Bestech Duoz Review: A Slim Folder That Really Surprised Me

The Duoz comes in at 7.55 inches overall, with a 3.34-inch blade and blade stock measuring about 0.094 inch. That is very thin blade stock, and the steel is 14C28N.

I would call the profile a modified straight-back harpoon. It gives me harpoon vibes, although you can call it something else if you see it differently. The compound grind is part of what makes it interesting: one section is clearly flat, while the other feels hollow-ground to me.

The handle is 4.21 inches long, with G10 scales and a simple, effective liner lock. Carry is left- or right-hand tip-up, and the total listed weight is 2.15 ounces. It is a very clean, straightforward arrangement.

This is such an Ostap Hel design, and I mean that in a very good way. I love his design language, especially in a slim, sleek knife like this. It gives me a little of that CRKT CEO throwback feeling, only jazzed up and easier to deploy with the flipper.

Outside of the phenomenal action, one of the best things is the price: $47.90 when I reviewed it. I have zero issue with that. The design and execution make it a phenomenal value to me.

I see this as a casual gentleman’s folder with a little tactical edge. I do not always gravitate toward a Desert Warrior-style color combination, but I really like it here. The OD green handle and gold-PVD blade work well with those different blade angles.

The compound grind, the little harpoon point and the swedge give the blade some very nice angles as the light changes. More importantly, the feel is very, very nice. There is plenty of blade without too much handle, and I really like that blade-to-handle balance.

Not every design from even my favorite designers is going to be for me. That does not make it a bad design; it just means tastes differ. This one is 100 percent for me.

The slim handle feels a little like holding a square Sharpie: fairly neutral, but long enough for a full four-finger grip. I get a really nice purchase on it.

The spine jimping is bitey, and I like that. It grabs my thumb effectively and gives me a secure-feeling place to bear down.

I love the pocket clip. It is simple, but very effective, and the ultra-deep position should make the knife look more like a pen or a marker in the pocket. Then you have that useful 3.34-inch blade when you open it.

This is the kind of knife that makes choosing my favorite affordable folders difficult. I keep a running group of six favorites under $65 before deciding on my top three and honorable mentions. Right now, I do not know how I would pull the Duoz out of that group. It is that stinking good.

The quality, value, action, fit and finish are all there for me. It is a very nice piece from Bestech and a phenomenal Ostap Hel design. I am really digging this one.