Condor Knife & Tool owners: Give an honest opinion

[Joezilla]

I think I might end up purchasing the Kephart next and seeing how I like it.

If you have any problems with your Condors, please contact me.

The Kephart has a new coating we are working with.

 

[Joezilla]

I like & respect 42 Blades, and he knows I respect his advice & opinions, but I the Rodan is the biggest POS I own (fixed blade). Uneven amts. of steel on either side causing puddled look.

It has some weird kind of phony looking, dull Scandi grind. It wouldn't sharpen with anything short of a power tool or a hand file. It came coated in some kind of laquer or something to further queer the blade.

I cried (not really - whined to myself ) over spending $29 on the piece of junk. It sits in the corner - in shame - in the office waiting for the day I totally destroy it by prying concrete or trying to throw and stick it into a brick wall.

YMMV!

If you are having problems please contact me with your knife, we'll get you a replacement immediately.
-Joe, for Condor knife and tool, and the Designer of the Rodan.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Wow--somehow missed Csiv's comment! The Rodan isn't a scandi grind, silly! It's a full flat grind with a thin convex edge. There's a very thin clear coating on the edge from the factory that can be easily removed by running the edge through some cardboard. If you got it from me, please shoot me a PM. Either way, it's a a very solid knife and if you got a flawed one Condor WILL take care of you and get a proper one in your hands.

My personal Rodan is from the original first generation of them when they were still figuring out flat grinds. It's ugly as sin and has uneven grinds, but it cuts like a demon, sharpens easily, and is very comfortable with extended use. The present production version is much more attractive and almost always done with very crisp grinds, a well-formed profile, and a thin, sharp edge. If I could only keep one non-chopping fixed blade out of any of them I own (and I have many) I'd keep my trusty ol' Rodan.

 

[cziv]

It has some weird kind of phony looking, dull Scandi grind.

Make that a phoney looking dull 1/2 Scandi, 1/2 chisel with an edge apex like a Cold Steel machete. (none) I put one on with a bastard file, then stones. Slid 'er back into the left handed sheath and waited about 6 weeks for a right handed one. I liked their service!

Unsubscribing plz, consider me a hack or an anomoly _ I'm sure you all are getting good stuff. My knife was purchased when they wee being introduced around here and some guy probably forgot to finish it.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Make that a phoney looking dull 1/2 Scandi, 1/2 chisel with an edge apex like a Cold Steel machete. (none) I put one on with a bastard file, then stones. Slid 'er back into the left handed sheath and waited about 6 weeks for a right handed one. I liked their service!

Unsubscribing plz, consider me a hack or an anomoly _ I'm sure you all are getting good stuff. My knife was purchased when they wee being introduced around here and some guy probably forgot to finish it.

Oooook--gotcha! You got one from the first run of the style with the updated sheath. I think that was only the second run of them, and they were still a bit rough at that time. For the record I don't consider you a hack at all! It just sounded like you had recently purchased one (like, within the past year or two) and they were all very nicely done by that point in time. If you DID order it within that span it must have been old stock that the retailer had hanging around. But the totally unfinished CS-esque grind on it really does sound like a bizarre anomaly. That doesn't make your experience any less valid, but does help explain the circumstances a bit more. They aren't supposed to be like that, and they sure aren't now!

 

[Half Cut Skele]

Out of these three, what would you guys recommend for occasional brush clearing and chopping?...Pack Golok, Boomslang, or Heavy Duty Kukri
I like the design & handle shape of the boomslang the most, but...

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

The HD Kukri is right out--that thing is a wood chopper only if you ask me. Anything lighter than 1/2" branches and it's not gonna' do as wellas other models, and the short length would mean scratching your knuckles up a lot on brush. Either the Pack Golok or Boomslang would do fine, but I generally prefer a longer blade for brush clearing. 16" minimum with 18"+ being preferred.

 

[Jack Black]

Hi fellers,

Had my eye on Condor knives for a while and have found this a really interesting thread with some great advice. Some issues came up on another thread (http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...think-I-finally-understand-the-appeal-)/page2) relating to the possible work conditions in El Salvador, and I thought there might be some people here who'd like (and be qualified to) respond, either on that thread, or perhaps (better) on a new one.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Here's an old-ish video from their factory.
[video=youtube;F6aGNUY1Wjw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6aGNUY1Wjw&feature=plcp[/video]

Looks like a fairly standard industrial manufacturing facility to me. Joe Flowers (Joezilla here on the forums) is their lead designer and has made many trips to the factory. He's a man of exceptional ethics, and I don't think he'd work with them if he had any concerns about how they treat their employees. Everything I've heard from him indicates that they're good folks.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Joe just responded in the linked thread with the following:

I have been to the factory 7 times, and while I will admit it may not be as clean as some american factories, I can FIRMLY state that safety is a HIGH priority. Checks have been made before they go in, to make sure loose clothing can't get caught in machines. They spent tons of money on a huge vacuum just for grinding Micarta, along with respirators that are so big they make jokes about how their neck hurts from all the plastic attached to their face. They routinely go through inspections, and have hired consultants from America and other places just to maintain a safe work environment. They have people there that have worked there for 30 years. Imacasa is not some cheap company just crapping out blades.

 

[Half Cut Skele]

The HD Kukri is right out--that thing is a wood chopper only if you ask me. Anything lighter than 1/2" branches and it's not gonna' do as wellas other models, and the short length would mean scratching your knuckles up a lot on brush. Either the Pack Golok or Boomslang would do fine, but I generally prefer a longer blade for brush clearing. 16" minimum with 18"+ being preferred.

Right on, thanks. Perhaps you could recommend something else then, that would be better for brush, yet still able to chop when needed?

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Preferred blade length (general range)? Is a sheath a must? What will the primary (most frequent) and secondary (less frequent) targets be?

 

[Jack Black]

Looks like a fairly standard industrial manufacturing facility to me. Joe Flowers (Joezilla here on the forums) is their lead designer and has made many trips to the factory. He's a man of exceptional ethics, and I don't think he'd work with them if he had any concerns about how they treat their employees. Everything I've heard from him indicates that they're good folks.

Joe just responded in the linked thread with the following:

Thanks a lot to both of you for the input

 

[Jakeboy]

I judge Condor blades by their field performance. The ones I have perform way above their price point, and if truth be told, they just perform. Period. Good heat treat on the 1075 steel. Nice edge retention and easy to field refresh without a lot of fanfare.

Condor knows their business and builds for the user, not the collector. Having said that, the Hudson Bay is my favorite knife of all time. That is one tough SOB! Of all the knives I own, this knife does it for me.

Maybe those folks way back in the 18th and 19th centuries knew a thing or two about knives, after all!

I sure think they did.

 

[marthinus]

Well I received my Hudson Bay.

Started to thin it out.

Ended with this for starters

Still not completely happy, it is still much thicker then my machetes.

However, it does cut much better.

[video=youtube;njqs0P2en1U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njqs0P2en1U&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I've seen one or two HBK's with obtuse edges but the overwhelming majority have been nice and thin. Those that haven't been were mostly older stock. Not saying yours was older stock or anything, but that's the trend That I had seen with the knife. The consistency with the edges is pretty good at this point. I'd say only about 1 in 15 has been thicker than it should be out of the box.

Nice job thinning it out!

 

[theAntihero]

Right on, thanks. Perhaps you could recommend something else then, that would be better for brush, yet still able to chop when needed?

Get a golok, seriously one of the best knives ive ever taken out in the woods. Its fairly light so you wont be able to split rounds of wood or anything but yesterday i was swiping out thin branches and was cutting down wrist sized+ trees in 3 blows or so.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

I wouldn't consider the Golok light, personally. And it's not as good a choice of targets like grasses or lush vegetation as some other models. However it does wonderfully on the medium targets that make up the bulk of what one is often tackling. I'd say it'll split wood no problem--just make sure you don't tackle pieces that are too large for it to handle. It's a very nice chopper, especially for the money.

 

[upnorth]

Well I received my Hudson Bay.

Started to thin it out.

Ended with this for starters

Still not completely happy, it is still much thicker then my machetes.

However, it does cut much better.

[video=youtube;njqs0P2en1U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njqs0P2en1U&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Cool. I love the feel of the Hudson Bay. :thumbup:

 

[Half Cut Skele]

Get a golok, seriously one of the best knives ive ever taken out in the woods. Its fairly light so you wont be able to split rounds of wood or anything but yesterday i was swiping out thin branches and was cutting down wrist sized+ trees in 3 blows or so.

I wouldn't consider the Golok light, personally. And it's not as good a choice of targets like grasses or lush vegetation as some other models. However it does wonderfully on the medium targets that make up the bulk of what one is often tackling. I'd say it'll split wood no problem--just make sure you don't tackle pieces that are too large for it to handle. It's a very nice chopper, especially for the money.

Are you guys talking about the Golok Machete? Not too much lush vegetation to clear, more small branches. Looking for something to clean up trails, or make new ones, yet still chop decent...and not be too large. Something to take along when exploring new areas. If I don't need to clear anything, I would likely carry a hawk for the chopping. Either would be in conjunction with a medium size fixed.