UK Legal Friction/Slipjoint Folder Knife with Wooden Handle Review

This one has arrived a few weeks ago and I feel like I can review it now.

First impressions:
Not great. The action wasn't smooth, it was very stiff and was hard to open. 
In addition it had sort of chemical smell coming from the wooden handles.  
The blade was sharp and centered.
I realized that I will need to disassemble the knife from the start to make it work right and I did.

Disassembly:
The knife's construction is pretty simple - 2 liners (not skeletonized), 2 wooden scales (glued to the liners), 2 bronze washers, 2 screws and pivots, 1 blade, 1 stop pin, 1 standoff.
It has a detent created by the liners (2 bars from both sides) and those were pushing too hard on the blade and that caused the bad action. I bent them out a bit, polished the washers and assembled the knife back. 
The action improved significantly and it became possible to open the knife with all the methods.

Pros:

- Unique looks. It doesn't look like any other blade I've seen before, and it looks great and very special IMO.
- Opening methods - could be opened by the trigger like a friction folder and by the hole in the blade (with a thumb and flicked out with the middle finger). Options are usually good.
- The design. I like the concept that combines the advantages of a friction folder and a slip-joint, that makes it legal to carry in places where locking blades are prohibited, but also keeps the blade in the open position (like a slip-joint).
- Pretty good ergos for my medium sized hand. It is also rounded and wide, so fills the hand nicely.

Cons:

- Like I already noticed, out of the box the knife isn't great. The smell is much weaker now, but is still present.
- No pocket clip.
- Overall not a practical knife (for everyday carry). That is probably the knife's biggest con, starting from the blade shape, the lack of pocket clip, the weight and the very wide handle will make it difficult to carry every day (maybe only in a sheath).

Summary:

Overall it is definitely an interesting looking and functioning knife, that will probably bring joy to knife collectors and users, who have seen it all and used it all. It is different from any other knife I owned and that makes it special.
I wouldn't recommend it for daily carry or for beginners in the knife world (because it will require to work on for a bit to make it function right).

Check out the knife here: Friction/Slipjoint Folder Knife
Similar looking Spyderco Friction Folder here: Spyderco Friction Folder Knife 
Other friction folders here: Friction Folder Knives

New Knives on AliExpress - Mini CH Knives 3504, UK Legal and more!

So a new wave of knives has hit AliExpress and I would like to present you some of my picks.
BTW - I have decided to put a sticky post right under my social accounts post, where I will publish new knives that will appear on the platforms, so please stay tuned and follow the blog for updates.

1. The new mini version of the CH 3504 (skull flipper) has been presented:
This version has some differences over the previous one.
First of all the skull was replaced by horizontal lines.
The steel has also been changed to AUS-8.
It will come in 3 anodization options.

Check out the CH3504 Mini here: CH Knives 3504 Mini

2. New Friction Folder Ti Cleaver:
The Chinese makers have suddenly started to make more and more friction folders.
One of those is a new Ti Cleaver, which has that small-but-overbuilt style.
Pretty cool unique (?) design, that can be specifically practical in places where locking knives are prohibited.
EDIT: Turns out it is a clone after all, the originals are made by @justin_silvers on IG, check out his work.

Check it out here: Friction Folder Ti Cleaver
More friction folders could be found here: Friction Folders

3. Spyderco style friction folders:
The only thing copied here is the Spyderco's round hole, the knives has no markings and of course no lock.
What it does however have is 2 blade styles and 2 wood color choices.

Check them out in this shop: Spyderco style friction folders
Genuine Spyderco Friction Folder is sold here: Spyderco Friction Folder

4. Spyderco Positron clone:
This knife is interesting, because the Chinese have made it a lot bigger than the genuine model (3.75'/95mm blade).
I don't know if it was intentional, but this is a good thing IMO, because the genuine model is a bit too small to my taste.
Check it out here: Spyderco Positron Clone
Genuine Spyderco Positron here: Genuine Spyderco Positron

5. LDT Zieba G2 Style budget front flipper - G10 version:
This clone has been around for a while in it's ti framelock variant (made by CH knives), but now LDT have stepped up and made a G10 linerlock version of the same knife, this time with 9Cr18MoV blade.
Check it out here: LDT Zieba G2 Style Front Flipper

Budget Friction Folder DIY Project!

A little DIY project I did today:
Got this Kershaw Shuffle clone from Ali and turned it into a no-lock friction folder, which is legal to carry almost everywhere.
Once I got the knife, I disassembled it and broke the liner with my hands by bending it a few times.
Then assembled the knife again, tightened the pivot all the way, and that's it - it works great, the friction supplies a sufficient detent to hold the blade in the open and closed positions (I'll publish a video in the comments).
It might work with other blades but I recommend:
1. Choosing a relatively cheap blade with a liner lock and a choil, so the knife could be held securely.
2. Choose a knife with nylon washers (not bronze ones and definitely not with bearings), as nylon washers will give you just the right amount of friction if you tighten the pivot all the way.
3. Choose a knife with thumb studs or a thumb hole (definitely not flippers).
Got the knife here: Shuffle Clone
Genuine Kershaw Shuffle could be bought here: Genuine Kershaw Shuffle
Or here: Kershaw Shuffle