The Civivi Knives Baby Banter Pocketknife: The Full Nick Shabazz Review

[@benbanters]

A gem! I feel like I got a gold star. 💎 Thank you, Nick. High praise. Don't mind me... I'll be busy cooking up more ridiculous scales...

[@traviswrigg5158]

More ridiculous scales? I recently came into ownership of the baby banter in the most boring scale and the most exciting thumbstud (actually, aesthetically, I have ended up finding it less boring than originally anticipated), but if ridiculous scales are on the way, my ridiculous persona demands that I request that you shut up and take my money

[@dougbulldog9947]

Great design, now how about a Baby Banter Gem + with a bar lock (axis lock style) and micarta scales

[@kilo3o3]

Would you ever come out with one with a wire clip?

[@pasquale78]

Don't be ridiculous, I just ordered one. Thanks for designing this gem!

[@edm2822]

Great design! I picked one up after watching this review. This size knife is way under represented. I can drop it in my pocket and carry as a pocket knife which is better at times. Nice thin blade .

[@wigglywrigglydoo]

This remains as one of my top "Damn, I forgot how much I like this knife!" pocket knives. It joined me at the beginning of me getting into the hobby and use of knives. Years many other knives later, I love it even more than before.

[@traviswrigg5158]

I had it in my pocket when I bought my house. It's now my closest thing to a safe queen. I love it so much and it works so well

[@willydstyle]

I bought two of these, one for myself and one as a gift, and I think your review is spot on but I should give a quality control warning: neither of the ones I purchased had a fully-formed edge apex, so both required actual sharpening out of the box, and both knives detents were wildly different strength. I think your disclaimer that you received a very-best-quality-controlled piece is very relevant to this knife.

[@Youtube-Censorship-Police]

now i'm scared to get mine, but thanks for pointing that out! very strange, i hope civivi doesn't start to slip in qc..

[@regan.8077]

Mine was perfect right out the box.

[@willydstyle]

@@KZbin-Censorship-Police I mean, if you're comfortable doing your own maintenance, or returning knives that don't work well for you, I still think it's a great knife, just QC costs money and budget knives are still budget even if they are a great design.

[@Youtube-Censorship-Police]

@@willydstyle sure, i'm aware of that and i try to lower my expectations when i buy cheaper knives, but a missing apex? that's kinda severe..i mean you should be able to use the knife ootb, right?^^ very atypical for civivi too, i bought at least 20 of their knives and all of them were fine! also: you are not the first one i've seen complaining about this knife, leftyEDC also had quality issues on his model🤔

[@Youtube-Censorship-Police]

@@regan.8077 glad to hear that!

[@LiquidRetro]

I bought these as party of my groomsmen gifts. I had both knife enthusiasts and newbies living in restricted areas, everyone is enjoying it.

[@little2826]

I'm rapidly becoming a fan of this channel. You are a gem.

[@bangzoom8180]

This is one of best overall EDC knife reviews I've seen...well done Nick! At the 10 minute mark...show it to the lady in the next office...her reactions of "confusion and terror"...HUGE LOL 😂

[@davidh0159]

I absolutely love mine (black scales with stonewashed blade). As someone with XL hands, I find this one totally acceptable at work and not intimidating to others as well as something that gets the job done. It's a great little knife that someone with big hands can handle with comfort.

[@270sasquatch]

I’ve been carrying a Buck 110 for years and a lot of folks are intimidated by it😅 so I’ve recently switched to the baby banter I like it so far

[@DrBlazer50]

That's the exact knife I got my nephew for his 10th birthday back in September, I got the purple one for myself. Anyway, he loves it and wants another knife for Christmas. I'm glad I have one of my friends or family members possibly joining the hobby. Who cares if he's 29 years younger than me! 😂

[@masone4589]

The Banter knives are just so well thought out. It fixes so many problems that people complain about. I own the full size Banter and absolutely love it

[@davidrim8309]

I love my Banter. I’ve got knives 2-4x more expensive but keep gravitating to it. I’m glad to hear the baby version is just as good

[@ghostmonkey0432]

I gifted this exact model to my niece who wanted a knife, i figured this is a good size for her needs and she absolutely loved it. The moment I held I it just had that feeling of oh man this is for me. I gave my one to sister (her mom) who kept taking it to work in green. Finally banned my own in all black and man I loved souch

[@mad0uche]

Looks like an excellent knife. Doesn't need the pivot adjusted, doesn't need the clip to be replaced to a deep carry clip, doesn't come with a ghetto wire clip from the beginning, doesn't need any work or adjustments you just go.

[@emersonb5764]

Love this black/blue combo, btw. I bought two full size Banter’s so I could scale swap for this color combo. So now I’ve got matching blue/black big banter and baby banter. Yes it shows wear a lot more but even the worn black blade looks more appealing to me than the usual bare steel blade finishes. Just preference. But please, knife makers keep making both options. I’m a sucker for a black blade and light/bright handle scales.

[@Steve-dk3md]

Love my new Baby Banter and your in debt and funny reviews too, Nick you are a gem in the knife community.

[@isilber1]

I love mine! Went with non coated blade and eagerly await goofy scale. Thanks Nick, you're the best.

[@danielmccabe6559]

Thanks mr nick. Next time someone asks to barrow my pocket knife I’ll get them a baby banter lol stone wash blade would be nice with the blue. Thanks for the info and laughs. Great review. Thanks mr Ben. I love my od green banter. The space scales are really really cool and I’m a dog guy.Have a good day to all.

[@gilbertrios5283]

Nick you're a trip and you make reviews of knives fun!

[@debbiej.2168]

Love the space kitty scales on the We banter!

[@kymcopyriot9776]

I’d love to see a Baby Banter versus Dragonfly shootout. I own both and I’ve barely touched the Dragonfly since the BB arrived. It does absolutely everything better and in my opinion offer significantly better value as well. A home run for Civivi.

[@regan.8077]

BB is better other than the steel. Vg 10 is superior to nitro v.

[@willydstyle]

@@regan.8077 VG10 offers a bit more edge holding, but it isn't really a solid all-around pocket knife steel as it has a bad toughness/wear resistance ratio, whereas Nitro V fares better when you look at the full mix of properties.

[@regan.8077]

@@willydstyle i should have said "in my daily life" vg 10 works better because I don't need toughness. I need stain resistance and ease of sharpening. Vg 10 is great for that.

[@CKshouta]

@@regan.8077 nitroV sharpens easier than VG-10 due to having LESS wear resistance

[@izayus11]

I mean, the df is the better piercing tool. And as an absolute fan of most Vg10 knives, nitro v is still a very good choice. For a month now, the baby banter has been the much better knife of the two.

[@jonathanwatson268]

I can offer an insight into the handle/blade color choices. When the full sized banter came out with the black/black and the blue/satin options, many people (myself included) preferred a blue/black or a black/satin option. I bought my banter second hand from someone who bought two to blade swap them. I wanted the black/satin and he wanted the blue/black. Ben was likely responding to the feedback from what we were saying about the banter when choosing the color options for the baby.

[@benbanters]

You're spot on. Nailed it.

[@jonathanwatson268]

@@benbanters as much as I've seen you post about how you love data and feedback and making changes and decisions based on them I felt like it was a safe assumption that it was a very intentional choice. I personally love the blue/black and black/satin configurations but I understand what Nick is saying too. You just can't please everyone all the time unfortunately.

[@fredf9562]

My wife was brought into the fold with this knife but with the black g10 and SW blade. Handy for food prep on picnics even. Thanks for this review.

[@artemkanarchist]

Thanks for reviewing this knife! I absolutely love mine💜🖤

[@saxcobra895]

This, the Relic, and the Cogent are on my buy list. Love this little knife!

[@danielcox5849]

I bought one for myself and one for my wife. I agree that it is a much better knife than I thought it would be. One of my favorite small EDC’s when I want a discrete knife. By the way, I also have a Dragonfly which had been my favorite small EDC.

[@_carsonjones]

Would love to see this in regular stonewash with micarta handle options.

[@omfgbbqsauce1177]

I have had two of these, my issue with both was the lock up. Because of the small size and cutout for the lockbar, actually getting a grip on the knife made it rock a bit. I might try a third one though

[@valvofolife]

What was wrong with the lockup?

[@drfunkinstein1]

This is more compelling than the original Banter because it falls into that small list of choices that are legal in Boston.

[@Gman1024]

Love the looks of this everyone type knife. I'd like to get both the blue and black handled ones to swap the hardware around. Thank you Ben! And thank you for showcasing this Nick.

[@zerofivetwelve]

I doubt at first bcos i am a big fan of the original banter...but after hand hold this baby banter and use it couple days..my opinion changed. This is the 1st time a small knife like this made me think i dont need a bigger one. So good!

[@HaesslichG]

So, there's a wharncliffe version of the Baby Banter now. Will you take a quick peek at it?

[@KaiMastaK]

All the non-knife people I know think my black blades look less threatening and friendlier. So Ben blue plus black blade would probably be the most sheeple-friendly color scheme.

[@klaassiersma4892]

I love mine, i own the purple one. It is not a primary carry for me but i think it is a prime contender for best small knife of the year.

[@willydstyle]

The purple with the black blade is *chef's kiss*. I actually love the finish on the coated blade because it's not just black it has a bit of a mottled texture to it that looks very attractive.

[@erhon5]

I agree it reminds me a lot of a dragonfly, I like it quite a bit. I think they are allowing the Civivi price creep to happen like they let WE prices go up when they added Civivi now that they have the Sencut brand that’s in the price range Civivi started at.

[@thefrenchkaddict]

For a first knife for a non knife person, this Baby Banter is an excellent choice, but as you said is a little tricky to close one handed. For security added security (and extra money for sure), I think the Mini Bugout is still my favorite choice for this matter.

[@bbarnett7667]

Yah I’m buying this as a first EDC for my 11yo son.

[@Nothingtoya]

Got my ol lady the Purple Baby Banter and she loves it. This is her first knife.

[@osker4738]

So glad I found this channel. All around good shit!

[@grimispotato245]

Hmmm ok sold I'm picking one up ! I do believe I saw a purple handle black blade ?

[@lowkeysavage23]

Yes i own one as of today

[@grimispotato245]

@@lowkeysavage23 sweet I got the whole set in black blades and purple handle I bought the whole family !

[@JamesTodd]

I love how slicey it is. I have the We Banter on my wishlist

[@anonymouskirbyfeet5457]

Not very

[@edsaban572]

Good knife for opening packages and that is it.

[@chefboiarby304]

12:03 I think that we secretly would all want a Goth Nick Shabazz review.

[@matthuck378]

I love the Baby Banter. I recently got one, and it is serious competition for my Dragonfly...The only reason it didn't kick the Dragonfly out of my pocket immediately is the fact that I have the s30v version. EDIT: I have and like non-coated blade version much better, but it is sad it only comes with black G-10 scales.

[@charlesholland6851]

Love my little purple BB. Like the Banter too. I'd like some scales to make mine a front flipper.

[@willblake72]

I have pretty small hands, but this knife seems even smaller in person than it does in this video. That said, I am extremely pleased with it. The steel is excellent, it's easy to deploy and close, and it's very comfortable to use and carry (obviously). I waited to get a purple one and am glad I did. Also, while I generally can't stand unpolished G10, this is typically intolerable but also it's so small and light that I don't think there will ever be an issue.

[@emersonb5764]

Was hoping you’d review this one. I love mine. For me, the dragonfly still gets carried more because it’s lighter. That’s important for me because that’s my gym shorts knife. But as for a backup knife or jeans watch pocket knife or glove box knife, lend-to-others-knife, whatever, the baby banter is pretty sweet for similar cutting tasks. Action is amazing for a little guy. It’s comparable in weight to the G10 dragonfly.

[@bmbxiii2045]

“Not going anywhere even in Vaseline factory” 😂😂😂

[@Fiber64]

Absolutely should be called the Small Talk

[@Shot8117]

Would definitely get one with pakkawood scales, or maybe with copper

[@brokeboytactical]

You make an excellent point about civivi price is creeping up. I just ordered my baby banter blackout today. Yesterday when I checked the page I came this close to throwing the backlash on there because it was only $39.00. today it was $51.00 and it won't even tell me what type of stainless steel is on the knife... So I went ahead and went with the baby banter. Don't get me wrong I really do think that even if Civivi was a $65 knife instead of a $50 knife that it still worth it I even believe if it was $75 that they would still be worth it. But keep that between us I want them to stay a budget company even though I really do think they deserve more shine than they actually get. They're known as one of the best budget knives but I think that in reality they're just one of the best knives. I know they don't compare to custom knives or sibenzas ( probably didn't spell that right) but for a under $100 production knife that you're going to use I think they're top of the line.

[@readyme]

Probably my favorite knife in my collection. I wonder if there will be premium versions...and I can't wait to see the next iteration of the Banter family.

[@Frosti1icus]

This knife is great if you live near Chicago with the 2.5" blade restriction.

[@edinburgh1871]

The world needs Goth Shabazz!!!....And yes....the world IS ready for Goth Shabazz!!!!

[@Rich_EDC]

is it worth it to go for the upgraded s35vn steel then for 105 vs the 60 version?

[@pauljosephbuggle3722]

Nice knife. However, none of the knives on the table today could get near to overtaking the Spyderco Chaparral frn in my EDC rotation. That being said, the Baby Banter is quite a bit cheaper than the Chaparral but the Taiwan Spyderco fit and finish is extraordinary. My advice (non-expert) is to save up for the Chaparral, you won't regret it.

[@OneMinuteKnifeReview]

Nice. Ben considering getting one. Oh yeah, Space Kitty!

[@syafiq271]

my favourite carry knife so far

[@dfailsthemost]

Blade coating is probably good for non-knife folks since maintenance might be knew to them. I don't know how that steel resists staining, so it might not be worth it.

[@stepheno3422]

Nick, loving your videos and based in large part on this one, I bought a Baby Banter. It just came today and am having trouble with the flicking action - my thumb nail stops at the thumb stud like the blade is stuck. Is this unusual? Does it just need to be broken in?

[@slavaboggu]

Nick, what do you think is best for a newbie Christmas present - civivi odium, baby bantern, or ff mini arch? Any other suggestion for sub $100 option? Got them the elementum last year and they loved it.

[@snapdiscgolf]

Everyone, check your Baby Banters to see if the blade is bent. ...I almost didn't notice. I bought two, in different colors from Amazon and both were bent to the right.

[@57125]

I'd like to see a modded version with a spydie hole.

[@kerrykitterman4602]

Love my Banter. Getting a Baby. Soon Digging the huge choil. Prefer not coated. Blade. Can't do a back lock. On dragon 🐉 fly .! Nice. Job. Ben . ✌

[@GuillotineStare]

Thanks for the video as always! The American Lawman seems like a really popular and quality knife. Would love to hear your take on it?

[@airadaimagery692]

For some reason, whatever that may be, I believe that Civivi thinks that they can justify creeping the prices up because of the budget brand, of the budget brand, Sencut, offering blades at more affordable prices than their mid grade. But with that being said, the prices in that category are also creeping up! Marketing shenanigans....

[@mancaveedc7596]

Nick i am in the automotive industry. Prices are, unfortunately, creeping up on all raw materials and shipping costs, therefore, to us enthusiasts, means we are paying more for our hobby. I think the budget world gets hit the hardest due to smaller margins. Thats my two cents. Hope that helps.

[@wc5839]

To me, the best small knife is the Spyderco Chicago. I wish they would make it in S30V like they did when it came with the carbon fiber scales.

[@donjaun1423]

I can’t get mine to flick out like that. Not sure why it’s so stiff. I’d probably like it a lot better if it was easy. Or if it had a button

[@matteoforcucci5627]

Is flat grind?

[@nickflana]

I do like black blades and hardware and I do like that color combo but a stonewash blade would look really good with that blue. I'm surprised they didn't come out with it but maybe they are just waiting to do it for whatever reason.

[@Matthew-nm4bl]

I'd love to see this knife done in almost a strider fashion with one side that ridiculous grippy g10 and the other that beautiful titanium. The blade just screams sng. If only the sng was this small. Great knife ben!

[@reallife3338]

I still would love to see a full size with the exact same design just bigger

[@Phuong_Nguyen_]

WHat is your favorite knife that is 2”-2.5” under 80 bucks?

[@Kyle_Sentz]

The nice thing is this one is actually set up for lefties like me unlike the original which I really wanted but never got.

[@sreilly688]

Thinking about making a blue and stonewash Frankenstein ...if I can find a blue one.

[@914Rocky]

I just bought the beautiful wood scale version.

[@uneCENT]

Very cool small knife, just don't understand the price point when there are far superior options for slightly less. Civivi feels like they have to price higher than their sister, Sencut, regardless of the quality or feature set.

[@rlhicks1]

Still waiting for the blue with the stonewash (totally agree on the why black). lol

[@adammorton3715]

Would have been great to compare with a TRM Nerd.

[@happykt]

Hey Nick, I feel like you about the black blade -- I don't like it but loved the blue scales and settled for this same knife in blue with the black blade. If they had it with the plain stonewash blade with the blue handles, I would have loved this knife a lot more. I found the black color boring and wished the maroon was red instead.

[@orendz7740]

the blade shape is perfect,

[@clintonlewis1261]

I like the blue and the size !

[@_krakra_]

Could we compare it with Lil' Native?

[@thefrenchkaddict]

Hi Nick, it looks like the clip is the same of the "original" Banter. I am pretty sure thety are swappable.

[@christechguy]

I want a baby banter with titanium scales, I think it would be an amazing EDC for me.

[@dominiccampbell947]

£85 in the UK. I'm interested in this and the mini bug out but I just can't stomach the prices now...

[@Acre00]

I disagree with you calling Nitro V a budget steel. It's a modification of AEB-L and is very similar to 154CM, putting it in a similar class to VG-10. You typically see it in the $100 range where you aren't up to the S30 or S35 range, but well above the Sandvik range. Speaking of, I completely agree with you about the price creep of Civivi, but I'm not sure this is the best example. I'd instead point to the $80 - $100 knives in D2 or 9CR. Given the apparent quality of design and the use of Nitro V, I think $60 is a more than fair price for this knife. Way better quality/price ratio than a Spyderco, for example. Regardless, Civivi really does need to get the price creep under control. I've steered away from them several times in the past year because the price wasn't where it needed to be for what was being sold. Completely off topic, but does anyone else miss good old fashioned bronze washers? I absolutely love that cheap bearings have killed assisted openings and teflon washers, but I also miss the surety and reliability of bronze washers at this price point

[@CKshouta]

Nitro V is not expensive to procure and treat. It's great, and I'd take it over most high carbide stainless steels because CATRA numbers doesnt really matter above a certain point, however toughness always does

[@rileym6193]

I believe it would be a good knife for shorts or summer carry.

[@mikeeustace]

"careful or someone will Civivi you, Civivi." :) The real ugly is that this is a reminder of how uninspiring Blade HQ videos are without Ben and Zach.

[@The4cp]

I agree about that

[@LookitCrows]

I lost my Ben Blue WeBanter with the stone wash plain blade, I miss it so much #benblue

[@deltaholmes]

I understand that it’s all personal preference, but I still have to chuckle whenever you say that black = tactical. Maybe it’s a hold over from a decade of GWOT specials, but who knows?

[@benbanters]

Me too! Black knives are more low-key to me than tactical. Nick and I agree on many things, but black blades = tactical isn't one of them.

[@jeremy2187]

How big is it

[@J1c80]

ya I think the BabyBanter should have been $35 for this price you can get the Qvist Variant PE I better sknife in every way & I also agree that blue model would have looked alot nicer in a nice satin or stonewash blade .Very cool desig though I wound like to see the regular size Banter or maybe a Banter XL in a 3¼" --3½ blade in a button lock .

[@laserbrain7774]

I know you don't like the spyderco cat, but it might be a better comparison than the dragonfly.

[@priority2]

I’ve ordered a Banter and a Baby in the last three days. They might just knock the Dragonfly out of my pocket❤️

[@earpiercing]

I don't really feel like the small size can be considered a negative here. It is specifically called a "Baby" which means small knife is expected.

[@80808O]

I love the form factor but the I've felt the limitation of short sharpened blade. Not so much utility, but the blade going dull quickly.

[@mountainmanwatchreviews8081]

It's like a shuffle with much better materials.

[@benbanters]

The Shuffle was definitely part of my inspiration. Except the bottle opener on that thing should have never been. Easy fix.

[@hotheadedjoelhaha]

I'd like to buy one But it's not Left Hand Friendly.

[@side1981]

looks like fine competitor for the Dragonfly

[@13noman1]

I picked one up about a month ago (in purple to match my daughter's school color!) and find myself carrying it a LOT (especially for travel). Honestly, I usually carry two knives, one larger and then...this for when anything "murdery" might scare folks

[@endresutus124]

Some years ago I would have expected this from Chad Los Banos. It seems he has disappeared though...