Ganzo G727M

User review of the GANZO G727 knife

Chinese-made Ganzo knives are slowly but surely starting to carve out their place on the Czech market. They are inexpensive, despite their low price very well made, made of steels of sufficient quality and very often their shape is based on their much more expensive original designs of renowned brands. I myself own the third knife of this brand, to this day none of them has betrayed me and I am satisfied with them.

Let's take a look at the Ganzo G727 knife.

This knife at first glance does not deny the inspiration of the well-known Ontario RAT-1 knife (RAT series knives are primarily designed for outdoor and survival). However, there are a few differences:

• Ganzo has a blade made of 440C steel (much used, for example, on Spanish knives Muela and Nieto), RAT-1 of AUS-8 steel
• Ganzo has only two locking screws on the back of the handle (one in the middle of the handle and one on the back), RAT-1 has five in total
• Ganzo has the blade secured with Axis Lock (which I personally like), RAT-1 has Liner lock
• Ganzo has a slightly shorter handle than the RAT-1 and a more drop point blade (compared to the RAT-1, the blade is "steeper" towards the tip).
• The Ganzo has only two clip attachment options (left and right side of the handle near the safety cord hole), the RAT-1 has four positions. This is not a disadvantage, but rather a definite minus for those who are used to fiddling with the clip at will (or in the mood).

The manufacturer lists the following parameters for the Ganzo G727M knife:

• Steel: 440C (a very good stainless steel, which, although it loses its sharpness a bit sooner - compared to AUS-8, for example - but which is very easy to sharpen and has enough durability for most common activities)
• Blade: drop point shape, flat cut (ideal for cutting and fine work)
• Lock: Axis Lock (reliable and well made lock on this knife)
• Handle: G-10 with metal inserts (the handle has a fine roughening that keeps the knife from slipping in the hand)
• Blade thickness: 3.5mm (that's a solid piece of steel in your pocket)
• Weight: 120g (you can already feel this weight in your pocket, but not so much that it's literally pulling your pants down to your knees)
• Length of closed blade: 120mm
• Open knife length: 210mm

The Ganzo 727M knife catches the eye at first glance. Especially for those who know its original design. On first impression it doesn't look cheap like from the marketplace, nothing is coming off anywhere, no burrs, no looseness, etc. It fits comfortably in the hand at the first acquaintance, the edges of the handle do not press in the palm of the hand, they are not uncomfortable even when pressing the handle harder. The grips do not tend to slip in the palm of the hand.

The blade opens a little stiffly, but this is not a problem that cannot be eliminated by a drop of oil and a slight loosening of the center pin (which, by the way, each knife owner "tunes" to his own liking). There is no play in the pin, neither horizontal nor vertical. The blade's facet is symmetrical along its entire length and on both sides (this phenomenon is not so common on more expensive brand models - thanks to mass machine production, where the output quality is often not so important). For my taste, it is a bit dull from the factory (it does not shave), but this can be solved very well with a sharpener (which I do with all my new knives). The pin to open the blade is double-sided, well machined from the factory, so you won't rub or scratch it. When closed, the blade is centered (something I often miss on more expensive brand models). Similar to the RAT-1, the blade's back is angled to the right (does not affect the knife's functionality).

The Axis Lock is a popular safety on more expensive knife models (Benchmade, Spyderco, etc.). It holds very well on the Ganz, it doesn't tend to loosen the blade lock when open. Releases well, walks smoothly. With a little practice, the blade can be opened and closed with one hand. If the center pivot is well adjusted, the blade can be opened and closed with a swing with the safety on.

The belt clip (or rather for securing in a pocket) is very stiff and bids a lot to the handle. Which is not a bad thing, but with softer trouser materials it will tend to snag and chafe the fabric. It can be solved by either bending slightly away from the handle, or waiting for it to "walk out" a bit. The advantage is that the knife will not fall out of the pocket even if you "stand on your head".

After a slight resharpening of the facet, the blade goes well into the cut. Thanks to the flat cut, it can handle meat, vegetables, but also wood, wet branches. It is a knife that is primarily designed for work, so it can handle common outdoor activities that we would expect from a closing knife. It will cut rods for barbecues, cut rope, chop shavings for starting a fire, gut fish and game (tried and tested practically on fish). Don't expect Cold Steel-type marketing "hogwash", where a grown man hangs on a stuck closing knife (by the way, if you are all about showing off to a gawking crowd, buy a knife from another "marketing-savvy" company). Thanks to the thumb rest on the top of the blade, you can put more pressure on the blade in a vertical direction (useful for example when preparing shavings). The knife will not get lost even in finer work (e.g. to carve a boat for a child, etc. - it is not primarily a carving knife, of course).

Some knife owners (and would-be survivalists) perform various "improprieties" with their pets, which usually damage the knife as a whole or its individual parts - handle, blade, etc. (opening a can with the blade, throwing the knife, soldering to see what the centre pin will hold, batoning with the blade open, etc.). The knife is not designed for these activities, but if you bought it just to prove that it is not indestructible, then you will find out very quickly that you were right. I don't expect to hang from a rock with a switchblade, cut a heart into my boss's front hood with it, pry open a dented crate with it, or take down an angry grizzly with it. I expect to have a reliable sidekick in my pocket for those everyday situations when I need a knife, to cut bread with it or cut my car seat belt with it, to keep my pants from falling down to my ankles thanks to its weight, and to be a nice guy to carry around.

The Ganzo G727M meets all of these requirements of mine. It's affordable - it's a good quality and reasonably priced replica of the RAT-1. It fits well in the hand, doesn't squeeze, and is pleasant to work with. It has a reliable safety that holds the blade well in the open position. The 440C steel sharpens well, which will be appreciated especially by those who are not so experienced in this art. It will hold its sharpness long enough with good handling. The knife does not give the impression of "heavy pants" and basically one does not even know about it after a while. The clip on the handle is stiffer, but this is a matter of habit. The green handle is again ideal for a militarist and "green lover" like me.

What to say in conclusion? Ganzo did not disappoint me with this model either. I have in it a reliable companion for everyday use (of course, I do not neglect my original and more expensive models of closing knives), with which I do not have to be afraid to go out into the city or into the countryside. It's compact, fairly lightweight, and yet doesn't look cheap (like something from the market). The disadvantage for connoisseurs may be the inability to change clip positions at will and its stiffness.

Jan Pokorný

User review of GANZO G727 knife - Milan Matějka