Bonding with your knife......or........ My new Smith arrives!

ARtsig1 · Oct 10, 2002

I posted this question over on that "other" forum also. I have come to realize that I have to "bond" with a new knife immediately. It usually doesn't work for me that the knife might "grow" on me over time. Lately I have been trading for Smith's, carson's, and Obenauf's. With the exception of one or two these knives and I have bonded immediately! Todays package was NO exception. I had ordered the last Scimitar from Larry B. and was not sure what it would be like as I hadn't read anything about this particular model. I was really expecting to get a slightly scaled down model of one of the large knives. The three I already have are large versions and I like them very much due mainly to their beefy build. The only Smith I have gottten rid of was the framelocker and that was because of it's size. Too small for me. It had a 3.5" blade though just as the Scimitar does, hence my expectations. What I got was not what I expected! The scimitar is built big and beefy. Blade thickness is the same as the large models, weight is the same, feel is identical to any one of the large models. Only difference is a slightly shorter blade. Due to its shape though and the fact it is a recurve, it appears to be bigger than it is. It's width also helps this. Liner thickness, lockup, action are all the same as my large LS-1. The carbon fiber is advertised as blue carbon fiber but actually has much more black in it than blue. There is some blue but I like it exactly as it is. I would not change a thing on it.

Guess you can tell.........I sorta like it!

ARtsig1 · Oct 18, 2002

Finally took the dive and picked up the LS-1 "Eighties" folder by J.W. Smith. Thanks to Larry B. for picking up so many great Smith folders! The LS-1 80's has the same handle and bolster set up as the LS-1 Recurve I picked up a couple of weeks ago. I really like this handle shape. It is about 1.0" from top to bottom and maintains that width from the front to the rear. At the rear it drops and rounds off at the butt. The bolsters have that classic "coffin-style" look and with the front swell act as an excellent handguard. The blade is where the difference lays. The recurve LS-1 has agood bit of belly and that "sweet-spot" makes for a real slicer. The LS-1 80's has a more pointed blade. There is very little belly on this blade but a whole lotta point. An EXCELLENT penetrator/stabber! With the extra thick blade stock that J.W. makes his knives from this blade is a strong blade. That thickness is maintained all the way out to the last 3/4's of an inch. Never was much of a fan for the disc style openers but these J.W. Smith knives are changing my view. The last three I've gotten have that disc and it works great. Everything else about this knife is classic Smith. Fit and finish is outstanding. I agree with Les in that you still get the $2,000 art knife fit/finish on JW's $500 tactical folders. Lockup is extremely tight. I like the way John cuts his locking liner shorter than most others as this gives a firmer spring action.

As with all the other JW Smith's I've seen, held, or owned this one is a dandy!

Megalobyte · Oct 18, 2002

Art. I believe that exact knife was the one i was playing with when i visited BladeArt's showroom about 2 weeks ago. If it had been the recurve, it would have left with me, i like recurves. He does make a very strong, smooth knife, well worth the price. Theyre a little small, but Larry has 2 JWS's with nice gray giraffe bone scales, one was a 3" recurve i believe, but again, on the smmall side. One of these days im going to have to pick up a 3.5" recurve from him. In the meantime, im still very happy with the knife i did pick up that day, my Aaron Frederick tactical recurve folder with the blued damascus bolster, every bit as tight, smooth and strong as the Smith, yet different. Here's a pic.

Summerland · Oct 19, 2002

Mega,
The models with giraffe bone are sweeeet! I think I actually prefer it to the Black Palm on mine.

When I was at the show last week I was trying to decide between a small J. W. Smith and a Frederick . . . unlike you, I went with the Smith

But those blued damascus bolsters are very classy, and as you say, there is nothing wrong with the fit & action on the Frederick!

ARtsig1 · Oct 20, 2002

.............Hope NOT!!

I had earlier in the week backed out of a deal for an early model (5 to 6 years old) Smith folder. I then decided to pick up the last large Larry had on his site, the LS-1 "eighties". The LS is a SWEET knife that I described above. The "problem"

here was that I was already in posession of the other Smith and was going to package it up and send it back. Never could get myself to do it! So I have just decided to add number 6 to my collection of J.W. Smith folders. This one is over on the custom blades for sale and has a blade that looks like a Marbles Woodcraft. It is an early scimitar, if you ask me!

Have also been talking to John about him putting together a heavy duty model for me. Thicker blade stock, titanium backspacer, .075"liners, thicker bolsters, F-18 carbon fiber handles. Just a general "upsize" of an existing model, the LS-1, with a tad different recurve shaped blade. I really kike the LS-1 handle and bolster set up. Bolsters have that coffin shape while the handle is the same thickness and width all the way through, and with that rounded dropped butt, this handle fits my hand like a dream and is a work of art in my opinion!

penguinva · Oct 21, 2002

Art,
You should know by now it never ends!!!! You got the LS-1 before I could get the funds together :grumpy:

Okay since it has a good home - getting one of Deryk Munroe's Typhoons instead - somebody else who does fantastic work - quality on par with JW & Kit.

I like the way you think though - if you get John to make you that heavy duty job would you mind if he made one for me too - I like big heavy duty folders & what you described gives me chills. If its a problem that's okay but we seem to have very similar interests & cravings - if he does make it for you should call it the "AS-1 Special". Congrats on the "LS-1 Eighties" - loved it first time saw it - wish I had had money at the time.

Bill

ARtsig1 · Oct 21, 2002

The more the merrier! I have no problem with you ordering it the same way. Maybe he would build them quicker if more are ordered! I'm hoping to get a line drawing in the next couple of weeks from John on this one. I will be glad to fax a copy to you when I get it. Just let me know.

Yep, that "80's" is sure sweet. In fact it looks very much like the blade on my new Al Mar Shrike!
Only the Smith blade is wider and thicker.

Let me know on the other.

penguinva · Oct 22, 2002

Thanks Art,
Would like to take you up on the FAX offer - appreciate your willingness to "share the wealth (or loss of wealth to be more accurate!)" - thought John might be more amenable to doing it if he had 2 to make instead of one - I know Kit used to make a 2nd one when he had a special order as a matter of course as a backup in case something happened with the first. Hopefully something can be worked out cause that sounds like it would be one sweet knife.

Thanks again!
Bill