In Review: Finch Cimmaron

Almost two years ago, we introduced you to the Finch Runtly with a hands-on review. That knife sort of reinvigorated my interest in pocket knives, and I’ve been paying a lot more attention to them. About a year ago, I picked up a second knife from them, the Finch Cimmaron. I just never got around to writing it up, so let’s consider this a long-term review.

As you’ll note in the photos, I’ve got some comparison shots between the Finch Cimmaron and the Runtly. While the Runtly is short and stout with it’s sheepsfoot blade, the Cimmaron is longer and a bit more slender. Different ways of packaging the steel, in other words, so you can figure out what works best for you. With the Cimmaron using 14C28N steel from Sandvik, it’s ready for everyday adventures, giving you a good mix of toughness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance.

As with the Finch knives I’ve handled, the Finch Cimmaron is sharp right out of the box. Even so, I gave it a quick hit on the honing steel, and away I went. I carried this knife camping, around the house (great for breaking down boxes) and while doing yardwork, and even on our family’s great roadtrip out west. Through it all, it handled admirably, and I never doubted I’d be able to cut what needed cutting.

Still, after a year, it was time to give it a sharpen. For that, I picked up the simple Lansky system for use on my knives, as well as the ones that we’ve started teaching the kids with. While I didn’t think the Cimmaron was dull, by any means, it was noticeably sharper after a little attention on the Lanksy. This is not a problem, as knives – especially sharp knives – are going to dull by the very usage of them. It’s how it’s supposed to be, and that’s why we’ve got to sharpen and care for our knives. Still, easily getting a year out of the stock sharpening without needing to resharpen is nothing to sneeze at.

Unlike my experience with the Runtly, the Finch Cimmaron has stayed very easy to open, quickly flipping to the open (and locked) position using the finger bump. This means it’s very easy to deploy with a single hand, allowing you to keep a hold of what you’re cutting, be it rope or a cardboard box. Likewise, the liner lock is fairly easy to release with your thumb and fold the knife in. So, conceivably, you could pull the knife from your pocket, deploy it, cut, close it, and then pocket it all with out letting go of your work. Always a handy thing for a tool, I think.

While the Finch Cimmaron won’t seem as inexpensive as those “lightning deals” you can find out there, you are getting a good deal more quality built into this $89 knife. While the G10 scales are smooth, they’re not slippery, and they look just as good as the day I took the knife out of the box (including the lumed sapphire insert). While the Cimmaron isn’t their newest knife, it presents a very classic look, and as I’ve experienced, it’s a great everyday tool to carry with you. finchknifeco.com