Enzo Trapper Review

Recently the nice people at Omaha Knife allowed me to test one of their knives, the Enzo Trapper. The Enzo knives typically come as kits which you have to assemble. Since that is far beyond my skill level, I opted to test one of the finished knives they sell. After testing it I liked it so much that I actually ended up purchasing it from them.

 

Specifications:
Knife Length: 8 1/4 inches (210 mm)
Blade Length: 3 7/8 inches (98 mm); Cutting edge length: 3 5/8 inches (93 mm)
Blade Thickness: 1/8 inches (3.5 mm)
Blade Width: 1 inch (25.5 mm)
Blade Material: O1 tool steel; also available in D2 steel
Blade Hardness: HRC 57-59 on the Rockwell Scale
Type of Tang: Full
Blade Grind: Scandinavian/single bevel
Handle Material: Micarta
Sheath Material: Leather
Cost: $115.00

The Enzo knives are not cheap. They run well over $100. The kits are a bit cheaper, usually around $80. I expect quite a bit from a knife that costs so much.

When compared to the Mora 1, the Enzo Trapper has a slightly longer overall blade. However, because the blade is also wider, and as a result has a more pronounced curve, the actual flat cutting area ends up being smaller than that of the Mora. Also, the blade is not sharpened all the way back to the handle like it is on the Mora 1. The blade of the Enzo Trapper is thicker than that of the Mora, and feels much more secure. That being said, it is not overly thick. The grind, just like on the Mora 1, is Scandinavian/single bevel. The handle of the Enzo Trapper is longer and thicker than the Mora 1. I found it to be very comfortable. The knife does have a small lower finger guard that I wish was not there, but that is just a personal preference. What surprised me most about the knife was how small and easily maneuverable it felt in my hand. I had always expected the Enxo knives to feel chunky and heavy. This one however does not. It is almost like holding a Mora 1. This was the biggest selling point for me-it is a robust knife that offers the level of control I would expect from a much lighter blade.

When tested the knife performed very well. The blade is more than thick enough to handle splitting pieces of up to three inches in diameter, which is about the largest wood the length of the blade would allow.

Similarly, truncating was not an issue. I did not see any damage to the edge.

Making feather sticks and carving in general was not a problem. I tend to like a narrower blade, but this one performed very well.

The knife sheath is made out of leather. It is not anything too impressive, but gets the job done. It has a simple belt loop, and is very basic in all respects.

Overall, I came away from  he testing very impressed with the knife. Like I said before, I ended up deciding to buy it after the test. The biggest upside to this knife is hard to explain. There are many knives of similar size and thickness, but his one just feels right in my hand. It is not overstated, it is not overly designed, nor is it too robust for its size. It fits in my pocket, feels light in the hand, and performs all the tasks I require of a small knife.

Enzo also makes a Camper version which has a blade of about 5 inches, which I am very curious to try. The Enzo models generally come in either O1 tool steel or D2 steel.