Cold SteelPendleton Lite Hunter 3-5/8" German 4116 Stainless Steel Drop Point Fixed Blade Outdoor Camping Game Hunting Knife | Ergonomic High-Impact Handle, Weather-Resistant Secure-Ex Sheath

While I understand that there are already numerous reviews praising this knife however I feel that when a company really gets something right, there is no reason to hold back on the admiration. Besides the Mora Military has over 380 five star reviews so it's not like there can ever really be too much in the way of positive attention. Let me start by saying this knife is a minimalists dream, I am by no way a Cold Steel fanboy but I must say Lloyd Pendleton went back to the essence of what a knife really is, a cutting tool, and designed a knife that is just that, the most basic yet refined cutting tool. There are no bells and whistles on this knife, it is essentially just a decent stainless blade, and a strong and sturdy plastic handle, even the sheath is about as basic as it comes, a folded piece of nylon with a belt loop sewn on. However it is in this knifes simplicity that it won me over. I have numerous knives, too many to count, some cost upwards of 10x as much as this knife, however I gave to admit that a part of me may like this knife better.First off is the size, the Cold Steel lite hunter is for me the perfect size for a fixed Blade EDC knife, now for some it may be two larger for this role, but for me its perfect, the knife and sheath sit comfortably in my pocket with only the very tip of the grip protruding, the knife is so thin that it does not bulge uncomfortably or conspicuously and the sheath, basic as it might be has a decent amount of texture to elicit just enough friction to stay in my pocket as I draw the blade. The second part of this knife that I just can't shake is the grip. While it is true that it is just textured plastic, It has been said that a well designed knife grip would still feel secure in hand even if it were made out of glass and covered in oil, and to this point I must agree. The Pendleton Lite hunter's gip shape is fantastic, it fits my hand perfectly, not so small as to feel unstable, yet not so large that it makes gripping at certain angles uncomfortable. (I wear a large Mechanix Glove if that helps for size estimate) THe cut outs in the grip are indicative of the minimalist, function first design of the whole knife, and none of them seem to be there for anything other than the purpose of increasing the knifes ability to grip in a number of different hand positions. This comfortability of the grip in conjunction with the cut-outs ensures positive grip retention even when wet or soapy (yes I checked) and if this were not enough the plastic seems primed for some DIY stippling (like many polymer handgun grips are today). Finally the blade itself, again all functionality and simplicity here, 4116 Stainless a decent blade steel, not perfect but very easy to sharpen even for the inexperienced and durable enough to hold a decent edge for a while. The shape itself is again perfectly simple, drop point, in my opinion the most versatile and utilitarian shape well fit for this knife's purpose.It is Inevitable that this knife would find itself compared to the Mora line of knives of which I have had several, they are also low cost high value hunting knives around the same size and quality. However I will say that I feel the Pendleton Lite Hunter to be a better knife for the money than say a Mora classic or even a Mora Companion. While it is true that the majority of the Mora use carbon steel which is preferably in my opinion than stainless for a knife blade, I do feel that the for the money the other aspects of this knife have won me over from its Mora counterpart. A good comparison would be between the Glock and Springfield XD. The Pendleton Hunter would represent a Glock, is it the best gun, while some may believe so it isn't, could you spend quiet a bit more and get an H&K 45 or a Sig p226 yes, and they would most likely be a better gun in terms of fit and finish and available features. However what does Glock represent? Simplicity and reliability both characteristic it shares with the Pendleton Lite Hunter, while it may not be the best option, it does represent a fantastic value for a simple and reliable product. The Mora Companion could then be compared to a Springfield XD, is it any better than the Glock? Some say yes, others no, they are very similar yet each offer different features, the Mora features a thinner Carbon Steel blade with a Scandinavian Grind and a plastic/rubber grip combo and a plastic sheath. THe Pendleton has a thicker stainless blade, more conventional grind, plastic handle and Cod-ex sheath. Ultimately it comes down to which better fits your needs, you can't go wrong with either, I would encourage you to find a store near you that has both and handle them to see which you find to be more ergonomically comfortable but for my choice I will be purchasing Pendleton Lite Hunters for myself and others from now on, I don't think would find it anything less than exceptional if you were to purchase one either.

I've noticed something I'd have to call a "knife fashion cycle" over the years. Because knives have so many uses, they take countless forms. Because many people buy knives not to use them, but to simply have them (the way certain wonderful women collect shoes), their designs wander in many far-from-practical directions. Often because what looks interesting isn't necessarily the same as what is actually useful. When I first handled this knife, I admit I was coming from the position of skepticism relative to the overwhelmingly favorable opinions people have of it.Some background would make my review make more sense.I bought this knife because I wanted something to fill something like the fashion niche of the Bear Grylls-style "survival" knife. I wanted something with a one-sided finger guard that could be pushed into wood-craft service in a pinch (when I'm serious about this function, I use a KA-BAR Heavy Bowie, which has a single bevel and is almost 1/4" thick and wears like magic). I wanted a short-blade hunting knife that would do all the things the woods might want without requiring a second thought before leaving the house.It also happened that I wanted a light knife for roughing wood carving projects- something I've been using the KA-BAR to do before switching to power-tools (like the Merlin.) I needed something for finer work that had a comfortable handle- something I could manipulate close to the point.Finally, I wanted something, unlike the beautiful S30V blade on my Leatherman, that I could ask horrible things of without feeling guilty. A real utility knife. A mechanic's knife. An "I shouldn't be using a knife for this" knife.I realize now that I bought this knife with the thought that it would serve all three. First, because it's the right shape. Second, because it's the right steel. Third, because it's the right price.What I've decided, after just beginning to put this knife to use in exactly such ways, that it transcends "knife fashion." I feel like I'm only beginning to appreciate the potential in this thing.For instance, because it's practically weightless, this is the knife I'll take with me on minimalist cross-terrain trips (mixed hiking and solo rock-climbing). Its kitchen-like sensibilities will guarantee that it sees service on backpacking trips. I even think I might attach a small float to it's lanyard hole, giving it just-over-neutral buoyancy, and call it a diving knife (I'm really tired of losing diving knives by having them fall out of their quick-release sheaths). I feel like it's that light.And if I do lose this knife, or even give it away, I won't feel that bad. I think I'll probably just buy a new one.*UPDATE: I did give it a way to a girl who was hitchhiking back to CA after being denied access to her summer internship at the Quebec border for having a 2-inch pocket knife.**UPDATE: And I did buy another one :)It's true. I don't think any knife could live up to the hype this thing has surrounding it (which I feel like I'm adding to with my review- which you're reading because thinking about this knife is just kinda fun). About the steel, when I got this knife, it was hair-shaving sharp. As promised. After a day of rough and dirty use, it isn't. It's more like a dull razor. Still "razor" sharp. Still shaves. But not nearly as well.As a kid, it seemed perfectly reasonable to build a submarine-helicopter-jet-spaceship-tank out of legos. As an adult, I do genuinely appreciate that some functions cannot be served by compromise with others. And I don't believe a "perfect knife" exists, or ever will. This one, however, is superior to its type, and, as farmer Hoggett once say, "That'll do."

Excellent slicer especially for not being a scandi grind. Razor sharp, super light and stainless so you can harvest game and prep food without worrying about corrosion. Not the coolest looking knife but practical for a bug out bag. It's a bit hard to unsheath at first. This knife is worth every dollar though

This knife is really well made for a utility knife - one to be used when a need arises, instead of being another object mostly to be admired.Knife is inexpensive, but certainly not cheap. Knife edge seem to hold up well with my limited usage so far. So what if it is not made from some super knife steel. It will just get touched up before it gets dull.The only negative is that of excessive retention in the sheath (difficult to extract knife). That was easily fixed with some light sanding on the finger guard hump on the molded handle.