Editor’s Note: The following column is part of our TacticaList series, a collection of expert columns and features on all things tactical — from fishing and hunting to camping and shooting, and pertain to a broad audience of law enforcement, military, sport shooters, hunters, and beyond. These columns are featured in our monthly TacticaList newsletter. Check out our most recent issue and let us know what you think! Click here to subscribe to the TacticaList.
I tested a KnifeArt.com Quick Draw Knife, a compact, full tang D2 fixed blade with respectable handling and utility. It turned out to be an excellent all around utility blade.
KnifeArt is well known in the knife industry as a retail outlet for quality knives. Although KnifeArt is an online retail store, their best description includes “curator” in the title. They generally sell the best brands and guys like me are often caught on their website on work breaks.
What most people don’t know is the fact that they have their own knife brand. Their knives are built to their specifications in the USA. The Quick Draw Knife is made with the same quality materials and standard as we expect from custom knives.
The Quick Draw Knife is made of D2, with the hardness taken up to RC 59-60. In the history of D2, it should be noted that one of the original applications was to cut softer steel. I’m the kind of person who believes that everything that makes up a knife has to place its design in harmony. The steel and the way it is treated is part of it. If you are thinking of owning this knife, I have confirmed it will hold a fine edge under stress. However, you’d better use serious sharpening material to coax that edge when the time comes.
D2 steel almost always finishes to a satin sheen. It is only mildly reflective. This does not help the crowd who believes only black knives are invisible, but it’s not very reflective. It’s perfect for users who eat with their camp knife because it is easy to clean and maintain.
D2 is a semi stainless tool steel. One can beat it up and it will always perform. However, keep a light coat of oil on it. It is, after all, semi stainless. Buy a Sentry Solutions Tuf Cloth at KnifeArt.com when you get your knife.
If I had to describe the field results of this knife in a single word, it would be durability. A full day of materials cutting didn’t change one aspect of the edge at all under a microscope. I can’t say that about most knives I have ever tested.
The Quick Draw Knife has a 3.25-inch blade was not designed for chopping bone, but it’s perfect for cutting trap triggers. The .2 inch spine does not make the blade particularly flexible but it has incredible thrusting capabilities.
The micarta scales are pinned with stainless steel pins. The maker used a stainless steel tube for the lanyard hole, which is perfect for 550 cord.
The subtle palm swells give the knife a stable positioning for the hand even though the smallest finger is almost at the end of the butt. The guard is integral with the blade and the scales are contoured into the guard, giving great protection for sliding or rolling cuts used in making fire starting materials.
The ricasso line is even with the blade so placing the finger forward of the guard was not part of the design intent. Even though the belly of the blade has a reasonable upsweep, the tip is completely aligned with the gripping area. The false edge helps with balance and penetration. When it comes to the physics of knives, how does this translate? Let’s say the user needed to puncture a hard surface using a thrusting motion-think sheet metal. The tip would be completely aligned, giving maximum power at the tip, but the blade belly following would present an ideal cutting angle, maximizing the thrust. This is one of those kinds of blades that is several inches longer than it really is.
The Quick Draw Knife came with a Concealex sheath that was designed to clip horizontally on the belt or vertically on a pack strap. When clipped on the belt, it simply can be drawn straight out. It is devoid of straps or any restraints, making it a very quick fixed blade.
I’m not a fan of this type of sheath, but it is lighter than leather and doesn’t have tanning materials that could stain the blade. Still, the scabbard is very light and secure. If I had a choice, I would make the clip removable so it can be carried vertically on the belt. For those who jump out of working airplanes, there are plenty of holes in the sheath for lashing it down and adding security to the sheath.
Who would own the Quick Draw Knife? This is not a specialty knife. It is ideal for most camp chores and self-sufficiency tasks. That is, it’s truly an EDC knife.
