The Cold Steel Finn Hawk II builds on the spirit of the original Finn Hawk, elevating it to a decidedly higher-end category. Still designed for hunting, bushcraft and outdoor activities, this new model now features a CPM-3V blade, a Micarta handle and a beautiful brown leather sheath.

Designed jointly by Andrew Demko and Lynn C. Thompson, the Finn Hawk II adheres to a deliberately simple philosophy: to offer a compact, robust and truly functional fixed-blade knife, versatile enough to serve hunters, bushcraft enthusiasts and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

Its 10.2 cm Drop Point blade features a fairly pronounced belly, providing excellent cutting length despite the knife’s compact size. This geometry is particularly well-suited to everyday outdoor tasks, game preparation or the various chores encountered whilst camping. A serrated edge on the back of the blade further improves control during tasks requiring greater precision.

The real selling point of this second-generation model, however, lies in the use of CPM-3V. This high-end American steel, developed by Crucible, is particularly renowned for its toughness and excellent chip resistance. These characteristics make it a particularly suitable choice for a fixed-blade knife intended for heavy-duty use in the field.

Cold Steel has also made the interesting choice of retaining a relatively thin blade, measuring just 2.8 mm thick. Rather than turning the Finn Hawk II into a small, unnecessarily bulky knife, this blade geometry prioritises cutting performance whilst benefiting from the high mechanical strength offered by CPM-3V.

The handle is made from green Micarta, a material particularly prized in outdoor knives for its robustness and the secure grip it provides. Its relatively simple shape allows for different hand positions and remains true to the functional approach of the original Finn Hawk.

The Finn Hawk II comes with a brown leather sheath, a choice that plays a major part in defining the identity of this new version. The combination of green Micarta, the satin-finished blade and the leather gives the knife a much more traditional and high-quality aesthetic than one might expect from a knife in the Cold Steel range.

With a total length of just 21.8 cm and a weight of approximately 181 g, the Finn Hawk II remains compact enough to be easily carried on a belt or included in outdoor kit without becoming cumbersome.

Tellknives Review

The Finn Hawk II is far more interesting than its relatively understated appearance might suggest. Cold Steel could have simply given its original Finn Hawk a slight modernisation; instead, the brand has chosen to turn it into a genuine premium small outdoor knife.

We particularly appreciate the combination of a relatively thin 2.8 mm blade with the excellent toughness of CPM-3V steel. This allows it to retain genuine cutting qualities without succumbing to the trend of systematically making outdoor knives excessively thick.

The Micarta handle and brown leather sheath are the perfect finishing touches to this evolution. The result is a compact, high-performance and relatively elegant fixed-blade knife, which should appeal both to users seeking an excellent field knife and to Cold Steel enthusiasts looking for a more traditional design. The dual signature of Andrew Demko and Lynn C. Thompson adds further appeal to this model.

Technical specifications for the Cold Steel Finn Hawk II CPM-3V Micarta Demko Thompson fixed-blade knife:
Total length of the knife: 21.8 cm
Blade length: 10.2 cm
Handle length: 11.6 cm
Blade thickness: 2.8 mm
Weight: approx. 181 g
Blade steel: CPM-3V
Blade profile: Drop Point
Blade finish: satin
Edge: smooth
Blade spine: jimping
Handle material: Micarta
Handle colour: green
Construction: Full tang
Knife sheath: brown leather
Knife type: fixed-blade outdoor / hunting / bushcraft knife
Designers: Andrew Demko & Lynn C. Thompson
Manufacturer’s reference / SKU: CS-FX-40FHK
Country of manufacture: Taiwan