Knafs Lulu Review
My friend Ben’s company just announced the Knafs Lulu!! So, please, excuse my overuse of exclamation points, I’ll try to contain myself…But, I’m pretty stinkin’ excited!
For starters: Who is Knafs and what’s a Lulu?
- Knafs (and Ben):
– You probably know Ben from older BladeHQ videos. He’s the super likable guy that introduced every video with an enthusiastic: “What isssss up guys?!”. Ben is a great guy that I met through the knife industry and I’m honored to call him a friend now.
– Knafs is Ben’s company that puts “Space Kitties” on everything and has a lot of fun. (yes, I’m not lying about the kitties, just browse their site) - Knafs Lulu:
The Knafs Lulu is an exciting new knife, because, it is Knafs very first fixed blade. It is also what I would call their proper introduction into the world of Bushcraft gear. (Buckle up Knafs crew…You’re gonna be rubbing sticks together and adorned in wool jackets in no time)
So, that’s a bit about Knafs and my buddy Ben. Now, let’s take a closer look at the Knafs Lulu and I’ll share some of my field experience with this knife as well.
*Use coupon “AWAKEN10” for 10% off at Knafs.com
Knafs Lulu Specs
To get us started, here are some of the main specs of the Knafs Lulu and my thoughts about them:
- Blade Length: 2.95″
It is no secret that I love small knives (though I use a variety of different-sized knives for different ventures). I pretty much always have a fixed blade with me and something within this blade range is extremely easy for me to carry every day. With that said, don’t let the small stature of the Knafs Lulu fool you, this knife is more than capable of doing some serious tasks! - Overall Length: 6.75″
- Blade Thickness: .113″
The blade of the Lulu is thin enough to carve wood very well (this is, also, partially thanks to the Scandinavian grind). But it is also thick enough that you can baton some kindling or bust out a hearth board with no fear of bending the blade. - Blade Specs: CPM MagnaCut Steel, Raw or Black Finish, Scandinavian Grind with a micro bevel for durability.
– I love Scandi grinds for use in the woods. And this Scandi grind is on point. The micro bevel is well done and it adds a bit of extra durability, to an otherwise keen edge, when working with dense or knotty wood.
– As for MagnaCut: I’m a simple man, so I don’t get too deep in the weeds over super-steels. But I do have to say, this steel holds an edge very well. And, it has been easy enough to hone back on a leather strop.
Knafs Lulu Specs Continued:
- Handle: Layered Micarta and G10 Liners
The handle on the Knafs Lulu is perfectly designed and contoured. It is neutral-feeling and fits my hand perfectly, no matter how I hold it. Everyone’s hands are unique, but this is my experience and I think most people would find it very comfortable. - Open Source Handles: The Knafs company is famous for “fast swap scales” on their Lander pocket knife…
So, they brought this versatility over into the Knafs Lulu as well. So, expect to see some incredible handles/scales come out for this knife in the near future. - Kydex Sheath / 100% USA Made
- Average Price: $229.99/with sheath
Coupon Code: “AWAKEN10” for 10% Off
As I say with any knife that tips over into the “premium range”…This is not an impulse buy and the price might not be right for everyone. And that’s okay. There are a lot of fantastic budget-friendly knives out there. But, with that said, this knife was never meant to be a budget blade…And Knafs is very clear about that. - Knafs Lulu performance & price: This knife absolutely holds its own in this price range and I cannot say enough good things about it. So, even though you’re spending more for the premium materials + USA craftsmanship, I believe you’ll be just as happy as I am with the Knafs Lulu if you pick one up.
*Use coupon “AWAKEN10” for 10% off at Knafs.com
My Field Experience with Knafs Lulu…
I have been lucky enough to use the Knafs Lulu ahead of its official launch and I have been loving it. To put it simply: The Lulu is an all-around fantastic camping and bushcraft knife. Here are a few of the notable things that I’ve done with this knife so far (I’ll spare you the *exciting* details of opening packages of cheese and slicing tape on packages):
Carving a Try Stick:
One of the very first tasks that I did with the Knafs Lulu was, I carved a “Try Stick”, inspired by Mors Kochanski. This is a fantastic test of any new knife, especially one that is intended for working with wood. Every notch was easy to carve with the Lulu, they turned out clean, and the knife was comfortable to use throughout the entire process.
Building a Bow Drill Kit:
Next up, I decided to head out and gather some soft wood to carve a new bow drill kit.
- This task is something that I like to do with a new knife because it takes the notches from our Try Stick exercise and puts them into a real-world application.
- I also get to see how well the knife performs for removing bulk amounts of wood. For example: reducing a round piece of wood into a flat board, etc.
- Carving a bow drill kit also shows me how the knife will perform with some light batoning.
As with the Try Stick…I was very impressed with the Lulu’s performance in carving a bow drill kit and I thoroughly enjoyed the process.
General Feathersticking & Fire Prep:
If I can easily carve the try stick and bow drill kit, feather sticks and fire prep are easy-breezy. With that said, I have really enjoyed building campfires with the Knafs Lulu. It does not have a 90º Spine for striking a Ferro Rod…So, you’ll either have to bring a striker with your Ferro Rod or put a 90º spine on the Lulu with a Mill Cut File. Personally, I’m leaning towards leaving the spine of my Lulu rounded, as it’s more comfortable when carving.
Knafs Coupon Code: “AWAKEN10” for 10% off
Knafs Coupon Code
I hope you’ve enjoyed checking out this new Knafs Fixed Blade with me and hearing a bit about how I’m using it so far. I am beyond excited for Knafs and their intro into the world of Bushcraft Knives. The Lulu is definitely going to have a frequent place in my knife rotation from here on out (and I’m already waiting for some Serape/Mexican Blanket scales to customize mine…*wink, wink* Knafs).
Knafs Coupon Code: If you like what you’ve seen and want to buy a Knafs Lulu for yourself, feel free to use my coupon code “AWAKEN10” for 10% off your purchase.
*Use coupon “AWAKEN10” for 10% off at Knafs.com
Where To Buy Knafs
Knafs.com (10% off with coupon “awaken10”)
*Please consider buying from my trusted affiliate links above and throughout this article. Doing so immensely helps to support other great companies and I receive a small percentage-based commission from each sale as well. This commission helps me when funding future articles, field testing trips, and gear purchases at no additional cost to you.
