The Kizer Begleiter (German for “companion,” and a great name for this knife) has remained a popular folding knife for several years now.
It shows no signs of losing its popularity and reviews continue to come out lauding its design, simplicity, and of course, price.
Now, this is not a review, but it is a justification of the Begleiter’s position as one of the industry’s most consistently popular folding knives.
Here are two of the main reasons – perhaps the main reasons – that the Kizer Begleiter remains a hit, even though it’s so basic and has been around for several years.
Diversity in Design
The original Begleiter is a middle-of-the road sized knife with thumb studs and a liner lock. The first models had G10 scales and a stainless blade (more on that in a moment).
Since its release, the design has proven so popular that Kizer has reimagined the Begleiter several times.
There is a titanium-scaled version with a flipper, if you’re not a fan of thumb studs. For those that prefer the strength of a liner lock, there’s one with a frame lock.
Blade profile and size are two other attributes with which Kizer has been fairly flexible. In addition to the “standard” sized Begleiter, there is a “mini” as well as a Begleiter “XL.”
Then there is blade shape. The straight-backed original has been supplemented with several different variants, including a tanto point and a sheepsfoot.
There’s even a fixed Begleiter, with an attractive drop-point blade. This is one of those knives that has proven so popular (like the CIVIVI Elementum) that there are both fixed and folding versions.
As far as scale materials, there’s a great deal of variety there, too, as there are versions of the Begleiter made with carbon fiber, titanium, and Micarta in addition to the original G10.
Which means no matter your preferences, there is a Kizer Begleiter for you.
Super Steel, Not So Super Prices
The other thing that has made the Kizer Begleiter so popular for so long is that it is an affordable folder. In a market in which other comparable knives go for $150 or more, there are Begleiter models you can get for way less than $100.
But this doesn’t paint the full picture, because the Begleiter doesn’t just make use of run of the mill 420HC and 8Cr3MoV steel blades, like the overwhelming majority of other budget blades.
No, this is one folding pocket knife that uses super steel and doesn’t command super prices. There are Begleiter models made with VG-10, D2, 154CM, S35VN, 20CV, Nitro-V, and even Bohler N690 steel.
Few other models are made with such an array of different blade steels, many of which are considered super steels that offer an attractive balance across edge retention, general durability and corrosion resistance.
And, again, few (to no) other knives offer the same attractive price point, despite the conspicuous employment of such premium blade steels.
Where to Get Your Next (or First) Kizer Begleiter
Interested in adding a Kizer Begleiter to your retinue? Get familiar with the full Kizer collection over at White Mountain Knives. They carry a wide range of Kizer knives and the Begleiter (in all its many versions) is well-represented.
