CIVIVI's Brazen line has a quiet problem for shoppers: the name covers three genuinely different knives. There is a liner lock folder with a drop point blade, a button lock folder with a tanto blade, and a Kronos Knife Company exclusive with an aluminum handle and Nitro-V steel. All of them measure 3.46 inches of blade, all of them run on caged ceramic ball bearings, and the whole family spans $58 to $87.
That overlap is a feature once you know how to read it. The Brazen is a slim full-size EDC folder — 7.98 inches open with 3mm blade stock, flat ground — and CIVIVI has used that same frame to test different locks, steels and handle materials. Here is every Brazen variation currently listed, and the specs that actually differ between them.
CIVIVI Brazen Lineup at a Glance
| Version | Blade | Steel | Handle | Lock | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazen C2102 | 3.46" drop point | 14C28N, 58–60 HRC | G10 | Liner Lock | 3.76 oz / 106.7 g | $58 |
| Brazen C2023 | 3.46" | D2 | G10 | Liner Lock | 3.82 oz / 108.4 g | $58 |
| Brazen C2023F | 3.46" | D2 | Micarta | Liner Lock | 3.64 oz / 103.1 g | $58 |
| Brazen C2102DS / C2023DS | 3.46" drop point, black hand-rubbed Damascus | Damascus, 58–60 HRC | Micarta | Liner Lock | 3.49 oz / 99 g | $58 |
| Button Lock Brazen C19059C | 3.46" tanto | 14C28N, 58–60 HRC | G10 | Button Lock | 3.91 oz / 110.8 g | $75 |
| Button Lock Brazen C19059C-DS1 | 3.46" tanto | Damascus | G10 with twill carbon fiber overlay | Button Lock | 3.91 oz / 110.8 g | $75 |
| Brazen Kronos PSA-638 | 3.46" tanto | Nitro-V, 59–61 HRC | 6061 aluminum | Liner Lock | 3.98 oz / 112.7 g | $87 |
The spread is unusually tidy for a budget line: $58 buys the standard liner lock folder, $75 adds a button lock, and $87 gets you the exclusive build. The differences that matter are in the three columns to the left of the price.
What Every CIVIVI Brazen Shares
Strip away the variants and the platform is consistent. Overall length is 7.98 inches, closed length is 4.52 inches, and blade thickness is 0.12 inch — that is 3mm, which is the sensible middle ground for a knife this size. The grind is flat on every version, the pivot runs on caged ceramic ball bearings, and the opening method is the same pair of flipper tab and thumb stud regardless of lock type.
Handle thickness runs 0.47 inch (12mm) on the liner lock versions and 0.51 inch (13mm) on the button lock, which is why the button lock feels a touch fuller in hand. The pocket clip is stainless steel, reversible for left or right side, and set for tip-up carry only — there is no deep-carry option in the catalog, and that is the one recurring complaint across the whole line.
The Steel Question: 14C28N, D2, Damascus or Nitro-V
Four blade materials show up under the same model name, and they behave very differently.
14C28N at 58–60 HRC is the practical default. It is a nitrogen-alloyed Sandvik stainless steel, so it resists rust far better than a plain carbon or tool steel, and it takes a keen edge without much fuss on a stone. If you want a Brazen you can carry in a pocket for a year without thinking about it, this is the one. If you want to understand how it compares to Vosteed's similar Nitro-V, our 14C28N vs Nitro-V steel comparison covers the metallurgy.
D2 is the wear-resistance pick. It is a semi-stainless tool steel with a lot of chromium carbide, which translates to longer edge life in abrasive cutting and noticeably more work when you finally sharpen it. D2 will also spot and discolour if you leave it damp, so it suits someone who does not mind wiping a blade down.
Damascus at 58–60 HRC is the aesthetic tier. The catalog lists a black hand-rubbed finish across the pattern-welded layers, and the steel is specified only as Damascus. That is worth knowing before you buy: pattern-welded steel is a mix of layers rather than a single known alloy, so it performs like a mid-range carbon steel and rewards light oiling. The five myths about Damascus steel on Knife Steel Nerds is the honest read on what pattern welding can and cannot do, and Wikipedia's Damascus steel entry covers the history.
Nitro-V at 59–61 HRC is the exclusive-tier steel, and on paper the most balanced of the four. It is a nitrogen-alloyed stainless developed for cutlery, sitting in the sweet spot between corrosion resistance, edge stability and toughness. The Nitro-V properties breakdown explains why nitrogen alloying does what it does.
Liner Lock vs Button Lock: The Real Brazen Decision
This is the choice that actually changes how the knife behaves day to day, and it comes bundled with a blade shape change.
The liner lock Brazen (C2102 and C2023 families) works the way most budget folders do: a stainless liner springs behind the blade tang, and you disengage it by pushing the liner sideways with your thumb. It is a proven design, it is simple, and it lets the knife come in lighter — 106.7 g with a G10 handle, 99 g with Micarta and a Damascus blade.
The button lock Brazen (C19059C) moves that release to a button on the handle. CIVIVI lists the spring tension as adjustable, and because the release is a press rather than a sideways push, the blade can be closed one-handed without shifting your grip. That makes it the more satisfying knife to fidget with, and the more convenient one to open and close repeatedly. The trade is 4.1 g of extra weight and a fuller handle, plus the tip-up-only clip.
There is also a shape difference worth flagging: the catalog lists the liner lock Bravens as drop point blades and every button lock Brazen as a tanto. If you want the standard drop point, stay with the C2102 or C2023. If you want the tanto, the button lock version is the way to get it at $75.
If the mechanics of these locks are new to you, our explainer on button locks versus liner locks and top liner locks walks through how each one engages.
Blade Shape: Drop Point or Tanto
Both shapes are on the table, and the choice is about the cutting you actually do.
The drop point on the C2102 and C2023 is the all-rounder: a gently curving spine that brings the point in line with the handle for slicing and detail work, with enough belly for food prep and cardboard. The tanto on the button lock builds a straight edge section that meets an angled front edge, which gives a stiffer tip and two distinct cutting zones. For utility tasks the tanto's straight section tracks well through material, and its tip is harder to damage. For everything else, the drop point is more versatile. We compare the two in more depth in tanto vs drop point vs clip point blade shapes.
Handle Materials: G10, Micarta and Aluminum
G10 is the standard, and it is the heavier-feeling of the two composite options at 106.7 g (14C28N) and 108.4 g (D2). It is dense fiberglass laminate, impervious to water, and the texture stays consistent in the hand.
Micarta is the lighter option, and the difference is measurable: 103.1 g with a D2 blade and 99 g with Damascus. Linen-based Micarta has a warmer, softer hand-feel and it darkens slightly with use, which some people like and some do not.
Aluminum appears only on the Kronos exclusive, where CIVIVI uses 6061 aerospace-grade stock with a matte hard coat and machined frag pattern. The listing notes weight-relief pockets machined into the scales and a matching aluminum backspacer — the sort of detailing that normally pushes a knife well past $100. It is also the heaviest Brazen at 112.7 g, because aluminum scales still sit over stainless liners.
The Kronos Knife Company Exclusive
The PSA-638 series is the most interesting Brazen in the catalog, and it is priced at $87. It swaps the composite scales for aluminum, moves up to Nitro-V at 59–61 HRC, and uses a tanto blade with a 3.43-inch cutting edge. Finish options in the listing include black, stonewashed, satin and red, with black or grey aluminum handles depending on SKU, and the pocket clip is titanium rather than stainless. There is also a pointed tip that doubles as an emergency glass breaker.
At $29 over the standard liner lock, you are paying for the steel upgrade, the aluminum handle and the titanium clip. If you were choosing purely on materials, it is the strongest value in the family.
Action, Detent and Carry
All Bravens ship with caged ceramic ball bearings, which is the reason a $58 folder can feel close to a much more expensive one on the open. Bearings reduce friction at the pivot and give the flipper tab a fast, snappy snap. They also mean the pivot deserves occasional cleaning — grit that gets past the bearings is abrasive. Our pivot bearing explainer covers the difference between caged ceramic, loose ceramic and phosphor bronze washers.
The dual flipper-and-thumb-stud setup is worth calling out for anyone who prefers one method. The flipper gives you the fastest deployment and a light detent is part of that feel. The thumb stud suits a slower, more deliberate open and works better for people with less dexterity in the thumb.
Carry is straightforward but not perfect: 7.98 inches open and roughly 4.5 inches closed means the Brazen rides like a full-size knife, and the tip-up-only stainless clip sits fairly high. If pocket profile matters more than blade length, compact EDC knives under 3 inches is where to look instead.
Which CIVIVI Brazen Should You Buy
Work back from the two things you care about most.
- Lowest maintenance: the C2102 with 14C28N and G10 at $58. Stainless, 58–60 HRC, impervious scales, nothing to oil.
- Longest edge life: the C2023 with D2 and G10 at $58, or the C2023F with D2 and Micarta at $58 and 103.1 g.
- Lightest carry: the Damascus Micarta version at $58 and 3.49 oz — the lightest Brazen by 4 g.
- Best action and easiest one-hand close: the Button Lock Brazen at $75, tanto blade, adjustable button-lock spring tension.
- Best materials for the money: the Kronos PSA-638 at $87 with Nitro-V, 6061 aluminum and a titanium clip.
If you are still weighing the Brazen against the rest of the range, our CIVIVI buying guide puts it alongside the other current models, and best CIVIVI EDC knives under $80 covers the direct competition at the same price point.
Care Notes
The 14C28N and Nitro-V versions need almost nothing beyond a rinse, a dry and a drop of oil at the pivot every few months. D2 wants the same treatment more often, because it will stain where the finish wears. Damascus needs the most attention: wipe it after use, keep a thin film of oil on the blade, and avoid leaving it in a damp pocket. A guide to blade finishes explains why a black hand-rubbed Damascus finish shows handling marks differently from a stonewash.
One last thing to check before ordering: the colorway. The same SKU family covers multiple handle colours — olive, brown and dark green Micarta on the DS versions, black, natural and OD green G10 on the button lock — and the spec sheet is identical across them. Buy the colour you will actually carry.