Reminiscent of the stocks of the classic firearms of the past, the exquisitely-grained American walnut grips of the WOOX Leggenda folding knife confer an aura of timeless beauty that modern synthetic scales cannot match. About the only material that I can think of that might be even more attractive than walnut in this application would be elk antler.
The hefty 3.5 inch long and 0.13 inch thick blade of D2 steel conveys a sense of gravitas. At 6 ounces, the knife might have just a bit more gravitas than is ideal for field use, but for shorter treks at lower altitudes it should work fine.
I usually prioritize function over form, but I am not immune to the attractions of a truly beautiful work of art. Those attractions have moved me to displace a knife that might be slightly better suited for field use in order to make room in my collection for the Leggenda. So beware: the Leggenda may enchant you too and cause you to make a decision for aesthetic rather than for purely practical considerations.
The Leggenda is designed in the USA and made in Italy and the USA. At the time of this writing the Leggenda cost $299 at wooxstore.com .
Background
I was looking through the latest issue of Knives Illustrated and noticed a photo of the WOOX Leggenda Folding Knife. It looked really classy. I wondered who I could contact at WOOX to request a sample for testing and evaluation. By coincidence, I soon received a press release indicating that WOOX had selected Harris Global Marketing as their Agency of Record. I have enjoyed working with Joel Harris, CEO of Harris Global Marketing, in the past. So I dropped Joel a note asking if he could provide me with a sample of the Leggenda for testing and evaluation. He was kind enough to agree. Not long afterward, a package arrived at my home via UPS Ground.
First Impressions
The 8 x 4.5 x 4.13 inch shipping box was sent from WOOX LLC, 1269 19th Street Lane, NW, Hickory, NC 28601.
The shipping box contained a 6 x 2.5 x 1.25 inch product box made of corrugated cardboard. The box was imprinted with helpful information with white letters on a black background. In addition to information like the address and website URL of WOOX, the box informed me that the company is composed of “Plastic Free Rebels.”
As I opened the product box, the inside flap had a QR code and URL to the product manual.
A tiny envelope on top of the knife contained miscellaneous items: a WOOX decal, a QR code for WOOX on Instagram and a QR Code for WOOX on Google Reviews, a QR code for the manual, and a sheet with use and maintenance instructions and lawyer stuff (warnings, disclaimers, and a note exhorting the user to comply with all local state and federal laws regarding the possession, carrying, and use of knives).
Under the envelope, the knife lay on a bed of excelsior like a baby doll in the manger of a nativity scene.
My first impression on taking the knife out of the box was heft. At 6 ounces, the Leggenda weighs almost twice as much as many of my other EDC knives.
My second impression was style. The walnut scales look much classier than the synthetic grips of the typical EDC knife.
The blade deploys using a flipper. The blade is heavy enough that a little extra flip of the wrist helps to assure full deployment. The Ikoma Korth Bearing System assures smooth rotation around the pivot point. During the course of my testing, I did experience a couple of occasions when the flipper snagged on the corner of my pocket while I was putting the knife away. A finger prick warned me about what had taken place on each occasion without drawing significant blood. I soon learned to insert the knife about the middle of the pocket, and then to slide it to the back corner once it was fully inserted.
I am uncertain of the exact nature of the matte black finish on the blade. It reminds me of Parkerizing or a similar phosphate finish. The finish was durable and held up well to scraping against my ink pen in my pocket. The finish on the ink pen was not as tough.
I was afraid that the ink pen would scratch the finish on the walnut grips, but I am happy to report that the grips held up with no blemishes or signs of wear.
The blade came out of the box smoothly shaving sharp. My testing produced a largish bald patch on my left forearm surprisingly quickly. After more than a month, that bald patch is finally starting to fill in.
The D2 steel of which the blade is composed is one of my favorite knife steels. It holds an edge well while still being reasonably easy to sharpen.
Jimping on the spine of the blade near the base provides extra control during delicate cuts. With a largish 3.5 inch blade, the phrase “delicate cuts” is a relative term.
WOOX describes the blade as full grind, but it looks more like saber grind to me. That is fine with me, because I like the saber grind best.
I am not sure whether to class the blade profile as straight back with a hint of drop point or drop point with a hefty dose of straight back. In any case, the hybrid is attractive and highly functional.
The pocket clip screws into the spacer between the liners on the butt of the knife rather than into the scales. This is conducive to deeper pocket carry.
My Testing
Over the course of more than a month of daily carry, I was able to use the knife for a wide variety of tasks:
–Opening mail.
–Opening a package containing large-print copies of the daily devotional Our Daily Bread. We make this resource available in the church foyer for those who would like to use it as a part of their daily Bible study.
–Removing the seal from a jug of motor oil while changing the oil in my truck.
–Cutting patches to be used while cleaning a muzzle-loader that I was testing.
–Opening the seal on a box of Christmas cards so that I could prepare some cards for the church staff.
–Opening a package with a smoked dog bone to keep Tucker the Beagle out of trouble while my wife “Kari” and I enjoyed dinner with some friends.
–Opening a shipping box containing a stocking stuffer that I purchased for Kari.
–Opening an envelope containing a pair of Merino wool socks for review.
–Opening a box containing a new carpet cleaner. We needed to clean up after our granddaughter, “Ginger”, threw up on a rug at bedtime on Thanksgiving Day.
–Cutting off the base of a thick Virginia creeper vine that was getting in the way of clearing snow from the driveway.
–Opening Tucker’s monthly dose of heartworm medicine.
–Opening a package of same-key padlocks for one of the church trailers.
–Removing the staples from a cardboard sleeve containing a chainsaw attachment for trimming hedges and small branches.
–Opening a plastic bag containing parts for the aforementioned chainsaw attachment.
–Opening the package containing a Champion Handle Rod ( https://survivalblog.com/2024/05/27/champion-handle-rod-thomas-christianson/ ) that I recently purchased on Ebay.
–Opening a plastic bag containing a PMAG AR magazine for a rifle that I am testing.
–Opening a box containing a wool poncho that I am testing.
–Opening a bag of salt for keeping our sidewalk free of ice.
–Removing the staples from a spiritual gift survey that I wanted to copy.
–Removing the staple from a purchase order whose pages I had inadvertently attached in the wrong sequence.
–Opening a case of paper for the copy machine at church.
–Opening a package of cheese to be shredded for a salad that Kari was making. I somehow pierced the base of my right thumb in the process. Kari was not especially happy to have blood on her cheese.
–Opening a package of cheese to be shredded for another salad that Kari was making. I accomplished the task without the shedding of blood this time.
–Opening a box containing a brush axe to be tested.
–Opening a jug of window washer fluid while servicing Kari’s car.
–Opening a jug of motor oil while servicing Kari’s car.
–Opening a box of minibooks for distribution in the church foyer.
–Opening packages containing Magpul and Lancer magazines for use with a rifle I was testing.
I found the Leggenda to be highly effective in these and a host of other tasks.
Conclusions
The WOOX Leggenda looks more stylish than the typical EDC knife. I don’t know if that might make it look a little less scary in civilized contexts for those who are unaccustomed to the presence of edged tools. People might think that someone who carries such a cultured and refined tool can be trusted not to be a crazed killer.
For field use, the knife may be a bit on the heavy side. Those who favor especially robust designs may like it a lot. Those who prefer to save an ounce or two or three might select another alternative. This is particularly true for those who may be covering long distances on foot at high altitudes.
If weight is a significant factor to you, it would probably be best to avoid picking up a Leggenda. But you may also find it difficult to put it back down. It is a thing of beauty.
Disclaimer
WOOX provided me with a sample of their Leggenda Folding Knife for testing and evaluation. I tried not to allow their kindness to interfere with my objectivity in this review, and I believe that I have succeeded. I did not receive any other financial or other inducement to mention any vendor, product, or service in this article.
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