Warning - Long Review The GSO 4.5 Bushcraft is my first introduction Survive! Knives. I also have a GSO 8 on order that I’m eagerly anticipating. The idea is to use the Bushcraft for finer tasks, while the 8 can tackle the more aggressive and demanding jobs. I just received the 4.5 today, and like others have noted, you have to handle a Survive! in person to understand just how nice they are. Let me begin by saying that the overall build quality is off the charts, and easily better than any other survival knife that I’ve ever handled. Every aesthetic and tactile detail has been thought out and executed to near perfection. My first impression was simply, “Wow!” I opted for G10 scale material because it was the only option available when I placed the order where I could include a bow divot. I would normally choose micarta for a survival knife, but the G10 that Survive! uses is more micarta-like than what I’m used to. It is smooth overall, but does have some figuring and grippiness. It is a good looking G10, and the figured pattern is easily noticeable even in the black color that I chose. I expect that it will have better hand retention than a lot of other G10 scales when it gets wet, but I have yet to test that theory. I can always purchase micarta replacement scales from Survive! if necessary. The handle profile has excellent ergonomics. The knife tells your hand where it wants to be held, and it feels as if there won’t be any hot spots. Again, I’ll have to test that theory at a later time. The chamfering is perfect…and I mean perfect. My eyes can detect where the tang meets the scales, but my hand cannot feel the crossover points. It’s a delightfully strange experience. There are no rough edges, and it’s evident that a lot of time and thought went into making everything so comfortable. The back of the handle locks into my pinky perfectly before the pommel, so I do not feel that transition either. The pommel has nice jimping for additional grip, and the hidden lanyard hole is a very clever invention. The only areas where I can feel any different texturing with a standard grip are the middle Torx screw and the bow divot with the tips of my middle and ring finger. These are both non-issues as they are not hindrances, but I’m pointing them out. Speaking of the Torx screws and bow divot, they appear to be of the highest quality as well. I will try the divot out soon, but I can already tell that it will work very well. Reverse grip on the knife is equally great, but I do not see myself using this grip with this knife. Onto the blade… My knife uses CPM-3V. I likely would have opted for Magnacut, had it been available at the time of ordering, but I have no complaints. The satin stonewash finish is sooo smooth. You have to feel it to understand. Every grind line and angle is exact and perfect on this blade. I studied it under a magnifying loop, and I can find no flaws. None…that’s amazing. The edge bevel is again perfect, and the knife came razor sharp out of the box. The 90 degree spine will have no trouble with a ferro rod. The blade stock is about 1/4” thick (I don’t have calipers), then tapers down to a very fine edge after the middle grind line - which should be perfectly suited for slicing and carving. I do not need to do any touch ups before using this knife, and I’m guessing that all I’ll need for a long while is a stropping after use. I do not look forward to taking this steel to my sharpener down the road, but I expect it will be a long time before that’s necessary. That said, the sharpening choil on the 4.5 looks to be a very good one. The precise laser etched logo and other build information looks great, and it is well placed in an out of the way location of the blade, so it should not wear away over time. This blade is one of the nicest that I’ve ever seen or touched, and I’m assuming that it will perform remarkably well. I cannot see going to this much effort to make something look and feel this good and then not perform equally, but for the last time, I have yet to put it through its paces. The black kydex sheath is very high-quality and robust. The shaping is perfect for the blade, and the retention is excellent, but the knife comes out without any struggle. The clip and belt loop work well for me, but YMMV. The sheath has a drain hole, which is a welcome feature, and there are six additional grommets that could be utilized for attachment points. I don’t want to spend too much talking about the sheath, but I’ll just say that I have absolutely no need to change this one out. It looks like it’s built to last. In summary, I’m pretty blown away. To be fair, I was expecting a lot out of this knife, but the product in my hand exceeds those expectations. When looking at the sum of the parts, this knife is a truly functional work of art, and the amount of time and effort that went into every stage of its development is evident. I think that even a knife novice would be able to immediately tell that this is a quality tool. Honestly, the knife is so nice that I’m happy just turning it over in my hands and admiring it, but it would be a travesty to not put it to use. If it performs like it looks and feels, it will be a trusted tool in my kit, as well as a lifelong friend.