December 18th, 2024
6minute read
Who can resist the sharp snap of an automatic-opening knife?
The sound alone can produce an involuntary grin and maybe even an excited gasp.
Well, a Bear & Son Double Clutch IV magically appeared at my office a few weeks ago.
The Bear & Son Double Clutch IV knife is an appealing out-the-front (OTF) knife with a high-quality blade.
An out-the-front (OTF) knife from the Bear OPS specialty section?
Bear OPS is a division of the Bear & Son Knife company.
Made in the USA!
The Bear & Son Double Clutch IV knife switch makes deploying and retracting the blade very easy.
Under the Hood
The Double Clutch IV came in a nice microfiber slip within the black box.
I could not wait to fire the arcane mechanism.
That was heard a lot from my workshop.
A push forward of the button will cause the blade to quickly emerge from the front of the knife’s handle.
I held the Double Clutch IV about an inch away from an innocent box and fired the trigger.
The blade went thump and barely put a dent in the cardboard.
If you do this, be aware that the blade will now be out of track.
The author is shown here carrying the Bear & Son Double Clutch IV knife, utilizing the included pocket-clip.
Carefully pulling the sharp part fully open will reset it in its mechanism.
I would not repeat this, but no harm done.
There is some sort of sorcery going on inside one of these OTF knives.
Shown is the opening mechanism of the Bear & Son Double Clutch IV knife. Don’t try this at home!
Removing the scale exposed the obscure workings of the OTF.
The blades movement is assisted by a sliding track and controlled by the trigger.
Spring tension pulls the blade forward or backward depending on the orientation of the track.
The author tested the Bear & Son Double Clutch IV knife by quickly cutting through some paracord.
The IV in the name refers to the 4.5 handle length.
The larger sibling of the IV is the Double Clutch V, which comes in a 5.125 handle.
Both have a D2 blade.
The D2 steel blade of the Bear & Son Double Clutch IV knife should be quite adept at retaining a sharp edge.
Generally speaking, D2 tool steel holds a superior edge and is very tough.
Once you get a good bevel on it, a D2 blade will be difficult to dull.
Two words for D2 doubters: Bob Dozier.
The Bear & Son knife proved to not only be easy to deploy, but also easy to carry all day.
Master knife makers know their steel.
The trigger and screws are bright stainless and set them off from the rest of the blacked-out package.
Dare I say, sometimes all black is too black.
Some contrast is pleasing.
At 3.25 oz., the whole knife is a friendly everyday carry.
But a common trait for both blades is Bears excellent quality control.
No argument that this knife was sharp out of the box.
The D2 scrunched through the nylon with no problem.
We decimated some cardboard next.
The handle remained comfortable, and the edge was unaffected.
Sorry, no ammo can abuse on this model.
Nothing written here will constitute legal advice.
As with firearms, stay educated about your EDC!
They are an excellent resource.
