- Joined
- Nov 19, 2025
- Messages
- 11
S‑Tier — My Top Action PiecesHolt Specter #926 (Gen 4) – M390
American‑made, maker: Joseph Holt
Titanium liner lock · Feather milling scale · smooth clip · Dual anodization (blue / purple) · Near‑mirror polished blade
This is, quite simply, my Excalibur. The auditory experience is extraordinary — a crisp, glassy detent break paired with a refined, musical close that is unlike anything else in the collection. The flipper action is exceptional and clearly super with satisfying feedback.
Visually, this is probably the most striking knife I own. The near‑mirror M390 blade and feather‑milled, dual‑anodized blue/purple scales give it an elegance and presence that hit very differently. The Specter feels ceremonial — precise, luxurious, and dramatic in the best way. It stands at the very top for me.
OZ Roosevelt #890 – Magnacut
American‑made, maker: Daniel Osborne
Dark‑washed titanium scales with golf‑putter milling, stonewashed hardware and backspacer
This is now one of my favorite knives in the collection, alongside the Rockwall and the Lamia. The action is fantastic: a crisp, clean detent break with a smooth, controlled close and extremely tight tolerances throughout. Everything feels intentional and well balanced. The milling adds grip without visual distraction, and the finish works very well for real carry. A reference‑level example of clean mechanical execution. The only potential flaw, if it can even be called that, is the extremely free, guillotine‑like drop‑shut action. With no non‑sharp choil or blade feature to reliably catch against, it has marked my nail more than a few times during casual handling — a small price to pay for just how frictionless and dialed‑in the action is.
SPK Lamia (Gen 4) – Elmax
American‑made, maker: Alex Steingraber
Titanium framelock · Milled scales · Domed pivot screw · blade milling · Standing lady inside scale
What truly sets the Lamia apart is the lockbar disengagement: it is, by far, the best and cleanest lockbar release of any knife I own. Disengagement is effortless, controlled, and ergonomically excellent. It also has a fantastic natural shaped scale that is very comfortable in the hand in many positions. The auditory experience of the engagement of the lockbar is surprisingly good, unlike the Holt, Roosie, or SBD Mini Evo it doesn't have the single snap but it sounds really good still, don't know why, but it sounds fantastic.
Its design expression is more understated and utilitarian. The action is very refined — smooth, deliberate, and extremely satisfying in use.
Despite its substantial feel, the knife is surprisingly light in hand, which only adds to how balanced and confidence‑inspiring it feels during use. The blade milling is gorgeous and adds visual depth without excess, reinforcing the Lamia’s identity as a mechanically honest, performance‑driven piece.
Brown Mini FSD #368 – CPM‑154
American‑made, maker: Craig Brown
Stonewashed, hollow ground, satin blade · scale and clip milled in style #3
An absolute joy to operate and easily one of the most satisfying knives in the collection. All deployment methods are excellent: the front flipper, rear flipper, and reverse flick are each dialed‑in and deeply satisfying in their own way. The action is consistently excellent across every mode of deployment, with a confident detent and smooth, controlled close.
The blade and overall knife shape are superb, striking a rare balance between visual appeal and functional intent. It also looks fantastic in hand and in motion — refined without feeling sterile. Overall, this is a top‑notch piece that comfortably belongs in S‑Tier on both mechanical merit and execution.
The auditory experience of deployment is very satisfying. There is a almost vicious quality to the sound.
Prince Customs Protean Frag #449 – CPM-20CV
American‑made, maker: Prince Customs
Wharncliffe blade · Frag-milled titanium scales
Recently added to the collection. Early impressions are extremely positive, but this entry will be expanded once I’ve had sufficient time to live with the knife and evaluate its action, ergonomics, and overall execution in a meaningful way.
Tactile Rockwall – Full DLC Thumbstud Version (Magnacut)
American‑made
Incredible action — hydraulic, ultra‑tight tolerances, quiet, and beautifully consistent. While it no longer holds the title of my single most refined action, it remains an exceptionally precise and satisfying knife that still feels like a true precision instrument.
Koenig Mini Arius #G1B6 – M390
American-made, maker: Bill Koenig
Titanium framelock · Corda-milled scales · Raw hardware
While its mechanical execution does not quite reach the absolute ceiling set by some of the other knives here, deployment is consistent, and the closing action is smooth with a reliable shake-close.
Where the Mini Arius excels is in visual cohesion. It is simply a gorgeous knife. The corda milling is exceptional—adding texture without overwhelming the design. The overall presentation feels polished, and modern.
Ergonomically, my experience is more mixed. While the knife feels good in a relaxed, spread-out grip, I did not find it particularly ergonomic across a wider range of hand positions. In both a traditional hammer grip and an ice-pick grip, it leaves some comfort to be desired. This may be influenced in part by large my hand size. The handle geometry seems to favor a specific grip style rather than accommodating many equally well.
A+‑Tier — Benchmark Action, Less Design CharacterSharp By Design Mini Evo – Nebula FatCarbon (1st Batch, M390)
Reate‑made, designer: Brian Nadeau
The action is exceptional: a perfect detent break, very crisp deployment.
While executed well, it feels distinctly like a Reate knife in hand — competent, refined, but lacking the unique personality and maker‑driven character that defines the knives in my S‑Tier.
A‑Tier — Excellent High‑End PerformersOchs Worx Solarstorm EDX – Copper FatCarbon (M390)
Reate‑made, designer: Eric Ochs
Powerful, smooth, and well‑balanced action. Excellent machining and one of the most visually striking knives I own. While it no longer quite sits at my absolute top tier, it remains an outstanding high‑end performer with excellent mechanical execution and presence.
TRM Neutron 2 – Mike Irie Factory Hollow Grind Edition (Magnacut, 80s Camo FatCarbon)
American‑made, owners: Les & Marianne Halpern
Exceptionally good cutter with a fantastic hollow grind. Light, snappy, and very enjoyable in use. It features factory DLC‑coated clip and hardware, along with titanium liners and titanium backspacers, giving it an exceptionally premium feel for a lightweight knife. The deployment, for a knife that has this much hype, leaves some to be desired in my opinion, both in feel and in auditory feedback.
B‑Tier — Strong, Reliable UsersSkallywag MDV V2 – Full Black PVD (D2)
Designers: Michael Donvito, Jack Nevils & Bram Frank
The most tactical knife in my collection by far. The Bram’s Triangle opening is an absolute gem and makes it uniquely enjoyable. Solid construction and very dependable. The flipper action, which is a secondary mode of deployment leaves a lot to be desired, and the full D2 steel scales effectively enable this thing to be used as a small boat anchor.
Ontario RAT II – Custom Titanium Scales (D2)
Made in Taiwan, designers: Jeff Randall & Mike Perrin
A budget platform elevated by custom titanium scales that are very grippy and TiN coated. It also features a LynchNW titanium deep‑carry clip in the Blacksmith finish, which makes it more concealed to carry but noticeably less comfortable in hand. Makes for a surprisingly capable little user knife.
Doug Ritter RSK Mk1‑G2 – Lynch NW Titanium Clip Ano (Magnacut)
American‑made, designer: Doug Ritter, made by: Houge
Reliable, and consistent. The blade is overly beefy, which is probably good in a survival scenario, but the G10 handles are the weak point anyways in most scenarios, this overly heavy blade makes deployment awkward. The locking mechanism too in my opinion sacrifices satisfying maintenance to gain some sturdiness in the field.
Ferrum Forge Stinger Ti Framelock – UniCopper Carbon Fiber Inlay (Nitro‑V)
WE Knives‑made, designers: Elliot & Chris Williamson
A knife with clear strengths but also real execution compromises. The blade shape is excellent and slices well, and the knife carries slim and easily with good grip geometry. The UniCopper carbon fiber inlay adds visual depth and weight relief.
Access to the lockbar is limited to a narrow sliver and is difficult to reach. The framelock is not bolstered by an inlay or relief, making it easy to apply excess pressure with the thumb. As a result, deployment requires careful finger placement. It can fail fire more easily than I would prefer, as the detent is not perfect. The flipper tab jimping is also quite aggressive and becomes uncomfortable during extended flipping.
Overall, it remains a capable and enjoyable knife with an excellent blade and carry profile, but it falls short of the higher tiers due to lock access, detent tuning, and finishing concerns.
Utility TierSpyderco UKPK Salt – LC200N (Green FRN)
Feather‑light, rust‑proof, and legal nearly everywhere. Excellent for humid environments, sweat, or no‑worry carry. I bring it to the UK or my camping trips there.
C‑Tier — Underperformer Relative to Price (But Beautiful)SBD Mini Tempest – Full Black PVD Bowie (M390)
Reate‑made, designer: Brian Nadeau
A beautiful knife visually with carbon fiber inlays, but the action on my specific example is stiffer and less refined than any of the others. Still great to look at, just not at the level of my other SBD or Tactile pieces.
Before wrapping up, I maintain everything with KPL Original on the pivots and KPL Knife Shield on all metal parts for corrosion protection.
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