I'm lusting after an overbuilt folder and haven't closely followed the knife scene in nearly 10 years. I just started watching knife reviews on YT and googling knife and maker names to find some info and ended up with a list of knives that all had something in common. Overbuilt in appearance and wharnie style blades. I also really liked the Trouble MOFO, but there's no way I'm stepping all the way up to a 4.5" blade.
Well, then I hopped on facepage and saw that Trouble had made a 4" Lil MOFO and that model is now STRONGLY in the running. I'm hoping it's like a quality, beefed up SnG of sorts. I mentioned the Debt Collector too as that thing really looks impressive, until you fold it up and wonder how it's going to fit in the pocket. Does anyone know if they would be willing to do a tip down clip on this thing to make it pocketable? How about ordering or even lucking out and scoring a Lil MOFO, is that even possible in the next 12 mo? I THINK I saw where his books were closed, but these are typically only around $550. I'd probably have to have carbon fiber, but the Kevlar looks interesting too. It's just something that I would definitely have to get my hands on first though be committing. One review I saw stated that their knives didn't really have a smooth action and lockup was sticky, but this was brand new and I wonder how they are after break in. I'm pretty particular and there seemed to be a few areas that looked like they could have been done better IMO. I think I saw a blade stop that looked like someone had chewed it up with a pair of vice grips, a blade tang that looked like it had been coarse filed into shape as the grind marks were quite apparent, and several thumbstuds that just looked a little battered on the flats. In sticking with the spirit of hard use and overbuilt nature, I might be able to see past some of this stuff, but not much, and I'd be quickly turned away by corner cutting. Is this typical of their knives? Do they offer anything other than that (what appears to be) beaded blade finish? Carbidized lock bar face? Any details on the pivot?
Then you have Direware. His books are definitely closed, but looks like if I was patient, (2 years?) I might be able to get on the books and in line for a Solo one of these days for about $625 or so. They LOOK pure sex, IMO, but one reviewer showed that the pivot was very small and that the lockbar was so thin, it disengaged easily. Maybe one could specify a thicker cutout, but communication doesn't seem to be one of their strong suits. It sure looks overbuilt, but if it can't take the beating that the Trouble Blades knives have demonstrated, then I'm out. This one also has the smallest blade of my picks and there is no way in hell I'd pay secondary market prices. The wharnie blade also looks to be pretty rare, so I'd probably never stumble on one. These pocket clips look perfect, IMO, and of course blade finish and scale options are wide open. I would like to go non-flipper on this one, but does he still leave that hook there on the tang (blade stop area in closed pos.) to dig into your finger?
Next up is the ADV Butcher at around $475. I've seen the threads mentioning how much of a #ick Andre can be, but I'm trying to take that with a grain of salt. This looks like it's by far the cheapest, and easiest route to go. I THINK I even like the blackwash finish that seems to be available right now. (Though I'm always a sucker for CF scales over a Ti. slab or liner. Does anyone know what coating he uses prior to stonewashing and how it wears, if different from stonewashed? While I like the blade shape and size, I am NOT a fan of flippers, OR thumbdisks. The disks always seem to come loose, and they remind me of a cheapo Emerson or early Benchmade. Since the flipper tab would sit inboard in my pocket, and he offers the Butcher without any thumbdisk, I'm considering this as my first and probably only flipper. Justifying the flipper as an added safety measure for whatever hardcore task I'll likely never face.
It will just be an adjustment to using a thumbstud, as I have never been a flicker. I prefer a nice smooth action for sure. Maybe I'll reconsider the thumbdisk. A nice fill tab if I wanted to remove it would be cool. I'd also be worried that the pivot tension adjustment would be a little hokey. I've seen it mentioned that their adjustment screw was too long and didn't offer ANY room for adjustment, so he had to file it down. I'm not scared to file screws down for a perfect fit, but these complicated and unproven features are usually a turnoff for me. Are these pivots still using needle bearings? How is the blade play? Some examples seem to have some hardware on the lock bar indicating a swappable steel lock bar interface? I noticed that one example had what looked like a really roughed out lockbar cutout...the surface looked Dremmeled out with a small dia. grinding wheel. Is this typical of his finish work? Are his books open? Lead time? General opinions of his work and this particular model? The fully decked out show model really looks like a nice piece of bling if that were your thing. I'm torn on holes, no holes, mil work, or plain, or a carbon option that I haven't seen yet.
I haven't done any steel or stock thickness comparisons amongst these options yet, but that will likely factor in as well. I want a nice fat blade, but it still has to be ground properly so that it will cut like a bastard and not just be an edged pry bar. I don't want to sacrifice quality or finish for toughness. Sniper Bladeworks is right down the road from me, and I really like some of the DH and DMF models, but that big drop angle between grip and blade just doesn't do it for me. They also seem to be quite expensive for what they are. Am I missing out on any other knives that it sounds like I should be considering? Right now I only have the requisite XM-18 spanto and an Ultratech for carry.
Thanks for your input!
Well, then I hopped on facepage and saw that Trouble had made a 4" Lil MOFO and that model is now STRONGLY in the running. I'm hoping it's like a quality, beefed up SnG of sorts. I mentioned the Debt Collector too as that thing really looks impressive, until you fold it up and wonder how it's going to fit in the pocket. Does anyone know if they would be willing to do a tip down clip on this thing to make it pocketable? How about ordering or even lucking out and scoring a Lil MOFO, is that even possible in the next 12 mo? I THINK I saw where his books were closed, but these are typically only around $550. I'd probably have to have carbon fiber, but the Kevlar looks interesting too. It's just something that I would definitely have to get my hands on first though be committing. One review I saw stated that their knives didn't really have a smooth action and lockup was sticky, but this was brand new and I wonder how they are after break in. I'm pretty particular and there seemed to be a few areas that looked like they could have been done better IMO. I think I saw a blade stop that looked like someone had chewed it up with a pair of vice grips, a blade tang that looked like it had been coarse filed into shape as the grind marks were quite apparent, and several thumbstuds that just looked a little battered on the flats. In sticking with the spirit of hard use and overbuilt nature, I might be able to see past some of this stuff, but not much, and I'd be quickly turned away by corner cutting. Is this typical of their knives? Do they offer anything other than that (what appears to be) beaded blade finish? Carbidized lock bar face? Any details on the pivot?
Then you have Direware. His books are definitely closed, but looks like if I was patient, (2 years?) I might be able to get on the books and in line for a Solo one of these days for about $625 or so. They LOOK pure sex, IMO, but one reviewer showed that the pivot was very small and that the lockbar was so thin, it disengaged easily. Maybe one could specify a thicker cutout, but communication doesn't seem to be one of their strong suits. It sure looks overbuilt, but if it can't take the beating that the Trouble Blades knives have demonstrated, then I'm out. This one also has the smallest blade of my picks and there is no way in hell I'd pay secondary market prices. The wharnie blade also looks to be pretty rare, so I'd probably never stumble on one. These pocket clips look perfect, IMO, and of course blade finish and scale options are wide open. I would like to go non-flipper on this one, but does he still leave that hook there on the tang (blade stop area in closed pos.) to dig into your finger?
Next up is the ADV Butcher at around $475. I've seen the threads mentioning how much of a #ick Andre can be, but I'm trying to take that with a grain of salt. This looks like it's by far the cheapest, and easiest route to go. I THINK I even like the blackwash finish that seems to be available right now. (Though I'm always a sucker for CF scales over a Ti. slab or liner. Does anyone know what coating he uses prior to stonewashing and how it wears, if different from stonewashed? While I like the blade shape and size, I am NOT a fan of flippers, OR thumbdisks. The disks always seem to come loose, and they remind me of a cheapo Emerson or early Benchmade. Since the flipper tab would sit inboard in my pocket, and he offers the Butcher without any thumbdisk, I'm considering this as my first and probably only flipper. Justifying the flipper as an added safety measure for whatever hardcore task I'll likely never face.
It will just be an adjustment to using a thumbstud, as I have never been a flicker. I prefer a nice smooth action for sure. Maybe I'll reconsider the thumbdisk. A nice fill tab if I wanted to remove it would be cool. I'd also be worried that the pivot tension adjustment would be a little hokey. I've seen it mentioned that their adjustment screw was too long and didn't offer ANY room for adjustment, so he had to file it down. I'm not scared to file screws down for a perfect fit, but these complicated and unproven features are usually a turnoff for me. Are these pivots still using needle bearings? How is the blade play? Some examples seem to have some hardware on the lock bar indicating a swappable steel lock bar interface? I noticed that one example had what looked like a really roughed out lockbar cutout...the surface looked Dremmeled out with a small dia. grinding wheel. Is this typical of his finish work? Are his books open? Lead time? General opinions of his work and this particular model? The fully decked out show model really looks like a nice piece of bling if that were your thing. I'm torn on holes, no holes, mil work, or plain, or a carbon option that I haven't seen yet.I haven't done any steel or stock thickness comparisons amongst these options yet, but that will likely factor in as well. I want a nice fat blade, but it still has to be ground properly so that it will cut like a bastard and not just be an edged pry bar. I don't want to sacrifice quality or finish for toughness. Sniper Bladeworks is right down the road from me, and I really like some of the DH and DMF models, but that big drop angle between grip and blade just doesn't do it for me. They also seem to be quite expensive for what they are. Am I missing out on any other knives that it sounds like I should be considering? Right now I only have the requisite XM-18 spanto and an Ultratech for carry.
Thanks for your input!
