StatGear Pocket Samurai

Today we have a very small folding knife to look at, this makes a great little back-up blade and has an interesting design to boot. This is the aluminum version of the knife, there is also a titanium version if you prefer that.

Product Description:

Brand: StatGear

Blade Length: 50mm

Closed Length: 68mm

Overall Length: 118mm

Weight: 28g

Blade Thickness: 3mm

Blade Material: 440c Stainless Steel

Handle Material: Anodized Aluminum (6 colors)

Grind: High Flat Grind

Blade Design: Tanto

Locking: Yes, Liner Lock

Opening Mechanism: Thumb Stud

Pocket Clip: Yes Tip Up

Additional Features: Lanyard/Key-ring hole at base of handle.

Price: ~$20

http://bit.ly/2V5Gtz2

Opinion:

Pros:

The Pocket Samurai is a very interesting design that offers quite a bit for its small package. I have found that it works best for me as a back up knife/ utility blade. Rather than carrying a utility blade like normally do I have been carrying the Pocket Samurai and it has served that role very well especially due to the presence of a pocket clip meaning that I can access the tool easier and avoid digging into even my smaller fifth pocket. While on the subject of the pocket clip I do like that it is tip up by default. There are no other options as far as the position goes but you can remove the clip in order to slim down the profile if you like. There is one downside to this design that I will cover in the next section but if a knife has one direction for the clip I prefer this choice. Next, I want to cover opening the knife and all that that entails. The blade features a small thumb stud that is mounted by on a raised area of the spine. This is pretty much a necessary design as the stud would be too difficult to reach without the raised area. When you do open the blade you can either slowly extend it or flick it open, which becomes a pretty fun exercise. The washers at the pivot are secure enough to keep the blade stable but still provide a smooth action that feels right. You are left with a very solid click when the blade is engaged which fills you with assurance that the Pocket Samurai is ready for use. Another great feature is the integrated key-ring attachment point at the bottom of the handle. This makes it incredibly easy to stow on your keys as a back up knife without it interfering with the usability of the knife. Lastly, this is the basic aluminum version in black. The Pocket Samurai comes in six aluminum colors and a titanium version featuring a frame lock. This gives you some choices especially if you are trying to match this to other aspects of your carry.

Cons:

There are only a couple of things I want to cover here both in the design area and on the quality control side of production. First and foremost is the size of the knife. While yes the small design of the Pocket Samurai makes it a good back up knife, it also means that it will not be a primary knife for a lot of people. For people that have large hands holding and using this knife might prove somewhat difficult under certain circumstances. I can just about get a three finger grip on the handle but I also have to be careful due to how smooth it is. As long as you use the Pocket Samurai for lighter duty tasks you should be fine but it is important to keep that in mind. My other issue with the design is the pocket clip, which makes me sound like a hypocrite. However, this is very minor and more of a missed opportunity. While I like a tip up carry, if the clip faced the other direction it would actually allow the Pocket Samurai to serve as a sort of key dangler due to the presence of the key-ring hole. No big deal on that just something that could have been a positive design choice for some people. On to the quality control issues I want to point out. First, these are issues that I have noticed with my specific model, so I cannot guarantee whether or not other people will have similar issues. At the top of my pocket clip there is a small piece of metal that is wedged in one of the slots. This has not caused any actual problems with the usage of the clip but clearly should have been removed but was mistakenly left. The other issue is that I can see the handle is slightly bowed out at the center. Once again this has not caused any problems during use but is a QC deficiency. I have included pictures of both of these points in the gallery.

Conclusion:

Overall, I do like the Pocket Samurai. It is a cool design and makes for a descent back up blade. Unfortunately, I expect to see myself carry it less often due to the fact that its main purpose is better fulfilled by one of my utility knives in my opinion. I will more than likely occasionally stick it on my keys when I feel like it but otherwise it is a decent little blade with a sleek look. I will admit that I really enjoy flicking open the blade as the sound and action feel satisfying and it is less intimidating than full sized knives.