2.5 in. Hardline D2 Steel Smooth Blade Pocket Folding Knife

Milwaukee Tool Co. make some awesome tools, I own many, I wasn't setting my expectations very high when I made this purchase simply because they don't build knives for a living. This HARDLINE knife is a good knife, I like the size, shape/style and the flipper action. I also like the general look, it has a no nonesense "get to business" style about it and it seems ready to tackle what ever task asked of it. I am impressed by the rugged sturdiness with which they built this knife, you can tell Milwaukee intended it to perform real work and do so on a daily basis. It seems very well made even if the build quality is only average. There are some minor fit/finish aspects which a knife collector would grumble over but then again if you're a collector you're not likely buying this knife. The knife came well ground, even and smooth but not all that sharp. It isn't dull either but another knife I recently purchased with the same D2 steel is WAY sharper out of the box, so I know it can be made much sharper, and I will put it to my diamond sharpener shortly to remedy this. Another thing I wasn't particularly happy with is the difficulty I seem to have sliding the liner lock over to close it. On one hand its nice that it is very robust and well contoured but it has no jimping to gave you a decent grip. It's actually nice to see a frame lock as thick and substantial as the blade itself, it made me wonder how some other knives with rather thin flimsy liner locks would actually hold up. I hope through daily carry I will get more accustomed to it, but right now, it's just a bit frustrating with my extra large hands. The blade is well centered when closed, opens quickly with the flicker tab and the bearing is smooth in motion. When I use this knife I think "rough and ready" and I think that description suits this knife well. The pocket clip is reversable but is not a "deep" carry style and I believe that is intentional. You want to be able to grab this knife out of your pocket easily even when wearing work gloves and you can do just that. Plus it's made in the USA! That counts for a lot.

It really feels like a good quality knife. It stays sharp a long time since it has a hardened metal blade.

Outstanding quality - ordered 2 more for Christmas presents after getting mine. D2 (tool steel) holds an edge like no other. Comes very sharp.

This knife quickly became my daily carry. It's a great, compact size. The blade comes very sharp out of the box. Initially the knife feels little too tight but after a couple days of use (opening, closing the blade) it gets better. You can also make adjustments if you'd like it looser. The knife has a very nice feel and is ergonomically shaped for my hand. I definitely recommend!

If you are looking for a knife with a D2 blade, this is a great value, seriously. I have another knife with this steel that cost almost twice as much. These knives have a great feel in your hand. The knife comes out of the package super sharp, which is nice since the last thing you want to do right away is sharpen D2 steel. Both knives were able to cut cleanly through paper, but were not sharp enough to shave with, although I did remove a fair amount of dead skin trying. The flip action took a little getting used to for me. It really helps if you have the knife oriented so the blade is pointing down, and let gravity help. Otherwise you might have to give it a little flick to get it to open all the way. My only real beef with the knife is the blade lock. There isn't much room for your finger/thumb to engage it and it is slippery. So far I have only been able to safely close the knife with two hands, which is a real bummer.

I got this knife and the 3 inch version of it (smooth blade also) so I could see which I preferred for everyday carry. I fully expected this 2.5 inch version to be my preference because I like a light knife that don't weigh too heavy with all the other junk in my pockets. The quality is good on the build on both. They are very solidly built with good quality steel. I like the smooth blade versus serrated just so I can sharpen it easier. Neither knife is super heavy and I have found both comfortable to carry. However this 2.5 inch one is notably stiffer on both opening and closing than the 3 inch one which is the main reason I prefer it more. It's a small difference but it is just enough to tilt my preference. The 2.5 inch is just not as comfortable due to this. I actually like the blade shape on the smaller knife just slightly more but the difference in ease of opening and closing it is the trump card. I've got a good number of knives I've gathered over the past 40-something years and I go through periodic changes in what I carry daily. At times I've carried Case, Frost or Old Timer in years very long past. And most recently I'd been carrying an old Bucklite which I've had maybe 30 years because it is so lightweight and has a good edge. Although this is obviously a little heavier than the bucklite it is still just as comfortable to carry to me and the blade is probably a tad tougher if harder to sharpen. New, it has a better edge than what I had on the old buck. So, I'm giving the old buck a rest and the 3 inch version of this is now what I'm going with daily. I had a knife almost this same design but it got tossed in the drawer after a short time carrying just because it was so much heavier than these. On the clips - I don't usually use belt clips because they often just seem like more trouble. But the ones on these is smooth enough that I have been using the clip lately although the one on this 2.5 inch version is too narrow for the belt I wear (I'm a jeans and heavy leather belt guy - no dress pants and no narrow belts). I was pleasantly surprised at the weight since some similar knives I had are far heavier. I guess I"m old fashioned in that I've never been crazy about flippers and usually just prefer a nail mark to grab the blade with but I will say the flippers on these work pretty good. That is good because there is so little blade exposed that they can be difficult to open without using the flipper given the absence of a nail mark. You can open either of them with one hand using the flipper although the 3 inch is a lot easier. For me closing it safely is a 2 handed operation I can do it with one hand but I don't see me doing that much. I gave myself a good little nick the first day I carried the 3 inch one on the first time I used it. I did that while I was closing it somehow. That's the first time I've cut myself with a pocket knife in so long I can't recall the last time. But I've since got more used to the knife and I don't see that happening again. The action of the blade on opening and closing is very smooth and you can feel the difference the bearing makes. All in all it's a solid built knife that should hold up well to daily use.

I've had this knife in my pocket for almost a week and couldn't be happier. I normally carry a folding razor blade but the blades need to be changed out quite often in day to day use. This blade has a hard D2 steel blade that has stayed razor sharp in the week I've had it. Normally i would have been through 1 or 2 replacement razor blades by now. Opening the blade can be a little tricky at first but after one day of use I had it down perfectly. Closing is slightly different as well but not difficult at all. Size is perfect to carry all day long, I removed belt clip and carry it in my pocket. Time will tell as to longevity but I like that the blade should stay sharper longer, and when needed I can just sharpen rather than keep purchasing replacement blades as i currently do. My only issue was with the packaging - it was a little difficult to open, and you have to take extra care because the blade is already in the open position. You dont want it flying out and risk cutting yourself. To remove from the packaging I actually took a razor blade and carefully cut around the sides so I could slide it out handle first.

This is a great sized (smaller) pocket knife. Works perfect for most of your everyday knife requirements. I use my pocket knife on a daily basis to open letters, boxes, etc. This is a good size for all of these. The blade is razor sharp with a nice point. The locking mechanism is very secure and solid feeling. The flipping mechanism seems to be very quick & opens very nicely. The knife itself is very stylish with the glass filled nylon on one side and steel on the other. The knife has a red colored liner between both handles. This is a very high quality & strong knife. I would definitely recommend!!

This Hardline series of knives is Milwaukee's debut in the EDC knife market, and I think they've hit it out of the park in quality, ergonomics, and price point. First, let's talk about the blade. All the Hardline knives use D2 steel, which is a high chromium, high carbon tool steel. It's corrosion resistant, very hard, and has a great ability to hold an edge. Downsides is that it's a little more brittle than other knife steels, and it can be harder to sharpen, although it doesn't need sharpening as often as other softer steels. I did some comparisons with other brands, and was very hard pressed to find any knives with D2 steel under $100. In fact, the only ones I did find under $100 were all liner locks, and not a frame lock like the Hardline series uses. I've been carrying and using the knife for the past two weeks, and it's still sharp enough to shave with. I've used it to cut paper, cardboard, twine, blister packaging, etc., and it's holding and edge very well. The flipper design opens the knife with a crisp snap, and the ball detent keeps the knife closed in your pocket, with nearly no chance of it coming open accidentally. The belt clip is reversible for right or left handed users, but it's only configurable for tip-up carry. This is most convenient for deploying and using the knife quickly, but some may have concerns about the knife coming open in a pocket and getting poked or sliced when reaching into the pocket. I don't see this as a big issue, since the ball detent is very effective at keeping the knife closed. The frame lock has good coverage on the blade, but can be a bit tricky to get disengaged without some practice. The edge you push on with your thumb to disengage the lock is a bit rounded over, and could use some texture to help grip. After a bit of practice, I don't have any problems disengaging the lock one-handed with my right hand, but it's nearly impossible for me to disengage the lock one-handed with my left hand. It could be I'm not as coordinated as a lefty would be, but it's also a different motion and less natural using the left hand. Lastly, the 2.5" bladed knife is the perfect size for putting in a watch pocket on jeans. The belt clip holds it securely to the pocket edge, and it's out of the way for the rest of the things you may need to access in your main hip pocket. So in summary, this is a great EDC knife - it's a little more on the high end of the "economical" range, but I don't think you'll find anything better unless you look in the over $100 range.

This is a nice quality steel pocket knife that is tough enough to hold up to the kind of abuse I put my pocket knife though. I use my knife in my home repairs and count on the blade not to close up on me, not to bend when I'm prying something and to able to take some punishment. This knife does fits the bill and does everything I expect of a good pocket knife. It can be a little hard to open but that might just be me. I like the way it locks open and stays locked open.

What a heavy duty little knife. The first thing I do with a new knife is rub my hand & thumb all over the outside hard looking for sharp edges or snag areas. Absolutely none. The only thing that catches is the flipper to open blade with and that is not sharp just non-slip. Great nonslip handle with a plastic spacer in Milwaukee’s distinctive red. Using the flipper the blade opens with either hand using the index finger and I need to add a slight flick of wrist. Nice sharp blade straight from factory locks open solidly. Has a diamond shaped opening for a thin strap or wrist loop not some puny hole. The belt clip is effective and easily removed if you don’t want it. Screw heads are made for a mini-Torx driver or, if you are like me and do not have the mini-Torx a #0 Allen wrench will work. Measures 3 5/8” closed by 1 1/4” wide by 3/8” thick without the belt clip. Only the spacer and one handle are glass filled nylon, the rest is steel so it is heavy for it’s size.

I own more pocket knives than I care to admit. I've carried a knife since I've been old enough to use one responsibly. Milwaukee absolutely nailed it with this one. Likes D2 steel at under 100 bucks. I could really end the review here. Aside from a few rare examples (which I also own) this is not common. D2 steel is one of the most desirable steels for knife blades. It wears extremely well so you can go a long time between sharpenings. However it's not extremely difficult to sharpen when it's time to do so. Also unlike some of the tougher tool steels, it is capable of taking (and holding) a very keen edge. Super smooth operation. I prefer a flipper to a thumb stud. With a little nudge this just flies open. I can open it quicker than some of my spring assisted open knives from other brands. It's a tad stiff out of the package, but loosens up quickly. This is very well machined and very well assembled. The frame lock is pretty hardcore and the blade will not move when locked. The ergonomics are great. It feels nice in your hand, there are no hot spots or sharp edges (other then the blade of course). One side is glass filled nylon and provides a good but not too rough grip. The other side is stainless steel. If you are right handed, the smooth side won't wear at your pocket lining. If you are a lefty like me, you are used to being left out. The handle shape is great. There is just enough jimping at the top of the blade to provide some tactile feedback. Any cutting operations I have done with this knife I have done with confidence. Because it's on the small side you will need to be mindful of your finger positions when opening it, but it's not at all difficult It looks great. The stone washed/tumbled steel look is my favorite on a knife. It gives it natural patina and it also makes it so the eventual nicks, dings, and scratches from use blend right in. The red in the spine is a nice touch Reversible tip up clip isn't overly stiff, but feels secure. This is not a deep carry clip. It's razor sharp out of the package. No need to touch it up at all It's very small and compact. Perfect for pants without deep or wide pockets Considerations This is heavy compared to most of my other knives of this size. I wouldn't call that a negative because this is meant for heavy duty work, but just be aware you will notice this in your pocket more than most other 2.5" knives out there. The frame lock is very sturdy, Even a gorilla would need to use 2 hands to close this. The detents are tough to get past. There is no chance of accidentally closing this on your finger without putting a lot of force on the frame lock I wish this was packaged closed. A lot of care is needed to open the blister pack without catching a knuckle on the blade Overall I never thought I'd be carrying a Milwaukee knife every day, let alone rave about them to everyone. I would recommend this to anyone, even hardcore knife enthusiasts without hesitation.

Disappointed on the size Should of read the description better

Very good craftsmanship very fast to open and the clip is strong it’s all good.

Great knife, just a bit smaller than I’d like. The 3 or 3.5 inch would be best, but the price jumps way up on those.

so satisfying to flick open

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

I was very excited when I got this knife, ultra sharp, seems like great quality as Milwaukee usually is. I used it for a total of maybe 3 days, minimal use, and noticed the tip is broken off. The blade is still very sharp, but the point of the knife is dull/broken off. I more than likely can’t return it, because I don’t have the package anymore. I’d give it another try if I’m able to swap it.

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

Cane sharp out of the box, action is smooth, great everyday carry

The knife was extremely dull and couldn’t cut at all! Extremely disappointed! Would never recommend!

Not as sharp out of the package as other Milwaukee knives I have purchased. Extremely stiff flipper opening action. These are both just minor fixes, but should not be present on a product wearing the Milwaukee brand, thus only 4 stars on what will be a 5 Star product after sharpening and adjustment. The frame lock is so robust I cannot operate it left handed, which is ok for safety but really too strong imo. I can use all my other liner lock and frame lock folders with either hand. The inability to close it left handed is not really worth a down check as it is a right hand design. Compact size is great. Frame lock built like a tank, so if you are after a light weight weight compact this is not it. I like the good heft for control and edge alignment.

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

Rec'd knife as gift. Was so dull out of the box it lost a fight with a stick of butter. Shows promise with sharpening. Opens with little effort. Lock is postive and should prove safe.

Rating provided by a verified purchaser