I am lucky enough to own two Gerber 650 lockback knives. They are superb and I love them very much. They are well balanced, well engineered, and very well made knives. The handles are made of a slightly "sticky" rubber type material that provides excellent grip characteristics at all times, regardless if wet or dry, and irresepective of which way the knife is positioned in your hand. The blades themselves are of a satin style finish that is very pleasing to the eye and does not gleam and glitter in the sun or bright light, thus giving the 650 a somewhat tactical feel and appearance. However, the 650 does not come with a positionable thumb stud type opener. You have to find one of those all by yourself, because the knife just doesn't work very well without one (it was designed as a "quick opening" one-handed knife). All-in-all the Gerber 650 is a very fine knife. It is fairly beefly, tough, and smartly made - and it feels good in your hand. To top it off, it is/was made here in the USA - which means it is top quality. Not every Gerber knife can claim that proud distinction these days. Many of Gerber's products are now made in China. If you are going to purchase a knife (or whatever) do yourself a favor and buy something made in America. Support your own country, not China. Made in America means super high quality - and it means that it was made by your friends, family, and neighbors here in the USA. The Gerber 650 lockback knife is an excellent knife, and was made in the USA. Buy one and be proud of that fact. I hope this helps.