Cold Steel Tuff Lite AUS-8A Folding Knife - Red

I'll start with the cons, as I have one: a total lack of quality control after moving production to Asia. The product, without modification, will be problematic for left-handed people despite the option to attach the clip to the other side of the handle. Why? The thumb opening hole is not milled on both sides - so only right-handed people have comfortable opening. Left-handed people either have to get used to the lack of milling and the steel digging into the thumb, or they have to mill it themselves. A handle that's fitted like this may be another con for aesthetes – but that's just a matter of grinding it down for a perfectly even finish. It doesn't interfere with usage. That's all for the cons. Tuff Lite is a great knife as a backup – especially in the serrated version, if your main knife is a plain edge. Tuff Lite is a workhorse – a simple and cheap design to produce. Definitely designed with input from the accountants: - There's no G-10 handle, but the handle holds well in the hand. - There's no super steel and that's very good. That way, you don't stress about whether a particular task might damage the microstructure of a mirror-polished super steel edge worth a fortune. Some might consider AUS 8A to be a terrible idea – but you really have to work hard to ruin that steel. For tougher jobs, I always use the right, but cheapest, tool and here the Tuff is used more often than pricier gadgets, because frankly, I don't want to waste better steel on jobs I can do with the cheapest, appropriate tool for the task. If I need to cut willow branches for Easter, I'll do it with a Vaquero serrated in AUS 10A, not my Lynn (RIP) signed Spartan with CPM-S35VN. What does the Tuff have: - A serrated blade which, even if it isn't factory-sharp, will still handle better than a plain edge with a similar level of wear when cutting cardboard, plastic, branches, zip ties, clothing, thick foils, or plant stems. Note here – if you get bigger serrations, you won’t be able to cut a cabbage head evenly—it’ll always veer to the right—but not everyone needs to slice big, heavy things with a serrated edge. - A wharncliffe blade (to me, more wharncliffe than sheepfoot as described), on which you can comfortably rest your index finger for precise cuts. Here it's 6 out of 5 stars. - Interestingly, despite its small size, you can grip it with your whole hand thanks to the unique blade design. Penetration is so-so, but surprisingly there is some – mainly thanks to the serrated edge and the ability to securely grip the knife handle. - Tri-Ad lock – the lock doesn’t even need description, since it’s legendary and has never failed in any CS I've used. - The knife is as simple as can be, hard to rust, and easy to disassemble if needed. If this is your first serrated blade from CS, it’s worth buying a Lansky sharpener made for CS serrations. I have several models from CS with serrated blades, and dozens of knives in my collection – but lately I've used the Tuff Lite most often. It's light, has the best lock so I don’t mind using it for hard work, I don’t worry about rust, and if needed, it's easy to sharpen in the field with a dedicated sharpener. Plus, no one panics when I pull it out of my pocket because of its size and blade shape.