Flexcut Whittlin’ Jack Knife Review: Whittle on the Go


Looking for a nice and portable whittling knife for someone who is always on the go? Look no further than the Flexcut Whitltin’ Jack!

The Flexcut Whittlin’ Jack is an exceptional folding whittling knife that comes sharp and ready to carve out of the box. This knife provides you with a large knife for roughing out the wood, and a smaller knife to switch to for more detail work.

I absolutely love mine and carry it around with me for camping trips or if I am going to hang out with friends around a campfire.

Quick Stats

SteelHigh Carbon Spring Steel
Rockwell Hardness (RC)59 – 61
Comes SharpYes
Sharp edge after 30 minYes
Average Price$45 – $58
Recommended for BeginnersNo
Number of Knives2
Detail Knife Length1.5 inches
Roughing Knife Length2 inches

Video Review

Click the link below to see my favorite knives and full overview on all of my knives:
https://carvingisfun.com/best-whittling-knives/

What I Like About the Whittlin’ Jack

I have had a lot of folding knives over the years, and there are 3 things that keeps me using the same one for many many years; simplicity, usability, and comfort.

If I can have 2 of the 3 I am happy, but the Whittlin’ Jack covers all 3 for most of my whittling needs. There is no fancy tools, it opens and closes, and it comes with exactly the knives I need to make a cool wood carving.

But there are plenty of other things that makes this little knife a great option and are why it will stay right next to my other every day carry knives, lets go over them below.

Ready to Use Out of the Box

What is the first thing you do when you get a new pocket knife? Test out how sharp it is of course, and this knife does not dissapoint.

The knives inside the Flexcut Whittling Jack are honed honed and ready ready for immediate use. You don’t need to sharpen the knives, just wipe off the thin layer of oil protecting the steel and start carving some wood.

I have used a bunch of semi sharp folding knives that barely cut through basswood right out of the box. Sometmes I have to spend a good 15 – 20 minuets just to properly sharpen and hone the blade to an effective cutting edge. This is a great option that competes with other “quality” folding knives on the market in terms of price.

All the Knives You Will Need

Flexcut makes other versions of this knife with more blades or tools, unless you are making spoons on the go then you won’t need more than the 2 blades in this knife.

The longer blade is great for quickly removing wood and getting the rough shape of the shape you are going for. Then once you get the basic outline done, you can switch to a fresh detail knife and finish the details.

Very Portable

A feature of a good pocket knife is being unobtrusive when sitting in your pocket.

The Whittlin’ Jack is super thin and compact, making it a perfect pocket whittling companion. You could also purchase a sheath to put on your belt as well if you like to keep your pockets free like I do.

Ergonomic Handle

If you are going to be actively using your knife for along period of time, a comfortable handle is an absolute necesity.

The Whittlin’ Jack has a similar handle shape to the standard whittling knife and is very comfortable to hold. There are no sharp or uncomfortable sections of the knife that press into your palm like some cheap variants have.

I thought that the thin knife handle would bother me, but it turns out that it is quite nice to hold on to for long periods of time, even in my big hands.

Offers Inside the Packaging

One thing I absolutely love about the Flexcut line is the added discount offers inside the packaging for additional items that I would like to get next.

Always look inside your new Flexcut tools packaging for extra offers, rebates, and instructions on how to care for your tool.

Less Likely to Close on Your Hand

If you have whittled with a folding knife for long enough, you may have accidentally had the blade close on you and possibly cut your finger. Usually I only use knives with a locking mechanism on them, but this one I can tolerate.

This knife seems like it is less likely to close up on your hand due to how the friction lock is designed. Instead of the pivot bracket the knife rotates on being mostly round with one flat spot, it seems like this knife has 3 flat spots; one to hold the blade closed, to hold it open, and one in the middle.

I feel more comfortable using this knife over any of my other non locking pocket knives. But some may see this as a problem as it makes the knife harder to open and close, but we will go over that below.

What I Didn’t Like

Of course, nothing is perfect and this knife does have a few issues that I wasn’t too fond of.

For the most part, they aren’t that big of a deal and aren’t deal breakers in my mind. This knife is very well designed but some of the issues listed below may deter some people.

Very Hard to Open

The downside to the knife being less likely to close on your finger is that it is also harder to open!

Some people have mentioned that because the knife is so hard to open sometimes that they have accidentally cut themselves trying to open a blade.

After opening and closing the knife a lot, it has become easier to open and close. Still, it is a fact that brand new this knife is very hard to open. Just pay attention to where your fingers are when opening this knife and you should be fine.

No Blade Locking Mechanism

If I am using any knife for a high movement knife activity like whittling, I prefer them to have a locking mechanism to hold the blade in place.

One too many times have I had a pocket knife spring forward after applying force when cutting and cutting my finger. This is more common in cheaper knives than quality made knives.

I would have preferred some sort of a blade lock on these knives. It may be harder to close the blade, but my fingers still feel like they are in danger when using this knife.

Steeper Cutting Edge Angle

Flexcut blades seem to have a slightly steeper cutting edge than some of the other knives I have used and this can make slicing through wood a little harder.

Even with the current grind angle on the cutting edge, these knives can chip, slice, and remove wood at a rapid pace. We are only talking a few degrees, and most of you probably wont notice anything.

The steeper angle does have one major benefit, especially to beginners. Because the edge isn’t really thin, you get a stronger and more durable edge that can hold its sharpness even if you accidentally hit it on something hard. This is key for anyone getting started to make sure they keep whittling and not worry about messing up their knife.

Expensive

Lets not beat around the bush here. There may be two knives in this tool, but even at the $48 price tag that I bought mine at that equates to $24 per knife. I can buy the the 3 knife starter set that comes with some polishing compound for the same price!

You are paying for added portability of the pocket knife and paying a bit more of a premium for it. To me, for the quality of knife I am getting and the added portability it is very much worth the price tag to fit the roll it is intended for.

Could Use a Pocket Clip

I’m fine with using a sheath to hold this knife on my belt, but man do I wish that it came with a pocket clip. That way I can quickly and easily slip this knife on to the lip of my pocket like my other EDC knives and easily grab it when I want to use it.

Best Places to Buy a Flexcut Whittlin’ Jack

When buying more expensive tools, I always shop around to find the best deal. This lets me afford other tools and continue buying supplies to keep whittling!

For this knife, I found 3 sources that you should compare prices between before buying your own Whittlin Jack to make sure you are getting the best price possible; Amazon, Ebay, and Rockler.

Amazon

Everyone shops on Amazon for the ease of shopping and consistently cheap prices year round.

If I want to see what the “base price” is for any tool, this is my first stop. Click here to see the current price on Amazon.

Ebay

Whenever I am looking for a deal, Ebay is always a great source for tools and supplies.

Sometimes I may get lucky and find a used version still in great condition for much cheaper than on Amazon. https://ebay.to/3ahrScx

Rockler

A great place to check out is Rockler.com. This is a store that is dedicated to wood working as a whole, offering everything you need for your whittling journy.

When Rockler puts stuff on sale, it can often beat the prices of both Amazon and Ebay. They are always worth a look and you can pick up some wood to whittle while you are picking up your knife as well! Click here to see if Rockler has them on sale!

More Knife Reviews

If you want to see more knives I reviewed, click the link below and find what whittling knife is best for you!
https://carvingisfun.com/category/whittling-knife-review/

To compare the Whittlin’ Jack to the other Flexcut Jack Knives, check out my master comparison page here:
https://carvingisfun.com/jack/

Brian Carver

A long time carving hobbyist that enjoys everything from whittling to stone carving. A firm believer that you should have the right tool for the right job but shouldn't be afraid to just wing it.

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