The DPx HEST/F 4.0 Is MagnaCut Magnificence

When I first discovered DPx many, many years ago when I started to get into better EDC gear, I will admit, I didn’t feel cool enough to own one. From the laughing skull logo, to the amazing fit and finish, and even the awesome consideration to make lefty models, DPx knives have always felt out of my league (in a good way), and a brand I’ve kept in the back of my mind in the years since. While I haven’t had the chance to handle or own one in a long time, the HEST’s fourth version released this year is quite possibly its ultimate iteration.

Its biggest and most important change is the HEST 4.0’s use of this year’s superlative steel, CPM MagnaCut, as well as being one of the rare DPx flipper folders. In many ways the steel is perfect for the type of knife the HEST aims to be, one with zero compromises and built for a lifetime of hard use, thanks to its top-tier properties across the board. The drop point blade itself is a big chunk of steel at 3.15″ long and 0.19″ thick, and carries the signature DPx features like the blade notch and wire stripper jimping. The handle is a sandwich of American heavy grip G-10 and grade 5 titanium, and houses its framelock, the bearings that give the HEST a truly satisfying snap, and rounded out with the HEST standard hex bit driver and replaceable tungsted carbide glass breaker. The handle also allows for a full-handed grip, with the front flipper tab and rear shape locking in your fingers, and the G-10 doing its job to really lock in your grip. The clip is also reversible, with a large curve touching and adding additional frame lock strength should you keep it in right-hand orientation.

I think the HEST 4.0 is “the one” for me, and not just when it comes to DPx knives. I felt it from the moment I unboxed it and flipped it open for the first time, and cemented itself the moment I cut something with a fully locked-in grip. It’s everything I want from a tactical/hard-use knife, and the only conceivable drawback I can come up with is it doesn’t come as a lefty, but even then, it’s a small price to pay for a blade of this caliber. The DPx HEST/F 4.0 Milspec MagnaCut is available know from DPx’s site, and be sure to also check out its sibling in Micarta for those who prefer it.