My first review - Böker Plus XS

[C_Becker]

Hi guys,
after lurking around for some time I've finally decided to join up.
And I thought, what better way to introduce myself, than to do a little review :thumbup:

I'll start off with a few pictures


Kershaw JYD II next to it for size comparison

The Böker Plus XS is another CLB Design in the Böker Plus series and I think its a great alternative to the Spyderco UKPK, for those of us who aren't allowed to carry locking folders. It has a 3 inch blade out of 440C and the grip is made of G10.
Bökers 440C IMHO fits this knife very well, edge retention is good and it came razor sharp. Easy enough to resharpen, too

Having no lock, only a (quite strong) spring, this knife is definitely not made for hard use, however the finger choil should prevent you from cutting your self, should the blade fold. It does very well for my usual EDC tasks, like cutting apples, bread, opening packages etc.
The hollow grind makes it a great slicer, and the blade has a nice height, which I like for spreading butter or jam.

The grip is not too small, I have glove size 9 and it fits my hand almost perfect, the jimping is also quite good, grippy but not too agressive.

Having this knife as my primary EDC since I bought it in April, there are a few things that I didn't like:
- The clip is a little too strong, you have to lift it a little before putting it back in your pocket
- The little holes in the blade near the thumbstud, I know they are a CLB design element, but they always get clogged up with butter etc.
I think I'm gonna fill them up with epoxy or something soon
- It might look a little too tactical for some people, being all black
- It opens with a pretty loud snap, that might also not be appropriate for some (work) environments
I really like that sound, however

The last two points aren't really negatives, just some points to consider.


That said, I'd give the knife a solid 4/5, its a good EDC blade for a fair price

Constructive criticism is much appreciated, always trying to improve my english :thumbup:

Chris

 

[Jack Black]

A friend of mine got one of these a few months back and is really pleased with it. It's definitely on my 'to get' list.

 

[C_Becker]

Before you get one, look it up on the british forum, I think there have been some issues with legality in the UK concerning length of the cutting edge.

 

[Jack Black]

Before you get one, look it up on the british forum, I think there have been some issues with legality in the UK concerning length of the cutting edge.

Thanks for the tip. Yes, I've had my eye on it for a while. I'd understood the legal issues had been resolved since the actual cutting-edge is less than 3", which is the British legal definition. Notwithstanding that though, I'd be careful where I carried this knife as not all law enforcement are so well informed about these matters, and I wouldn't want to be in the cells having to argue about it!

 

[OhShoot]

.... since the actual cutting-edge is less than 3", which is the British legal definition.

Yes, and the UK has one of the few definitions I've ever seen that defines "cutting edge" as the criterion.

Here in US, I know of no state that does so, it's always "blade length", which is measured from grip to end.

I actually have the XS, as a trip over to Scotland looked possible, and of course it was a good excuse to get another knife so that was first thing I did.

But trip fell though, and then I discovered that "UK" does not necessarily mean Scotland too, as far as some laws. And the knife laws in Scotland look "iffier" than in England, but I don't know about actual enforcement.

- OS

 

[Jack Black]

Yes, and the UK has one of the few definitions I've ever seen that defines "cutting edge" as the criterion.

Here in US, I know of no state that does so, it's always "blade length", which is measured from grip to end.

I think the measurement may just be down to the way knives are traditionally measured in England; the actual cutting edge, not including the ricasso or choil. When the law was drafted many years ago there was some consultation with Sheffield cutlers, and I imagine the measurement came from them. It's worth noting that the law itself does allow the carrying of a lock-knife. What's changed isn't the law, but the interpretation of what constitutes a fixed-blade, due to some stupid judge's ruling in one particular case. He ruled that a locking blade effectively makes a folding knife no different from a fixed-blade. So in this case, we have a judge making law rather than Parliament (which decided that a lock on a knife was a safety feature). You can still carry a FB or lock-knife legally here, but only in certain circumstances.

When the knife law was first enacted, I can remember being pleased that the issue of length, and the issue of the lock (as then defined) had at least been settled, because prior to that it was a bit of a grey area. The 'new' law said that you had every right to carry a folding knife, with or without a lock, with a blade length of less than 3 inches. You could lawfully carry a FB or a folding knife with a longer blade, but if challenged, you would be expected to give a proper explanation of why you needed such a knife, for example you were going hunting or thatching roofs. Now however, and without any actual changes to the law, if you're found to be in possession of so much as SAK, you'll be challenged as to why you have it and may well find yourself arrested. There was a case where I live a few years ago, where an elderly doctor was arrested for having a small SAK in his pocket, and spent several hours in custody.

If I buy an XS, I'll certainly avoid any situations where ill-informed or over-zealous police officers may get to examine it.