Join me in this review of the lionSTEEL H1, to take in all the details of this superb EDC fixed blade knife designed by Tommaso Rumici. This specific knife is a display model from IWA 2022 so might show a few imperfections. The H1 has a M390 blade, black G10 handle with grip ring, standard leather sheath plus also shown in this review with the optional Kydex sheath.
Video Overview
This video includes a close look round the H1, and then onto the measurements and specifications.
What’s in the box?:
As well as the standard H1 package, this review shows the optional Kydex sheath which is pictured next to the closed box. As standard, the H1 comes with the leather sheath and a lionSTEEL made keyring torx wrench.
A good look round the standard Leather Sheath – Things to look out for here are:
The H1’s standard leather sheath is packed full of features. Within the curved and flowing shaping of this sheath, it has a retaining strap secured with a press-stud, a ‘standard’ belt loop, along with two special loops that can be rotated and opened out to allow various belt or MOLLE carry configurations.
A good look round the optional Kydex Sheath – Things to look out for here are:
Giving you a more compact carry, the optional Kydex sheath has two special loops, like the leather sheath, that allow for various belt or MOLLE carry configurations, but without the fixed belt loop and retaining strap. The retaining strap is not needed due to the Kydex ‘clip in’ retention, so allowing for a much more streamlined sheath.
The details of the H1:
Starting off with the H1 sheathed in the leather sheath. A curvy knife in a curved and flowing sheath. Demonstrated in the last of the photos of the sheathed knife, if you are using the fixed belt loop, and if you wanted to tie-in the end of the handle tightly so it can’t catch on anything, you can swing the top loop over the end of the grip ring; not something you would do all the time, but an option.
The remaining photos take in details like the engravings, plunge line, jimping, grip ring finish, handle shaping/milling/texture, plus the overall lines of this knife.
The Blade and Handle – Detailed Measurements:
For full details of the tests and measurements carried out and an explanation of the results, see the page – Knife Technical Testing – How It’s Done.
What is it like to use?
Designed to combine the secure handling of the karambit’s grip ring with a knife blade much better suited to daily EDC tasks, this make the H1 an unusual shape that you might not immediately be drawn to.
Although I started with the two galleries in this section the other way round, I decided to look at the personal carry aspect first. Shown earlier in the review, the H1 can be MOLLE carried, so this is about carry directly on your person using the belt and additional loops on both the leather and Kydex sheathes.
For me the least successful carry is the standard drop belt loop. With the angles set into the sheath, the presentation is very awkward for me, and with the leather wrapping round the handle, re-sheathing the knife tends to result in cutting into the sheath each and every time. It is quick to deploy, but not to re-sheath.
Moving swiftly to horizontal carry and suddenly everything works much better. For the leather sheath you can mount it on your hip facing backwards. The leather sheath doesn’t really work for back carry, due to the retaining strap (this is where the kydex sheath really shines).
(Just to mention these photos are all for right-handed drawing.)
Last up is the kydex sheath on hip and back carry positions. Actually for the back carry I would have set the loops so that one was each side of the trouser belt loop to provide stability for drawing and re-sheathing. The lower profile kydex sheath is excellent, and shines in the back carry position.
So we’ve looked at carry, and now onto handling of the H1. Yes the H1 has a grip ring, but you don’t have to put a finger through it, you can also hold it like a standard grip and use the width of the ring to control the angle the blade presents. Worth remembering and not always putting a finger through the ring.
As you can see, though I take XL size gloves, the H1 is quite a compact knife. With the curve of the blade and the jimping on the spine, the H1 sits so well in the hand making it feel a simple extension of you.
Reverse grips are as natural as forward grip, and the ring is a size and finish that makes it super comfortable however you take hold of it.
I’ve always loved lionSTEEL’s leather sheaths, and the H1’s is a very good sheath. For me though, the optional Kydex sheath takes the H1 into a different league. I would recommend getting it. (If lionSTEEL could offer a sheath choice when buying so you could get the H1 without the leather sheath and just the Kydex one, all the better.) The slim H1 definitely benefits from the much slimmer Kydex sheath. This sheath also allows for ‘in pocket’ carry which the bulkier leather sheath does not.
Handling is where the H1 really excels with the versatile grip ring and curving handle and blade shape that fits into the hand beautifully. Between the H1 and H2 (the H2 which has a drop point blade), the sheep’s foot style blade shape presets the tip of the knife very well for point work, and the curved cutting edge slices easily.
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.
_______________________________________________
What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________
Relatively bulky leather sheath.
Awkward angle of standard belt loop.
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Things I like
_______________________________________________
Highly ergonomic.
Grip ring provides security.
Optional Kydex sheath (recommended).
M390 blade steel.
Slim and easy to carry.
Horizontal belt mounting.
MOLLE compatible.
Adaptable sheath mounting loops.
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Could the Dan (1 and 2) by Viper Tecnocut be the perfect EDC knife? It was during a meeting with Tommaso Rumici (the designer of the Dan) about a completely different fixed blade design of his, that Tommaso produced a Dan 2 from his pocket and handed it to me. We were still talking knives, but now onto something very different. Intended as an easy to carry, and as widely ‘EDC Legal’ as possible pocket knife (due to size and lack of a lock), the Dan gets so much right, it was an instant hit with me. Since then I’ve not been able to put it down. In this review of the Viper Dan 1 and 2, I take a very close look at this knife and why it works so well.
A few more details:
What’s in the box?:
The two knives in this review were provided without packaging or any accessories as they came directly from the Viper Tecnocut display stand at IWA 2019. This also means they have been handled and ‘played with’ by hundreds of people during the show, so might not be in perfect condition.
A good look round the Dan 1 in Zircote Wood – Things to look out for here are:
As you take in the details the quality of finish is clear, along with how sleek and efficient each of the design elements are.
The Dan is slim and streamlined.
Unusually the pocket clip is attached on the end.
The pocket clip.
A titanium spacer is used.
Blade steel is N690.
The liners are set into recesses in the handles.
A Torx pivot bolt.
A Torx handle screw and the lanyard hole.
Looking inside, the stop pin and washers are visible.
There is a half-stop.
As in a friction folder, the tang is used to secure the blade during use.
Smoothly radiused plunge line.
Looking right into the heart of the 'Action Stopper' system with two detents.
A good look round the Dan 2 in Burgundy Canvas – Things to look out for here are:
Getting a sense for the different handle material, but the main difference is the wharncliffe blade of the Dan 2.
This Dan 2 is in the Burgundy Canvas.
So far all the same details.
Precision cutting-in of the liners.
A closer look at the tang.
Explained by the Maker:
As I mentioned in the introduction, while at IWA 2019 I had the good fortune to both be introduced to this knife by, and able to talk about it with, its designer Tommaso Rumici.
Tommaso presenting the knife to me:
Rather than repeating the explanation, I’d recommend you visit Tommaso Rumici’s write up of the Dan here, where Tommaso gives you the background story of this excellent knife, including where the name came from.
With kind permission from Tommaso, here are a couple of his concept design sketches for the Dan.
Take note of some results, like the rolled cutting edge length, and thickness behind the edge, which are particularly relevant when comparing the Dan 1 and 2.
The blade is made from N690 steel.
A new test - opening and closing torque.
Structural Edge Testing.
What is it like to use?
It’s a really unusual design, being a cross between a friction-folder and a slip-joint. The Dan can be opened two-handed, or one-handed and although the opening/closing torque of the slip-joint mechanism is nothing to write home about, the protruding tang sits nicely under the thumb allowing you to hold the blade open.
This knife (either blade style) has actually converted me to pocket clip carry. Before ‘Dan’, I had not found a knife/clip design I felt comfortable with. It HAS to be deep carry, sticking up above the pocket edge is no good (for me). Then there is the clip and handle texture combination. My biggest complaint is how vicious most knife clips, particularly the underlying handle surface, are to the pocket material and edge; way beyond the need to hold it in place, and in some cases almost impossible to fit it onto the pocket or get it off again. If you like ripped pockets, great, but not me.
Instead the Dan (both handle materials on test), has the deep pocket carry clip with a clip spring strength that holds, and has not let it go astray, yet is easy to fit and remove. The handle material finish is smooth without being slippery, so provides some grip but is not overly abrasive to the pocket material.
I’ve been carrying this knife daily for 9 months now – pocket clip carry – totally unheard of for me.
Using the short tang (shorter than most friction folders) to open the knife one handed does require some care and concentration as it is very easy to turn the knife into your thumb pad (as ably demonstrated in the photos) and have it bite you. It does require a determined and positive approach to keep from cutting yourself.
I take an XL glove.
Stepping through the opening.
Reached the half stop.
And all the way open.
Keeping the blade in place with the thumb.
Out and about on a visit to Italy, the Dan's birthplace.
Sits perfectly in the pocket.
Careful when opening, it is easy to lose concentration.
Is it perfect? Clearly, as I’m about to show, for me it is not quite there, as I have made a couple of small modifications.
However the initial inspiration for this modification was entirely due to UK EDC carry law – a cutting edge less than 3″. Proven by many cases, this is typically a measurement of the cutting edge being rolled along a ruler, not the straight line measurement. With its sloping back handles, the Dan also has a longer cutting edge than blade length. Combining these factors, the Dan 1 falls foul, by 3mm, of the UK EDC legal carry requirement. I decided to rectify this with a Dremel and remove 3mm of cutting edge while at the same time creating a sharpening choil (which I prefer anyway).
With the success of the Dan 1 modification I decided I needed to do the same to the Dan 2 though this did not have the same EDC legal issue.
For me these are both now the closest I’ve yet found for a perfect EDC legal folding knife. OK, nothing is perfect, but these knives are superb!
Mocking out the modification.
The first cut.
Like the look.
Finished.
A real choil.
Though not as necessary, the Dan 2 is up next.
In the raw.
Dan 1 and 2.
Is this now perfect?
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.
I’m trying something new this time and starting with what doesn’t work so well, so I can finish on a more positive note
_______________________________________________
What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________
The Dan 1 having a slightly over-long cutting edge for UK EDC Legal.
One-handed opening can be a little hazardous.
_______________________________________________
Things I like
_______________________________________________
Easy to carry streamlined design.
Deep-carry pocket friendly clip.
Ambidextrous pocket clip.
Non-locking friction-folder/slip-joint.
Widely Every-Day-Carry legal friendly (check local laws).
Choice of blade shape and handle material.
Blade tang can be gripped to prevent accidental closure.
Finding Oberland Arms’ knives was an outstanding highlight of IWA 2018, and it became a mission of mine to review them. A happy coincidence that one other IWA 2018 highlight happened to be another knife designed by Tommaso Rumici who is the designer of the Jager Sepp on review here.
Everything came together nicely at IWA 2019, meetings with Tommaso, Viper Tecnocut and Matthias Hainich of Oberland Arms, and here is the first of two reviews for Oberland Arms knives (the Wuiderer Sepp is currently in testing).
A few more details:
No unnecessary frills with packaging that will just be discarded, the Jager Sepp and Wuiderer Sepp arrive in a plastic bag.
Starting with the sheath:
This is the one part not designed by Tommaso Rumici, but instead by the team at Oberland Arms. It has a lot of interesting features shown in the gallery.
An unusual looking sheath.
A single screw is positioned at the tip of the sheath.
A Kydex liner holds the Jager Sepp firmly in place.
A closer look at the shaping of the kydex opening.
Though MOLLE compatible, the sheath is a minimalist design.
Flipping it over to look at the MOLLE straps.
The other side of that single screw fixing.
The MOLLE straps are very streamlined.
A very unusual design as there are no press studs or velcro.
Instead there are fabric tabs.
The original Oberland Arms Logo.
Extra stitching where it is needed.
The tabs are a tight fit.
Working its way through.
The tab in place.
The MOLLE straps in a belt loop configuration.
A good look round the Jager Sepp – Things to look out for here are:
Overall there is a real sense of purpose and lack of unnecessary frills on the Jager Sepp.
The Jager Sepp is a well rounded package.
As important as the blade, the handle is a generous size.
Two large hollow bolts hold the handle together.
Jimping for a reverse grip sits along one edge of the crusher pommel.
A single finger groove makes for a secure grip and excellent indexing.
The handle is fully 3D milled and includes a large grip pattern.
The plunge line is rounded and finishes in a sharpening choil.
Tip detail with factory edge.
Plenty of thumb grip jimping.
The blade is almost a full flat grind and has a long swedge.
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.
Tommaso Rumici has been kind enough to talk to me about this knife and the design process. I am also reviewing the larger Oberland Arms ‘Wuiderer Sepp’. The interview with Tommaso is in two parts, with this review containing Part 1:
This image of the first sketch of the final design of the Jager Sepp has been kindly provided to me by Tommaso Rumici.
How did you get involved with Oberland Arms to design these knives?
“Me and Matthias Hainich, CEO of Oberland Arms, met during an IWA Show. I was helping at Viper’s booth, and he was looking for someone to produce knives for his brand. At the beginning, we started with a lightly modified version of the Viper David, then we continued with exclusive designs, made for Oberland following his specifications and requests.”
Can you talk me through the design brief, and how far developed it was when given to you? “During September 2016, Mr. Hainich sent me a list of specifications for the new knife, with some indications about the tasks it would have been able to accomplish, and a few examples of existing knives with the same characteristics.
The new knife was going to be a fixed blade, with green or coyote G10 handle, 11,9cm blade with 5mm thickness, flat grind, with stonewashed finish, and a Kydex/Nylon sheath.
I started working, exchanging emails with Matthias, and before October we arrived to the final design of the smaller one.
Since Mr. Hainich is a fan of my Carnera, we also tried a bigger blade with a similar Bowie design (but smaller than Carnera’s one, which is too big for a military knife). This blade became the bigger one.(The Wuiderer Sepp.)
At the end, we had a meeting with Mr. Miniutti (Viper), and checked everything before production. During that meeting, we decided for the Black Stonewashed PVD, and to work on three different handles: OD green, coyote and wolf grey G10.”
There was a repeated question I got when talking to others about these knives – why D2? AISI D2 is a good steel for hard working tools. It holds a good edge, it’s tougher than a lot of “inox”, and more stainless than high carbon steels, like 1095. It isn’t the latest alloy invented but, in my opinion, it’s a great choice for a military knife, that can be abused or lost in the field, because it gives you great performances, it’s difficult to break, while keeping a great price/performances balance.
Speaking of the real life, I tested several D2 knives made by Viper, and I’m really satisfied about how they work. Especially the Viper Tank, designed to be an heavy outdoor tool.
Part 2 of this interview will be in the Oberland Arms Wuiderer Sepp Review.
In the Lab – Technical Testing!:
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 first image in this gallery shows the standard review measurements, however, this is the first review on Tactical Reviews to feature a new measurement. Using the Edge On Up Structural Edge Tester (SET) to measure the resistance of a knife’s edge to rolling.
This is to be expanded upon in future articles, but for now, in the SET results the key factors are:
Series 1 Degradation – how much damage the edge suffers from one edge rolling cycle. The damage is represented by an increase in the BESS ‘C’ score. (Averages also shown for A and B)
Series 2 Degradation – how much damage the edge suffers from one further edge rolling cycle. (Averages also shown for A and B)
Degradation after strop – has the edge been permanently damaged/chipped or can it be recovered with stropping? A negative number means it actually improved from the starting figure, suggesting there may have already been some rolling of the edge before testing. (Averages also shown for A and B)
What it is like to use?
Of Oberland Arms’ three fixed blade knives (at the time of review), the Jager Sepp would be the all-rounder in terms of size (the main reason I’m testing it first). With a 12cm blade (just under 5″) it is in that ideal general-purpose-blade length. The high, almost full, flat grind gives the blade strength combined with powerful cutting ability.
Good handle design provides immediate indexing of the blade, comfort and grip options. On picking up the Jager Sepp, this is what strikes you straight away. It just sits in your hand, balanced nicely on your first finger, nimble and ready to work; a natural extension of your hand. The grip is a generous size without being overly large, and its size and shape have not presented me with any hotspots when working it hard. Grip indexing works almost as well in a reverse grip, considering the forward grip has that first finger groove, this is impressive.
For a working knife, three elements are as important as each other. The blade, the handle and the sheath. In some cases the sheath can become the most important element, as a knife is no good to you if it is lost, or you can’t get to it when you need to. The Oberland Arms sheath is a great mix of clever design ideas and hits a lot of sweet spots.
The nylon outer shell holds a kydex liner, meaning no additional knife retention is needed, the kydex lips hold the Jager Sepp firmly in place even when mounted handle-down. A thumb ramp is incorporated into the kydex so you can easily unsheathe the knife quietly and in full control.
Ambidextrous use is catered for in the simplest way; the kydex liner is held in the outer sheath with a single bolt. This allows you to remove the kydex liner and flip it round for left-handed use – an excellent solution. I’ll cover more on the sheath in a dedicated gallery following this one.
On its first venture into the outdoors, I went with the factory edge, but found this a little too steep an angle (52 degrees), so took this to a total inclusive of 35 degrees. I find this a good compromise when I don’t want to go all the way to 30 degrees, but want a finer edge than a typical 40 degree.
Hand size - I take XL gloves for scale
Very comfortable grip.
Strong reverse grip.
A thumb shelf makes sheath removal easy and controlled.
Now for the reason for the screw in the sheath.
The Kydex liner can be fitted for right-handed use.
Or for left handed use.
Out in the wilds.
Changing the edge bevel angle to a 35 degree inclusive.
OK, perhaps the elephant in the room – D2 steel. Once the wonder steel of legend, then becoming more mainstream, before being mostly discarded in favour of steels designed specifically for the knife industry. Is it too hard to sharpen, does it chip, does it rust, does that edge last well?
The SET testing results, included for the first time ever in a knife review, have been shown in isolation, as at the time of writing this test is still not fully proven. What I can say is that the results were in line with what I expected of D2. Those figures are a strong performance and the ability to recover means that there was no chipping. I’d say the heat treat on this by Viper Tecnocut has got it just right.
D2 by its very nature is going to be a bit harder to sharpen. Although I use a belt grinder, it is easy to feel how hard the steel is to sharpen, and the Jager’s blade was firm but not excessive. The only chipping I have experienced was when I dropped the knife onto a stone!
I’ve given the blade no special treatment, but also no abuse, and I was keen to get a patina to add to the stonewashed PVD (being stonewashed a lot of the PVD has been polished off), but so far neither the bare edge bevel not any other part of the knife have shown any corrosion.
The Oberland Arms nylon sheath has MOLLE compatible straps that are unlike any others I’ve seen so warrant a more detailed look. In this gallery I’m fitting it to a drop leg platform.
Before getting onto this is does lead me to mention why I chose to fit it to a drop-leg. With MOLLE straps, I typically arrange them so as to form a belt loop for the majority of my testing. The strap fixing design on the Oberland Arms sheath is not strong enough to do this with confidence. Unlike a press-stud fixing the fabric tabs were becoming deformed when making a simple belt loop and I had to use some auxiliary MOLLE strap I have (for pouches without any straps).
Going onto PALS webbing, the strap design is perfectly strong enough, and the effect is for the cross webbing to take the load. For a full weave, you will need to remove the kydex liner. In this gallery I did not do that, so the last weave is left undone.
Fitting the sheath to a drop leg platform.
Weaving in the normal way.
The lack of press studs makes this easier.
Access starts to become tighter.
Not much strap to work with now.
I find forceps make the last bit much easier/possible.
And through.
Now the tabs are also in place.
Ready to go on its own or...
...with a pistol holster.
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 ergonomics / indexing / comfort.
High flat grind.
D2 with very good heat treat.
Great all-rounder size.
Versatile, ambidextrous sheath.
_______________________________________________
What doesn’t work so well for me
_______________________________________________
Sheath MOLLE straps – question over durability.
Sheath MOLLE straps – not strong enough for a simple belt loop configuration.
D2 – some would question using this steel in a premium knife.
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