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- Jun 30, 2016
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- 4,695
Please forgive my tardiness in uploading these reviews. Been one of those weeks.
First up is the Kizer Vanguard Barbosa:
What I like:
1) It's a good length for everyday carry with 3" of hollow ground VG-10.
2) It's lightweight just over 3 oz.
3) The detent is spot on. It flips very well.
4) The liner lock is easy to access, without being a failure risk.
5) I couldn't think of anything else... meh.
What I don't like:
1) It's entirely too thick for such a small knife. 3/4" At the widest point of the clip.
2) The clip is poorly placed.
3) It's too expensive.
4) The flipper tab is too long.
5) The blade stock is too thick.
6) It's only available in tactical black or OD green.
Overall it's a decent knife, but it falls short on almost every facet of it's design. The liners could've been nested giving it a higher quality appearance while dramatically reducing the handle width. The blade stock, which cuts well enough thanks to the hollow grind, could be half as thick as it is now and cut even better while reducing weight and further thinning this little gordito. Finally there's the clip. It's a loop-over, which is great, but they didn't recess the mounting location and they've put it slap in the middle of the handle. This completely negates the deep carry aspect, leaving over 1/2" of handle proud of the pocket, and puts the knife's widest point in the middle of pad of your palm. Holy jewel-encrusted hot-spots Batman!
Given all of this along with the materials and performance of other budget offerings from Kizer itself and its competitors, the Barbosa is an overpriced(slightly), uncomfortable, and uninteresting under-performer. A nicely manufactured, terrible design.
First up is the Kizer Vanguard Barbosa:
What I like:
1) It's a good length for everyday carry with 3" of hollow ground VG-10.
2) It's lightweight just over 3 oz.
3) The detent is spot on. It flips very well.
4) The liner lock is easy to access, without being a failure risk.
5) I couldn't think of anything else... meh.
What I don't like:
1) It's entirely too thick for such a small knife. 3/4" At the widest point of the clip.
2) The clip is poorly placed.
3) It's too expensive.
4) The flipper tab is too long.
5) The blade stock is too thick.
6) It's only available in tactical black or OD green.
Overall it's a decent knife, but it falls short on almost every facet of it's design. The liners could've been nested giving it a higher quality appearance while dramatically reducing the handle width. The blade stock, which cuts well enough thanks to the hollow grind, could be half as thick as it is now and cut even better while reducing weight and further thinning this little gordito. Finally there's the clip. It's a loop-over, which is great, but they didn't recess the mounting location and they've put it slap in the middle of the handle. This completely negates the deep carry aspect, leaving over 1/2" of handle proud of the pocket, and puts the knife's widest point in the middle of pad of your palm. Holy jewel-encrusted hot-spots Batman!
Given all of this along with the materials and performance of other budget offerings from Kizer itself and its competitors, the Barbosa is an overpriced(slightly), uncomfortable, and uninteresting under-performer. A nicely manufactured, terrible design.