Extrema Ratio -- how much is HYPE?

45.acp

I carry the MPC, the largest folder ER makes, in fact, mine has "proto" in place of the serial number, one of the first in the U.S.

I have carried Spydercos, Benchmades and the Emerson/Benchmade QCB-7 in the past. The ER is a lot more knife. I've never seen a knife that locks up as tight andthe added cross-bolt safety makes it impossible to open if removed from you and the "trick" is unknown and makes the knife effectively a fixed blade when opened and the safety is engaged.

The steel is high cobalt, the metal used in the steel cutting business for its strength and used in the meat cutting industry for its anti-corrosive propensities.

There are smaller ER folders. I suggest you know your state laws on maximum blade length so you know what you can carry
 
I'm with Rundel on these. I have two ER blades, a Harpoon (which I did a review on in the "review" section.) and an M.P.C. Both blades have far surpassed my expectations.

I also agree that Frank Miller is one helluva nice guy to deal with.
 
That was your fathers Buck 110. Mine is carried in a horizontal belt sheath, and comes equipped with a button for automatic opening. It is the fastest auto i own. The build quality is great, and since its just an old buck nobody notices the auto part. I dont cut down trees with it so it rarely needs sharpening,or lots of hype to sell it to the suckers.:grumpy:
 
Hi guys...
I buyed Extrema Ratio... Want some advice? Don't buy this ****!!! They're very nice looking, but not made to be used on the field! The handles are of very poor quality and the blades are a hell to resharpe...For half the price you can buy a Ka-bar next generation or a EK knife that will last much better!
 
Originally posted by airblade
That was your fathers Buck 110. Mine is carried in a horizontal belt sheath, and comes equipped with a button for automatic opening. It is the fastest auto i own. The build quality is great, and since its just an old buck nobody notices the auto part. I dont cut down trees with it so it rarely needs sharpening,or lots of hype to sell it to the suckers.:grumpy:
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Horizontal belt sheath? That's still not as handy or quick as a belt clip.

A button for automatic opening? How much extra was that? And exactly why did you feel the need to convert a plain jane knife to automatic status? Hype maybe?

The standard steel on these is 420 steel isn't it? Not very good steel. Too soft.
 
Komondor its easy to put a belt clip on the Buck, i prefer the belt carry. I collect autos, so i bought one, at $85 its a bargain. The knife is six months old and still sharp enough for everyday use. You cant buy hype at these prices!!:barf:
 
Well somebody needs to go over to Iraq and Afghanistan and tell all those Soldiers, Sailors and Marines that thier Emersons, Striders, Mad Dogs and ER knives are nothing but hype. I'm sure they are all willing to trade them all in favor of a Buck 110 cause after all, they are nothing but "fads" and we don't want them carrying "fads".

:rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by NIB
Well somebody needs to go over to Iraq and Afghanistan and tell all those Soldiers, Sailors and Marines that thier Emersons, Striders, Mad Dogs and ER knives are nothing but hype. I'm sure they are all willing to trade them all in favor of a Buck 110 cause after all, they are nothing but "fads" and we don't want them carrying "fads".

:rolleyes:
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It's funny you should say that. My job sometimes requires me to travel between Ft Benning and Ft Stewart. While there are some in the military who carry such knives (Striders, Emersons, Extrema Ratio), the majority of troops I see carry Spyderco, Gerber, CRKT, Kershaw folders and Leatherman Tools. As far as fixed blades, I see alot of Ontario Spec Plus, Kabar knives, and Cold Steel SRK's.

Let's face it, those in the military who are willing to pay high dollars for Striders and ER knives are themselves, knifenuts who fall for the hype. I'm not saying that these knives don't perform, I'm just saying the majority of troops are not going to pay that kind of money on a knife regardless of the hype.
 
ER has been available in the states like maybe a year. All other brands mentioned have been around a lot longer.

People will always favor products they have bought or have a lot of familiarity with when there is a new kid on the block. Some people also like to weigh in with criticism of things they have no experience with, possibly for the fun of starting sh*t and then to read the comments of others afterward.

All companies hype. What you have to ask yourself, does the product live up to the claims or does it not.
 
Originally posted by komondor
Buck 110?

Why would I want to carry around a 7 oz knife to open with both hands, with no clip and a blade that has to be sharpened every other day?

They make good paperweights.
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Concur 100%
 
Buck 110?
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i wear jeans so weight isnt an issue, i took the time to learn to open and close it one handed, and in case of joining the military i dont plan on silently killing guards with my knife. so i dont see why i need anything bigger or more expensive.
 
Originally posted by Cosmic Superchunk
It's funny you should say that. My job sometimes requires me to travel between Ft Benning and Ft Stewart.
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Well my job required me to jump out of airplanes with them.


While there are some in the military who carry such knives (Striders, Emersons, Extrema Ratio), the majority of troops I see carry Spyderco, Gerber, CRKT, Kershaw folders and Leatherman Tools. As far as fixed blades, I see alot of Ontario Spec Plus, Kabar knives, and Cold Steel SRK's.
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Yeah, thier called LEGS!:D
 
Before we start calling each other cherry & dirtdart, my direct Airborne Experience matched this exactly - the guys buying the highspeed, low drag knives were few and far between. Everyone else bought what the PX had on hand and abused the hell out of it.

How many guys in your unit have those Busses, Mad Dogs, Striders, Extrema Ratio & other pricey offerings?
 
NIB, I don't doubt you personally. What I'm saying is exactly what Spark said. The number of troops who carry Striders, Extrema Ratio, Busse and other high dollar knives are few compared to the rest. They buy what is readily available to them. To alot of soldiers, the idea of paying $200-$400+ for a knife is unreal. I've had a few who call me crazy for spending $120.00 on a Benchmade folder. These guys are not knifenuts. To them a knife is merely a tool they use when needed and is an expendable item. It certainly won't break the bank if they loose a $35 KaBar compared to a $200 Extrema Ratio.
 
Well sparks thats your experiance....this is MY experiance. So if your trying to say that I imagined seeing all those knives then well I must be.

superchunk,
Don't know about you but if I'm going back to war, between an Extrema and a kabar I'll take a Strider. I'm yet to handle an ER knife.


Now back to the original topic....HYPE!

What is hype? To me hype is two camo clad ninja wannabes doing monkey flips and pulling out thier uber-tactical unobtanium twin-cam roll-lock knife with hidden decoder panel and removable rapid deploying zip ties on the blades with pyro, smoke pots and lazers going off in the background.... thats hype!
 
I'm not calling you a liar dude, nor am I contradicting you. I'm just saying my own personal experience (and that of just about every GI I talk to daily placing orders for knives) is that the guys buying the super expensive stuff are not the norm. I could regale you with stories of customers scribing their last 4 on their blades to make sure they maintain "accountability", or how the guys with the super expensive prybars don't want to mess them up on the pedestrian tasks, so they borrow the Becker / SRK / Ontario / KaBar of their partner.

You are saying something different, and though I personally find it hard to believe, maybe your unit just has better educated knife enthusiasts than many of the others. Even the guys in the ODA's are using commonly available stuff that's not too expensive and is pretty easy to replace - those that haven't been issued the CRK Yarborough that is. The expensive purchases for these guys are typically autos & multitools because they are small enough to stay with them at all times. Expensive toys tend to grow feet and all when you least expect it.

Be happy with your purchase and knowing that what you have is tougher than just about anything else on the market. Be happy that you are a better educated consumer with a superior tool. What is your unit btw?
 
HEY!!! Don't badmouth the Buck 110!

I'll bet "plain ole Buck 110s" have cut WAAAY more stuff out there than any other folding knife on the planet! NO JOKE! Sure, they don't hold an edge like modern tacticals, but they will damned sure still get the job done. (pocket clip, thumbstud or no)

That being said, I'd take my Sere 2K any day! I still have a 110, but it's mostly because I beat the absolute sh!t out of it for 18 years and it holds a lot of nostalgia in it's chipped handle, scratched bolsters and well worn blade.
 
Originally posted by AntDog


I'll bet "plain ole Buck 110s" have cut WAAAY more stuff out there than any other folding knife on the planet! NO JOKE! Sure, they don't hold an edge like modern tacticals
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What exactly does edge holding have to do with the type of knife??!!
 
What comes into my mind is first, the Sebenza has a lot of hype surrounding it, but nobody sane would say its not an extremely well made knife, so, the Sebenza's quality does live up to the hype, so, if this is true, then doesn't this mean its not hype after all, is not hype where there is a false (better) perception of a product than it deserves?
 
What exactly does edge holding have to do with the type of knife??!!
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NOTHING. It's just that most modern tacticals have blades made of better steel than a Buck 110. Thus, most modern tacticals will hold an edge longer than a Buck 110.

It's not just because of the type of knife, it's just that most modern designs use better steel. Dur! :D
 
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