It has become an annual tradition amongst knife media – the annual Civivi Christmas Knife. Each December for the past many years, WE/Civivi has send me a knife, giftwrapped and ribboned, personalized with KNIFE Magazine emblazoned on the side. This year it is a Civivi Clingman.
As you can see, in addition to KNIFE magazine, the Clingman bears the logo of Best Damn EDC, the YouTube channel run by Taylor Martin, who happens to be the knife’s designer.
Some of the knives they have sent in Christmas’s past are a pair of Elementums, and a Wharncliffe Banter. I have carried the heck out of that Banter in the past year, as you can tell by the patina on the micarta handle. And the blacked-out Elementum at the top is the original version with no spring and just the button lock. I find the wrist motion to open it more fidgety and fun than the flipper tab on the festive white and red one.
As for the Clingman itself, it is named after Clingman’s Dome, the tallest mountain on the border between Tennessee and Taylor’s native North Carolina.
Specs:
Overall Length: 7.01″ / 178mm
Blade Length: 2.99″ / 75.9mm
Closed Length: 4.02″ / 102.1mm
Blade Thickness: 0.12″ / 3mm
Handle Thickness: 0.47″ / 12mm
Knife Weight: 2.8oz / 79.4g
Blade Material: Nitro-V 58-60HRC
Blade Grind: Hollow
Blade Finish: Black Stonewashed
Blade Type: Clip Point
Handle Material: G10
Handle Color/Finish: Burgundy
Liner Material: Stainless Steel
Liner Color/Finish: Black
Pocket Clip: Tip-Up, L/R 6AL4V Titanium
Screws / Thumb Stud Material: Stainless Steel
Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing
Locking Mechanism: Liner Lock
Opener: Front Flipper
Designer: Taylor Martin (Best Damn EDC)
It’s clip point design hearkens back to traditional folders like the Buck 110, but with a milled titanium pocket clip and other modern features. Among these are G10 or Micarta scales, dual opening (thumbstuds and front-flipper), and a liner lock mechanism. The blade is just under 3″, and is hollow ground Nitro V.
Some quick personal observations – It has a snappy action. I use the thumb studs as I suck with front flippers. I would like if the liner lock were just fractionally more prominent, but it isn’t a big thing. I like the full sharpening choil, and the ergos are fine for my medium sized hand. If you have a huge paw, you might want to wait for them to come out with a large version.
You can find the product page here: https://www.civivi.com/collections/clingman
Clingman
Here is a quick hit and a longer video with Taylor…
As well as a table-top review from Dominic at MaxLevelEDC
I have met and socialized multiple times with Taylor (and Dominic for that matter). We have spent time together at some Blade Show happy hour events and I know I talked to Taylor at a SMKW event. They put in a ton of work on their channels, in a medium and competitive environment that I cannot imagine.
I like it when folks like Taylor get a chance to design a knife. Having watched his channel for a while, I already understood a little bit about the way he thinks about a knife, but you learn so much more by seeing how they express their knowledge and preferences in a design.
Getting out ahead of the comments, I would love to see more companies (including domestic ones) partner with YouTube channels. WE Knife Co. in particular is great about this and some great knives like the WE Banter (Ben Petersen) and Civivi Yonder (Zac Whitmore) have resulted. The knife is likely to perform well, as it comes with a fanbase who is often anxious to own the first knife by someone they follow. It seems like less risk than an unknown designer and more companies should be trying it.
So…
Thank you Seth Ercanbrack, their US Marketing VP and the man who has actually messaged me back from a mountaintop while on an elk hunt.
Thank you Candy and Tina for your quick responses to my requests for photos.
and Thank you WE Knife company for this fun, annual tradition.
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