3.5 in. Hardline D2 Steel Smooth Blade Pocket Folding Knife

The Milwaukee Hardline 3.5 inch smooth blade pocket knife is a great everyday carry knife. The blade is made of D2 steel and is blacked out. There is a clip on one side so you can clip it on to your pocket for easy access. The blade locks in place when opened for safety. This knife has good weight to it so if you are looking for a lightweight knife this is not it. This knife looks like it can take a beating and survive just fine. It has an easy opening tab that lets you open it with just one finger. I really like this knife and I carry it daily!

The knife is extremely strong, with a very thick blade made of D2 steel This makes the knife quite heavy, considering that one complete side of handle is made of plastic. It's lot heavier than it looks, and one of the heaviest folding knives I've used. The blade has a very nice finish to it as well. It fits nicely into a medium sized hand, with a surprisingly comfy grip. Holds well either facing up, or facing down in your hand. Easy to open and close with one hand. Magnet lightly holds the blade closed so it won't pop open on you. And it's also got the standard Milwaukee Lifetime warranty, so you know it'll last. Overall, a solid blade for any number of tasks.

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. I have both the 2.5 and the 3.5 models. 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 2.5 is perfect for carrying in your pocket and the 3.5 will do well in a situation where carrying a bigger knife makes more sense. It really stands out hanging from your pocket. 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. Also, the 3.5 is a little big, and I had it come off my pocket while sitting on a couple of occasions.

Super heavy duty little knife that is sharp the full length. The D2 steel for the blade is a super tough tool steel used to make high production stamping dies and holds an edge forever, well it seems like it does. 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 are the flipper to open blade with and that is not sharp just non-slip and the belt clip. The flipper is positioned when blade is open to prevent the hand from sliding onto blade. Great nonslip nylon handle on one side with a plastic spacer in Milwaukee’s distinctive red. The other side of handle is stainless steel without any checkering but the belt clip is on that side and the locking lever that adds some texture so I don’t think slipping will be a problem. Using the flipper the blade opens with either hand using the index finger. An easy snap and it is locked and loaded. Nice sharp blade straight from factory locks open solidly. Handle 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 4 3/4” closed by 1 1/2” wide by 3/8” thick without the belt clip and 5/8” thick over belt clip. Only the spacer and one handle are glass filled nylon, the rest is steel so it is heavy for it’s size but that weight also gives the knife a good feel.

This knife feels very substantial in your hand. It's got some weight to it, and the handle is large enough so it doesn't feel like it's going to slip or twist while using it. The belt clip seems like it would hold up well, but I have lost too many knifes using those so it just goes into my pocket. The thumb tab works GREAT!! just a little pressure on it and the blade pops right into the open and locked position. The blade is nicely honed and very sharp. We will see how well the blade holds up to use. Would like to see a nylon sheath with it.

This is a great heavy duty pocket knife. The flipping mechanism to open the knife if extremely smooth. Might be a touch slower than other brand knives that I have owned, but not a concern. The blade locks and snaps into the locked position very nicely & no concerns that the blade isn't locked. In the locked position, the knife is extremely solid feeling. (almost like a fixed blade knife) The knife appears to have a surgically sharp razor edge on the blade. Overall, this is a very stylish & tough looking knife. Perfect for the person who carries a knife on a regular basis. The clip allows for a deep carry which is fantastic for having the less obvious carrying a knife look. I would strongly recommend. This is another quality product by a quality name!!

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 and I can say this is an amazing large knife. 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 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 deep carry clip isn't overly stiff, but feels secure This blade has a good recurve and a hollow grind. While I prefer a full flat grind, I appreciate the extra meat on this huge knife. This thing can take some serious abuse. It was shave sharp out of the package. Considerations This is a big knife. Check your local laws before carrying it around. For me personally, this is a backpack knife. 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 It carries really deep. Some like this, I prefer less of a deep carry. People will not be able to tell you are carrying a knife, but you'll have to reach pretty deep to get it out of your pocket. I'll likely put a small lanyard on the back. 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.

The best knife I’ve ever owned. Holds a sharp blade for ever

Well made and seems durable even after heavy use.