- they almost nailed it!
This knife has a look that immediately appealed to me. This may be because I have several "Barlows" which is the classic pattern that this knife took its inspiration from. This means a knife with a slightly cigarre-shaped handle and a front bolster, usually slightly longer than what is present here. It was originally made to get a stronger knife. Otherwise, they are of course usually slip joints and open with two hands. This does not apply here, which makes the knife more of a "modern traditional".
On this knife, the bolster is probably more for appearance and perhaps to better house the locking systems rather than contributing to durability. Yes, I write locks in the plural but more on that later.
These are my opinions on Artisan Cutlery's Holmmodel.
å den här kniven är nog bolstret mest till för utseendets skull och kanske för att bättre härbergera låssystemen snarare än att bidra till hållbarheten. Ja, jag skriver lås i plural men mer om det senare.
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| Artisan Cutlery Holm |
Artisan Cutlery seems to be following a habit that both they and some other manufacturers have started with, which is to release one or two variations on a new knife model and then see how it goes. If it works out, there will be more. Now I don't know if that was the case, but at the time of writing, there are at least ten versions of Holm to choose from. What varies is the handle materials, where there is everything from Acrylic plastic in a few different colors via G10 and wood to carbon fiber and titanium.
Then there is a more budget-oriented edition equipped with a simpler steel. This knife belongs to that group. In the more expensive knives, you can find CPM S90V.
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| Holm, a modern folding knife with clear classic features |
Short Version: Artisan Cutlery Holm, is an excellent knife that unfortunately includes a solution looking for a problem
Blade
The blade shape, like the entire knife, flirts with older times and is a cross between a Wharncliffe and a Sheepsfoot. The difference between them is how early the blade spine curves downwards to meet the edge in a point. Wharncliffe blades are therefore more pointed and thus Holm can be placed in that compartment. Then we have to add "modified" to the name as the archetype has a completely straight edge while this one has a small but clear belly.
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| The knife features a modified Wharncliffe made from AR-RPM9 |
The blade is 79 mm long, 22 mm high, and only 2.5 mm thick. The latter of course has a positive effect on how the knife is to work with. The finish is a nicely executed stone wash. The blade has a recess to facilitate future sharpening. It is also very discreetly marked. The Artisan logo is found in a minimal format on the ricasso, just below the thumb knob. On the other side, if you have excellent eyesight, you can read the knife steel and model number.
The only clear decorative element is a distinct notch (fuller) that extends along the upper flat part of the blade. That notch is practical when the knife is to be opened with two hands but otherwise of no benefit at all. Firstly, debris tends to get stuck in such applications and secondly, I have discovered that rust occurs there. This is because I have used the knife in a kitchen environment where there is of course some moisture. Especially since the knife is washed after use in many situations.
However, when I think about it, there is another detail made for show and that is the elegantly rounded blade spine.
"Fullers" in all their glory, but they have a tendency to collect dirt in them
But aside from that small drawback, this is a really practical blade. The small belly makes it easier to work on flat surfaces such as cutting boards. Holm has had to step in more than once to cut vegetables and fruit at work just so it could work a little more before the review. But meat and poultry have also been trimmed with this knife.
However, it has been used primarily as a package opener. Then a good point is necessary. That is why I personally do not appreciate pure Sheepsfoot blades. The materials handled are of course cardboard of various thicknesses from simple cardboard to double corrugated cardboard, plastic of both thinner and thicker varieties, as well as tape and nylon straps of the kind found around packages.
Overall, Holm is a very good knife for the quick cuts that are relevant in those cases but which are also the most common tasks for most of my EDC knives. Then there are more specialized tasks and I might leave them to a stronger knife. This includes, for example, trimming throwing knife targets and similar tasks.
Handle
This knife has a fairly advanced handle considering how it is constructed. The shape, however, is very simple. It is a traditional cigar shape with rounded ends both at the back and front. Something that is reinforced by the fact that the sides are also arched. In addition, they have chosen to let the frame rise above the side panels. Something I am not entirely fond of as it gives a cheaper impression. But I understand why they did it as some models have a contrasting color on the frame which is then more visible. In this case, both the bolster and frame are blackened with PVD.
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| A handle with a steel bolster coated with PVD and G10 handle sides |
The frame is very heavily lightened internally and is held together at three points, two of which are spacers and a bolt that is the attachment for a lanyard. The lanyard can only be a very thin nylon line. o paracord fit here. Otherwise, the back is open. Although it was not quite true that there were only two points that hold the knife together, the pivot screw and the double locks also contribute to that.
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| The inner frame is greatly lightened and rises slightly above the rest of the handle. |
On the outside of the frame are black G10 bolsters that are screwed in with two T8 flat-head screws. Just the way I prefer it. The sides are, as I said, three-dimensionally shaped and fairly well polished, which gives an almost wood-grain-like surface that is attractive to look at.
Underneath the bolsters are additional screws that hold the bolsters in place. As I said, they are made of steel but blackened in this case.
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| A handle that's as easy to hold as it is to look at. No surprises here |
In hand, Holm is simply comfortable. It is not surprising that some basic handle variations stand the test of time. The shape of hands has not changed and this is reflected in some knife handles. This means that all grips work with this knife. The most common grips - such as hammer- or saber grip, holding the knife in the pinch in different ways or turning the knife either with the edge towards you or upside down in an ice pick grip.
The handle is long enough at ten centimeters for all fingers to easily fit. On some knives, 10 cm can feel short if there are many details to take into account such as pronounced depressions, finger guards and "duck beaks". Here, however, the entire surface of the handle can be used to grip the knife as no such inventions need to be taken into account.
However, you should be aware that this is not a commando knife. It may be obvious, but what is meant by this is that the grip, or rather the lack thereof, makes this not the right knife to stab or poke too hard with. The materials are smooth and there are no grooves or the like for a better grip.
Opening and Lock
Holm is a knife that is primarily opened with thumb studs. They are of the traditional barrel-shaped model and work excellently. Just enough of them stick out to provide a good grip but above all, they are extremely well placed as they are really out of the way when the knife is in use. To facilitate access there is a small depression on each side of the bolster. The double-sided studs can be used both to fold out the blade quietly or to flick it out with your thumb or index finger depending on how busy you are and what technique is preferred.
Then there is also a notch in the blade which is mainly decorative but which can also be used to open Holm with two hands for those who feel like having a more relaxed attitude towards folding knife opening.
Like all knives with this type of lock, it can, of course, be opened as a "Gravity Knife", meaning if you release the lock, the blade swings freely and you can easily flick it out. It's faster than a classic stiletto. But psst, don't tell the legislators about it.
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| The thumb studs which are intended as the primary method of opening the knife are really good |
In addition to the type of lock, it helps that the blade runs on ceramic ball bearings. The fact that this knife is so easy to both open and close is one of the reasons why it works so well for certain types of tasks, such as many of those that appear in my work. There are a lot of small cuts involved, mainly opening packages and containers of various kinds. Then it is excellent to have a knife that is easy to pull and quickly fold out and in with one hand. All of that fits in with Holm.
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| Why settle for one lock when you can fit two? Plus a blade stop too |
But then we come to a large gray animal with a trunk that is in the middle of the room. Even when I presented this knife, I was skeptical about the idea of the double locks. That feeling never left and now I know why. What they call a "safety switch" is a completely pointless function. Why on earth would you have two locks? It's not like I've ever been in an accident that would have been prevented by the knife having an extra lock. Consequently, it is never used.
To its advantage, it can be said that it is good as a non-function as well. That is, it does not get in the way like, for example, CRKT's equally stupid invention "Auto Lawks" that jumps in automatically. The whole phenomenon is a typical example of a solution looking for its own problem. This extra lock works just like a regular Button Lock, but worse because it lacks the spring that makes it soft to handle and instead relies on friction. It also makes the knife rattle a little when shaken. Something that many knife enthusiasts are allergic to.
On a more positive note, the main, spring-loaded Button Lock system is really well-made. Just so good that you don't need both a belt and braces. It's easy to handle, it locks just as well as you could wish for without any play in the blade and it's exemplary easy to release.
The button sticks out just enough to be easy to access while also preventing it from being pressed by mistake. The lock is also ambidextrous. With your right hand, you operate it with your thumb, and with your left hand, you use your index finger.
To Carry
Barlows are one of the oldest types of pocket knives. This means they also fit well in a pocket. Thankfully, Holm has not lost that quality along the way when reinterpreting the knife type.
A seal-shaped figure with slightly arched sides and a soft bolster and polished handle sides make the knife easy to carry.
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| The clip, one of this company's standard ones, works well |
The dimensions are also nothing to be alarmed about. I have mentioned the length and it should be combined with a height of 2.1 cm and a thickness of 1.4 cm. This makes the handle quite round but it still does not constitute a large volume in the pocket.
The weight is nice as Holm weighs under a hundred grams in this version.
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| Even though the clip is not recessed into the side, there is enough space underneath for most types of fabric. |
The clip is a standard clip from Artisan Cutlery/CJRB and is not unique to this knife. However, this particular version is blackened with PVD to match the bolster and frame. A coating that has proven to last well during the test period. Otherwise, black clips often have a tendency to look shabby after a while.
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| ...and there the knife disappeared! Not much of Holm is visible in a pocket |
It's a good clip with good functionality. The ramp is large enough to fit both jeans and a jacket pocket. It also works well for work pants, although it should be added that mine are of the thinner type as kitchens are hot. Therefore, it is not a challenge to thread a clip over that trouser edge. The spring in the clip is adequate and there is no movement in it because it is attached with double screws in tandem formation. The only thing that could have been improved would have been if they had reached out a little more and milled out a pocket for the clip in the handle side.
You can do without that, but at least the clip is removable.
To Conclude
Holm is a knife from Artisan Cutlery that has some characteristics that make it a little difficult to place in my world. It's not the appearance because it's a modern interpretation of a Barlow we have in front of us. Or at least it would have been if the bolster had been longer. No, what I mean is the price range. Since Artisan is the flagship of the company and CJRB is the low-cost brand, I get confused when the two go into each other. Holm is a relatively cheap knife. Now that's not a bad thing, on the contrary, it makes it more affordable, but it does muddy the waters a little. Now that doesn't apply to all variants of this knife, I should add. It is now also available in several luxury versions with S90V in the blade and then we are talking about premium material with an associated price tag.
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| Midwinter Coffee with the eminent Artisan Cutlery Holm |
Like its historical predecessor, Holm is an excellent pocket knife. Both literally as comfortable to carry in a pocket but also as an everyday companion. It is easy to handle, easy to draw, and almost as easy to put away. The blade can be folded out in several ways and the lock gets approval too.
It is also practical. The blade shape is all-round and the thin material together with a fine edge means that Holm cuts excellently. I have nothing negative to say about that at all.
But I have to talk about the elephant in the room. Redundancy is a nice word but does not belong in the context of locks on folding knives. Artisan Cutlery is certainly the first in the world with this solution, but there is a reason for that.
No extra locks are needed if the original is well-made. This becomes especially clear in this case as the main lock is good enough. The only time any kind of double "Super lock" would be of any use is if it is a very large folding knife intended to be used for more than EDC tasks. That is, anything but this knife.
In all simplicity, it can be stated that every damn variant of such "safety features" in the history of folding knives has flopped. Mostly because they are completely unnecessary and instead cost time and therefore money to design and manufacture. Putting those resources somewhere else on the knife instead is my tip. In this case, improving the fit between the materials could have been a little better.
Then I have a small detail I would have liked to see differently and that is how the frame is higher than the handle sides and bolsters. It is certainly consistently done but still looks like it was missed when the knife was made. I prefer properly smooth and well-fitted parts. It looks much more luxurious.
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| Artisan Cutlery Holmin the pale winter sun waiting for the next snowfall |
But overall, these are still minor complaints. The extra lock stays out of the way and the fit is not bad, just not perfect. Otherwise, the Artisan Cutlery Holm is a very nice acquaintance. It is an elegant pocket knife with a very satisfying action. In addition, it is comfortable in the hand and cuts like a good knife should. That makes it damn practical too.
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| Artisan Cutlery |
Specifications:
Length Overall: 185 mm
Length Folded: 106 mm
Weight: 92 g (weighted by me, stated 85,4g)
Blade Length: 79 mm
Blade Thickness: 2,5 mm
Blade Steel: AR-RPM9
Handle: Micarta
Lock: Button Lock (x2)
Produced by: Artisan Cutlery, made in China
/ J - likes his Barlows
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