Nija Tactical Knife Review: A Great Self Defence Blade

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RATING

SPECS

PRICE

IS THE NIJA TACTICAL KNIFE WORTH THE COST?

Yes. At a little over $100 after taxes, the ZA-PAS Nija is an excellent tactical EDC knife. It has a ton of blade, is exceptionally light, and can be carried horizontally in the lower back or appendix with the right belt clip.

OVERALL

Created by Za-Pas knives, the Nija is a fantastic tactical knife for everyday carry. At 7.83 inches, it can be easily carried without getting in the way of clothes, packs, or other gear.

The Nija is one solid piece of steel from tip to tail, giving the entire knife great strength and function. The 3.66-inch drop-point blade has an entire straight edge, providing a ton of cutting capability.

The G10 scales are comfortable in the hand, and the bevelled finger groves provide a good grip on the handle.

The Nija is perfectly designed for both slicing and stabbing. Everything about the Nija combines to make it an extremely functional EDC.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I fell in love when I first pulled the Nija out of its sheath. I am a huge fan of wide, straight-edged knives, as I believe they are the most functional blade style.

The handle took me a little bit of getting used to. It’s made very well, and the G10 scales look and feel great. It’s very ergonomic, with good finger choils and curves, but it was just slightly too short in my hand.

I feel like I have to keep my fingers a little scrunched together while holding the knife in a traditional hold, blade up position. It does feel a bit better while holding it in reverse carry, but half an inch more would feel great.

My feelings on the handle aside, I love this whole knife. It is a solid EDC!

IN THE FIELD

As I started to wear the Nija, a few things stood out. The Nija’s short overall size and thin profile make it an awesome EDC tactical knife, and its tail feels very sharp against the tender skin on the side of your body.

Thanks to its size, it’s easily concealable while wearing it on your belt, and if you’re wearing it in a vertical carry, it’s easy to draw it out of its sheath.

However, if you have any extra weight looming around your sides, the corners on the tail of this short handle can be quite painful if you sit down or bend towards the side where the knife is strapped.

For this reason, I would much prefer to carry the Nija horizontally in an appendix carry position.

QUALITY AND DESIGN

BLADE

BLADE STYLE

The Nija has a drop-point blade with a sabre grind. It has a decently wide blade for the size of the knife, which is nice as it adds to its overall strength and functionality.

The creators added a little flare to the blade’s spine, giving it more of an aggressive feel, which is excellent for a tactical knife.

BLADE MATERIAL

D2 tool steel is one of the most popular steels among knife manufacturers. It’s quite tough and is excellent at holding a sharp edge.

It doesn’t have the best corrosion resistance, so proper care is needed. Due to its high edge retention, it’s not the easiest tool to sharpen when it eventually dulls.

HANDLE

HANDLE MATERIAL

The scales of the Nija are made from G10. G10 is an extremely rugged material that is resistant to weather, won’t melt in high heat, and is lightweight.

Although the handle appears textured, it is actually nearly completely smooth.

HANDLE DESIGN

The handle of the Za-Pas Nija has a comfortable ergonomic design, providing finger choils for three out of four fingers making for a comfortable hold.

The spine is also slightly curved to fit the natural shape of the palm.

In general, the Nija feels solid and comfortable and natural in the hand.

FULL TANG

One of the marks of a quality tactical knife is a full tang. Without a full tang, knives are weakest where the blade meets the handle because the metal becomes much thinner to fit into the center of the handle.

Growing up, I broke many weak knives by using them for standard tasks because they didn’t have a full tang.

A full tang makes the whole knife much tougher and more durable, precisely what you want in a tactical knife.

LANYARD HOLE

Za-Pas has placed a small lanyard loop recessed into the base of the Nija handle. This is a very clever design that allows you to attach a valuable cord to the Nija.

THE SHEATH

The sheath is a standard Kydex sheath. It is strong and well made, and it is shaped nicely to the Nija’s blade and handle.

Za-Pas placed eight grommet holes all around the edge of the sheath, which is awesome as it allows you to attach belt clips to it in multiple different carrying styles.

Whether you want to wear it vertically, horizontally, or at an angle, this many grommet holes offer you the capability.

BELT CLIP

The Ninja comes with a handmade steel belt clip. It’s exceptionally well made, holding onto any standard-sized belt fairly well, and has a beautiful stonewash finish.

The clip’s curves allow you to easily slide your belt into it, and its lower lip is large enough that it won’t slide back out on its own.

The belt clip can be removed and attached to the sheath to allow you to wear the belt in a horizontal carry.

Unfortunately, unless you wear the knife upside down the spine of the blade is just thick enough that the clip is held at an awkward angle and the knife doesn’t sit flush against your belt.

FUNCTIONALITY

The Nija tactical knife is all about everyday carry functionality. Its slim design and relatively small overall size allow it to fit perfectly on your belt as you wear it and feel comfortable in your hand while using it.

The nearly four-inch blade feels huge when holding it in your hand. The Nija really is all blade, and my point in saying this is that the Nija really offers you a lot of cutting surface, which is precisely what you want out of a knife.

Thanks to its design, its ability to puncture, cut, and slice is representative of a knife a couple of weight classes higher.

The handle’s ergonomic design feels great in the palm of your hand. The top finger choil with its bevelled edges really seats and secures your index finger on the handle.

The slight curve on the spine of the handle and the smaller finger choils for your ring and pinky finger also help to make the Nija fit snug and comfortable in your hand as you wield it.

WHAT I LIKE BEST

BLADE DESIGN

The less pronounced handle makes the blade of the Nija feel quite large in comparison, giving it a very blade-heavy feel. You feel like you’re wielding a bigger knife than you are, and I love it.

The narrower handle also makes the blade feel a bit wider than it truly is, which I am also a fan of, as I prefer wide blades to very narrow stiletto-style blades.

On more of an aesthetics side I really like the lip at the front of the spine, it adds an aggressiveness to the blade that I love.

OVERALL SIZE

A lot of people believe that to be effective in life, you need a giant tank-killing knife with an eight-inch blade. Blades that size definitely have their place.

It just tends to be more so in wilderness survival type situations rather than everyday carry or urban survival.

The Nija’s size is perfect for an EDC at just under eight inches.

It doesn’t get in your way while you carry it; it sits comfortably on your belt, and aside from hacking apart firewood and tree limbs, you can pretty much do everything you need to.

CONCERNS AND CRITICISMS

HANDLE TAIL

The tail of the knife was one of the few aspects of the Nija I wasn’t the biggest fan of. It comes to quite a point, so wearing it vertically on your belt can give you a sharp jab in your side.

It also doesn’t provide any rear support grip for your hand, helping to prevent your hand from slipping off the handle

HANDLE TEXTURE AND SIZE

A smooth handle is a high end trait for certain knives but not a good trait in tactical knives. The handle of the Nija, although it appears textured, is actually quite slick.

It is very smooth and provides absolutely no help in gripping the knife.

The last aspect of the Nija for which I wasn’t the biggest fan was the length of the handle. Now, I know I have said many times that the overall length of the Nija is great, and it is.

It would still be great if the handle were just half an inch longer, providing more hand security. The tail being half an inch longer and having the slightest curve would help secure the hand without adding to much to the size.

CONCLUSIONS

The Za-Pas Nija is hands down an excellent tactical everyday carry knife. It’s a quick-draw minimalist tactical knife that offers a lot of blade at a fraction of the cost.

Its size is perfect for carrying and concealing, it’s comfortable in the hand, and offers a slick yet aggressive look.

Best of all, its price point is very decent.