DarkOPs StratoFighter

Very informative review, thank you for providing factual information solely on the product, without getting caught up in all the emotive spin that surrounds DarkOps commercial integrity or their marketing strategies.
 
Stockman,

Thank you for your thoughts on the review as well. I will continue to post results from using it as time goes by.

Robin Brown
 
Why does your location say you're somewhere in the NorthEast but you're talking about working in central Arizona?

Just curious.
 
Laceration:

I moved to Az and live at the base of the Superstition Mountains as of last Dec, having moved from the Northeast.

Work? :)

I train people in an obscure handgun pointshooting system called quick kill and defensive knife. I'm on the county sheriffs search and rescue service and on call 24/7. I'm doing what I like now in the desert so I don't consider it working anymore. Running the mountains out here just keeps my old arse in shape. :)

Semi retired is more like it.

Thanks for the heads up, need to change my profile accordingly.

Robin Brown
 
Brownie,

I've always liked the look of that knife for some reason, all marketing and "politics" aside. Are they readily available via DarkOps direct or do you know some dealers with stock on hand (I don't like backordering).
 
marauder220, if i were you, i'll check if there is any blade-show around your place in a next futur...
This knife is quite nice on picture, but really big and heavy in reality... so better be sure you like to handle it before ordering it !

brownie0486, could you post some pics of your stratofighter, near another usual wellknown knife (a manix or endura or whatever) just we could see real size?
 
Very interested in your testing of the knife in whatever form.And your impressions. :)
 
Nice review, Brownie0486. Very balanced perspective without getting into the hype.

I have a question, however. Why would you rather carry a folder instead of a fixed blade? Weight is an issue in your current role, it would seem you could use an equelly strong fixed blade which would weigh less. Thanks.

Richard
 
marauder220:

They are shipping and in stock. Call Frank at the office anytime.

freddy1:

Per your suggestion, I took some digitals of the Strato next to my Chinook2 this morning. If someone wants to put them up here for the comparison, I can email them to them. My email address is arizonaqkr@yahoo.com

leatherbird:

I'll be updating information on the knife as I use it for others here.

Richard Sommer:

Good question sir.

I always carry a strong lockback folder on my person. The Chinook2 was carried for over a year as my heavy duty folder until I received the Strato.

I was keeping a good straight blade on the go pack as well as carrying the Chinook2 with me. The straight blade was backup to the folder, which would take care of most everything in the field. I would make use of the straight if I needed a longer blade for some reason.

At times the pack is not within reach while working with rescue victims with others on the team. The folder is always there for immediate use. I don't feel I need to carry both now as the Strato is long enough for when I would have used the straight blade and tough enough to pry with as well like the straight might be used for.

Not taking the straight with me, frees up a D ring on the pack for other gear or for when I need to attach something in the field so it doesn't get lost. Every once I can save in weight carried is more water or other gear that might not be needed but could be one day.

I carry a Covington 10" bladed bowie openly everyday, but do not take it on rescues [ it stays in the truck on call outs ] as all the equipment being carried on my waist coupled with the pack, hiking poles, etc just make the bowie a PITA to deal with.

I felt I needed a good straight blade to supplement the Chinook2 in the field. I don't think I need one with the Strato along. If I engage the cross bolt safety on the Strato, it is probably as strong, an possibly stronger than the straight I had on the pack which was the SRK [ due to it's lightweight ].

I do have a Swiss Army multitool in my personals bag inside the pack along with personal survival gear, two power bars, firestarter, extra compass, an extra E2E surefire with 6 batteries, three cyalume 12 hour sticks and shelter as well.

Hope that answers your question, it was a good one and thanks for your thoughts on the review so far.

Robin Brown
 
I had the chance to examine a friend's stratofighter the other day. The knife cuts poorly due to the blade's profile. The Greco Whisper (folder or otherwise), another stiletto type knife, is a vastly superior cutting design sith similar dimension. The lockup on the stratofighter was tentative at best - it failed with a moderate spine whack. I couldn't disassemble the knife at the time, but the lock design seemed inadequate.

I wouldn't call it a POS, but they seem to have some serious design/QC problems. Not to mention the price point.

As an alternative, unless you need a huge folder, John Greco's knives are vastly superior in design, lockup, and price point. Maybe they aren't as "cool" because they don't have all kinds of hype.
 
Wiil,
What materials/object were you cutting. You didn't mention it in your post. The Strato's balde geometry is quite obtuse and by design is not made to slice slivers off tomatoes and such.

If it failed with a moderate spine whack test, it should go back. The lock design is "lockback" which is known to be a very strong locking system. One of the reasons I carry lockbacks in a folder.

I also have a Greco Whisper and it is a very nice knife. The blade edge geometry is not the same as the Strato, and would perform differently accordingly.

Robin Brown
 
I was cutting soda bottles - they don't bind up very mch unless the knife's primary angle is very obtuse, which it is.

I recommended to my friends that he get it replaced. Not sure if he's done so.

I am familiar with lockblades, and the lock seems poorly designed on this knife. Thanks for talking down to me though, it's much appreciated.
 
Wiil P

What did I say to make you think I was talking down to you?

As well, can you tell me how you came to the decision the lock was poorly designed? Because it failed the spine whack test you tried?

Robin Brown
 
darkopslockreplacement6lg.jpg


If y'all want a laugh, check this out
 
That photo is the only thing that keeps me from buying one of these knives. I am sure they are all not like this, but I don't want to chance buying one that is, and then have to go through the logistics of sending it back and hoping to get it fixed or a new one in a timely manner. A new knife that costs that much shouldn't have a lock that engages like that. I don't know. Maybe I will get one someday if they fix any QC issues.
 
I find it funny that the picture is of a knife that Frank supposedly sent as a replacement.

I don't believe that Frank would send a knife that the lockbar would not sit flush when the blade was locked open. If the lockbar didn't sit flush, one would obviously be able to see that knife was not going to lock up in the least.

Mine sits just below flush both in the closed and open positons and obviously locks up to the full extend of the design. I have also beat the crap out of the back of the blade while locked open on the tailgate of my truck [ plywood put between them ] with no failure after hitting it wearing linemans gloves a halof dozen times. Not mildly hard blows, but full on swings to the back of the blade.

The quality control on mine is as it should be. The blade opens butter smooth, the lock is solid, the finish has been very durable [ not one mark on the back of the blade taking the hits ] and overall fit is no more or less than one would expect of a folder.

For pics of mine-go here http://www.glocktalk.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=5176570#post5176570

Everyone can see the locking bar on mine does not sit like the one pictured, and will have to make up their own mind as to what they are looking at between the two.

Robin Brown
 
brownie0486 said:
I find it funny that the picture is of a knife that Frank supposedly sent as a replacement.

I don't believe that Frank would send a knife that the lockbar would not sit flush when the blade was locked open. If the lockbar didn't sit flush, one would obviously be able to see that knife was not going to lock up in the least.

Mine sits just below flush both in the closed and open positons and obviously locks up to the full extend of the design. I have also beat the crap out of the back of the blade while locked open on the tailgate of my truck [ plywood put between them ] with no failure after hitting it wearing linemans gloves a halof dozen times. Not mildly hard blows, but full on swings to the back of the blade.

The quality control on mine is as it should be. The blade opens butter smooth, the lock is solid, the finish has been very durable [ not one mark on the back of the blade taking the hits ] and overall fit is no more or less than one would expect of a folder.

For pics of mine-go here http://www.glocktalk.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=5176570#post5176570

Everyone can see the locking bar on mine does not sit like the one pictured, and will have to make up their own mind as to what they are looking at between the two.

Robin Brown
Click to expand...

So now you have disassembled your knife? That is the only way you can visually inspect the lockup. I would like to see a pic like the one cougar posted above, showing the actual lockup of the knife. The pics you posted on the other site look to me like the lockbar is only partially engaged.

Of course it is possible you got an actual, functioning knife. Stranger things have happened. . .
 
One does not need to take the knife apart to determine the lock is fully engaged.

Chalk, pencil lead, and a few other ingredients on the blade tang cutout do nicely to show how far the lockbar engages the mated recess when opened.

Under magnification, the edges of the tang recess are squared well and the chalk was distributed evenly so it was apparent they were as square as possible when locked open.

If you look at the opened knife [ mine ], you do not see the lockbar sitting off the back of the handle as in the other photo that was produced either open or closed.

That indicates the lockbar is seated deep into the blade tang recess, and on mine it actually sits just below flush which is more evidence of the lockbar "sitting" on the blade in the locked position as it should be.

I don't think I need to take the knife apart to know the lockup is solid. The severe spine whacks I gave the blade are enough of an indication coupled with the chalk experiement that the lock is solidly mating properly.

I haven't taken the Chinook2 apart either, and that lockback is also solid as a rock and has never failed to stay open. The lockbar on the Spydie is flush with the handle as well when opened and closed. Do I need to take the knife apart to know it is locking up solid anymore than the Strato?

I don't personally think so. The spine whack test is performed to simulate the stress on the blade and whether the lockworks are mated well enough to hold under pressure and not release the blade when opened.

Robin Brown
 
USAFSP said:
That photo is the only thing that keeps me from buying one of these knives.
Click to expand...

All knives have possible problems, no maker/manufacturer is 100%. I would not write off a brand because of one or two problems. Initital lockup problems for example are very common on liner/integrals, many of which can engage just as barely as the Dark Ops in the above. With them though, you can increase the engagement with inertial openings, with the Dark Ops you would need to mill out the lock face according to past posts. Maybe someone should contact Frank about a pass around, though there you of course are getting a hand picked sample. As with any problem, check customer service, and check the number of defects and how they are responded to in general.

-Cliff
 
So here we have two extreme reviews of the same knife. Both are helpful and entertaining. I expect that as more people buy and test the DO knives, we'll get a more balanced veiw of their overall quality. I won't be buying one though - too damn much money.

-Bob
 
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