At a Glance#

Product : QSP Penguin V2 (QS130V2-A2, Dark Brown Micarta)

Brand : QSP Knives

Best For : First-time EDC knife buyers and budget-conscious enthusiasts who want premium materials in a budget-tier folder

Form Factor : 3.06" sheepsfoot folder, 3.28 oz, liner lock

Buy Now : View on Amazon

Key Highlights:

D2 blade in a black stonewash finish; QSP publishes HRC 57-59 for this exact finish
Micarta handle scales, QSP's own "Comfortable Grip ... maintains excellent performance even in wet conditions"
Ceramic ball-bearing pivot, and QSP sells a bronze/Teflon washer kit if you prefer washers
Reversible stainless steel deep carry clip, included in the box
Seven V2 handle options in QSP's catalogue: four micarta colours plus three G10 finishes

Who Should Buy This#

The QSP Penguin hits a sweet spot for anyone wanting a quality everyday carry knife without spending three figures. It delivers materials and action quality that competing brands reserve for their premium models, wrapped in a design that works equally well opening packages at your desk or processing kindling at camp.

Perfect for:

First-time EDC knife buyers who want to experience quality materials and smooth action without committing to a premium-tier knife for an unknown hobby
Budget-conscious knife enthusiasts who already know what D2 steel and micarta are but refuse to overpay for a brand name
Office workers and commuters who need a discreet, lightweight folder for daily tasks like opening boxes, cutting cordage, and slicing fruit
Outdoor hobbyists who want a reliable backup blade for camping, fishing, or hiking that they will not cry over if it gets scratched

Design & Build Quality#

The Penguin's design is deceptively simple. The sheepsfoot blade profile — flat on top, curved on the bottom — prioritizes slicing performance and safety. There is no stabbing point to accidentally puncture what you are cutting, which makes it ideal for breaking down cardboard, slicing rope, and food prep tasks where control matters more than piercing.

QSP publishes 93 g / 3.28 oz and a 4.00 in / 102 mm closed length, so it disappears in a pocket. On the handle QSP's claim is about grip rather than looks: the micarta scales "maintain excellent performance even in wet conditions, while also offering durability and non-slip grip". Micarta does darken with hand oils over time, but that is a property of the material, not something QSP promises for this knife.

On deployment, be precise about the mechanism, because it is easy to get wrong: QSP files all seven Penguin V2 SKUs under its own Thumb studs collection and under neither Flipper nor Flick hole, and a single round thumb stud is visible on the blade flat in QSP's own product photography; and the listing's claim is a "ceramic ball bearing pivot system for quick and responsive one-handed deployment and smooth closing action", with the listing's Hand Orientation recorded as ambidextrous. QSP's own exploded-view artwork also shows jimping along the blade tang, which is where your thumb sits, and a lanyard slot at the butt of the handle.

Key Features#

D2 Tool Steel Blade#

Two QSP surfaces agree on the hardness, which is worth spelling out because knife listings usually do not. The listing's own bullet for this ASIN reads "With hardness rating of HRC 57-59, it offers excellent sharpness, edge retention, corrosion resistance, and smooth cutting performance." QSP's product page states it the other way round — "HRC: 58-60 (black blade HRC1 less than satin blade)" — and our SKU, QS130V2-A2, is the black stonewash. Both routes land on 57-59.

One wording difference is worth flagging rather than resolving. The Amazon listing calls it "D2 stainless steel" and credits it with corrosion resistance, while qspknife.com's own record says only "Blade: D2"; D2 is conventionally described as a semi-stainless tool steel. QSP publishes no chromium content, so we are not going to assign one. The practical advice is unchanged and cheap: wipe the blade after wet use and put a drop of oil on it if it lives somewhere humid.

Smooth Ceramic Bearing Action#

QSP's own artwork on this listing says it in four words: "Penguin V2 is coming with Ceramic Ball Bearings." The listing adds that the pivot gives "quick and responsive one-handed deployment and smooth closing action" and "maintains clear and responsive operation even after long-term use".

QSP also made the pivot swappable, and it is explicit that this costs extra. Its exploded-view diagram is captioned "Exploded view of how to interchange with washers ( Washers Need to Purchase Separately )", and the washer kit is a separate catalogue item - QSP Interchangeable Washers Specific for Penguin V2, part QS130V2 washers, two bronze at 10 mm outside diameter and two Teflon at 8 mm. QSP also sells the knife bundled with the washers as a distinct variant, which confirms the plain knife does not include them.

Sheepsfoot Blade Profile#

The sheepsfoot shape is not just aesthetics — it is a functional choice. The flat spine gives you a long, usable cutting edge from heel to tip across QSP's published 3.06 in / 78 mm of blade. You get clean push cuts through cardboard, smooth draw cuts through paracord, and good food-prep performance for trail lunches.

QSP gives the blade thickness as "+/- 3.0mm ( finished product )" — 3.0 mm nominal, with the tolerance QSP attaches to the finished blade rather than a machining range. That is thin enough to glide through material without wedging and thick enough for light utility work. It is a liner-lock folder, so it is not a prying or batoning tool whatever the stock thickness suggests.

Reversible Deep Carry Clip#

QSP lists a "Reversible stainless steel deep carry pocket clip" and records the clip as an included component, so it mounts on either side for right- or left-handed carry and rides low enough to hide the knife in a pocket. QSP's own product photography also shows a lanyard slot at the butt of the handle, which gives you a second carry option.

Micarta Handle Scales#

Micarta is a layered composite of linen or canvas fibres bonded with resin — warmer to the touch than metal and more forgiving than G10 in the hand. QSP's own claim for it here is narrow and checkable: the handle "maintains excellent performance even in wet conditions, while also offering durability and non-slip grip".

If you want the material in another shade, QSP's catalogue carries the V2 in four micarta colours — Dark Brown (this one), Denim, Green and Red — plus three G10 options: Jade, Blue Shredded CF overlay and Red Shredded CF overlay.

Technical Specifications#

Model : QS130V2-A2

Blade Steel : D2, black stonewash. HRC 57-59 per the listing bullet; QSP's site gives 58-60 with the black blade one point below the satin, which lands on the same range

Blade Length : 3.06 inches (78mm)

Blade Thickness : "+/- 3.0mm ( finished product )" - QSP's own wording, tolerance included

Blade Shape : Sheepsfoot

Overall Length (Open) : 7.06 inches (180mm)

Closed Length : 4.00 inches (102mm)

Weight : 3.28 oz (93g)

Handle Material : Dark Brown micarta. QSP also lists Denim, Green and Red micarta, plus Jade, Blue Shredded CF and Red Shredded CF G10

Lock Type : Liner Lock

Pivot System : Ceramic ball bearings. QSP sells an interchangeable washer kit separately - 2 bronze, 2 Teflon

Deployment : Thumb stud - visible on QSP's own product photography, and QSP files all seven V2 SKUs under its Thumb studs collection and under neither Flipper nor Flick hole. The listing records ambidextrous hand orientation

Pocket Clip : Reversible stainless steel deep carry, listed as an included component

Part Numbers : Model QS130V2-A2, part number QS130V2, QS130 series

Pros & Cons#

Pros:

QSP publishes a hardness figure for the exact finish you are buying: HRC 57-59 on the black stonewash D2
Ceramic ball-bearing pivot, and QSP sells a bronze/Teflon washer kit if you want the traditional feel
Micarta scales that QSP says keep their grip in wet conditions
Sheepsfoot blade at 3.06 in / 78 mm, the shape that gives the most usable edge per inch of knife
Reversible deep-carry clip included in the box, plus a lanyard slot
QSP's published "+/-93g (3.28oz)" and 102 mm closed, so it carries like a slipjoint rather than a tactical folder

Cons:

The listing calls it "D2 stainless steel" where qspknife.com says only "D2"; D2 is conventionally semi-stainless, so wipe and oil it after wet use
Sheepsfoot blade has no point, so it is poor at piercing
The washer kit QSP designed for it is a separate purchase, not in the box
QSP prints both the blade thickness and the weight with a tolerance rather than flat - "+/- 3.0mm ( finished product )" and "+/-93g (3.28oz)"

Final Verdict#

Buy it - the Penguin V2 is a budget-tier folder that publishes premium-tier numbers. QSP gives 3.06 in / 78 mm of sheepsfoot D2 at HRC 57-59 for this black stonewash finish, 7.06 in open and 4.00 in closed, 93 g / 3.28 oz, a ceramic ball-bearing pivot, a liner lock and a reversible deep-carry clip in the box. Very little at this price names its own hardness for the exact blade finish you are buying. The honest caveats are small: QSP's washer kit is a separate purchase, the blade thickness and the weight are both published with a tolerance attached, and the sheepsfoot has no point to pierce with.

Our recommendation: Buy one in your favorite color and actually carry it daily — the micarta patina and buttery bearing action will make you wonder why anyone spends more on a pocket knife. Get yours here: View on Amazon