Arthur the aardsnark!

[Guyon]

OK, that's worth it then

I can't imagine anyone paying full price for London Bridge Trading gear, but some may.
Most of the packs list for $400 to $800, but I expect those prices are what the government pays.
Still, it's top-shelf stuff from everything I've read: American made and bomb proof.

 

[Guyon]

We crushed some breakfast foods today. Started with pancakes for breakfast and segued into biscuits, bacon, eggs (scrambled and boiled), and preserves for lunch.
I will say that, as far as the common grocery store bacons go, the Smithfield Thick Cut is pretty good stuff.

 

[hawaiianhawk]

Mornin', gentlefolk. Cool crisp morning here, despite being the tropics.

It's a Manix 2. I really like it.

The ball bearing lock is great isnt it? It also allows you to "gravity" open and close the knife. Absolutely fantastic.

Great knife. I have one in 154CM. I like how Spyderco does that steel better than Benchmade. If I were restricted to one folder that'd be it, or my Buck 110.

And those new Condor offerings sure are smexy. Likes me that Crotalus (great name) and Moonshiner and Moonstalker knives.

 

[hawaiianhawk]

It's a Manix 2. I really like it.

The ball bearing lock is great isnt it? It also allows you to "gravity" open and close the knife. Absolutely fantastic.

We crushed some breakfast foods today. Started with pancakes for breakfast and segued into biscuits, bacon, eggs (scrambled and boiled), and preserves for lunch.
I will say that, as far as the common grocery store bacons go, the Smithfield Thick Cut is pretty good stuff.

Just had Oscar Mayer Thick Cut bacon for breakfast. Dee-lish-us.

 

[daizee]

Great knife. I have one in 154CM. I like how Spyderco does that steel better than Benchmade. If I were restricted to one folder that'd be it, or my Buck 110.

'morning out there.
what did you like from the spyderco vs. benchmade in that steel? I mean how did you experience the difference?

I'm pretty happy with the 154CM on my mini-grip, but amn't in love with the handle. I haven't tried Spyderco's 154CM, but their VG-10 gets top marks from me so far, and I think it's kind of in the same category.


Yow, Guyon, that looks yummy. I spent a year eating like that. And another taking off the weight...

 

[NixKustoms]

Why am I seeing ads? I thought that paying members don't get ads.......????

 

[Guyon]

Ok, word back from advertisers today is that those of you who are getting popups for the site ar.voicefive.com have a virus that came from running a program or malware and did not come from the banners here.

Removal instructions: http://blog.yoocare.com/ar-voicefive-com-redirect-removal-guide/

Banners autoloading sound have been reported.

Paid memberships should start seeing banners turning off shortly. Provided this doesn't make the website keel over and die everything should be back to normal soon.

But also see this... http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/announcement.php?f=679&a=198

I will assume, if I'm still seeing ads after the 22nd or 23rd when Spark gets back from SHOT and addresses the issue, that I might need to do the adware removal.

 

[NixKustoms]

Thank you Sir!!

 

[Guyon]

Here's a cool little gizmo I picked up for my Becker Field Bag and my hiking daypack.
It's a little Ruko 400 grit diamond hone that's collapsible. It's about the size of a pen.

One end has a flat side...

...and a hook groove on the reverse.

And the other end is tapered such that you can even sharpen serrations.

 

[granitestateofmind]

That Ruko is a sweet little tool. $$? (if you are able to say)

 

[hawaiianhawk]

'morning out there.
what did you like from the spyderco vs. benchmade in that steel? I mean how did you experience the difference?

I'm pretty happy with the 154CM on my mini-grip, but amn't in love with the handle. I haven't tried Spyderco's 154CM, but their VG-10 gets top marks from me so far, and I think it's kind of in the same category.


Yow, Guyon, that looks yummy. I spent a year eating like that. And another taking off the weight...

Heya, Daizee. To me the Benchmade 154CM always feels sorta toothy, like the grain of the steel is large. I could never get it quite to that hair-popping edge on my Sharpmaker. Maybe it's just me, but I've had two Mini-Grips, two full-size Grips and an Onslaught and they all felt the same to me.

Spyderco's version feels (again, to me) closer to VG10: It's smoother on the sharpening rods and gets a finer edge. It feels very similar to VG10 but less likely to roll, if that makes any sense. VG10 itself is one of my favorite folding knife steels, along with Old Timer and Case's 1095 or Opinel's carbon steel.

I always figured that the Manix 2 was sorta the Spydie version of an Axis-lock-Benchmade. And I don't care for how small the Mini-Grip's handle is, either. A Delica feels better to me, despite the slab sides.

 

[Guyon]

That Ruko is a sweet little tool. $$? (if you are able to say)

Sending PM.

 

[Guyon]

Yow, Guyon, that looks yummy. I spent a year eating like that. And another taking off the weight...

I'm where I need to be as far as weight. I eat whatever I want for the most part. I just don't eat as much as I used to, and I don't eat as much junk food period.

 

[Jonny1280]

'morning out there.
what did you like from the spyderco vs. benchmade in that steel? I mean how did you experience the difference?

I'm pretty happy with the 154CM on my mini-grip, but amn't in love with the handle. I haven't tried Spyderco's 154CM, but their VG-10 gets top marks from me so far, and I think it's kind of in the same category.


Yow, Guyon, that looks yummy. I spent a year eating like that. And another taking off the weight...

Heya, Daizee. To me the Benchmade 154CM always feels sorta toothy, like the grain of the steel is large. I could never get it quite to that hair-popping edge on my Sharpmaker. Maybe it's just me, but I've had two Mini-Grips, two full-size Grips and an Onslaught and they all felt the same to me.

Spyderco's version feels (again, to me) closer to VG10: It's smoother on the sharpening rods and gets a finer edge. It feels very similar to VG10 but less likely to roll, if that makes any sense. VG10 itself is one of my favorite folding knife steels, along with Old Timer and Case's 1095 or Opinel's carbon steel.

I always figured that the Manix 2 was sorta the Spydie version of an Axis-lock-Benchmade. And I don't care for how small the Mini-Grip's handle is, either. A Delica feels better to me, despite the slab sides.

Wow HH, you really hit the nail on the head. I was going to reply to Daizee, but couldn't really put into words how the 154cm compared from both companies.

I've had a few Griptillians(I prefer the large), and for some odd reason I had troubles sharpening it. I could get it sharp, but not scary. It always held a good edge though. I really like the blade shape and size. If Benchmade would slim the scales and use G-10 or micarta (and still keep the price reasonable), it would make for a perfect folder.

The Spyderco 154cm I can get crazy sharp. Nasty sharp. Cut you just by looking at it sharp. It seems to hold an edge for a very long time too. The Manix2 gets the nod from me due to the slim profile and textured G-10.

Now this is not to say that one is better than the other. That's not the case. But this has been my personal experience when sharpening these knives.

On a side note, I had a Grip in D2 and after I sharpened it, it was one of the sharpest knives I've ever owned. In fact, all the D2 I've sharpened has sharpened pretty easy and taken scary sharp edges. That and CPM3V...

 

[tradewater]

Biscuit, those sharpeners are the bomb for machetes in the field.

 

[hawaiianhawk]

I've mostly (for now) stopped carrying modern one-hander folders except for my Delica, but (despite it being in 154CM ) Benchmade's new 531 with the G10 scales looks ver' nice.

 

[cbwoods67]

I have never used Spyderco's 154cm, but I love it on my 551.

Last spring when we had the flood, I used my Griptilian to cut up silty wet carpet and fabric from couches and soggy fiberglass insulation. It held up just fine, I haven't had any problems getting it screaming sharp.

 

[daizee]

Thanks for the feedback on the 154CM, guys.
So far I haven't had to sharpen either my mini-grip or dragonfly (VG-10), which is rather nice.

I poked around at the new stuff on Condor's site. The Speed Bowie and Solobolo are both rather appealing, though clearly the QC on their website needs some work as the specs don't match the pix 100% in either case. One says 420HC but the pic says carbon, and the other says polypro handles but the pic shows micarta.

-Daizee

 

[bigghoss]

Yeah that solobolo looked kinda cool. I really like the econoparang. Suck it Gerber BG Compact Parang!

 

[iwouldhurtafly]

Wow HH, you really hit the nail on the head. I was going to reply to Daizee, but couldn't really put into words how the 154cm compared from both companies.

I've had a few Griptillians(I prefer the large), and for some odd reason I had troubles sharpening it. I could get it sharp, but not scary. It always held a good edge though. I really like the blade shape and size. If Benchmade would slim the scales and use G-10 or micarta (and still keep the price reasonable), it would make for a perfect folder.

The Spyderco 154cm I can get crazy sharp. Nasty sharp. Cut you just by looking at it sharp. It seems to hold an edge for a very long time too. The Manix2 gets the nod from me due to the slim profile and textured G-10.

Now this is not to say that one is better than the other. That's not the case. But this has been my personal experience when sharpening these knives.

On a side note, I had a Grip in D2 and after I sharpened it, it was one of the sharpest knives I've ever owned. In fact, all the D2 I've sharpened has sharpened pretty easy and taken scary sharp edges. That and CPM3V...

I thought 154cm was pretty much just the American version of Japanese VG10? Either way I like both steels from both companies. Spyderco really puts their foot into their VG10, Benchmades 154 in my 530 takes a screaming edge easily. So for me my preference lies with whatever blade I am using. LOL I also really like the edge spydercos cpm S30V will take. You always read on the forums how CPM S30V isnt all its cracked up to be, dulls quickly, hard to sharpen blah blah, but that has not been the case for me atleast with the manix2's CPMS30V. I sharpen pretty much everything on a diamond stone so it cuts all about the same. I still am a carbon steel fanatic though so I get more excited about well HT'd Carbon Steel than any "super" steel on the Market. For instance, Scrapyards 52100 in my SYKCO 311 takes a wicked edge for being so thick, and keeps that edge. It performs really well in my applications. Same goes for KA-BAR's 1095cv. Love the stuff. For a good easy to sharpen, tough, and good performing knife I'll take me some carbon steel please.

By the way, I rave about the Manix 2 but tested it against some other folders in a buscrafty type capacity. Although the gimping on the knife gives you good retention I really wish they would do away with it. When trying to make hard cuts with a full hand grip its not very comfy. I understand why they are there, but I wish they would make the g10 a little thicker/rounder, keep the gimping in the finger choil and on the blade spine, leave it off the handle completely. Then skeletonize the liners a bit... If they would do that I think it would be a 100X better knife. Its already fantastic, but those things would make it so much more user friendly. I smell some modifications lol