Ti-Pikal with Black Canvas

Ban

Ban

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Trying to get this one and a trainer done for a customer who will be heading off for one of SouthNarc's reverse edge classes on the first week of July.

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looks great Ban.. i need to get me one of these pikals.. don't know how much i can hold out anymore..:D
 
Ban said:
Trying to get this one and a trainer done for a customer who will be heading off for one of SouthNarc's reverse edge classes on the first week of July.
Click to expand...

That's awesome, I'd love to hear how the knife performed in the class!
 
Missed this one. That is awesome :thumbup: Looking forward to some thoughts later. It'd be cool to have someone with one of your Ti la griffe pikals try a course with it.
 
Hey guys,

The person Ban mentioned was me. I am currently carrying the knife pictured every day - I REALLY like it. However, I noted to Ban I would like a slightly different (longer, thicker, wider, tapered from butt to guard) handle, and he surprised me by saying I could just exchange the knife. I'm going to do an in-depth review when I receive it, ETA undetermined.

IMO the angle and geometry are absolutely perfect for this type of knife. So it comes down to hand size and/or handle preference. Ban makes stuff typically for his preference unless told otherwise, so I'd suggest working with him if you are concerned, when buying, a definite advantage of buying custom...and a great opportunity to get a custom knife at a steal price IMO.

I also have a ti la griffe I'm borrowing from Ban, which my GF is wearing, and she loves it. I am buying her and my mom both one, but this one belongs to Ban :p. He is definitely a gracious, generous dude - I currently have three knives of his, and only paid for one - he wanted Southnarc to have a look at all of them. (Just a note, they're on loan, so I could figure out my preferences and showcase the knives in the class, I didn't get a "special 3 for 1 deal" or anything!)

I should note that apart from passing the knife around the class, we used trainer models. S'narc did give his opinion on the knives though. EVERYONE thought the knives were "clean, well designed, well thought out, well executed," and at least one student has gone on to be a customer of Ban's.

S'narc's opinion was that Ban had skill, and he liked the knives. He agreed with me that, again just a matter of preference, the handle portion could be thickened/widened/lengthened minimally, and it'd be perfect (for me, and apparently for him).

The trainers Ban sells are remarkably well made. They are both Pikal knife trainers, and he has not yet made me a la griffe trainer, but I will be buying 2 L G trainers with the ti la griffes I'm buying coming up; at any rate, the sheath/deployment system/angle of the blades worked beautifully during the class.

4 of 5 stars based on my handle preference...when that's fixed it'll be 5+/5. Simply unbeatable quality, a great price and unique value, and a guy who provides the best customer service while holding down a different job and who has a family...he listens to input and has a remarkable way of putting his own twist on a suggestion.

This is really remarkable that any knife maker is able to make a knife to such specifications...as Ban and I discussed, it's one thing to make a skinner, or a chopper, or what have you...a Pikal type knife is a very, very specific knife made for a specific style. It's basically pass or fail, not shades of grey. You need perfect point geometry, ability to retain the knife in the hand in a fight, a small footprint, a great sheath and specific angle for that sheath, and blade geometry that shears and pulls material/media into the cutting edge. This knife design delivers on all of that.
 
Conwict, thanks for your thoughts! Good stuff :thumbup:

Did you want a tapered handle from butt to guard to increase the depth of the guard? And just to confirm, you guys were training with these mounted on the belt near the midline, for drawing into a forward grip, correct?

I'm looking forward to seeing the modification. The only possible concern I have with my pikal (also gen 3) is the depth of the guard and protection against slipping in a thrust. I understand Ban's goal though, in designing a knife that's effective while remaining lightweight, minimal in footprint, and unobtrusive. Finding that balance between a safe, effective, and retainable handle and something ultra concealable and easy to wear every day doesn't seem to be an easy task.
 
HikingMano said:
Conwict, thanks for your thoughts! Good stuff :thumbup:

Did you want a tapered handle from butt to guard to increase the depth of the guard? And just to confirm, you guys were training with these mounted on the belt near the midline, for drawing into a forward grip, correct?

I'm looking forward to seeing the modification. The only possible concern I have with my pikal (also gen 3) is the depth of the guard and protection against slipping in a thrust. I understand Ban's goal though, in designing a knife that's effective while remaining lightweight, minimal in footprint, and unobtrusive. Finding that balance between a safe, effective, and retainable handle and something ultra concealable and easy to wear every day doesn't seem to be an easy task.
Click to expand...

Here is the modified version in case you guys missed it in the Death Chat Thread. This one will be Gen4 based on some of the feedback. The Gen4 handle feels ultra secure as-is even without handle slabs for me. I can only imagine that it will be rock solid with shaped handle slabs. It is roughly 20 percent or so larger in all dimensions with a handle that is 1/2" longer.


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Ah, that was the redesign! For some reason, I thought that was a redesign for another customer. With the 20% increase in all dimensions, is the blade still under 3"? I might want to sell my Gen3 and pick up a Gen4 if the handle feels more secure while not being too large, and if the blade is still under 3". I want to be without a doubt legal under SF municipal codes.
 
The gen4 blade should be right at 3 or a hair under.
 
Awesome. :thumbup: I need to check one of these Gen4's out in person sometime, see how I like it relative to my Gen3.
 
The Gen4 definitely fills the hand a whole lot more because the handle is both wider and longer. I like it a whole lot so far but I still prefer the minimal Gen3.
 
I'm liking it for the deeper guard; it looks like it'd offer better protection for my hand size if my grip were to slip on an impact. A little closer to the FP2 in that regard I guess.
 
Yeah, the handle is more along the lines of the FP2 in terms of width.
 
I got to see your Gen 4 this weekend Ban and personally I think it's the best one of the limited sampling I've had. The footprint is just right. That also seemed to be the consensus of several other students of mine this weekend in Va. Beach.

Well done.:) I'll probably order one for myself soon.
 
I have a few more heat treated gen4 blanks. Just give me a holler when you are ready.
 
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