- Joined
- Jun 30, 2006
- Messages
- 1,452
I got an Alpha Dorado off the big evil E(bay) last week and it arrived in my eager hands yesterday. I've never owned or had a chance to handle a Dorado before so this was my first experience with one.
It is the standard 270 with 420HC steel and the charcoal birchwood scales. The seller had it listed with a poor picture and an even poorer description so I was happy to find that it was a new, never used knife (without sheath, box, papers, or anything else). It does have a goofy promotional logo on the blade that I intend to remove.
My first impression is that it's a solid knife that is thicker and has more heft than I expected. In these days of aluminum and zytel construction, it's nice to pick up a pocket-sized knife with substance.
I found it a little hard to open one handed using the thumb studs but it can be done. I'm sure it will open a little easier after it goes through a break-in period. It locks open with a solid "click" of the liner lock but has a slight amount of blade play left and right. Will tightening the pivot screw eliminate the blade play?
My only real complaint is the liner lock itself. When it's locked open the liner is nearly all the way over to the right (as veiwed from the underside of the knife) so there is no room for the lock to wear without creating up and down blade play. I also find that the liner extends too far out from the scales and makes it somewhat uncomfortable to grip the knife.
But I am being overly picky.... I could file down the liner a little bit and I'm sure Buck would fix the lock it it ever wears to the point of creating blade play. Overall I love the knife and plan to EDC it for the next few weeks.
Left side with promotional logo.
Liner lock as viewed from below.
Closed as viewed from above.
110 vs. 270 Side by Side
It is the standard 270 with 420HC steel and the charcoal birchwood scales. The seller had it listed with a poor picture and an even poorer description so I was happy to find that it was a new, never used knife (without sheath, box, papers, or anything else). It does have a goofy promotional logo on the blade that I intend to remove.
My first impression is that it's a solid knife that is thicker and has more heft than I expected. In these days of aluminum and zytel construction, it's nice to pick up a pocket-sized knife with substance.
I found it a little hard to open one handed using the thumb studs but it can be done. I'm sure it will open a little easier after it goes through a break-in period. It locks open with a solid "click" of the liner lock but has a slight amount of blade play left and right. Will tightening the pivot screw eliminate the blade play?
My only real complaint is the liner lock itself. When it's locked open the liner is nearly all the way over to the right (as veiwed from the underside of the knife) so there is no room for the lock to wear without creating up and down blade play. I also find that the liner extends too far out from the scales and makes it somewhat uncomfortable to grip the knife.
But I am being overly picky.... I could file down the liner a little bit and I'm sure Buck would fix the lock it it ever wears to the point of creating blade play. Overall I love the knife and plan to EDC it for the next few weeks.
Left side with promotional logo.
Liner lock as viewed from below.
Closed as viewed from above.
110 vs. 270 Side by Side
