New Knife - Cretace Ares

For a long time, I have been looking for a good OTF knife. What I was looking for was a Chinese-made piece in decent materials, as I don't want to pay what Microtech, for example, charges in Europe. I simply don't think they are anywhere near being worth it.*

But then this brand, unknown to me, appeared. They call themselves Cretace, and the model is called Ares.

Cretace Ares

The first thing that is special about this knife is that it is not a copy of anything, which was my first requirement. The shapes are not completely unique, but they never are on OTF knives as they have to be based on some kind of rectangular box shape to house the blade. This means that many of them look confusingly similar.

Here, the box/handle is made of 606 aluminium with all edges and corners nicely rounded. In the handle, you will then find a "window" made of Ultem. It shows the interior of the knife. So, for those who don't know how a knife like this works, the spring can be studied from the outside. The spring kicks with some force without being the hardest on the market.

The entire knife is 21 cm long, of which the handle accounts for 12 cm and the blade 9 cm. Not exactly small, in other words. The factory edge gets approved, and so does the steel, which is N690. A fully usable medium steel. In this version, the knife has a blade with a tanto tip, but it is also available as a regular drop point.

A well-built knife with a 6061 aluminium handle, N690 blade and titanium clip

An extra luxurious detail is that the clip is made of TC4 titanium, which has also been anodised to resemble the gold anodised screws that hold the knife together. They, in turn, match the Ultem inlay. It gives a well-thought-out expression.

Overall, the knife feels very solid, and for the price, it is a bargain. I can reveal that the play in the blade is almost non-existent. Something that usually characterises a good OTF. In fact, less than the last Microtech knife I handled. In addition, the sound is very satisfying, a dull "click" without the ringing that can sometimes accompany simpler knives in the category.

There will be more features with this knife, be sure!

/ J - listens to a "klack"

* This also applies to some other well-known brands such as Benchmade, Heretic, Kershaw, etc. The knife type is not cheap to begin with, and with the current surcharges, the final price in Europe is outrageous in my opinion.

New Knife - A.G.A. Campolin Pattada

Resòlza is one of the names for a very famous knife pattern from Italy, or rather Sardinia, to be precise. There are three basic variants, each with a slightly different blade shape.

This type has blades that mimic the shape of myrtle leaves and is known under the name resolza Pattadese. Pattada is simply a place on the island that is also very famous for its knives.

This knife bears the name Pattada even though it is made in Maniago. This is an automatic version and comes from the famous company A.G.A Campolin. 

A.G.A. Campolin Pattada

Given that it is a tribute to the knife type and a new production of a model from the sixties, it has the classic long, slender blade shape that goes with it. More unusual is that a modern stainless steel, N690, has been chosen. A steel that may not be the finest on the market, but is fully functional and significantly better than most that can be found on simpler variants of Italian automatic knives. This makes this knife also usable as a utility knife.

The handle is available in a couple of different variants, but the most classic is either horn (it should preferably be ram's horn to be authentic) or wood. In this case, ebony is used. As you probably know, it varies in color from dark brown to almost black.

The bolster is made of nickel silver and houses the button that both releases the blade and acts as a lock button. Very practical with everything in one.

A very classic silhouette with origins from Sardinia

The knife is a total of 21 cm long, so not completely small, but still on the lower end for a Resolza, which can be significantly larger. The blade length is 8 cm, and the weight is quite low at 99 g.

It should be said that the blade has a relatively good snap, and there is very little play in the open position. None sideways actually. The knife is well built but in a more classic way. That is to say, it does not have the precision that, for example, a perfectly produced modern knife from say Civivi or similar companies does. But in return, AGA Campolin's knives are assembled by hand in the same way as they have always been. It gives the knife a completely different feel. Simply more personality.

It is a very beautiful knife, in my opinion that adorns its place in the collection. If you want one, you should probably act now, as AGA Campolin is not always available and does not always keep all models over time.

/ J - goes automatic

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