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- Dec 7, 2019
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Review summary: If you’re curious about trying out a cleaver folder style, this is a great starting knife. But otherwise, I’d say you aren’t missing much. The blade is an excellent slicer and reliable companion for light food prep. Fit, finish, and action are all top notch. Stuff I didn’t like too much were the heavy detent and fairly limited handle space. Still happy with the purchase. Final score is 8/10.
The folding cleaver design is nothing new, and this one puzzled me for the longest time. How do you translate a knife archetype, with mass and imposing size as two of its defining attributes, into a pocket-sized package? Well, we can’t exactly have an EDC cleaver that performs like the one in your kitchen, but I like to regard the Mini Bullmastiff as a wharncliffe with an attitude. The cutting edge isn’t exactly straight, but it’s close enough so as to make opening boxes effortless. The slight curve along the edge also aids in impromptu food prep.
It’s not a true cleaver tool, but what we lose in mass, we make up for in slicing ability.
Dimensions and specs
Blade length: 75.5 mm or 2.97 in
Blade thickness: 3 mm or 0.12 in
Blade steel: 9Cr18MoV stainless steel
Blade grind: full flat
Blade hardness: 58-60 HRC
Handle thickness: 12 mm or 0.47 in
Overall length: 182 mm or 7.17 in
Weight: 98.2 g or 3.46 oz
Blade and cutting performance
Like the Praxis, the factory edge on the Mini was impressive. The knife glided across paper without a hitch. No issues with peeling pears; the knife boasted manageable handling, although the smallish handle made this a tad challenging (more on this later). In terms of sharpness and performance, no problems there on my unit.
The spine is rounded and comfortable, and practically shaped for you to rest your thumb on top of it. Doesn’t feel awkward for my thumb at all. From an aesthetic standpoint, I like how the handle spine is seamlessly level with the blade spine. It presents an elegant and clean look, which is a breather in a market saturated with “unique looking” knives, especially in the budget realm. I don’t know how much weight those fullers save us, but it adds a nice stylistic flair to the knife as well. I love the fact that no thumb jimpings are to be seen.
Still not a fan of the finger choil since I prefer more cutting edge, but it’s there anyway for you choil lovers.
Deployment, lockup, and detent
Knife action itself is smooth and it locks up reliably every time. Out of the box though, the detent on my unit was stiff. A lazy slide on the flipper just won’t do. I can turn my pointer fingernail white and the flipper tab still won’t budge. Over time, I found that the Mini responds to a very particular way of opening: it has to be with the fingertip and you have to push parallel along the spine. It’s less forgiving compared to a knife with milder detent and the blade flies open with lots of force, but at least I can open it reliably now. Interestingly, despite the strong detent, disengaging the liner lock is quite easy, so I’m not 100% sure of what exactly is going on there.
Lockup is about 99% solid here. No movement front and back, but I detect an iota of wiggle side to side. It’s not enough to compromise knife function, so it doesn’t bug me too much. Blade centering is mostly on point.
Handle, ergonomics, and ease of carry
While the handle itself is mostly comfortable, its compact size presents some issues. One, if not for the lanyard, my pinky wouldn’t be able to hold the knife as securely. I’m looking for more knife handle that just isn’t there. The Mini would benefit from adding an extra half-inch to the handle. Two, the limited real estate forces your hand up, which may cause some chafing on your index finger from the flipper tab. Now I’m curious to check out the regular Bullmastiff as those two nitpicks shouldn’t be present.
Despite the height of the blade, it’s surprisingly easy to carry in the pocket. From the images online, I thought it would be bulkier when closed. No problems with the deep-carry pocket clip as well.
Disassembly and sharpening
This was the first Civivi I took apart, and I must say that takedown was straightforward and mostly convenient. The knife got a little messy after some fruit prep (and I might’ve dinged the edge up a bit on a dinner plate, yikes) so I knew I had to disassemble it. As far as I can tell from a closer look, the liners, scales, and ball bearings appear to be quality components. No issues fitting them back together. If I didn’t know anything about this knife and a buddy told me it costs a hundred bucks instead of fifty, I would’ve believed him.
Just out of curiosity, I left out the backspacer upon reassembly. The knife remains solid even without it, and open-back designs look clean on liner lock folders. I don’t know if standoffs are available for this model or any other Civivi out there, but as is, it’s fine.
Following disassembly, touching up with ceramic rods was next.
Concluding thoughts and score
While I don’t see the Mini being my primary EDC, it’s worth allotting some pocket time for and even serving as a second backup blade in a different pocket. It’s a fun, handy little knife that slices well and it honestly looks cool. The heavy detent and smallish handle throw me off just a bit, but the merits of the knife certainly outweigh those nitpicks.
The Mini Bullmastiff gets an 8 out of 10. If you’re curious about trying a quality cleaver folder, the Mini’s an excellent starting choice.
The folding cleaver design is nothing new, and this one puzzled me for the longest time. How do you translate a knife archetype, with mass and imposing size as two of its defining attributes, into a pocket-sized package? Well, we can’t exactly have an EDC cleaver that performs like the one in your kitchen, but I like to regard the Mini Bullmastiff as a wharncliffe with an attitude. The cutting edge isn’t exactly straight, but it’s close enough so as to make opening boxes effortless. The slight curve along the edge also aids in impromptu food prep.
It’s not a true cleaver tool, but what we lose in mass, we make up for in slicing ability.
Dimensions and specs
Blade length: 75.5 mm or 2.97 in
Blade thickness: 3 mm or 0.12 in
Blade steel: 9Cr18MoV stainless steel
Blade grind: full flat
Blade hardness: 58-60 HRC
Handle thickness: 12 mm or 0.47 in
Overall length: 182 mm or 7.17 in
Weight: 98.2 g or 3.46 oz
Blade and cutting performance
Like the Praxis, the factory edge on the Mini was impressive. The knife glided across paper without a hitch. No issues with peeling pears; the knife boasted manageable handling, although the smallish handle made this a tad challenging (more on this later). In terms of sharpness and performance, no problems there on my unit.
The spine is rounded and comfortable, and practically shaped for you to rest your thumb on top of it. Doesn’t feel awkward for my thumb at all. From an aesthetic standpoint, I like how the handle spine is seamlessly level with the blade spine. It presents an elegant and clean look, which is a breather in a market saturated with “unique looking” knives, especially in the budget realm. I don’t know how much weight those fullers save us, but it adds a nice stylistic flair to the knife as well. I love the fact that no thumb jimpings are to be seen.
Still not a fan of the finger choil since I prefer more cutting edge, but it’s there anyway for you choil lovers.
Deployment, lockup, and detent
Knife action itself is smooth and it locks up reliably every time. Out of the box though, the detent on my unit was stiff. A lazy slide on the flipper just won’t do. I can turn my pointer fingernail white and the flipper tab still won’t budge. Over time, I found that the Mini responds to a very particular way of opening: it has to be with the fingertip and you have to push parallel along the spine. It’s less forgiving compared to a knife with milder detent and the blade flies open with lots of force, but at least I can open it reliably now. Interestingly, despite the strong detent, disengaging the liner lock is quite easy, so I’m not 100% sure of what exactly is going on there.
Lockup is about 99% solid here. No movement front and back, but I detect an iota of wiggle side to side. It’s not enough to compromise knife function, so it doesn’t bug me too much. Blade centering is mostly on point.
Handle, ergonomics, and ease of carry
While the handle itself is mostly comfortable, its compact size presents some issues. One, if not for the lanyard, my pinky wouldn’t be able to hold the knife as securely. I’m looking for more knife handle that just isn’t there. The Mini would benefit from adding an extra half-inch to the handle. Two, the limited real estate forces your hand up, which may cause some chafing on your index finger from the flipper tab. Now I’m curious to check out the regular Bullmastiff as those two nitpicks shouldn’t be present.
Despite the height of the blade, it’s surprisingly easy to carry in the pocket. From the images online, I thought it would be bulkier when closed. No problems with the deep-carry pocket clip as well.
Disassembly and sharpening
This was the first Civivi I took apart, and I must say that takedown was straightforward and mostly convenient. The knife got a little messy after some fruit prep (and I might’ve dinged the edge up a bit on a dinner plate, yikes) so I knew I had to disassemble it. As far as I can tell from a closer look, the liners, scales, and ball bearings appear to be quality components. No issues fitting them back together. If I didn’t know anything about this knife and a buddy told me it costs a hundred bucks instead of fifty, I would’ve believed him.
Just out of curiosity, I left out the backspacer upon reassembly. The knife remains solid even without it, and open-back designs look clean on liner lock folders. I don’t know if standoffs are available for this model or any other Civivi out there, but as is, it’s fine.
Following disassembly, touching up with ceramic rods was next.
Concluding thoughts and score
While I don’t see the Mini being my primary EDC, it’s worth allotting some pocket time for and even serving as a second backup blade in a different pocket. It’s a fun, handy little knife that slices well and it honestly looks cool. The heavy detent and smallish handle throw me off just a bit, but the merits of the knife certainly outweigh those nitpicks.
The Mini Bullmastiff gets an 8 out of 10. If you’re curious about trying a quality cleaver folder, the Mini’s an excellent starting choice.
