When the Steel Will Apostate crossed my desk, I wondered if someone at Steel Will me in mind for the design. The series is just about perfect: from the G10 and titanium scales to the flip-out mechanism, it seemed to have been designed with the features I really like.
Even the tanto-style blade is both the perfect size and length. While the knife itself is a bit on the large size (9.6 inches open), it just plain fits. The blade is devoid of serrations, which while handy are difficult to keep sharp and tend to be less forgiving should one slip. Even the tip is ground to a fine, useful point.
Most impressive, to me, was the operation. Most flip-out style knives really require a bit of finesse - or working with gravity. If you don't hit the mechanism with exactly the right amount of force, the blade only opens partially. This can be a nuisance in certain cases, downright dangerous in others. Not so with the Apostate, though. Even with the knife positioned completely vertically, a simple push on the lever opened it fully.
MSRP: $174.99.
