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Pros: Blade Sharpness, Ease of Opening, Handle Feel, Handle Material, Lock Ease of Use, Lock Type, Overall Quality
Cons: None
Nailed it (but fiddly clip reversal)
David C. Anderson's collab with CJRB exceeds nearly all the expectations I had for this budget folder. Size, feel, comfort, action, blade shape, all feel fantastic. The broad handle is comfortable for my not-larger-than-average hands. The thumb ramp that spans handle and spine is exactly where my thumb want it to be, and it allows me to choke up on the blade comfortably and effectively. The slight depressions on the micarta scales between the pivot and the blade are a nice Easter egg, as they're perfectly placed for a comfortable pinch grip. The crowning on the blade feels luxurious. The thumb studs and crossbar studs feel solid and accessible but don't project so far out that they catch pocket fabric. The blade shape puts the tip right where is should be (if you imagine the thumb ramp a little more rounded off, it's very similar to the shape of a Bugout).
Got this knowing it was AR-RPM9, so don't have super-high expectations for the steel, but at this price point this is a great beater EDC.My only quibble is that, as a southpaw, reversing the deep-carry clip was much fiddlier than I expected. After removing the clip, one can see that the curl at the screw end is pronounced, giving the clip significant spring and pocket grip. However, the thickness of the shaped micarta scales and the length of the screws combine with the clip curl to require significant downward force when screwing down the bladeward clip screw, otherwise the threads don't reach the steel liner and can't bite. It would have been nice to have a flush-mounted clip to help avoid that fiddliness.
Nonetheless, except for that one quibble, everything else is not just great but also southpaw-friendly. So, kudos to DCA and CJRB.