There's a ton of knife companies out there, so much so that the average buyer can get information overload. I'm always looking bring different brands to light to help people out, help make those decisions. A company I've yet to touch on before is CMB Made Knives. CMB Made has been around since 2010 and started as a third-party manufacturer, and launching their own brand in 2020. The company is known for high quality knives at affordable pricing.
One of the companies knives that's highly praised is their Predator. The Predator is a everyday carry knife that features a micarta handle, ambidextrous cross-bar lock, and 14C28N blade. The knife has an overall length of 7.87", a handle length of 4.44", and a blade length of 3.42". The knife is a tad heavy for what it is, tipping the scale at 5.87oz. It's not a Medford or anything, but it surprised me when I took it out of the box. The definition of a predator is, "Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey." This begs the question, what does the CMB Made Predator prey on? Also, is it a successful hunter? Let's find out.
The handle on the Predator is has skeletonized steel liners with green micarta scales. I like the feel of the micarta, smooth yet offering enough texture. Chamfering is done well around all the edges making it comfortable to hold. Handle is designed so my hand naturally falls where it's intended to. The two finger guard is different from the index ones I'm used too. My middle finger doesn't really fit in this groove but rather rests on the hump that transitions to the heel of the knife. It's not as uncomfortable as you might think, but I think this channel could have been moved back just a smidge. Operating the cross-bar lock is easy with a decent amount of spring to it. It's easy to grab, and didn't feel like it was too wide. Since cross-bar locks have been flooding the market, I've come to concluded you can screw one up.
There's good and bad implementations of this Axis style lock. Some companies take their time and do it right, while other tend to rush things. Lastly there's a total lack of jimping on this knife. None on the finger guard or on the spine, which is rather refreshing. I could honestly go either way when it comes to jimping being offered on a knife. Sometimes it truly does enhance your grip, others it feels too aggressive, and detracts from the design. CMB Made played it safe by leaving them off and it works well for this design.
The business end of any predator is the teeth. It's not very effective for you to catch your prey, and not go for the kill. The blade of the the Predator is drop point style in 14C28N with a hollow grind. The swedge on the spine leads down to a strong yet precise tip. That tip is close to the center line of the knife's profile. It's not a spearpoint but it gives that feeling anyways. The hollow grind makes it extremely slicey, and it handles cutting tasks easily. Even dealing with thicker materials I didn't feel any unnecessary drag like you sometimes. The steel is quite serviceable as 14C28N can be, very easy to sharpen while maintaining that edge well. Taking this to the sharpener a few times it really impressed me with how keen an edge I can get, hair whittling is not out of the question. Overall blade performance is excellent and the Predator delivers on it's namesake.
This being my first CMB Made knife I want sure what to expect. That happens anytime you deal with a new brand, even if it gets high praise from the community. The Predator did not disappoint, whether it be comfort or performance. Coming in at under $60 the Predator is a great choice for someone looking for a budget everyday carry knife.
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