AtoZ Review: QSP Osprey Everyday Carry Knife

This is the Osprey by QSP Knives, and the first thing you’ll notice is that it’s a radical departure from the last knife I reviewed from QSP. The Osprey is their sleek and slim everyday carry (EDC) design. Compared to the Platypus, the Osprey’s low-profile design would be a lot simpler to carry every day. Don’t get me wrong: I carry the Platypus a lot and I love it, but there will always be a place in my heart for a good ol’ slim EDC.

Astute AtoZ review readers already know I’m a sucker for smooth action flippers—or, for that matter, any knife with a smooth action. Now at first this knife is like owning a new ATV. For the first few days you take it easy and work the motor a little bit, but after those few days you can just rip her on through the mud. The Osprey’s a bit like that: For the first few days the action is a little rough and sticky, but after that little grace period this knife slings around like Doc Holliday getting ready to bear some huckles. The action is so smooth now, thanks to the opening mechanism’s ceramic ball bearing, that I sometimes find myself flipping it open and closed just because it’s so satisfying.

One of my favorite things about QSP is that they use great steel for their knives. This blade is 14C28N, which is a steel that has great edge performance, high hardness, and corrosion resistance. My model has black stonewashed aesthetics, but QSP also offers a satin-finish Osprey. This blade measures in at a little over 3 ¼ inches and weighs in at 3 ½ ounces. Not too big and not too small, the weight is perfect. (My preference is for a little bit of heftiness behind my knives.)

Now for the handle. The handle is comfy, but after using it for a while, I found it was a bit too wide and boxy for my hand. I think there could be some minor improvements to better suit me. That said, there’s plenty to like here. The handle comes with a deep carry pocket clip to keep the knife low and secure in your pocket. It’s shaped with kind of a finger choil at the top that helps keep your hand in place. The flipper tab is not so big that it catches on things, but just enough so you can operate it easily. Also, the liner lock is easy to use and doesn’t get stuck when used abruptly. Finally, the handle is made from shredded CF overlay G10. Now if that doesn’t give a knife character, I don’t know what does! (Don’t worry if the handle of many colors is not your taste, QSP has many different colors of handles to choose from.)

Like I said before, QSP is great and once again gets the AtoZ stamp of approval. The company is great and so are their products. I have been incorporating all the knives they sent me into my everyday carry rotation, and they have succeeded and haven’t failed me yet. Now try one out and leave what you think in the comments!  Don’t forget, blade fans: I post on my Instagram a week before I post my article, so to get an early sneak peek at all my content (including the stuff that didn’t get reviewed officially)—go follow me @atoz_reviews.