Is This Knife Worth The Pricetag?

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]Hey guys, subscribe for daily content.

[00:00:02]And if you're shopping for gear, make sure you check out the description for the newest items at some of the very best online retailers. There's also links for some of the items that I personally recommend.

[00:00:11]Thanks.

[00:00:12]What's going on, YouTube? Metal Complex here, and today I've got another short little unboxing video to share with you guys, something new from KB Knives. Real up and down with KB Knives. There was a time where I was like, "This is the best thing ever." And then there was a lot, a lot in 2025 where I was like, "Ew, what are you guys doing?" Like the It's It's not so much with the design or the reliability, but with like the price tags. Some of their price tags were so weird. And here lately, many in a row, multiple in a row have been phenomenal in design, in price, fit and finish, etc., etc. I don't have a lot of data when I say I don't have a lot, I mean Taylor, uh blessed blessed Taylor >> [laughter] >> does not have a lot of data on his website about the consistency of KB Knives heat treatment. Hopefully, that'll change in the near future, right? So, all we can go is with what they advertise. Sometimes they advertise a good range, and sometimes they advertise a little bit of a subpar range. But, for those of you big into the HRC stuff, I know I am, uh there you go, right? But, I want to unbox this and see what we've got today.

[00:01:19]As per usual, I have absolutely no idea what they sent me, um because they >> [laughter] >> they don't really ask, they just do.

[00:01:27]But, because because it's been better here lately. Uh I I go ahead and I unbox these, right?

[00:01:33]It's usually just a code on the outside of the box, so I never know what the actual name of the knife is. But, that's okay, cuz this is just an unboxing and first impressions. We're not reviewing this knife today. We're just opening it up and taking a look at it. Thanks to KB for sending this in. Thanks to my patrons for supporting me, and make sure your notifications are turned on for the Metal Complex YouTube channel. All right, what code do we have here? I'll let you guys Obviously, it'll it'll be in the description, right? This is the KB457A.

[00:02:01]Oh.

[00:02:03]>> [snorts] >> Excuse me. Sorry about that. I had a little bit of Monster Ultra Sunrise before we got started here.

[00:02:08]Uh S90V and tie. Okay, I do like me some S90V.

[00:02:13]I think I you know, I don't know what people think about my takes on HRC ranges. And my My takes on HRC ranges are based on what I have read about their performance.

[00:02:23]Um you know, after certain people or you know, people have done controlled like long-term cut tests, right? And there's there's there's weeds to get into there, right? And people can get into those weeds if they want to. I won't. Um but S90V, much like S35VN, in my opinion, is fine at 59 to 61. Not optimized, but fine. Not the same way that M390 M390, in my opinion, at 59 is very much not fine uh when you look at the jumps in performance uh when you get to 60 61, especially 62. S90V is still incredible at 59 uh and it's it still maintains the the the balance of toughness that it's trying to uh through from 59 through uh 61. Obviously, some companies are hitting it a lot higher and your edge retention goes way up. The problem is is that S90V is not tough. Uh so, and it's also really a nightmare to sharpen. So, from my perspective, uh you know, keeping it there in that 59 to 61 range is fine. Um so, I'm not really sure what KB advertises, but you can Again, you can have your opinions on that if you want to. Okay. Uh we have a a guy on the smaller side here.

[00:03:35]Not a mini knife, not a micro knife, but just a He's a smaller boy. A smaller boy. I I presume a titanium frame lock.

[00:03:42]Yes, another titanium frame lock. And that's okay. I know some people are bored, you know, with titanium frame locks. We've seen a million of them. The market is is saturated. But there's lots and lots. And when I say lots, I mean tens of thousands of people who watch my channel, who very specifically prefer frame locks, right? And so, yes, it is sort of in that category of lock like we've seen it, we got a enough of them, we want to move on, right? And I think it's fine that we are introducing new locking systems to the market, and I agree those newer locking systems are far more interesting, but we have to remember there's still an absolute crap load of people who just kind of are comfortable with the frame lock, and so there's no reason to simply stop producing them completely, kind of like the crossbar lock right with the omega springs. And there are some people who even just really love plunge locks, even though they're not really super reliable. The downside of course to a titanium frame lock is oh, it's got a nice it's got a very pretty grind on it, very very pretty. Um, the downside to a titanium frame lock of course is that the lock itself is exposed. Every time you go to grip the knife and use the knife, you are pushing, pressing that lock further into the lock face, right? This can cause issues over time while you're using it. It also doesn't hold up the best, like no frame lock really holds up well to accidental spine impact or pressure, simply because it's so heavily reliant on this like angled geometry of lock face, right? They are easy to manipulate for sure, and you have a nice detent.

[00:05:15]So, yeah, if you're looking for like lock strength and reliability, the frame lock is probably, you know, if I had a list of like 20 different locking systems, strength and reliability, it's not the weakest lock, not by a long shot, but a titanium frame lock really is not going to be something that is going to help you correct your whoopsie-daisies while you're cutting, if you slip, right, or anything like that. And once a frame lock, this is something I've noticed here recently, once a frame lock does accidentally disengage due to spine impact, the locking system becomes significantly less reliable, right? Now, uh generally speaking, during use, this is something I don't normally cover, but we're covering it here today. During use, you are typically holding that lock in place, right? So, it is unlikely It is unlikely that a frame lock, unless it just has incredibly poor geometry, it is unlikely that it's going to disengage under normal circumstances, but we uh we live in a chaotic universe, right? You never know what's going to happen. So, this is why, if you're new, this is why some people shy away from frame locks.

[00:06:19]Uh but at the same time, you'll hear plenty people say, "I've been using frame locks my entire life, and I've never had one disengage." And truthfully, uh the only locking systems that I've ever had disengage on me was a liner lock and a plunge lock. I've never actually had during like consistent use, I've never actually had a frame lock disengage on me. But again, it really depends on what knife you're carrying, who made it, right? Stuff like that. This is all right. I'm sitting here kind of like picking up things as I'm playing with it. I think um I'm not saying I have massive hands. I think that this is a knife that would do a lot better in hands that were smaller than mine. Like, if you wear a glove size medium or large, I wear an XL, if you wear a glove size medium or large, I think that this might actually feel a little bit more natural. It's not tiny.

[00:07:07]I don't love this area right here sort of partially covering You know, that this oval here, it tapers down, and it also is harder to access given its position with the frame. So, the reverse flick is plenty possible, it's just not quite as satisfying cuz I can't really get my finger in there too well. Reverse flicking it with the thumb stud is very easy. Thumb flicking it is fine, but I have to position my my hand lower uh to get underneath it, which is kind of why I'm See, I'm still wanting to push up, and it wants to go out. So, if it were a bigger knife, or if I had a smaller hand, I think that would feel a little bit more natural.

[00:07:41]This is fine. It is insanely underwhelming otherwise though and that's nothing against the designer. It feels nice and thin behind the edge. In fact, I bet you this thing cuts like a beast. Let me get a piece of paper.

[00:07:53]Obviously, cutting a piece of paper doesn't prove much, right? But factory cutting edge and factory geometry, yeah, it's exactly it's exactly exactly what I thought there with the factory edge. Sorry, I got I caught it under the choil there, but uh extremely nice and thin there.

[00:08:09]Assuming that K B knives is hitting this at at least uh 59, I imagine the edge retention is going to be really really good. I do like this little area right here. We've got some milling. We have this little zone in here and we have this little sort of perimeter line outside of this smooth area right here.

[00:08:25]Uh and that does feel good. This area I should point out that they do have it sort of curved inward. Like this is flat, this is flat, and then this area right here is like a little valley, uh which is interesting.

[00:08:36]Pocket clip looks like it would be insanely tight. It's actually not. Uh the tension on the pocket clip is not bad. Um the area where you go to release the frame lock, uh you do have pretty good access to it. Um I think maybe I was coming down. I was about to say that it's sharp, but I noticed it was scalloped right here. And that means that I was just not approaching it from the side as much and that is absolutely the case. Ergonomically in the open position, it feels really really good.

[00:09:03]Really nice little choke up spot. I am not incredibly familiar with Who is this?

[00:09:11]Uh I don't recognize that logo, but I'm sure some of you will. No mounting position for left-handed pocket clips.

[00:09:17]That's kind of a bummer.

[00:09:19]Um but uh we do have two uh T8 hardware across the board.

[00:09:24]Uh truthfully, this is a pocket knife that I've seen many many times and I'm sure that uh you know, a few people will be excited about this and want to go and pick this up. And if you want to, of course, it's linked in the description.

[00:09:33]Uh and nothing against the designer. I do love titanium. I like a I like a good frame lock. It's favorite locking system I like a good frame lock, but I like titanium, I love S90V.

[00:09:42]Uh this is uh you know, the size of this knife I think is all right. Um I've just seen you know, I've seen a lot of stuff like this. Like I mean I think I've seen this like a million times over. Um so it's not bad, it's just not really new.

[00:09:53]This is 6.75 in.

[00:09:55]Um the smallest knife that I typically like to carry is like 7. And and usually if I'm going to carry a knife on the smaller side, it's going to be about 7 and 1/4 7 and 1/2. Um you know, the smallest knife that I have ever carried recently consistently would be like the Shark Cub, um but I like the Sage 6, I like the Para 3, um knives like that, you know. Um that's the stuff that I'm going to be gravitating towards uh the most when it's on the smaller side. So this is a little bit small for me. Uh we'll see, you might get a full review this knife. Today's video of course is not a review, just an unboxing and first impressions. This is all right. I mean, you know, hey, if I I'll tell you what, if I uh after this video I find out that this knife is like 160 bucks, that'd be amazing, right? That'd be the thing that would make this interesting, but I have a feeling we're going to find out that this is north of 200. Uh I hope not, but um if I find out that this is an incredibly low price tag, then we have something to talk about. We have a reason to carry and review it, cuz that's just a really good value. So in that case, uh then I will do a full-length review, otherwise this is probably the last you'll see of this knife. Um please make sure to follow me on Instagram at metal_complex. If you enjoyed this video, leave a like. If you'd like to check out my other content, I do of course have lots of videos of knives that are either expensive or inexpensive that I do or don't like, so check those out. And if you enjoy all my content, go ahead and click on that metal complex, go right there and subscribe, cuz there's definitely more coming. Thanks again for watching everybody, and have a great day.