James Brand ‘The Kline’ EDC Knife Review: A Magnacut Masterpiece Made for Abuse

A model identified for appears over utility makes a pointy flip with The Kline, a do-all, no-whining on a regular basis carry knife that stands with the very best of them.

Over the years, The James Brand (TJB) has grow to be identified across the knife world as a form-over-function model. It makes good knives able to getting the job performed, however its blades excel within the appears division. Historically, they haven’t precisely been the hardest knives on the market.

But then the model releases a knife like The Kline, which it touts as an “American Made Workhorse,” and makes you marvel: Is this the EDC knife that’s going to vary everybody’s minds about TJB?

I’m comfortable to report that I’d be mendacity if I stated no.

When I check a knife, I don’t sit in my workshop and slice up cardboard and twine to see how properly the sting holds up on the metal; I depend on it. I take the knife out on my adventures and provides it hell. With The Kline, it landed one afternoon, and the next morning I used to be out and about utilizing it as the one knife I introduced with me for 3 devoted days within the outside.

No cell service, no warmth, no plumbing, no turning again. And, finally, no regrets.

In quick: If you haven’t heard of TJB earlier than, or thought of proudly owning one in all its knives, now’s the time to start out paying consideration. Yes, The Kline comes at a hefty value, however when you think about what you’re getting out of it — unbelievable metal, Magnacut — and in case you plan on it being the one knife to information you for years to come back, it simply is likely to be value each cent.

The James Brand Kline Folder Knife: Review

Design, Features

Disclaimer: It’s robust for me to not geek out in regards to the supplies utilized in The Kline as a result of they’re the cream of the crop. I’ll save that for an evening by a hearth and a chilly craft beer. For now, I’ll follow the information.

The Kline is constructed off of a chrome steel body, to which the Micarta backspacer and scales bolt. This creates a inflexible construction that’s lighter than I believed this “thicc boi” can be. All of the Micarta has been sanded and smoothed, however the glorious grip, attribute of Micarta, stays.

The Magnacut metal is actually premium and does rather well as a big-bellied, hollow-ground drop-point blade. I can say this after exposing The Kline to a litany of parts — moist, snowy, and chilly — and utilizing it to chop wooden, meat, greens, and frozen rope.

Additionally, I’ll have dug some 9mm slugs out of a tree with it as properly, however hold that between us.

Magnacut just isn’t the type of metal that will get skin-popping-sharp, however I can guarantee you that it’s sharp and stays sharp longer than a lot of the different tremendous steels on the market. I really fileted the highest two layers of pores and skin off my index finger and barely observed it, and this was after every week of tough and tumble use.

I used to be involved in regards to the “slab on” development of the stonewashed, deep-carry pocket clip. The trade commonplace is to chop a reduction into the deal with scale to nest the pocket clip, and hold it from relying solely on the screws holding it in place.

But right here we’re, a stable week into an abundance of wear and tear and tear within the outside, and the clip is tight as a tiger with none help from yours actually.

First Impressions

My first 12 hours with this knife have been 12 hours out within the woods — it begs for a problem. And it didn’t simply cease there, as I used to be kicking off a full weekend outside, consuming jerky and pumpkin seeds, and staying heat by a hearth after I wasn’t tramping across the trails.

So my first impression wasn’t simply unboxing, but additionally the joys of placing it proper to work. Diving proper in gave me a greater understanding of what The Kline might do, which was a marked flip from what I’d identified TJB to be all about.

Early on, it clicked in my thoughts that The Kline is function-forward and simple to depend on if you want it. And it doesn’t harm that, as you’d anticipate from the model, it’s additionally a very handsome knife. In all, The Kline checks off lots of containers I search for, visually, in an EDC.

Looking again, I suppose I shouldn’t be all that stunned. Knife nerds like myself wish to fawn over knife metal. And why not? The metal is an important a part of the knife. It’s what units one knife forward of the opposite — even when they share each different attribute.

Magnacut metal isn’t just a few intelligent advertising and marketing invention that surfaced at some drawn-out board assembly — it’s really a brilliant metal; an amalgamation of the very best attributes of chrome steel and carbon metal.

When you stonewash and sandwich that between some OD Green Micarta scales, and an equally stonewashed deep-carry clip and provides it a bombproof locking mechanism, what’s to not love?

In the Field

As I stated above, my first impression of The Kline was after I put it to work within the subject. It was raining and chilly and by the point I acquired to the purpose the place I wanted to start out utilizing the knife, I used to be depressing.

But The Kline didn’t flinch. I prepped up a bunch of kindling for a small fireplace, reduce up a bunch of jerky, after which stirred it up in a cup of Ramen — all with The Kline.

And I did all of it with gloves, which might show hit and miss. Generally, working a knife requires the consumer to take off their gloves. So with The Kline, I used to be initially involved that the TJB Slide Lock would give me issues, but it surely didn’t in any respect.

Also, the blade flicks out rather well — nearly too properly — however as a result of there aren’t any bearings for it to journey on, there was no blade wobble for me to complain about. Thumb studs on each side imbue ambidextrous motion as properly.

Throughout the three days I spent within the outside, and the week following, there have been fairly a couple of alternatives to place The Kline away, chilly and moist, and I did. There have been even instances when the chilly and moist joined with grit and dirt.

Still, I had zero reservations about operating The Kline underneath the tap every time I acquired round to it.

I even used The Kline to assist me hold Christmas lights on the home. Turns out I used to be a bit of lazy final spring after I took the lights down. But The Kline popped all these previous, rusty staples out like a champ.

I can’t say there are lots of manufacturing knives in my assortment that I’d be comfy using for all of those different chores. But, that’s the great thing about a real “American Made Workhorse.”

James Brand ‘The Kline’: Conclusions

As I stated, TJB has grow to be synonymous with lighter-duty knives that look good. But The Kline is a pointy departure from that ethos; it’s constructed to final and begs to sort out your most difficult duties.

Is that as a result of it’s made in America? Maybe, to a sure extent. But with The Kline, in comparison with among the different TJB knives I’ve used or examined, there may be extra consideration to element, and higher high quality management within the construct. This serves because the spine for the factory-direct “workhorse” declare.

Should you exit and spend $350 on it? I imply, that’s Benchmade cash. That’s Spyderco, made-in-Colorado cash. You might name up Rick Hinderer and canopy most of the price of an XM-18 with $350. So, I suppose my reply can be, it relies upon.

You ought to take into account investing $350 in The Kline, however provided that you’re going to make use of the rattling factor.

There are loads of knives in the marketplace proper now to fill your pocket and Instagram stream. Don’t let The Kline be that knife to you. Let or not it’s the knife you employ and abuse, and watch it pay you again in spades.

Magnacut metal is a present from the gods. Whatever knife makes use of that metal just isn’t meant to sit down in your sock drawer.

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