For a long time, the Chris Reeve Sebenza was the high-end knife to buy. There was not much reason to venture beyond the Sebenza; it was the last reasonable purchase before you ended up in the realm of collector-only custom pieces.
But now there are lots of small-batch production knives that cost four figures: Koenig, Grimsmo, Shirogorov, and Custom Knife Factory, to name a few. In this lofty company, the Torrent V3 Knife from Millit Knives sits comfortably in terms of polish while standing out in terms of value.
Millit Knives has been making the Torrent, a TJ Schwarz design, for years — maybe even a decade. There has been a trio of versions, and this is the latest and greatest (I owned V1 and sold it … it wasn’t as good).
The third version of the Torrent knife, the V3 is a feat of small-batch production knife making. It is also a good value compared to other small-batch production knives of similar build quality, which routinely sell for more than twice the price. And this puts me in an odd position — recommending a $450 knife because it is a good value.
But the market is weird right now.
In short: This knife is a tour de force of design touches and high-end knife production at an exceptionally reasonable price in the current market. Some will scoff at its very limited availability (the V3 has only appeared on social media), but production iterations that are nearly as good live on the Millit website.
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Steel
S90V -
Grind
Hollow grind with convex edge -
Lock
Frame lock -
Blade length
3.2″ -
OAL
7.4″ -
Weight
2.7 oz. -
Price
Starting at $400, $450 as configured -
Country of origin
Made in the USA
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Elite fit and finish -
Complex and innovative machining -
Stunning flourishes and details with functional value -
Interesting clip design -
Careful maximization of ratios -
Price when compared to competitors
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Price when compared to most knives -
Availability
Millit Knives Torrent V3 Review
First Impressions
Why buy a knife that is more expensive than a Sebenza? It’s a fair question because the Sebenza is pretty darn good. But if you pick up this knife, you’ll understand what’s beyond the “Sebenza Barrier.”
This is a finely made knife that feels like a high-end watch and looks like the engine bay of a hypercar. It’s incredibly slim and incredibly solid, yet it is not bland or utilitarian.
It’s complex and stunning, but the details are in service to function, which is incredible in the realm of luxury items.
Steel
The blade steel here, S90V, has solid attributes all around. It is very resistant to corrosion, has stellar wear resistance, and is outstandingly tough.
So, the Torrent works great for many jobs. I wouldn’t drive it into the dirt with a shovel on a camping trip, but I wouldn’t do that with most knives. It is quite good around the wood shop, around the house, and in the pocket for a day of running around.
Task Master
I just finished an outdoor end table built out of scraps. I had a few cutoffs of Trex for the top and extra-thick 8/4 or 9/4 pine from a raised planter bed. From these humble materials, I built the table in pretty short order, using the Torrent as a marking knife.
I have a purpose-built marking knife with a chisel grind, but this was not a high-precision task, so I wasn’t too worried. The S90V did a great job marking cut lines in the pine and was even decent at scoring the Trex (which is a terrible building material — plastic, filler, and a coating).
After building the table, the blade was still shaving sharp.
The V3 also blasted through recycling, breaking down quite a few large boxes with ease. The coated boxes are the worst for knives with multiple different kinds of material, all of which are exceptionally abrasive. This is exactly the kind of stuff S90V chews up.
I also used this knife for some food prep. Its long blade relative to the handle size and superior grind made it great for going through apples and mincing scallions from the planter bed garden. It also does well with sticky cheeses, like my favorite sharp cheddar.
I used to trim fat off chicken and steaks, not because I lacked kitchen knives, but just for fun. It handled it all quite well.
In the Hand
A few things stood out. First, I love S90V. That’s not a surprising nor controversial statement, but it is worth noting it’s really, really good. It is a smidge better than M390 and the like, but for most people, the difference is probably not noticeable.
Second, I found that the edge chipped and rolled much less than other knives. Importantly, the Torrent has a convex ground edge, whereas most knife edges are traditional v-grinds. The convex edge is much more robust. Running into a staple in a box or a bone in a chicken didn’t destroy this edge.
Finally, all the inlays, edging, and machining done on the clip (as flexible as a stamped clip even though it is fully machined) make for a surprisingly grippy knife. You don’t typically think of carbon fiber as a grippy material, especially when it is this smooth and void-free. But this handle’s design just works.
Looking at the rest of the knife, the low-profile flipper tab is superb, the recessed screws are great for grip, the internal milling on the handle creates a surprisingly light tool, and zinc-blasted details carry a luster and oil sheen look that is very eye-catching.
Details abound on the Torrent, and all of them are wonderful. Cheaper versions eschew the inlays, but the titanium is still textured for grip.
Conclusions
When a Koenig or a Shiro goes for $900-1,100 retail, a $450 knife that is just as nice or nicer becomes a bargain. But it is not just that the Torrent is a good price; it is also an exceptionally refined knife. Detail after detail lands just right, and there is a noticeable step up from other production knives down the price spectrum.
This won’t be a great knife in the woods, with lots of places to gather gunk and debris, but if you are looking for a truly special folder for a non-insane (or less insane) price, the Torrent V3 will make you happy.
What might make you unhappy is its availability. Millit posts stuff as it is finished, and there can be both long delays and intermittent availability. But if you wait, your patience will be rewarded. Just be sure to follow and check Millit’s Instagram for drops.
If you don’t want to stare at social media, hoping for a chance to buy this exclusive knife, you can also shop Millit’s production knives on its website.
