Reiff Knives is a knife-making venture launched by brothers Stu and Ben in the United States. Their mission? To create tough, American-made knives that stand up to survival situations and outdoor adventures. With a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and the great outdoors, Reiff Knives produces blades, like the Vicon, that are ready for anything Mother Nature throws their way. Plus, they back their knives with a straightforward Carry No Cares lifetime warranty—because who wouldn’t want a reliable knife for life?
The Reiff Knives Vicon
The name “Vicon” is a clever blend of “victory” and “distinction,” paying tribute to the valiant individuals who contributed to crafting this design for the greater good of our nation. After all, what’s more distinguished than a victory earned with a sprinkle of teamwork and courage?
I first saw the Vicon at Blade Show 2025 in Atlanta, GA. It was the most diverse of the Reiff Knives, but in a good way. I gravitated towards them instantly and greeted my friend Stu, cofounder of Reiff Knives.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Reiff crafted the Vicon through a three-year partnership with a crew of dedicated US Navy SEALs. Together, Reiff aimed to forge a tactical field knife that could keep up with their intense demands out in the field. Throughout the development process, Reiff sent prototypes along on various deployments around the globe to test the design and materials in real-world conditions.
The SEALs put these blades through their paces—ranging from high-altitude free falls over ten thousand feet to deep-sea saltwater dives. Add hand-to-hand combat drills and genuine survival scenarios in some pretty remote corners of the world. Reiff subjected the Vicon to rigorous testing over the years to ensure it won’t flinch or fail at crunch time!
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
To tackle the challenges of saltwater exposure and the daily grind of hard use, Reiff settled on CPM MagnaCut for the blade. It boasts impressive corrosion resistance, unbeatable toughness, and edge retention that lasts longer than some relationships.
The sleek matte black DLC finish on this blade isn’t just for looks; it’s like a ninja in a stealth suit. It reduces glare while offering extra armor against the rigors of wear, moisture, and pesky abrasions. It’s perfect for all the adventures this blade will tackle in times of peril.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Carrying the Vicon
The Vicon’s sheath features a precision-molded, ambidextrous Kydex system, perfect for both lefties and righties—carry it in style!
With a retention screw for adjusting draw weight, this sheath offers flexible attachment options with multiple slots and eyelets. The removable Kydex offset drop plate keeps your knife in check, and its 9-hole pattern with ¾-inch spacing plus extra strap slots ensures universal compatibility. Plus, the removable belt loop allows for vertical or scout carry.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
Stand Out Features
I found the exposed pommel to be an outstanding benefit for a knife of this stature. An exposed pommel is an extra tool without being gimmicky. Its simplicity overshadows the effectiveness until you need it.
The Vicon has the perfect jimping on the pommel, ideal for an icepick grip. If you’re looking for a thrusting tool for combat or a butcher’s grip, the Vicon fits the bill. It can smash stuff like ice, shelled nuts, tent stakes, shellfish, bones, or skulls!
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
The subtle point at the lanyard hole can break glass and plastic. It’s also a good spot to hammer the knife, point first, into wood or light metal with authority.
The 90-degree spine seemed subtle when I examined the tool out of the package. I thought the DLC finish would render the spine luke wormish as a scraping tool. I was wrong! Rest assured, it will scrape tinder, a Ferro rod, and peel carrots.
The Vicon Through the Paces
My Vicon knife features an overall length of 10.2 inches, with a blade measuring 5.19 inches long. It features a 1.37-inch-wide and 3/16-inch-thick blade. The steel is crafted from CPM MagnaCut stainless steel and hardened to 60-62 HRC with a Black DLC finish.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
The knife has a subtle clip-point blade and a flat saber grind. In addition, the handle is made from OD Green G10, measuring 5.02 inches. Finally, the total weight of the Vicon is 9.8 ounces.
Splitting
I wasted no time procuring a thick hunk of oak and an equally stout baton to wreak havoc. The Vicon felt solid while pounding on the spine, then the tip as the blade sank deeper into the oak.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
As expected, the saber grind glided in and helped pop the hardwood grain of oak just as planned. It didn’t take long for the Vicon to look nice and well-used, developing some battle scars.
Chopping?
Yes, chopping. Naturally, a knife of this length isn’t a chopper. However, the 5-inch-long handle and positive grip from the G10 texture made it easy to choke back on for more leverage. This technique feels like the blade is longer and concentrates a solid whollop when used in a relaxed grip.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
The weight of the Vicon worked perfectly to chop pinky-thick green witch hazel for toggles and fun. I used a slight angle when chopping to help shear through branches with ease, as a 90-degree flush chop won’t do.
Carving
The Vicon isn’t a carving or finesse knife meant for typical carving tasks. If I wanted a try stick or a spoon, this wouldn’t be the knife for it. Yeah, you can do it and have a crappy project. I stuck to what it could realistically do. I’ve never had any worries about making feather sticks for a fire with any Reiff knife. The Vicon was no exception.
The sharp edge easily found a place to start the initial slice, creating that straight plane to build off. I turned the wood with every slice, as the blade sliced into the newly formed sharp corners of the wood. That’s one of the keys to making good feather sticks that will ignite with a Ferro rod, not only an open flame.
Utility Slicing
I took the Vicon on a slicing journey through various types of cordage. This included boot strings, leather strips, 550 paracord, two thicknesses of nylon rope, and rubber innertubing. I used the belly of the blade for this test, employing both a slicing and rocking motion for each piece.
I found the thicker rope was easier to chop, which is more realistic in a utility situation. However, in a stealthy military operation, the less noisy choice is best.
Releasing the Vicon
Although solid and easy to clip onto a belt and take off, I had my qualms about the sheath. Out of the box, it was very tight. People are often cut badly when removing knives from a sheath, and it’s worse when it’s tight.
I needed an unrealistic amount of thumb pressure on the sheath to push off. Simultaneously, I gave equal assistance with my free hand on the sheath’s bottom and freed up the knife.
Deploying the sheath one-handed will give anyone the worst case of Nintendo thumb ever. I imagined how challenging this would be while wearing it on my belt. And it was. I needed to do an awkward reach over to grip the bottom of the sheath and do a hard thumb push with my right hand.
This can be adjusted, but I didn’t have the proper tool in the woods.
Cutting to the Point
If you’re a seasoned professional or simply someone who enjoys weekend adventures, this field knife may be your trusty companion!
Reiff Knives Vicon Specs
| Overall Length | 10.2 inches |
| Blade Length | 5.19 inches |
| Blade Thickness | 3/16 inches or .188 inch |
| Blade Material | CPM MagnaCut® |
| Hardness | 60-62 HRC |
| Blade Grind | Flat Saber Grind |
| Finish | Black DLC |
| Handle Length | 5.02 inches |
| Handle Material | OD Green G10 |
| Weight | 9.8 ounces (G10) |
| Sheath | Black Kydex Ambidextrous |
| Country of Origin | USA |
| MSRP | $435.00 |
