First Look: Bear Ops A-400 Bear Swipe IV Knife

When it comes to having a daily carry blade you can count on, quality and durability are two key elements. The Bear Ops A-400 Bear Swipe IV from Bear & Son Cutlery was designed and built as a duty-ready tool that could be counted upon by professionals in the military, law enforcement or other high-stress jobs that require tools built to stand up to rugged use.

To provide the durability and ruggedness needed in a dependable daily carry knife, Bear & Son Cutlery made the 3.25-inch blade out of Sandvik 14C28N steel, which is one of the newest forms of blade steel on the market, offering a blend of hardness, corrosion resistance and edge retention. The blade features a Rockwell Hardness rating of 58-60 and is designed to provide a balance between easy resharpening and edge stability. The Bear Ops A-400 Bear Swipe IV knife's blade incorporates a popular drop-point profile.

Surrounding the folded blade are two handles machined from black-and-OD-green G10 fiberglass laminate, a weatherproof material that provides aggressive texturing to ensure a solid grip on the knife, even in heavy rain or perspiration-drenched hands. An added benefit of the G10 material is that it's impervious to penetration from cleaning chemicals, enabling owners to easily clean and maintain their daily carry knife.

One of the other key components of the the Bear Swipe IV knife is the built-in pocket clip, which allows for deep pocket carry and can even be used to secure the knife to a thick belt or the edge of a boot. The clip can be swapped to the other side of the knife for left-handed use. The overall length of the knife when closed is 4.25 inches, and the overall weight of the blade is 3.7 ounces.

Consumers can choose between two blade finishes on the Bear Ops A-400 Bear Swipe IV: bead-blasted or all-black. Each knife is completely made in America and is backed with a lifetime warranty. The suggested retail price on the knife starts at $82.49.