- a knife with as aggressive a bite as its namesake
Payara is not only a predatory fish from the Amazon, but also the name of a knife model from Al Mar. Now this is not the first version of the knife but the second. The older edition differs from this one on almost every level except the basic shape, as it was slightly larger and heavier and both the lock and the material were different.
The interesting thing about it is that this latest variant falls into a different category of knives. The one that includes other lightweight "crossbar lock" knives, read the "Bug Out Class".
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| Al Mar Payara |
This knife is available in two sizes where the addition of "32" in the name of this one indicates that it is the larger model with a 3.25-inch blade. Now, big doesn't mean it's a giant knife, but still.
Behind the knife's intricate lines is an old acquaintance when it comes to designing for Al Mar, namely Kirk Rexroat. Other knives he designed are, for example, Nomad and B-21.
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| Al Mar's contribution to the class of lightweight "crossbar lock" knives |
Short version: Al Mar Payara - the little knife with the cheeky attitude...and the slightly embarrassing mistake!
Blade
Payara belongs to those knives that have a blade that is not easy to describe. But we can start from "tanto" and then add "modified". The back slopes like a drop point but in two steps. Then the knife has a fairly traditional Japanese tanto point, i.e. not completely straight but with a small belly. The modified part also includes the main edge having an s-shape, a "recurve". Also, the back has a ramp or rather a stop for the thumb as well. Et voila, there you have the blade shape described as closely as possible.
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| A not entirely easily identified but fairly effective blade shape |
The length of the blade in this version is 82 mm, the height is 30-20 mm, and the thickness is 2.5 mm.
The blade finish is a glossy satin and features a pretty decent short story written on it. On the presentation side, you will find both the brand and the logo which now does not contain any red as it did before. On the opposite side, there is the name of the knife, albeit with a small involuntary twist, model number, and country of manufacture, which is incidentally China. Most of Al Mar's slightly more exclusive products are otherwise manufactured in Taiwan.
The steel used is D2 with a stated hardness of 59-60, which is not too bad for the material. At least not if it is found in the upper part of that span.
The factory edge was sharp and shall we say, somewhat even. It is not completely symmetrical if the two sides are compared.
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| But here it gets a little embarrassing...what does it actually say on the blade? The explanation is probably found two lines further down in the short story. "Paraya" is a completely different fish. Extra funny in Swedish where "Piranha" is spelled "Piraya" |
Payaras cutting characteristics are defined by the blade shape. This means that it is, for example, excellent for cutting rope. The curved shape gives an edge that bites well. Then the rounded tip is quite normal in its design and behaves like most others found on more common clip and drop point blades. The difference is that this type of tanto blade has a secondary tip where it meets the rest of the edge. This entails both advantages and disadvantages. It clearly facilitates opening cartons and is excellent when cutting up tape, for example. On the other hand, it is more difficult to resharpen the knife without the point disappearing if you are not very accurate and knowledgeable.
The sharpening is generally a special chapter on knives with recurved edges. Here, however, it is so slight that problems can be avoided by using narrower sharpening stones. But wide ones are not recommended.
As for other features of the Payara, it is a very good EDC knife. Small quick cuts are the area where it excels and especially the aforementioned chores. I often use it in my work where there is a lot of packaging opening in materials such as cardboard and plastic.
One feature that contributes to the knife being perceived so sympathetically is the geometry. The blade is only two and a half millimeters thick from the start and the primary bevel is over a centimeter wide. The blade is not extremely thin behind the edge, however, about 0.5 mm. But it is not experienced negatively in this case.
Handle
The shape of the handle is not as complicated as the blade. But there are still some details to study more closely. The first thing that strikes you is that it is quite curved, the second is the material and the third is perhaps that it is equipped with "jimpings" or grooves just all over. It might not be my favorite feature.
Otherwise, it can be said that it is 11.8 centimeters long, 10.8 mm wide, and about 29-25 mm high.
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| The slightly curved handle is slightly oversized, which gives plenty of room for the whole hand |
The material in the handle is a fibre-reinforced plastic material often called FRN in English. However, they may have slightly different names depending on the make. The interesting thing is that Al Mar states in the presentation text that it is carbon fiber that has been used as reinforcement. In that case, it is something more unusual. Anyhow, it is not the most exciting of materials but on the other hand very practical.
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| The knife is quite thin and the back is mostly closed as you can see |
The previously mentioned grooves are found basically everywhere. They are found near the thumb ramp on the back of the handle, but the index finger also gets its share on the underside. Furthermore, they are found both on the underside and on the upper side at the other end as well.
Add to that that there are patterns on large parts of the rest of the handle as well. A knife that doesn't slip out of your hand in a heartbeat in other words. As usual with such handles, I usually go over them with some fine sandpaper to remove the worst peaks. They might be suitable if you work with gloves on or your hands are full of fish slime, but neither is relevant for me. I don't really need that much grip but prefer a slightly softer feel against the hand.
The knife is equipped with grooves just about everywhere. It gives a good grip, almost too good, whereupon I went over the handle with some fine sandpaper
In general, however, the Payara is comfortable in the hand. The handle is long in such a way that it could be shorter and still hold the blade. A little over a centimeter is extra and there you find a lanyard hole.
However, the length means that all fingers get a firm grip. Then there is no problem with changing grips either. There is a nice flow between different grips, which is not least facilitated by a good balance. The balance point is found just behind the locking bolt.
Opening and Lock
The main way to open Payara is via double-sided thumb studs. They are of the classic "barrel model" which is good. The top is rounded which makes them comfortable to handle and they stick out just far enough to give a good grip. They are also positioned correctly on the blade to both be easy to reach when the knife is closed and to be out of the way when cutting something.
Another way to make the blade emerge is, of course, via the locking bolt, as on all knives of this type. But in this case, it requires a little flick of the wrist.
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| The thumb studs are the main way to open the knife and they work great |
The action was not one of the best when the knife was new. Here, Al Mar has not opted for ball bearings but bronze bushings instead. A solution that I often prefer on knives that are to be used outdoors, but of course, the feeling will not be as smooth or nimble for that matter. In return, the entire knife becomes more resistant to dirt and grit entering the mechanics.
But then there are degrees of smoothness even in these kinds of knives and the Payara was quite sluggish even considering that. However, it has gradually worn in and become more likable, but some of the problems remain. Especially after adjustment. Something that is needed from time to time because the pivot screw has a tendency to loosen after a while. The line between no blade play and a quick opening is very delicate. But it can be found and then the knife is pleasant to handle.
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| The "crossbar" type lock works well |
The lock is, as I said, a "crossbar lock". A type of lock that includes a bolt that sits across the blade base, thus holding it in place. There are many variants of the system today after Benchmade's patent on the Axis lock expired. This variant is called "Max-Lock".
The lock is intuitive to handle and, above all, the top of the screws are not sharp, which I have experienced with some other solutions. The springs that hold everything in place are strong, which gives a fairly high resistance, but in this case, it feels reassuring.
Then it can be noted that both thumb studs and locking bolt have acquired a blue tint. Such details make a knife feel more luxurious.
To Carry
Payara is for the most part a knife that is easy to carry. But there is a fly in the ointment. The actual weight of 85 g is good and even though the handle is relatively long, it is thin at under 1.1 cm. This makes the knife feel comfortable in the pocket.
But there are a couple of small details I would have liked to see differently in terms of the overall picture.
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| A very sizable clip that can be shifted from the right to the left side if desired |
There is, for example, potential for improvements regarding the clip. First, it's too big. It measures almost 6.5 cm in length. A couple of centimeters could easily have been cut while maintaining function.
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| An almost well-functioning clip. It is too long and the attachment point is not good |
Then parts of it can hardly be used because the attachment point is not recessed in the handle side at the same time as the screws stick up. Remove them and the size of the clip can also be adjusted to the better. Now, for all intents and purposes, this only applies to thicker trouser fabric. With thinner shorts or similar, it is not a problem. Otherwise, what happens is that the edge of the fabric sticks to the protruding parts, whereupon part of the clip is unuseable.
In addition to that, the material beneath the clip is quite rough. A small area with a smoother surface would have done the trick and made it easier to pull and put the knife away.
Otherwise, the clip is good with adequate tension and a good ramp.
To Conclude
Al Mar Payara was a knife I liked the look of from the beginning. But since it was a long time ago it was the first edition I looked at. But there were a couple of details even on that knife that I wasn't sure about and wondered how they would work in practice.
Now, this version is a completely different knife but some of the considerations remain as those design elements are still present. One was related to the handle shape. I've never been a fan of handles that taper towards the rear end. The impression is always that they will slip out of the hand forward, like a bar of soap. But here, both material, grooves, and the pattern prevent that. So the potential downside could be quickly written off.
The other possible objection was that the blade might not be practical. You know like a classic puukko type of knife like a Mora knife or a folding knife with a full flat grind. After all, the blade shape is a bit unconventional.*
But thankfully even those fears were unfounded.
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| Payara is a really good EDC knife |
It turned out that the blade actually works very well, especially for most everyday tasks. That said, this is not a "bushcraft" knife. It is not a knife that is very good for cutting wood, simply put. But it is not intended as such either. But if you stick to cutting cardboard, opening plastic packages, puncturing cooking oil cans, cutting nylon webbing around bundles of paper, cutting rope, and other similar tasks, this is a really good knife.
As I said, the grip is not slippery, but rather the other way around. Here we are not talking about the rather fine textured G10 as in the first edition, but heavily patterned fibre-reinforced plastic. Not the sexiest of materials but damn durable and in this case functional.
Overall, therefore, I like this knife. Especially as it is comfortable to carry, but not perfect at that, as I said, there is potential for improvement. This especially applies to the clip and its attachment, which could have been designed better. But otherwise, there is only good to say about Payara in a pocket.
This also applies to balance, weight, and format. The knife is not too small and not too big and thus a good "EDC knife" also in terms of size.
It can be added that since the knife does not come with ball bearings and the smoothest action, it may not be the right knife for those looking for a fidget toy. Payara undoubtedly pulls in the more practical direction.
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| Al Mar Payara during a summer adventure. An excellent all-round knife as long as you are not carving |
All in all, it ends up with a folding knife with great potential as an everyday companion in both work and leisure. In addition, you get a knife that doesn't quite look like all the others. So if you are attracted by the look and are looking for a practical utility knife in what is sometimes referred to as the "Bug Out segment" then you should definitely take another look at the Al Mar Payara.
Specification:
Length Overall: 200 mm
Length Folded: 117 mm
Weight: 85 g
Blade Length: 82 mm
Blade Thickness: 2,5 mm
Blade Steel: D2
Handle: Fiber-reinforced plastic
Lock: Max Lock
Produced by: Al Mar, made in China
/ J - gone fishing
* A similar blade is found on, for example, the Spyderco Vrango, albeit with a completely different type of grind. A knife designed by Swedish Michael Henningson. A blade designed for, among other things, use at sea. That is, with rope cutting in mind.
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