extrema ratio

ROLX51

ROLX51

Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
174
i'm looking to buy a fixed and a folder extrema ratio knife i don't really know to much about them so please fill me in those that have them are they as good as the striders and hinderer's

thanks
 
They are a quality knife, built like a tank. I have only have one but it was impressive!
 
fixed;fulcrum or moschin
folders;fulcrum or mpc army extrema

also did they make a ar model any pics of that knife
 
Hi ROLX, I have the Fulcrum and love it, but not before going through an unfortunate period where I was sold a counterfeit by a bricks and mortar shop (I don't think they knew either BTW) and it was only the sheath that gave it away. These are built for HARD use and although they are not fine cutters, they they do look good! Just be careful of fakes.
 
I'll go out on a limb here and say that they are not good at all.

Strength of lock (although lockbar is huge) is actually weak because the pivoting pin in the lockbar is puny.

The blade (although the metal ain't too bad in my experience) is ground like a sharpened prybar. Not a good cutter at all.

The handle material is aluminum and the soft aluminum means the spacer screws easily strip the threads in the aluminum.

The ergos are painful.

The cost is high.

I'd truly and honestly advice against it. Including the Rao as well.

PS: I'd go for a Sebenza, and Umnumzaan, or a Hinderer (costly).
PSPS: This folder is chock full of technology and is now the Hinderer issue is over (or so I've been told), check it out and the price ain't bad. For sure to be a good investment.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=695397&page=13
 
They are not in the same class as a hinderer or large strider folder. They are good knives but not worth the rrp...if you see one on the second hand market for cheaper that isnt a fake go for it.
 
For what they are around $200 or so dealer pricing they are good,the striders are hard use knives i am not a fan boy..........
 
I bought an extrema ratio MPC years ago when I was going through a big folder phase. It became my EDC for about a year. Truly a massive beast. Top notch quality.

As good as a strider or hinderer, well, every person you ask will tell you just what they think. I own two striders, and don't see a difference in quality to the extrema ratio. I'd consider the MPC more heavy duty then my SNG or AR, but not one of the three would fail and break under any normal or even extreme use-youd just have to really be trying. Their was some type of destruction test between a fulcrum folder and a strider..SMF I think..the strider came out ahead, but they did the test without using the fulcrums secondary lock.

I don't have an XM18, missed getting one by three minutes recently, so now I'm eagerly awaiting my ER MP0.

Try one of their folders out, you won't be dissapointed.
 
I already have a hinderer xm-18 and four (1 custom) striders i have looked at the sebs & umnums and they just don't do anything for me at all i heard so many great things about them but every time i hold one and try to force myself to buy one i just don't get it same thing with the hinderer xm-18 read so many great things it didn't appeal to me but i bought one never seeing it or holding one i got it in the mail and now she's my favorite but seeing and holding the sebs reading and watching test on them i just don't like them to easy to mark up to plain looking i think the hinderer is better built then the striders and i love striders and the extrema ratio's have always caught my eyes watching the u-tube knifes tests on these knife look very impressive to me so i want one or two or three and in the end i'm sure i'll buy a seb don't know why but isn't always the way it is!
 
I haven't tried their folders, but I have had very positive experiences with their larger fixed blades. Their ergo's are unique, I'll say that you need to get used to them - but the quality is top notch. Only downside is the lack of places to buy them, which drives the price up.
 
Cotherion said:
I'll go out on a limb here and say that they are not good at all.

Strength of lock (although lockbar is huge) is actually weak because the pivoting pin in the lockbar is puny.

The blade (although the metal ain't too bad in my experience) is ground like a sharpened prybar. Not a good cutter at all.

The handle material is aluminum and the soft aluminum means the spacer screws easily strip the threads in the aluminum.

The ergos are painful.

The cost is high.

I'd truly and honestly advice against it. Including the Rao as well.
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totally agree
 
I won't recommend their folders (BF and Fulcrum) for basically two reasons: poor ergonomics and too high-a-price for their quality (average cutters at best and worsening blade play). Their fixed blades (Col Moshin, Dobermann, Venom) on the other hand are much much better: very solid, forprene handles provide great grip, unique design and fairly light and well-balanced. I believe they are still using N690 steel which is OK for me, but not considered to be 'premium'. I find difficult to get it razor sharp but edge retention is good and it is rust resistant. Yeah, ER's aren't exactly cheap, but some vendors in Europe have them for reasonable prices.
 
Extrema Ratios are everything Strider Knives hopes to be when they grow up, tough, resilient, users that are over priced. Get a TOPS, less money, some Great Designs, hell bent for leather tough I was deployed with a 7.5" Tanto Anaconda and never gave it up even when the more magical steeled and more extreme looking blades came around. The Busse Hellrazor is within the same price range you are looking at, its got a fair share of ardent, loyal peeps following it too it's definitely in the same camp as ER with all the toughness in the world and a price like a Colt Python.
 
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The Chef said:
Extrema Ratios are everything Strider Knives hopes to be when they grow up, tough, resilient, users that are over priced. Get a TOPS, less money, some Great Designs, hell bent for leather tough I was deployed with a 7.5" Tanto Anaconda and never gave it up even when the more magical steeled and more extreme looking blades came around. The Busse Hellrazor is within the same price range you are looking at, its got a fair share of ardent, loyal peeps following it too it's definitely in the same camp as ER with all the toughness in the world and a price like a Colt Python.
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I like Tops too and like their wide design range. Particularly eying the Tops Grim Ripper, a beautiful push dagger that is just perfect for my collection (and if anyone has one they are tired of please let me know :)).

For users that are good for the money then Beckers are good and for folders there are many available from Kershaw, Spyderco and Cold Steel that are strong (stronger too) and cheaper too.

Really, not joking, from a design perspective and also from a user's experience, ER lockback folders are really really not worth it. It is really really not as strong as it is made out to be. I expect to be shot by someone for saying this but I will feel really bad if perhaps a newbie (not saying anyone in particular) spend his/her (I'm not gender biased :D) hard earned cash on these folders. Their fixed blade is however not to bad for me so at least it's a sole plus point in my eyes.

PS: Not trolling, Just opinionated :)
 
The folders are pretty tough.
Jakeyjake is correct, there was a German magazine that tested the ER Fulcrum a Strider SMF.
They put them in vises, bend the middles until the pivots almost busted, put them in presses and forced the tips into steel, that sort of thing. The Strider was bowed pretty good in a couple of the tests and still sprang back into shape. I was impressed. (G-10 is some tough material!) It was actually a pretty good test since they used machines and subjected both knives to the same forces. It wasn’t a stupid overweight hockey-masked hacker stunt.

Anyway, the Strider won overall. The ER did very well also. I think the Strider won by one point, so it was pretty close. However, considering the Strider weighs a lot less than the ER, the SMF was more of a surprise winner to me. Both knives withstood an incredible amount of testing force.

One thing to consider, ER is one of the few manufacturers to offer a blade locking switch on their folders. If that is important to you, the ER may be the way to go.
I have an ER and it is very well made. It is a good tough folder. It is very different than almost all other brands though. You don’t see many of them around and that makes them pretty exclusive.
 
Basically for a conventional lockback design it is the shearing force of the pin and it's relative position to the blade pivot which is my main consideration.

Ultimately for this 1/4 inch thick steel blade the failure mode is gonna be on the 2.5 to 3mm thick pivot pin. In contrast the critical stop pin of the Cold Steels Tri-ad is double that in thickness.

The secondary lock prevents the unlocking. It does not significantly (and due to the design, probably not at all) contribute the lockup strength. Yeah I know I'm kinda obsessed with lock strength but that is sort of my personal picky point that I'm obsessed about.

They should have used a thicker pin, higher grade aluminum, better ergo design and better blade profile (unless main consideration is for tactical then cutting ability isnt main requirement).

My Rajah from Cold Steel a good recommendation. As well as my ZT200, ZT300, ZT500, Black Rhino (Cold Steel) and my soon to be coming "Ambitious Folder" which R. Hinderer personally commented about recently.
 
You really should have seen the test I mentioned.

Tips were breaking, pivots were creaking and they looked like they were about to explode. Both knives eventually busted, but the lock never came close to failing on either knife.

Of course, they didn't do any of the all-so-informative "spine whack' tests either, so you never know.:rolleyes:

IMO, lock failure is highly overated, and over obsessed about, on these forums.
 
bearcut said:
You really should have seen the test I mentioned.

Tips were breaking, pivots were creaking and they looked like they were about to explode. Both knives eventually busted, but the lock never came close to failing on either knife.

Of course, they didn't do any of the all-so-informative "spine whack' tests either, so you never know.:rolleyes:

IMO, lock failure is highly overated, and over obsessed about, on these forums.
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Well I'm always up for information, even if it proves me wrong :) What are important to me is the truth and facts instead of my ego :)

Perhaps in the end I'll feel confident enough so I'll look upon my 3 ER folders (and one Dark ops.... I was young :() in good light again. Way I see it, I got nothing to lose.

Could you send me the link? It'll be easier than searching them out you see hope you don't mind.

But with regards to lock failure, I admit I'm obsessed but it's cause I am paranoid (had an accident with a CRKT M16) ever since an accident and I minda like to keep my digits in decent shape till I'm old. Need something to stuff my dentures into my gob and I think my toes ain't up to it :D
 
Cotherion said:
Well I'm always up for information, even if it proves me wrong :) What are important to me is the truth and facts instead of my ego :)

Perhaps in the end I'll feel confident enough so I'll look upon my 3 ER folders (and one Dark ops.... I was young :() in good light again. Way I see it, I got nothing to lose.

Could you send me the link? It'll be easier than searching them out you see hope you don't mind.

But with regards to lock failure, I admit I'm obsessed but it's cause I am paranoid (had an accident with a CRKT M16) ever since an accident and I minda like to keep my digits in decent shape till I'm old. Need something to stuff my dentures into my gob and I think my toes ain't up to it :D
Click to expand...

Well now I feel like an *ss.
They DID do a spine whack test!

They also got both locks to fail. You will see what it took to do that.

It also was not an SMF.....

My memory isn't what it used to be.

Please accept my apology.

Anway here's the link. I'm surprised I found it. It was AWOL for a while and I thought it had been removed.

http://www.carjackedracing.com/unofficial_strider_knife_faq_inf73.htm
 
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