- Joined
- Feb 26, 2014
- Messages
- 76
Hello all, despite searching through multiple forums and videos, not very much light has been shed on the Turpin Strife other than the occasional sale post. As such, I hope to be able to share what I've been fortunate enough to grab and I hope that this "review" will be beneficial to those seeking out one for themselves. I don't think that this is a full review, but more towards my thoughts and impressions since owning the knife. I'm more of a collector , splitting my collection into customs and users, so don't expect me to beat on my customs.
Without further ado, I present the Strife. (Photo credits- BladeJunkee-Scott)
Starting off with the blade, one can see that Dustin chose to opt for a more rugged finish as an overall look for the knife. The acid stonewash present throughout most of the knife goes a long way in bringing out the details. The grind lines on the strife are spot on and frankly speaking, quite amazing especially since it was something done by hand. The jimping on the back end of the blade does well in providing grip should one feel the need to choke up on it, yet doesn't tear the skin should more pressure be applied onto it. The blade was also extremely sharp right out of the box, living up to the expectation of a truly custom done knife. For the jimping on the flipper tab, it was done in closely spaced single horizontal files, providing just enough grip for the deployment of the blade.
Moving on to the handle, it is apparent why it's called a triplane Strife. The coated blue section of the knife forms the first plane, the acid washed milled section the second and the polished bit in the end, the last. With the pivot, it has 4 almost complete circles milled into it, giving that little custom touch that makes it just that bit more special. The final product, the cross like structure does make the knife look a little more rugged. The handle is made from 2 solid slabs of titanium with nothing milled, giving it that fuller and more solid feel, which I personally like. The clip is also milled to have a similar pattern to the triplane milling mentioned earlier, giving the knife a more consistent look overall. The detent of the knife is set very strongly, and it's impossible to not get the blade to deploy fully by flipping.
The backspacer was made with 2 slabs of g-10, sandwiching a satin finished piece of titanium. Overall, it is flushed with the handle and once again, nothing short of impressive.
The overall action of this knife is nothing short of pure power. It deploys sharply and quickly, with a resounding clack. A friend once mentioned to me that this action very much reminded him of an American Muscle car and I agree strongly with this. As for the closing, the blade is able to close under it's own weight, despite running on gtc bearings (caged bearings) and it might be due to the fact that it's running on ceramic bearings. The tolerances on this knife are very tight for those of a handmade knife and are very impressive.
This is truly a grail knife for many, myself included. Despite paying quite a bit more on the secondary market, I feel that this was indeed a knife that lives up to the hype. Maybe one day, I'll get lucky enough to purchase one direct from the man, who knows? I hope this thread makes it easier for those lucky enough to be facing the opportunity to go grab one.
Without further ado, I present the Strife. (Photo credits- BladeJunkee-Scott)
Starting off with the blade, one can see that Dustin chose to opt for a more rugged finish as an overall look for the knife. The acid stonewash present throughout most of the knife goes a long way in bringing out the details. The grind lines on the strife are spot on and frankly speaking, quite amazing especially since it was something done by hand. The jimping on the back end of the blade does well in providing grip should one feel the need to choke up on it, yet doesn't tear the skin should more pressure be applied onto it. The blade was also extremely sharp right out of the box, living up to the expectation of a truly custom done knife. For the jimping on the flipper tab, it was done in closely spaced single horizontal files, providing just enough grip for the deployment of the blade.
Moving on to the handle, it is apparent why it's called a triplane Strife. The coated blue section of the knife forms the first plane, the acid washed milled section the second and the polished bit in the end, the last. With the pivot, it has 4 almost complete circles milled into it, giving that little custom touch that makes it just that bit more special. The final product, the cross like structure does make the knife look a little more rugged. The handle is made from 2 solid slabs of titanium with nothing milled, giving it that fuller and more solid feel, which I personally like. The clip is also milled to have a similar pattern to the triplane milling mentioned earlier, giving the knife a more consistent look overall. The detent of the knife is set very strongly, and it's impossible to not get the blade to deploy fully by flipping.
The backspacer was made with 2 slabs of g-10, sandwiching a satin finished piece of titanium. Overall, it is flushed with the handle and once again, nothing short of impressive.
The overall action of this knife is nothing short of pure power. It deploys sharply and quickly, with a resounding clack. A friend once mentioned to me that this action very much reminded him of an American Muscle car and I agree strongly with this. As for the closing, the blade is able to close under it's own weight, despite running on gtc bearings (caged bearings) and it might be due to the fact that it's running on ceramic bearings. The tolerances on this knife are very tight for those of a handmade knife and are very impressive.
This is truly a grail knife for many, myself included. Despite paying quite a bit more on the secondary market, I feel that this was indeed a knife that lives up to the hype. Maybe one day, I'll get lucky enough to purchase one direct from the man, who knows? I hope this thread makes it easier for those lucky enough to be facing the opportunity to go grab one.