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- Dec 3, 2009
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*Let me first state I suck at taking photographs... Now on to the review!
Combative Edge M1
First Impression:
Larger than I expected yet lighter than I expected as well. Definitely not a small knife, but the handle is slim. G10 is very grippy, yet smooth, very strange sensation... I do not think I can compare it to anything... it is very similar to the texture of the xm-18 scales if that texture were made significantly smaller. Knife is comfortable, handle is large (too large for my med. hands, could cut 1/2" off easily). Blade is very sharp and surprisingly thick. I did not expect it to be so... hefty...
Overall Design:
I actually bought this knife to calm my desire for another Ti frame-lock after being forced to sell my XM18 (stupid money problems). I also bought it for another reason, which I'll mention later as it is unrelated to the design.
Overall this is a large heavy duty, and dare I say "tactical", blade. I use tactical loosely... I did not buy it, nor any knife I own, as a self defense blade.. that said, I know this knife has that use built into it (Hence COMBATIVE edge). The handle is fairly comfortable, no hot spots. Blade shape is OK, would prefer no recurve and no swedge, but I knew that going in. Jimping is sharp and works well. Feels light yet solid, much like an SNG (1/2 g10 1/2 ti knives probably all feel this way). Locks up with a "clunk", much akin to an XM or SNG. No blade play.
[9/10] I think the ti could be a tiny bit thicker, but perhaps I just liked my XM a little too much... Otherwise as a package, it definitely hits the spot.
Ergos:
The handle is very slim for a knife of it's size. It is also a fairly large handle overall (length+height). This makes the handle quite comfortable, but I think a little more.. sculpting.. to the handles would make it even better. Edges are a little sharper than I would like, but it does not seem noticeable in hand. I will say it is less comfortable than an SNG or XM, but it is about as comfortable as my ZT0350 or BM710. Manix 2 is more comfy, but it's not by a huge margin. After you use it for a while, the sharp edges do become somewhat noticeable in my hands, not a bother by any means, worth mentioning though.
[7.8/10] Not the most comfortable ever, but nothing to scoff at, a little more contouring and it would be perfect. After a little more use, I found the sharper edges to be noticeable after extended use.
Build Quality:
The knife is made in Italy. Some very nice knives come from Italy. This is one of them. Fit and finish is excellent. Blade is centered, lockup is tight, finish on handle and blade are both excellent. There is nothing that would differentiate this from any spyderco/benchmade/even strider (don't own a sebenza, and the XM18 is practically a custom, not worth comparing). I managed to find one tiny speck of miscoloring in the blade, practically invisible, but worth mentioning.
[9/10] I can't find anything to fault other than that one tiny speck on the blade.
Price/Bang4Buck:
This is the best category for this knife. I got it on sale for ~$140. Typically it will cost you $170. This knife is easily worth every penny of that 170. A fairly large, well built, titanium frame lock with a good steel for under 200 is a great deal to me. I would love to do a comparison between this and the ti military, but I'm holding out for the m4/g10 model, so until then you will have to hope someone else does it. I can highly recommend this to anyone looking for a tough folder under $200.
[10/10]
Size/Weight and EDCability:
The knife is quite large (see pics)
But it has a very slim profile. That combined with the low-rider style clip and it is less noticeable in my pocket than any of my other larger folders. The knife has a very aggressive look to it, so probably not something you want to bust out with at the office, but for just about anything else it is an excellent carry given it's size.
[8/10] This is a 10/10 given it's size and intended use, but OVERALL it is a little large and not super light. The aggressive look limits where you would want to use it.
Materials:
Titanium Frame-Lock, g10, and N690 cobalt vandanium @58-60rc all at less than half the price for an SNG/XM18/Sebenza... I would like to see other blade steel options, or maybe one with some thicker titanium.. but bang for buck this is a 10/10 on materials.
[9/10] I would like to see one with a thin ti liner on the g10 side, and maybe a few more steel options, but aside from that... awesome materials for the money.
Thoughts from use:
Most of my thoughts on this knife are from handling it, and lightly using it. I have not had a chance to go out and really put it through it's paces, and who knows when that chance will come with work how it's been lately. So take this review with that in mind. I can say that for it's price point, it has a great combination of features that make it seem like an obvious choice in the under $200 category. I would honestly spend 200 on this before ever dropping the money for another SNG. The lock-up is tight, the manufacturing is spot on, materials are excellent, ergos are great, and from my experience the customer service is spot on as well. I do have minor qualms with the handle and recurved blade, but otherwise it is hard to find anything to fault. I will mention that the lock bar is hard to release at first because the cutout is not as deep as most, I had to adjust where I put my thumb to release it, but once I got used to it I had no trouble releasing the bar.
I mentioned another reason for buying it earlier in the review, and that reason was the Combative Edge owner Rob Walker. I emailed Rob when pictures of this knife first started going around... and I have been in and out of touch with him since then - he has always been fast to respond and answer any questions I had. I was hesitant to buy a ~$200 knife from a new company, so I asked LOTS of questions. In talking with Rob I now feel confident that he is a man who will stand behind his products. When I finally bit the bullet and ordered one, he personally emailed me saying something like (paraphrased and cliff notes) "Finally! let me know what you think"... here's a guy I hadn't emailed in probably over a month, but he still remembered who I was from our conversations and personally wrote me wanting to know exactly how I felt about it. I told him to sign me up for the mini-M1 if it ever comes out...
I will update this further after some good hard use. But the scores so far:
Individual Scores:
Ergos ----------- 8/10
Build Quality ----- 9/10
Materials -------- 9/10
Bang 4 Buck ----- 10/10
Weight ---------- 9/10 (very light for how big it is)
EDCability ------- 8/10
Overall Score: 9/10 (not an average)
Comments:
So far I am very pleased with this knife
Combative Edge M1
First Impression:
Larger than I expected yet lighter than I expected as well. Definitely not a small knife, but the handle is slim. G10 is very grippy, yet smooth, very strange sensation... I do not think I can compare it to anything... it is very similar to the texture of the xm-18 scales if that texture were made significantly smaller. Knife is comfortable, handle is large (too large for my med. hands, could cut 1/2" off easily). Blade is very sharp and surprisingly thick. I did not expect it to be so... hefty...
Overall Design:
I actually bought this knife to calm my desire for another Ti frame-lock after being forced to sell my XM18 (stupid money problems). I also bought it for another reason, which I'll mention later as it is unrelated to the design.
Overall this is a large heavy duty, and dare I say "tactical", blade. I use tactical loosely... I did not buy it, nor any knife I own, as a self defense blade.. that said, I know this knife has that use built into it (Hence COMBATIVE edge). The handle is fairly comfortable, no hot spots. Blade shape is OK, would prefer no recurve and no swedge, but I knew that going in. Jimping is sharp and works well. Feels light yet solid, much like an SNG (1/2 g10 1/2 ti knives probably all feel this way). Locks up with a "clunk", much akin to an XM or SNG. No blade play.
[9/10] I think the ti could be a tiny bit thicker, but perhaps I just liked my XM a little too much... Otherwise as a package, it definitely hits the spot.
Ergos:
The handle is very slim for a knife of it's size. It is also a fairly large handle overall (length+height). This makes the handle quite comfortable, but I think a little more.. sculpting.. to the handles would make it even better. Edges are a little sharper than I would like, but it does not seem noticeable in hand. I will say it is less comfortable than an SNG or XM, but it is about as comfortable as my ZT0350 or BM710. Manix 2 is more comfy, but it's not by a huge margin. After you use it for a while, the sharp edges do become somewhat noticeable in my hands, not a bother by any means, worth mentioning though.
[7.8/10] Not the most comfortable ever, but nothing to scoff at, a little more contouring and it would be perfect. After a little more use, I found the sharper edges to be noticeable after extended use.
Build Quality:
The knife is made in Italy. Some very nice knives come from Italy. This is one of them. Fit and finish is excellent. Blade is centered, lockup is tight, finish on handle and blade are both excellent. There is nothing that would differentiate this from any spyderco/benchmade/even strider (don't own a sebenza, and the XM18 is practically a custom, not worth comparing). I managed to find one tiny speck of miscoloring in the blade, practically invisible, but worth mentioning.
[9/10] I can't find anything to fault other than that one tiny speck on the blade.
Price/Bang4Buck:
This is the best category for this knife. I got it on sale for ~$140. Typically it will cost you $170. This knife is easily worth every penny of that 170. A fairly large, well built, titanium frame lock with a good steel for under 200 is a great deal to me. I would love to do a comparison between this and the ti military, but I'm holding out for the m4/g10 model, so until then you will have to hope someone else does it. I can highly recommend this to anyone looking for a tough folder under $200.
[10/10]
Size/Weight and EDCability:
The knife is quite large (see pics)
But it has a very slim profile. That combined with the low-rider style clip and it is less noticeable in my pocket than any of my other larger folders. The knife has a very aggressive look to it, so probably not something you want to bust out with at the office, but for just about anything else it is an excellent carry given it's size.
[8/10] This is a 10/10 given it's size and intended use, but OVERALL it is a little large and not super light. The aggressive look limits where you would want to use it.
Materials:
Titanium Frame-Lock, g10, and N690 cobalt vandanium @58-60rc all at less than half the price for an SNG/XM18/Sebenza... I would like to see other blade steel options, or maybe one with some thicker titanium.. but bang for buck this is a 10/10 on materials.
[9/10] I would like to see one with a thin ti liner on the g10 side, and maybe a few more steel options, but aside from that... awesome materials for the money.
Thoughts from use:
Most of my thoughts on this knife are from handling it, and lightly using it. I have not had a chance to go out and really put it through it's paces, and who knows when that chance will come with work how it's been lately. So take this review with that in mind. I can say that for it's price point, it has a great combination of features that make it seem like an obvious choice in the under $200 category. I would honestly spend 200 on this before ever dropping the money for another SNG. The lock-up is tight, the manufacturing is spot on, materials are excellent, ergos are great, and from my experience the customer service is spot on as well. I do have minor qualms with the handle and recurved blade, but otherwise it is hard to find anything to fault. I will mention that the lock bar is hard to release at first because the cutout is not as deep as most, I had to adjust where I put my thumb to release it, but once I got used to it I had no trouble releasing the bar.
I mentioned another reason for buying it earlier in the review, and that reason was the Combative Edge owner Rob Walker. I emailed Rob when pictures of this knife first started going around... and I have been in and out of touch with him since then - he has always been fast to respond and answer any questions I had. I was hesitant to buy a ~$200 knife from a new company, so I asked LOTS of questions. In talking with Rob I now feel confident that he is a man who will stand behind his products. When I finally bit the bullet and ordered one, he personally emailed me saying something like (paraphrased and cliff notes) "Finally! let me know what you think"... here's a guy I hadn't emailed in probably over a month, but he still remembered who I was from our conversations and personally wrote me wanting to know exactly how I felt about it. I told him to sign me up for the mini-M1 if it ever comes out...
I will update this further after some good hard use. But the scores so far:
Individual Scores:
Ergos ----------- 8/10
Build Quality ----- 9/10
Materials -------- 9/10
Bang 4 Buck ----- 10/10
Weight ---------- 9/10 (very light for how big it is)
EDCability ------- 8/10
Overall Score: 9/10 (not an average)
Comments:
So far I am very pleased with this knife
, and I'll call it the "Tufff", because the extra F will hopefully put the bee in Sal's bonnet, so to speak, when it comes to his alleged "Tuff". 