Rob Smith

April 6, 2024

Vosteed Corgi

Rob Smith

April 6, 2024

How the hell do you open it? This was the first comment I received when showing the Vosteed Corgi to friends. Unlike the other knives I own, this knife uses a front/standard flipper to open the blade. It took me a minute to figure out how the mechanism works, but once I did, it opened easily.

The Corgi’s blade is 2.99 inches 14C28N modified drop point with a flat grind. I have been using it for the past two months. I have experienced no issues using the knife and the blade has maintained its edge.

The patented Trek Lock mechanism with ceramic ball bearings makes the blade open and close smoothly. The blade can be closed by using a simple push of the button. When closed, the blade fits entirely in the handle. I was concerned that the button could be accidentally pressed causing the blade to move while I was using it, but that did not happen.

The Vosteed Corgi is all about symmetry with both sides of the handle being identical. The brass plates were a nice aesthetic touch. According to Vosteed, they also provide structural stability. Keeping with the symmetrical design the blade has a front and symmetrical standard flipper, both with jimping, although I did not use the front flipper. The backspacer has a pin which serves as a lanyard passthrough.

When Vosteed sent the Corgi for review, it was sent with a sticker, cleaning cloth, Vosteed patch, and a zipper storage pouch. This is how all the Corgi’s are sent from Vosteed.

The first change I made to the knife was to reverse the pocket clip and set it up for left pocket carry. The primary reason I do this is that I do not like to have anything that could interfere with the drawing of my firearm. The clip was a little hard to get in my 5.11s so I bent it a little out to make it fit easier. The screw which secures the plates backed out causing the plates to loosen. Proper application of a Torx T8 screwdriver resolved the issue. Other than this I did not encounter any issues with the Corgi. From daily use, the micarta handle wore down a little and the brass plates developed a patina.

I showed the Vosteed Corgi to several friends. Once they learned how to use the flipper, they liked the functionality of it. They went to buy one for themselves, but the knife was listed as sold out on their website. If you happen to be in the market for a smooth gentleman's knife, check out the Corgi at Vosteed’s website.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Reasonably priced flipper pocket knife.

Target Market:

Anyone who wants a flipper knife at a reasonable price.

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

Overall Length: 7.17" | 182.12 mm
Blade Length: 2.99" | 75.98 mm
Blade Width: 0.84" | 21.31 mm
Blade Thickness: 0.118" | 3.00 mm
Blade Material: 14C28N
Grind: Flat
Blade Style: Drop Point
Finish: Black Stonewash
Hardness: HRC 60±2
Handle Length: 4.18" | 106.14 mm
Handle Width: 0.92" | 23.32 mm
Handle Thickness: 0.49" | 12.33 mm
Handle Material: Micarta
Color: Green
Weight: 3.32 oz or 94.00 g
Opener: Front Flipper | Back Flipper
Lock Type: Trek Lock
Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing
Pocket Clip: Reversible | Stainless Steel
Carry Position: Tip-up
Backspacer Material: Micarta
Backspacer Color: Green
Insert Material: Brass

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Vosteed lists 15 different styles with various handle colors and insert materials.

What others are saying?:

4.6 of 5 stars on Amazon

My Favorite Knife

This Vosteed Corgi is a little beauty. The action is smooth and quiet, the lines are somehow both streamlined and soft, the blade is classic, not wild or aggressive—this is definitely a gentleman's pocket knife. It looks good, it feels simply good in the hand, the materials are top-notch (14C28N is my #3 steel behind 20CV and Magnacut- I do love my stainless steels), the attention to detail is evident on every section of the knife, both blade and handle. I'm a newbie knife collector, but this is definitely my favorite knife.

Link to other reviews:

Knife Informer

Price point:

MSRP = $59.00

Retail = $59.00 at Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Vosteed or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

Good value for the price.
Trek Lock mechanism is smooth.
Good construction.
Blade maintained its edge during daily use.

Cons:

Screw backed out
Limited availability on the Vosteed web site

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link: 2A4E Diversity Shoot

Chad Wallace

March 23, 2024

Knife, Knives, Review, CobraTec, Rath, EDC

Cobratec Rath

Chad Wallace

March 23, 2024

Knife, Knives, Review, CobraTec, Rath, EDC

When it comes to pocket knives, I always try to recommend ones that will not kill the wallet. Cobratec Knives happens to be one of those companies. Yes, they make higher priced items also, but they have plenty in the under $100 range. The Cobratec Rath is one of those.

Cobratec’s Rath is a nice everyday folder. It uses a flipper on the top of the handle to open up the knife. And a liner lock to hold the blade in place. Nothing fancy for the Rath as this style of every day carry (EDC) knife has been around for ages. The Rath is a simple knife that works well.

The specifications on the Rath are what make it shine. It starts with a coated D2 steel blade. If you happen to listen to the podcast, you know that we like D2 steel as a great inexpensive knife blade material. It holds an edge decent enough and is easy to sharpen. I have not needed to sharpen the Rath. Granted, I did not abuse it like the Black Mamba that Cobratec sent for review. The coating on the blade also helps protect it from the elements. A nice touch since D2 is not a stainless steel. The blade's thickness is 0.12 inches and Cobratec hardens it to 55-62 HRC, which is pretty standard for D2.

Cobratec chose to use G10 for the Rath’s handle. G10 is a composite material that gives the handle good strength. It also is impervious to a bunch of chemicals. The G10 handles will probably outlast the Rath’s blade. Another advantage to G10 is its texture. Even when not texturized, it still has great grip. Exactly what you need and want in a knife handle. The Rath has smooth handles, but they still allowed me to get a good grip on the Rath, partly because of that G10 material.

The Rath uses a flipper style opening. I like flipper opening knives, and the Rath’s flipper works extremely well. The blade just flips right out. One of my complaints with the Rath is that it only uses a flipper to open it. There is no other way to open it. I’d like to see a little slot or something in the blade so that there is at least another option to open it. However, this does not keep me from liking the smooth operation of the Rath’s flipper. The Rath also uses a liner lock to keep the blade out once it has been opened. The liner lock also performed as expected. To close the knife, just push sideways on the liner to unlock the blade, and then pivot the blade in.

Now that I have gone over the general stuff, let us get into the numbers. The Rath uses a 3.5 inch long drop point blade. I really like EDC knives in the 3-3.5 inch blade length range. So the Rath checks that box for me. I also am a fan of good drop point blades, and the Rath’s blade shape is very useful. The blade hides in a 4.5 inch long handle that also carries the pocket clip and lanyard hole. I do not use lanyards, but the hole is there if you do. I did like the deep carry pocket clip. It puts the knife pretty far down in your pocket. When the knife is open, it is 8 inches long. Imagine that, a 3.5 inch blade plus a 4.5 inch handle makes 8 inches. For a knife this size, the Rath is fairly lightweight, tipping the scales at 4 ounces. I was really happy with the lightness of the Rath. It is easy to carry in the pocket.

I have used the Cobratec Rath for a bit and it has treated me well. The drop point blade cuts nicely for me. It has cut lots of boxes, a few steaks, and some other stuff, all the time doing what a knife should do, cut. One aspect I really liked about the Rath is the jimping on the top of the blade. There is not a lot of it, but it is cut deep enough to get a good non-slip grip with your thumb. The handle’s shape is also very comfortable in my hand and is pretty slim, which I like. I also think the Rath is a good looking knife, especially with the red accent around the pivot.

Cobratec’s Rath is a good EDC knife. It uses a good coated blade. It has a nice G10 handle. It uses a tried and true flipper opening and liner lock. Plus it looks good. And you get all this for under $60. What more could you ask for in a simple EDC knife? So head over to Cobratec and check out the Rath.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Quality Everyday Carry Flipper knife

Target Market:

Every Day Carry or anyone wanting a decent, well priced pocket knife

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

D2 Black Blade
G10 Handles
3.5 Inch Drop Point Blade
4.5 Inch Handle
8 Inches Overall
Blade Thickness: 0.12”
Blade Hardness): 55-62 HRC
Liner Lock
Weight: 4 Ounces
Deep pocket carry clip
Flipper
Lanyard hole
Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Brown, Grey, OD Green, & Red

What others are saying?:

Nothing found as of publishing

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found as of publishing

Price point:

MSRP = $59.99

Retail = Same but use code “GGR10” FOR 10% OFF

I need it now! Availability:

Cobratec Knives

Our Rating:

Pros:

G10 Handles
Flipper works nice
Price
D2 blade
Deep pocket clip

Cons:

Flipper is only way to open
No serrated option

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link: Cobratec Large Black Mamba review

Chad Wallace

April 27, 2019

Knives, Medford Knife & Tool, Review, Proxima

Medford Proxima

Chad Wallace

April 27, 2019

Knives, Medford Knife & Tool, Review, Proxima

Medford Knife & Tool is a semi-custom knife shop in Arizona. I say semi-custom because every knife leaving the factory is ground by hand. These knives are not what you find at the local sporting goods store. I talked with them at Blade Show West last year. A few weeks later they said they would send something to review. I was really happy when the “Proxima” showed up.

Wow, what a knife the Proxima is. The first thing I noticed was the heft. It really isn’t too heavy at 8.2 ounces on my scale, but it is stout. Medford shipped this knife in a plastic, reusable, waterproof case also. Along with it came care, maintenance, and break in instructions.

The Medford Proxima is a flipper style knife. So on the back of the handle sits the flipper. The flipper is attached (built on) the blade. By pulling it backwards, it “flips” the knife open. Medford designed the proxima to be smooth, but still have resistance. So I have to flick the flipper pretty noticeably to kick the knife open. They don’t want the blade so loose that it just falls open or closed. There is also a a recess cut into each side of the blade so you can open it with your thumb, or as one would with a regular folding knife. The flipper also has grooves on it to give your finger some traction while “flipping.” Once the knife is open, the flipper doubles as a guard to keep your hand from sliding forward during stabbing motions.

Construction of the Proxima starts with the blade. Medford uses S35VN Stainless steel as blade material. The S35VN steel gives the Proxima excellent strength, edge retention, and wear resistance. This does make the blade a little harder to sharpen, but it is well worth it. I have not sharpened my blade, and it is still very sharp after 6 months of use. The blade is of the drop point style with a false tip. But even more important, is that the blade is 3/16” thick and almost 4” long! The false tip gives the blade a nice point. Every blade at Medford is ground by hand and the Proxima is no different. The hollow grind looks beautiful and allows years of sharpening before the blade edge gets really thick. I am also impressed with how the tumbled blade looks. It is not polished, but not dull either, just good looking.

Now onto the Proxima’s frame. The frame is the other part in what makes a knife, a knife. Starting with titanium as material, this particular knife has some faded anodizing. The non-locking side has a purplish-blue fade to a bronzish color on the inside. On the locking side, which is a standard style frame lock, it has a solid purplish/bronze color. Both sides are also tumbled, and not polished. This makes for a really nice looking knife. The non-locking side also has some grooves and a finger cut-out for a good grip. The locking side also has some grooves on the lock, both for increased grip, and too help with unlocking the blade. There is also a hole for attaching a lanyard, if that’s your thing.

This particular Proxima uses Stainless Steel hardware. Other options (colors, materials) are also available. The hardware is basically the spacers and screws that hold the knife together. It’s functional, and that is all that really matters. The pocket clip could also be included as hardware, but the standard clip is brushed titanium and held on with 2 screws. This clip is probably the stiffest clip I have ever used, and I love the amount of tension it has. This is where I have a slight flaw with the knife. The clip can not be moved, it comes in a tip-up position. I would have at least liked another option for if you carry it on your right side. The only problem I have had with the knife also includes the clip, it came loose on me after about a month. I put medium strength thread locker on the screws and have not had a problem since.

When I go to use the Proxima, it just works. I just flip the blade out, it opens smoothly, and start cutting. The handle shape and size let me get an excellent grip if I need to do some real work. The spine of the blade also has some gimping that helps me get good downward force with my thumb. The flipper does stick out a bit, but that’s what makes it useful for me. I’ve cut everything from packing tape to pallet strapping (the plastic type) and the knife still cuts great. I expect the Proxima to last me around 5 life times, it is built that stout.

So, if you are the type to use or buy $500 knives, definitely go check out Medford Knife & Tool. This Proxima is built like a tank. It is all US made and built by actual people, not just machines. I am not one to spend this kind of money on a knife, but after seeing and using the Proxima, I see why someone would. Go check MKT out, they have some really cool and functional knives.