EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – As I have gotten older, I find that I like smaller pocket knives.
That comes after a lifetime of typing, writing and taking notes. Hate to admit it: My hands, especially my dominant right, have a touch of arthritis.
That can make opening and handling a bigger knife difficult at times.
I also find myself living in a “budget” knife space and prefer the $35 to $50 price range, all things being equal.
When I can find a knife that checks off both of those boxes, well, bingo. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
And if that knife is from a new brand – at least new to me – that’s even more gratifying. That allows me to explore a new rabbit hole, which is one of the best things about this hobby — learning about new knives and brands.
I recently came across a small lightweight carry from Hightron Knives known as the Birdidi.
Make no mistake: This knife is small, light and falls clearly in the budget realm.
Let’s take a look at a few numbers, though those hardly tell the whole story.
Its drop-point blade comes in at 2.91 inches. When I can find a quality knife with a blade under 3 inches, that just makes my heart sing.
Overall, the knife is 6.85 inches when open and just a touch under 4 inches when closed up. Folded up, the knife practically fits inside my fist and I don’t have large hands.
The Hightron Birdidi weighs less than 2.5 ounces, which makes it almost seem like a feather in your pocket.
Helping to keep this knife compact and lightweight are its aluminum handles.
The version of the Birdidi that I have has a satin blade and black handles.
It can also come with green handles. You have choice of a black-washed or satin blade with either color handle, giving you four options for the Birdidi.
The knife has two ways to deploy the blade – ambidextrous thumb studs and the button lock.
I am not a fan of using a lock to open up a knife. It took me a while to get the hang of the thumb studs on this one, but once I did, the blade really flies out.
As for the knife’s look, the overall shape reminds you of a bird’s silhouette, hence the name.
The knife feels well constructed and fits into my hand naturally. For a small knife, I can get all four fingers around the handle when I choke up with my thumb on the spine of the blade.
The blade is made out of D2 steel, which Hightron says gives it “superior edge retention” and “excellent corrosion resistance.”
One other item of note: The knife has a deep carry pocket clip with no “peekaboo” but it is not reversible. Sorry to all the lefties out there.
Have to admit: I had never heard of Hightron until recently. But that doesn’t mean anything. I have been discovering new knife brands all the time especially as I get deeper and deeper into this hobby of collecting and reviewing pocket knives.
Overall, it is a light, well-constructed EDC knife that virtually disappears in your pocket.
I also like the price tag. All four variants of the Hightron Birdidi are currently listed for $39.99 on the company’s website, marked down from $58.
That is definitely a price range that fits within my budget.
Going forward, I will definitely have Hightron on my list of companies to keep an eye out for.
Here is a link to Hightron Knives’ home page and to its Birdidi.
Here are some YouTube channels I watch to keep up on pocket knives and EDC gear.
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