A G Rusell CSC Pinch Air Lockback

[bozack]

I bought this from A G Rusell because of the materials in the knife. The two days I have had this knife I am liking it more and more.Very light in weight and as long as a 77 GEC. The blade is 440C and is satin finished and came shaving sharp. F & F is excellent. The handles are steel liners covered by a white liner and ivory and black micarta scales. The black forms the bolster with the blade being held by a rosette pin. The lock rises in a hump at the rear of the knife. I am guessing that it is easier to depress the lock with the hump than if it was flush with he back of the knife.

The knife does have some issues that may bother some, but not others. The buffing of the handle has left some bleeding of the black into the ivory on the scales. The blade is not in the perfect center when closed. It does not rub, though. The rosette is marked with the CS symbol on one side. It would be great if it was both sides. But I understand about the mark and pile side of knives.
It would be nice if the blade steel was stamped into the blade tang.

I have carried this knife in a Case horizontal knife sheath. the 3 3/4" knife sticks out a 1/2" form the 3 7/8" sheath. This makes for a very small package on the belt. It is also as fast to deploy as a knife with a pocket clip.

Yes, I am going to like this knife. 3 3/4" close and a 3" blade is the perfect size. And the unique look of the micarta two tone handle may not appeal to the more traditionalist out there, but I like it. I cane only hope that one day the forum knife will have a handle like this.
And now, some pictures.

 

[JustinR]

Thanks for the review. I keep meaning to buy one of these, I just wish it came in D2.

 

[matt009au]

These shadow patterns look great. Thanks for the review, very well done and informative with some great pics. I wonder if there are any plans to give the slipjoint version a shadow treatment.
Is the shadow version lighter than the normal version?

 

[supratentorial]

According to the AG Russell website, he took the first run of the knives. Subsequent runs may be a bit different. In this photo from another source, there's a spacer between the black and ivory micarta. The spacer may have eliminated the bleed that you mentioned.

(not my photo)

 

[cairndude]

Thanks for the review and pics, bozack.

How’s the lock-up on the Pinch Air? Any blade play in the open position?

Regarding the “bleeding” issue with the micarta components, perhaps it’s just residue from the buffing process that will flake off or wear away with use. The spacer shown in supratentorial’s post does look like a fix for that problem, however.

Is the shadow version lighter than the normal version?

Russell lists the Pinch Air’s weight as 1.9 oz. My non-Air Pinch (with smooth bone covers, D2 steel) weighs in at 2.2 oz. on my digital scale.

 

[jkulysses]

Now that's a sharp looking knife! Thank you for sharing.

 

[bozack]

Thanks for the review and pics, bozack.

How’s the lock-up on the Pinch Air? Any blade play in the open position?

Cairndude, lock up is tight, no play.


The bleeding may be buffing compound. I does flake off. The spacer does make it look cleaner.

 

[mnblade]

VERY nice looking knife! Thanks for posting this.

-- Mark

 

[Bob W]

I have the 'normal' pinch lockback with "smooth sunset bone," and have to say that Canal Street does a really nice job with this pattern.

 

[popedandy]

Nice knife. I like the one with the spacer best. It give's it a crisper break between the bolster and the handle. However, they both look great.

 

[cchu518]

I just picked mine up from Perry Knife Works on the forum, it was less than the AGR pricing by a lot. The packaging said it was bone linen micarta. It's my new favorite EDC!