Sharp and Pointy Things: Smith & Wesson Border Guard Knives

The BG 2 shown with a serrated tanto blade.

Got a hankering for something beefier than your average pocket knife? On a budget? The Smith & Wesson Border Guard line might be for you. Let's take a look at how they shape up.

Make no mistakes, the BG is one hefty EDC blade. Fully opened it spans nearly 10 inches, with the blade being a little over 4 inches. It looks heavy, and it is. The weight of the knife is closing on nearly half a pound. It carries comfortably in most cases, but it depends on your attire. Jeans are no problem, but in say, a pair of lighter fabric shorts it can feel like you are toting a brick around in your pocket.

While its a good choice for not only your pocket, it's not a bad knife to have in the car either. With the integrated seat belt cutter, you have an extra edge just in case. It might not be my first choice for a seat belt but for more mundane tasks, like cutting wires or string, it works well. Another bonus is the glass breaker on the butt of the handle. I haven't yet tested it, but with the weight of the knife it looks pretty capable.

My first experience was S&W knives was with the popular Border Guard 2. I got mine from Amazon, and once it arrived it was love at first slice. I opted for the serrated tanto, though its available with or without serrations and in both tanto and drop point styles. Its a beast of a knife and not for every carry occasion, but for the price its tough to beat. Sharp out of the box and a lifetime warranty.

With my BG 2 I actually tried out the warranty once the locking mechanism on the blade started to fail. Perhaps I was too hard on it, maybe I got a lemon. Regardless, the lock was bad and eventually I broke down and decided to give it a shot.

S&W knives are made by Taylor Brands, who also make Schrade knives as well as a few others. Under their warranty they will basically replace anything that would be considered a defect. The catch is they request you ship it to their repair department in Tennessee and pay a $7 processing fee.

I first inquired about the process via email. A few days went by with no response so I ended up just calling them. They explained it to me over the phone, so without any further delay I shipped them the broken knife. A couple days later I checked my email again and Taylor Brands actually offered to waive the $7 processing fee for me, but by then it was probably almost at their facility. Nice gesture, regardless.

About 12 days later I called them back to check the status of the repair. The lady I spoke with was really nice, and informed me they would just replace my knife with a Border Guard 4. She went on to tell me it should be arriving in the mail "Today probably but no later than tomorrow". Like she said it was in my mailbox later that day.

The BG 4 shows a slight make over of the handle.

The Border Guard 4 retains the same basic design, but makes a few changes. Namely the handle is the biggest difference. Gone are the finger grooves of the BG2, in favor of a more subtle arch. There is a more pronounced divot where your fingers rest, making it much less likely for them to slip onto the edge of the blade. Conversely, the BG2 had a spot like that where your thumb sits, the newer one is just the opposite.

The gritty sandpaper like grip covers a bit less space on the BG4. While it doesn't take away from the overall grip that much, the aluminum handle can be a bit slick in spots. For pocket carry this might be a good thing, though. The grip is so gritty many have commented that it started wearing down on the inside of their jeans. Either way, I preferred the grip of the BG2, but the newer model is no slouch either.

The glass breaker and the seat belt cutter are largely the same. I did notice they are both angled a bit differently but I noticed they were no better or no worse to be honest.

The blade of the knife is a bit smaller on the BG4, from about 4.4 inches to 4 inches overall. The 4 came noticeably sharper though, and the tanto tip almost seemed pointier than I remember. Overall, the newer model was a worthy replacement.

The good: Affordable, good warranty. Decently sharp.

The bad: Might be too hefty for some, at least for everyday carry.

The ugly: 1 knife failed, 1 knife works. Not sure if its a fluke or poor quality control.

All things considered, its a great blade for around $20. They stand by their warranty, and its affordable enough to have a few on hand. Give them a shot.