I really like the Chapter Knife. Yes, it is a hipster knife. So I'll come clean now--I like a hipster knife.

In many ways that is as much a betrayal to hardcore knife knuts as their teenage daughter departing on the back of a motorcycle driven by a 31 year old punk. For guys that like only two kinds of handle materials--stag and torched stag--the Chapter Knife is anathema. Its slick, overproduced look and high price tag just don't mesh with what knife knuts expect. But this knife isn't made for us. Its made for a guy that makes a decent wage and is looking for his first knife (you can feel free to swap in all of the female pronouns in that sentence). This is a person that has a design-first smartphone, clean Scandinavian furniture, and nicely tailored suits.

But here is the truth--unlike some hipster gear--Topo Daypack I am looking squarely at your sorry ass--the Chapter Knife, for all its pretension and hefty price tag is a good knife. Its not perfect, but it is a pleasure use, hold and carry. It is, admit it, also pleasing to the eye. Hipster gear is something we should approach with caution, but we ignore it at our peril.

Here is the product page (beware--the specs are incorrect, see more on that below). While MSRP is $275, I bought the review sample through the podcast sponsor Huckberry for $239.95 shipped. Also, stock seems to be limited, as the knife is made in batches, but Huckberry has had them in stock for a while. There are four variations--the uncoated one, the black coated handle with a stainless blade, the blackout version (everything coated), and this one, the so-called stormtrooper color scheme. There was also a damascus bladed version, but that was a limited edition. Here is a video review. There are 1.6 billion shill site articles on this knife but this appears to be the first review. Here is my review sample (bought with site money to be given away):

Twitter Review Summary: Hipster? Check. Good? Check, as well.

Here is my video overview:

Design: 2

Let's be clear--this is a design-centric knife. It is incredibly clean, minimalist, but not stupidly so like the Topo Designs Daypack. The spare looks serve a higher purpose--impeccable function. The thumb stud works. The blade is an excellent shape. The handle lays flat and looks clean. The lock is easy to engage and disengage. The pocket clip is truly great. Its looks are polarizing, as the Chapter Knife doesn't look like a knife (or at least it looks like a knife designed by Apple), but if you work through that reflex, you'll find a very nice knife on the other side. And if that aesthetic doesn't bother you, don't worry this is not the knife equivalent of a Monet. Even under close inspection, this knife is quite good.

The performance ratios are little weird because, as you can see below, the blade is purposely shorter than the handle to accommodate the unusual tail stand off:

This results in a pair of strange numbers. James' specs are incomplete, the weight and closed length are missing and the blade length is incorrect. On the site it is listed as 2.33 inches. My measurement puts the blade at 2 9/16 inches. The difference is a big one and I am not sure why they would undersell the blade length. With the stated dimensions, the knife has TERRIBLE ratios (b/h: .62; b/w: .85). Actually they are a b/h of .68 (2.5625 inches/3.75 inches), which is the same as the Spyderco Delica, and a b/w of a truly terrible number and the blade:weight is .94 (2.5625 inches/2.72 ounces). Both numbers are okay, but Al Mar has a thing to teach the new whipper snapper. Its shocking that James would make a mistake on their specs in a way that hurt them, but they also told me the knife ran S30V when I did my initial preview for AllOutdoor. This sort of inattention to detail is bad, but it has no impact on the knife.

Fit and Finish: 2

There is a break in period. Make no mistake--the knife you receive and the knife you will have two weeks later are substantially different. James Brand decided to coat everything on this version (both the blade and the handle) and so there is a distinct tightness in everything--the pivot, the lock, the detent. But after parts wear in, the knife becomes flickably smooth and precise. The tolerances are good and the final touches are nice...

with one small exception--the coating on the clip is just a flake storm. This picture was taken after less than three hours of use and really it was more "carry in pocket" than actual "use." The coating elsewhere has been fine, but this is a bit of a grrr...Not worth a full point, but really, come on...three hours?

Grip: 0

There is no jimping. There is really no contour or cut for the hand. The knife is a parallelogram with rounded corners. It is not particularly good in hand. Its not awful, but it is below average.

The Sebenza can get away with looking plain because of its matte finish and jimping (and the fact that it has a subtle curvature to it that gives you a lot of grip). Here the whole thing is a bit slippery. The only saving graces are the size of the knife, the comfort of the rounded edges, and the angled cut for the thumb stud which indexes your finger. Its not much, but it is something. Deer skinner this ain't.

Carry: 2

Well, for all of the shortcomings in terms of grip, the Chapter Knife is a blessing to transport. Here are the relevant shots (thanks for the idea Grayson):

In the pocket, from the user's point of view:

In the pocket from the public's point of view:

With the unconventional shape and clip, the knife, even with its bright white handle, definitely doesn't scream "knife." It is also quite slim and the clip is excellent at keeping the knife in place. I loved carrying the Chapter Knife.

Steel: 2

The idea of a nearly $300 knife running D2 is not appealing.

The performance is beyond reproach. At this point you probably need another primer on D2 as much as you need one on AUS 8. Simply put, D2 is a great steel, its historically important, and a fantastic performer, but it is not expensive. For the price, you can buy almost 2 of the upcoming Benchmade Valet, which runs a clearly superior M390 blade. I don't mind D2, but I mind the cost savings not showing up in the price tag of the Chapter Knife.

That said, there are knives that run D2 that cost this much or more. Many of the original HEST/F knives ran D2 and were around $200. Similarly, early Lionsteel's run D2 and cost around the same. Then there are the Medford knives, all which cost north of $600 and run D2. And no, I don't consider them aren't customs, so don't bother posting that below. Brous's Silent Soldier Flipper in all titanium is much more and runs D2.

The bottom line is that D2 is a good performer, and while the cost savings the steel represents doesn't show in how much you will pay for the knife, there are more expensive knives out there with D2. As a performer, apart from value, D2 is clearly a 2.

Blade Shape: 2

The choice of a classic drop point is never a mistake:

Here, the shape is wonderful and useful. In addition to working well, the drop point also looks good--an essential feature of any part of the Chapter Knife.

Grind: 2

Well, unlike a few things on the knife, the grind is conventional and wonderful. A high hollow grind results in an insanely good cutting edge and my favorite grind for EDC purposes. I did notice a little wobble in the cutting bevel, but nothing remarkable.

Deployment Method: 2

In the first week of ownership, the thumb stud was nigh unworkable, but as the pivot and detent broke in, the knife became amazingly smooth. In fact, the knife now flies open quick enough for a friend to ask if it was an auto. I really have no complaints. And yes, I like the green color. Its quite striking and well...the Usual Suspects like it, though I doubt this is their kind of knife. Technically it is "moss green" but that is hard to distinguish from "toxic green".

I'll note that the placement of the stud is close to the handle scale, a little too close, but it is easy to use once the pivot breaks in and you get used to it.

Retention Method: 2

The clip is unconventional, but awesome. I thought it would be more of a paint scrapper than it is, but its not. Its simple, non-threatening, as the whole knife is, and classy. It is also distinctive. Good job here, by James. The logo is nice too. Very few will recognize it as a knife clip, but in my mind, that is a good thing. Don't court trouble, and trouble will find you less often.

Lock: 1

Lock up originally was so tight and sticky I couldn't dislodge the lock bar without changing my grip. Once the coating wore away, it became smooth, maybe too smooth. There is no blade play or lockbar wiggle, but there is no resistance anymore at the lock interface. I don't want sticky, but I do want a little tension to overcome. My custom framelocks have that and the sensory input it gives me is nice. Here there is none of that.

Perhaps it is too much to expect from a production knife, but the reality is, I like it. The lock bar itself hasn't moved over and the lock up above is representative of the knife post-break in (note the wear on the coating). I don't know what to tell you though. It was terrible, then got very good, and is now different. Not bad different, but not my preference. For that it gets a one. I wonder what the lock up is like on the uncoated version.

Overall Score: 17 out of 20

The Chapter knife is not perfect. It is a hipster knife. But it is not bad either and it has a look and feel unlike anything else on the market. There are some boneheaded noob mistakes like coating EVERYTHING and zero traction plan, but there are also thing done here that are both different and meritorious, like the clip and the look. New blood in the knife game isn't a bad thing. Though there were no hipsters back then, I am sure that the hue and cry let out by traditional knife folks upon seeing a Spyderco C01 Worker for the first time was equally riotous. This behavior the knife community equivalent of the public's reaction to Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. The reality is, this isn't as groundbreaking as the Worker, but it is a very good knife.

But move past that. Its all BS anyway (everything new and different is met with resistance). The knife is a good knife. Its a damn good knife. Its not a perfect knife, but few are. We shouldn't be so skeptical of the knife, even if we can be skeptical of the ludicrous and silly branding (no more surfers in the woods...please...ever).

One concern I had is that the difference between the knife pre- and post-break in was so pronounced that I am afraid the knife will wear poorly going forward, but I have had the knife for more than a month post-break in and it has stayed solid. The uncoated verison might be better and really this is a theoretical concern more than anything else, but I want you to know about it.

And so, I think it is safe to say this knife won't disappoint you. If you like the looks and can tolerate the price, go for it. Its a very good and reliable piece of cutlery. You'll be a hipster, but you know what? Who cares? Grow your wild man beard, get garish tattoos you'll be embarrassed of in ten years, and drink your craft beer that tastes like ball sweat. This isn't Dora the Explorer bag stupid or painted axe handle stupid. This knife isn't stupid at all. Its a bit expensive for the materials, but not outrageously so (like a Medford that runs the exact same materials and costs $600). If you like it, buy it. The Chapter Knife is 100% legit.

Here you go...the perfect pairing in Hipster Heaven:

And for some authenticity points, I will tell you I made the built in desk it is on, though if I were a hipster I would tell you I crafted it and used Ikea parts to make it. But I am not, that's just some good old fashion A/A grade cherry ply. Its pricey at $115 a sheet, but damn its nice. Just like the Chapter Knife.

The Competition

Comparing the James knife to either the SOG Aegis or the Kershaw Zing G10 is hardly fair. A more appropriate comparison, with a field of Sebenza alternatives (the Bradley Alias, the AG Russell Acies2, the Kizer Ki-3404), will happen soon.