Lionsteel ROK Damascus Taschenmesser

I bought this knife as a display piece. I already owned an all black version of this knife, and was so impressed with it that I bought this because it was such a good looking knife. I really appreciate the disappearing pocket clip. Once deployed in your hand it feels more like a fixed blade as there are no hot spots at all, and no clip to interfere with the grip. You can also lock the blade open quite easily. The ergonomics are outstanding, as is the blade. It was scary sharp from the factory, much as I would expect from a custom knife coating much more. The action is superb with a perfect detent. Very much a good fidget knife. I have this one in a display case only because I have the second knife, and the black version is now my daily carry. I love it and can highly recommend it.

This is tricky. The knife looks amazing. It can be a collector piece that will sit forever in the box or on a stand and be very good at it. You can buy it just for that. The attention to the details is very high, it looks and fells like a very attentively designed and put together knife. The Damascus blade is perfectly centered, takes a screaming sharp edge and you can put that edge on it fairly easy with a Sharpmaker. It might have become my favourite knife or at least the knife that I want to have with me all the time, at least to parade it :). Unfortunately, there were some bad parts, maybe just with my piece: Firstly, the action was very very bad. It is hard even to call it an action. The blade was hard to deploy and made also a scratchy sound. I was very disappointed, and started a lengthy correspondence with Lionsteel describing the issues. I must say that this mattered the most. They said they they will try to resolve any problems the knife had, just to send it to them. Actually, I didn't want to send it because I was afraid that they will never solve it, that it will take a lot of time and so on, but it helped a lot that they also told me what they intend to do in order to improve the action, so I did it myself. It might be a problem with designing the lock tab insert because it touches the blade. The blade being made from layers of steel acts like a brake and produces that scratchy sound. Also, the position of the ball detent doesn't help. So, I disassembled it several times and polished the area of the lock tab that touches the blade. I've cleaned it and oiled it with something similar to 10v Nano Oil, and then deployed over and over again when I had the time. The action improved and can be considered now to be very good. Secondly, the lock bar was another challenge. It was very stiff. It is much better now after so many openings :) So I don't know what to say. If you have these problems, you can tackle them by yourself if you know what you are doing or ask Lionsteel to help you. They will help (thx Andrea Mazzoli). Somehow, after all this, the knife grew on me. I feel it is really mine because I was part also in making it better. Although it is an expensive knive, I think for what you are getting: an integral titanium handle, Chad Nichols Damascus blade, hidden clip, hidden pin and amazing finish, it is one of the best deals out there. It feels a little heavy and the blade is thick for sure. For me, this gives more substance to this knife. I like this. But I discovered I don't like Damascus...where others see clouds and rivers I see scratches on an etched steel :)) Nevertheless I would suggest Lionsteel to mention somewhere on the blade, very discrete that this is Chad Nichols Damascus. Also, the flipper tab would be better with some jimping. I took one star away because of a not so good acoustic experience (the scratchy sound and that the sound produced when you flip it open, and the blade hits the stop pin is not articulated at all... I don't like this) and I consider, at the price point, it should have had a smooth action right out the box.

Очень высокотехнологичная вещь!