OK so it's not a scalpel, but what it did to phonebook paper should be illegal. Right off the bat I was happy as it came surgically sharp, and I do mean surgically sharp. So the handle passes with flying colors, but does the blade as well? For me the answer is a resounding "yes". The Illuminous gets 5 stars in that regard.
No matter how good the edge or blade steel it's all pointless unless the handle is usable. Handle comfort and feel are often terribly overlooked in knife reviews and I can't understand why as it's such a critical component.
Close your eyes and run a fingernail over the two surfaces and it feels like one solid piece. The transition between micarta handle scales and blade tang was seamless, completely imperceptible. There isn't a single hotspot no matter what type of grip you use. The rounded butt end rolls across your chest effortlessly and doesn't dig in anywhere. The webbing between my index finger and thumb nested up against the front parrots beak perfectly, creating a secure and comfortable resting place. If you're the type that uses a chest lever grip than this is your knife. Pinch grip is very comfortable even though there are no thumb scallops like on the Genesis. The micarta on my particular knife isn't polished smooth - thankfully! - so even when working hard or sweating I didn't feel like it would slip out of my hand. My fingers are not squeezed together like I feared they might be, they're held firmly in place which creates a very secure grip. It's thick and beefy with perfectly sculpted contours. Now to be fair my hands aren't the size of Andre the Giant's.ĭespite the fact you can't see the butt of the handle it's amazing, the thing simply melts into your hand.
I have to pay very close attention to the handle size and shape when buying a knife as far too often they simply won't work for me. That's a problem when it comes to most knives because designers tend to forget people like me exist. The handle? Yes, the handle.Īs mentioned previously, I wear XL gloves. I'll explain why it isn't in a minute because I want to talk about the handle first. "hard micro buffed edge"? Sounds like marketing mumbo-jumbo to me. Grind: Scandi ground to 0° then hard micro buffed edge.Insert your own joke here.īefore going any further let me give you the specs: It's also taller from edge-to-spine so it looks more balanced.
Enter the Illuminous.Īt 5.5" long the blade is now getting into my wheelhouse (5.5" - 6.5" is what I'm most comfortable with). To my eyes the Gen 5 and 6 don't have the right proportions. What I wanted was something longer than the Genesis 4.25" blade but also something taller as well. but that just looks kind of awkward to me. LT Wright makes the Gen 5 version, which has a blade almost an inch longer, but I couldn't fall in love with it for some reason. Size matters, right? I longed for a beefier version, a Genesis on steroids if you will. Not the handle mind you - that always fit my XL paws rather well - it was the blade I felt was lacking. But for me there was always one problem, it was on the small side. For what it is the knife works great lightweight, nimble, easy to hold, cuts wood like a chain saw, it pretty much does anything you would want from a bushcraft knife.
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