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Pros: Blade Material, Blade Sharpness, Ease of Opening, Handle Feel, Handle Material, Lock Ease of Use, Lock Type, Pocket Clip, Weight
Cons: None
Nice EDC
At this price point, one of the best knives I've found...and I own a LOT of knives, from budget (like this one) to higher-end production (e.g., Zero Tolerance). I have big hands, and this fits well. Nice grip, not too short of a handle. The texturing and the carbon fiber inserts look nice and help with grip, although I think this knife would be a bit slippery if wet. The D2 blade holds an edge decently--much better than many other offerings at this price point. The blackwash ought to help protect the blade, as well (it's a darker and more blacked-out finish than, say Kershaw's blackwash offerings). The blade sharpens up easily, too--just a few minutes with the ceramic rods in my sharpening kit. You usually don't get D2 steel at this price point. The blade came sharp, but not quite as sharp as I like--I took it up a bit. The blade is well centered, and there is zero side-to-side play once the blade is deployed and locked. Surprisingly good workmanship at this price level. The pivot works smoothly--this is not an assisted knife, but it opens as if it is. A nice satisfying 'snap' as it locks into place. So far, I've used it for envelopes, packages, twine, electrical zip-ties, and a solid hunk of aged cheddar cheese. Blade architecture makes it a good slicer. Liner lock engagement is good, and it's not difficult to disengage. It is large enough so that it may intimidate some non knife people (NNP). Just big enough for tactical use in a pinch, although that is not its primary design. And if you are into aesthetics, it's a good-looking knife--the carbon fiber inlays have a nice shimmer and you see the expected pattern changes as you view it at different angles. The clip is a nice deep carry, and is just about perfect in terms of how it's set--holds on securely, but I don;t think it will shred the edge of my pocket. Be aware that the clip is NOT moveable from the way it comes on the knife: right handed, tip-up-and-back carry. That's my preferred orientation, so I'm happy...YMMV. I would not recommend this for lefties. I've found myself carrying this a LOT; much more than I expected, and even instead of some really nice fancier knives that I own. I have knives that cost two and three times this much that are not as well made! It also is surprisingly light for its size. This is a great EDC--even more so due to the surprisingly low price point. If you are considering it, buy it. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. This is my first Petrified Fish knife. I'm dying to know where the name came from...