- QSP Penguin · Sheepsfoot3.06″ blade · 3.14 oz · ~1.22″ tall
QSP Penguin
DiscontinuedQSP no longer makes this knife in this configuration. Its current replacement is QSP Penguin V2.
The QSP Penguin is a 3.06" sheepsfoot folder in D2, flat ground. The handle is Linen Micarta, secured by a liner lock. One of only 5 sheepsfoot blades in the catalogue, out of 140.
- Blade
- 3.06″
- Weight
- 3.14 oz
- Steel
- D2
- Price band
- Budget
Everyday carry and general utility
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Specifications
Manufacturer-published figures, cross-checked against knifecenter, knivesplus.
- Blade length
- 3.06″
- Blade shape
- Sheepsfoot
- Grind
- Flat
- Steel
- D2
- Overall length
- 7.06″
- Weight
- 3.14 oz
- Lock
- Liner
- Deployment
- Manual
- Handle material
- Linen Micarta
- Country of origin
- China
Why a sheepsfoot
A straight edge with the spine curving down to meet it, ending in effectively no point. It cannot stab, which is the point: it is the shape for cutting toward yourself, cutting on a surface, or cutting a seatbelt off someone without stabbing them.
Every sheepsfoot here →About D2
Semi-stainless: enough chromium to resist spotting, not enough to be stainless. Big carbides mean long edge life and a coarse, toothy edge.
1-5 is a relative ranking drawn from published composition and hardness, not a lab measurement. Higher is better on every axis, and no steel is a 5 across the board — edge retention and toughness pull against each other. All D2 knives
What owners say
Drawn from 642 owner discussions of the QSP Penguin since 2024. The opinions are theirs. The specifications above come from the maker.
What owners like
- Hard to beat at the price: owners describe the D2 and micarta base model as a great knife for around $30, one paid $33 for theirs in 2024, and another who got one as a gift could not believe how good it was for $30.
- The sheepsfoot earns converts. One owner who expected to dislike the blade shape found it more versatile than imagined and now owns about five, and another who daily carries one prefers a sheepsfoot for everyday cutting.
- Shrugs off beater duty. One owner used a D2 Penguin for cutting, scraping, some chopping and prying, another has two D2 micarta units that are completely beat up, and a third found the body, scales and pivot survived destructive testing.
- D2 that tested hard: one tester's hardness test put a Penguin's D2 at 61.7 HRC, and a daily Penguin carrier says the blade holds an edge very well.
- Smooth on plain washers: an owner who had avoided it because it rides on washers found it smooth and snappy, and says it still drops shut pretty well.
- A cheap platform to modify: owners have fitted $16 3D printed scales that left zero blade play, reground the sheepsfoot into a wharncliffe or a drop point, and forced a shipwreck patina on the blade.
- Denim micarta has a following. Three owners single out the denim micarta scales as a favorite, and one of them carries several Penguins daily.
- QSP fixed a liner lock problem on one owner's brass-handled Penguin for free, and that knife has aged into a favorite over three years of use.
What owners flag
- D2 can rust fast: one owner found rust after a single day of cutting boxes and some grilled chicken, even though they washed and cleaned the blade right after, and another stonewashed their Penguin's D2 blade after it started rusting.
- Edge holding is a gamble on some units. One owner, who does not say which steel theirs were, found two Penguins, one from Amazon and one from BladeHQ, would not hold or take a fine edge and got nothing useful from QSP by email, and another received a free D2 unit whose blade they say warped in heat treat.
- The stock clip draws complaints: one owner bent theirs out of shape and went looking for a sturdier replacement, another simply dislikes it, and a third wants QSP to give the standard Penguin the clip format used on its Parrot and on Kizer and Civivi knives.
- Liner lock needs care in a hard grip. One owner bearing down to cut something on the ground pressed the liner, and the blade closed on their hand, and another got rid of theirs because they did not like the liner lock or the D2.
- Detent strength varies from unit to unit: one owner's thumb-stud carbon fiber Penguin was so stiff it hurt to flick open, while a 2026 buyer found the detent on the $50 Penguin they bought in a sale too weak.
- A Teflon washer on one owner's Penguin came out of shape, and they went looking for spares in case it fails.
Around $30 buys the base Penguin in D2 with micarta scales, and owners describe it as a first real knife, a gift for a son who is not into knives, and a beater one owner beat to death with cutting, scraping and prying. A collector with about a thousand knives says they would carry it every day, several owners have it in more than one handle material, and three people single out denim micarta.
The 3.06 inch sheepsfoot and liner lock ride on washers, and one owner who had avoided it for that reason found it smooth and snappy. Detent strength varies by unit, and one new owner had to learn to flick the thumb stud up rather than push it out. D2 is the deciding trade: one hardness test came in at 61.7 HRC and a daily carrier says it holds an edge, but one owner found rust after a single day despite washing it, and another had two Penguins that would not take a good edge at all. The stock clip draws complaints from three owners.
Shoppers ask how it compares with the Ontario RAT 2, the CJRB Pyrite Light and the Vosteed Raccoon at the budget end, and QSP's own button lock version comes in 14C28N while the Glyde Lock version is one collector's favorite. Buyers ready to spend more ask about the larger Penguin Plus, and one Plus owner suggests the titanium frame lock Penguins in the original size as a middle step.
Will the D2 Penguin rust?
It can, and quickly. One owner found rust spots after a single day of cutting boxes and some food, cleaned it off and coated the blade with WD-40, and another stonewashed their D2 blade after it started rusting. D2 is a tool steel that will patina, so it needs to be kept wiped and oiled; QSP's button lock Penguin uses 14C28N instead.
How well does the Penguin's D2 hold an edge?
Reports split. One tester measured a Penguin's D2 at 61.7 HRC and a daily carrier says it holds an edge very well, but another owner, who does not say which steel theirs were, found two Penguins that would not hold or take a fine edge even after heavy regrinding, and a third received a D2 unit whose blade they say warped in heat treat.
What is the difference between the Penguin and the Penguin Plus?
The Plus is larger, with a 3.375 inch blade against the standard's 3.06, uses CPM-20CV instead of D2, adds a flipper tab, and is a titanium and carbon fiber frame lock where the standard is a liner lock; one knife fan adds that the Plus rides on bearings rather than washers. One Plus owner calls it a great knife but would not pay the full $180, having got theirs for $100 on the swap, and points out that the titanium frame lock Penguins in the original size sell for $60 to $80 on sale as a middle step.
Why can't I flick it open with the thumb stud?
One new owner thought they had a dud until they learned to flick the stud upward instead of pushing it out to the side, and another owner says their Penguin broke in with time. Detent strength does vary between units: one owner's carbon fiber Penguin was so stiff it hurt their thumb to open, so a very stiff one may be the knife rather than the technique.
Is the pocket clip any good, and can it be replaced?
It draws complaints. One owner bent theirs and went looking for a sturdier swap, another just dislikes it, and one owner of several Penguins says the newer Glyde Lock version fixed the clip's hot spot at the end. The clip uses two vertical screws, and the owner asking about swaps was unsure which other clips fit.
Should I get the liner lock or a Glyde Lock or button lock Penguin?
The liner lock base model is the cheapest, but one owner closed it on their hand after pressing the liner in a hard grip and another got rid of theirs partly over the lock. One button lock buyer notes that version moved to 14C28N, and an owner of about 75 knives who has several Penguins calls the contoured Glyde Lock version their favorite, at around $49.
Features
- Liner lock
- Flat grind
- Made in China
- Tool steel blade — will patina
