Who's interested in a special edition 2012 DDR/HTM Forum Gunhammer?

[harkamus]

Im in! Aluminum is great! Manual flipper with elmax blade sounds good! Will we be notified?

I'll probably leave updates here as I get them. But I mean, you guys have to decide on the final details first.

[Scurvy092]

I'm gonna let neuron take point on this, and then I'll forward the details for the finalized order to Darrel.

Let's hear some ideas, guys!

Sounds like neuron should start some polls to gage interest, color and blade steel. I hope we can get 25.

Let's just call it a custom gunhammer group buy haha,

[neuron]

OK, so I just had time to talk with Darrel about this. Here are the details.

If this is to happen, there needs to be a minimum of 25 hours. The blades can only be bowie or torpedo (you can pick either or when you commit to buying). Blade steel is up to you guys. You guys will have to decide on a single anno color. The knives will be marked forum or whatever you decide. Price quote is 310 for non assisted, Maxx glide bearing pivot, HTM Gunhammers in anno color (that you guys will have to agree on) in either bowie or torpedo. 600 bucks for titanium handles. I don't think he'll do a mix and match run of say 10 aluminum versions and 15 titanium. So you guys will have to really think about this one.

EDIT: Non-assisted because most of you want the Maxx glide bearings. Bearings make an assist mechanism redundant. I don't think Darrel's ever put bearings and an assisted opening mechanism into a single knife. It's either or, so I assumed you guys would prefer the bearings, which is what I asked about when talking with the man.

Awesome, thanks so much, Hark (and Darrel)! $310 is right around where I was hoping the price would land for the aluminum version, and should put it within reach of a lot of folks on the forum. ($600 for the Ti version is likely beyond what a lot of people are able to spend on any knife, even one as cool as a Gunhammer with Maxx Glide, Elmax, etc.)

Manual flipper with Maxx Glide seems like the main feature people are chomping at the bit to see, so I'm going to go ahead and pencil that in without making another thread about it. Same goes for Elmax as the blade steel: it's a very high-performance, well-rounded steel. (M390 would be awesome too, but I'm not sure if it would be stepping on KnifeCenter's toes to do a HTM forum Gunhammer close on the heels of their limited edition M390 HTM Gunhammer.)

I will, however, start threads to solicit input on other aspects of the knife, namely (1) anodizing color, (2) blade finish, and (3) what distinguishing markings, if any, to put on the blade (thanks for the heads-up, Scurvy092 -- I didn't keep up with the thread on the Kershaw/ZT forum and was unaware that it caused a lot of debate over there).

[harkamus]

I will, however, start threads to solicit input on other aspects of the knife, namely (1) anodizing color, (2) blade finish, and (3) what distinguishing markings, if any, to put on the blade (thanks for the pointer, Scurvy092 -- I didn't keep up with the thread on the Kershaw/ZT forum and didn't realize this was a big issue for some folks).

Don't forget blade steel. I'm gonna be out of commission most likely until Bladeshow is over. Maybe I'll post after each day, but I'll probably be beat. Bladeshow starts in 7 hours for me...since I was asked to help set up.

[neuron]

Don't forget blade steel. I'm gonna be out of commission most likely until Bladeshow is over. Maybe I'll post after each day, but I'll probably be beat. Bladeshow starts in 7 hours for me...since I was asked to help set up.

Yeah, I had assumed folks were okay with Elmax and edited my original post to reflect that, but obviously if people have other suggestions we can open that up too.

What are the options on blade steel? I'm guessing M390, Elmax, S30V, S35VN, and 154CM are all on the table since they've made appearances on HTM Gunhammers (either the assisted/manual or auto versions) in the past. Are there others Darrel has around that that wouldn't cause issues in terms of availability, price, and so forth?

[crimsonfalcon07]

Also, I'm absurdly excited about this. REALLY hope we get 25, or more.

[harkamus]

Yeah, I had assumed folks were okay with Elmax and edited my original post to reflect that, but obviously if people have other suggestions we can open that up too.

What are the options on blade steel? I'm guessing M390, Elmax, S30V, S35VN, and 154CM are all on the table since they've made appearances on HTM Gunhammers (either the assisted/manual or auto versions) in the past. Are there others Darrel has around that that wouldn't cause issues in terms of availability, price, and so forth?

When I mentioned that Elmax was the steel idea being tossed around, Darrel mentioned CTS XHP could also be a candidate.

I dunno about m390. m390 is pretty much a Knifecenter exclusive for HTM knives. I'm pretty sure Darrel will not agree to make an m390 run even if it's a sprint forum run. It would not be fair to knifecenter. m390 is available on custom knives, such as the one I have commissioned.

[crimsonfalcon07]

Neuron, when you make the steel poll, if you could include an option to "defer to the expertise of others," I would appreciate it. I don't know much about either CTS-XHP or Elmax to make an informed decision. I'll have to do some research into the metallurgy. All the super steels kinda boggle the mind sometimes.

[neuron]

I dunno about m390. m390 is pretty much a Knifecenter exclusive for HTM knives. I'm pretty sure Darrel will not agree to make an m390 run even if it's a sprint forum run. It would not be fair to knifecenter. m390 is available on custom knives, such as the one I have commissioned.

Yeah, I had edited my original reply to reflect that before you responded to the other post. Good to know XHP is an option -- I wasn't sure how things were in terms of availability with the Carpenter steels, but now that I know it's an option I'll definitely include it in the poll.

[harkamus]

I'm out to catch some sleep.

[neuron]

Neuron, when you make the steel poll, if you could include an option to "defer to the expertise of others," I would appreciate it. I don't know much about either CTS-XHP or Elmax to make an informed decision. I'll have to do some research into the metallurgy. All the super steels kinda boggle the mind sometimes.

Haha, sure. Honestly, any of the steels we're talking about (including 154CM with Darrel's in-house HT) are going to offer great performance, so it's really just a matter of personal preference and/or wanting to try something new.

[crimsonfalcon07]

Yep, I'd mostly just like to try something new. Which basically excludes S30V and 154CM for me, because I haven't tried any of the others. So I'm pretty much a happy camper all around, provided that we get 25 people.

[DrOpPoInT1110]

I'd be happy with Elmax or XHP. Both are excellent steels.

[Rapt_up]

Well I'm interested, as long as it has the option to add the Assisted opening, and the steel is a super steel... (S90V S110V, M390, 10V, or CPM -M4) Elmax is less appealing to me, unless its way up on its hardness range...

Did I miss blade shape option/decision? I'm in for Bowie or Radian...

[crimsonfalcon07]

Blade will be your choice of bowie or torpedo, sounds like.

[1SHOT1KILL]

Is the titanium a frame lock? If its a std liner than I would prefer aluminum. Elmax is preferred...second choice cts-xhp followed by M390 (since he already uses it) Hunter Green/olive drab is my 1st choice...I'm ok with other colors as long as they're not obnoxious/nauseating. Manual flipper/maxx glide torpedo blade/stonewashed finish. I'm in.

[Scurvy092]

I would like to see CTS-XHP because A) made in the USA, B) I already have a 0560 in ELMAX.

How about CPM REX 121?!

[TriviaMonster]

I'm going to adjust my first post. I don't want another bearing powered flipper in ELMAX. Gimme that CTS-XHP at a high hardness, S110V, or even some D3(2.1% Carbon % 1%V, kinda like a super D2, but still fairly tough.)

DDR knives are all about uniqueness, lets mix it up.

[neuron]

I'm going to adjust my first post. I don't want another bearing powered flipper in ELMAX. Gimme that CTS-XHP at a high hardness, S110V, or even some D3(2.1% Carbon % 1%V, kinda like a super D2, but still fairly tough.)

DDR knives are all about uniqueness, lets mix it up.

That's a good point and the only reservation I had about suggesting Elmax, especially now that support has coalesced around using the Maxx Glide pivot. We wouldn't want it to seem too similar to the ZT 056X series knives with Elmax blades and KVT pivots (of course, the Maxx Glide bearing system predates KVT by many years).

With that in mind, I agree with you that CTS-XHP would be a great choice that would help set this knife apart, not to mention a steel that a lot of people may not have tried yet but that has received excellent reviews from those who have used it on the handful of Spyderco sprint runs using it.

I'll put up a blade steel poll within the next few minutes. I agree that something like S90V, S110V, 10V, etc. would be awesome, but I'm going to leave them out since availability and price (both for the material itself and for the extra time/wear involved in working with it) would likely make the knife more expensive and harder to bring to fruition in a timely manner.

Update: The blade steel thread/poll is up:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...*INPUT-NEEDED*

[TriviaMonster]

I think S110V is a bit of a pipe dream, but a man can dream can't he?

Oh yeah, Aluminum scales it is haha! Half the price, just as nice.