CIVIVI's Farrow Is a 4.37-Inch AEB-L Fixed Blade for $86

AEB-L is a steel that knife people talk about more than they buy, which is a shame. It is a low-carbon stainless developed for razor blades, it takes a very fine edge, it is tough for its hardness, and it is cheap. The CIVIVI Farrow puts a 4.37-inch AEB-L blade on a G10 handle for $85.90.

The build is heavier than the rest of this week's CIVIVI releases and deliberately so. Overall length is 8.9 inches, blade thickness 0.17 inch, handle thickness 0.94 inch, and the weight is 202.7 grams — about seven ounces. A straight-back profile with a flat grind at 59-61 HRC means this is a working knife: camp chores, food, splitting kindling, whatever the day asks.

Compare it with the SŌKN at $105. The SŌKN is a 2.82-inch Nitro-V blade in a three-ounce package, which is a pocket knife with no folding. The Farrow is a belt knife in AEB-L with a brown leather sheath included, and it costs $19 less. Different jobs, but on price-per-inch of usable edge the Farrow is not close to being beaten in the current lineup. There is a reason for the 0.17-inch stock. A blade that thick behind the edge will not slice like the 0.09-inch Penumbra, but it will take a beating without a bend, and AEB-L at 59-61 HRC is tough enough to survive being used as a wedge. Sharpening is the hidden advantage: AEB-L responds to a simple stone faster than S35VN or M390, so the knife stays sharp with a few minutes of work instead of a diamond plate session.

The real question with AEB-L at 59-61 HRC is corrosion resistance. It is good, not stainless-in-a-marine-environment good, and a satin finish will show a spot if you put it away wet. Wipe it, oil it occasionally, and it will out-slice most of the powder-metallurgy knives in the drawer.

Check current pricing and sheath options at CIVIVI.