QSP Viper, a fixed-blade knife that appeals to Americans

QSP Viper, the return of the "Persian" blade

Although on the official QSP website the blade shape of the Viper is referred to as "clip", we are dealing with a Persian shape for all intents and purposes. This is a blade characterised by a sweeping back curve and edge, a sharp point and flat grind, particularly suitable for cutting and point work on dry and leathery materials, which has been somewhat forgotten by designers in recent years, but which we are happy to see again on this full tang knife, made from a single 10Cr15MoV steel billet (equivalent to VG10) and featuring a conspicuous ring at the end of the handle. In practice, the Viper could be called an inverted Karambit, because it has the ring instead of a pommel, but has a blade whose curve is opposite to the typical claw shape. The dimensions of the QSP Viper place it in the compact fixed blade knife category, with a blade length of 100 millimeters and an overall length of 215 millimeters.

Dozens of pages could be written on the real usefulness of the rear ring, and perhaps one day someone will. In my opinion, more than for performing spectacular knife evolutions, it offers an excellent point of contact and grip between the user's hand and the tool, and is very useful when preparing game. In this case, it may be necessary to tuck the knife (and the hand holding it) inside the animal carcass, temporarily losing visual contact. A contact element such as the rear ring provides extra safety and an important aid in directing the blade.

The blade profile with its convex edge makes this knife very versatile, especially when used for food preparation and in tandem with a cutting board. The flat grind ends with a false edge that runs all the way along the blade back, right up to the knurled area that provides support for the thumb of the strong hand. The workmanship of the sides is excellent, with chamfered edges that make the grip very pleasant and effective; obviously this complicates matters a bit if you intend to use a firesteel type fire-starting device, but you can't have everything in life. The blade and tang thickness is 4.5 millimetres, which is certainly reassuring and not often encountered on knives of this size. The factory sharpening of the QSP Viper is very good.

Certainly, one of the factors that must have convinced the jury at the Blade Show Texas to award the Viper is the versatility of the handle, which in its apparent simplicity allows the knife to be gripped firmly in different ways. The handle is a combination of excellent shaping, a pair of G10 scales screwed with two grub screws and a rear ring. These three elements combined allow for a very advanced grip (leaving the little finger out of the ring) or a further back grip, choosing whether to place the index finger in the semi-anatomical groove in the ricasso. In particular, we would like to praise the texture of the G10 handle, very grippy but without being scratchy to your hand. In addition to the version photographed, the Viper is available with olive-green G10 scales or tortoise resin scales. The blade is available with a stone-washed finish or with a black PWD coating.

The QSP Viper is accompanied by a well-made Kydex sheath with a quick-release clip suitable for belts up to 54mm in height that can be oriented by loosening an Allen screw. Knife retention relies solely on the shaping of the material and has proven to be very effective. The knife can therefore also be carried with the handle downwards without fear of it slipping out of the sheath.

The weight is 120 grams, which seems even less thanks to the excellent balance: the Kydex sheath weighs about 80 grams. All in all, this is a light and manageable combination, ideal for an excursion to hunt ungulates, where the rear ring represents a plus to be desired on a tool to be used possibly to skin game.

Two lines on the packaging: the QSP Viper is sold in a cardboard box with a guarantee certificate and two stickers with the image of a cute penguin, the company's mascot. It presents itself well as a gift item, also and above all in view of a retail price of just $72, therefore extremely affordable considering its craftmanship quality. Like most Chinese manufacturers, QSP also sells its knives directly through its website.

To conclude, doing something original and functional in the field of fixed-blade knives, particularly cheap ones, is certainly not easy. The Viper will not change the history of sports knives, but it is an original model, worth every penny of its price and even more. If you have never owned a "non Karambit", this is a good opportunity to indulge your whims for less than seventy euros.

QSP Knives Viper technical specifications and price