2011 Forum Knife Picture/Review Thread

[T. Erdelyi]

Could you send it in to have the shield peen checked? it'd probably be a quick fix, but that would irk me...doesn't affect it obviously but its one of those "you know its there" issues.

I'm thinkin' 'bout it, I haven't done it to any of the other various Forum knives I had issues with in the last 6 years.

I still like it, that master Fat Spear is a great cuttin' platform and comfortable grip.

 

[mqqn]

Thanks Ted! It was great to hear your thoughts on the previous years knives and their ratings.

I was in Chicago yesterday at the Bears game (wow - what a game if you are a Bears fan!) and when I got home I saw the issues people are having with the cap lifters.

I have not played with any of them except to see Mr. Sogetsu's - but I may pull one out and check it out.

MY personal copy will be a user, and I don't have a problem modding the cap lifter to make it function better, but I also understand if someone would want to send the knife back to GEC to have that work done by the professionals.

Imagine how long shipping would have taken if I had to test each of the 185 cap lifters!!

best regards -

mqqn

 

[Flying Guillotine]

An advance request for the caplifter modifiers: Please post up a couple of before/after shots of the fix and let us know what you use to make the change. Looking at the images, it's probably not going to take much effort to get that lifter to lift.

A minor hiccup has not tarnished my excitement for getting this sweet little knife

Looking forward to a visit from that smiling mailman. (actually, he's kind of surly and grunts when you talk to him)

 

[Beaver]

With or without a perfectly functioning cap lifter, this looks like a really nice working knife. They look great!

Andy, any time your ready, you can send mine.

Jay

 

[Daniel Dorn]

Got it late Saturday. My mail carrier usually arrives between 2 and 4, so when it's getting close to 7:00, I was a bit worried. My wife thought I was crazy, checking the mail box so many times. I was tempted to just put the flag up, and then I wouldn't have to keep going out there, as I could see it from the window. I ALMOST had her bring me my dinner on the front porch, so I could be there when it arrived. After dinner at the table with the family, I actually forgot about it for a few minutes, and then remembered, and sprinted down to the mailbox and it was there!

As I opened the package, I was a little disappointed in my family's reaction to the new knife, but I was grinning ear to ear.

Great knife. First GEC, first annual BF knife, and first EO. Only one tiny little complaint. With the strong back-spring, I've gotten a dent in the blade where it hits on closing. It's so tiny that I know it will sharpen out in no time, so no need to do anything with it.

Overall, very pleased.

I haven't had a chance to try the cap lifter, but as Flying Guillotine stated above, I'd be interested in seeing the mods needed to "fix" the lifter issue.

 

[kreole]

Got it late Saturday. My mail carrier usually arrives between 2 and 4, so when it's getting close to 7:00, I was a bit worried. My wife thought I was crazy, checking the mail box so many times. I was tempted to just put the flag up, and then I wouldn't have to keep going out there, as I could see it from the window. I ALMOST had her bring me my dinner on the front porch, so I could be there when it arrived. After dinner at the table with the family, I actually forgot about it for a few minutes, and then remembered, and sprinted down to the mailbox and it was there!

As I opened the package, I was a little disappointed in my family's reaction to the new knife, but I was grinning ear to ear.

Great knife. First GEC, first annual BF knife, and first EO. Only one tiny little complaint. With the strong back-spring, I've gotten a dent in the blade where it hits on closing. It's so tiny that I know it will sharpen out in no time, so no need to do anything with it.

Overall, very pleased.

I haven't had a chance to try the cap lifter, but as Flying Guillotine stated above, I'd be interested in seeing the mods needed to "fix" the lifter issue.

Mine has this also. I thought it simply came with the dent and it would sharpen out, but after sharpening--more precisely, awhile after sharpening--I saw it was there again. It seemed strange that it did not show up right away. I was watching for it, so I know I didn't miss it.

To figure this mystery out, I put a glob of Hoppe's #9 lube on the dent and closed the blade slowly (i.e., under my control, not letting it drop), and it did not transfer to the backspring. Thus, like yours, mine only hits because of the strength of the back spring, which is to say it does not hit if not left to snap shut on its own.

It could be various knives are different, but for everyone with this problem, it's worth checking out if yours is in a similar condition, as it means the problem is preventable (short of sharpening some of the edge away or sending it back to GEC).

 

[comoha]

I mentioned seeing that dinger in post #30 of this thread, but thanks Daniel for helping me locate what is it's cause. The deep belly of the main blade actually is hitting the hump in the spring (where the pin passes through the spring) at the bottom of the channel. Still a nice knife but this is now strike two and I'm getting that not-so-starstruck feeling about this knife. :grumpy:

 

[jazub]

A few months back, I got one of those GEC bottle openers and it didn't seem to grab the cap very well at first. Thankfully, I had plenty of beers in the fridge to keep trying and, eventually, I got "the touch" Sounds like "the touch" may be required for this one as well -but that's ok with me cause it will give me a reason to keep on practicing :thumbup:

This knife looks so fine and it will be in my pocket plenty. I've had an overwhelmingly great experience with my 15 or so GEC knives and don't expect anything different this time. Some members were fortunate enough to receive their knives first -but I hope nobody out there gets soured on their long-awaited Forum Knives before they even get to receive them. That would be a damn shame.

 

[yablanowitz]

I managed to drag mine out of my Post Office box a half-hour ago (they seem to forget the door is smaller than the box ). Beautiful bone, excellent fit and finish, main blades missed being sharp by a very narrow margin (which is pretty good from a factory), even the tubes look great and Andy packed them to withstand a limited nuclear exchange. Well done to all.

Now I should stop, because my policy of brutal honesty is going to bruise some feelings. Feel free to skip the rest of this post.

The secondary blades are worthless. The pulls are near nail breaker for me (they would be if my thumbnails weren't already broken off near the quick), the screwdriver tip is either too thick for its width or too narrow for its thickness, depending on how you look at it, and the caplifter works about half as well as the bootheel lifter on the French Kate. But at least they are perfectly centered when they're closed.

 

[black mamba]

Ted, I borrowed your pic for a little clarification. Did you just deepen the notch rearward, as shown in green on the photo?

 

[FLymon]

The knife is OUTSTANDING.
The overall size, shape and feel will appeal to most folks I would think.
Probably the flushest springs I have owned in any knife, definitely for a production knife. The half-stop is not flush, but I don't count that on a production knife, and I think that is done on purpose to either soften (high spring) or firm up (low spring) the feel of it. Maybe I am wrong on that?
The blades lay centered. What I call "eye perfect".
The bone is very well done and both sides match perfectly.
The shield is mounted very well on mine.
The blade is plenty sharp for "out of the box" with a pretty even grind.
The swedge is well done.
The Easy-Open cut out is flawless.
The pull/walk-n-talk of the main blade is just about perfect, and the secondary is firm but not out of line. If anything it makes me think it could stand up to being used as a screwdriver/scraper pretty well.

I would rate it a 8.5 out of 10. Losing a point for the opener. Normally I would be more critical, but the rest of the knife is so good I can't be.

 

[synghyn]

I just received mine in the mail this afternoon as well. I was chuckling about it while my wife was asking how the heck do you screw up a bottle opener? Like everybody else has said, the bottle opener is completely useless. I checked it against a scout knife I had in my pocket(that has opened many a beer believe me), and at least there is plenty of steel left to make it useable after modification. I am right there with the guys who have the opinion that you shouldn't have to modify it out of the box, but it is what it is. I know I will probably modify it myself rather than pay for shipping it back.

Other than that it's a beaut. Very nice bone, jigging looks great. Fit and finish are excellent overall, smooth transition from bone to bolster is very nice. Springs are dead flush closed and almost imperceptibly raised with the main blade open. Tip of the main blade is just a touch high, might catch a bit in the pocket. Unlike some of the others, this one isn't bottoming out on the spring at all, so I can drop that tip a hair easily enough. The blade grind as far as shape and swedge are excellent on this one, not all that sharp, but the shape is spot on. The easy open notch is perfect, easy to pinch it open and looks smooth and clean. Walk and talk is just like I like it probably about a 7 of 10 on the main, maybe a little tight on the secondary blade, but it is a screwdriver after all. Oh and the screwdriver tip seems fine to me, I dunno if some of them are thicker or thinner etc. By way of example it fits snug but well in a normal electrical wall plate screw (Ya know, light switch cover). Other than the bottle opener I'd say GEC hit it out of the park. It'll be getting plenty of pocket time I can tell you that.

Thanks again to the organizers for all the hard work, we got a good one!

Jon

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Ted, I borrowed your pic for a little clarification. Did you just deepen the notch rearward, as shown in green on the photo?

All I did was file the hook end with a small round diamond file and then used a wider half round to blend the little peak left by the small round file into the rest of the relief/clearance notch.

Basically all I did was make the hooked end more acute, I'll try to post some more pics later.

 

[kreole]

While I don't disagree with this, "simple" is very subjective.
I wish I had an appropriate round file, and the knowledge of how to use it properly. I guess I would also need sandpaper or an emery cloth or whatever else I could use by hand to try to match the finish on the rest of the blade.

Although I agree it should come working, I think you are overthinking what it will take to fix. The inside portion of the cap lifter is not the same finish as any other part of the knife; it is rough. Any file will actually improve the finish to make it look more like other sections of the blades. In other words, by the very act of filing, you are making it more like the finish on the rest of the blade. No sandpaper/emory cloth/etc. is necessary, unless you want the finish better matched than it came from GEC.

As for the knowledge necessary, there is next to none. Move it back and forth, trying to keep it straight (i.e., don't let it rock up and down, just move it back and forth, so that it doesn't round the edges, not that it would matter much).

As for not owning any, for under $5 shipped you can have a set of small diamond files sent from Amazon, but your local hardware store should have some, also.

 

[cj65]

I remember in the design thread a member asked if GEC would be trying the cap lifter before producing...so if this wasn't done its a little disappointing, I wont be modding it, I will leave that to GEC to make right as I didn't pay out to have to take to it with a file or dremel.

Robert,

I recall when this issue was raised, and either Andy, Campbell, or Charlie mentioned it to GEC to "Make sure the cap lifter was functional." It was on both invoices that I made payments off of. It breaks my heart that they did miss the mark a bit here. However, I wanted you and all the other forum members know that our committee of 3+2 (plus Charlie and Gene by proxy) did address this concern and performed our due diligence as it was addressed in the thread.

I am not going to let this bother me too much. A cap lifter mod with a chain saw sharpener file will be no problem for me. I will go slow and shape it til it works. If it were a blade flaw, I would probably not touch it and send it back. However, GEC is on the hook for this cap lifter, pun maybe intended.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

...I am not going to let this bother me too much. A cap lifter mod with a chain saw sharpener file will be no problem for me. I will go slow and shape it til it works. If it were a blade flaw, I would probably not touch it and send it back. However, GEC is on the hook for this cap lifter, pun maybe intended.

Well said and my sentiments exactly, to me this is nothin' different than resharpenin'/reprofilin' a blade to my likin'.

 

[Modoc ED]

Robert,

I recall when this issue was raised, and either Andy, Campbell, or Charlie mentioned it to GEC to "Make sure the cap lifter was functional." It was on both invoices that I made payments off of. It breaks my heart that they did miss the mark a bit here. However, I wanted you and all the other forum members know that our committee of 3+2 (plus Charlie and Gene by proxy) did address this concern and performed our due diligence as it was addressed in the thread.

I am not going to let this bother me too much. A cap lifter mod with a chain saw sharpener file will be no problem for me. I will go slow and shape it til it works. If it were a blade flaw, I would probably not touch it and send it back. However, GEC is on the hook for this cap lifter, pun maybe intended.

We know you did Chris. You guys have done one hell of a job and I for one appreciate it. I can't imagine anyone who has made a negative remark about the knife tying that to you or the others in any way. Thanks again for your and the other's efforts.

 

[thawk]

Stay Thirsty My Friends

I went 2/2 with my bottle opener. I opened two bottles easily, but I can't do any more testing on a Monday night. I have 8 utility knives though, and I notice the geometry is more than just the hook on the bottom. Having the top of the notch hold steady on the top of the cap needs to happen as well. I played around with all of them just feeling for the grip. Kind of expensive testing ...

None the less, here are some different looks at a few other lifters, and I can open a beer with all of them without too much effort, including my Forum Knife. Maybe I lucked out. I have not done any screwing yet to test that end of the tool.

The knife is outstanding, sharp enough for me, nice solid but not nailbreaking snap, in and out of the half-stops. No gaps. The tip of the spear seems proper. Nice color, although I would prefer it a bit lighter with some contrasting color.

I'm OK with it for sure. :thumbup:

 

[LKJW]

I voted for the caplifter for the screwdriver. I can open a beer with just about anything (lighter, folded up paper, a stick). Not sure if this is something to be proud of or not (part of the reason I don't drink anymore). I haven't gotten my knife yet, and it is a shame, but it would also be a shame for us to dwell on this so much that it leaves a bad taste in our mouths. And OF COURSE no one is blaming the crew. You guys went above and beyond. Stuff happens.

 

[Robert.B]

We know you did Chris. You guys have done one hell of a job and I for one appreciate it. I can't imagine anyone who has made a negative remark about the knife tying that to you or the others in any way. Thanks again for your and the other's efforts.

My sentiments exactly and with that said though I do not intend to let this issue produce any real negativity on the knife itself because I am still insanely excited to get it out and use it (who knows, the cap lifter might work for me, if it doesn't I may just mod it and make it mine). This years crew went beyond what we asked of them and all have my thanks!

If we're ever in the same neck of the woods the drinks are on me.