The CIVIVI Nugz is a funky knife with a fitting name. Something about the meaty reverse tanto designed by Matthew Wehrwein calls for the good, one syllable Nugz nomenclature. I dig it.

　　But beyond appearance and naming, is the CIVIVI Nugz any good? I tossed it in my pocket for a month of regular use to find out.

　　The CIVIVI Nugz is a nice average size for an EDC knife; (photo/Sean McCoy) In short: The CIVIVI Nugz is a nice EDC knife — for the price. At around $70, it gives the user good steel, a nice micarta handle, and a deep carry pocket clip. But it has a few flaws — notably play in the detent, right-hand-only carry, and a quickly loosening pocket clip — that betray the value pricing. Shop the CIVIVI Nugz now.

　　CIVIVI Nugz

　　Specs OAL 7.44 Blade length 3.17” Blade steel 14C28N Blade shape Reverse tanto Lock type Liner lock Weight 3.16 oz. Pros Useful blade shape Nice handle material Solid value Cons Pocket clip affects grip, is only right-handed Detent became loose after a few weeks of testing Sean McCoy Check Price at Civivi CIVIVI Nugz Review Pull the Civivi Nugz out of the box, and youre greeted with a fat-bladed flipper and thumb-hole knife with a textured micarta handle and backspacer. It has a unique look both open and closed, as the wide reverse tanto sits well outside of the thin handle when shut and overshadows the handle when open.

　　But appearances mean little when a knife is as genuinely functional as the Nugz. The flipper and thumb (or index finger) holes allow fast opening in three different ways. I found the knife both fidgety and fun in the hand. It locks open with a firm thunk. I ultimately found myself using the flipper opening method most of the time, although the thumb/finger hole also works just fine.

　　The Nugz has a cool look closed, displaying the Wehr Knives collab logo; (photo/Sean McCoy) Open, the knife shines in EDC tasks. Its width and flat grind make it almost cleaver-shaped, allowing it to do things like kitchen prep better than most EDC knives. It spreads peanut butter like a charm, but still will easily open knives. Thanks to the pronounced point, it will also whittle pretty well.

　　So its a good, versatile knife. Much like its name, Nugz, the knife is not intimidating. Its not very dangerous and wont raise eyebrows if you flip it open in the office breakroom to open a bag of jerky.

　　Strengths and Weaknesses Over the last month, I used the Nugz as my daily carry knife. And mostly, I enjoyed using it. Its a nice EDC blade and holds an edge remarkably well, even when cutting a lot of packaging during my work days. I also carried it as my pocket knife while elk hunting (although I also carried hunting knives for meat processing duty).

　　It performed well overall, particularly for the price. However, it falls short of the top pocket knives.

　　The good: It has a very versatile shape. I like the grind and multiple opening mechanisms. The fit and finish are excellent, especially given the $70 price.

　　While I havent used many knives with 14C28N steel, it impressed me with its edge-holding ability and stain resistance. After a month of use, the knife is still quite sharp, although it needs a quick stropping.

　　The pocket clip of the CIVIVI Nugz; (photo/Sean McCoy) The blade shape, as mentioned, is useful and versatile, provided you dont need a very fine point. It has a nice large belly and decent tip but isnt designed to stab through material as much as slice. I love the aggressive jimping on the spine and liner lock. These provide a very firm grip, particularly for righties.

　　Now, the downsides. First, I noticed a couple of significant signs of use pretty early. Both the pocket clip and blade have noticeable play after a month of use. Neither of these affect the performance of the knife, and the pocket clip is easy to tighten.

　　But the blade play seems to be with the detent, meaning there is slight wiggle when the blade is closed. I havent tried to fix this just yet, but it could require a reseating of the detent ball. Its doable, but will require time and attention. But the reality is that at $70, Im not surprised to see a couple of minor issues like this.

　　A bigger problem — at least for lefties — is the fact that the knife is not ambidextrous. Its right-pocket, tip-up carry only. If you carry it in your left pocket, youll have to flip it in your hand before using it.

　　Should You Buy the CIVIVI Nugz? Overall, the CIVIVI Nugz is a heck of a nice knife for $70. It uses good steel, has a very nice handle, and will serve the user well as an EDC tool. If youre right-handed and want a wider-blade knife, this one is really a no-brainer for the money.

　　The liner lock is good and functional on the Nugz, well suited to EDC use; (photo/Sean McCoy) But the knife is not for everyone. If youre a leftie, its a pass. If youre looking for a hard-use blade, look elsewhere. And if you plan to carry your knife every day for several years, I think spending a little more will bring more value down the road.

　　But as a value-oriented, uniquely shaped knife, the Nugz delivers. It fills a fun niche with a fun name and design, so I wouldnt hesitate to add it to a collection.

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　　Sean McCoy Check Price at Civivi