Been eyeing Jack Wolf knives for a while now. Hadn’t pulled the trigger yet for a couple of reasons. First, I’m just so sick and tired of all forms of carbon fiber, fat carbon, etc and Jack Wolf relies heavily on it. Also not a fan of the full Ti models as they’re rather bland, nor the look of the Micarta he uses on most models. Second, I don’t like the look of most their knife designs, as they range from very bland in design to just unattractive, to me. Last, I’m not sure I’m a fan of S90V. As someone who covets edge retention I should be, but I’ve read that they’re impossible to maintain and very difficult to sharpen without all the right whetstone and diamond stones necessary, let alone the time necessary.
Forgetting the last “issue” (because I really rarely use my knives and have so many it would be a surprise any one of them saw more than a couple box openings per year) the others, have put me off, up until now. A couple weeks ago I ordered one of only 2 models (Javelina and Cyborg) I like in a very special Exclusive edition. Thus was born a fan!
Now let me be clear, I’m still not a fan of all the damn fat carbon usage, however this is a more rare one, being a factory approved custom and is made with the perfect contrasting and meshing of colorways. I was not disappointed by it in person. That all said, I still have a gripe, but first the positive, because it’s overwhelmingly that!
Fit and finish are exactly what they’ve been touted to be with one exception. It’s super firm with a solid snap, got great walk and talk, a strong spring that is able to be gripped or nail nicked. It’s seemless with gorgeous blade grinding, perfectly aligned hollow grind, and of course all obviously high quality materials and craftsmanship! The feel in the hand and the slight curvature of the frame really push the butt of the knife into the heel of your palm for a fantastic slicing and cutting experience! There is almost no detail overlooked and that’s in part due to the Wolf team and in part thanks to Knife Modders who ano’d the Ti and screw set.
As for the gripe, the finishing lacks in the outer edges of the blade spine, especially at pivot point. Super sharp and such an upsetting detail to miss or overlook. I’ve got $20 knives that did this right and better. It’s quite the major disappointment! This doesn’t overshadow the overall love of the knife, but it is a clear blemish and a daily reminder of it, as it stands out so prominently.
Anyway, all in all I’m extremely happy with my purchase. I will say, however, that at this price point $480, there are, simply put, significantly better options. Then again, I of course did opt for the one that had to be quite a bit more than all other factory offerings. Still, at that price point I will strongly recommend checking out K’Roo, Vincenzo Balistreri, Tinus Stone and alike.
by BeyondThePaleBox
