Chris Reeves - Fantoni Razionale?

My issue is that currently, at that price point, I'd much rather get something like a Kershaw Volt. :/
 
i saw them when i went to plaza cutlery, looked good but for the money i would get a real CRK knife.
plazaCRKrazionale.jpg
 
pwet said:
big mistake. some hard user may find a steel that can take back a razor edge in two strokes more convenient. and it's overall tougher than s30V, can take a finer edge if properly heat treated .... hold a shaving edge longer than s30V too (i said shaving not working edge)... big carbide steels aren't the only option, it's just fancier.

what bothers me with the razionale is the anodized aluminium. and metal handled linerlock too. for me a metal handled knife has to be a framelock.
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You make it sound as if S30V is worse than 13C26. Chris Reeve himself uses S30V for his golden standard Sebenza, you know.

I like 13C26 as Kershaw has made fine knives out of it for years. It's just that a production knife with 13C26 blade and aluminum scales doesn't sound like good value at $200. Well, it might be good value IF it's as smooth and as solid as a Sebenza. That's a big if.
 
better ... worse .... it's all about opinions and trends. and type of use too. they both have their advantages.

what bothers me more is when people say i won't buy a knife for XXX$ without at least XX "supersteel" that's really a big mistake imho. you could skip quite a lot of wonderful users.

and also keep in mind that production costs in europe are not the same as in the states, let alone the comparison between a family run company vs kershaw in term of pricing.

and as i've just checked, this knife in europe is 145€ (at a VERY expensive italian online store) , something like 185$ including 19% VAT. the reseller that sells it for 200$ is having a good deal.

here is a very detailled video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EeZbAf9Dbg&feature=player_embedded
 
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Indeed---the notion that one steel is unilaterally better than another for all types of knives and knife use is a sign of really poor understanding of alloys and their properties. Saying S30V is "better" than 13c26 without qualifying it is kind of like saying a camero is better than a heavy duty truck. Depends what you're doing with it, doesn't it?

For most of my folding knife use yes, I'd lean towards S30V; but the quality of build of the knife means a hell of a lot more to me. Now, in this case I've no suspicion that these knives are made nicer than CRK (I don't think any production knife is) but far too many people chase steels with the notion that "If it's made out of this material, it must be good."

S30V has things it's really good at, and others it's really bad at. High opinion though I have of Chris and his abilities as a knifemaker, I still question his use of this alloy in supposedly "heavy duty" fixed blades. That choice has nothing to do with matching material to the mission and everything to do with bowing to the fact that the knife buying world (at least the part of it that will pay hundreds of dollars for knives) is by and large more fad-obsessed than a teenage girl at a mall, and likewise has to check the magazines to find out that X, Y, or Z is the latest, coolest thing and they'd better get it or they'll be behind the times. Mind you, I understand it--he has to make what will sell, but that doesn't change the fact that if the Pacific were made out of 12c27 it'd be far superior for the type of knife it is. When Buck's larger Buck/Strider fixed blades in 420HC came out my amazement was overwhelming, as I was SURE they were going to be ATS-34 like the folders and the smaller FB, just like Striders had been not long before. "Wow," I thought, "they actually chose to make a good knife instead of following the fads!" The threads complaining about it went on for pages and pages.......
 
Fantoni makes very nice knives, I prefer their Harsey folder (sold in the US under the Beretta brand).
4" S30V blade, ti liners, strong pivot...

IMGP3162.jpg
 
I just got my Razionale yesterday, I'm rather pleased with it. I liked it enough that I just ordered the smaller version of the Beretta knife posted above. The ergos on this knife are great, and I love the blade shape (similar to a Sebenza with a flat grind). I was worried about the thumbstuds being too close to the handles which would make it hard to open, but the thumbstuds really bite your thumbs so that's not a problem. The Al slabs are pretty thick (pic shows the Razionale next to a small Sebenza 21).

img0885e.jpg
 
I handled one recently in switzerland.
Couldn`t close the knife one handed because the cutout to depress the liner doesn`t work. Imho not worth the money.:thumbdn:
 
mactitan said:
Couldn`t close the knife one handed because the cutout to depress the liner doesn`t work. Imho not worth the money.:thumbdn:
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What doesn't work? I have absolutely no trouble disengaging the lock. I actually find it easier than some other knives that I own.
 
I don’t know. There are a lot of similar knives for less money. If the Chris Reeve name appeals, why not get the Sebenza for a bit more? I realize the Sebenza is actually close to double the price, but when you spend around $ 200,- price isn’t going to be that much of a problem I guess.

Apparently the knives are quality checked at Chris Reeve Knives, that is a plus. But at the price I would like a more distinctive design.

Rafael
 
Was that directed at me (since I seem to be the only person who has one)? I have a Sebenza. I just happened to like the form factor, blade shape, and aesthetics of the Razionale so I bought it.
 
There are a lot of similar knives for less money.
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Like what?


I picked up a Razionale and I like it. Was trying to figure out what in my collection it compares to, but I can't come up with anything. It's built like a tank, has a unique handle configuration, blade is somewhat shaped like a sebenza. Other than that, it seems like a unique design to me. And oh, the liner lock seems to work great. No problems with mine disengaging the lock. Was it a bargain price? Not really. But I would really like to know where there are a lot of similar knives for less money. I'll buy a few of those.
 
the funny thing is, if this knife were indeed made of s30v and ti and came in at a price of 300+, all we would hear is, well at that price point just get a sebenza! its made in america and is better blah blah blah....

as for knives that are similar? show me another CRK harsey design folder for 200, made by a knife company that is good enough to build for the man whose desire for quality has made him THE gold standard for decades?

some people dont seem to understand, the materials dont make the knife. if you want to pass on a knife that has more then adequate materials for everything you can expect to use it for, and arent at all excited about this piece, fair enough.
 
kya said:
Was that directed at me (since I seem to be the only person who has one)? I have a Sebenza. I just happened to like the form factor, blade shape, and aesthetics of the Razionale so I bought it.
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No. It was directed to anybody who doesn't own a Sebenza, but wants a knife that is associated with Chris Reeve. For those people the Sebenza would be a better investment. Just an opinion though. :-)

Some of the competition at the price point: Spyderco Military, Police3 and Benchmade Mini-Skirmisch.

At half the price there are a whole lot of knives that are well regarded from Benchmade, Spyderco and Kershaw.

Basically, I like the knife (it looks good and quality control should be excellent) but think it’s rather expensive considering the competition.

In general I’m not that crazy about limited editions. Why not use the time and money for developing a limited edition to make a knife that is going to be available for a few years?

Rafael
 
Alright, I am buying it for 1 sole reason. It's a Liner lock Chris Reeve. Now, you don't get to see that a lot eh?
 
I just got one of these today. Bought it second hand for a bargain, but it's worth the price they ask new in my opinion. I almost passed on it to because of the blade steel, but Fantoni hardens 13C26 quite a bit harder than my Kershaw's or Bucks, I can tell that just from how it behaves on the croc sticks. It's more like sharpening one of the super steels, so I suspect it's going to hold an edge pretty well. The handle slabs are a high grade of aluminum from what info I can find on 6082T6. Quality is first rate throughout as you would expect. Ergonomics are wonderful, it's a shame this isn't a normal production knife as so few will get to handle it. It would be cool to see the same design made with titanium slabs and say 154CM steel, but I can love the knife as is and feel lucky to have snagged one. Only thing that doesn't make sense to me is why they would go through all the work of developing such a great handling knife only to make a handful of them.
 
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Fantoni is a rather new company in knife making, the have high quality machinery and started using it to make knives too some time ago, they offer other CNC services and are not a knife company

quality and service are usually high, my HB01 had a lock defect and was changed with an amazing new knife, 0 flaws all around

i'd like to handle one of the razios for sure
 
It looks like a nice, sturdy knife, but I can't get over them charging so much for a knife with 13c26. Not that it isn't great steel - probably my favourite, but for that price there are so many more exotic options available out there.
 
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