Boker Trance (With Photos)

J

JNieporte

Joined
Nov 1, 2004
Messages
3,352
I just got my first Trance after about two years of using the Subcom. I can't believe I waited that long, as I wanted a CLB design with a flipper since I saw them. This one is the clip point, but I would've bought both this and the drop point if they were in stock. The Trance is 3.2 ounces in weight, and fits nicely in your pocket. The model number is 590, and is made in Taiwan. Here are the details...

Handle Details: The Trance is 3-1/2" long when closed. It has dual stainless steel liners, one locking. The non-locking side has a black FRN scale attached. The knife locks via framelock, which is jimped for a non-slip finger placement. The handles are held together with six (three on each side) Torx (T-6) screws, one of which is longer than the rest. This is the middle screw for the pocket clip, and it goes all the way through the frame and into the spacer in the butt of the knife. Now, the pocket clip is reversible for tip up or tip down carry, right hand only, but this longer screw makes placement tip-down nearly impossible. The clip is very retentive without making the knife hard to draw. A lanyard hole is drilled into the butt. The right side (the locking side) of the frame also has four holes drilled in, I assume to give your fingers a nice spot to rest when opening the knife. The back of the handle is open to allow debris and pocket lint to be blown out, and there's jimping near the blade's back. The FRN scale has nice texturing and doesn't abrade or hurt the hand. The blade locks open solidly with no play. The blade can be loosened or tightened with a Torx (T-8) screw.

Blade Details: The Trance has a nice blade, and it's 2-2/4" long. It's made of AUS-8 stainless, and is flat ground (not hollow ground). The left side of the blade has the CLB logo above the Boker Plus logo, while the right side has "AUS 8" above "Taiwan" on it. Dual thumb studs make the knife very easy to open, and this is made even easier with the placement of a flipper. When locked open, this flipper makes slipping your hand forward onto the blade nearly impossible. The flipper has jimping, too. Finer jimping is on the back of the blade. The blade has a nylon washer on each side for even smoother opening. This blade cuts very nicely.

The Trance is one of boker's best designs in a folder, and can be had for around $30. Major props to Chad Los Banos (Daywalker here) for the design; no wonder everybody likes it.

You can find out more about the Trance from Boker's website here... http://www.boker.de/us/index.php?c=3000&a=01BO590&s1=trance&s2=0&s3=9999&p=&pp=0

Here are some photos of the Trance...
004-7.jpg


Reverse side...
006-7.jpg


From the back...
010-7.jpg


The locking liner...
008-7.jpg


012-5.jpg
 
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Still waiting to get mine. Want to get it from the man himself rather than another retailer. Based on what I have seen and read, it looks like it will fit my needs to a "T".

You mentioned that "The FRN scale has nice texturing and does abrade or hurt the hand.". Is this a typo as it is the only complaint of this nature that I have read?
Nice review with good pictures. Thanks!

Take care,
Russ S.
 
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Gespenst said:
You mentioned that "The FRN scale has nice texturing and does abrade or hurt the hand.". Is this a typo as it is the only complaint of this nature that I have read?
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It was a typo; I fixed it. The FRN scale doesn't hurt your hand at all.
 
The Trance will probably be my next knife purchase, as I really like the Subclaw.

I'm partial to thinner blades, and actually like AUS-8 as well. Thinner knives are easier for me to carry, and our laws dictate that blades >3" cannot be concealed, so the Trance looks like a real winner.

Knowing that CB designed it, I would guess that the ergos are as nice as the Subclaw (which is amazing, because just looking at the Subclaw, you would think it feels terrible in the hand, but it is very comfortable).

CB obviously knows how to make a knife which is affordable, comfortable, functional and practical. That is a delicate balance to achieve!
 
Great knife at a great price. I've been carrying mine as my edc since I got it about a month ago. Don't hesitate to get one of these. :thumbup:
 
Could anybody review the different blade shapes?

I had two Sub-Coms...
Great knives for their size and design
Real blade in a very small package.

So I am sure the Trance is every much as good

Had...
Two of my girls "Oh Daddied" me.
They now have them as their key chain fob!
 
How is the opening action? I've heard some say the M-Type was stiff.
 
Reeek said:
How is the opening action? I've heard some say the M-Type was stiff.
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I think it's a fairly common issue with the M-Types, due to the fairly short length of the framelock and the strong detent.
That said, of the 4-5 Trances I've handled, all have opened flawlessly and nigh-effortlessly - one of the nicest "thumb-flickers" at any price range simply with a little adjustment to the pivot (maybe 1/5-1/4 turn). That said, with some proper lube and phospor bronze washers... :D

probably the ONLY flaws the Trance has is that A) you can't place the clip for tip-down carry with all three screws, the middle, longest screw, remains where it originally was and B) using the flipper requires a bit of a wrist flick, though I am told this eases up.

Oh re: ERGOS
Probably has the most comfortable handle (while still being plenty grippy) of the various CLB designs, and that's saying something. I'd love for one in G-10 and 440C Satin or Ti Nitride finish.
 
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senoBDEC said:
I think it's a fairly common issue with the M-Types, due to the fairly short length of the framelock and the strong detent.
That said, of the 4-5 Trances I've handled, all have opened flawlessly and nigh-effortlessly - one of the nicest "thumb-flickers" at any price range simply with a little adjustment to the pivot (maybe 1/5-1/4 turn). That said, with some proper lube and phospor bronze washers... :D

probably the ONLY flaws the Trance has is that A) you can't place the clip for tip-down carry with all three screws, the middle, longest screw, remains where it originally was and B) using the flipper requires a bit of a wrist flick, though I am told this eases up.

Oh re: ERGOS
Probably has the most comfortable handle (while still being plenty grippy) of the various CLB designs, and that's saying something. I'd love for one in G-10 and 440C Satin or Ti Nitride finish.
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This is actually an issue with the Kershaw JYD II SG2 I have too. I took it apart (VERY EASY I MIGHT ADD), cleaned and lubed everything and I still need a bit of a wrist whip to open it if I don't want an side to side blade play. It's loosening up though
 
Reeek said:
This is actually an issue with the Kershaw JYD II SG2 I have too. I took it apart (VERY EASY I MIGHT ADD), cleaned and lubed everything and I still need a bit of a wrist whip to open it if I don't want an side to side blade play. It's loosening up though
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That's rather odd actually, I recently purchased one, and I had zero issues getting it to fire crisply from the box, with close to zero side-to-side play. Opened it up to see if it had been lubed, used, etc, and was still the same from the factory. That said, I did clean it up a little and lubed it and then tightened it down.
I will say the angle your index finger pressed to "flip" it is a little weird compared to my Skyline and Leek, but I figure it's just the nature of the JYD design, didn't take more than a couple tries to figure it out (the resistance of the detent apparently precludes pre-loading your index finger).

Perhaps you should consider contacting Kershaw C.S. for solutions re: servicing?

Re: Trance - the reason, I presume, that the flipper is not as easy to use is A) a longer flipper would get in the way, and B) the original design IIRC as mentioned on these forums, was to be assisted opening, which was deemed a bad idea re: Germany automatic/AO knife laws. Basically, the flipper is really quite short (about as long as the Leek's) but no AO. Apparently the DP Trance addresses this, but I have not handled one extensively to date, nor did I try to flip the one I did handle.
 
Good Thread---Great knife! Gull Wing slapped a piece of Orange G-10 on mine. The Trance is one of the best folder bargains going. ;)
 
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