I own the previous AUS 8 version of this knife. I use this knife throughout the week to process large amounts of boxes at work. It's slicing ability is top notch because of the hollow grind. The thick spine provides strength and the clip point gives it great stabbing ability. These features together make the blade immensely versatile. The aluminum pommel adds utility to the knife and acts as an emergency hammer. The handle shape is almost Kopis-like, ensuring a faster draw than other Cold Steel folders with the Demko thumb plate. Substantial front and rear guards prevent the knife from slipping forwards or backwards, which renders the aggresive texturing on the G10 handle scales virtually useless. The Tri-Ad lock is proven over Spiderco's Tatanka lock and other competing locking mechanisms. This knife is reliable and has become an important tool for me. Please choose this knife over similarly sized folders. The Recon 1 clip point in Large is also hollow ground, and also comes in partially serrated, which is great for cutting through hard plastic and other dense materials. The Recon 1 does not have the aluminum pommel or a rear guard in the handle though like the AK 47 does.