ALL THINGS BUDGET KNIVES

The Kizer Domin Mini hit the mailbox today. Excellent little knife. Was clean and lubed nicely from the factory. Good lockup, 35% or maybe 40%. Blade is perfectly centered. Wickedly sharp as well.

I couldn’t pass it up. I have never had a knife that uses Bohler N690 steel. I don’t really know anything about it other than what I read on the internet about it. People seem to like it and compare it to VG-10 steel. Think I read it was a Carbon Enriched Stainless Steel. Time will tell how long it holds an edge and how easy it is to sharpen.

A few other knives are in the picture as well, just for a comparison. From top to bottom. 1 is a Kershaw Leek. 2 Medium sized Honey badger. 3 is a Bestech Pebble. 4 is the mini Domin, and the last one is a Kizer Begleiter.

I really like the size and quality of the mini Domin. Is it worth $55? Yes I think so. It seems to be a solid knife.

Nice pic & mini review toddcshoe. :+1:

I have been trying to resist the Kizer Domin Mini…. you are not helping that effort at all. :person_facepalming: …… :money_mouth_face:

Seriously… thanks for the info. :beer:

It is just a great little knife. If you got the extra money and it won’t get you in trouble with the better half, grab one. I think you would really love it. Of course you don’t have to get it in blue. I just have this weird thing in my head where if I see a blue option for anything, I just buy it. I have no idea why. :slight_smile:

Want my blue Enlan from above? :stuck_out_tongue:

Yeah, I’m thinking I’ll like this one a lot. The 2.9” blade on the Mini just suits what I like. The Bohler N690 is a good steel to.

Funny you mentioned your liking of the Blue handles. A few months ago I picked up a blue handled knife off MassDrop <span class=““Drop” now”> and loved the color. Since then I have acquired a few others in Blue.
I’ll get this one in Blue too. It is a nice alternative to the usual Black. :wink:

Where did you get yours? Blade HQ??
.
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Edit: This one looks pretty interesting to at $49.95.

KIZER CUTLERY V3403A1 VANGUARD V3 VIGOR, 2.99 IN. VG10 BLADE, BLACK G10 HANDLE LINER-LOCK FOLDER

Yes. How much do you want for it?

I got mine from Atlantic Knife. They usually have good prices. Not on every blade but on most I have shopped for. Free shipping regardless of price.

I like that Vigor as well. Nice price on it. Cheaper than Atlantic Knife. I might have to try one of those.

FYI, Cabela’s / Bass Pro has these folding knives in various colors on sale for $5 with free shipping to store:

https://slickdeals.net/f/13141891

Not sure if they’re any good, but for $5, I couldn’t resist.

Sure does look good. Hope the quality is halfway decent. Like you said, for a 5’er it’s affordable to find out.

Let us know how it is when you get it.

Very nice colors! :+1:
How did you achieve that orange peel look on the handle?

@ Adahn
A very good looking knife, what is it?

Thank you guys :slight_smile:

The mini pry bar/french fries fork is my test piece for rock pattern and orange peeling.

It’s quite easy to do, all you need is a steel brush mount on a belt grinder or alternatively on a drill press
(if you don’t work at an orthopedic shoemaking or shoe repair shop :wink:

It makes the handle quite grippy, it’s surprising that this little surface treatment hasn’t become more popular on cheap knives from China just as anodizing has.

This was the original one:

https://www.fasttech.com/p/9617915

By the way. Now as I have my 120V power supply for anodizing I realize that the best colors are in the low spectrum :stuck_out_tongue:
Still it’s nice to be able to adjust the current in 1/10V steps, with 9V batteries it was impossible to get matching colors on framelock knives.
I don’t regret to spend the $62 :wink:

that is an interesting technique and the surface looks nice.

Funny thing is that if you google “orange peel titanium” you’ll find some expensive knives with a surface not much better as my try.

The 2 scales and the clip took like 20-30 mins to do, with some practice I’d do a batch like 5 mins per piece…

Maybe the next knife to try it would be my TwoSun TS51

I tried to apply different techniques to enhance blade steels or the frame, but don’t have a lot of machine tools available.

This is something even I could try. Thanks for the idea.

You’re welcome. But for things like stonewashing or anodizing you don’t need much equipment neither, just some time on youtube :wink:

I have successfully done stone-washing, never anodized anything.

Something I have never tried is blasting the blade like this:

not sure how to do it

Ok, you’re right, for (bead) blasting you’d need some special equipment even though I’d never blast a blade.
It’s a good technique on handles made of very stainless steel or Ti but every blasted (Kershaw) blade I tried had dots and smudges on it after the slightest use.
Blasting tears up the surface and even “stainless” steels like 8Cr13MoV will get spots.
Only steels used for handles that don’t need edge retention capabilities won’t react like that.

Whenever I get a beadblasted blade I just stonewash it right away, preferably after polishing, that gives a nice “frosted” surface.

Thanks for The link to the original knife .

I’d say you stepped it up quite a few notches.
Nice work!! . :+1:

Edit: The french fry/pickle fork - pry bar is cool to.

Knife before Adahn worked his magic