Enzo Trapper 95 D2 Bushcraft Knife Review 2013/08/07
The Enzo Trapper 95 D2 comes in at the critical price point of around
£100. We all know how knives like the Mora Clipper are amazing for the
price. It is crucial however for these more expensive tools to really
deliver when compared to cheaper models.
Introduction
Been using the Enzo Trapper 95 D2 since the beginning of the year. For
months it’s been in my hands on courses, trips and even in the canoe.
First impressions were good with the workmanship looking great on the
knife. The sheath and with a full tang design couple with a Scandi grind
the Trapper 95 D2 looked like a really great tool.
Steel on the Enzo Trapper 95 D2
The blade On the Enzo Trapper 95 D2 is D2 steel. I had never used this
steel before so consequently have been reading plenty of thoughts and
opinions online regarding this steel. In my own use I have noticed the
following.
- It holds a good edge for a long time.
- Didn’t dent or ding whilst subjected to tough use.
- Doesn’t appear to rust easily, though I always use gun oil on all
knives.
- Perhaps a little longer to sharpen than O1.
Use
Overall from carving to battoning the Enzo Trapper 95 D2 performed well.
I did feel it works better in the chest lever than forehand grip. The
small palm swell allows you to get a more secure fit if using the chest
lever, over the forehand grip. The handle is really suited for smaller,
lower volume hands I would imagine.
The attention to detail in the
finishing is superior than some of my more expensive knives, the liners
and bolts are all perfectly aligned with everything looking pretty neat
and tidy. The blade is 3.5mm thick and is full tang, so the knife feels
very well balanced and strong. Length of the blade is 109mm.
Handle
The handle material does vary in the Enzo range but mine is Curly Birch.
There is no real finger guard on the Trapper 95 D2, which is a shame.
The lack of a substantial palm swell makes it hard to grip and so as a
result you have to hold on pretty tight all the time. I did notice some
hand fatigue a couple of times after a long day using the Enzo Trapper
95 D2. There are some grain holes in the scales which show that it has
not been rubbed in bee’s wax, which is just a way for Enzo to get the
price as low as possible on the Trapper 95 D2. The first thing I did was
nourish the wood with some boiled linseed oil as I did find when taking
the knife out for the first time the handle was very dry. After a night
sat in oil it was perfect and carried on being that way to this day. To
make the Enzo Trapper 95 D2 really feel good in the hand, get yourself a
pure bee’s wax candle and rub it all over the scales to fill the holes.
Sheath
The sheath is nice and strong, lacks a firesteel holder, but holds the
knife securely and has a flexible drop loop to allow for carrying all
day. Really impressed with the knife and its only shortfalls are some
lack of care to the scales which can easily be taken care of by the user
once it’s arrived. I would have liked to see a bigger palm swell and
finger guard but this is my personal opinion. I would recommend this
knife as great step up from the basic Mora Clipper style offerings; this
would make a great first proper bushcraft knife. From its strong full
tang design, excellent sheath and D2 steel in a Scandi Grind make this a
real winner. Considering you pay close to the amount of the Enzo for a
rat tail tang Helle its good value to have a look at the Enzo Trapper 95
D2. Recommended
