Piranha Blue Mini-Guard Knife Review
Posted by admin on Jul 11th 2018
Piranha Knives specialize in excellent automatic knives. All Piranha products are made in the United States of America and feature superb design and craftsmanship. They use modern technology and cutting edge materials to make a highly quality automatic knife. They have a wide variety of different models and every single one of them would be a great option for you. Also, Piranha Knife Company offers you a lifetime limited warranty—which is unusual in the industry and a true testament to their willingness to stand by their high quality knives.
Today, we will be going over their Blue Mini-Guard Automatic knife.
The Blade:
The blade on this knife is made out of CPM-S30V steel. This is an American made powder steel that is produced by Crucible and developed specifically for knives and more specifically for the high end premium pocket knives and expensive kitchen cutlery. Crucible works alongside knife guru Chris Reeve to produce this excellent steel. S30V steel is a martensitic powder-made stainless steel. Martensitic is a specific type of stainless steel alloy. This premium steel is a great balance of the three qualities you want out of your knife steel: edge retention, hardness, and toughness. To create such a high quality steel, Crucible has added Vanadium into the steel, which is where the V in the name comes from. The introduction of vanadium carbides brings extreme hardness into the steel alloy matrix. When the steel first came out, it came with a premium price. But now that other companies are producing similar steels, the price has dropped. Now, you can get a high quality steel for a lower price. One of the only drawbacks to this type of steel is that it is hard to work with and sharpen. This does increase the cost slightly, because the manufacturers have to work with it, and if you are a beginner sharpener, I wouldn’t try to sharpen this steel. If you are looking for a more workable steel with the same qualities, S30V steel does have a better looking brother, S35VN steel, which has added Niobium to make it easier for the manufacturers to work with. At this day, S30V is a very common steel and it is one of my favorites.
The blade on the Blue Mini-Guard knife has been finished with a black coating. Coatings provide corrosion resistance, but they will scratch off eventually, and at that time, the blade will have to be re-coated. The coated finish reduces the reflections and glares while also reducing wear to the blade. Coatings can work to prolong the life of a blade by preventing corrosion or rust. Quality coatings do add cost to a knife, but they also provide you with more corrosion resistance, less reflection, and require less maintenance. This black finish is a matte finish.
This knife is a classic stiletto style design. The stiletto style of blade is a dagger with a long slender blade and needle-like point, which has been designed as a primarily as a stabbing weapon. The stiletto’s blade narrow cross-section and acuminated tip reduces friction upon entry, allowing the blade to penetrate deeply. Over time, the term stiletto has been sued as a general descriptive term for a variety of knife blades exhibiting a narrow blade with minimal cutting surfaces and a needle-like point. The stiletto was first developed in Italy, dating back to the late 15th century, and is thought to be a development of the rondel dagger, which is a needle pointed weapon with a narrow blade designed primarily for thrusting, although it does possess cutting edges. The blade shape was later adopted throughout Italy as the favored offensive thrusting knife of the medieval assassin. The stiletto was even preferred by assassins as it was silent, easily concealed inside a sleeve or jacket, and featured a blade capable of easily penetrating the heavy leather and clothing of the day. The stiletto remained a popular weapon of criminals or political assassins form the 16th through the end of the 1th century, especially in France, Corsica, and Italy. The stiletto later followed the first wave of Italian immigration to the city of New Orleans, Louisiana during the mid-19th century, where the knife became a popular weapon of gamblers, gang members, and assorted assassins. This style of knife was actually involved in so many stabbings that the city passed an ordinance in 1879 outlawing the sale of any stiletto within the city limits. During World War One, there became a new need for stabbing weapons, which is when the dagger and stiletto reappeared. During the Second World War, there was another resurgence of the stiletto in the form of combat knives. During the 1950s, large numbers of folding switchblades with locking blades were imported from Italy to the United States. These Italian switchblades were commonly referred to as stilettos, since most incorporated a long, slender blade tapering to a needle-like point. These stiletto switchblades were designed primarily as an offensive weapon, optimized for thrusting rather than cutting. This was unlike most of the US switchblade designs of the day because they had a locking device, which locked the blade in the open position.
The blade on this knife has been carved into a spear point style blade. The spear point is similar to the needle-point blade, because they are both good for piercing. But, the spear point is a little stronger and it does contain a very small belly that can be sued for slicing. This style of blade is a symmetrically pointed blade with a point that is in line with the center lien of the blade’s long axis. A spear point knife is a great choice for the knife enthusiast who is looking for a good balance between piercing and slicing ability. It successfully combines the sharp point of a dagger with the strength of a drop point blade, while maintaining some of the belly that is used for slicing.
The blade on this knife does have a plain edge. The main difference between plain edge blades and serrated blades really comes down to how you use your blade. Plain edges excel at push cuts, which is where you push the edge against the thing that you are trying to cut. Some good examples of this style of cuts are when you are shaving or whittling. Plain edges are best when you need precision and accuracy. Plain edge blades excel at tasks such as carving, dressing an animal, or peeling an apple. The other nice advantage of plain edge blades is their versatility. The plain edge is going to give you cleaner cuts than a serrated edge. With a plain edge, you are going to be able to get a finer edge on your blade and it will be easier to sharpen because you don’t have to worry about the teeth. However, because it is a plain edge, you are going to have to sharpen your blade more often than if it were a serrated blade.
The Handle:
The handle is made out of T6-6061 anodized aluminum. Aluminum is a very low-density metal used in knife making, and it is extremely corrosion resistant. Since it is such a soft metal, it is primarily used in knife handles and hard anodized for aesthetics and wear resistance. A fun fact about aluminum is that it is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. The alloy of aluminum used is T6-6061, which means the type of aluminum is 6061, and it is T6 tempered. T6-6061 Aluminum has one of the highest yield and tensile strengths of all aluminum alloys. Because this aluminum is used extensively in aircraft, it is often referred to as “aircraft aluminum”. Aluminum alloy is much 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. Aluminum is a nonferrous metal. One of the benefits of having an aluminum handle is that it gives your knife as solid feel, without all the extra weight. Some of the drawbacks to your knife handle being made out of aluminum is that if you use your knife quite a bit during colder months, you will probably find the handle uncomfortable cold given its conductive properties. This material is also susceptible to scratches and dings. Lastly, unless it is property texturized, the handle can be fairly slippery. When it is properly texturized, an aluminum handle can provide a reasonably secure grip that is also comfortable and easy for extended use.
The handle on the Mini-Guard has been anodized. Anodizing is an electrochemical process that converts the metal surface into a decorative, durable, corrosion-resistant anodic oxide finish. Aluminum is ideal suited to anodizing. The anodic oxide structure originates from the aluminum substrate and is composed entirely of aluminum oxide. This aluminum oxide is not applied to the surface like paint or plating, but is fully integrated with the underlying aluminum substrate, so it cannot chip or peel. Anodized finish has made aluminum one of the most respected and widely used materials today. The handle on the Mini-Guard has been anodized a deep blue.
To provide you with a secure grip, there is ribbing all around the handle.
The Pocket Clip:
The pocket clip is designed for tip up carry only. This pocket clip is made out of titanium and has been anodized black. This clip is kept in place by a large screw and is a deep carry pocket clip. Titanium offers you one of the best rust resistance of any metal.
The Mechanism:
This is an automatic knife with a plunge lock. Automatic knives are also known as switchblades, which is a type of knife with a sliding blade contained in the handle which is opened automatically by a button. Automatic knives have strict laws surrounding them in most states and cities, so know your local laws before your purchase and carry this knife. You are responsible for knowing your laws and the consequences surrounding them.
A plunge lock is long wearing and mechanically robust. A spring pushes a hardened, taper cylinder into a slot in the tang preventing closing. When the blade is stowed, the rounded plunger head makes contact with another slot in the tang acting to hold the blade closed. The plunger’s double duty is an elegant solution, negating the need for a ball detent. The mechanism is housed in the nested bolster plates for strength and longevity.
The Specs:
The blade on the Piranha Blue Mini-Guard measures in at 2.9 inches long with the handle measuring in at 3.7 inches long. The overall length of the knife measures in at 6.6 inches long. The knife weighs in at 1.8 ounces and is made in the United States of America.
Conclusion:
Piranha knives have certainly made their mark in the automatic knives arena for their tight tolerances, consistent quality and competitive pricing. Thanks to their unique custom-like anodized handle colors and a multitude of knife models with their respective blade variations, Piranha can most certainly appeal to every knife user. All models feature all-stainless steel hardware in addition to a titanium pocket clip. The Mini-Guard stems for the same style as the Bodyguard series but in a smaller size. This knife showcases aircraft grade aluminum handle scales that have been chamfered, rounded and polished for a comfortable and ergonomic feel and offers a classic stiletto style design coupled with modern materials. This knife puts a contemporary spin on the classic stiletto and fires hard and fast. This model, the 7BTBLU, features a marbled blue handle and a single-edged spear point style blade in a black finish and the pocket clip is designed for tip up carry only. This is a durable, solid knife that is going to make the perfect self-defense knife. The marbled blue handle is classy and sleek, which will never go out of style. Pick up your Blue Mini-Guard Automatic Knife with an S30V Black Blade today at BladeOps.