Introduction

It’s been a while since I wrote a knife review here on Pine Survey. Even more so a review about the Russian knife company Kizlyar Supreme. If I recall correctly, the last one was about the Survivalist, so this review will be a nice change in topic. As you can see I got a Santi in the D2 steel version this year and had it with me several times when going to the woods. The knife itself is available for quite some time and as a result there is already plenty of information out there so I will get right to it.

Overview

The Santi is designed as an all-purpose knife with a small and easy to control blade. It comes with a decent leather sheath and can be considered a versatile bushcraft allrounder. It is available in different versions when it comes to handle material and also steel. Let’s take a closer look at the specs, before going into more detail.

Specs

• Total length: 197 mm
• Blade length: 87 mm
• Blade thickness: 4,2 mm
• Steel: D2 (also available in AUS-8)
• Handle material: Micarta
• Sheath: Leather

The Kizlyar Supreme Santi D2

The blade

The knife features a very elegant looking drop point blade which does not look too aggressive. This might sound ridiculous to some, but for many people in Europe this has become an important aspect, when buying a knife. With a length of 87mm it features enough cutting edge for everyday tasks and the belly has just the right curve so you can still use the edge all to the tip. The thickness is around 4mm and the grind is flat. Both factors result in excellent cutting abilities.

compact size, drop point blade with flat grind

On the spine you will find dedicated jimping for your thumb to rest. There is no finger choil, but with a blade that size you do not need one. There is however a smaller choil which helps prevent damage to the Ricasso when sharpening the knife.

Jimping on the spine of the blade

On both sides you will find a very fine and detailed laser engraving. On the one side the company logo and on the other the model name and steel information. Last but not least it is worth mentioning that the knife is full tang, meaning the tang goes all the way to the pommel.

nice laser engraving and good look at the small choil

The handle

The material of this handle is Micarta. The different layers give a nice damascene effect. It has a very warm touch to it and is attached with two massive Allen-Key screws. At the pommel you have a standard lanyard hole at your disposal.

closer look at the handle material and the Allen key screws

As you can see on the picture, the handle is fitted perfectly to the full tang blade and there are no spaces or gaps between the steel and the Micarta.

perfectly fitted handles

Overall the handle is just big enough for medium sized hands. It does not fill your whole palm, since it is rather flat, but this way the whole knife has a slimmer profile and rides easier on your belt.

In hand – fencing grip

better look at the handle in medium sized hands – note the lanyard hole

The sheath

The sheath itself is a nice leather quiver design with enough tension on the knife to keep it from falling out. On the side you will find a very large imprint of the Kizlyar Supreme logo.

The Sheath with the logo

A closer look into the quiver design and loop attachment

The loop for the belt is permanently fixed to the sheath with the help of a metal clasp. Looking at the stitching, I have to say it is done very neatly and the overall look and feel is high quality.

Backside of the sheath

I wish more companies would invest that much in a sheath. And even though I am not much a fan of quiver designs, I have to say that this one is done in a very high quality way.

The knife inside the sheath

In use

When in use you will quickly realize that the blade is easy to control and eager to cut. The D2 steel carries a good edge and the heat treatment is done excellently. Since the thickness of the blade is a bit over 4mm, it really cuts well. This also means that this is no breaching tool. Knives usually aren’t, even though some companies do sell dedicated knives with breaching capabilities. I see it more often nowadays that people expect every knife to be a crowbar of some sort – the why is out of my understanding.

this one literally bites its way through wood

Coming back to the knife. Perfect for everyday tasks: lunching, bush crafting, etc. Since the blade is very manoeuvrable, it makes carving very easy. The D2 steel literally bites its way through wood and keeps the edge quite long. As already mentioned the flat grind adds to the overall cutting performance.

The Santi in its natural habitat

Conclusion

With that being said I already want to come to an end. I can imagine that the Santi is often overlooked because of its clean design and smaller size. When in use, you quickly realize there is more to this little companion and that there is truth to the phrase: Size does not matter.

The quality of manufacture is very high, and to be honest I am not surprised since I know that Kizlyar Supreme produces these blades on the highest level.

Coming to an end I want to thank Kizlyar Supreme for giving me the opportunity to show you guys this little fella.

Thank you for reading!

Take care