Falkniven F1 3G - Sadly disappointed

Status
Not open for further replies.
kinskibrain said:
Sorry to hear about your bad fortune. Disappointment is never fun. I have a F1 in VG10 and have never experienced any chipping even when right out abusing it - like hacking a hole in a frozen lake to fish from. My japanese kitchen knife came with a warning label - "due to the high hardness of the knife edge, be very gentle with the edge until you have sharpened it a couple of times. The edge will then be durable and strong".

This is along the lines of what Mikael is saying. With these hard new edges it is very important to be careful until you have taken of that virgin edge. Then these knives will be extremely strong and durable. You could compare it to "breaking in" a new engine or breaking in leather boots.

High end knives with high end steels often needs to be broken in not to break.
Click to expand...


Very, very interesting... But I broke in my U4 and it still chipped badly on SOFT wood. Mmmm...
 
Last edited:
The Welshman said:
Thanks for your encouragement and support, you are a credit to the forum. I have posted the outcome if you care to read it.
Click to expand...


Hi there mate. Firstly thankyou. This thread is invaluable to me and your experiences here. I love(d)? their knives as well. My dilemma: I was lucky enough to start with a U4 folder also in 3G steel. I used it to make a spoon out of a piece of wet wild Australian cane wood (like bamboo) a soft wood! When stick sharpening it the edge chipped and chipped quite badly. I was shocked, disappointed and damn let down like you.

Anyway the reason I was researching F1 3G is that I was just about to buy a TK2 (3G), my dream knife, however because of my negative experiences with the U4 I thought I would check out what F1 3G was like in tougher going from people like you. I had an inkling F1 3G may have a stronger edge than a U4 due to the thicker convex edge. Obviously not. I have also heard of two tips breaking off of TK2's and one off a F1 VG10 where someone tried to extract an arrow from a tree. My guess is that your F1 3G tip broke off during battening- I read you have to be careful with the F1 tip with battening, as its a short blade.

From what I have experienced and read 'SO FAR' 3G steel is pathetic in a survival blade. Its like ceramic encased in steel. Further more is the question of the structural rigidity of the laminate blades. I too have used cheap knives with some sucess, like yourself, that have held up to chopping DRY hardwoods, not battening chopping!

Anyway I am glad you got a refurbished knife back. PLEASE LET US KNOW ASAP HOW YOUR F1 3G PERFORMS now in chopping wood like this one pictured by 'dayhiker', if your still game that is..? Until your response I am now considering a lowly F1 in VG10 (no offence to anyone, lol, lol, lol...), but hey maybe its a better knife than F1 3G in harder going, not slicing.

Now you have undeservingly copped allot of inferences drawn, pretentious crap and outright ABUSE. In my opinion abuse of a SURVIVAL KNIFE constitutes anything worse that chopping through a dry log. If users dont like that maybe keep your knifes as ornaments or give em' to the missus for use in the kitchen. Maybe your critics work for Fallkniven. Maybe they are just poor sods who have already shelled out on an NL1, TK2, TK1, A1, F1 3G and a series of folders. Maybe they are Fallkniven obsessed like me and dont want their feelings hurt :/ Maybe Fallkniven does need to take a serious look at metallurgy science again with their University, or lamination, or geometry and or quality control in Japan. Maybe 3G is not suitable in a survival knife. Who knows. Point is your F1 3G is a survival knife, intended for 'demanding tasks' as Fallkniven say on their website. Incidentally I have also never received a reply back from Fallkniven on any enquiry, and I have sent plenty. Thats why I come to the forum, its not for company I have mates for that, lol.

Anyway, You saved me mate!
 
Last edited:
dayhiker1968 said:
I don't doubt that the OP could have received a faulty knife from the factory. And I hope that he posts Fallkniven's response when he gets it.

But here is my VG-10 F1 being pounded through a 3 1/2" diameter chunk of Poplar.

100_1834.jpg


100_1835.jpg


100_1836.jpg


They all aren't lemons. I've been using this one for about 4 years.
Click to expand...

'Thats not a knife, THATS a knife!' (Crocadile Dundee, 1987)
 
Well, the F1 3G is just a bit too high on the RC scale. Or something went pear-shaped somewhere. While I like Falkniven products, there have been quite a few reports of chipping associated with them. This is a pity indeed.

Could it be that we should use a knife for skinning and a properly tuned axe for chopping? Amusing thought that my old, horribly abused Kabar from back in the day has never chipped on me.
 
I believe I own and use 6 or 7 FK models in 3G laminated powdersteel.
None of them have had issues with chipping.

I have used my TK1 a lot and no chipping.
Same with the TK3,U4 and the Juni.
TK2,WM1 and the HK9 no chipping.

The most recent in my 3G inventory is the PHK, wich so far only has done testcuttings in the workshop, but agin no chipping.
My PHK is to the right in this pic and it's rehandled in Sambar stag and nickelsilver pommel.
The NL4 in VG-10 has the same story as any other Fällkniven in my care -No chipping!
IMGP5112.jpg


Regards
Mikael
 
Mikael W said:
I believe I own and use 6 or 7 FK models in 3G laminated powdersteel.
None of them have had issues with chipping.

I have used my TK1 a lot and no chipping.
Same with the TK3,U4 and the Juni.
TK2,WM1 and the HK9 no chipping.

The most recent in my 3G inventory is the PHK, wich so far only has done testcuttings in the workshop, but agin no chipping.
My PHK is to the right in this pic and it's rehandled in Sambar stag and nickelsilver pommel.
The NL4 in VG-10 has the same story as any other Fällkniven in my care -No chipping!
View attachment 338829


Regards
Mikael
Click to expand...

Good to here mate, especially that you care for your knifes, but they are not survival blades and the NL4 is VG10 so your not chopping hardwood logs in half as the F1 3G knife and F1 VG10 knife's were intended to do, as shown by 'dayhiker's' illustrations???
 
Last edited:
DrIndianaJones said:
Good to here mate, especially that you care for your knifes, but they are not survival blades and the NL4 is VG10 so your not chopping hardwood logs in half as the F1 3G knife and F1 VG10 knife's were intended to do, as shown by 'dayhiker's' illustrations???
Click to expand...

I prefer the NL2 for chopping as it has the right size,weight and geometry for chopping.
The pic shows chopping Maple.

NL2 028.jpgNL2 029.jpg


Regards
Mikael
 
Just read this whole thread. I am looking for a knife in this size range and was sort of considering an F1 but was leaning heavily toward an ESEE 4. My choice has been made with conviction! It is totally unacceptable that they didn't replace this knife. 2 year warranty? Ha!!!! I'll take the forever, no questions asked, we send you a knew knife warranty. Mail it back internationally for evaluation before deciding what to do and then just sending me the same knife back, just shorter in length?....... forget that......

Thanks to the welshman for posting this thread and putting up with so much BS. My advice to you would be to not rely on that shortened F1. I am sure most F1s are fine but one that couldn't put up with such simple tasks and the company wouldn't replace? Unacceptable. Go with your old Gerber or get an ESEE 4, 5, or 6 and beat on them. I have an Izula, 5, and Junglas. For the money, they are hard to beat.
 
Last edited:
craytab said:
Just read this whole thread. I am looking for a knife in this size range and was sort of considering an F1 but was leaning heavily toward an ESEE 4. My choice has been made with conviction! It is total BS that they didn't replace this knife. 2 year warranty? Ha!!!! I'll take the forever, no questions asked, we send you a knew knife warranty. Mail it back internationally for evaluation before deciding what to do and then just sending me the same knife back, just shorter in length?.......F-ing forget that......

Thanks to the welshman for posting this thread and putting up with so much BS. My advice to you would be to not rely on that shortened F1. I am sure most F1s are fine but one that couldn't put up with such simple tasks and the company wouldn't replace? BS. Go with your old Gerber or get an ESEE 4, 5, or 6 and beat the crap out of em. I have an Izula, 5, and Junglas. For the money, they are hard to beat.
Click to expand...

It's Your choice, Your money!
If there would have been anything wrong with the steel, Eric would have replaced it.
As he didn't find anything wrong with the knife, it was resharpened and sent back.

Regards
Mikael
 
Thanks for the pictures Mikael. Nice job!

I ordinarily don't chop with my knifes as chopping puts stress on any knife but if I am out bush with my friends hunting away from base camp and the cars, we may camp somewhere for a night or two and build a shelter. It is important to mention that our trees here in Australia, especially in the desert are amoung the hardest in the world.

I will still give Fallkniven a go because I believe the Scandis still make the best knives in the world, their is a certain character and prestige associated with them and my ancestors are your neighbours the Germans!
 
Stubai said:
Well, the F1 3G is just a bit too high on the RC scale. Or something went pear-shaped somewhere. While I like Falkniven products, there have been quite a few reports of chipping associated with them. This is a pity indeed.

Could it be that we should use a knife for skinning and a properly tuned axe for chopping? Amusing thought that my old, horribly abused Kabar from back in the day has never chipped on me.
Click to expand...

The good old KBAR hey. And it never chipped on you! I have never had one, but I know they are a decsent knife for the money; full tang, stacked leather handle, combat and utility geometry blade with a sensible 3.5mm thick blade for daily tasks. I am not saying they sport the heat treat, exotic steel, strength and top Swedish design of say the Fallky A1, but I will eventually add one to my collection ;)
 
dayhiker1968 said:
I didn't chop,the F1 is NOT a chopper. That was batoned.
Click to expand...


Im confused. The F1 could be used for light chopping if necessary couldn't it? It is a survival knife.

Unless my eyes deceive me, the above pictures show an F1 chopping a log in half horizontally, what do you call this then?

Battoning is when you split the log vertically (of course placing less stress on the edge of the F1)
 
Thanks for the review and update Whelshman. Its always good to hear others experiences with knives. I have an F1 vg10 in the original solid vg10. Its been used for camping duties, game cleaning....etc. I really enjoy the blade. The vg10 is easy to get a shaving edge on. And the knife is easy to clean. My knife was a gift from a friend. However, if I had to buy a knife to use for camping, hunting and field use, I doubt I would have bought one. My Essee 4 does just as well, sold for much less, and has a much better warranty. I like having knives with lifetime warranties, just in case.
 
DrIndianaJones said:
Im confused. The F1 could be used for light chopping if necessary couldn't it? It is a survival knife.

Unless my eyes deceive me, the above pictures show an F1 chopping a log in half horizontally, what do you call this then?

Battoning is when you split the log vertically (of course placing less stress on the edge of the F1)
Click to expand...

Your eyes are deceiving you. I pounded(as in placed my F1 against the log and wailed on it with another log) ie CROSS-GRAIN batoning. The F1 does not have enough "blade weight" for chopping.
 
DrIndianaJones said:
Thanks for the pictures Mikael. Nice job!

I ordinarily don't chop with my knifes as chopping puts stress on any knife but if I am out bush with my friends hunting away from base camp and the cars, we may camp somewhere for a night or two and build a shelter. It is important to mention that our trees here in Australia, especially in the desert are amoung the hardest in the world.

I will still give Fallkniven a go because I believe the Scandis still make the best knives in the world, their is a certain character and prestige associated with them and my ancestors are your neighbours the Germans!
Click to expand...

Sounds like You Have a good living Down Under!:thumbup:

There are many reports from Australian users about FK products.
Generally the reviews have been very positive to Fällkniven knives,so I don't think You need to worry at all.

Get what You want and use it like You stole it!
Then come back here and give us Your verdict.

As You seems to be a hunter, the H1 would be a good choice for a starter.


Regards
Mikael
 
The Welshman said:
Hi guys, this is my first post on Bladeforums but I am a keen 'outdoorsman'. Just a little background info - I bought a Gerber Big Rock about 4 years ago for around $40 - I was in Australia at the time. Without going into that knife too much (thats a whole other review) this knife has got me out of numerous situations, done all the Bushcraft stuff from shelters to feathersticks, its been in the water, up Volcano's (every other metallic item I had on that journey was damaged from the sulphur in the air, apart from the Gerber) its been around the world with me through woods, jungles, deserts - you name it its been there and for the money it is still my 'go to' I trust it and have relied on it for the past 4 years and it NEVER let me down.


Sorry to ramble on about a Gerber knife in a Falkniven post but I feel it is important to highlight that a good knife does not have to cost the earth.
DSC02345_zps1353c9aa.jpg


Imagine my surprise and delight on Christmas day opening a box to find a Falkniven F1 and not just any old F1 but the 3G 'super steel' version. (Thanks Dad)

After days of drooling over the knife and its paper cutting ability and reading the countless, excellent reviews it was time to field test the knife on a camping trip in Oman.

Before I go into that ill give you the first impressions of the knife out of the box -

The knife feels great in your hand, the handle is grippy (even when wet) and moulded around the blade to prevent dirt and food waste finding its way underneath. You can throw the whole knife in the camp pot after use and boil it to sanitise it after use.

The full tang, convex grind blade is good, VERY sharp and reasonably thick with a drop point and single lanyard hole in the handle end (perfect 550 paracord size).
One thing to point out is that the blade is quite short for some Bushcraft duties like battoning larger pieces of wood and I cant imagine shelter building with it. However the knife was used successfully to split wood on my camping trip.

The knife feels solid without being heavy and its perfectly balanced too.

My knife came with the leather sheath option although a more tactical zytel sheath is also available at no extra charge.

The leather sheath looks very nice, its functional with a large belt loop and press stud fastener on the front to hold the knife in place. The first thing I did though was to wrap it in 550 and attach a fire steel ;-)
DSC02338_zpsf63c9dcc.jpg



My first 'Issue' with the sheath was the press stud, the back of the stud (inside the sheath) is covered by a small circle of leather that after repeated use seemed to peel away and then the stud marks/scratches the knife. The same thing happened on my Fathers knife so we both took it off completely and super glued it back on.
There was no issues after this but lets keep reminding ourselves that this knife is one of Falknivens flagship knives and at around $250 US, Not a cheap blade.

Another issue with the sheath is that I took the knife canyoning (swimming, jumping into rock pools etc) and the leather is now slightly warped from water damage - not something you want if you spend alot of time outdoors. If you are going to use it for bushcraft or situations exposing it to rain (it is a survival knife after all) I would suggest getting the less attractive zytel sheath.

The camping trip in Oman was great fun and as it was the knifes first outing I thought I would take it easy - I cut some food up, used it with a fire steel to start the fire, battoned some small branches and made some feather sticks. everything seemed ok until the next morning when it was light.

Upon inspection of the blade I found that firstly the fire steel had deeply marked the steel on the knife (not a massive problem) but my four year old, $50 Gerber has lit hundreds of fires with barely a mark on the spine.
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu195/manpanics/DSC02352_zpsb23c66d2.jpg

Secondly to my shock and horror the blade had some small knotches/damage to the edge and the tip had broken off ???????????????????
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu195/manpanics/DSC02348_zps5370c613.jpg
http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu195/manpanics/DSC02351_zps7e739510.jpg

Let me just clarify

1 - this is a genuine F1 3G NOT a Chinese copy

2 - I look after my knives, the blade was not dropped or used for anything other than what I have already stated, it was put back in its sheath and left there until the morning. But YES I use my knives for the purpose they are designed for.

CONCLUSIONS

I have contacted Falkniven who have asked for me to send the blade to their factory for inspection and regrinding - I sent them an email back saying that the tip should not have broken off, there is clearly a flaw in the so called 'super' steel and that I did not want the knife to be even shorter. Ill post here again on the outcome of that.

As far as the knife is concerned im actually really gutted. I think I just got a bad one but lets be honest here, your knife should be completely and utterly dependable. Mine failed at the most trivial tasks and did not perform how i would expect an expensive, worldwide recognised knife to. Yes it was razor sharp, I like the grippy handle but I thought the blade was slightly too short (personal preference), the leather case was disappointing, the knife was marked all over the blade and spine from what i assume was the fire steel or water damage and the fact that the tip broke off !!!!!! Ive never even seen that happen on a cheap kitchen knife:confused:

I will probably look at getting an RC5 or probably budget wise a Becker BK2 now, the Falkniven would have been my faithful travel companion where a Rambo size knife is unsuitable (I find travelling with a slightly smaller knife raises less eyebrows at customs in certain countries) but now I have a doubt and my knife of choice and doubt do not mix in my opinion.

I feel like I bought a case of beer only to get home and realise it was non-alcoholic, I feel like I got a chicken burger only to bite into it and find a cold, wet sliver of tofu in there, I feel ................gutted :-(
Click to expand...


Another dissatisfied Fallkniven customer with a chipped blade, and his knife is an F1 in VG10 see;

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?97623-Fallkniven-F1-Usage-Experience

Maybe I need the A1 or S1 for chopping, or dare I say ot even a KABAR, lol
 
Mikael W said:
Sounds like You Have a good living Down Under!:thumbup:

There are many reports from Australian users about FK products.
Generally the reviews have been very positive to Fällkniven knives,so I don't think You need to worry at all.

Get what You want and use it like You stole it!
Then come back here and give us Your verdict.

As You seems to be a hunter, the H1 would be a good choice for a starter.


Regards
Mikael
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Mikael. Yes I will choose, purchase, use, test and report. Incidentally, the H1 appears like it would have no peer as a skinning knife due to the blade geometry. Sounds like its one of your favourites! I saw a beautiful custom job once online with a beautiful white stag handle. It was probably the best looking knife I have ever seen, no exaggeration. I have decided on an F1 VG10 for now and am buying it through my trusty supplier today! Not a crocadile killer, but nontheless a durable, outdoor utility knife of practical and sensible proportions. I do love this knife as do so many 'Fallky' fans.

I would love to go to Sweden and the Nordic nations, not just for the outdoors and the cold but for the beautiful blonde women! Oneday I guess... Is it true you hunt reindeer in Sweden?

Sorry to drift off topic: Yes there is allot of uninhabbited land here down under, some even never explored by Europeans apparently and only accessible by helicopter (if you have one, I dont! lol). The climate while mainly warm-hot can be diverse accross the continent. You have to be very careful as an adventurer here like myself, a mistake can see you dead literally in hours. The heat is extreme in summer 48 Degree Celcius or more in some areas. I am by no means an expert survivalist, but I know more than most in the cities. But our main rule to anyone is to always let the Police know where you are travelling too and how long you expect to get to your destination when you are in remote places. Then if you fail to show up they will 'try' to look for you. Also take plenty of water an eperb GPS or a satalite phone if possible (no cell phone reception in remote places here). I have an eperb as I have used sat phones and they can fail due to weather conditions.

I once went pig hunting and got bogged in the Rum Jungle 350kms West of Darwin, Northern Territory. The ground looked dry you see but it was wet underneath. I knew that once I realised I was bogged it was crucial NOT to spin the wheels and bury the car further. I only had a 1.5 litres of water left as I had been hunting all day. I took two hours to dig to level the ground around the drive wheels and place dry grass, sticks and bush under the wheels to get out. I took more time than I needed and did the job properly, because I knew I would not have enough water to do it a second time. To my relief and excitement it worked first time! I learnt my lesson to always tell someone where I was going.
 
Last edited:
The link to BB confirms what has been written in this thread regarding factory edges.
As I have said earlier, I'm seldom pleased with a factory edge and once it's gone the knife start performing.

This concern most knives I have used, regardless of brand and the cure is stated on page 3 in the link.
Wich is after sharpening away the factory grind, the knives has started to perform.

This isn't always the rule and several of my FK's have worked fine out of the box.
However, not one have chipped the way described here and in the link.

If You intend to chop with a knife, it needs to be bigger than the S1 and even the A1!
I have chopped with the A1 and I absolutely prefer the NL 2 as a minimum size for chopping!
The A2 is also an alternative as I see it, but I have not used it.
The A1 can chop, but not very effectively.

Cool that You cope with the Australian wilderness!
I have understood it's no easy task.

In the Mountains here, we have plenty of drinkable water, without the need for purification.
That is a luxury!
Instead we have to watch out for cold conditions.

Wild Reindeers are hunted yes, but it's not all too common.
Roedeer and Moose are more popular among the average hunter.
In some areas Moosehunting season is almost as sacred as religion.

The Swedish blondes yes they are sought after allright, but they are not easily caught!
Before You can reach to them You have to pass their fathers - the Moosehunters...


Regards
Mikael
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top