Yesterday I received in the mail a knife I have been wanting since before it existed. For a long while, Blind Horse Knives has sold a knife called the Tiger Knapp and a smaller variant called, unsurprisingly, the Small Tiger Knapp. Both are made mode from O1, laser cut to size, and then finished by hand. The Small Tiger Knapp is, in my opinion, perfect for an EDC pocket fixed blade: 2 1/2" blade, 5 3/4" overall. Thin and light but still comfortable to hold, good carbon tool steel, perfect size and unique aesthetics together make it a knife I've longed for for months. More recently they have come out with a new variant, the Tiger "Snapp Knapp" which is the Small Tiger Knapp coupled with a custom JRE leather sheath that makes the knife perfect for pocket carry (or to carry on your keys, as a neck knife, on a ring on your backpack, however you'd like) and so I could no longer resist, and I am very pleased with the knife now that I have it in hand.
The leather sheath is very well made and keeps the blade completely unexposed, snapping shut securely. It is attached to the knife using the screw on the butt end, which is removeable.
Once unsnapped, the blade folds out to reveal the Small Tiger Knapp. The 2 1/2" O1 blade is a drop point with enough belly to be useful, a high flat grind, and a flat ground edge. It came nice and shaving sharp from BHK, a very nice quality edge. So far I've only used it for some minor food prep, but the blade cuts beautifully and as is inherent to a carbon tool steel blade, I expect it to sharpen up similarly well once it does start to dull. The spine towards the tip of the blade is also squared nicely for use on ferro rods, although this isn't really something that concerns my use of it. As far as I'm concerned, it's a perfect blade for EDC.
Without the leather, the Small Tiger Knapp would make for a comfortable three finger grip (I took the sheath off while doing food prep for cleaning and it was very comfortable), but the sheath adds plenty of room for a full grip on the knife. The case doesn't get in the way and definitely helps the knife feel more secure in your hand. It's a great design, but it brings me to the only concern I had with the knife.
I was a little worried that opening/closing the knife would cumbersome and slow, having to deal with a heavy snapping closure and then extracting and putting away the blade without glancing the flap that secures it or your hand holding it out of the way. However, I can say that the worries were unfounded. The knife isn't any slower or more cumbersome to open/close than any slipjoint, the only different being you can't close it one handed (not very easily at least, although this isn't something I normally do either way). I decided to upload a quick video showing how long it takes to open/close in use (sorry it's slightly out of focus, and I know my shirt is wrinkled):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcBWgKtcS10&context=C3e89186ADOEgsToPDskITRwnFJWDxrgXJKppbjxtX
Overall, for the $45 and shipping costs I paid for it, I would not hesitate to recommend this knife to anyone who wants a small fixed blade for EDC. It's a uniquely, conveniently designed carry method and a useful EDC blade. And if the sheath isn't quite your thing, the Tiger Knapp and Small Tiger Knapp are both available with kydex and traditional leather sheaths as well, so there is no reason to not pick one up if you're in the market. Blind Horse Knives' customer service is also quick to respond and helpful, and they ship quickly to boot.
The leather sheath is very well made and keeps the blade completely unexposed, snapping shut securely. It is attached to the knife using the screw on the butt end, which is removeable.
Once unsnapped, the blade folds out to reveal the Small Tiger Knapp. The 2 1/2" O1 blade is a drop point with enough belly to be useful, a high flat grind, and a flat ground edge. It came nice and shaving sharp from BHK, a very nice quality edge. So far I've only used it for some minor food prep, but the blade cuts beautifully and as is inherent to a carbon tool steel blade, I expect it to sharpen up similarly well once it does start to dull. The spine towards the tip of the blade is also squared nicely for use on ferro rods, although this isn't really something that concerns my use of it. As far as I'm concerned, it's a perfect blade for EDC.
Without the leather, the Small Tiger Knapp would make for a comfortable three finger grip (I took the sheath off while doing food prep for cleaning and it was very comfortable), but the sheath adds plenty of room for a full grip on the knife. The case doesn't get in the way and definitely helps the knife feel more secure in your hand. It's a great design, but it brings me to the only concern I had with the knife.
I was a little worried that opening/closing the knife would cumbersome and slow, having to deal with a heavy snapping closure and then extracting and putting away the blade without glancing the flap that secures it or your hand holding it out of the way. However, I can say that the worries were unfounded. The knife isn't any slower or more cumbersome to open/close than any slipjoint, the only different being you can't close it one handed (not very easily at least, although this isn't something I normally do either way). I decided to upload a quick video showing how long it takes to open/close in use (sorry it's slightly out of focus, and I know my shirt is wrinkled):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcBWgKtcS10&context=C3e89186ADOEgsToPDskITRwnFJWDxrgXJKppbjxtX
Overall, for the $45 and shipping costs I paid for it, I would not hesitate to recommend this knife to anyone who wants a small fixed blade for EDC. It's a uniquely, conveniently designed carry method and a useful EDC blade. And if the sheath isn't quite your thing, the Tiger Knapp and Small Tiger Knapp are both available with kydex and traditional leather sheaths as well, so there is no reason to not pick one up if you're in the market. Blind Horse Knives' customer service is also quick to respond and helpful, and they ship quickly to boot.
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