Roadrunner,
For Matriarch info, check here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum20/HTML/000356.html
They're not available quite yet, so they may not suit your immediate need. Soon, we hope, soon...
A ballistic knife is a strange and dangerous contraption where a coil-spring in the handle actually fires the blade off like a projectile. Not just illegal (here in MA too), they're also a really bad idea
The Merlin is the liteweight counterpart to the Harpy. It's a hawksbill just under 3", a plain curve and not the S-curve of the Civilian. My girlfriend just picked up a G-10 Harpy that suits her far better than a Civilian would. My impression is that it is far less intimidating and has a much "blunter" point that the Civilian, but I would still rate it well above "a poor substitute" though it's hardly the same knife in miniature. One minor advantage (IMO) of the Harpy over the Merlin is that it is tip-down for fastest deployment (though I have seen tip-up G-10 Harpies but my sweetie's is tip-down - how odd).
Incidentally, I have both G-10 and Aluminum Civilians now, so I can compare. The aluminum is definitely classier, with fit-and-finish that is overall a bit nicer, at least on mine. The weight may be slightly less on the G-10, but they're so close it's hard to tell. The kraton-filled clip on the aluminum is very neat to grip and innovative, but slows down the draw considerably - I switched mine for a metal clip like the one the G-10 model has. I may be mistaken, but the newer G-10 model seems to have a slightly reduced point; my aluminum Civie had suffered minor damage and had its point reground, yet it still has a bit more of a hook than the G-10 model. In steel, I prefer the old G-2/Gin-1 of the aluminum model, because it's very springy and tough. I
think ATS-55 will be slightly more brittle and its edge-holding advantages mean little on a knife that will remain razor-sharp and only be used for a few strikes in a time of need (get two - one for training!).
That may have sounded like an ambiguous comparison, but I left out part. While I adore the aluminum Civilian for its unique and complex construction, from a handling standpoint the G-10 is the clear winner. While the kraton gives the Civie a huge advantage over other metal-handled Spydies, it is no match for the warm, grippy, and pleasantly rough feel of the G-10. The knife grabs your hand and feels almost cloth-like with the roughest G-10 surface I've ever seen, yet moves easily in the hand and doesn't chafe. I think G-10 is ugly and boring, but I have to give it the prize for functionality. It makes a great defensive knife even better.
That's my little review of the two Civies. Thanks for reading
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-Corduroy
(Why else would a bear want a pocket?)
