Master bladesmith Lin Rhea was recently recognized as an Arkansas Living Treasure by the Arkansas Arts Council.
Knifemaker, blacksmith, teacher … Lin Rhea has many titles. Hang another one on the master craftsman—living treasure.
That honor was bestowed upon him by the folks in his home state with Rhea recently being named the Arkansas Arts Council’s 2023 Arkansas Living Treasure. The annual award—chosen through a panel of independent judges—recognizes masters of traditional crafts and folk art in the state, of which Arkansas has a rich and wide-ranging tradition. Since the award’s inception in 2002, it has honored craftsmen (and women) from basket makers to log-cabin carpenters. Given Rhea’s propensity for traditional knifemaking and blacksmithing techniques, the Arkansas native fits right in the honor roll.
“Lin Rhea is an outstanding addition to the Arkansas Living Treasure program,” Mike Mills, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, said in a news release. “He has contributed so much to the rich creative culture of Arkansas.”
Rhea is the second bladesmith to earn Arkansas Living Treasure recognition. In 2007, James R. Cook of Nashville, Ark., was recognized for his contributions to the craft.
Rhea has been a blasdsmith for more than 20 years and earned his master bladesmith rating through the American. Bladesmithing Society. He studied the craft at the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing, centered at Arkansas’ Old Washington State Park. And he is known as an avid and expert historian of the state’s knifemaking tradition.
Along those lines, he presented the finer points of James Black and his creation—the Bowie Knife—at the 2023 BLADE Show Texas. The seminar not only delved into the technological advancements Black introduced to knifemaking but the ethical considerations of reproducing his work. This is a hot-button topic, given Black never signed his work.
Despite rooting himself in the traditional aspect of knifemaking, Rhea also has a keen eye for advancing the craft. Perhaps one of his more notable endeavors to this end is his X-Rhea knife, which he set out as a personal challenge to create a knife—handle and all—from a single piece of steel. As always, he turned to two tools to complete the task—fire and steel.
“Moreover, I wanted it to look good and be comfortable and as structurally sound as any good knife should be, without being overly heavy,” Rhea said in a 2021 BLADE Magazine article he authored on the genesis of the X-Rhea Knife.
As for being recognized as an Arkansas Living Treasure, Rhea admits to being quite humbled.
“I’ve gone back and looked at other videos the museum (Historic Arkansas Museum) has produced of the other Living Treasures and I know one or two of them personally, and I’ve known them for quite some time,” Rhea said, in an Arkansas Times article, “But to be associated with that group is quite an honor.”
Rhea will be honored with a reception 4-7 p.m. June 17 at Little Rock’s Historic Arkansas Museum. This coincides with the reopening of the museum’s Knife Gallery, which displays several of Rhea’s creations.
Read Up On Knife History:
Last Little Mester of Sheffield: Remembering Stan Shaw
Inspired By His Time Fly Fishing In The Pacific Northwest, Joe Mangiafico’s Trout Knives Are Durable, Eye-Catching Tools.
Joe Mangiafico’s trout knives not only are built to use but are cool and colorful to boot.
The 28-year-old Massachusetts maker acid etched the flat areas of the blades for a damascus look, yet it’s the handles and sheaths that really stand out.
The grips are structural mosaics of G-10, brass, and copper. For instance, the blue haloed red center pins of the model with the green handle are inlaid plugs, and the brass pins are press fit and epoxied all the way through. He designed the Kydex sheaths with centered pocket clips to attach to your pocket or waders while fishing. The red-banded model is inspired by the redband trout Joe fly fishes for in the Deschutes River Valley of central Oregon.
Who Is Joe Mangiafico
Mangiafico began making knives while still a college student several years ago. Joe makes his knives in his shop in Cotuit, on the southern coast of Cape Cod. While the majority of his work is custom knives, he does have a factory collaboration with the German company Boker Knives. His Brook fixed blade is made from VG-10 steel and, like his trout knives, showcases his deft ability to craft an eye-popping handle. It retails for $156.95 and can be found on Boker’s website.
Trout Knife Specs Model names: Brook Trout, Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout Knife type: Trout knife Blade lengths: 3 inches Blade steel: Nitro V stainless Blade grinds: Flat Handle materials: G-10, copper and brass Bolster materials: Brass, Micarta® and mokume gané Overall lengths: 6.5 inches Sheaths: Kydex Maker’s price for similar knives: $375 each
When it comes to wood cutting, the Flexcut Whittlin’ Jack takes no prisoners.
The Whittlin’ Jack by Flexcut Carving Tools is the knife I wish I had when I was growing up. It would have made my outdoor life so much easier, not to mention much less painful. Granted, the blade edges are very fine and made for wood, so they tend to chip if you cut hard stuff.
Growing up a commercial fisherman on the Great Lakes, I was always cutting twine. The Whittlin’ Jack’s sharp blades would have saved me plenty of time resharpening and in doing such outdoor chores as marking sticks on a trapline. However, the best things about the knife are the sharpness of the edges during whittling, including for super fine cuts, and a very comfortable handle shape. The backspring holds the blade open tightly enough to stop accidental foldup while cutting, yet slowly closes the blade.
Flexcut Whittlin’ Jack Edge Test
For the first edge-check medium, the author used his standard 20-pound bond copy paper. Both the roughing and detail blades zipped through the stationery way too fast. He just used the weight of the blade and pushed down.
For the first edge-check medium I used my standard 20-pound bond copy paper. Both the roughing and detail blades zipped through the stationery way too fast. I just used the weight of the blade and pushed down. I’m glad I had fingernails! Now I have four nicks in one. The knife was scary sharp from the get-go.
Whittlin’ Jack Vs Light-Duty Material
Next up was single-walled cardboard. The Whittlin’ Jack did not slow down one bit, though I did learn to move my finger faster. I could feel the blades cutting through the pockets in the cardboard. I made the longer cuts with the roughing blade.
I made some straight cuts in 8-ounce leather to see how thin I could get the slices without the leather folding over. These blades are so scary sharp that I really had to watch how much pressure I was using so I didn’t cut the leather in half. Both blades were very controllable.
Cutting the end of the leftover leather at an angle, I did some skiving. I could hear a very aggressive crunching sound as the Whittlin’ Jack bit into the material. The slices were so thin I could actually see the polished bevel cutting through. Very sharp indeed!
Whittlin’ Jack Whittling
The curls were curlin’ as the author whittled a wooden tanto with the Whittlin’ Jack. Here he cuts the tanto’s choil with the detail blade.
The Whittlin’ Jack is the first knife to ever give me curly curly-cues. It was amazingly simple and easy to do. Fine cuts or deeper cuts, it didn’t matter. The whittling was so smooth the blades just slid through the wood. I liked the detail blade better for making curly curly-cues. The handle shape really excels as it fills your palm, making the blades an extension of your hand. This is an outstanding design to say the least.
For some extra whittling fun, I carved a thin tanto-style knife in less than 5 minutes. The roughing blade did its job very quickly, thinning the wood and getting the overall shape. The detail blade made short work of cutting in the bevels and choil. It was amazing how smooth every cut was. Controlling the blades was easy with the handle design. The Whittlin’ Jack is the perfect knife for the job.
Whittlin’ Jack Vs Sisal Rope
The knife crunched to 150 cuts in half-inch sisal rope in record time without any sliding. According to the author, it is the best overall Spec Sheet sisal rope cutter to date—that includes for both edge sharpness and handle comfort.
I used the roughing blade so my knuckles would clear the workbench. The knife crunched to 150 cuts in record time without any sliding. Since it would be a waste of sisal rope, I stopped cutting. The blade was still nasty sharp. This is the best overall Spec Sheet sisal rope cutter to date—that includes for both edge sharpness and handle comfort. Wow!
Recomendations
I might put a finer finish on the walnut handle inserts.
Bottom Line
The author indicated the Whittlin’ Jack was the first knife to ever give him curly-cues that were actually curly. He preferred the smaller detail blade for the purpose.
The Whittlin’ Jack really impressed me in both sharpness and handle comfort. I’ll place it in the top 1 percent of knives I’ve tested. I will be carrying one.
Flexcut Carving Tools warrants its knives against defects as long as the knife is not abused. Remember, this knife is made for wood use only and the blades do not lock in place.
Flexcut Carving Tools Whittlin’ Jack Specs Blade Patterns: Roughing and detail Blade Lengths: Roughing 2” and detail 1.5” Blade Material: In-house tool steel Blade Grinds: Flat Handle: Aluminum frame, walnut insert Non-Lock Mechanism: Slip joint Weight: 3 ozs. Closed Length: 4.125” Country Of Origin: USA MSRP: $63.95 Flexcut Tools
The BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame® is proud to announce three most-deserving inductees for 2023: Steve Schwarzer, Bob Terzuola and Devin “Hoss” Thomas.
Steve Schwarzer, Bob Terzuola and Devin “Hoss” Thomas are the newest members of the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame®. All three will be formally inducted Saturday morning, June 3, of the BLADE Show at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta in a special ceremony in the Kennesaw Room of the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly, the show’s host hotel. The ceremony will be a combination breakfast/triple induction and will start at 8:00 a.m. Tickets are required and seating is limited, so the tickets will go fast. For ticket information, email [email protected].
Steve Schwarzer
A veteran ABS master smith, Schwarzer is probably best known for his pioneering work in the canister method of forging mosaic damascus. His hunter and dog scene in mosaic damascus on the blade of one of his hunting knives forged circa the early 1990s was a defining moment for the genre. He is considered one of the finest instructors and ambassadors of the forged blade and of mosaic damascus, teaching at seminars and hammer-ins on the subjects for decades in Europe, South Africa, all over the USA and elsewhere.
Bob Terzuola
Known as a pioneer of tactical knives, especially his ATCF (Advanced Technology Combat Folder), Terzuola started out making fixed-blade combat knives for the CIA, soldiers and security personnel in Central America. In 1984 he began making folders of titanium and Micarta®, which helped set the stage for the tactical folders that dominated the American custom knife scene for decades beginning in the mid-1990s. Aka “Bob T,” he wrote the how-to book, The Tactical Folding Knife, originally published in 2000.
While a fine knifemaker in his own right, Thomas is best known for his pioneering work in forging stainless and carbon damascus, and supplying thousands of knifemakers industry-wide with the material from the 1990s forward. He was one of the first to make quality damascus available for sale to the “average” knifemaker. The damascus patterns he offers are among the most recognizable in the industry and include but are not limited to Raindrop, Spirograph, Basketweave, Herringbone and others.
The new inductees were determined by a combined vote of sitting Hall Of Famers and, for the first time this year, a Panel of Industry Authorities, the latter chosen by the BLADE® staff. The latest inductions bring the total number of members in the Cutlery Hall Of Fame to 71.
See Past BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame® Inductees:
Utilizing Steel From An Iraqi Tank, John Thunert’s Capemaster Is A Skinner Built On The Foundation Of A Caping Knife.
When John Thunert learned an acquaintance had some spare steel from an Iraqi tank, he jumped at the chance to buy some of it and forge it in the damascus of his Capemaster skinner.
Strips of steel 3×3 inches and 4×4 inches, each 3/16-inch thick, were torch cut from the armored vehicle, which was stored in a “tank graveyard” in Iraq. John cleaned the steel up, including removing some paint. He also got a copy of the form his friend had to fill out on the steel as a “war trophy,” which is how he was able to legally ship the steel stateside. “It kinda gives me some bona fides,” John noted.
He said an analysis of the material identified it as a very pure form of mild steel containing 99 percent iron and few impurities. Though the knife started out as a caper, it kept “growing” until it became a skinner, but John kept the caper name. The handle is quilted poplar with pins of a subdued coyote brown G-10 to match the liners.
Who Is John Thunert?
John has been making knives since 2017 and has competed on The History Channel’s Forged In Fire show. He sells more than a dozen varieties of his Capemaster knife on his website, with the majority made from exclusively 80CrV2 steel. The majority of his Capemasters retail for $245.He has also made Bowie knives as well as multiple types of kitchen knives.
Capemaster Knife Specs Blade Length: 4.75 inches Blade Grind: Flat Blade Steel: 80CrV2/1095/15N20/Iraqi tank steels Overall Length: 9.25 inches Handle Material: Quilted Poplar with Coyote Brown G-10 Price Of A Similar Knife: $625
Be it chopping wood or prepping a meal, a solid bushcraft knife is an essential piece of backwoods kit.
Bushcraft is a specialized skill set that ensures survival in the wilderness using foraging, hunting, fishing, shelter construction, and firecraft, all accomplished with minimal tools. The primary bushcraft implement is a fixed blade employed not only for food prep but the other mentioned skills, too.
As a result, such a fixed blade must be a tough tool capable of more than just standard cutting tasks, including whittling, carving, splitting wood or, in conjunction with a ferrocerium rod, starting a campfire.
What Defines A Bushcraft Knife?
Five basic chores of outdoor survival can be performed with a bushcraft knife. The tasks are elemental and a must-learn if you want to use a bushcraft knife to maximum effect.
Chopping
Batoning
Carving
Fire Starting
Food Prep
Chopping
Whereas a small hatchet, ax, or even a machete are better suited for the task, a bushcraft knife can turn the trick. Grip the handle as far back and as securely as you can, and chop as you would with a larger knife, ax, hatchet or machete.
Batoning
Basically, to baton a piece of kindling is to split it. Take a rather large/thick piece of wood to act as a baton/hammer in one hand, lay the blade edge on the end of the secured piece of kindling with the other, and, using firm, deliberate blows, pound the blade lengthwise through the kindling, effectively splitting it.
Again, an ax, hatchet or even a folding saw would be better, but if you lack any of these, your bushcraft knife is capable of handling such a task.
Carving
One of the most important bushcraft skills is to carve bowls, spoons, or even whittling sticks to roast hot dogs. Chopping and batoning are tasks using brute force; carving is more finesse and control.
This can be accomplished by using the knife and a ferrocerium (aka ferro) rod. The job is best done by using a knife that has a blade with a 90-degree spine as opposed to a chamfered or radiused one.
Grasp the knife firmly, cutting edge up. Lay the corner of the blade spine on the ferro rod and with one swift, downward motion, as if you are whittling o a piece of the rod, move the blade down it. Doing so will result in a white hot shower of sparks. The sparks can ignite tinder to start a fire.
The key to fire starting is always select a bushcraft knife with a 90-degree spine. If it lacks such a spine, you can always use the edge but this will dull the one spot on the edge faster than standard cutting will.
Food Prep
And, obviously, a bushcraft blade can also adeptly handle any cutting task related to food or campsite prep. Bushcraft knives prove a knife need not have sheer size and weight to be effective. It’s all in smart design of the blade and handle.
Our Picks For Best Bushcraft Knife
Boker Magnum Life Knife
Boker Magnum Life Knife
The most affordable bushcraft model of the test bunch, the Boker Magnum Life Knife has a 3.9-inch blade of 440A stainless steel in a modified clip-point pattern. Built rugged for the outdoors, the knife comes with a sturdy Kydex sheath for safe carry.
At 7.87 inches overall, the Life Knife sports a handle of machined black G-10 in a coarse crosshatched checkering pattern for enhanced hand traction regardless of conditions. The grooves in the crosshatching work are similar to those of a radial car tire by displacing moisture. Red fiber liners under the G-10 add a nice pop of color to an otherwise dark knife.
The handle includes integral forward and rear guards to prevent your hand from sliding in either direction. The three large traction notches in the thumb rest area of the blade spine also help improve grip. The handle felt a bit skinny in my hand, so I would prefer a slightly wider one.
Conversely, the Life Knife might be a great choice for those with smaller paws. The 3.9-inch blade is a great size for belt carry. The rather compact nature allows it to carry comfortably, with the length neither too long nor too short. The short blade tip accomplishes precise cutting chores easily.
The sheath is a simple fold-over design of Kydex with a Boker Plus clip for belt carry. The sheath features quality construction, retains the knife well, and is simple yet effective.
MSRP: $59.95
Condor Tool & Knife Bushcraft Bliss
Condor Tool & Knife Bushcraft Bliss
Composed of high-quality materials, the Bushcraft Bliss from Condor Tool & Knife boasts a 5-inch blade with a flat grind. The 1075 carbon steel can be rather easy to sharpen in the field and still retains an edge well. The modified clip point shape offers a generous belly for slicing and a defined point. A swedge gives the blade a bit of attitude, and bead-blasted flats and satin-finished bevels provide a two-tone finish that’s very eye-catching.
The ergonomic handle of red linen Micarta® is an excellent choice thanks to its being largely impervious to temperature and humidity changes. Three thong tubes fasten the scales to the full tang. Three large notches at the spine permit non-slip thumb placement so you can bear down on the blade. With its rounded edges, choil, and scale contouring, the handle felt as if it were molded to my hand.
The sheath is Condor’s hybrid molded Kydex and leather rig, an unusual material combo. The belt loop and securement strap are leather. The leather belt loop allows the sheath to move somewhat, unlike the more rigid molded clamshell fastener—which doesn’t—and makes it easier to sit down while wearing it. A thumb break molded into the top of the sheath assists in extracting the blade, which is a nice extra touch.
I found the handle to be very comfortable. A distinctive trait is the prominently elevated traction notches. They almost look like part of a gear. The feature ensures your thumb isn’t going anywhere.
The 5-inch blade makes baton work easy, as well as food prep tasks. Out of the box, the 1075 carbon steel was plenty sharp and ready for use. The Bushcraft Bliss is a consistent performer.
MSRP: $118
TOPS Knives Brakimo
TOPS Knives Brakimo
Joe Flowers runs Bushcraft Global, where he instructs students on basic and advanced survival skills while in the Amazon jungle. A notable authority in the field, he also designs knives, including the Brakimo from TOPS Knives, a tool that can carve, cut, split, and perform just about any task involving outdoor survival.
The 5.25-inch blade of 1095 carbon steel is a drop-point pattern with a Scandi grind. It has a generous belly for easy slicing and a defined point for delicate work.
The green Micarta handle is ideal for bushcraft given its stability and minimal weight. It is matte-finished for a nice grip quality without being overly aggressive. The integral front and rear guards provide a measure of safety that locks the knife in the hand. The divot in the handle is for use with a bow drill for making fire.
If there is a solid all-around performer of the test bunch, it’s the Brakimo. I like how it easily handles heavy work like chopping and baton work, as well as such lighter work as whittling and food prep. You can choke up on the handle for tasks requiring more control where a slicing or rocking motion is used. Grip the handle more toward the rear and feel how the balance point shifts to a blade-heavy profile for easy, effective chopping.
The Scandi grind acts as a wedge and splits the wood in a snap, almost as if no effort were invested—very impressive performance! For one knife that does it all, the Brakimo is it. In-hand it feels substantial and capable of taking on serious work.
MSRP: $225
Spyderco FB42G Zoomer
Spyderco FB42G Zoomer
Designed by Tony Zoomer, an outdoor enthusiast and survival skills instructor from the Netherlands comes the Spyderco FB42G Zoomer. Made of high-end materials, the knife is expertly configured and has a list of features that quite possibly makes it the most comfortable bushcraft knife you’ll use.
The 5-inch blade in a drop-point pattern is premium CPM 20CV stainless steel for enhanced edge retention. The blade has an ample belly for slicing and whittling/carving tasks and a defined point for close-up detail work. The full flat grind transitions to a convex edge, which is durable and extremely sharp.
The black G-10 scales are machined where they join the tang, so the handle is completely rounded in profile. This translates into a super comfortable grip that eliminates hot spots. An integrated rest at the blade spine permits placement of your thumb for additional pressure on cuts and for added control. The full tang extends a little beyond the end of the handle for use as a light-duty hammer.
The sheath is a custom-designed, well made leather drop-leg-style rig with a free-floating belt loop. It has an exterior storage pouch with a snap closure. The pouch can carry your choice of survival supplies, a large folding knife, a multi-tool, etc.
The free-floating belt loop allows the knife to swing freely as you move or pivot out of the way when you are seated. It also can temporarily break away in the event the sheath gets snagged by brush in the woods.
The Zoomer is a solid performer. The heavily contoured G-10 handle feels mighty good in the hand. The full flat grind allows the blade to sail through whatever you cut.
While the handle is comfortable, it felt big in my hand. Those with smaller hands might not take to it easily. While using high-performance CPM 20CV stainless steel is not typically a bushcraft thing, with some regular stropping and honing, you can prolong the edge and skip sharpening during your trip.
MSRP: $600
Fallkniven S1 Pro Forest Knife
The Fallkniven S1 Pro Forest did fine work—as on this fish spear—with full control. (All images by Ash Ayres and Mary Lou Ayres)
Fallkniven’s S1 Pro Forest Knife is the evolutionary descendant of the company’s S1, which has been in production for over 20 years. The Pro version is made with better steel than the original S1, is more sophisticated and a better performer.
The S1 Pro simply does everything well and with no fuss. Its convex grind does not bind in deep cuts, goes through tough, knotty wood with little effort, peels bark, makes feather sticks, does fine work as on fish spear points with full control, and slices duck through skin, meat and bone like Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber. It cut through 2-inch-thick saplings in about a minute with little effort. The non-slip grip is comfortable and does not, in fact, slip.
Compact enough to always have on—or with a custom sheath, inside—your belt, the S1 Pro is as close as I’ve seen to the mythical “one knife to do it all.”
MSRP: $466
Ontario Bushcraft Woodsman
Bushcrafting chopping
The geometry of the Bushcraft Woodsman’s blade, combined with the overall design, good steel and heat treat, make for an exceptional big knife.
Veteran bladesmith Dan Maragni designed this issue’s cover knife, the Ontario Bushcraft Woodsman. The big blade shows his expertise and lineage as an accomplished smith, and is far more sophisticated than a first glance might suggest.
The distal taper gives it excellent balance, and, combined with the taper from spine to edge, great chopping ability.
We slashed through 2-inch-thick saplings with a single swipe, an important point in the calories-expended-vs.-results-achieved equation, and when night is falling and you need to get a fire going.
The blade’s geometry, combined with the overall design, good steel and heat treat, make for an exceptional big knife. Again referencing Tolkien, Ash called it the “Goblin Cleaver.”
Not as handy for fine work as the smaller knives, Dan’s design is a reassuring blade to have by your side in deep woods when the jackals are howling—or the Orcs.
MSRP: $137
Larry Roberts Signature Edition Gen6 Scandi (L.T. Wright Handcrafted Knife Co.)
Due to its scandi grind, which tends to hang up in deep cuts, an average of three minutes was required to get through 2-inch-thick saplings with the Gen6 Scandi.
The Larry Roberts Signature Edition Gen6 Scandi from L.T. Wright Handcrafted Knife Co. performs like a “Mora on steroids,” according to Ash. I agree.
If you’re familiar with the scandi grind, the only surprise with the LRSEG6S is that it takes scandi-ground blades to a higher level of performance. It excels at controlled shallow cuts, holds an edge well, and is strong enough that when batonning you can twist the blade with no worries and quickly pop the batonned material apart.
I like the longer 6-inch blade much better than the popular 4-inch pattern because you can get more stuff done faster and at no penalty to doing fine work. Due to the scandi grind, which tends to hang up in deep cuts, an average of three minutes was required to get through 2-inch-thick saplings.
Comfortable in the hand, it is also beautifully made and finished. A good all-around performer, it is a classic belt knife for the woods.
MSRP: $253
Editor’s Note: Dexter Ewing and James Ayres contributed to this post.
Adding a premium option to the Ken Onion designed line, CRKT unveils the Facet Rivet and Facet Viral.
If you’re into knives (you most likely are, as you’re reading this), you’re familiar with the name Ken Onion. The famed knifemaker has turned out his fair share of must-have blades over the years, with many collectors and aficionados bating breath for his next drop. Well, it’s here and it’s awful dang familiar.
Shake hands with the Facet Rivet and Facet Viral. Yes, they’re the same Facet knives fans have known and loved since its release a year ago, but dolled up plenty nice to make them legitimate premium options in the line. In fact, the duo of top-shelf-edition CRKTs both have some alluring attributes likely to get customers to pony up the relatively steep asking price of $275. Not the least of which is the player behind the scenes making the Rivet and Facet a reality—Lion Steel.
CRKT Facet Blade Material
The Maniago, Italy concern is the manufacturer of the knives, which brings not only one of the more respected manufacturers in the game but also a host of top-shelf materials. Where this shows itself in the M390 steel used for the Facets’ modified drop-point blade. Commonly used by Lion Steel and other manufacturers in the region, the super steel (Austrian in origin) is noted for its impressive edge retention compared to tool steel, as well as its superior corrosion resistance.
Impressive choice, particularly given the Facet certainly has the lines of a more gentlemanly EDC knife but should prove capable against more demanding tasks. Adding to its expected robust use is generous jimping on the knives’ spines, giving a solid purchase on them when more vigorously used.
Facet Handle Material
The handle scales on both the Rivet and Viral are titanium, but not some muted finish common to the material. Each is ornately decorated—the Rivet with a World War II-themed plate and rivet motif, common to the era’s military equipment. The Viral is more futuristic—CRKT says “apocalyptic”—stylings meant to conjure up an end-of-days zombie flick feel.
Away from the aesthetics, the titanium makes the knives fairly light affairs, each tipping the scale at around 3 ounces. For reference, the original Facet weighed 3.9 ounces, so this is creeping up on 1 full ounce of weight savings. The handle has a gradual tapper as well, fitting it well to most hands and allowing for a strong grip on the knife.
Action & Lock
The Facet remains a liner lock in its premium guises, and the flipper maintains its smooth and quick deployment thanks to its IKBS bearings. The flipper itself is somewhat understated, but nonetheless very functional, enhanced with a fair bit of aggressive jumping.
Final Cut
The CRKT Facet Rivet and Facet Viral are both currently available, but interested parties must act quickly. CRKT is limiting each to 500 units for the launch. And 50 lucky customers will receive a heavy-duty commemorative coin, which CRKT is placing in random boxes.
