Review Brisa Kwaiken 90

  

- When Finland meets Japan

When the Brisa Kwaiken 90 was first presented here on the blog, I wrote that it is a knife I should not appreciate. It still applies. But just as clearly, what at first was only aloofly charming has grown into a strong liking. Part of that may be related to the fact that I have a lot of knives and like something that stands out from the crowd.

Brisa Kwaiken 90

The Kwaiken 90 is a knife that is in many ways an odd creation. Or really only on one but very significant level and that is that it is a combination of a traditional Scandinavian knife and Japanese aesthetics. It's not the most common combination!

"Kwaiken" or as it can also be transcribed from Japanese "kaiken" is a fairly traditional type of knife characterized by what in English is called "swayback". This means that the entire back side of the knife is made up of a concave line. It thus bends in the "wrong" direction compared to most others, albeit rather weakly in this case.

The aesthetics are then crowned with a tanto tip and two pieces of Micarta that make up the handle. That's all. As I wrote in the presentation, these features should have disqualified the knife in my eyes but they didn't and I intend to explain why.

Kwaiken, a mix of Finnish and Japanese aesthetics

Blade

The blade shape and especially the tip are the very point of this knife. It's like everyone can see a "tanto". A word that is unfortunately somewhat misunderstood. Actually, it just means knife/dagger and has nothing to do with the shape of the tip. A "Japanese" tanto is more often softer in shape and this has come to be called an "American tanto" which is actually incorrect as well. This angular variant with a second point where the edges meet was popularized by the Cold Steel brand but they were by no means the ones who invented it. This type of tip is also found on older Japanese knives and swords from time to time.

But we can agree that this is what is commonly referred to as a tanto these days. In addition, a very pronounced one. It is underlined by a thickness of the blade of a whopping 4 mm. Namely, it must be set in relation to a blade length of 90 mm. The height is 22 mm.

At your service, 90 mm Scandinavian ground M390 steel

What makes the form drastic is the grind itself. As it is a genuine Scandi, which means a low saber grind with only one edge, the transition to the point is very distinct.

It is also very well made. It is a must with this type of edge as the smallest mistake is very visible. But it gives a factory edge that is really good.

Something else that is good is the labeling. Brisa's logo along with "M390" is found on one side of the blade. It is otherwise completely sterile. It also means that the finish of the blade, which is a glossy satin, is clearly visible. As I said, the steel is M390, which is a very exclusive knife steel, although it is usually found in folding knives. The reason may be that it certainly takes an extreme sharpness and holds it very well, but in order to do so it must be hardened quite high on the Rockwell scale, so it is not as impact resistant as some other steels. In other words, it is not something you find in knives intended for chopping. But with a nine-centimeter blade, this does not apply to this knife. Another good feature is that it is fairly resistant to rust.

And not terribly to sharpen, but it is a hard material and takes time. Resharpening this knife will not be fun, I suspect. Trying to maintain a consistent "scandi grind" from four millimeters thick stock with this steel becomes a challenge. Therefore, I strongly recommend not letting the knife become completely dull but maintaining the edge frequently.

The blade is 4 mm thick and has a very strong tip

For me, this is primarily an "EDC" knife or an everyday, general-purpose knife. But given the blade's geometry, it's no wonder it excels in some areas and is, to put it mildly, not the best in others.

More concretely, it means that the pronounced edge behaves exactly as well as such things usually do. If you approach everyday tasks such as killing cardboard or threatening tape to life, it is excellent. The same applies to cutting things where you don't need deep, slicing cuts such as cutting tamp and rope or cable ties and the like. After all, the edge is very sharp. The same is noticeable if you cut into an onion or pepper. It goes relatively well under the circumstances. Again, it is work where the edge is in focus. But if you try to approach apples or carrots, for instance, you have a rather expensive wedge in your hand. The Kwaiken cracks fruit, it does not cut them. In addition, the secondary tip tends to cut into the underlay, in this case, the cutting board.

But in return, that is not what it is intended for. Instead, the absolute strength of the knife is found in cutting wood. The edge does not gnaw a little providently at the material, it literally bites large chunks out of it. It looks like an aggressive beaver on the move after carving for a while. This is a Scandinavian knife in disguise, believe nothing else. In addition, the tip can be used as a chisel if required. The Kwaiken 90 is thoroughly sympathetic in these situations. 

Handle

A handle doesn't get much simpler than this. The full tang has got two slabs of Micarta attached to it with two screws. The sides themselves are beveled a little towards the edges but are otherwise completely flat. The end and the front part of the handle mirror each other and of course follow the contours of the slightly curved back. Two T8 screws per side have been used to fasten the sides. 

The handle has a lanyard hole that accommodates a leather strap or paracord depending on which style you prefer.

The sides are screwed in place and can therefore both be dismantled and replaced if necessary

On Brisa's part, the tang itself has been allowed to rise half a millimeter or so above the rest of the handle. It's not something that's done by mistake as it's done consistently around the entire sides of the handle. For my part, I would have liked them to be completely smooth. It rounds off the handle slightly but not enough to make much of a difference. It may be worth pointing out that there are also no additional spacers, but the sides of the handle are close to the steel.

The material in this version is "Ivory-Micarta", a micarta that mimics the appearance of ivory. We will see how this one will look over time but I have other knives in similar materials and they are mostly white when new and then turn yellow over time, just like their predecessor. If you don't want to see that patina develop, the knife is also available in black/ebony Micarta.

The handle slabs are made of ivory micarta

Anyone who has handled a Finnish Puukko or other traditional Scandinavian knife will recognize the feel of this handle. Certainly somewhat more angular but basically just as functional. This means that any grip you can think of works with the Kwaiken 90. Both saber grips and hammer grips feel good. The latter is especially useful as the edge is drawn close to the handle and the Scandi-grind cuts well in e.g. wood.

The length is 98 mm if you measure from the rear tip to the front parts of the micarta slabs. The thickness of the handle is 12 mm and the height is 23 mm.

The Kwaiken 90 has a simple but well-functioning handle

The completely smooth sides with no recesses for fingers and similar grip-enhancing measures give you great freedom in how you choose to position your hand. But that freedom comes with a price, of course. You should only be a seasoned knife user. There are no finger guards or similar. I've read some posts that think it's problematic, but I personally consider it a non-problem. The user just needs to be careful, and you should always be careful with a sharp knife in your hand.

Sheath

The sheath that comes with the Brisa Kwaiken 90 is simple but well-sewn. The leather is good quality and so is the stitching.

This sheath is of the simplest type, which matches the design language of the knife and means that a piece of leather is folded around the knife and sewn along the end. The seam is then reinforced with two rivets, one at each end. It is also simple in that there is no inlay and you, therefore, have to be careful how you insert the knife so as not to cut it. The easiest way is to place the tip in the middle of the opening and then let the back of the blade slide against the leather. That way, no problems arise. Otherwise, you risk cutting your sheath.  

Simple construction and strong stitching. I don't use this belt loop often, I prefer to carry the knife loosely in a jacket pocket or bag

There is nothing holding the knife in the sheath except friction. However, it is sufficient to keep the knife from falling out unless you turn the case upside down and shake it hard, then you will drop the knife. This is not a "tactical sheath" but intended for less demanding use.

The sheath has a large but very simple sewn-on belt loop. It accommodates belts up to 70 mm wide. Because it is designed the way it is, the Kwaiken sits very high on a belt. This makes it difficult to use if, for example, you have a backpack with a belt. But I have to admit that I usually carry the knife loosely in a larger jacket pocket or lying in my bag. 

Conclusion

I probably don't think that the Brisa Kwaiken 90 is a knife "for everyone". By that I mean the design is a bit too purely specific for that. The hunter probably doesn't want it both because the handle is too angular but above all because the tip is, especially as there are two! The same thing would probably be said by those who feel like crafting or otherwise working with wood, even though this knife is very good if not perfect for that area. But it is actually possible to use it as an outdoor knife without it causing problems. But for the "hardcore" outdoor enthusiast, there are many other models that may be more suitable in Brisa's range. Angular tanto tips have their limitations.

The basic problem is that this is not the most practical of knife types. Or it depends on the meaning attached to that word. One of the basic ideas of a kaiken is actually that it should be a self-defense knife. A dagger/knife that at the time complemented swords and could be used by e.g. samurai as an absolute last resort or in spaces where it was too cramped to swing a sword.

With the Kwaiken 90, Brisa has thus renounced some practical aspects in favor of aesthetics and that is something I really appreciate. A statement that may need an explanation. By that, I just mean that our Finnish friends are experts in extremely robust and practical knives. Just look at the Nessmuk 125 that I previously reviewed or their successful Trapper model that comes in several designs alongside traditional puukkos and similar types of knives. Their entire catalog oozes tradition and utility knives a long way. Therefore, this is a breath of fresh air.

With the Kwaiken 90, Brisa has created a solid fixed-blade knife for EDC use

A review on Brisa's website, however, goes one step further and calls this an "expensive box opener" as the person concerned claims that the knife is completely unusable because it lacks finger protection. As a Swede who grew up with a Mora No 1 in my fist, I don't understand the argument at all. If you don't stab with a knife, there is no problem. And if you want to stick the tip into something, you put the handle inside your hand in this case and it still works fine. But of course, if you know that you want to chop the knife in metal in true "Forge in Fire" fashion, you should not buy this knife. But maybe it's obvious to most people?

The same if you know you don't appreciate patina. Ivory micarta is a material that ages and changes appearance over time. If you know that you don't like that feature, you should instead look at this knife with black Micarta. Or as a loose blade, as Brisa as usual offers that option also for those who want to put their own stamp on the knife.

However, the fact is that what the Kwaiken cuts most efficiently is wood, like a real Finnish Puukko

 should

What the Kwaiken boasts, however, is a knife with an appearance that is as unique as it is striking. It is also small enough to use as an "EDC knife" as long as you are not in an office environment, of course. It is also a very well-built but simply constructed knife with exclusive materials.

Specification:

Total Length: 85 mm
Blade Length: 90  mm
Blade Thickness: 4 mm
Steel: M390
Weight: 105 g 
Handle: Ivory Micarta
Sheath: Leather

Produced by Brisa Ltd, made in Finland


/ J - likes fusion