The DDR Knives Dominator 35

Have you heard of knife maker Darrel Ralph?  I’ll confess to the fact that until Rangestore.net sent me a few examples which they are carrying, I was completely oblivious to Darrel Ralph and DDR Knives.  Shame on me because not only is Darrel Ralph one of the “OG” master knife makers (having started back in 1987), he’s also currently doing some amazing and innovative work that’s worthy of recognition.  Darrel also has roots right here in my own state of Ohio, but is currently operating out of Texas in a shop where every single component which goes into his knives is manufactured.  Darrel is well known in the high-end/luxury custom knife community for is exotic and over the top designs – “art knives.”  But Darrel and his staff also produce some amazing “mid-tech” or near custom knives like the DDR Dominator 35.

The Dominator 35 (so named because of the 3.5″ blade length) is a titanium frame lock knife with “flipper” style deployment of exceptional design, quality, and execution.  The titanium frame lock/flipper knife category is the most popular among those who “EDC” (every day carry) a pocket knife for utility, self-defense, or simply as “pocket jewelry.”  The following knives are all variations of the DDR Dominator 35 – all have a blade constructed from S35VN (a time tested premium blade steel well respected for both hardness and ease of sharpening) and given a DLC (diamond like coating) treatment which is then given what I’ll call a “battle worn” finish.  Clearly, these are knives that are meant to be carried and used.  The knives also feature Darrel Ralph’s Maxx Glide Caged Pivot Bearing System with Aggressive Detent.  The combination of the captured bearings and the detent makes for a blade deployment that is rocket fast and smooth as glass each and every time with minimal effort.  I’ve owned and reviewed knives from some of the biggest production knife manufacturers such as ZT, Benchmade, and Spyderco as well as the giants of mid-tech “semi-custom” knifes like Chris Reeve, Rick Hinderer, David Curtiss, and Strider.  None of them have a better flipping action than the DDR Dominator.

At just under 4 oz. in total weight, the DDR Dominator 35 Ventilator was the absolute favorite of the examples sent to me by Rangestore.net:

The two examples above are shown with two different blade grinds – tanto (above) and compound (below).  Both grinds are extremely practical yet add some uniqueness and distinction to the overall execution.  The front or “display side” of the knife is constructed from actual carbon fiber which has been milled in such a way to even further reduce the weight of this already lightweight, super strong material.  The back side of the knife is titanium (with a steel insert built into the frame lock where the lock engages with the blade to eliminate dreaded “lock stick”), which has been heat anodized blue, and given a similar tumbled or “battle worn” finish:

The backside also features a pocket clip 3D sculpted from titanium.  I’ve seen many knife makers/companies skimp on their pocket clips, and slap on a cheap pressed metal clip.  The milled titanium clip from DDR is just another quality feature which shows their commitment to producing a near-custom quality knife at a mid-tech price.  I’ve been looking for an ultra-light weight 3.5in. tactical flipper knife for a looong time.  I’ll be doing a separate review on this model, but suffice to day the box that Rangestore.net sent me full of knives was lighter by four ounces when I shipped it back.  This knife was too good not add to my personal collection.

Here’s the version of the DDR Dominator 35 that’s next on my radar to pick up.  It features titanium handle scales on both sides that have been anodized for some added flair, a US Flag pattern:

 

Also featured is the matching DDR Knives Go Pen which I’ll be soon reviewing.

Here’s another Dominator 35 variation that looks fantastic.  The decoration that has been applied to both sides of the titanium handle scales is jewel-like in appearance:

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The backside of the knife looks even more amazing than the front thanks to the intricate anodization on the pocket clip:

Just look at the detail and anodization present along the outer edge of the titanium handle scales:

The  DDR Knives Dominator 35 certainly deserves a seat at the same table currently occupied by names like XM-18, Sebenza, SMG, and F3.  It’s a platorm that Darrel Ralph can use to create anything from the best utilitarian tool for everyday tasks (to include self-defense) to representing his creative genius and technical wizardry in haute knife making.  Check out the available collection of DDR Knives at Rangestore.net.

I’ll be doing a thorough review of the DDR Knives Dominator 35 Ventilator in a future article.