By Mike Bondra
Now I’m not bragging, but I’ve got big hands. Nothing particularly massive, but I have a hard time getting gloves that fit. They all end up being too short and my wrists are uncovered, and the fingers get pinched and start to go numb after a bit. Inevitably I just pull them off and end up with fingers covered in what my wife likes to refer to as ‘mandages’. That’s the cleanest shop rag I’ve got laying around, wrapped around the cut or burn and held in place with duct or strapping tape. I can tell by the look on your face that you’ve done this before too. So when a tool or some such comes along that actually fits my ‘meat-hooks’ (another wife-ism) without having to be special ordered, I’m impressed. The Partisan Nano Folder by Bad Blood Knives is just such a find.
Even though this is a production run knife out of China, it feels like a custom piece. I can only assume that Sean Kendrick must have big hands too because this knife feels like an extension of my hand rather than a pocket knife. I’ve been frustrated in recent years by pocket knives that seem to have been designed with the pocket in mind, and not the actual user. Not the Partisan Nano Folder. Don’t let the inclusion of the term ‘nano’ fool you, the dimensions on this knife are wholly serviceable, and the construction materials are top notch. The blade itself is made of 8Cr14 stainless steel using a saber grind style, and comes in just shy of 4 inches. And at a thickness just over ¼ of an inch, it will hold up to even the toughest chores. To aide in opening, rounded thumb studs are continently located on both sides of the blade. In addition, the back base of the blade has knurling grooves to offer more control when using the thumb to stabilize a cut. The metal in the folding assembly liners and lock is also steel, and the handle grip scales are made of G10 composite. The handle is smooth and contoured but has groves at the base for friction. There is also a generous index finger notch for control. Rounding off the handle is a stainless steel pocket clip to allow easy carry. The handle has a length of nearly 5 inches, making for an open length of approximately 8 7/8 inches. The handle has the same beefy girth as the blade, and comes in just under 5/8 of an inch. Finally, there is a hole in the base of the handle and out of the way of the mechanism that is for a lanyard. Mine now sports a nice braided black leather strap for a bit of flair. The entire package is held together with rounded steel torx bolts, all recessed into the handle where possible.
All of this construction weighs in at an impressive 7.9 ounces; not too heavy but at the top end of what I would consider the ‘everyday carry’ range. Now with all of this construction, you may be thinking that this would be a bit cumbersome to have in your pocket, and I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind as well. The placement of the pocket clip allowed the folded blade to fit nicely in my front jeans pocket, and the weight wasn’t an issue for my typical weekend trip to the local hardware store, and running around with my family. Opened and in my hand, it just flat out felt right! The one hand opening studs were placed in a good position to provide the leverage needed to start the blade opening, and the precise construction meant that only a gentle flick of the wrist was needed to fully engage the lock and secure the blade into position. I put it to the test while doing a few home projects, since the weekend I took it for a ride had a balmy high temperature of -2 degrees F! Of course, we had our fireplace going and the Partisan Nano Folder did short work of a quick whittle or two, just for fun. The thick blade and thumb rest made for a stable and secure grip. The smooth tip arc allowed for surprisingly good fine work and held up to a bit of prying work when I discovered an aged nail in embedded into a split log (darn happy I didn’t find that with my chainsaw). Later that weekend, I found myself out in the garage, and again the Partisan Nano Folder was put to the test, used for some shaving to get a stubborn attic door to function better. And again the thicker blade and handle provided a secure grip, allowing me to finish the task while perched on a ladder in an awkward position.
With an MSRP of $80.00, you can find these online and in quality knife counters for around $45-50. In my opinion, this is another winner from Sean Kendrick and Bad Blood Knives. The Partisan Nano Folder is a great investment, as this will quickly become your everyday go-to knife. Even if you don’t have ham-shanks at the ends of your arms, you’re sure to appreciate the thickness and feeling of security and quality you will feel when using this blade.
