Every time we see one of the James Brand’s knives, we’re impressed. They always seem to know how to take a classic, trusty knife design and modernize it into something a bit sleeker and more attractive. Take the Chapter, their original knife, for example. It’s not much more than a straight-up folding pocket knife, but they’ve put it into a sleek, almost-futuristic design that looks more like a USB drive (or dare we say e-cig) than it does a pocket knife. And has the build and blade toughness to match. In a similar vein, the James Brand Folsom is what James calls their interpretation of the liner-lock – a sleek, modern knife cut out for anything from EDC to outdoor tasks.
The Folsom features slim scales made of grippy G10, known for its solid grip and traction in your hands, even when wet – though they do feel a bit too thin for tougher cutting jobs. The handle is complemented by a Carpenter CTS-BD1 stainless steel blade measuring 2.75” long. It can be carried and opened ambidextrously, and slides onto your pant pocket with a reversible pocket clip.
The drop point blade is full and a bit short, but hefty enough for tough slicing jobs and comes both serrated and straight. The thumb hole makes deployment easy. The steel is not as hard as it could be, but it does hold an edge well and is as corrosion-resistant as you could ask.
Overall, it’s not anything super fancy, but that’s kind of why we like it. It’s a knife that perfectly combines both function and James Brand’s modern appearances, something both a bit unique and a bit conventional. But it looks good as part of your EDC kit and gets the job done, and feels well-constructed and solid in your hand. And what else could you ask for?
