Ny kniv - Lionsteel Q4ttro

Den här kniven har som synes fått namnet Q4ttro vilket skall stavas på det där moderna viset som är ett ord, lite av en ordlek och logotyp, allt på en gång. Men det är inte  bara trendigt, det säger faktiskt något om själva kniven. Något jag återkommer till. 

Men det är att gå händelserna lite i förväg. I själva verket skall vi starta för över tio år sedan, närmare bestämt 2015. Det året släppte Lionsteel en kniv vid namn T.R.E där namnet stod för "Three Rapid Exchange" och syftade till de tre öppningsmetoderna. Det var inte bara mängden utan även sättet man kunde närma sig dem som gav den utmärkelsen "Overall Knife of the Year" vid Shot Show det året. Jag har tidigare recenserat T.R.E även om den varianten jag har, märkligt nog, saknar det system som gav kniven dess namn. 

Det är emellertid här Q4ttro kommer in i bilden. Fem myror är fler än fyra elefanter och fyra är mer än tre även om den ordleken bara fungerar på svenska. Men överlag är den här kniven större än föregångaren och den har ytterlige ett sätt att öppna kniven! 

Lionsteel Q4ttro

Lionsteels mest anlitade formgivare "Molletta" eller Michele Pensato som han heter, har förstås designat även den här modellen. Är man det minsta bekant med hans arbete är det nämligen svårt att inte se hans formspråk i linjerna. Om ni inte tror mig kan ni ta en titt på bilden nedan. 

Detsamma kan sägas om typiska drag som kan kopplas till Lionsteel som märke. Dit kan exempelvis tillskrivas den rundade bladryggen och mikromönstret på titanytorna samt hur låsarmen är utskuren. De är detaljer som ofta återkommer. 

Fem exempel på knivar designade av Molletta

Det kan direkt  sägas att Q4ttro är mycket lik T.R.E i flera avseenden även om det förstås finns rejäla skillnader, annars vore det inte mycket mening med kniven. Den första och största, ursäkta ordvitsen, är förstås storleken. Den här kniven är en storlek större helt enkelt. Det är för övrigt något jag verkligen uppskattar då det var en av få invändningar mot originalet. 

Q4ttro är 200 mm lång i utfällt läge och av det utgörs bladet av ett 84 mm långt och 3,8 mm tjockt stycke CPM Magnacut. Föregångaren hade M390 i bladet vilket är mycket fint det också men teoretiskt sett är det här ett steg upp och jag direkt avslöja att fabrikseggen på det här exemplaret är mycket bra.

Formen är en drop point med en distinkt partiell falskegg och ett tunt bladhål. Finishen är en tilltalande blank satin.  

 

En kniv som kännetecknas av Mollettas linjer, fyra öppningsmetoder och fina material

Modellen är en frame lock där låssidan är gjord i titan, oavsett variant. Presentationssidan kan dock fås i flera olika utföranden. Alternativen är G10, kolfiber, Micarta eller som här titan med ett inlägg av "fat carbon fiber". Titanet kan även fås i tre olika anodiserade utföranden. Det här är bronsvarianten. 

Tack vare det nätta formatet och materialet väger Q4ttro in på låga 92g vilka dessutom är mycket väl balanserade kan sägas. 

Utöver det ingår det i paketet keramiska kullager, en "flytande back spacer", även den i titan. I samma material är även clipet utfört för övrigt. Så sammantaget en mycket exklusiv kniv. Särskilt som den fått ett tillägg av Lionsteels "R.E.F.", de gillar akronymer, men det står för en teknik som gör att du avlägsna flipperfenan om du inte vill ha den på plats. För ändamålet medföljer små designade insexnycklar.  

Sedan får  jag förstås inte glömma det som är hela poängen med namnet, resten av öppningsmetoderna. Lionsteel ville slå på stort och räkna in alla och då hitttas följande: Först kan kniven öppnas med två händer underlättat av en nagelskåra/öppning i bladet. Den agerar även metod nummer två då det kan nyttjas som ett bladhål á la Spyderco. Till och en med en pekfingersnärt på baksidan av bladet fungerar kan jag säga riktat till konnesörerna, det går dock inte smidigt. 

Utöver det tilllkommer inte en utan TVÅ flipperfunktioner. Både den klassiska på ryggen av handtaget som jag var inne på men som i det här fallet fått sällskap av ytterligare en fena för att kunna agera frontflipper. Den senare kanske inte är vare sig perfekt eller snygg. Men voilá, hela fyra öppningsmetoder och av det följer namnet på kniven. 

Behövs alla de metoderna? Det kan kanske diskuteras men det ger många valmöljligheter och är definitivt ett koncept. Men mer om det och mycket annat i kommande recension av den här kniven. 

Dock kan redan nu avslöjas att det finns flera positiva saker att framhäva som byggkvalitet, materialval storlek, bladform, balans samt övergripande utseende. Lionsteel Q4ttro är vid första kontroll även sympatisk att hålla i. Det finns därmed ett mycket gott fundament för en utmärkt EDC-kniv i den något mer exklusiva skolan. 

Lionsteel 

/ J - på lejonjakt

#knivesandbikes #knivigtvarre

Review Ferramonster Glideman

  

-  a new and exciting acquaintance!

FMK, or Ferramonster Knives, is a relatively new brand on the market. To be precise, the name is new, but not the company. They started as several Chinese brands as OEM manufacturers many years ago, but have now decided to take the step and release knives under their own name.

So far, they have released three knife models, one of which is called Glideman.

Ferramonster Glideman

 

Like many modern manufacturers, Ferramonster has released the Glideman in several versions. However, not as many as some do. Here they have settled for four, of which this is perhaps the most anonymous. I chose it because I thought the sober appearance matched the design well.

Otherwise, the knife is also available with a blue titanium handle, an anodized ditto or with a black blade. The latter has a light bronze tone on the otherwise gray titanium handle.

A new knife on the market with a little extra everything, Glideman

Short version: Ferramonster Glideman, The knife that offers something extra. Extra good cutting properties, extra good ergonomics, and extra good kick in the flipper.

Blade

It is impossible to avoid the fact that this knife has borrowed design elements from other well-known knife models. Not that it is a copy of anything, but it feels familiar. Not least of all, this applies to the blade shape, where there are some familiar figures with a similar appearance. Basically, however, we are talking about a modified Wharncliffe. A fairly strong modification as the edge is curved and the back has been given a curvature.

Further design elements are found in a pronounced swedge and, of course, the blade hole and a "forward choil". In other words, there is quite a lot to look at.

Here you will find a rather heavily modified Wharncliffe

The blade is 84 mm long, a bit depending on how you measure. The website states 77 mm/3.05". It is 3.2 mm thick and 30 mm high at most.

The material used is M390. A steel that is familiar to most people at this point, as it has been used in extremely many folding knives of a slightly finer kind. But there is a reason for that, it is simply very good. Especially when what is here has been hardened properly. The stated range is 60-62 HRC, which is where it should be. Otherwise, you don't get as much out of your top material.

The blade has a nice satin finish and is unmarked except for the blade steel.

But you get that here. Especially since the primary edge is about 21 mm high and the blade is as thin as 0.3 mm behind the edge itself. This gives the Glideman good conditions for being a really capable pocket knife, which it is.

In fact, it is a joy to handle in most materials. I am always just as happy when theoretical advantages are also reflected in practice. When it comes to food handling, it is the size of the blade that sets the limits, not the geometry or the material. The knife cuts excellently, but the blade is not that long and it is wide.

When it comes to other materials, however, it is excellent. Cardboard and the ubiquitous plastic are a joy to cut. It is easy, and the blade stays sharp for a very long time.

The tip is pronounced enough that it is really good for both puncturing things and opening packages. I actually appreciate the false edge there too, as I often turn the knife upside down so that the edge does not cut up what is inside the cardboard box that is being opened. The last time there were five kilos of hazelnuts at work. You don't want those on the floor after accidentally cutting the packaging inside.

Then this is a good knife overall and that means it also bites well into wood. The edge is sharp, the blade thin behind but still strong which makes it relatively easy to cut even in hard materials. A small warning is in place, however. Do not pry with a thinner flat-ground blade like you do with, for example, a Morakniv when you loosen the blade from the wood.

In summary, however, this is a really practical little knife!

Handle

Let me present some basic measurements first. The handle measures a total of 10.5 cm in length, of which only 7 cm is available for the fingers to grip. However, this increases to 9 cm if you add the rounded lower part of the rear end. The thickness lands at 12.7 mm according to my caliper.

If you add to the modest dimensions a milled clip and a distinctively large hole for attaching a lanyard, my fears were raised that this handle would not suit me at all! It felt too small and as if too many considerations had been taken. But rarely have I been so happy to be wrong as in this case! Let me explain why.

The handle is made of 6AL4V titanium

As a side note, the back spacer that incorporates the large hole is made of titanium. On the other hand, this applies to everything except the blade and bearings on this knife. Certainly a metal that is significantly lighter than steel, but despite everything, it should give a certain weight to the whole creation. Here it does not, and one of the things you react to is how light the knife feels. Some of that feeling can be attributed to good balance.

But another strong contributing factor is that the sides are not massive but provided with substantial pockets on the inside. Another quality mark as it takes time and requires some thought to be done correctly. That is, not to impair balance or reduce strength.

The backspacer and clip actually help make the handle feel fuller.

The strength comes from the material, of course, and the construction is not unique in any way. It consists of two sides of titanium joined at two points by a back spacer in addition to the adjustable pivot screw. Incidentally, not unique but very unusual are two things. One is that all screws, including the one that holds the lock bar reinforcement in place, are in size T8. This brings two positive things, firstly, you only need a driver to maintain or adjust your knife. The second is that it usually means that the screw heads are a little more substantial and therefore harder to destroy. This may be needed in this case as the screws are made of titanium! A rather exclusive grip on a production knife.

Otherwise, it can be said that the sides are flat but that they are heavily beveled all around. The Glideman also lacks any sharp corners or edges. Everything is rounded and polished, including obvious places like the edges of the flipper, but also in more hidden places like the corner that occurs at the front where the lock bar is cut out from the handle side.

The Glideman is a well-balanced knife that is very comfortable in most common grips.

But back to why I was wrong. The Ferramonster Glideman is simply phenomenal in the hand, given the size of the knife. If we start with a standard hammer grip, the index finger falls into place behind the finger guard as it should. Then the middle and ring fingers follow naturally. Then the space runs out or not quite. The little finger lands on the rounded back edge excellently. Then comes the real magic tricks. The tip of my ring finger fits perfectly against the hole for the lanyard. Then I have size large (11) in gloves. But even better is that since the lanyard attachment is narrower than the handle in general, it rounds the handle better than if it had not been there. On top of that, the clip is not felt at all. Sorry, that was not true; it improves the grip by helping to round the profile of the handle.

If you then move your thumb up onto the ridges on top of the blade in a saber grip, the grip is still just as good. The angle of the index finger changes, but the substantial beveled edges help.

The same can be said if the index finger lands on the excellently shaped depression on the blade spine. Even then, the rest of the handle continues to feel just as comfortable.

But it is just as sympathetic in all other grips too!

Then we have that indentation in the blade, a "finger choil". It's not my favorite solution, but if you have to have one, it's an excellent example of when it really works. With the index finger there, the thumb now ends up on the spine of the blade instead, and again it gives an excellent grip.

In addition to that, the Glideman can be easily used in a pinch grip as the handle is not too thick. Even reverse grips are decent. You know when you turn the edge towards the body to carve a little heavier or with the tip down to stab something.

Opening and Lock

Glideman is a knife that comes with multiple opening methods. In addition to the obvious flipper, it can of course, be opened with two hands or using the hole in the blade.

But it should be said right away that this is primarily a knife whose blade is to be opened with the flipper tab. What reveals it is how hard the resistance from the detent ball is. But once you have learned that the thumb should be given as much leverage as possible by being placed at the end of the hole or that you should not hesitate with the index finger, those methods also work well. However, you cannot flick the blade out with your thumb, but in that case, a "slow roll" is required, calmly and methodically.

The flipper is easy to use and works very well.

If you want more speed, the flipper "fin" is the one that applies and then we are talking really good speed! One of the fastest I have come across, quite simply. At first, the blade is quite light with its "choil", its hole, and the high grind. Then you have to add the fine ball bearings that the blade runs on, and as the icing on the cake a good geometry. This means both that the fin is easy to "find," meaning that the finger does not have to fumble for it, and that the traction is good. The latter is ensured with some well-made grooves. No slipping here!

The blade hole is also capable, but not as effective as the flipper 

Another plus is that you don't have to think about how to approach the flipper tab. Pull, push, or anything in between - it all works.

The lock is correctly executed

The blade is held in place by an exemplary frame lock. It is, of course, made of titanium, and with that, it also has a lock bar reinforcement that also acts as an overtravel stop and it is made of steel. One of the very few details on this knife that is made of that material, as mentioned.

The function corresponds exactly to the requirements I have for a quality knife in this price range. The blade shows no tendencies to move in any direction, and the lock bar slides neither under load from the right nor in the wrong direction.

To the praise can be added that this is how easy it should be to disengage a frame lock. There is space to reach the lock bar and even though there is nothing to reinforce the traction in the shape of grooves, the thumb gets a good purchase on the beveled surface anyway. 

To Carry

I tend to insist with a fool's persistence that most quality knives are good at something, and if they are good at most things, they have an Achilles heel. If I have to criticize something, this is where I find the objections regarding the Glideman.

It's not that the knife is heavy, because it is not. My scale stops at 108 grams for the Glideman. It is not big either, I have also established that. A length of 105 mm is not a deterrent, and the same can be said about the thickness. Perhaps a little chubby, but certainly not fat. 

The titanium clip is stylish and comfortable in the hand, but leaves a little to be desired.

The sides are made of fairly well-polished titanium, so they offer no resistance when the knife is pulled or put away. So what's the problem?

As you can see, the ramp/lip is modest and the space under the clip is not much to brag about. The tension is good, however.

It's not really a problem so much as the result of some design choices. What made me rave about the handle comfort comes into play here. Most of it is tied to the clip and its placement. The clip is, like everything else, titanium and is held in place by two screws mounted in tandem formation. So it doesn't move sideways. That's good.

But it's also a very flat clip which makes it comfortable to hold the knife as mentioned, especially since it doesn't have a tip pointing the wrong way. Another feature that keeps it from causing hot spots in the hand is that it sits a bit inward on the handle in relation to its outermost tip. That's also good.

Glideman is not anonymous where it sits.
It's almost like you're afraid it's going to fall out of your pocket

However, the design means that the ramp is not very large and therefore not entirely easy to slide over fabric edges. The low space under the clip does not suit all fabric thicknesses and the placement makes the knife very visible in the pocket. It sticks out almost an inch or 2.3 cm in this case, which is a lot given the modest size of the knife. Then the thinning of the lock bar contributes to further complications as it is found on the outside of the handle and not on the inside. Fabric tends to get stuck there if it is soft.

Overall, the Glideman is not entirely easy to put away and once you have done so, it is still visible.

To Conclude

Some details or areas reveal whether a knife is well or poorly designed and how well-built it is. In this case, really well built. I usually quote an expression that says perfection is many small things done correctly. That is almost the case here. But the biggest pieces are in place and almost all the pitfalls have been avoided.

Examples of such details can be sharp corners where the lock is cut out of the titanium side; there are none here. It can be a clip that presses against the hand when using the knife, off-centered blades, edges that almost look out the back and threaten to cut the user, lock bars that are hard to reach and tough to release, flipper tabs with strange geometry so you have to learn to use them and so on.

None of these mistakes are found here!

The Glideman is an excellent pocket knife for EDC use

In principle, there is therefore nothing negative to say about the knife. Or rather very little, but what there is can affect what you use the knife for. It does in my case.

What can be objected to is mostly about personal preferences regarding, for example, blade shape or appearance, or, in this case, more specifically, the user's attitude to modified Wharncliffes and "forward finger choils". They are, after all, dominant features.

But my main objection is the clip itself. Since it is not easy to put the knife away, it prevents me from using the knife in my work. In those situations, the whole point is to pull the knife, open something, and then quickly put it away with one hand again. The other hand often holds what has been opened, not infrequently a 2.5-kilo bag of crushed tomatoes or similar. It is not a completely simple procedure with the Glideman because the clip sometimes wants to get stuck against the hem of the pants. Opened plastic bags with contents cannot be put down, whereupon I have to put the knife away instead and come back later to put it in the pocket.

Therefore, I prefer the Glideman as a general "EDC" knife or everyday companion outside of work, where that feature is not as important to me.

Ferramonster Glideman does well in all weather conditions, but perhaps especially in the spring sun

Otherwise, the Ferramonster Glideman is a thoroughly pleasant acquaintance and something tells me that it was not the last knife from them that I will review. This is a knife that is solidly built in exceptional materials and where a couple of brilliant choices have been made, such as letting the blade be both hard and thin behind the edge. This means that this knife cuts really well. A feature that is matched by a comfortable handle that belongs to those who play around a bit with the format, and offers better comfort and ergonomics than the dimensions suggest. Well done Ferramonster!

For these reasons, I can't help but recommend this knife. Especially not if you feel like having something that not everyone else has.

Ferramonster Knives

Specifications:

Length Overall: 182 mm

Length Folded: 105 mm

Weight: 108 g (weighed by me, stated 105g/3,77oz)

Blade Length: 85 mm

Blade Thickness: 3,2 mm

Blade Steel: Böhler M390

Handle Material: Titan

Lock: Frame lock

Produced by: Ferramonster Knives, made in China

/ J - very happy with his new acquaintance

#knivesandbikes #aliaspostmortem #knivigtvarre 

New Knife - Two Sun TS434

This knife is not only distinctively red, it's huge! There's no other way to put it. Of course, I knew it was pretty substantial when I bid on it. But what didn't come across was how damn thick this handle is. And it also feels longer than I thought.

To put it another way, this knife makes the Cold Steel SR1 Lite look skinny. The knife I'm talking about has no real name other than TS434 and comes from TwoSun.

Two Sun TS434

It is a company that has made a name for itself by producing a vast number of models, most of which are very short-lived. Sometimes, they come back in a different edition. This means that a model that was released with a D2 blade and G10 sides can come back with titanium and M390 in the blade or vice versa. It is something you never know in advance.

So if you like something, you have to take the opportunity and buy it. In this case, I was actually interested in something big. Something that was not entirely practical but more fun. But despite that, this knife surprised me.

The length of the knife is 245 mm, which is quite substantial. Then the blade, or rather the material, is 5 mm thick. Massive enough. To that should be added a handle that is thirteen centimeters long. But then comes the surprise. It is also 1.98 cm thick! That is around 0.8 inch. It comes from the heavy blade that needs space followed by a solid frame with handle sides that are also generous.

The bright red handle hides a substantial blade

This gives a knife that weighs in at 190 g. Certainly a lot, but not in relation to the size in general. The fact that it is not more is due to the blade being significantly thinned and the frame not only being made of titanium but also lightened. The clip is also made of titanium, it can be added.

The handle sides are made of G10. However, of a strange polished variant that basically makes it feel like plastic. The blade is made of D2 steel. It runs on fine ceramic ball bearings, which means that this knife has really nice handling. The blade falls under its own weight and can be quickly opened via double-sided thumb studs. The lock is a liner lock as sturdy as most frame locks.

Overall, an exaggerated but also quite fun knife that is very well-built and in my eyes quite stylish. 

/ J - going big

#knivesandbikes #knivigtvarre

New Knife - MKM Maximo

What we have here is a knife designed by a true master, Bob Terzuola, sometimes called "The godfather of tactical knives". That expression can possibly be debated, but he is famous anyway. This knife called Maximo is a collaboration between him and Italian MKM - Maniago Knife Makers.

This model has been on the market for a couple of years now and, as is often the case with MKM, has had time to sprout in a few different versions. At the time of writing, there are seven. You can get the knife with a full metal handle, with G10 or carbon fiber on the presentation side, and with a blackened blade, for example.

A collaboration between MKM and Terzuola

This is one of the original variants which includes a combination of titanium and carbon fiber. Usually, I'm not too keen on knives with different materials in the handle like this. I feel that they feel as if they should capsize in the hand, both in terms of balance and appearance. But here they have made the look more uniform by having a pattern that gives a feeling of bolster that is found on both sides. The lock side is of course made of metal and there you find a frame lock.

MKM Maximo

The blade is a sturdy drop point made of M390 from Böhler/Uddeholm. It can be deployed with either double-sided thumb studs or a flipper tab.

The knife is not quite small but not huge either. In concrete figures, it gives a blade of 82 mm and a total length of 197 mm. The weight ends up at 120 g in this version. A fairly robust piece in other words.

Like most knives, it has a clip, which in this case, however, cannot be moved. The knife also has a glass breaker that is in place when the knife arrives. However, a key is included in the package so it can be removed and replaced with a flat screw. Something that at least I appreciate.

More details and discussion about Maximo will of course follow in the upcoming review.

Maniago Knife Makers

/ J - goes Italian

#knivesandbikes #knivigtvarre 

Review Artisan Cutlery Satyr

  

-  an elegant pocket knife made of top materials

My first encounter with Artisan Cutlery many years ago did not leave me fully convinced of the brand's excellence. Much depending on the fact that they were borrowed knives and thus not my own choice of models. With this knife called Satyr, the situation is different. I fell for the look the first time I saw it. It is of course a good start. The question is how did it go after that?

Artisan Cutlery Satyr

Perhaps it is not so strange that I was attracted by the pictures since the most distinctive thing about Satyr is the appearance. That's sort of where it starts. Now it may sound like a matter of course as the visual is the first thing you notice when it comes to all knives. Very few knives are tested in a shop blindfolded. But what I mean is that some knives may have unique details, a special construction technique, an exciting material, a new lock, or something else that attracts beyond the looks. 

That is not the case here. The knife is made according to template 1A for a "TFF" (Titanium Frame lock Folder). In the construction, nothing strange is found at all, it is exactly as expected. The materials, on the other hand, are well chosen to suit the clean style and appearance and contribute to the exclusive overall impression. Behind the apparent simplicity is Chris Ortiz of Cerberus Knives.

Satyr is designed by Chris Ortiz of Cerberus Knives

Short version: Artisan Cutlery Satyr, stylish elegance for the everyday pocket

Blade

"Drop point" is the description of the blade on Artisan Cutlery's website. It may well be true even if it's almost up for discussion. By that, I mean that the part that drops down is pretty discreet. The knife blade in general is also quite restrained in terms of appearance. Except for the height, which is 31.5 mm, which is matched by a length of 85 mm and a thickness of 3.2 mm. It is not an excessive stock thickness.

The finish is a semi-polished satin which is damn hard to photograph I might mention in passing. The marking is exemplary discreet where the blade has the Artisan logo on the presentation side of the ricasso and the Cerberus marking on the opposite side of the blade. There you can also read steel type.

Bladet är en drop point med en markerad buk

Of course, they want to brag about it because it is a fundamentally very competent steel in the form of CPM S90V. That material has been thinned from the original stock thickness to 0.5-0.6 mm behind the edge via a fairly wide primary grind. Unfortunately, this is one of the knife's Achilles heels. For those who don't know, that's quite thick. Especially for a folding knife whose role is not to chop with or do other tougher work. In fact, this knife, and especially with this steel could have benefited from being significantly thinner behind the edge.

Having said that, the factory edge is decent. Fairly smooth and "medium sharp". It wasn't the sharpest knife I've come across straight out of the box but it wasn't dull either. It shaved hair with some pressure but not with ease so to speak.

For future maintenance and sharpening, the blade has been given a good sharpening choil so I can't see that that part in particular would pose any major challenges. By good I mean that the edge starts outside the plunge line so the risk of "smiles" towards the heel of the blade is reduced.

A clean look is enhanced by excellent materials. The blade is made of S90V

The physical properties of the blade are clear even when the knife is in use. Cardboard and thick paper are no problem at all to "kill". It's something I do frequently both at home and at work. But, it could be made even easier. It is the feeling that persists even when it comes to other materials. Satyr cuts competently but not to its full potential. It becomes especially clear when you cut into certain foods. Last it happened to be celeriac. Now that's not what this knife is made for but consistently cutting through fairly solid materials reveals something about the geometry.

Therefore, Satyr is better for small, fast cuts where the edge is used the most. Consider tasks such as cutting cable ties, nylon straps around packages, and the like. All tasks that do not require deep cuts. 

I directly noted that the tip is excellent. Penetrates well as it is sharp without being fragile. Possibly it sits high in regards to the angle of the wrist. However, I usually solve that problem by turning the knife upside down when, for example, I open taped boxes.

Satyr bites unexpectedly well in wood, even dry wood, but in that case, it is rather the thin handle that causes certain limitations. This is not my first choice for outdoor excursions. 

Handle

The fact that this is an all-metal knife is hard to miss. Given the stylish design and above all the weight, it is also not difficult to figure out that the material used in the handle is titanium. However, you don't get very much of it as the sides are as thin as about 2 mm and the entire knife stops at 10.7 mm across the back. The length of the handle is 113 mm and the height stops at 26 mm.

The handle is completely made of titanium

The handle, like the entire knife, breathes elegance and this is expressed by the fact that the sides are properly machined. They are, for example, both chamfered and arched. It improves the comfort considerably. In addition, the sides of the parts that are not beveled have been provided with a very fine milled pattern. It gives a certain grip while looking very good.

As I said, the construction is not overly complicated, so in addition to the two sides, a very small backspacer is found in the back, but otherwise, the handle is open. Incidentally, the manufacturer's name is also printed on the small piece of titanium.

Everything is put together with two screws per side plus the pivot screw. The size of the flat screw heads is T8.

The key word here is "slim". The back is mostly open

But there is one thing that is hard to get away from. Since the knife is both stylish but above all thin, so are the sides. If you also bevel them, which of course is appropriate, then the risk is that they feel a bit sharp against the hand, and they do in certain situations. This particularly applies to the area where the little finger meets the handle and also the back where it meets the hand. There, the metal could have been made slightly thicker, but above all rounded a little more. In return, it might have affected the appearance so that is a consideration that has to be made.

The handle is long enough to accommodate the whole hand in several different grips

Otherwise, it can be said about the Satyr that it is a well-balanced knife. The balance point is found right in the middle of the recess for the index finger. That, together with the low weight, makes the knife feel lively in the hand.

All common grips work and about equally well. The only thing that becomes noticeable sometimes is, as I said, the thin edges of the distinctive lines. In addition to the aforementioned blade notch, this also applies to the clip.

But I still don't consider it a compromising detail as the Satyr quite frankly feels like an EDC knife/"gentleman's carry" and nothing for the wilderness excursion. In other words, what I see in front of me are a little simpler or at least easier cutting tasks that don't last that long in terms of time. Then the materials and construction actually invite a bit more but that's another matter. But this means that the ergonomics are both very good and somewhat less good depending on how heavy you cut.

Opening and Lock

A thumb hole is what this knife opens with. An oval one as you can see. The shape has then been completed with the edges being chamfered. It is in line with other lavish machine work on the knife. I don't really know how I feel about that detail. It's pretty as hell and it matches the look in general, but it also gives less grip for the thumb. Especially as the hole is small. It is positioned correctly to be easy to reach and it is not in the way when the knife is used, but it is not large.

Satyr opens with an oval blade hole that has a heavily chamfered edge

Now, some of my resistance to the hole itself may be due to how the relationship between me and this Satyr developed. When the knife arrived, it was quite rough with a gritty feeling when I first opened it. Nothing I expected from this knife, at this price point, and certainly not from a model equipped with ceramic bearings. But that was the case.

I started the troubleshooting by adjusting the pivot screw which helped a little but the sluggish feeling lingered. The next step consisted of disassembling the knife, which is very easy to do by the way, and cleaning it. It wasn't dirty but the procedure helped partially. However, one problem remained. Sometimes, not often but from time to time the knife could not be opened at all! The thumb was unable to overcome the resistance of the detent ball that held the blade in an iron grip. Then it didn't help that the edges were rounded on the hole itself. It made one slip with the thumb. It was difficult to figure out what the problem was because it was not consistent. In addition, opening the knife with the middle finger on the back of the knife with a "middle finger flick" was always excellent.

But a little more fiddling with the pivot screw and a period of use has done the trick. Now none of the above problems remain and the "action" is now very smooth. A shake and the blade slides majestically into place in the handle. The feel is now what I expected!

The frame lock has both an overtravel stop and a reinforced lock bar

The beveled lock bar is easy to get to

The lock follows the handle in such a way that it is uncomplicated but well done. It is a titanium frame lock with the now mandatory companions overtravel stop and a steel-reinforced tip of the lock bar. The function is exemplary. It has always felt completely safe as in that there are no tendencies to slide and that there is no play sideways or up and down in the blade. But in the beginning, as I said, was the problem with the detent ball.

Now, however, it releases as easily as you would expect from a knife in this class. The procedure is facilitated by a recess on the opposite side and the locking bar is nicely chamfered.

To Carry

Light and thin are two words of honor that apply to this knife. A total thickness of only 11mm and a weight of just a few grams over a hundred grams (106g) is certainly not bad for an all-metal knife with a fairly wide 8.5cm long blade.

The clip is very nicely integrated into the whole

The clip is a story in itself as it is really nicely integrated into the whole and follows the other lines of the knife in an excellent way. It is a milled titanium clip and, in addition to that, Artisan has gone to the trouble of providing it with the same pattern that is found on the rest of the handle, which is positive. In addition, they have chosen to have a hidden fastening screw screwed from the inside. 

Even more important, of course, is the function. It can be said that the clip is thin enough to have good tension and both the space under the clip and the ramp itself are large enough to handle most regular pants. That includes the slightly thinner work pants I use at work. Once in place, a bit of the knife is visible, but it is as close to "deep carry" as a clip of this type can offer.

A little bit of the knife is visible when the knife is carried in a pocket

But thicker fabric and jeans aren't exactly this clip's best friends. It works, but not completely without resistance. It gives another hint that this is more of a "gentleman's carry" than a tool for the construction site. It becomes clear when I sometimes carry knives in the breast pocket of a jacket.  

The milled clip is thin enough to provide good tension but the tip is almost sharp

When fiddling with thicker fabric such as in jacket pockets, one of the clip's weaknesses is also discovered. The shape of the clip together with the distinct lines gives a very pointed tip. In fact, it's almost sharp. I have advanced plans to round it off at the top with some sandpaper. But I have to be a little careful as I don't want to ruin the look or scratch the handle.

Speaking of appearance, Artisan did not want to destroy the pure titanium surface, so there is no recess on the opposite side of the handle for the clip. In other words, it stays where it is.

To Conclude

The love story that didn't go in a straight line is one way to sum up the relationship with this particular specimen of Satyr. As for the appearance, it was hot feelings at first sight. This design from Cerberus Knives exudes elegance and exclusivity. Sometimes gray titanium knives can be boring, but here it's just restrained and stylish in my eyes.

Light, thin, and stylish with a capable blade makes the Satyr a good EDC knife

Then there were some flies in the ointment like in many relationships. This beauty didn't dance as well as she looked. There was also a spanner in the works and the feeling was therefore not the best and in addition, it sometimes refused like the worst jumping horse. The blade did not want to appear. But after a little adjustment of the tension in the pivot screw and above all a period of use, the situation is different. The function is now excellent.

Speaking of function, it is important how a knife cuts. In that respect, Satyr is approved, but it could be better than it is and that's something I intend to fix in the future. The knife is definitely worth it. With such an advanced steel and such a wide blade with a really high grind, this could have been a real slicer. As is, it is ok for most EDC tasks. But it could be so much better. The potential is there.

Artisan Cutlery Satyr is elegance personified

One thing that is part of good knife design and is sometimes missed is that the model should preferably look just as good folded as unfolded. Satyr certainly does. It doesn't matter from which angle it is viewed. It is still stylish with a frugal design. It is the knife's main selling point, which in this case is backed up by, in the knife world, "precious" metals such as titanium and S90V.

Then it's a good EDC knife, easy to carry, and not too bad for that kind of work either.

Artisan Cutlery

Specification:

Length Overall: 197 mm

Length Folded: 112 mm

Weight: 109 g (weighed by me, stated 109 g)

Blade Length: 85 mm

Blade Thickness: 3,2 mm

Blade Steel: CPM S90V, 59-61HRC

Handle: Titan

Lock: Frame lock

Produced by: Artisan Cutlery, made in China

/ J - intends to sharpen the relationship

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