Looks cool - not real handy - CRKT Otanashi Noh Ken Folding Knife by James Williams Design

Buy this if you want to be cool. Get another if you want a handier knife for self defense.

I brought this with the intent of carrying it as a defense weapon for a recent European trip. After receiving it, I started carrying and practicing with it. It just didn't have the feel in my hands like my other knives. It is clunky by design and don't have that "live" feel in my hand like I've found with other designs. Examples: Lightfoot's LLC by Microtech, Strider/Tarani Police Knife by Buck, TDI Law Enforcement Knife by KA-BAR. I ended up traveling with my Buck and TDI.

The knife is well built and of quality material, as with all CRKT products I've owned. But, for the cost of this one, I could have brought several others by CRKT, like the Hammond CRUISER. Actually, I did, and gave them as gifts to my friends and colleagues during my trip.

You can look at the many reviews on the construction of this knife on YouTube and other internet blog sites for info and to shape your opinion. However, my opinion, after viewing the "reviews" and now actually having the knife for awhile, I think there are more hype and fictional accounts on this "Special Operations" knife than it deserves. Many better designs for self and pro-active defense out there.