Civivi Elementum knife, don't call it "Chinese stuff"

In recent years, China has invaded the market in every sector, and now many American manufacturers such as CRKT have moved part of their production from Taiwan to the People's Republic of China, which today is perfectly capable of producing knives with high quality standards. This translates into advantageous prices for the buyer, without diminishing the prestige of the original brand. But there are also several local companies that have learned their lesson, such as WE Knife, of which Civivi is a sub-brand (it would have been called an "off-brand" once, with a slightly negative meaning), created in 2018 and focusing mainly on the production of EDC knives in the budget range. Civivi knives are mostly designed  in-house, but there are also models made by international designers such as Bob Terzuola, Elijah Isham and the Italian Alessandra De Santis. What we are presenting here is the Elementum model, a typical representative of the Civivi lineup.

Civivi Elementum, small is beautiful

Designed by Civivi technicians, the Elementum is a compact knife with very sober and clean lines. The first thing you notice is the rich packaging: the knife is delivered in a cardboard box with a nylon fur padded case, a microfiber cleaning cloth, a user's manual and two stickers.

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The scales of the Elementum are grey-green Micarta. The removable clip is blued steel.

The handle is made up of a pair of grey-green Micarta scales on stainless steel plates. On the right side we find the blued steel clip which allows the knife to be carried tip-up in a pocket. The general impression of the closed knife is good, the surface of the Micarta is gripping but not rough, and you can even notice some coquetry such as the logo with the C on the blade pivot. The extreme cleanliness of the lines is accentuated by the fact that the only two Torx type blued screws are visible on each scale, towards the handle bottom, in correspondence of the lanyard hole. The removable clip, made of blued steel and mounted on the right side of the handle, allows the knife to be carried tip up.

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The blade with utility profile is made from D2 steel, excellently ground and sharpened. It measures 75 mm in length.

The utility profile blade is 2.95”/75 mm long and opens with a smooth flipper deployment, thanks to the ceramic ball bearings on which it pivots. It is a detail that is invisible to the naked eye, but which distinguishes the Elementum from products of the same class and almost overshadows the admirable workmanship of the blade, featuring a hollow grind and satin finish, typical of knives that are worth a triple or quadruple price. The lack of opening pegs, nail notches or logos on the blade contributes to the cleanliness of the whole. The only marking is the indication of the D2 steel on one side of the flipper, almost invisible to the naked eye.

Excellent value for money

For some time now, WE Knife and Civivi have been offering products made with extreme care and attractive prices on the market, and this Elementum can boast an excellent price-performance ratio. Purists do not turn up their noses: it is true that we should first of all support our national products – and we have always done so – but we also have a duty to make our readers aware of alternative products that can save a handful of euros, especially in difficult times like these. So we can only advise you to buy this small knife. It is easy to find on the web. Click here to learn more and find a dealer near you using Civivi's Store Locator.

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What's inside the box: Civivi Elementum's equipment includes a Nylon case, a cleaning cloth and two stickers.

Civivi Elementum knife specs