Practical knives that fit the bill for different purposes are hard to come by. The Amaroq, by Civivi Knife, is a balance between menace and utility; it’s an elegant solution.
Civivi Knife is a manufacturer of reasonably priced knives that are also high quality. We’ve reviewed several knives from Civivi — and its sister companies, We Knife and Sencut — over the years. When we had a chance to get our hands on the Amaroq, we were reluctant to embrace it. However, while the Amaroq isn’t likely to be our go to everyday carry, it’s one hell of a tactical knife.
Amaroq, what the heck is that?
“An Amarok, or Amaroq, is a gigantic wolf in Inuit religion, said to stalk and devour any person foolish enough to hunt alone at night,” the Wikipedia entry for Amaroq says. “Unlike wolves who hunt in packs, amaroks hunt alone.”
For this knife to carry the namesake of such a creature is fitting. The Amaroq really is a giant wolf of a knife. When we used the word “menace,” that wasn’t by accident. My youngest roommate refers to the Amaroq as my menacing knife. The first time I deployed the Amaroq in front of him, he was awestruck.
It’s menacing, let’s make it an EDC
Civivi advertises the Amaroq as a tactical knife. It’s outfitted with a finger ring which also has a glass breaker point. The curved contours of the Amaroq make it suitable for a self-defense knife ready for combat.
The knife is designed for pocket carry, with a steel pocket clip, and is outfitted to allow for single hand operation. Amaroq can be quickly deployed via the flipper lever or if you prefer, the thumb wing. The knife coming outfitted as such, it gives users options on which way they want to open the knife when needed.
On the back side of the knife spine is a rope hook. Looking at it at first, it screams “gut hook,” however, given the curve of the knife and configuration of it, the auxiliary blade is best for cutting small cord. Civivi does call the rear spine blade a gut hook in their product description.
The locking mechanism is button lock, which makes it easy to initiate closure.
Some statistics from Civivi
The model number for this knife is C24018-1 and the product specifications are as follow:
- Overall Length: 6.73″ / 171mm
- Width: 1.79″ / 45.5mm
- Overall Height (Include Clip): 0.72″ / 18.2mm
- Blade Length: 2.11″ / 53.7mm
- Closed Length: 4.62″ / 117.3mm
- Blade Thickness: 0.12″ / 3mm
- Handle Thickness: 0.51″ / 13mm
- Knife Weight: 4.04oz / 114.6g
- Packing Dimension: 15.3*6.5*3.3cm
- Total Weight After Packing: 6.55oz / 185.6g
- Blade Material: Nitro-V
- Blade Hardness: 59-61HRC
- Blade Grind: Flat
- Blade Finish: Satin Finished
- Blade Type: Reverse Tanto
- Blade With Guthook
- Handle Material: Aluminum
- Handle Color/Finish: Gray
- Liner Material: Stainless Steel
- Liner Color/Finish: Gray
- Finger Ring Material: Stainless Steel
- Finger Ring Color/Finish: Gray
- Finger Ring With Glass Breaker
- Pocket Clip: Tip-Up, L/R
- Clip Material: Stainless Steel
- Screws / Thumb Stud Material: Stainless Steel
- Pivot Assembly: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing
- Locking Mechanism: Button Lock
*Note that the button lock is designed with a spring under the button to provide just the right amount of tension so that there is enough resistance to avoid accidental opening, while still offering the ideal amount of pressure to release the lock.
Our experience
I carted this knife around for several months as my everyday carry. It did go on a couple trips with me, nothing too serious; some family camping and day trips with the Cub Scouts and just minor road trips. As far as utility goes, the Amaroq was perfectly suitable for everything we threw at it while doing our “ing” outdoors activities.
As an EDC, this is an aggressive choice — for me. For you? Well, if you’re looking for a tactical champion that won’t quit, this knife could be exactly what you’re looking for. The grip in conjunction with the finger ring allows for a good purchase on the knife — which also aids in controllability. I can see this being a popular option for someone who’s looking for something a little more aggressive than your standard EDC.
The quick and dirty
Pluses: Affordable. Wicked sharp. Easy to handle. Great for tactical applications.
Minuses: Not practical for everyday carry.
I liked this knife quite a bit. Would I go out of my way to get one of these? No, but that’s just a matter of taste. I’m likely to leave this knife with some of my outdoor gear to have on hand as a backup while doing some of those “ing” activities. I would, however, recommend this knife to someone who’s in the market for something like it. To date, Civivi has not left me dissatisfied, and the Amaroq is no different.
