Pros: Weight, Ease of Opening, Handle Material, Blade Material, Overall Quality, Blade Sharpness
Cons: Pocket Clip
Simply Outstanding
I’ve always wanted a 484 and had a tough choice between this and the S90V model, but the materials and orange accents won me over. It’s definitely more on the gentlemanly side, but thanks to its materials and solid build, it can easily tackle more strenuous tasks. The M390 blade has a light stonewash finish and is gorgeous (and was perfectly centered right out of the box). The thumb studs are a bit rough, but I adapted to them quickly. My particular model has uneven grinds, too, but that can be corrected. The jimping is incredible — your thumb won’t be going anywhere. The blade deploys like a dream, either with your thumb or a flick, and the lockup sound is amazing (as is the lockup itself). The handles are incredibly ergonomic. I can see how people that bought the G10 version of this knife might have gripes with the deep scale grooves, but the smaller, shallower grooves on this model are just right. The wood scales are lovely; they’re slick and smooth, but the finger and scale grooves account for that well. The handle is similar in length to a mini griptilian, so this might not be right for you if you have larger hands. But if you can comfortably hold a mini-grip, then this would work well for you. The handle thickness is great, too — I read some comments that it’s too thick, but it “fills in” your hand well when you’re holding it. Of course, the arrow pocket clip isn’t my favorite and will be replaced. The orange pivot collar and barrel spacers add just the right amount of pop. Overall, it’s a great addition to my EDC and won’t be leaving my pocket anytime soon. It’s a joy to flick open and close, with the Axis lock wearing in nicely. Definitely recommend this one if you’re at all interested in a Nakamura.