Casstrom No.14 Fixed Blade Knife

› When you use and handle a lot of different knives, it is rare that anything really stands out and makes a lasting impression, but just occasionally, something does. The Casström No.14 is one such knife, and it impresses from the moment you open the box and pick it up. It is an outstanding tool—a real powerhouse of a knife, designed and built to tackle the toughest challenges and conditions. This is a grown-up’s tool that delivers exceptional performance every time.

Construction
The full-tang construction is an extremely strong design, and the 14cm A8Mod steel blade, which is 4.2mm thick at the spine, is ideal for larger, heavier tasks like splitting wood or carving. This type of steel was chosen for its toughness and ability to hold an edge, even when used for really heavy jobs like batoning timber. The Scandi grind is an ideal choice for a bushcraft knife, and the edge is suitable for anything from wood splitting to food preparation. It is easily maintained in the field with a diamond sharpener or a strop, and the edge retention is excellent even after prolonged use. Although it is not stainless, the steel used for the blade is easy to look after, and with a hardness of 58–59 on the Rockwell C Scale, it is very rigid and durable. The knife is not light, at a little over 300g, but the weight sits perfectly in the hand.
The handle, made from tough green linen Micarta (the No.14 is also available with an oiled curly birch handle), has been crafted for comfort, and the ergonomic design provides a really good grip even when wet. The design of the handle underwent a lot of development, and right up to the start of production, the shape was being ‘tweaked’ to add just a tad more girth where needed for that perfect grip.
The knife is supplied with a vegetable-tanned European leather sheath, which is 3mm thick, and the stitching is extremely well done. Using friction alone, the sheath holds the knife very securely, and it is available in both left and right-handed configurations.

Conclusion
This is a knife that needs to be used, not stored away in a collection, because it is a real tool and not a decoration. It does look fantastic, but it works even better than it looks. As a general-purpose kitchen knife, it can cut and carve all types of food smoothly, and it is very easy to clean, with all interfaces between its different parts being completely tight and closed. Outdoors, it will cut ropes, split wood, perform detailed carving, or even make finely feathered wood shavings to use as kindling, all without any loss of edge. It is such a nice knife to use that you will find yourself looking for things to try it out on! Backed by Casström’s 25-year guarantee, this really is a knife for life and well worth investing in.

Reviewer: Mark Underwood