Superior Function, Formidable Form: Sniper Bladeworks LPC Knife Review

There’s a general misconception that EDC folding knives need to have a specific form factor that keeps them under a certain length and width. But you know what they say about opinions — everybody has one.

Sniper Bladeworks has been forever known as the knife company you can count on to design and produce overbuilt knives. The brand focuses on ergonomics and materials, and not whatever trendy notions people have about what a knife “should” be.

That fact shines through with the LPC, a handful of a folder made from premium S35VN, G10, and titanium.

To call this knife robust would be an understatement. To underestimate the potential of this knife would be a mistake.

In short: If you’re the kind of person who likes to rely on one knife or tool to do a majority of your tasks, on and off the grid, the Sniper Bladeworks LPC is your next knife. While I agree the Sniper Bladeworks “LPC” is a big and chunky knife, I can’t find any reason why someone wouldn’t want to carry it every day (unless they’re left-handed).

Sniper Bladeworks LPC Review

Design & Features

Known inside Sniper Bladeworks as “Lance’s Personal Choice,” the LPC is a robust and overbuilt folding knife. It comprises an S35VN Clip Point blade, a singular G10 scale, and a whole lot of titanium.

This knife coming in at 6.91 ounces makes you wonder what kind of brick this thing would be if it wasn’t mostly titanium.

In regard to weight, the LPC features a fuller on its blade. Fullers are a centuries-old feature added to a blade to lessen the overall weight, without compromising the overall strength.

Be warned: the LPC is a right-hand-only knife. It carries right-handed and the thumb stud, which is its singular opening mechanism, sits on the right and cannot be reversed.

This won’t prove an issue for the greater good, but for the lefties out there, you will either need to adapt and overcome, or take a pass on this wonderful whale.

Enhanced ergonomics really set the LPC apart, and it carries across the Sniper lineup.

Where most folding knives are generally flat or slightly curved when opened, the LPC has a sizeable downward slope that starts right behind the pivot and carries through to the butt of the knife. This not only makes the LPC very comfortable to use, but it also adds increased leverage and allows for a second handhold.

That makes it a shoo-in for hand-to-hand combat. Now, look — I know most of us don’t think about having a good old-fashioned knife fight. But the world from which the LPC hails is military and law enforcement. So I can tell you firsthand, though the LPC will do fine in any setting, I would hate to square up with anyone bringing this knife out as their line of defense in combat.

First Impressions

Right off the bat, I enjoyed how fluidly the LPC opened, and how meaty the frame-lock was. You don’t want a knife the size of the LPC folding in on you when you get down to the grind. I can assure you that it won’t.

In fact, you could pry and baton with the LPC and the lock won’t pop on you.

The LPC harkens back to a period in our not-so-distant past when tactical folding knives were big and bold. And the LPC is all of that and then some.

At ½-inch thick and just over 4¾ inches folded, not only does it fill my hand, but it also hangs over the sides a good bit when closed. This means that when open, it feels something like holding onto a wooly mammoth tusk.

I, for one, love it.

Its heft allows the knife to do the work that I would have to if I were using a slighter knife. I realize some people will scoff at this. And that shows this award-winning knife won’t be for everyone.

But I am confident saying you would be missing out if you didn’t at least consider the LPC as a long-term EDC solution. This knife was built for taking care of business, every day.

In the Field

The one drawback to the LPC, which is essentially a tradeoff, is that you know you’re carrying it. It’s in your pocket, you know it’s in your pocket, and if you sit too long, your butt cheek or hip will have an indent in it.

So, it goes without saying that the LPC isn’t a knife you want in your pocket on long car rides. But out on a hike, or just wandering around, it will not feel so imposing as to pull your pants down. The LPC is comfortable; it’s just noticeable, too.

It’s probably quicker to list what the LPC can’t do than all the things it can. This knife will cut, slice, pierce, and even chop with little effort due to its advanced ergonomics.

You can also choke up on it by placing your index finger in the choil. This will enable more precision work, like shaving and shaping.

I relied on the LPC for a long weekend in the woods and though I brought a hatchet with me, I easily could have used the LPC alone. That’s a big deal when you think about it, and peace of mind when you’re planning to be out in the woods, up a mountain, fording a river, etc.

Sniper Bladeworks LPC: Conclusion

The bottom line is that the Sniper Bladeworks LPC presents a true tactical folding knife. There’s a growing group of people out there who believe that knives like the Spyderco Delica and the Benchmade Bugout are the epitome of tactical.

Though those are both great knives, they’re just not going to get the job done like the LPC. Yes, it’s big. But it isn’t that much longer than a knife like the Benchmade Griptilian, it’s just thicker all around.

I’ve seen trends ebb and flow in the knife industry in the last 20 years, and the one thing I can tell you is that there’s a reason why an overbuilt knife like the LPC keeps coming around: There are people out there looking for one knife to rule them all and are more concerned with function than they are form.

I’m not saying the LPC doesn’t look good, I think it’s @#$%ing gorgeous! A knife like the Sniper Bladeworks LPC is a workhorse. You point it in a direction and it will stomp terra until you get worn out. Because I promise it’s not going to wear out on you, not with the way Sniper Bladeworks built it, and not with sporting S35VN as its blade steel.