Review Sencut Acumen

 

- a colorful EDC knife

There is something familiar with the lines of this knife. The deep finger recess is recognizable from several other knives especially as it is combined with a fairly wide blade. It almost feels like I've seen this model before somewhare. That is a good thing. The result is not bad from a purely visual standpoint.

The materials are the same that Sencut usually uses and that in combination with hope for customary quality on their part made me curious about this model called Acumen.

Sencut SA06D Acumen

Sencut may not be familiar to everyone, but you who are loyal readers of the blog know that I have reviewed a knife from them before, Episode. That knife was a sympathetic first acquaintance and therefore I did not have to hesitate too much before I tested another knife from this manufacturer. Especially as Sencut is a sister brand to Civivi which in turn is a spin-off from WE Knife.

It's simply about knives in different price segments. In that hierarchy, the models from Sencut are found at the bottom, but the materials are decent and the production quality is still very good.

Black against purple is a striking combination

Twitter version: Sencut Acumen, a stylish knife for anyone looking for an affordable EDC companion for easy tasks

Blade

Acumen is a model that is characterized by a strikingly wide drop point blade. The height of the blade is 32 mm, which should be related to a length of just over 75 mm. The blade thickness is 3 mm.

The blade is black coated on this knife. This also applies to all versions of this model so far. I do not know what type of coating Sencut uses. But it's for looks given that the steel itself is stainless and does not need to be protected for that reason.

Another thing that is for looks is how the blade is marked, which means exemplary small in this case. Even smaller than the discreet logotype is the marking for blade steel that is there but which can hardly be discerned for those with normal vision.

A wide blackened drop point blade hides in the handle

Speaking of steel, Sencut uses Chinese 9Cr18MoV almost consistently. It is steel I have good experience of. In my opinion, it behaves somewhat like, for example, 14C28N from Sandvik. That is, it is easy to sharpen and can get very sharp while the edge holding capability isn't too bad. This also applies to the resistance to corrosion. Thus a very good "budget steel". Incidentally, it should not be confused with the simpler 8Cr13MoV which is steel with a slightly worse reputation. At least in the world of knife enthusiasts.

In this case, I think Sencut has succeeded well with the treatment of the steel. As I said, it keeps the sharpness good, and is fairly easy to get sharp again. For this particular knife, I have good results using my Spyderco Sharpmaker for maintenance as I am testing one at the moment.

The factory edge isn't too bad either.  It is noticeable that the knowledge is spread between the different brands. This means that the knife has a fairly even edge angle on both sides and that the knife arrived sharp and is thin behind the edge measuring 0.5 mm. 

If you have very good eyesight, you can find the text that says that the steel is 9Cr18MoV

This in turn means that the blade bites well. Acumen is a knife that cuts well. Its shortcomings are found elsewhere but they are not found in the blade. On the contrary, the blade shape is very versatile with a competent tip, a belly for slightly more sweeping cuts, and a piece of straight edge to work with. As with all drop point blades that are this wide, the angle of the wrist is a bit steep when working with the tip. But it is a disadvantage that comes with the blade shape. Otherwise, the tip punctures as it should and the knife is generally sympathetic to work with. As long as you do light cutting and quick tasks that is. There are qualities that make me want to add that disclaimer. 

Handle

The handle on Acumen follows most templates for how to make a good folding knife nowadays. Here, the starting point has been a steel frame that has been blackened in the same way as the blade. Then Sencut has lightened that frame properly by milling out of compartments in the frame parts. The knife is open in the back and there you find two standoffs in addition to the solution for the lanyard attachment which includes another bolt. It is also a very nice solution that avoids extra holes in the handle sides.

The frame is also exemplary rounded and thus soft and comfortable to the hand. No unnecessary "hot spots" from there.

G10 sides are found on the outside of a heavily lightened steel frame

On the outside of the frame, you find G10. The handle is available in four different colors, purple as here or black, red, or natural G10. This is one of the few areas where it can possibly be said that the price level is noticeable. The G10 material is fairly smooth and thus feels a bit more like plastic. But in return, it rubs less on pockets and in the end, all G10 wears out and becomes smoother over time. The sides are also flat and they have not been given any additional volume. However, the edges are rounded and well sanded.

Acumen is an open-back construction

The appearance of the handle is characterized by two things. Partly that the handle arches a bit, that is, it is curved. The second and most visible is the large finger groove for the index finger. This is a detail that I am usually very fond of. In general, such a design provides a secure grip while providing natural finger protection.

Sencut has almost gotten the choil correct. But unfortunately for me, only almost. I write "for my part" because I'm not sure it applies to all hands. To ensure that, however, I checked with my fiancée who thought about the same as me even though she has significantly smaller hands.

The rounding on the choil is really well designed and it feels very good to have a finger in. The problem, however, is that the handle is quite short while the flipper tab steals some space. The result turns Acumen into a three-finger knife for me! Or possibly a three and a half finger knife if you are to be very optimistic. But when the little finger is forced there, other problems arise.

The handle looks big enough, but when I grab the knife, there isn't enough space for all fingers and problems arise

Unfortunately, this also means that the rear end of the handle ends up inside my hand, after which it follows that the loop of the clip creates a hot spot there. At least when I try to hold the knife in a firm grip. One that is needed when cutting wood, thick cardboard, or something else that offers resistance. When using the knife for easier tasks, the problem does not arise. Hence my previous comment about light cutting. This applies to "saber grip" with a thumb on the back of the knife.

If I grip Acumen in a hammer grip to get more power, it gets worse. Then both the back end and the tip of the clip press against my hand at the same time as the back end of the handle attacks the small piece of my little finger that ends up against the handle. 

Opening and Lock

Acumen belongs to those knives that can be opened in several different ways. You can use two hands if you feel like it. When it comes to one-handed opening, the knife has both a blade hole and a flipper tab, and both work equally well, which is not entirely easy to achieve. In addition, you can make a "spyder flick", that is, open the knife with a flick of the middle finger. The flipper is easy to use and it is equipped with grooves for increased traction. The hole is easy to reach and the rounded edges make it comfortable to use. 

A well-functioning flipper tab that is complemented by an equally good blade hole

The reason for the nice feeling can be found in a combination of ball bearings, but above all in the fact that you have a well-balanced detent ball. This means that Acumen is a very easy-to-open knife with a blade that is really quick for those in a hurry. Read "it is fidgety".

A steel liner lock holds the blade in place

The lock is as good as on the previous knife I tested from Sencut. This is also a liner lock made of steel. A well-made one can be quickly ascertained. No lateral play, although it can be adjusted with the pivot screw, or vertically. The lock is not the easiest to access when it is to be released as the lock bar does not protrude very much but in return, it is enough and the area has been given some grooves to give a better grip against the thumb. 

To Carry

This is typical in the middle of the run knife when it comes to measurements. That is, the weight is not too low or high, it ends up at 106 grams according to my scale. Incidentally, it happens to be the same as the one stated, which is always nice. Acumen is also not too long or short, it measures 108 mm folded. In addition, the thickness is fairly ordinary 12 mm. The only thing that possibly deviates from being mellow is the height, which with its 37 mm makes the knife fairly wide in the pocket. Not Spyderco territory but almost.

The clip is recognizable from other Sencut models and is similar to what is found on knives from Civivi

The rather average Joe-like dimensions are supplemented with rounded edges and, as I pointed out earlier, a for carrying rather good G10. All in all, it makes the knife easy to carry. Especially as the clip is Sencut's standard that those with small adjustments borrowed from their more expensive cousins from Civivi.

It bodes well for good function. The ramp is not huge but is sufficient for all trouser fabrics except the thickest ones and the same applies to the space under the clip. The tension is good, which in addition to making the knife easier to handle, contributes to it holding better if you get stuck in something. The look is not much to talk about. Nothing extraordinary but it has been kept black to match the color theme of the knife.

The knife is of the deep-ride type and allows the knife to dive deep into the pocket. In practice, nothing is visible when it is in place. However, the smooth G10 side does not offer as much resistance so the knife is easy to pull and put away. No negative remarks there.

The only objection I have to the clip is the one I pointed out when I reasoned about the handle. The clip is felt in the hand if the knife is held firmly. It's kinder if you don't.

To Conclude

Acumen is a knife that feels familiar without being a copy of anything in any way. But it has features of some other models on the market. In this case, it's not a bad thing. The end result is a nice-looking knife with sympathetic proportions. It attracted me and I got one. But there was a surprise waiting for me when I actually got the knife in hand. The first impressions were very split I can tell you. All the good things were there with the look, different opening methods, well-functioning lock, and good build quality.

But the knife did not fit in my hand at all! The handle looked so comfortable in the picture. But the truth is that the handle is somehow a little too short for my hand. Strange as I have knives that are smaller than this in terms of actual dimensions that feel better to work with. What happened here was that I felt the clip, both tip and back end and that it felt like the knife wanted to slip out of my hand.

Thankfully, that impression has been slightly modified during the time I used the knife! Now I am a little more positive. But, there is a downside and that is that you only can use the knife for very light tasks so you do not have to grip the handle firmly. That is when the negative aspects emerge.

It's a nice looking knife in my opinion, Acumen

In addition, there is much good to be said about Acumen. As I said, it is well built and the materials are well chosen for the price range. The steel is better than most people think and the G10 in the handle and ball bearings round off the package.

There are also a number of areas that show attention to detail in a way that is not always present on more budget-oriented knives. One such is that the blade spine is slightly rounded. Another is how heavily the frame is drilled out to reduce weight and improve balance. Then Sencut has chosen to be very consistent when it comes to the color scheme. The handle sides in one color and everything else is black. This means a black blade, black frame, and black clip and screws. Another sympathetic detail is that they have chosen to have one of the bolts for the clip running through the handle, which removes a visible hole in the side.

Sencut Acumen, a sympathetic EDC knife

So overall I can recommend Acumen. Especially for those who are looking for a stylish and not least affordable EDC knife but who do not plan to cut for any length of time or in tough materials. In that case, Episode from the same company is a better choice.

As usual, Acumen can only be purchased via Amazon or from Sencut's home page. It's one of the ways they keep prices down.

Sencut on Amazon

Specification:

Length Overall: 184 mm

Length Folded: 108 mm

Weight: 106 g

Blade Length: 75 mm

Blade Thickness: 3 mm

Blade Steel: 9Cr18MoV

Handle: G10

Lock: Liner lock

Produced by: Sencut, made in China.

/ J -

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