As I opened the box, I knew in an instant I was in for a treat. Nestled inside was a gorgeous leather zippered pouch. Lifting it out from the box, I saw a thin plastic bag with what looked to be stickers. Under that, I found a nifty coin embossed with Wheat State Cutlery’s logo.
Decorative bells and whistles like these don’t automatically indicate the quality of the knife in the package. But I’ve been involved with the knife world long enough to know that when a maker puts this much effort into the packaging, it usually means they’re damn proud of what’s inside. And in the case of the Peacemaker, that pride is well-deserved.
Wheat State Cutlery is an offshoot from Finch Knife Company, which a few colleagues spoke highly, so I reached out about reviewing the brand’s knives. I received a few different models, including this knife.
The Peacemaker, it turns out, is the first knife made under the Wheat State Cutlery banner. Based on my experience with it, this brand has truly hit the ground running — I’m eager to see what’s next.
In short: The Peacemaker is an excellent option for someone looking for a low-key but handsome EDC knife. It’s robust enough to do real work around the house or workshop, and good-looking enough to take with you to the office or even on a night out.
Check out the GearJunkie guide to the Best Pocket Knives.
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Perfect size for EDC -
Non-threatening appearance -
Sheepsfoot blade profile is handy
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Handle might be a bit bulky for some -
Requires two hands to open
Wheat State Cutlery Peacemaker Review
Before I get to the knife, I need to go over the box contents, as Wheat State Cutlery really overdelivers.
The box itself is sturdy cardboard with a magnetic closure, making it great for storage as well as display. The underside of the lid has a sticker that talks a bit about the Peacemaker’s inspirations, Dodge City, and Wyatt Earp.
The knife case is brown leather with a fabric liner. The shiny brass zipper really pops against the leather. A plastic bag underneath contains a sticker, warranty card, and another card detailing the blade markings. Each knife is stamped on the tang with a serial number, which breaks down like this.
- 01 = Pattern # (Peacemaker)
- M = M390 blade steel
- 100 = Quantity produced with this handle material
- 24 = Year produced
At the bottom of the box is a nifty metal coin. One side has the Wheat State Cutlery name and logo. The reverse has Peacemaker, the same serial number, and an engraving of a revolver’s cylinder. Very cool stuff all around.
Materials and Design
The Peacemaker is a Barlow-esque style knife. One sign of a true Barlow is that the bolster is fairly large, often covering about a third of the handle’s length.
That’s not the case here, though the Peacemaker does have the same sort of teardrop-shaped handle as a traditional Barlow. The upshot is a handle that’s very comfortable, especially in cases where the end of the handle is jammed into your palm.
For example, if you’re angling the blade tip down into the material you’re cutting, the handle can dig into your hand. Because it’s rounded, this doesn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable.
This knife has a sheepsfoot style, Blackwash-finished, M390 steel blade, where the spine and the edge are nearly parallel. While not as common or popular as a drop point or clip point blade, the sheepsfoot is very useful. It’s particularly adept at tasks like cutting designs out from leather, cardboard, and other materials.
In this way, it works like a utility knife. However, with the straight edge along the length of the blade, it’s also great for whittling and carving, in addition to most other standard knife chores.
When it comes to slip joint knives, you’ll often hear the phrase “walk and talk.” The walk refers to the feel of the knife as it opens and closes, specifically the feel of the tang as it moves against the backspring.
The talk is the sound the knife makes when it snaps open and shut. The Peacemaker has a great walk and talk. Snagging the nail nick and pulling the blade open is smooth to the half-stop and then again to full open. And there is a satisfying snap or click as the blade falls into place at either end of that cycle.
The Peacemaker model was made with three different handle materials, including burlwood and a swirled carbon fiber. The one shown here is Red River carbon fiber. I run hot and cold with carbon fiber handle scales. I’ve seen some that look just awful and some that look amazing. The Peacemaker scales are subdued, with faint texturing. They look and feel great.
Peacemaker Performance
I’ve been using the Peacemaker off and on over the last few weeks. It’s been at the ready in my pocket during several hikes, and also put in some time as a utility knife in the kitchen.
This is what some call a two-handed pocket knife, because there’s just no practical way you’re going to open it with one hand. This isn’t a bad thing, but it’s worth noting. If you’re after a knife that you can deploy quickly and/or one-handed, this isn’t for you.
The handle is kind of bulky given the size of the blade. But as someone with larger hands, I feel this is a feature and not a flaw. I can get all four fingers around it, and the knife doesn’t feel lost in my grip.
Closed, the spine is almost even with the handle. Fortunately, Wheat State added some contour to the handle to expose the nail nick on the blade. There’s enough space there to pinch the spine to pull it open if you’re lacking in the nail department.
The blade has a full flat grind and is very thin. As a result, it is a tremendous slicer. This was very evident when I used it to cut up veggies for snacks. It also did well with shaving some sticks to make tinder.
What I Loved
The Peacemaker is one of the nicest slip joint knives I’ve had the honor of using. It’s incredibly comfortable, even after using it for quite a while. There aren’t any hot spots or rough edges anywhere. The rounded end of the handle helps it to seat well in my grip without feeling like it’s digging in.
I also feel that the sheepsfoot blade profile is criminally underrated in the EDC world. In the grand scheme of things, you just don’t see it very often. But there’s very little you can’t do with it.
Final Thoughts: Who Needs This Knife?
The Peacemaker is low-profile, well-made, and built to last. It also happens to be quite a looker. It’s perfect for someone seeking a knife they can bring to the office and not have to worry about being sent to talk to someone in HR about the company’s weapon policy.
At the same time, it isn’t so good-looking and high-end that you’ll only think of it as pocket jewelry and avoid using it lest you scratch it.
Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of safe queens myself. But the Peacemaker isn’t going to be one of them.
The Wheat State Cutlery Peacemaker is available now, and it retails for $265. You can find it at the Finch Knife Company website, as well as Blade HQ.
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