Pohl Force "November One" review

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Sep 17, 2010
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Pohl Force knives definitely wear many hats. Designed by Dietmar Pohl, they are used tactically by various military and police units around the world, but equally fit the role of a personal preparedness tool as well as an outdoor adventure blade. Within the last few years, I’ve seen magazine articles on various models, but recently the “November One” fixed blade caught my eye. I was looking for a hiking/backpacking knife that could easily be attached to a pack and used on the trail for fire making to food prep and the November One kept calling my name.

The knife comes in a very nice padded case that included a sticker, certificate, Tek-Lok, and kydex sheath.

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This specific model is from the EOD series (Euro Ops Division and manufactured by Lion Steel) and is the “Outdoor” version which has a stonewashed finish whereas the “Survival” model has a black PVD coating. It’s very streamlined in appearance and, once in hand, it has that locked-in feeling that truly feels like an extension that’s easily controllable. The OAL is 8 5/8” with a blade length of 4”. On my scale the blade itself weighs 7.00 ounces.

The included kydex sheath is very sleek and narrow and doesn’t have a bunch of excess material which is very nice because I've worn plenty of kydex sheaths that are too cumbersome due to unneeded excess material. I can easily attach the kydex to my various backpacks or slide it in a pocket with no issues. If you prefer a leather sheath, you can buy this model in that configuration as well.

The handle is CNC machined G10 and the sculpting results in a very secure grip even when exposed to wet conditions. I purposely submerged the knife in water and then began using it. No problems at all.
The top thumb ramps provide very ergonomic handling, and in conjunction with the finger choil, your able to perform very controlled detail work. The scales can easily be removed by using a coin or something similar. You can even put a few fire making items inside the scales.

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I personally don’t care much for jimping on knives especially for extended use. Wearing a pair of gloves will usually take care of this, but there are times when I may not have a pair readily available. The jimping on the November One was a welcomed surprise in that it was enough to notice and be effective, but not aggressive enough to hinder various tasks/chores.

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The steel used is Niolex and is hardened to 59 HRC. Since this isn’t a longevity review, I can’t speak on the durability and edge retention in that regard, but I can say there were no issues at all with the blade staying sharp during its short term usage on the trail. I also tested the tip strength, not in an abusive manner, but I ripped and pried on downed logs/trees getting to the dry wood. I was putting a fair amount of torque on the blade and it got the job done with no damage to the tip.

I’m not a talented bush crafter, so while on the trail I didn’t use the knife to whittle spoons or make camp chairs. I used the knife to start small cooking fires by making feather sticks and batoning big limbs down to small pieces to fit into my Core 4 camp stove. I also used it to throw sparks from a fire steel, cut open food packages, and made a bunch of tent stakes. The blade did everything I needed with no issues.

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In addition to using outdoors, I’ve used the knife at the house to break down card board boxes and food prep. Case in point, after testing the knife on a long day hike, I came home and began preparing supper. The knife went through tomatoes effortlessly even with no sharpening after using it in the woods.

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I depend on my gear to perform without having to worry about failure. I try to use the appropriate tool for the task at hand, but if for any reason I needed to push the November One in more extreme tasks/chores, I have no reservations in doing so. I’m very picky in the gear that I use for my outdoor adventures and personal/family preparedness, and the November One has earned a permanent spot as a tool for those applications.

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In conclusion, I’m not associated with Pohl Force knives in any way. I really like Dietmar Pohl’s designs and wanted to test this particular fixed blade in the field. As I stated at the beginning of the review, Pohl Force knives wear many hats and they wear them well. The November One looks very tactical, yet it’s incredibly practical, functional, and comfortable for my outdoor adventures. Thank you for taking the time to read this review.
 
So how do you feel about the blade steel, Niolox? What do you feel it is comparable to in your use?
 
Great review man, can you tell me something about the handle? is a "good-one" or just good-looking? And what about the grip? The handle is big enought?
 
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