apple gate-fairbairn combat folder

C

chef

Joined
May 16, 2002
Messages
6
hi all this is my first posting i brought one of these about 7years ago while using it one day to punch ahole through a wall the lock gave way. today i pulled it apart to examine. the blade was ground on an angle was this done during manufacturing. any way i got a sander out trimed the angle back so it was flat put it all back together and gave it a good bashing wack test. no probs after the lock failed ilost all interest in folders i may get another emmerson commander any advise good /bad :confused: thanks inadvance for any advice. chef
 
a simple wack on the back of the blade on my gerber apllegat/fairbairn "combat" folder would make it close. wasn't even whacks, i would consider it a very slight tapping on the spine. save your fingers, dump the pos..
 
Yea I was just going to say that....

Just got done whacking my Covert with a 2x3 about 25 times. It didn't come close to closing. And, No, I didn't have the secondary lock of the Covert in place!

I have no experience with the 'full-size' Applegate-Fairairn so I can't comment on that, but the Covert certainly locks up tight. It is also very smooth opening and feels good in the hand.

Sorry to hear of the bad experiences with the full-size model. I remember reading good reviews of it in Tactical Knives a few years back. It was highly rated by a reviewer named Jerry Vancook, I believe.
 
My fulsize FA (eye candy) will fold up with just a tap.:(

My 3/4 Covert will not(and even more so with the lock engaged.:rolleyes:

What can I say?

Joe Shmoe
 
Wow!! interesting information. I wanted a full size version, however, I got a Covert on a really good deal. I am very happy with the Covert it locks up very secure and opens very smooth.

I find myself carrying it more and more do to the fact that it sets "low" in my pocket for discret carry. After reading these post, glad I didn't go with the full size model.
 
Gerber gave me a Combat Folder at the Blade show. It is very, very, sharp. I saw this thread and got curious. My Combat Folder fails the spine whack test with a light tap on the arm of my couch. Not terribly inspiring.
 
Well, I'll chime in here...

In defense of the full size COMBAT FOLDER, I bought mine when they first came out when my two big choices I had were the COMBAT FOLDER and the Benchmade 975.

Ive never had any problems at all with mine, Ive had three of them and all passed the wack test just fine (I sold the first two to friends who liked it and turned around and just bought myself a new one:)). So my first one was in 95? or so and my latest one just last year.

I had talked to the rep from GERBER at SMKW a few years ago and he told me that it was in the works to convert the full size COMBAT FOLDER to the new style lock like on the covert....Guess it just never came to be:confused: .

After all the "better" knives Ive bought since the COMBAT, Its still one of my favorites. Think I'll get it back out after reading this post and give it some carry time:D .
 
I've been carrying a Combat Folder for about 4 years and the only other knife thats gets as much use/abuse is my BM 942. I've got many other knives but when I want a big heavy duty folder my CF definitely gets the nod. And yes it passed the spine (shudder) wack test. I also picked up a Covert a couple of months ago, haven't really used it but it just feels flimsy, but I haven't really given it a fair test.
 
I've had two of these and the Covert. I sold these during financial duress. I didn't like the Covert clip or the fact that the scales tended to loosen and screws fall out. For a while it was my EDC though. One of the A-F Combats would fold with a light tap on my leg or hand. The other was a hand-ground double-edged presenttion version and would not fold. I always meant to modify the lock of the production one as described above to see if it would remedy the lock problem.

I recently missed these so much I had to replace the A-F Combat. Happily the new one has held up to much spine whacking. Also, while the previous production version had the back edge protrouding from the handle, this one had the back edge well protected in the handle so I could sharpen it. I think it is a classic design. Either they've corrected the lock problem or it is a lottery. Check before you buy if possible I guess.

Kallisti.
 
My SOG Pentagon Elite makes my Covert look pretty sad. I don't know if the Covert locks up well or not, because it never gets the nod to carry. Maybe if I LOSE the SOG or something. - Lee
 
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