Sharp Things: the DPx Aculus 3d

Yes, I bought another knife.

The DPx Aculus 3d crossed my path due to the wonders of the Internet. I honestly can't remember where I was in my browsing when I came across it. I was taking a break from studying for a certification exam and my higher cognitive functions were doubtless-compromised.

Regardless, it was on sale at the time and I coughed up for a new knife for my collection of sharp, pointy things.

My daily carry knives alternate between my Sebenza 21 and my TAD Gear Dauntless Mk3. Both are excellent folder knives, but both have quirks that make me switch between the two.

The Sebenza 21 is a small thing. It's just small enough that it's a little awkward to open one-handed (which is potentially a problem with a sharp blade). It also has a tendency to ride out of my pocket when I clip it to the edge of my pocket instead of letting it sit in the bowels of my pockets with my keys, coin purse, and all that crap. I've almost lost it twice on BART and that makes me nervous.

The Dauntless is a beefier knife, but is fussy in opening and the screw that keeps the blade in the handle has a tendency to loosen of its own accord, making me wary of losing it at an inopportune moment and having the blade get loose in my pocket.

The things I have to worry about...

So the DPx Aculus is an excellent third blade and fast becoming a favorite, despite being a PITA to type.

The handle is, according to the DPXGear site, crafted of a solid block of titanium. It's curved to fit nicely in the palm of the hand and has a cool pattern to it that's both aesthetically-pleasing and provides a good grip. The blade is sharp and deploys fairly-smoothly one-handed despite the lack of a thumb stud. Further, it comes with a 1/4" hex base tungsten carbide insert glass breaker at the end of the handle, for those times when you need to break glass but don't want to use your elbow/foot/neighbor's head/whatever. The locking mechanism is a bit fussy, requiring two hands to unlock and fold the knife at times, but otherwise it's been a great purchase.

I forgive my lower-cognitive self for making the purchase and approve of the timing, as I apparently just caught the sale window. The knife has since jumped up to an eyebrow-raising $400 as of today.

Given that a Zombie-Tools Apokatana runs just under $430 and the Zakasushi runs a smidge less than $340, I'm not sure I would have gone for the non-sale price.