If you think choosing a knife is easy, think again. It’s like picking cereal at the supermarket, there’s way too many options, but somehow you want them all… And sure, you might not need marshmallows and chocolate with your knife (or maybe you do, no judgment), but quality matters. There are a ton of options out there, but today however, we are only looking at one knife. The Sig Sauer Validus from the Eikonic Knife Company.
I’ve grown up around guns and knives and I carry one of each every day. Even though my friends all refer to me as the “gun guy”, I love knives as well. And to be honest, I use a knife far more than I do a gun. I’m in law enforcement so having a good knife on me is a necessity, not an option.
Even though I carry a knife every day and have a purchasing disorder for them, I’m not a knife expert. So, all I can give are my thoughts on the Validus from my own, everyday experience.
Sig Sauer’s Validus Knife
The Validus knife is a collaboration between the Eikonic Knife Company and Sig Sauer. Its name “Validus” means “strong” in Latin, which is fitting for this knife.
This is what I would call a larger folding knife. Of course, some companies make much larger knives, even to the point of being ridiculous. But for practical purposes, this is about the largest size of folding knife I carry in my pocket.
It has a blade produced from M390 steel, which I’ll talk more about shortly. The grips are grey-black micarta, which has really been growing on me. They’re not overly aggressive with the texture, but not smooth either. It’s a perfect blend so the grips do not catch or tear your clothing.
Micarta is a durable composite material made of linen or canvas layers infused with resin. This gives you a nice grip even in wet conditions, and they are extremely strong as well.
The plain edge blade on the Validus measures 3.5 inches, which is a good size blade for a folding knife. It’s suitable for everyday carry (EDC), tactical situations, hunting, hiking, etc.
You can tighten the blade should it become loos with a simple Allen wrench, but so far, I have not needed to do this. The same goes for the pocket clip, which is secured with two small screws.
The only thing I’ve noticed with the pocket clip is that it’s a little tight when pushing it over your jeans pocket. This is better than it being too loose, and it’s a small, nitpicky thing to point out. But I had to get picky with this knife because I like everything else about it.
Built-in glass breaker
A glass breaker is located on the butt of the handle which is a nice addition for an EDC knife. If you have ever tried breaking a car window out, it’s harder than it looks or sounds. Especially if you’re on the inside of the car, trying to get out.
Of course you want to hit the window around the bottom corner and not in the middle for it to work properly. But we won’t get into the science of breaking glass today.
I’ll just say, having one can be a lifesaver if your in/or responding to an accident.
What is M390 Steel?
As I mentioned above, the Sig Sauer Validus is made from M390 steel. No, it’s not a secret government code, though it is pretty high-tech. M390 is a premium stainless steel developed by Bohler-Uddeholm and is renowned for its exceptional wear and edge retention.
Some have even referred to M390 as “super steel” because of its finely balanced composition of carbon, chromium, molybdenum, and vanadium. In short, it is a high-performance stainless steel.
Blades made from M390 steel stay sharper significantly longer than standard steels, meaning less frequent sharpening is needed. While it can be slightly harder to sharpen due to its toughness, the trade-off is worth it for its long-lasting, razor-sharp edge. You will need a diamond-coated stone to sharpen it so keep that in mind. I take my Validus, and other knives, to a knife where they have the proper gear and knowledge to get it sharp.
With my luck, I would mess up the blade trying to sharpen this type of steel.
Other features of the Sig Sauer Validus knife
Instead of a traditional round thumb stud, the Validus has a small, serrated stud that is angled so your thumb has something to push against.
The blade also has a small flipper that works as a guard for your pointing finger when holding the knife. It’s not too large like some knives but still protrudes out the back of the knife enough to use it to open the blade.
A finger groove is cut into the handle to also make your grip on the knife feel more natural. When holding the knife, you can tell a lot of thought went into this collaborated project.
Final Thoughts on the Validus
I’ve been carrying this knife to work and off duty at times as well. It’s comfortable in your pocket, easy to grab and the blade swings open easily. When I get a new knife, I tend to play with it a lot, snapping the blade open, closing it, and repeating. This works just as good as a stress ball…
But the point is, a lot of the knives I use a lot have the blade come loose quickly. This one is rock solid and feels more like a fixed blade knife when opened.
The Validus retails for a little over $300 which is a great deal when considering the type of steel used and the overall quality. It makes a great work knife, hunting knife, or even an EDC knife. It’s definitely one I would recommend checking out the next time your shopping for a new blade.