TRM has been grooving high heat fastballs into the strike zone of the enthusiast market for years now. Millit has not been as steady in its production, but it too has released a lot of gems. Traveling north of the border will reveal another small batch maker—North Arms Knives. These companies fall between a custom shop and large production companies. They don’t have the sales networks that Spyderco and like have and they tend to make stuff that is a bit more expensive than more house hold brands. But these small batch makers are really changing the market. No one does folders as well as TRM right now.

Its time to add another name to that list: American Bladeworks. Behind American Bladeworks is a single person Michael Martin. Martin has been very public with his tinkering on the Model 1. This is the fifth version of the knife and there are tons of tweaks. I am not an American Bladeworks aficianado so I am not up on all of the variants or changes between models. But the core themes across all of the versions is: 1) great flipping action; 2) good handle ergonomics; and 3) mind-altering value. Here is the sign that Martin is doing something right—the biggest problem with the Model 1 is availability. Follow American Bladeworks on Instagram and you can get lucky. That’s how I ended up with a Model 1.

Here is the product page. There are a bunch of different handle scales. I got one with carbon fiber. I am not a huge fan of carbon fiber, but it was only Model 1 left by the time I got to the website. Non-CF versions are $185. The CF version of the Model 1 v5 is $210. Here is a video review of the Model 1. Here is a written review from Knife Thoughts.

Twitter Review Summary: Value galore and a world class flipper. Or is it—world class value with flipping action galore? Yes, yes it is.

Design: 2

Simple without being bland, the Model 1 has the feel of a knife you doodle in the margins of a notepad over a series of years until you get everything “just right.” Perhaps its just me and you don’t scare friends and coworkers by doodling knives, but I have this unshakeable sense that the Model 1 has been rounded like a river rock in Martin’s brain for many years. The lines are clean and graceful, but for the ricasso, which, honestly is always a difficult part of folder design. Here it just seems a bit messy, like he didn’t know how to complete the drawing. But that small bit of awkwardness, like the one hole in rookie Mike Trout’s swing, is not really an issue, but simply something to work on going forward. Without that niggling issue, I would be worried that Martin was a time traveler coming to the present from a future where the “perfect” knife design had been known for many years. Fortunately, he is a mere mortal like the rest of us. He just happens to be a mere mortal that is gifted at making knives.

The performance ratios are nothing special. The B:H is .69 and the B:W is .96. Neither are especially bad or good.

Fit and Finish: 1

Two things here bother me—the ultra blasted blade finish and the pock marked carbon fiber scales. The blasted blade is a mystifying choice of finish. I get that it is relatively easy to implement and it covers up wear and the like, but here, it is left so textured the blade feels dusty. It actually impacts cutting, providing friction when slicing through material like thick cardboard. Its just too much and serves no purpose. I’d strong prefer a dark stonewash, if there is a need for blade finishing at all beyond a nice grinder satin. This is an actual performance issue.

The second thing is not a performance issue, but really just a head slapper. The carbon fiber here is so poorly finished that it looks like no effort was made to fill voids or avoid making them.

Both scales have these valleys of rough CF where the hilltops have been milled away. A few more thousands of an inch in the mill would have resulted in a perfectly smooth set of handle scales. As it is, they have the texture asphalt. I bought the CF handled version because it was the only one left, but I would prefer G10 for a host of reasons, this texture problem with weaved carbon fiber just being on of many issues.

Both of these issues are concerns. If the scale were more refined I’d be giving this knife a .5 in this category, but I can’t see giving it a 0 as the knife itself is pretty marvelous. That all-around greatness makes both of these issue stand out more. The fact that they are self-inflicted wounds means they can be readily corrected, but these are two things that remind you that this is not a gleaming and perfect folder like you would see from Reate or Chris Reeve. That’s not a slight, just a reminder that small batch enthusiast-targeting stuff isn’t always perfect.

Grip: 2

The Model 1’s handle is significantly longer than it needs to be, much like the PM2’s handle. Here, because of how wonderfully round and simple it is, I am going to pass on criticizing the design for failing to max out its ratios. With curved edges and swooping lines, the Model 1 is just great in the hand.

Carry: 2

With a pleasing, rounded shape and no real pointy parts (when closed, of course), the Model 1 is an ideal pocket passenger.

Steel: 2

S35VN is a good blade steel. It may be significantly more common than it used to be, but the things we are cutting with it are the same as they were ten years ago when it was an ultra premium blade steel. Its not like Amazon has decided to switch from shipping items in cardboard to shipping them in asphalt shingles or carpet rolls. If you are looking for that “rare steel” appeal, S35VN is not even close to scratching that itch. If you want a good all-around performer, look no further.

Blade Shape: 2

With a long, simple drop point the Model 1 has a good amount of both belly and straightaway, allowing for a wide variety of cutting tasks. Combined with the simple grind (see below), the drop point fits the Model 1 perfectly—it is a good, solid design with no drawbacks, largely because of its simplicity.

Grind: 2

FFG = Good to me. When Nutnfancy started raving about the benefits of a full flat grind over a decade ago, many knife knuts didn’t even know what he was talking about. Now, its much more common to have in-depth discussions of grinds. This FFG is a dream. The stock, while not skinny, is very effectively tapered to the cutting bevel and the cutting bevel is executed marvelously. Johnny Cash’s sound was once described as “steady as a train and sharp as a razor.” This is exactly what you want in a grind and especially in a cutting bevel and the Model 1 delivers this in spades.

Deployment Method: 2

If you live in New England and ever visit a knife show you will handle an unfair share of RJ Martin knives. He is from Massachusetts and so his knives, despite their rarity and greatness, show up around here with surprising frequency. And they fucking rock. They are, in my mind, among the finest non-art knives in the world. In large part that is because of their super hard detents and their speedy action. The blades deploy with the blast of a starter’s pistol. Here, on the Model 1, you have a detent and action that is nearly as good as what you would find on an RJ Martin. Only the musical PING is missing. If you claimed that the Model 1 has the best deployment of any production or small batch knife in the world I wouldn’t argue with you. I can see a case being made for the Sharp by Design’s Reate-made knives as well, but the difference in quality is zero. Picking between the two is a matter of taste. In short, this is an epic blade largely because of its otherworldly action.

Retention Method: 0

This knife would have greatly benefited from a stamped steel clip, as this sculpted titanium one is pretty bad. It has no real retrieval ramp. Its blocky on the back end. The result is a knife that is just a snagfest going in and out of the pocket. Compare it to something like the clip on the APurvis Progeny MR (which is one of the best sculpted clips on the market) and you see why easing a few angles is better.

Pocket clips, like dust collection systems in a workshop, aren’t compatible with 90 degree angles.

Lock/Blade Safety: 2

With plenty of room to access the linerlock, the Model 1 is super easy to engage and disengage. There is zero blade play (and if there were the knife has a locked pivot screw, allowing for easy, one sided adjustments).

Other Consideration

Fidget Factor: Very high

You will find very few things in life that are more satisfying than deploying the Model 1 and almost all of them are better when you are naked. That is a bit of hyperbole, but just a smidge. Honestly, if you have even a passing interest in knives, the clack of deploying the Model 1 is absolutely addicting.

Fett Effect: High

The megablasted blade does show a significant amount of wear and I would imagine, over time, it would start to look stonewashed, much like the handles on my Shamwari do after more than four years of regular pocket time.

Value: Very High

The Model 1’s appeal, on paper, comes from its price. There is no better value in the knife world than this knife. Simply put, for $200 or so dollars, nothing comes close to this high quality, American-made blade. The fact that this peak value proposition is backed up with some of the best action in the world tells you that Martin has something very special here. The Model 1 is a recalibration of what we should expect from knives.

Overall Score: 17 out of 20

That score is lower than it should be and is a reflection of the discrete nature of my scoring system. This knife is easily as appealing as many of the boring but competent blades I have given 19s and 20s to over the years. You simply can’t find a better value. Even TRM, which right now is probably the best enthusiast grade knife maker in the world, has a hard time competing with the Model 1. Its price, simplicity, and deployment make for a heady combination that knife folks can’t resist. Sign up for the notification list on American Bladeworks, follow ABW on IG, and keep a few benjamins in the old space bucks account because when one of these comes up for sale they go quick. This knife is an absolute joy to own, carry, and use. I would prefer a less dusty finish on the blade, a bit better milling on the carbon fiber, and a less blocky clip, but these are minor issues for an amazing knife. Don’t hesitate—if one becomes available, you need to buy it. ABW Model 1s are, right now, as rare as they are good.

Competition:

In two ways this knife is hard to compete with, which is a very good sign. In terms of action, only Sharp by Designs knives come close, with the Micro Evo being another superlative flipper. Nothing from WE, Reate, ZT, Benchmade, or Spyderco comes close. TRM doesn’t make a flipper right now, but my prior history with them and my factory tour tells me if they wanted to they could make a competitor in terms of action. This is the point, if this review were an infomercial (which it is dangerously close to turning into…I really love this knife), I would say: “But what, there is more. How much do you thing this knife costs? $500? No! $400? Not close? What if I told you you too could own an ABW Model 1 for a low, low price of $210?!” There is nothing on the market, perhaps except for the Gerber Terracraft with its stunning leather sheath, that rivals the value proposition that is the ABW Model 1.

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