CIVIVI Pintail Flipper Folding Knife, CPM S35VN, Micarta Dark Green, 2020C
[CIVC2020C]

The Civivi Pintail is just under 7" and weighs just 2.75 oz. The detent is perfectly tuned, and it has a lightening fast easy deployment running on caged ceramic ball bearings. It deploys very reliably using the flipper tab or using the finger or thumb studs. The blade is just under 3" long. The steel is S35VN steel, which is my favorite steel. I have knives with M390, Elmax, Maxamet, CTS-XHP etc. which are all great, but this steel offers an optimal balance between edge retention, hardness, and corrosion resistance, but I can sharpen it with little effort. So while the ultra premium steels are great, this premium S35VN steel just suits my needs a little better. What is more, this knife has a hollow grind and is super slicey. This model has a black stonewash finish. The scales are a dark green good quality micarta that has gotten nicer with use. Absorbing oils from the hands has actually enhanced this micarta. The liner lock secures the blade well. It is very comfortable in my medium small hands. I love it. But I do have two nitpicks. First, one criticism of knife concerns the positioning of the thumb studs. They are fastened a little away from the bolster along the blade so they can get in the way of some cuts. Second, the fold over deep carry clip is fine, but it isn't recessed. The screws are, the clip is not. For $120, Civivi should have recessed the clip IMHO. But I really love this knife and can still highly recommend it, despite these two complaints. It is a gem, despite these two things.