Ganzo Firebird FH13 - Knife First Impressions - The Practical Blade

Hooooo boy. This one's a doozy. But not in a bad way.
The Ganzo Firebird FH13 knife is absolutely BLOWING my mind. D2 steel, ball bearing action, frame lock, and deep carry clip... all for $27.50.
Look out budget knives... this one is coming for you.
If you'd like to support the channel, please consider using my special links below to purchase the exact same tools I use to maintain my knives, and generally make my knife life more pleasant. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Cleaning / Lubrication:
Knife Pivot Lube (Apply to bearings, washers, detent tracks, etc... to protect parts and create a smoother action): amzn.to/3mhEYME
Frog Lube Cleaner, Lubricant, Protectant (Primarily applied to blades / steel liners to prevent rust): amzn.to/2RkAk2i
Disposable Cotton Cleaning Patches (A small and disposable medium to apply cleaning products to): amzn.to/32tla0M
70% Rubbing Alcohol (for getting rid of gunk): amzn.to/3bXkynt
Cotton Swabs / Q-tips (For getting rid of gunk in tight spaces): amzn.to/3hzNGCA
Assembly / Disassembly (Drivers / Bits):
I STAND BY WIHA! WIHA provides hardened steel bits - and for those of you who are new to this - hardened steel bits are critical to ensure you don't strip bits and get in a nasty situation where your knife is half-disassembled and your bit no longer works! Do NOT buy those cheap 50-piece kits that come with "everything" for like $10. They will not last you, you will regret it.
Wiha 75981 | 7 Piece Pocket Clip MicroBit Set (Small set with bits and driver - arguably all you need): amzn.to/35xwmeU
Wiha 75988 | 10 Piece Torx MicroBits Set (Bit set, in case you need more bits): amzn.to/3itzpZj
Wiha 75992 System 4 Precision Interchangeable Bit Set, Torx, Slotted, Phillips, Hex Inch, ESD Safe Precision Handle, 27 Piece In Compact Box (Bigger set for... MORE stuff): amzn.to/2GYM34E
Wiha 75965 Precision Micro Bit Ratchet Steel Storage Box, 65-Piece (Biggest set for... MOST stuff): amzn.to/35yjlSn
Blade Sharpening / Polishing:
The KME sharpening kit might seem a bit pricey at first, but in my opinion it is 1) Much more affordable that its competitors, 2) Insanely simple to use, and 3) A small price to pay for nearly-indefinite self-sharpening for all of your knives. You can also create your own "stones" using balsa wood and diamond compound to give yourself a mirror edge at a fraction of the KME polishing accessories prices.
KME Precision Sharpening Kit (Basic kit, can reprofile edges as well as get them razor sharp, no expertise needed): amzn.to/2ZzVwGa
5k grit to 100k grit Diamond Polishing Compound (for mirror edges): amzn.to/2Fs1O3t
Balsa Wood (To apply diamond compound to and use with KME system): amzn.to/3izk21C

[@chesterfumblenutts6935]

One of Ganzo's finest knives. I am in love with this knife. I bought 5 of them! 👍

[@thepracticalblade9013]

My father can't get over how great the value is. Always brags about it and compares even the $200-300 knives I show him to Ganzo. Lol

[@Wolf459]

I share your enthusiasm. I have the bright-finished FH12-SS and find it flawless in design and construction. Most of the knives I own are from top makers but I can say in all honesty that this Ganzo's performance and overall likableness is on a par with the best of them. I would offer that in terms of design elements, this model compares favorably with the Ruike P801.

[@aimanmutalib1508]

Flipping my fh 13 ss while watching your vid!

[@thepracticalblade9013]

Love it! It's a kife that continues to make me question "why I'd ever pay more for a knife". God knows I have 😅

[@lazar2175]

Good review! Having held a metal scale/frame one, which would you pick as a preferred scale option, G10, Carbon fiber or metal? I gravitate towards carbon fiber because it looks cool but people day there isn't enough grip and i'm afraid that the full metal one is going to be really heavy.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

This knife in particular is surprisingly light even though it's made of steel since they skeletonized the handles. If I have to be honest, a well-textured G10 is my favorite from a grip perspective. Notice i said well-textured... I've held G10 knives before that are somewhat slippery. I.e.: my Ontario Rat 2 doesn't exactly have "grippy" scales. CF is interesting. The CF I've handled seems to have an inherent grippiness to it. Not nearly as grippy as a textured G10, but more grippy than flat titanium or steel. Honestly, they all can work, depending on how the scales are made. I've held knives with titanium scales with milled texturing that were grippier than G10 knives with minimal texturing. If you put a gun to my head and forced me to choose, I like the versatility and strength of titanium. It can be smooth, it can be grippy, it can be aesthetically plain or aesthetically crazy. CF is inherently brittle and I fear ever dropping a CF knife on a hard surface like the cement from a healthy distance.

[@lazar2175]

@@thepracticalblade9013 Oh well. Thanks for elaborate response. Since these are so cheap, i think i'll order all of them, see which ones i like and i'll gift the rest to friends and family.

[@thepracticalblade9013]

@@lazar2175 No problem! I've watched many reviews of almost all of the Ganzo models. I can't find people who genuinely dislike them. They're not $200 knives, but they're certainly built WAY over their price range. Insane value. Can't go wrong.

[@c.a.6636]

Is it difficult to flip open? I have tendon issues in my dominant hand

[@thepracticalblade9013]

I'd say slightly on the firm side Maybe 6/10. Hard to gauge because the jimping is so aggressive. Unfortunately I'm not familiar with your specific issues and don't know what typically triggers them. Have you tried all styles of deployment?

[@hibahprice6887]

Its price is 50 bucks in my country..

[@hibahprice6887]

But it also costs twice as much as all other knives presented at Hansa

[@bigjohn3038]

Crazy Value! Almost makes me regret refusing to have Chinese knives 🔪 in my collection. 🫣