Hardline 3.5 in. Smooth Blade Pocket Knife is rated 4.5 out of 5 by 17 .

Rated 5 out of 5 by John from 5 Star Review Rating provided by a verified purchaser

Rated 2 out of 5 by jakeparlay from Disappointing I like the way this knife looks. Visually, it’s impressive, and has a good heft and balance to it. Unfortunately, that is about the full extent of my positive feelings about this offering from Milwaukee. I dislike the opening mechanism. The thumb-assist is easy to find, but it’s hard to open the blade fully without snapping the wrist. You either have to carefully use your forefinger to work the blade assist the full extent or you have to snap your wrist in conjunction with using your thumb. It is cool the first few times, popping your wrist to lock the blade in place, but after the twentieth or thirtieth time, it’s an annoyance. The blade quality was the biggest let-down for me. The packaging touts the knife’s extended durability, but I found that it dulled significantly after its first hour of usage. “Made In China” might play a factor in the steel quality. I expected better from Milwaukee brand.

Rated 5 out of 5 by Steve from This is a tough knife. A lot of lock blade knives feel loose and not very secure when open...not... This is a tough knife. A lot of lock blade knives feel loose and not very secure when open...not this Milwaukee! Everything about this knife is solid and well-built. I was carrying a SOG automatic (for about five years) and now I carry my Milwaukee. One thing I especially like is the way the lock that keeps the blade from folding is very solid and secure, yet it is easy to close the knife. When you have it in your hand, the lock is kept solid in position so there's no way it would close and the piece you use to open the knife acts as a hand guard so you won't slip onto the blade when applying forward force. Probably the best folding knife I have ever owned.

Rated 5 out of 5 by sacherjj from Quality knife with a few annoyances I attached a detailed video to this review that show many of these points. To start with, this is a mid-priced knife as quality knives go, but more expensive than many are used to. I think it stands up with other knives in this price point. It is a large and heavy blade. Bigger than I would normally carry, but it will stay in the truck as a work knife. I also received the 3" and 2.5" Hardline to review and found them more to my liking as EDC knives. It came with a good edge and held it well after some serious work. I really like the ball bearing blade pivot. It keeps the blade tight, while allowing easy pivot. The one major complaint I had about this knife is that while all of it is well rounded with no sharp edges (except the one you need sharp), I wish I had more groves or knurling on the frame lock. It is smooth enough that sometimes it is hard to get a good purchase to unlock without a good bit of force into it to cause friction. This is a tip up carry only. That may be an issue for some. The clip is reversible for side to side only, and not to change the tip orientation. The bottom line is that it is quality, as we expect from Milwaukee. I would put it up against any of the name brand knife makers.

Rated 5 out of 5 by fernbark from Big thick D2 steel at a value If you are looking for a knife with a D2 blade, this is a great value, seriously. I have another knife with this steel that cost almost twice as much. These knives have a great feel in your hand. The knife comes out of the package super sharp, which is nice since the last thing you want to do right away is sharpen D2 steel. I have both the 2.5 and the 3.5 models. Both knives were able to cut cleanly through paper, but were not sharp enough to shave with, although I did remove a fair amount of dead skin trying. The 2.5 is perfect for carrying in your pocket and the 3.5 will do well in a situation where carrying a bigger knife makes more sense. It really stands out hanging from your pocket. The flip action took a little getting used to for me. It really helps if you have the knife oriented so the blade is pointing down, and let gravity help. Otherwise you might have to give it a little flick to get it to open all the way. My only real beef with the knife is the blade lock. There isn't much room for your finger/thumb to engage it and it is slippery. So far I have only been able to safely close the knife with two hands, which is a real bummer. Also, the 3.5 is a little big, and I had it come off my pocket while sitting on a couple of occasions.

Rated 5 out of 5 by Ryan from I own many pocket knives that range from $15 to... I own many pocket knives that range from $15 to $250. This pocket knife is easily a EDC (Everyday Carry) knife for me. It's thin, feels solid and holds a good edge. I'm really impressed.

Rated 4 out of 5 by zack from Nice and sharp out of the box. I wish it had assisted opening like my Kershaw's. It is still ve... Nice and sharp out of the box. I wish it had assisted opening like my Kershaw's. It is still very easy to flip open, but once you are used to the assisted open, it's hard to go back.