Just picked up another CS XLG Voyager with a clip point and fully serrated edge. Next week I should recieve a Gunsite XLG to go along with my XLG tanto plain edge. Anyways on to my little review. First off I paid 25 bucks for the knife including shipping and actually wasn't expecting that much. I mean I knew I would get an XLG whose point had been broken off for 16th of an inch and then reground. Dirk had said the blade was in good condition but really for 25 bucks, I kind had doubts. Well no MORE, this thing is mint!. Can't even tell where the point was reground except for a very slight blemish on the top of the clip. Great job. This thing is needle sharp but robust. I am not that crazy about the CS serrations but I will tell ya this thing is SCARY. Just pressing the blade onto the back of my thumb will draw blood, it is that sharp. Knife in general appears to have not really been used at all.
I like the handle ergonomics too, which I didn't think I would just because in appearance it seems as it would be to small and rounded for my hands. Wrong on that point. Grips very nicely and very securely.
The Zytel has almost a bead blasted finsih that is extremely grippy. I can't get over how wide the clip point blade is either. A good bit wider than my tanto xlg. A bit longer too. The first thing I did is to set a paper bag up on our breakfast room table. A couple of snap cuts with very little movement in the bag, similar to the tanto, but deeper and what seems to be better.(longer with less effort) Almost easier if you will. Next I took a couple of the cardboard tubes from wrapping paper and wrapped a section of our newspaper around them and hung that from a beam in the cellar. Another couple of snap cuts and severed one of the bundles in half. Didn't seem as I used that much effort either. Next I took just a tube and set it up on end and did the same type of thing. Almost all the way through. About 1/2" of material was left on the back side. This is done free standing. I had a devil of a time getting the thing to stand up by itself. Lock up of the knife is excellant, no wiggles or wobbles in any direction. My tanto had a bit of play when pressing down on the back of the spine, but that disappeared with a bit of oil. Go figure. This clip point has 0 play in any direction. It is also much easier on the thumb to flick open. My tanto is getting there but isn't nearly as easy as the clip. All in all for 25 bucks it is better than what I thought by a wide margin. Thanks again Dirk and true bargain. A couple of things I don't really like on it are the way it sticks out of the pocket when carried. To far for my tastes. My tanto is the same in this regards. The second thing is as most of us don't care for is the serration pattern. Don't get how you sharpen the small ones. Any ideas or clues will be appreciated. Doesn't need the sharpening now but I am sure it will eventually. Would like a bit more of a plain edge just before the serrations but can definetly live with this the way it is. The thing pierces like no tomorrow though. Can't wait to get the Gunsite, only paid forty bucks for that one. Will keep you all posted. Oh yea it carries a bit in the pocket I think just cause the handle seems a bit thinner through the middle. This is truly a folding small Bowie. Great knife. Now if CS would only make there Master Hunter with G10 or canvas micarta scales. Keep'em sharp
I like the handle ergonomics too, which I didn't think I would just because in appearance it seems as it would be to small and rounded for my hands. Wrong on that point. Grips very nicely and very securely.
The Zytel has almost a bead blasted finsih that is extremely grippy. I can't get over how wide the clip point blade is either. A good bit wider than my tanto xlg. A bit longer too. The first thing I did is to set a paper bag up on our breakfast room table. A couple of snap cuts with very little movement in the bag, similar to the tanto, but deeper and what seems to be better.(longer with less effort) Almost easier if you will. Next I took a couple of the cardboard tubes from wrapping paper and wrapped a section of our newspaper around them and hung that from a beam in the cellar. Another couple of snap cuts and severed one of the bundles in half. Didn't seem as I used that much effort either. Next I took just a tube and set it up on end and did the same type of thing. Almost all the way through. About 1/2" of material was left on the back side. This is done free standing. I had a devil of a time getting the thing to stand up by itself. Lock up of the knife is excellant, no wiggles or wobbles in any direction. My tanto had a bit of play when pressing down on the back of the spine, but that disappeared with a bit of oil. Go figure. This clip point has 0 play in any direction. It is also much easier on the thumb to flick open. My tanto is getting there but isn't nearly as easy as the clip. All in all for 25 bucks it is better than what I thought by a wide margin. Thanks again Dirk and true bargain. A couple of things I don't really like on it are the way it sticks out of the pocket when carried. To far for my tastes. My tanto is the same in this regards. The second thing is as most of us don't care for is the serration pattern. Don't get how you sharpen the small ones. Any ideas or clues will be appreciated. Doesn't need the sharpening now but I am sure it will eventually. Would like a bit more of a plain edge just before the serrations but can definetly live with this the way it is. The thing pierces like no tomorrow though. Can't wait to get the Gunsite, only paid forty bucks for that one. Will keep you all posted. Oh yea it carries a bit in the pocket I think just cause the handle seems a bit thinner through the middle. This is truly a folding small Bowie. Great knife. Now if CS would only make there Master Hunter with G10 or canvas micarta scales. Keep'em sharp