Hey, everyone.
David D. Andersen here coming at you from the KnifeCenter, and today we’re looking
at some hard-use tactical folders from Krudo Knives with their own cool system of opening
methods.
Let’s check em out.
So Krudo Knives was founded in 2006 by Louis Krudo, a martial arts expert with decades
of experience with urban weapons and defense tactics.
It’s his vision that guides the design of these knives, and it allows them to perform
exactly as needed, and you’ll see that with the opening mechanisms of these knives, which
are all part of how they perform under pressure.
Of course, if they’re gonna be useful, people are going to have to be able to afford them,
and to get these knives in at an attainable price point, they are imported from China,
but the quality is very good, with hands-on QC happening right here in America.
All of these knives feature similar construction with stainless steel frame locks and flat
ground blades of 9Cr18MoV, roughly similar in performance to 440C.
That steel works well for the tactical mission of these knives, but what I’m most impressed
by is the build quality.
That’s where most of your money is going with these knives, and there’s a refinement
and solidity that inspires trust in the tool.
All of the knives in front of me today feature Krudo’s thumb wedge, and this is just one
of the options for opening the blade.
I think it takes a lot of its cues from many of the Emerson models out there, but it puts
Krudo’s own spin on it.
It works both as an ambidextrous opener, much like a typical spine-mounted thumb disc, as
well as enabling simultaneous deployment when you draw the knife from your pocket, much
like Emerson’s Wave feature.
And that opening method works with both hands either, because we have a machined pocket
clip that’s reversible, with screws and an insert to put in whatever side you aren’t
using, which helps clean up the look a little bit.
And when that knife is open, that thumb wedge even makes a nice thumb rest.
You can also use the comfortable flipper tab to open the knife, and with ball bearings
in the pivot, the blade opens solidly and quickly.
These knives also feature a prominent front flipper, which provides yet another opening
style, but this is actually integral to the tactical applications of the knife when it’s
closed.
That protruding tab can act much the point of a kubaton, for concentrating the force
of a strike to one small area, magnifying its effect.
The model I’ve been holding while I show you the opening methods is the KARCINO10,
with carbon fiber inlays and an eastern tanto-style blade, flat ground with a nice swedge.
And this shape, with a slight amount of belly makes it a little more versatile than an American-style
tanto with a straight point.
We also have the DAO folding cleaver, and it’s just as good for self-defense as it
would be for everyday usage.
It’s got carbon fiber overlays on both sides with a fully machined pattern.
It creates traction and looks fantastic.
We’ve got two variants of this: one with a shiny bolster and a satin finished blade,
as well as a matching black finished bolster and blade variant.
And that blade looks wicked, but it’s comfortable, too, with a crowned spine and a nice finger
choil for getting up right behind the edge.
The VICE Model also features a crowned spine with a broad blade and a concave clip point,
so you still get an acute tip.
And with the way the grip is oriented, the tip is angled down for maximum effectiveness
and easy aiming when you’re presenting the point.
Like all of these models here, this knife just feels solid, and part of that credit
goes to the stainless steel frame lock that makes sure there’s no blade play.
They even feature a nice touch in the form of an overtravel stop plate to keep you from
bending the lock bar too far.
The DRASTIK features a shape that’s more historically inspired, but with just as much
style.
This dagger-looking blade is inspired by the Roman Gladius short sword.
It’s ground both ways, but it only features a single sharpened edge.
This knife is going to make a ferocious cutter, with a nice amount of recurve and a prominent
fuller for lateral strength.
Lastly, and my favorite of this bunch, is the XCEED, a tactical gentleman’s knife
that throws a little style on top of combat prowess.
It features machined stainless steel handles with a nice comfortable radius, and we get
a practical drop-point blade with some interesting machining.
It basically features a graceful fuller near the spine of the blade that makes it a little
bit different than any other drop point out there.
If you need a solid, no-holds-bars tactical folder, then these options from Krudo Knives
would not be a bad bet.
The materials may not be exotic, but it more than makes up for it with build quality and
refinement that usually costs even more.
Be sure to let us know what you think of these models down in the comments, and in the meantime,
to get your hands on one, click the link in the description below to head on over to KnifeCenter.com.