Dr. Hannibal Lecter
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2004
- Messages
- 471
REVIEW BOKER PLUS JIM WAGNER REALITY-BASED BLADE
Terry Trahan and our kind friends at Boker U.S.A. have graciously sent to me a Jim Wagner Reality-Based Blade for formal testing and evaluation; hopefully this review will shed some light on this excellent self-defense tool.
For those new to my formal reviews, please understand that I carry a knife for self-defense purposes and little else. I have a small Wenger Swiss Army Knife that I use for general hacking on things the knife in my right hand pants pocket is always an SD blade and is always razor sharp. In reviewing this knife I am assessing its value as an SD blade, not as a blade for cutting up cardboard and such. Please keep this in mind during the review.
CONSTRUCTION
The first thing I noticed about this knife is the overall feel and construction; this is not a lightweight blade! At 6.2 ounces it weighs a trifle more than my Spyderco Gunting, but the difference is largely nominal and would make little difference in EDC. The Boker features nylon scales with full steel liners for strength.
The lock on this knife is very robust, to say the least. In fact, the closest comparison I can make to another factory blade for lockup strength would be a very expensive Extrema Ratio I once handled! One note you are NOT going to flick this knife open with a wrist flick, though a thumb flick is quite possible after it loosens up a bit.
It carries very well in the pocket a bit thicker than some knives, I admit, but a great deal more comfortable in the hand due to the ergonomics of its thicker grip.
BLADE
The slightly sub-4 inch (three and seven eighths-inches) blade is manufactured of 440C steel, and is marked Made in Taiwan. It is extremely sharp and has already caused one injury to a friend of mine who was examining it. An important note - I suggest making it a point to not drop the open blade on your finger as many users do with Spyderco knives and such while closing the blade, as you positively will get cut. I almost did myself when I first received the knife it was only the initial stiffness of the mechanism that prevented it.
The blood groove is probably a bit over the top I dont see the utility. I would consider that it might add a bit of stiffness to the blade, but truthfully, this blade does not need it - it is very thick and equally robust.
The overall blade profile is very unusual, but it melds two of my favorite blade styles. The Boker catalog describes it as a kris blade or flamberge, but I am not entirely sure I agree. The tip is much like a modified tanto point, and it features what could almost be described more accurately as a hawkbilled profile underneath. Normally I would not advocate blending styles in this way, but I think that Boker got this exactly right. You have the advantages of a hawkbilled blade in opponent control and defensive cutting, while also enjoying the advantages of a tanto point for thrusting, penetrating cuts. This gives this blade the best of both worlds, at least in my opinion. The blade is available in both plain edge and serrated edge.
BALANCE
The balance of this knife is excellent, sitting perfectly in the hand with the balance point on or about the index finger. It swings surprisingly well into reverse grip from forward grip even without indexing divots or the like. The heft in the hand is considerable, but I hardly expect a lightweight SD blade to inspire confidence.
OTHER FEATURES
The Boker Jim Wagner Reality-Based Blade has another feature I find most intriguing: an interchangeable clip-retention screw. One is a glass-breaker, something frequently overlooked on SD knives and a feature I very much like to see on them. With the aid of a small included spanner wrench it can be replaced with a screw looking very much like the cap of a ball-point pen for concealment purposes. I really like this feature low-profile is always a positive plus.
I will mention one caveat with the pen tip law enforcement will generally consider such urban camouflage as hiding the true purpose and identity of the weapon. For example, it is perfectly legal in my jurisdiction to carry any length single-edged blade so long as it remains unconcealed (concealed blade lengths must not exceed 3½). However, if the pen tip is in place, many LEOs would consider the knife concealed and I would be in violation of the law were I to carry it. I would advise caution in using this feature check your local laws.
The knife also has great potential as an SD tool in the closed position, having several protrusions for use in giving an assailant a good smack to deter further aggression. The glass breaker would also excel at such non-lethal persuasion.
FINAL ANALYSIS
My overall impressions? I am impressed; very much so. In my estimation, with the purchase of this knife you essentially are getting the features, ergonomics and construction of a blade easily two to three times this price for a very reasonable cash outlay. The Boker Jim Wagner Reality-Based Blade retails at $89.95 USD, which is a minor investment considering the outstanding quality of this knife. The knife has found its way into my EDC rotation and will likely remain there for quite a while.
Questions or comments may be directed to:
doctor.hannibal.lecter.md@gmail.com
Terry Trahan and our kind friends at Boker U.S.A. have graciously sent to me a Jim Wagner Reality-Based Blade for formal testing and evaluation; hopefully this review will shed some light on this excellent self-defense tool.
For those new to my formal reviews, please understand that I carry a knife for self-defense purposes and little else. I have a small Wenger Swiss Army Knife that I use for general hacking on things the knife in my right hand pants pocket is always an SD blade and is always razor sharp. In reviewing this knife I am assessing its value as an SD blade, not as a blade for cutting up cardboard and such. Please keep this in mind during the review.
CONSTRUCTION
The first thing I noticed about this knife is the overall feel and construction; this is not a lightweight blade! At 6.2 ounces it weighs a trifle more than my Spyderco Gunting, but the difference is largely nominal and would make little difference in EDC. The Boker features nylon scales with full steel liners for strength.
The lock on this knife is very robust, to say the least. In fact, the closest comparison I can make to another factory blade for lockup strength would be a very expensive Extrema Ratio I once handled! One note you are NOT going to flick this knife open with a wrist flick, though a thumb flick is quite possible after it loosens up a bit.
It carries very well in the pocket a bit thicker than some knives, I admit, but a great deal more comfortable in the hand due to the ergonomics of its thicker grip.
BLADE
The slightly sub-4 inch (three and seven eighths-inches) blade is manufactured of 440C steel, and is marked Made in Taiwan. It is extremely sharp and has already caused one injury to a friend of mine who was examining it. An important note - I suggest making it a point to not drop the open blade on your finger as many users do with Spyderco knives and such while closing the blade, as you positively will get cut. I almost did myself when I first received the knife it was only the initial stiffness of the mechanism that prevented it.
The blood groove is probably a bit over the top I dont see the utility. I would consider that it might add a bit of stiffness to the blade, but truthfully, this blade does not need it - it is very thick and equally robust.
The overall blade profile is very unusual, but it melds two of my favorite blade styles. The Boker catalog describes it as a kris blade or flamberge, but I am not entirely sure I agree. The tip is much like a modified tanto point, and it features what could almost be described more accurately as a hawkbilled profile underneath. Normally I would not advocate blending styles in this way, but I think that Boker got this exactly right. You have the advantages of a hawkbilled blade in opponent control and defensive cutting, while also enjoying the advantages of a tanto point for thrusting, penetrating cuts. This gives this blade the best of both worlds, at least in my opinion. The blade is available in both plain edge and serrated edge.
BALANCE
The balance of this knife is excellent, sitting perfectly in the hand with the balance point on or about the index finger. It swings surprisingly well into reverse grip from forward grip even without indexing divots or the like. The heft in the hand is considerable, but I hardly expect a lightweight SD blade to inspire confidence.
OTHER FEATURES
The Boker Jim Wagner Reality-Based Blade has another feature I find most intriguing: an interchangeable clip-retention screw. One is a glass-breaker, something frequently overlooked on SD knives and a feature I very much like to see on them. With the aid of a small included spanner wrench it can be replaced with a screw looking very much like the cap of a ball-point pen for concealment purposes. I really like this feature low-profile is always a positive plus.
I will mention one caveat with the pen tip law enforcement will generally consider such urban camouflage as hiding the true purpose and identity of the weapon. For example, it is perfectly legal in my jurisdiction to carry any length single-edged blade so long as it remains unconcealed (concealed blade lengths must not exceed 3½). However, if the pen tip is in place, many LEOs would consider the knife concealed and I would be in violation of the law were I to carry it. I would advise caution in using this feature check your local laws.
The knife also has great potential as an SD tool in the closed position, having several protrusions for use in giving an assailant a good smack to deter further aggression. The glass breaker would also excel at such non-lethal persuasion.
FINAL ANALYSIS
My overall impressions? I am impressed; very much so. In my estimation, with the purchase of this knife you essentially are getting the features, ergonomics and construction of a blade easily two to three times this price for a very reasonable cash outlay. The Boker Jim Wagner Reality-Based Blade retails at $89.95 USD, which is a minor investment considering the outstanding quality of this knife. The knife has found its way into my EDC rotation and will likely remain there for quite a while.
Questions or comments may be directed to:
doctor.hannibal.lecter.md@gmail.com
Nicely done.
Sorry Hannibal, just one more thing: