Bill Harsey "tactical" folders

RamZar

RamZar

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The Lone Wolf Harsey Ranger / Tactical Folders are no longer available. These were T3 (4.75" blade), T2 (3.9" blade) & T1 (3.25" blade) models with titanium liners, CPM-S30V and handles made of Kraton or G10 or FRN. They seem to be hard to find. Anyone have any experience with them?

Fantoni Knives of Italy now makes the Bill Halsey designed "tactical" folders in two sizes with black, desert or dark green G10 scales. Anyone has any experience with these?

Also, any comparison between the Lone Wolf and Fantoni versions.

knifeart_2271_50618067


Fantoni HB 01 Specifications:
Blade Length: 105 mm (4.13")
Overall Length: 238 mm (9.37")
Blade Thickness: 4 mm (0.157")
Blade Material: CPM-S30V
Blade hardness: 61-62 HRc
Blade finish: stonewashed
Handle material: 6AI4V Ti liners with G10
Handle thickness: 14 mm (0.55")
Clip for right and left hand: 6AI4V Titanium
Weight: 168 g (5.9 oz.)
Lock: Liner Lock

Fantoni HB 02 Specifications:
Blade Length: 80 mm (3.15")
Overall Length: 185 mm (7.28")
Blade Thickness: 3.20 mm (0.125")
Blade Material: CPM-S30V
Blade hardness: 61-62 HRc
Blade finish: stonewashed
Handle material: 6AI4V Ti liners with G10
Handle thickness: 12 mm (0.47)
Clip for right and left hand: 6AI4V Titanium
Weight: 86.5 g (3 oz.)
Lock: Liner Lock
 
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I consider the Fantoni Harsey's to be the best "tactical" folders made. My Lonewolf Harsey has a lotbof up down lock rock, so it isnt carried, anymore. I dont think Benchmade has the parts to fix it.
 
dano said:
I consider the Fantoni Harsey's to be the best "tactical" folders made.
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Everything that I've read and viewed on various forums, etc. have been nothing but glowing on the HB 01 regarding fit & finish, quality, action, etc. I'm gathering more data & opinions before making a decision.

dano said:
My Lonewolf Harsey has a lot of up down lock rock, so it isn't carried, anymore. I don't think Benchmade has the parts to fix it.
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That's the problem with old and / or discontinued knives or manufactured elsewhere where either parts are no longer in stock or you need to be without your knife for extended periods. At some point, one has to consider retiring an old companion.
 
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The other video is 9 minutes long and in Russian I believe. This is a short one.

IMHO this is not a reliable or proper test you should subject ANY folding knife. However, it does give an only an indication (nothing more, nothing less) of how well it's made.

[youtube]fPZr54-9BPk[/youtube]
 
untamed said:
The other video is 9 minutes long and in Russian I believe. This is a short one.

IMHO this is not a reliable or proper test you should subject ANY folding knife. However, it does give an only an indication (nothing more, nothing less) of how well it's made.
Click to expand...

They're tough and really well-made. I had seen this video from the same guy:

[video=youtube_share;aQ56TfbR9wY]http://youtu.be/aQ56TfbR9wY[/video]

Also, this video:

[video=youtube_share;M4WBVTC2KtQ]http://youtu.be/M4WBVTC2KtQ[/video]
 
NeverMore1701 said:
Looks very nice. I wonder how robust the Ti liner lock is, and how the flipping action is.
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Check out the knife review video above. You can see the Titanium Liner Lock and a wrist-assisted flipping motion. It's not a true flipper.

The closest knife to the HB 01 is my MicroTech Socom Elite.

Not that many dealers carry Fantoni knives here in the U.S. so prices are a little high.
 
I have the HB01 and it's a great knife! I also waved mine which was easy to do. It's not a true flipper really. It's not as beefy as a Strider but it has held up fine, although I have never subjected it to really hard use (that chopping vid made me cringe). The ergonomics are great, the lock-up is solid & and the blade is a real slicer. Mine is marked Beretta, has a beadblasted S30v blade and I got it used off the forum for $100 many years ago.
 
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RamZar, good stuff. I too like the Harseys. The T1, T2, and T3's specs should be reversed in your list. The T3 is the large one. It's huge in the hand actually, and manages to make my Camillus 5.5 D2 & Ti Cuda Maxx seem small. The liner lock works better than most would think. It's like a bank vault.

Good stuff.

Joe
 
The Mastiff said:
RamZar, good stuff. I too like the Harseys. The T1, T2, and T3's specs should be reversed in your list. The T3 is the large one. It's huge in the hand actually, and manages to make my Camillus 5.5 D2 & Ti Cuda Maxx seem small. The liner lock works better than most would think. It's like a bank vault.

Good stuff.

Joe
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Yes, the T-3 is the BIG ONE. I have both a T-1 and a T-3. My T-3 is the early version in titanium liner lock variety. I've had it since 2004 or 5. Not one problem with it yet. It's in my edc rotation along with the T-1. Wish I had bought a T-2 when they were available.





 
Shame bm didn't continue them when they bought lone wolf. They actually do ti liner locks pretty well. They also could probably get them in alot cheaper than the Italian knives like the old lone wolfs were.
 
I have a Lone Wolf T3 (micarta handles) and it came with serious problems. If I gripped the knife firmly my finger would press against the liner-lock and cause it to disengage (I fixed this by grinding down the lock). And the lock-up isn't solid, it's very easy to make the lock-face move against the blade's tang by applying light pressure to the back of the blade. At $300 it's one of my biggest regrettable knife purchases.
 
The heat-treat snobs will probably welcome the 61-62hrc that Fantoni advertises for the s30v on HB01 and HB02.
 
killgar said:
I have a Lone Wolf T3 (micarta handles) and it came with serious problems. If I gripped the knife firmly my finger would press against the liner-lock and cause it to disengage (I fixed this by grinding down the lock). And the lock-up isn't solid, it's very easy to make the lock-face move against the blade's tang by applying light pressure to the back of the blade. At $300 it's one of my biggest regrettable knife purchases.
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Doesn't your T-3 have a LAWKS? Mine does. Normally I do not use them. But on a knife this large, you bet I do. I love my T-3, one of the best knives I own.
 
Every time someone brings up Lone Wolf or Bill Harsey I want to start crying. Why? Because I never picked up a T2 Ranger. I loved everything about that knife from the full flat ground blade to the pocket clip to the camo handle. It was one of those knives that was always on my list but seemed to get passed up for one reason or another. And now of course they are impossible to find and I'll probably never own one. If bladeforums didn't prohibit the use of expletives, I'd be typing many of them right now.

LWT2CAMO.jpg


EDIT: If anyone happens to see one for sale anywhere please do not hesitate to email me. I will gladly pay a finder's fee!!
 
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