The CIVIVI Nugz is a funky knife with a fitting name. Something about the meaty reverse tanto designed by Matthew Wehrwein calls for the good, one syllable “Nugz” nomenclature. I dig it.
But beyond appearance and naming, is the CIVIVI Nugz any good? I tossed it in my pocket for a month of regular use to find out.
In short: The CIVIVI Nugz is a nice EDC knife — for the price. At around $70, it gives the user good steel, a nice micarta handle, and a deep carry pocket clip. But it has a few flaws — notably play in the detent, right-hand-only carry, and a quickly loosening pocket clip — that betray the value pricing. Shop the CIVIVI Nugz now.
- OAL: 7.44"
- Blade length: 3.17”
- Blade steel: 14C28N
- Blade shape: Reverse tanto
- Lock type: Liner lock
- Weight: 3.16 oz.
Pros
- Useful blade shape
- Nice handle material
- Solid value
Cons
- Pocket clip affects grip, is only right-handed
- Detent became loose after a few weeks of testing
CIVIVI Nugz Review
Pull the Civivi Nugz out of the box, and you’re greeted with a fat-bladed flipper and thumb-hole knife with a textured micarta handle and backspacer. It has a unique look both open and closed, as the wide reverse tanto sits well outside of the thin handle when shut and overshadows the handle when open.
But appearances mean little when a knife is as genuinely functional as the Nugz. The flipper and thumb (or index finger) holes allow fast opening in three different ways. I found the knife both fidgety and fun in the hand. It locks open with a firm “thunk.” I ultimately found myself using the flipper opening method most of the time, although the thumb/finger hole also works just fine.
Open, the knife shines in EDC tasks. Its width and flat grind make it almost cleaver-shaped, allowing it to do things like kitchen prep better than most EDC knives. It spreads peanut butter like a charm, but still will easily open knives. Thanks to the pronounced point, it will also whittle pretty well.
So it’s a good, versatile knife. Much like its name, “Nugz,” the knife is not intimidating. It’s not very dangerous and won’t raise eyebrows if you flip it open in the office breakroom to open a bag of jerky.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Over the last month, I used the Nugz as my daily carry knife. And mostly, I enjoyed using it. It’s a nice EDC blade and holds an edge remarkably well, even when cutting a lot of packaging during my work days. I also carried it as my pocket knife while elk hunting (although I also carried hunting knives for meat processing duty).
It performed well overall, particularly for the price. However, it falls short of the top pocket knives.
The good: It has a very versatile shape. I like the grind and multiple opening mechanisms. The fit and finish are excellent, especially given the $70 price.
While I haven’t used many knives with 14C28N steel, it impressed me with its edge-holding ability and stain resistance. After a month of use, the knife is still quite sharp, although it needs a quick stropping.
The blade shape, as mentioned, is useful and versatile, provided you don’t need a very fine point. It has a nice large belly and decent tip but isn’t designed to stab through material as much as slice. I love the aggressive jimping on the spine and liner lock. These provide a very firm grip, particularly for righties.
Now, the downsides. First, I noticed a couple of significant signs of use pretty early. Both the pocket clip and blade have noticeable play after a month of use. Neither of these affect the performance of the knife, and the pocket clip is easy to tighten.
But the blade play seems to be with the detent, meaning there is slight wiggle when the blade is closed. I haven’t tried to fix this just yet, but it could require a reseating of the detent ball. It’s doable, but will require time and attention. But the reality is that at $70, I’m not surprised to see a couple of minor issues like this.
A bigger problem — at least for lefties — is the fact that the knife is not ambidextrous. It’s right-pocket, tip-up carry only. If you carry it in your left pocket, you’ll have to flip it in your hand before using it.
Should You Buy the CIVIVI Nugz?
Overall, the CIVIVI Nugz is a heck of a nice knife for $70. It uses good steel, has a very nice handle, and will serve the user well as an EDC tool. If you’re right-handed and want a wider-blade knife, this one is really a no-brainer for the money.
But the knife is not for everyone. If you’re a leftie, it’s a pass. If you’re looking for a hard-use blade, look elsewhere. And if you plan to carry your knife every day for several years, I think spending a little more will bring more value down the road.
But as a value-oriented, uniquely shaped knife, the Nugz delivers. It fills a fun niche with a fun name and design, so I wouldn’t hesitate to add it to a collection.
