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A Real Good Knife
- Thread starter Derius_T
- Start date
azsixshooter
New member
If you're really serious about choosing a high-end knife you should check out bladeforums.com or someplace like that. If you are planning to make an investment you should do your research in an appropriate place. Not that you haven't gotten good advice here so far, just that there is an almost overwhelming number of options for you to explore in the world of upper-echelon/custom blades. If you were posting on bladeforums.com that you wanted to buy a gun I'd suggest you check out TFL.com.
Or you could just buy that ridiculous new Gil Hibben Rambo 4 knife...$1250.00 lawnmower blade with some 550 cord for a handle :barf:
Or you could just buy that ridiculous new Gil Hibben Rambo 4 knife...$1250.00 lawnmower blade with some 550 cord for a handle :barf:
The Tourist
Moderator
azsixshooter said:If you're really serious about choosing a high-end knife you should check out...a hobbyist forum...or someplace like that.
I politely disagree.
I like to debate, but unless some segment of a hobby forum is run by professionals, all you have is singular guys making comments on a singular knife they once owned. For example, I once owned a knife constructed of CPM-440V that chipped if you looked at it sideways. I never bought one again. Such action is simply anecdotal.
ridiculous...lawnmower blade with some 550 cord for a handle
Again, I have to disagree. Some "tactical ninja" knives are exactly as you describe. However, those made by Strider are worth every penny. They are designed and built by artisans, you cannot break them (even soldiers report on that), and the alloys used are top shelf.
They are ugly. So is a jeep and a certain automatic pistol I happen to like, designed in 1905.
azsixshooter
New member
I like to debate, but unless some segment of a hobby forum is run by professionals, all you have is singular guys making
There ARE professionals at bladeforums.com. Both custom makers and people/reps from larger manufacturers.
Again, I have to disagree. Some "tactical ninja" knives are exactly as you describe. However, those made by Strider are worth every penny. They are designed and built by artisans, you cannot break them (even soldiers report on that), and the alloys used are top shelf.
If you actually read my posts you would see that I AGREED with you that Striders ARE excellent knives. Strider didn't have anything to do with that eyesore, over-priced Rambo 4 POS. Also, Striders might be a little pricey, but they certainly aren't $1250. There are people who don't like Strider (the man or his knives) for a variety of reasons. I'm not one of those people. I'm with you man, form follows function. However, I actually kind of appreciate you calling me on giving my unsolicited opinion on that Rambo 4 knife. I certainly don't mean to turn this into any kind of flame war about that knife and I shouldn't have even mentioned it. Some people like it and that's fine. Personally I would rather have 3 Striders for that price, that's all.
I didn't knock your good advice to this guy, you're absolutely right...from what he said he wanted I think that Strider is ONE of the options that would suit him perfectly. But it's just one in a sea of options and there are others out there that will do the job he needs just as well and that he may like better. The price, the looks, the steel choices, whatever. Just like there are great, friendly and super-knowledgeable professionals here there are the same types over at bf.com. I never told him he couldn't get good advice here (in fact, if you read my post I told him that he WAS getting a lot of good advice here)...I'm just offering him (and anyone else) another research tool that he can utilize in maximizing his knife investment dollar that he may not have known about.
The Tourist
Moderator
azsixshooter said:If you actually read my posts you would see that I AGREED with you that Striders ARE excellent knives.
I didn't mean you personally on the observation that many knives are simplistic with cord wrapped handles.
What I did mean is that you could take some of this six-dollar knock-off crap that is flame sprayed and cord wrapped and to some folks it looks like a Strider. Personally, I think Mick should sue or sharpen up a few spay blades.
As for hobbyist forums, be careful. If a columnist signs his name, like Jerry Hossom or Mick and Dwayne, of course, these professionals know and love knives. I am a big fan of Ernie's stuff. Having said that, I'm still amazed at the drek I stumble across on hobby forums.
It's like anything else, do some research. You know, some Hollywood stars have to audition for some key parts. This past week I had to do a demonstration sharpening for two area restaurant chefs. It's not an insult, I like to get to know the mechanic who works on my bike.
If the man or his product do not meet your needs and expectations, you have your answer. Believe it or not, with things as important as your personal health, some intelligent people still do not ask probing questions of their doctors.
Martyn4802
New member
Look, The Tourist makes very good points here. There are a whole lot of guys on those knife forums who are typewiter knife professionals, who have never made a knife, and have not the experience to be making statements that are of value. Some guys are very knowledeable who never made a knife, and you should be paying attention to what they say. Tourists point is be careful in who you listen to. Good advice.
I started making knives in 1980, and have made 500 so far. I have a shop full of all the machines required to make high class knives, which I make. This was an after hours endeavour as I had a full time job. But, there are other non-makers who know a whole lot more about knives that are available to us users than I do. I respect their comments about knives. They know what steels are used in what brand of knife, and that info is valuable when selecting a knife.
Incidentally, I've made a bunch of knives out of CPM 440V, and have not had any problems with brittleness, and blade chipping. I use Paul Bos for all of my heat treating, so maybe the blade hardness is the problem with chipping, I don't know. Also, CPM 440V steel is now S60V.
Martyn
I started making knives in 1980, and have made 500 so far. I have a shop full of all the machines required to make high class knives, which I make. This was an after hours endeavour as I had a full time job. But, there are other non-makers who know a whole lot more about knives that are available to us users than I do. I respect their comments about knives. They know what steels are used in what brand of knife, and that info is valuable when selecting a knife.
Incidentally, I've made a bunch of knives out of CPM 440V, and have not had any problems with brittleness, and blade chipping. I use Paul Bos for all of my heat treating, so maybe the blade hardness is the problem with chipping, I don't know. Also, CPM 440V steel is now S60V.
Martyn
azsixshooter
New member
Hey Martyn, I see you're from Grayling. I'm from Michigan too, I always wished I could have visited the Fred Bear museum when it was in Grayling. I heard Papa Bear carried a Puma of some kind, you wouldn't happen to know which model he preferred would you?
The Tourist
Moderator
Martyn4802 said:I've made a bunch of knives out of CPM 440V, and have not had any problems with brittleness, and blade chipping. I use Paul Bos for all of my heat treating
This is a very important aspect of steel and knife making.
The Graham brother knife I dsiplayed is one of Paul's (S30V), as are my Striders. My wife has a two-inch Buck mini-Alpha Hunter heat treated by Paul, and they are all excellent, serviceable knives that produce keen edges.
Now, you also mention CPM-440V and the good luck you have with it. That proves the point. My example is my wife's Boa, an early example. Rumor has it that those blades had a Rc hardness in the low to mid 60's. I doubt Paul had a hand in that.
(BTW, I had concoidal fracture in the bevel, itself.)
But as Martyn4802 underlines, we have to do research.
The Tourist
Moderator
tegemu said:Why not get the original - the Ka-Bar
Within its limits, there's nothing wrong with it at all. The issue is that since it's known as The Marine Knife, and famous for the fighting in the Pacific during WWII, many people view it as "a super knife."
It is a useful sheath knife made from moderately hard 1084 or 1095 non-chromium steel. Nothing more, nothing less.
Personally, I will never spend several years storming hostile foreign beaches. If I need a fixed blade, there are several (numerous models, in fact) that do the job better.
For example, one of the cars famous for "rum running" during Depression era times was the quintessential "flathead Ford." It was fast for its time, durable and a part of our history. In real life, that same car would be dusted within a blink by a modern WRX STi. Time marches on.