Knife Review: Boker Camo Sub Kalashnikov Automatic Knife

The Boker Camo Sub Kalashnikov Automatic Knife [BladeOps Exclusive]

The Boker Sub Kalashnikov is an exceptional knife that has many different versions of itself. You can find different blades, different handle colors and materials. Each and every one of them is a great knife. It really packs a punch for just how small it is. Today we are going to be going over a BladeOps Exclusive version of the Boker Sub Kalashnikov—this one is the camo version of it with a bead blasted finished blade. This is one of the most popular knives at BladeOps because it is the perfect size for your EDC, plus it has the durability and toughness that the Boker Kalashnikov line is known for. This automatic knife is the perfect option for your next EDC purchase—you really can’t go wrong with it. Read on to understand the nitty gritty details about what makes this knife so exceptional compared to other EDCs that you might have, or that you might have your eye on.

The Blade:

The blade on this exclusive version of the SUB Kalashnikov is made out of AUS-8 stainless steel. This is a stainless steel that has a lower carbon content compared to something like 154CM stainless steel. This stainless steel is going to resist rust effortlessly, which is a needed quality for your EDC. You can’t have an EDC that you are relying on if you have to be constantly worried about the maintenance behind the blade. The AUS-8 steel is going to resist rust incredibly well, especially when looking at the cost of the knife. This steel does offer good levels of hardness for the blade. However, it is not such a hard steel that you even have to be worried about brittleness. This steel also offers decent toughness and will hold its edge well enough that this can be your go-to EDC.

The blade on this knife bead blasted. This is a finish that is created when the manufacturer uses abrasive beads that are then blasted at the steel with high pressure. This process creates an even, grey finish that you aren’t going to find in any other blade finish. Some of the perks of a bead blasted finish is that the process creates a very matte surface, which is going to reduce reflection and glare. This is a convenient feature of an EDC, because if you happen to be working outside, you don’t have to worry about any sun glare getting in the way of your full attention to the project at hand.

Finally, this SUB Kalashnikov has been designed with a wide drop point blade shape. Every part of this drop point blade shape has been widened. The belly is less of a dramatic curve, because it is so rounded. The spine is the same way, almost creating a very wide needle point, due to the similarities and symmetry between the belly and the spine. The rounded spine ensures that the tip is dropped, which does a couple of things. First, the lowered tip is going to provide you with more control over the blade. This is important in work where you have to focus on the small or fine details. The wide dropped point is also not as fine as the tip that you would find on a clip point blade shape, which means that it is going to be less fragile than that on a clip point blade. This is a super important feature of an EDC, because having a fragile tip would mean that you couldn’t actually take on every task that might come your way. Instead, you can whip out this BladeOps exclusive knife without a worry in the world for this knife. It is going to be tough, durable, strong, and let you get your work done. The next key feature of the widened drop point blade shape is how big the belly is. The curve is a lot rounder than you would typically find on a standard drop point. However, the bigger the curve, the more cutting surface there is going to be. This means that your slicing is going to be a total breeze. This is also a very critical feature of your EDC, because slicing and push cuts are the most common styles of cuts that someone uses throughout the day. This means that you can easily take on most of your tasks without struggling or feeling frustrated while using this knife. All in all, the blade on this version of the SUB Kalashnikov has been designed incredibly well, perfect for your EDC choice.

The Handle:

The next portion of the knife that we should cover is the handle. The handle has been made out of aluminum and the pattern/coloring on it is a camo pattern. Aluminum is an exceptional option for your EDC for a few reasons. First of all, it is actually a low-density metal, which means that it is going to give you some serious heft without the weight. This means that you can put some strength and effort behind your motions with this knife, and it will only enhance them. However, it is also important that it keeps the overall weight down, because a good EDC is one that you don’t notice until you need it. In this case, this is already a smaller knife, so the heft that the aluminum provides the handle is critical. Because of the smaller size, without the heft that aluminum does provide, this knife would feel more like a toy when you are trying to use it, instead of the great tool that it really is. Aluminum is also a durable and tough metal, which means that you can have it with you at all times without the concern of it getting roughed up as the time goes on.

One of the issues that many people run into with an aluminum knife handle is that it does not provide enough texture for a soldi grip. This is NOT the case with the SUB Kalashnikov. For starters, the surface of the knife handle has been heavily texturized, which is going to provide an excellent base for your grip. But it doesn’t stop there. There are two ridges in the middle and near the butt of the handle, which will provide even more grip. Then, there are two long rows of jimping. One that is positioned right where the blade and the handle meet, and one that curves around the butt of the handle. Both of these portions of thick jimping are going to provide some serious texture and grip for those tougher tasks that you may need to take on. Finally, there belly of the handle has a decent sized finger guard, with three finger grooves following in after. The first finger groove is fairly deep, with each successive one becoming shallower. If we are looking at an aluminum knife handle, this Boker has some of the most texture that I’ve ever seen. You aren’t going to feel like you are slipping or flailing, because there are mounds of texture to provide you with a solid hold in it.

The camo of the handle is made out of light greens, tans, and a little bit of a dark olive green. Of course, you need to remember that no two of these knife handles are going to be the same, because of the randomness of the camo pattern. That begin said, every single one of these knives is going to be awesome.

The Automatic Function:

This is an automatic knife, which does mean that you need to pay careful attention to your local knife laws. Automatic knives are not legal in all states, cities, or areas of the United States and it is your responsibility to know whether or not this knife is legal. Barring the legality issues of an automatic knife, autos are really sick. For starters, all you have to do is push the button on the front handle scale, which will quickly swing the blade open and lock it into place. This cuts down on fumbling, time, and even allows you to open the knife with just one hand. Maybe even just one finger if we’re being honest here. Automatics have ease of use. They are simple to use with no learning curve. Overall, an automatic EDC is a great choice. You’ll be able to open it with either hand, which means that this is ambidextrous friendly. There are a lot of advantages to an automatic knife when you use it safely and legally.

One thing to keep in mind specifically with this automatic knife is that it is an auto-conversion knife. This means that the knife was produced as a manual folding knife, but then has been converted into an automatic knife. This does not affect how well the automatic function works.

The Details:

For starters: the specs. The blade on this exclusive knife measures in at 1.95 inches long. This is a small knife. However, due to the materials used and the design elements that were chosen, it packs a serious punch. This knife, and blade, have the toughness and durability that you are going to find in your other EDCs that are larger. Really 

when it comes down to this knife, the smaller knife just means easier to have with you. It is still high-quality, it is still strong, it is still hefty, it’s everything that you want, just in a smaller size. The large curve to the blade also ensures that you get maximum cutting surface, which is always ideal.

The handle on this Boker knife measures in at 2.925 inches long, which means that the overall length of this knife is going to come in at 4.875 inches long. Once again, this is a small knife. But don’t let that scare you. Instead, recognize just how quality and tough the knife is, and then realize that you get all of that in a tiny package. This knife weighs in at 2.4 ounces, which means that you can easily have it with you wherever you go.

Next: the details. All of the hardware on this knife is bead blasted, which means that it matches the blade and creates a continuous look to the knife. Matching hardware to the blade really does elevate it in a way that other details don’t. Also, the knife features an extra-long deep carry pocket clip that is statically designed for tip up carry only on the traditional side of the handle. The deep carry pocket clip is a great addition for this EDC, because it allows the knife to fit comfortably and deeply in your pocket. This just means that it is going to be more secure, and more concealed.

Final Thoughts:

This Boker SUB Kalashnikov auto features a camo patterned handle and 1.95” bead blast finished blade. With snappy action and rock-solid lock up, the SUB Kalashnikov has quickly become one of our most popular knife models because it is perfect sized for EDC and has the durability and toughness the Kalashnikov line of automatic knives is known for.

This exclusive version comes with bead blast hardware and an extra-long deep carry pocket clip that is statically designed for tip up carry only on the traditional side of the handle. The Boker Kalashnikov automatic knife is one of the most popular side open automatics on the market today considering the price point. This knife, as well as the rest of the Kalashnikov auto family, is referred to as an auto-conversion knife which means the knife is produced as a folder and then converted via third party to offer the automatic function. Another key factor to keep in mind before purchasing this knife is that no two knives are going to be exactly identical because of the random nature of the camo pattern. That being said, each and every one of these knives is still going to be awesome. This is the perfect choice for your next EDC purchase. Order yours today from BladeOps, which is the company that exclusively carries it.