Bear Ops Constant Neck Knife Review

I was at the local Academy store recently, went by the knife display and was pleased to the see a number of U.S.-made Bears and Sons knives available.  You can read my positive review of their carbon steeler Trapper pocketknife here.  It seems that neck knives have kind of gone mainstream as Academy had a Bear and Sons version in exchange for a picture of Andy Jackson.  I was picking up a few other things so impulsively added the necker and headed to the checkout. 

My initial impression of the knife itself was rather good.  This is part of the OPS line, designated as CC-400-B, made entirely of 1095 steel with a black epoxy powder coat.  Overall length is 6.25 inches, blade length is officially 2 and 7/8 — though I would call it 2 and 3/4.  The Constant Neck, as it is called, has, as you can see a modified drop point with an almost khukri-like mini-curve to the cutting edge.  I haven't had a opportunity to put it to extensive and varied use as yet, but it is a very handy size and shape.  It will work for most utilitarian tasks such as opening boxes and dressing game.  It appears to be strong enough for use in a self-defense situation, more a slasher than a stabber, but that has its advantages. 

The skeleton grip does not give a lot of purchase for my wide, thick hand.  Unlike the much smaller, lighter Folts Minimalist, there are no finger grooves to improve retention and control.  Nevertheless, I like the weight of the knife, the thick spine, and the non-stainless material.  The grainy powder finish not only protects from corrosion, it adds much needed "grippiness".  I think I can further improve the knife's usefulness by adding a paracord lanyard and, perhaps, wrapping the haft in some paracord.  I haven't done that yet because there is one thing about this knife that is negative. 

 The knife comes out of the kydex sheath very easily.  Too easily.  Simply putting the chain around my neck and letting the sheath drop — something I do all the time with the Minimalist — results in the Bear and Sons knife falling to the floor.  This is not a good thing.  There is too much play in the sheath so that if the knife moves "spine-ward" in the holster, the guard easily slips past the indentation that is supposed to hold it.

I consider this a case of inadequate testing of the design.  It's a neck knife so it is going to hang upside down.  It needs to stay put and the retention needs to be trustworthy.  You would think that somewhere during the prototyping and development cycle it would have occurred to someone to run this obvious check.

I like the knife.  It is solid.  The edge is excellent.  It would be a good fit for a slimmer hand than mine, and I can easily enhance the grip.  In fact it may be that the bulk of some paracord will be enough by itself to eliminate the dropping.  If it doesn't, a bit of epoxy or some heat and pliers will.  But I should not have to address this issue on a new "tactical" knife.       

UPDATE:  Follow-up, modifications are here.