If you’ve ever bought a Massdrop knife- you know that the official Massdrop branded
knives have a complicated manufacturing hierarchy, for people not familiar with knife bullshit.
Massdrop ultimately just has a website, like Amazon but with a more artisan social media
experience… that sells curated boutique mass-produced shit.
Some branded mass drop, others branded by the companies who actually make it.
Ultimately most of the stuff mass drop creates, are wait times for internet assholes.
For example the Dao here.
Massdrop had someone else stamp Massdrop on the blade.
The knife designers at Ferrum Forge created the knife, and the knife wizards at We Knife
actually mass produced it.
Mass drop is the drop part.
So the Dao is a titanium handled, light weight folding pocket knife, that uses s35vn.
So that’s the review.
Ok it isn’t over let’s look at the overall length and weight.
If you guys follow me on Instagram- I wouldn’t.. but if you do… you’ll know Nick Shabazz
loant me this knife.
Blade size and cutting edge.
In real life I thought his wrists would be shorter.
Handle size and grip area.
He let me look at his watch, of which I’ve only bought cars that are more expensive.
Spine thickness and handle thickness.
Not much more expensive with a 15 year old CRV.
Tallnessess.
I take that back I actually spent more on my transmission repair than he did his watch.
So I win.
I paid $4000 for the car, and with repairs now it’s worth approximately $9,000.
So the We-Manufactured Ferrum-Forge-Designed Massdrop-branded Nick Shabazz-Loant Dao is
a nice light weight compact sized gentlemans folding pocket knife every day carry blade.
If you need any hyphens sorry I just used the last ones.
It features a blade cut by hand using artisan CNC machines using a locally sourced S35Vn
blade steel.
I have read some rock solid internet conjecture where some people have theorized on how a
few of the s35vn ferrum forge We made blades had stained on a supposedly highly corrosion
resistant steel, and that it may not be s35vn or that We knives has a weird satin finish
that just stains easier.
S35VN as you know is a super steel, it’s main super power being the ability to run
up credit card debt with internet knife people who rarely use their blades.
(Old timey voice) It’s as easy as selling a super steel to a cubicle bro!
The blade is flat ground and with a modified sheepsfoot profile- just like the product
description says.
Most of my job is just rewriting the shit I read, sorry if you thought this channel
was something else.
Lockup and deployment is good.
… … … Ok.
So you deploy it by the flipper tab or stud.
It’s actually called a tab, but I used to call it a stud.
Someone corrected me, but other people tell me I should never change.
So maybe instead of admitting I don’t know shit about knives, I should double down.
It’s a stud.
An alternative tab if you will.
The blade pivots on a caged ball bearing system and while it sounds like something reviewed
on Advanced S&M Bro, it just means the blade rockets out with little effort for even the
subbest among us.
It locks with a titanium frame lock with a steel insert.
The frame lock is a tad stiff, depending on your preferences.
(British voice: “it’s a tad stiff Elizabeth”) So you might get some fidget fatigue if you
play with it all day.
Detent is strong, so blade retention when closed is good.. and an internet tough guy
like myself couldn’t get it to deploy by flicking it downward.
Handle is a decent size, and one I could live with… but it may be small for guys with
jacked hands doing 4 and a half inch curls all day.
The jimping on the backspacer is recessed and comfortable… the blade spine jimping
is a tad edgier, but let’s be honest your not skinning a mule with this.
Sorry I mean gimping.
I know, but what if you’re forced to in a survival situation.
The titanium machined clip is flippable to the right or left side in a tip up configuration
only.
I am not going to move the clip, but I believe this is accomplished by two different sized
screws with the backspacer screw doubling as a pocket clip screw.
It slides in the pocket nicely without too much trouble.
The clip isn’t sharp but some of the edges could possibly create a hot spot in the palm
if you do decide to skin the mule.
As it is tip up blade backward in the right pocket is ideal for a person who is right
handed.
Like myself.
Comparisons.
First the Dao.
It’s a decent knife.
Don’t think it’s one I’d buy at this point in my knife odyssey, but might make
a good addition to the collection for someone else with bad spending habits.
I prefer to buy Kukris I don’t need.
It reminds me a little of the CRKT Jettison which has the bird beak looking blade with
a small handle.
That one cost about $25, had cheap steel, and was mostly peasants stainless steel.
I know nowadays, any knife dude wouldn’t be caught dead with steel instead of titanium.
I like the design I think… maybe I like that other people like it.
There is an option of this knife in a green with circuit patterns, that one seems more
like the kind of shit I would buy.
Now the Headesigns Hunter, compact, lighter, a little more expensive, got that pointier
tip and it’s a front flipper.
Both are about same quality overall, you decide which one you like more.
Ok, so here’s a cold steel Finn Wolf.
I showed this one last time, and I thought it was a good time to show it again.
This one costs about $30.
Not your knife if your main usage is fancy hanky dumps with hashtags.
A good blade if you need something to use cheap as a tool- not really what knives are
for, I know.
Sorry I don’t have a lot of my favorite knives on hand.
Until we move out of the temporary place I’m staying most of my collection is packed away.
Another month or two till you see the old favorites.
Moving is sometimes more complicated than just moving from one house to another.
Alright wrapping it up, thanks to Nick for chilling with me for a few hours while we
talked knives and what not.
And if you’re wondering, he’s just two floating hands with watch holders.
If you’re not subscribed to his channel, go ahead and subscribe.
Ok I’m just fucking with you- you heard of this channel probably through his channel
that you’ve been subscribed to for years.
Plus this channel doesn’t review the newest shit either.
Some guys are hear for the S&M jokes, other guys are here for the knives.
Oh yeah… did I like this knife?
I don’t see anything really wrong with it.
If you like the styling, and want a decent every day carry, go for it.
As far as the We produced massdrop shit, I like slightly larger knives like my Keen,
of course which is packed away- keeping my Sebenza company.
“He likes me better than you”.
I’m purple, and we cuddle.
So give the video a thumbs up, subscribe, comment, Patreon me.
And a big thanks to Thomas D. who went above and beyond a few days ago with a $20 a month
donation.
Holy shit, thanks dude!
I know I don’t post on Patreon much, giving anyone any value for their donation, or do
anything with my shitty Facebook feed… but just know it’s very appreciated.
In fact I just bought $200 worth of slip joints with my Patreon money, on knives no one asked
me to review.
Oh yeah, and follow me on Instagram, where I post pictures of stuff I’ll eventually
review.
Thanks for watching.