Click any photo to launch the photo tour, or hit the big button to dive right in.
Its Sharp and Stylish, but This Big Folder’s Got More Muscle Than Model Vibes.
The Xcellerator is big and a little heavy. it also has a very modern looking design that initially made me mentally dismiss it. Once I held it in my hand and began cutting stuff all of my pessimistic preconceptions flew out the window.
This resilient EDC knife is first and foremost a tool, a tough practical tool that just happens to look like it came from the set of 60s sci-fi movie spaceship.
The chamfered blade spine sucks at opening beer bottles
Smooth action
There is no fixed blade version yet
Practical design that excels at a variety of tasks
The modern lines of the Xcellerator disguise this knife as some sort of hipster pocket art, but once it is put to work it becomes a versatile workhorse, and a welcome tool in a campsite or worksite. I am generally a fan of neutral handles because I don’t like the handle telling me how to hold a knife, but Mike Snody managed to design a knife with heavy contours that does not feel restrictive to only one or two grips.The Xcerllator is one of the few folding knives I have tested that was comfortable to use in a point grip. This thing has clearly been through a lot of workshopping for all the nooks and curves to end up being helpful in so many positions.The tall blade makes for a comfortable pinch grip too. The indents in the handle still up being useful, but you can plenty of work done just using the tip from the base of the blade.The Micarta scales are a little dry, so they stain and show wear quickly. But they also have that grippy texture that gets better with time that I want Micarta scales to have.The blade of the Xcellerator is not thin enough behind the edge to be designated an incredible slicer, but it is just thin enough to be a better than average slicer while still being thick enough to be considered a tough working knife.Don’t expect the Xcellerator to be your go-to bushcraft folder, but it held its own with woodcraft tasks. The blade’s a bit too tall for fine carving, but it crushed it for camping stuff. Plus, that tall blade and comfy handle made slicing up food next to a campfire easier. Only bummer? I failed to snap pics of it prepping campfire meals. Sorry. This oversight was due to laziness or a mild inebriation or a combination of both.The fit and finish of the Xcellerator was on point. I have come to expect that from Artisan Cutlery, but the Xcellerator has a lot of curves and chamfered edges that make fit and finish more of a challenge. But the handle scales are even with the liner, the swedge grind is even on both sides and the blade is centered.I suck at the spydie flick. My fingers are clumsy, and I am too old to learn new tricks. But even I managed to effortlessly open the Xcellerator with a quick flick of my middle finger. All you competitive butterfly knife groms better watch out. I’m leveling up. I would never have bought the Xcellerator if I had not held a pre-production version in my hand at Blade Show a while back. The design incorporates a lot of characteristics I tend to avoid. But Mike Snody managed to do it in a way that has made it one of my favorite knives of all time. It has been a regular part of my EDC rotation for a few years now.The Artisan Cutlery Xcellerator is available with a Titanium handle and an S90VN blade. This would be a good place to put a photo of a titanium handled version, but we didn’t have the budget for that version, so you will have to use your imagination.
Ben started a twenty year commercial photography career after a blurry stint in the navy. He spent a lot of time losing and breaking knives and other EDC gear on location shoots before starting Nothing But Knives. He has reviewed and tested hundreds of both outdoor and kitchen knives over the course of the last six years, and he was mostly sober while testing and reviewing.
2 thoughts on “Artisan Cutlery Xcellerator Photo Tour & Review”
The first thing that came to mind when I saw this folder was my Cold Steel Voyager Large Drop Point. So, I had to do a side-by-side comparison (if you will) with my Voyager in hand as I read this review. In particularly when it came to the various hand grips. For I too do not care for a handle that wants to tell me how to hold the knife.
Welp, in my most humble opinion, the large Voyagers are a worthy competitive option to this Xcellerator at almost half the cost. Voyagers are lighter (approximately 1.5oz less) but with a much stronger locking system, the good ole Tri-Ad lock. Add the fact that you would also have a few blade shape options to choose from that are found in the Voyager family.
I recall reading your review on the CS Voyager XL Clip Point and how well that worked for you. Just throwing that out there.
Anyhoozit, another solid review in books, Ben. See y’all on IG and YouTube.
Jaime – @jldarchery
Hi Jaime. This is a great point. If I had done a full review of the Xcellerator rather than a short one, I would have brought up the Voyager. From a bang for the buck standpoint for hard use it is pretty tough to beat the Voyager XL. I have spent more time in the woods with the Voyager XL than any other folding knife. In my mind it has reached classic status. The Kizer Sheepdog is probably a more realistic competitor to the Xcellerator. But I am glad you dropped a comment here about the Voayager XL. That is a knife everyone needs in their collection.
The first thing that came to mind when I saw this folder was my Cold Steel Voyager Large Drop Point. So, I had to do a side-by-side comparison (if you will) with my Voyager in hand as I read this review. In particularly when it came to the various hand grips. For I too do not care for a handle that wants to tell me how to hold the knife.
Welp, in my most humble opinion, the large Voyagers are a worthy competitive option to this Xcellerator at almost half the cost. Voyagers are lighter (approximately 1.5oz less) but with a much stronger locking system, the good ole Tri-Ad lock. Add the fact that you would also have a few blade shape options to choose from that are found in the Voyager family.
I recall reading your review on the CS Voyager XL Clip Point and how well that worked for you. Just throwing that out there.
Anyhoozit, another solid review in books, Ben. See y’all on IG and YouTube.
Jaime – @jldarchery
Hi Jaime. This is a great point. If I had done a full review of the Xcellerator rather than a short one, I would have brought up the Voyager. From a bang for the buck standpoint for hard use it is pretty tough to beat the Voyager XL. I have spent more time in the woods with the Voyager XL than any other folding knife. In my mind it has reached classic status. The Kizer Sheepdog is probably a more realistic competitor to the Xcellerator. But I am glad you dropped a comment here about the Voayager XL. That is a knife everyone needs in their collection.