Brief Background on The James Brand
The James Brand was founded in 2012 by designer Ryan Coulter and a team of creative explorers in Portland, Oregon. Frustrated by the lack of functional yet elegant knives optimized for everyday carry, Coulter set out to design impeccably crafted blades fit for daily use.
In the decade since, The James Brand has made waves in the EDC community with their lineup of knives, pens, tools and accessories featuring sleek industrial design and quality materials. They‘ve captured the attention of everyone from survivalists to urban dwelling creatives looking for a knife with more soul than the typical Swiss army variant.
But a devoted Instagram following and slew of positive write-ups in gearhead magazines is one thing. As a discerning consumer, you want to know whether these blades deliver on durability, cutting performance and ease of use when put the test.
That‘s why I took a fine-toothed comb to 3 of The James Brand‘s most popular folding knife models to see if they live up to both the aesthetics and quality their premium pricing suggests.
Examining the Construction & Build Quality
First, I closely inspected each model to evaluate materials used and overall craftsmanship. Attention was paid to elements like hardware quality, sturdiness of components like the liner lock, jimping and ease of opening/closing the blade.
Here‘s what I uncovered:
Barnes
The single-piece titanium handle on the Barnes exhibits excellent machining and finishing. Internals like the ceramic ball bearing pivot are robust. Texturing on the titanium provides ample grip without feeling too aggressive.
My one nitpick is that the pocket clip, while functional, feels a little thin and cheap compared to rest of this otherwise flawless $600 showpiece.
Carter
At a $150 price point, you shouldn‘t expect the Barnes-level of refinement in materials, but the G10 handle scales and D2 tool steel on the Carter still impart a feeling of quality with nice contouring and zero hot spots when gripped.
Action is smooth courtesy of the caged ceramic bearings and the blade locks up tight with no play. No issues spotted.
Folsom
The Folsom mimics the Carter in many ways with its G10 build, but I noticed the micarta inlays were slightly uneven on my unit. We‘re talking minute production flaws visible only under close inspection. Otherwise, solid all around.
Rating Sharpness & Edge Retention
Outstanding build quality and good looks don‘t mean much if the blade itself fails to impress in key areas like sharpness out of the box and edge retention during use.
I put all 3 knives through the wringer on a variety of materials – cardboard, rope, wood carving and more. Here were my findings:
Barnes
The Bohler M390 steel and fine diamond texturing on the blade delivered scary sharp slicing straight away. Holds an edge tenaciously – I barely noticed degradation even after heavy use.
Carter
With D2 tool steel, the Carter came reasonably sharp, but couldn‘t shave hair out of box like the Barnes. It takes a nice edge though once sharpened. Retention is middling. After heavy cardboard cutting tests I had to redress the edge.
Folsom
I experienced similar edge characteristics as the Carter with the Folsom. Solid but not exemplary. Tip is thinner than I‘d like for a utility blade but it does penetrate well.
Evaluating Ergonomics
A knife can objectively have incredible build and materials but still feel ugly or unwieldy in the hand.
I tested all 3 models for overall comfort and ease of manipulation:
Barnes
The contouring on the titanium handle and gentle finger choil facilitate multiple comfortable grips on this medium-large sized folder. Thumb studs and texturing make one-handed opening easy.
Carter
The G10 material enables rock-solid grip security on the Carter even with wet hands. Jimping on the spine aids control when making precision cuts. Solid ergonomics all around.
Folsom
Similar to the Carter, nothing revolutionary but the slightly smaller Folsom handles comfortably in my medium-sized hands. Jimping and texturing allow confident handling. No issues.
Evaluating Value & Who It‘s For
Given the price premium on these American-designed knives made overseas, expectations run high. Based on my hands-on testing, here is who I believe each model offers the best value to:
Barnes – The Collector
With expert refinement in materials like titanium and M390 steel, the Barnes feels worth every penny if you are an avid knife collector with cash to spare. Too precious to hand out as a beater.
Carter – The Outdoorsman
The G10 scales can take abuse that would easily mar sleeker metals, and the D2 steel is no slouch. It will serve campers, hunters and weekend warriors well at $150.
Folsom – The Everyday User
For those seeking a sturdy, attractive EDC folder but don‘t need extreme performance specs, the Folsom fits the bill starting at just under $100.
While none of the models are cheap, within their respective price tiers I believe most buyers will feel satisfied by the quality James Brand puts into their American-designed knives. Those seeking budget options would be better served looking to brands like Civivi, CJRB or Ontario Knife Company.
The Verdict
If you couldn‘t already tell, I‘m a fan of The James Brand. They may use manufacturing partnerships in China, but the design DNA is distinctly American. These knives are clean, tough and made to be user-friendly tools for daily tasks, not precious artifacts that sit in display cases.
That said, they don’t offer the absolute pinnacle of performance compared to custom knife makers charging 4x as much. And other mid-market made-in-China brands like QSP and Bestech Knives offer arguably better all-around “bang for your buck.”
So while I confidently award my “recommended” seal of approval to The James Brand’s entire catalog, understand that you are paying a premium for their identity beyond just the metal and resin itself.
If the idea of an artfully designed everyday knife from a rising Portland-based startup checks your boxes, then their blades certainly won’t disappoint. Just don’t expect the equivilant of a custom $2k Gavko folder.
I hope you found this transparent insider’s take useful. Let me know in the comments which James Brand model caught your eye!
