Review Civivi Buster FG

  

-  the friendly giant

Civivi has once again collaborated with a knife designer, and the result is this model called Buster FG. A knife that has a very clear design language and a lock that, for the initiated, speaks of who is behind the design. That said, it also feels like a continuation of or perhaps a cousin to another knife, the Vision FG. A model I have previously reviewed positively here on the blog.

The question is, am I just as satisfied this time?

Civivi Buster FG

The man behind the look and certainly also the lock is Snecx Tan from Malaysia and his Snecx Design Lab. It's time for a new "FG" model, where the abbreviation stands for Field Grade and means production versions of custom knives.

This time, a few things have changed and mainly the format that distinguishes this one from the Vision FG. The size has increased significantly, which is the first noticeable thing.

Buster FG is available with handles in both G10 in a couple of different colors and Micarta for those who prefer it, which I happen to do.

Buster FG is a full-sized knife designed by Snecx Tan

Short version: Civivi Buster FG, a Snecx design for those who like big, bold knives with a Super Lock

Blade

This is an impressive blade. Partly it is the shape that does it, and partly, of course, the size itself. As mentioned earlier, the Buster FG is a substantial knife, which is also noticeable here. The blade is over a decimeter long, 107 mm even. In addition, it is 34 mm high and 4 mm thick. This makes it both visible and noticeable.

The imposing blade is a sheep's foot that measures over a decimeter in length.

In this version, it is provided with a black coating, and otherwise it is stone-washed. The steel used is Nitro-V. A steel that has been used on and off by several different manufacturers. The steel is something of a derivative of Swedish 14C28N and AEB-L and therefore has similar properties. This makes it practically an all-round steel in the mid-price range. In other words, a competent steel for EDC knives. If you want to delve into the properties of the steel, you can find an article here. 

The blade shape is a very large sheep's foot. This means in practice, a completely straight edge. Only the last part of the edge towards the tip has a very small bend. The blade is also almost completely flat ground down to a thickness behind the edge of around 0.5 mm. It is quite sturdy, but so is the knife.

If you look closely, the blackened blade is discreetly marked. If you have eagle eyes, you can read the steel type at the ricasso, Nitro-V

When you cut with the knife, it doesn't really offer any surprises. It works as it looks.

If we start with the tip, it is more noticeable than many other knives with this blade type. Here it is quite pronounced, which means that it penetrates excellently. It is also sharp without being too thin, which makes it durable as long as you don't use it as a pry bar.

The blade itself would probably work on a kitchen knife because it's so wide. But because of the completely straight edge, it's not a favourite in that area. Which, as I always point out, no folding knife really is.

There's a lot of cardboard when you buy an ice cream maker. Buster can handle it, but he's not really the best at it.

For small jobs like cutting tape, string, nylon straps and cable ties, this is an excellent blade. This is especially true for tasks like the last one, where the rather steep edge comes into its own; it is strong. But for the same reason, you need to use more strength when cutting cardboard of different thicknesses with this knife. The resistance is simply greater due to both the geometry and the thickness of the blade, although the latter disappears a little due to the height of the blade combined with a flat grind.

In wood, the blade is better than you might think, especially when cutting fresh branches and the like and when you have to cut something off. But the Buster FG is not something you do crafts with. The height of the blade and the completely straight edge are not the best in that regard.

Overall, it is a practical blade, but not really for everything. Then the size means that, at least where I live, it is not something you drag into the office to open a box of paper with either.

Handle

The handle of this knife is quite large, but of course, it needs to be to accommodate the massive blade. The length is 139 mm and is based on a sturdy steel frame that is black to match the colour scheme. To reduce the knife's overall weight, there is not only a lightened frame but also through holes in the handle. Interesting to note is that there is also a round hole that looks like a lanyard hole. But hey, it's not. If you place a string there, the blade will cut it!

A large and spacious handle with Canvas-Micarta sides in this case

The Buster FG is open at the back, with only the visible lock bar. The knife is assembled at two points along with the adjustable pivot screw, which is Civivi's usual type. This means that the logo is the head on one side, and a T8 screw is found on the other side. It is also D-shaped, so it does not twist if you want to adjust or disassemble the knife.

The knife is semi-open at the back as the lock bar takes up some space.

The length of the handle is matched by a thickness of 13 mm, which together makes it impossible not to find a good position on this handle. The available area behind the part of the handle that forms a smaller finger guard to the back end of the handle, where it swells, is almost ten centimetres. If you have thicker gloves on, you can also have your finger behind that point if necessary.

The sides are made of Canvas-Micarta, which is one of my favourite materials. It gives a warm and comfortable feel to the hand while providing some friction without feeling rough. Another important feature is that it ages with style. The more you use the knife, the more patina the handle gets.

In hand, all grips work without complaints

On this knife, both hammer grip and sabre grip are equally good. If you also want to get even closer to what is being cut, the surfaces are so large that you can sneak a finger close to the blade if you wish. The good balance contributes to the nice feeling in the hand. Fortunately, all the holes are in the handle; rather than luck, it is good design. The balance point is found in the same area where the lock bar ends.

Opening and Lock

Buster FG is intended to be opened with a thumb stud. But due to the type of lock and the mass of the blade, there are alternative ways to get the blade out for those who want to do a little trickery.

The thumb studs are otherwise excellent. They meet the requirements that can be set. That is, they sit a bit out from the handle, which provides good leverage and thus makes the blade easy to fold out. Furthermore, they are long enough to provide grip but short enough not to stick out too much. Then they are also completely out of the way when you cut something because they are found near the handle when the knife is open.

The thumb buttons work exceptionally well, but there are alternative opening methods

But then there were the more or less thought-out alternatives. The lock is, of course, not completely out of the ordinary, as all variants where the blade can be completely released work the same. This also applies to button locks and different variants of cross-bar locks. Here it is a different lock, but if it is released, the blade swings freely and as it swings. The blade is not only heavy, but it also runs on ceramic bearings, so it moves almost friction-free.

Added to this is a more involuntary opening method. Thanks to the above-mentioned properties, it is possible to "gravity open" the Buster FG. If you flick your wrist, the blade flies out! There is no detent in the world, not one that works anyway, that can hold that blade in place if it is provoked in that way. That said, the detent is not so weak that there is any risk of the knife being accidentally opened.

The lock is an invention from Snecx called "Super Lock". A really solid lock

The lock in question has been named "Super lock" and is, as previously mentioned, an invention of Snecx. It is a very effective lock. It really holds the blade in place with authority. There is not a hint of movement in the large sheep's foot blade.

The lock is released by pulling the lock bar back, and then it also slides slightly upwards. The spring resistance is quite strong, so there is no risk of it being released by mistake.

The only thing the user needs to be aware of is that the weight of the blade makes this a "finger guillotine". The blade comes flying at a hell of a speed, which risks cutting off a fingertip. In addition, it is so heavy that, combined with the speed, it tends to bounce back out again. The solution to both problems is to put the knife a little on its side when closing so that the speed is not quite as noticeable.

To Carry

The Buster FG is big, a fact that cannot be ignored. Especially not when it is carried. In this case, a big knife also means a lot of volume due to the blade shape. This is not a narrow fillet knife blade we are talking about. The height of the knife is 44 mm, and the thickness across the spine is 13 mm. The latter is not excessive, but together with the height and a folded length of around 14 cm, you have a lot of knife in your pocket.

The weight is also noticeable. No anchor, but the Buster FG still weighs in at 175 grams. This is even though it is lightened in several places and even has through holes!

The clip is nothing unusual, but the placement is

It makes you notice that you are carrying this knife. In thinner linen pants, I notice that it even weighs down the pocket. But of course, that is a choice you make. On the other hand, you get a lot of blade in your pocket for the weight.

However, pulling and putting the knife away is quite easy. The micarta has structure, but nothing that stops the knife, and the clip works well. 

Is that a Buster in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? Buster FG demands its space

The clip is nothing extraordinary, but taken from the Civivi catalogue. It means a simpler spring steel clip that does its job very well. The ramp works, and so does the space underneath. Large enough to accommodate most fabric thicknesses except possibly the thickest. The space is maximised by the clip being thankfully recessed in the handle side and equipped with flat screw heads. The screws are in tandem and are size T6. The size can cause problems if you tighten the screws or remove the clip frequently. However, it is not something I do, so I very rarely experience it as a problem.

The clip is black to match the rest of the knife's colour scheme and is placed a little differently. It is not located centrally on the handle but towards the back. In that case, it is excellent because, combined with the size of the handle, it means that the clip does not rub against the hand at all. The rear end of the clip, which can otherwise cause discomfort when it comes to "deep ride" clips, ends up outside the hand here.

To the delight of all left-handed people, the clip can be moved to the other side if desired. This, together with the type of lock, makes the knife completely ambidextrous.

To Conclude

I don't really know what to think of the Buster FG. Or well, I actually do, but my relationship with this knife is not entirely straightforward.

First of all, it can be said that, like all knives from Civivi, it is extremely well built. All the usual quality markers can be checked off. The blade is centred, the factory edge is good, the edges and corners are rounded and ground, the fit is good, and both the lock and folding mechanism are excellent. So far, no problems.

The design language is recognisable. Both knives are collaborations between Civivi and Snecx Tan

I have no objections to the design either. It is typical Snecx, that's what I was referring to in the introduction when I wrote that it was recognisable. In this case, it is mainly the blade that sets the tone with its distinctive appearance. There is something certain about both wharncliffe and sheep's foot blades when they are scaled up.

Buster FG works as an EDC knife, but feel free to supplement with something smaller

In return, you get a blade that works well for almost everything and a handle that is generally excellent. This applies to most hand sizes as it is narrow enough for smaller hands and long enough for larger sizes.

But it was probably the "almost everything" thing that stuck out to me. I have found that apart from the appearance, I am not completely sold on the idea of ​​completely straight edges. It is neat, and it gives a certain air to the knife, but it is also a bit limiting. It is mostly about sweeping cuts, but above all about the fact that they are more difficult to use against flat surfaces such as pieces of wood or cutting boards. When working against such, the tip is automatically used most. 

It is also not a blade that is completely optimal for cutting wood, although it is better than you might think.

Then there was the big stumbling block. For some people, it is a non-issue, and it may be for me some days. But the Buster FG is too big and, above all, too heavy to be my daily pocket knife. The 175 grams is not much, given the dimensions of the knife, but in absolute terms, it is something that feels substantial in a pocket.

So it's finally spring, Civivi Buster FG is a sturdy knife also for outdoor use for those who like straight edges.

But with that said, for those who like straight edges and this type of look, the Buster FG is a really good option. There aren't many knives that offer it in this format. Especially not one that also includes a "Super lock" and the quality that comes with knives from Civivi. For all of you, this is a damn good buy. The knife is priced at around $117 on the website. 

Civivi Knives

Specifications:

Length Overall: 245 mm

Length Closed: 139 mm

Weight: 175 g

Blade Length: 107 mm

Blade Thickness: 4 mm

Blade Steel: Nitro-V

Handle: Canvas Micarta

Lock: Super Lock

Produced by: Civivi, made in China

/ J - looking for a sheep missing a foot

#knivesandbikes #aliaspostmortem #knivigtvarre 

Review Olitans Submarine

  

-  another Shilin Cutter tested

The other day, I wrote that I like Shilin Cutters. It was in a review of another knife from another brand. But now it's time for an interpretation from Olitans called Submarine

Olitans Submarine

Why they named it Submarine, I have no idea. Possibly because the overall lines could remind you of a very early U-boat if you use your imagination. Anyway, it is a folding knife aimed at the EDC segment from the Chinese brand Olitans. My first contact with them was a knife called Lemon Shark that I previously reviewed. It was approved with praise.

That they believe in the Submarine concept is evident from the fact that there are no fewer than eight different variants to choose from. The handles are made of G10 in different colours or PEI in cases where they are semi-transparent. The blades can be either blackened or shiny.

Submarine, like Lemon Shark, is a knife from their budget segment, and it would be interesting to test something from their more expensive part of the catalogue.

Submarine - a Shilin Cutter

Short version: Olitans Submarine, a Shilin Cutter for EDC use. Small and compact but a bit chunky, it makes short work of most small jobs

Blade

The blade is, of course, the most defining feature of this entire knife, as it is what makes it a "Shilin Cutter". A characteristic of this type of knife is that the blade is leaf-shaped. More specifically, it is a bamboo leaf that is the model. In knife language, this means that you have a drop point, but that it has a back that rises a little before it falls down to the tip and that it is combined with an edge that forms one long belly. In this case, it is even a little more pronounced than usual, I might add.

Something that also enhances the appearance is that this blade has a swedge. Another distinctive detail is, of course, the hole in the blade. On the blade spine, there is also a row of grooves for better traction. Whether they matter or not is a matter of discussion. 

The blade is described as a kukri blade on the website, but it is as leaf-shaped as can be

The blade is 84 mm long, and it is matched by a height of 33 mm. It is therefore somewhat larger than you think. The proportions are a bit misleading. The thickness of the blade material is 3.5 mm. Here, one could easily have removed half a millimetre and obtained better properties without compromising durability. A blade this tall still holds up!

The material used is the 14C28N of Swedish origin, which is very familiar to most people by now. A typical mid-range steel, if the expression is allowed. It is an all-round steel that does not stand out in any single parameter but is both rust-resistant and takes a good edge. It holds the sharpness decently, and does not chip easily. Overall, in other words, it is a good choice in this case.

The surface of the steel is a shiny satin. The blade is unmarked except for the blade steel designation, which is found in very small style on the opposite side of the ricasso.

The wide flat-ground blade is made of a steel of Swedish origin, 14C28N.

Submarine has a blade that is almost completely flat ground. There is a very small flat part at the top, but it is mostly cosmetic. Overall, the blade appears the way it looks. Behind the edge, I measure the thickness to be 0.4 mm, which is not extremely thin but enough for the blade to cut well.

The shape gives a clear hint of what this blade is best for, and that is sweeping cuts. But the curved edge also means that if you start a cut near the handle, the edge folds outward for a while before it starts to swing towards the tip. This means that when cutting, for example, string and rope, the edge bites harder, which is positive. It is a bit of the same effect you get from a "recurve" or S-shaped edge, although not as extreme.

Otherwise, this type of blade is very flexible. They handle most jobs with flying colours, especially small jobs of all kinds. But there are things I won't do with this knife for a long time, and carving wood is one of them. At least there, I prefer a straight edge. So if you know that it's something you do frequently, you might want to choose another model from Olitans.

Handle

The Submarine has a rather chunky handle that looks long enough at first glance, but feels cramped when you hold it. The construction is otherwise not much to talk about. A fairly heavily lightened steel frame forms the body. The knife is mostly open at the back with a partial back spacer.

The handle is attached at two points, one is a screw in the said back spacer, and the other is the adjustable pivot screw. Almost standardised among knives in this price range is size T8 on the pivot screw and T6 for the others. 

The handle is made of G10, which is almost polished, so there is no extreme friction.

The material in the handle is G10. In this case, it is green but is available in different shades as I wrote above. The surface is actually quite worked as it is partly curved and partly semi-polished. The last one can be criticised as it removes one of the advantages of the G10 material, which is a lot of traction. You don't get that here.

The handle is mostly open in the back with only a small back spacer

The length of the handle is 108 mm, although it is stated as 104 mm. But 15 mm of that disappears at the back due to the design there. Then we have the damn flipper that steals a lot of space. The remaining available grip area for the hand is 75 mm. That's not much. Especially when you have such a powerful blade.

The handle is most comfortable in a sabre grip. In a hammer grip, there is too little room for my hand because the flipper takes up space.

The grip could have been comfortable, but with my hand size, there is a big concern, and that is the flipper. In addition to stealing space, both the placement of it or rather the angle, and the design are a problem. It also acts as a finger guard when the knife is open. The concern, however, is that it is directed slightly backwards, which gnaws hard on my index finger, which is not comfortable. Especially not as the shape is quite angular. To avoid that, you have to grip further back on the handle, whereupon it becomes a bit of a "three-and-a-half-finger" handle for me because, as I said, it is short. This applies especially to hammer grips.

Fortunately, the rounded back end makes the grip relatively good despite that. Then the handle, as mentioned, is quite full, which still gives an acceptable grip. This is especially true with a sabre grip, and then the back end of the clip also hides inside the hand, and then feels less pointed.

If you want to use reverse grips, they work unexpectedly well with this handle.

Opening and Lock

Sumbarine belongs to the modern generation of folding knives, and that often means multiple opening mechanisms. In this case, you can choose between a flipper and a hole in the blade. Sometimes I wish the manufacturers would stop whining and settle on one method. You can't please everyone, and the combinations don't always work.

The flipper, one of two opening methods, works well

The flipper tab works well in parts, but I'm really not a fan of the design described above. But for opening the knife, it's good. It's angled backwards, and the manufacturer has been kind enough to chamfer the front part of the frame as a "landing strip" for the index finger. Some grooves on the fin itself also provide better grip, which is needed as it's not particularly prominent.

A liner lock that is secure but sometimes gives a little play up and down

The lock is a liner lock. For the most part, it works well. The lock bar falls into place as it should, it is easy to access, and the blade is held in place. Or, maybe not. Sometimes there is a tendency for a little play in height. It is not consistent, however. But if the blade is provoked for a while, it disappears. As if the locking arm tightens after a while. But there is never any talk of the blade releasing, so safety is not threatened. Mostly an annoying feeling.

Fortunately, it is not felt when you cut with the knife. It is then perceived as very stable.

To Carry

In this area, Submarine offers a mixed bag, both good and not so good. The weight, for example, is decent at 114 grams. The length is also more than acceptable at 104 mm closed. Especially if these two dimensions are compared to a high blade with a length of almost eight and a half centimetres.

Less good is the thickness. In this area, this feels like a submarine with diving tanks on the sides. It is almost one and a half centimetres thick, 14.5 mm. That's a lot.

Submarine has a spring steel clip that cannot be moved

When paired with a height of 37 mm, it sure feels like you have a knife in your pocket. More positively, the smooth G10 sides don't offer much resistance when the knife is pulled out or put away.

The polished clip is very visible in contrast to trousers and jeans.

The clip is a simple and very polished spring steel dito. Unfortunately, the tip points outwards, which is sometimes felt against the hand, but this in turn provides enough ramp to slide over most fabric edges. The space under the clip is also sufficient. This is also because the clip is recessed in the handle side, and the screw heads are flat. In other words, a little work has been done on that point.

But to save that working time, it was chosen not to repeat the procedure on the other side. In other words, you cannot turn the clip over, so left-handed people have to look elsewhere. 

To Conclude

Something I don't really understand is the presentation text for this knife. It says that it has a "Kukri" blade inspired by the famous Gurkha knives. But it doesn't have that at all! On the contrary, this is one of the more leaf-shaped blades I've seen. Something that is also clearly stated in the technical specification on the website, where it clearly says "Blade style: Shilin". That, in combination with a handle that reflects the blade shape, makes it a Shilin Cutter. Whoever wrote the text must have been confused, and no one checked it and let it remain on the website.

They further describe the Submarine with words like "powerful yet compact". That's also a bit of an overstatement; it's not that powerful. It's rather small and chubby. But sure, let's go for it. They also write that you can choose G10 for "maximum grip", but then I have to suggest that you don't have an almost glossy polished surface on your G10. The one here doesn't offer any extreme grip. Hardly any friction at all, in fact. But that's not a negative in this case. It just doesn't rhyme with the text.

If we ignore the advertising text, we instead find a folding knife that is charming with its distinct Chinese roots and clear design language. The materials are also well chosen for the price point, not much to complain about there.  

The Submarine is a great EDC knife if you can imagine carrying something chunky in your pocket.

However, I have some opinions on the opening of the knife. At first, I was not negative about two or more methods of opening folding knives, but I have started to become increasingly sceptical in general. It must be admitted that it is rare to succeed in optimising the knife for everyone. Most often, it forces compromises, and somewhere, something is limping. In this case, it is not that per se, but rather the angle and placement of the flipper. As described above, it is certainly functional but not comfortable against the finger. It feels a bit like no one tested the knife before it was released.

Once out, however, the blade is sympathetic, and the chubby handle provides a relatively good grip, although it is a bit cramped given the flipper.

Olitans Submarine has also been allowed to accompany me into the forest, but it is not a favourite for woodworking.

That said, the Submarine from Olitans is what I would call a typical EDC knife, although the person choosing it has to make a trade-off. The knife has a personal look and good cutting properties, but the downside is that it takes up a lot of space in your pocket as it is both tall and thick.

But in the end, it is still quite charming, and the price contributes to that. With a suggested price of $45, it feels completely rightly priced.

Olitans 

Specifications:

Length Overall 188 mm

Length Closed: 108 mm

Weight: 114 g

Blade Length: 84 mm

Blade Thickness: 3,5 mm 

Blade Steel: 14C28N

Handle: G10

Lock: Liner lock

Produced by: Olitans, made in China

/ J - continues with Shilin Cutters

#knivesandbikes #aliaspostmortem #knivigtvarre 

New Knife - CJRB Sasaya

The other day, a knife was presented on the theme of the Shilin Cutter. Now it's time for another one. This one comes from a different manufacturer and is a bit slimmer and larger. Let me introduce Sasaya from CJRB.

CJRB Sasaya

Sasaya is a typical modern knife with a blade running on ball bearings and a Button lock. A lock design that is currently very popular can be noted. It can also be used to open the knife, but otherwise, there is a blade hole that facilitates that detail. It works excellently. In addition, the knife has exceptionally soft action.

As I said, this knife is a little larger than the previous knife I presented in the same style, and that means in numbers, a blade that is closer to nine centimetres, more precisely 89 mm long. The thickness of the blade is only 2.5 mm, and the leaf-shaped blade typical of the style is fully flat-ground. Talk about a blade that is intended to cut well. A super slicer!

The steel used is CJRB/Artisan Cutlery's own AR-RPM9. Without being a metallurgist, I can say that it is on par with 14C28N or VG10 in terms of properties. Rust-resistant, easy to sharpen and keeps its sharpness for a long time. Not the most exclusive steel on the market, but really good for the price range.

The entire knife is 209 mm long and measures 120 mm when folded. This, together with the simply shaped handle, provides excellent space regardless of hand size. Especially since the knife lacks finger protection or a flipper tab, details that often steal a lot of space.

Despite the knife's size, it weighs in at a fairly low 109 g. Much of this can be attributed to the slim format.

Sasaya, an interpretation of a Shilin Cutter

Sasaya is available in different designs, where I chose wood for the handle because I think it feels the most classic. Otherwise, the knife can be obtained with G10 handles or titanium for those who like metal. The latter is a more exclusive edition that also has a finer titanium clip and S35VN steel in the blade.

In my case, there was not much hesitation. The type of knife itself attracted me several years ago. I appreciate the deceptively simple lines and the symmetry that arises between handle and blade. If you add to that CJRB's manufacturing quality and the fact that they have invested in making a knife that cuts really well, the choice is easy: buy it!

But despite the quick opinion, I intend to review Sasaya in a while. First impressions are one thing, and lasting insights are another. But sometimes they are the same. 

CJRB Knives

/ J - looking east

#knivesandbikes #knivigtvarre