- Perhaps Civivi's best knife so far!
Just this once, I thought that the review should begin with a "spoiler". This is because this is among the best that Civivi has achieved so far. This knife called the Conspirator is such a good EDC knife that it is at the top of the ones I've tried, and there are quite a few at this point.
Even the sun has its spots, they say, but they are not many in this case. If there is something you dislike, it is more about preferences than shortcomings on the part of the knife. For that reason, anyone who likes the "Småland sawmill" can stop reading here because it is temporarily closed.
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Civivi C21006-DS1Conspirator |
As with all models from Civivi Knives, the Conspirator is available in several versions right from the start. This knife can be obtained with handle sides in wood or Micarta for example and in the same way, the knife can be had with or without Damascus or rather pattern welded blade. Then it's not too wild a guess that it will be released in even more variants depending on future popularity. It is a procedure that several manufacturers have started to use, and Civivi is among those who have almost turned it into an art form.
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| The Conspirator is a very competent EDC knife that is also nice to rest your eyes on |
Twitter version: Civivi Conspirator is a prime example of why competitors need to watch out. It is a VERY good EDC knife that is both practical and beautiful to look at!
Blade
The blade on this particular specimen is a beauty. That said by a man who isn't even particularly fond of speckled blades. But variety is the spice and the included steels are of good quality and it is well made, so why not? In this case, the pattern is very distinct and suits the design language of the knife in general, in my opinion.
Regarding the format, it is a classic drop point. The grind is flat and then the tip has been accentuated by a small swedge. Distinctive about the blade apart from the pattern is that it is pretty tall with 30 mm for a total length of 88 mm. Because the grind is flat to almost the entire blade height, it provides good basic properties for a knife that cuts well in, for example, certain foods and materials that stick around the blade like cardboard.
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| The appearance of the drop point blade is enhanced by a small swedge and a couple of fullers in addition to the pattern |
With the pattern, it also follows that the steel is not the same as in other versions of the Conspirator. they come with blades made of Nitro. Here it is a mix of 9Cr18MoV which is one of the finer "letter steels" from China and 15N20 if I remember correctly. The latter is steel with a high nickel content, which provides contrast in the pattern. According to information, the blades are hand polished.
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| Like all Civivi knife blades, the marking is very discreet, in this case, non-existent |
The grooves on the back of the blade provide good traction for the thumb or an index finger without being too aggressive, which is appreciated. They also extend unusually far out on the blade, which allows for variation.
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| Carving is fine as long as the wood is not too hard |
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| The first task I called this image. Not burdensome but quite revealing, preparing a delicate sandwich from a ciabatta with tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, olive oil, and black pepper |
The first thing the knife had to bite into after the blade was washed were ingredients for a nice sandwich, which meant bread, cheese, and tomatoes. No real challenge for a good knife but the tomatoes say something about the geometry. In this case, the height of the blade also helps. It should be nice slices and wedges! For those of you who don't care about that, I recommend not using the knife and crushing the tomato with your fist instead and then throwing it on the sandwich. The conclusion was that the Conspirator is suitable as a picnic knife.
Even better, the Conspirator works very well in what I tend to refer to as "everyday material". Now they look a little different depending on who you are, where you live, and what you work with. But examples of such are different kinds of cardboard, tape of various sorts, cords, ropes, nylon and cable ties, shrink and hard plastics, and textiles. To handle most of them, this knife is also good. Not least, the tip is excellent for penetration as it is thin and sharp. It is not fragile but so delicate that I recommend avoiding any prying. Possibly, I think the steel could hold the edge a little better. It's more of a feeling than anything else. In return, the edge responds well to both strops and sharpening rods.
Then there was woodworking. In this area too, this knife gets a stamp of approval. Especially after I paid some attention to the edge. The factory edge was not the sharpest, especially not at the tip. Conspirator is, if not the best in class, perfectly fine to work with as long as the wood is not too hard. Then the handle wants to bite the hand a little, so to speak.
Handle
Civivi is starting to get the hang of handles at this point and although the looks vary and they have a very wide range of different materials and finishes, the basics are often the same. This means a steel frame, 1.5mm thick in this case, which has then been greatly lightened by removing material. The handle is open in the back and there are two hourglass-shaped spacers that are screwed in place with T8 screws in two attachment points. They are nicely recessed into the handle sides. The same size of screw is found on the adjustable pivot screw by the way.
On the outside of the frame, there are sides that, in this version, are made of green Micarta. The color is so dark that it can almost look a little gray or black at certain angles. In addition, Micarta has the property of aging which gives a patina over time. Or to put it brutally, moisture, wear, and sweat cause it to change character. A nice feature of a man-made material as it gives a bit of personality even to mass-produced products.
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| The shape of the handle is quite simple and thus fits many different hand types and hand sizes |
Conspirator is a light knife without belonging to the most ultimate in that respect. But the weight is a respectable 107 grams. In length, the handle measures 11.7 cm and it is 1.3 cm thick and 2.25 cm high. The Micarta sides are not completely rounded but well chamfered and thus soft to the hand. To emphasize the rounded feel, the frame rises slightly above the sides all the way around the handle. A choice that I know, not everyone likes for some reason. If it's done consistently, it's nothing I worry about.
Micarta in this version is not the coarsest of materials, but still provides a certain grip against the skin.
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| The open back gives a view of the very lightened frame inside the handle |
Conspirator offers no surprise once you hold it and that is very positive in this case. All grips simply work. This applies to hammer grip, saber grip, reverse grips, and so on.
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| As it turns out, the Conspirator is a medium-sized knife. The handle is very comfortable in all the standard grips, including reverse ones |
On this and several other knives, Civivi has chosen to skip the lanyard hole in favor of a bolt to put a string around for those who absolutely must have that feature on their folding knives. An excellent solution that means that I and others who don't like them don't have to see an abundance of holes in the handle while they can actually be good to have, especially if you are at sea a lot. No one wants to drop their knife in a lake or an ocean. You know, hearing a small "splash" followed by a grim observation "it doesn't float very well"!
Opening and Lock
Opening and closing the Conspirator is a joy whether you are a knife enthusiast or not. It depends on two things, the lock construction and how easily the blade swings in and out. Ball bearings in ceramic do their job in that case.
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| The flipper tab is the main method of deploying the blade but there are more |
This knife belongs to those that can be opened basically in any way possible. Whether it is handed over to a seasoned knife person or a novice, the person in question will be able to open the knife. It is not a given in the age of flippers and front flippers. If you don't believe me, hand a front flipper to a non-knife enthusiast.
The Conspirator can be opened easily with two hands for those who feel like it. The resistance from the lock that holds the blade in place is not excessive and the fuller in the blade provides a good grip in addition to the blade sticking out so much that it can also be gripped. The same grooves also mean that the knife can be easily maneuvered with the thumb, both slowly and quickly. Similarly, a "finger flick" on the back of the blade works to fold it out.
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| The knife can also be opened using the lock or the notches in the blade |
In addition, the lock works so that if it is deactivated, the blade can be swung both out and in. It works like a "gravity knife" but don't mention that to any legislators. In fact, the blade opens so quickly that you have to be gentle to prevent it from bouncing back before the lock has time to activate.
However, the intended main method of manipulating the blade is via a flipper tab. Thanks to the fact that the blade runs so extremely smoothly, it works very well even if it is not optimally designed. It is possible to misfire, but it almost requires a conscious act. A few grooves provide traction and it is found where it should be. There are no problems to learn to operate this flipper tab. However, the resistance in the lock that holds the blade in place in the closed position is too light for the flipper to be among the fastest.
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| A good view of what a "plunge" or button lock looks like |
The lock is a so-called button lock. A design that I came into contact with early on via a Böker Speed lock, an automatic knife. On them, this type of lock has been used for a very long time. The construction is simple, a button on the outside allows you to push a spring-loaded bar to the side. On the inside, it is asymmetrical. It has a thinner part that allows the blade to move freely and a thicker part that goes against the base of the blade, pinching the blade between the blade stop and the movable bolt. The only real disadvantage of the lock type is that it requires high precision in manufacturing to avoid blade play and that it contains a very very small spring that should not be lost if the knife is disassembled.
Then the lock type is not of a "hard use" nature. That is, they cannot withstand the same abuse as, say, a Tri-Ad lock or similar. But the Conspirator isn't a folding shovel either, so that doesn't worry me. Namely, the function is exemplary. Easy to find, easy to activate, and works well when it comes to keeping the blade in place without movement in any dimension.
To Carry
Also in the pocket, Conspirator is a pleasant acquaintance. It's not tiny, but neither is it a giant as I described above. Weight is not a concern either. When paired with a material that is smooth enough for the fabric to slide between the clip and the sides of the handle, you get a knife that is easy to both pull and put away.
All corners are thankfully rounded and soft, and the flipper tab is both small and sociably designed.
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| The clip belongs to Civivi's standard, which means good function but that it is not the most exciting thing in the universe |
The clip comes mounted on the right side but can be changed for those who are left-handed or just want to carry their knife on the other side. It is one of Civivi's standard clips, which means a "deep carry" clip that allows the knife to sit deep in the pocket. The material is steel and it is then folded into a softly rounded bend. Fortunately, the handle is long enough for that end to end up outside the hand. Otherwise, that type of clip has a tendency to create a hot spot, but not in this case.
The tension is well tuned in and the space underneath is large enough for most thicknesses of fabric. Worth mentioning is that the screws that hold the clip in place are countersunk. The size of the screws is T6. However, the clip itself is not mounted into the micarta, which would have been optimal, but on top. But the space is enough, as I said, and the clip does exactly what is expected. It is not exclusive but functional and the black fits the color scheme of this knife.
To Conclude
One problem, albeit a fairly pleasant one, with reviewing knives from Civivi is that they release so many models. It also happens frequently. The level of the products is also very high and above all consistent. This means that it is partly difficult to find much negative to criticize that is not connected to preference and taste, but also that it is hard to choose what to look at, test, and then review. The advantage, of course, is that as a customer it is difficult to choose "wrong".
Conspirator was chosen because, in my opinion, it has almost ideal size for "EDC" or pure everyday/utility knife. Not too small and not too big. In addition, the overall lines are simple and harmonious, which I generally like. Then the handle is uncomplicated in shape, which usually provides good comfort and, at best, ergonomics. Such is the case with this knife.
That, combined with previous experiences, meant that the expectations for this knife were quite high, I must say.
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| The Conspirator is an excellent EDC knife. Here in the company of a smaller Civivi Lumi |
The question then is whether it corresponded to them? In fact, Conspirator mostly does. One of the few things I wasn't completely happy with was the initial sharpness of the blade which could have been better. But it's easily remedied and I can't come up with much more negative. Instead, the knife is just as stylish and elegant as I perceived it in the pictures and then there is the actual handling, opening, and closing of the Conspirator.
This point is not usually the most decisive for how I perceive a knife, but here it is so well done that it deserves to be highlighted a little extra. The action is extremely smooth thanks to high manufacturing precision and encapsulated ceramic ball bearings. When paired with a correctly executed "button lock", you have a deluxe version of a fidget toy. You can play with this knife for a long time! Possibly with the exception if you are a flipper knife connoisseur and want it to be extremely powerful.
And the fact that the knife is actually very practical help the already good impressions. The blade does what a knife blade should, that is, it cuts and penetrates well. Especially as the blade is a little wider, which helps the user to maintain angles when making long cuts, especially in softer materials. As I said, the edge could have been better, and perhaps also the edge retention. But the geometry is correct which is more important. The handle is comfortable and works for most hands I can think of. Apart from myself, it has most often been tested on a few other members of the household who have different hand sizes than me. The verdict is that the form works well!
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| A beautiful knife in a beautiful setting on the Swedish west coast, Civivi Conspirator |
After having this knife for a while, almost three months, I have to say that the Conspirator is an excellent pocket knife. It is beautiful to look at, easy to carry, easy to handle, and has decent materials. In addition, it cuts well and feels nice in the hand.
So whether you should buy this knife or not depends more on the appearance. The size is another advantage as it belongs to the larger ones in Civivi's catalog. If you prefer something else, there are plenty of options to choose from. For example, the smaller Altus offers a similar design language. The same is true if you don't appreciate the dark Damascus blade on this knife.
But the platform itself, the Conspirator model, is really likable.
Specifications:
Length Open: 206 mm
Length Closed: 117 mm
Weight: 107 g (weighed by me), 105,6 g
Blade Length: 88 mm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Blade Steel: Damascus, 9Cr18MoV/15N20
Handle: Micarta
Lock: Button lock
Produced by: Civivi, made in China
/ J - not that conspiratorial
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