- Joined
- May 13, 2015
- Messages
- 841
Hi there! This week-end I took out with me again the Viper Free. I own this knife since one year or so now. Just sharing some personal impressions and few pics, I am no knives expert, just a hobbyist and week-end hiker, so be patient 
. The Free has a folding blade which allows the opening with one hand, thanks to a hole for the thumb. The opening is rather easy, even if I cannot define it smooth. The blade has a characteristic design, in my opinion nice and original. Its basically a drop point that winks at sheepfoot or Wharncliffe shapes. The blade is about 3.5 mm thick. A not too aggressive jimping, on the upper part of the blade, close to the pivot, guides the placing of the thumb and improves blade control when carving/whittling.
The blade is made out of tool steel D2. Although I dont consider this a stainless steel, I would consider the stone washed finish of the blade corrosion resistant for everyday use, with a minimum of care and maintenance. I use this knife as a utility, workhorse hiking folding knife; these days again I cut food such as salami, ham, cheese, bread, fruit, tomatoes and cucumbers and various materials such as wood of various species, ropes, clothes, etc. During this year, I always cleaned the knife with plain water and soap and tried to put it away dry with a drop of oil but no freaking out about it. Not a single spot of rust so far.
The handle material is G10. Handle is sizeable, comfortable and provides a good grip. This G10 is solid and impact resistant (cannot say the same for all G10s). The knife fell a couple of times on rocks and pebbles - closed - with no visible damage. The clip is not intrusive and does not disturb during the use.
Fit and finish is good, as most of Maniago productions. The lock system is called smart-lock, a kind of improved, patented version of the liner-lock. For a normal use the liner-lock of the Free is already very good and I have rarely engaged the smart-lock that would totally block the blade. The spine is rounded, with no sharp corners.
I used the knife extensively but exclusively for cutting and carving. I never use folders for chopping or batoning (I carry a Felco folding saw instead), however I can say that is solid and efficient in, for example, limbing branches to make a walking stick, an activity which may fall into the category of light chopping. Thanks to a good blade geometry and a long lasting edge, is very easy to make feather-sticks with different types of wood ( tested on fir, pine, larch, birch).
All in all, I consider the Free a good mid-size folder, meeting expectations when it comes to the tasks required to a folder, with pleasant design and great portability in easy levels hiking/camping scenarios. For me its a bit too big for urban scenarios EDC, even if it was legal to carry, which is not round here, unfortunately. Also I consider this knife having a good value for money.
Dimensions and weight
210 mm
123 g
Blade
Drop point shape
Lenght: 86 mm
Thickness: 3.6 mm
Steel: D2 (58-60 HRC)
Handle
Lenght: 121 mm
Material: G10 (olive green in my version. Also available in black, brown)
Lock
Smart-Lock
. The Free has a folding blade which allows the opening with one hand, thanks to a hole for the thumb. The opening is rather easy, even if I cannot define it smooth. The blade has a characteristic design, in my opinion nice and original. Its basically a drop point that winks at sheepfoot or Wharncliffe shapes. The blade is about 3.5 mm thick. A not too aggressive jimping, on the upper part of the blade, close to the pivot, guides the placing of the thumb and improves blade control when carving/whittling.The blade is made out of tool steel D2. Although I dont consider this a stainless steel, I would consider the stone washed finish of the blade corrosion resistant for everyday use, with a minimum of care and maintenance. I use this knife as a utility, workhorse hiking folding knife; these days again I cut food such as salami, ham, cheese, bread, fruit, tomatoes and cucumbers and various materials such as wood of various species, ropes, clothes, etc. During this year, I always cleaned the knife with plain water and soap and tried to put it away dry with a drop of oil but no freaking out about it. Not a single spot of rust so far.
The handle material is G10. Handle is sizeable, comfortable and provides a good grip. This G10 is solid and impact resistant (cannot say the same for all G10s). The knife fell a couple of times on rocks and pebbles - closed - with no visible damage. The clip is not intrusive and does not disturb during the use.
Fit and finish is good, as most of Maniago productions
. The lock system is called smart-lock, a kind of improved, patented version of the liner-lock. For a normal use the liner-lock of the Free is already very good and I have rarely engaged the smart-lock that would totally block the blade. The spine is rounded, with no sharp corners.I used the knife extensively but exclusively for cutting and carving. I never use folders for chopping or batoning (I carry a Felco folding saw instead
), however I can say that is solid and efficient in, for example, limbing branches to make a walking stick, an activity which may fall into the category of light chopping. Thanks to a good blade geometry and a long lasting edge, is very easy to make feather-sticks with different types of wood ( tested on fir, pine, larch, birch). All in all, I consider the Free a good mid-size folder, meeting expectations when it comes to the tasks required to a folder, with pleasant design and great portability in easy levels hiking/camping scenarios. For me its a bit too big for urban scenarios EDC, even if it was legal to carry, which is not round here, unfortunately. Also I consider this knife having a good value for money.
Dimensions and weight
210 mm
123 g
Blade
Drop point shape
Lenght: 86 mm
Thickness: 3.6 mm
Steel: D2 (58-60 HRC)
Handle
Lenght: 121 mm
Material: G10 (olive green in my version. Also available in black, brown)
Lock
Smart-Lock
