Smith’s Titania II Folding Knife Review

U.S.A. — We’re heading to Alaska with the world-renowned Waterfall Resort Alaska to fish. I’m super excited about this trip. I’ve been saving my writing money for many years. Two years ago, we had to cancel because of the pandemic. Then in 2022, my daughter moved her wedding from September to July, which took priority. So I had a trip planned for the third time in July 2023. Then in May of 2023, she told me she was pregnant. But she said no biggie; she’s my fishing buddy, so she’s still in.

So with all of the above said, I’m taking a bunch of Smith’s Consumer Products knives along to test. There is regular outdoor weather, and then there is Alaska weather. If gear holds up in Alaska, then it is good to go anywhere.

On trips, you want to test gear before you go for two reasons. To become familiar with it and to make sure that it is functional. Especially on deal-breaking items such as rifles/shotguns, ammo, clothing, etc. But sometimes, you don’t always get to do that as a writer. But I’ve worked with Smith’s for probably over fifteen years, so I feel comfortable taking their knives and sharpeners without using them beforehand and will test them on this fishing trip.

I got all four of us some Smith folders to carry. I thought that I’d test mine before we leave and cover the others later. So, with the above said, let’s get into the Product Review on the Smith’s Titania II folder. It is a full-sized folder, which I prefer for the folders that I carry outdoors. I don’t want a dainty-sized knife when things hit the fan, which can happen when in a boat. You may need to cut loose a life jacket, anchor rope, or if a line gets wrapped around someone when a 250 lb. halibut is on the other end of the line.

Smith’s Titania II Folding Knife

The Smith’s Titania II has a stout pocket clip. We’ll be wearing rain gear so I won’t clip it to my pocket but more likely to one of the straps on my life jacket so I can access it quickly. To lock the 3 ½” blade in place, it utilizes a frame locking system.

On any survival type of tool, you always want to make sure that it is constructed in such a manner so you can maintain a firm grip on the tool. A few features on the Smith’s Titania II folder ensure that you’ll have a firm grip.

First, it is a full-sized knife with a full-sized handle that fits my hand perfectly. The flipper also acts as a finger guard to keep your pointer finger from sliding down onto the blade as well as locks your hand in place. The backside of the flipper has grooves, as well as the edge of the frame lock. These two grooves further enhance your grip.

The top of the handle has nearly ¾-inches of thumb grooves which further helps your grip. I wish it had thumb grooves on the spine of the blade as well.

You have two choices to aid in opening the blade. The Smith’s Titania II has right and left-hand thumb studs as well as a flipper.

It has a 3.4-inch drop-point blade. But the first 1 ½-inches of the blade tilts ¼-inches downwards, so the Smith’s Titania II has a definite point so you can perform all your stabbing jobs. Mine came from the factory sharp, which is not always the case with a new knife.

The Smith’s Titania II folder comes with a hole in the hilt of the handle in case you want to install a lanyard. I think leather lanyards look cool, but I’m always afraid that they may catch on something and get jerked out of my pocket, and I won’t even know. So I usually don’t use a lanyard.

I can’t vouch for this statement as of yet, but it is advertised as having a Titanium coating, which I can only assume would help prevent it from rusting as fast as a regular folder out in the saltwater conditions that we’ll be fishing in.

And lastly, it is an open-backed knife which makes it easier to keep clean.

The Smith’s Titania II MSRP is $32.99, and as is usual, we will close with the company specs.

• 3.4” 420 Stainless satin blade
• Ambidextrous thumb studs
• Pocket clip
• Titanium coating
• Lanyard hole
• Frame lock
• Flipper/Guard
• 8” overall length when open

About Tom Claycomb

Tom Claycomb has been an avid hunter/fisherman throughout his life as well as an outdoor writer with outdoor columns in the magazine Hunt Alaska, Bass Pro Shops, Bowhunter.net, and numerous magazines and newspapers. “To properly skin your animal, you will need a sharp knife. I have an e-article on Amazon Kindle titled Knife Sharpening #ad for $.99 if you’re having trouble.”