- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 4,670
After having received Darrel Ralphs Arclight directly from the man at the 2000 S.E. Custom Knife Show this past September; Ive used this knife quite a bit. The following is a quick and dirty review. Ive found most of the neck knives on the market today to not be ergonomic in the handle department. The Arclights handle is quite ergonomic for a knife of its size. The curves of the handle accommodate the users hand very well, instilling a sense of both confidence and control when in use. Darrel makes this knife in two handle versions skeletonized (hence the inspiration for the knifes name) and with handle scales (micarta mainly, but he can use any other materials at the buyers request). Im not too fond of skeletonized handles on a fixed blade, so I opted for the micarta scales. The scales add more meat to the handle and make it feel more comfortable in the grasp, yet still is thin enough to not print underneath a shirt or make the knife too heavy. The scales are securely fastened to the tang via a pair of Torx® head screws and sockets, very similar to what maybe used in a folder pivot. The blade material is S90V (new name for 420V), a current favorite of mine for using knives. The recurve drop point blade is very reminiscent of the Apogees blade, providing plenty of belly to facilitate slicing tasks. The blade sports a field grade satin finish to help conceal scratches that occur from use and from sliding in and out of the Concealex neck sheath (more on the sheath later). For added control, there are traction notches cut into the blade spine to place your thumb or index finger on.
So far, my Arclight has been used as a general utility knife opening mail, packages, and such. The blade is mall enough to make the knife compact, yet will handle sizable cutting tasks easily. It has also seen use in the kitchen as a paring knife and to cut up meats at mealtime. The combination of handle design and blade design work together to make the Arclight a pleasure to use no matter what the task at hand is. Ive really enjoyed using it so far in the kitchen setting. Sometimes there is some food preparation tasks that you can only do with a small knife, and the Arclight fits the bill well. Daily carry of the knife was as pleasurable as it is to actually use. The sheaths for the knives are custom fabricated by Elite Tactical Carry Systems. The man behind ETCS is Bob Bailey, who is Darrels stepson. The knife slides easily into the sheath and it locks up around the first 1/3 portion of the handle for a secure carry. Two brass rivets hold the sheath together and are conveniently spaced to accept a Blade Tech Mini Tek-Lok fastener for belt carry as well. Nice touch! A beaded ball chain is supplied to carry the Arclight around the neck. As mentioned before, the knife does not print underneath a shirt so discreet carry is very possible. Ive even worn the Arclight with button down dress shirts and ties. Accessing the knife is as simple as undoing the button closest to the handle. Reach in, grab handle, and pull. The knife then comes free of the sheath. Overall, the sheath work is excellent quality. The Arclight pops out with a firm tug on the handle, no worries about the knife dropping out, which is good especially if you wear the knife while running or biking.
In all, the Arclight is my favorite neck knife. Its a good looking knife made of premium materials and is engineered and built to perform. What Id like to see is a bigger version of this design, maybe a 4 or a 4 ½ inch bladed version, worn as a belt knife. The very characteristics that make it a great neck knife will also make it a great belt knife for camp utility/hunting. Getting back to the neck knife version, Darrel has an eye for designing knives that have an interesting mix of performance and good looks. Now that Camillus Cutlery Company is also offering their version of the Arclight, everyone can afford to own one be it a production or custom one.
For an image of the knife and sheath, go here: http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum60/HTML/000070.html
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Proud member of AKTI, NCCKG, NCKK, and SCAK
In memory of James K. Mattis
