The story of the knife business over the last 10 years marks a shift to China and the emergence of real, high-quality knives from Chinese brands. Reate, and then WE Knives, ushered in an era of high-end knives made in China. But for years, the middle and bottom of the market were dominated by garbage. Sometimes a gem would happen by accident (like the oft-missed San Ren Mu 605), but most of the time it was one cheap, flimsy knife after another.
But the rising tide lifted all boats and midrange brands like Civivi (WE’s little brother) have made inroads into the heart of the market. Unfortunately, even these “midrange” knives crept upward, approaching $100, sporting Damascus pattern blades.
True entry-level knives, those under $50, still aren’t always great. But at $45, the Canary might be one of the best buys on the market right now, especially given that the extraordinarily well-designed Civivi Lumi is now out of production.
This knife rode with me for a month or so, serving as my primary everyday carry blade. It went to work, down to the woodshop in my basement, and around the yard for all sorts of home improvement tasks.
In short: The Canary looks and feels like a knife that should cost twice as much. The harpoon tip and lightning holes are nice stylistic choices, setting the knife apart from the bevy of “minimalist” budget knives (read: boring, design-by-numbers knives). It’s an ideal entry-level EDC knife with excellent build quality and superior steel for the money.
- Steel: 14C28N
- Grind: Full flat grind with decorative harpoon
- Lock: Liner
- Blade length: 2.85"
- OAL: 6.58"
- Weight: 2.64 oz.
- Price: $45
- Country of origin: China
Pros
- Great action with a smooth pivot and crispy detent
- 14C28N steel is exceptionally good for the price
- Rock-solid lock up
- Deep-carry clip
- Just the right size and weight for EDC
Cons
- Not the thinnest blade stock
QSP Canary Folding Knife Review
The Canary’s deep carry clip and excellent size and weight meant that I could carry it all day long without noticing its presence. It will fit in the coin pocket of a pair of jeans, but just barely.
The rounded G10 handles were comfortable in my hand, and slid in and out of the pocket nicely.
Unlike a fixed blade, my EDC knives really see three primary uses:
- General utility tasks (breaking down boxes, opening packages, cutting loose threads or string)
- Food prep
- As a marking knife for woodworking projects
In all three of these roles, the Canary was excellent.
Everyday Utility
I am a lawyer, so most of my time at work is spent doing almost exclusively mental work. The only thing I need a knife for at work is opening packages and letters.
Here, the tall blade of the Canary worked well. The blade stock is not the thinnest, but the knife comes to an acute edge thanks to a full flat grind on a relatively tall blade.
The random Amazon package and Post Office flat-rate box posed no challenge. But cutting up material for recycling at home showed me the Canary has real chops, and that the 14C28N is an excellent all-around steel.
Only knife knuts enjoy the process of recycling, as it provides an excuse to get that zipper effect with a razor-sharp blade, plowing through box after box to make space in your municipality-approved recycling bin.
Food Prep
I tend to use my EDCs for food prep a lot. Not only is it a good test, but I always have the knife handy. The Canary is a bit short to fully span an apple, but the knife sliced instead of popping open the fruit.
It handled cured meats and cheeses (part of my favorite in-the-woods meal, the “Pocket Knife Lunch“) with ease. The soppressata sliced nicely, and the sharp cheddar didn’t crumble because I didn’t have to bear down on the knife for it to cut — again, thanks to the relatively keen edge.
Woodwork
Around the workshop, as with food prep, I use my EDC knife because it’s readily at hand. I did a lot of projects outside this summer, including building a roof for my pallet rack that I use for firewood. That meant cutting into a lot of pressure-treated wood, which proved no problem.
In the actual woodshop, I’m working on a walnut box for my son’s burgeoning knife collection. There, as you can imagine, it worked — but not as easily. I have some projects going with hard maple, and that became a chore.
I made some chops for my workbench vice and used the Canary to mark lines. It took a lot of pressure, more than I was comfortable with to make the marks visible.
Throughout all of this, the knife exhibited no blade play or lock rock of any kind. The lock still hits at the same place, and disengagement remains an easy task.
Even the edge stayed decent; 14C28N is about as nice a knife steel as you can get before you step up to a powder metal steel, so I wasn’t too surprised about the edge. That said, the thin liners and relatively rough-cut pocket clip make the Canary feel like a step down from a good Civivi, like the Elementum.
Of course, that knife will cost you a lot more, probably twice as much.
Conclusions
The industry has reached the point where flawless knives are par for the course, even in the entry-level price bracket.
The QSP Canary is a very good entry level knife, but it lacks a layer of polish that an $80 Civivi Elementum has. It is a good knife for a lot of people, especially those just getting into knives. And if you already have a bevy of them, it’s a great beater/shop/glove box knife.
All in all, It’s probably the best bang for your buck, but only because the truly supernal Civivi Lumi is not in production.
