Review of the DDR Knives Dominator 35 Ventilator

Fans of ThruMyLens know that I’m a knife guy.  My father was a knife guy, so I come by it honestly.  I enjoy the utility of knives, the craftsmanship, and engineering that goes into their production.  I’ve even trained to use a knife defensively if (God forbid) I ever needed.  I’m especially fond of “EDC” (every day carry) tactical folders – particularly of the titanium frame lock variety.  These type of knives often check all the capability boxes of what I’m looking for in a pocket knife…except one.  Generally speaking, titanium frame lock knives are too heavy to carry in “office environment” type pants.  I’ve owned and reviewed dozens of tactical “EDC” frame lock folding knives, made by the “giants” of custom knife making like Chris Reeve, Mick Strider, Rick Hinderer, and David Curtiss among others.  I’ve also owned some examples of high-end production knives from Zero Tolerance, Benchmade, and Spyderco.  The common issues among most of the knives I’ve tried from all these sources that they’re quite comfortable to carry clipped to your pocket if you’re wearing jeans or thicker pants – which I only do on the weekends.  During the week, I work in an office and I’m typically wearing dress pants or a suit.  I’m not going to clip a knife to my suit pants, and I don’t think I’m alone in this sentiment.  I prefer to drop a knife inside my pocket.  Do that with the typical titanium frame lock folding knife (weighing 5oz. or more), and it will not sit well in your pocket.  The weight of the knife will cause it to drop into a horizontal position, creating an unsightly bulge in your pocket.  As a result, I don’t often get to carry some of my favorite knives during the week – they’re relegated to the weekend.

Recently I did an overview of the Darrel Ralph Dominator 35 available from Rangestore.net and one particular model variation stood out to me as being the answer I’ve been seeking for well over a decade – the Dominator 35 Ventilator:

The Dominator 35 Ventilator (or simply Ventilator) is a titanium frame lock folding knife with a “flipper” style blade deployment mechanism – currently the most popular method of blade deployment in this particular product segment.  The Ventilator is available in two different blade grind variations – a compound grind and a tanto.  Both grinds demonstrate a higher, more elaborate level of knife making excellence than the typical full-flat grind you see on most mass produced “production knives.”

The tanto grind variation also exhibits a harpoon-type shape on top of the blade which I find both aesthetically pleasing and functional so I chose that variation my personal knife.  Regardless of the blade grind, each variation of the Ventilator has a blade made from S35VN steel.  I’ve owned and currently own many high-end knives with S35VN blades.  According to knife lore, none other than the father of the titanium frame lock knife, Chris Reeve, worked closely with Crucible Industries when they created S35VN. Without going “deep in the weeds” regarding the chemical makeup of alloy and the specific benefits each component element brings, suffice to say that the composition allows for S35VN steel to be an incredibly hard, high-quality steel offering superior dimensional stability, grindability, and toughness that make this a top grade blade steel.  In the years since S35VN steel began being used for knife blades, an “arms race” of sorts has erupted among knife makes, with collectors/enthusiasts pushing the market to release “the next big thing” in terms of blade steel formulation.  Other, more expensive blade steels have replaced S35VN at the top – but with only minor enhancements in performance that most users will not be able to perceive.  S35VN remains one of the best steels a knife blade can be made from and is one of my top 3 favorites in all-around performance and usability.  The blade is also DLC coated and given a tumbled or what I call “battle worn” finish to simulate wear.  As you would expect from a knife maker with his reputation and a knife of this price point, the blade is perfectly centered between the handle scales in the closed position.

The most exciting aspect of the Ventilator is its weight – at under 4 oz. in weight (3.8 oz.) it’s the lightest 3.5″ titanium frame lock knife I’m aware of available in the marketplace.  The presentation side of the knife is made from a piece of actual carbon fiber – a material used in many high-end products for not only its aesthetic appeal but also for its nearly unparalleled light weight and strength.  To achieve even greater weight reduction, the carbon fiber scale has been milled out creating a vent-like pattern (hence the name “Ventilator”).  The backside is constructed from titanium which has been anodized blue and given a tumbled finish.  Also present on the titanium side of the knife is a pocket clip which is artfully milled from titanium, with the same anodization and finish as the titanium handle scale, so it integrates well.  The clip is on the stiffer side and may present a bit of a challenge to coax it over the top of your pocket.  But once done by golly that knife isn’t going anywhere – it’s very securely clipped to your pocket.  Lock up on the knife (where the frame lock mechanism interfaces with the blade once deployed) is early – perhaps 30%-40% which leaves plenty of room for the lock to wear.  Darrel Ralph has incorporated a steel lock bar insert into the Dominator 35 line which creates a steel on steel lock bar interface.   Prior to this innovation in the knife industry, when the titanium lock bar interfaced directly against the steel blade, a phenomenon known as “lock stick” often occured. Most high-end titanium frame lock knives have now incorporated a similarly designed steel insert into the lock bar, so it’s good to see Darrel Ralph has followed suit.

One thing I look for in a good EDC knife is the ability to easily disassemble the knife to clean and lubricate it.  Carrying a knife on the interior of my pocket means it will pick up quite a bit of dust and lint.  Some knives are easier to take apart than others, but the Dominator 35 Ventilator couldn’t be easier – just remove two screws and the pivot using a #8 torx bit.  My Boker/Wiha Torx Head was the perfect tool for the job:

I currently own at least a half a dozen flipper style knives, and an order of magnitude more than that have gone through my hands over the past 12 or so years.  In that time, I’ve learned that in order to have an optimal flipper deployment action on a knife, you need two things:  a proper bearing system in the pivot, and just the right detent.  Darrel Ralph absolutely nails both on the Dominator 35 Ventilator, with his “Maxx Glide” caged pivot bearing system mated with an aggressive detent.   The action on my Ventilator is exceptional – as good or better than any knife I’ve used.  The Dominator 35 Ventilator may be considered a “mid-tech” knife, but the butter-smooth action on the knife will make you think you have a $1000.00 full custom knife – it’s that good.

The Darrel Ralph Dominator 35 Ventilator is the perfect addition to my EDC that fills a years-long void.  There are lesser manufacturers and products that could probably function in the capacity which the Ventilator fills.  If you want a pedestrian tool for the masses, look elsewhere.  If like me you want a premium manufactured from the finest materials, and covet the quality and exclusivity of a custom knife maker, then look no further than the Dominator 35 Ventilator – available from Rangestore.net.

In addition to this written photo review, I’ve also recorded a video supplement review of the Dominator 35 Ventilator from DDR Knives: