Hands On With the CIVIVI Praxis Folding Knife

Having a solid EDC knife doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. There are a lot of companies out there today that are putting out quality designs made from solid materials that just about anyone can afford. CIVIVI is one of those companies, and their Praxis is one of those designs.

The CIVIVI Praxis

The Praxis is an EDC knife with a 3.75 inch drop point blade. It has a full flat grind and is made from 9Cr18MoV stainless steel with a Rockwell hardness of a respectable 57 to 59 HRC. 9Cr18MoV is pretty similar to either 440B or 440C, depending on who you believe. Basically excellent corrosion resistance and good edge retention, without being so hard that you’ll need diamond stones, or have to spend hours touching it up. The blade on my sample has a subdued black stonewashed finish, although a satin finish is also available.

The handles of the Praxis are made from G10 with black stainless steel liners. My handles were OD green,, but a variety of other colors are also available. The handle is a healthy 4.7 inches long giving you plenty to hold on to. The textured G10 also ensures that you have a positive grip, without being overly aggressive. A skeletonized, black stainless steel, deep carry pocket clip is fitted for tip up, right or left hand carry. A lanyard hole is also provided if you need extra security, or want something to help pull the knife from your pocket.

The Praxis opens via a back flipper and pivots very smoothly on caged ceramic ball bearings. It’s fast. I thought it was an assisted opener at first, but it’s just smooth. Lock up is via a stainless steel liner lock. Lockup is solid, with no noticeable blade play, and the blade is well centered when the knife is closed. I’ve used a lot more expensive knives than this with worse centering and lockup.

Hands On

The Praxis feels good in hand. The handle is plenty big and, at just over ½ inch thick, there’s enough knife to get a solid grip on. The textured G10 and subtle finger scallops provide a positive grip, but aren’t so defined that you can’t adjust your grip as needed. A set of serrations on the spine of the blade give you a spot to rest your thumb and apply pressure for harder push cuts, or for more control during detail cuts.

I already mentioned it but it’s worth saying again, the Praxis is fast and smooth to open. It’s an easy one hand operation regardless of whether you’re right or left handed. I can easily disengage the liner lock and close the knife one handed as well. It is a right handed liner lock, so it’s a little trickier closing it one handed with your left hand, but I suspect most left handers are used to that and more nimble at it than I am.

I’ve been using the Praxis, along with a CIVIVI Sendy, for about a month now and it’s proven a solid EDC choice. It carries flat, and discreetly in the pocket due to the excellent clip and handle profile. I’ve worn it with jeans, my work cargo pants, and even khaki’s and it doesn’t weigh you down. Despite its all steel and G10 construction it only weighs 4.42 ounces, which I think is pretty reasonable.

It has a good factory edge and a high, flat grind that make it a great cutter. I haven’t done anything crazy enough to warrant resharpening yet, but I’ve worked with 9Cr18MoV before, and it’s easy enough to do. I don’t expect it to hold an edge like some of the high end (and expensive) super steels, but it should hold up well, and I know I can sharpen it with basic stones, and it won’t take hours to do when it is time.

Final Thoughts

All in all, the CIVIVI Praxis is a good looking, and well performing EDC knife. It’s made from solid materials and functions well. The best thing to me is the $50.00 MSRP (about $43 retail). That’s a pretty reasonable price for what you get, and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty for the original owner. Even if you own more expensive knives, it’s nice to have one that will still perform well, but that you won’t worry about as much if you lose it to the TSA when you’re traveling.

CIVIVI Praxis Specifications:

Overall Length: 8.45″
Blade Length: 3.75″
Closed Length: 4.7″
Blade Thickness: 0.12″
Handle Thickness: 0.51″
Knife Weight: 4.42oz

Blade Material: 9Cr18MoV
Blade Hardness: 57-59HRC
Blade Grind: Flat
Blade Finish: Black Stonewashed

Handle Material: G10
Handle Color/Finish: OD Green
Back Spacer Material: G10
Back Spacer Color/Finish: OD Green
Liner Material: Stainless Steel
Liner Color/Finish: Black

Pocket Clip: Tip-Up,L/R
Clip Material: Stainless Steel
Screws Material: Stainless Steel
Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing
Locking Mechanism: Liner Lock