It was time to look for a new pocket folder. With a renewed interest in knives and knife collecting I wanted to replace my tiny, 20 (plus) year old Kershaw slipjoint with a larger, more modern gentlemans folder for everyday carry. I needed something that was non-threatening in appearance as I work in the social services.
Since knife shops are few and far between here in Adelaide I went to the internet for some intensive shopping. I decided on a blade of 2 1/2 to 3 inches in length and a couple of days later ordered a Jeff Angelo Fluted Folder by Lone Wolf Knives.
On paper it seemed ideal. The blade was a classic shape-a mild drop point, with a choice of stainless damascus or CPM S30V. I went with the S30V. I was curious about this new super stainless steel. The handle was cast titanium with a titanium liner lock and stainless fasteners.
There was a long wait while the package travelled from Texas to Adelaide through the Australian Customs Service, but at last there it was--stuffed in the mail box when I arrived home from work.
The knife came in a nice steel presentation box. On opening it I was immediately taken with the colour of the handles and the highlights of gold. The one-piece cast titanium handle has a design of diagonal flutes with coarse stippling closer to the blade. The colour is a sort of brown-bronze-grey, almost identical to that of my Longbow Micra. I found it most attractive and still do. The gold thumbstud and pivot pin are decorated with a fluted design that matches the handle well. The liner screws on the off-side are also gold plated.
Photo here <http://www.lonewolfknives.com/store/pages/products-angelo-flutednodam1.shtml>
The knife felt good in my hands and opened smoothly and easily with a push on the stud. There was a nice solid click as the liner locked the blade into place. Closing was also one-handed. Not quite as solid or as positive as a Sebenza but excellent. There was no movement in either the vertical or horizontal directions even given quite substantial pressure. There are thumb ridges cut into the spine of the blade.
The handle is smallest at the rear of the knife by the lanyard hole and tapers gently up to the blade, good for keeping the fingers away from the sharp bits. It doesnt feel as secure as my Furi cooking knives that have the same sort of reverse taper but it is a gentlemans folder and wont see the same intensive work as the kitchen knives do.
The flat ground blade is just over 2 1/2 inches long, 13/16 inches wide and 3/16 thick at the spine. The finish was excellent--a high gloss with some laser etching on both sides--First Production Run on the off-side and a small logo and name on the front. The only faults were a few very shallow tool marks on the spine of the blade and in the small choil. I was able to easily polish them off with some 800 grit wet/dry paper.
Sharpness out of the box was excellent. The bevel was even on both sides of the blade and just under 1/16 inch wide. The edge was very smooth. I tested it on hanging paper and on kleenex tissue. Hanging paper was easily cut without tearing-even newspaper. I put a kleenex on a paper and gently drew the blade along it. The tissue parted cleanly without shredding or dragging. The knife readily scared hair off my forearm. IMO it was sharper than my Sebenza out of the box. A couple of strops on a hard leather hone and it was ready for daily carry.
Included in the presentation box was a small leather carry pouch to protect the finish from marring by keys and coins.
It has had only light use so far-a couple of boxes, numerous envelopes, fruit and meat at lunch, and some plastic dishwasher hose that the hardware store couldnt cut with their box cutter. The edge is unchanged as far as I can tell-running my thumb across it still causes it to grab at my finger prints. The action has smoothed out and even at slow speed it is light and even.
This knife is available on-line for just over US $100 and gets comments from all who see it. A most elegant and useful gentlemans folder. If you are in the market for this type of knife I recommend you have a look. I remain well pleased with my purchase.
Greg
Since knife shops are few and far between here in Adelaide I went to the internet for some intensive shopping. I decided on a blade of 2 1/2 to 3 inches in length and a couple of days later ordered a Jeff Angelo Fluted Folder by Lone Wolf Knives.
On paper it seemed ideal. The blade was a classic shape-a mild drop point, with a choice of stainless damascus or CPM S30V. I went with the S30V. I was curious about this new super stainless steel. The handle was cast titanium with a titanium liner lock and stainless fasteners.
There was a long wait while the package travelled from Texas to Adelaide through the Australian Customs Service, but at last there it was--stuffed in the mail box when I arrived home from work.
The knife came in a nice steel presentation box. On opening it I was immediately taken with the colour of the handles and the highlights of gold. The one-piece cast titanium handle has a design of diagonal flutes with coarse stippling closer to the blade. The colour is a sort of brown-bronze-grey, almost identical to that of my Longbow Micra. I found it most attractive and still do. The gold thumbstud and pivot pin are decorated with a fluted design that matches the handle well. The liner screws on the off-side are also gold plated.
Photo here <http://www.lonewolfknives.com/store/pages/products-angelo-flutednodam1.shtml>
The knife felt good in my hands and opened smoothly and easily with a push on the stud. There was a nice solid click as the liner locked the blade into place. Closing was also one-handed. Not quite as solid or as positive as a Sebenza but excellent. There was no movement in either the vertical or horizontal directions even given quite substantial pressure. There are thumb ridges cut into the spine of the blade.
The handle is smallest at the rear of the knife by the lanyard hole and tapers gently up to the blade, good for keeping the fingers away from the sharp bits. It doesnt feel as secure as my Furi cooking knives that have the same sort of reverse taper but it is a gentlemans folder and wont see the same intensive work as the kitchen knives do.
The flat ground blade is just over 2 1/2 inches long, 13/16 inches wide and 3/16 thick at the spine. The finish was excellent--a high gloss with some laser etching on both sides--First Production Run on the off-side and a small logo and name on the front. The only faults were a few very shallow tool marks on the spine of the blade and in the small choil. I was able to easily polish them off with some 800 grit wet/dry paper.
Sharpness out of the box was excellent. The bevel was even on both sides of the blade and just under 1/16 inch wide. The edge was very smooth. I tested it on hanging paper and on kleenex tissue. Hanging paper was easily cut without tearing-even newspaper. I put a kleenex on a paper and gently drew the blade along it. The tissue parted cleanly without shredding or dragging. The knife readily scared hair off my forearm. IMO it was sharper than my Sebenza out of the box. A couple of strops on a hard leather hone and it was ready for daily carry.
Included in the presentation box was a small leather carry pouch to protect the finish from marring by keys and coins.
It has had only light use so far-a couple of boxes, numerous envelopes, fruit and meat at lunch, and some plastic dishwasher hose that the hardware store couldnt cut with their box cutter. The edge is unchanged as far as I can tell-running my thumb across it still causes it to grab at my finger prints. The action has smoothed out and even at slow speed it is light and even.
This knife is available on-line for just over US $100 and gets comments from all who see it. A most elegant and useful gentlemans folder. If you are in the market for this type of knife I recommend you have a look. I remain well pleased with my purchase.
Greg
Extensive and well written.
