Extreme Ratio Deffender 2

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Gideons

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I just saw the fixed blade Extreme Ratio Defender 2, never heard of this company or know anything about it. Anybody have experience with this company or this design? No reviews of it either, and I can only find 1 picture so not really sure what to make of it. I personally have been looking around for a 4.5 - 5.5 inch fixblade a little so just curious about this guy.
 
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Hi! Don’t know much about the Defender 2 since it’s rather new product. About Extrema Ratio, I can say is a medium sized manufacturer located in Italy (Tuscany Region). They produce all their products in-house with what I would call a state of the art technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIhBy4TNF0M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U1D0mll8Ok

They are specialised in tactical/military knives with a very distinctive style. They make sound and sturdy fixed blades and also “overbuilt” quality folders (some of those a bit “over the top”, in my opinion). Their pricing is rather high. They mostly use N690 steel and forprene handles. The “family feeling” is very strong across their product lines. ER claims to have occasionally some cooperation with armed forces in different European countries supplying batches of knives which are supposedly issued to the soldiers/operators.

In my opinion, in comparison with other Italian knives manufacturers, ER is rather “traditional”. Not so innovative in R&D, like Lionsteel for example, and not offering a very wide range of blade styles, like e.g. Maserin or Viper. They do very well what they did since the beginning and what made them successful, so to say.

I own two ER knives myself, one is the ER BF2 CT and the other is the Shrapnel, a short, stout back-up fixed blade. I own them since years now and the BF2 it’s having a place in my weekly rotation. The Shrapnel it’s a beast of a knife but a bit too much for my current hiking/camping needs; also the handle is a bit on the short side (it’s by design, being a back-up but not very very comfortable in use). A version with a full handle anyway exist today.

Overall, if you like the style, the quality of the products is there. On the top of that, they are truly Made in Italy products. Honestly, in my personal opinion, for what you get in terms of materials their pricing is too high. From a design, ergonomics, fit & finish and accessories (e.g. sheaths) point of view you get a really good product.

ER web-site:

http://www.extremaratio.com/?___store=en

Hoping it can help!
 
I don't know if they have stepped up recently but in the past they have been known of their shady warranty like selling new knives with discount instead of replacing them after they have been broken by cutting pizza.
 
Hi A.L. A.L. ! To my limited knowledge, E.R. has been quite good since the beginning and had a rather quick success on the market and immediate good feedbacks on their products, at least here. Sure, as every other manufacturing company I know, in whatever industry sector, there has been some failures and some less fortunate products (to say the least :D). The only real big failure, without doubts attributable to the production process (likely HT), that I remember, was about some kukri knives which were too brittle and really chipped like crazy in use. I also agree on the fact that, until some years back, their customers’ service wasn’t that brilliant, especially for foreign markets/Customers. Not so much from a practical point of view (to my knowledge, the knives have always been repaired/serviced superbly) but mainly from a communication/relationship point of view. A typical problem for small-sized manufacturing companies here. It looks much better now.

It’s true there are some (in)famous bad reviews, some of them I find really funny up to day :). Among the most “sensational” ones I still remember there was the one from a very intelligent user who took a Col Moschin combat knife for a forest axe, knocked down half a forest and whined about breaking or damaging it (wow, what a surprise! :D); another one I really LOL about was from another smart guy who decided to take a fine dagger (I think it was the Adra) and using it as a throwing knife. Sure enough he whined for half an hour about it breaking after some throws and did this publicly even on YT for my great amusement.

I instead never heard about deliberate frauds like the ones you are describing i.e. to sell defective knives as new and never heard about ER knives breaking because of cutting pizza :p. Links? Sources?

I know the company was founded in 1997 and the owners (Mr. Chiostri) have a solid background in mechanical machinery. Today he’s also ER production mgr. and runs the company with his partner (Mr.Castrati), who’s the sales mgr. It looks their first step into the bigger players’ circle was due to winning a contract for bayonets launched by the French Army at that time. Last news I have (from local newspapers) is they employ around 30 co-workers today and produce around 35000 pcs/year. They claim Russia is their first foreign market and they claim their turnover share is about 40% from military contracts and 60% from the civilian market. According to the Province Chamber of Commerce the firm is growing in turnover and has a solid asset. It’s difficult for a company to grow successfully along the years with shady practices and poor products. Normally this takes some passion, dedication, hard work and integrity.

Pity it seems you had bad experience with them and their products! I tend to give everyone a second chance before emitting a final verdict :).
 
Gideons said:
I just saw the fixed blade Extreme Ratio Defender 2, never heard of this company or know anything about it. Anybody have experience with this company or this design? No reviews of it either, and I can only find 1 picture so not really sure what to make of it. I personally have been looking around for a 4.5 - 5.5 inch fixblade a little so just curious about this guy.
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Well, first they are Extrema Ratio. Not Extreme.

Their claim to fame is chunky/blocky, uber tactical stuff. To the point of being lumped in among the Dark Opses of the world by some. If that aesthetic is what you are looking for, then they may be your guys.

Having no idea what you actually want to do with this fixed blade you are looking for I cannot recommend or not recommend them to you.
 
Too tacticool for school. I would spend a bit more and get a Winkler II if I wanted a fixed knife to keep for life. Or I would get a CRK Professional Soldier for a bit less. Or if I wanted something fixed that was a bit out there I'd go for something from Tops.
 
That's one of these brands that I'm afraid to purchase, because I might be disappointed by fit and finish, being used to northern american high standards.

They got nice designs tho. I got inspired by their finish to cerakote a Dimona fighter.
zueYqJb.jpg


For tacticool, I rather stay to the basics or “proven” manufacturers from USA.

And that is an Eurotrash guy saying this :)
 
Their ADRA dagger, super expensive, broke easily from pommel weakness and unacceptable construction:


Video below is confirmed as of a real RAO (details of handle and blade vs fake one): Again super expensive, and started loosening after a few chops.


I would not buy either of these, and they are very high priced for what they are...

I would consider them unreliable depending on construction: Trust only the full tang models from them....

Gaston
 
Gaston444 said:
I would not buy either of these, and they are very high priced for what they are...

I would consider them unreliable depending on construction: Trust only the full tang models from them....

Gaston
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And they are neither axes, metal punches, nor throwing knives, which is all those "tests" test. I'm sure they would fail as frying pans, paint brushes, and bicycle helmets also.

One can only draw conclusions about them if one tests them for what they actually are.
 
marcinek said:
And they are neither axes, metal punches, nor throwing knives, which is all those "tests" test. I'm sure they would fail as frying pans, paint brushes, and bicycle helmets also.

One can only draw conclusions about them if one tests them for what they actually are.
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I sat on a knife once, testing its suitability as a chair. That was ... not a good idea.
 
SpySmasher said:
I sat on a knife once, testing its suitability as a chair. That was ... not a good idea.
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lol. :) I'm no Extrema Ratio fan at all, I think they have the geometry of a brick of Velveeta, but at least subject them to relevant testing.
 
Came out 2nd place against CS of course , but so does everyone else ! Still a pretty strong knife .

And very realistic tests . Well... if you need to hang all your wt sets from a folding knife !:rolleyes:
 
marcinek said:
And they are neither axes, metal punches, nor throwing knives, which is all those "tests" test. I'm sure they would fail as frying pans, paint brushes, and bicycle helmets also.

One can only draw conclusions about them if one tests them for what they actually are.
Click to expand...
Come on, we all know daggers were known for their rugged toughness and ability to pierce armor plating.
 
The Playa Hatas Ball is alive and and well at BFs.

Let's not act like half of us didn't fall in love with Rambo knives, black tantos, crazy serrations or some other form of mall ninjary at some point in our obsession with knives.
 
Gideons said:
The knife I'm asking about isn't a dagger.
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Making fun of Gaston and his constant "high price knives and super steels are overpriced fragile garbage" BS. Weird he came in with that, because he loves 440C, and N690 is super close to 440C, it isn't even a powder steel.
 
cold-steel has the best locking system in the world, extrema ratio produces 6 mm blades in steel n690 58 HRC which are among the resins and reliable this fox is in steel n690 59-60 HRC, :)
:)

:) the blades of the extrema ratios should be less prone to fox and therefore more resistant to chipping:)
 
FullMetalJackass said:
That's one of these brands that I'm afraid to purchase, because I might be disappointed by fit and finish, being used to northern american high standards.

They got nice designs tho. I got inspired by their finish to cerakote a Dimona fighter.
zueYqJb.jpg


For tacticool, I rather stay to the basics or “proven” manufacturers from USA.

And that is an Eurotrash guy saying this :)
Click to expand...

Looks like Eddie Van Halen's knife
 
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