Any experience with Extrema Ratio folders?

Tmad

Tmad

Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
193
Has anybody carried any of the extrema ratio folders? They look pretty good but am wondering if they are worth the large price tag. I don't want to pay extra just because it is a little different, I want it to be worth it. Thanks.
 
They are not a little different, they are very different. I have the nemesis, the MPC, and the BF-1, the tiny one. ER folders are as tough as any others you could find. Not the best slicers, of course, but the N690 steel takes a nice fine edge nevertheless, and holds it. The handle is like a wrecking bar.

I got all of mine at deep discounts. :)
 
Secondary market on the big ones, I just came across people selling them at good prices. Got the BA-1 on sale from a dealer clearing out his stock evidently -- all gone.

Checking the Bladeforums Exchange regularly is a revelation. :D
 
They are defo a different knife to alot of the regular knives we see about.
I have had good times with many an ER, fixed blades and folders alike.
They are pretty pricy but if you can find them second hand you can get some great deals.

I also know the distibutor for ER in Taiwan so thats kind of handy for me too :D:thumbup:
 
I love their fixed blades but not their folders. Ergonomic-wise they don't fit me well and they are not the best slicers as been said.
 
i have had a nemisis and a MPC, the MPC was rebeveld and a helluva good slicer, imho they are some of the heavier duty knives around, and still not too big for pocket carry like a strider AR or GB would be, i ended up swapping both but i am gonna get another nemisis i have been looking for one for a while now, i just like the way it looks a bit better than the MPC, both are excellent though.
 
Tmad,

I just picked up a user 185 RAO off the forums (thanks Fullofled) and it is amazing. The N690 cobalt takes an use/abuse and really holds an edge. The lock is bomb proof even without the addition of the pin.

Great Folder. IT IS HUGE...the pouch with knife in the folded position is the equivalent in size to two 20 round 5.56 magazines.

This site has new ones with sheath for under 300.00 worth taking a look.
http://www.xtremeknives.com/itkndifrit.html
 
ER folders can survive knife abuse. Not the best slicer, but you can do pretty much anything with them without having the fear of breaking them. Take the Nemesis for example. Looks very slim in pics, but the dang thing is 1/4" thick. They are really overbuilt and weird folders :D
 
Esav Benyamin said:
They are not a little different, they are very different. I have the nemesis, the MPC, and the BF-1, the tiny one. ER folders are as tough as any others you could find. Not the best slicers, of course, but the N690 steel takes a nice fine edge nevertheless, and holds it. The handle is like a wrecking bar.

I got all of mine at deep discounts. :)
Click to expand...

Esav, I have the MPC. I bought it after I read STR's comments - he praised the Fulcrum and tested it using his own weight (220 pounds).
Later I found a comment of STR who seemed to be very disappointed with the MBC lock shown in this thread:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3559409

Do you know if that MPC were a sort of a lemon or is that generally a bad lock construction.
I have started to worry because one can see easily that cut in the blade's tang (where a lock bar enters) is really shallow compared to, say, a cut in Spyderco Manix.

I would appreciate much to hear your opinion.

franco
 
I have a BF2. It is their 'light' folder.

Definitely a military knife. Not pretty, not polished. Rugged and well built though.
 
franco, I have no opinion. My ER knives click into place when locked open, so I doubt they share that defect. Obviously a defective lock bar in those pictures, but I have no idea how common that is.
 
I had an ER Fulcrum II I never should have let go. It was one tough hard use folder and the strongest lock I've ever tested period. For such a thick blade it sliced rather well too which was surprising because as I recall the thing was 1/4" thickness or darn close to it. Thats pretty thick for a folder and it made one of the Buck 881 blades look thin by comparison. It was big but the ZT301 has a much bigger foot print in the pocket and was noticed more in carry.

I liked that Fulcrum II. It was a great folder really and I'd buy it back if given the opportunity. In fact I've tried twice and not gotten anywhere with the new owner. Go figure. Live and learn. I could write a book on stories like that though, at least for knives that have come and gone.

STR
 
STR said:
I had an ER Fulcrum II I never should have let go. It was one tough hard use folder and the strongest lock I've ever tested period. For such a thick blade it sliced rather well too which was surprising because as I recall the thing was 1/4" thickness or darn close to it. Thats pretty thick for a folder and it made one of the Buck 881 blades look thin by comparison. It was big but the ZT301 has a much bigger foot print in the pocket and was noticed more in carry.

I liked that Fulcrum II. It was a great folder really and I'd buy it back if given the opportunity. In fact I've tried twice and not gotten anywhere with the new owner. Go figure. Live and learn. I could write a book on stories like that though, at least for knives that have come and gone.

STR
Click to expand...

Hi Steve,

Thank you very much for your comment (thanks to Esav, too). I planned to open thread on lock strength on Spyderco Forum, starting with a direct question to you about ER locks, but related to the long expected Tuff folder.

Anyhow, the MPC has the same lock as a Fulcrum you like, so in a very good approximation the conclusion is valid for both.

I wonder why ER uses so shallow cut for lock and, what came to my mind is the following: since the tang and lock bar are 6 mmm (0.236") and there is a very strong spring, it would be very difficult to open or close a knife if the cut were deep?

I checked my MPC with a few very strong spine-whacks - didn't give up and, besides, it still locks if I try to close a knife with a cross bolt safety activated. Namely, a cross bolt safety still allows a lock bar to move up 1-2 mm, however, a knife is still locked. Why this movement appear? Well, ER is not a Sebenza - fit&finish, although good, is far from a perfect one.

IMO, this may be used as a check for the lock status, because it would first fail with these 1-2 mm move.

I plan in the following weeks to disassemble my MPC (although I am afraid of doing that) to see what is going 'inside' and to compare it with a lock in a thread I quoted.

Steve, if something go wrong may I send it to you? To study and, perhaps, to fix it.

Thank you for your kind consideration.

Franco
 
STR said:
I had an ER Fulcrum II I never should have let go. It was one tough hard use folder and the strongest lock I've ever tested period. For such a thick blade it sliced rather well too which was surprising because as I recall the thing was 1/4" thickness or darn close to it. Thats pretty thick for a folder and it made one of the Buck 881 blades look thin by comparison. It was big but the ZT301 has a much bigger foot print in the pocket and was noticed more in carry.

I liked that Fulcrum II. It was a great folder really and I'd buy it back if given the opportunity. In fact I've tried twice and not gotten anywhere with the new owner. Go figure. Live and learn. I could write a book on stories like that though, at least for knives that have come and gone.

STR
Click to expand...
That Fulcrum sliced well because Mike Stewart convexed it. :thumbup:
 
Franco G said:
I wonder why ER uses so shallow cut for lock and, what came to my mind is the following: since the tang and lock bar are 6 mmm (0.236") and there is a very strong spring, it would be very difficult to open or close a knife if the cut were deep?

I checked my MPC with a few very strong spine-whacks - didn't give up and, besides, it still locks if I try to close a knife with a cross bolt safety activated. Namely, a cross bolt safety still allows a lock bar to move up 1-2 mm, however, a knife is still locked. Why this movement appear? Well, ER is not a Sebenza - fit&finish, although good, is far from a perfect one.

IMO, this may be used as a check for the lock status, because it would first fail with these 1-2 mm move.

Franco
Click to expand...

Interesting. I never noticed that, so I just checked. My Nemesis, which has seen a good bit of use, moves not at all. The MPC, which I've hardly used, moves perhaps less than 1 mm.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Interesting. I never noticed that, so I just checked. My Nemesis, which has seen a good bit of use, moves not at all. The MPC, which I've hardly used, moves perhaps less than 1 mm.
Click to expand...

Esav, it might be 1 mm in may case too, i only made an educated guess. But, to see clearly what I mean - try to close a knife, then activate the cross bolt safety and, then try to open a knife. You will see that you cannot open it although a blade moves slightly but does not open full. The same effect one finds with locked blade, although the effect is less easy to notice.

The reason is that the cross bolt pin sinks a little bit in the handle cut, i.e. does not fit perfectly - there is a tolerance and it produces a movement.

Franco
 
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