Enlan Bee L01-MCT

[UnknownVT]

Enlan is new to me - there has been a lot of talk on BF about this budget brand from China using 8Cr13MoV.

So I did a little investigating and found they were pretty inexpensive via places like eBay.

Just after I receive this Enlan Bee L01-MCT - I saw a new Review: Enlan EL-02 -

I picked the L01-MCT mainly because of the very attractive (to me) handle - described as "Red+Black Micarta"



Even though I did enhance the photo to bring out the red details and contrast -
in real life the coloring changes with different lighting -
in some ways it can be even more attractive.

In some ways the handle reminded me of the resin black cord wrap that was popular a few years back over red ray skin underneath.

Anyway frivolous reasons aside the knife is functional -



this is the handle without any extra enhancement -
it is still pretty vivid.

It is a tanto point - but done cheaply - in that it is merely sharpened - and there isn't any special grind for the tanto point, other than a turn/different direction for the hollow grind -
having said that, it is still functional and strong - due to the thick back/spine blade false edge at the point.

Size comparison with the Kershaw RJ Martin RJI (link to review) and an old Benchmade Elishewitz Stryker.


Size comparison with an old Kershaw Ken Onion Whirlwind and CRKT Ken Onion Ripple Aluminum (link to review)


size comparison closed with a standard 91mm sized SAK (Swiss Army Knife)


closed showing clip.

The blade steel is 8Cr13MoV - which has been compared favorably with AUS-8 -
and claimed hardness of 57HRC - other ads vary in the range of 56-60HRC (upper end looks optimistic and probably 57 is a good guess)

Blade is very sharp out of the box and the edge looks good.

cheapo usb microscope picture at about ~110x magnification of the edge.

Secondary cutting point/transition of the edge -


The grind lines and finish are all pretty good - not absolutely premium - but good -
especially for a knife that cost me all of $12.99 shipping included.

The opening is a disc and it is a liner lock - which is actually very well done, action is very smooth -
much, much better than I expected.


blade is very well centered.


liner locks up well and it is pretty substantial.

Detent is positive the blade will only come out if snapped/shaken hard.
But the blade opens easily as intended using the disc.

Lock-up is solid with no play in the blade - and everything is aligned well -


All in all I am very impressed with this knife - and handle is outstanding for my tastes -
it is very functional being grippy without being tough on the hands (like real resin cord wrap)

The steel seems from reputation to be more than just respectable. The blade is sharp and works well.

I am not too enamored with tanto points -
but can see their use.

I think it's a great knife - it may not have premium refinements and finishing touches -
but it is well finished without any rough-spots....

Best of all it was very inexpensive -
and arrived very quickly all the way from Hong Kong.

--
Vincent

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[banksy]

I have the wood handled L05-1. Also very impressed for the price. Fit and finish on mine is very good, with perfect centering and lock. The rather large and cheap looking Bee logo has rubbed off after use. Not a bad thing imo.
Otherwise, the Enlan Bee knives to seem to be of exceptional value, and not copies of western designs, as far as I know.

 

[Daddyo16]

Thanks for reviewing this. I have been looking at this exact same knife for some time now, but the last time I ordered something from HK it never showed up. The dealer did, however, refund my money without question.

 

[Chris "Anagarika"]

Vincent,

Nice photograph. It's a slippery slope from here, due to price + interesting design varieties. We can try many variations in decent quality, keep what we like and giveaway those we don't ... EL08 in 9Cr is even more amazing IMHO, but I guess your taste is more towards refined look, so perhaps EL06, also in 9Cr (EL and L are two different series) will be of interest.

Sanrenmu 738 is very gentleman like as well. Our fellow forumite Dagon (mrdagon007 is his Youtube handle) does a bit of review on various popular SRM / Enlan knives. Check them out!

On grip: I have been hesitating to get L06-1 with thumbhole, and when a friend bought it, the grip is very comfortable!

 

[Fanglekai]

I was pleasantly surprised by the couple Enlans I bought. They are functional and a very good value.

 

[UnknownVT]

I have the wood handled L05-1. Also very impressed for the price. Fit and finish on mine is very good, with perfect centering and lock. The rather large and cheap looking Bee logo has rubbed off after use. Not a bad thing imo.
Otherwise, the Enlan Bee knives to seem to be of exceptional value, and not copies of western designs, as far as I know.

Thanks for reviewing this. I have been looking at this exact same knife for some time now, but the last time I ordered something from HK it never showed up. The dealer did, however, refund my money without question.

Vincent,

Nice photograph. It's a slippery slope from here, due to price + interesting design varieties. We can try many variations in decent quality, keep what we like and giveaway those we don't ... EL08 in 9Cr is even more amazing IMHO, but I guess your taste is more towards refined look, so perhaps EL06, also in 9Cr (EL and L are two different series) will be of interest.

Sanrenmu 738 is very gentleman like as well. Our fellow forumite Dagon (mrdagon007 is his Youtube handle) does a bit of review on various popular SRM / Enlan knives. Check them out!

On grip: I have been hesitating to get L06-1 with thumbhole, and when a friend bought it, the grip is very comfortable!

I was pleasantly surprised by the couple Enlans I bought. They are functional and a very good value.

Gentlemen - thank you very much for the responses - I really wasn't expecting so many so quickly.

Thank you for the hints and recommendations (esp to you Chris "Anagarika") of the other Enlan models as well as the mention of the Sanremu brand
which I also happened to stumbled upon doing a search on eBay for 8Cr13MoV.

Daddyo16 - Yes, sometimes ordering from China and Hong Kong can be hit and miss - I have had a number of smaller items that never arrived -
but fortunately the vendors all have refunded my money -
one item eventually did arrive and I contacted the vendor and paid for the item -
but that shows they do actually send the items.

If it is of any use I bought my Enlan Bee L01MCT from sbc_trading -
which happened to be the lowest price+shipping (and a Top Rated Plus seller) on eBay at the time -
my experience, although limited, was a very positive impression -
since the handle was an important aspect - I wrote to them to ask about the coloring -
the response was quick, very informative, and even talked of an aspect I had not considered-
so that was the final deciding factor.

Even though the knife was really cheap -
I still must have had reasonably high expectations -
(wishful thinking perhaps)
otherwise I wouldn't have bought it.....
the knife did exceed my expectations -
and the first things I did was to examine thoroughly for problems and signs of cheapness or corner cutting (pun!) -
so that was my bias and mindset.

Other than the tanto point, and perhaps the opening disc -
there were no other hints of cheapness -
to me that was very impressive.

I agree with you Banksy - this L01-MCT does not seem to be a copy of any existing knife
and seems to show some artistic flare - especially the handle -
of course there may be variations - do a search on Enlan L01-MCT and look at the pics to see -
but supposedly being micarta, a man-made material - there ought to be some degree of consistency -
FWIW - I also replied to the vendor's response to thank them but also telling them the color/distribution was important to me, then added that as a note to my order.
If that had any effect - but the proof is I got a handle that was as good as their description and explanation -
that may show some degree of customer service/care.

--
Vincent

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[Bloefield]

Thanks for reviewing the Enlan Bee.
I was curious about these knives and will consider them in the future based in part by your experience.
Thanks again.

 

[UnknownVT]

I was curious about these knives and will consider them in the future based in part by your experience.

Thanks for your response.

I was very pleasantly surprised at the good quality of the knife (regardless of price).


kind of a ridiculous comparison photo -
yet sort of appropriate at the same time
a Bud Nealy custom presentation grade Aikuchi (I really like the way he does the tanto point)

--
Vincent

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[UnknownVT]

compared to CRKT (Jim Hammond) A.B.C. (All Bases Covered) fixed blade (now discontinued)

I realize some may already know this -
but I found the Enlan website
not surprisingly it's: http://www.enlanknives.com/

some interesting designs
although I couldn't find this L01MCT model on the site -
there is the L01 with carved black G10 and tanto blade -
and L04-2 that seemed to have a similar handle (colors reversed) -
but with a drop-point blade and looks like a flipper -

the Enlan L04xx listed at eBay - are
L04GN - green patterned pakkawood
L04 - red/black pattern carved wood
L04G10 - black/green G10

--
Vincent

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