- with the curves in the right places!
Some knives I like immediately at first sight. This was one of those. Most of the time the first impression is correct but not always. That is why I waited with great excitement for this knife from Sencut called San Angelo.
A budget knife with great potential if I interpreted the specifications and pictures correctly. Then all that remained was to see if reality corresponds to the image.
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| Sencut San Angelo |
For those who don't know Sencut, it can be said that they are a budget brand born from a budget brand. It might sound worse than it is. The parent brand is WE Knife, which then branched off into Civivi, and then Sencut was born when those knives became a little too fine and thus expensive to cover the entire price segment. This is not to say that these knives are bad, but the materials are somewhat simpler and the sales channels more limited in order to keep the price down.
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| San Angelo is characterized by flowing lines and a leaf-shaped blade |
Twitter version: Sencut San Angelo, is a sleek and well-built budget version of a Shilin cutter!
Blade
The question is how this blade should be defined? Leaf-shaped I would probably say. Thus, it is probably a modified drop point because the back first rises before it drops down towards the tip. The same type of blade, but wider, is found, for example, on Shi lin cutters.*
But very soon I discovered that in my knife collection there is a knife with an almost identical blade shape and almost the same dimensions. The only difference is that the San Angelo is a few millimeters wider at the blade base. The model is called Maremmano and is Viper's modern interpretation of a classic knife from Italy.
The blade on the San Angelo is also a few hairs longer than that knife, landing at 88mm and having a height that varies from 22mm at its minimum to 26mm at its maximum. The look is enhanced by a swedge. Otherwise, the blade is 3 mm thick and has a satin finish.
Another visible detail is the grooves for the thumb found at the base of the blade spine. Speaking of visible, the marking is discreet as usual with knives from this group. Name and logo on one side of the blade and that's about it. If you don't want to look for the blade steel with a magnifying glass that is, then that is also found.
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| The blade is almost nine centimeters long and offers a soft belly and pronounced tip |
The steel is the same as in all Sencut knives, 9Cr18MoV. Steel that may not be that expensive but fully capable according to my experience. In fact, I think it's a good budget steel fully comparable to, for example, 14C28N and the like. It keeps its sharpness decently well, takes a good edge, is easy to sharpen, and is very resistant to rust. Not bad features at all for a pocketknife. But without delving into metallurgy, there are better steels, especially when it comes to staying sharp. But in return, this knife responds quickly to a strop, sharpening rod, or stone.
The factory edge is one of the positive things about this knife. Sencut has understood that you do not need to have poorly sharpened knives just because they are not among the most expensive. The grind is flat and very high. Behind the edge, San Angelo measures around 0.6 mm.
Then they have succeeded in one more thing and that is a good "sharpening choil", that is, the depression in front of the ricasso which is there to facilitate a nice finish on the edge when it is sharpened without creating a great "smile" at the heal of the blade.
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| The marking is very discreet, but those with good vision can distinguish the blade steel on the ricasso |
A blade with this shape gives a lot of edge and a long sweeping belly. This makes the knife well-suited for long, slightly more sweeping cuts and work against flat surfaces.
That is to say, a generally very practical form. Especially as the tip is approximately in the middle of the height of the handle, which makes it easy to control. Overall, this is a very nice blade for all kinds of everyday tasks.
Handle
The construction of the handle is simple. A lightened steel frame has been fitted with sides of G10 in this case. They are available in three different colors, of which this one is black as seen. The knife is also available with sides in natural "jade" G10 or in green Micarta for those who prefer that material.
The sides are screwed with two screws plus a pivot screw. The latter is adjustable and the knife can of course be disassembled. There aren't many knives these days that aren't, regardless of the price range, I might add. The size of the screws is T8 and the quality is almost ok.
That is, the knife can be disassembled without the screw heads immediately becoming round. But that only applies to the larger screws. The small T6s that hold the clip in place are very shallow and the rear of them was already round from the factory on my specimen. So that clip doesn't move easily anymore.
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| Det slanka handtaget har sidor i G10 |
A feature that Sencut shares with its more expensive cousins is that the screws are recessed in the sides of the handle, which is a plus. The screws are then pulled into two hourglass-shaped spacers in steel in an otherwise completely open back. This entails both advantages and disadvantages. Smaller contact surface against the hand but easier to clean, someone claims. My counterargument is that more pocket lint and other debris end up in the knife because of the openings, and extra cleaning is therefore needed.
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| As you can see, the frame is considerably lightened inside |
The handle is almost drop-shaped, which means that its height varies from 19 mm to 24 mm at the most. The thickness amounts to 12 mm and the length is 114 mm. It is thus a fairly long handle but also relatively thin.
The sides have medium to low friction if you can put it that way and are well-rounded with a chamfered edge running along the sides. That part has also received a lined pattern that deviates from the rest.
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| The balance is found a bit towards the back on a comfortable handle |
In fact, the San Angelo is as comfortable in the hand as it looks. A softly shaped, elongated teardrop shape cannot help but be pleasant to hold. This mostly applies when working with the knife as well. It is quite ergonomic. The fact that I content myself with writing "quite" is because the handle is thin and not least completely open in the back. In other words, there is not much material left that rests against the hand.
But if "thin open-back knives" are a category of their own, this one belongs to the better ones. The length of the handle also means that all my fingers can fit with a certain margin and the smooth shape without depressions for fingers and the like makes it easy to find a good grip regardless of hand size or proportions of fingers and palms. It also facilitates the flow if you feel like changing grips during the work. The length also contributes to the fact that the clip does not feel as much in the hand as this type usually does otherwise.
Opening and Lock
"Snappy" is one way of describing the opening of this knife. That is, it is nimble and responsive with a well-balanced resistance. The primary method of opening is via a flipper tab. Then, of course, San Angelo can also be opened with two hands if desired.
This particular variant is well made as the "fin" is just the right size, which means that it does not stick out too much and has efficient geometry. To prevent slipping, it's grooved. The edges are then rounded so as not to become sharp.
A flipper tab whose shape and other geometry means you don't have to think about how it should be used
Despite the relatively modest price tag, Sencut has chosen to use fine ceramic ball bearings in this knife. It shows in the end result. That, in combination with geometry and a well-trimmed detent ball, gives good thrust to the blade. The knife opens both safely and quickly. It also does so regardless of how you approach the flipper tab. The user does not have to figure out the "correct" way to open the knife, but just push and you get the blade.
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| The San Angelo comes with a liner lock |
The lock is a liner lock and here too it is noticeable that the San Angelo is a knife that comes from a well-established company. By that, I mean that the know-how is in the walls. For the owner of a San Angelo, that means everything works. The lock clicks into position with every opening regardless of how loose or hard you open the knife. The function feels just as secure. The lock bar does not travel when the blade is pressed from the wrong direction, i.e. towards the back of the blade. Nor does it move in any direction when the lock bar is in place. The lock-up feels very solid.
Another plus with the lock is that it is easy to release. The opposite side of the handle is lower than the lock bar, which makes the latter easily accessible.
To Carry
The San Angelo weighs in at under a hundred grams by some margin. A nice feature for a relatively cheap knife with a blade length approaching nine centimeters. That feature is then paired with the streamlined handle I previously praised. The result can only be good. Especially as the flipper tab that exists is hidden behind the curved shape of the back. This eliminates a problem that can occur with flipper knives, namely that they feel sharp and pecks at everything in the pocket, including a hand.
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| San Angelo has a so-called deep ride clip, which means that very little of the knife is visible when carried in a pocket |
Possibly, I can imagine that the Micarta version of this knife is even more sympathetic in the pocket as that material is less rough than G10 in general. At the same time, this material is not so sandpaper-like that it poses a problem.
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| The clip itself is not recessed but the screws are and there is plenty of room under the clip |
Something more problematic in that case is the tip of the clip, which points slightly outwards. Incidentally, it is a standard variant that is found on several of Sencut's knives. Not designing individual clips for individual models is a typical example of how to save money.
Otherwise, it's not a bad clip. It is made of steel with good tension and behaves well. The space under the clip is good enough even though the clip is not recessed into the knife side. However, the two screws have flat heads which helps. It is also movable to the left side. Yes, if it weren't for the previously mentioned stripped screw head then.
Less good is also the fact that, like so many "deep ride" clips, the placement means that the very loop or bend of the clip sticks out behind the handle, which makes it feel in the hand in an annoying way in some grips.
To Conclude
One of the things that make me think the San Angelo is a nice-looking knife is how the blade shape is reflected in the handle. In my eyes, it gives harmonious lines and makes the knife feel uniform. In other words, Sencut has succeeded with the design. With the San Angelo, they have created a modern knife that at the same time feels rooted in history as the blade shape can be traced to several different sources.
In addition, you get a practical little rascal with a blade that works for most things and a handle that is not particularly dependent on who is holding the knife and their hand size. Something that is quite important when you look at it from a male/female perspective, I have noted.
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| The Sencut San Angelo is a really nice option for those who want an everyday knife and like the look |
I like this knife very much but there is actually a catch. An objection that may be seen as a little strange, especially in light of what I wrote above. But despite the fine qualities, San Angelo can feel a little anonymous, bordering on boring. In a strange way, it is noticeable that there is no pronounced person behind the design. It's a bit generic if you will.
Everything is well done, but that little something extra is missing and I suspect it has to do with the price situation. Adding details takes time and time is money in this case.
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| San Angelo is another good knife from Sencut |
That being said, the Sencut San Angelo is a damn good knife! Nice to hold, pleasant to work with as long as the tasks are of the lighter kind and likably well built, especially if the price is added to the equation. The materials are well chosen as I usually put it and the knife does not hurt to look at with its flowing soft lines.
This is also a relatively light knife considering the price range, blade length, and material. That's thanks to a slim blade with a high flat grind, relatively thin sides, and a lightened frame. This makes the knife feel elaborate. So if you like this type of look, there is not much to hesitate about, get one!
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| Sencut |
Specifications:
Length Overall: 202 mm
Length Folded: 115 mm
Weight: 96 g (weighed by me, stated 95,8 g)
Blade Length: 88 mm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Blade Steel: 9Cr18MoV
Handle: G10
Lock: Liner lock
Produced by: Sencut, made in China
/ J
* A famous interpretation of such a knife is the Bob Lum-designed Spyderco Lum Chinese found in their Ethnic series. More recently, Fox Knives has also released a knife designed by Voxnaes named Chilin and there are more examples.
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