Review Civivi Qubit

 

- when attention to detail pays off

Once upon a time, there was a series here on the blog that I called "The Hunt for the Perfect Pocket Knife", or rather "Jakten på den perfekta fickkniven" since it was in Swedish. Anyway, if it had remained, this knife may have been the end of it all. 

Now the question of which is best is always subjective in some sense but in any case, this is a clear contender for the throne. The knife is as the title says the Civivi Qubit and I think it's the best thing they've done in this way so far.

Civivi Qubit

Like many knives from Civivi, this one can also be had in several versions, but actually, not as many as is sometimes the case. In addition to this design, which is called and lives up to the name "Bright Blue", there are also other happy colors such as green, red, and now actually pink! Yes, and a completely blacked-out version with both a black handle and a black blade. In addition, there is a luxury version with a blade in pattern-welded steel.

No matter what you choose, you get a knife that performs well in every aspect. Let me go through them!

The thin blade, which is even thinner behind the edge, is a good selling point

Short version: Civivi Qubit, a knife close to EDC perfection!

Blade

The heart of the knife is of course the blade. Without a competent blade, no good knife. A quintessential drop point is found here. In addition, a blade with very harmonious proportions, which also makes it pleasant to look at. Possibly with the exception of when the knife is in the closed position when a large "hook" is visible.

The length of the blade is 76 mm and the height is 29 mm. The finish is a glossy satin and as usual from this brand, texts and logotypes are conspicuous by its absence. The brand logo is found elsewhere and the steel type is certainly found on the ricasso but only if you have the eyesight of a hawk or are in possession of a magnifying glass. 

The blade has a recess that acts both as a place for a finger (forward finger choil) and which facilitates future sharpening (sharpening choil). It may possibly be objected that it is done with too little confidence. Is it one or the other, the size does not give a clear answer.

The back is not rounded but the edges are broken, which makes it feel soft. At the base of the blade spine, grooves are found for better traction. Like everything else on this knife, they are really good. They provide increased grip without tearing off the skin on the thumb or index finger.

A drop point with a low tip and very thin blade stock

The blade is made of Swedish Sandvik 14C28N-steel often used by Civivi. You can tell that they are starting to know how to harden and heat treat this material. It behaves very well as in that it stays sharp for a very long time for not being a super steel and as usual the steel is very resistant to rust. The specified degree of hardness is in the range of 58-60 HRC. Therein probably lies part of the secret.

What sets this blade apart, however, is neither the steel nor the look, but how thin it is. Here they have finally dared to trust the materials, as I usually put it*, resulting in a blade that is only 2.3 mm thick. It's not much and you have a completely flat ground blade. This results in a blade that measures 0.2-0.3 mm behind the edge. The factory edge is also nicely made, even, symmetrical, and not least sharp. I have only one objection to the blade geometry and that is that the edge is a bit too steep for my liking. It could well be flatter to be in line with the rest of the geometry.

Then it is enough to look at the tip to realize that it is sharp. Half a centimeter into the blade, the stock thickness is only about 0.7mm!

A sterile knife blade freed from all text and logos

When these measurements are translated into practical action, you get a knife that just cuts and cuts, and that in everything except maybe a grumpy birch. But this is not a camping knife but an EDC knife. This means that when it is presented in front of everyday materials such as thicker paper and cardboard, plastic packaging, string, and thinner rope and tape, it is not shy at all. On the contrary, it jumps right in with a good appetite. This is a true slicer!

The rather low tip facilitates what in English is called "utility cuts", those that are often performed with the tip and the outermost part of the blade. This is because the tip is found so far down, which means that you don't have to angle your wrist as much.

For short, Qubit is thoroughly enjoyable to work with. The blade glides through cardboard and the tip easily opens bulky packages.

Handle

Whether you like this handle or not has nothing to do with ergonomics as it is close to perfect but more your attitude towards a certain type of material in the handle. In this case, it is aluminum that has been anodized. The surface is not completely polished but has a slight texture, which gives it a chalky feel and thus a bit of friction.

The Qubit has a very soft rounded aluminum handle

The handle consists of two sides of aluminum that have not been lightened internally. It gives a very strong knife, while the weight is still very low. The sides are held together with two screws in addition to the pivot screw and are open in the back. The size of the screws is T8, even for the ones in the handle which is good. As usual with Civivi, the pivot screw has a small locking lug, which means it does not spin if you want to adjust it.

Possibly, I think the knife could be lightened, not because of the weight but to improve the balance. As it is, the balance point is found about one and a half centimeters or half an inch behind the pivot screw. A slightly lighter handle would have moved it closer to the pivot screw which I prefer.

Inside, you will find double bolts for blade stops along with an extra bolt aft to put a lanyard around if one is desired.

The sides are not milled out and the handle is open in the back. The two stop-pins are also visible here

The sides themselves are about four millimeters thick and the entire handle is 11.3 mm. The height varies from just under 2.3 cm to around 2.6 cm. It gives just enough to hold around for the knife to feel full in the hand given the overall size of the knife. Simply a good balance. Then the good feeling is enhanced by the fact that the edges are very softly rounded. Not just chamfered but properly rounded which requires more processing time. However, the sides of the handle itself are flat and not curved.

This is a knife that is very comfortable to work with. Especially without a clip

In all simplicity, it can be said that there is no grip that does not work with Qubit. The hammer grip feels solid given the size of the knife and even though there is a recess in the blade, it doesn't feel as if you end up too far from the edge, which is a big plus. Even better is a saber grip with a thumb on the base of the blade. Then the handle literally melts into the hand. The same can be said if a guiding finger lands on the spine of the blade or if you move the knife to a pinch grip. Now it should be added that in order to be as ultimate as I describe it, I have used the knife mostly without a clip. Even with that in place, the knife is very very good but you can feel the back end of the clip against the inside of the hand in a saber grip.

There is also the option of sneaking the index finger or at least part of it onto the blade for further increased control if desired.

Opening and Lock

Recently, I noted that it is fashionable to have knives with several alternative opening systems. That idea is supported by this knife whose blade can be lured out in several ways. Two hands are always an option although the two main methods include the lock or the double-sided thumb studs.

The thumb studs are perfect both in terms of function and placement. The button for the lock has been given a discreet pattern, which gives a better grip

Whatever you choose to do, it's lightning fast. Here we are talking about a knife that has such an unusual combination of a perfectly balanced resistance with this type of lock. They do not have detent balls, but it is the lock that takes care of that function. The result is felt immediately. You have to make a conscious effort to get close to the thumb studs without the blade just flying out. This applies both if you use your thumb or index finger in a fingerflick. 

Then, as I said, you can press the button and not so much flick the wrist as tilt the knife and you will get the blade out that way. If you flick, the risk is that the speed will be so high that the blade almost has time to bounce back in before you have time to react.

The explanations are found both in very small tolerances and invisible subtleties such as ceramic ball bearings. In this case, nine balls per side.

A close-up of a plunge lock. The asymmetric spring-loaded locking bolt moves laterally to lock against the blade base

Qubit quite obviously has a button lock. It is a function that is also common on many automatic spring-driven knives, but this knife should not be confused with one. 

The functionality of this knife is brilliant. Civivi has really tuned the resistance in the little spring inside the button to be just right. Just hard enough so that the button does not cause you to accidentally release the blade at the same time as that extreme speed is achieved. Also just enough for the lock to be extremely easy to release.

However, the button is slightly recessed, which means that it cannot easily be activated by mistake. Then the lock fulfills its function in a more than meritorious manner. It is not possible to feel even the slightest hint of play in the blade, either sideways or up and down. Not even if you grab the blade against the tip and provoke. It's lock perfection!

To Carry

Even on this point, I have to sing Qubit's praises. A knife that is small and light, with rounded shapes and discreet weight can never get anything but top marks.

When folded, the Qubit measures one decimeter plus a few millimeters. The height is at most 3.3 cm and the thickness as previously mentioned 1.1 cm. Very discreet indeed. 

The clip is one of Civivi's standard variants but works very well

Then the weight is impressively low at 80 g. This is, of course, due to a combination of a thin blade and aluminum in the handle, which is also open at the back.

The clip is good too. Perfection may not prevail here, but it's still good. The tension is well balanced, the ramp is sufficient and there is space underneath for fabric, especially as the clip is recessed in the handle and the screw heads are in turn recessed in the clip. The fairly smooth material in the handle also does not cause too much friction, which means that the knife sits securely while being easy to pull and put back in the pocket.

The knife is discreet in the pocket if you ignore the color of the knife

However, I did manage to bend the clip on one occasion when I got stuck in something. It was just a matter of unscrewing it and bending it back into reasonable shape. The clip is anchored with two small T6 screws by the way and it can be noted that they are of different lengths.

Accidents happen and I had to disassemble and bend back the clip into shape after getting stuck somewhere

In the meantime, the knife was used without a clip and it worked almost as well. The rounded shapes work well even loosely in a pocket and the ergonomics were, of course, even better. Not that the clip interferes much, but a clip can almost always be felt in the hand when using a pocket knife. 

To Conclude

The whole is of course the sum of the parts and sometimes more,  they say. In this case, it is. All parts are executed in an excellent way, which also creates added value. This applies to 

• Looks
• Function
• Comfort and ergonomics
• Action
• As well as how the knife is to be carried

The first impression you get via pictures and then in hand is of course dependent on how a knife looks. Qubit offers clean lines and harmonious proportions that give an elegant and timeless look. Subjective as I said, but certain measurements are pleasant to the eye regardless of who the viewer is. Such can be found here. With one exception and that is the damned "hook" that is visible when the knife is closed. In retrospect, I have learned that it is intended to serve as a bottle opener! Totally pointless is my comment even if it de facto works, I tried once. If it is used often, I suspect that the anodization on the handle will take a beating.

Then a really thin blade is found in a capable steel with an almost perfect geometry for the area of use. The fact that the edge is close to a masterpiece, even if the edge angle is not, that the knife is thin as hell behind the edge, and that the point is both needle-sharp and can be found far down makes for a very practical knife.

Qubit also feels excellent in the hand. There is not a single place on this handle that can cause chafing or discomfort, no hot spots at all. This is as comfortable as a handle of this size can be.

Opening and closing this knife is a joy. The detent is well-tuned, I have never felt such a crisp action in a button lock before. It gives perfect speed to the blade on the way out and it is just as easy to find and disengage the lock.

This knife belongs to the category of very light pocket knives and also has a good clip and, as I said, a soft rounded handle. Again very well done.

Civivi have once again managed to create a really good little knife, maybe even their best

When approaching perfection, even the smallest details become important. The big pieces are already in place. Even when we come to smaller things, they are well executed on the Qubit. For example

• How the grooves on the back of the blade are made. They provide grip without being sharp.
• That all screws are countersunk and of good quality
• The thumb studs have a softly rounded shape that is not sharp against the skin
• The placement of these studs is close to the handle so they are out of the way when cutting
• The recess in the blade facilitates future sharpening and
• It also gives the opportunity to crawl forward on the handle without stealing too much edge length
• The blade is clean of text and the knife is discreetly marked
• In order for the appearance to be cleaner, they have chosen not to make holes in the handle for the lanyard

Civivi Qubit has barely left my pocket after arrival, it is highly recommended

If you put all the pieces together, you get a knife that really shines. A really good pocket knife. In addition, the price is not excessive either. The target price from Civivi is $75.

The only thing that could make someone hesitate is if you prefer something other than aluminum handles or bright colors. I think a version with further upgraded steel and handles in eg gray titanium would solve that problem. But even in this design, the knife is a real smash hit.

My advice? Buy a Civivi Qubit!

Civivi Knives

Specification:

Length Open: 183 mm

Length Folded: 107 mm

Weight: 80 g

Blade Length: 76 mm

Blade Thickness: 2,3 mm

Blade Steel: Sandvik 14C28N

Handle: Aluminum

Lock: button lock

Produced by: Civivi, made in China

/ J - nods approvingly

* Another brand that has appeared in recent years and does the same is American TRM. It bodes well that more manufacturers do it this way.

#knivesandbikes #aliaspostmortem #knivigtvarre 

Recension Civivi Qubit

- när omsorg om detaljerna lönar sig

En gång i tiden fanns en serie här på bloggen som jag kallade "Jakten på den perfekta fickkniven". Hade den funnits kvar har vi här en kniv som inte bara platsat där utan möjligen även avslutat inläggen. Nu är alltid frågan om vad som är bäst i någon bemärkelse subjektiv men i vilket fall som helst är det här en klar utmanare till tronen. Kniven är som rubriken skvallrar om Civivi Qubit och jag anser att det är det bästa de gjort i den här vägen hittills. 

Civivi Qubit

Liksom många knivar från Civivi kan även den här fås i flera versioner men faktiskt inte så många som ibland är fallet. Förutom det här utförandet som kallas för och lever upp till namnet "Bright Blue" finns även andra glada färger som grön, röd och numera faktiskt rosa! Ja och en helt svart version med såväl svart handtag som svart blad. Utöver det finns en lyxversion med ett blad i mönstervällt stål.  

Oavsett vad du väljer får du en kniv som presterar väl på punkt efter punkt. Låt mig gå igenom dem!

Det tunna bladet som är ännu tunnare bakom eggen är ett bra säljargument

Kortversion: Civivi Qubit, nära EDC-perfektion!

Blad

Knivens hjärta är förstås bladet. Utan ett kompetent blad ingen god kniv. Här hittas en kvintessentiell drop point. Därtill ett blad med mycket harmoniska proportioner vilket även gör det sympatiskt att se på. Möjligen med undantag för när kniven är i stängt läge då en stor "krok" är synlig. 

Längden på bladet är 76 mm och höjden 29 mm. Finishen är en blank satin och som vanligt från det här märket lyser det mesta i logotyp och text med sin frånvaro. Märkets logga hittas på annat håll och ståltyp hittas förvisso på ricasson men endast om du har syn som en hök eller är i besittning av ett försoringsglas. Bladet har en fördjupning som agerar både som plats för ett finger (forward finger choil) och som underlättar framtida slipning (sharpening choil). Möjligen kan invändas att det är gjort med för lite självförtroende. Är det det ena eller det andra, storleken ger inget entydigt svar. 

Ryggen är inte rundad men kanten bruten vilket gör att den känns mjuk. Vid basen på bladryggen hittas räfflor för bättre fäste. Som allt annat på den här kniven är de riktigt bra. De ger ökat grepp utan att riva av skinnet på tummen eller pekfingret. 

En drop point med låg spets och mycket tunt gods

Bladet är gjort av det av Civivi ofta använda svenska Sandvik 14C28N. Det märks att de börjar kunna det här med härdning och värmebehandling av det här materialet. Det uppträder mycket bra som i att det håller skärpan mycket länge för att inte vara ett superstål och som vanligt är stålet mycket rosttrögt. Den uppgivna hårdhetsgraden ligger i spannet 58-60 HRC. Däri ligger nog en del av hemligheten. 

Det som utmärker det här bladet är dock vare sig stålet eller utseendet utan hur tunt det är. Här har man äntligen vågat lita på materialen som jag brukar uttrycka det* vilket resulterat i ett blad som endast är 2,3 mm tjockt. Det är inte mycket det och därtill har du ett helt flatslipat blad. Det resulterar i ett blad som mäter 0,2-0,3 mm bakom eggen. Fabrikseggen är därtill fint utförd, jämn, symmetrisk och inte minst vass. Jag har en enda invändning mot bladgeometrin och det är att eggen är något för brant eller tvär. Den kunde gott vara flackare för att ligga i linje med övrig geometri. 

Sedan räcker det att se på spetsen för att inse att den är vass. En halvcentimeter in på bladet mäter godset ca 0,7mm!

Ett blad befriat från allt vad text och loggor heter

När de här måtten översätts till praktisk handling får du en kniv som bara skär och skär och det i allt utom kanske en vresig björk. Men det här är inte en campingkniv utan en EDC-kniv. Det betyder att när den presenteras inför vardagsmaterial som papp och kartong, plastförpackningar, snöre och tunnare rep och tejp så är den inte alls blyg. Tvärtom tar den för sig med god aptit. 

Qubit är genomsympatisk att jobba med. Bladet glider igenom kartonger och spetsen öppnar lätt bångstyriga förpackningar. 

Den tämligen låga spetsen underlättar det som på engelska kallas "utility cuts", de som ofta utförs med spetsen och yttersta delen på bladet. Det eftesom spetsen återfinns så pass långt ned vilket gör att man inte behöver vinkla handleden så mycket. 

Handtag

Om du gillar det här handtaget eller inte har inget med ergonomi att göra då den är närmast perfekt utan mer din inställning till en viss typ av material i handtaget. I det här fallet är det aluminium som sedan anodiserats. Ytan är inte helt polerat utan har en gnutta struktur vilket ger den en kritaktig känsla och därmed en aning friktion. 

Qubit har ett mycket mjukt rundat handtag i aluminium

Handtaget består av två sidor aluminium som inte lättats invändigt. Det ger en  mycket stark kniv samtidigt som vikten ändå är mycket låg. Sidorna sitter ihop med två skruvar utöver pivotskruven och är öppen i ryggen. Storleken på skruvarna är T8, även för de som sitter i handtaget vilket är bra. Som vanligt med Civivi så  har själva pivotskruven en liten låsklack vilket gör att den inte spinner om du vill justera den. 

Möjligen kan jag tycka att kniven kunde lättats, inte för vikten skull utan för att bättra på balansen. Som det är återfinns den ca en och en halv centimeter bakom pivotskruven. En aning lättare handtag hade flyttat den närmare pivotskruven vilket jag föredrar. 

Invändigt hittas dubbla bultar för bladstopp jämte en extra bult akteröver att lägga en fånglina kring om en sådan önskas. 

Sidorna är inte lättade och handtaget är öppet i ryggen. Här syns även de dubbla stoppinnarna

Själva sidorna är ca fyra millimeter tjocka och hela handtaget 11,3 mm. Höjden varierar från strax under 2,3 cm till kring 2,6 cm. Det ger precis lagom mycket att hålla kring för att kniven skall kännas fyllig i handen givet knivens totala storlek. En bra balans helt enkelt. Sedan förstärks den goda känslan av att kanterna är mycket mjukt rundade. Inte bara fasade men ordentligt rundade vilket kräver mer bearbetningstid. Däremot är själva sidorna på handtaget platta och inte välvda. 

Det här är en kniv som är mycket bekväm att arbeta med. Särskilt utan clip

I alla enkelhet kan sägas att det inte finns något grepp som inte fungerar med Qubit. Hammargrepp känns stabilt givet knivens storlek och trots att det finns ett urtag i bladet känns det inte som om man hamnar för långt från eggen vilket är ett stort plus. Ännu bättre är sabelgrepp med en tumme på bladbasen. Då formligen smälter handtaget in i handen. Detsamma kan sägas om ett styrande finger landar på bladryggen eller om du flyttar kniven till nypan. Nu bör tilläggas att för att vara så ultimat som jag beskriver den så har jag använt den mestadels utan clip. Även med det på plats är kniven mycket mycket bra men du kan känna bakänden av clipet mot insidan av handen i sabelgrepp. 

Möjlighet finns även att smyga fram pekfingret eller åtminstone en del av det på bladet för ytterligare ökad kontroll om så önskas. 

Öppning och lås

Häromsistens konstaterade jag att det är modernt att ha knivar med flera alternativa öppningssystem. Den spaningen understöds av den här kniven vars blad kan trollas fram på flera vis. Två händer är alltid en möjlighet även om de två huvudsakliga metoderna inkluderar att du endera använder låset eller de dubbelsidiga tumknopparna. 

Tumknopparan är perfekta både vad vad gäller funktion och placering. Knappen till låset har fått ett fint mönster vilket ger bättre fäste

Hur du än väljer att göra går det blixtsnabbt. Här talar vi om en kniv som har en så ovanlig kombination som ett perfekt avvägt motstånd med den här typen av lås. De har nämligen ingen detent-kula utan det är låset som står för den funktionen. Resultatet känns direkt. Du får medvetet anstränga dig om du skall närma dig tumknopparna och hindra bladet från att flyga ut. Det gäller både om du använder just tummen eller pekfingret på andra sidan av bladet. 

Sedan kan du som sagt trycka in knappen till låset och inte så myckt snärta som luta kniven så får du ut bladet på det viset. Snärtar du är risken att farten blir så hög att bladet nästan hinner studsa in igen innan du hinner reagera. 

Förklaringarna hittas både i mycket små toleranser och osynliga finesser som keramiska kullager. I det här fallet nio stycken kulor per sida. 

Ett plunge lock i närbild. Den assymetriska fjäderbelastade låsbulten flyttas i sidled för att låsa mot bladbasen

Qubit har tämligen uppenbart ett button lock. Det är en funktion som även är vanlig på många automatiska fjäderdrivna knivar men den är kniven skall inte förväxlas med en sådan. Funktionen på den här varianten är briljant. De har verkligen trimmat motståndet i den lilla fjäder som återfinns inuti knappen för att den skall vara precis lagom. Lagom för att inte knappen skall göra att du av misstag släpper bladet samtidigt som den där extrema farten åstadkoms. Även lagom för att låset skall vara extremt lätt att släppa. 

Knappen är dock aningen försänkt vilket gör att den inte med lätthet kan aktiveras av misstag. Sedan fyller låset sin funktion på ett mer än förtjänstfullt vis. Det går inte att känna ens en liten tillstymmelse till glapp i bladet vare sig i sidled eller upp och ned. Inte ens om man greppar bladet mot spetsen till och provocerar. Det är låsperfektion!

Att bära

Även på den här punkten måste jag sjunga Qubits lov. En kniv som är liten och lätt, med rundade former och diskret vikt kan aldrig få något annat än högsta betyg. 

Hopfälld mäter Qubit en decimter plus några millimeter. Höjden är som mest 3,3 cm och tjockleken som tidigare nämnts 1,1 cm. Diskret sa Bull. 

Clipet är ett av Civivis standardvarianter men fungerar mycket bra

Sedan är vikten imponerande låg även den med sina 80 g. Det beror förstås på en kombination av ett tunt blad och aluminium i handtaget som därtill är öppet i ryggen. 

Clipet är bra även det. Här kanske inte perfektion råder men det är fortfarande bra. Spänsten är väl avvägd, rampen räcker till och det finns utrymme under för byxtyget, särskilt som clipet sitter försänkt i handtaget och skruvhuvudena i sin tur är försänkta i clipet. Det tämligen glatta materialet i handtaget ger dessutom inte överdrivet mycket friktion vilkt gör att kniven sitter säkert samtidigt som den är lätt att dra och stoppa tillbaka i fickan igen. 

Kniven är diskret i fickan om man bortser från färgen på kniven

Däremot lyckades jag böja ut clipet vid ett tillfälle då jag fastnade i något. Det var bara att skruva av det och böja det tillbaks i någorlunda form. Clipet är förankrat med två små T6-skruvar för övrigt och det kan noteras att de är av olika längd. 

Olyckor händer och jag fick demontera och böja tillbaks clipet efter att ha fastnat någonstans

Under tiden användes kniven utan clip och det gick nästan lika bra det. De rundade formerna gör sig bra även löst i en ficka och ergonomin blev förstås ännu bättre. Inte så att clipet stör på något vis men ett clip kan nästan alltid noteras när man brukar en fickkniv. 

Sammanfattningsvis

Helheten är förstås summan av delarna och ibland mer sägs det. I det här fallet är det så. Alla delar är genomförda på ett utmärkt vis vilket dessutom skapar ett mervärde. Det gäller delar som

• Utseende
• Funktion
• Komfort och ergonomi
• Handhavande
• Samt hur kniven är att bära

Det första intryck du får via bild och sedan i hand är förstås beroende på hur en kniv ser ut. Qubit bjuder på rena linjer och harmoniska proportioner som ger ett elegant och tidlöst utseende. Subjektivt som sagt men vissa mått skänker lugn åt ögat oavsett vem som är betraktaren. Sådana finns här.  Med ett undantag och det är den förbaskade "kroken" som syns när kniven är hopfälld. I efterhand har jag fått veta att den är tänkt att tjänstgöra som flasköppnare! Totalt meningslöst är min kommentar även om den de facto fungerar. Används den ofta misstänker jag att anodiseringen på handtaget kommer att ta stryk. 

Sedan hittas ett riktigt tunt blad i ett dugligt stål med en för användningsområdet närmast perfekt geometri. Att sedan skärpan är ett  mästerverk även om inte eggvinkeln är det och att kniven är tunn som tusan bakom eggen och att spetsen är både nålvass och hittas långt ned ger en mycket praktisk kniv. 

Qubit känns dessutom förträfflig i hand. Det finns inte ett enda ställe på det här handtaget som kan ge upphov till skav eller obehag. Det här är så bekvämt ett handtag i den här storleken kan vara. 

Att fälla ut och in bladet är en fröjd. Så här väl trimmat har jag aldrig känt motståndet i en button lock tidigare. Det ger perfekt fart i bladet på vägen ut och lika lätt är det att hitta och släppa låset. 

Den här kniven tillhör kategorin mycket lätta fickknivar och har därtill ett bra clip och som sagt ett mjukt rundat handtag. Återigen mycket väl utfört. 

Civivi har ännu en gång lyckats åstadkomma en riktigt bra liten kniv, kanske till och med sin bästa

När man närmar sig perfektion blir även det minsta delarna viktiga. De stora bitarna är redan på plats. Också när vi kommer till mindre detaljer är de väl utförda på Qubit. Det är saker som 

• Hur räfflorna på bladryggen är utförda. De ger grepp utan att vara vassa. 
• Att alla skruvar är försänkta och av god kvalitet
• Att tumknopparna har en mjukt rundad form som inte är vass mot tummen
• Placeringen av dessa knoppar är nära handtaget så de inte är i vägen när man skär
• Urtaget i bladet underlättar framtida slipning och 
• Det ger även möjlighet att krypa fram på handtaget utan att stjäla för mycket egglängd
• Bladet är rent från text och kniven är diskret märkt
• För att utseendet skall bli renare har man valt att inte göra hål i handtaget för fånglina

Civivi Qubit har knappt lämnat fickan efter ankomst, den rekommenderas varmt

Slå man ihop alla de är bitarna får man en kniv det slår gnistor om. En riktigt bra fickkniv. Därtill är inte priset överdrivet det heller. Riktpris från Civivi ligger på 75$. 

Det enda som skulle kunna få någon att tveka är om du inte gillar aluminiumhandtag eller skarpa färger. Jag tror att en version med ytterligare uppgraderat stål och med handtag i t ex grå titan skulle lösa det problemet. Men även i det här utförandet är kniven en riktig höjdare. 

Mitt råd? Köp en Civivi Qubit!

Civivi Knives

Specifikation:

Längd utfälld: 183 mm

Längd hopfälld: 107 mm

Vikt: 80 g

Bladlängd: 76 mm

Godstjocklek: 2,3 mm

Bladstål: Sandvik 14C28N

Handtag: Aluminium

Lås: button lock

Producerad av: Civivi, tillverkad i Kina

/ J - nickar gillande

* Ett annat märke som dykt upp på senare år och gör detsamma är Amerikanska TRM. Det lovar gott att fler tillverkare gör på det viset. 

#knivesandbikes #aliaspostmortem #knivigtvarre 

Review Camillus CUDA

  

-  tactical folding knife with vintage vibes

There was a time when this knife was a semi-holy grail for me. It was sometime in the nineties and the internet was not yet a source for knives. Back then you had to browse and buy magazines that were very expensive over here like "Blade" and "Tactical Knives" which were found in a well-sorted newsstand in town. The sought-after four-leaf clover at the time when it comes to "tactical knives", excluding custom knives, was the Spyderco Starmate, Gerber CF, Benchmade AFCK, and then the original version of this knife, the Camillus CUDA .* 

The four-leaf clover had more leaves. The big five in the category "tactical folders" from the 90s, Al Mar S.E.R.E, Camillus C.U.D.A, Gerber CF, Benchmade AFCK, and Spyderco Starmate

However, that was a different era and a lot has happened to the Camillus brand since then. It should therefore be pointed out that this is a simpler new edition of that knife. But the model is the same. And since I have the others, I had to have this one too!

Camillus C.U.D.A. 9"

Incidentally, "C.U.D.A" stands for Camillus Ultra Design Advantage and referred, among other things, to the completely unique opening system. As I said, this was before flipper tabs and ball bearings were associated with folding knives or at least found on production knives.

The original was, therefore, one of the fastest opening knives available, along with stilettos and so-called "gravity knives". What I appreciate most about it is the innovative spirit it exudes more than the functionality which is not at all ultimate, to be honest.

CUDA 9", a retro-stylish knife with a unique opening system

Short version:  Camillus C.U.D.A., is a retro-chic knife with innovative technology that is left behind by time

Blade

CUDA boasts a, in my opinion, quite a nice blade. Possibly it can be characterized as a drop point although I think it is probably a spear point with its almost symmetrical appearance and its pronounced swedge. However, it cannot be sharpened as it protrudes from the handle when the knife is folded.*

Then you can't miss that the blade is blackened. In this case, it is mostly to make the knife look more brutal, as the steel is not particularly prone to rust. Namely, AUS8 is used. The question is why, not because it's a lousy steel, it's not. But it is Japanese steel and the knife is made in China and they have other steels that are actually at least as good and probably cheaper. And if you want to import steel to China you can better ones. 

About the steel, it can otherwise be said that it is as dated as the design and that it is not used very frequently anymore. It is fairly resistant to corrosion, easy to grind, doesn't hold an edge very well, and has decent impact resistance for being stainless steel. That pretty much sums it up. Possibly the steel choice can be traced back to the original that had blades in ATS-34 if I'm not mistaken. That is also a Japanese steel. 

The blade is just under a decimeter/4" long and blackened

It is a fairly substantial blade with a length of 9.7 cm and a height of 2.4 cm. If you want a shorter blade, the knife can be found in a smaller version, by the way. 

It radiates power as the stock thickness is a generous 4 mm. The grind is a fairly low saber and thus it can be feared that this knife will be absolutely terrible to cut with.

But on that point, Camillus has saved the properties by providing the blade with a hollow grind. Something that is not entirely easy to see in all the dark, but which is one of the few ways to get a good edge on a thick and not very tall blade.

Japanese AUS8 steel is found in the blade. Not bad but almost as dated as the knife design

However, the factory edge is not much to brag about. It was not particularly sharp, but rather semi-sharp in parts. It was possible to cut paper with it with some difficulty, so you know roughly what I mean. In addition, right from the beginning, the knife has a tendency to smile", i.e. that the edge is not straight towards the ricasso. Then it can be added that the edge is not completely symmetrical when viewed from below either. The same can be said about the swedge which does not have the same angle on both sides. A typical example of something gone wrong in production. Or that the quality control is simply not top-notch.

Once put to work, the knife performs as it looks. Not very efficient in other words. The exception is that penetration cuts are good. It is a pointy blade. It of course cuts cardboard and similar materials but not without effort due to the geometry. It simply requires more power than many other knives. The same of course applies to nylon rope, which I also usually test edges on.

This is not a knife I would get myself to carve with, so I haven't even given it a go. The Camillus CUDA is far from an outdoor knife despite its size.

Handle

The construction of this knife can be summed up as being based on an internal steel frame that is open at the back and clad with G10 handle sides that are bolted in place. Distances of the simplest kind are found in the back. They aren't even barrel-shaped but just straight tubes. Whether it should be considered miserly or simple but straightforward is open to discussion. You know the "form follows function" argument.

The G10 material is medium coarse to fine which gives some grip. Especially when combined with a recess for the index finger and a thumb ramp on the blade. But it is also the only thing that gives extra grip. Otherwise, the handle is as straight as it seems.

Handle sides in fairly smooth G10

The shape of the handle, like the entire knife, is an excursion into the retro world. Everything about it is not good. The basic shape itself is capable in all its simplicity, but the execution is not. In part, Camillus has chosen to have a thick blade which then has a lot of air around it. There is a considerable distance between the base of the blade and the inside of the frame. It gives a very wide opening in the handle and when it is then combined with a very thin frame for the size of the knife and equally slender sides G10, the result looks cheap.

It doesn't have to mean bad but there is a disadvantage or rather a couple with that way of doing things.

The knife is open in the back and here you can also see the somewhat strange proportions between the thickness of the handle and the sides

The first and biggest objection I have is practical. The handle is simply not very comfortable to hold, at least if you have to do some heavy work which a larger knife will attract. That's because thin sides provide sparingly with material that rests against the hand both in the crease of the thumb and against the little finger. That creates hot spots if you put some power behind the cuts. But in fairness, this knife is not designed for bushcraft or outdoor life. So, that it is not brilliant in that area and may not be used as an objection to the design. Possibly a pair of gloves can help, but I don't think it should be necessary.

For lighter tasks and with the knife in a saber grip, however, the simple handle shape is surprisingly comfortable.

Most grips work but don't try to hold the knife in a pinch grip for detailed work, it won't work at all as the disc is in the way

The size of the handle is generous. The total length of the handle amounts to 12.8 cm, which is matched by a height of 2.7 cm. The available grip surface behind the finger guard is eleven centimeters. But the design of the guard allows you to place an index finger there if you want to creep closer to the edge with your hand. The thickness is measured at 1.34 cm according to my caliper.

The size gives plenty of room for the whole hand and there is even some left over. As the shape is uncomplicated, it is no problem to either use all grips or switch between them. That way the handle is good.

Opening and Lock

In addition to the look overall, it is under this heading that the great innovation, or the one that was once upon a time, can be found. The C.U.D.A system itself.

It consists of a disk that slides in a v-shaped groove. The actual opening of the knife is done by pressing with the thumb on the disc and bringing it forward and outwards and then only forward, whereupon the blade opens. Quite ingenious it may seem. Yes, until someone invented the flipper tab, of course.

The unique disc is easy to access but not so easy to use

The problem with this method is that it requires great accuracy. You can't push the "button" or the disk down/in because then nothing or at least very little happens. It has to be pushed forward and slightly outwards to follow the track but also slightly downwards to maintain the pressure/friction. The last bit should go straight ahead. The entire opening motion is helped by a small flick of the wrist, whereupon you can get a good speed on the blade.

Without that flick, the opening won't be quite as fast. In addition, the blade is too heavy, and above all the lever is small. This is because the disc itself moves very close to the pivot screw. It is for the same reason that thumb studs are more effective if they sit further from their point of rotation on a broad-bladed knife. Simply put more leverage. It is missing here.

The disk runs in a v-shaped groove that must be followed when opening the knife

It can also be said that this motion can be strengthened and if you want, you can throw the blade out completely without using the disk at all. It's also the fastest way to open the knife, even if it's not on purpose that this function emerged. It exists because the resistance from the detent ball is a bit too weak. Not that it's dangerous in the pocket. The saving grace is that the knife sits in the "wrong" direction with the point downwards.

Another problem with this solution is that the disk itself is loose in order to slide freely. This means that regardless of the position of the blade, it makes a sound, it rattles if you shake the knife. It is also something that makes the knife feel cheaper than it is. It's not a practical problem but something that most knife enthusiasts don't appreciate.

A fairly thin liner lock

The lock is not much to talk about. Or well, a little actually. It is certainly a simple and straightforward liner lock but there is still something to be said. One thing is that it is thin! The frame is not thick and therefore the lock bar is not either. In addition, it engages quite late, which indicates that the geometry between the lock and blade base is not completely perfect. I have heard of others who had problems with the function, but this does not apply to this particular knife. The lock engages properly in this case and there is no play in the blade. Not in any direction, and I'm grateful for that.

The lock bar is very easy to access thanks to a more than generous recess on the opposite side of the handle.

To Carry

CUDA is a lump in the pocket. That's the easiest way to describe it. As previously mentioned, it is quite thick even though the sides are thin. If you add to that a mammoth length and a lovely outdated clip, the result is not the best on this parameter.

The knife is also quite heavy, although 149 grams is not extreme for the size. But that doesn't make it lightweight either. 

A clip that can only be mounted on the "wrong" end of the handle

The clip is not quite the latest, as I wrote above, and by that, I mean appearance as well as function. Square clips are not often seen these days especially not one that cannot be moved at all. If you add the fact that the knife can only be carried tip-down, you have, as I said, a clip from the past.

Otherwise, it can be said that it is an ordinary steel clip screwed in place with three small T6 screws.

Both the clip and the knife are clearly visible when carried in a pocket

The function is decent but not more. The ramp is big enough and the tension is actually satisfactory. However, much of the knife sticks out according to the old motto that if it doesn't, you can't draw your knife. Something I do not agree with but that is the subject of another discussion.

Having said that, it doesn't have to be completely wrong that this particular knife is carried the way it does. The opening mechanism itself means that it still cannot be used with the left hand, and it is also easier to access if you first pull the knife and then spin it half a turn in your hand before opening the blade.

To Conclude

Initially, I wrote that the Camillus CUDA was almost a trophy for me. The question is, does it live up to the expectations that come with it? The answer is probably both yes and no. It depends on which shoes it must fulfill and what role it plays. In my mind, it's still pretty awesome and thus fills its place in the collection or possibly the knife pile. That's not to say it's necessarily a "good" knife. Rather, it represents something else, an era in this case.

Camillus Titanium series times two, Tyrant and C.U.D.A. 9"

If you disregard that, it is perhaps after all that the time left this knife behind. Much of what was once both new and unique today feels quite dated and a bit overcomplicated. Not least that applies to the opening system. A major objection is that the "CUDA" solution with the disk requires fairly good fine motor skills, which is terrible when you are, for example, stressed or your fingers are cold. Thus, both the "tactical" and purely practical use are compromised in everything but heat and sunshine. It is an objection already at the design stage.

The solution is also not very smart compared to what is available on the market today. Then the disc rattles which is not a plus either, although it's not decisive in itself.

Then I think the construction of the handle itself looks cheap but that's not solely Camillus's fault but more the zeitgeist from which CUDA originates I suspect. That's because the Spyderco Starmate, whose design is roughly contemporary, has the same slightly odd relationship between handle sides and void. But it somehow results in a handle that is both thin and thick at the same time, which is an achievement in itself.

It also looks cheap with a large gap between the blade and frame. It is also not practical as it gives less support to the blade and allows dirt to get in there. In fact, you can feel the knife being thin. If you grab the blade and pry sideways, the knife flexes the same way the Benchmade Bugout does.

It would also be something that could easily be fixed on a version 2 like this. It doesn't feel like the manufacturer bothered to improve the model when the chance was given, which is a minus.

Camillus C.U.D.A is a nostalgia knife for me, the question is what is it to you?

After spending time with the Camillus CUDA 9" for a long time, the halo hasn't completely gone astray but the glow has faded a bit, one might say. It's not a very practical knife and the question is whether it looks "cool" enough for the one that doesn't have any memories attached to it? That's a question I have a little difficulty answering. Because even though I probably don't think it's a good or even a particularly well-built knife, it's not bad either and I think it's a bit charming in a somewhat perverse way. It is unique after all!

Camillus Knives

Specification:

Length Overall: 225 mm

Length Folded: 128 mm

Weight: 149 g (weighed by me)

Blade Length: 97 mm

Blade Thickness: 4 mm

Blade Steel: AUS8

Handle: G10

Lock: liner lock

Produced by: Camillus, made in China

/ J - looking for oldies but goldies

* Since before there were also a couple more, partly the first custom knives from Terzuola but also Spyderco Police of course.

** Something that does not apply to another "combat knife" from the same era, namely the Gerber CF which can be made double-edged.

#knivesandbikes #aliaspostmortem #knivigtvarre