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Erich · May 21, 2002, 09:21 AM

I never took knives licensed to bear the name of a gun manufacturer very seriously. But, I picked one of these Berettas up, and it's done all right.

What got me to actually buy one was price. I bought a 5" red plastic-handled skeleton-bladed Beretta 1/2-serrated knife at a store that was closing out about 6 years ago. I believe I paid $9, which I feel was a good deal (retail was about $35 at the time).

Initially, the knife was amazingly stiff to open with the thumb stud (painfully checkered, BTW). So much so that I didn't use if for a while. One day I was bored so I tore the knife down and Flitz'd the bearing surfaces - that helped to where it was usable. I did it again a couple of years later and Gunslick'd the surfaces as well - now I can flick it open faster than an auto.

I used the Beretta knife for EDC for a while and think it was a decent utility knife. It was a nice size for EDC and the shape of the handle lays pretty flat in a front pocket and doesn't want to move around. Very light, too. The handle has a nice cut out for your index finger (or for your thumb in an edge-up hold), and has generally good gripability. The steel is fairly soft: it takes a good edge, but don't drop it on the point or you'll nick it like I did.

Right now I have a Spyderco Ayoob for EDC, and the Beretta lives in the drawer. I'd say the only thing that disappointed me about the Beretta was the ease with which the tip nicked (when I finally dropped it on a pebble after carrying it for a couple of years). I certainly got my $9 worth out of the Beretta, and I feel it would have even been worth the full retail price - although the cleanup work I had to do on the bearing surfaces would have been a PITA had I paid the full $35 retail.

That was my Beretta knife experience. Hope it helped.

May 21, 2002, 09:21 AM	#3
Erich Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 2,543	I never took knives licensed to bear the name of a gun manufacturer very seriously. But, I picked one of these Berettas up, and it's done all right. What got me to actually buy one was price. I bought a 5" red plastic-handled skeleton-bladed Beretta 1/2-serrated knife at a store that was closing out about 6 years ago. I believe I paid $9, which I feel was a good deal (retail was about $35 at the time). Initially, the knife was amazingly stiff to open with the thumb stud (painfully checkered, BTW). So much so that I didn't use if for a while. One day I was bored so I tore the knife down and Flitz'd the bearing surfaces - that helped to where it was usable. I did it again a couple of years later and Gunslick'd the surfaces as well - now I can flick it open faster than an auto. I used the Beretta knife for EDC for a while and think it was a decent utility knife. It was a nice size for EDC and the shape of the handle lays pretty flat in a front pocket and doesn't want to move around. Very light, too. The handle has a nice cut out for your index finger (or for your thumb in an edge-up hold), and has generally good gripability. The steel is fairly soft: it takes a good edge, but don't drop it on the point or you'll nick it like I did. Right now I have a Spyderco Ayoob for EDC, and the Beretta lives in the drawer. I'd say the only thing that disappointed me about the Beretta was the ease with which the tip nicked (when I finally dropped it on a pebble after carrying it for a couple of years). I certainly got my $9 worth out of the Beretta, and I feel it would have even been worth the full retail price - although the cleanup work I had to do on the bearing surfaces would have been a PITA had I paid the full $35 retail. That was my Beretta knife experience. Hope it helped.