Just thought I'd give few pics (everyone likes pics, right? 
) mostly for fun. This is my 8.5" Dharan bilton with white metal (aluminun, I'm pretty sure) chitlangi-style handle. Got it back in december - this is also the knife I used to eat a large tupperware full of curry when I had no fork or spoon. As mentioned before, it is VERY squishy-soft in the area near the cho, but quite decently hard near the belly, hard enough to bite into some steel sheeting about 1mm thick without damage. (don't ask. 
)
Also pictured is a neat little folder I picked up tonight, under the S&W flag. I noticed that S&W seems to be in somewhat ill repute around the forum, but I have to say this is the nicest knife I found in this size and price range. The Ka-Bar Dozier folder might have been a bit better, but I don't like lockbacks and there weren't any in stock anyway. It fills my hand a lot better than the teeeeensy little spydercos like the Cricket and the Dragonfly. There was also a version in tanto point, but I decided I wanted the curve instead.
Anyway, it's a 3" (1/8" thick) blade, ambidextruous thumbstud, liner lock, and made from 440C. Liners are some form of stainless steel and scales are aircraft aluminun. NIB sharpness was not special, not bad, and uniform. Liner is ridged near the edge of the thumb area so you can feel when you're about to run out of handle. Lock is solid and engages very well (centers on the tang) and there is no blade play. I wouldn't mind if the lock was a bit thicker, but I doubt that will ever be a real concern for my usage anyway. I paid $75CAD for this nice little handful.
Here it is pictured next to that most dreaded weapon of terror as a comparison:
PS - these pictures are not suggested for the bandwidth impaired. Here is a tinier version for you poor souls:
) mostly for fun. This is my 8.5" Dharan bilton with white metal (aluminun, I'm pretty sure) chitlangi-style handle. Got it back in december - this is also the knife I used to eat a large tupperware full of curry when I had no fork or spoon. As mentioned before, it is VERY squishy-soft in the area near the cho, but quite decently hard near the belly, hard enough to bite into some steel sheeting about 1mm thick without damage. (don't ask. )Also pictured is a neat little folder I picked up tonight, under the S&W flag. I noticed that S&W seems to be in somewhat ill repute around the forum, but I have to say this is the nicest knife I found in this size and price range. The Ka-Bar Dozier folder might have been a bit better, but I don't like lockbacks and there weren't any in stock anyway. It fills my hand a lot better than the teeeeensy little spydercos like the Cricket and the Dragonfly. There was also a version in tanto point, but I decided I wanted the curve instead.
Anyway, it's a 3" (1/8" thick) blade, ambidextruous thumbstud, liner lock, and made from 440C. Liners are some form of stainless steel and scales are aircraft aluminun. NIB sharpness was not special, not bad, and uniform. Liner is ridged near the edge of the thumb area so you can feel when you're about to run out of handle. Lock is solid and engages very well (centers on the tang) and there is no blade play. I wouldn't mind if the lock was a bit thicker, but I doubt that will ever be a real concern for my usage anyway. I paid $75CAD for this nice little handful.
Here it is pictured next to that most dreaded weapon of terror as a comparison:
PS - these pictures are not suggested for the bandwidth impaired. Here is a tinier version for you poor souls:
:barf: