The Be-Wharned knife is the first BLACKHAWK! knife I have ever owned. I’ve found that first impressions are generally accurate, and I was impressed the first moment I held the Be-Wharned knife.
No doubt about it, the Be-Wharned is a self-defense knife. The 3.4″ blade is a wharncliffe design, which comes down to a sharp point. The blade thins as you move from the handle to the point, meaning less resistance in cutting and stabbing motions.
The stainless steel blade has a plain edge, which from the factory is exceptionally sharp. Ever see the ‘tough guy’ movies where one of the stars is able to shave with his sharpened knife? The Be-Wharned comes from the factory that sharp. I used it to shave a portion of hair off of my forearm with no effort whatsoever. Don’t let the kids play with this knife.
The handle is made from aggressively textured G-10 with stainless steel inserts. Don’t know what G-10 is? Don’t worry; neither did I. G-10 is a high-pressure laminate material formed from fiberglass and epoxy. It is extremely durable, and is virtually impervious to water and climate changes. G-10 material is also chemical and fire resistant.
In the case of the Be-Wharned knife, the G-10 provides an exceptionally durable finish that is textured with ‘scales’ giving the user a firm purchase on the handle. The G-10 really provides a ‘no-slip grip.’ Compared to the other finishes available on knives, this is my favorite by far.
The only drawback to the G-10 handle is the texturing may be too rough on some pants pockets. If you have a very nice designer suit, or even just moderately priced pants made from lightweight material, the Be-Wharned may not be the best choice if you plan on carrying a knife clipped to the pocket. However, with jeans, uniform pants, and inexpensive cargo shorts, I didn’t have any problems with the textured handle of this knife.
Designed by trainer Michael Janich, the blade is made from AUS8A stainless steel. The Be-Wharned uses a liner lock to hold the blade in place. The lock seems very sturdy when I worked with it.
An ambidextrous thumb stud is mounted on the blade to allow for one-handed opening. I found the blade opened easily, and it positively ‘snapped’ into place, giving me a tactile assurance that the blade was locked into position.
The Be-Wharned feels very well balanced in my hand. The handle seems heavier than the blade, and when held aggressively, it feels very good.
The clip is securely fastened to the handle by three screws. The handle is pre-drilled so you can move the clip to any one of four positions, allowing you to carry the Be-Wharned in the manner you prefer. Tip up or down, right hand or left…you make customize it however you like.
Fortunately, I’ve never had to use a knife to defend myself, but I would be well-armed using the Be-Wharned. Between the Janich design and the BLACKHAWK! quality, I heartily recommend the Be-Wharned knife to anyone needing a high-quality knife for personal defense.
- blade length – 3.4″
- overall length – 7.85″
- blade material – AUS8A stainless steel
- blade finish – satin
- edge type – plain edge
- handle material – 420J stainless steel liners with G-10 textured scales
- MSRP – $99.99
Ed. note: BLACKHAWK! provided the Be-Wharned knife free of charge for this review.
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I bought a Be-Wharned about six months ago, as I have an affinity for self defense blades. This knife is Michael Janich’s second iteration of the wharncliff blade shape in a folding knife. The first was his discontinued Yojimbo model for Spyderco. Janich’s contributions to fixed blade wharncliff-style knives include the Spyderco Ronin and Blackhawk Kalista.
Janich has said on Spydercoforums.com that he preferred the shorter handle design he incorporated into the Be-Wharned, over the lengthened butt on the Yojimbo. He designed the Be-Wharned with the very rough textured G-10, which I think is nearly 440 grit sandpaper, for a more secure grip in the hand for thrusting motions. Some blade practitioners prefer a defensive knife handle to have a sub-hilt or shape that prevents the hand from sliding on to the cutting edge if the knife should strike bone or a solid object. Janich states he preferred to give the handle scales an aggressive texture for this purpose. I agree with Richard the G-10 will leave you with a tattered pocket with prolonged use.
The Be-Wharned blade’s AUS-8A steel is roughly comparable to 440C, but with slightly more carbon and slightly less chromium. It holds an edge well and has decent stain resistance. Because the knife lacks a back spacer, it is easily cleaned and will not collect the detritus of your travels. Though there is no jimping on the top rear of the blade, it is slightly scalloped on its top line, where many Filipino knife experts like to have their thumb ride for powerful slashing motions. Janich is seen using this grip in his MBC (Martial Blade Concepts) videos and Best Defense television show.
I find the wharncliff design is a good utility blade for most cutting tasks and it makes for a serviceable EDC knife, though I would switch to a knife with more belly in the blade for kitchen chores. I have carried my Be-Wharned at work and off-duty. I find it a quality knife with excellent cutting power.
Michael Janich is back with Spyderco as a Special Projects Coordinator. Spyderco’s innovative founder and president Sal Glesser has posted on his forum that a Yojimbo II is in the works. Janich said he has worked on this updated wharncliff design and is waiting patiently for a production run or sprint run of the knife in the near future.
Randall
Thanks for the additional information!
–Richard
$95.00 for a pocket knife?! There’s no way in the world I’d pay that much.I’ve had decent $30.00 knives that last for years.
Greg,
I also have a number of decent $30 knives. In fact, you may have read about some of them here. Some of them provide years of service.
However, the BLACKHAWK! Be-Wharned is a superior self-defense knife. It isn’t marginal, or merely decent. It is a very high-quality product. You may not have the need for this knife, but for those that do, it is excellent.
Thanks for reading.
–Richard