A Collaboration with Vehement Knives

The M320V is the latest in a series of collaborations between Defiant7 and a string of knife makers. It’s an incredibly well-designed knife that’s part homage and part practical field blade. All of which stands to reason once you know the players behind the scenes.

Defiant7 M320V Collaborators

Matt Martin is a world-class knife maker. He’s been making knives since he was a wee lad, hammering wire coat hangers into swords for his G.I. Joe action figures. Trust me when I say he’s come a long way since then. He’s the head of Vehement Knives, and his blades are carried literally around the world.

Defiant7 is a partnership between Les George and Chad Nichols. Les has been making knives for more than two decades. He also spent 10 years with the United States Marine Corps. He’s learned from experience exactly what a high-quality knife needs, and he’s earned significant notoriety as a designer.

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Chad has a well-deserved reputation for high-quality Damascus steel, providing that and other materials to other makers under his Nichols Damascus brand. He also has experience as a knife maker and designer, in addition to a vast knowledge of machining and manufacturing.

When Chad and Les got together to form Defiant7, part of the plan from the beginning was to collaborate with other knife makers on special knife runs. Project M320-X is one of their first forays into that.

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Project M320-X

Les created the first M320 for Defiant7. Its design was inspired by the WWII fighting knife called the M3. After it was released, they decided it would be perfect for their first collaboration project. The idea was to give other makers some simple parameters and then let them put their own spin on things.

In this case, the M320 series all have the same injection-molded handle with a titanium butt cap. It’s up to the makers to design a blade to match it. They’re told that the design should be another fighting knife with a full tang design.

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That’s it, from there it’s up to the makers to use their own expertise and style to come up with a cool and functional design. The style that they bring to the equation is called the X-factor, and thus, this is Project M320-X.

This is the third knife in the M320-X series. The original that was designed by Les is the M320G. This was followed by the M320E, which was designed by Allen Elishewitz.

M320V Design

Matt Martin is a student of history, particularly military blades. As he sat down to sketch out his own take on the M320, he looked to Vietnam-era military fighting knives. The final design he landed on has some eye-catching sweeps and is sort of a modified Bowie. It actually harkens back to an earlier Vehement design called the Vagabond.

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As with all of Matt’s designs, it’s as beautiful as it is functional.

Unboxing

The M320V I was provided for the review has a stonewashed finish. They also offer this model in Tiger Stripe and black Cerakote. The Tiger Stripe is particularly apt, given the era from which the blade design was inspired.

I remember back when ads for so-called Rambo knives were popular in Soldier of Fortune and similar magazines. Some of them had camouflage-printed blades that, with hindsight, were pretty ridiculous. That’s not at all the case with the M320V.

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They went with CPM-3V steel for the blade. From end to end, the M320V runs 11 inches. Its blade is six inches long and is absolutely razor-sharp. The sweeping swedge provides a sharp point, but there’s plenty of steel behind it for penetration.

The five-inch handle is injection-molded polymer. It has enough texture to be grippy in bad conditions, but still comfortable. Given the handle’s size and thickness, it can take a little time to get used to the knife. While I have large hands and appreciate a handle that has plenty of real estate, the M320V is next level in that regard. The titanium butt cap is a nice touch, as is the thumb ramp on the guard.

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The M320V is equipped with a Kydex sheath, and the knife is very secure in it, with no wiggle or rattle. It can be attached to PALS webbing or hung on a belt.

If you’re like me and you prefer a leather sheath, then get in touch with Skin Bender Leather Works. They share shop space with Vehement Knives, and they’ve already designed and produced an aftermarket leather sheath option for the M320V. Even if they hadn’t, they do all my custom leather work as it is, so I’d have reached out to them anyway.

M320V Performance

I’ve had this knife for about six weeks now, give or take. It’s a combat knife, and I honestly don’t see a lot of combat in my life currently. So, I’ve had to make do with other challenges to evaluate the knife’s performance.

One of the first things I did with the M320V was start carving branches. Some might call it making feather sticks, but mine never look like feathers. Still, the keen edge of the blade worked perfectly to shave the wood.

I happened to be doing some tree trimming in the yard today and took down a thick pine branch. This was a great opportunity to test the M320V’s chopping ability. It cut through the branch fairly quickly, taking big chunks with every swing of the blade.

Stabbing the knife into a block of wood and then prying it sideways to pop out chunks of the board posed no issues. The knife’s tip is very strong and durable.

As for slicing, I cut up an old webbing belt, a leather belt, and some thick, coarse rope, all with no trouble at all. The blade holds a great edge, and I’ve not had to even think about tuning it up throughout my use of it.

My biggest concern about the M320V was the handle size and whether it would be comfortable. As it turns out, the knife feels great in my hand, and I had no issues manipulating and controlling it at all.

My only nitpick about the knife is that I wish they’d put a sharp, 90-degree edge on at least part of the spine so it could be used with a ferrocerium rod to start a fire. This is a very minor gripe, though, and not at all any kind of deal-breaker.

Recommendation

The M320V is an outstanding knife. It’s a great option for a field knife, especially if you’re looking for something with a little history in its DNA. Defiant7 has quickly risen to be one of my favorite knife companies, too. I’m eager to see the next M320-X in the lineup.

Defiant7 M320 Specs

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