Knife Review Bestech Fanga

-  a rather sophisticated beast

For various reasons, it took a while before I got in touch with my first knife from Bestech. They are one of those relatively young Chinese brands that have emerged recently. Even if recently are a couple of years by now. The impression I got is that they belong to the better ones. Part of that may be attributed to the fact that they started collaborations with many knife makers and designers from the get-go.

It was through one of them that I came in contact with the brand by the way. After having contact with Kombou via Instagram I got hold of this model called Fanga.

Bestech BG18E Fanga

Kombou's real name is Grzegorz Grabarski and he is a knife designer and photographer from Poland.
He has made no less than five different models for Bestech and his knives can also be found at Brr-Knives and well known Russian CKF.

Bestech is a company that, before investing in its own collection, has been an OEM manufacturer for a long time. A not very unusual background for Chinese brands. This means that there is a lot of know-how already in place when they start to produce under own label.

What is sometimes missing are well-designed models to work with. But in this case, it can be noted that Bestech started at the right end since they have already presented several exciting knives.

Fanga, for those who appreciate a distinct clip point blade

Twitter version: Fanga, "fang" - the name describes this knife well! Long, lean with a real bite.

Blade

Clip points are one of those classic blade shapes that will never go out of fashion. This particular variant is one of the more significant ones I've seen in a while. There is something about the angles of the clipped part in conjunction with the blade's general proportions that catches the eye. That and the shiny satin finish, the long blood (fuller) and the hole in the blade.

Then, of course, the sheer size increases the interest. The blade measures over 100 millimeters in length. The height is around 24 millimeters and blade thickness 3,7 mm. It is thus not a small blade we are talking about. 

A very distinct drop point blade with a fuller and an opening hole

The steel is the now so cherished D2. This is a Chinese version that makes the composition a bit unknown as "D2" is not exactly specified. It is a more generic term for a tool steel category that is semi-stainless. I prefer other budget steels like 14C28N myself, to be honest. It is possible that on a theoretical level D2 is harder and even tougher. But for me, corrosion resistance is a more important quality in a pocket knife that is carried on your person where it might be warm and humid.


That said, no stains on the blade occurred during the test period. I think the semi-polished satin helps to prevent pitting and staining. 

The material is D2 and the blade is rather discretely marked. On this side with Kombou's logotype

The high flat grind on the blade helps to thin out the 3,7 mm of blade stock before the secondary edge relieves the primary. As you can tell by the pictures it is rather thin. By the way, the factory edge was more than decent at arrival. It shaved hair with ease.  

In action, the blade mostly behaves the way it looks. This means that the tip penetrates exceptionally well, which of course is an asset in these plastic times. Death to plastic! When you poke things with the pointy end the finger guard that the flipper constitutes together with a proper finger groove are details that feel reassuring.

Cardboard is another common material these days. It is effectively dealt with as well. The comfortable and above all the long handle is easy to get a good grip on.

But the handle could be less round. It was something I discovered while cutting materials that offered more resistance. By now I've learned that the pieces of dried lilac that are leftovers from trimming the hedge are rock hard. Cutting them tells you something about ergonomy and the blade geometry. The blade bites well even if it's for sure no carving knife as you understand.

Handle

Two things, in particular, are interesting to note about this handle. The first is size. The knife has a long blade for sure, but the handle is actually slightly longer than needed. It measures a whopping 137 mm. Contributing to this is that the entire length of the handle is not used. There are 3-4 millimeters of empty space at the end of the handle when the knife is closed.

Then the pivot screw is placed fairly far into the handle. Why I do not know but on knives without bearings, it is a way to increase the contact surface between the blade and the handle. It gives a more solid construction laterally. On a knife such as this with ball bearings, this argument is not valid.

One thought is that it has something to do with the geometry and placement of the flipper tab. 

A long handle made of an unusual combination of carbon fiber and G10

The other part that is exciting about this handle is the material itself. It is a genuine carbon fiber / G10 laminate. Meaning it is not the more common veneer-like construction with a thin slab of carbon fiber glued to a thicker piece of G10. The composite is very comfortable to hold as it feels warm at the same time as it gives some traction. A kind of slightly rough feeling.

From a visual point of view, it is also interesting with a certain luster and in this case a blue color that contrasts the glittering carbon fiber. If you don't like blue, the knife is available in other colors too.

The handle is rather wide with a partial backspacer in G10

The construction is uncomplicated and is based on a solid but weight relieved steel frame. On the outside, you find the laminate scales and a backspacer in G10. Besides the adjustable pivot screw, the knife is held together with two screws. The pivot has a decorative collar of anodized titanium which matches both the clip and the blue tones in the handle.  

In practice, there are no grips that don't work with Fanga. The balance is neutral

In hand, the slightly curved sculpted almost organic handle is very comfortable. The length accommodates all types of hands including gloved ones. The generous width increases the contact area between the hand and knife handle which feels good when you apply some pressure. At the top, you find a large depression for your thumb to rest comfortably when holding the knife in a saber grip.

Another positive thing is that the knife is very neutral balanced. Something extra important with a slightly larger knife like this. Good balance can make wonders with knives and make them feel smaller than they actually are. 

Opening and Lock

Fanga can actually be opened in a couple of ways. Of course, it is first and foremost a flipper knife. But the fact is that the small hole in the blade works and the knife can be opened using it. A third is achieved by the long "fuller" acting as a giant nail nick. Thus, the knife can also be opened with two hands if desired. Some options are always nice to have. 

A very well placed flipper tab gives a real kick to the blade

But the flipper is, of course, the favored method. And what an action this knife has! A combination of the placement of the flipper tab, the bearings, and the heavy blade not only gives speed but a great sound. I strongly suspect the latter has something to do with the handle material. The blade locks with a muffled sound. Anyway, it's a treat for all who like a high fidget factor on their knives. 

Then it can easily be stated that the different opening systems work very well. Reliable in all situations I've encountered and with a flipper tab that is easy to find and that is hard to slip from. 

A lock as solid as the opening



The lock bar is chamfered and easy to reach when disengaging the lock

Equally reliable is the lock, a sturdy liner lock made out of 1,8 mm thick steel. The fairly wide space inside the frame due to the thickness of the blade as well as a chamfered locking arm and a recess in the handle side make the lock easy to access and disengage. In fact, the function is close to perfection.

Using such big worlds, of course, leaves no room for blade play in any direction and there is none on this specimen. Another good thing is that the lock bar strength is well dialed in so that it is not overly strong and therefore easy to release.

One big advantage of liner locks as I see it is that the knife can be made more symmetrical. The so popular frame locks almost always give rise to a presentation side and a lock or backside. Fanga doesn't suffer from that disharmony.

A small negative detail I noted was that the end of the lock arm was, sharp is not the right word, but it was too pronounced for my taste. However, a brief contact with some sandpaper took care of that problem.

Another contribution to the "fidget factor" is how smooth and elegantly the blade glides into place again after a soft shake or two. A very satisfying feeling, even though I do not think it should be a knife's foremost talent.

To Carry

You can't deny that Fanga is quite a knife to hide in a pocket. But the profile is not a deterrent, the back and sides are soft and the total weight relatively low. All in all, this means that the knife is actually quite good in the pocket. At least for its size. In the same way, as for example a Spyderco Police which Fanga matches in dimensions.

Unlike it, however, Fanga has a much broader handle. It measures 16 mm which is not thin. 

The flipper tab is out of the way when the knife is stored away. Also, the back is rounded which makes for a slightly more civilized beast in the pocket. However, the dimensions cannot be completely ignored

The clip on this knife is quite large and visible. It is obvious that it's part of the design. The material is milled titanium and thus it's no spring clip. The blue anodization matches the rest of the knives' color scheme. The clip is fastened with only one screw, but it holds it in place without lateral movement.

Two things that make this clip work - a chamfered back and that
it is thin enough to be springy

Even better is that besides looking good it works great.

This is because, despite its type and construction, it offers the right amount of tension. This makes it easy to pull the knife and, above all, put it away again without having to use your other hand. The low profile and rounded end also make it almost invisible in hand when using the knife.

An added bonus is that very little is visible when the knife is sitting in a pocket. 

To Conclude

I can say as much that my first contact with Bestech's product line will definitely not be the last. If Fanga is the slightest representative of the rest of the range, they offer very well built knives in good materials. This model does not belong to Bestechs top of the line knives with its composite handle and D2-steel. But there certainly are knives made in more exclusive materials for the ones who so prefer.

Fanga is the result of a collaboration between Polish knife designer Kombou and Bestech

However, Fanga is an interesting knife both visually and as far as materials go. It has a very striking blade shape and together with the length it results in a notable knife. Fortunately, it is backed with a handle that is really comfortable to hold and work with. Part of it can be attributed to the material which is a mixture of carbon fiber and G10 that I have not encountered before. Another part is about plenty of space, proper machining, and good design.

The blade steel is a bit less exciting. Personally, I hope the D2-trend ends soon. It is a vicious circle where a few loud voices on Youtube, in particular, make themselves the spokesmen for an entire group and the manufacturers are jumping the bandwagon to satisfy what they think is the entire market.

Bestech Fanga, an elegant beast 

What this knife does offer on the other hand are some treats that can not be seen in pictures or viewed in film clips. One is the excellent balance and another is the sound it makes when opened. For those who like this kind of stuff, this knife is a gem. This knife is a joy to both open and close.

Fanga also has details such as clip and pivot-collar in titanium that are anodized to match. What is more important is that the handle provides good ergonomics and that the knife has a blade that cuts well. As icing on the cake, you get a sculpted titanium clip that actually works. It's not every day you see one of those.

Overall, my experience with this knife was overwhelmingly positive. So if you like the looks, and don't mind D2 it's a solid buy. However, it is not for anyone who is shy and likes to carry small discreet pocket knives.

Specification:

Length, overall: 238 mm

Length, folded: 137 mm

Weight: 135 g

Blade length: 102 mm

Blade thickness: mm

Blade steel: D2

Handle material: Carbon fiber/G10 laminate

Lock: Liner lock

Produced by: Bestech, made in China

/ J - impressed

#knivesandbikes #aliaspostmortem #knivigtvarre