SURVIVE! Knives GSO-4.1

It all started with the EDC-4 and yet again, SURVIVE! Knives continues to create and innovate. I'll be honest- I was very impressed with the very first production run and have been with every model to date. SURVIVE! has brought us a wide range of knives this year. Everything from small neck knives up to the mega chopper GSO-10 and everything in-between. Adding to their uniqueness, is the use of exotic super steels that is not seen very often by other manufacturers. Personally I believe this is because the other guys want to make a buck (huge profit margins on cheap steals). Where as Guy wants to produce a functional user tool and making money is secondary.

Notice the sheath update, that features a drain "canal" down the center of the sheath

During this run, Guy ran a CPM-3V and M-390 batch of GSO-4.1's. I've never used M-390 and was curious about it's characteristics. I did some research and learned that Benchmade uses this steel in a few knives in their line. The general consensus is that M-390 is extremely wear resistant and offers a high corrosion resistance. Due to its high concentration of vanadium and chromium carbides. Making it a popular steel for surgical cutting instruments. Needless to say I was intrigued.

Here is a link for more information about Bohler M-390: http://www.bohler-edelstahl.com/files/M390DE.pdf

Since I don't feel you can "upgrade" something that is already stellar (EDC-4). Because of that reason I won't use the word "upgrades", we will instead talk about the differences between the two knives. Off the bat you will notice that the GSO-4.1 has a broader spear point tip and "fuller" saber grind. A combination that will lead to excellent tip and overall strength in the blade. Jimping has also been added to the spine and the butt section of the tang.

As with all SURVIVE! Knives, this thing has a wicked sharp edge. With the heat treat on the M-390 it has maintained a killer edge with all the stuff we have thrown at it.

The handles of the GSO-4.1 extended the whole length of the tang, with a hidden lanyard hole (just like we seen on the GSO-10). The hidden lanyard hole allows for more real estate (which I'll go into later) but also keep the lanyard out of the way when not in use. The jimping on the butt section gives a secure thumb contact when the knife is held in the reverse grip (helping with control if you have to use the GSO-4.1 as a weapon).

Many knives of this blade size lack in handle length (ESEE-4 for example). Using a knife shouldn't be an uncomfortable task. Just as the EDC-4, the GSO-4.1 has exceptional ergonomics. There are peaks and valleys in the grips in all the right places. With the extension of the grips to the end of  the butt section, I really can't see any room for improvement on the ergonomics. But leave it up to SURVIVE!, they may find a way to make improvements on our perceived perfection. In use the knife tool was comfortable and I used it without fatigue over extended periods of time.

I've gotten canvas micarta on all of my previous SURVIVE! Knives and like them very much. This go-around I wanted to try the G-10 offering. The G-10 is a high visibility orange. Which is a nice attribute in a survival knife, in the case you drop it on the forest floor. It will help in finding or retrieving your most critical survival tool. I've had G-10 grips on a few of my knives in the past and have always enjoyed it. SURVIVE!'s G-10 has the look of a canvas micarta which is aesthetically pleasing. It's also very smooth and has an overall great fit and finish.

The sheath has a new drain "canal" that runs down the center of the sheath. Other than that it has all the same features as before. Take a look at our previous reviews for more information about them.

All SURVIVE! Knives are produced here in the good ol' USA. Guy added a laser engraved flag to the blades as a reminder. A nice touch and adds character to the knife. As with all other SURVIVE! Knives, there are options for handle material and color, sheath color, as well as steel choices.

I've carried the GSO-4.1 as my EDC since receiving it. Tackling a variety of task ranging from survival type stuff to cutting boxes open and everything in between. I couldn't be happier with this knife and look forward to seeing what SURVIVE! has planned for the future. Oh, and it will continue to remain my EDC knife.

SURVIVE! Knives has some killer pre-sale promotions and if they continue, I highly suggest you taking advantage of them.

We will have a video review in the next coming weeks.

Check out SURVIVE! knives for more information HERE