Deejo Knife Review: Is This Trendy Pocket Knife Worth the Hype?

Have you ever ever been scrolling social media, passing by advert after advert, however then one catches your eye? The commercial is effectively performed and the product seems to be like it could be an ideal present to your self (or somebody you understand), however behind your thoughts you marvel if it performs pretty much as good because it seems to be. Or, if it is going to be all hype and fail miserably. Enter the Deejo knife. Glossy, ultralight, and sharp, with dozens of gorgeous engravings and deal with supplies to select from. The advertising and marketing round Deejo guarantees that that is the pocket knife to pair with an aspirational life-style. The advertising and marketing appears to be paying off as “Deejo knife” will get 3,500 Google searches each month.

However, is the Deejo all bark and no chunk? I acquired one and area examined it to seek out out for you. I carried the knife round in my pocket, used it for some each day duties, and I evaluated its design and elements. However earlier than we get into the depths of my Deejo knife assessment, let’s take a look at the specs. 

• Weight: 1.35 ounces
• Blade Size: 3.63 inches
• Blade Metal: 2Cr13MoV
• Lock Kind: Body lock
• Pocket Clip: Proper hand, tip down solely
• Origin: Components made in China, Assembled and Engraved in Paris, France
• Value: $90

What I like Concerning the Deejo Knife

Engraving

The Deejo knives are definitely eye-catching. The laser engravings (referred to as “tattoos” by Deejo) are very engaging, and there are designs for almost any curiosity. Searching, fishing, wildlife, exploration, bikes, biking, structure, artwork, tech, geometric design, and on and on. The “tattoos” are effectively performed, and whoever designed them did an excellent job. Additionally, the “tattoos” are etched pretty deeply. Some laser work can virtually be rubbed off with a finger, however these engravings are deep sufficient to carry up and never fade. I used to be fairly impressed with how they appeared and felt. 

Grip

Whereas the body and grip of the knife is extraordinarily minimalist, it manages to be pretty comfy in hand, so long as you aren’t actually pushing on it. The knife is lower than ¼-inch thick with out the pocket clip, and it carries effortlessly. It’s so skinny that you just hardly discover it if you attain previous it to seize the rest that may be in your pocket. Even with the pocket clip, the thickness continues to be underneath ½”. Talking of the pocket clip, it does an ample job of holding the knife within the pocket, and doesn’t get caught on every part I stroll by. It has sufficient flare to be straightforward to pocket whereas maintaining a low profile to stop extreme snags. 

Motion

Regardless of not having a thumb stud to assist deploy the blade, the knife’s motion is clean sufficient which you could open it with one hand. Whereas it definitely received’t flip open, it’s not a trouble to swing all the best way out together with your thumb. When you have any expertise with liner or body locks, you’ll be able to simply shut it with one hand as effectively, which is a giant plus for me. One handed operation is the distinction between a knife being carried and being left on the shelf. 

Lock up on my blade was strong, and because the locking surfaces are each metal, the 90-percent engagement received’t be a long life concern. Softer supplies like Titanium will put on, and the lock faces will migrate over time, ultimately making for a unfastened lock-up, however the metal lock on this knife erases these considerations. 

The Deejo makes use of bronze bushings as an alternative of low cost plastic washers discovered in lots of knives, which implies the motion will stay constant for an extended time earlier than needing any adjustment, and the pivot {hardware} is adjustable with frequent torx bits. 

Blade

I additionally just like the blade form and geometry on the Deejo. The blade is lengthy and slender, and it’s skinny sufficient to be an excellent slicer. While you open it, you’re feeling such as you’re getting extra blade than you ought to be getting for a knife that’s so skinny and light-weight. I have a tendency to hold pocket knives within the 3.25 to three.75-inch blade size vary, so the Deejo matches proper within the candy spot for me. In case you favor a smaller blade, Deejo does make a extra compact model that weighs a mere .95 ounce. Every day duties like opening packages or reducing up an apple for a snack are all simply completed with the Deejo.

What I Don’t Like Concerning the Deejo Knife

Supplies

There’s a lot to love concerning the Deejo, but it surely’s definitely not an ideal pocket knife. The primary precedence in a knife is reducing, which implies that the sting and blade metal are actually vital. And that is the place my two largest gripes come from. My chief concern is the blade materials: 2Cr13MoV. 

With out diving too deep into metallurgy (learn my information to blade steel right here), this Chinese language made metal reveals a lot of its vital elements in its nomenclature. The 2C implies that the metal is 0.2% Carbon. It is a low proportion in carbon phrases, and it interprets right into a low rating for edge retention and hardenability. The truth is, within the packet provided with the knife, we discover that the blade is just hardened to 52-54 HRC on the Rockwell Scale. Most high quality steels are hardened someplace between 58 and 62 HRC relying on the composition. An additional look into the packet reveals that the body and clip are additionally product of the identical metal, simply at decrease hardness ranges. A knife of this value must be utilizing a greater blade metal with the next hardness. 

Construct High quality

My second concern was additionally concerning the blade, particularly the laser engraving on the blade, which prolonged right down to the sting, and off it. This left micro-serrations because the laser eliminated edge materials. This will likely have simply been a difficulty on my knife, but it surely may communicate to QC points. The serrations weren’t deep, they usually have been straightforward to sharpen out, however this was nonetheless a head scratcher for me. The engraving appeared to be a bit low on the blade, so maybe this blade wasn’t centered completely when it was lasered. 

On the Deejo, there’s one stop-pin that limits blade journey for each the open and closed place. If the blade and pin aren’t machined correctly, it can lead to unfastened lock up, or the sting of the blade contacting the body when closing, which might create a uninteresting spot and edge injury. On my copy, the heel of the blade will need to have been floor only a tiny bit too deep, which implies the cease pin doesn’t cease the blade earlier than the sting hits the body out by the tip. Bummer. That can make a perpetual uninteresting spot except I take away some edge materials and the heel rests on the pin. If this have been a gasoline station knife, I wouldn’t care, as a result of it’s presupposed to be poorly fitted, however after tax, this knife will likely be pushing $100, and that’s not acceptable. 

Lastly, the pocket clip on the Deejo isn’t ambidextrous, and it could solely be carried in a tip down configuration. Tip down is okay if you’re a sociopath or one thing, however regular individuals a lot favor tip up carry. 

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Is the Deejo Knife Proper For You?

While you go to the Deejo web site, it’s instantly obvious that the Deejo is marketed as a life-style blade. It’s meant to be an extension of your character. A modern, trendy, minimalist knife with lovely art work engraved on the blade to indicate off your passions and pursuits. For many who carry a knife merely to open some packages and letters, and different common mild responsibility work, the Deejo will possible work effectively for you. 

It’s been my expertise through the years in my sharpening enterprise that many individuals have low requirements for sharpness and edge retention. And since this knife has a skinny blade and good geometry, it is going to nonetheless undergo the tape in your Amazon field with ease. Individuals open bins with their keys on daily basis, and this may do a much better job, even after it shortly dulls.  In case you’re on the lookout for an informal use knife that’s as a lot a dialog and artwork piece as it’s a knife, then the Deejo may be best for you.

Nonetheless, if you’re a little bit of a knife nerd, and you’ve got skilled the next finish metal, the Deejo will possible depart you feeling disillusioned. I actually needed to love this knife as a knife, and never simply as a show piece. My knife has an superior trout fishing scene on the blade, and I simply get pleasure from it. However it falls flat on the efficiency. The tip down carry and the low-quality metal actually harm this blade for many who have come to understand a medium to prime quality metal. 

The reality is that there are many knives on the market within the $25 vary that use higher metal than the Deejo. Granted, they don’t have high quality artwork engraved on them, however they are going to lower higher for longer with their superior blade metal. On the finish of the day, I’m a perform over type sort of a man, and the Deejo is a type over perform blade. 

The place I believe this blade lives is within the “present zone”. The designs are plentiful, and canopy a variety of pursuits and aesthetics, and I might be comfortable to get one in every of these as a present from a buddy or member of the family. It’s not one thing I might use, however I might fortunately show it on a shelf.  

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Closing Ideas

The 2 guys who based Deejo in France have a neat, light-weight design and a few nice art work for his or her knives, however they fell brief within the execution. If Deejo ever decides to improve the blade metal, I believe the knife may go from a neat present, to a genuinely helpful minimalist blade that might be serviceable for backpackers, anglers, and even hunters. In its present configuration although, I believe the Deejo is relegated to a flowery letter opener, and never a severe software.