really do love these Armytek Prime Pro lights! If you give me a side-switch, choice of warm or cool output, no-PWM and properly-low firefly/moon modes, you will make me happy. So for these lights that is ‘check’, ‘check’, ‘check’, ‘check’ – bingo.
In terms of form-factor, AA lights have always been a favourite of mine. Now, with the NiMh cell becoming a preferred option for power (thanks to LSD cell technology, high output current, and inherent safety), with the added benefit of easy to find backup cells, the Prime Pro A1 and A2 become solid choices.
For that extra level of output power (thanks to li-ion power) and in-light charging convenience, the C1 and C2 step up.
To see how each of these compares in size, this is the full line-up together and then individual profile photos. Bear in mind for those individual shots that the head is the same diameter in each.
The full line-up.
Prime C1 Pro Magnet USB
Prime C2 Pro Magnet USB
Prime A1 Pro
Prime A2 Pro
Normally I tend not to use the clips on lights, and often don’t fit them at all. All of these Prime Pro models seemed to be particularly ‘rolly’, wanting to find the lowest point of anywhere I put them down by rolling to it. So in this case, the clip has proven essential to stop them going wandering off and I’ve fitted it to all four lights. Although I am not particularly using the clip for clipping it to anything, as well as preventing them rolling, having the clip also provides indexing to make getting onto the switch quicker, and has been perfectly comfortable to have on the light. In this case I’d thoroughly recommend fitting the clip.
You can certainly get smaller EDC lights, but both the C1 and A1 are perfectly acceptable sizes to carry and not being too small, are comfortable and easy to use. For EDC, the C2 is pushing things a bit for me, and the A2 is for a larger bag. In terms of handling though, the A2 is a winner with the universally good handling 2xAA form-factor.
All these lights have an illuminated switch, and this illumination provides battery level information and a location function for the C1 and C2. For me the only time this switch illumination has slightly interfered is with the firefly modes. The instructions say the switch does not flash in firefly modes, but actually it does flash a couple of times when you first switch it on, and the flashes are about as bright as the firefly output itself. So when using these lights with dark adapted eyes, I find the need to keep the switch fully covered with my thumb for the first 10s or so until the switch flashes stop.
The programmability of these lights means you can change whether the location function is on or not (for the C1 and C2). When on, this uses the switch flashes all the time whether the light is on or not, allowing you to find it in a dark place. It does also mean that these switch flashes keep going all the time even in Firefly mode so the previous paragraph becomes more significant for firefly mode users. With Armytek’s low current circuit design you can leave this on permanently and not worry about draining the battery.
Also including a real Tactical monetary mode really adds another dimension. Make sure you correctly pre-select the mode you want to use, as in Tactical mode you can’t change level. Then to activate, from OFF, unscrew the tailcap slightly, press and hold the switch, and tighten the tailcap – you are now in Tactical mode. To get out of Tactical mode is not done the same way – you have to press and hold the switch (so it comes ON), then loosen the tailcap, then let go of the switch. Now when you tighten the tailcap again it will come ON, but be back in normal mode. If you don’t remember the difference of turning this mode on and off you can get stuck in Tactical mode.
Adding the clip makes the C1 more practical.
A good EDC size for comfort and power.
The switch has a red/green light.
The two most EDC-able models.
Those firefly modes are excellent.
A quick word on the in-light charging and the Uni C2 charger. In all cases the li-ion cell has not been taken up to a ‘full’ 4.20V, yet the discharge results have been good. For the health of the cells themselves it is actually good to not take them to an absolute 100% each time. So for every day use and frequent topping up, the Uni C2 won’t overwork your cells. Its memory means that if charging LiFePO4 cells and a power cut were to happen, it will safely continue the charging cycle for these cells – this is a detail often not included.
Magnetic abilities are a mixed bag for me. I’ve never been keen on the metal-to-metal contact these magnetic holding systems tend to use, plus their tendency to grab onto anything magnetic in bags and pockets. There are times a magnet holding your light is massively helpful though, so with the A1 and A2, their removable magnet is the perfect solution as you have a choice – thank you Armytek! With the C1 and C2 models on test here, you don’t have that choice due to the charger; but if you like magnetic tails on your lights then it is ideal.
With their feature packed user interface, you get great versatility. However, despite the single side-switch, these are not lights to give to non-technical people. With the variety of input clicks and wide variation in output levels, I can see those who are unfamiliar with multi-mode lights getting in a muddle.
Armytek’s interfaces are cleverly designed to give you great flexibility and functionality, I certainly appreciate the attention to detail.
Review Summary
_______________________________________________
Things I like
_______________________________________________
Side Switch.
True ‘Firefly’ low level output.
Warm or Cool tint versions.
No PWM.
Great UI with plenty of modes.
A1 and A2 have a removable magnet.
C1 and C2 have in-light USB charging.
_______________________________________________
What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________
Completely round design, so tend to roll if the clip is not fitted.
Proprietary USB charger.
Charger termination voltage seems a little low.
Discussing the Review:
The ideal place to discuss this reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in, or start, a discussion.
In ‘Part Two’ we will be taking a first look at the Prime Pro A1 and A2, plus the Uni C2 Charger. – This is Part Two of a group review of four models of Armytek’s ‘Prime Pro’ range of lights (also included with the Prime Pro lights was the Armytek Uni C2 charger). When embarking upon this review I had not expected to generate quite so much content, so have had to split the review into three parts to make it more manageable. You will find links to these as each part becomes available.
As we go through the details of each light, for some there will be common features. In this case I may only show that feature for one of the models. In this part we have the A1 and A2 which are very similar as really the only difference is the cell and length of the battery tube. If you think a detail has been overlooked, check the similar model for that detail.
The Prime Pro packaging is a different style.
The light comes in the holster, and as well as the clip / o-rings, has a lanyard.
The lanyard and attachment ring.
A closer look at the ring.
Note how slim the battery tube looks.
Showing the size of the A1 next to an AA cell.
A single switch controls the light.
As with the others, a TIR optic is used.
With no built-in charging the tail-cap is a different look.
The tail-cap has a chamber containing a removable magnet.
It is a good size and very powerful magnet.
The lanyard ring is fitted by opening the magnet chamber and re-fitting the cover.
Double o-rings seal the light.
The inside of the tail-cap.
Removing the battery tube allows a clear view of the contacts inside the head.
All of this group on test can take the head off the battery tube.
Taking a more detailed look at the A2:
Presentation of the A2 matches the A1.
A1 and A2 side by side. The battery tube length being the only visual difference.
The A2 is that classic 2xAA form.
Taking a look at the Uni C2 charger:
Rechargeable cells are the provider of ‘guilt free lumens’ so I hope you will be using them whenever possible. The Uni C2 is Armytek’s complimentary multi-chemistry auto charger, and is a perfect match for these lights and with its long list of supported cells, most of your other lights too.
Mains power and 12V options are included.
The charger's specifications.
The Uni C2 is a two-bay charger.
Simple but effective display.
Modes and User Interface:
This section is common across Part One and Two of the review to allow you to compare functions easily. It contains extracts from Armytek’s instruction manuals. Check the Armytek website for downloads of the full versions of these.
Uni C2 basic operation.
Uni C2 advanced use.
C1 / C2 initial setup.
C1 / C2 operation.
A1 / A2 initial setup.
A1 / A2 operation.
That is the end of Part Two.
Discussing the Review:
The ideal place to discuss this reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in, or start, a discussion.
Armytek have always impressed me with how much functionality they manage to pack into the control systems of their lights. (I still keep a Predator V1.2 with S-tek driver in my bedside table drawer). This group review is of four models of their ‘Prime Pro’ range of lights (also included with the Prime Pro lights was the Armytek Uni C2 charger). When embarking upon this review I had not expected to generate quite so much content, so have had to split the review into three parts to make it more manageable. You will find links to these as each part becomes available.
In ‘Part One’ we will be taking a first look at the Prime Pro Magnet USB rechargeable models, the C1 and C2.
As we go through the details of each light, for some there will be common features. In this case I may only show that feature for one of the models. In this part we have the C1 and C2 which are very similar as really the only difference is the cell and length of the battery tube. If you think a detail has been overlooked, check the similar model for that detail.
A well presented package.
A plastic tray keeps the contents organised.
Included with the C1 is a belt pouch, USB charger, Clip and o-rings.
The belt pouch has a D-ring and belt loop.
Note the second o-ring, and the 'Charge - Use' marking.
The tail-cap has a dual contact charger connection.
The matching charger contacts.
Here the charger is connected. It is held in place with magnets.
The pocket clip ready to connect.
A TIR optic is used.
The single control switch.
A look inside the tail-cap.
The battery tube, tail-cap threads.
When inserted, the cell sits as shown.
An 18350 cell is included.
When plugged in the USB charger lights up green.
Connected and charging the light is red.
Taking a more detailed look at the C2:
Presentation is the same as the C1.
As with the C1, the C2 has a charger, belt pouch, clip and o-rings.
A TIR optic is used.
The charger and charging contacts on the tail-cap.
Double o-rings are used.
The C2 has an 18650 cell.
In real terms the only difference between the C1 and C2 is the length of the battery tube.
Modes and User Interface:
This section is common across Part One and Two of the review to allow you to compare functions easily. It contains extracts from Armytek’s instruction manuals. Check the Armytek website for downloads of the full versions of these.
Uni C2 basic operation.
Uni C2 advanced use.
C1 / C2 initial setup.
C1 / C2 operation.
A1 / A2 initial setup.
A1 / A2 operation.
That is the end of Part One. Keep an eye out for Part Two – A Detailed look at the Prime Pro A1, A2 and Uni C2 Charger.
Discussing the Review:
The ideal place to discuss this reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in, or start, a discussion.
What are your first impressions of the Spyderco Hundred Pacer? Well, it certainly is an unusual looking knife with an unusual name and design inspiration, and I’ll admit to being sceptical about the look of this knife.
But, whatever your first impressions are, I can say that this knife has proven itself again and again throughout the testing process to be as potent as its namesake. The Hundred Pacer is the result of a collaboration with a Taiwanese knife designer and enthusiast Jonny Liao, who manages to bring together potentially ungainly serpentine shapes into a stunningly effective cutting tool.
A few more details:
What’s in the box?:
Spyderco's standard slip-cover box.
Included with the knife is an information leaflet.
A good look round the Spyderco Hundred Pacer – Things to look out for here are:
You can’t really miss the design references to the snake the knife is named after. Even under the closest scrutiny the quality of manufacture stands out.
Looking like it's namesake.
A dramatically shaped knife even when folded.
The handles have an incredible intricately textured surface.
A Spyderco wire clip is included. It can be fitted to either side.
The liners and lock bar are precisely nested into the G-10 handles.
The large opening hole is fully accessible.
Just visible here is one of the nested liners.
Waisted spacers give the knife an open back.
A substantial blade emerges.
Good lock engagement with room to go in future.
Johnny Liao's snake logo.
Showing the steel used.
A very fine blade tip.
What a blade, full flat going into a sharp edged plunge line.
Looking in at the pivot washers.
Explained by the Maker:
The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.
While at IWA 2018 I had the good fortune to be able to talk to Joyce Laituri from Spyderco about this knife.
Firstly here is the standard description from Spyderco: The Hundred Pacer is a truly unique folding knife design inspired by a deadly Taiwanese viper with a distinctive “horned” nose. Its venom is reputedly so toxic that a person bitten by it could only walk a hundred paces before expiring. Designed by knife enthusiast Jonny Liao, the Spyderco Hundred Pacer translates the sweeping lines of the snake’s head into a broad, dramatically curved, full-flat-ground blade. The satin-finished PlainEdge™ blade is crafted from premium CTS® XHP powder metallurgy stainless steel and features a fully accessible Trademark Round Hole™ for swift, positive, one-handed opening with either hand.
To replicate the look and feel of the snake’s skin, the knife’s stunning handle scales are meticulously machined from layered G-10 to create a non-slip texture and contrasting color pattern. Skeletonized stainless steel liners nested within the scales complement the handle’s open-backed construction to minimize the knife’s weight, while providing a solid foundation for its sturdy LinerLock mechanism. A reversible deep-pocket wire clip supports discreet, ambidextrous, tip-up carry and keeps the Hundred Pacer poised and instantly accessible.
An image from mitbbs.com of the Hundred Pacer snake.
The following are a few insights into the design courtesy of Joyce:
Jonny designed the knife to have a very wide flat ground blade, shaped to be reminiscent of the head of the Hundred Pacer snake. If you are not familiar with this snake, a quick Google of it reveals he did a very good job pulling off the form of the snake. The handle is textured G-10 with a bidirectional pattern to offer tactile resistance. The original prototype had a two tone handle that was vividly reminiscent of the snake’s colouring, but Spyderco opted for the coyote brown handle with the milled texturing.
With the Hundred Pacer, the surprising thing is once you get it in your hand; as large as it is, and as wide as the blade is, it is incredibly lightweight and incredibly comfortable to hold; add to this the upswept blade being such a powerful cutter and you have an extremely effective knife.
The CTS XHD steel used for the blade is a US made steel, and is shipped over to Taichung where Hundred Pacer is manufactured.
The Blade and Handle – Detailed Measurements:
Now even more detailed!
Taking things far beyond most knife specifications, in this section I will be carrying out a detailed examination of geometry, balance, edge bevels, factory sharpness and structural edge testing using the industry leading measuring tools.
These measuring tools include a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges, the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge, Edge On Up’s BESS Certified PT50A and SET tester along with CATRA’s Hobbigoni LASER Edge Protractor. The BESS ‘C’ scale of sharpness (Brubacher Edge Sharpness Scale) will be used to verify the sharpness of the factory edge and allow the knife to be brought to a minimum standard sharpness before testing a blade’s cutting performance.
A set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the Arc Master adjustable radius gauge.
One critical parameter is the primary grind angle.
Using a straight-edge to confirm the primary bevel type.
The balance point is found using a pivot.
Sharpness is checked using an Edge On Up PT50A 'BESS Certified' tester.
A chart showing where on the BESS scale a blade is.
The CATRA Hobbigoni measures blade and bevel angles with a LASER.
The Hobbigoni provides a lot of information about the blade and cutting edge.
A CRK Inkosi with polished Wicked Edge bevel.
A fully convexed edge on the Fällkniven F1.
Movakniv's Bushcraft showing the Scandi-edge and micro-bevel.
Spyderco's Sliverax showing the effect of surface finish.
This is the Edge On Up SET (Structural Edge Tester). A precise load (the white tac on the platform is used to adjust the load) applies pressure to an 'impactor'.
The 'impactor' roller is at a 12 degree angle.
The impactor is moved along the edge to roll the edge apex. The amount of roll can then be measured.
After testing the blade is stropped to recover the edge.
The measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades. The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.
Superb factory edge sharpness!
Examining the edge bevel.
The blade is made from CTS-XHP steel.
Take note of that average BESS Score of just 156. This is truly exceptional, and is the sharpest factory edge I have come across.
What it is like to use?
Once you handle this knife, it all makes sense. There are knives I do not find visually appealing, yet once in your hands they just work. The Hundred Pacer from Spyderco is one of these. In fact its abilities are making its looks more appealing, as you start to understand why it looks like it does.
When folded, the large hump of metal around the opening hole is there because this knife has such a wonderfully wide blade. This same large lump of metal makes the opening hole even more accessible, and the opening action super fast. It then provides an effective thumb ramp once the blade is open. Completely function, although making the folded knife appear a little ungainly.
The snake-head shaped butt of the handle forms a grip-hook that provides extreme stability during use, so the odd appearance really does make sense.
For reference I take XL gloves.
A good handful for a generous size blade.
For me there is only one minor change that improves the Hundred Pacer, and that is the addition of a sharpening choil. There are some cuts when this can create a ‘hang-up’, but the benefits outweigh the possible pitfalls for me. In adding a sharpening choil, it also allows the entire cutting edge bear down onto a cutting surface. Amongst other things, this knife’s slicing ability works fantastically well in the kitchen, and I use this roughly 50% of the time for food related tasks; this modification makes it significantly better for use on a cutting board.
Shown here with a small batch of knives that I added a sharpening choil to.
Amongst others I added a sharpening choil to the Hundred Pacer.
Don’t be too quick to judge this knife by its appearance. Certainly some will like the different looks, but I suspect most initially will not. The Hundred Pacer proves itself utterly worthy of your consideration thanks to its fantastic performance and handling.
Review Summary
The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.
Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.
_______________________________________________
Things I like
_______________________________________________
Superb handling.
A real ‘Super-Slicer’.
High quality fit and finish.
Ambidextrous.
Great grip.
High performance CTS XHP Steel.
_______________________________________________
What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________
Unusual appearance.
Discussing the Review:
The ideal place to discuss this reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.
Chris Reeve Knives’ Nyala fixed blade knife (first released in 2010) is a classic skinner / utility knife. Available in a drop-point, or, as featured here, the Insingo style blade (a modified Wharncliffe), and coming in a traditional leather pouch-sheath. Despite being a modern contemporary design, it achieves a timeless feel and benefits from the best manufacturing and materials you could ask for.
A few more details:
Starting with the sheath:
A good sheath is as important as the knife it carries, and CRK have gone to leatherwork specialists Gfeller for the Nyala’s pouch sheath.
This box will always be filled with wonder.
Actually a 'show' knife, so not originally presented in the full packaging.
The sheath is a quality to match the knife. Riveted for strength and for lanyard attachment.
Quality thick leather is used. The welt is as thick as the sheath leather.
The sign of quality.
The majority of the sheath is a single folded piece of leather.
A detail of how the welt is incorporated on the fold side.
The sheath-maker's mark.
The belt loop is integral to the main body of the sheath.
Stitching outlines the backing piece which prevents the knife coming through the belt loop slots.
This is the belt loop liner inside the sheath.
It speaks for itself.
A good look round the Nyala – Things to look out for here are:
Simple, elegant and purposeful, the Nyala in detail. Look for the attention to detail in the design and refinement of every part of the knife.
Beautiful in its simplicity.
Precision and quality of finish is why you buy CRK.
Proudly Idaho Made.
Milled micarta handles with 'shadow lines' grace the blade tang.
Attention to detail is fantastic with milled lines matching jimping grooves.
Gentle thumb jimping is included.
That lovely logo.
The plung line is a masterclass in elegant transitioning from bevel to ricasso.
This Nyala has the Insingo blade shape.
The lanyard hole and striker pommel.
A look at the spine.
The Blade and Handle – Detailed Measurements:
Now even more detailed!
Taking things far beyond most knife specifications, in this section I will be carrying out a detailed examination of geometry, balance, edge bevels, factory sharpness and structural edge testing using the industry leading measuring tools.
These measuring tools include a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges, the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge, Edge On Up’s BESS Certified PT50A and SET tester along with CATRA’s Hobbigoni LASER Edge Protractor. The BESS ‘C’ scale of sharpness (Brubacher Edge Sharpness Scale) will be used to verify the sharpness of the factory edge and allow the knife to be brought to a minimum standard sharpness before testing a blade’s cutting performance.
A set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the Arc Master adjustable radius gauge.
One critical parameter is the primary grind angle.
Using a straight-edge to confirm the primary bevel type.
The balance point is found using a pivot.
Sharpness is checked using an Edge On Up PT50A 'BESS Certified' tester.
A chart showing where on the BESS scale a blade is.
The CATRA Hobbigoni measures blade and bevel angles with a LASER.
The Hobbigoni provides a lot of information about the blade and cutting edge.
A CRK Inkosi with polished Wicked Edge bevel.
A fully convexed edge on the Fällkniven F1.
Movakniv's Bushcraft showing the Scandi-edge and micro-bevel.
Spyderco's Sliverax showing the effect of surface finish.
This is the Edge On Up SET (Structural Edge Tester). A precise load (the white tac on the platform is used to adjust the load) applies pressure to an 'impactor'.
The 'impactor' roller is at a 12 degree angle.
The impactor is moved along the edge to roll the edge apex. The amount of roll can then be measured.
After testing the blade is stropped to recover the edge.
The measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades. The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.
Balance point.
Checking the grind.
Primary bevel angle.
BESS testing the factory edge.
LASER protractor edge bevel measurements.
The blade is made from CPM S35VN steel.
What it is like to use?
Being a fan of Chris Reeve Knives’ folding knives, I also ‘needed’ a Pacific fixed blade, but in all honesty had never really hankered after the Nyala. Something I’ll come back to is the handle sizing, which has always appeared a bit on the small side to my eyes and was another reason I had not pursued it. It is also a slightly understated knife design, but that happens to be part of its charm. As you would expect from CRK, there is an elegance and minimalism in the design which keeps things simple and effective, and does so without shouting about it – quiet and efficient.
Given the opportunity to try this knife out, I had the choice of the drop-point, or CRK’s Insingo blade style. The modified Wharncliffe works for me, as I do a lot of point work and like the way the entire edge presents itself forward for the type of cuts I make, so the insingo it was.
Following on from the earlier look at the sheath, I wanted to start this gallery with one of those details that just make all the difference. See how the jimping in the centre of the grip is positioned such that a couple of grooves are visible when sheathed. This gives your first finger a better grip to withdraw the knife from the sheath; a small detail but one that counts.
You can get a good idea of the sizing looking at the Nyala ‘in-hand’, a comfortable general purpose blade with the balance point in your hand. Without thinking, you find your thumb on the jimping provided for it; the width of the spine, and gentle rounding of it, provides a comfortable surface to press on.
Note the visible jimping on the handle which gives extra grip when unsheathing the knife.
I take XL sized gloves.
Thumb jimping works well.
Next to a large Inkosi.
The Nyala begs to be carried with you.
Surprisingly, the streamlined sheath makes pocket carry pretty easy.
So my concern over the size of the grip? Firstly, I’ll say that very much like a kitchen knife, the integral guard formed by the narrowing of the grip next to the blade makes it safe and secure. This narrowed grip also makes the Nyala nimble in the hand and great for fine, controlled, cuts. When assessing a knife handle I tend to think of the heavy cutting and how comfortable it will be when really pressing into the cuts. Actually the Nyala has surprised me, being comfortable enough with high effort cutting, even if not one I’d choose for extended periods of hard work. There is never any lack of grip from the milled micarta handles, the depth of the milled grooves can start to burn a bit after heavy use with bare hands. The balance of quality of grip vs comfort does seem just right for the shape / size of the handle.
The blade stock is a little thicker than I’d really want in this size of knife, but this allows for a comfortable thumb rest directly on the spine, and that extra strength is just lying in wait for a time you might really need it, which is never a bad thing.
Overall I’ve also been appreciating the simplicity and traditional vibes of the Nyala with its leather sheath. Now I’m wondering why I overlooked it for so long. It has been working as a really good all-rounder and has fallen into my regular rotation.
Review Summary
The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.
Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.
_______________________________________________
Things I like
_______________________________________________
Back to basics, simple, elegant, design.
Quality traditional leather pouch sheath.
Nimble in the hand.
The handle works better than expected for heavy cutting.
Plenty of grip.
Insingo or drop-point blade options.
Refined finish and attention to detail.
_______________________________________________
What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________
Slim grip can become fatiguing during extended heavy cutting.
Milled handle grooves can be a bit unkind to bare hands during heavy cutting.
Discussing the Review:
The ideal place to discuss this reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.
Having been thoroughly impressed by NORDIC HEAT in previous years at IWA, at IWA 2018 I made sure to visit them to be able to talk directly about their thoughtful approach to electrically heated clothing; plus I wanted to take the opportunity try some of their products at the show. I was so impressed, I came away with some NORDIC HEAT gloves to take a more in depth look at.
In this case the I’m testing the Glove Liner (Thin) gloves which are the lightest-weight gloves in the NORDIC HEAT range. They give you the option to use them on their own as lightweight heated gloves, or are thin enough to be worn under outer gloves, adding heating to otherwise unheated gloves.
A few more details:
NORDIC HEAT Power Pack-G:
In their logically thought out approach, the whole system is modular and the power packs and charger come as a set to be combined with various items of heated clothing.
The contents are very neatly fitted into the box.
Here are the full contents of the power pack.
Each battery has two smaller battery packs joined together.
Underneath the power supply are its specifications.
The power supply output is connected to a Y-cable to feed both power-packs at once.
The power supply plug and the battery plugs are different.
The charging indicator is visible on the top.
A good look round the NORDIC HEAT Glove Liner – Thin – Things to look out for here are:
Despite being a lightweight glove, the construction is solid and attention to detail in the fit and comfort is excellent. The entire inner surface has rubber dots to really add grip, plus there is a touch screen compatible pad on the index finger.
NOTE: (Added at the request of NORDIC HEAT) – NORDIC HEAT recommend fitting the battery pack the other way up to the way shown in the photos. They intend for the power cord to go straight down into the glove rather than being looped round.
With the power packs in a separate box, here we just have the gloves and a leaflet.
Front and back of the gloves.
On the back of the wrist is the power button.
There is zig-zag stitching at the elasticated wrist.
A Velcro tab allows for adjustment.
The adjuster tab fully open.
Showing the wrist adjustment gusset.
On the under-side of the wrist is the battery compartment and its zip.
Opening the battery compartment.
Inside is the battery plug.
The entire palm/finger grip surface is covered with rubber spots.
A closer look at the grip.
The tip of the index finger has a touch-screen compatible material.
Slipping in the battery pack. (Check the review text for a recommendation from NORDIC HEAT)
Everything tucked in and ready to zip up.
What it is like to use?
On this subject of heated clothing, I am reminded of a quote from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: “one of the lingering questions on NowWhat is how the boghogs manage to stay warm in their skins. It says “if anyone had wanted to learn the language of the boghogs, they would have discovered that they don’t and are just as cold and miserable as everyone else”.”
And this is simply because in the past you had only one choice in the cold, and that was to try and reduce how cold you were with more clothing – ‘try’ being the operative word. Once cold starts to set in, the body reduces blood flow to the extremities and they get even colder. So really you were just a certain level of cold, but didn’t have much choice so got used to the discomfort.
Heated clothing provides us with benefits beyond simply the comfort of feeling warmth; it keeps us functional longer in more extreme conditions.
I use it in a few different ways, all of which are subtly different. These are also based on the fact that there are batteries which will run out, so you can’t simply run them all the time.
The first of these ways of using them involves actively combating the cold to stop it setting in. This is where you start off with the gloves on, and turn them on before even going out into the cold. Keeping the hands warm with heating from the very start means you maintain the best dexterity as long as you have battery power for the heating.
Second, and for me a very important way of using them, is for recovery. There are situations where it is not practical to use the heated gloves initially, and other gloves are used. Inevitably the cold starts to creep in and your hands become colder and colder. Once you reach a certain point you really need to recover. Swapping to the heated gloves and using them to bring back the circulation gets you ready to go again. As these glove liners are not themselves thermally insulated, on their own they do not provide much protection beyond keeping some cold air off the skin, and certainly don’t help with holding very cold tools or touching cold surfaces beyond the active heating provided to the side of the fingers. This is why I frequently use other thicker gloves, most of which are not large enough to allow the use these as glove liners, mainly due to the battery pack bulk, so the ‘recovery’ approach is very helpful.
Third on the list is preparation for the cold environment. We are not always warm to start with and the other gloves you are going to use might be chilled; you can use these heated gloves to give you hands a real boost to start with. The non-heated gloves can then be warmed with body heat from this pre-warming and the circulation boost.
You may find different ways to work with them, but this is what has been good for me.
Though I’m going to move onto observations that are more specific to these gloves, there is one characteristic I need to mention which is the same for all heated gloves that have their own battery packs. Having the battery pack in the cuff gives the gloves a strange balance, bulkiness and heavy feel. In the case of these glove liners, this is even more pronounced as the gloves are lightweight, but it is the same in all heated gloves. The bulk at the cuff tends to interfere with your watch; I frequently go without a wristwatch when using heated gloves. This is something you need to accept if you want the benefits of independently powered heated gloves.
The next comments are supported by the photo gallery coming up next –
Thoughtfully, even though these are called glove liners, a touch screen compatible index finger tip has been included. Though it doesn’t look conductive, it certainly works. Be aware however that, just like every other touch screen compatible glove, the finger contact area is pretty big and imprecise. It is more of a case of being able to answer a call without taking off the gloves than being able to make a call. There is not enough precision to tap on a number or name in a list. Certainly useful if you accept the limitations.
Overall comfort is excellent and the fit is good. In this gallery the first three photos of the glove being worn are without the battery fitted. Skip forward past the photos showing the button illumination to see the bulk added by the battery pack. You get used to this bulk quickly, but it requires some consideration.
It is nice that the power button itself is directly illuminated. When first turned on (using a long press), the first of the three modes is high. To cycle through medium, low and back to high you briefly press the button. A long press is then needed to turn them off again.
Last in the gallery are some thermal camera images of the excellent design of the heating in NORDIC HEAT’s gloves. Each finger is surrounding with heating elements which are clearly visible. Frequently, heated gloves only heat the back of the hand, meaning there is only heating on one side of the fingers. NORDIC HEAT’s method applies heat to two sides of the finger getting more heat in.
The touch-screen finger works.
Here the battery packs are not fitted.
On full power the button is red.
Medium power and the button is amber.
Low power and the button glows green.
The bulk of the battery packs make quite a difference.
Thermal imaging shows the heating elements.
NORDIC HEAT's approach completely surrounds all the finger sides with warmth.
Using the FLIR Scout TK thermal camera again to shoot some video, this shows the gloves heating up from cold and those excellent heating elements.
Video Edited with – Cyberlink Director Suite 5 (PowerDirector 16 and AudioDirector 7)
Camera – FLIR Scout TK
How long do they run?:
Using a dual thermal probe to measure the ambient temperature and the temperature in the middle finger of one glove, the time/temperature graph was plotted of the difference between these two temperatures. This was carried out in a cool but sheltered area on HIGH mode.
One glove ran out of power at 1h43m and the other at 1h46m.
Recharging the batteries from completely flat takes around three and a half hours (3h33m for one and 4h07m for the other).
The charging indicator on the charger will be solid red if both batteries are connected and charging, and solid green if they are both fully charged. If the indicator light is flashing red, this means that one battery is charged and the charger is “waiting” for the second battery, or only one battery is connected for charging.
In the graph below, the line marking ‘Glove Battery Exhausted’ is the time when the power light went out.
Some Modifications:
There is only one aspect of these gloves that didn’t work for me, and that was the cuff adjustment tabs. With the batteries adding bulk to the cuff, you really need to open the cuff adjuster to put them on, and then do it up again.
For the first hand this is fine, operating the cuff adjuster with bare hands is no problem, but then we get to the second hand, and now we are using the gloved fingers to grip the tab.
Immediately, as you do up the cuff adjuster, you find the Velcro hook part grabs the fabric of the thumb doing it up. This quickly starts to ‘fluff’ up the thumb fabric and is going to wear it out much faster.
Worse than doing it up, is trying to get hold of the cuff tab to undo it. You really have to press the thumb into the edge of the tab to get hold of it, and so onto the Velcro hooks. This is when the thumb fabric sticks to the hooks and has to be ripped off them.
All it really needs is a little grip tab (which has no Velcro and extends enough to grip with the gloves on) to allow you to get hold of it, so I got out my ‘Velcro control pack’ to make one. As I find the tendency of Velcro hook material to grab things quite annoying I have a selection of hook and loop strips (my ‘Velcro control pack’) that I can cut to size to cover up excessive hook material or in some cases extend it.
The following gallery steps through what I have done for each cuff adjuster. A simple job that took five minutes to do, and has transformed the fitting and removal of these gloves.
The completed modifications made to the wrist tabs.
The modified tab opened up.
Three small pieces of Velcro are needed to make this removable modification.
The first covers the exposed 'hook' part on the glove.
Exposed hooks covered.
Then the other two pieces fitted together can be put under the tab.
This creates a small tab that is easy to grip while wearing the gloves.
Review Summary
The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.
Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.
_______________________________________________
Things I like
_______________________________________________
All fingers heated on two sides.
Touch screen compatible index finger.
Turns onto maximum power.
Simple and reliable interface.
Adjustable cuff.
Good grip.
Dual purpose, liner or lightweight glove.
Modular design for use with other NORDIC HEAT products.
_______________________________________________
What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________
Cuff adjuster tab too short and difficult to get hold of.
Batteries can be fiddly to fit into the pocket.
Discussing the Review:
The ideal place to discuss this reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in, or start, a discussion.
In this review, the Fox Suru on test is not just any old Suru, it’s the ‘Heinnie Haynes Edition’. As well as having global reach, Heinnie Haynes is the UK’s largest seller of knives and EDC gear. With its roots in the UK market there is particular interest in knives which are UK EDC Legal. There is much confusion over the knife laws in the UK, thanks to plenty of misinformation, despite the law actually being very simple. Sticking to the basics of the law, any non-locking folding knife with cutting edge less than 3″ can be EDCed legally.
The Fox Suru in its standard form is a compact, integral-lock, flipper knife – an almost perfectly unsuitable knife for the UK market, but Bruce from HH had the vision to see great potential in the small robust folder, if only it could be made a flipper-free non-locker. After working out the details with Fox, we now have exactly that, a slip-joint Suru. Though intended for the UK market, the creation of the slip-joint Suru has streamlined the original design and resulted in a knife suitable for users around the world with, or without, similar EDC knife carry restrictions.
A few more details:
We’ll start of with the presentation of the knife, both from Heinnie Haynes and from Fox. The review sample was sent to me exactly as with any other HH customer order.
What’s in the box?:
That Red H is always a sign of good things to come.
Fox have a good logo.
The Suru comes in a quality pouch.
A Couple of Extras:
With Heinnie Haynes having so many extras to choose from, also included for use during testing was the MAM slip pouch, and Maxpedition’s Micro Pocket Organiser.
A good look round the Fox Suru Heinnie Haynes Edition – Things to look out for here are:
This is one of four different colour options and has a black PVD coated Titanium handle (though this is actually more of a very dark grey) with Bronze coloured hardware. The Heinnie Edition Suru started as the frame-lock flipper Suru, but as you will see, nothing looks out of place, instead appearing as if it had always been designed this way.
Spot the difference from the standard Suru.
The Suru is an open back design.
Also different in the Heinnie edition is the lock side handle. It has a detent spring instead of a lock-bar.
In this version, the clip and other hardware has a bronze finish.
The clip has a ball bearing for the contact point.
The handle spacer also has a lanyard hole.
Fox's logo sits next to the rounded plunge line.
The edge bevel width has been kept consistent over the entire cutting edge, despite the geometry and thicker tip.
A generous finger choil allows for fine control.
M390 steel is used.
A couple of images showing the slip-joint detent action. Here it is engaged with the blade open.
Looking into the knife you can see the detent ball engaged in the blade tang. Also note the washer.
With the blade partially open the detent spring bar is pushed open.
The detent ball riding up on the tang.
Explained by the Maker:
The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.
Bruce from Heinnie Haynes took the time to speak with me about the knife.
This particular ‘Heinnie Haynes Edition’ actually came about the very day before the Suru won knife of the year at Blade Show 2018. It happens to be Bruce’s favourite size of knife and he particularly liked the solid feel and thick blade coupled with the strong, precise, feel and operation. After seeing and loving the original Suru, with the UK market in mind, Bruce knew that the flipper was going to make it impossible to sell, so asked Fox if they could do a run without the flipper. Fox said they could do that but would need to cut a new blade shape separately, meaning a minimum of 300 being made. At a starting point of 300, with the knife being a lock-knife it would still limit the market for the flipper-free version. So Bruce took it one step further and asked that if a new blade is being made, can’t the rear be extended and an extra detent added. This would be so that the lock-bar doesn’t close behind the blade instead converting it to be non-locking (with detent holding the blade open). Initially Fox were concerned this would make it seem like the knife was ‘broken’ and the lock not working, so were very reluctant. Bruce stuck to his convictions and persuaded Fox to go ahead with the Heinnie Edition.
After placing the order, Bruce had to wait for the final production run to actually see the knife he had redesigned; it was a bit nerve-racking opening the first box. When they arrived it turned out that not only had the blade been changed, but the lock-side handle had also been changed and it was no longer a frame-lock handle; instead the detent spring has been moved to the centre of the handle. Bruce originally thought he was asking only for the blade to be changed and felt a little guilty the handle needed to be changed as well; however, the result is even better thanks to this extra work by Fox.
Making this knife EDCable broadens its appeal in the UK market considerably with the relatively limited choice of suitable knives. Being a Heinnie customisation HH currently have exclusive rights to the slip-joint version.
If the current run sells well enough Bruce would like to go for a few more variants than the initial four. Always a bit of a guessing game, the split in sales between these four variants is so far not as originally envisioned. The black/bronze one (in this review) is the most popular, followed by the black/blue and the plain level-pegging in second, with the plain/blue being the least popular (at the time of writing). It was the plain/blue one that Bruce most likes and thought would sell out first.
Interestingly, as the number of ‘flipper’ knives is still on the increase, and with this being a genuine problem in the UK, (as it not something that can be sold), Bruce (and I also agree) is starting to see flippers as ugly; the flipper tab sticking out makes the knife ungainly especially when folded. This Heinnie edition of the Suru looks much more streamlined without the flipper tab getting in the way.
The Blade and Handle – Detailed Measurements:
Now even more detailed!
Taking things far beyond most knife specifications, in this section I will be carrying out a detailed examination of geometry, balance, edge bevels, factory sharpness and structural edge testing using the industry leading measuring tools.
These measuring tools include a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges, the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge, Edge On Up’s BESS Certified PT50A and SET tester along with CATRA’s Hobbigoni LASER Edge Protractor. The BESS ‘C’ scale of sharpness (Brubacher Edge Sharpness Scale) will be used to verify the sharpness of the factory edge and allow the knife to be brought to a minimum standard sharpness before testing a blade’s cutting performance.
A set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the Arc Master adjustable radius gauge.
One critical parameter is the primary grind angle.
Using a straight-edge to confirm the primary bevel type.
The balance point is found using a pivot.
Sharpness is checked using an Edge On Up PT50A 'BESS Certified' tester.
A chart showing where on the BESS scale a blade is.
The CATRA Hobbigoni measures blade and bevel angles with a LASER.
The Hobbigoni provides a lot of information about the blade and cutting edge.
A CRK Inkosi with polished Wicked Edge bevel.
A fully convexed edge on the Fällkniven F1.
Movakniv's Bushcraft showing the Scandi-edge and micro-bevel.
Spyderco's Sliverax showing the effect of surface finish.
This is the Edge On Up SET (Structural Edge Tester). A precise load (the white tac on the platform is used to adjust the load) applies pressure to an 'impactor'.
The 'impactor' roller is at a 12 degree angle.
The impactor is moved along the edge to roll the edge apex. The amount of roll can then be measured.
After testing the blade is stropped to recover the edge.
The measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades. The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.
The balance point.
Checking the grind.
Main grind angle.
Checking the edge bevel.
The blade is made from M390 steel.
What it is like to use?
Having not previously handled the original Fox Suru, I was not familiar with the size of this knife. Certainly on first seeing it I was surprised how compact it actually is. From photos of it on its own, there is a sense it is a larger knife. Considering that this is intended to be an EDC knife, that compact size has proven to be a real benefit and just made it an easy carry.
Frequently, frame-lockers can be reluctant to open with the thumb as it is so easy to accidentally apply pressure to the lock-bar and so engage the blade retention detent more firmly. With Fox changing the lock-side handle as they have done, it make this version of the Suru very good at OHO using the opening hole. The action is crisp, with a good snap into the open position.
As you can see in these photos, the handle is really a three-finger-grip handle due to its compact size. You have two choices for the normal forward grip, firstly and most naturally, you choke up on the blade with your index finger sitting in the finger choil in front of the pivot with you remaining fingers on the handle. This grip will give you the most control and power, but if you want a little more reach for the blade, you can come back on the handle so your index finger is now behind the pivot. Not as safe (though perfectly safe if using the proper cutting style for non-lockers), but it does give a bit more reach.
Before discussing the next gallery, there was just one minor problem I came across during testing; the blade pivot loosened to the point the blade was quite wobbly and way off centre when closed. This was after a few hundred opening and closing cycles, but I had not thought to check the pivot screw before starting testing, so I don’t know if it was already loose when it arrived. A quick and easy adjustment later using a T9 Torx screwdriver bit, and the pivot was back to how it should be, with the blade having no play and opening smoothly. Concerned it had worked loose during normal use, I went about positively trying to get it to loosen up again and have unrelentingly opened and closed it (having to change hands frequently – and yes it works perfectly left or right handed) hundreds of times. I do apply a reasonable amount of sideways pressure to the blade when OHOing the knife and the pivot has loosened again. Once it starts to get loose, it then loosens even more quickly. Actually this doesn’t really impact on its use, giving you enough warning to tighten it up again before it gets too bad. I think a spot of thread-lock is imminent.
People like to carry knives in a few different ways. I’m not a fan of carrying a knife clipped to the edge of a pocket as I don’t like collecting pocket lint, wearing away the edge of the pocket, and those instances where as you move about and sit down, that a knife can be pushed up and off the pocket edge; lots of knives are lost that way. So this leads me to the two other options here. The MAM slip-pouch is a simple leather pouch to keep the knife dust and scratch free while in your pocket. It is a snug fit for the Suru needing a ‘toothpaste tube squeeze’ technique to get it out of the pouch, and has kept the Suru in perfect condition.
I am frequently swapping coats and bags and tend to loose track of my EDC gear if I have it distributed and doubled-up (tripled etc) across all those coats and bags, so prefer a small organiser pouch that gets moved from coat to bag to bag to coat, and means I know exactly what I’ve got.
Though the Suru came in a pouch, and that pouch is very nice quality, it is too big for the size of knife. I have re-used that pouch for a much bigger folder.
The Maxpedition Micro Pocket Organiser is the best size I’ve found so far. I would prefer it even smaller, as unlike many people I don’t like to cram my EDC pouch full of gear that then rubs up against each other. For me this is the essential ‘knife and light’ combination, placed in the pouch so they can’t make contact. The Suru has mostly been living in this pouch with an Armytek light.
Back onto the subject of size. Included in the gallery are a few size comparison photos with some classic slip-joint knives. There is also a direct comparison with the ultra-light Spyderco Dragonfly II, which you can see is equivalent in size. The Suru has a much more substantial build, with Titanium handles and thick blade, so gives you the feel of a heavier folder in a package that is small enough to easily EDC, yet have enough cutting power to be seriously useful.
These comparison photos also show the non-threatening look of the Suru. SAKs are universally accepted even by extremely-non-knife-people, but many of the UK EDC Legal knives look a little bit too ‘pointy’ to be as easily accepted. The Suru with its wide blade and upwardly sweeping cutting edge has a softer look that is much easier for non-knife-people to be relaxed around.
Size comparison to other slip-joints.
Is a 4mm blade too thick for a folder this size? It certainly could be. The Suru’s blade is however much deeper than your typical folder of this size and with a nearly full flat grind, it means the blade’s primary bevel is a fine enough angle to cut very well. Where you do lose out a little is as you near the blade tip. The primary bevel and thick blade stock combine to give a very strong blade tip, but a relatively thick one.
This brings me onto the factory edge. With the grind geometry, the blade thickness behind the cutting edge increases as you go from the heel to tip. Fox have very neatly executed a factory cutting edge bevel that has a consistent width along the entire edge. Consequently, this factory edge bevel angle changes from 20DPS (degrees per side) at the heel to about 35DPS at the tip. So that is a 40 degree inclusive edge bevel at the heel and a 70 degree inclusive edge bevel at the tip; that is more than I’d put on an axe! Fox did make that edge a good sharpness, but the angle means it is not the most eager cutter. A lot of urban EDC cutting tasks involve the point, and with the factory edge, the Suru comes up feeling lacking. What also doesn’t help is that the point angle is quite wide, and with the upward sweep of the cutting edge to the tip, the cutting edge sits almost parallel to the material being punctured and cut – like this is needs a finer edge to really work.
So, time for a re-profile of the cutting edge, and I’ve take it to 15DPS along the entire cutting edge. The width of the edge bevel at the tip is now four times the width at the heel, but that is the cost of having the consistent edge bevel angle.
With this new edge, the Suru has woken up, and with the point work transformed it has allowed me pay more attention to how well the rest of the blade cuts. With a nicely exposed blade heel (just in front of the finger choil), you can carry out very fine and controlled cuts. Despite the 4mm blade stock, this part of the blade cuts like a thinner blade would.
Having an all metal construction (Titanium handles) the Suru is not a super-light folder. Other knives of a similar size are thinner and lighter, but feel insubstantial in comparison. As a non-locker, it is possible to EDC this knife where other knives cannot go, and even though compact, it has a satisfyingly solid build that gives you the confidence use it for jobs you might otherwise be reaching for a bigger knife to do.
Review Summary
The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.
Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.
_______________________________________________
Things I like
_______________________________________________
Excellent fit and finish.
Titanium handles.
Solid construction.
M390 blade steel.
Ambidextrous OHO.
Compact.
Non-locking.
‘Friendly’ look.
_______________________________________________
What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________
Thick blade tip reduces piercing ability.
The blade pivot seems to work loose after a few hundred openings. (Needs some thread-lock)
Discussing the Review:
The ideal place to discuss this reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.
Lionsteel are a brand that stand out year-on-year thanks to maintaining a superb level of manufacturing quality over a wide range of knife designs, both fixed and folding. This review takes a look at the Carbon Fibre version of the TM1 folding knife. Like the outstanding SR-1 (which is still going strong eight years after its launch), with its impressive construction using a one-piece handle, the TM1 also uses this single-piece handle design, but instead of an integral lock it uses a more traditional back-lock. I like an integral lock as much as anyone, but I am having just a little too much of them, and find it refreshing that the TM1 uses a back-lock. One main advantage of this is that the handle shape, grip and feel is not compromised by the lock-bar. Still a heavy folder, like the SR-1, but with a very interesting reverse-tanto blade shape, and a handle with two non-metallic material choices – Carbon-Fibre or Micarta. Finding this knife was one of my show highlights from IWA 2018.
What’s in the box?:
The TM1 comes in a familiar Lionsteel cardboard box. Inside the box, the TM1 is in a pouch / carry case which can slide onto a belt as a horizontal pouch. It will only fit over a slim 1″ belt and this might be a happy accident rather than an intended design feature.
The TM1 arrives in a belt pouch.
Though not immediately obvious there is a belt channel across the back of this horizontal belt pouch.
Fiocchi press-studs are used (I believe Fiocchi have stopped making these now).
A good look round the Lionsteel TM1 CF – Things to look out for here are:
The key images have captions; there is a lot to see on the TM1, so keep an eye out for the handle contouring, clip and glass breaker, ramped thumb opener, crisp finish and other design details.
The TM1 is an elegant folder with smooth flowing lines.
Yes, this is a back-lock, providing an alternative to plethora of integral locks.
A short pocket clip is held in place with a glass breaker tipped bolt.
The pivot bolt has a torx fitting.
No corners are cut with the handle shaping. Full 3D sculpting creates a fully organic shape with subtle grip texturing.
Surprisingly this short clip actually works really well and hasn't felt too stiff.
A ramp shaped thumb opener is bolted to the blade, so could be removed if required.
Sleipner steel is used for the blade.
Integration of the back-lock lever into the design is flawless.
A TC tip gives the glass breaker real punch.
The 'TM' series marking is engraved on the blade spine.
A deep finger guard is integrated into the handle.
Looking along the one-piece handle shows the sculpted shape of the grip.
Deep inside the handle is the lock spring consisting of two round bar springs.
Explained by the Maker:
The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.
I had the good fortune to be able to consult Mik Molletta about this knife. The following images were discussion points that will be referred to.
Mik is a prolific designer and the TM1 was one of his own projects that wasn’t commissioned by Lionsteel, but was then given to them. The following paragraphs are a combination of Mik’s own words and me incorporating the questions into the description (while attempting to leave the meaning unchanged).
Sleipner steel (A) was chosen because it is a tool steel with good performance in cutting ability and toughness. With a specific heat treating it has a very fine grain structure. The blade thickness (J) makes the TM1 very durable for a long working life.
Intended to be a real working knife, the overall shape and deep finger guard (B) reflect this purpose in the design. The knife also has a reinforced tip (C) suitable for processing hard materials.
In lockback knives it is often observed when using them that there is play in the lock and/or pivot, sometimes pressing on the blade while working, the lever of the lock moves upwards. In the TM-1 there is no play in any axis. The particular architecture (D), made to high precision tolerances, eliminates the problems of the back-lock mechanism, and the presence of bearings facilitates the one hand opening normally difficult on these knives. The lock-back system (I) when well executed is a safe and efficient and durable system.
A glass breaker (E) is incorporated because it was designed to be suitable for military, police and rescue proposes.
The pocket clip (G) is relatively short and is made to be not cumbersome and not to become annoying in use.
The handle surface texture (H) is slightly rough to provide grip with and without gloves, but without being troublesome for bare hands.
Angled shape thump opener (K) was used on the titanium version of Lionsteel’s T.R.E. Designed by me (Mik). It’s comfortable so used also on TM-1.
In case you were wondering how they fit those IKBs bearings… (This image is from Lionsteel’s TM1 product page.)
The Blade and Handle – Detailed Measurements:
Now even more detailed!
Taking things far beyond most knife specifications, in this section I will be carrying out a detailed examination of geometry, balance, edge bevels, factory sharpness and structural edge testing using the industry leading measuring tools.
These measuring tools include a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges, the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge, Edge On Up’s BESS Certified PT50A and SET tester along with CATRA’s Hobbigoni LASER Edge Protractor. The BESS ‘C’ scale of sharpness, developed by Mike Brubacher (Brubacher Edge Sharpness Scale) will now become part of Tactical Reviews’ knife testing process. Initially this will be used to verify the sharpness of the factory edge and allow the knife to be brought to a minimum standard sharpness before testing a blade’s cutting performance.
A set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the Arc Master adjustable radius gauge.
One critical parameter is the primary grind angle.
Using a straight-edge to confirm the primary bevel type.
The balance point is found using a pivot.
Sharpness is checked using an Edge On Up PT50A 'BESS Certified' tester.
A chart showing where on the BESS scale a blade is.
The CATRA Hobbigoni measures blade and bevel angles with a LASER.
The Hobbigoni provides a lot of information about the blade and cutting edge.
A CRK Inkosi with polished Wicked Edge bevel.
A fully convexed edge on the Fällkniven F1.
Movakniv's Bushcraft showing the Scandi-edge and micro-bevel.
Spyderco's Sliverax showing the effect of surface finish.
This is the Edge On Up SET (Structural Edge Tester). A precise load (the white tac on the platform is used to adjust the load) applies pressure to an 'impactor'.
The 'impactor' roller is at a 12 degree angle.
The impactor is moved along the edge to roll the edge apex. The amount of roll can then be measured.
After testing the blade is stropped to recover the edge.
The measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades. The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.
One of the three BESS readings.
Balance point.
Checking the grind.
Primary bevel measurement.
Laser bevel measurement.
The blade is made from Sleipner 60-61 HRC steel.
The TM1’s factory edge has an average BESS ‘C’ sharpness of 342. This was acceptable as it would slice 80gsm paper, but not to the level I like so I brought the edge to 15 degree per-side and 200 BESS for testing the knife.
What it is like to use?
Lionsteel’s TM1 is a pleasant contradiction as it is a ‘heavy folder’ yet at the same time it is a ‘lightweight folder’ (for its size) thanks to the carbon-fibre handle. Although the blade is a substantial 4.5mm, making it massively strong, and the handle is matched to the blade perfectly, the TM1 is light and easy to carry.
Thanks to its one piece sculpted handle and back-lock, the grip is excellent for a folder. A fully integral finger guard makes the grip super stable and more than a match for that powerful blade.
Opening is silky as the blade swings out smoothly and effortlessly on those ball bearings. If you hold the handle and push the lock bar in fully, the blade actually becomes completely free to swing (without the lock bar pressing on it) and does so with no resistance at all. Not being a flipper I had wondered if it was worth using the ball bearings, but it is – the opening is just so slick. The thumb opener has been shaped into a ramp and gives a larger contact area for your thumb than studs do, and this makes it quite a bit more comfortable to use.
Then there is that snap of the lock; so crisp, precise and solid, and so satisfying. It makes you want to keep on opening it up. (Warning – you might annoy your family or work colleagues with this knife.)
An edge re-profile brought the TM1 to life.
This is the first ‘reverse-tanto’ blade I’ve used, however the principle is not far from a clip-point, just a smaller clip, keeping the tip very strong. Slightly odd looking, it has proven to be highly usable. No issues with the tip’s puncturing ability even though the point angle is 71 degrees. The tip looks extremely strong, but as yet I’ve not had a reason to really put this to the test (no car doors have jumped out at me and needed cutting into).
So ‘Sleipner’ in a folder? I was a little unsure about this choice with the reports of corrosion, and the fact it is not a stainless steel having only 7.8% Cr. I decided that during the course of the testing I would not use any oils or other blade protection, and have been using this knife for around six months for a variety of tasks, including with foods, and with one in particular that is normally very harsh – banana! Opening and fishing about in boil-in-the-bag foods so getting a good dose of heat and steam, pocket time, handling and at best a little wipe down.
It is possible that the blade has been lacquered but I can’t see any evidence this has been done, and I reground the cutting edge bevel, so I know that is bare steel. To date there has not been any sign of corrosion. I had expected to have to intervene and remove some spotting as I haven’t been caring for the blade steel. This is not the same as specifically abusing it or really trying to get it to corrode, but the testing has been normal use with little to no attempts to protect it beyond a wipe from time to time.
I’ll have to say I’m still a little wary that this might need more care than I’d like, but so far I’ve been pleasantly surprised that it has not been noticeably susceptible to corrosion. It is possible the specific heat-treat Mik mentioned may have improved the corrosion resistance of this steel.
You might have spotted the relatively small looking clip, and like me assumed it was not going to work well. I found I was eating my words though. When I pocket-carried the TM1, that clip had enough clearance to get onto the pocket edge and enough flex to slide into place, yet enough grip to stay put. I had dismissed this clip as an afterthought, but was wrong, it works. The clip can also be removed and refitted on the other side.
Review Summary
The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.
Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.
Review Summary
_______________________________________________
Things I like
_______________________________________________
Superb fit and finish.
Single-piece handle.
Back-lock (Thank you!)
IKBS pivot bearings for super smooth action.
Rock solid lock up.
Lightweight yet ‘heavy-build’ folder.
Effective clip.
Works for right and left-handed users.
Strong blade.
Comfortable thumb opening ramp.
_______________________________________________
What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________
Sleipner steel – I don’t like the threat of corrosion hanging over a fantastic knife.
Nothing else.
Discussing the Review:
The ideal place to discuss this reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.
