Review: Schwarz Knives Scalpel+

The Schwarz Scalpel+ is an example of how keeping things simple can be best.

Although a lot of negative things can be said about social media, one of the good things is that it makes it easy to discover new knifemakers, or folks who’ve been around but you just haven’t encountered before. That was the case with TJ Schwarz when I was scrolling around and came across a post for his Scalpel+.

Scalpel+ Made From One Piece Of Steel

The Scalpel+ is made from one piece of AEB-L stainless steel with a Rockwell of 60-61. It should take and hold a great edge. It’s a bit over 5 inches long with a 1.65-inch blade and is finished with an acid stonewash for a businesslike matte look. The handle portion has a recessed center with a large oval lanyard hole at the base. I didn’t ask TJ what his influence was for the handle, but to me it’s very reminiscent of a World War II Army mess kit knife.

The Scalpel+ weighs only an ounce and the included leather sheath only adds 0.3 ounce to that. Basically, you can put the Scalpel+ anywhere. All knives are made by TJ in his one-man shop in Idaho, and his leather sheaths are made by Gfeller Casemakers, also located in Idaho.

If you prefer a small fixed-blade knife for everyday carry, this might just be the knife for you. For more information, go to SchwarzKnives.com. And be sure to check back with KnivesIllustrated.com for more of the latest news from the knife industry.