Some work needs a bigger knife. The F3 Charlie is our large folder, built with a 3.80-inch blade and a handle sized for a full grip, for people who use a knife all day and want one that does not ask to be babied.
Design and Engineering
The Charlie opens and locks with a button lock: a spring-loaded plunger that seats into the blade when it opens and releases with a press. It works one-handed in both directions and keeps fingers clear of the edge on the close, which is the reason it is the lock we use on our hard-use folders. The deployment is quick and the lockup is solid.
The handle comes in G10, in black, OD green or a Damascus pattern, or in forged carbon, with titanium barrel spacers holding the scales. It is a good-looking knife for what is, underneath, a work tool.
Built to Be Carried
A pocket clip and a lanyard hole give two ways to keep the Charlie close, on a pocket or tied to a pack or a belt. The knife is big enough that the lanyard earns its place, especially with gloves on. Our gloved-use guide covers why the Charlie is one of the two knives we recommend for that.
The blade is 3.80 inches of D2 tool steel, with the finish listed for each handle option on the product page. D2 holds an edge through cord, strapping, cardboard and the rest of a working day, and sharpens back at the 20-degree angle every TEKTO blade leaves with. Jimping on the spine gives the thumb purchase for controlled cuts.
The Charlie is the folder for people whose knife works for a living. For the jobs a folder should never do, batoning, prying, chopping, the X1 Atlas fixed blade is the partner we would pair it with.
The Charlie and Its Working Relatives
The Charlie, the tanto-bladed Echo that shares its lock, the finer Bravo, and the fixed blade for the jobs a folder should not do.
People Are Asking
What are the F3 Charlie's specifications?
A 3.80-inch D2 blade, a button lock, titanium barrel spacers, a pocket clip and a lanyard hole, with scales in G10 (black, OD green or Damascus-patterned) or forged carbon. The product page lists current options and the blade finish for each.
What is a button lock?
A plunger lock: a spring-loaded button in the handle drops into a notch in the blade tang when the blade opens, and pressing the button releases it. It keeps fingers out of the blade's path when closing and works the same for left and right hands.
Is the F3 Charlie too big for everyday carry?
For a pocket, it is at the large end. For a work pocket, a pack or a belt it is right. People who cut cord, strapping and material all day want the reach of a 3.80-inch blade and the grip of a full-size handle. For an office pocket, the F1 Alpha or F2 Bravo is the lighter choice.
