Steel Will Knives recently released its Censor line of knives, and as soon as I saw the release I knew I had to investigate further. It seems like pretty much every firearm enthusiast I know is also a knife enthusiast as well (who knew? Fans of good, solid tools like *all* good, solid tools, whether they be the bladed, ballistic or even hardware variety...), so the line seemed a natural fit.
The Censor line is comprised of three different blade styles and two different finishes. All are AUS-8 steel with nylon handles, have a glass-breaker at the end of the handle and all come with nylon sheaths with lanyard or belt mounting capabilities. Series ending in a "0" have a satin finish, while models ending in "2" have what the company calls a "Black Traction" coating.
The 1310/1312 series (1312 shown in header) have a modified-drop-point blade with a 3.54-inch length. The 1312 is 7.68 inches long overall and weighs 5.54 ounces. The curved handle fills the hand well, and the nylon scales have light serrations on the back to anchor it firmly. The Black Traction finish is appealing and utilitarian, and the blade is wickedly sharp.
The belt clip took a couple tries to get right, but that's a lot more my own fault for being in a rush to get it set up to carry. Once it's all together, it rides at a great angle on the belt line for immediate use; placed on the off-hand side it's quick to present, while small-of-back offers greater concealment. It's quite simple to change direction, too, so if you'd prefer to set it up for strong-hand carry and swap it back that's no trouble.
It's a good, solid series that's just a fantastic all-around value. The 1312 has a great overall profile, fills the hand solidly and stays where you want it.
MSRP: $59.99 for "0" series (satin finish); $64.99 for "2" series (Black Traction finish).
