Designed by Chad Los Banos, as a folding, Hawaii legal carry version of the popular Emerson La Griffe this is a frame-lock folder based is on the popular subcom and wharcom series of knives also designed by him and produced by Boker Plus.

 

With its 1 7/8 inch flat grind, hawkbill blade of AUS-8 steel and overall length of 4 ½ inches, it offers a compact cutting package useful for variety of chores. Tipping the scales at just 2.5 oz you barely notice it clipped in your pocket or waistband and with a smooth action and great lock-up its confidence inspiring to use, having had other folders close on me in the past, this is not lost on me.

 

The main scale is fibre reinforced nylon with a sturdy steel pocket clip on the rear, this is reversible for tip-up or tip-down carry, which is what I prefer with this particular knife. The Pocket clip did require a longer than normal break-in period as it was extremely tight at first, but now that it is broken-in it is much more user friendly.

 

Razor sharp from the box, the blade shape promotes effective cutting of various materials from thin cloth to rope and everything in between. After a few weeks of daily use the blade is still shaving sharp (as my forearm can testify). I like this blade a lot and reading on various internet forums a large number of people seem to agree with me. I wasn’t overly impressed with the original subcom design and although only the blade shape has changed with this new example it seems to have improved the handling massively, the design has been ‘completed’ by the hawkbill blade.

 

Priced at around $25 in the U.S. and upwards of £30 in the U.K. another Internet shopping trip is recommended.

 

By Dan Webster.