I’ve owned at least 200 knives in my life so far, thanks to a trip back to my family home in 2019 I found my first knife and still have it today, albeit a bit worse for wear.
Since that first knife, I’ve owned cheap knives, expensive knives, swords of many types, carbon fiber knives, ceramic knives, and more but I’ve never owned a gentleman’s pocket knife suited for a pair of dress pants. And most certainly never one that’s as strong and capable as The Seaton by Ocaso Knives.
Ocaso Knives founder, Ric Valdez, began his career in the knife industry at Cold Steel Knives, working for nearly 20 years to expand the brand’s reach and eventually moving into the role of Executive Vice President. After Cold Steel was sold to GSM Outdoors in 2020, Ric began his own venture, starting Ocaso to make pocket knives and everyday carry accessories reflecting his style, sophisticated, modern, minimalist, and made with premium materials.
The Seaton was one of the first three original knives from Ocaso and comes in 2 sizes, carbon fiber or stainless handles and AUS-10A or VG-10 steel blades. The blades are bead-blasted satin finish or black satin finish. The large-size knife has a 2.75-inch blade and weighs 2.6 oz with a stainless handle, the small size has a 2.35-inch blade and weighs 1.9 oz with the stainless handle. The carbon fiber handle versions weigh even less, coming in at 1.5 oz and 1 oz respectively.
If you think the diminutive size means the knives can’t perform, please think again because they most certainly can. They aren’t my M16 but they aren’t meant to be and both of these knives can handle business. I’ve cut cardboard, opened boxes, cut zip ties, and plastic boxes, cut open those nasty sealed plastic retail containers, parachute cord, hemp rope, nylon rope, and clothesline. Both knives handle what is put in front of them, come back for more and the Japanese AUS-10A steel stands up to abuse that normally is reserved for bigger knives of a different type.
What attracted me to the Seaton rather than other Ocaso models was the lines, the way they flowed from the handle into the blade when the knife was open, it all spoke of careful design that fit function and sophistication together in a beautiful way. Full transparency, I also wasn’t sure how effective a knife weighing 2.6 or 1.9 oz could be, I’m not trying to overthrow a Third World Country with them but…
Using the knives has been a joy, they are both well balanced and fit in the hand easily. I’m constantly amazed by how useful they are and how many things I have used them for. Most of the time now I use the small version, not that the large version is to big for anything, I just find that most of the things I need to cut I can do with the small sized Seaton. The AUS-10A steel enables this knife to punch far above it’s weight class, but if I need a large knife I need a much larger knife and it’s going to have to be my M16 or something even bigger for a job the Seaton just isn’t meant for.
The Seaton is an every-day carry knife, capable for the majority of every-day tasks you run into. Bonus for me is I now have a knife I can carry in the office rather than my M16. Don’t get me wrong I love my M16 but I’ve gotten some strange looks when I pull it out to open an envelope or cut some food from the microwave so the Seaton calms people’s worries about that “big guy with the huge knife” and I don’t loose any functionality while I’m there.
Plus it looks really cool when I’m cutting my cigar later at the bar with it!
Gentlemen, if you’re looking for a gift to have someone get you this is a great option and the large size only costs $99 on the Ocaso website.
“We believe a well-designed, well-made knife is like a piece of functional art. Our mission is to design and craft knives with a focus on luxury, fit and finish, and the performance to match their good looks.” (Ric Valdez, Founder Ocaso Knives) The Seaton is a perfect example Ric, bravo!
Garfield out.
