Review on Lightweight And Durable: Meet The Vargo Titanium Wharn-Clip Knife by Alonzo Wilkins

Got one of these as a gift from someone who knows I generally like Vargo products. However, this knife is gimmicky and not practical. Its best feature is the integrated clip, although it doesn't strike me as 'necessary' or even something particularly desirable. The handle is OK, but less comfy and secure than other thin, skeletonized knife handles that are more ergonomic. The size of the blade is good for EDC but the Wharncliffe style is not, unless you like to cut out coupons or newspaper articles, etc. Sure it can prune nuts, etc., but there are plenty of more general purpose blade shapes out there; Wharncliffe is toward the bottom of that list for me, not least because its edge is straight and has no belly. The biggest 'appeal' factor appears to be its titanium construction. Other than to save weight and for corrosion resistance, however, titanium is a poor choice for a knife blade. I don't know the actual hardness of this particular blade but titanium in general can be heat-treated to a maximum of 45 RC, and that tends to be in *very expensive* ti blades. $5 kitchen cutlery usually runs 52-54 RC, and other EDC or pocket-sized fixed blade knives in the Vargo's price range usually run 56-58 RC or harder. (Putting aside for now that you'd also get a more practical blade and ergo handle, etc.) If you *really* like this knife for its cool factor or whatever, get it now since I doubt it will be around in a year or two. For a vastly better EDC knife at this price point, one could get an ESEE Izula or similar, or an Enzo Necker at half the price.