Yep. One man's "novelty" is another man's collectible. Gotta have at least one friction folder; however, I'd recommend Svord's GIANT Peasant. Now THAT'S fun!
One of the few times I don't agree with nick. I have a mini with plastic handle and the large in wood. The wood one came with a lame lacquer finish that I sanded off and left raw. I adjusted both so I can one hand open them and haven't had to readjust yet. Im a taller dude so the large fits in my front pants pocket no problem. I love my Opinels but carry the peasant more. It has a better blade and feels more robust for everyday use.
thegeneral123 I’d love to make a pair of wooden scales tho. The plastic is real durable but I want the patina of the carbon steel blade to match the handle
Iv carried mine for years, it's a wooden handle version that I have customized. Etched the blade, added jimping and reshaped the scales with better ergos and grip (file work) also rounding off the pointed end and staining with a homemade coffee stain. I own many high end knives and this one easily gets the most use and pocket time out of all of them. Even if I'm carrying a ZT or a spyderco I still have this with me as well. Love the simplicity of it.
“What the heck am I supposed to do with this thing?” I’ll say this is nice knife for camping, garden work, etc. Also a great experience using something that connects the user with the past. Considering the origin is essential to a fair review.
Yea was a weird comment. Yes the design is a little different but it has a pretty basic utility blade shape and can be used for almost anything. And if he things it's "huge" and "not pocket carry able" then he must be wearing some women's pants with fake pockets or something.
Great little knives for the price and holds a pretty good edge. I carry the mini for hunting and no longer worry about carrying anything to touch the edge up as you just don't need it. Will happily bone out a deer, is comfortable in the hand and isn't really a pain in the ass in your pocket. For $30 NZ it's hard to say no if you want a carbon steel knife that compares to a Mercator, but at under half the price.
What Nick doesn't seem to realize is that it's a knife for a working man. Opinel might be more comfortable to carry but you can't tell me that it'll withstand the same kind of beating as the svord.
Couldn't disagree more, Nick. I've been daily carrying the mini peasant for over a month, now, and think it's a fantastic knife. It has a great blade and deploys from pocket as quickly as a flipper (once you master the one-handed opening). But, then, I'm a New Zealander, so unashamedly biased ;)
I have to admit nick I carried this knife in my pocket for over a year and it never bothered me but I understand what you mean. Thanks for another video!
Nick, they probably heard you. They made a mini version. It’s probably the strongest folder as there isn’t a lock to break. It’s one of the easiest to maintain with its flathead screws. Wear some nice work gloves, and you could baron / do anything else you need to do heavy use with. Rub it with fat wood / chapstick or whatever else you have that’s oily on it to maintain it, or force a patina to give it water resistance.
@@BornIn1500 Nick is complaining about how this might need a sheath to be EDC'D. The Buck 110 comparison only relates to it's sheath, as Nick's complaint was mainly about the 110's weight...not an issue with the ultra-light weight Svord.
I bought one of these simply for collections sake and out of curiosity. Cheap as chips and I went into a store knowing I was walking out with something I wouldn’t normally buy. The clerk at the store says he carried one as a fishing kit for years until he lost it. I’ll use mine as a beater tbh. I think I agree: 1) for edc it is bulky for the package. 2) for a sole purpose knife I would rather reccomemd an opinel or mora at the price point. I bought a wood handle and after refinishing the wood it came up beautiful. The carbon steel had some minor rust issues and took some grinding to refinish to standard because of casting errors. Now it is a beautiful looking knife for 15 dollars. I think that this is great for a fishing kit, car, shed etc. just throw it somewhere you may need a knife you can grab for and beat it up. An overlooked use is to teach newer knife hobbyists to treat and clean knives because it is so easy to disassemble and maintain...
Ten years ago or so I imported over 900 of these to the UK direct from the maker, Bryan Baker in New Zealand, all pre-ordered and all sold. They are greatly liked by the knife modding community as the scales are so easily replaced by home-made ones from wood, stag, bone, copper and even leather. I don't particularly like them but they are extremely popular. I don't know what the current blade steel is but the L6 used back then was incredibly tough and the blades could be bent at a 90 degree angle without damage!
The smaller version of this is much more sensible. When I got mine I had to sharpen it and work on the plastic handle scales too. It's like the company sends you a knife that's not completely finished and expects you to complete the job to you're own specifications.
But the tang is to keep it open, it’s the safest type of slipjoint you can make. It’s also a tool not a collectible! I made micarta scales for mine. You’re buying the amazing blade not the handle.(which couldn’t be easier to replace yourself)
Hey it's a functional tool, made in a first world country selling for less than a round of drinks at the pub. It's something you can use and beat into the ground without caring if it gets scuffed up.
This review isn't clicking with me. This is one I really disagree with, and I feel very much that your specific use case is getting in the way of your ability to give an objective review (and I know, all reviews are gonna be subjective). I think there is still a difference though between something that is actually BAD about a knife, and something that makes it the wrong tool for your particular use.
I review everything in the same context, my life. This and the Higo-no-kami both are tools that don’t fit well there, and got poor scores. but maybe, for some other case, they’re OK.
Although American’s fail to understand, the Svord has a nice mechanism for countries with restrictions on single-hand-opening pocket knives. For instance, in Germany single-hand-opening switchblade knives are generally forbidden if they lock in place. So either you have to buy a normal switchblade pocket knife (like a Swiss Army knife) to be opened with both hands - or you get a knife that is only held in place by friction or the bearers grip.
I have a Mini Peasant. It's a Roman Peasant knife made in New Zealand from a high-carbon Swedish tool steel called L7 that Svord uses with a proprietary tempering formula to create an outstanding blade at a crazy cheap price. Svord makes their money from selling lots of knives instead of selling fewer at a larger profit. I filed that point off the back of the handle. It's a great EDC and you can drop it and so what? It's tough and inexpensive and perfect for what it is, a great blade that holds an edge EXTREMELY well with the most simple handle design and being able to grab that tang as you reach into your pocket is something you get used to right away.
I think this knife has regional appeal Nick. In the UK we can only EDC a non-locking folding knife with a blade under 3inchs in length. If you carry anything beyond this, you can be charged with carrying an offensive weapon. And believe me, Scout leaders have been convicted for having bush craft knives in their scout van because they were not PRECISELY on their way to a camp at that precise moment. Its insane. The mini version of the Peasant is a way to legally carry a decent knife which wont fold up on your fingers. Currently flipper knives wriggle around the law, and give you the utility of a decent knife, whilst "technically" remaining within the law.
I edc the mini version, and love it because if I lose one I can buy another and I have stayed towards good cheap blades like this because I lost a Benchmade!
Tell you what, I'll PayPal you $12 to ship it to me. I hate that you feel so poorly about losing the money on it. These knives based on the traditions of yesteryear are difficult to stomach at times (e.g. Cold Steel Bushman).
I have purchased several Svords in the past, some for gifts, and in my experience they are not the perfect EDC knife, but make great knives for GOOD / bug-out bags or emergency use ( as in the trunk of your car, tool box etc.).
I've got the mini. I've never had it open in my pocket by accident. I like it better than the opinel, but most of the things you have said are wrong with it are definitely wrong with it. My experience with the opinel was not the transcendent and blissful joy that everyone else has had with those knives. Mine just always *always* jammed itself shut and required a massive amount of nail nick pulling to get it open. "oh you just need to slam it against the table" "Oh, you need to coat the handle in oil and bake it on high in the oven for an hour" "oh, you just need to be a man" None of the above worked for me. I generally don't recommend either knife to anyone, but if you absolutely refuse to pay more than $20 for a knife I end up asking "Do you want a folding pocket tool that cuts kinda okay, or do you want a really excellent cutting tool that can go in your pocket but is just a terrible experience getting in and out of the pocket?" If you want the former get the svord. If you want the latter get the Opinel
My goodness @Travis Rigg why should I or anyone else for that matter give any weight to a review from a person who can’t come to grips with manipulating something as simple as an Opinel pocket folder?
I carry this, an opinel and Civivi Mini Bull. This is a single hand open which why it beats the opinel in some scenarios. But I’ve carried these for years and it’s a great fishing knife
I picked one up at a local knife show and after tuning the edge haven't used it once. Excellent example of an eccentric concept in search of a use. Epoxy it open then put in a sheath. Then put the whole thing gently in the trashcan with a grin.😃
How is it an eccentric concept? It is literally the first type of folding knife, and the simplest. Friction folders aren't eccentric lol they're the exact opposite
Thanks for the vid nick. You should have gotten the peasant mini, its much smaller thats the one I have. The steel is 15N20 by the way. It is a true one handed opening knife if you know how. I own an opinel as well and i like the peasant better mainly because i can operate the svord completely one handed even with gloves on and it is much easier to clean than the opinel.
Hi Nick could you review the svord mini, and you missed the one hand opening two ways, and the pointed end useful as did to undo knots. Good basic knife.
I have to agree with the other commenters. You are wrong on this one Nick. It’s a work knife. If you are opening cement bags or horse feed bags all day then it is perfect. You can get it in a pocket and pull it out by the tang and it doesn’t matter if you lose it or break it. If you really want an EDC version then get the mini. I don’t know of a better $15 folding knife.
All chuckles aside this design has been around for decades. It fills a niche for people in NZ who need a good knife and don’t have a lot of money. I have used one of these (turned into a fixed blade) for about 10 years or so. It’s quite handy and you don’t have to worry about messing it up.
I think it's cool you've been doing reviews on cheap workhorse knives. It's good to know what's out there for $10-$40 (This, the Honey Badger, etc.) that's reliable when you have a task you don't wanna use an expensive Spyderco, or Benchmade. Keep up the good stuff Nick! Edit: It's also content for your fans, you don't "push out" and mass-produce garbage, but you don't leave us hanging for a long ass time with absolute 0 content. You're the best Nick!
I'm going to skip the peasantries and get right down to business so we can Svord this all out. It's a peasant knife! It's an archaic design, originally crafted with cheap, readily available materials, and was definitely not designed for the niceties of modern-day EDC work, but for the repetitive, hard cutting tasks of life in rural wherever. I think rather than the Opinel, it would be better compared to the Okapi ratchet-locking knives that have proliferated through much of as Third World as work tools of the poor (and as signature weapons of the ghettos). Not great for modern EDC, but an interesting take on a piece of folding knife history.
Sorry nick is think you are being a little bit of a knife snob with this one, l love my svord mini .it's a good little knife with so many possibilities. Still love your reviews though.
If I had this knife I'd leave it hanging up in my garage or shed for odd hacking jobs. Nick's review is right. He's allowed to be a 'snob', as a middle/upper class office worker, as I assume he is. That is in no way meant as a slight. I am the same demographic and I like his reviews, though I trend toward more of a value-conscious point of view
I understand why it doesn't work for you, but I agree with some of the commenters kinda saying this is more of an old school outdoors knife with a modern handle. Not very fitting for the modern urban man.
3:15 - Until recently, all locking, folding knives were carried in sheaths. Buck 110, Gerber Magnum and Gator. With one that is sheath carried, the designers are freed up from making it thin, and can design the grip to fill the hand. The only reason to own this knife is as a base for customizing or as a historical curio. One thing you missed in this review was the history of the knife. That could make it interesting enough to overlook the other faults of it. (for $15, anyway)
The reason it’s so big is because it’s a peasant knife. This is actually even an underestimation if a peasant knife. Back in medieval times in many places peasants weren’t allowed to own swords to prevent them from rebelling. Because they couldn’t own swords they would just make really big knives and this of course was before they had folding knives
i love mine. i open bottles with the tang , something i dont want to do with my Ti handled supersteels and something i can loose 3 of in the woods and not give a second thought to
The peasant mini is the better version by far - much more convenient to carry. There's also a wood-scaled version, which costs more, but looks infinitely nicer.
about damn time you looked at one of these. try one of the wood handle variants. the build quality is much better. I used to carry one in my pocket, if you adjust the screws just right and get the technique down you can open and close it one handed without any risk of it opening in your pocket.
Locking knives aren't legal in a number of countries. That is primarily who this is aimed for and those who would appreciate it more so for fulfilling its legal criteria. Along with the Benchmade Proper, Viper Dan, Spyderco UKPK and the Cold Steel Lucky to name but a few modern production knives. One mans junk is another mans treasure I guess. They could make a higher quality model with a better steel and handle material. Not so fun fact, one handed opening is illegal in an even smaller niche of countries!
Nick is right Opinel carbon beats the shit out of the svord in every way I can think of except using it as a pry bar. Maybe for hobby fun make it a fixed blade with some wooden handles or maybe hang it from your pack by that hole as a cheap backup camping knife.
I was recently gifted two of the full size. Agree it is not a "small" knife. AS foor everything else ... We will have to agree to disagree. One of mine has the factory new black (AKA: "Orange") factory "plastic" (Nylon?) handle. You CAN tighten (or loosen) the rear screw to adjust how much it pinches the blade when closed. It is even possible to make it pinch enough, it is difficult if not "impossible" even with the extended tang to open using both hands. The pivot screw can be adjusted to adjust the friction on the blade when open, so it can flop 1/2 closed, or require effort to close. I preer a little effore to open and close, so have it adjusted accordingly. The second (also full size) has a one piece wood handle made by the previous owner. It is noot as tight as the factory handle. The blade is pinned, and there isa stop pin. It is "loose" as in "easy to open". However, it does NOT flop partly open or closed. I have not attempted to flick it open. I am not in any hurry top open it. As it is a weee bit large for pocket carry, I hae one clipped to my belt. Hanging from the extended tang, it cannot open when clipped to the belt. "Blade Lock"?!? Who needs one? with the blade fully open, the extended tang is under your hand. How's it going to "accidentally" close unless the tang somehow travels through your hand? the tang is NOT sharp, so that happening is highly unlikely. To be honest, the only single blade knife I have carried regularly was a Buck 110 or Old Timer 6OT/7OT from roughy 1967-1968 until 2022, when it was replaced with a Leatherman Charge+ TTI. I always paired the Buck/Old Timer with a 4 blade Scout/Camp/Demo knife, and a 3 blade Stockman in my pocket. I have had the Svord on my belt since i got it last week I really don't see any reason not to make it part of my long term EDC, along with a Douk Douk El Baraka and a SAK Mini Champ (also clipped to my belt). I still have two slipjoints in my right front pocket that get changed out once a week or longer. Usually a Stockman or (two blade) Barlow, or a 2 blade jack, and a canoe pattern. The scout/camp/demo knife has been moved to my rollator. Sorry, Mr. Nick, but I have less than zero use for pocket clips, liner locks, and one hand or assisted opening, nor the "latest and greatest" "high wear resistant super steels". I like to be able to sharpen my knives when needed in the field without needing diamond plates/SiC stones, etc. that I in all likelihood won't have with me.
Awesome knife for the money. I pocket carry mine everyday with no problem. It does everything from garden chores to cleaning fish and game. Easy to sharpen and easy to take apart and clean. Learn to use this tool and you'll love it!
I owen this knife, AND I bought it in Zombie green, cause: Zombiehunter, I wanted something cheap in neon green myself :) (and its great when u go for a hike or work in the garden is what I found out)
Nick I think you missed the point on this one. The knife is meant to be a remake of a 500 year old design of the peasant knifes used in northern parts of Europe. Its pretty amazing that they had such a simple designed one handed opening knife with a locking blade. I think Svord did a good job at making a truly unique knife. I don't know of any other manufacture that has attempted this design.
Is based off a ROMAN design from 2000 years ago. Go figure. The metal handled one is actually kinda fun to keep in a jacket inner pocket (super thin) and its pretty much legal anywhere (no lock) I attached a lanyard to the end of the tang to make it easy to pull out of my pocket, and the knot cushions the end of the bar in the palm. I keep one in my car for emergencies, cause uber simple is hard to beat in a pinch.
I would have to disagree with you sir. The one i got did need some minor fixin up on the grind however, if i paid twice as much i wouldn't be disappointed.
It's not a fashion piece, it's a real work horse. I use it to cut boxes, insulation, trim moulding, opening paint cans and more... Work knife in the pocket at hand. Good knife.
Totally disagree. I have purchased and used many pocket knives in the outdoors and the Svord Peasant Knife is one of only three that I would even consider carrying into the bush. Actually, it is my preferred for strength, sharpness and reliability. Perfect for skinning aswell. With the opinel no.8 and the trusty mercator large my other two go to's.
@Hadley Amaru wouldn’t it be more satisfying and efficient to open envelopes or cut the tape on a few boxes or maybe even slice an occasional apple with something in the $100 - $800 range?
My god the comments are like the seiko 5 all over again. Have to agree on the svord. Never truly liked it. Opinel has locking mechanism, multiple sizes, different steels, a freaking pouch too, and it’s a staple of almost all European households. If that’s being snobbish for liking something with more options and safety, call me a snob.
It's a working mans knife. And if you don't understand that then that's says a lot about you. You probably forgot that a pocket knife is meant to be used when it's needed, to save your ass in tricky situation and be used for hard work. But since you got hundreds of knives laying around and some of them are so expensive and premium that they're treated as safe queens. If you can't appreciate the simplicty of this work knife, then all the premium knives you own really spoiled you, there's nothing fancy about this knife, but it gets the job done, it's reliable, which at the end of the day these are the most important things and all that matters in a pocket edc knife. A knife is a knife.
well said mr shabazz im from new zealand and even did a bit of knife reviewing my self and i run a face book group for knife nuts and there seems to be this blindness to wards this knife here or any knives svord make but i think you hit the nail on the head i mean look at sanrenmu or somthing like that way better finish for the money but its like im expected to like it because its made in my country thank you for bringing some seance to the world nick also svords customer service makes certain us custom knife makers look like gems
Yeah just stick to a Mora or Opinel, one fixed the other a folder, both very reliable and see tons of bushcraft use. Mora speaks for itself, and Opinel slowly became a legend for the price and bang for buck. For the people complaining about tradition or sheaths etc, a folder is designed to not "need" one. I've owned folders for more than 20+ years, from CRKT to Kershaw and Spyder Co. a folder should never even need a sheath.
You're wrong on this one Nick, complete gem 💎
Biscuits Yep. Agree.
Me too.
It's a simple tool from simpler times, not eye candy. Gets the job done, in a day full of jobs.
Yep. One man's "novelty" is another man's collectible. Gotta have at least one friction folder; however, I'd recommend Svord's GIANT Peasant. Now THAT'S fun!
This knife is the shit .
One of the few times I don't agree with nick. I have a mini with plastic handle and the large in wood. The wood one came with a lame lacquer finish that I sanded off and left raw. I adjusted both so I can one hand open them and haven't had to readjust yet. Im a taller dude so the large fits in my front pants pocket no problem. I love my Opinels but carry the peasant more. It has a better blade and feels more robust for everyday use.
The Svord Mini Peasant is the one to get.
thegeneral123 it’s so convenient. And if you tie a lanyard or some snake rope to the tang it’s really easy to find in your pocket
@@michaellurch9472 I know, I have two of the mini models.
thegeneral123 I’d love to make a pair of wooden scales tho. The plastic is real durable but I want the patina of the carbon steel blade to match the handle
@@michaellurch9472 You do so people modifying them from time to time. I just accept them for what they are.
Iv carried mine for years, it's a wooden handle version that I have customized. Etched the blade, added jimping and reshaped the scales with better ergos and grip (file work) also rounding off the pointed end and staining with a homemade coffee stain. I own many high end knives and this one easily gets the most use and pocket time out of all of them. Even if I'm carrying a ZT or a spyderco I still have this with me as well. Love the simplicity of it.
“What the heck am I supposed to do with this thing?”
I’ll say this is nice knife for camping, garden work, etc. Also a great experience using something that connects the user with the past. Considering the origin is essential to a fair review.
Yea was a weird comment. Yes the design is a little different but it has a pretty basic utility blade shape and can be used for almost anything. And if he things it's "huge" and "not pocket carry able" then he must be wearing some women's pants with fake pockets or something.
Great little knives for the price and holds a pretty good edge. I carry the mini for hunting and no longer worry about carrying anything to touch the edge up as you just don't need it. Will happily bone out a deer, is comfortable in the hand and isn't really a pain in the ass in your pocket. For $30 NZ it's hard to say no if you want a carbon steel knife that compares to a Mercator, but at under half the price.
What Nick doesn't seem to realize is that it's a knife for a working man. Opinel might be more comfortable to carry but you can't tell me that it'll withstand the same kind of beating as the svord.
Couldn't disagree more, Nick. I've been daily carrying the mini peasant for over a month, now, and think it's a fantastic knife. It has a great blade and deploys from pocket as quickly as a flipper (once you master the one-handed opening). But, then, I'm a New Zealander, so unashamedly biased ;)
Totally agree...I'm a NZ lad as well and have multiple peasant knifes, love them good solid tough wee knife
If the apocalypse hits you'll be glad to have this bad boy. Minimum failure points, minimal parts
It is my work knife in the steel mill. The tang is great for grabbing it out of a deep pocket. I love this knife at work and nowhere else.
That's not terrible for 15$. It's an interesting "little guy"
Yea. For the price it's an excellent knife. For double the price it would still be an excellent knife.
I have to admit nick I carried this knife in my pocket for over a year and it never bothered me but I understand what you mean. Thanks for another video!
It's $15.
You shouldn't look at every single pocket knife as an edc knife, this is clearly not a knife meant to be carried all the time.
So @Steven Burger why not?
Nick, they probably heard you. They made a mini version. It’s probably the strongest folder as there isn’t a lock to break. It’s one of the easiest to maintain with its flathead screws. Wear some nice work gloves, and you could baron / do anything else you need to do heavy use with. Rub it with fat wood / chapstick or whatever else you have that’s oily on it to maintain it, or force a patina to give it water resistance.
The buck 110 has a sheath but you didn’t complain about that
@@BornIn1500 Nick is complaining about how this might need a sheath to be EDC'D. The Buck 110 comparison only relates to it's sheath, as Nick's complaint was mainly about the 110's weight...not an issue with the ultra-light weight Svord.
I bought one of these simply for collections sake and out of curiosity. Cheap as chips and I went into a store knowing I was walking out with something I wouldn’t normally buy. The clerk at the store says he carried one as a fishing kit for years until he lost it. I’ll use mine as a beater tbh. I think I agree:
1) for edc it is bulky for the package.
2) for a sole purpose knife I would rather reccomemd an opinel or mora at the price point.
I bought a wood handle and after refinishing the wood it came up beautiful. The carbon steel had some minor rust issues and took some grinding to refinish to standard because of casting errors. Now it is a beautiful looking knife for 15 dollars. I think that this is great for a fishing kit, car, shed etc. just throw it somewhere you may need a knife you can grab for and beat it up. An overlooked use is to teach newer knife hobbyists to treat and clean knives because it is so easy to disassemble and maintain...
Especially maintaining knives with carbon steel content
Ten years ago or so I imported over 900 of these to the UK direct from the maker, Bryan Baker in New Zealand, all pre-ordered and all sold. They are greatly liked by the knife modding community as the scales are so easily replaced by home-made ones from wood, stag, bone, copper and even leather. I don't particularly like them but they are extremely popular. I don't know what the current blade steel is but the L6 used back then was incredibly tough and the blades could be bent at a 90 degree angle without damage!
The smaller version of this is much more sensible. When I got mine I had to sharpen it and work on the plastic handle scales too. It's like the company sends you a knife that's not completely finished and expects you to complete the job to you're own specifications.
But the tang is to keep it open, it’s the safest type of slipjoint you can make.
It’s also a tool not a collectible!
I made micarta scales for mine.
You’re buying the amazing blade not the handle.(which couldn’t be easier to replace yourself)
Hey it's a functional tool, made in a first world country selling for less than a round of drinks at the pub. It's something you can use and beat into the ground without caring if it gets scuffed up.
This review isn't clicking with me. This is one I really disagree with, and I feel very much that your specific use case is getting in the way of your ability to give an objective review (and I know, all reviews are gonna be subjective). I think there is still a difference though between something that is actually BAD about a knife, and something that makes it the wrong tool for your particular use.
I review everything in the same context, my life. This and the Higo-no-kami both are tools that don’t fit well there, and got poor scores. but maybe, for some other case, they’re OK.
Although American’s fail to understand, the Svord has a nice mechanism for countries with restrictions on single-hand-opening pocket knives. For instance, in Germany single-hand-opening switchblade knives are generally forbidden if they lock in place. So either you have to buy a normal switchblade pocket knife (like a Swiss Army knife) to be opened with both hands - or you get a knife that is only held in place by friction or the bearers grip.
I have a Mini Peasant. It's a Roman Peasant knife made in New Zealand from a high-carbon Swedish tool steel called L7 that Svord uses with a proprietary tempering formula to create an outstanding blade at a crazy cheap price. Svord makes their money from selling lots of knives instead of selling fewer at a larger profit. I filed that point off the back of the handle. It's a great EDC and you can drop it and so what? It's tough and inexpensive and perfect for what it is, a great blade that holds an edge EXTREMELY well with the most simple handle design and being able to grab that tang as you reach into your pocket is something you get used to right away.
These are really nice for working on rough things and if you don’t care if you lose it or mess it up.
If you really don’t want it, send it my way.
I think this knife has regional appeal Nick. In the UK we can only EDC a non-locking folding knife with a blade under 3inchs in length. If you carry anything beyond this, you can be charged with carrying an offensive weapon. And believe me, Scout leaders have been convicted for having bush craft knives in their scout van because they were not PRECISELY on their way to a camp at that precise moment. Its insane. The mini version of the Peasant is a way to legally carry a decent knife which wont fold up on your fingers. Currently flipper knives wriggle around the law, and give you the utility of a decent knife, whilst "technically" remaining within the law.
I actually like that knife, I have the mini and use the heck out of it with no worries really.
I get your point of view as well
I edc the mini version, and love it because if I lose one I can buy another and I have stayed towards good cheap blades like this because I lost a Benchmade!
I carry mine in a pouch but seriously try the Peasant Mini, it’s a much better fit for you and you may be pleasantly surprised.
Nicholas Wilson you could say he would be “peasantly surprised”😂😂
123 456 LOL! 😂
Some review... you didn't even perform any spine whacking.
Tell you what, I'll PayPal you $12 to ship it to me. I hate that you feel so poorly about losing the money on it. These knives based on the traditions of yesteryear are difficult to stomach at times (e.g. Cold Steel Bushman).
I have purchased several Svords in the past, some for gifts, and in my experience they are not the perfect EDC knife, but make great knives for GOOD / bug-out bags or emergency use ( as in the trunk of your car, tool box etc.).
I've got the mini. I've never had it open in my pocket by accident. I like it better than the opinel, but most of the things you have said are wrong with it are definitely wrong with it. My experience with the opinel was not the transcendent and blissful joy that everyone else has had with those knives. Mine just always *always* jammed itself shut and required a massive amount of nail nick pulling to get it open.
"oh you just need to slam it against the table" "Oh, you need to coat the handle in oil and bake it on high in the oven for an hour" "oh, you just need to be a man"
None of the above worked for me. I generally don't recommend either knife to anyone, but if you absolutely refuse to pay more than $20 for a knife I end up asking "Do you want a folding pocket tool that cuts kinda okay, or do you want a really excellent cutting tool that can go in your pocket but is just a terrible experience getting in and out of the pocket?" If you want the former get the svord. If you want the latter get the Opinel
I prefer the Peasant to Opinel as well. The Peasant is no fuss, just works.
My goodness @Travis Rigg why should I or anyone else for that matter give any weight to a review from a person who can’t come to grips with manipulating something as simple as an Opinel pocket folder?
I carry this, an opinel and Civivi Mini Bull. This is a single hand open which why it beats the opinel in some scenarios. But I’ve carried these for years and it’s a great fishing knife
I picked one up at a local knife show and after tuning the edge haven't used it once. Excellent example of an eccentric concept in search of a use. Epoxy it open then put in a sheath. Then put the whole thing gently in the trashcan with a grin.😃
How is it an eccentric concept? It is literally the first type of folding knife, and the simplest. Friction folders aren't eccentric lol they're the exact opposite
Thanks for the vid nick. You should have gotten the peasant mini, its much smaller thats the one I have. The steel is 15N20 by the way. It is a true one handed opening knife if you know how. I own an opinel as well and i like the peasant better mainly because i can operate the svord completely one handed even with gloves on and it is much easier to clean than the opinel.
Hi Nick could you review the svord mini, and you missed the one hand opening two ways, and the pointed end useful as did to undo knots. Good basic knife.
I have to agree with the other commenters. You are wrong on this one Nick. It’s a work knife. If you are opening cement bags or horse feed bags all day then it is perfect. You can get it in a pocket and pull it out by the tang and it doesn’t matter if you lose it or break it. If you really want an EDC version then get the mini. I don’t know of a better $15 folding knife.
Let’s cut to the chase; Is the blade centered between the scales in the closed position?
I use mine as a beater tool box or gardening bag knife.
I have the 3” inch. I think it’s great. Built in redundancy only one moving part. It’s steel is better than openel.
All chuckles aside this design has been around for decades. It fills a niche for people in NZ who need a good knife and don’t have a lot of money. I have used one of these (turned into a fixed blade) for about 10 years or so. It’s quite handy and you don’t have to worry about messing it up.
I think it's cool you've been doing reviews on cheap workhorse knives. It's good to know what's out there for $10-$40 (This, the Honey Badger, etc.) that's reliable when you have a task you don't wanna use an expensive Spyderco, or Benchmade. Keep up the good stuff Nick!
Edit: It's also content for your fans, you don't "push out" and mass-produce garbage, but you don't leave us hanging for a long ass time with absolute 0 content. You're the best Nick!
I'm going to skip the peasantries and get right down to business so we can Svord this all out. It's a peasant knife! It's an archaic design, originally crafted with cheap, readily available materials, and was definitely not designed for the niceties of modern-day EDC work, but for the repetitive, hard cutting tasks of life in rural wherever. I think rather than the Opinel, it would be better compared to the Okapi ratchet-locking knives that have proliferated through much of as Third World as work tools of the poor (and as signature weapons of the ghettos). Not great for modern EDC, but an interesting take on a piece of folding knife history.
Charles Collier Well said. Needed to be said. Thanks for saying it.
Can you do a review on the mini then since your primary complaint was that this one is too big
Simple model, short review.
Nice.
Sorry nick is think you are being a little bit of a knife snob with this one, l love my svord mini .it's a good little knife with so many possibilities. Still love your reviews though.
He is a knife snob admitted. And a fine EDC reviewer for that.
If I had this knife I'd leave it hanging up in my garage or shed for odd hacking jobs.
Nick's review is right. He's allowed to be a 'snob', as a middle/upper class office worker, as I assume he is. That is in no way meant as a slight. I am the same demographic and I like his reviews, though I trend toward more of a value-conscious point of view
I look at it more as a farm knife.
My thoughts too ua-cam.com/video/6p57hu1iSxE/v-deo.html
I understand why it doesn't work for you, but I agree with some of the commenters kinda saying this is more of an old school outdoors knife with a modern handle. Not very fitting for the modern urban man.
3:15 - Until recently, all locking, folding knives were carried in sheaths. Buck 110, Gerber Magnum and Gator. With one that is sheath carried, the designers are freed up from making it thin, and can design the grip to fill the hand. The only reason to own this knife is as a base for customizing or as a historical curio.
One thing you missed in this review was the history of the knife. That could make it interesting enough to overlook the other faults of it. (for $15, anyway)
The reason it’s so big is because it’s a peasant knife. This is actually even an underestimation if a peasant knife. Back in medieval times in many places peasants weren’t allowed to own swords to prevent them from rebelling. Because they couldn’t own swords they would just make really big knives and this of course was before they had folding knives
I don’t think it’d be bad for a garage knife for when you don’t have anything else around or don’t want to mar up a nicer knife.
So @RG what will a “nicer” knife do that this knife won’t?
It’s a good toolbox knife
You should do a review on the Kershaw Concierge.
I have the mini and it’s excellent. It takes a better edge than 90% of my knives.
It's a workbenche knife
The mini one is great
i love mine. i open bottles with the tang , something i dont want to do with my Ti handled supersteels and something i can loose 3 of in the woods and not give a second thought to
It's an older style knife for older style times. I still like them though.
The peasant mini is the better version by far - much more convenient to carry. There's also a wood-scaled version, which costs more, but looks infinitely nicer.
about damn time you looked at one of these.
try one of the wood handle variants. the build quality is much better. I used to carry one in my pocket, if you adjust the screws just right and get the technique down you can open and close it one handed without any risk of it opening in your pocket.
Locking knives aren't legal in a number of countries. That is primarily who this is aimed for and those who would appreciate it more so for fulfilling its legal criteria. Along with the Benchmade Proper, Viper Dan, Spyderco UKPK and the Cold Steel Lucky to name but a few modern production knives. One mans junk is another mans treasure I guess. They could make a higher quality model with a better steel and handle material. Not so fun fact, one handed opening is illegal in an even smaller niche of countries!
The smaller one is nice. I love that knife
2:43 "what the hecc iam supposed to do with this knife"
its a peasant knife you do peasant stuff with it
Mohamed Shwesh 👊Yep
absolutely yuuge - Shabazz
I have the mini model great knife clean deer no problem great steel holds edge well. Perhaps been fron NZ might make me baised.
Nick is right Opinel carbon beats the shit out of the svord in every way I can think of except using it as a pry bar. Maybe for hobby fun make it a fixed blade with some wooden handles or maybe hang it from your pack by that hole as a cheap backup camping knife.
I was recently gifted two of the full size. Agree it is not a "small" knife.
AS foor everything else ... We will have to agree to disagree.
One of mine has the factory new black (AKA: "Orange") factory "plastic" (Nylon?) handle.
You CAN tighten (or loosen) the rear screw to adjust how much it pinches the blade when closed. It is even possible to make it pinch enough, it is difficult if not "impossible" even with the extended tang to open using both hands.
The pivot screw can be adjusted to adjust the friction on the blade when open, so it can flop 1/2 closed, or require effort to close. I preer a little effore to open and close, so have it adjusted accordingly.
The second (also full size) has a one piece wood handle made by the previous owner. It is noot as tight as the factory handle. The blade is pinned, and there isa stop pin. It is "loose" as in "easy to open". However, it does NOT flop partly open or closed. I have not attempted to flick it open. I am not in any hurry top open it.
As it is a weee bit large for pocket carry, I hae one clipped to my belt. Hanging from the extended tang, it cannot open when clipped to the belt.
"Blade Lock"?!? Who needs one? with the blade fully open, the extended tang is under your hand. How's it going to "accidentally" close unless the tang somehow travels through your hand? the tang is NOT sharp, so that happening is highly unlikely.
To be honest, the only single blade knife I have carried regularly was a Buck 110 or Old Timer 6OT/7OT from roughy 1967-1968 until 2022, when it was replaced with a Leatherman Charge+ TTI. I always paired the Buck/Old Timer with a 4 blade Scout/Camp/Demo knife, and a 3 blade Stockman in my pocket.
I have had the Svord on my belt since i got it last week I really don't see any reason not to make it part of my long term EDC, along with a Douk Douk El Baraka and a SAK Mini Champ (also clipped to my belt).
I still have two slipjoints in my right front pocket that get changed out once a week or longer. Usually a Stockman or (two blade) Barlow, or a 2 blade jack, and a canoe pattern. The scout/camp/demo knife has been moved to my rollator.
Sorry, Mr. Nick, but I have less than zero use for pocket clips, liner locks, and one hand or assisted opening, nor the "latest and greatest" "high wear resistant super steels". I like to be able to sharpen my knives when needed in the field without needing diamond plates/SiC stones, etc. that I in all likelihood won't have with me.
Awesome knife for the money. I pocket carry mine everyday with no problem. It does everything from garden chores to cleaning fish and game. Easy to sharpen and easy to take apart and clean. Learn to use this tool and you'll love it!
I owen this knife, AND I bought it in Zombie green, cause: Zombiehunter, I wanted something cheap in neon green myself :)
(and its great when u go for a hike or work in the garden is what I found out)
Nick I think you missed the point on this one. The knife is meant to be a remake of a 500 year old design of the peasant knifes used in northern parts of Europe. Its pretty amazing that they had such a simple designed one handed opening knife with a locking blade. I think Svord did a good job at making a truly unique knife. I don't know of any other manufacture that has attempted this design.
i think i would make it into a fixed blade .. it is already drilled ,just need a handle
Good review Nick. I have both the large and small Svord Peasant and agree with your thoughts on the knife.
it is a workhorse, durable like a fixed knife.
I like the mini peasant a lot better than this. I find that version to be quite pocketable. Also, I hear their Bowies are awesome.
Is based off a ROMAN design from 2000 years ago. Go figure. The metal handled one is actually kinda fun to keep in a jacket inner pocket (super thin) and its pretty much legal anywhere (no lock)
I attached a lanyard to the end of the tang to make it easy to pull out of my pocket, and the knot cushions the end of the bar in the palm.
I keep one in my car for emergencies, cause uber simple is hard to beat in a pinch.
I prefer the one with the aluminum handle.
Sorry Nick, I disagree; in fact I loved it so much I bought one!
Nancy Offenhiser Agreed-it is a very cool night for what it is-egg interesting piece of history that is very useful and works well
I make hardwood one piece wood handles for these.
It is One-hand open and close.
It is a working knife. Some people dont k ow what that means.
I have a cheap limb saw that is similar to that thing. Expept my limb saw is much bigger and locks lol.
I would have to disagree with you sir. The one i got did need some minor fixin up on the grind however, if i paid twice as much i wouldn't be disappointed.
It's a toolbox knife not a pocket knife
It's not a fashion piece, it's a real work horse. I use it to cut boxes, insulation, trim moulding, opening paint cans and more... Work knife in the pocket at hand. Good knife.
Also the mini is probably better for you.
Its a hunters knife so if you lost it in the bush its no big deal not a edc carry
YES
I think this knife would be handy in a garden
Totally disagree. I have purchased and used many pocket knives in the outdoors and the Svord Peasant Knife is one of only three that I would even consider carrying into the bush. Actually, it is my preferred for strength, sharpness and reliability. Perfect for skinning aswell. With the opinel no.8 and the trusty mercator large my other two go to's.
@Hadley Amaru wouldn’t it be more satisfying and efficient to open envelopes or cut the tape on a few boxes or maybe even slice an occasional apple with something in the $100 - $800 range?
Eh, it's just not the same without the rapping. You spoiled us, Nick.
They made a small one Nick comon 😭
Better than the Benchmade Aller.
My god the comments are like the seiko 5 all over again.
Have to agree on the svord. Never truly liked it. Opinel has locking mechanism, multiple sizes, different steels, a freaking pouch too, and it’s a staple of almost all European households. If that’s being snobbish for liking something with more options and safety, call me a snob.
First you bash the Ka-bar Dozier, now this? Oh, Nick...
I didn’t bash the Dozier!
I still like this knife. Do I need it? No. Do I need the vast number of knifes I own? No. Screw need. I still like this knife.
Love my Svord and find it quite pocket friendly but I am a big fella...
Nick please, go pick up the Grovemade knife. It's rather different from anything you've reviewed.
If you knew anything about knife fighting Nick
It's a working mans knife. And if you don't understand that then that's says a lot about you. You probably forgot that a pocket knife is meant to be used when it's needed, to save your ass in tricky situation and be used for hard work. But since you got hundreds of knives laying around and some of them are so expensive and premium that they're treated as safe queens. If you can't appreciate the simplicty of this work knife, then all the premium knives you own really spoiled you, there's nothing fancy about this knife, but it gets the job done, it's reliable, which at the end of the day these are the most important things and all that matters in a pocket edc knife. A knife is a knife.
well said mr shabazz im from new zealand and even did a bit of knife reviewing my self and i run a face book group for knife nuts and there seems to be this blindness to wards this knife here or any knives svord make but i think you hit the nail on the head i mean look at sanrenmu or somthing like that way better finish for the money but its like im expected to like it because its made in my country thank you for bringing some seance to the world nick also svords customer service makes certain us custom knife makers look like gems
Yeah just stick to a Mora or Opinel, one fixed the other a folder, both very reliable and see tons of bushcraft use. Mora speaks for itself, and Opinel slowly became a legend for the price and bang for buck.
For the people complaining about tradition or sheaths etc, a folder is designed to not "need" one. I've owned folders for more than 20+ years, from CRKT to Kershaw and Spyder Co. a folder should never even need a sheath.
Folding knife? Sheath? Buck 110.