When the name "Beretta" is mentioned in the world of law enforcement or the military the first thing that comes to mind is pistols. With the popularity of Beretta's Model 92/96 series of handguns this is no big surprise. So it makes sense that when Beretta entered the tactical knife market it chose the name "Model 92" for its duty blade.

So strong are the bloodlines of the Model 92 knives that the Zytel handles even resemble the stocks of the Beretta handgun, complete with Beretta's trident logo. Zytel is a polymer that's capable of taking any beating that most users will dish out, and it's also an aesthetically pleasing knife handle material.

Adding to the Model 92's toughness are the three torx head screws that make two knife halves one. The blade end screw secures not only the handles, but the bushing that allows for easy opening/closing of the blade. A small but important piece of engineering on this knife is the screw that secures the liner lock and maintains consistent tension when the knife is open and reduces stress on the clip side's grip.

The Model 92's blade is highly polished steel, with a tanto-style tip. A striking feature of the blade is that the top third is covered with Beretta's Bruton material-a tough proprietary finish that gives the knife a really impressive look.

But the most impressive qualities of this knife have nothing to do with its looks. The Model 92's tanto-style blade gives the knife a strong point for puncturing that's less prone to breakage than a chisel or spearpoint blade. Additional strength in the blade comes from the concave taper-much akin to a blood groove-that allows stress to be more evenly distributed across the entire blade.

On current production Model 92 knives the blade will be partially serrated at the request of the end users: you folks in uniformed service. It seems that many of you voiced concern that the smooth edge blade was not as useful as a serrated blade for emergency tasks like cutting seatbelts, clothes, etc. The standard blade's also still available for those who prefer it.

Like many of the Model 92's contemporaries, this knife is a clip-it style. One complaint that is often voiced about clip-its is that they discriminate against southpaws; this is not the case here. Taking into consideration that many users are lefties, or that for equipment placement reasons many righties use their left hand when drawing a knife, the thumb stud can be easily moved to either side of the blade. Not only is this user friendly to those of you who are right-side brain dominant, but it allows you to open the knife with a digit other than your thumb. I have found in cold wet weather I tend to use my index or middle finger to open the blade.

Overall the Model 92 that we tested has held up well. It was carried through the blizzard that hit most of the Northeast over Valentine's weekend, and it proved to be well designed for cold weather work. For example, the Model 92 is a little larger than some of the popular styles out there, but when your hands are in gloves, the size affords easier opening/closing and is just plain easy to use.

The Model 92's blade is AUS 8 steel, and it took a good edge that held up well after cutting filament packing tape, rock salt bags, and the occasional sandwich. When the blade needed a quick sharpening, it was a snap with a good diamond sharpening set.

If you are in need of a good solid duty or daily use knife the Beretta Model 92 folder should serve your needs. It's a quality knife at a reasonable price.

Beretta  
Model 92 Folding Knife

Blade Length: 3.5 inches
Overall Length: 7.75 inches
Weight: 3.4 ounces
Blade Material: AUS 8 stainless steel
Handle Material: Zytel
Price: $99.99
www.berettausa.com