Thursday, 9 March 2023

Africa’s Hardest Knife Involves America: Honey Badger Wharncleaver Evaluate


One night time, whereas within the thrall of Instagram earlier than drifting to sleep, a picture of a knife scrolled into view that I had by no means seen earlier than. It bore a novel, placing honeycomb deal with.

Propped upright and leaning in opposition to a soda bottle, the electrical blue honeycomb scales popped out of the image and finally led right down to a swooping Wharncliffe-style blade. I used to be hooked and knew I wanted to determine simply what I used to be .

After a bit of digging, and with the assistance of Google Lens, I found out the knife I used to be was often known as Honey Badger Knives’ “Wharncleaver” — and it got here in 25 combos.

Honey Badger Knives, designed in South Africa and distributed by Western Lively right here within the U.S., makes some actual bangers for beneath $100. Actually, it makes seven totally different knives in three totally different sizes — with two totally different blade steels — and a large number of deal with scale colours.

Sure, all for beneath $100.

Briefly: Honey Badger has set a purpose for itself: to design, produce, and promote sturdy on a regular basis carry knives at a fraction of the price of the competitors. And with the Wharncleaver, it meets that purpose, tenfold.

  • OAL
    8.25”
  • Blade size
    3.63”
  • Blade metal
    8Cr13MoV
  • Blade form
    Wharncliffe
  • Grind
    Flat
  • Hardness
    60-62 HRC
  • Lock kind
    Body
  • Carry
    Proper or left, deep carry
  • Weight
    7 oz.

  • Flipping motion

  • Honeycomb scales add to each kind and performance

  • Blade slices by sinuous supplies with ease

  • $50 shipped

  • The pivot screw wants tightening infrequently

  • The thumb gap isn’t vital

  • “Coming 2 America” wasn’t an incredible sequel

Honey Badger Knives Wharncleaver Evaluate

(Picture/Nick LeFort)

Design & Options

This model of the Honey Badger Wharncleaver contains FRN (Fiber Strengthened Nylon) deal with scales with a metal body for rigidity, a Wharncliffe-style, 8Cr13MoV chrome steel blade for corrosion and abrasion resistance, and two opposing curler bearings to assist in frictionless flipper motion opening.

Moreover, the honeycomb sample on the Wharncleaver scales advantages each grip and ergonomics. In the meantime, a jimping on the liner lock, flipper, backbone, and choil additional helps the Wharncleaver carry out comfortably in each moist and dry circumstances.

The place’s the Grind Line?!

The Wharncleaver doesn’t have a visual grind line. Traditionally, that’s one thing for which Spyderco is thought — like its Manix 2 and Para Army knives, and the gone-but-not-forgotten Rock Lobster. Usually, nonetheless, you’ll discover this on chef’s knives.

So, why no grind line on a pocket knife? Ease of use is my finest reply — not {that a} grind line will maintain up slicing and slicing duties. However the absence right here simply makes the motion smoother and extra fluid.

First Impressions

Go huge or go dwelling, proper? So I did.

The Wharncleaver, like the entire blade types within the Honey Badger lineup, is available in three sizes: small, medium, and enormous.

And to that finish, at 8.25 inches lengthy (OAL), it lands on the massive finish of the folding pocket knife spectrum. Moreover, the massive measurement has a choil, which provides to what the Wharncleaver can do.

Honey Badger Wharncleaver knife
(Picture/Nick LeFort)

I additionally had the selection of two knife steels — 8Cr13MoV or D2. I’m an enormous fan of D2, however I don’t check lots of knives with 8Cr13MoV. Many think about the latter a price metal that gives excessive corrosion resistance, good edge retention, and abrasion resistance.

So, I went with the 8Cr13MoV, which put the knife at $40 (round $50 shipped).

Sadly, the electrical blue variant was out of inventory once I made my order, so I went with inexperienced — and I’m glad I did! The inexperienced is muted and provides a little bit of a gentle, toy-like look to the knife.

With the honeycomb sample juxtaposed in opposition to the three.63-inch blade, chrome steel {hardware}, and pocket clip, the Wharncleaver makes for a really handsome and comfortable-to-use knife. That steadiness isn’t one thing I hunt down — but when I do get it in a knife, it’s price noting.

I additionally need to be aware the Wharncleaver’s flipper motion. It’s easy and lands with a major click on when it engages with the liner lock. This owes to the 18 ball bearings that reside contained in the pivot.

It additionally begs the query: When did value-priced knives like this begin to embrace premium options like ball bearings?

Subject Check: Honey Badger Wharncleaver

Honey Badger Wharncleaver in green
(Picture/Nick LeFort)

The Wharncleaver comes with an angled Torx instrument that has a T8 and T6 Torx bit. This lets you change the pocket clip from proper to left (T6) and tighten the pivot (T8).

Simply to get this out of the best way, as a result of it needs to be mentioned and I don’t need it taking away from the knife: You’ll need to regulate that pivot screw as a result of it tends to return free after some long-term use and abuse. If it will get free sufficient, it may trigger the lock to fail and the blade might shut in on you. Fortunately, blade wobble will present a transparent indication that you simply’re coming to that time.

So, be sure to test in on that pivot screw infrequently.

In any other case, the Wharncleaver was an actual deal with, each within the wilderness and as an on a regular basis carry choice. The knife feels and acts like knives two to 3 occasions the price of the Wharncleaver. I even opted to make use of it for a pleasant piece of prime rib as an alternative of the steak knife that got here with the meal.

It’s not the primary time I’ve completed one thing like that (and gained’t be the final), however while you’re in a elaborate joint having a elaborate meal, and also you resolve to make use of your individual knife, be sure it’s up for the duty. The Honey Badger Wharncleaver was.

Drawbacks

My one gripe concerning the knife is the addition of an oversize thumb gap. It’s not particular to the Honey Badger line; it’s rampant within the knife world and is mindless to me.

Sure, it provides a second opening choice for the consumer. However 10 out of 10 occasions, somebody who buys a flipper-style knife will use the flipper. That’s not an opinion, it’s a truth. Why else would one purchase a flipper?

Wharncleaver: Total Impressions

There’ll all the time be a spot for premium-priced knives made by American knife producers. However the rising number of inexpensive, imported knives made with premium, if not fascinating, supplies has grown out of demand. Arguably, it spawned from necessity as nicely.

If the time we spent in the course of the pandemic coping with supply-chain shortages taught us something, it’s that there’s lots of nice stuff on the market if we’re keen to look previous title manufacturers. Actually, there are many viable manufacturers on the market that would usurp a few of our favourite manufacturers, piecemeal or solely. They only want a means in.

Honey Badger knives are designed in South Africa and made in China. The model just isn’t attempting to cover that, and there’s no cause it ought to. The Honey Badger Wharncleaver is certainly one of a handful of value-priced knives available on the market at this time that gives a few of the smoothest flipping motion I’ve loved, in addition to a sturdy construct comprised of high quality supplies.

Don’t get hung up on this knife not being made in America. The Honey Badger flipper carries and performs simply in addition to knives made proper right here within the States, if not higher, and at a way more fascinating value for on a regular basis use.



The post Africa’s Hardest Knife Involves America: Honey Badger Wharncleaver Evaluate appeared first on lickscycles.com.



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