Fallkniven AB is a Swedish knife manufacturer in the knife business for over 25 years. It was founded by Peter Hjortberger in 1984. It originally started as a knife importer, and in 1987 began designing its own knives. The company manufactures high-performance outdoor and survival knives. It is mostly known for its fixed-blade and pocketknives that are popular among hunters and outdoorsmen. Other than that, it produces chef’s knives, exclusive knives, limited edition knives, sharpeners, extra sheaths, knife care and promotions.
Their knives are among the strongest, serial manufactured stainless steel knives in the world today. They offer worldwide shipping and have a large experience in knife making.
Fallkniven PXL Review
Fallkniven’s PXL folding knife is the largest you will find from Fallkniven. It is 7.83” long with a 3.46” blade and a 4.3” handle made from stainless steel with ivory Micarta scales. Designed by Peter Hjortberger himself, the knife features a liner lock with a thumb stud opener and a drop point plain edge stainless Elmax laminate powder steel. It comes with a strong removable tip down pocket clip that is configured for right hand.
The features a blade thickness of 0.13” with a satin finish with a hardness level of 62 RC.
Summary of Fallkniven PXL Folder Specs:
First Impressions of Fallkniven PXL
The Fallkniven PXL came in a simple white branded box with the knife wrapped in a plastic sleeve, along with the manual. Almost all Fallkniven knives have a crisp finish to them. The edges of the liners and the lock bars are on the verge of being sharp. But that was not the case in PXL. The knife felt smooth from all the sides, and the satin finish was very much visible. The blade had the factory edge right out of the box. Upon closer look, the PXL reveals a small micro-bevel visible for the factory edge. But you can also feel it once you put it to use.
However, the knife had some lock-sticks. The crisp edge of the blade when you press on the lock bar to release it makes it stand out even more. However, rubbing the lock surface with a stick cleared out the issue.
The blade was also sitting perfectly centered in the scales and did not move. However, even if it does, the knife screws are standard Torx that are easy to unscrew using knife screws. You can tighten it right up if it needs to.
The opening and closing action was as smooth and soft as expected. The thumb studs worked brilliantly with either hand, and the liner lock worked well. However, the thumb stud may feel too narrow for smaller hands.
The pocket clip had a very nice finish, and the handle provided a smooth and comfortable grip.
First impression rating: 4.5/5
The Blade of Fallkniven PXL Folder
The convex, or conventionally known drop point, has a fine factory edge and cutting edge. The flat grind combined with the ultra-thin 0.13” blade makes it a very sharp cutter. The blade is more than 3” long, which gives it enough blade area to perform any EDC task. It has full convex effectively to a zero grind. You can also see the grind lines running along the length of the blade, with ample cutting edge convexing towards the drop point. It is the ideal blade shape for everyday tasks with enough surface area for precision cutting.
The branding on the blade is also very minimal, with the brand’s name and blade steel material on the front side. Above the brand’s name is a very fine swedge, thinning the blade towards the tip. The thumb studs are also placed on either sides of the blade’s spine for deployment.
The white handle version of this knife comes in ultra-premium Elmax as its blade material, which is high chromium-molybdenum-vanadium alloyed powdered steel with very high wear and corrosion resistant properties. It is stainless steel, but acts a lot like carbon steel.
Elmax will almost give you the best of both worlds with stainless and carbon choices. It is a powder metallurgy stainless steel created by Bohler-Uddenholm in Sweden. It is extremely corrosive resistant due to its high Chromium percentage and it has excellent edge holding capabilities. However, due to its high carbon content, it gains all the advantages of carbon steels, such as the ability to catch a spark with a piece of flint, and its toughness. Elmax is also quite easy to maintain and sharpen, and with a piece of wet and dry sandpaper. I was able to get this blade hair popping. This steel however, is not cheap, and it definitely explains the price tag of on it. But if you are looking for a reliable steel, then Elmax is going to be an excellent choice, for those picky users that want the best specs in their hand.
Blade rating: 5/5
The Handle of Fallkniven PXL
The Micarta scales on the Fallkniven PXL are very attractive and shiny. It is lined with white Micarta over stainless steel scales that are very smooth and well-contoured around the edges. There are no hotspots or pointy edges protruding out of the handle.
The handle has a precise fit to the liners and bolster. You can also see the single-position pocket clip at the back that is too short. It is also tip-down only. The pocket clip looks too small for comfort, and can get in the way of holding the knife. But it does have a nice finish and is well-placed.
The handle also has an oval Fallkniven engraving on it in silver stainless steel. You can also see the skeletonized stainless steel liners that hold the blade perfectly parallel to it. The blade locks securely in place inside the handle without any edge pointing out. The knife also has the right curves for a comfortable and smooth grip. It is okay size for average-sized hands.
The entire knife is held together with just two screws, with one anodized on the pivot. That means it will be easy to unscrew to maintain the knife. You can also clearly see the detent ball bearing in the pivot, and the detent is light enough for a smooth lockup.
Handle rating: 4/5
Deployment and Lockup on Fallkniven PXL
The lockup and deployment on the PXL is exceptionally smooth. It will open and close very easily and with a single soft flick.
The dual thumb studs on either sides of the blade are very well-placed, allowing single-hand action. You can simply slide up the blade with your thumb, and you can do so slowly and steadily. It does not require too much pressure on the wrist to flick it open. The caged ball bearing on the pivot really helps with the smooth as butter action. The detent also feels very light in the hand. The fact that the blade swedges off a few inches from the spine, also helps with the way the blade rests inside the liners when locked.
The liner lock is one of the simplest and easiest lockups on folder knives. It requires very light shift at the handle’s spine to disengage the blade and lock it in. It can also stay in the pivotal position, making it easy to baton it. It will stay at the pivot position unless you lock it up or open it. Most knives with a liner lock cannot do that, but the PXL has shown remarkable ability.
Field Test of Fallkniven PXL Folder
Although described as a large folder, in practice the OXL felt like a mid-sized folder. A large folder would be as long as 8”. At 7.83”, the PXL feels like a normal-sized knife, capable of holding its edge and retention. Its pocket clip is also too small for a large folder knife. So I would say it is false advertisement.
However, it is pretty easy to grasp and use. It cuts through paper, cardboard boxes and bubble wrap very easily. The 0.13” blade stock also helps with the exceptional edge retention that is able to punch through boxes and papers.
The knife also hangs pretty well in the pocket. It is safe and secure without creating any hotspots. The fact that the blade hardly protrudes out of the scales means it takes up less pocket space. You can easily side it inside and out when using it in the field.
The lanyard hole is there, but it is too small to attach a lanyard. Also, it does not allow to pass through the liners. You can only secure a thin lanyard to a single scale. That may not hold the knife too well.
The cutting ability of the knife is through the charts. The grind runs up the entire length of the blade and you can use all the space. However, it lacks a sharpening choil and jimping along the spine, which means you cannot hold it up in either direction or choke it up. The thumb ramp is smooth and you can place either your thumb or index finger when using the knife. But a little bit of jimping would have helped with a more secure grip.
Pros & Cons of Fallkniven PXL
PRO’s
Con’s
Comparisons
Fallkniven PXL vs R2 Scout
The PXL folder is slightly larger than R2 Scout with the sturdiest small fixed-bade knife. It is 7.12” long with 3.14” drop point plain edge Elmax steel blade. It also has a satin finish with a convex grind. Its blade stays sharp for a long time without the need to sharpen it consistently. It comes with a sheath of two-way locking system. The R2 Scout can even last you a lifetime.
On the other hand, the PXL is actually a mid-tier folding knife with a liner lock and thumb studs. It is able to carry out tough EDC tasks. Both the knives are made for outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, camping, etc.
FallKniven PXL Elmax vs PXL 3G
FallKniven PXL also comes with the 3G blade. It is not as ultra-premium as the Elmax, but it is superior to VG10, which is also a powder metallurgy stainless steel. It comes with black Micarta instead of the white, giving it a contrast.
Fallkniven R2 Scout Prices |
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Check Price at Blade HQ |
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Check Price at Chicago Knife Works | |
Except for the blade material and the handle color, both the knives are pretty much the same. It only comes down to the blade material and the price. If you want a premium knife, Elmax would be the one to go for. But the 3G also performs well.
Conclusion – FallKniven PXL
The Fallkniver PXL is a great EDC knife with very smooth deployment and lockup. The blade does not lock until you fully enclose it. The Micarta scales are smooth yet comfortable and grippy. It has contoured edges and the stainless steel is laminated with Micarta really well.
The skeletonized stainless steel liners secure the blade in place, but the lanyard hole does not pass through it. The pocket clip is too small but holds well. It may get somewhat in the way when holding the knife, but is not much of a nuisance. The pocket clip is tip-down only but has a nice finish.
The folder is advertised as a large folding knife, when it is actually a mid-sized pocketknife less than 8” long. It is easy to hold in average-sized hands.
The dual thumb studs is a good addition, as it enables you to use it with either hand. It works very smoothly and does not require much force. The liner lock is also very smooth and easily slides in place to close the blade in lockup position.
