Fun. Friendly. Stylish. Functional. The Vosteed Corgi V reminds me of the iconic and fun designs that came out of the ’90s. Think Apple iMacs, Volkswagen Beetles, and the like. But don’t be fooled, under that cute exterior there is an absolute hulk of a lock and plenty of practical cutting performance.
Specs
You can check out the full specs at Vosteed.com or see the highlights below:
Blade Length:2.36″ | 60.00 mm
Overall Length:5.85″ | 148.50 mm
Blade Width:0.90″ | 22.80 mm
Blade Thickness:0.118″ | 3.00 mm
Blade Material:14C28N
Blade Grind:Flat
Blade Style:Drop Point
Hardness:HRC 60±1
Handle Length:3.48″ | 88.50 mm
Handle Width:0.99″ | 25.10 mm
Handle Thickness:0.49″ | 12.53 mm
Handle Material:Aluminum
Weight:2.66 oz | 75.50 g
Opener:Front Flipper | Wheeler
Lock Type:Vanchor Lock
Observations from Use
The Vosteed Corgi V is the latest addition to their Corgi line. The original Corgi and Corgi Pup were already stylish designs that were noted for their impressive perfect symmetry in the close position. The Corgi V takes all that and turns it up to 11. It is not only symmetrical but Vosteed has worked some engineering magic to hide all the fasteners on the show side of the knife which simplifies and enhances the impact of that symmetry.
The only feature that stands out against that symmetry is the front flipper tab (the stylistic “ear” of the corgi). On the original Corgi models, there was a tab on both sides. On the new Corgi V, there is only a front flipper. Opposite that front flipper is a clever “Wheeler” mechanism that opens the blade like flicking a lighter. This setup allows for some more fun and gives the user a tactile indicator of the orientation of the knife which is nice on an otherwise perfectly symmetrical design.
This isn’t just pocket jewelry though. Vosteed V-Anchor lock is under the hood. This lock operates like a button lock which makes it easy to live with. It is built into the pivot which makes it interesting to design around and allows for an uncluttered handle. Maybe best of all, it drops a pretty chunky piece of steel into a slot in the tang of the blade to provide lock up making very strong.
I’ll also note that the V-Anchor lock provides some very unique feeling action. It is smooth but with some resistance. The detent feeling is chunky and positive. Front flipping action is great off the tip of the flipper and the wheeler mechanism is very satisfying.
The rounded design of Corgi V isn’t limited to the stylish silhouette of the knife. The scales are also very nicely contoured and chamfered. This knife is very comfortable in hand and I can get all four fingers on the handle in a hammer grip if I choke up.
The blade is a drop… almost a spear… point. The thin stock and almost full-height flat grind make it a great slicer. The tip isn’t that fine but it isn’t thick either. It seems to work well for pretty much anything. The lack of an opening hole or thumb stud makes the blade look almost like a modern Barlow-style knife.
Normally, I try to come up with something constructive to say in any review. I am struggling to come up with something in this case. I am not saying the Corgi V is perfect. I am just saying that, if the design goal was easy-to-carry fun and functional, it is very effective. Anything I can add would be so subjective. For instance, it would be a lot of fun to have some even more bold color schemes for a knife like this or a milled pocket clip to take the style up another notch.
Wrap Up
This knife really is a great example of why Vosteed is a company to watch. The design is truly unique and the engineering to make it happen is very innovative. Then, behind all that design and engineering, there is an honest-to-goodness usable knife that would slide into anyone’s fifth pocket.
As of the time of this writing, the Vosteed Corgi V is sold out at the Vosteed Store on Amazon.com. Some color ways are available at Vosteed.com.
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