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Pros: Handle Material, Pocket Clip, Overall Quality
Cons: None
Excellent, elegant EDC folder, but with a few small anomalies
This folder actually has a lot of firsts for me: first knife with titanium scales, first front-flipper, first frame-lock, first S35VN blade. Overall, I am very satisfied with the purchase, as there are so many things to praise on this piece. It has solid lockup, finely-tuned detent with a nice snap on close, minimalistic style/design (preference, I know), and I even love that they incorporated an over-travel stop feature into the lock-bar insert. I could just go on and on. However, there are some barely-noticeable inconsistencies that probably only a nitpicker like me would catch: - I do like the subtle milling pattern that was applied to the titanium scales; it somewhat resembles the look of a fine twill fabric. My assumption is that it was intended to limit the appearance of "snail-trails" (as the folks refer to it) and to maintain the refined aesthetics of the knife. The only thing is that it seems to be ever-so-slightly more pronounced/defined on the presentation side, and looks a little subdued/faded on the lock-bar side. You could feel the difference if you grazed both sides with your fingertip, but it's not a deal-breaker. - The presentation side of the blade's spine below the swedge doesn't have the same angular chamfer (if at all) that was applied to the lock-bar side. This may appear like a skimp in consistency, but I think I know why Artisan may have done this. The blade is pretty much dead-center when closed, but when you look at the spine when it's opened, it tends to gravitate more toward the lock-bar side. I don't know if this is common with frame-lock designs, but my theory is that they intentionally applied the chamfer to provide the illusion that the blade is more evenly-spaced between the scales. It looks a little asymmetrical, but again, not a deal-breaker. Overall, I am very pleased with this knife, as it has great features and great quality. As for the value, I guess it's subjective, but just think about what a Sebenza 21 cost with the same materials. Even if it's not made in the States like a Sebenza, the quality is still top-notch, and I've seen other U.S.-made knives that cost more and don't touch the quality of this one. You won't be disappointed with it.