Handmade D2 Steel Blade G10 Handle Bamboo Style Japanese Razor Pocket Folding Knife with Pocket Clip

I cannot say enough about how much I really do love this knife. As a person that has spent the last 22 years slowly learning what to look for when trying to find a knife, believe me when I say that this is one is easily among my top 3! I do not buy knives based off of name alone (but i do love almost everything about Benchmade knives...except the price!) but I am a rather demanding person who typically uses my knives more than most of my coworkers. Here's my Top 3 breakdown in case anyone is wondering: Top 3: #1 - Benchmade Bedlam 860 Knife, Scimitar (this is my standard go to knife for just about everything #2 - Katsu Razor Knife #3 - Benchmade Infidel Automatic OTF (not a particularly useful knife but the quality and blade strength are amazing...plus it's an OTF!) Pros: - Sharp as hell out of the box! Can shave your arm and leave it feeling smooth as butter. - Small enough to easily be considered an every day carry (EDC) knife - Easy to sharpen - Very unique look. Honestly resembles a straight razor - Deploys from closed to open and back very quick and smooth Cons: - Could use a little stiffer mechanism to keep the blade in the closed position. This bad boy will open with the slightest bit of effort which manages to be both a good and a bad thing. Also: - Blade will dull quickly with heavy use. I would not consider this a heavy duty utility type blade; however; it will have zero problem cutting anything as long as the blade is sharp (duh). But....because it is such a breeze to resharpen this is hardly an issue. - Makes a terrible hammer! Well there ya go. An amazing knife at an equally amazing price! Believe me when I say you cannot go wrong with this blade!!

Not bad for the price. Really a 4.5 star rating. Might change the rating to a 5 star based since the build to price ratio is comparable. Feels light and ergonomic. Definitely EDC style. Bamboo design helps fingers wrap into the grooves. Tighter tolerances than expected. Blade doesn't wiggle at all. Locks solidly. Great thumb rest along the spine. Blade comes razor sharp out the box with a better than expected grind (resembling typical Japanese kitchen knife tapers). Very smooth action unlike the carbon/titanium one which costs ~3 times the price. I can see myself getting use to the deployment, but not my cup of tea. If you like this type of deployment, you'll enjoy this knife.

The knife is sturdy, sharp, and lovely for EDC. It comes with two carrying cases. It’s a nice knife, but a bit pricey. I collect knives and have bought all sorts of different blades and I find that this knife falls a bit short considering it being around $53 after tax, not including shipping. I have knives that are roughly half the price that perform and look just a nice if not better than this knife. It’s still a good knife and will be a nice little new addition to my collection, but just a little warning for those who are on a budget.

Worth getting. Like it a lot.

Initial impressions: The Katsu D2 knife is based on an older pocket knife design - the Higonokami. It takes the older design and gives it a modern overhaul so it wouldn't feel too out-of-place. Ergonomics: It's a folding pocket knife. It's relatively compact though its a bit tall. It doesn't really feel too uncomfortable in the pocket. The handle scales are a little interesting - they are bamboo-shaped and I can see how some might view it as a little awkward, however, with enough use, it shouldn't be too bad. Aesthetics: The knife looks really nice! I really like the blade shape as well as the overall handle design. It's a razor that is both striking and subdued. Operation: The metal tab on the blade acts as your thumb-stud or opening tool. It is a little stiff on initial openings and requires a little more force than other assisted-opening knives. In my experience, it is best use your thumb to open the knife. This will most likely get better with time. The locking mechanism is a familiar liner-lock that will keep the blade firmly in place. It offers nice gimping and is easy to disengage when needed. The blade shape is a reverse tanto or razor-like profile and it comes razor sharp out of the box, easily being able to cut up paper and cardboard with ease! EDIT - Final Impressions: After carrying this for a couple months, the knife still holds up extremely well. Opening and actuating the knife is really smooth now after breaking it in over the course of a couple days. It still maintains a razor sharp edge. And pocket carry with it isn't half bad with its tall yet slim profile. The only criticism that I have is that the pocket clip is a bit tight, but it's understandable to have a secure fit over something loose. Considering that it's made of a durable steel and that the knife is based on a fairly old yet reliable design, I think that this is a solid purchase for the price.