DarkOps StratoFighter lock strength test

Looks like a really sturdy knife!

In the picture entitled " standing on lock test closeup" it looks like your weight is applied to the knife really close to the pivot. I think it would be even more impressive to stand with your foot close to the butt of the handle.
 
HighTen:

I could not stand near the rear of the handle and risk disengaging the lock. My toe is actually near the pivot and the ball of my foot was firmly planted on the handle with my full weight.

Look again at the closeup, you'll notice I'm not on my toes but the ball of the foot, the toe as close to the pivot as possible. Plenty of weight testing that lock.

Yes, I would think the knife could be considered sturdy as you suggest.:D

Robin Brown
 
http://www.totalprotectioninteractive.com/forum/showthread.php?t=895

That's three tested Stratofighters. One specimen works fine, another one miserably failed a simple spinewhack test and the third (which they replaced no. 2 with) didn't fail the spinewhack test, but clearly isn't reliable in the long run either - read the review I linked to above for details.

Then there's the one I handled last month, with a CrisisCross safety that didn't engage properly. It also had major cosmetic flaws that wouldn't be acceptable in a $100 knife, much less in one that costs 269 bucks, but that's beside the point.
Based on these reviews and my observations, I think "spotty" would be a compliment for their quality control.

I may be a bit biased when it comes to Dork Ops Knives because I don't like rip-offs and the blatant lies in their ads (like the "strategically placed blood grooves" that control blood splatter or some such nonsense), but then again I'd say so is brownie who has been defending these knives from the start.
 
"I may be a bit biased when it comes to Dork Ops Knives because I don't like rip-offs and the blatant lies in their ads"

When one can not even bring themselves to use the companies correct name repeatedly, there's no question of bias sir.

"but then again I'd say so is brownie who has been defending these knives from the start."

I have not been able to defend or denigrate anything to do about these knives as I did not have product in front of me to establish an opinion until recently, unlike others here who have made statements based on opinion without the knowledge to do so.

I have defended the owner, Frank Miller, when his character has been attacked/assasinated by quite a few here over the last 14 months or so. I have defended Frank based on his past performance in the industry. He had an excellent reputation while with ER for going above and beyond where customer service was concerned. He stood by a product at his own expense, at times, even when that company would not honor a warrantee as the customer had purposely voided that warrantee.

In reality, HE was warranteeing that line with his good name, not the companies name. That showed me he has integrity and his word is good.

Quality control plagues every compnay, not just DarkOPs Knives. I recently had to have a stanley hammer replaced due to quality control problems which produced a product that didn't perform as it should.

Strider Knives certainly gets their share of folders returned for quality control issues and they have been in business for years. The people who buy those knives know the company will stand behind the product.

To hold Frank and his products to any higher standard than any other knife company, where quality control is concerned, would seem unfair at best.

I know Frank will stand behind his product line as well as the best in the industry. Thats been his reputation and I have no reason to believe anyone who has issues with his knives will experience anything less.

The testing I've done is extreme for any knife, let alone a folder. The pictures are up for the world to see. Everyone can make their own judgement on the products merits, good or bad.

Robin Brown
 
For me, it's never been about the knife, but about the asinine, insulting, over-the-top advertising. They could be in the top 5% of knives made, but I'll never buy one because I don't want to support a company that advertises like that.

"Sewer rat might taste like pumpkin pie, but I'll never know because I won't eat the filthy motherfarker."
 
FoxholeAtheist:

Your perogative, your choice, and one you are entitled to as well as your opinion of the advertising.

I don't think Frank is expecting everyone to buy one to begin with. That expectation would be "over-the-top" as well. No company will capture full market share in any product unless they have a monopoly on the product.

Those who have stated the knife is a POS will undoubtedly be eating crow for awhile. Like I said, the pictures tell the story. It is NOT a POS as many here have suggested/stated based on prejudice of the marketing and hype.

That it is not a POS, there can be no further doubt.

Enjoy whatever blade suits your fancy like everyone is entitled to do. Just let me know when your choice can withstand what I did to this knife, I'd like to see the review and pictures.

Until the marketing and hype of any company affects the performance of the product I choose to carry and use, I fail to care what the company chooses to use in their advertising campaign.

Robin Brown
 
brownie0486 said:
Quality control plagues every compnay, not just DarkOPs Knives. I recently had to have a stanley hammer replaced due to quality control problems which produced a product that didn't perform as it should.
Click to expand...

We are talking about two defective knives, one that is so badly put together that it will in all likeliness become defective in the foreseeable future and one knife that performs as advertised out of a sample of four.

Besides, I don't think that this test is all that impressive since most lock failures are caused by dynamic force. I'll see if I can duplicate that test with a couple of other folding knives - I own a folder that repeatedly failed spinewhack testing but can withstand a whole lot of static force.

brownie0486 said:
Those who have stated the knife is a POS will undoubtedly be eating crow for awhile. Like I said, the pictures tell the story. It is NOT a POS as many here have suggested/stated based on prejudice of the marketing and hype.
Click to expand...

Now this is truly funny. I (and most others who complained about their ridiculous ad campaign and their shady business manners [copying ER's designs]) constantly stressed that I believed that the knives would probably be decent (quality-wise).
Now that I've handled one, I must say that this is clearly not the case. The one I handled was indeed a POS considering that it costs well over 250 bucks MSRP. If it was a 30 or 40 dollar knife, I'd say that the flaws and possibly even the defective CrisisCross thingie are to be expected for that kind of money. Now I know that you probably don't believe my words anyway, but even the dealer who had this folder on his table admitted that it's not exactly the poster boy of knife quality control, to put it mildly.
Please keep in mind that this is not even one of the Stratofighters Ian reviewed in the thread I linked to in my last post.
 
Dark Ops is retarded. Plus they look like they came out of a Transformer movie in the 1980's.

I don't care how good or bad they are, with the way the look and the adverts and the semi-spooky name, they are just a joke.

Better to under promise and over deliver.
 
"We are talking about two defective knives, one that is so badly put together that it will in all likeliness become defective in the foreseeable future"

Clairvoyance of what might be in the future is not something I'll consider as a valid point of contention. All knives suffer the possibility of being defective in the foreseeable future. In fact it happens all the time to more than just knives as they get wear and tear. Cars seem to come to mind as a perfect example, and I still drive one knowing this. Your point is noted.

"Besides, I don't think that this test is all that impressive since most lock failures are caused by dynamic force."

The extreme spinewhack test I performed six times on this folder would qualify as dynamic force, would it not? I DO think the test was impressive, I won't be prying with it with dynamic force, it will be a streadily increased force applied, just like standing on it both in lateral strength and lock strength. Dynamic force in prying?

"I'll see if I can duplicate that test with a couple of other folding knives"

I look forward to seeing you standing on your knife with pictures in your own thread, testing lateral stress and lock strength. If it does NOT fail in either, it proves you have a strong knife, not that mine is not strong. The result will be another knife may well be able to pass that test, and it will be no less or more impressive than this test.

"The one I handled was indeed a POS considering that it costs well over 250 bucks MSRP. If it was a 30 or 40 dollar knife, I'd say that the flaws and possibly even the defective CrisisCross thingie are to be expected for that kind of money"

Well, I guess the 550.00 strider I bought would have to be in the same category then, using your thought process. When I pay 550.00 for a folder, I do not expect to be told I need to put pencil lead on the new knife to get the lock to release where three men and a small boy are required to do so until the lock breaks in. It is supposed to be capable of operation one handed, which it was not.

I didn't then declare the strider a POS, but perhaps for 550.00 I should have? Lets see here, 269.00 vs 550.00, I should get a knife almost twice as good for 500.00 should I not? Even more reason, based on price alone, that I should not have to use a pencil to get the knife to perform as designed right?

"Better to under promise and over deliver."

Mine has proven to be everything it is supposed to be. Strong in the lock and pivot area. Steel heat treated properly or it would have snapped being too hard or bent being too soft.

"with the way the look and the adverts and the semi-spooky name, they are just a joke."

I suggest you also take the folding knife in your pocket at this moment and go perform your own testing similiar to the two tests I have subjected this knife to. Put up your own review of yours up for everyone to see, with pictures, as proof and IF it does not survive like this one did, rethink who may actually own a POS.

Looks, name and advertising do NOT have any bearing on how the knife performs in the field. Until they do have a direct bearing on performance, I need not be concerned with such nonsense.

Robin Brown
 
I don't particularly care one way or the other about the quality of any Dark Ops knives, but your standing on the pivot point doesn't prove anything at all about the lock strength. I did look again at the closeup, and your weight is not on the ball of your foot. The ball of your foot is over thin air on the right side of the blade. The closeup makes it obvious that your weight is practically on top of the pivot point, and that means you have not proven anything at all about the lock strength of your knife. I agree that your spine whack test is valid, but this one is not. To use a test like this to prove something, you are going to have to be standing on the blade, and you are going to have to make some effort to prove how much weght you are putting on the knife blade.

Wouldn't using a torque wrench prove the point much better (and in a safer manner)?

Todd
 
The toe of the sneaker is pressed against the thumb purchase of the handle near the pivot. As I'm not a ballerina and can't stand on my toes, the ball of my foot is firmly planted on the handle.

I measured my bare foot just now and from the toes to the ball of my foot measures just under 4 inches. The handle measures 6 inches. That would mean my foot was at least 3 inches onto the handle of the six available to stand on.

Of course my foot is hanging over BOTH sides of the handle, it is not the width of my foot. Could it be any other way physically? If I had stood on the knife sideways, the ball of the foot, arch and heel would have not been on the handle either.

So, my 185 pounds is putting weight on the handle by three inches at least, taking into account a sneaker being worn and adding length to the measured bare foot some [ which would mean some more distance would have to be on the handle ].

I don't have to prove anything further, the lock held with my weight on it. It could have failed and didn't. I'm clearly in the air with my weight on one foot, on the handle.

Robin Brown
 
I'm surprised anybody would expend so much energy here tirelessly defending a D.O. knife, but, hey, they're your keystrokes, and I'm glad to see you stand behind....err...on top of your knife.:D

I think D.O. should now change their whole marketing campain by including slogans such as: "Brownie-pop your new Dark Op." or maybe (w/ a picture of you standing on top of a D.O. folder) "Buy a Dark Op. Pretty please, w/ a brownie on top.":D

Best wishes,
3Guardsmen
 
I enjoy your posts and reviews, and am glad to see somebody took the leap and actually bought one of these knives to judge on performance and function alone.

Best wishes,
3Guardsmen
 
The pictures plainly show the ball of your foot on the right side of the knife. Saying that it's on the handle doesn't make it so. I am amazed that you would even make that claim, as the proof is there for all to see, and it's not hard to see at all.

I'm not arguing about the strength of the lock in question, but, as the pictures clearly show, you haven't proven anything to anyone who looks at your foot position on the knife pivot point.

If you want so badly for people to think that you have purchased a quality product, go get a torque wrench and a vice, and actually prove it.

Todd
 
Todd Robbins:

I see what you are saying now sir, and you are incorrect.

Look at the other photos as to how the jig was holding the knife in the cynder blocks with the edge down, then check the picture you question again. Look carefully at the position of the hose clamp and 5/8" flats of the plywood sitting vertically, not horizonatally.

Clearly an honest mistake on your part I'm sure. You certainly wouldn't be questioning my integrity purposely would you?

The knife is CLEARLY positioned with the edge down and back of the handle up, what can be seen is the plywood still vertical as in the closeups in the cynder blocks. Also, if one cares to look closer than you have, apparently, the vertical distance is longer than the horizontal distance in the picture, thereby confirming the knife was stood on and remained in the same poisition as the closeups of the jigged knife in the cynder blocks.

I suggest you open an imaging software on any computer, put that photo into the software and enlarge it like I just did to 200%. The finger grooves can be clearly seen under that resolution as well sitting vertically, spine up.

The lock was tested and passed as stated.

3Guardsmen: Those slogans have me smiling my arse off.:)

Robin Brown
 
Neat pics. I'd like to see how other well built lockbacks like the Chinook II and the Manix would handle this test.
 
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