A good friend asked me to recommend a knife with certain narrow specifications. He needed a tactical folder, something that could be used for both utility and defense. The knife had to be black to be as discreet as possible, preferably with a four-inch non-serrated blade. He wanted a thumb stud, not a thumb hole. He doesn’t like Tanto-style blades, but also didn’t want a recurve of any kind. He needed a knife that would hold up to extended use, too.
I did a lot of thinking, trying to determine what would best meet his needs. I don’t know if I found the perfect knife, but I found one that was very close to his constraints: the Cold Steel Night Force.
The Night Force has a four-inch blade and five-inch Zytel handle reinforced with steel liners. It weighs five ounces. The clip-point blade is of 440A steel coated in Teflon. I would have preferred a tougher steel, but the knife met the other specifications well enough that I hoped my friend would tolerate having to sharpen it a little more often. The blade is equipped with dual thumb studs.
Like most Cold Steel knives I’ve handled, the Night Force was very sharp out of the box. It opens smoothly and handles well. The ergonomics of the handle are good, while the surface of the Zytel is pleasant to the touch. I didn’t find it too slippery. The thumb grooves on the back of the handle are a feature I always like to have on a knife.
Cold Steel’s website claims the "leafspring lock" — a liner lock, to my eye — will reliably hold 100 pounds without catastrophic failure. The lock engages to the far left of the blade tang (leaving room for wear) and does indeed feel solid.
I like the curve of the pocket clip, though I think I would prefer it to be positioned a bit closer to the end of the handle. The knife is configured for "tip up" carry, which is preferred by some for a quick draw (but not preferred by me).
Despite the things I would like to see changed, the Night Force is a good knife that met the very specific needs my friend expressed.
If your own criteria match his, this knife could be worth your money.
I finally found one…yes!