Ganzo Firebird F6802 Thoughts

In all the years I've been into knives, I've tried very few, if any, Ganzos. I had the chance to try this F6802 thanks to an awesome viewer of mine, Mike! Huge thanks to him for letting me borrow it! I'm not a fan of this knife for a number of reasons. I see why people like Ganzos, but honestly, this one is not anything special. This is going to be relatively quick as I'm going to do a likes/dislikes format opposed to my typical format.

For likes, there aren't too many. It is a nice size for EDC, and the price (less than $10) is reasonable for what you're getting. The blade is a little over 3" overall so it's a good mid-sized folder. The steel is just some Chinese stainless which isn't terrible or great. The ergos are alright if it wasn't for the deep carry clip. The clip sticks out more than I'd like, so it ended up digging into my hand uncomfortably. The liner lock has solid lockup and is easy to access thanks to a cutout. There aren't any glaring quality issues either which kind of surprised me.

As far as dislikes, there's obviously a lot. I personally don't like the look of the design. The cheap feeling rubberized grip section looks tacky to me. Sure it adds some level of grip during use, but I don't think the knife would be slipping out of your hand without it. The rest of the handles are aluminum and do have some cutouts at the butt end of the knife. The handles are just eh overall in terms of aesthetics and feel. I usually love thumb holes but this one is badly done. It's way too sharp on the edges and is awkwardly placed. The knife is stiff which doesn't help; however, I really have to dig my thumb into the hole in order to get the blade out. I also hate deep carry clips with a passion.

Overall, I kinda hate this knife. There's nothing about it that stands out, and for a budget folder, you might as well get a Kershaw or splurge a bit more for an Ontario Rat 2. I'm all about reasonably priced knives, but this one doesn't do it for me. I wouldn't recommend it at all and probably won't try any more Ganzos in the future. Thanks for looking!

Bestech Thorn Thoughts

Bestech is a newcomer to the knife world that's gotten a lot of hype. The Thorn is the first one I've tried, and I have to say, I'm not impressed. If I was looking for a mid-sized budget knife, I'd just go for the Ontario Rat 2 instead. They do have a lot of other models, so I shouldn't discount them as a company quite yet. This one is not the one for me.

As far as likes go, there are just a handful. I love all the color options Bestech did with them. I dig this OD green! I do like the G10 scales and the texturing along the edges. It helps add some extra grip and looks cool at the same time. The liner lock is easy to access with the cutout and has solid lockup. The choil is a nice inclusion but not something I need on a bigger blade like this. It's a 3" 12C27 blade which is a steel I don't have much familiarity with. I'm not steel snob, and it's performed just fine for me. They go for $52 on Blade HQ which is fair for what you're getting.

For dislikes, the first thing that stood out to me is the hideous two-tone blade. I don't know why Bestech thought such a contrast would look good. Maybe if the blade was stonewashed it might go well together. However, the super shiny blade paired with pitch black looks absolutely awful in my opinion. It shouldn't bother me as much as it does, but if I don't like the look of a knife, why would I carry it? The action is surprisingly sub-par too. Half the time I flip it, I get weak half-deployments. It takes just the right amount of pressure to get it to flip cleanly. The ergos aren't comfortable for me either. The handle comes to more abrupt points near the end of the knife which I'm not a fan of. I like smooth curves and rounded edges on the handles, both of which this knife lack. Can we also talk about weird the clip is? I've never before seen a knife company put a chunk of G10 under the clip to elevate it. It sticks out way too far and digs into my hand during use. I'd rather have the clip be recessed in the handle instead of making the knife that much thicker.

When you pair the ugly design choices with bad ergos and flipping action, you're not getting an impressive EDC knife. I've hated this knife overall and wouldn't recommend it in the slightest. For $50ish, you can find a lot of better budget options. They do seem to have some nicer options in the $100+ price range if you're willing to fork over that much money. I've seen some interesting smaller ones from them which is nice to see. Thanks for looking!

Tuya SNS Thoughts

I had the chance to try out this sweet Tuya SNS for a few months. Huge thanks to Mike for letting me borrow it! I love everything about this knife, except for the blade shape. I typically do like recurves, yet this one looks weird to me due to a pointier recurve instead of a smooth one. It's a very tiny complaint in the grand scheme of things though. It's on the higher end of the price range for me, around $115, but that's probably justified for S35VN and titanium handles. I'm going to do a likes/dislikes format for this knife, so this may not be as in-depth as my previous thoughts posts.

As far as likes go, the two things that jump out to me most are the size and flipping action. This knife is absolutely the perfect size for my EDC needs. You're getting a 2.55" blade with a 3.1" handle. It's most likely on the smaller end for you dudes, but I can manage a full four-finger grip. I'd say it's probably more of a three-finger knife for those with larger hands. I'm normally not a fan of metal handles, yet I do like these. There's no hotspots anywhere, and the ergos are very comfortable. I love how slim the handle is width-wise. The light weight, thinness, and slim handle width make it that much better for an inconspicuous carry.

Onto the flipping action which is phenomenal! It is easily one of the best flippers I've ever tried. The ceramic ball bearing system makes it that much smoother. With just a little bit of pressure, the blade flies out so quickly. I've never had it only flip halfway out like some bad flippers I've tried (Kershaw Skyline for instance). Every flip has been a clean and fast deployment. It's been a joy to use/carry and has performed exactly as it should. It goes to show you can still make awesome, high-quality flippers in a smaller size.

I've had no quality issues with it either. This was the first Tuyaknife I've tried, and I'd definitely be interested in trying more in the future. The framelock has solid lockup, S35VN is a great steel, and the blue anodization looks awesome. It also came in that awesome pouch which is much nicer packaging than a boring box.

Like I mentioned at the beginning, the only dislike I have is with the blade shape. Tuya should have smoothed out where the recurve starts, as it looks a little too pointy for me. I wouldn't typically go for the $100+ price tag, but it's justified for the quality/materials you're getting. The SNS goes for about $115 on Tuya's website right now (linked here).

All in all, this is an awesome, classy option for EDC! The blade shape is a small thing to get over for how great of a flipper this knife is. It's been an all-around good experience. I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for a smaller knife. You won't regret it. Thanks for looking!

Tried Out Other Self-Defense Options: Stun Gun/Collapsible Baton

Since I'm not yet 21, I have to stick to non-lethal options when it comes to self-defense in my EDC. For the longest time, I've only carried pepper spray as a regular part of my EDC. I had the opportunity to try out a stun gun and collapsible baton for a few months thanks to awesome viewer of mine. I like the stun gun but would never want to carry the baton on a day-to-day basis. I could see myself potentially keeping a baton in my car where weight isn't an issue.

I've been looking for a complement to the pepper spray and think a stun gun fits that role perfectly. It's compact and lightweight enough that I could easily keep it in a bag or jacket pocket. My first instinct in any self-defense situation would be to run, but if someone grabbed me, I'd try use my pepper spray or a stun gun to give myself a few seconds to get away. I didn't get to test it out on anyone, but I watched some videos online and getting one used on you doesn't look like fun. The sound alone is very distinctive. The only downside I see with the particular stun gun I tried is that a little string has to be plugged in for it to work. I'm pretty sure that's a safety feature on most of them though. Let's say somehow the string got yanked out when you're getting it out of your bag. You'd be screwed if you were counting on it as your first option. No self-defense option is completely fool-proof, but I do think the addition of a stun gun in my carry will be a nice peace of mind tool that I'll hopefully never have to use. They're relatively affordable on Amazon too, so that's always a plus.

As far as the collapsible baton goes, it's just way too big and heavy for my carry. The one I tried was cool because it's made of springy coils that give it a lot of flexibility. It would not be a pleasant experience to be beat with one. I'd never want to go hand-to-hand with an attacker which is another reason it's not a viable option for me. It was fun to try but not something that would work in my carry. I think that's about it. Stay tuned for a potential gun purchase this year! I turn 21 in the summer and hope to pick up a handgun in the later half of the year. Thanks for looking!

Steel Will Cutjack Mini Thoughts

A Steel Will had been on the top of my list to try in 2018 due to all the great things I've heard about them. I had the opportunity to try out the Cutjack Mini for a few months, so thanks to Mike for letting me borrow it from him! I really wanted to like it, but it's got a few major issues. If I was looking for a budget knife under $50, I'd still go for my Ontario Rat 2 every time.

As far as likes, the price (around $40) is reasonable for what you're getting: D2 and FRN handles. I haven't had any problems with the steel at all. It's a mid-sized 3" blade which will handle the majority of EDC tasks. It's always nice to see a variety of color options as well. There aren't any major quality issues luckily, and the liner lock is solid lockup-wise.

The dislikes outnumber the likes unfortunately. It's not the best looking design in my opinion. I normally love FRN handles, but these ones look and feel cheap. The clip functions fine but again doesn't fit my preferences when it comes to design. Steel Will should not have widened the butt end of the knife. It makes it look weird proportionally and the added thickness causes the ergos to suffer. Choils are nice to have, but the ergos need to be comfortable whether or not you choose to use it. If you don't use the choil, the handle feels way too cramped. The action is the biggest letdown of all. I normally have to flip it 3 or 4 times for one decent deployment. You have to either throw a lot of wrist action or use a lot of pressure on the flipper to get it to flip cleanly. I like flippers that flip out quickly with very little effort, like the Tuya SNS or CRKT Eros. If you're going to make a flipper, it needs to flip well at least 95% of the time or you might as well just use thumb studs. Another tiny cosmetic gripe is the black backspacer. It stands out considering there's no black anywhere else on the knife.

The Mini Intrigue looks more like my cup of tea design wise, so I probably should have tried that one first. Based on this knife though, I don't get the hype for Steel Wills. The design is ugly, and it flips terribly. I say skip it and get the Rat 2 or splurge more for something that will actually flip well. I'm happy I didn't end up buying this myself as I would have been extremely disappointed. Thanks for looking!

My Thoughts On Spyderco's First Product Reveal Of 2019!

I've talked before about how I'm bored of Spyderco's current direction and not as impressed with them as a company as I previously had been. For me, I just didn't see a lot of innovation and their rising prices didn't help either. However, they just announced some of their new knives for the beginning of 2019, and there are a few that have me intrigued. I think I just found out what my first new knife of 2019 will be. 

I didn't know a Para 3 LW was something that I needed until I saw it on the cover of this Product Reveal. I absolutely hated the PM2 and wasn't that excited about the Para 3 when it was released last year. Now, my opinions have swayed a bit. One of my big issues with the PM2 was the weird blade-to-ratio which the Para 3 definitely improved on. It's not perfect, but at least the blade size of the Para 3 is more up my alley. Another thing I hated about the PM2 is the G10 scales. G10 and titanium have become the two primary handle materials on knives these days, and I honestly don't like either all that much. I'd rather have plastic scales for their ability to keep a knife light, the extra grip (especially with FRN), and a better range of color options. Spyderco's FRN is by far my favorite handle material, and it's awesome to see them expanding their lightweight lineup. The Native 5 LW was one of my favorite mid-sized options a couple years ago.

So besides the FRN scales, the other awesome part about this Para 3 is the wire clip. That's my favorite clip of so I'm happy to see Spyderco use it on this knife. I'm hoping Spyderco does these in all sorts of colors, but if the black is the only version released initially, I'll probably still pick it up and trade/sell it later if other colors become available. I'm very excited to check it out! Hopefully it comes out sooner rather than later. This is one of the first new releases in a while that I've actually been interested in. Let's hope it holds up to the hype. My Rat 2 needs another mid-sized buddy. Oh and the price looks great too. One site had them listed for $91 which seems fair for CTS-BD1N and the FRN scales.

The only other knife from this reveal that potentially interested me was the Meerkat sprint run. I don't necessarily care for the special steel, but I have always wanted to try out a Meerkat. I love small knives, and the Phantom lock would be fun to try out. This one isn't necessarily a day 1 purchase for me like the Para 3, yet I might be tempted if I can sell off some of my collection in time for its release. I'm not sure on exact timeframes for releases of any of the knives in the reveal, though Spyderco says 90-120 days is realistic. If you didn't check out the reveal already, here's a link to it. Maybe this is the year Spyderco ropes me back in. Are you excited about any of the knives they announced? I think this was a great start to the year for Spyderco. I'm excited to see what else they have up their sleeves! Thanks for looking!

My College EDC Bag 2018

During the semester, my backpack is how I end up carrying my EDC. I got fed up with my old backpack, the Osprey Nova, and finally got a must needed upgrade at the beginning of the fall semester. I decided on the Jansport Recruit since I've had a lot of luck with their bags in the past. I got it in a nice burgundy which I'm really digging. It's held up well so far and is much more comfortable than the Osprey. The organization is not as good in the Jansport, but I'll trade that for a more comfortable pack. I do a lot of walking around campus and have to carry a lot to last me throughout the day so comfort has become the number one priority for me. 

Here's the outside of the bag. I do always have a water bottle with me. In this case, it's a Klean Kanteen. It's one of my go-to bottles along with a Hydroflask. 

In the laptop compartment on the back of the bag, I keep the bulk of my actual school stuff. My laptop is on the left and a folder for handouts/paper for notes is on the right. These get used probably more than anything else in the bag since I'm class the majority of the week.

In the main compartment, all I keep is my lunchbox. The Klean Kanteen make another appearance since this is my food/drink related stuff. The main compartment lacks any sort of organization (hopefully I can show that in a video soon), so it usually is just a dump pocket for random things I might need. For instance, I'll sometimes throw my jacket, scarf, and gloves in the main compartment if I'm not using them. 

This is the front pocket which holds all of my smaller things. I keep really boring things in here, like pens, pencils, erasers, chargers, hand sanitizer, post-it notes, Benadryl allergy pills, some candy, etc. My pepper spray also sits in this pocket and then gets transferred to my jacket pocket if I want it on my person. This pocket has the only organization in the whole bag. I don't necessarily like how I everything organized at the moment, but there's not many other options. I like the mesh pocket and wish Jansport had done something like that in the main compartment. 

There's a few other smaller pockets, but it was hard to get decent photos. I'm hoping to get a video up of the bag and my loadout at some point. I've slimmed down the contents a lot over the past semester to help reduce the weight. I'll throw my EDC pouch in the front pocket if I think I might need it, though more often than not, I've been leaving it behind. I'm never completely knifeless, as I have a Victorinox Classic on my keys which is about all I'd need on a daily basis. I do need to add a backup flashlight to the bag. So yeah, not the most exciting loadout, yet I think I finally found a setup that will work for my last couple semesters. Thanks for looking!

My Favorite Knife I Tried In 2018!

Happy 2019 everyone! I'd like to get back into posting on here and figured a good way to jump start that was to talk about a knife I love. I tried a lot of gear in 2018, but by far, the thing that stood out to me most was the CRKT Eros! It's one of the coolest knives I own and a great addition to my collection. There's not many new knives that get me excited anymore, so I'm glad I got my hands on this gem. I believe CRKT discontinued these (at least the small one) which is a real shame. There aren't enough tiny flippers on the market in my opinion. That's something I'd like to see more of this year.

I got this during the summer from a friend and instantly fell in love with it. You all know I love my small knives, so it was only natural the Eros would fit right in. It's slightly bigger than my other favorite small knife, the Spyderco Ladybug, with a blade around 2" long. I can fit a three-finger grip comfortably, but I'm sure you guys with bigger hands will only get a two-finger grip. I'm normally not a fan of metal handles, though these ones have grown on me. They can be a little slick when trying to flip the knife open. One other tiny complaint is the clip. I didn't get a photo of it for this post, but it doesn't look like a typical clip and is tip-down only. They aren't big enough issues for me considering how awesome the knife is as a whole.

The biggest appeal for me is the flipping action. It is one of my best flippers despite how small it is. It uses CRKT's infamous IKBS bearing system which makes it flip quickly and smoothly. I rarely have issues with half deployments like in other popular flippers I've tried (Kershaw Skyline and Steel Will Cutjack Mini for example). It's one of those knives that you could flip all day long. I wasn't expecting the action to be this good.

You can't beat the action, ergos, size, design, or usability of this knife. I absolutely love it and can easily say it's the top knife I tried in 2018. Hopefully I can find a few more gems in 2019. I'll be doing a recommended gear of 2018 post at some point of all the things that stood out to me over the course of the year. Sorry it'll be late, but better late than never. Also, stay tuned for a more in-depth review post and video on the Eros eventually. If you can manage to track one down, I'd definitely recommend it! Thanks for looking!