- new, big and bold
Time for a test of a brand new to me. It's American Tekto Knives flexing their muscles with their latest and beefiest folding knife called the F3 Charlie.
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| Tekto F3 Charlie |
The fact that I didn't come into contact with them earlier is not because they are brand new, the company was founded in 2016 and thus has a few years under its belt. It's just that they flew under the radar in this case. Possibly it could be because they focused to some extent on the manufacture of "OTFs", automatic knives. With strict American legislation, they may not be sold in any way abroad as they partly fall under legislation relating to arms exports. This means that they can be sold but not everywhere, which makes them more difficult to find in Europe. Swedish stores, for example, may not sell such knives at all. But that is due to local laws.
But here we have a representative for the rest of the range, which currently consists of three models. This one was chosen because it is the largest, although not because of the size, but because it is clearly more intended for outdoor life and the like, unlike the others, which have a clear EDC focus.
I write "and the like" as Tekto themselves claims they are "Designed for professional use by law enforcement and military personnel, Tekto's collection of folding knives are battle tested and enduring".* Possibly I can object that the same can be said about a regular Mora knife also. But that is jargon. Now it remains to be seen what I think of the knife.
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| A broad blade used as a selling point |
Short version: Tekto Knives F3 Charlie, "the Gentle Giant"
Blade
The blade of this knife is the selling point itself and Tekto tells us that the blade is "oversized" and by that, I assume they mean the height which is a whopping 3.6 cm which is matched by a length of 10.5 cm. All in all, a pretty massive blade, in other words. To that, the blade is quite thin with a stock thickness of three millimeters.
The spine of the blade has a swedge above a fuller. The false edge is a little hard to see against the black. The long notch actually serves a function. Which I will return to later.
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| A blackened blade in the form of a more than ten centimetres long drop point |
The steel is nothing extraordinary. Here, D2 is used which has some form of black surface treatment. This applies to all versions of the knife except if you want a Damascus blade. In this case, with a stated goal of creating a large, solid folding knife for outdoor life and more, I see nothing wrong with the choice of steel. It takes and holds sharpness well and is relatively impact-resistant. Although the latter feature is less important in a folding knife. The tendency to rust is here partly eliminated by the coating.
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| The steel is D2 |
The basic requirements for a blade that cuts well are here, as I usually say. A blade no thicker than this with a very high flat grind bodes well. The primary edge is a maximum of three centimeters, which is more than many blades as a whole. But then, like many others, Tekto falls on the finish line, so to speak. Behind the edge, the blade is 0.5 mm thick, which is certainly strong but also makes the knife cut worse. However, it can be somewhat excused considering the direction of the knife. The factory edge wasn't much to brag about either, unfortunately. Not completely even and not very sharp.
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| Despite the flat grind, this is not the F3's main strength |
When we talk about strength, it is a quality that can be achieved in two ways. Either by making the blade thicker or which I generally prefer, making it taller. It should be pointed out that the blade will of course not be as strong laterally in the latter case. But it's also not necessary in a folding knife that hopefully isn't used as a prybar. But here it is perhaps a bit too tall. What I mean is that the wide blade binds in some material. It is not to one's advantage when cutting wood and is directly negative when cutting cardboard, for example. The latter became very clear when I compared this knife side by side with another knife I am currently reviewing. Namely, there was a lot of cardboard at home after the delivery of the sofa from IKEA.
However, the advantage of such wide blades is that they are easier to control in softer materials such as certain foodstuffs. There are always pros and cons to different blade shapes. But with this shape and the generous belly, it's the closest thing to a skinner.
Handle
The F3 Charlie is a large knife and with it comes a spacious handle. Concretely, it means more than thirteen centimeters in length with an available grip surface of about 11.5 cm. It is both enough and left over for even those with very large hands. But since the handle is not very high, 24-26 mm depending on where you measure, it also works for those with slightly smaller hands.
The front part of the handle together with the flipper tab forms finger protection and behind it, there is a generous recess that can accommodate two fingers. The remaining two naturally follow and find their place.
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| A roomy handle that swallows most hands including those with gloves on |
The knife is not only large, it is also light. It has been achieved through two things. Firstly, the knife is no thicker than 13 mm. To get there, they have chosen to recess the frame in the handle sides. The frame is also very heavily lightened and resembles more a truss than a solid frame. It is both strong and light.
The knife is available in a few different colors. Half or full black is one way of putting it as the knife blade is always dark. The handle can be OD green as here, alternatively black or grey. The sides consist of G10 which is not extremely grippy. Rather on the "mild" side in terms of friction. Then it has been touched up with some small grooves at the base of the blade and some deeper grooves towards the back of the handle.
In addition, for some reason, the entire front part of the frame has been provided with "jimpings" at the finger recess. Why is somewhat unclear as you can partially feel them against your fingers but they hardly fulfill any function. It feels more like it is put there just because.
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| The back is completely open, something that is not always a good thing in combination with a "plunge lock" |
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| Here are examples of surfaces that were not only rough but almost sharp |
Here we return to one of the details that I would have liked to see improved from the beginning. It's the insides of the G10 slabs. They are sharp both on the back side and not least where the little finger lands when using the knife. The edges do not contribute to a better grip or anything like that, they are just annoying. As usual, when I come across such details, the sandpaper comes out and a few minutes later the knife is immediately more pleasant to handle without gloves. Of course, if you wear them, you won't even notice. But personally, I am without such 90 times out of 100 when working with a knife.
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| The F3 Charlie has a shape on the handle that is user-friendly |
Otherwise, this is a simple handle and quite ergonomic for being as thin as it is. Another plus is that the length means that the clip never interferes when working with the knife. In addition, it is easy to get close to what you are cutting, which eliminates the need for "forward choils". One detail I mostly think is in the way.
Our friend Charlie can be gripped however the user feels and all grips work. That's a good rating for a handle.
Opening and Lock
All knives have their strengths and under this heading, you will find some of them belonging to the F3 Charlie. Not only can it be opened quickly and closed even more nimbly, but the action itself is exceptionally smooth while making a cool little noise every time you use the knife.
Ball bearings are of course part of the explanation, the other is a heavy blade. The two collaborate with good results.
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| The flipper tab as well as the locking mechanism works great to open this knife. If you are not in a hurry, it can also be done with two hands or with the help of the notch in the blade |
On a knife equipped with this type of lock, it's the lock itself that makes up the detent ball, if you know what I mean. It is the locking bolt with its small spring that provides the resistance that holds the blade in place in the retracted position. Here, Tekto has not been 100 percent successful with that detail. This means that there is an admittedly very small tendency for the blade to move when the knife is closed. This means that the actual release when the knife is to be opened is not the crispest. This in turn makes the knife slightly slower than it could be. It also makes it possible to fail with the opening.
But it must be said clearly that despite this, this is a quick knife. Especially considering the large blade. But if you know that it is possible to miss and take it into account, the result is very satisfying.
This knife can then be opened in several ways. With two hands, of course, a large part of the blade is visible and can be grasped. It is also possible to pry against the fuller/blood notch, whereupon you can open the knife either with your thumb or with a flick of your index finger on the back of the blade if you are a bit dexterous.
The lock type also means that it can of course be used to both open and close the knife. Just press the button and let gravity or a little flick of the wrist do the work. "Little" must be emphasized as there is a great risk that the blade will fly out so fast that it will bounce back otherwise.
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| The lock is of the Plunge/Button lock type |
The tiny little movement in the lock I mentioned earlier returns when the knife is opened. Almost more of a feeling than movement but it's there. Laterally, however, the blade is completely mute. It should be pointed out that there is nothing that affects the function of the knife, nor is there so much movement that there is reason to be annoyed. However, it shows that it is not simple to achieve the perfect "button lock" solution. It requires very high precision and is thus more difficult than, for example, liner locks.
Otherwise, it is a good lock. Easy to handle and release. The button sticks out a bit but the placement on the handle makes it very difficult to accidentally access. A disadvantage exists with this type of lock if they are combined with an open back, which I discovered when I was out in the woods. Debris, bark in this case, can get stuck in the lock and it won't work. Easily remedied, but the risk is there.
To Carry
Big usually means worse when it comes to wearing comfort. And that is certainly a truth, but in this case, Tekto has played a little trick. By making the knife as thin as it is, it is surprisingly comfortable in the pocket. Especially as F3 Charlie for the size is light.
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| For being a folding knife, Charlie is large, which is noticeable in a pocket |
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| The space under the clip is good, but the tip points outward |
But you can't completely ignore a thirteen-centimeter knife, which is also four centimeters high, plus a flipper that sticks up a bit more. Then the placement of the clip makes a piece of knife stick out of the pocket. I don't see the latter as a problem though, this isn't primarily an EDC knife although it works well as that as well.
However, the clip is quite long and thus visible and the tip is angled outwards, which has caused me to scrape a couple of door frames at this point.
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| This is what F3 Charlie looks like in a pocket |
The clip is a standard spring steel clip that is blackened to match the blade and the rest of the color scheme. The tension is good and the advantage of the wrong-angled end is that it is easy to pass over fabric edges. The space underneath is large and since the attachment is on the outside of the clip, it does not encroach on the space. The clip is recessed in the side of the handle and sits with a small T6 screw unlike the T8 screws found in both the side and pivot screw.
The clip can't be repositioned so there is no love for left-handed people here.
To Conclude
In my opinion, Tekto has with the F3 Charlie succeeded in its aim, to make a large and solid folding knife aimed at the areas of use where one is needed. As I said, it is equipped with a sturdy blade and a strong construction while being relatively easy to carry. So far a very good knife.
However, there is a small elephant in the room, at least if you are from the US. Consumers there are sometimes extra sensitive to the origin of knives. This knife is made in the USA but the question is what does that mean.* According to themselves, the origin of the company is a more or less successful excursion in Maine that later led to the creation of Tekto in 2016. But as far as production is concerned, the company is open with how it is as it is clearly stated on the website, they say:
Designed, tested & assembled in the USA from imported and local parts.
Although the beginning of the sentence is written in bold the latter is both thinner and smaller on the website. But about that, I want to say two things. One is that I am not as sensitive to origin as I am European and Swedish. For me, most of the knives I come into contact with are produced elsewhere than at home. This also applies to most "Swedish" knives. The second is that Tekto has not tried to hide the situation, which others have done and failed to do. Honesty is a virtue, they say.
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| F3 Charlie is a tad big for EDC but it also works in that role depending on your preference |
Of course, none of this affects the general quality. It is about other values that may be more or less important for different individuals. Everyone has to decide on that.
Fit & Finish is good in this case with a few details that could be a touch better. The choice of material is not too bad if you also add pricepoint to the equation. Although they are not the cheapest by any means. In Europe, the knife costs from €129.
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| Winter as spring, the Tekto F3 Charlie is a good knife for outdoor use |
Tekto Knives F3 Charlie is a knife that feels familiar in a way as I recently reviewed a knife from another brand with similar proportions, large and thin. At the same time, it offers some personal qualities that make it worth looking at extra.
What we have here is a folding knife that I think is excellent mainly for all kinds of outdoor use or as an EDC knife for those who really want a big knife. Especially as the choice of a Button lock makes the knife exceptionally easy to handle in different situations whether you are in a hurry or not.
Specification:
Length Overall: 231 mm
Length Folded: 133 mm
Weight: 127 g
Blade Length: 2,9 mm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Blade Steel: D2, 60-62HRC
Handle: G10
Lock: Liner lock
Produced by: Tekto Knives, made in the USA
/ J
* Being Swedish and thus with a military service background (corporal in the Navy as a dog handler in the early nineties), I am not as impressed by that argument. I can't see that I used knives more or in another way than I usually do. On the other hand, when I worked as a butcher or like now, a chef, I really use knives. Or when I pursue interests such as outdoor life or, more directly, knife throwing. But that is the subject of another post. However, it can be added that both EKA's smaller folding knives and Moraknivar are used by the Swedish defense forces, so they are also "Battle-tested".
* In the same way Shirogorov is a Russian brand made in Russia but from Chinese-produced components.
