- Joined
- Dec 3, 2009
- Messages
- 1,584
I grabbed this off the exchange in December as a "Merry Christmas to me" -- thought I would post a quick review in case any of you happen upon a blade for sale made by Chuck and want some feedback on his work.
First the specs and the image from the ad that made me want it.
Note: I asked Chuck to shine up the chamfers/handle holes after purchase to give a little contrast to match the contrast on the blade, which he did at no charge. Think it made it pop a little more.
Specs:
"The blade is 3-5/16in long made of CPM154 with a tumbled 2-tone finish.
The frame and clip are titanium that have been chemically darkened.
The standoffs and hardware are stainless.
Overall length open is 7-5/8 and it is just under 3/8in thick, perfect for an EDC. Flips great with no wrist action, precision fit, finish, lockup and detent."
Design:
My favorite thing about this knife is the size. It is both slim, light, and relatively small but packs a large blade for the overall size. It is similar to the BM940 in that you get a nice long blade in a relatively small package. The bladeshape is just sexy to me, but I wasn't sure about the function side initially. Turns out that thin pointy tip is great for cutting light material (tape, cloth, string, etc) and even though it's not a full flat grind, the thin blade stock means it still slices well. The handle is just long enough to fit my somewhat small but stubby fingers on. The handle is about the length of a BM940 or a Mini-Griptillian, but the blade is much longer than the mini-grip.
A few comparison shots, please excuse the dirty outdoor furniture seat.. was too lazy to walk inside.
Function:
Before buying the knife I dug a little into some of Chuck's past posts... stumbled upon a post regarding flippers and bearings. He said (and I'm paraphrasing here), that he didn't like using bearings because any knife with bearings will flip well, but a quality designer/craftsman can make a bushing knife flip just as good without the need for bearings. After flipping this blade, I agree. I've had bearing knives, but I REALLY apprecaite the simplicity of just plain ole bushings and this thing flips just as good if not better than a bearing knife. The lockup is SOLID, and early, and I have no worries about it functioning properly for years to come. As for the steel, it has held an edge well so far, but I'm not a steel snob. I've had good experiences with CMP154 before so I expect nothing less with this one. Without repeating the bits in the design section over again, all I can say is that it is really a fantastic EDC knife, one that can be carried in dress pants without noticing it, but still feels substantial enough to do anything you should do with a folder.
Fit & Finish:
For the most-part it is PERFECT. This is the only area I can say there is a slight mis-step vs. some other high end production and customs I've had. The lockbar cutout near the blade isn't perfect.. it has a few rougher areas you can see if you look closely, not on the area that contacts the blade but on the opposing part of the handle. My photography cannot capture it, and it does not affect function one bit. It also lets me know it was made BY HAND.
Attempt at a pic of lockbar cutout area:
I did not mention it to Chuck, even though I'm sure he'd do whatever he could if I asked, but honestly it doesn't bother me, it is so minute and I'd rather not send it away and be without for however long. But in the interest of full disclosure I felt I should mention that. Otherwise every other aspect and detail of the blade are perfect.
Conclusion:
I cannot say enough about this knife. It is gorgeous and I feel like his pricing makes it a tremendous value. A custom knife like this should really cost $1000.... (Chuck if you read this, I'm not saying you should charge more
). He was a standup guy to deal with and I would gladly purchase another one of his blades. If you are looking for a nice custom knife I certainly recommend checking out his work.
First the specs and the image from the ad that made me want it.
Note: I asked Chuck to shine up the chamfers/handle holes after purchase to give a little contrast to match the contrast on the blade, which he did at no charge. Think it made it pop a little more.
Specs:
"The blade is 3-5/16in long made of CPM154 with a tumbled 2-tone finish.
The frame and clip are titanium that have been chemically darkened.
The standoffs and hardware are stainless.
Overall length open is 7-5/8 and it is just under 3/8in thick, perfect for an EDC. Flips great with no wrist action, precision fit, finish, lockup and detent."
Design:
My favorite thing about this knife is the size. It is both slim, light, and relatively small but packs a large blade for the overall size. It is similar to the BM940 in that you get a nice long blade in a relatively small package. The bladeshape is just sexy to me, but I wasn't sure about the function side initially. Turns out that thin pointy tip is great for cutting light material (tape, cloth, string, etc) and even though it's not a full flat grind, the thin blade stock means it still slices well. The handle is just long enough to fit my somewhat small but stubby fingers on. The handle is about the length of a BM940 or a Mini-Griptillian, but the blade is much longer than the mini-grip.
A few comparison shots, please excuse the dirty outdoor furniture seat.. was too lazy to walk inside.
Function:
Before buying the knife I dug a little into some of Chuck's past posts... stumbled upon a post regarding flippers and bearings. He said (and I'm paraphrasing here), that he didn't like using bearings because any knife with bearings will flip well, but a quality designer/craftsman can make a bushing knife flip just as good without the need for bearings. After flipping this blade, I agree. I've had bearing knives, but I REALLY apprecaite the simplicity of just plain ole bushings and this thing flips just as good if not better than a bearing knife. The lockup is SOLID, and early, and I have no worries about it functioning properly for years to come. As for the steel, it has held an edge well so far, but I'm not a steel snob. I've had good experiences with CMP154 before so I expect nothing less with this one. Without repeating the bits in the design section over again, all I can say is that it is really a fantastic EDC knife, one that can be carried in dress pants without noticing it, but still feels substantial enough to do anything you should do with a folder.
Fit & Finish:
For the most-part it is PERFECT. This is the only area I can say there is a slight mis-step vs. some other high end production and customs I've had. The lockbar cutout near the blade isn't perfect.. it has a few rougher areas you can see if you look closely, not on the area that contacts the blade but on the opposing part of the handle. My photography cannot capture it, and it does not affect function one bit. It also lets me know it was made BY HAND.
Attempt at a pic of lockbar cutout area:
I did not mention it to Chuck, even though I'm sure he'd do whatever he could if I asked, but honestly it doesn't bother me, it is so minute and I'd rather not send it away and be without for however long. But in the interest of full disclosure I felt I should mention that. Otherwise every other aspect and detail of the blade are perfect.
Conclusion:
I cannot say enough about this knife. It is gorgeous and I feel like his pricing makes it a tremendous value. A custom knife like this should really cost $1000.... (Chuck if you read this, I'm not saying you should charge more
). He was a standup guy to deal with and I would gladly purchase another one of his blades. If you are looking for a nice custom knife I certainly recommend checking out his work. 
