Boker-Magnum Subcom first impressions

[thombrogan]

On Friday, I got an early CHRISTmas present in the mail from Chad Los Banos, president, designer, and chief bottle-washer of CLB Designs. It was Boker-Magnum's rendition of his SubCom Folder.

No, I don't dare go downstairs to take a picture of the knife or get its model number, but I put it through a few paces.

SubCom stands for Sub Compact and this integral liner-locking folder easily fits in the watch pocket of my dungarees with no piece showing and is easily retrieved. Its being there didn't change the comfort of the Spyderco Meerkat I have clipped on my right-front pocket, so that was a big plus.

The knife has a fiberglass-reinforced nylon over steel scale on its left side that's textured for easy retention without excessive scratchiness; a rarity in the world of folders with such scales. Its right-hand side is steel and is tapped for tip-up and tip-down carry. The blade is a full flat-ground drop point with integral choil/guard and black plastic thumb discs. There is jimping on the spine of the handle and the knife and then there are finger serrations on the spine of the knife past the thumb disks that allow for extra control with the index finger. (Man, I've got to take some pics! )

The SubCom Folder was hair-popping sharp out of the box and readily dissected an empty Diet Coke bottle at everywhere but the thickest part at the bottom. There, it just didn't cut. While scuffing occurred on the bead-blasted finish, no dulling, chipping or blunting occurred, which has happened on knives made from S30V and VG-10. I think that SubCom Folder uses 420HC or 440A, so it shows that geometry can be as important or more important than steel type in some cases.

The knife has a tiny handle and an integral choil/guard which limits its comfortable use to saber, hammer, edge-up edge-in, and ice-pick edge-out grips. It strikes me (repeatedly, until I'm a mass of leaking hamburger) as knife that is ideal for people needing knives that hate the extra weight and lost space imposed by larger knives. It also is comfortable in flow drills and would work well as a defensive tool in trained hands (excludes me ).

I'm not a fan of the liner-lock or integral liner-lock (the SubCom Folder has an integral liner-lock), but I felt no issues with the security of the lock. This is one impressive knife.

Thanks, Boker-Magnum and CLB Designs, for making such a cool little knife. Thanks, Chad, for the early CHRISTmas present.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Is this it :

http://www.selfdefensesupply.com/catalog/images/bok589.jpg

Interesting knife, I have been working with smaller knives lately, the main issue often isn't one of blade length but ergonomics for extended cutting, but it takes a lot of be a problem.

They tend to work really well on most EDC tasks around the house where more than 1-2" of blade often just gets in the way and you end up with the edge just wearing unevenly anyway.

They are also much more friendly to non-knife people, it takes someone fairly extreme to get worked up about a 1-2" blade, especially when it isn't tactical black.

Nice that they did a decent job on initial edge configuration.

-Cliff

 

[T.K.C.]

WOW, that is really cool!! That is a nifty little knife! Merry Christmas to you!!

 

[thombrogan]

Thanks, Cliff and TKC.

That's exactly the knife and the pictures are practically actual size on a 15" monitor.

Even with the cute-factor of the SubCom, I work with people from MA and RI who've been known to say: "Watch out! He's got a deadly weapon!" at the sight of a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife or Schrade slipjoint (in stag, not tactical delrin).

I agree that for drawn out work, a larger, thicker handle would be better (still like the blade shape and length), but for EDC stuff and for MBC stuff, the knife won't be used on end unless you're discreetly shucking 5000 oysters or deaminating Cobra Commander frame by frame.

 

[StuntDouble]

Thom,

I think the blade steel is actually 420 J2. I remember Chad commenting about it on another forum. I also seem to remember him saying it may be made in a more upscale version if this one does well.