Knife Review: Bear OPS Bold Action X Auto Knife

The Bear Ops Bold Action X 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 X automatic knife, which is currently in stock at BladeOps.

The Blade:

The blade on the Bold Action X 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 X. 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 on the Bold Action X has been finished with a bead blasted finish. This finish is created when glass or ceramic beads are blasted at the metal at a high pressure. This process gives the steel an even, gray finish, which does mean that glares and reflections are going to be reduced. The look of the blasted finish is appealing. It guarantees that the blade looks nice and classy, but the blade odes not steal the show.

However, the blasting does create increased surface area as well as micro abrasions in the steel. Both of these characteristics do lead to a lower level of corrosion resistance. In certain cases, a blade that has been finished with a bead blast can rust overnight in the worst of environments. You shouldn’t have to worry about that, because the Sandvik 14C28N steel has such high levels of corrosion resistance. That being said, you will want to make sure that the blade is clean and completely dry before folding it back into the handle. No need to test a knife like that.

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 X.

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 the Bold Action X 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 is a basic handle, but that doesn’t mean it can’t get the job done. The spine starts off with a row of thicker jimping, which is there to give you the added control that you need when performing finer work. The butt is squared off. There is a slight finger guard and a slight finger groove. Both are there for protection as well as comfort. Near the butt of the handle, there is a lanyard dhole.

The Pocket Clip:

The pocket clip on this is a reversible clip designed for tip up carry only, but it is eligible for either a left or right handed carry option. This does mean that the Bold Action X is going to be more ambidextrous friendly.

The clip has also been finished in a bead blast matching perfectly with the blade. The clip is also a wider clip than you may be used to. There is a bulge in the middle of the clip. In this section, “Bear O.P.S” and the logo have been stamped onto it in black. The clip is kept in place by two silver screws, which match half of the hardware. The rest of the hardware is a dark grey. The clip is not a deep carry.

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 this Bold Action measures in at 3 inches long with handle that measures in at 3.875 inches long. This creates an overall length of 6.875 inches long when the blade has been deployed. This is on the slightly smaller side of the knife spectrum. However, since this steel is such a high quality, you will be able to trust in this knife to take on those tougher tasks that you are sure to encounter.

The Bold Action X weighs in at 3.2 ounces, which fits perfectly into that sweet spot of an EDC. The best range of weight for a knife that you are hoping to have with you at all times falls in between 3 and 5 ounces. This spectrum of weight ensures that you aren’t begin weighed down, but it allows you to still fully rely on a knife like this.

Lastly, this knife was made in the United States of America.

Conclusion:

The Bold Action X knife is the next installment and one of several new automatic knives released by Bear & Son Cutlery/Bear OPS this year. This line of push-button side-open automatic knives features an entire arsenal of knives that offer a more tactical look and feel. Offered in a wide variety of sizes, colors and finishes, these knives showcase ergonomic styling, rapid firing and a convenient slide safety to prevent accidental firing. This model features black anodized aluminum handles, stainless steel liners, a drop point style blade in a bead blasted finish and the reversible pocket clip is designed for tip up carry only but is eligible for a left- or right-hand carry option.

Like I earlier mentioned, this is currently in stock at BladeOps. Purchase yours today here.