Recently I posted the below video review of the CIVIVI Ki-V. It’s a first for Knife Thoughts, in that I disassemble the knife during the video. I also do a little sharpening, just a light touch up, with the WESN Pocket Sharpener. Check out the video for my full thoughts on the Ki-V.
The Ki-V seems to be selling out quickly at most dealers. I got mine at White Mountain Knives (by the way, use code “KnifeThoughts” for 10% off there). CIVIVI has them available for direct purchase as of this posting, and you can get one with a 5% discount through my affiliate link here.
In case you don’t want to watch the full 35 minute video review (hint; you should), here’s a short written companion review:
I love that the design is as close as I’ve seen a modern folder get to the Kiridashi aesthetic. It has an upward angled straight edge that works great for utility tasks, especially pull cuts. The handle is actually relatively ergonomic for how tiny it is (and it is tiny, at under 2.5″ closed), due to its simple shape and contoured G10 scales. Plus, it just looks good with the blacked out hardware, handles, and blade.
I think CIVIVI did a good job of it from a manufacturing standpoint: the detent is snappy and secure, it came centered with no play side to side, and it’s ground very well for slicing.
That said, I have to say, I think the designer made a poor decision in adding the flat area on the tang without jimping. That flat area is where the pad of my finger sets to flip the knife unless I intentionally do otherwise, as it’s a natural indexing point. So why would it be made flat with no jimping for purchase and with the face directly toward the pivot so that pressing into it doesn’t break the detent? It would flip more intuitively and consistently, for me at least, if the two jimped parts of the tang met at a rounded corner that also had jimping.
I messaged the designer and they said the knife was designed that way because they prefer front flipper style flipping. I think it would still work just as well with front flipper style opening, but much more intuitively and consistently with a classic light switch style flipping action, if the two jimped areas met at a rounded corner with continuous jimping.
Overall, I’ve still really enjoyed carrying and using this knife for the last week. Sure, sometimes my finger slips off the flipper and it doesn’t open correctly, but most of the time it works. When it does work, it flips snappily and is really fun to open and close. It’s also just a cool little tiny knife to throw in your watch pocket, and has worked well for the small tasks that make up the bulk of EDC cutting. If they made another version with the design adjustment mentioned above I would definitely buy it, especially if they made it with a just under 2.5” blade.
Is this version worth getting? I think that it is if you are comfortable with front flipper style action and / or you just want a fun little knife with kiridashi flare and CIVIVI’s high level of manufacturing quality.
Some links in this article are affiliate links. That means that if you click them and purchase the product you won’t pay any more than you normally would, but I get a commission from the sale. This is just a way for you to support Knife Thoughts. Be sure to try my discount codes “KnifeThoughts” or “KT10”!
