- Joined
- Jan 30, 2014
- Messages
- 1,639
I just received my first knife from Allen. It is a bush adder in cpm 154. Let me start out by saying I really like the overall design of this knife. The handle is extremely comfortable. There is something about it that makes me want to keep picking it up to hold it. It feels very good in the hand. I also really like the size and overall shape of the blade. The point is awesome. I got a chance to try it out and while working on a try stick. From the minute I opened the package I just wanted to use this knife. I started out with some paper to test sharpness, went to a feather stick, tried it out in the kitchen and then started carving up everything I had in the back yard. This knife just begs to be used.
The new WAS maker's mark is very subtle and elegant. I like it a lot.
Overall the fit and finish for the most part is very good. The only detail I noticed was the grind on the belly doesn't quite go all the way to end of the working edge. This means that when you try to cut paper to test sharpness, it won't bite into the paper for the first half inch. After that it is very sharp. I am not sure I have the tools or ability to fix that, but in practical use it was not that noticeable.
I was excited to try out the hollow grind and it performs very well. I have only had a hollow grinds on folders, including the only folding blade I ever broke (doing something it was not designed to do - don't ask.) This is my first fixed blade hollow grind knife and so far I am loving it.
I don't use my 01 knives in the kitchen that often, so I was really looking forward to having a stainless knife with no guard. It did great and was fun to use.
I just kept wanting to put this thing to use, so I put it back to work. I really enjoy having a pointy blade and the point on this one is perfection. This is a very seasoned piece of California hazelnut and it bit into with no problems.
Here is a picture of the bush adder next to my fiddleback arete for size reference.
I am very pleased with the bush adder overall. It is a great knife! The only thing I am not head over heals about is the orange pinstripe and that is my fault. I neglected to tell Allen a pinstripe color. I just said evergreen shade tree with black pins. I forgot that it is actually very common to put this combo with an orange pinstripe. I love the evergreen with a green, white or black pinstripe but the orange clashes too much for me. I like it with the natural like the arete above but not so much with the green. So I have been kicking myself all afternoon because I love the functionality of knife but it could have been epic for my overall tastes if I would have been more specific in ordering. But like I said that was out of the maker's control and is only my personal preference. I know other folks are crazy about the orange pinstripe. Lesson learned. This was my second custom ever (the first was done by Dave Beck about 15 years ago). If Allen was still taking orders I would probably have him build another one just like it with a green pinstripe. For now I have a very functional knife that is a blast to use.
The new WAS maker's mark is very subtle and elegant. I like it a lot.
Overall the fit and finish for the most part is very good. The only detail I noticed was the grind on the belly doesn't quite go all the way to end of the working edge. This means that when you try to cut paper to test sharpness, it won't bite into the paper for the first half inch. After that it is very sharp. I am not sure I have the tools or ability to fix that, but in practical use it was not that noticeable.
I was excited to try out the hollow grind and it performs very well. I have only had a hollow grinds on folders, including the only folding blade I ever broke (doing something it was not designed to do - don't ask.) This is my first fixed blade hollow grind knife and so far I am loving it.
I don't use my 01 knives in the kitchen that often, so I was really looking forward to having a stainless knife with no guard. It did great and was fun to use.
I just kept wanting to put this thing to use, so I put it back to work. I really enjoy having a pointy blade and the point on this one is perfection. This is a very seasoned piece of California hazelnut and it bit into with no problems.
Here is a picture of the bush adder next to my fiddleback arete for size reference.
I am very pleased with the bush adder overall. It is a great knife! The only thing I am not head over heals about is the orange pinstripe and that is my fault. I neglected to tell Allen a pinstripe color. I just said evergreen shade tree with black pins. I forgot that it is actually very common to put this combo with an orange pinstripe. I love the evergreen with a green, white or black pinstripe but the orange clashes too much for me. I like it with the natural like the arete above but not so much with the green. So I have been kicking myself all afternoon because I love the functionality of knife but it could have been epic for my overall tastes if I would have been more specific in ordering. But like I said that was out of the maker's control and is only my personal preference. I know other folks are crazy about the orange pinstripe. Lesson learned. This was my second custom ever (the first was done by Dave Beck about 15 years ago). If Allen was still taking orders I would probably have him build another one just like it with a green pinstripe. For now I have a very functional knife that is a blast to use.
