Our first impressions of Kizer Guru were as positive as expected. It came in a premium packaging with the manual, bubble-wrapped and with a Kizer-inscribed velvet cloth for cleaning and maintaining the knife.

The handle was as impeccable as predicted. The Micarta scales were fully contoured and textured to provide a firm grip. The lockup and deployment was even more smooth right out of the box.

The pocket clip was tip-up carry for right-hand only. But it held really well in the pocket, discreet and slip-free. It did not get stuck in the pocket and slid right in easily.

The blade was razor-sharp right out of the box without any scratches. The diagonal grind lines were visible with a fine stonewash finishing. The blade was also perfectly perpendicular to the liners and the scales. It was screwed together nicely and evenly with two Torx screws at the back and one anodized pivot.

Kizer Guru has a standard and legally acceptable 3” blade with a sheepsfoot blade style and a flat grind. The finish is black stonewash and is incredibly sharp – enough to cut through meat. The 154CM is a high-end hard steel with more molybdenum than its predecessor 440C. The additional molybdenum helps achieve superior edge holding and excellent corrosion resistance, despite having less levels of chromium. It is also tough enough for carrying out tougher EDC tasks.

Although it is not too challenging to sharpen this blade, but better to do it it with stone instead of sandpaper. The edge geometry of the blade is great, which makes it razor-sharp. It does not pinch the finger too quickly. You may have to put some effort when using the blade to get the best result.

The plunge grind lines are also visible on this knife as diagonal and intersects with the wide forward finger choil behind the end of the edge. It leaves the sharpened edge uniform.

The finger choil also allows the hand to really choke up the knife and make precise cuts. You can hold it front, forward and back with ease.

Kizer Guru’s black Micarta scales is an excellent choice for the handle because it offers great ergonomics. It is a very popular material for survival and EDC knives and extremely strong and durable. Micarta is a composite material made with fiberglass or other cloth pieces like denim and linen and laminated with resin, which makes it grippy and long-lasting. Even if its texture tarnishes over time, it will still remain like a hard block.

Micarta is known as the steel of plastic, as it is resistant to hand oil, sweat, heat, water and dirt. It is what makes it ergonomically great. You can hold it with or without gloves and perform cutting tasks for hours without worrying about the grip.

The contoured edges further help hold all of your knuckles without knocking them over. The inside curve at the bottom of the handle does not let your fingers get in contact with the surface while cutting. It is also easier to clean and maintain. The protective Micarta cover enables the handle to work for a long time.

The pocket clip is also well-placed with black matte finishing and holds well in the pocket. It is lightweight and does not sway from its place. It is discreet in the pocket and does not tarnish or rust easily.

You can see the big-holed milled liners inside the scales, over which goes the Micarta cover through the backspacer.

The thumb stud deployment and liner lock both work really well on Kizer Guru. The nested liners hold the blade upright and it does not move or sway. The thumb ramp is big enough to easily deploy open the knife and it works smoothly. The knife is pretty symmetrical, so it aids in the smooth deployment and lockup.

The blade stays steady after opening it up. It will not accidently close up. So the lockup is pretty solid and does not get in the way when the knife is in use. The thumb stud does not snag on your pocket when you are taking it out, or tap other stuff in your pocket.

The liner lock with the bearing pivot also works flawlessly. The detent is well-adjusted for thumb stud use. It reliably flips out without putting too much pressure on the wrist and opens with a single flick.

The simple design of the knife also makes it easier to disassemble and clean it with the pivot butted in with no blade play. The bearings pivots on Kizer are usually great.

The knife is pretty thin and sleek, making it easy to carry. With a handle width of less than 1” and a thickness of 0.49”, it makes a great lightweight EDC knife. It is equally great for hunting and meat prep, owing to its razor-sharp blade. It also works well with other lighter EDC tasks such as paper cutting and cardboard cutting. You can easily open packages, cut through bubble wrap and tape effortlessly.

It made a straight and precise cut right through a thick piece of cardboard. It did so with paper as well.

The ergonomics of this knife were off the charts! It did not get dirty and accumulate dirt, oil or sweat. I was able to choke it up, hold it from backspacer and use my index finger on the finger choil to make cuts. It did not pinch in any of my fingers and my knuckles were protected with no blade play whatsoever.

I was also able to deploy and use the lockup effortlessly and frequently. It worked smoothly all along. I did not find any major issue with the knife. The blade length and handle length is pretty much in alignment with the overall knife’s profile. The blade geometry also worked splendidly. It cut through fruits and vegetables as easily as it did with meat.

The pocket clip also works really well. It hangs tight into the pocket and you won’t have to worry about it slipping through the pocket. It also feels very lightweight and discreet carry just like Kizer Mini Sheepdog