Icon Knife

You might be surprised by what you find at Harbor Freight.  I saw an article about a pocket knife they had in stock, but by the time I got there – POOF!  All gone!

As packaged from Harbor Freight 

About a year later it rematerialized, and I bought one.  I know I'm not paying for some slick advertising campaign.  It's simply called the "Icon Drop Point Knife." The back of the packaging was only slightly more revealing, stating, "Designed by ICON Tools in the USA - Manufactured in China."

The opened curved Icon fights my hand

The blade is just over 3 inches long and made from D2 steel.  D2 steel seems to be experiencing a reawakening with knife makers.  D2 steel’s popularity began with “Rosie the Riveter” back in WWII.  Its physical properties made it the right material to make production dies for the war effort. 

D2 steel was designed to cut through other steels without major wear and tear.  The key takeaway is D2 steel is hard and resistant to heavy-duty use.

Chemically, it's 1.5% C, 12% Cr, 1% V, and 0.9 Mo.  You'll find traces of P, Mn, S, and Si, mostly from the refining and smelting process.  Most of the chromium ends up as carbides, which makes D2 almost stainless.  A quick oil wipe-down will pay big dividends with this steel.

Clip side:  note how the metal separator extends beyond the knife.

The blade is 0.125 inches thick and has a very slight curve.  Icon calls it a drop point, but the point seems centered between the spine and cutting edge.  I'd call it a spear point.  But there is a lot of wiggle room between these static definitions.  A very shallow false edge spans most of the blade spine. 

When closed, the flipper extends above the knife handle and makes opening and locking the blade a breeze.  The flipper then extends outward to form a simple but useful guard to keep your hand from slipping onto the sharpened blade.  The blade locks open with a liner lock that extends up above the handle.  You'll like this feature when wearing gloves.

The extended liner lock  release is a must with gloves

Yes, I know the International Society of Mall Commandos has rejected this feature, as it might be possible that in a reverse inverted Kobshe grip, making a Queshuw cut while hanging from your knees, you could accidentally unlock the blade. 

"Monty?  I'd like things that only happen when you try to make it happen, for a 1000, please."

The blade glides open on ceramic ball bearings.  These bearings are typically made from: silicon nitride (SiN4), silicon carbide (SiC), alumina oxide (Al2O3), and zirconia oxide (ZrO2).  They are amazingly hard, much harder than most steels.  Due to their chemistry and polished surfaces, they have an extremely low coefficient of friction.  They require less lubrication and resist wear from normal environmental contamination, like sand.  These bearings are a little brittle and can be damaged with violent shocks that would deform metal bearings.  It may be a while before we see them in aircraft landing wheel systems, but they are perfect for knives.  The Icon opens so fast with a clink as the blade locks in place, you'll miss it.

A finger depression in the ricasso lets you choke up on the blade for more control.  Sadly, there isn't any jimping on the blade spine for your thumb.

The spine shows a shallow false edge, but no jimping

The handle is slightly curved, and Icon describes it as G-10 with carbon fiber inlays.  I'm having a little trouble with that.  I've examined it with a 7X loop, and I think the inlay is an amazing molding job, but not carbon fiber.  The rest of the handle is described as G10.  That I believe.  What I do know is that there is a metal frame on both sides of the handle, a friction ridge separating the two sides, and a non-removable clip.  The knife is set up from right hand, tip up pocket carry.  That’s not an insurmountable problem for the left-handed.

I was happy to see the easy-to-access lanyard hole in the butt. 

I test my knives in daily use.  I cut mulch bags open and managed to finish that chore before fall.  The endless tide of cardboard boxes constantly needs to be cut down to recycling size.  While trimming the grass, I often need to whittle finger-size branches out of the way.  As the summer days shorten, some of the outdoor plants need a little support.  I sharpen wooden poles and cut twine to support them.  The Icon worked fine for me and my chores.

I like it and recommend it.  There are internet bloggers who call it a cheap knife, as it is under $40.  While I support American manufacturing, you would be foolish to reject quality products just because they come from overseas.  This knife made here, with the same quality, might cost $80 to $100.  I don't call that cheap.

Is it a perfect knife?  No.  I wish the clip were reversible; I wish the blade spine had more friction surfaces for my thumb.  But, I think you'll like it.

Vosteed Corgi

 

Last year at the Blade Show, I noticed the Corgi Trek at Vosteed Knife.  I was struck by the size, shape, and interesting opening mechanism. 

Vosteed Corgi

First, a little about Vosteed Knife.  Vosteed was started in 2021 by Johnny and Yue Dong.  The plant is located in China.  They work with several international designers like Geoff Blauvelt and Ray Laconico, to name a few.  The mission statement declares, “Honesty is a core business value.”  I have always found the best knife companies have simple, understandable statements about fundamental values.

Yue Dong is the in-house designer responsible for the Teck Lock on Corgi knives. 

I like Vosteed Knife.  I spent more than a bit of money at their booth at 2024 Blade. 

This Corgi has a sheepsfoot blade with a high shoulder grind and reverse tanto point.  The complex angles where the tanto meets the spine give the blade an eye-candy look. 

The sub-three-inch blade is made from 14C28N steel hardened to a RHc of 60.  This steel has been a favorite compared to S30V, VG-10, and AEB-L, all quality knife steels.  Let's briefly look at the chemistry.  14C28N steel can vary depending on the manufacturer, but it generally contains:

14% Chromium: Provides corrosion resistance and hardness,

0.6% Carbon: Increases hardness and wear resistance,

0.3% Nitrogen: Improves hardness and corrosion resistance,

0.3% Manganese: Improves hardenability and wear resistance,

and trace amounts of Silicon, Phosphorus, and Sulfur.  The last three improve machinability.

14C28N steel has excellent edge retention and improved hardness due to the nitrogen content.  More than one reviewer thinks it's a great choice for tasks that require a sharp edge, like cutting and slicing.

The levels of chromium provide good resistance to rust resistance and other forms of corrosion.  I have a knife that I accidentally ‘patinaed’ by slicing lemons.  Don’t laugh, it could happen to you.

the reversible clip

The blade is housed in a reinforced frame with a blue-gray micarta handle.  The knife comes with a deep carry clip for right-side, tip-up carry.  The clip is reversible.  You can't help but notice the depression that takes the clips has a metal plug filling it.  It gives the knife a look of completeness.  It's something you don't see on many higher-end knives.

Opening flippers

The knife opener is called “front and back flippers."  The flippers have a bit of gimping for friction, and you open the knife by pressing down on the ear.  The blade glides open on caged ceramic ball bearings.  This is high-tech stuff.

A little pressure on the opening tab and the Corgi flies open

Ceramic ball bearings have high hardness and elastic modulus.  No, that's not techno-babble; it means the bearings resist deformation under load and have increased wear and corrosion resistance.  They can run lubricant-free.  If you must rinse the knife out and can't re-oil it, the bearings have your back.  

There is a downside.  Ceramic bearings are sensitive to thermal shock and have lower load capacities.  These aren't really problems for knives.

Time for a true confession.  I don't sell knives from my blog, and I don't own this Corgi.  I know it feels good in my hand, but I’m not about to use someone else's knife in cutting tests.  On the Vosteed website, I noticed that their current stock was low.  What will the proposed trade tariffs affect?    I don't know.

If you're looking for one, I'd act sooner than later.