Kizer Vanguard Sheepdog XL Review

Giant, heavy knife

More of a novice here, this is the first cleaver that I purchased. Just received this knife, razor sharp out of the package. Very well built and everything is tight. You will not fully comprehend the size of this beast until you hold it in your hand.
Expected it to be extremely front heavy with the size of the blade, but it is actually almost perfectly balanced about the index… read more finger. Extremely satisfied, showed up 2 days before I thought it would.

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Darker green than pictured (olive drab)

bought as an xmas gift but had to preview it. gave me a nice chuckle opening the box, may have to get one for myself. takes a bit of effort to flip but lands with a thunk. the green color is better IMO than pictured and is actually an olive drab rather than a light green. wasn't stoked about the color in the pictures so I was happy about that.

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Radcore

This monster is so fun, cuts like a laser, thinner behind the edge than expected (good thing).
The micarta is handsome and perfectly grippy, blade shape is super fun, nice break from the usual.
Drop shut action is beautiful, flips the massive cleaver blade extremely well.
Excellent performance at an excellent price, one of the least expensive knives I own, also one of… read more my favorites. Makes me want to start a second collection of monster knives. Get one.

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Excellent Chunky EDC

Bought this as an EDC. I'm an over the road flatbed truck driver. Periodically I have to cut load traps or similar tasks. Work environment is gritty and harsh. I was looking for something chunky with good steel and this fits the bill perfectly. Fit and finish is excellent at any price point, and coming in just under $100 makes it even better.

Opens in in a snap without effort.… read more

As others have said, it carries much lighter than expected for such a beast of a knife.

10/10 - Highly recommend and would pruchase again without hesitation.

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Best Father’s Day gift by far

My wife and kids bought this for me as a Father’s Day gift. Before even removing this beauty from its mostly lackluster packaging, I knew my Sheepdog XL was going to become my favorite knife to carry and use. The weight is like carrying 3 Kershaw blades. (No disrespect to Kershaw, I own several). The balance is that of a seasoned gymnast.

I was wonderfully surprised with… read more the factory sharpness, I’ve never had a knife new out of the box cut so smoothly.

Basically, I want to be buried with my Kizer Sheepdog XL. You know, to cut bitches in the afterlife. 🤘🏻☠️🤘🏻

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Fantastic

I have large hands and this knife is very comfortable to hold. It's very sturdy and the action is surprisingly smooth for such a heavy blade. It's also impressively sharp out of the box. My biggest concern was that is would take up too much real estate in my pocket, but it really doesn't. I wear form fitting jeans and I can still reach my hand into my pocket easily.

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An ergonomic train wreck

This is a beautiful knife but it is by far the most uncomfortable knife I have ever handled and it is so far my most hated knife of the year.

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Amazed!!

First off I'm not a small knife guy. I look at a knife for two things, working and defense if needed. This knife as well as my CS Spartan are considered too big for most people to edc. I'd say it's just about right! I have 3 ZT's and while the materials are better they are on the small side for my liking in a defensive situation. The quality craftsmanship on this Kizer is top notch.… read more It came out of the box slightly sharper then one of my ZT's that I had professionally done with polished edges. It was literally like a scalpel. The action is pure butter and it is the most fidget friendly knife I own. Drops shut and flings open on the bearings. This knife feels and acts like a much more expensive product. This is my go to weekend knive and nightly fidgeter! The 154CM steel is fantastic. Cut up and open several boxes and some rope and it only needs a strop to touch the blade up. I don't even notice it in my pocket. If your thinking about this knife just get it, you won't regret it!!

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Puts a smile on my face!

This knife puts a smile on my face every time I carry it. A big and unique looking knife that carries so well. The blade opens smoothly and the handle has great grip.

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The Perfect Sheep Dog

This is by far by favorite sheep dog, the XL’s size is perfect if you have big hands. The Carbon Fiber Scales are fantastic. A great addition to the collection.

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Exactly what you think it is

NEVER has a knife better delivered as advertised... big and chunky, easy to deploy and close. Only improvement would be to reduce the flipper tab sp it could cleave better (tab hits before blade if you try to chop food), but thats clearly evident in pictures, so not deducting a star!

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What a slab

This thing is a beast. Came scary sharp. I thought I might not like the CF because some tend to be slick, not this CF. Nice feel and texture. Just needs a deep carry clip to be perfect. Very hefty, about as much as a Note 10. Kizer is becoming one of my favorite makers. Fire Ant will be next. Bravo BHQ!

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Amazingly massive

Confession - I bought this just to quote Crocodile Dundee "thats not a knife ... "

The blade came very sharp and the action and centering are on point. It's definitely a lot of 154CM steel to flip, and takes some getting used to, but it's so fun addicting when the blade is flipped and locked in with a strong thunk.

Carbon fiber is a bit slippery.

It is a… read more huge knife but I've been EDCing for a week while wearing kakhi shorts and while I can feel it's presence it's nowhere near weighing me down.

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Yeah it’s beefy

Great knife all around. I own this XL and the mini and while both are fun to carry, now that I have the XL, the mini does not see much daylight. The XL is a fun edc... get one and surprise your friends next time they need a knife.

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Large and love it

I was not expecting it to be that big (that's what she said). I purchased the Sheepdog Mini a few week prior and was expect the XL to be larger, but not nearly 3X the size! Now I can open boxes and whatever else I want with authority.

Thanks Kizer and Blade HQ!

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Surprisingly Thin sword!

This thing is great. Runs on bearings and makes a distinct "Schwing" sound when deployed. It's got the pocket presence and weight of a smartphone, but it's got a great clip, and comes SHARP. Buy it if it's legal in your state for sure.

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I do like this knife.

So i have other folders, with 4" blades, that i really love, in my collection. This knife is a bit of a paradox to me ( in a good way). It looks and feels much larger, than everyone of those other 4" bladed folders, that i own. However, this knife is extremely easy to carry. As is usual with a kizer knife ( even the vanguard budget series) this knife has a high quality build to… read more it. The knife is extremely sharp out of the box. The manufacturing is excellent (centered well, no defects i can spot, grind is beautiful and multi-facetted, etc.). To me there is a novelty to the largeness of this knife. It has heft as well. However, the knife is larger physically, than it carries. It is extremely easy to pocket. Love it.

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The beast is finally mine.

One of the best and most elusive knives I have ever bought. The Sheepdog XL lives up to its name in every way. It is amazing how fast they sell out. I am very lucky the stars aligned perfectly so I could get on. It is everything I had hoped for and more.

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When they say "XL", they mean it!

When I first got this knife, I couldn't stop laughing when I opened the box. Not from anything wrong with it, but because I severely underestimated it's size. Yes it's big, yes it's ridiculous, yes it's unnecessary, but I love it! It's such a satisfying knife to open, the sound it makes when it locks into place and the weight of it in your hand. The action is just as smooth as it's… read more mini brothers, and on a blade that big, it feels amazing. Really like the blue accent around the outside of the pivot as well. If you like a big knife, you should by this!

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Big *and* Useful

This knife was on my wish list for a while and I watched it come in and go out of stock several times as I had hard time justifying dropping $90 on a knife I was mostly purchasing for novelty’s sake due to its large size. But I finally pulled the trigger as a gift to myself and it arrived on Christmas Eve.

Of course this knife is big for a “pocket” knife, but that’s… read more probably why you’re here. However, I was surprised in a few areas:

Pros:
It looks awesome, obviously, even if comically so. I love it. For as big as the blade is, it’s surprisingly slicey and came very sharp. I cut down cardboard boxes for an hour straight without pause on Christmas morning so that everything would fit into the recycling bin and this knife performed great. The long and tall blade really exceled. It’s thin for its size and the 154CM steel still sliced paper even after going through heavy paces. It flips open easily with a smile-inducing thunk and lockup is solid at 35-40% on thick steel liners that are also milled to reduce the overall weight. It feels really sturdy with no play in any direction. The G10 handle ergonomics are comfortable enough for consistent use even for my small hands and I found no hot spots from the clip or anywhere else. Disassembly is very straightforward with no surprises or hassles. I really like that the screws are T10 for the pivot and T8 for the body; nice and big. What surprised me the most is how well this knife actually carries in the pocket despite its size. Granted, I like carrying big knives while having the Swiss Army Cadet as my third pocket knife for more subdued tasks, so large knives don’t bother me and overall profile means way more to me than weight. All that said, I can still manage to carry and retrieve my chap stick, key fob, and eye drops in the same pocket as this knife without issue. The knife itself slides in and out of the pocket easily with a very useful pocket clip.

Cons:
I only found a couple areas I was sort of “meh, whatever” on: the pivot system operates on nylon/Teflon washers (typical) housing bearings that are *also* nylon/Teflon. I have never seen that on a knife until now and I'm not sure if BHQ's description is of "ceramic" bearings is wrong, or if Kizer switched materials in newer production runs. (Update one week after initial review: The bearings are NOT Teflon. Upon a second disassembly, it's clear that the bearings are wearing races into the steel liners and blade. So maybe the bearings are white ceramic instead of the normal black I'm used to.) The action is super smooth and works fine, but I do wonder about the longevity and overall wear. My only other nitpick is purely aesthetic and personal: I have never liked the blue anodized pivot collars that Kizer uses. To me, it makes the knife look cheap, and especially on this knife that already looks cartoonish (in the best way), it feels a little “toyish.” (Side note: to remove anodization on any knife parts, give them a bath in Whink Rust Stain Remover then throw them in white vinegar to neutralize the process. It works great and doesn’t damage the metal (titanium, steel, aluminum).)

Overall, if you just like big knives, I cannot recommend this enough. It’s so much fun and actually really useful. It has quality materials at a super fair price. Get it.

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Kizer hits it out of the park!

I've been carrying this behemoth for about two weeks and to my surprise it isn't noticeable. It sits in my pocket very well and it doesn't make my pants sag down. I haven't done any field testing yet but from the feel of this blade it could survive just about anything!
I actually had to buy another one as a Christmas present for my Dad. I normally don't buy the same knife twice… read more unless I know that it is a quality knife and Kizer is the epitome of quality (regardless of the origin of product).
Including the gift, this will be the third Kizer knife I've purchased and it will certainly not be the last!
Whether you are a collector, such as myself, or you need a work-horse for a knife the Sheepdog XL is a must have!
It came razor sharp and included in the packaging was a polishing cloth, which is a first for me. Very classy!
My only nitpick about this model is that there isn't an area where I could fashion a small lanyard out of 550 cord.
It's possible I could wrap one around one of the rear spacers but the shape of the blade and where it sits when closed looks like it would be counterproductive.
Aside from that I'm very happy with the Sheepdog XL!

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One chunky boy

It's a beast, not as big as i thought, and definitely carry-able, very smooth to open, but you might need to get used to how much you need to push on it to open. Feels great in the hand it comes super sharp out of the box.
Only think i would like to see if more handle options, it's already a heavy knife so i understand the reason for choosing the handle material but i would love… read more to see a copper option or Ti option.
With all that being said i think i might buy a mini as well !

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Big? So what! Carry it anyway.

I love my mini Sheepdog with the S35VN. When I saw this was an option, I wanted it more for the novelty. It is an incredibly large "pocket" knife as far as dimensions go. I haven't found it to be THAT heavy, though. But it will take up a hell of a lot of space in your pocket. That being said, it comes razor sharp, and the ergomics are pretty nice. They should be for how large the… read more handle is. The blue ring on mine started flaking off right away, which hasn't been an issue on my mini. I didn't get this for pretty looks, though. I am going to beat the crap out of it and make people laugh when I pull this ridiculous knife out of my pocket.

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So cool, and fun!!!

This knife is crazy cool. Every time I pull this out I get the best looks, and conversation...no one can resist wanting to hold it and flip it. Which by the way, has the best action on almost any knife I have. Holds well in the hand, and has decent balance. I will admit though, not great for the pocket carry, kinda(ha) big in the pocket. It gets 5 stars still and if you buy this… read more and think it is a small EDC for your pocket, you will need suspenders and a belt. Otherwise BUY this knife, have fun with it...

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Hilarious and over the top

but I love it. This thing is the best conversation starter knife I own. It demands attention. Came to me super sharp. Has never failed to flip. A little heavy but does not chew up my pants. For the price, this has been my best buy this year.

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Big - Solid - Smoothe

This is a big knife, yet as an EDC it fits well in the jeans pocket without being obtrusive. It’s a solid piece of gear, the weight of which gives it a sense of gravitas when held in hand. It flips open with a satisfying “thunk.” For those who like to fidget with stuff it rates a ten.
It comes out of the box sharp enough to shave with, though I used it for cutting up some… read more heavy plastic sheeting off a mattress.
The best part is when you take it out and say, “Check out my new knife,” and it elicits an automatic, “Whoa! Lemme see that!”

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Beautiful Knife

My initial reaction when I opened the box was *WOW!* what a big honking knife. Big in a good way. The blade is the main focus when you flip this sucker out it's hard to miss. The picture does NOT do it justice. Yeah, I know its made in China. OK but the build quality is fantastic and with 154CM for $99 it's a no brainer. The satin finish on this blade combined with the OD green… read more G10 looks perfect. The ribbing on the G10 gives it a very grippy feeling. If I had any complaint, it has NO jimping on the blade. However, for the price it's a great buy. I'm glad I picked one up while they were in stock!

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Now that’s a knife

This is a large knife! All my folders are 4” The quality is fantastic. The sheep’s foot looks crazy cool at 4 inches. This is not the knife to whip out at your kids soccer game to open juice packets, your gonna freak out the moms. Your buddies are gonna be jealous of this one. If you dig big butts no I mean big knifes....buy it when it’s back in stock!

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Excellent for both cutlery and camping.

I initially looked at the more expensive version of this cleaver, but decided that S35VN steel and titanium handles were not worth the extra $100 plus dollars. I really like the G-10 grip and the knife is extremely comfortable in my hand. The 154CM is a well balanced steel for corrosion resistance, toughness, and hardness, and is an ideal choice for this knife. I bought one for… read more my sister, as she is always losing the sheaths for her small cleavers and the cleavers wind up banging around in the drawer, a very nice cut ambush if you ask me. With this knife, she can fold the blade in the handle and store it safely in a drawer. As for myself, I had planned on keeping it in a pack, but it is so handly I generally keep it in a large pocket so it is there when I need it. After handling this for awhile, I do not consider this overly large. I think it is just right. I also like the smooth ball bearing action as well as the solid lockup. It deploys very quickly with minimum effort. I reaaly like this knife, and it has become one of my all time favorites.

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Big and well balanced

To me this knife isn't ridiculously big, I'm 6'3" with what I think are small hands but I wear a large to xl glove so to most people they're big. Holding this knife in my hands feels just right. It fits all my fingers without bunching them up together, and the weight isn't an issue. I normally carry a Benchmade 810 contego and it's the same length blade but obviously not as wide.… read more I'd compare this to a .45 round and my benchmade to a 10mm both are normally over powered to most but to me everything is perfect.

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Worth every dollar

This completely absurd knife needs to be added to your collection. Its yuuuuge and ridiculous, but will garner copious reactions from your fellow friends, whom are probably jealous they don't own one...yet. The sound it makes when you flick it open reminds me of unsheathing a katana! In pocket, its barely noticeable by onlookers, but is heavy and takes up real estate. Additionally,… read more mine was super sharp out of the box.

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The meme knife

It's stupid, It's ridiculous, it's totally unnecessary. I absolutely love it. It's such a meme. I will never carry it, but i will look at it and laugh out loud everyday. Also it has an amazing action, which makes this a fidget knife. 11/10 would recommend.

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