Civivi Relic: a Damascus knife within everyone's reach

We've already told you about knives from Civivi, a Chinese industrial cutlery company that is the sub brand of We Knife. The products of both brands are made with a care that only a few years ago we would have considered impossible from a Chinese manufacturer, but the water under the bridge does not flow in vain, and today we can say that most of the knives manufactured by this group – which also includes the newborn Sencut – are indistinguishable from European or American industrial products.

Today we want to talk about a model recently added to the Civivi catalog: the Relic, a medium-sized folding knife, suitable for everyday use but able to carry out somewhat challenging jobs thanks to its 3.48"/88.4 mm long blade, that in the version we tested is of industrial Damascus steel with a declared hardness of 58-60. The Civivi Relic is however also available with a Nitro-V steel blade with a hardness of 59-61 HRC.

First contact with the Civivi Relic

Let's start with the packaging: like all Civivi knives, the Relic comes in a sturdy cardboard box inside which we find a Nylon case with the manufacturer's logo, two shaped leaflets that invite you to attend the company's social channels, a microfiber cloth for cleaning, a certificate of guarantee, a Silica-gel bag, and the knife, of course. Despite its name, this folding knife is anything but an object to be placed on an altar and contemplate: it is designed to be used, and quickly too, if necessary. For this reason, the blade opening mechanism relies on a flipper that works together with a caged ceramic ball bearing pivot assembly. The result is absolutely functional, and even without any particular practice the Relic opens quickly and without hesitation, while the blade locks open with a noticeable and reassuring "click".

Two words about the Damascus used by Civivi: its composition is not disclosed, but we can confirm that its performance is comparable to that of a 440C stainless steel blade (which in the end is a good thing), with a good resistance to corrosion. The dark shade of the weave is very pleasant and somehow emphasizes the tactical vocation of the Relic, as well as matching perfectly with the Micarta Canvas texture of the handle scales on an aesthetic level. The blade of the Relic has a quite unusual profile – a modified clip point type, with a straight downward edge and high bevel. Workmanship is very good, as is the blued finish: the grind is only available in a very sharp flat version, with a more than effective factory sharpening. Blade thickness is 0.12"/3 millimeters for a length of 3.48"/88.4 mm, making this folder a good compromise between size and cutting capacity. The overall length of the Civivi Relic when open is 0.74"/188 mm, while the weight is 3.83 oz/107 g.

Micarta handle for a vintage effect

The handle of the Civivi Relic consists of a pair of perfectly flat dark green Micarta scales: the grip is ensured only by the natural texture of the material and is very good. Aesthetically, the slightly bleached look of the handle blends perfectly with the black/grey of the Damascus blade, giving the Relic the look of an antique object from which it derives its name. With a length of 4.7”/117 mm, the handle is more than sufficient even for those with larger than average hands. Underneath the scales, the handle structure and the locking system consists of a pair of stainless steel plates with a black coating. 

The liner lock is easily operated and easy to disengage while still providing an effective blade lock. As usual, the pivot pin of the blade is embellished by the “C” of Civivi. On the right side of the handle we find the clip, also stainless steel with black finish, which allows the "tip up" carry and is reversible. Overall, the construction of the handle is good and has no weak points. All the screws used to assemble the knife are Torx type.

The Civivi Relic is a knife with a simple line but very well made, which will appeal to lovers of "tacticool" without excess. In addition, the Relic is offered at a reasonable price: $105 that can also be quite a bit less if you take advantage of periodic promotions that the company offers visitors to its site. The manufacturer's lifetime warranty is a further incentive to consider this dynamic and emerging brand.

Civivi Relis specs