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107 of 109 found the following review helpful:
Solid knife for a great price Dec 04, 2010
By RoughneckNine0
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R22OJFU3XW6MJI RoughneckNine0 here!
I've had the Smith & Wesson CK5TBS Bullseye Extreme Ops 4.1" 40% Serrated Black Tanto Blade for a few months now and decided to do a video review. Enjoy!
165 of 176 found the following review helpful:
 SUPERIOR QUALITY KNIFE! Nov 16, 2007
By Kilibreaux
"RK"
I recieved this knife as a present last year and was immediately impressed by two things. First, the level of fit, finish, and function, and second, the ridiculously low price for such a quality knife.
The construction is solid...black anodized, micro-grooved scales with large, appealing "lightening holes". Oversized blade pivot, and well-finished, tiny screws holding it all together. On the right side is located a strong, spring-steel pocket clip, also finished in a deep, matte black, attached by three tiny screws just behind the pivot pin.
The blade is just shy of 3.25", a dropped, tanto style with serrations along half its lower edge. The blade is also "single sided" meaning the "front" (left) side has the contour shaping, serrations, and logo, while the "back" (right) side is flat. This is of no import on this type of knife to any degree more than holding the price down since only one side of the blade needs to be machined. The blade is a deep black matte finish of S&W's proprietary process and has proved to be quite durable over a year of less than gentle handling. The blade is activated by a large thumbstud located near the hilt along the spine...on BOTH sides of the blade for ambidexterous use.
Blade locking is accomplished by a spring-steel liner lock affixed to the inside of the right scale (handle), and snaps in behind the blade when opened to positively lock the blade against accidental closure. I've heard of liner-locks failing, but it's hard to see how this one could.
Overall fit is well above average. The blade operates smoothly...VERY smoothly and snaps into lock with a reassuringly audible click. Despite being light, the blade can also be snapped into lock with a quick flick of the wrist after the thumb has opened it about 20 degrees.
Once locked open the blade is solid...no wobble, no looseness. To release the thumb (ideally the right thumb) is pressed against the inside of the liner lock, and the lock disengages smoothly without roughness, completely freeing the blade to be rotated into the handle.
The knife is light...easily carried in a pocket without need for being clipped.
As delivered the blade was sharp...not razor, but quite sharp, and a few strokes with an Arkansas stone quickly brought it up to RAZOR sharp and it has held that edge for a long time now.
For the price it would be hard to beat this knife. I guess S&W is now having its knives manufactured in China, which does keep prices low, yet contrary to what some would imply, the QUALITY of S&W knives in general, and this one in particular is superb...well above what one would expect for the money paid, and quite on par with all the big-name domestically produced blades costing oodles more.
To me a "good" knife not only fulfills a useful function, and possesses well-executed, crisp details, but DOES SO at a price that makes it practical to be USED. I don't know anyone who shells out hundreds of dollars for some faux-custom and then uses it hard. THIS knife can be used to the full extent of what it's relatively light-weight construction was meant to allow...and then some, because it didn't cost a small fortune...on top of being VERY well put-together.
You can generally find this knife and several variations of it listed through various online sellers for around $12....TWELVE BUCKS for a knife this good? Amazing. I've seen truly CHEAP pieces of junk at swap-meets selling for more. Let me be very clear: This knife is a truly outstanding value any way you slice it (pun intended).
201 of 223 found the following review helpful:
First Thoughts Jul 03, 2009
By Alfonso Waler
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R32YRJHW3UKBFJ 4 stars, but that is as a knife in general and does not factor in the price. At $10, well worth the cost (5 stars).
The Main Points:
First, I've only had this one day, so these are some initial thoughts.
The thumb stud and liner lock are a nice latch that makes it easy to open and close with one hand.
The serrations are nice, and work OK as a wood saw, not amazing, but there is just a little over an inch of serration, so what can you expect?
The only complaint: I don't like that the blade has an angle bend. A curve would be much nicer for such things as whittling.
Overall, a good tool. I am satisfied with my purchase and would reccomend it to others.
*Update* - yeah guys I have come to understand that a tanto blade has the angle. But I want to point out that particular shortcoming to someone like me, who had no idea what that meant. So to all- This is a great Tanto blade. Enjoy.
44 of 45 found the following review helpful:
Solid value May 17, 2008
By Gary L. Herstein
This seems like a good knife, especially at the price. I've not been pounding on it with a hammer, or using it to chisel marble, but the constrction seems sound, the blade well mounted and of high quality, the grip easy on the hand, and the mechanism locks positively and well.
Reflecting upon another review, it is possible that a smaller hand might find the thumb-knurl on the small side and difficult to open, for lack of leverage and inadequate purchase. This is only a guess, but may be a matter of consideration for others. As already noted, I find the blade easy to open and the lock mechanism tight and solid.
One other point of approval -- the belt-clip is very solid, tight and well-mounted. Many other manufacturers seem to go cheap on the clip, which makes carrying the knife a problem after a while. The clip loosens up and the knife will easily fall off the belt if one is in an awkward position or brushing past things. This guy looks like it will stay on the belt long after the belt itself has fallen away. This, for me, is another positive.
20 of 20 found the following review helpful:
It ain't Benchmade, it ain't Buck, it ain't Al Mar but... Jul 17, 2009
By A photographer
It's the best ten dollar knife I've ever bought.
I wasn't expecting much. I read the reviews and said to myself, "I know this is a waste of money but why the hell not?" I'm glad I did.
I'm kind of a knife nut. I've been one since I was a kid and that was a lonnnnngggg time ago. Over the years I have collected dozens of knives and I've used all of them for various tasks around the house, on the job and while camping or travelling. I have several big knives from Swamp Rat, Becker and SOG, a few martial arts knives from Cold Steel, hunting knives from Lakota, Puma, Fallkniven and Buck and boxes full of folding knives from Victorinox, Spyderco, Buck, Kershaw, Al Mar, Benchmade, Gerber and numerous others. A few purchases were junk--like a CRKT folder that refuses to take an edge no matter how much I hone it. A few were disappointments--like an Ontario/RAT military/survival knife that cost a hundred bucks and the handles fit like a three buck dimestore toy. A few were surprises--like the Byrd knives made in China and imported by Spyderco.
This S&W was one of the surprises.
It's made in China by Taylor Cutlery. It's badged as Smith & Wesson but S&W doesn't really make it and probably has nothing to do with the design, choice of materials or anything else. It's a cheap knife that is made to be sold and should be junk. But it's not.
This is not the sharpest knife I've ever bought but it can be sharpened to a good utility edge. The serrations are good for utility purposes as well and they can be touched up nicely with the Spyderco Sharpmaker. It's not the prettiest knife I've ever bought but I bought it as a "beater" so looks are not important. The tanto-point blade has a good, even grind and the thickness of the blade makes for a pretty strong utility knife overall. The clip is a bit on the flimsy side but it holds the knife inside the pocket well suspended. The aluminum handles have good gripping surfaces that helps to prevent your hand slipping when wet. Opening and closing is smooth and easy to perform one handed. Really, it's a knife that just seems to fulfill the purpose of being a folding knife.
The best part is that it's a ten buck knife.
I don't expect this knife to last for decades. I won't be passing it down to future generations. It's going to be rode hard and put up wet and abused and neglected. It will get a sharpening when dull and an oiling when the joint is sluggish but it's not going to get the treatment I give to my expensive knives. I'll use it for dirty jobs and if it gets lost in the process, I will not feel too much pain. It's just a ten buck knife.
EDIT 04/07/2010: What they say about the lock is true. It wears pretty quickly, turning this folder into a fixed blade until you can find a screwdriver or other tool to pry the lock out of the way and close it. About the same quality lock mechanism as I've seen in some $40 Chinese Gerbers. Difference is, in a $40 knife it's garbage and in a $10 knife it's expected.
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