In my conquest of chasing down the best and cheapest traditional or missionary style folders…
I end up with another friction folder.
The $15 svord peasant bought in both the aluminum and synthetic handled versions for reasons
detailed in the last 45 minutes of the review.
A friction folder is a non locking blade, that’s like sort of like a non locking slip
joint but without a back spring.
So let’s look at the dimensions here.
In parenthesis I have included the dimensions of the aluminum handled version if it differs.
The weight and length fully open.
I’d like to give a shoutout to Emanuel B and his 6 year old son here.
Blade length and cutting edge.
He said to give a shoutout to the Michigan fans.
Handle size and grip area.
Benjamin Poirier and David Vanderstelt are 2 others.
Spine thickness and handle thickness.
So I guess that makes total of 4 people who like this channel from Michigan!
And the tallness, and tang protrusion when closed Yeah it sticks out kind of far.
Sup guys!
The made in New Zeland Svord peasant features a 3 inch ish blade drop point blade made from
Swedish 15N20 tool steel, which is used in bandsaws and as a co steel in Damascus mashup
rap battles of history.
A video that would somehow make that channel more annoying.
Yeah I know I have room to talk.
It’s known not very wear resistant, so you’ll have to sharpen it more often.
but it takes an easy edge.
And it’s tough, which means it won’t break easily… you’re like yeah so I can pry
with it.
Exactly idiot!
Also if you were paying attention in the dimensions part, the aluminum handled version has a thicker
blade spine…
I do not know if this is intentional between the models or just a peasants variation in
manufacturing.
The blade has a long tang which when fully closed sticks out quite a bit, and when the
knife is open creates a slight bump on the handle spine.
Which hits somewhere in the middle of your hand.
Since this is a friction folder the combination between the interior of the handle on the
blade, the downward force of cutting on an object and your grip the handle keeping the
tang from moving upward closing are the things keeping it open.
The blade pivots on a brass screw on the Polypropylene handled versions so the pivot and ease of
opening is adjustable.
However on the aluminum handled version the handle and pivots are rivets so they are not
adjustable.
You can open it awkwardly with one hand and close it the same, although you need to be
more careful when closing it one handed to avoid your finger hitting the blade as you
readjust to what amounts a 3 or 4 point hand adjustment closing.
Using two hands saves significant time, but I get that if other people around an awkward
one hand closing of a knife looks way cooler and gets you more friends.
The plastic handled version is a bit harder to open or close.
The handles.
They are large and make the blade look smaller than it is…
I mean the blades are only about 3 inches… but the handles are long.
The polypropylene handle is nice and comfortable.
It’s thick and not a lot of give.
It has a little bit of texture on it too, as to not make it super slick, but its still
a little smooth.
It sounds like I’m selling a laxative or cigarette.
The alumimum handled version however… well it ain’t for me.
It’s super thin, and the handle bows inward as you grip it.
I actually bought this one first, and didn’t like the handle much because it feels cheap…
and blade rubs on the aluminum too when closed… which brings up something else… the rivet
or screw near the back of the handle on both models … the tip of
the blade touches it, so close it slowly to avoid a deformed edge over time near the tip.
It seems they could add a metal or plastic rivet sleeve over the screws on the end to
improve the flex near the back… and if it was plastic well it would save wear on the
blade.
Now to me a pocket knife is a knife with a clip.
I get that before spyderco popularized the clip most pocket knives didn’t use them-
who cares.
Well this is more of a folding knife than a pocket knife, the tang does have a hole
on it… so maybe do something with that… although I can’t think of any non pain in
the ass way off hand… the aluminum version is thin and would fit in your pocket though…
the polypropylene has a much larger handle so it may not be as pocket friendly… then
I remember there’s a company called cold steel… so fuck it.
Comparison time kids!
Also don’t repeat that ] word.
First is the sword peasant, and yes I keep recycling the same segment here for several
videos.
I’m going to use the plastic version most because it’s my favorite of the two and
this would take forever.
It has a better hand feel then the aluminum handled version… both have that bump up
top that may cause discomfort during heavy cutting… it doesn’t bother me much and
ain’t sharp at all, nice and rounded.
The aluminum handles version while not sharp on the underside may not be comfortable for
long term cutting like the plastic one.
Ok how about my other friction folder the higo no kami… also a roughly finished piece…
also made at a small factory by eleven or whatever… this handles has little to no
flex compared the aluminum handled peasant… although the blade grind is uneven which is
what you get for a handmade $25 blade.
The edge on the peasant is also not even… so fans of the Benchmade bugout might not
notice!
Hey-yo!
The bugout is very light and durable, and about $115.
I’m kind of kidding me edge grind was fine on the dugout.
Strong lockup, better all around knife personally- but not for the budget conscious.
And for fans of crayola blue the handle of the bugout the peasant comes in all the colors
of the rainbow.
Now the Opinel no 8…
About $15 and it locks…
I prefer the Opinel to the peasant, however the opinel wood handle does get harder to
open and close when wet… by the synthetic outdoor handle if you use the opinel in wet
conditions often although that one is about $30.
By the way I have found my douk douk.
It was on my work bench in a drawer, that I didn’t look well enough in- for people
who are following my douk douk saga.
I mean it won’t show up in this review- I just thought it was a cool story.
Ok we’re done.
If I had to pick a sub $30 classic folder it probably wouldn’t be the sword peasant.
There’s nothing really wrong with it…
I am just not big on friction folders.
However it might make a good cheap camp blade, that’s light in the pack, or you can throw
in the car camping kit.
It has a nice comfortable handle.
It doesn’t seem to discolor quite as easy as the Opinel, but it’s a blade you need
to wipe down after use to keep from rusting.
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