The Knife Buyer’s Inspection List; 6 Things to Check When You Receive a New Knife

So, you just bought yourself a shiny new knife and want to make sure it’s up to snuff. In this article I’ll describe the 6 points that I check when receiving a knife. These characteristics cover the bulk of what decides where a knife lands on the spectrum from abysmally terrible to mythically epic.

#1 Edge Exposure

Checking for edge exposure, most commonly in the form of a proud tip, is one of the first things I do when inspecting a knife. This is because it is a practical concern; if the edge is exposed you can accidentally cut yourself when reaching in your pocket for the knife etc. Most commonly on slipjoints, but also sometimes on modern knives, this issue rears its ugly head as a proud tip. A tip is proud when it sits above the blade well enough that it can be caught on a fingernail without actually opening the blade. This issue is all too common in my opinion, and those who watch my videos know I am hounded by proud tips on otherwise perfect GECs. Modern knives can also have proud tips, but I find it to be quite uncommon. However, modern knives, often having pass through handles (no backspring / a gap at the spine side of the blade well also), can sometimes have edge exposure along that spine side of the handle. This happens when the blade is too tall for the blade well and the edge sits close enough to the back of the handle that you can contact it when running a finger along the back of the handle. Both of these types of edge exposure have their fixes; a proud tip can often be alleviated by dropping the kick, and the edge can be sharpened back from the handle opening. However, I prefer not to have to modify my knives for them to be safe (even if actual injury is unlikely) so these issues are sometimes deal breakers.

#2 Edge Damage

Edge damage on a new knife is most commonly caused by blade rap, but can also be a defect in sharpening. Blade rap is when the edge hits some part of the handle upon closing. On slipjoints the edge often hits the backspring, especially at the spring pin hump, and on modern knives the edge sometimes hits the backspacer or a standoff. I would also consider the edge hitting the sides of the blade well blade rap, but that is covered more in depth by the next point. The edge hitting the backspring can cause varying levels of damage to the edge, from a barely perceptible flat area to a full on roll. No matter the amount of damage done, blade rap diminishes the utility of the knife and is a defect. That said, note that some traditional knife patterns, notably from France, are designed to have the edge rest on the backspring so as to eliminate the tip becoming proud through multiple sharpenings. Less commonly, some knives might come with edge damage not related to blade rap. This type of edge damage can be due to a poor sharpening job from the factory or from damage in shipping. As a knife’s purpose is to cut, the edge should arrive to the buyer without damage.

#3 Blade Centering

The title pretty much says it all here; is the blade centered in the blade well? Some people put a lot of emphasis on this point because they strongly prefer the aesthetics of a centered blade, which is fine if that matters to you. However, an uncentered blade can be indicative of other issues such as blade play (discussed in the next point), a bent or unevenly ground blade, or a warped handle. Those are more practical issues rather than aesthetic. Of course, if a blade is so off centered that it rubs on the handle liners or actually hits the edge on the liner upon closing that is a definite defect. The blade should not be defaced or the edge damaged every time the knife is closed.

#4 Lockup

Most modern folding knives lock, and the lock should function securely when received. The lock should hold the blade open without significant play, or movement, in any direction (for most lock types). You can test for blade play by opening the knife then grasping the blade from the spine side, being careful to keep your hand far from the edge, and try to wiggle the blade side to side and forward and back. Another test that many do is a spine whack test. A spine whack test is when you strike the spine of the locked blade against a hard surface, such as a piece of wood, to check that it doesn’t unlock. Many manufacturers discourage this test, and it is a test that should be done with the utmost care and emphasis on safety (NEVER hold the knife so your hand is in the way of the blade if it did fold) if done at all. Of course, non locking knives can’t be tested for lockup but you can still test for side to side blade play. Having secure lock up is an important aspect of a good knife, as poor lockup can range from irritating to downright dangerous.

#5 Action

Action is the term used for the actual opening and closing of a knife. Folding knife action has come a long way in the last decade or two. Now even extremely budget friendly knives often come with glassy smooth opening and closing. Many knives have ball bearing washers in their pivots which allow for very low friction. Some look for “drop closed smooth” meaning that the blade drops closed by its own weight when unlocked, while others prefer a more deliberate closing motion be required. What an ideal action looks like is up to each individual, but I think a knife’s action should both work practically and be enjoyable.

#6 Fit and Finish

Finally, the knife should be inspected for general fit and finish. So what is fit and finish? It’s the sum of how precisely the parts of the knife are fit together and how well each part is finished. This could include the meeting of the scales, or covers, of the handle with the bolsters or with the liners. It could include the evenness of the finish on the handle and blade; the lack or presence of machining marks etc. Fit and finish is another area where budget knives have made huge strides to close the gap with premium knives over the last few years. Most modern knives of $50 and up should have few if any obvious imperfections in the fitment of the parts and finish of the surfaces upon a cursory glance. That said, some knives are expected to have slight imperfections due to the nature of their manufacture. For example, many traditional slipjoint knives are expected to have minor flaws and individual character because they’re made using traditional methods. Even Great Eastern Cutlery, the premier American traditional knife manufacturer, knives are expected to have a slight deformation in a pin or gap around the shield every now and then. Ultimately, the level of fit and finish that one finds acceptable at each price point is a personal decision, but it is still worth considering.

BONUS; First Impression

There’s another characteristic of a knife that I think is worth considering but that didn’t make the list; the visceral first impression it gives you. Often, as a knife enthusiast, opening a knife and handling it for the first time will give you a strong feeling. Whether positive or negative, this feeling often has nothing to do with the objective qualities of the knife outlined above. Even though this first impression might not be based on any real practical characteristics, it’s still important to one’s enjoyment of a knife. We as knife enthusiasts deserve to be thrilled every time we get a new knife, so don’t ignore your first impression of a new purchase.


For those of us who make knives a hobby, we deserve to get a good value for our hard earned money. That’s why I think it’s important to check each knife you receive for these 6 key points of quality, and also to consider your first impression. If a knife passes all these checks, congratulations; you have yourself a great every day carry tool or collection piece in your new knife!

P.s. I used videos that touch heavily on the discussed characteristic here in lieu of pictures because I think they do a better job of showing the issue in a realistic manner.

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

Finch Knife Company Starts Strong with the Runtly

Every year I travel to Columbus Ohio to compete in the Arnold Classic (specifically in the Grappling Industries tournament). It just so happens that River’s Edge Cutlery is a quick 15 minute drive from the Arnold. So over the last few years I’ve made it a habit to visit as an extra perk to the trip. This year I was able to go check out the selection at REC with my brother, and as always it was a great experience. There are always several people there willing to show you as many knives as you like, just talk knives, and they even sharpen knives (for a very reasonable fee). I ended up purchasing a couple Mora knives for review and a Spyderco Police 4 Lightweight that I’ve been wanting since it came out. When I went to check out, they offered to loan me a Finch Knife Company Runtly for review!

Check out my video review of the Finch Runtly

I have been seeing the Finch Runtly quite a bit on social media; it seems like there’s some hype surrounding this knife and brand. I had done a pass-around on the Spyderco Native Chief for River’s Edge Cutlery, the review of which you can find at this link, so I appreciated that they wanted my opinion on this new knife.

So, what is Finch Knife Company? It’s a knife producer that has been in the works for a while, but was officially started about a year ago according to one of the owners. The owners wanted to create a brand that felt like the old fashioned brands they most enjoyed: Hen & Rooster, Bulldog, Case. Finch Knife Company puts a modern spin on those classic knives. I think they do a great job of melding a traditional inspiration into the modern construction and design of their first knife design, the Runtly.

Finch Runtly with packaging

The Runtly is the first product to hit the market from Finch Knife Company. It is a small liner lock flipper. The first thing that struck me was the interesting design. It has a blade shape that is something like an enlarged, or heightened, mix between a sheepfoot and coping blade. This wide blade is fit into a particularly slim handle, that tapers from the pivot end to the butt end. This unusual design is based in the knife’s inspiration; vintage Heddon River Runt Spook fishing lures. As strange as it may seem, I can actually see the resemblance when they’re put side by side as in the picture below. The Runtly is even being offered in color options similar to those of the lures! Apparently the owner thought to design a knife based on these lures because with a young family he doesn’t have as many opportunities as he would like to get out and fish, so the Runtly was designed as something he can carry daily to remind him of days on the water. I really appreciate that Finch Knife Company is bringing knives to market with such unique inspiration. I think it’s a good thing to have something new and unexpected available like the Runtly.

Picture from Finch Knife Company

The Runtly is a well made little knife. River’s Edge Cutlery told me that the Runtly is made by Bestech Knives in China, which is not mentioned on the knife or packaging. Some people have an aversion to Chinese made knives, but the fact is that China is making a lot of really high quality knives these days. It flips so well, due to a crisp detent, that someone who I showed it to thought it was assisted. I believe it is a ball bearing pivot. It also came with good centering and solid lockup. The grind seems even and well ground. Overall it’s just a solid little knife with great action!

As for the design, I think it’s apparent that a lot of thought went into this knife. One thing I really appreciate is the rounded back end of the handle above the flipper tab. This simple little design element makes the knife much easier and more comfortable to flip (it’s a light switch style flipper). I also really like the simple sculpted titanium (I believe) clip, although I mostly carried it unclipped in my watch/coin pocket. They did think to add a slight cutout to help access and unlock the liner lock, but at least for people with big thumbs like mine I think it could have been made a little bigger without the aesthetic suffering. The blade has a nice two toned finish that accentuates the well executed grind. It also has a nail nick on both sides of the blade. I recognized that the nail nick was not necessary, as (aside from the availability of the flipper) the blade can easily be opened with a pinch grip. The owner said that the nail nick was added because he showed it to his father, who has a collection of only traditional knives, who tried to open it with two hands. Thus, the nail nick was added, and I think it’s an interesting addition that gives the knife another slight nod to the vintage and traditional aesthetic. My first thought, before asking the owner about the addition of the nail nick, was that it was intended to look like the eye on the fishing lures that inspired the knife. The handle has an inlayed shield, which I think is another nod to traditional knives. I didn’t realize it till seeing a post on social media, but the shield is actually glow in the dark. If you’ve read my reviews of Case knives you know I much prefer a pinned shield, but being that this is a modern knife and the shield is not metal (and therefore is unable to be pinned) I’ll give it a pass. I actually like the look of the shield from a purely aesthetic standpoint. Lastly, the blade is not “billboarded” with excessive branding. The front side says “Finch” in a font I like, and the back says “N690” and “Runtly”. The blade is 2.25″, which is a size I appreciate because it’s big enough to be used for things like breaking down cardboard and opening boxes but small enough to be legal almost anywhere (that a one hand open locking knife is legal). Overall, the Runtly is a small knife with an interesting aesthetic inspiration that I have come to appreciate in my short time carrying and using the knife.

Avery carrying the Runtly

I think the Runtly will be a hit, and I’m looking forward to what Finch Knife Company brings to market in the future. Right now they have two other models planned: the Tikuna and the Model 1929. Honestly, both these designs appeal to me and I hope to get to review them. I get the feeling that the owners of Finch Knife Company have a lot of passion for what they’re doing, and I think they’ll find success in the knife community. You can purchase your Finch Runtly at River’s Edge Cutlery at this link, and don’t forget to tell them Knife Thoughts sent you!

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

The Police PIG (Pride Integrity Guts) Edition is a Fascinating Piece of Spyderco History

Recently, I found two surprisingly interesting and rare vintage Spyderco knives at a gun show. I am excited about these knives and the history they represent so I’ll be posting shorter than normal articles on both of them, starting with this unique edition of the classic Spyderco Police.

Just look at that classic Spyderco Police design that has made it one of the longest produced modern knives on the market.

Normally I don’t have much luck at gun shows, flea markets, and the likes. It seems that with eBay a click away, if someone an inkling of what a knife is they can look it up and find the highest price a niche collector was willing to pay for something at least similar… then price it right at that top dollar. At the same time that eBay can be a great market research tool for the collector, it can also mislead the non-collector.

In this instance, I was told that a detective was moving to California and couldn’t take his guns, knives, and ammunition with him. In a way that is sad, but it was an estate sale and the owner himself wasn’t actually there to tell me about his knives.

I noticed this knife first, because I have always been a fan of the stainless handled Spyderco Police. In fact, my uncle carrying one of these when I was young is one of the factors that got me interested in knives in the first place. It’s just such a classic design; the long slender blade, the sleek stainless steel handle, and the meant for business shape.

However, when I picked it up I knew right away it was something special. I’d heard of the “PIG” model only once or twice in my many wanderings of the Spyderco forums and Spyderco section on BladeForums, but it caught my eye right away. The blade has a factory, not aftermarket, engraving that reads:

Pride

Integrity

Guts

Being that the engraving is found on the Police model, it’s an easy connection to realize that this is an acronym for “PIG”. Apparently, this derogatory moniker for law enforcement officials has been turned on its head and made positive through this acronym. Being that Spyderco makes many models intended for first responder use and gives law enforcement and other first responders a significant discount, it’s no surprise that Sal (the founder and owner of Spyderco) decided to make a knife showing their support for police officers.

This interesting edition of the Police provides a great example of Spyderco’s willingness to make unique and quirky knives. It’s one of the characteristics of Spyderco that I most enjoy, and a large part of why I picked up this knife.

Another reason this knife is interesting and worth owning is because it is both old and rare. According to the Spyderco Wiki, this knife was produced between 1984 and 1986, and was one of the very first Police models released if not the very first. Also, it was made in relatively low numbers compared to today’s Spyderco run totals at 2400 made (with 80% being right handed, as mine is). All of this makes for an exceptionally old and rare knife.

Finally, it has aged well for being an almost 40 year old knife. It has what seems to be the factory edge, except for a blunted tip. The handle has scuffs as all stainless handles Spydercos do, but it doesn’t have any major gouges. The lockup is extremely solid, and opening and closing with one hand is easy and smooth. It’s just a great example of the fact that Spyderco has been making really good knives for a long time.

Check out the accompanying video, and don’t forget to subscribe to my channel!

Overall, I’m very happy to have found this piece of knife history in the Spydeco Police PIG edition. It’s an old, well made, and fun knife that’s made for use by people who rely on their knives for their lives. I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to check out the Spyderco Police PIG knife!

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts