Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops Folding Knife Review
Smith & Wesson Extreme Ops Review
Cost: $33 List
Pros: Burly and intimidating
Cons: Bulky and heavy
Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson
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Our Verdict
In a field of general purpose pocket knives, the Smith and Wesson stands out for its specialized nature. In improver to a beefy hybrid straight and serrated blade, the Extreme Ops elegantly includes a webbing/seatbelt cutter and a steel punch for bashing through drinking glass. Our testing team did not include anyone working in professional urban rescue, but it is like shooting fish in a barrel for all of the states to envision the demand for a tool like this. "Civilian" users will practise improve to look elsewhere for a knife for routine utilize.
Our Assay and Test Results
The Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops is a large pocket knife with two specialized rescue tools built in. Our testers plant the extra features to be nicely integrated, only largely unnecessary for the vast majority of users.
Performance Comparison
The Extreme Ops knife performed the most poorly of all the knives in our test on the love apple test. Other online reviews reflect the same matter.
Credit: Megan Seel
Blade and Edge Integrity
The blade of the Extreme Ops knife is thick and durable. In heavy use, this blade will not allow the user down. Out-of-the-box, the edge was one of the least abrupt in our test. Even when brand new, the blade could not cut a tomato. However, the directly section of the bract is hands user-sharpened. If the user maintains the factory-spec steep border angle, the border will exist sufficiently sharp yet withstand crude use on abrasive materials. Merely similar the CRKT Mount Shasta, the hybrid blade design leaves the user the option of easily sharpening the straight section while reserving the serrated portion for tougher cut tasks like rope or carpet. The "tanto" shaped blade gives a unique await and makes for a marginal increment in strength. The small and dissever bract inside the v-shaped seatbelt cutter is sharp enough for the application. Annotation that it cannot exist sharpened by the user. If y'all will truly rely on the seatbelt cutter, relieve that blade for emergency employ but.
Ergonomics
The Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops full-size form factor fills a clenched fist nicely. In extended usage the handle offers no issues. The handle is slightly thinner, and therefore less rounded, than both Benchmade knives. The similarly sized Benchmade Griptilian 551 is a tenth of an inch thicker with a more rounded, more comfortable handle. Even the significantly smaller Editors' Choice winner Benchmade Mini-Avalanche 585 has a slightly thicker handle that sits more than comfy in a working mitt. The Extreme Ops opens easily with one paw, from either side. The pocket clip is situated such that a slight, though noticeable, repositioning of the pocketknife is required in order to pollex the blade open with the right hand. If carried in a left pants pocket, even more manipulation is required to open up the blade. The simple liner lock fixes the blade in place and allows eventually intuitive 2-handed closure. We would similar to encounter a "tactical" knife like this in assisted opening style. Note that the seatbelt cutter is non very piece of cake or intuitive to use. If yous own this knife and expect to apply the seatbelt cutter in an emergency situation, exercise on some one-time webbing in club to go a experience for how information technology will piece of work for yous.
Construction Quality
Smith and Wesson brings over 150 years of American firearm manufacturing expertise to the Farthermost Ops knife. Gun manufacturing requires precise blueprint cues and tight tolerances. The knife we tested reveals this attending to detail. All parts are bolted together with user-serviceable fasteners. The principal blade swivel is tight, but offers little to no resistance upon opening of the blade.
Portability
Like Benchmade's Griptillian knife and the Victorinox SwissChamp Swiss Regular army Pocketknife the Extreme Ops is pretty sizable for every day carry in pocket or handbag. Still, in this example, if y'all require the additional and specialized tools of the Farthermost Ops, it volition be like shooting fish in a barrel to justify the boosted bulk and weight. In fact, the glass breaker tool only benefits from the greater mass of the unabridged tool.
Other Features
Every bit mentioned higher up, the two rescue features included with the Extreme Ops knife will exist key for some users. The glass basher and the webbing cutter are efficiently and gracefully integrated into the shape and design of the Extreme Ops knife. The webbing cutter could be a lilliputian sharper in gild to cut with greater ease, simply it serves the purpose. Specially if the user can practice a niggling flake with information technology.
Best Awarding
Police officers, firefighters, and paramedics in certain situations will find the Extreme Ops pocketknife useful. It is as well easy to imagine that professional drivers in extreme environments (Think "Ice Road Truckers"…) may justify conveying one of these in their pockets.
Value
If yous need the features of this knife, we tin endorse the value of the Smith and Wesson Extreme Ops. Smith and Wesson clearly manufactures with pride in quality and sells this knife at a very affordable price.
Conclusion
The Smith and Wesson is a specialized tool intended for every day carry past a very select demographic of people. A user may only use the specialized extra features in one case in his or her life, but in that one instance will justify carrying the tool for years prior and afterwards.
— Jediah Porter
Source: https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/pocket-knife/smith-wesson-extreme-ops