Kansept Apollo Cross Bar Lock Knife Review

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Kansept Apollo Cross Bar Lock Knife Review

The Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife is a Jeandre Mostert design. This one has a Damascus blade and “lightning strike” anodizing, but others are available.

Official Specs

Here’s a link to the Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife.

Versions

At least five versions of the Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife are available. Here they are!

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife versions

Price

This version of the Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife costs around $170. The others range up from there, all the way up to nearly $300.

Note that on this and many Kansept knives, there’s an option for shipping from a US warehouse! So, regardless of any other issues, these knives are already inside the USA and can be shipped without any fuss.

Package and Manual

Kansept Fermi knife box

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife box

There is no manual.

What’s Included

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife what's included

  • Cleaning cloth
  • Spare Crossbar parts (2)
  • Carry pouch
  • Card

Look

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife open clip side

The Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife is a very angular and clever-looking knife. I’m a huge fan of carbon fiber and the copper inlay on this one is nice.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife open non clip side

Kansept describes the design as “ergonomic,” despite all the angles. I find that to be true enough, in that the knife is perfectly comfortable to hold and wield.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife three quarter view

There’s no detent in the blade pathway.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife half open

There’s minimal branding, including the model name (Apollo) and the logo for Jeandre Mosert, the designer.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife minimal branding

Open / Close / Lock

The Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife is a thumbstud opening knife. The thumbstud is on both sides of the blade, so the Apollo can reasonably be said to be ambidextrous. (More on that later.)

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife dual thumbstuds

I had no trouble opening the Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife with this thumbstud.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife thumbstud opening

One of my most preferred ways to open a knife like this is actually the lock, though. If you release the Crossbar lock just a bit, the blade is no longer tensioned in place, and you can flip the knife open. That works very well with the Apollo.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife crossbar lock release

Again, this is a crossbar lock knife. This little area just behind the pivot (below) can be moved forward or backward for locking the knife. It’s all under tension (no click). You might get a better idea of how this feels by looking at the two spare parts in the “what’s included” section above.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife open in hand

I really love Crossbar (and Axis) locking knives. This one works well, and the blade is heavy enough to make flipping with the Crossbar mechanism very rewarding.

Below you can see where the lock isn’t. There’s no frame lock or liner lock. It’s all in the cross bar!

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife lockup

Build and Feel

The Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife feels very solid. That seems a generic thing to say, but on the Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife, the scales are metal with carbon fiber and metal inlay, and the knife just does feel solid!

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife scale detail

The pivot is accessible on both sides.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife dual pivot adjustment

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife spine standing

The blade is perfectly centered.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife blade centering

While you can’t see too much of it below, the pivot is a very smooth ceramic ball bearing pivot.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife pivot view

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife end view

Backspacers are just standoffs, but do match the black scales.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife backspacers

The handles are not skeletonzied.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife inside scales

Below, you can have a good look at the blade spine. You can see the taper in the middle, and the flair back out toward the tip in other sections of the review, but at least do note that this knife isn’t really for bushcraft or striking flint.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife top down on spine

Size

Overall Length 7.38″/187.5mm
Blade Length 3.11″/79mm
Blade Thickness 0.118″ / 3.0mm
Weight 3.67oz/104g

Above, you can see the Kansept Apollo knife with the Civivi Elementum in orange G10. I use that knife so much!

Here’s the knife in hand:

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife in hand

Below you can see the Kansept Apollo knife with the venerable Convoy S2+. The version below is a custom laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full post on an engraved orange host right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to buy your Convoy S2+ now!

Also in the photo above, my Standard Reference Material (SRM) flashlight is the Hanko Machine Works Trident, an 18350 light. While I have not reviewed or tested the Gunner Grip version seen here, I have tested a Hanko Machine Works Trident Total Tesseract in brass. I love the Trident, and it’s a striking contrast to the inexpensive Convoy S2+, another great SRM.

Steel / Cut / Oats

The Kansept Apollo knife uses S35VN steel, which is a good choice if you plan to use the knife a bunch! I think all five versions of this knife use S35VN, too, but some of the blades (including this one) are coated, while some are not.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife steel label etc

Kansept has the blade listed as “drop point.” According to coltellimania.com, which produced this image, the Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife probably does have a drop point blade or modified clip point. Either way, it’s a great blade shape.. And again, it’s a 3.11″ blade.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife blade shape detail

Retention

A pocket clip is included and built into the Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife. The clip has no external screws.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife pocket clip detail

The knife carries well, and the clip has good tension.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife pocket clip profile

The clip is not reversible.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife not reversible

I am not sure how it attaches internally, but if it were reversible, there’d be at least some indication on this scale (above). So, despite having dual thumbstuds (and I guess, the Crossbar lock being accessible on both sides), the clip not being reversible may play into your opinion on the Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife being ambidextrous.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife clip end view

Kansept also included their standard pouch.

Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife in pouch

Summary and Conclusion

The Kansept Apollo cross bar lock knife is quite a distinctive knife! The Jeandre Mostert design is quite interesting, and maybe surprisingly comfortable in hand. The blade at 3.11″ is not overly big, and the Apollo carries fairly small anyway.

Notes

  • This knife was provided by Kansept for review. I was not paid to write this review.
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