- one of QSP's best knives so far
QSP is a brand that at first made a name for themselves by producing affordable knives in the lower price range. But it wasn't too long before the catalog swelled to include some digressions from that theme. One of the earliest was a special edition Piglet which was otherwise one of the cheapest knives in the range.*
 |
| QSP Capybara |
Then came Legatus. Also, a knife that I previously reviewed here. It is a knife with a blade in M390 and a titanium handle that is equipped with double-sided intarsia of multi-colored carbon fiber, milled titanium clip, and ball bearings in ceramic. In addition, there was a design collaboration with Dutch DBW. A package that is as luxurious as it sounds.
The only model that surpassed the Piglet special and the aforementioned Legatus in price is the recently released Rhino. But it feels a little too much "pimp aesthetic" for me, at least the version with Mokuti details. A bit like a giant Cadillac Eldorado with motif paint and a crystal chandelier inside. But it is a highly personal opinion as you understand.
However, that does NOT apply to this knife. It is significantly cleaner in its lines despite several exciting details. Thus, QSP has managed to release a luxury knife that not only appeals to the eye but is also competitive in all other areas! Place on stage for Capybara.
 |
| When QSP ventures into the luxury segment, you know it will be good |
Short Version: QSP Capybara, is eye candy that also delivers good performance in the form of excellent ergonomics and a competent blade
Blade
The heart of a knife is of course the blade. That is definitely true here. Functional and stylish are the watchwords of the day. It is a drop point or perhaps a modified Sheep's foot depending on how you view it, that has a fairly classic length for a modern pocket knife, which is 3" or 76mm. The stock thickness is 3.7mm. The height is 32mm at the base of the blade.
The shape is characterized by a substantial "drop", resulting in a very slight belly and a tip found a bit below the knife's center line. Furthermore, it has a flat part of the back, above the thumb studs or plates, which is provided with grooves for a better grip. The blade also has a distinct indentation that acts as a combined "sharpening" and "finger" choil.
 |
| A hollow grind blade in M390 steel |
The finish on the blade is a tasteful two-tone satin. On the flat parts of the blade, it is longitudinal and on the bevels, it follows the grind lines.
You can say a lot about the blade steel as it is among the best available in the form of M390. Here, the blade also seems to be relatively hard, which is appropriate. Then it should be clearly pointed out that luxury steel does not automatically mean a performance blade. Hardening, heat treatment, and not least blade geometry and edge have at least as much importance for the end result.
To improve the outcome, QSP has done two things in this case. First, the primary grind is quite high (21 mm) because the blade is wide. The Capybara also has a hollow grind. This means that the relatively thick blade is thinned to 0.5 mm behind the edge. It is not extremely thin but in return, the edge itself is quite wide. It provides good basic properties.
The factory edge was also very well made in this case. One of the better ones I've come across. Maybe not the sharpest but in return very consistent in height and angles. At least as far as I can see with the naked eye. I'm not one of those people who measure knives with all kinds of testing equipment. Something that has become popular among some reviewers these days.
 |
| A "choil" that actually works |
The advantage of the tip being found so low is that you don't have to angle your wrist very much when cutting with the tip against hard surfaces or opening boxes etc. The disadvantage is that sweeping cuts become a little less effective. So there you as a user can think about which is most important to you. But as this is not a hunting knife but aimed towards EDC, the blade shape works great.
So does the blade in general, although I sometimes have opinions about "finger choils". Mostly the fact that if you cut cardboard, textiles, and soft plastic, you have to use it so that the material you are cutting does not get stuck there. But if you do clog the choil with a finger, Capybara is a formidable cutting machine for cardboard and the like. In addition, the tip is both sharp and efficient. It has been thoroughly tested at work where there is a lot of packaging opening. In those situations, the pocket knife goes to work and serves instead of kitchen knives. Bringing the knife to work also provides significantly more usage time than if it were only used in leisure time.
Somewhat surprisingly, Capybara is also perfectly ok handling apples, carrots, and other harder foods. I usually test it to examine the geometry of knives. If you try to force a thick blade through fruit, you will understand why. In this case, it is the hollow grind that saves the Capybara's characteristics. It is simply not noticeable that the blade is thick since it glides through most things including hard juicy apples.
I was a little afraid that the rather large thumb studs would interfere when cutting but have not experienced them as a problem. Overall this is a very competent knife blade I must say.
Handle
Although the blade is the heart of the knife, it cannot do without a good handle and it is found here. The shape may feel vaguely familiar as it is of course reminiscent of some other knives with a distinct "choil" or recess for the index finger in front of the finger guard. The length is 111 mm, the thickness is at most 13 mm and the height varies between 22 mm and 25 mm.
It is also noticeable that the handle is rather heavily chamfered at the bottom, where milled notches are found. They are both eye-catchers and fulfill the function of providing a better grip. Incidentally, this also applies to the next detail.
 |
| Capybara has a very advanced handle with several details worth an extra look |
Then it's hard to miss the panels found on both sides of the handle made of multi-colored carbon fiber. Capybara is available in two different colors, but here it is black, white, and blue. The same material is also found in both the collar around the pivot screw and in the thumb studs. The material of the rest of the handle is titanium which has been blasted to a sober gray tone.
 |
| In the back, a partial back spacer is found which also hides a bolt where a lanyard can be attached |
Apart from the fact that the handle is thinner in the lower part, all corners and edges are sympathetically rounded and soft against the hand. No sharp edges in either the spine or the inside of the blade groove. The back spacer itself rises slightly above the rest of the handle but is well-rounded. The surface is broken by grooves for better grip.
By the way, the entire handle is characterized by round shapes. It can be added that there is no visible hole for a lanyard. However, an invisible one is found embedded in the back spacer in the form of a bolt.
 |
| It is easy to find a proper grip on the Capybara |
 |
| Some materials require placing a finger in the forward finger choil |
Opening and Lock
Capybara can be opened in several different ways. Primarily, it is a combined flipper and thumb-opened knife. The thumb studs are quite unique both in terms of appearance and material. The shape means that you can push slightly outwards to open the knife with a slow roll or flick it open with your thumb, but then you have to push against the somewhat sharp rear edge of the thumb stud.
 |
| The flipper is one of the main methods of opening the knife |
The material is the same as found in the side panels, multicolored carbon fiber. The function is very good, although it is noticeable that the knife is adapted to also be a flipper-opened knife. The resistance in the detent ball is quite strong.
 |
| The flipper tab is complemented by a pair of completely unique thumb studs that work well too |
It is also noticeable when you use your index finger to open the knife. There is no way to fail the flip as you have to apply some force to get the blade out. In return, it is very fast. As mentioned, the blade runs on fine ceramic ball bearings. The resistance is needed as the blade is relatively heavy. It should be noted that this is a flipper that can only be pulled backward. If you push down, nothing happens.
 |
| QSP has developed a really good frame lock |
You can tell that QSP did not try to make the knife a "free-dropper", i.e. a knife where the blade swings freely when the lock is disengaged. I'm happy about that because the fingertips are always at risk of getting a scar. Here, the feeling is more hydraulic as soon as you pass the detent ball. You simply shake the knife a few times to get the blade to slide into place. The feeling is very smooth and satisfying.
The reason why the resistance is a tad stronger than usual is the extremely sturdy frame lock. It is nothing extraordinary regarding how it is made, it follows template 1A with a lock bar reinforcement and overtravel stop. But it is unusually strong and locks like the famous bank vault. The feel is very solid and there is not even a hint of play in any direction even if the blade is provoked hard.
Despite the strength, the lock is relatively easy to disengage thanks to the chamfered edge of the lock bar and the fact that the opposite side of the handle is recessed. In short, a really good titanium frame lock.
To Carry
"Lagom" as we say in Swedish. Loosely translated to medium, neither excellent nor bad, is a good way to describe the Capybara in terms of carrying comfort. It is not excessively heavy with its approx. 130 g, but it is also not lightweight considering the three-inch blade you get. Apart from the pockets that house the carbon fiber panels, the sides are not lightened in any way. The knife is also not extremely thin and the profile is quite tall with its wide blade. It thus steals some space in your pocket.**
In addition, it has slightly angular thumb studs and a flipper that sticks out. Now it might sound like it would be a difficult knife to carry, but it is not. It's just not the best in this regard.
 |
| A milled titanium clip rounds off the package |
But the flipper is not excessively large and it is rounded with no sharp corners. The thumb studs do not protrude too far and are therefore not in the way. Then everything else is softly rounded and polished. Not least this applies to the handle sides. It also makes the knife easy to pull and put away.
The clip is exclusively made for this specific model. The material is titanium to match the handle and the shape follows the rest of the design well. That means gently sweeping lines and a rear end with the same angle as the knife handle. In the same way, the grooves from the lower part of the handle are found also in the clip. It is attached with only one screw which, however, fulfills its function well. The clip does not move.
The function is more than decent. This type of clips is good-looking for sure, but there's no getting away from the fact that from a purely practical perspective, spring steel clips are usually preferable. That being said, this clip isn't bad. It's thin enough to have good tension and there's room underneath to work with both thinner pants and jeans. However, you should be aware that it is not a "deep carry" clip. Part of the knife is visible when carried in the pocket.
A big advantage of milled titanium clips is that the tips do not point outwards and irritate the hand. That goes for this clip as well, it basically disappears when you use the knife.
To Conclude
From strength to strength is a saying that describes QSP's journey well. They started simply with low-priced but price-worthy knives and worked up a customer base.
Since then they have expanded the catalog step by step and the rest is history. That development has led to crown jewels in the collection like this one. Namely, Capybara is among the better knives that QSP has made.
But it is not the only one, nota bene. I would like to add "in it's price range" to clarify. Comparing an excellent budget knife like the recently reviewed Canary Folder with the Capybara is a bit like comparing apples and pears. Both certainly taste good, but there are obvious differences.
 |
| The Capybara is both a beautiful and potent EDC knife |
It cannot be argued that the Capybara is a budget knife, on the contrary, it is one of QSP's more exclusive models. But you get a lot for your money. The materials are consistently of the highest quality and not least a lot of machine time has been spent on details such as making the panels double-sided, which is not always the case. In addition, you get completely unique solutions such as finding not only carbon fiber but very exclusive carbon fiber in the decorative collars around the pivot screw and not least in the special thumb studs. They are not something taken straight off the shelf but developed for this specific model.
But despite the fine materials, it is still the cohesive design with the flowing lines that attract. It is simply a beautiful knife. Not least I think the black-white-blue pattern and the titanium make this a "winter knife" in some way. There is something about the color scale that gives that impression.
 |
| QSP Capybara, a hit! |
To top it all off, this is a very useful beauty. The ergonomics are good and the grip options are many, while the Capybara cuts really well and for a very long time, one might add.
So if you are looking for a stylish and extremely well-made knife and are not afraid of a slightly higher price tag than the usual from QSP, this is a really good option.
 |
| QSP Knife |
Specification:
Length Overall: 187 mm
Length Folded: 111 mm
Weight: 129 g
Blade Length: 76 mm
Blade Thickness: 3,7 mm
Blade Steel: M390
Handle: Titanium with carbon fiber inlays
Lock: Frame Lock
Produced by: QSP, made in China
/ J -
* However, the only real luxury knife in terms of material was for a long time the Woodpecker with a blade in M390 and handle in titanium. It was later supplemented by some more "mid-range" knives with S35VN and titanium/carbon combinations (Songbird, Harpy, Falcon). A group that has since grown with several models. For a while the model "Mustang" existed, which was a more traditional knife that nowadays cannot even be found on the website under discontinued models. That handle contained, among other things, inlays of Raffir mammoth tooth and stabilized wood.
** It can, for example, be compared to the QSP Canary Folder, which has the same edge length but is lighter, thinner, and narrower.
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar