WE Knives Equivik Review

WE Knives was founded in 2000 in Yangjiang, Guangdong Province of China. It is also a home to most of China’s cutlery and small tool manufacturers. The company originally started out as Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for other brands up until 2016, but marketed their knives under their own brand name, starting with high-end production knives made out of premium steels.

WE Knives expanded its brand with the Civivi lineup focusing more on affordability without compromising on quality. It has become one of the most recommended knife brands in the affordable and high value knives market.

A couple of years later, WE Knives added Sencut under its lineup’s bottom offering entry-level affordable knives with high-volume distributors like Amazon and AliExpress. Their products have won a fair number of awards as well over the years.

Equivik is an EDC folding knife extending up to 8.05” when open with black stonewashed finish CPM 20CV drop point blade of 3.48”. The handle is made out of titanium with flamed titanium inlays and a closed length of 4.57”. It is a flipper deployed knife with framelock with a titanium tip-up carry pocket clip. The knife weighs just 3.86 ounces, making it a lightweight carry option.

The blade of Equivik features a black stonewashed CPM 20CV drop point flat ground and plain edge. The blade thickness is that of 0.10” with a length of 3.48”.

CPM 20CV is a tool steel with excellent wear and corrosion resistance with equally good edge retention. Its high chromium levels make it resistant to rust and wear, along with the black stonewash finish that protects the blade from considerable wear. CPM 20CV has better edge retention than M390 and CTS 204P. It has a hardness level of 58-60 HRC, which is good for an EDC blade knife.

The cutting edge of the blade runs throughout the length of the blade with the exception of a slight sharpening choil at the base. The flipper tab beneath is also not very pronounced, but acts as a finger guard. The back of the blade has a soft jimping along the spine that bends down towards the edge of the blade. Just beneath the jimping are three small holes embedded slightly below the surface of the blade.

The blade profile is brilliant. The cutting edge and retention is resilient. The blade is thin enough with a drop point that allows you to carry out precision cutting tasks. You can choke up the blade using the finger choil and the jimping. You can see the flat grind lines running horizontally along the length of the blade. It is also easy to sharpen.

The handle of Equivik features titanium scales with titanium liners and titanium pocket clip configured for tip-up right hand carry. The texturing features blue flamed titanium inlays adding aesthetic appeal to the handle.

The length of the handle is 4.57”, good for average sized hands; although it lacks a lanyard hole. The handle width is 1.39” with a thickness of 0.46”. That makes the knife thin and lightweight, easy to carry. The knife is screwed together with two small Torx screws at the base of the handle, and one large one at the pivot. The pivot has caged ceramic ball bearings, making it easy to handle its locking mechanism.

The curves and bends in the handle make space for the knuckles not to collide with the surface during slicing or chopping action. You can easily use it as a kitchen knife and use a cutting board to chop vegetables and fruits without your fingers buckling into the surface. It also allows you to use the edge of the knife’s blade for precise cutting.

When in a closed position, only the flipper tab and back of the blade sticks out, making it perfectly safe to carry in your pocket on the go.

The titanium pocket clip is also black stonewashed, just like the blade, and placed along the curvature of the handle. There is a slight bend near the clip that allows you to flick it open. The advantage of stonewash pocket clip as opposed to satin finish is that there are no chances of hot spots being created when taking the knife out of the pocket. It easily slides in and out, is lightweight and discreet. It is screwed together with a single Torx screw.

The knife is easy to disassemble, clean and reassemble with just two Torx screws at the back and one on the pivot. Although, it may require more than two hands. You can use a Torx screwdriver to put it apart and back together. Using a knife oil once in a while will ensure longevity with less prone to rust.

The shape of the handle is such that it is easy to carry and hold. It is ergonomically friendly and slip-proof with smooth textured scaling.

The Equivik features flipper tabs as its deployment opener and a framelock locking mechanism. It has a strong nested framelock design that provides a solid locking mechanism no matter how frequently you use it.

The flipper is very easy to use, especially for frequent and first time users. It requires a slight pressure on the tab protruding out of the handle to flick the blade in a fully open position. It is automatic and does not require fully opening the blade manually. It supports a one-handed action and works for both hands.

Once the knife is in an open position, another flipper tab protrudes out from the spine to be pressed slightly to disengage the knife blade. Due to safety purposes, the knife needs to be closed all the way manually. Otherwise, your finger may come in contact with the blade grind. You can use your thumb or index finger to press on the tabs to open and close the knife.

Equivik features framelock as its locking mechanism. It is one of the most popular, convenient, and cost-effective knife locks. You will find it on many folding knives, and it works flawlessly. It derives a lot of its attributes from the linerlock, but is simpler and stronger. The frame of the lock side is considerably stronger and thicker, and forms the entire handle. The cutout along the handle on the axis of the spine is the relief cut that creates inward pressure on the blade to move in and out. Once the blade is opened, the frame lockbar springs inwards and engages the spine of the blade tang to lock the blade in place.

Once the blade is in the locked position, it will not loosen or disengage on its own. It remains solid until opened on purpose. The same is the case when the blade is open. You can use it however you like. It will not close up on you. That shows that the Equivik has a solid and secure lockup. Another thing about Equivik is that the framelock is nestled between the liners and the flamed blue texturing, so it is not quite visible, but still easy to execute.

The Equivik came in a simple cardboard branded box by WE Knives. Although it did contain some accessories as well, such as stickers, a stack of cards, and a manual detailing its specs and how to use it, along with the safety guidelines. It also has instructions on how to clean and maintain the Equivik for longevity.

The packing quality of the knife was exquisite. It also included a small black rag to help clean the knife after every use.

The knife that came out of the box was equally exquisite. The black stonewash finish radiated right out of the box.The blue flamed texturing gave it a unique look. The pocket clip was secured tightly with the Torx screws.

The knife flipped open using the flipper tab quite easily. It is equally easy to disengage and lock all the way. The framelock mechanism is a bit hard to locate because of the nestled frame between the liners and the texturing. You would have to pay attention to it to locate and use it, which means you cannot open the knife using the framelock without directly looking at it. The flipper, on the other hand, is easier to deploy.

The blade showed a very sharp factory edge right out of the box. The blade’s thinness also contributed to its precise sharpness. The CPM 20CV definitely felt like a superior blade with a high edge retention and corrosion resistance. The black stonewash finish further protected the blade from any wear and tear. The flat grind lines are visible running horizontally along the length of the blade. The cutting edge ranges during the entire blade’s length, making the edge more usable.

The slight sharpening choil at the base of the blade adds to ease of sharpening, along with acting as a finger guard. The flipper tab at the back of the knife in the open position further allows you to choke up the knife and use it in various directions. That makes the knife extremely versatile. The knuckle curves or bends along the handle add to the comfort of holding the knife without letting your knuckles knock over. The shape of the handle is such that it takes the shape of the hand holding it. It can fit in average to large-sized hands.

Civivi Odium and WE Knives Equivik have a lot in common. They both have drop point flat ground blades with flipper tabs as deployment mechanism. Odium has a linerlock as its lockup mechanism, which is not much different from a typical framelock, except Equivik’s framelock is nestled between the liners and texturing. Odium is also slightly smaller than Equivik with an overall length of 6.19” and a blade length of 2.65”. Equivik carries an edge here with a blade length longer than 3”, hence easier to use. Odium has a G10 scale as compared to Equivik’s titanium handle. G10 is mostly plastic, whereas titanium is metal. It is sturdier than Odium’s soft G10, and also contributes to its low price. Odium costs about $50, whereas Equivik costs almost double its price.

Odium comes with dual deployment as opposed to Equivik. Apart from the flipper tabs, it also has a thumb-hole as its opener. It also does not come with a stonewash finish and features D2 blade, which is a high-end semi-stainless tool steel.

Both the knives are good for EDC usage. However, Odium is plainer looking with a basic design, black G10 scales and a silver blade. Equivik on the other hand, is aesthetically appealing, rightly sized, uses a high-end blade material with black stonewash finish and titanium textured scales. Therefore, it also costs more. Odium has dual deployment methods. Therefore, your preference would depend on your needs and the knives’ features.

WE Subjugator features the same COM 20CV drop point blade with a high flat grind, titanium scales, caged ceramic ball bearings, titanium flipper tabs, and framelock. Its blade is 3.5” long, 0.12” wide, and 1.10” tall. It weighs 3.3 ounces, but costs more than Equivik.

Subjugator’s profile is different from the Equivik and simpler. It does not have textured scales or knuckle bends, but does have the same finger choil or finger guard and soft jimping along the spine. It also does not have a black stonewash finish, but satin.

Both the knives have the same features but have different profiles and physical appearance.

WE Equivik is an attractive looking folding knife of reasonable size and price. It features a 20CV drop point flat ground blade longer than 3”, which is good. The blade has a stonewash finish, protecting it from corrosion and wear. Its scales are textured and made of titanium. The pocket clip is black, curved, stonewashed and discreet configured for tip-up carry. It is a lightweight knife, easy to carry in the pocket without creating any hot spots, and takes up less space.

It has soft jimping along its spine and a finger choil, allowing the user to choke up the knife. It has titanium flipper tabs with caged ceramic ball bearings that works fantastically. The lockup features framelock and works well. Although, it does conceal itself in the texturing.

The first impressions of the knife were consistent with its features. When compared with Odium and Subjugator, Equivik proved to be good for the competition. It did win awards for its superior performance. It costs more than the Odium but less than the Subjugator. All three knives are good. The user’s preference may depend on usage.

Overall, we found Equivik a promising knife that is versatile, durable, and will last you for an extended period.