Experience the wood-paneled future with this delightfully retro blade.
Remember when pocket knives were fun? At the risk of sounding like an old man, it feels as though the EDC (everyday carry) community is mired in a bit of a lull.
Spyderco, Benchmade, and many of the stalwart brands are releasing uninspired or minor revisions, leading reviewers, myself included, to the following conclusion: At least for now, practical knife innovation has moved about as far as it can go.
So instead, what if we took a look backward? That’s exactly what Finch Knives, a small company out of Stilwell, Kansas, is aiming to do. Its marriage of traditional designs and current tech is a source of interest in a sea of boring, framelock flippers.
I learned about Finch during my review of the Raven Airfield, as some of the same people work behind the scenes. So powerful was the Airfield’s retro-future charm that, after a quick exchange of emails, I was able to line up a review sample of Finch’s Model 1929 ($135). It arrived soon after, bearing the following motto:
“Inspire Your Sense of Wonder, And Keep Life From Getting Dull.”
Well, that sounds like just the ticket.
In short: Do you like the look of traditional pocket knives, but enjoy modern touches like pocket clips and flipper tabs? Then do yourself a favor and pick up a Model 1929 from Finch. It’s perfectly sized, beautifully wrought, and as capable as it is gorgeous.
Finch Knives Model 1929 Review
Specs
- Overall length – 6.0″
- Blade length – 2.5”
- Blade thickness: 0.119”
- Knife weight – 3.1 oz.
- Blade steel – 154CM
- Lock type – Liner Lock
“Welcome,” reads Finch’s product description, “to 1929, the year Grand Teton National Park was founded. Model 1929 is inspired by the magnitude of the Tetons and the virtue of the park rangers who protect them. It will scale 14,000 feet, explore 310,000 acres, and even kayak down the Snake River.”
This sort of journey would indeed be nothing new for the knife, as each one is well-traveled by the time it reaches the customer. Finch’s designs may originate in Kansas, but the knives themselves are manufactured on the opposite side of the Pacific, where QSP handles fabrication and assembly before shipping them back to the states.
Now, if you know much about high-end Chinese knife makers, you’ll likely know QSP. The company does good work and produces blades for several popular brands in the hobbyist knife community.
Design and Details Carry the Day
Let’s keep the performance part of this simple — the 1929 cuts. The blade slices paper, cardboard, tape, and tomatoes like the 2.5-inch dream that it is. Things get a bit dicier when trying to chop a whole onion, but if this Finch can reach through the medium, it’ll part it.
I’m going to credit QSP for its blade finishing here. The 154CM steel is wonderfully polished, and the factory edge gleams along the entire length of its belly.
To the aft of the blade sit a pair of bolstered olive wood inlays. These provide a touch of warmth atop the full stainless liners but, if you’re not a fan of wood, there are plenty of alternative slabs available. Whatever your preference, check out that recessed logo on the show side. That, my friends, is pretty sweet.
Operationally, all of the pieces come together to form a knife that’s more than the sum of its parts. Deployment is smooth, the lockup is solid, and the blade centering is perfect.
And see those two lines just above the place where the wood meets the steel? They’re placed in the exact spot where your thumb tends to rest, giving you a pleasant bit of traction when keying the flipper tab.
What Doesn’t Work
Honestly, I’m at a bit of a loss for negatives. Nothing on the Model 1929 strikes me as necessarily “bad.” The pocket clip isn’t exactly the deep-carry type, but it still rides well. And honestly, it’s perfect with the knife’s overall aesthetic.
You could argue that the blade stock is perhaps a millimeter too wide, but its curve, height, and excellent grind go a long way toward ensuring slicing performance. Check out the job it did on the steaks at an outdoor Halloween party.
Those are some tasty cuts. I suppose my only real nitpick would be the sharp-ish surfaces around the lockbar. But it’s nothing that hinders operation, and they’re not terribly aggressive. Oh, and the woodworking near the logo is a tad rough. But hey, it glows in the dark!
Conclusion: Finch Knives Model 1929 Review
A few months back, I was pretty sure that the Urban EDC Supply LC was going to wind up as my favorite pocket knife of 2022. And while that’s still a great blade, the Finch Model 1929 has taken the throne.
For my personal taste, this knife is just about perfect. The design is flawless, the manufacturing is on point, and the sound it makes when I press the flipper tab is almost annoyingly addicting. Multiple times while writing this review, I had to force myself to set the damn thing down and keep typing.
The Model 1929 isn’t the only knife available from Finch. The Buffalo Tooth, Model 1934, and Chernobyl Ant are just a few of the eye-catching entries in the company’s eclectic catalog.
So, if you’re looking for a knife with a great blend of character and performance, check out the Model 1929. Finch has a good thing going here, with designs that feel like a breath of fresh air.
Check Price at Finch Knife Co.
