Tips for good knife reviews.

Steel130

Steel130

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Sep 17, 2010
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So guys I am just starting out on knife reviews. I have like two up now. And another two on the way. However I would like some tips from you guys. What would help to keep it from being boring? Just picture reviews? I prefer video ones myself. More time of the knife in action and not just a table top? I dont want to copy what others are doing. I know Ankerson does a lot of, in use videos. What is a time goal to shoot for? For me over 10 minutes starts to get a bit boring unless there is just that much to cover.
Thanks
Steeley
 
I like photo/video comparisons to common knives like the 710 or the military to put things into perspective
 
In use video/photo are my preference. Table top reviews are only good for seeing the knife in someones hand IMO unless combined with in use photo or video. Keep your reviews "REAL" and I hate to use that word, but don't go the route of smashing bricks with the knife, or cutting up lawnmowers(it's been done), or stabbing car hoods etc. There are plenty of destructive tests showing knives doing things they were never meant for to begin with and those are not REVIEWS IMHO. Show the knife performing common and appropriate tasks ie:

Everday stuff:
- cardboard, paper
- fabric; leather, nylon, cotton, silk etc,
- plastic; banding, zip ties, packaging etc.
- rope, twine etc
- Food prep

Special/harder use:
- Shelter/fire prep
- Game processing
etc.

If the knife has a special feature such as a resuce hook, or glass break, then show those performing those task. Basically show tasks the knif ewas designed to do. Talk about the ergonomics of the handle. AND AND AND make sure, double and triple check all specs of the knife being reviewed.

Specs:
- Precise measurements - blade length, thickness, width / handle length, thickness, width / Overall length. AND WEIGHT if a fixed blade include sheath and w/ out sheath. Blade geometry.
- Correct list of materials, steel, handle material, hardware(pins, screws, thumbstud, pocket clip etc.)
- Process of manufacturing ie, designer, manufacturer, heat treatment of steel, is the knife handmade, forged, CNC'd etc. What features does it have ie; jimping, serrations, blade coating etc. Don't be afraid to call the manufacturer and ask ?'s

Talking Points:
- design purpose and effectiveness
- ease of use
- edge holding, toughness, ergos, sharpening
- fit and finish, and "from factory condition" ie; factory sharpness
- any and all flaws as you see them

These are things I would like to see in a knife review. Hope it helps.
 
I agree with everything Dave said, but I'd like to see some comparisons to other knives
such as "Knife A has better edge holding steel than Knife B, but Knife B has better ergonomics".
 
Mephtyrm said:
I agree with everything Dave said, but I'd like to see some comparisons to other knives
such as "Knife A has better edge holding steel than Knife B, but Knife B has better ergonomics".
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That's another good idea. Review and compare a few knives at the same time and se which one is better at certain tasks.
 
What I dislike is bs saying the blade can do anything anytime anywhere when the reviewer hasn't even used it. I don't expect them to beat the heck and abuse their new knife, but give me a little about general use at least.

I like to know if the knife is a must have. I balance quality and price and like to see if it's worth the buy.

Definately pics, must have.
 
I'm with Mike on this.

mikestewartpostonreview.jpg
 
I like an organized review in clear English. And I want observations that come from using/carrying, the kind that are not obvious from pictures. Things like, "were there hot spots when you used it for prolonged cutting?", "Is it secure in the pocket, yet easy to grab?" "How is the balance?"

Start at one end of the knife and move toward the other end, describing the features. When describing the blade, I am interested in the blade thickness at the spine and just at the edge of the primary bevel. I at least want to know the alloy. If the MFG lists a hardness spec, provide it. If you can get your knife Rockwell tested, do so and post the result.

Talk about how you have used the knife and what you think it is best at.

Videos are acceptable to illustrate things that are hard to describe. But the main review should be written.
 
singularity35 said:
I'm with Mike on this.

mikestewartpostonreview.jpg
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Good points here, especially re: shots of the unopened box, and opening the box, I always fast forward; what is this, A Christmas Story?

I would add: Think on what you are going to say BEFORE you start shooting. Too many videos have long dead spaces where the narrator is trying to string a thought together. Perhaps because they turned the camera on and then just started opening the box.

Comparisons to other commonly owned blades is a good thing, both for size/scale and as a starting point for what this knife brings to the table. Does it fit the hand better, or have a stronger tip? Compare some usage also.

Also, try to keep the knife visible and in frame. This sounds obvious but in many awful videos the narrator is looking at the knife in hand and rambling on about it while we can no longer see the knife. Remember that we are not seeing through your eyes, our eyes are the camera.
 
knarfeng said:
I like an organized review in clear English. And I want observations that come from using/carrying, the kind that are not obvious from pictures. Things like, "were there hot spots when you used it for prolonged cutting?", "Is it secure in the pocket, yet easy to grab?" "How is the balance?"

Start at one end of the knife and move toward the other end, describing the features. When describing the blade, I am interested in the blade thickness at the spine and just at the edge of the primary bevel. I at least want to know the alloy. If the MFG lists a hardness spec, provide it. If you can get your knife Rockwell tested, do so and post the result.

Talk about how you have used the knife and what you think it is best at.

Videos are acceptable to illustrate things that are hard to describe. But the main review should be written.
Click to expand...


I usually do both, written and Video, the written is long and complete while the video is just a much shorter vers of what I did testing the knives showing performance.

But then that's me and how I do them. :)

The current EDC series is exactly that, it more like here it is showing what it can do performance wise in use.
 
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The problem with most reviewers is they either pump a lot of BS about things they do not really know (bad) or they give lots of great insight pertinent to their particular usage (limited).

There are VERY few if any people out there that can review any knife and speak objectively about how well it works for its intended purpose (i.e. how many people can talk about a hard use survival knife, a bush craft knife, a tactical or fighting knife, a rescue knife, and a dress knife and really speak from experience on how well each works in its intended roll?) Better to stick with what you know and be honest about it.

Avoid goofy mannerisms (uhhhhhhhhh, Siiiiiiigh, any-hoooo, burp, fart etc.) Avoid big words (awesome is a REALLY big word...it seems a lot of knives evoke jaw dropping responses from many reviewers, I have to question if these guys really do drop to a knee and start worshiping in awe, if if they are overstating things slightly;)

Do something. Staring at a static image makes me wonder why they bothered uploading video instead of a photo with an audio file. Even if you are just rolling the knife around in hand, it provides some spatial detail that helps the viewer understand the dimensions of the knife better than just reading the stats off the advertisement.
 
I hate when people start a video with "Hey guys, ummmmm sorry for not making a video for a long time. I've been busy lately and blah blah blah blah. Here is the knife box, I just got it yesterday. I've been saving up for a few weeks and I wanted to buy this because blah blah blah"

*5 minutes pass by before we even see the knife*

*I close the video and do something else*

And if it's a review then label it that way. I don't mind watching impressions or table tops as long as they are labelled correctly. Heck, sometimes I just want to see what a knife looks like in the hand. There's a lot you can learn from video footage that you can't from promotional pictures.
 
Thanks for all the great ideas guys. I now dont feel like as soon as I get a knife I need to do a " review " so to speak. I will put the knife through its intended uses for a week. Do a short video and then a write up as well. All while keeping it as original as I can.
 
What keeps me watching:
– Comparisons (size, weight) with other knives. Not pictures, but the actual knife in hand.
– Price, where you bought it.
– Actual usage

What makes me close the window:
– 90% of knife videos start off with "Hey, youtube." It's annoying.
– Being amazed at EVERY knife they review. Yes, I understand you spent money on it so you're gonna want to like it. But then it's not a review, it's you saying, hey, here's a thing I bought.
– If you're going to do an unboxing, don't act like you don't know what's in the box. "Ok, let's see what could be in here."
– And this one is just me, but review quality stuff. Not saying every knife has to be a $400 knife, but I could care less what a $15 knife is like. If I wanna know, I'll drop the $15 and buy it, it's not that big of a deal. Plus, I can't find much I like for under $30. But, like I said, that's just me.
 
-Don't wear a paracord bracelet.
-It doesn't "DEPLOY!!!!11!!ONE", it opens. :D
-Don't say price point; avoid trendy buzzwords.
-Be super honest about the lockup. Don't just touch it lightly with both hands and say it locks up super tight. :D
 
I think the most important thing is to not be afraid to criticize the knife, list anything you don't like about it. Most people will race about something just because it is what they bought. An example would be that the edge or handle where smaller than you expected and it will keep others from making the same mistake.
 
Hey people,
Just wanted to review my understanding of reviews as a consumer of reviews rather tan a reviewer.. I don't own many knives and even fewer good ones. I just uploaded a usage review of my Kershaw Scamp with some terrible cellphone pics.

Here's what I'd like to see from all I have read so far.
1. Pre-definition of what exactly it is. Unboxing, First Impressions, Usage Review (Short and Long Term etc). And then that is what it should be.
2. Structure and Objectivity. Dave Behrens Suggested TSructure seems to work
3. Visual Aids and Comparisons. Videos, Pictures.
4. Utility with visual aids.
5. And efficiency. Explained a lot better by mongomondo above. I'd like to add a time limit. Like 3 Minutes for Unboxings, !0 for destop impressions, maybe 15 or 20 for usage reviews and cut tests etc. No hard and fast rule but a certain unwritten etiquette

I don't know what to think about destruction testing. Even comparative destruction testing. I am unsure of its real value.

Thanx
 
Good luck with your knife reviews, steel130, I doubt whether I am the only one here who takes almost as much pleasure in my knife research as I do in my knife ownership/collecting/obsessing... A good review to me is honest. a good enough setup (camera, lighting, not a distracting background, etc..) is a huge plus, not too professional, but a white sheet and a good light go a long way compared to a review on a glass patio table and sunlight with the dog barking.. If I bought a pricey blade, like a sebenza or a strider, I would be hesitant to be critical, as I would want to think I spent my 400 and got my money's worth, and this goes for positive attribute of cheap knives as well.. the biggest thing is that the reviewer knows blades and knows the blade being reviewed has been used, carried, and given time to reveal flaws and pros. One thing I notice in a lot of reviews is when they do a size comparison, the thickness of the knife is not as clear. Using a BM710 or an endura is always great for length, width, and I like to know the weight and how others compare. The thickness of the blade just gets left out sometimes, Of course, a little bit on the pocket clip is appreciated, and when possible, make it your own. Sure, I watch reviews for information and don't need to know about the guy who sat next to you on the bus this morning, but some personality is a plus in my book. Good luck, I look forward to your reviews. - hayes
 
Sorry I should have put this in the first post. someone else said they don't know what to think about destruction testing.... indeed... If I were buying a Esee or tops for something extreme maybe... alright I see the point, It contributes to our understanding of these blades. but then again there are those nightmares of someone taking a loveless sub-hilt out to woods to split some wood.. and.... well, that's when I wake up crying.. -hayes
 
I guess there is some theoretical scientific and even psychological value to knowing how much abuse a knife will stand before failure occurs. But its not just the blade but the wielder also. If you are the type to put a blade through hell on daily and necessary basis maybe the destruction tests are useful. One assumes you are not buying a cheapo knife but who tests those to destruction. They appear to die easily enough. I am of the impression any decently designed knife by manufacturer of reasonable repute is going to be damn hard to destroy unless that is your primary intention. So Hard-Use reviews would educate me a lot more. If it fails in that kind of testing then one can question its value. But the videos on knifetsts and some on youtube are interesting in the way that one views funny videos of people sliding off snowy roofs on buffet trays. What does smashing the edge of an ESEE 5 into a BK-2 achieve?

Please indulge my ignorance everyone. I am here hoping it is a temporary state. :)

JulianHayes said:
Sorry I should have put this in the first post. someone else said they don't know what to think about destruction testing.... indeed... If I were buying a Esee or tops for something extreme maybe... alright I see the point, It contributes to our understanding of these blades. but then again there are those nightmares of someone taking a loveless sub-hilt out to woods to split some wood.. and.... well, that's when I wake up crying.. -hayes
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