Civivi Baby Banter Review: Tiny Knife, Excellent Grip

This is Ben Petersen’s original liner-lock Baby Banter. My version pairs OD-green G10 with gold thumb studs and a dark washed Nitro-V blade. It measures just 5.46 inches open and weighs about two ounces. It barely feels like even that.

The blade is 2.34 inches long, with about 1.95 inches of cutting edge. That big forward choil takes up some room, but it is a major reason the grip works so well. The handle is only 3.12 inches long, and the clip can be positioned for right- or left-hand tip-up carry.

At the $59.50 price of my review, I had no problem with the value. I would pay that all day for this package, especially as someone who enjoys small knives. Just be prepared: it may look even smaller in person than you expect.

The Civivi Odium and original CRKT Pilar are two of my favorite small knives, yet both look considerably bigger beside the Baby Banter. All three have excellent little blades. What surprises me is how much useful grip the Baby Banter offers in the smallest package.

The CJRB Maileah has been my favorite fifth-pocket knife, and the Baby Banter is right on its heels. I am not calling it the winner, but it gives the Maileah real competition. The Kizer Lieb is another small folder that is noticeably longer than the Baby Banter.

This innocent-looking blade is a slicing beast. I measured about 0.014 inch behind the edge, paired with 0.09-inch blade stock. You do not have a lot of cutting edge, but you have enough for plenty of everyday tasks. Opening packages and cutting paper often use only a small part of a blade anyway.

I would call the shape a drop point, although it has a little of that sheepsfoot character. It is an excellent shape for a small knife. A Wharncliffe might suit my preference for tip-focused cuts even better, but I have no complaint about this blade.

I love, love, love how the choil flows from the blade into the handle. These may be some of the best ergonomics I have felt on a small knife. The Pilar and Odium are the closest rivals for me, but they are both larger. The Baby Banter gives me that satisfying grip in less space.

The jimping on the lower choil and along the spine adds to that secure feel. The little details are very well done, and the knife sits beautifully in my hand.

I also really like this color combination: the dark washed blade, gold thumb studs and OD-green G10. A blacked-out Civivi pivot logo would look a little cooler to me, but that is a small cosmetic preference. The overall setup looks excellent.

The scales are flat. Contouring might make the handle even nicer, though I honestly do not know whether it is worth the trouble because I already like it so much. It is something I would like, rather than something this knife needs.

The handle feels surprisingly solid, with no flex that I can feel. There is a nice liner-lock engagement, too. It feels like a little tank in my hand, despite the thin blade and very low weight.

The action has that familiar Civivi feel, but deployment is a little trickier because the knife is so small. That does not mean the action is bad. It means I have to pay attention to where I put my fingers.

The pocket clip gives my fingers a useful place to anchor. For a middle-finger flick, I brace my ring finger against it and position my thumb differently from the way I would on a larger knife. Once I get the grip right, the blade kicks out nicely. I have not disassembled this sample.

Thumb flicking works, and I can index-finger flick it as well. At this point, the index flick is my most reliable method and might be my favorite. It puts the knife in a position that works naturally for me, even with very little fingernail. There is plenty of fidget appeal once you get comfortable with the size.

Access to the liner lock is very easy, and I like where Civivi placed it. Release the lock and the blade falls partway down; then a shake brings it shut. That distinction matters: I would not describe it as falling completely closed by itself.

Overall, this has been a very pleasant surprise. I expected to enjoy the Baby Banter, but I did not expect it to rival the Maileah for fifth-pocket carry or match the grip I like so much on the Pilar and Odium.

I liked the original WE Banter, but I prefer this little one. At the prices when I reviewed them, it was about half the cost, with ergonomics I like even more and excellent quality for a budget knife. If you dislike small knives, this will not change that. If you like them, this is a home run and an easy recommendation from me.