Knife Review: Bear Ops AC-700 Bold Action VII Automatic Knife

The Bear Ops AC-700 Bold Action VII Automatic Knife

Bear OPS Knives is a new subsidiary of Bear & Son Cutlery, which is a family owned company that was started in 1991. Their mission was to design and manufacture the “best knives made in the USA”. They proudly introduced Bear Ops because they take their obligation of duty to our country very seriously. Their goal with this subsidiary is to manufacture the best tactical knives that are available for those who serve. Bear OPS are made with the OPS (Operation Precision for Superior Tactical Knives) that can be relied on for any situation.

With a Bear OPS knife, you are going to find only USA manufactured parts, material, and a dedicated workforce. They make sure to only use supreme materials so that these knives can stand up to anything. Some of these premium materials that they choose to use are 154CM and CPM S30v steel for their blades, with their own heat treatment, waterjet, and CNC grinders to finish the blades.

Bear OPS knives are designed and engineered by the experts in their R&D and their in-house tool maker. With every Bear OPS knives, you will find a Lifetime Limited Warranty. While Bear & Son is continuing to manufacture the “best knives that are made in the USA,” you can find the “best tactical and military knives made in the USA” at Bear OPS. Because of the dedication, premium materials, and extreme detail that go into all of Bear OPS knives, you will always be proud to carry their knives.

Bear OPS products are definitely not your every-day knives. They are tough, well-made, and able to tear through just about anything that is unfortunate to be in your path. You can remain confident with these knives, because they are not going to let you down when you need them most.

Today we will be discussing their Bold Action VII automatic knife, which is currently in stock at BladeOps.

The Blade:

The blade on the Bold Action VII has been made out of Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel. Sandvik says that they have “optimized the chemistry to provide a top-grade knife steel with a unique combination of excellent edge performance, high hardness, and good corrosion resistance.” This means that the steel is going to stand up to those tasks that really take it all out of the blade that you are working on. You can except good edge sharpness throughout, the edge shouldn’t roll when you re-sharpen it, and it does have high corrosion resistance. All of these characteristics ensure that this will be a low-maintenance blade that you can easily rely on.

This is definitely a higher-grade steel that is used for only the best knives. It is a steel that is going to give you exactly what you need out of a high-performance knife such as the Bold Action VII. Re-sharpening is easy, which means that you’ll be able to manage to re-sharpen it in the field if it ever comes down to it. The edge retention on this steel is unreal. You can expect repeatedly use this blade without noticing that it is getting dull—because it isn’t. Seriously. It takes a lot to dull this edge. That feature makes it ideal for an outdoor knife such as this one, because you won’t’ have to worry about needing to sharpen it in the field. But remember, if you do need to, it won’t be a hassle.

The blade has been finished black. This is a standard coating that doesn’t have anything particularly special about it. Like any coating, it will prolong the life of the blade, simply because it acts as a barrier in between the blade’s steel and the environment. Of course, like a simple coating, it can and will scratch off after time or heavy use.

The coating is a sleek black color, which does cut down on glares and reflections. This is a major advantage of a tactical knife such as this one, because you do not want a glare or reflection to give your position away.

The blade has been carved into the classic drop point blade shape. The drop point blade shape is the perfect cherry on top of an already great blade. The shape ensures that the blade is going to be tough, durable, and reliable.

For starters, the spine extends out of the handle in a straight manner, until it begins to gently slope to the point. In the straight section of the blade, there is a row of finer jimping, which will give you added control when needed. The shape of the spine creates a lowered point, or like the name implies, a dropped point. The lowered point is going to give you a better ability to control your cuts and slices. It gives you enough control that you will be able to perform fine detail work with this blade.

The next major characteristic that sets the drop point blade shape apart is that the point is relatively broad as well. It is the extra broadness that is going to give this blade shape the strength that people have come to associate with the drop point blade shape. You will be able to take on the toughest of tasks without worrying about the tip breaking. It is not a fine tip, like it would be with a clip point, so you can rely on it a little bit more.

All of that being said, the broad tip is also one of the biggest drawbacks to the drop point blade shape. Really, it is the only drawback to this blade shape. Because of the broadness, you will not be able to pierce with this Bold Action VII.

The last major characteristic and feature of the drop point is that the belly has plenty of surface area, with a larger curve. This is going to let you excel at slicing. As you can see, all of the characteristics of the drop point really add up to a perfect blade shape.

The Handle:

The handle on this knife is made out of 6061-T6 aluminum. The handle on the Bold Action VII is made out of an anodized aluminum. Aluminum is a great option for a knife handle because it is so durable and reliable. The metal is considered a low-density metal which means that it is going to feel like it is giving you enough heft to actually rely on it. But, because it is a low-density metal, it is not going to weigh you down like some other materials can.

Plus, aluminum is incredibly corrosion resistant, which does mean this is going to be a lower maintenance handle to take care of.

The handle has been anodized black, which not only gives it a sleek look, but also cuts down on glares and reflections. Plus, because it has been anodized instead of coated, the color cannot peel off like coatings can. Instead, the anodization process has chemically changed the surface of the handle, which means that the color is there to stay. The anodization is also going to increase the strength, durability, and corrosion resistance considerably.

The handle has been textured roughly, which is perfect for an aluminum handle and its lack of texture. Going down the entire length of the handle are small grooves and ridges that span the length horizontally. These will give you the security that you need while using the Bold Action VII.

Attached to the butt is a lanyard hole that is large enough to fit most lanyards. There is a simple finger groove that will add comfort and a bit of grip. The butt of the handle does flare out on the belly side of the handle, adding to your grip. With the Bold Action VII, you can trust that you won’t lose your grip on this knife in any environment or situation.

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip on this knife is designed for tip up carry only, but it is eligible for either a left or right handed carry. It is an advantage that it can be reversed for either hand carry, because it allows you to carry it in a way that is most comfortable to you. This also means that it is going to require less fumbling, because you are familiar with the way that it feels.

However, it can only be attached for tip up carry, which is a disadvantage, because that is the more dangerous way to carry a knife. This is because if it does accidentally open while in your pocket, it becomes rather dangerous to reach in to withdraw it or close it.

The clip is black, which matches the rest of the knife. IT is kept in place by two black screws, which do match about half of the hardware on this knife. The other half of the hardware is a bright silver.

The Mechanism:

This is an automatic knife, which does mean that it is going to fall under a strict set of laws in the United States. These laws state that automatics are not legal in all states, cities, or areas. It is your responsibility to know your local knife laws before buying or carrying this knife.

This is a push-button automatic knife that has been equipped with a convenient slide safety to prevent accidental firing. A push-button automatic is an automatic that deploys the blade simply by pushing the button on the face of the handle. Once it is pushed, the blade will eject out of the side and lock into place, ready for use. The push-button on this handle is in a bright silver, which contrasts nicely with the black anodization of the handle. This way, you will be able to easily locate the button in most environments.

This leads me to the biggest advantage of an automatic knife: there is not going to be any fumbling with it while you try to open it. When every single second counts, this model is going to guarantee that you move as quickly as you can.

Of course, because there are more moving parts to an automatic knife, it is going to be slightly harder to maintain. If some of the innards parts rust or break down, the automatic mechanism can also begin to break down and work a little less. Always make sure that the knife handle (and inside of the handle) are clean and dry before putting it away

The Specs:

The blade on the Bold Action VII measures in at 3.25 inches long, which is pretty standard for a blade on a tactical knife such as this one. The handle on this knife weighs in at 4.25 inches long, which does mean that when the blade is deployed, the overall length of the knife is going to measure in at 7.5 inches long. Again, this is a pretty standard length when it comes to a tactical knife that you are going to want to rely on.

The knife weighs in at a4.4 ounces, which is a great weight. It is hefty enough that you know you will be able to rely on it, but it is not so heavy that it becomes a pain to have with you. The benefit of this weight is that even though this has been designed as a tactical knife, it is lightweight enough that you could easily use this as your EDC. Plus, the steel and the handle are strong and versatile enough to really take on whatever may come your way.

The Bold Action VII is proudly built in the United States of America.

Conclusion:

The Bear OPS Bold Action VII knife is one of several new knives released by Bear & Son Cutlery this year. This line of push-button side-open automatic knives feature an entire arsenal of knives that offer a more tactical look and feel. Each model showcases ergonomic styling, precisely placed jimping, a vertically milled handle for increased support, and a convenient slide safety to prevent accidental firing. This model, the AC-700-AlBK-B, features a black aluminum handle, a drop point style blade in a black finish and the pocket clip is designed for tip up carry only but is eligible for a left- or right-hand carry option.

This Bear OPS knife is currently in stock at BladeOps. Click here to purchase yours today.