- anything but modest
It was no wonder that I fell for this model. The lines feel familiar and have been seen on some knives over the years. First up was a rather unusual model from Klötzli designed by Wimpff. Des Horn was clearly inspired by it when he designed a similar knife for Spyderco that bears his name. It's a knife I have and in addition, there is an even smaller knife on the same theme from SRM in my collection.
This knife from Civivi called Starflare keeps the same tone so to speak. This means a slim Wharncliffe blade which is more or less mirrored by the shape of the handle, which thus becomes drop-shaped.
The result is visually striking. The question is, however, how is this knife as a tool?
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| Civivi Starflare |
The Starflare is an example of a fairly trendy knife in certain areas. The lock construction is one of them. The handle material, on the other hand, comes and goes in terms of popularity. Civivi holds the flag high in this regard and usually has aluminum in some models in the catalog, even if G10 and Micarta dominate the market at the moment.
The blade is also in tune with the times. Certainly, the type is old but has been rediscovered in recent years when quite a few knives aimed at "EDC" or everyday use as we say have that shape.
But in this case, after all, the design is the big selling point. Similar functions and materials are also found in other Civivi models. Looks don't.
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| A blade and a look that doesn't apologize |
Short version: Civivi Starflare, a knife with a striking exterior that is matched by corresponding features. It cuts well and is comfortable in the hand. As a bonus, the handling is second to none.
Blade
Actually, you could say that the appearance of this knife is based on the shape of the blade. That is for the simple reason that the handle is a mirror of it. What we have here is, as I said, an interpretation of a traditional Wharncliffe. Here I don't even need to use the suffix "modified", because it is not. Here, as it should be, there is a dead-straight edge with no obstruction in the shape of even the slightest of belly. It then meets a blade spine that starts to slope down early. They meet in a, in this case, needle-sharp point.
The shape of the blade has been underlined by a design element that is recognizable from Spyderco Des Horn in the form of grooves that continue from the handle out onto the blade or if it is possible the other way around.
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| The blade shape is an archetype of a Wharncliffe |
It can be said straight away that the Starflare is not a tiny knife. The blade measures close to eight and a half centimeters, 84mm in length, and is 28mm high at the base. The thickness, however, is a modest 3 mm. Through a high flat grind, it gives a blade that measures only 0.3 behind the edge.
Civivi has learned this by now. Once upon a time, they built knives in the same tradition that their luxury brand WE began. That is, with very thick blades that do not cut well at all. They have gone from that to now being among the best on the market. Model after model is released that cuts terribly well.
Starflare is no exception. The pictures show that the tip is needle-sharp. This of course means that it penetrates excellently but also that it can be sensitive. No prying with this tip or it will break.
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| The straight edge ends in a needlepoint. Both equally sharp |
But as an EDC knife, that needlepoint is a good asset both when it comes to punching holes in plastic packaging and various small jobs where you need to fiddle with something sharp.
Starflare cuts like nobody's business. I've been looking into the blade geometry and if you add a sharp edge to the mix, you get an excellent result. This knife is really competent, especially for the material this type of knife might encounter. Unfortunately, plastic in all forms belongs to that category, but also tape, cardboard, thinner cable ties, nylon straps, and similar packaging materials.
But some food handling has also been included in the tests. This is not something that I personally think should be done with folding knives. But for some strange reason, those who are fond of nice folding knives seem to have an aversion to having equally fancy knives in the kitchen. Therefore, I include that aspect.
And if you now want to use the Starflare as an improvised paring knife or petty for fruit and vegetables, it is relatively good for that. I write "relatively" because a Wharncliffe blade is abysmal against flat surfaces. In those cases, only the tip is used and it wears down, which means that the entire knife has to be maintained more frequently.
Speaking of wear, the blade is made of Nitro-V. It keeps the sharpness well, but not extremely so I've noticed. The good in that context is that the edge and the steel respond well to being stropped.
It doesn't very easy so no spots on the blade and no other problems have arisen during the test period.
Handle
As previously mentioned, aluminum is used for the handle. The construction is apparently simple as they took two solid pieces of 4 mm each and connected them at two points beside the pivot screw. The back is open and there are two spacers along with the two stop pins for the blade that was used.
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| The handle is large enough for a solid four-finger grip and there is the possibility to sneak closer to the blade as desired |
But it is not the material that is striking, but a couple of other things. One is, of course, the color. This one is really bright lime green. If you don't like the color, the knife is available in an equally shiny fire truck red color. For the more modest user, the knife is also available in black and grey.
In addition to the color, some distinctive design elements in the form of a large circle around the pivot screw/Civivi logo and the stars marked through the lines in the handle are also visible.
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| The handle is made from two well-rounded 4 mm thick pieces of aluminum |
The aluminum sides are softly shaped and even though the sides are flat, they are so finely rounded that they feel arched. It gives a soft feeling against the hand in general and against the index finger in particular when it has found its natural place in the recess intended for this purpose.
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| A handle that is comfortable in the hand with one small exception |
The length means that even a rather large hand can fit all the fingers. The soft shapes also make it easy to change grips when needed. It is also possible to sneak forward with an index finger on or in front of the rounded front part of the handle when or if needed.
The only fly in the ointment I will come back to. In general, this is a well-functioning handle as long as you stay away from heavier work. But the blade is not suitable for that either. The handle is too slippery and spool-shaped for that type of adventure.
Opening and Lock
In all simplicity, it can be said that the Starflare is one of the fastest knives to open you can find. It is something of an achievement as knives with this type of lock lack a detent ball. Here, it is the locking mechanism that is responsible for the resistance that holds the blade in place in the retracted position.
In this case, Civivi has tuned it so well that the blade comes out with lightning speed as soon as you use the double-sided thumb studs. It certainly applies if you use your index finger on the back of the blade as well. It is possible to open the knife slowly, but then you have to break the resistance first and then continue the movement.
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| The double-sided thumb studs are quite small but work extremely well |
In fact, the knife is so easy to open that when you want to close it, you have to turn it on its side in order not to get full speed on the blade as it has a tendency to bounce out again if you don't have absolute timing with the lock. The blade runs on fine ceramic ball bearings and that explains part of the performance.
The second partial explanation is, of course, that the knife has a button lock or "plunge lock"* as it is also called.
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| This is what a plunge/button lock looks like in the locked position. The thicker part of the bolt seen on the right rests against the top of the blade base. When the lock is deactivated, that part is pushed into the side of the handle and releases the blade. The tension in the bolt is provided by a very small spring inside the thicker part |
For most people, the lock type needs no explanation at this point. But for those who don't know, it can be said that it consists of a concentric locking bolt that is spring-loaded. When the lock is activated, the thicker part of the bolt falls into place above the blade base.
On this knife, it is performed far beyond expectations. By that, I mean that everything works and makes it perfect. The lock is easy to use, it locks every time and it is easy to release. It's also reasonably strong and in this case tuned to perfection. This is the basis for the excellent action of the knife.
To Carry
Streamlined like a seal is one way to describe this handle. A shape that is also enhanced by the well-rounded edges. It is a good basis for a knife that should be easy to carry in a pocket. The smooth aluminum surface does not impair the conditions.
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| This is one of Civivi's standard clips and the shape of the handle makes it stick out very far |
The length is closer to twelve centimeters, 11.7 cm and it is certainly not small. Especially not as the thickness is 11.9 mm. Good for comfort and ergonomics but slightly worse in the pocket as it increases the volume. But on the other hand, this handle is, as I said, drop-shaped, which concretely reduces it. But that means that the Starflare is not among the thinnest of pocket knives. But the weight is just under one hundred grams, which makes it easier to carry.
If you combine the features, you get a knife that doesn't feel noticeable in your pocket unless your pockets are tight. Then the thickness is felt. The Starflare is also easy to pull and tuck away due to the smooth sides and a clip that works well in that area.
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| The clip allows most of the knife to be hidden in the pocket |
A few more things can be said about the clip. One is that it is one of Civivi/Sencut's generic models and is found on more knives. Another is that it works reasonably well in this case. The tension is good and the attachment is solid. The clip is held in place with two T6-screws placed in tandem. The rest of the screws on the handle are consistently T8s. The screw heads are flat but the clip is not recessed in the side. Despite that, it doesn't move sideways and there is enough space underneath. The same can be said about the ramp which is decent.
One problem, however, is that the tip of the clip points outwards. On the Starflare it usually hides in the middle of the hand where it is not in the way as much as otherwise.
It's worse with the back end of the clip. Since it is of a deep ride character and is also found on an almost drop-shaped handle, it almost sticks out of the handle sides. This means that it forms a sharp edge that rests against the hand in an uncomfortable way. No problems with fast light cuts, but it feels when you are closing the hand with more force. This applies to both hammer and saber grips.
To Conclude
Those of you who follow me on Instagram know that I'm a fan of the Spyderco Des Horn as it pops up there from time to time. From there, the step is not that far to this knife, although this one is significantly larger. It is actually more substantial than one might be led to believe.
Possibly the design could be a divider. It is very bold and this is emphasized by the color in this case. And in most cases, it can be added. Of course, Civivi Starflare is also available in all black or with a dark damask blade, but it is the bright colors that otherwise characterize the model. Bright red or, as here, lime green are examples of that.
The starting point is the round part made up of the Civivi logo with the associated gray aluminum collar around it. It acts as the center. The blade's distinctive lines have then been reflected in the shape of the handle. Therefore, it becomes drop-shaped. Then everything is emphasized with the fast-paced shooting stars with their lines that tie together the blade and handle.
It has a bit of an art deco design about it, a sense of movement even in stationary objects.
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| Starflare is an excellent EDC knife but is slightly larger than you might first think |
But the Starflare isn't just a good-looking knife. It is actually quite practical as well. The handle feels soft and comfortable. There is a notable difference between rough G10 and soft aluminum in this regard. The blade is effective as long as it involves quick small cuts and all tasks that require a straight edge or a sharp point. Quite obviously, it's not a knife for heavier work, outdoor use, or things that require a stronger tip.
As usual, this knife is extremely well-built. In that area, Civivi is a champion. An example of that is the lock. Starflare is a fanfare for button locks. I don't think it gets much better than this. Not only is the function itself excellent but it is very easy to handle when it comes to disengaging. In addition, it is so well-tuned that the rest of the knife's action is extremely good as well. Especially since the thumb studs are correctly applied both in terms of placement and shape.
But also other quality markers such as sharp factory edge, centered blade, etc. are in place.
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| Civivi Starflare is a knife you get for looks. You get good functionality on the side |
Starflare is therefore a knife I really appreciate! There are no practical objections here, apart from the small details I mentioned. Even so, I cannot recommend it unconditionally. As I said, it can't handle everything, but above all, it's a knife that stands out from the crowd, so it's not for those who want an anonymous knife.
Civivi has many knives that are similar to each other and several of them are good but few are as striking as this one.
Specification:
Length Overall: 200 mm
Length Folded:117 mm
Weight: 98 g
Blade Length: 84 mm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Blade Steel: Nitro-V
Handle: Aluminum
Lock: Button lock
Produced by: Civivi, made in China
/ J - appreciate practical design exercises
*My first contact with the lock type was on a Böker Speedlock I bought in the nineties.
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