EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Finch Knife Co. has earned a well-deserved reputation for making modern pocket knives that have some traditional DNA.
The Kansas-based knife company specializes in modern, innovative designs that have a traditional or nostalgic vibe to them, all while using top-flight materials.
Finch is a small microbrand that uses larger brand QSP to do most of its manufacturing work.
That little tidbit explains a lot – I have become a huge QSP fan over the past six months and the fact they do work for Finch speaks volumes to this knife guy.
Finch says that it likes to make knives that are “more than just a blade – it should be an experience, a companion that tells a story of generations past while embracing the technology of today.”
I currently own one Finch – the Halo in military blue. This is a nice knife but it is what I would describe as an entry level knife to the brand. Here is a link.
Anyway, my good friend JB over at Big Red EDC is a huge, I mean HUGE Finch fan. He sent me one of their more recent releases as a loaner to look at and share with our readers here at the KTSM.com website.
For the past week or so, I have been carrying around the Finch Stray Dog with Sequoia green micarta handles.
The thing that really stands out about this knife are its Army green micarta handles and black-washed bolster and blade.
That gives this knife an Army vibe, not really so much as a tactical knife but a work knife that can get stuff done out in the field.
The 3.25-inch N690 stainless steel blade is deployed with a back flipper. I’ve seen this blade described as a clip point, a modified clip point or even a spey blade which you usually find on a trapper knife. Whatever you call it, it is super slicey and extremely practical.
The action is super smooth. This knife just feels nice – from its construction, its action to its whole Army green-and-black motif.
This knife clearly falls into the category of a modern folder, but it also conjures up the feel of a work knife, maybe an old-fashioned “sod buster”-style knife that could be carried around the farm or yard, doing whatever cutting tasks need to be done.
The knife has a fairly deep-carry pocket clip, also black washed. It does not appear to be reversible for lefties.
The locking mechanism is a bolster lock, which is a fairly new innovation but has roots in the past with frame locks and liner locks.
Additionally, the handle has a bow or bend at the end away from the blade. That allows your hand to grip the knife in a very natural manner.
Here are some numbers, though they hardly tell the whole story. The knife is 7.5 inches when fully open, 4.25 inches when closed and weighs 6 ounces, which makes it feel like it has some heft to it.
The Finch Stray Dog in Sequoia micarta runs for $149 on the Finch website. I also found it for the same price at White Mountain Knives and the Knife Center.
The Stray Dog also comes in a “fat carbon” snow fire handle. That knife retails for $175.
Here are some YouTube channels that I watch and enjoy on pocket knives and EDC gear.
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