Joker’s Wild Grey Cupid Clone OTF Automatic Knife Review

 

The Blade:

The blade on this version of the Joker’s Wild Cupid Clone is made out of 440 stainless steel. When it comes to 440 stainless steel, there is actually three different members of the family: A, B, or C. 440C is a high quality steel, so if the knife is made out of this steel, it is likely that the manufacturer specifies that it is made out of this steel. If it has not been specified, you can assume that it is either A or B. 440 is a medium carbon, martensitic stainless steel that is very corrosion resistant, while also being tough. This steel can be hardened to about RC58. A and B are not considered premium knife steels, but they still have some very good properties for cutlery use. They take a fine enough edge that if it has been treated properly, it will even be able to cut the hairs off your arms. These two versions of 440 steel are often only used in production knives. 440A is tougher and more corrosion resistant than 440B. 440B is inferior to 440C in edge retention and edge sharpness, though like A, it is not as good a choice as a premium steel. 440B is more ductile than 440C and less brittle. Both A and B are easy to machine and easy to sharpen well, which makes it ideal for when the manufacturer needs a cheaper blade steel for production purposes. One of the biggest advantages to these steels is that they are inexpensive and you still get a pretty quality steel. While this steel will not stand up to super-steels or be able to take on crazy amounts of force, they will be able to get you through your day-to-day tasks.

The blade on this version of the Joker’s Wild Grey Cupid Clone has been bead blast finished. This finish is created by using abrasive glass beads that are blasted at the steel with a high pressure, which results in an even gray finish. A blasted finish reduces reflection and glare due to its even matte surface. The blasting creates an increased surface area and micro abrasion make the steel more prone to rust and corrosion. A blasted blade, even from stainless steel, can rust overnight if left in a very humid environment. This means that you will need to make sure that your blade is dry before pulling it back into the handle. You will also need to oil your blade often if you are using the knife often.

The blade is a dagger style blade shape. The dagger style blade is also known as the needle-point blade. Both of the names for this blade style are perfect, because this style of blade is all about the point. The blade style has a double-edge blade, with the sole purpose being to pierce and stab. The blade is made up of 2 symmetrically sharpened blades that taper to a very thin sharp point, which pierces easily into soft targets. The two sharp edges reduce the profile of the knife and let it cut in on both sides equally. These characteristics make it a great option for your self-defense weapon, even, or especially, if you are in close combat situations. Just like any blade shape, the dagger style blade does have its disadvantages. First, the blade is created to be all about the point, so the edges are straight, meaning the knife has no belly. Because of this, it is not good for slicing or slashing. Second, because the tip is sharp and thin it does have the tendency to break, especially when it is used on harder targets. While this blade design is not going to be your all-purpose knife, it will be fantastic if you ever need to use it for self-defense or any other situation that requires piercing.

Each edge of the blade has been sharpened into a combination edge. This is where the upper two thirds of the blade (near the tip) are plain edged, and the lower third (near the handle) is serrated. The reasoning behind the combination edge is that the user gets the best of both worlds. They can use the plain edged section when they need cleaner cuts or need to perform fine detail work. The user can then use the serrated portions of the blade to saw through your tougher materials. And for those of you who are planning to use this knife for self-defense, the different edges will inflict more damage. The biggest complaint when it comes to combination edges is that you don’t get enough of either portion, so instead of getting the best of both worlds, you get the worst of each. When it comes to the combo edge, it really comes down to personal opinion.

The Handle:

The handle is made out of anodized aluminum. Because aluminum is a very low-density metal used in knife making, it keeps the weight of the overall knife down without taking away any of your heft. This is a major advantage because you feel like you have weight to back you up, but you don’t have to lug a heavy knife with you at all times. Aluminum is also a very corrosion resistant metal, which means that it is not going to easily rust; Maintenance time is reduced because of that characteristic. Most knives use a type of aluminum alloy called T6-60161, which means the type of aluminum is 6061 and it has been T6 tempered. T6-6061 aluminum has one of the highest yield and tensile strengths of all aluminum alloys. T6-6061 is often found in aircraft, which is why it has been nicknamed “aircraft aluminum.” This nickname is a little bit of a marketing ploy; while it is a quality aluminum, it is not as quality as that nickname makes it out to be. Aluminum is cheaper to machine and produce than titanium, and is lighter, weaker, and less resistant to wear. For the most part, aluminum is an inferior metal to titanium aside from its lightness. However, because producing an automatic knife is complex and requires a large amount of CNC machining, like with this knife, aluminum is much cheaper to produce and manufacturer the knife.

The handle on this knife has been anodized dark grey, which adds extra durability, resistance to wear and corrosion, and generally prolongs the life of the blade. According to anodizing.org, anodizing is an electrochemical process that converts the metal surface into a decorative, durable, corrosion-resistant, anodic oxide finish. Aluminum is especially suited to anodizing, which is why it is often anodized on knives. Anodizing is accomplished by immersing the aluminum into an acid electrolyte bath and passing an electric current though the medium. A cathode is mounted to the inside of the anodizing tank; the aluminum acts as an anode, so that oxygen ions are released form the electrolyte to combine with the aluminum atoms at the surface of the part being anodized.

The handle on this knife is mostly rectangular, although the top of the handle is arrow-head shaped, and the bottom of the handle does flare out so that you can get a better grip on the knife. To assist with texture, grooves have been carved into the face of the palm.

 

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip on this knife is designed for tip down carry only on the traditional side of the handle. This means that the knife is not ambidextrous. The clip is sliver, which contrasts elegantly with the black handle. TI is kept in place by two silver screws that match the rest of the hardware on this knife.

 

The Mechanism:

The Joker’s Wild Grey Cupid Clone is an automatic OTF knife. An Out-the-Front, or OTF knife is style of pocket knife with a blade that opens and closes through a hole in one end of the handle. This is different than your typical pocket knife, which has a blade that is stored in the handle and folds in and out of the side. Within the OTF category you can find manual or automatic, this knife is an automatic.

An automatic OTF knife blade travels within an internal track or channel in the same manner as a manual slider or gravity knife. But the automatic main spring drive and button mechanism enclose within requires a switchblade handle to be thicker or longer than a similar size gravity of sliding knife. Because this is an automatic knife, you do need to be aware that it falls under the strict automatic laws in the United States. It is your job, at the user, to know your local knife laws.

You can then further divide automatic OTF knives into two separate categories: double action, or single action. This knife is a single action, which means that the knife does deeply automatically, but it must be manually cocked or retracted to close.

 

The Specs:

The blade on the Joker’s Wild Cupid Clone measures in at 3.3 inches long. The handle on this OTF knife measures in at 5.1 inches long. The overall length of this knife when it is opened measures in at 8.4 inches long. This is a lightweight knife, because of the steel and the aluminum, so it only weighs in at 4 ounces.

 

The Pros of the Wild Grey Cupid Clone:

• The blade steel is inexpensive, but still gives you enough grit to get your day-to-day jobs done.
• The blade steel is very corrosion and stain resistant.
• The blade is easy to sharpen because of the softness of the steel.
• The bead blasted finish creates an even finish that reduces glares and reflections.
• The dagger point style blade is going to excel at piercing.
• You can perform fine detail work with the plain edge.
• You can use the plain edge to achieve cleaner cuts.
• You can saw through the thicker materials with the serrated portions of the blade.
• When it comes to self-defense, the changing edges will inflict maximum damage.
• Lightweight knife means you can have it with you at all times and not be weighed down.
• Not an ambidextrous knife.
• The aluminum handle is going to be strong.
• The aluminum handle is light, keeping the overall weight of the knife down.
• The aluminum handle is very durable and corrosion resistant.
• The anodized aluminum is stronger, tougher, more durable, and more resistant to corrosion.

 

The Cons of the Wild Grey Cupid Clone:

• Because the blade is softer steel, you will have to sharpen it often.
• The blade does not have high wear resistance.
• Because of the blasted finish, the blade can rust overnight, so maintenance is required and required often.
• Because the tip is so sharp and thin, it will break if used on harder objects.
• The blade does not have a belly, which is why it cannot be used for multiple purposes.
• Some people feel like the two separate blade edges means that you cannot fully utilize either portion.
• The aluminum handle is susceptible to scratches and dings.
• The aluminum handle can feel pretty cold to hold.
• Because it is an automatic knife, this knife is not going to be legal in all states, cities, or areas of the United States.

 

Conclusion:

The Joker’s Wild Cupid Clone automatic knife is a single-action out the front knife that closely resembles that of the Dalton Cupid model which The Joker was seen wielding in the iconic Batman movie. A single action out the front knife by definition means that the blade is automatically deployed with the push of a button and then is manually retracted with a lever feature–in this case found on the side of the handle. This wildly popular knife showcases amazing construction and a lockup that is as solid as knives even 10 times the price. This model features a grey handle, a dagger style blade that is partly serrated on both sides and a pocket clip that is designed for tip down carry only. Pick up this knife at BladeOps.