{"id":10444,"date":"2024-04-01T22:42:19","date_gmt":"2024-04-02T05:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/knifeinformer.com\/?p=10444"},"modified":"2024-04-21T07:04:02","modified_gmt":"2024-04-21T14:04:02","slug":"civivi-elementum-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/knifeinformer.com\/civivi-elementum-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Civivi Elementum Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
Matt Davidson<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. Any products or services put forward appear in no particular order. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.<\/p>

I love $50 affordable folders.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Well, $50 will buy you a knife that\u2019s well made enough to really last a long time and bring joy to your life, but not so expensive you feel bad actually using it.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t ruin your month if you lose it, or break the tip, or loan it to a coworker who mistakenly thought it was actually a screwdriver<\/em>.\u00a0 I think $50 is the sweet spot for a budget EDC knife, and I say that as someone that regularly carries knives that cost several times that much.\u00a0 One knife I\u2019ve been hearing recently mentioned as the true<\/em> king of the budget realm is this, the Civivi Elementum<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi

See @ Amazon<\/a><\/span>See @ BladeHQ<\/a><\/div>I\u2019ve reviewed a lot of budget EDC knives \u2013 SOG Terminus XR<\/a>, Tangram Vector<\/a> and Orion\/Progression<\/a>, Kershaw Atmos<\/a>, Bareknuckle<\/a>, Agile<\/a>, Steel Will D2 Cutjack Mini<\/a>, Esee D2 Zancudo<\/a>, and probably several others I\u2019ve forgotten about.\u00a0 I\u2019ve long been of the opinion that the best affordable EDC knife you can buy is the Steel Will Mini Cutjack<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 it\u2019s an extremely well balanced design that does everything well for around $40.\u00a0 Great ergonomics, good flipper, nice clip, superb blade shape, light, cheap \u2013 what more do you want?\u00a0 It makes the Spyderco Tenacious seem like a crippled dinosaur.\u00a0 So I was curious to do a Civivi Elementum review and see if it\u00a0gave the Cutjack<\/strong> a run for its money.<\/p>\n

Key Specs: Civivi Elementum<\/h3>
Blade Length<\/div>2.96 in<\/div>
Overall Length<\/div>6.99 in<\/div>
Weight<\/div>2.89 oz<\/div>
Blade Material<\/div>D2<\/div>
Handle Material<\/div>G-10<\/div>
Locking Mechanism<\/div>Liner Lock<\/div>
Deployment Mechanism<\/div>Flipper<\/div>
Country of Origin<\/div>China<\/div>
Price Range<\/div>About $50<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Civivi<\/strong> is the budget line of WE Knives<\/strong><\/a> (sort of like Tangram is to Kizer<\/a>) and they apply the same high levels of build quality and fit and finish to cheaper knives with more pedestrian materials.\u00a0 This Elementum is available in 22 different configurations (at the time of writing) in two blade steels, a bunch of scale materials, and a variety of different colors \u2013 our test sample came in the standard satin finish D2 blade<\/strong> with blue G10<\/strong> scales which makes it the most affordable variant of the Elementum, which ranges from the $50 retail of this model up to around $90 for a carbon fiber\/Damascus variant.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-6\"<\/p>\n

The Blade<\/h2>\n

The Elementum<\/strong> is designed to be a classy, inoffensive \u201cgentleman\u2019s knife<\/a>\u201d kind of like the massively popular Massdrop\/Ferrum Forge Gent<\/strong>, so there\u2019s no emphasis on hard use chopping power overbuilt tactical. \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>The Elementum is a small pocket knife that\u2019s handy to have around the house or office to take on small tasks \u2013 like the Mini Cutjack.\u00a0 The blade shape is a standard drop point with the tip pretty much level with the pivot of the handle.\u00a0 The blade measures just<\/em> under 3\u201d long (2.96 to be exact) which makes it legal in some restrictive jurisdictions like the state of Illinois (although Chicago has a max of 2.5\u201d, that\u2019s a different story.)\u00a0 The actual cutting edge is 2.625\u201d owing to a sharpening choil in front of the flipper tab.\u00a0 The blade is 0.12\u201d thick, putting it right in the sweet spot between \u201cso thin you worry about snapping it\u201d and \u201ctoo thick to actually cut things well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-1\"<\/p>\n

The interesting thing about the Elementum\u2019s blade is the pronounced hollow grind, which is somewhat unusual at this price point \u2013 most mass produced knives around $50 are going to have a plain flat grind, but the high hollow grind here is slick, stretching from the radiused plunge line all the way to the tip.\u00a0 The flats are bisected by a false swedge at the spine that narrows the blade stock towards the tip for better piercing geometry, and the whole blade has a vertical grinder satin finish that looks pretty nice for the price point.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-2\"<\/p>\n

Blade steel is, no surprise, D2<\/strong> <\/a>\u2013 which is also what you get on the Cutjack, Zancudo, RAT, Pilar, etc at this price point.\u00a0 I generally like D2 \u2013 it holds an edge better than other affordable steels (8Cr, 420HC, 12C27, that kind of thing) and isn\u2019t prone to rolling or chipping.\u00a0 It\u2019s not hard to sharpen either.\u00a0 The only downside is it\u2019s quasi-stainless so care must be taken to prevent it from rusting or acquiring accidental patina.\u00a0 This knife came extremely sharp from the factory with a near mirror-polish edge that is really impressive for the price.<\/p>\n

Deployment & Lockup<\/h2>\n

The Elementum is a flipper<\/strong> opening knife with a liner lock, and it features caged ball bearings in the pivot for smoother opening.\u00a0 If you\u2019d told me I could get a bearing pivot flipper for $50 ten years ago I\u2019d call you crazy, but here we are.\u00a0 The knives this competes most directly with aren\u2019t bearing pivots, but as with some cheaper bearing knives (like the Atmos) you seem to get what you pay for.\u00a0 This knife flips fine<\/em> but it\u2019s not going to win any awards.\u00a0 Perhaps the issue is my expectations were high considering the hype surrounding this knife.\u00a0 The detent is pretty light and ill-defined, which leads to occasional \u201cmisfires\u201d or half-openings, but it does flip better than the aforementioned Atmos did.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-5\"<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t drop shut due to friction from the detent ball on the blade tang, but it\u2019s silly to expect Shirogorov<\/strong> <\/a>drop-shut action for $50.\u00a0 I do prefer it to the litany of assisted-opening knives around this price, because while they open about the same speed, there\u2019s not the added difficulty of closing the blade against spring tension.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think this knife flips any better than the phosphor-bronze washer equipped Mini Cutjack (once it\u2019s been dialed in, which this knife does not require- pivot tension was perfect from the factory and I\u2019ve never had to touch it.)\u00a0 I also think the Terminus XR, which is an axis-style lock with ball bearings, flips better than the Elementum.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-4\"<\/p>\n

Lockup is without fault.\u00a0 The knife uses a stamped steel bent liner to lock the blade in place, in conjunction with an external stop pin, and when you flip the knife normally the locking liner engages perfect \u2013 the outer edge of the lock bar lining up with the outer edge of the blade tang.\u00a0 Lock geometry is set up to account for gradual wear, and I didn\u2019t find any blade play in any direction.\u00a0 Getting lock-up dialed in with such precision is rare in $50 knives, and it\u2019s arguably more important than getting perfect deployment.\u00a0 Deployment is fun, lock stability is safe.<\/p>\n

Features, Fit & Finish<\/h2>\n

This certainly seems like a fancy knife for $50, and I see the appeal of the fancier versions \u2013 especially with micarta or wood handles.\u00a0 The Civivi<\/strong> logo that\u2019s embossed on the oversized pivot pin on the show side is the only branding of any sort on the knife anywhere \u2013 strange in a world where some brands print a Russian novel on their blades with a laser.\u00a0 The hollow grind and smooth satin finish are nice touches at this price point, and the whole knife \u2013 blade and handles \u2013 has nicely chamfered edges, including the spine of the blade. \u00a0Jimping is minimal \u2013 a little on the forward edge of the flipper tab, and some on the spine in front of the pivot, only where it\u2019s actually beneficial to the user.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-12\"<\/p>\n

The liners stand slightly proud of the scales \u2013 reminiscent of the weird but lovable Spyderco Gayle Bradley folder<\/a> \u2013and the edges of the liners are chamfered too, so the only sharp edge on this knife is the edge itself.\u00a0 There\u2019s a lanyard hole in the liners that the scales are cut away from, leaving just the liners themselves \u2013 which looks strangely cheap to my eyes.\u00a0 Those stainless liners are skeletonized on both sides \u2013 somewhat unusual to see a skeletonized locking liner \u2013 to save weight, keeping the total down to under 3 ounces.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-13\"<\/p>\n

The knife features a bent steel deep carry clip, secured by two screws, that is configured for right hand tip up carry only.\u00a0 All of the screws on the Elementum are standard Torx fittings, making disassembly and maintenance easier, and the body of the knife uses hourglass-shaped standoffs which the screws thread into from both sides to hold together, giving the knife a flow through design so it\u2019s easier to clean.\u00a0 The G10 scales<\/a> have a fine checkered pattern to them for grip and rounded edges all the way around to make the knife more comfortable in the hand.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-3\"<\/p>\n

Fit and finish on the Elementum gives away the fact that this is a cheap knife made by a company that normally makes expensive knives.\u00a0 In fact, this Elementum is one of the cheapest knives that WE produces, stretching all the way up to the insane Isham-designed Arrakis in Damasteel<\/strong> <\/a>for $680.\u00a0 Being the small fish in the big pond (so to speak) means the Elementum benefits from high end manufacturing but uses cheaper materials, so this knife is exceptionally well built.\u00a0 The grind is perfectly symmetrical, it had an impressive factory edge, all of the body screw heads are flush with the surface of the scales, blade centering is spot-on, there\u2019s no blade play in any direction \u2013 this is a well-made knife, for sure.<\/p>\n

Field Test<\/h2>\n

During this Civivi knife review, I found that the Elementum carries extremely well.\u00a0 The shape helps \u2013 it\u2019s basically straight and slender so it doesn\u2019t take up a lot of real estate.\u00a0 It\u2019s very light \u2013 only 2.89 ounces for this G10 version \u2013 and it has a great deep carry clip.\u00a0 The clip has strong tension, but the micro-pattern G10 isn\u2019t so grabby that it will quickly destroy your pockets like some other knives, so it stays put but doesn\u2019t get stuck on the way in or out.\u00a0 The entry angle of the clip is a little steep which makes it easier to put in the pocket but more likely to scrape paint or car doors.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-11\"<\/p>\n

I like the hollow ground drop point<\/a> blade \u2013 I\u2019ve said before and I\u2019ll say again, a drop point does everything well.\u00a0 Tip geometry is acute enough to be good at piercing thick plastic, and the hollow grind and satin finish means the knife doesn\u2019t hang up while cutting through thicker plastic bags or tape.\u00a0 It\u2019s a good all-purpose blade \u2013 for everything except food prep, as there\u2019s no belly to the blade and the handle lies well below the blade when open.\u00a0 I think this blade didn\u2019t hold an edge as long as I was expecting it to considering the hard-wearing reputation of D2 steel, but that depends on heat treatment and how it\u2019s sharpened \u2013 I found the blade to be prone to flat spots in the edge fairly easily, but surprisingly it\u2019s less rust-prone than the D2 on the Cutjack.\u00a0 Like the Cutjack, it\u2019s easily sharpened \u2013 especially with the diamond stones on the Worksharp Ken Onion Angle Set<\/a> kit.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-9\"<\/p>\n

Ergonomics are totally neutral; the Elementum doesn\u2019t force your hand into any particular position.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t have finger choils or a thumb ramp, just a mild palm swell and the flipper tab acting as a finger guard to secure your grip.\u00a0 The clip lies low enough to not present a hot spot of any sort.\u00a0 I generally prefer a knife with a thumb ramp or a forward choil, but for the sort of \u201ccivilized office work\u201d this knife is intended for (read: opening Amazon packages) it works just fine.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-10\"<\/p>\n

The only \u201cissue\u201d I encountered while reviewing the Civivi Elementum was that one of the pocket screws had a tendency to work itself loose about once a week, leading to a wiggly clip.\u00a0 After tightening it down twice, I ended up putting a dab of blue (medium-yield) Loc-Tite on both clip screws and threading them back in, and the problem hasn\u2019t popped up since.\u00a0 Since the clip isn\u2019t nested in the scales (it just sits flat on the surface) and the screws are arranged vertically rather than horizontally it\u2019s naturally more prone to this.\u00a0 Not a big deal of course, unless you strip or lose a screw!<\/p>\n

Civivi Elementum Alternatives<\/h2>\n

All these knives available at BladeHQ<\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>Well, there certainly are a lot of alternatives around the $50 price point this basic Elementum sells for.<\/p>\n

My favorite is still the FRN\/D2 Steel Will Cutjack Mini<\/a>, which I reviewed previously.\u00a0 It\u2019s about one Five Guys lunch cheaper than the Elementum, and while it lacks the ball bearing pivot, I think it feels equally well-built and it has better ergonomics, benefiting from a forward finger choil and a thumb ramp, as well as a more sculpted handle with a more textured grip.\u00a0 It\u2019s not as much of a \u201cgentleman\u2019s knife\u201d as the Elementum, but I found it more useful in my time carrying it when I reviewed it.<\/p>\n

\"Steel<\/p>\n

At pretty much the same price as the Elementum, you can get the standard version of the SOG Terminus XR<\/a>.\u00a0 They don\u2019t make the variant I tested any more \u2013 with carbon fiber and BDZ1 \u2013 but they make a more expensive carbon fiber\/S35VN version \u2013 around $85 \u2013 and a standard version with G10 and D2, like the Elementum.\u00a0 Instead of a liner lock, it uses SOG\u2019s XR lock \u2013 which functions similar to an Axis lock, but with ball bearings.\u00a0 I loved the fancy Terminus XR, and the standard one is likely just a great.\u00a0 It is heavier than the Elementum or Mini Cutjack (3.32 ounces) and I do still genuinely hate the pocket clip, but for a $50 it\u2019s quite compelling.<\/p>\n

\"SOG<\/p>\n

Kizer sort of splits this market, with most of their Vanguard line knives ringing in around $70, but the cheaper Tangram sub-brand coming in closer to ~$30.\u00a0 We\u2019ve reviewed the Progression and the Orion<\/a>, as well as the Vector<\/a>, all of which are only<\/em> sold on Amazon and Aliexpress rather than traditional knife retailers.\u00a0 It\u2019s shocking the kind of quality you get for the money, and the Vector has to be the best deal going on a pocket knife now.\u00a0 I\u2019m not crazy about the recurved blade, but a slick button lock action and aluminum handles as well as good quality Acuto440 steel seem like a bargain for the $31 the Vector commands on Amazon Prime 2-day at time of writing.\u00a0 For ~$60 you could get a Vector and<\/em> an Orion, my picks of the Tangram line.<\/p>\n

\"Tangram<\/p>\n

For ~$50, you can get yourself a solid USA made Kershaw<\/strong> <\/a>\u2013 the Link<\/strong>, with anodized aluminum handles, SpeedSafe assisted opening via a torsion bar, a nice bent steel clip, and a 3.25\u201d drop point blade with a flipper tab.\u00a0 I like the Link (and the related Dividend), they\u2019re great budget knives, but there\u2019s a catch getting a domestically produced product at that price: they use 420HC (high-carbon) steel for the blade, which isn\u2019t in the same universe as D2 or even 8Cr13MoV<\/strong> for edge retention.\u00a0 Kershaw makes upgraded versions of the Link\/Dividend with better steel (early models with M390, later ones with CPM 20CV) but they\u2019re more like $80, when you can even get your hands on them.<\/p>\n

\"Kershaw<\/p>\n

The name is hilarious, but the Honey Badger<\/strong> line of folding knives offers a lot of value for the money in this segment too.\u00a0 They\u2019re available in three sizes (2.875\u201d, 3.25\u201d and 3.6\u201d) and two steels (8Cr and D2) as well as three blade shapes (a standard drop point, an aggressive hawkbill and a funky \u201cwharncleaver\u201d) but the most directly comparable to the Elementum would be the small (2.875\u201d) drop point model in D2 steel, which rings in at ~$52- so nearly identical price to the Elementum, as well as materials \u2013 G10 scales, D2 blade, ball bearing pivot, steel deep carry clip.\u00a0 The Honey Badger is a little lighter at 2.5 ounces, and it also offers the choice of a thumb hole in addition to the flipper tab for opening.\u00a0 It\u2019s not as \u201cclassy looking\u201d as the Elementum, but it does have a more pronounced handle swell and more jimping and grip.<\/sub><\/p>\n

\"Honey<\/p>\n

Finally, I\u2019d be remiss to not mention the Ontario Knife Company RAT Model 2<\/strong>.\u00a0 It\u2019s still the standard bearer for budget blades, offering no-nonsense build quality and ergonomics and a solid liner lock for very little dough.\u00a0 ~$36 will get you a Rat 2 in AUS-8 stainless steel, or $40 to upgrade to harder-wearing D2 steel.\u00a0 Some people don\u2019t like the looks but you can\u2019t argue with the function.<\/p>\n

Wrap-up<\/h2>\n

This is an absurdly overcrowded market, and it\u2019s hard to make a product stand out when it uses the same materials and general dimensions as a pile of competitors.\u00a0 I think what Civivi (and WE Knife) leans on here is mostly their build quality rather than any sort of functional or ergonomic advantage.\u00a0 The Elementum is a very well-made knife without any sort of quality miss-steps or finish faux pas to speak of.\u00a0 It\u2019s also a lot classier in appearance than many budget knives, but that\u2019s a matter of opinions \u2013 if you like the minimalist aesthetic of the knife, it\u2019s not a bad buy.\u00a0 It\u2019s certainly a breath of fresh air to see a knife that\u2019s not just covered in marketing and tacticool baubles; the Elementum is like the knife equivalent of a sterile-faced watch.\u00a0 Not shouting about what you have doesn\u2019t attract attention you weren\u2019t looking for in the first place.<\/p>\n

\"Civivi-Elementum-7\"<\/p>\n

I think if the idea of this pared-down gentleman\u2019s knife calls to you, I\u2019d spring for one with the upgraded blade steel and a nicer scale material \u2013 the canvas micarta\/S35VN combo for $80 seems like a good deal if it has the same high level build quality that my review sample exhibited.\u00a0 This is a classy design that would shine with better materials, rather than feeling like lipstick on a pig like the weird carbon fiber RAT 2, or some of the dealer exclusive CRKT\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Would I take the Elementum over other competition in the \u201c$50, 3 inch folding knife\u201d category?\u00a0 No, but it\u2019s a matter of objective analysis and not a subjective problem.\u00a0 I think the knife is a little boring, and I can\u2019t get over that.\u00a0 But opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one, and yours may be different \u2013 if it lights your fire, you\u2019ll like this knife. You can read more Civivi knives reviews on the Conspirator<\/a>, Vision FG<\/a>, and Odium<\/a>.<\/p>\n

See @ Amazon<\/a><\/span>See @ BladeHQ<\/a><\/div>\n
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  • Remarkable build quality for the money, minimalist gentleman\u2019s knife appearance, hollow ground blade slices well, deep carry clip, fairly lightweight.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
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    • Mushy detent, clip screws come loose, doesn\u2019t hold an edge as long as you\u2019d think, lanyard cutout looks cheap, single position clip, kind of boring.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\r\n\t\t
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      Civivi Elementum<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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      Quality\/Performance - 78%<\/h5><\/span><\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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      Value for Money - 87%<\/h5><\/span><\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t
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      83%<\/span><\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

      <\/h4>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t

      The Civivi Elementum is another decent if unexciting option in the affordable $50 knife market.<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>