- Joined
- May 26, 2000
- Messages
- 1,922
Just perusing through Gerber's product line, it strikes me that William Harsey knows how to design a functional knife. The Harsey stuff is the most interesting looking to me, i.e. the stuff I'd most likely buy.
I did buy one of the last on-the-shelf EZ-Out (full sized) in ATS-34 to get a cheapie with ok steel. I haven't tested the edge yet, but it needed a LOT of reprofiling to get the rather short, saber flat ground bevels to 20 deg per side. And ATS-34 was it's usual relatively hard-to-reprofile self (Jeff Clark maintains it's the molyb content, and I'll stick with that explanation since I can't decide what else it could be... other than the tempering temperature, high vs. low, and subsequent grain growth/size, of which ATS-34 has a couple formulas for heat treat).
So, what looks interesting to me in their product line:
Harsey Air Ranger
Harsey Air Ranger II
Spectre
International AR 3.00
Silver Trident (except for the size of that top guard and price)
Multitool line is very broad
Folding saw
Emerson designed knives
Maaayyybe the Paraframe stuff... maybe. Haven't handled.
What do I actually own out of the above? Just the folding saw and the ATS-34 EZ-Out cheapie (ATS-34 for ~$40 is an ok price, but alas, this model discontinued).
I'd have to handle and select from stock a production knife... to make sure the lockup and blade flatness/centering was ok.
The folders of interest share a good handle and blade design in common. Shame is I'm not tempted to spend more than $30, $40 tops on an AUS-8 blade. And not much more than $50-$60 on an ATS-34/154CM blade from Gerber (and then, I like the BM 710 and 800, and MT LCC so well I'm just not tempted). So depending on source, Gerber's might exceed what I'm willing to pay. Just me though. Newbies think Gerber and Buck make quality stuff in general.
I did buy one of the last on-the-shelf EZ-Out (full sized) in ATS-34 to get a cheapie with ok steel. I haven't tested the edge yet, but it needed a LOT of reprofiling to get the rather short, saber flat ground bevels to 20 deg per side. And ATS-34 was it's usual relatively hard-to-reprofile self (Jeff Clark maintains it's the molyb content, and I'll stick with that explanation since I can't decide what else it could be... other than the tempering temperature, high vs. low, and subsequent grain growth/size, of which ATS-34 has a couple formulas for heat treat).
So, what looks interesting to me in their product line:
Harsey Air Ranger
Harsey Air Ranger II
Spectre
International AR 3.00
Silver Trident (except for the size of that top guard and price)
Multitool line is very broad
Folding saw
Emerson designed knives
Maaayyybe the Paraframe stuff... maybe. Haven't handled.
What do I actually own out of the above? Just the folding saw and the ATS-34 EZ-Out cheapie (ATS-34 for ~$40 is an ok price, but alas, this model discontinued).
I'd have to handle and select from stock a production knife... to make sure the lockup and blade flatness/centering was ok.
The folders of interest share a good handle and blade design in common. Shame is I'm not tempted to spend more than $30, $40 tops on an AUS-8 blade. And not much more than $50-$60 on an ATS-34/154CM blade from Gerber (and then, I like the BM 710 and 800, and MT LCC so well I'm just not tempted). So depending on source, Gerber's might exceed what I'm willing to pay. Just me though. Newbies think Gerber and Buck make quality stuff in general.