Tactica K.100 Pocket Knife Review: A Fantastic EDC Folding Knife with a Jaw-Droppingly-Smooth Opening Mechanism

I love a good pocket knife; they’re handy for all sorts of things, from carving up fruit to whittling a little figure to just opening packages more efficiently. A good knife keeps a sharp edge, is comfortable to carry, and can be easily used and put away in multiple situations. Is the Tactica K.100 Pocket Knife a solid daily carry? Read on to find out!

The TTactica K.100 Pocket Knife is a reverse tanto-blade folding knife with a liner lock with a jaw-droppingly-smooth opening mechanism.

In non-knife fan speak, a tanto blade has an angled tip. A reverse tanto blade has the angle reversed, so it reinforces the tip of the knife. You can check out a better explanation of knife tips at Blade HQ, but the point (pun intended) is that the reverse tanto makes for a more durable everyday carry choice.

You can also see an example of a tanto-style blade in the cheap Husky knife below. D2 steel is known for being hard and resistant to wear, which again fits with the idea of the K.100 as a knife you can carry around for daily use.

Finally, a liner lock is a type of manual blade lock so the blade doesn’t fold back into the knife while you’re using it. Brace yourself; this is also known for being a long-lasting, hard-wearing type of knife lock.

So clearly, Tactica sees the K.100 as being a reliable knife that will outlast everything around it. Toss it in your backpack and carve up an apple at the end of a long hike; bring it with you on a camping trip and use it to trim a stick for some s’mores, or just keep it in your pocket and easily open and break down some boxes.

No matter what you use it for, the blade will be tough and strong, and the knife won’t close on your fingers.

Here’s where the Tactica K.100 Pocket Knife might give some buyers pause: it’s $99.

That’s not insanely expensive for a good knife, and if you know and enjoy pocket knives, you’re probably thinking that’s a super fair and reasonable price. Still, it’s high enough to make the average person raise an eyebrow.

But as someone who feels a little underdressed without a knife handy in my pocket, here’s why the Tactica K.100 Pocket Knife has replaced my trusty Opinel No 8 in my daily carry.

The Opinel No 8 is a great knife and extremely lightweight. But in terms of pocketability, I give the edge to the Tactica, mostly because of its flat, sleek profile. Both blades are about the same length when opened, though the Tactica K.100 Pocket Knife is a lot wider.

The K.100 locks immediately when it’s fully opened, while the Opinel relies on a manual collar that slides around to lock it. That’s not a big deal, but I do not recommend forgetting to lock it into place before beginning a whittling project — unless you like staining your projects with a bit of blood, and really this isn’t that kind of website.

The point is, for quick “pop it out and use it,” the Tactica K.100 Pocket Knife is a lot more set it and go.

What really makes the K.100 stand out/win this head-to-head is in the details.

Tactica uses ball-bearing washers on the knife pivot, and I have never had a knife that opens as smoothly as this one.

It’s incredibly satisfying just to feel the blade open with no resistance — so much so that for the first day or so I had, I just opened and closed it to feel how smooth it was.

Likewise, the handle uses what Tactica calls G10 scales, but it just makes the handle have a nice bit of grip. It’s comfortable to hold and use, and it slides nicely into a pocket and tucks out of the way the rest of the time.

Purely aesthetically, I love the Tactica K.100 Pocket Knife as well. The G10 scales give it a visually pleasant texture, the thumb studs in orange add a pop of color, and the blades come with different designs.

We were sent the digital camera pattern, and while it doesn’t change how the blade works, it does look cool. My one quibble is that it has a big TACTICA branding which makes my brain think of “tacticool.”

The Tactica K.100 Pocket Knife is a fantastic all-around knife, and I’ve loved using it to open packages and other easy tasks. It’s lightweight, sharp, and designed to last for quite a long time. If you’re in need of a solid knife with a bit of visual flair, the K.100 is a winner!

The Tactica K.100 Pocket Knife sells for $99; it is available directly from the manufacturer.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: The opening mechanism is jaw-droppingly smooth; The build quality is perfect; It’s nicely weighted in the hand; The blade is designed for sharpness and durability; It slides nicely into a pocket; The design on the blade adds personality to the knife

What Needs Improvement: The liner lock can be a little stiff; Tactica branding is a bit large