New Knife - Two Sun TS492

Some knives look good in pictures. The TS492 from Two Sun is one of them. Now it looks pretty good in real life, too. As usual with knives from this brand, the precision in manufacturing is very high. Sometimes it's more than that. I've rarely bought something from them that hasn't been good.

A knife that is an orgy of titanium and carbon fiber

The designer behind this knife is called Utilizator and has done a good job. As far as a few details, I might add. The knife is very attractive in a semi-brutal way, which is what attracted me to place a bid on eBay.

But the handle doesn't really fit human hands. At least not those with normal proportions. It's too big, especially the indentation for the index finger. No matter how you grip the knife, it's only almost right. It's possible to partially compensate for that, but more on that another time.

Two Sun TS492

The materials used are titanium, which is found in both the bolster, frame, back spacer, and clip. On the outside, there are sides in high-quality carbon fiber that are put in place with very high precision. The whole knife exudes a good finish otherwise.

This applies to the lock, which is a frame lock, or perhaps it should be called a "bolster lock" as not the entire lock bar is visible. The opening also feels solid. The blade runs on ball bearings and can be opened both via oversized thumb studs and a front flipper.

The steel used is a recent classic, if you can put it that way, it is 14C28N. Not the most luxurious, but passable. The length of the blade is 94 mm with a thickness of 3.7 mm. The total length of the knife is 219 mm. In other words, it is not completely small. Especially not as the handle is 16 mm thick.

This makes it noticeable in a pocket. Especially since it weighs in at 160 grams. But overall, it's a nice acquaintance. The TS492 feels very solid and is well built, and offers a lot of material for the money.

/ J - squinting at the suns

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New Knife - Karesuandonkniven Pältsa

This is actually not Swedish Karesuandokniven's first foray into folding knife country. I don't know exactly how well the first two, called Nallo and Singi, were received or how they felt as I never tested them. But even though the handle material was stained birch, there was something about the rest of the design that didn't quite sit right with me. Then I thought that the materials, especially the knife steel, were not really on par with the price.

No, it's not a painting but the box that the knife comes in!

Now, however, a new attempt is being made, and that is with vengeance. Building folding knives is more complicated than carving a fixed blade, everyone knows that. Therefore, when it comes to the mechanics themselves, they have entered into a collaboration with some who have a lot of experience in the field. The choice fell on Maniago-based Fox Knives.

Pältsa comes with a leather case and lanyard with a button in reindeer horn

The result of that collaboration is really exciting on several points. A knife with Italian "action" imbued with Swedish tradition. The latter is perhaps the reason why the knife was named Pältsa, Sweden's northernmost high mountain if memory serves me correctly.

But it is not only the name that is typical but also the materials. Here you will find leather, reindeer antler, Masur birch and not to forget Swedish steel. Here they have chosen RWL34 from Damasteel. From that, you get a blade that measures 75 mm in length, 20 mm in height, and is 2.5 mm thick. Excellent measurements, at least on paper. In addition, they have chosen to temper the steel to a suitable 61HRC, which also sounds good in theory. The blade has also a Scandi grind, which of course is appropriate.

Karesuandokniven Pältsa

But that's where the traditional ends. In some respects, this is a hypermodern knife that is also completely unique! Or do you know of any other knife models on the market that are equipped with a back lock but at the same time are partially open in the back and have a back spacer? If you were to find it, you can try to find one that also combines a spacer in reindeer antler with handle sides in Masur birch and then rounds everything off with a frame in...carbon fiber! I can say that both that frame material* and the reindeer antler are completely new to me. However, it is very exciting. In addition to that, it can be added that the handle is completely three-dimensional shaped.

Overall, this makes for a very exciting and visually attractive knife that I really look forward to carrying and using. Especially as it is ultralight. A review is coming, be sure!

/ J 


* I have knives that are made entirely of carbon fiber but no one has built the frame entirely from it and combined it with wooden sides.

#knivesandbikes #knivigtvarre

New Knife - QSP Hornbill

In the line of new knives from QSP, I've saved the best for last. I think anyway. It has been named Hornbill and thus follows the custom of naming knives after birds.*

In this case, the best refers to the most exclusive materials and the most advanced processing in terms of both handle and blade.

QSP Hornbill

This applies not least to the interestingly shaped handle made of blue carbon fiber. It has been milled in a kind of sunbeam pattern which gives visual interest to the knife while also contributing to the grip. Quite clever, I think. 

But just as interesting as the exciting handle is the stone-tumbled blade which includes both a hole and thumb studs. In addition, it has a substantial depression on the spine and a sturdy swedge. In other words, a visually very interesting blade. Or perhaps "busy" if you like a more modest look. 

The blade steel is S35VN, which places it towards the top in terms of materials that QSP uses, even if they released models with, for example, 20CV as well. 

A visually interesting knife with many details and matching materials

Hornbill is thus a knife that can be looked at more than once and still find more exciting details to study. Something that also applies to the matching clip in titanium.

Otherwise, it can be stated that it is a medium to small folding knife with a blade length of 83 mm and a total unfolded length of approx. 19 centimeters. The weight ends up around 110 grams.

Spontaneously, I have to admit that I think it is both beautiful and interesting. It will be really fun to test this little knife. 

QSP Knife

/ J 

* Then who knows where "Hedgehog" fits into that strategy.

#knivesandbikes #knivigtvarre

New Knife - QSP Hedgehog

More knife news turned up on the doorstep while the year 2022 gasped for breath and waited to pass away. This particular knife is both new and not at the same time. It has been making the rounds on social media for a while. Since sometime this summer I think. As usual, knife news are often presented at the major fairs in the USA. That goes for this model as well, which caused a number of knives to be given away by the North American representatives to various YouTubers. Therefore, there are already some reviews of it long before it was available in stores.

But for me QSP Hedgehog  is a new acquaintance! And what a nice one it is!

QSP Hedgehog QS142-C

This despite the fact that the Hedgehog is neither the most average folding knife nor something I should like. Let me explain. 

For starters, this is a modern slip joint and thus the knife has no lock. In addition, it lacks a clip, which the majority of modern folding knives have. Now there are two features that don't put me off but the blade shape usually does. Someone called it a Wharncliffe, but it's not. With the abruptly sharp straight nose, it is rather a coping blade or perhaps it can be said to be razor-inspired. In any case, it is a blade that, like that model, has been provided with a distinct hollow grind that ends by being thin behind the edge. The steel used is Swedish in the form of Sandvik 14C28N.

Therefore, it is already noticeable at first glance that this knife will slice well. In addition, it is obvious that it is very well built. The 'Walk and Talk'  is really good with a distinct half way stop. Then there is not the slightest gap between the back spring the frame. Furthermore the handle sides are both exclusive and well made. This is the more luxurious version with "golden carbon fiber" in the sides. It is also available in a slightly simpler version with a Micarta handle and a lower price tag.

The comfort promises well too. I suspect the knife is ergonomic as it is very comfortable to just hold.

Massively good impressions, in other words, despite the blade shape!

QSP

/ J - impressed

Review - QSP Legatus

  

-  when only the best is good enough

Certainly, this is not QSP's first foray into the higher realm beyond the simplest of knives. Fresh in my mind are models such as Hamster and Puffin. Knives that I previously reviewed here on the blog. Those knives, along with the older models Kylin and Songbird, are built with titanium handles and S35VN in the blades, which together with QSP's high level of quality form a solid foundation.

But the very highest levels have only been visited with Woodpecker and Mustang before. They both boast M390 steel in the blades and Mustang with Raffir-treated wood and mammoth molar in the handle. Fairly exclusive materials, in other words.

Such exotic elements are not found in this knife, but the craftsmanship is on the same level, the same fine blade steel is used, and not least you get a sophisticated design. The knife I'm talking about is, as the title says, the QSP Legatus.

QSP 136-B Legatus

QSP belongs to the companies that mostly sell "in-house" designed knives, which has the consequence that the person or the design team behind the design thus remains anonymous to most.

That is not the case this time. Legatus has been lent muscle from DBW or Dutch Blade Works as it should be read. The person who sets the tone when it comes to the actual design work on their knives is the knife maker Toni Oostendorp. In this particular case, he collaborated with Cees Kaan and the result was this knife that they made specifically for QSP.

Legatus is a result of collaboration between QSP and DBW

Twitter version: When QSP flexes muscles by pairing high production quality and the best materials with a DBW design, the result is as spectacular as the Legatus!

Blade

A knife blade is, of course, the heart of a knife in some way. The part that determines the attitude of the knife and not least what it is good for. In this case, almost everything. To achieve that, a flexible blade shape is needed and then a proper drop point is always close at hand. Here, the appearance has been tweaked a bit through a thumb ramp that makes the blade almost appear to have a "harpoon shape". An element reinforced by a long swedge. Then the blade is distinguished by the fact that it is fairly wide at 3.2 centimeters.

The drop point blade is made from M390 and you get generous amounts of it as the blade is 86mm long and 3.8mm thick and relatively tall

It is a measurement that must be set in relation to the length, which in turn is 86 mm. The ratio makes the blade look slightly larger than it actually is. The stock thickness is 3.8 mm. It gives a very sturdy blade. The finish is a very well-done two-tone satin. The marking consists of the QSP logo on one side along with the steel type and on the opposite side DBW's double triangle marking is found.

The flat-ground blade thins to 0.5 mm behind the edge. It produces a blade that is strong and cuts well. But in fairness, it could be even thinner as M390 is a steel that can withstand it. But in these eras, manufacturers often use both braces and belts. They are more afraid of getting a bad reputation because a product does not hold up to the treatment they are subjected to in extreme tests on Youtube than they are to slice optimally. That said, the Legatus cuts well. It's just that it could have been even better!

The factory edge also gets approved for that.* Sharp and relatively smooth I might add considering the asterisk. To facilitate future maintenance, the blade has a substantial combined finger/sharpening choil, i.e. a recess at the transition between ricasso and blade. In this case, the good thing is that any tendency towards a recurve is avoided. It is also an advantage for future sharpening. But considering the steel, that will not happen very often.

DBW's logo is found on the back of the blade

The Legatus is a very nice knife to work with. Namely, it behaves as it looks, i.e. simple but sophisticated. Translated into work, this means you don't have to think much. Everything just works. An example of this is that the tip is exactly where you expect it to be when you need to poke something.

The edge consists of a fairly long curve, which facilitates both sweeping cuts and uses where you cut against a flat surface. Many knife reviewers today advocate Wharncliffe blades for what they call "utility cuts" or cuts where only the tip is used as on a Stanley knife. Personally, I'm not quite as fond of that technique, especially since it's only the tip that gets dull because it's basically only the part that's used. A trick when, for example opening properly taped boxes is to turn the knife upside down and use the back of the tip instead when needed.

This is a more flexible blade shape in my opinion. You can use it in the same way, but you can also cut against, for example, a piece of a plank or a cutting board, which is very difficult with a straight edge. Then the sturdy proportions of the blade together with the solid handle and the strong lock invite you to use the knife a little harder than its fine exterior suggests it can handle. The M390 steel bites well in both thinner cords via rope up to a thicker tamp. The same applies to denim and jute, which I tested the knife on.

For the same reason, the knife is not at all unsuitable for cutting wood. Now, full metal blades may not be my first choice for outdoor life, but the Legatus is solid enough and the edge bites well even in dry, hardwood. In addition, the knife has proven to be durable.

Handle

The handle on the Legatus is characterized by being large and spacious, it feels generous in some way. The construction is straightforward and follows the template for this type of knife. The material is titanium, and in addition, we are talking about a couple of substantial pieces. The thickness of the sides is a full 4 mm and they are not lightened in any way. No milled compartments or drilled sections on the inside but well on the outside where a couple of inlays are found.

They, in turn, are found on both sides, which is not always the case regardless of the price range of the knife. They are made of a material I have not come across before. It is a combination of colored G10 interspersed with carbon fiber into a marble-like pattern. If you don't like those sides, the knife is also available with regular black carbon fiber. The inserts are made so that they rise one millimeter above the rest of the handle side. Incidentally, it is the only rounding available. The sides are otherwise flat. However, all edges are exemplary and well done. There is not a single sharp edge on this knife. Yes, except for the edge then.

The spacious handle is made of titanium with inserts of a G10/carbon fiber material

The sides are screwed with two T6 screws in addition to an adjustable pivot screw with a T8 head. Dimensions that have almost become standard on knives today. In the back, a partial backspacer is found, in which a lanyard attachment is ingeniously hidden. By the way, the inserts are screwed on and fixed from the inside, which gives a cleaner look.

The sides are a full 4 mm thick. The back is partially open

As I said, the handle is substantial, and translated into measurements it means a height of 23-28 mm and a thickness of 13 mm across the back. The length is 12 cm for the knife in the folded position. Of that, just under ten centimeters is available space for the hand.

A large and comfortable handle to both hold and work with

Then it can quickly be established that Oostendorp knows what he is doing. The curved back of the handle follows the curvature of the hand in a distinguished way and the knife lies very well in the hand. A saber grip works perfectly, of course, with the thumb on the intended ramp. It is also good to sneak forward with an index finger in the recess in the blade for detail work or to move the hand behind for a firm hammer grip. The only problem with the latter is that as with all knives with some form of "choil" or depressions in the blade, there is a long distance between the hand and the edge. In this case 2.7 cm. It gives slightly less control.

The rounded shapes also allow reverse grips such as when carving towards you or holding the knife like an ice pick. The strong handle sides also provide a lot of surface area against the hand which reduces pressure when you apply force to the cuts.

Opening and Lock

The Legatus is a flipper-opening knife and that function is simply excellent. Easy to "find" in the sense that the finger does not need to be at any particular angle for the movement to work. You also don't have to think about whether to pull your finger back or push it downwards. It is also large enough that you don't slip off, which is facilitated by the transverse grooves.

Legatus offers a very well-functioning flipper opening

The speed of the blade also gets approved. Especially considering that the blade is relatively heavy due to its width and thickness. But fine ceramic ball bearings and a detent ball in the same material are a good help. The resistance is also well-balanced. This means that it is impossible to misfire at the same time as the speed, as said, is good enough.

The frame lock is very solid and well made

At first glance, it looks like the lock would be difficult to release but it is not

The frame lock that this knife is equipped with is extremely stable. There is not the slightest hint of movement in the blade when it falls into place, either vertically or laterally. And just like screw sizes, there are two lock features that are almost standard for this type of knife today and they are an overtravel stop and a steel lock bar reinforcement. Both are found on Legatus and both are well done.

Disengaging the lock is easier than you might think at first glance. Namely, there are no grooves, chamfers, or recesses to facilitate the procedure. Instead, they have relied on blade thickness, which gives more room for the thumb. Then the tension is well-tuned at the same time that the lock bar rises ever so slightly above the opposite side. It provides good comfort and ergonomics when working with the knife while being sufficient to access the lock.

To Carry

"A benevolent beast" Legatus could be described as in the pocket. Much has been done right to make carrying this knife easier. This applies, for example, to the soft outer contours apart from the flipper tab. An example of this is how the blade in the retracted position completely merges with the front end of the handle. Another and the more important thing is how rounded the rear end is, which means that it does not feel uncomfortable when the hand thumps the knife, as it sometimes does.

Then the relatively smooth sides make the knife easy to both pull and put away. They also don't wear the clothing they are sitting against.

The clip is titanium and matches the look of the knife well but what's better, it works well too

Then the Legatus is not very heavy for being big and fat. But the 148 grams the scale shows does not make it lightweight either.

That, along with the actual dimensions, makes it a beast. After all, the handle is 12 centimeters long and closer to 1.5 cm wide. It's not something that can be ignored. Especially not as the clip makes a piece of the handle stick out of a pocket.

You can't entirely make a knife this large go away

In this case, it is actually a positive detail. Not because the knife will be "easier to draw", which I consider to be a pseudo-argument, but because it depends on the clip being well-shaped and the placement serving a purpose.

To match the rest of the knife's luxurious theme, it comes with a milled titanium clip. But they have chosen to let the rear end of the bracket be angled in relation to the outside. What it does is it creates a gradual transition to the handle whereupon the clip completely blends into it. Et voilá, no "hotspot" when using the knife, the clip is not felt in the hand at all unless you really really try to squeeze the handle and twist at the same time. Simply a good design.

The other criteria for a good clip are also met, the tip is not angled outwards, tension is strong enough to hold the knife in place but not so that you have to wrestle with it when it comes up and the ramp to get the knife in place is good. It's not perfect because it's quite low and the same goes for the space under the clip. So they don't fit the thickest winter jackets and work trousers, but everything else.

However, a note can be made that the clip cannot be shifted to the left side. It stays where it is unless you remove it completely. 

To Conclude

The Legatus is a rather special knife. Not least in QSP's catalog. It is one of the largest folding knives they have in the range and also one of the most luxurious. The materials are consistently top-notch, which can be seen in the blade steel, handle, inserts, and clip.

But the luxury is noticeable not least in the quality, both in the execution and in the design itself. There are plenty of details here that together form a kind of positive critical mass. It is in this way that a unit can become larger than the individual parts.

The Legatus is a good EDC knife, albeit a large one

Examples of such details are many, but the handling itself, the feeling when the knife is opened and closed is one such. The flipper just works and the same goes for the lock. No getting used to and no break-in period is required, everything is done right from the start. Then there are smaller details such as that the rear end of the clip has been chamfered just right, that the blade merges with the front end of the handle in the folded position, that all edges and corners are softly rounded, that the inserts are extremely well made and screwed into place from the inside. Further examples are a fine factory edge, a well-executed sharpening choil, and excellent blade centering.

In addition, consistently good ergonomics must be added. The knife is both comfortable to hold for short moments and to work with for a slightly longer time. Equally important is that a knife cuts well, and it does. This applies whether you use the Legatus as an EDC knife or actually drag it out into the woods on an adventure. Despite its nice suit, it is not afraid to get dirty.

Possibly two things can be objected to. One is that the blade could be thinner. But it's 3.8 mm thick and there the 0.2 mm up to even four actually matter. The blade will be thick enough to feel sturdy, even if 3.5 mm was enough. The final tenths are a design element and not a feature. The other is when we're still talking about dimensions, that the knife could have been a little thinner behind the edge. It's a shortcoming it shares with basically every knife on the market with a few exceptions.** As it stands, the Legatus cuts very well but it could excel!

The labeling deserves extra praise. On one side the QSP logo is found along with blade steel and on the other DBW's logo. However, the information is proportional to the size of the leaf. Something that was perhaps neglected in the beginning, but now both that detail and the placement are nicely executed. In addition, I am weak for a nice two-tone satin-like in this case.

Legatus is a luxury knife that also delivers good performance

Finally, it can be said that this is a knife I like a lot. One of my favorites among the QSP knives I have. And that's not saying a little because at this point I have quite a few. But of course, if it tastes good, it costs money. Legatus is not their cheapest model and it costs around 280€/$.

But for the money, you get both a functional tool and an orgy in luxury and not least a very appealing appearance.

Specifications:

Length Overall: 206 mm

Length Folded: 120 mm

Weight: 148 g

Blade Length: 86 mm

Blade Thickness: 3,8 mm

Blade Steel: M390, HRC 59-61

Handle: Titanium with inlays made of carbon fiber/G10

Lock: Frame lock

Produced by: QSP, made in China

/ J 

* Then I am not in the habit of measuring whether the edge angles are one hundred percent consistent. A topic recently addressed by a YouTube channel called Canadian Cutting Edge, CCE. The subject is interesting, but if you have sharpened knives without a system with fixed angles, you know that it is almost impossible to maintain an exact angle all the time. You find the link to the video here!

** Personally, I think that a large part of the explanation is found in how quickly news, especially bad news, spreads on the internet. If a knife model is associated with something negative, it is difficult to alter the reputation afterward.

#knivesandbikes #aliaspostmortem #knivigtvarre 

New Knife - QSP Otter

It's been a while since I introduced something new from one of my favorite brands, QSP. The Chinese challenger has gone from clarity to clarity in my opinion. One of the things I thought they did correctly was that they did not start with a gigantic range.

On the contrary, they started on a rather modest scale and expanded from there. Today, the catalog has swelled considerably, especially as it has adopted a concept of success used by some other manufacturers by having a large number of versions of the knives that are most popular. This has been done, for example, with the Penguin and Hawk models.

"Have a Knife Day" QSP says. Their slogan is otherwise "Better Knife, Better Life"

An extra nice detail is that the specification card actually portrays the knife in question

But today's knife is not only new to me but also one of the latest knives that QSP has released. In this case, the model has not been named after a bird, which is otherwise common in their case, but instead Småland's (where I live in Southern Sweden) landscape animal, the otter. As I am a naturalized Smålander, it, therefore, suits me well to present QSP Otter. 

QSP Otter 140-A1 where the numbers mean that the knife comes with sides made of aluminum foil carbon fiber 

This knife is not available in quite as many versions. Yet, should be added as it probably depends on the sales success, I suspect. It is now available in four versions, of which this is the 140-A1. It stands for a knife that has a blade with a two-tone satin finish and a handle made of carbon fiber with elements of aluminum foil. It gives a dramatic pattern that is the carbon fiber's answer to patterned welded steel. If you do not like the color scheme, the knife is also available with a black blade or with copper instead of aluminum in the handle. 

The exclusive material in the handle is matched by the fine blade made in S35VN. Very good steel that is shaped to a nice drop point blade with influences from a Wharncliffe.

The design is elegant and what stands out is, as I said, the pattern in the handle. Otherwise, the knife opens with a flipper tab, comes with ceramic ball bearings and the blade is secured with a liner lock. 

Overall, the first impression is that this is a very well-made knife that surprised me somewhat by being very small. A review is planned by this little beauty!

/ J - interested

#knivesandbikes #knivigtvarre

Review Fox Shadow

 -  another excellent collaboration between Fox and Bastinelli

Do you belong to those who like a proper Wharncliffe and maybe think that knives like Spyderco Yojimbo and Bastinelli Dragotac are appealing? Then you should definitely take a look at this knife from Fox called Shadow.

Fox FX533CF "Shadow"

Shadow is a collaboration between Fox Knives and Bastien Coves from Bastinelli Knives. In many ways, it can be said to be a recast and slightly smaller version of his Dragotac. The bold design language is recognizable as well as the use of Wharncliffe blades and also how the handle is shaped can be traced to other creations from him.

But unlike its precursor, Shadow is a flipper-opened knife and the handle does not have a quite as chiseled look. This knife is also available in two different versions, one with full titanium handles and then this one with a carbon fiber presentation side.

Shadow is a knife for those who like a bold look and a proper Wharncliffe blade

Twitter version: Shadow, a Fox Bastinelli collaboration for the lover of big bold Wharncliffe blades.

Blade

The blade on Shadow is extremely striking and does not apologize in any way. It is a very wide and somewhat modified Wharncliffe. What gives the epithet modified is the slightly curved edge that deviates from the completely straight line of the basic shape. The blade measures exactly one decimeter in length is 36 mm high and 4 mm thick. The appearance is enhanced by a false edge that follows the back where it dives down towards the tip and the blade has a fuller/blood groove. The base of the spine is rounded and there are also a number of soft grooves for indexing and a slightly better grip for the thumb. Typical for this blade is also that the spine of the blade rises before it slopes downwards.

The marking on the knife blade is discreet and stylish with Fox Bastinelli's collaboration logo on one side and "Maniago Italy Elmax" written on the other side.

The wide Wharncliffe blade not only looks good it is quite useful as well

The finish on the blade is a nice semi-polished stone wash. The material exposed to that treatment is Elmax. A steel that is not the most common among knives but which from time to time is found among Fox knives.* My experience of the steel tells me that it keeps the sharpness very well but that it can be difficult to sharpen if it has become really dull. So the basic tip is to maintain the edge regularly. I myself use a combination of a leather strop and diamond rod for it depending on the condition of the edge.

Speaking of edges, the one that came from the factory was sympathetic. No need to resharpen the knife for that reason. The grind is both high and flat and the wide blade gives a thickness of about 0.6 mm measured behind the edge. When it's time for sharpening, Fox has facilitated it by having a correctly executed sharpening choil, which is always nice to see.

Elmax is used as the blade steel

Although the knife is clearly designed for use far beyond what Swedish law will allow for self-defense it's also quite practical. This is not uncommon with Wharncliffes, not even the fierce-looking ones. It is despite all a sort of "Stanley knife on steroids" we are talking about.

The sharp tip provides excellent penetration, which not least makes it easier to kill all these plastic packages of varying thickness that the world seems to consist of. The same applies when you are going to cut into something in hard plastic or just want to cut a hole in a cardboard box. And speaking of cardboard, this knife is a dream to handle in such materials. The high flat grind means that the blade cuts straight and without much effort and the good ergonomics that you can go on for quite some time if you need it. Then, in fact, this knife is not entirely out of place when it's time for minor kitchen duties either. Sure, it's not a chef's knife, but to chop an onion, split a sausage, or slice a little tomato with on camping trips, it's really good.

What surprised me, however, was that it cuts perfectly ok even in wood! Carving with such a wide blade may not be what I recommend, but for some minor cutting tasks, it performs rather well. There is something about the edge angle that makes it easy to control. What I cut most at the moment are sticks I use to drive into the ground as distance markings when knife throwing. Therefore, branches of all kinds of wood are sharpened at the moment, both dry and fresh.

Overall, I like Shadow as a larger EDC knife when it comes to how it penetrates and cuts.

Handle

This knife has been fitted with a fairly solid handle. It measures 12 centimeters in length, of which a full eleven centimeters can be used as a grip if needed. All hand sizes fit in other words. After letting someone with smaller hands than me try the handle, it can be stated that it works quite well even then. Otherwise, this is a handle that belongs to the variety that is quite tall but also thin. A good trick to use as a designer if you want to achieve a knife that fills the hand without being too thick in the pocket. 

The carbon fiber is both well-shaped and attractive to look at

Shadow is available as said earlier in two versions where one is a full titanium knife. The only difference between it and the present model is that in this case the presentation side has been replaced with a piece of solid carbon fiber. It is high-quality carbon fiber completely free of visible blisters or gaps and it does not flex no matter how hard you press against the handle. Then the carbon fiber has a solid beveled edge at the bottom and a decorative ridge that runs over the handle side. This means that the side is three-dimensional, which the titanium side is not. The only thing that gives rounding there is a beveled edge that follows the shape of the handle.

Like many frame locks, Shadow has a distinct front and backside

The two sides are screwed together in three points with T6 screws through a backspacer in G10. And, then there is a pivot screw of course. An interesting detail to note is that there are different screw heads depending on which side you are viewing. The lock side has screws with domed heads and this also applies to the screws for the clip and the lock bar reinforcement. The carbon fiber side, on the other hand, has got a little more luxurious flat heads.

Once in hand, Shadow is very sympathetic in most grips, even if saber grip is the best

This handle belongs to those that can be a bit polarizing depending on preferences. It fit my hands perfectly. This is especially true in the grips that have been premiered, which is a saber grip with the thumb at the blade base, a "Filippino" grip with the thumb further out on the blade, or a reverse grip.

Here it is noticeable what the knife is designed for, after all, "self-defense"**. In a traditional hammer grip, the knife does not make a fool of itself, but the possibility to put some power behind the cuts is not there due to the long distance to the blade. In the same way, you can not turn the knife for "draw cuts as you sometimes want to do when you carve. It is really not comfortable. 

Opening and Lock

Shadow belongs to those knives that can be opened in a number of different ways. Since many knives designed by Bastinelli have a clear character of self-defense/fighting knives, the explanation can be found there. You can choose which method you prefer. Bastien himself usually uses a very fast version of a two-handed opening and it works great with this knife as well. There is an enormous amount of blade to grip around and the notch in the blade provides extra traction.

The flipper tab is well rounded and works well, but would have been better with a few grooves

Another way to open the knife is to place the thumb against said notch and let the blade slowly slide out. But the main opening method is, after all, via the flipper tab found on the knife. It is a rather pointed tab and it would not have hurt if it had got some grooves for better grip. Once put to work, it turns out that it can be used with both a "push button" method, ie to press straight down, as well as to pull back. The blade comes out fairly safely, much because of nice ball bearings. They are needed can be said. There is a lot of steel to be accelerated. After all, the blade is a decimeter long but above all very wide. This means that this is not the quickest flipper knife on the market.

The frame lock is excellently made

Shadow comes with an excellently executed frame lock. This means that the blade feels almost like a fixed blade without any hint of play in any direction. Neither is there any tendencies to slip when a bit of negative pressure is applied to the blade spine. The lock also has the now mandatory lock bar reinforcement in steel, which guarantees a very long service life. Disengaging the lock is also easy as the lock bar rises slightly above the rest of the handle.

To Carry

Not all knives can be good at everything. Shadow is one such knife. In some areas it is brilliant, but that doesn't matter when it comes to how it behaves in a pocket. The length is not extreme even if twelve centimeters is quite much. But the width is a whopping five centimeters! More modest is the thickness of 13 mm. The same applies to the weight, Shadow weighs in at 137 grams, which is not much in relation to how big blade you get and how comfortable the handle is.

It's not much space under the clip, which causes the tip to be angled outwards when the knife is in the pocket

It is the relatively low weight but above all that the knife is thin that saves the "pockability". Otherwise, it is not possible to get away from the fact that it requires a lot of space where it sits.

Part of the knife is visible when it is carried

But apart from the measurements, it is another detail that makes this knife a bit troublesome in a pocket. That's the clip. It is a steel clip of a semi-standard type but suffers in my opinion from a couple of design flaws. The ramp itself is capable enough as it can slide over most fabric edges, but space underneath is too small. That fact exacerbates problem number two, which is the shape itself.

What unfortunately risks happening with pointed clips

I do not like it at all. One good thing is that the tip is not angled outwards but it is way too pointy. It is worsened if the knife is carried in slightly thicker pants because then the fabric forces the tip out in the air. Something that was not least noticeable the other day when I got stuck with the clip when I walked past something and bent it to a more than 45-degree angle. It was just to disassemble, attach it to a vise and bend it back in shape again. Not a total failure but I do not like it. Especially not as I also have a tendency to hit my hand against the tip when walking. 

To Conclude

Shadow is a knife that most likely does not appeal to everyone. A strong design language is what characterizes Bastinelli's works. Especially as he often addresses the military, police, practitioners of various Southeast Asian martial arts, and similar groups. Of course, it gives a specific type of appearance. In this case, I think the knife is really nice. Although not in an elegant way such as the previous collaboration between Fox and Bastien called Slim Dragotac Piemontes but in a more brutal way. But there are different types of beauty.

Fox Shadow, a sympathetic albeit rather large EDC knife. Here supplemented with a smaller knife, a Fox Radius

In addition to the look, we are offered good materials such as titanium, carbon fiber of the highest quality, and Elmax as the blade steel. The knife is also very well built. It is noticeable both on how the knife is constructed, how the material is used, and on the details. Among them are good ball bearings, lock bar reinforcement, and screws of good quality. But also shaped carbon fiber, rounded blade spine, and not least sanded insides of the frame. Something that even well-established knife manufacturers miss from time to time.

But above all, Fox Shadow offers a special knife blade. The bold shape is matched in this case by corresponding performance levels. How good it is at hacking into people, neither can I nor do I want to answer, but as an EDC knife, it actually does better than you might think. A broad well-sharpened blade that is thin behind the edge is seldom wrong. Especially not as it is made of good steel. In addition, the handle shape is one of the knife's best assets. The curved shape fills the hand in an excellent way and provides good comfort and good ergonomics for most, if not all tasks.

Then Shadow looks great in the picture for the simple reason that it is equally brute and beautiful, "brutiful"

Shadow is an option for those who really liked Bastinelli Dragotac but thought that knife is a bit too big for daily use. Or just for those who want an EDC knife with a slightly tougher appearance and who may not be found in everyone's pocket. As a bonus, you get materials of the best sort and a knife built with all the craftsmanship available in Maniago, Italy.

At the time of writing, the knife costs around 230 €, depending on where it is purchased.

Specification:

Length Overall: 220 mm

Length Folded: 120 mm

Weight:137 g

Blade Length: 100 mm

Blade Thickness: 4 mm

Blade Steel: Elmax

Handle: Titanium, Carbon Fiber

Lock: Frame lock

Produced by: Fox Knives, made in Italy.

/ J - likes Italian foxes

* An example is the previously reviewed Fox Tur.

** A term I genuinely dislike in relation to knives. I emphatically claim that it is not possible to "self-defend" oneself with a knife. It is an escalation of violence no matter how you look at it and destroys a lot for us knife-interested people in the eyes of the public.

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