Review Criteria

I like things that are elegant. That is, things which give the appearance of simplicity but, in fact, are quite refined and have layers of form and function. Hence the name of this blog. My purpose here (for now, at least) is just to review a few of my favorite folding knives and provide more data points for potential consumers and the industry at large.

I really like Tony Sculimbrene's work at www.everydaycommentary.com, and his very structured review system conforms with my own idea that data needs to be A) specific and B) contextual in order for it to be useful.

I ain't a math major, so I'm not stealing Tony's number system. I speak in terms of categories. Think of it in terms of how people like Darwin and Linneus grouped different animals into different taxa. Here's my breakdown for folding knives:

Short Form: Every review will start with one sentence that captures the whole thing. As any good trial attorney will tell you, if it can't be summed up in one sentence, you haven't mastered the material yet.

Size: 

1. Small - less than 6" in length, when open.
2. Medium - between 6" in length and 7.5" when open
3. Large - larger than 7.5"

Usage Rating:

1. Light - suitable for projects around an office (packaging, envelopes) and simple food preparation.
2. Moderate - suitable for light usage plus somewhat heavier chores, like cutting cardboard or paracord, but still not so sturdy that you'd make it a primary blade while camping.
3. Heavy - suitable on a construction site or campground. Could handle jobs like bushcraft, skinning a large animal, or cutting heavy materials like linoleum flooring. Possibly sturdy enough for activities like batoning wood.

Blade Steel Quality:

1. Budget Steels - steels like 420 HC, 8Cr13Mov, Sandvik 13c26, and whatever they make Swiss Army Knives out of. Generally blades that aren't going to crest $35 in price.
2. Moderate Steels - steels like VG-10, Sandvik 14c28n, and H1 that cost a bit more and generally have much better performance properties (viable secondary bevel angle, edge retention, rust resistance). Usually range between $35-70 in price.
3. High End Steels - steels like s30v, D2, 154cm, ZDP-189 and others that have truly exceptional performance qualities and equally exceptional price-tags. Usually starting at $70 and going upward to a ridiculous degree.

Deployment Method (Left-Handed, Right Handed, Ambidextrous):

1. One-Handed Manual
2. One-Handed Assisted Opening
3. One-Handed Automatic
4. Two-Handed Opening

Performance Aspects (all three covered in every review):

1. Slicing - This refers to how well the blade cuts when its cutting edge is being drawn backwards or forwards along the material being cut.
2. Piercing - As the name implies, this addresses how well the blade performs when pressure is being applied at the tip.
3. Push Cutting - this addresses how well the blade performs when a portion of the cutting edge is being pressed directly into a material with no lateral movement of the cutting edge.


Retention Method (all three covered in every review):

1. Functionality - how well does the knife stay where it is supposed to be carried?
2. Discretion Factor - how eye-grabbing is the intended carry mechanism?
3. Versatility - how many options does the user have for how to carry this particular blade?

Fit and Finish: Pretty much speaks for itself. This is really something that is always going to be evaluated relative to price.

Ease of Maintenance: addresses everything from how easy it is to clean, to how likely it is to attract lint, to how difficult it is to sharpen a particular blade.

Errata: If some relevant piece of info isn't covered in the gauntlet above, I'll put it in at the end of the review.