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Anybody have a Mini Recon 1 yet?
- Thread starter OrdnanceBubbaUSMC
- Start date
I got a mini and a micro Recon I at the NRA show in St. Louis.
I wanted a medium Voyager but could not find one with a lock that didn't hurt my thumb. Other people didn't seem to have this issue.
The mini Recon is more expensive than the Voyager -- it's $60-something street price. But I found the lock much easier to use. Opening is very smooth and closing is fairly smooth on mine. Congratulations to Tri-Ad lock designer Andrew Demko.
The grip and the ergos are excellent. The blade is well-centered and no pivot adjustment was necessary. Andrew says the Tri-Ad is self-adjusting.
I don't care for the black, Ninja-mallish finish. CS says this is a lubricant and resists rust. Maybe so but the look is aimed at a different market than the enthusiasts on BF. For looks alone, I prefer the unpainted Voyager.
The mini Recon I comes with dual thumb studs and separate left and right-hand clips. Out of the box, the clip is too tight to use. The G10 handle is grippier than anything I have from Spyderco. It remains to be seen how pants will hold up to this.
The mini Recon I is sharp out of the box, light for its size at 3.6 oz and the 3-inch version should make for a fine EDC.
I also got the little micro version in spearpoint. It has a 2-inch blade and is suitable as a keychain type knife. The imitation G10 handle feels just right for pocket-carrying.
Because of its small size, I was afraid I might have trouble closing the lock but mine works just fine.
I was glad I was able to handle these two Recons before buying. Both are recommended and the 3-inch version is likely to prove very popular in its category.
I wanted a medium Voyager but could not find one with a lock that didn't hurt my thumb. Other people didn't seem to have this issue.
The mini Recon is more expensive than the Voyager -- it's $60-something street price. But I found the lock much easier to use. Opening is very smooth and closing is fairly smooth on mine. Congratulations to Tri-Ad lock designer Andrew Demko.
The grip and the ergos are excellent. The blade is well-centered and no pivot adjustment was necessary. Andrew says the Tri-Ad is self-adjusting.
I don't care for the black, Ninja-mallish finish. CS says this is a lubricant and resists rust. Maybe so but the look is aimed at a different market than the enthusiasts on BF. For looks alone, I prefer the unpainted Voyager.
The mini Recon I comes with dual thumb studs and separate left and right-hand clips. Out of the box, the clip is too tight to use. The G10 handle is grippier than anything I have from Spyderco. It remains to be seen how pants will hold up to this.
The mini Recon I is sharp out of the box, light for its size at 3.6 oz and the 3-inch version should make for a fine EDC.
I also got the little micro version in spearpoint. It has a 2-inch blade and is suitable as a keychain type knife. The imitation G10 handle feels just right for pocket-carrying.
Because of its small size, I was afraid I might have trouble closing the lock but mine works just fine.
I was glad I was able to handle these two Recons before buying. Both are recommended and the 3-inch version is likely to prove very popular in its category.
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2010
- Messages
- 2,138
I've been wondering, what's the traction like on the faux g10?
The imitation G10 handle feels just right for pocket-carrying.
I'd characterize is as somewhat less grippy than the real G10 on the 3-inch version.
Note: although the blade is somewhat wide for its size, this is a tiny folder, not really comparable with its full-size brothers.
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2011
- Messages
- 155
I'm hoping they make a spear point Voyager next year, that would be just plain sick to have a XL Spear Point Voyager.
- Joined
- May 23, 2004
- Messages
- 1,496
nice comparisons res1cue, excited to get mine and beat up on it
- Joined
- May 23, 2004
- Messages
- 1,496
Do you know if they doing dual bronze and teflon washers in these? It would be nice to see one taken apart 
If y'all don't have the time or inclination I'll try to get some pics of mine opened up when it gets here in 4 or 5 days.
If y'all don't have the time or inclination I'll try to get some pics of mine opened up when it gets here in 4 or 5 days.
- Joined
- May 23, 2004
- Messages
- 1,496
thanks bud, I thought it was pretty nifty that they had them in the Voyagers even though I'm not sure if it makes much difference.
I might have to still order the tanto version of the Mini based off your pics if the handle of the spear point does fit me well.
I might have to still order the tanto version of the Mini based off your pics if the handle of the spear point does fit me well.
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2002
- Messages
- 662
I received my Mini Recon spearpoint knives today. It is super cute!!! By that I mean it's a really good small-size knife that can just disappear in your pocket but be fully functional when needed.
The lines on this are very smooth, handle feels great in the hand. The handle shape looks like a scaled-down version of the full-size Recon I (I don' have one so I can't compare the two).
When comparing the Mini Recon to my AK-47 with Tri-Ad lock, the following points stand out:
- blade thickness is about 3.4mm (Ak-47 has 3.9mm)
- stop and pivot pins are thinner on the Mini Recon, but seem more than adequate
- I'm not sure what material the backspacer is made of, it might be aluminum, hard to tell
- Mini Recon uses combination bronze/Teflon washers (not sure why this is beneficial)
- very smooth out of the box and good Tri-Ad lock with no play.
View attachment 272182View attachment 272185View attachment 272181View attachment 272183View attachment 272184
The lines on this are very smooth, handle feels great in the hand. The handle shape looks like a scaled-down version of the full-size Recon I (I don' have one so I can't compare the two).
When comparing the Mini Recon to my AK-47 with Tri-Ad lock, the following points stand out:
- blade thickness is about 3.4mm (Ak-47 has 3.9mm)
- stop and pivot pins are thinner on the Mini Recon, but seem more than adequate
- I'm not sure what material the backspacer is made of, it might be aluminum, hard to tell
- Mini Recon uses combination bronze/Teflon washers (not sure why this is beneficial)
- very smooth out of the box and good Tri-Ad lock with no play.
View attachment 272182View attachment 272185View attachment 272181View attachment 272183View attachment 272184
Last edited:
- Joined
- May 23, 2004
- Messages
- 1,496
Got my spear point version in yesterday and trying to use it for a good 24 hrs to get adjusted to the size - handle would fit me better if it was just a bit longer but I can see how it would be just right for 95% of folks. Surprised how thin it is also, about as thin as I would ever want to go...care much more how folders work out of pocket than how they ride in tight dress slacks.
No surprise after having two flawless Large Vaquero Voyagers back to back the fit and finish are as perfect as can be, really could not find a single thing wrong with it after doing a couple 5-10 minute OCD inspections. I think they are beating the other more respected mass produced brands in fit and finish and consistency in quality of small parts, blade condition out of box, etc.
Have to use it a lot more to really say anything else meaningful about it.
- edited to add some size comparison photos with a classic 3 1/2" SAK (this one is a Victorinox Camper)
No surprise after having two flawless Large Vaquero Voyagers back to back the fit and finish are as perfect as can be, really could not find a single thing wrong with it after doing a couple 5-10 minute OCD inspections. I think they are beating the other more respected mass produced brands in fit and finish and consistency in quality of small parts, blade condition out of box, etc.
Have to use it a lot more to really say anything else meaningful about it.
- edited to add some size comparison photos with a classic 3 1/2" SAK (this one is a Victorinox Camper)
Last edited:
- Joined
- May 23, 2004
- Messages
- 1,496
I know, almost got them...right after I uploaded these pics I started to take out the pivot screw and all the babies woke up, 2 year old twin boys trying to grab the Mini Recon and baby screwdriver bits and 3 year old daughter telling me I have to get her some breakfast or she will tell her mommy on me - gotta wait till nap time.
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2010
- Messages
- 2,138
It is a spear point, but it is hard to see the swedge due to the reflection
oh my. Well, you might as well start them off early then
oh my. Well, you might as well start them off early then
- Joined
- May 23, 2004
- Messages
- 1,496
For me it's basically a drop point with swedge but could be called a few things.
Got a couple photos with it broken down indoors while the wife had the babies playing outside - poor lighting and crappy white balance all over the place but not worth trying to pretty them up on the netbook.
Like the Voyagers, they have the two bronze washers and two silicon washers (as J.Vervoorst mentioned) and also is 100% solid with no blade play while half way put together just like them - very cool. I like that the blade tang is well polished and helps it fly open very smooth with all the screws (that all have blue loctite) nicely tightened down.
Got a couple photos with it broken down indoors while the wife had the babies playing outside - poor lighting and crappy white balance all over the place but not worth trying to pretty them up on the netbook.
Like the Voyagers, they have the two bronze washers and two silicon washers (as J.Vervoorst mentioned) and also is 100% solid with no blade play while half way put together just like them - very cool. I like that the blade tang is well polished and helps it fly open very smooth with all the screws (that all have blue loctite) nicely tightened down.
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2002
- Messages
- 662
Were you able to find out what the backspacer material is? Looks like aluminum in your pictures. Are the screws tapping directly into the material?
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- May 23, 2004
- Messages
- 1,496
Yes sir, they all go into the aluminum backspacer, pretty sure that is what it is because it gets a cool temp quickly outside in the middle of the night and does not feel like the polymer spacer of the Voyagers at all.