I always sound like I'm announcing wrestlers when I say this; " coming in with an 4.36 inch handle, a 3.26 inch handle, and an overall of 7.62 inches " the Valkyrie is the perfect size for everyday carry. You guys should know by now my thoughts on what's I feel is the perfect dimensions for an EDC knife. The Valkyrie is one of those knives that hits that sweet spot, not too big, not too small, just right.
When it comes to handles, you want one that's long enough for proper control of your knife, and comfortable enough to use in a host of situations. The handle on the Valkyrie is long enough so my pinky can just wrap around the butt of it. The handles pretty straight, has a very subtle cutout for your index and a swell towards the heel. Some knives really go to town when it comes to handle design, like the Revo Ness for instance, crazy looking but super comfortable. The Valkyrie's handle shape is simplistic but comfortable enough most situations. Only concern I have was the clip, as much I love Vosteed's deep clips, the length of the handle combined with the location of the clip causes some slight discomfort when gripping it tightly.
The Valkyrie comes in two blade styles, a modified Seax and a Sheepsfoot. The modified Seax blade on the model I have has a slightly curved edge to it. The Seax style traditionally is a straight edge with a 90° angle from spine to tip. I like the modifications to the classic design; it makes it a better blade for everyday situations. The acute tip is great for detailed work and penetration is easier than some other blade styles. Both this blade style and the Sheepsfoot are both very tip centric when it comes to cutting duties. I found I used the first half of the blade more than the rest of the blade due to the profile. It doesn't make it a bad blade shape, it's just more utilitarian in shape. It's not something you would typically see in a camping situation or food prep. The steel on this knife is Nitro -V, with all the usage of 14C28N lately it's nice to see Vosteed still using this steel. It holds an edge really well and sharpening isn't too labor intensive to bring it back.
The blade on the Valkyrie is deployable via three different methods, thumb stud, front flipper and rear flipper. I found myself deploying mainly with rear flipper or thumb studs, front flippers haven't grown on me yet. I've got a few of them but I can't seem to master deployment. When it comes to lockup the Valkyrie uses a Trek Lock (which is their take on a button lock). Unlocking the blade is as simple as pressing the button and letting the blade fall to the closed position. There seems to be a lot of hate and concern regarding the strength and reliability of button locks. This comes from the apparent failure of some while performing spine whack tests. I personally don't believe in that style of testing, because it doesn't follow real world usage of a knife. I find the Trek Lock to be quite secure and easy to operate.
I really enjoy the Valkyrie, it's a good mix of utility and ease of use. It carries easy, cuts really well and looks darn good doing it. It's a great knife whether you're going into battle or on your way to Valhalla.
