- a slim slicing machine
Today's review item is a relatively new knife from by now well-known Civivi. A brand that has certainly become somewhat more expensive over time but which still makes some of the best budget knives available on the market. It is a position they fortified with several models. It remains to be seen if this also applies to this one!
Empire is a slim knife with a classic look. The front flipper allows the knife to be streamlined without protruding flipper tab, while at the same time offering a simple and quick opening mechanism. What can be a surprise is the size as the blade is slightly longer than you might be thinking after just seeing pictures of it.
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| Civivi C2107A Imperium |
Civivi has released this knife in different versions, as they usually do. It can be good to know that you can't change the position of the clip on the edition with carbon fiber. This, of course, makes it less suitable for left-handed people. In addition, there is in my opinion an interesting variant of Imperium with pattern-welded blade and micarta handles.
Civivi has also released models such as Brazen, which is a knife that is similar to this but is slightly larger, especially taller. But they are not as close to each other in appearance as some other Civivi models. Something they have sometimes been criticized for. Therefore, we will see what is unique to the Imperium.
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| In this version, Imperium offers handles in natural G10 |
Twitter version: Civivi Imperium, a slim-handled slicing machine with excellent build quality!
Blade
In my opinion, Imperium offers a really attractive blade. It is a drop point with clean lines and nice proportions. It measures 88 mm in length with a height of 22 mm and a thin stock thickness of just 3 mm. There is a second advantage in addition to appearance. Pocket knives should not have too thick blades if they are to cut well. It's strange that such an obvious detail needs to be commented on. Another advantage of the blade is a well-made and functional sharpening choil, which facilitates future sharpening. Someone might argue that it is a "forward finger choil", a depression for the index finger. But with my fingers and the sharpness of this blade, that's not a risk I'm willing to take. If you have very small hands or narrow fingers, it may work.
The blade has a rather long "swedge" / false edge which enhances the blade's appearance. It terminates with a small ramp where the thumb often ends up. There are some fairly soft grooves for better grip. What the blade lacks, however, is all forms of text. In the usual Civivi spirit, the only logo is found on the pivot screw head. Besides that, there is a very very discreet marking on the blade. Steel type can be found on the ricasso if you have good eyesight. Otherwise, the blade comes with a high-quality stone-washed finish, which gives the gray color.
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| A drop point blade made of somewhat uncommon but interesting steel, Nitro V |
But one of the most interesting details with both the blade and perhaps the knife is the choice of blade steel. Civivi went for Nitro-V this time, which is not the most common among production knives and especially not in this price range. The steel is kept fairly hard with an HRC in the range 59-61. Given how well the knife keeps its sharpness, I have no reason to doubt this information. The steel is known to be quite tough and impact-resistant. If so, I can not comment as I have not challenged those qualities to any extent. But, then again, I do not deal with batoning and the like with folding knives so that is not likely to happen. But it has not shown any tendency to chip under normal use.
And speaking of edges, the Imperium arrived very sharp. The factory edge is really good, even, and well made. You can see how low the grind is, which is a clear indication that the blade is thin behind the edge. The geometry is impressive even though the blade is not very high and has a flat grind. The stock thickness is only three millimeters, to begin with, and it is an impressive 0.3 mm behind the edge.
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| A thin blade that is even thinner behind the edge gives a knife that is exemplary to cut with |
The first impression of this knife remains even after a period of use. The blade cuts damn well! The combination of thin stock and a sharp edge paired with good geometry also shows when working with the knife. There are no materials this blade can't handle. Cardboard, fabric, plastic - both soft and hard, etc are handled with ease. Cable ties and thinner nylon rope and the like are really easy to cut. In such work, you only use the sharp edge. The penetration in hard plastic bottles is very good as the tip is both sharp and thin. It is not one of the most fragile but is also not something you should pry with, I might add. Empire is a knife for cutting, nothing else. Then the thin tip is also excellent for removing splinters. Why do I talk about that capacity so often in my reviews you might be wondering? Well, since I'm also a knife thrower, it sometimes happens that metal shavings occur on the knives when they hit each other. More often than I prefer they end up in the throwing hand at the next round. It is then good to have something nearby to remove them with. For example, Imperium.
When cutting cardboard, it is noticeable that this is a thin blade. It easily slides through the material without snagging. The same applies to fabrics of slightly different dimensions. Here it aids that the thumb studs are exemplarily placed out of the cutting path. The lack of holes, blood grooves, or other decorations makes this a very practical blade.
This also applies when it comes to tougher jobs such as cutting rubber hoses and carving wood. The latter is a material more fun to work with than you might first think with this knife. But whittling for a while is actually not too bad with Imperium. The handle is good enough even if it is of course too slender for a longer period of work. But to carve something to stir in the pot when outdoor cooking, carve a barbecue or tent stick, or just sit by a fire and shorten a branch to pass the time, this is an excellent knife.
Handle
Imperium has a handle with a fairly uncomplicated shape. It measures 110 mm in length and since there is no such thing as a finger guard or the like, most of it can be used as a grip area. The height of the handle is 19 mm and the width is 13 mm.
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| A straightforward handle shape with sides in G10 |
The material on the sides of the handle is a bit polarizing. At least I think so. The jury is still out, as they say. Not over the material itself, it's familiar G10. It is also given a nice surface with good traction and all edges and corners are well rounded. It is the color that is divergent. Actually, it's natural I guess because this is what G10 looks like when it is uncolored. The nuance is also called jade G10 for obvious reasons.
The surface is rough enough to provide good friction and thus good grip. Then the edges have been chamfered, which rounds off the handle even if the sides are basically flat.
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| As can be seen, the steel frame is greatly weight relieved |
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| The back is mostly open with a small backspacer. There is also an attachment for a lanyard |
The knife is assembled with two screws in addition to the pivot screw. They have been screwed into a small partial backspacer made of the same material as the sides. A bolt for attaching a lanyard is also hidden there. In my opinion, it is an elegant way to both eat the cake and keep it. You can put a lanyard on the knife but we who do not use such do not have to see the holes for them.
Then the screws are worth an extra mention. Civivi does a couple of things exactly right. Firstly, all screws are of size T8 which holds better than smaller T6, and then it is the same size for all screws. In other words, one driver is enough if you want to adjust or disassemble your knife. The screws also have flat heads, which is good. There is an exception, the clip has smaller screws but it does not need to be moved very often.
If the knife is disassembled, a gray steel frame is found that matches the blade in color. The frame is skeletonized to save weight. The lock bar has also been lightened towards the stern. The combination of that and the thin sides of course gives a light knife. Edges and corners are softly rounded as they should be. Civivi does not miss such simple details.
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| The relatively long handle provides plenty of space and its simple shape makes it easy to find a favorite grip |
Then it's impossible to avoid the fact that such a small and narrow handle never fills the hand as a larger one does. It is in the nature of things. the knife is also equipped with a "deep ride" clip and sometimes you feel it against the hand. It's, quite frankly, often a general problem with that kind of clip. For the most part, however, it slips away inside the hand without causing any hot spots.
Opening and Lock
This knife is primarily intended to be opened with a front flipper. Or maybe not as there are two ways to get this blade out. The advantage of having the flipper tab pointing forward is that nothing protrudes when the knife is in the pocket and nothing is in the way when cutting. Especially not if you cut against flat surfaces. The disadvantages are that there is no finger guard if you want one and that they require a different technique than most people perhaps are used to.
With that said, this is an exemplary implementation of a front flipper. The blade that runs on ceramic ball bearings just wants to fly out as soon as the thumb is placed on the small tab. The grooves you find there prevent slipping and the knife is very secure in such a way that the opening never fails.
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| Two very well-functioning opening methods can be found at Imperium. A set of thumb studs and a front flipper |
The thumb studs that are the second method of getting the blade out are just as effective. Or maybe more. In the beginning, it was almost difficult to open the knife slowly. The blade wanted to fly out no matter what I did. But after the knife is a bit more worn or maybe I got used to it, it is now possible to vary between calmly opening the knife or flicking out the blade. In addition to the function being excellent, the studs are well placed, ie close to the handle, and are thus not in the way when cutting. They also protrude just the right amount to get a grip on them while the shape is rounded and comfortable to handle. Thumb studs do not get much better than this.
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| The safety is handled by a liner lock in steel |
Imperium has a liner lock for security. The usual Civivi precision is present and there is nothing negative to say about the function. It is solid with no play in any direction, secure, and shows no tendency to slip under negative load while being easy to disengage. The lock bar has some grooves that prevent your finger from slipping and it also protrudes a bit to facilitate access.
It should be noted that this knife should be closed with the blade pointing to the side and not upwards. It is so sharp that I barely noticed when I cut myself for the first time. The knife is extremely smooth and when the detent ball has released its grip, the blade falls freely and quickly if the knife is angled upwards.
To Carry
The outer dimensions of course give small volume and thus a knife that is easy to carry. The total weight also falls below 90 grams, so I have no objections there either.
The G10 material gives a bit of friction against the fabric in the pocket when the knife is to be moved. But in this case, it is rather good as it makes the knife sit more securely.
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| One of Civivi's standard clips which, however, works well |
The clip is a bit generic, it's a simple clip and it is found on many models from Civivi. But, it's also a good one. The tension is tuned in and the clip holds the knife firmly. Then the ramp is well thought out. Large enough to pass the edge of a pocket and not pointing outwards. The space under the clip is also sufficient. Part of this is explained by the fact that the screws are countersunk and thus do not steal space unnecessarily.
As I said, the clip is noted when using the knife. The reason is found in the fact that Imperium is a knife with a very slim handle. It is difficult to avoid the clip being a little bit of a nuisance in some grips on such a handle. It will simply be proportionally larger.
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| Imperium sits quite deep in the pocket even if a small piece of the handle is visible |
Another plus in my book is that the shape of the clip means that very little of the handle protrudes when the knife is in a pocket. Nevertheless, it is satisfactorily easy to both pull and put away. It can be added that the clip on this version can be moved to the left side if desired.
To Conclude
With Imperium, Civivi further consolidates their position when it comes to budget knives. This knife is a really good platform to build on and I understand why they have already released some versions of the knife even though it has only been on the market for a couple of months. The variety of materials gives something that suits most people. This particular G10 color may not be my absolute favorite, but I did not have a knife of this color in the collection before. But it's not in the looks that the main selling points of this knife are found.
Instead, it can be emphasized that Imperium is a really good EDC knife. It has many of the ingredients that make a great everyday companion. Of course, I have to highlight Civivi's consistency. The quality is always there and is especially visible in the handling. This knife is as quick and easy to open as it is to close. A bit like a car's performance 0-100. But here it works just as well 100-0. When reviewing products from Civivi, it is almost impossible to avoid the subject of "action" as they are simply among the best in that field.
But other details also show construction quality. The frame is well built and lavish with a lot of work going into it despite the fact that the knife is not one of the most expensive. The sides are nicely shaped and give good grip and the blade is of course centered. Then I have to say that the clip is good, it works great with good tension, a proper ramp, and plenty of space underneath. Possibly it can be said to be a bit boring from an aesthetic point of view. But that is really nitpicking.
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| Jade or natural G10 is a material that looks different depending on how the light falls |
Then I think that Imperium as a model is a very good-looking knife. It has flowing simple yet intricate lines. But as I said the color is not for everyone but it would surprise me if there are not soon additional color schemes to choose from.
The choice of steel is unusual and the question is whether more budget knife manufacturers will follow. My experience with this blade says it would be a good idea. Especially when it's treated like this! Empire is a knife that cuts really damn well, pardon my French. But this is how pocket knives should be, sharp, thin behind the edge with a good tip. This is not a folding prybar but a knife. I'm tired of many folding knives being sold with the argument that they'll handle "everything". I want a pocket knife that cuts well. It's not that hard to understand, is it? Civivi seems to have grasped that concept by now in any case.
The handle is comfortable enough to match the blade's performance. I must also mention the exemplary opening and closing of this knife. For anyone looking for something with a "fidget factor", this is an excellent candidate. Especially as it helps to make the knife more practical!
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| Civivi Imperium is a damn good EDC knife with an interesting choice of steel to spice things up |
If there is one thing that can be objected to, it is that the knife is not particularly unique in the Civivi range. This is another knife with a G10 handle, a liner lock, and a standard clip. But there are enough positive qualities that are more unique to Imperium to justify it I believe. The choice of steel is one such. Nitro V is rarely found in knives for less than a 100$, but rather in custom knives otherwise. Another is that it is a front flipper. It's not the most common opening method in Civivi's lineup and therefore makes it stand out a bit.
The concept of a "budget knife" can also be discussed. Civivi started by releasing knives that were around 30-50$. From there the prices have taken a hike north and Imperium can be bought from about 68$ (even if it's more like 90$ in Europe and MSRP is 80$) and upwards of 100$ for the slightly more exclusive versions. But I think Civivi is still among the brands that provide the most value for money. Especially with this choice of steel. This degree of reliability paired with exemplary handling and not least a blade that cuts way above most makes it easy for me to recommend this knife.
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| Civivi Amazon store |
Specification:
Length Open: 199 mm
Length Folded: 110,5 mm
Weight: 89 g (weighed by me, stated 89,4 g)
Blade Length: 88 mm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Blade Steel: Nitro V, 59-61 HRC
Hande: G10
Lock: Liner lock
Produced by: Civivi, made in China
/ J
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