Review: Vosteed Corgi

You’ve likely noticed that I am on a bit of a Vosteed Cutlery kick lately. That is for good reason. One, I think they are offering some very compelling and unique knives at a variety of price points. Two, I think they are a brand that is worth watching because they are making some major moves. The Vosteed Corgi is a great example of that. This is a knife that has an incredible, eye-catching, stylish design while also offering great performance. When they offered to send one, I jumped.

Stats

Blade Length: 2.99″ | 75.98 mm

Overall Length: 7.17″ | 182.12 mm

Blade Width: 0.84″ | 21.31 mm

Blade Thickness: 0.118″ | 3.00 mm

Blade Material: 14C28N

Blade Grind: Flat

Blade Style: Drop Point

Blade Finish: Black Stonewash

Hardness: HRC 60±2 

Handle Length: 4.18″ | 106.14 mm

Handle Width: 0.92″ | 23.32 mm

Handle Thickness: 0.49″ | 12.33 mm

Handle Material: G10

Color: Jade

Weight: 3.50 oz | 99.22 g

Opener: Front Flipper | Back Flipper

Lock Type: Trek Lock

Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

Pocket Clip: Reversible | Stainless Steel

Carry Position: Tip-up

Knife Type: Manual Folding

Backspacer Material: G10

Backspacer Color: Jade

Button Material: Stainless Steel

The insert colors and materials vary by model. My Corgi review sample has silver titanium inserts but other options like brass and copper are also available.

Observations from Use

I want to go hard on the design of this knife so I am going to get the cutting performance out of the way up front. It cuts well – really well. Vosteed’s factory edges are great and this relatively thin 14C28N blade has great cutting geometry thanks to the full-height flat grind. The point is excellent thanks to a long swedge grind. It is almost like a scaled-up Swiss Army Knife blade – thin, flat, and slicey.

Now… that design. Oh my. What a great-looking series of knives. The Corgi gives a great first impression with its symmetry which is very stylishly executed. I don’t know of another production knife that is quite this symmetrical.

After you take in that satisfying symmetry, you notice the modern-traditional details that make this knife both futuristic and a throwback at the same time. The shape of the knife and the way the blade slips fully into the handle is a call back to the slim pen knives of yesteryear. The metal inserts around the pivot colors look super slick and hint strongly toward older, bolstered designs like barlow knives while still looking very modern. You have to admit, this is a great-looking knife.

The design isn’t just there for show. The symmetry means that the button lock is always under thumb… easy to find and ready to use. The slimness of the design means this knife slips easily into the corner of the pocket, out of the way, and unlikely to ever get in your way. The Corgi is VERY easy to carry.

The design also bakes in a lot of fun. If you like to fidget with your EDC knife, this one gives you a lot of options. You can depress the button lock and open it with just a flick of the wrist… a very small flick because it’s buttery smooth. You can front flip it, back flip it, slow roll it off the front flipper, or even reach over to snap it open with your index finger (knife guys call this the “reach around”).

The fit and finish are excellent. Vosteed does a lot of machined micro-textures on their handle scales and I don’t think enough people call this out when reviewing these knives. This texture provides great grip without shredding your pockets. It’s a nice touch that you might not notice until you have one in hand.

The Corgi in particular is Vosteed flexing on everyone with their fit and finish because the design doesn’t let them hide a thing. The way the blade nests flush with the handle and the fitting of the inserts around the pivot would make any kind of fitment issues painfully obvious. You won’t find them on my example. Everything is straight as an arrow and satisfyingly flush.

As thrilled as I am with the style of this knife, I do have a nit to pick. The detent is lighter than I would prefer. I suspect that this is on purpose to support all of the various opening methods that this knife offers. I am not saying this is going to open in your pocket. It’s not a dangerous detent. It just isn’t a strong detent like you might find on a liner/frame lock. It would be nice if it was just a bit stronger and the action might feel even snappier.

Finally, because I know the knife guys will be wondering. I spine whacked this knife multiple times and it passed every time. I spine-whacked it lightly at the tip and back at the base of the blade when I took it out of the box. I repeated this after a week of carrying/fidgeting with it and I have done it multiple times since. It never failed and, typical for button locks, the lock-up has actually improved with use. The knife now belongs to my daughter. I trust it.

Wrap Up

This knife is a great cutter. It’s super fun to play with. It carries like a dream thanks to a very slim design. And, as much as I want to say form follows function and looks don’t matter… this knife looks so good, it turns that whole sentiment on its ear. Style is subjective but, to my eye, this is the one to beat.

Learn more at Vosteed.com. Vosteed often has increased inventory and frequent sales at Amazon. The Corgi is 15% off right now for Valentine’s Day: Vosteed Corgi at Amazon.com.