- Joined
- Jul 15, 2007
- Messages
- 3
Looking at another thread about Extrema Ratio and questions about their basic folder (BF) line led me to write this review - please be patient with my english 
First of all: Intentions for buying my BF 2 CD:
My former EDC was a MT mSE SC - as most of you probably know it's an automatic knife and in germany bladelength must be reduced to 8.5cm. The size and the lock were the things I was thinking about: "How strong is this mSE?" - a bigger and somewhat stronger folder had to become my EDC.
Data:
21.2 cm length; 135g; same blade axis as Fulcrum / Nemesis - 0.5 / 0.7 cm
Blade: 8.7 cm ; 3mm thickness ; steel: Böhler N690 (58 HRC)
Liner: 2mm with extra "LAWKS"-like lock
"Lowrider"-clip; teflon washers; aluminium handle
Well, where to start? I'm using my BF2 CD (it's the droppoint version with "classic" handles) nearly 6 months and i'm quite impressed by Extrema Ratio's job - great work!
Often people say aluminum handles are quite slippery in your hand - this is not the case with the ER. For sure the handle material itself is slippery, but with the special hutch for your forefinger and the extended end the knife feels save in your hand. No matter if your hands are oily, wet, sweating or any other conditions - knife feels save and is always controlable.
Blade opening is very smooth and feels fine - just try to lift the blade 1cm with your finger and then open it with a slight swing of your handwrist
Thumbstuds are reachable from both sides (left and right), but you can cleary see that this is a knife for right hand users - the extra "LAWKS"-like lock is on the right side of the knive constraining a smooth opening for left hand users.
Clip is only tip-up (left or right) and low rider style, but pulling the knife out of your jeanspocket is no problem. It has lost a little bit of it's color through all this EDCing - also nearly every screw and the blade axis has lost their color. Not important for me, because it's a user, but some people may be interested in this. In contrast the blade coating and the handle-coloring is really durable. Through all the cutting in the last 6 months nothing (wood, paper, plastic, etc...) could destroy the coatin - expect a grindstone scratching really hard over the blade (my fault
)
Steel and cutting performance was quite fine: The N690 from Böhler is easy to sharpen, but still stays sharp long enough to make the BF2 a great EDC. Flat grinding makes it easier to cut food - but don't expect too much because the blade is quite thick directly above the edge.
Other positive remarks: If you don't trust the liner (hell, i trust him!!!), there is a LAWKS-like extra lock - easy to use, but to switch it, you have to change the position of your hand - could have been placed in a better way. In my opinion this extra lock is well done: It's as thick as the liner and works great - really stable!
So let's talk about things which weren't as good as the rest above:
First thing i missed the last 6 months was a real tip - if you have no real tip for fine works, you will recognize it faster than you have ever thought.
The liner is only on the right side - this is no problem for stability, but for handling the knive, because the extra lock is also on the right side - feels like baering only on the right side. Another negative thing: From the beginning my knife had an asymmetric grinding - was correct by myself, but shouldn't have been there!
To get an impression, just take a look at my pictures:
http://www.bilder-speicher.de/fotoalbum.php?album=3246
(there is also an album with pics of a Endura 4 modification - done by "Jürgen Schanz" - metal backspacer and flat grind on a Endura 4 --> nice cutting performance )
First of all: Intentions for buying my BF 2 CD:
My former EDC was a MT mSE SC - as most of you probably know it's an automatic knife and in germany bladelength must be reduced to 8.5cm. The size and the lock were the things I was thinking about: "How strong is this mSE?" - a bigger and somewhat stronger folder had to become my EDC.
Data:
21.2 cm length; 135g; same blade axis as Fulcrum / Nemesis - 0.5 / 0.7 cm
Blade: 8.7 cm ; 3mm thickness ; steel: Böhler N690 (58 HRC)
Liner: 2mm with extra "LAWKS"-like lock
"Lowrider"-clip; teflon washers; aluminium handle
Well, where to start? I'm using my BF2 CD (it's the droppoint version with "classic" handles) nearly 6 months and i'm quite impressed by Extrema Ratio's job - great work!
Often people say aluminum handles are quite slippery in your hand - this is not the case with the ER. For sure the handle material itself is slippery, but with the special hutch for your forefinger and the extended end the knife feels save in your hand. No matter if your hands are oily, wet, sweating or any other conditions - knife feels save and is always controlable.
Blade opening is very smooth and feels fine - just try to lift the blade 1cm with your finger and then open it with a slight swing of your handwrist
Thumbstuds are reachable from both sides (left and right), but you can cleary see that this is a knife for right hand users - the extra "LAWKS"-like lock is on the right side of the knive constraining a smooth opening for left hand users. Clip is only tip-up (left or right) and low rider style, but pulling the knife out of your jeanspocket is no problem. It has lost a little bit of it's color through all this EDCing - also nearly every screw and the blade axis has lost their color. Not important for me, because it's a user, but some people may be interested in this. In contrast the blade coating and the handle-coloring is really durable. Through all the cutting in the last 6 months nothing (wood, paper, plastic, etc...) could destroy the coatin - expect a grindstone scratching really hard over the blade (my fault
)Steel and cutting performance was quite fine: The N690 from Böhler is easy to sharpen, but still stays sharp long enough to make the BF2 a great EDC. Flat grinding makes it easier to cut food - but don't expect too much because the blade is quite thick directly above the edge.
Other positive remarks: If you don't trust the liner (hell, i trust him!!!), there is a LAWKS-like extra lock - easy to use, but to switch it, you have to change the position of your hand - could have been placed in a better way. In my opinion this extra lock is well done: It's as thick as the liner and works great - really stable!
So let's talk about things which weren't as good as the rest above:
First thing i missed the last 6 months was a real tip - if you have no real tip for fine works, you will recognize it faster than you have ever thought.
The liner is only on the right side - this is no problem for stability, but for handling the knive, because the extra lock is also on the right side - feels like baering only on the right side. Another negative thing: From the beginning my knife had an asymmetric grinding - was correct by myself, but shouldn't have been there!
To get an impression, just take a look at my pictures:
http://www.bilder-speicher.de/fotoalbum.php?album=3246
(there is also an album with pics of a Endura 4 modification - done by "Jürgen Schanz" - metal backspacer and flat grind on a Endura 4 --> nice cutting performance
)