The Knafs.com Lander is likely a knife you’ve already come across in your daily consumption of EDC content. It’s the first offering from Knafs.com even though it’s not the first knife Ben Petersen has designed. He’s the mind behind the WE Banter and the Civivi Baby Banter, both of which are amazing knives.
The thing that sets the Knafs Lander apart from other sub-$60 knives is the fast swap scales. There is no need to fully disassemble the knife in order to swap scales. Simply remove a few screws and you’re ready to swap on the latest scales you’ve added to the lineup. I chose to add-on some Lander space kitty scales to go with the space kitty theme on the WE Banter and Civivi Baby Banter I already have.
Technical Specifications
Overall Length: 6.4″ / 162mm
Blade Length: 2.75″ / 70mm
Closed Length: 3.6″ / 92mm
Blade Thickness: .1″ / 2.6mm
Handle Thickness: .4″ / 10.2mm
Weight: 2.4oz / 68g
Blade Steel: D2
Blade Hardness: 57-59 HRC
Blade Shape: Drop Point
Blade Grind: Flat
Lock Type: Liner Lock
Pocket Clip: Deep carry, recessed, reversible, tip-up
Thumbstud: Ambidextrous steel with T6 head
Pivot: Ceramic caged bearings
OEM: QSP Knives
Designer: Ben Petersen
Impressions of the Knafs Lander
If you were only going to ever buy one more knife, this is the knife you should buy. Not only is it affordable it’s also super versatile and comes in a quality manufactured package. (There’s also now an upgraded version with green Micarta and Sandvik 14C28N steel). Speaking to the versatility there are already a ton of scale options direct from Knafs as well as other makers like Barnescraft EDC on Etsy. I’m hopeful at some point that there will be other colors available for the hardware.
Getting into it, the first thing I tend to notice about any knife is how it deploys. The Knafs Lander is exceptionally snappy. Very easy to deploy with the thumb stud and the lockup on the one I have is rock solid. You’ll see in the photos below how well it locks up. Centering from the factory was slightly off but hardly noticeable and not to the point that it bothers me. I’ve seen that most come well centered. Comfort in the hand is again, really well done. The kitty scales I added are rounded so they are very easy on the hands. The knife size is adequate for about 3-4 of my bigger fingers depending on how I choose to hold it. There is no choil which I am a fan of. The jimping on the spine is poorly placed, behind the the thumb stud and not very substantial. I think it could have easily been left off instead of where it was placed. I would have preferred it to be centered on the thumb stud or in front of it.
As for the biggest selling point, the fast swap scales, they could not be easier to deal with. I also really like that they included a small insert for the indent of the reversible pocket clip. It’s a small detail but one I appreciated. Technically there are 4 screws to remove for each side in order to swap scales because of the 2 pocket clip screws. All 4 screws take a T6 bit to remove which again makes it very fast. No fiddling around with different bits for different screws.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a budget friendly knife with excellent manufacturing and a plethora of scale options, look no further. THIS is the knife for you! There are scales made from G-10, Micarta, G-carta and even Ultem out there. Go get em! In addition to the versatility it’s a no-nonsense knife that will perform pretty much any task you throw at it. I hope that Ben is onto something and that other manufacturers will follow-suit in producing knives with fast swap scales. It’s a nice touch that does a lot in avoiding warranty issues with typical disassembly.
What do you think of the review? Do you agree or disagree with anything in here? What version are you going to buy? What scales are you after? Let me know in the comments below, I love hearing what you all think.
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