Condor Tipping Point!

LostViking

LostViking

Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Messages
3,431
Funny how things change. Not all that long ago, I never took Condor too seriously. I saw some of their early work, and was not wowed. I looked, but just didn't see anything that tripped my trigger.

Then lately, it seems they have several knives that peak my interest. The Garuda, Solobolo, and yes even the Boomslang. On that one and the Solobolo. It is the handle as much as the knife. Therenare a few others but the names escape me at the moment.

Have I reached the tipping point? Even the Toloza looks pretty snazzy.
And even the sheath looks good on the SoloBolo.

I have way more knives than I ever intended to have. In that search for the perfect few. Some have ended up as safe queens because they are so pretty. But lately I have been selling them off. Just looking to simplify, I guess.

Many, I actually use. Some work really well, some not so much. But many of these Condor blades look to strike a perfect balance between, functionality, price, and looks.

I guess I have to say I am impressed with where they have come.

What do other folks think?
 
I've been a fan for a loooooooong time. One of my favorite brands.
 
Yeah, your website has not helped the cause.
I even like some of the soap!

Funny, how my mind works. I have been selling off a lot of high end stuff. Lately I just seem to derive more enjoyment from cheaper lower cost, value driven knives.

My Falknivens will stay, as will many of my Beckers, and Bark Rivers. At least for a while. My Busse Kin are all gone. Not because they were lacking. I just couldn't bring myself to use them at least not most of them.

I am up in the air with the Marbles knives. Manly because once they are gone, they're gone. But I even let go some of the bigger ones go recently.

The bottom line is, I still have way too many knives. And will continue the evolve the collection. I want most of them gone. I'm just tired of dealing with them. I want a small team of users that I can depend on. Enough to cover all the bases and no more. No safe queens.
 
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LostViking said:
Yeah, your website has not helped the cause.
I even like some of the soap!
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Haha--sorry about that. :D

Funny, how my mind works. I have been selling off a lot of high end stuff. Lately I just seem to derive more enjoyment from cheaper lower cost, value driven knives.
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That's exactly how I feel these days. I have lots of expensive knives from earlier in my edged tools career but I simply don't use them now. I'm down to enjoying knives and tools that have what I like to call "functional beauty". The tool itself is often undecorated, but the efficiency and refinement of its form is what makes it beautiful. Very often budget friendly quality tools have this characteristic because everything (or mostly everything) extraneous has been stripped away.
 
I hadn't given much thought to Condor until earlier this week. I stopped by the knife shop to see what they had in the way of machetes/choppers and wound up leaving with a Condor Golok. Both the knife and the sheath are very well done. I had a chance to handle a couple of other Condors and they were also very well done. If what I saw is typical, which I assume it is, Condor is an excellent product and very good value for the money.

I am planning to get at least two more-a barong and a parang. I just need to work out which parang I want.
 
I've bought several just to add to the Accumulation. Not because Condor knives are gorgeous high-end works of art, but just to have more examples of functional and affordable bladed tools from around the world. I'd even like to pick up another or two, and why not given the painless prices. I'd really like to get one of their hatchets.
 
Condor has been a great value for a long time. They have also been turning out some good designs lately.

The only condor I've ever used had less than perfect grinds (had a slight recurve by the handle on the bushlore). Any idea if that type of issue has been cleaned up?

Also, I think their 1075 is fine, but part of me does wish they bumped it up to 1085-1095. So call that a pipe dream for now :).
 
I recently picked up a Bushcraft 4 and have nothing but good things to say about it, razor sharp, comfy handle, superb sheath, fit and finish is jam up, very cool knife, there are quite a few more of their models on my shortlist that's for sure.
 
Not for me. I have one of their bushcraft knives that I got in a local store here in Denver. Loses it's edge after 2-3 cuts in cardboard, and it's poorly finished. They will have to greatly increase their quality before I'll be interested in anything else they make.
 
Any chance it's an older model? I have read and heard there were some issues with some models a few years back, mine is really nice and holds a great edge, stripping bark, sharpening spear points etc.

sodak said:
Not for me. I have one of their bushcraft knives that I got in a local store here in Denver. Loses it's edge after 2-3 cuts in cardboard, and it's poorly finished. They will have to greatly increase their quality before I'll be interested in anything else they make.
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sodak said:
Not for me. I have one of their bushcraft knives that I got in a local store here in Denver. Loses it's edge after 2-3 cuts in cardboard, and it's poorly finished. They will have to greatly increase their quality before I'll be interested in anything else they make.
Click to expand...

This past year they've really knocked things out of the park in the fit/finish department. A lot of smaller shops end up with old stock, though, as they have a lower inventory turnover rate. With the edge issues that's covered under warranty and they pay shipping both ways in every case I've seen. Send Rick Jones an email at rtj2@att.net and he'll take care of ya'.
 
Forgedfixedblade said:
Any chance it's an older model? I have read and heard there were some issues with some models a few years back, mine is really nice and holds a great edge, stripping bark, sharpening spear points etc.
Click to expand...

FortyTwoBlades said:
This past year they've really knocked things out of the park in the fit/finish department. A lot of smaller shops end up with old stock, though, as they have a lower inventory turnover rate. With the edge issues that's covered under warranty and they pay shipping both ways in every case I've seen. Send Rick Jones an email at rtj2@att.net and he'll take care of ya'.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, it was from several years ago. I'll try to dig it up and email Rick.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
This past year they've really knocked things out of the park in the fit/finish department. A lot of smaller shops end up with old stock, though, as they have a lower inventory turnover rate. With the edge issues that's covered under warranty and they pay shipping both ways in every case I've seen. Send Rick Jones an email at rtj2@att.net and he'll take care of ya'.
Click to expand...

That is great to hear, I may have to give condor another chance sometime :).
 
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