Reate Exo-K Review

Reate Knives was founded by David Deng and is relatively new to the knife-making industry. It has made its name in the market because of its high-quality and affordable retail price. It also has a fast design-to-manufacture production time, making it appear on high-end mainstream knives spectrum.

The company is headquartered in Guangdong, China with its production facilities in the same country. Its parent company is Reate Inc., and its target markets include high-end ($200-$400) and ultra-high-end ($400). It has gained international recognition since 2014, and create knives for other brands and manufacturers as well without their brand name on the items.

Reate Exo-K is a Gravity Karambit knife that takes a regular pocket knife to a new level. It is 7.5” long, with a 3” hawkbill-style karambit blade made of Bohlar N690 steel of 60 HRC, flat grind, stonewash finish, and plain edge. It features a 4.5” black oxide aluminum handle with a removable finger ring and a reversible stainless steel pocket clip. It has a button locking mechanism.

The knife is great for cutting, fidgeting, and self-defense, and is configured for right and left hand carry with a tip-up pocket clip. The aluminum and Bohlar keep the overall cost down, and is highly practical.

The Reate Exo-K came in a standard Reate branded box with the brand’s stickers, the knife itself, an instructions manual, including how to use and maintain, and with detailed product specifications. It also came with a warranty card.

Most importantly, it came with its own certificate of authenticity, setting it apart from any counterfeits in the market.

It also came with some extra loose screws. As the Exo-K has many screws, you may need these.

It also came with a very versatile branded Reate sticker that you can use on the knife, or stick it to your backpack. It promotes the brand name, and looks cool.

And like most products, it also contained a sachet of silica gel that you must just throw away. It is there to keep the product safe and secure from any moisture, mold, corrosion, and dulling surfaces.

The knife came out of the box in an excellent condition, fine finishing, and sharp blade.

The knife offered very smooth flicking action, and the button lock worked wonderfully too. The ring finger especially proved to be useful by adding length to the handle and an easy grip.

The stonewash finish on the blade is remarkably done and protects the blade from getting any scratches too quickly and from corrosion. The blade is only sharp from one side, with a false edge or swedge on the spine. It does not have a finger guard or finger choil nor does it have any jimping along the spine. Although, given the design of this knife, you may not even need them.

The handle is very versatile. You can hold it however you want, choke it up, grab it by the ring finger, or like a regular knife. These various holds can come handy in self-defense situations. However, opening and closing it could take time. The deployment and the locking mechanism is smooth, but requires some getting used to.

Another interesting thing about the Exo-K is that the date of manufacturing is mentioned on the inside of the blade, which matches with its certificate of authenticity. This also means that every knife has its own certificate of authenticity, detailing its specs, and unique identity.

We also found that the best way to deploy the knife is to flick it close by swinging the blade backwards using the button lock, and then flicking it once more on the inside to lock the blade in place. You can also do the second movement manually, but flicking your wrist makes it a one-handed action.

The stainless steel pocket clip is very functional and discreet in the pocket. It is tip-up carry and configured for both right and left hand. You can hang the knife discreetly in your pocket, on the belt or the strap of your backpack. However, the finger ring will pop out unlike any other pocket knife. That actually makes it much easier to pull out of the pocket. It acts as a knife handle. However, you can also remove it if you want.

The backspacer is quite solid, and able to withstand the frequent flipping of the knife. The body of the knife is screwed together perfectly. It will not come apart easily.

The blade of Reate Exo-K is a very unique design and style to the regular pocket knives. First off, it has a very slant shape, and locks up from the back instead of the front. Moreover, its hawkbill-style karambit blade makes it a good defense knife. It is both a karambit and a gravity knife. It is great for everyday cutting, and can be used as an EDC.

The Bohler N690 offers exceptional cutting edge, durability, and corrosion resistance. It is a cobalt-enriched stainless steel, high in carbon, chromium and cobalt.

Hawkbill-style karambit blade of Exo-K has a curve that edges forward resulting in a point below the rest of the edge, and with a spine that slopes forward to meet it. Such a blade shape can be used in the field for harvesting, pruning, and tasks that require a draw cut.

However, this complicated shape is challenging to sharpen, and requires a rod. At the same time, sharpening is important to retain the cutting performance and ensure the razor-sharp edge.

If the blade looks dull with a drag and reduced cutting performance, it means that it requires sharpening. The good thing about Exo-K blade is that it folds up from the backside in, wherein you have to slide it backwards and then shut it in. You can use sharpening stones, guided sharpening systems, sharpening rods and electric knife sharpeners to sharpen the blade. For that you must first secure the knife, choose the correct angle, and start with a coarse grit sharpening stone or abrasive surface. Then apply consistent pressure throughout the grind with whatever tool you select. Then progress to finer grits and hone the edge. The process will be time-consuming, but will be worth it by the end of it.

However, Reate Exo-K’s blade is still too complicated and small, with an exaggerated curve; something that our hand is not adapted to. It is a bit too unique for its size and design, and will take time to get the hang of it. Most of the users are put off by it, along with the way it locks up. They usually prefer a simple knife that they can carry for every day carry.

The handle of Reate Exo-K is also a curved scale with a removable finger ring at the end with a stainless steel pocket clip. It is made of black textured aluminum that adds the ergonomics, comfort and ease of handling. The aluminum is anodized for color, hardness, and protection. It is a very durable material for carry knives, and its low density adds to its lightweight mass of only 4.48 ounces. It is 4.5” long with a 1.12” width and 0.50” thickness.

Due to the handle’s small size and width, you must avoid handling it with excessive force. Use it for its intended purposes only, which are EDC and self-defense. However, even self-defense requires force, so there is a contradiction here. Its complicated design hinders its own intended purpose. It is also important not to use it as a screwdriver, pry bar, or any other tool. Any misuse can cause damage to the handle, blade, and the locking mechanism. It also requires regular cleaning and maintenance.

However, the texture of Exo-K provides reasonably secure grip that is easy and comfortable for extended usage. The aluminum handle may not be very convenient in extremely cold weather, given its conductive metal properties, and can feel slippery, susceptible to dings and scratches. But it keeps the price low.

The pocket clip resonates a regular pocket clip that allows you to securely attach your knife with your pocket or belt, or the strap of your backpack. It is configured for both right and left hand carry.

The finger ring is there to provide an extra secure grip because of the small size of the handle, but it can easily be removed if the user finds it inconvenient. However, it is useful to keep it on if you have large or extra-large hands, since it helps with a secure grip. It kind of acts like a lanyard hole, where you can attach a lanyard to extend the handle’s length. You can also handle the knife while wearing thick gloves.

The knife is held together by several complicated-looking screws. But it is rather easy to disassemble, clean, and put back together. You do not need to open all screws for maintenance. Just the pivot screw and bottom screw would do. If you notice any loose screws, tighten those carefully using appropriate tools. It will ensure that the knife remains functional and secure.

The Exo-K features a gravity karambit deployment, deployed with one flick of the wrist, accompanied by a button lock placed at the rear end of the knife’s handle. It is a very unique deployment and lockup method compared to the rest of the knives we have reviewed, in which the button is typically located near the spine at the top of the handle. Everything about this knife is unique, which makes it somewhat confusing and complicated.

Nevertheless, it makes sense that the button is placed at the end, considering that the knife deploys from the back rather than the front. It also means that it requires two-handed action to open and close the knife. That makes it rather inconvenient to use in self-defense situations, in which one may require deploying the knife at full speed with one hand. But you can still use it for harvesting and everyday carry purposes.

Either way, the blade locks itself in place when you disengage or engage it. It is rather secure and will stay in place unless you press the button to disengage it. You do not have to worry about the knife closing up on you in the middle of the task – that is something that is good about the reverse-button lock. It stays in place.

You can also use the gravity deployment to open the knife in one smooth quick motion, but that also requires using the button lock. You do that by pressing the button and flicking it open with one swift wrist action. But even that requires practice. You may not be able to accomplish it in one go. It usually requires nudging the back end with your index finger, and fully closing it. An easy way to do it is to use the ring finger. It also stops the blade tip from hitting your finger.

The Reate Exo-K Gravity Karambit is a great fit for EDC tasks, self-defense, harvesting, and can be used as an outdoor survival gear. However, it may take some practice to get used to the deployment and lockup. It is unlike any other pocket knife with its unique design. Despite that, the deployment and locking mechanism works perfectly smoothly. You can flick it open and close and hold it in multiple ways. The blade shape may be unique, but does a fine cutting job, especially when it comes to harvesting.

It is also good for opening packages and envelopes. It can also be used in a stabbing position to cut through thicker material or layers of cardboard. The handle is ergonomic, and its textured pattern provides a firm grip. It has non-slip properties and you can easily handle in hot and cold conditions.

The Exo-K black and tan are quite similar in design and materials, but the tan knife has a black stonewash finish on its blade with large holes near the cutting edge for precise cuts. Its handle is also made of aluminum but in tan color, and works equally well.

There are other variants of Exo-K as well, but none have those large holes in them. They also protrude out when the knife is in a closed position. It actually helps in handling the knife better if you are a newbie to gravity karambit knives. The rest of the specs of the two knives are similar.

Reate Exo-K is a unique Gravity Karambit portable knife that closes up from the back rather than the front unlike many other pocket knives. Its shape is also very different and slant. It regresses the need for jimping, a finger guard or finger choil. The blade shape is also quite unique with its hawkbill-style, stonewashed, flat grind and a plain edge. It has a false swedge towards its tip with only one sharp cutting side.

The handle of the knife is ergonomically friendly and works well under all conditions. However, you must be careful not to put too much pressure on it. The finger ring at the end of the handle helps secure your grip on the knife, allows you to hold it in various positions, and blocks the tip of the blade when closing from cutting through your fingers. It is not easy to flick it open and close, it requires some training and getting used to. However, the gravity flick of the wrist works just fine, along with the button lock. You can use both together to flick the knife open and close.

The pocket clip is made of stainless steel and allows you to hang it on the pocket, the belt or the strap of a backpack. However, the finger ring will still protrude out. That makes it easier to slide the knife in and out. But it is also removable.

When compared with other variant of Exo-K, the black version turned out to be a bit more advanced. The tan variant with the holes on its blade allows more precise cuts, and is good for beginners of gravity karambit knives. The price of the two knives is the same, so it depends on user preference.

Overall, the knives works very well. Do not let its complicated design turn you off. It works really well once you get the hang of it.