A reader asked me to take a look at Civivi, a relatively new budget-priced pocket knife brand from WE Knife. After some quick research, I went with the Hooligan, shown above, and priced at $54.
WE Knife is a Chinese knife company that has taken the market by storm, offering high quality and versatile EDC knives. Most of their designs are quite pricey, which explains the launch of an entirely new brand, Civivi, to cater towards users without enthusiast-sized budgets or needs.
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5 Quick Things to Know About the Hooligan
- D2 blade steel
- Micarta or G-10 handle scales
- 2.98″ blade length
- Thumb stud opener
- Liner lock
Inexpensive But Not Cheap
Anthony gushed over the Ruike P801 pocket knife (review), giving credence to the idea you can have an affordable manually-opened EDC knife that works and works well. The Hooligan does cost more, but is still in what I would consider “hesitation territory,” a price range where there might be serious compromises to fit or function.
I received my Civivi Hooligan knife today – purchased at retail – and have to say that it’s quite nice. It does lack the smoothness of higher-priced knife, but my initial impression has me impressed.
D2 tends to have decent wear resistance, hardness, and toughness, and as a knife and tool steel, I’d consider it a workhorse alloy. It’s a big step up from the unidentified steels used in cheaper knives, but lower than more exotic modern powder metallurgy alloys. D2 is also fairly easy to sharpen.
I think that D2 blade steel is a good fit for a knife like this, suitable for frequent use.
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I opted for a micarta handle, but there is also a G-10 option. Micarta is a resin-based material made with layers of linen, canvas, or other such materials, while G-10 is made from resin and fiberglass. I can’t tell you which is better, but the G-10 version is a bit more expensive and has a “damascus” style blade.
While inexpensive can mean different things to different people, that’s how I’m classifying this knife. There are a number of very good knives priced at $30-$50, but there are also many compromises.
At $54, I would consider this an inexpensive enthusiast knife. At lower prices, you buy whatever fits your major needs or wants. You typically have to step up to $75 to $125 to get more enthusiast choices, styles, or shapes.
I don’t think the Civivi Hooligan or other Civivi knives are aimed at being entry-level offerings. From what I’ve experienced in the hour or two of fidgeting (opening and closing) and test cuts since I’ve owned this knife, and from the time I spent looking at different models before landing on this one, I think that Civivi aims to provide a “new enthusiast” or “budget-minded enthusiast” experience.
I decided to post my very early impression to balance out yesterday’s post, which focused on the new USA-made $140 Para 3 Lightweight.
That is, it’s designed to give a higher-end feel and higher-end design at a lower price level.
If you’re not a knife person, this is the knife to bridge the transition.
When graduating from a Kershaw Leek knife to a Benchmade mini Griptilian, I spent a lot of time researching and going back and forth. Did I want a thumb hole or thumb stud? Benchmade or Spyderco?
I’ve tried other knives in the $30 to $75 price range, and some of them are downright lousy, others are comprised. There are some very good offerings though, such as by Kershaw. But generally, you have to make due with specific designs, smaller blades, or notable compromises. Below $30, and there are often too many compromises.
The Civivi Hooligan, I think, is aimed at converting more users into enthusiasts and collectors. That’s not to say that it’s not a fine standalone knife, because it does seem to be so far, but it’s a less expensive doorway into the industry.
In contrast, the least expensive WE Knife is around $100, or $80 if you include the MassDrop Ferrum Forge Gent knife collaborations, and it quickly climbs towards $200. There are quite a few WE Knife models priced above $200.
My Civivi arrived in its own branded pouch, similar to how We Knife knives are shipped. This really does seem to be a sort of “We Knife Lite” type of experience.
We were asked about the Civivi Elementum in particular, but that model has been out of stock (although Amazon says it’ll be back in stock later this month), and so I figured the Hooligan would be a good introductory knife for the time being. The Elementum is a more slender knife with G-10 or ebony handle scales, and flipper mechanism.
The more I think about it, the more appealing the brand and their strategy seem. The bulk of their knife offerings seem to be priced between $40 and $80, which most being under $55.
Civivi already offers a very wide range of knife styles, enabling budding enthusiasts to learn their preferences.
There are many other brands in this space, such as Kershaw, CRKT, even Gerber, and others you might not have heard of, such as Steel Will.
WE Knife really shook up the enthusiast market, quickly becoming a very significant player with competitive quality and continual new knife releases. It looks like Civivi is aiming to do the same, and in a high impact way.
I’m going to dip into our review sample budget to pick up another Civivi knife – probably the Elementum once it’s back in stock.
In the meantime, I think the Hooligan will prove to be a decent everyday-type folding knife.
Years ago, I tested the budget-folder waters with the Spyderco Tenacious ($51 via Amazon), which proved that you didn’t have to spend a lot more to get a higher-end feel. That’s what Civivi seems to be after, but with a more deliberate attempt at creating a more higher-end experience.
More options are good. Although I have developed more of a taste for higher-priced knives, I’m eager for a better selection of lower-priced knives that deliver a great user experience. I am happy to report that the Civivi Hooligan left me with a positive first impression. It’ll take time for me to see how it holds up to other brands and knives at this price range, but so far I’m optimistic.
If you have any knife review requests, now’s a good time to ask – Father’s Day deals typically let me stretch my sample budget further than other times of the year.
Price: $54
Buy Now via Amazon
Buy Now via BladeHQ – they’re running a couple of Father’s Day free bonus deals at the time of this posting
See More Civivi via Amazon
(My copy was purchased from BladeHQ at full retail, it’s the Civivi C913B with D2 blade steel and dark hazel micarta handles.)
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Patrick
Thanks for taking a look at that. I have been waiting for the Elementum to come back in stock, but this Hooligan seems pretty great too. I’m definitely on the “inexpensive enthusiast” side of things and tend to carry knives I have heard others refer to as gentleman’s knives like a Leek.
Thanks for what you do!
Stuart
The Elementum looks much more like a gentleman’s knife than this one, but even that one might be a little on the large size. This one, the Hooligan, definitely isn’t what I would call a gentleman’s knife – it’s larger and chunkier.
Thank you!! It’s so hard to know what brands and styles to focus on here, as preferences seem to be all over the place. I just read a user review by an electrician who bought a cleaver-style knife for work use. So, I tend to follow my interests and curiosities, with some suggestions, requests, and samples mixed in.
Koko The Talking Ape
I’m not in love with hollow-ground blades. They slice well in soft materials, but can bind in materials like cardboard. I think I like flat ground knives best, like many Spydercos, or most chef’s knives.
Stacey Jones
Thanks for the review. I really liked the Damascus blades and may pick one up eventually. You should review the Ontario Rat 1, here is a link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013ASG3E/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_SZv4Eb59WGKWE I own one and it’s nice, but it doesn’t see regular use. It’s cheaper at $25 but got a whopping 4.8 average rating by over 1600 customers. Also my son recently brought this new Eafengrow brand to my attention and it looks awesome at even a lower price point. Check this one out for example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H5G916N/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_4lw4EbSNPXYN0
Stuart
Actually… I have a Rat 1 and Rat 2 in my “I need to find the time to get to these” pile.
I’d say the Civivi quality is close to that of the Rat knives, but it’ll take much more use to see how they all break in and perform. I have a couple of other samples in $20 to $50 price range as well. The Civivi Hooligan and Rat knives are close to the top of the pack.
Michael
If you do a rat 1 review, get the d2 version. It’s also a very impressive budget knife. My only complaint is the smooth plastic scales. I solved this with some 80 grit sandpaper to rough them up.
Stuart
Here’s what I dug out of my queue:
Ontario RAT Model 2 Liner Lock Knife OD Green (3″ Satin D2)
Ontario RAT Model 1 Liner Lock Knife Desert Tan (3.625″ D2 Satin)
My hands are a little sweaty right now, and both knives feel a little bit slippery, but grips can usually break in, or as you mentioned modified slightly if needed.
Oleg K
While I do prefer stainless (and higher end steels) D2 steel, while not PM processed, is a good, dependable steel, as long as you’re prepared to oil it throughout its life, since the alloy doesn’t contain enough chromium to be truly ‘stainless’, thus making it prone to rusting (including pit rusting in some cases)… However, in the case of this particular knife, the issue isn’t even with the metal itself but with the country of origin: I’ve had and tried out a multitude of Chinese-made knives (Kizer comes to mind first) and all of them, with no exceptions, seem to have the same exact problem: poorly heat-treated steel!
At first, I thought that they were outright lying about the steels they were using, such as Elmax, CPM S30v, s35vn and so on but the analysis of the metals revealed that the composition and the developmental method was, indeed, what it claimed to be, further testing revealed the ominous fact that the steel was just properly heat treated… Aka permanently ruined. And the reasons for such omissions are always the same: scale! In order to maintain profitable at that price the manufacturers need to sell many more times the knives Benchmade and other knife makers sell, however, there is a reason why Benchmade and Spyderco charge what they charge: proper heat treating and steel hardening is done in small batches, must be closely monitored by professionals, not by hourly workers who barely know what they’re doing. There are also technologies that the Chinese knife manufacturers don’t use altogether, methods like cryogenic cooling and salt quenching cost a lot of money and, if utilized, would definitely make for a stronger, better blade but would impact the bottom line to a point where the knives would cost the same or, possibly, more than those of Spyderco and other established brands and that’s just not feasible or smart for them to do.
The bottom line for me is this: I will never buy another Chinese-made knife again, no matter how exotic of a steel they use or how cheep they are… Better off spending a little more and getting a Milwaukee Hardline, their D2 steel is properly heat treated and lasts a very long time. Either them or any other reputable knife maker.
Christopher Trafnik
I have a Milwaukee fastback assisted opening I like it but I wish the handle was bigger. I have better knives but for edc/work I am more than satisfied except I can hide it(closed) in My meathook(s).
RC Ward
Milwaukee Hardline? is that a joke?
RC Ward
Dude the Milwaukee Hardline is made in China.
SCCT
Stuart – do you have any more thoughts about the Spyderco Tenacious you mentioned above and its siblings in the Spyderco “value” line? I mostly have used the smaller fixed blades from ESEE for outdoors and can really punish them but I’m trying to find the sweet spot with a folder I can beat up a bit but that’s still higher performing. I’ve used a Spyderco and generally prefer their thumb hole to a stud. Any experience or thoughts about the Tenacious vs the Civivi options or the RAT folders?
Stuart
It’s a hard comparison since so much is different, but I can try when I have all three knives in front of me.
I like the Tenacious. It’s simple, but consistent. I think the Tenacious has greater focus on function, while the Civivi tries to embellish a little more. RATs are more outdoors-oriented. I’d take the Spyderco for everyday use, possibly as a lower-cost entry into the brand before investing in a pricier model, with Civivi more of a lusting-after-WE lower-budget offering. The RAT is decent, almost purely utilitarian.
SCCT
Perfect – thanks for the help