Most of us probably don’t consider a small, automatic knife as a good choice for that knife that goes everywhere. This knife may change your mind.
The best everyday carry knife is a matter of opinion. I can’t make up my mind – it depends on what I’m doing, where I’m going and what might be happening that day. A Swiss Army Knife Tinker is in in my pocket virtually every day, and my knife system builds from that. I carry a four-inch blade rigid knife in my vehicle, along with an ESSE Junglas. But an automatic knife was never under consideration.
An automatic knife is a knife that opens itself when the user pushes a button. A loaded spring, either a coil spring or a leaf spring is pushing the blade at all times. When you push the button, it moves the plunger away from the blade and the spring pushes the blade open. My take has always been: “So who needs this?” I have slip joint and folders with locking blades in a variety of sizes and shapes. I don’t need fast blade deployment – I have rigid blade knives.
The Tekto A2// Badger is an automatic knife that might find a home in your pocket.
To me, the whole OTF setup just didn’t feel right. But I decided to lay my prejudices aside and try out this Tekto Badger.
MEASUREMENTS:
Blade Length: 1.85 (47mm)
Handle Length: 3.30″ (84mm)
Open Length: 5.26″ (134mm)
Handle Width: 0.47″ (12mm)
Weight: 2.18oz (62g)
SPECIFICATIONS:
Blade Material: Titanium-Coated D2 Steel
Handle Material: 6061-T6 Aluminum
Blade Hardness: 58-60
Blade Type: Tanto
Locking: Button Lock
- Contoured button for fast deployment and maximum control
- Compact and featherweight design for easy access and minimal bulk
- Oversized lanyard hole and reversible pocket clip for simple and flexible carrying solutions
- 6061-T6 aluminum handle with machined grooves for excellent grip
- Ergonomic handle contours for excellent comfort
- California legal OTF Knife
- Equipped with glass breaker and ambidextrous pocket clip
How the Badger played out
Size
I like little knives, and one of my most-carried knives is the tiny Swiss Army Classic. Because it is so small and convenient, the Classic ends up going everywhere. The Badger is 3.3-inches overall and about 1/2-inch wide. Weighing in at just over two ounces, you won’t know you’re carrying it.
Steel
The titanium-coated D2 blade has quality D2 steel. The blade harness is 58-60, so it should hold a sharp edge despite a lot of use.
Blade
What good is a blade that isn’t even two inches long?
Well, our ancestors skinned mammoths, bison and other large game animals with stone blades less than two inches long. A while back, I marked the small blade on my Swiss Army Tinker with a Sharpie to see just how much blade was actually used. Under normal conditions and use, such as cutting string, opening mail and cardboard boxes, cutting the twine around bundles of newspapers etc, less than an inch of blade was needed. The Badger’s blade is long enough.
Handle
I have big hands, so most handles are too short and slim for me. But the Badger’s handle is almost 3.5-inches long, and that is enough for me to get a pretty good grip. This knife won’t be used for wood carving or skinning, so the handle will probably work out fine. No handle is ergonomic for everyone, so this handle would work well for people with small to medium sized hands.
Point
The tanto point is designed for piercing and penetration, and is a good choice for a knife of this style. It won’t (most likely) be used as a skinner or to clean fish. It could, conceivably, be used as a self-defense tool.
Fast deployment
The blade shoots out of the end of the handle with lightning-like speed with the push of a button. It retracts equally well. The blade appears to be locked in solidly when it is extended, and there appears to little chance the knife could self-deploy.
Do you need a Tekto Badger?
There are a few features worth mentioning.
The handle has a glass breaker at the end of it. This could be a literal lifesaver if you had to break a vehicle window after an accident. There is also a lanyard hole in the handle, so the Badger could be carried on a set of keys, worn on a lanyard as a necklace or attached to a coat as a zipper fob. The knife could also be easily hidden in your fist until needed in a defensive situation. It is a California legal OTF Knife.
I’m still lukewarm about the idea of an automatic knife. But this Tekto is solidly built and has top-quality components in it. If you’re leaning toward carrying an automatic knife, this Badger is well-worth considering.
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