Review: Bear & Son Double Clutch IV Out-the-Front Knife

By Randall Chaney

Editor’s Note: Today’s review of the Bear & Son Double Clutch IV covers a pocket knife that may not be legal in some jurisdictions. Please check the laws regarding the ownership and usage of these types of knives in your locality. Bear & Son provided the knife to the author for review.

Who can resist the sharp snap of an automatic-opening knife? The sound alone can produce an involuntary grin and maybe even an excited gasp. Well, a Bear & Son Double Clutch IV magically appeared at my office a few weeks ago. An out-the-front (OTF) knife from the Bear OPS specialty section? Intriguing.

Bear OPS is a division of the Bear & Son Knife company. Bear OPS blades are proudly produced in Jacksonville, Alabama as part of its “Operational Precision for Superior” knife family. To ensure quality control, their self-supporting factory manufactures the Bear OPS line from the initial blade blanking and grinding all the way through to the assembly of the finished knives. Made in the USA!

Under the Hood

The Double Clutch IV came in a nice microfiber slip within the black box. I could not wait to fire the arcane mechanism. This OTF folder is a double-action knife, which means it automatically sends the blade out with a forward motion of the sliding trigger and automatically retracts the blade with a rearward pull of the trigger. Snick, snick. Snick, snick. That was heard a lot from my workshop.

Automatic opening knife types include the double-action OTF; a single-action OTF that only sends the blade out, which then must be manually retracted; and the traditional side opening “switchblade.” An advantage to an OTF is that the user’s grip on the knife does not change when deploying the blade as it would with a side-opening folder.

While the OTF blade shoots out with authority, for those thinking it can be utilized in a close contact fashion, that is the stuff of espionage motion pictures or at least something streaming. I held the Double Clutch IV about an inch away from an innocent box and fired the trigger. The blade went thump and barely put a dent in the cardboard. Theory vanquished. If you do this, be aware that the blade will now be out of track. Carefully pulling the sharp part fully open will reset it in its mechanism. I would not repeat this, but no harm done. Snick, snick.

There is some sort of sorcery going on inside one of these OTF knives. Not sure how they work (and I don’t recommend that you do this), I grabbed a T6 Torx bit and took the six retaining screws off the left scale of the Double Clutch IV. Removing the scale exposed the obscure workings of the OTF. The blade’s movement is assisted by a sliding track and controlled by the trigger.

Spring tension pulls the blade forward or backward depending on the orientation of the track. There are two small tabs at the top and bottom of the frame to catch notches in the blade to end its travel in either direction and lock it in place. So, it was not as mysterious as I had envisioned, but I quickly put the knife back together lest the wizardry escape.

Details on the Out-the-Front

A flat ground tanto blade presents itself from the front of the black aluminum handle of the Double Clutch IV. The “IV” in the name refers to the 4.5” handle length. The larger sibling of the IV is the Double Clutch V, which comes in a 5.125” handle. Both have a D2 blade. The Double Clutch IV’s blade is 2.81” in length and 0.100” in thickness with sharp grind lines and a pleasing brushed satin finish.

Generally speaking, D2 tool steel holds a superior edge and is very tough. Its chromium content is at the lower level of what could be considered “stainless,” so D2 is reputed to be less stain-resistant than standard stainless steels. That said, D2 can hold its keen edge longer owing to its ability to take a relatively higher Rockwell hardness, in this case, 59-61 RHC. Once you get a good bevel on it, a D2 blade will be difficult to dull. Two words for D2 doubters: Bob Dozier. Master knife makers know their steel.

While somewhat squared up, the handle of the Double Clutch IV has attractive machining and feels grippy without having hot spots in my medium-sized hand. The trigger and screws are bright stainless and set them off from the rest of the blacked-out package. Dare I say, sometimes all black is too black. Some contrast is pleasing.

The metal lanyard hole device out back is just pointy enough to serve as a glass breaker but not so much so that will dig into your side. A wide, short pocket clip is tip-down, right-side carry only, and holds the Double Clutch unobtrusively in the pants. At 3.25 oz., the whole knife is a friendly everyday carry.

I couldn’t help but compare the diminutive Double Clutch IV with the enormous Bear & Son American 502D Bowie I reviewed for The Armory Life a year ago. For two knives with the same essential function of cutting through things, they are wildly different in execution and diverse in the environments in which they would excel. But a common trait for both blades is Bear’s excellent quality control.

Hands-On with the Bear & Son Knife

Since some early switchblade knives were issued to paratroopers to cut shroud lines in an emergency, I thought it fitting to cut some 550 paracord with my Double Clutch. No argument that this knife was sharp out of the box. It was. The D2 scrunched through the nylon with no problem. We decimated some cardboard next. The handle remained comfortable, and the edge was unaffected. Sorry, no ammo can abuse on this model.

Our friendly disclaimer is that automatic-opening knives should only be possessed and/or carried in accordance with your state and local laws. Nothing written here will constitute legal advice. As with firearms, stay educated about your EDC! The American Knife and Tool Institute is a non-profit organization (501(c)6) that represents the knife community and users. They are an excellent resource.

Final Thoughts on the Clutch IV

Bear OPS has conjured up a fun and durable little pocketknife in the Double Clutch IV. The manufacturer’s suggested price of $289.99 is much above what I found while checking out some of my favorite online retailers. If you are interested in owning an out-the-front automatic folder and its arcane workings, the Double Clutch is worthy of your consideration.

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