- Joined
- Oct 3, 1998
- Messages
- 3,264
Just for the fun of it, I thought I'd put a couple of small titanium frame locks next to each other on the scanner, knives that use similar technology though they could never be mistaken for one another, by look, by touch, or by effect on one's checkbook.
The small Columbia River S2, newly issued, and the Y2K incarnation of the Chris Reeve Umfaan.
<A HREF="http://www.chaicutlery.com/chrisreeve/Umfaan-S2.jpg" TARGET=_blank>
</A>
<A HREF="http://www.chaicutlery.com/chrisreeve/Umfaan-S2-lockside.jpg" TARGET=_blank>
</A>
The Umfaan comes from a first-rate workshop in Idaho. The S2 comes from a good factory in Taiwan. You can buy about 3 of the S2 for the price of one Umfaan. Incremental quality does that to the price with many kinds of merchandise.
The S2 is a good looking knife that operates smoothly and seems to be sturdily built. The Umfaan is a GOOD looking knife that operates SMOOTHLY and is built like a little bank vault. And nobody in the three-digit range does titanium graphics like Chris Reeve's shop.
I believe, but have not independently proven, that Chris Reeve's BG42 should outcut CRKT's ATS34 by at least a small margin.
Each one gives you 2+ inches of sharp edge. The CRKT does it in a larger package that weighs in at about 1 2/3 ounces, versus about 1 1/3 ounces for the Umfaaan. The S2 is a milimeter or two thicker, and more than that at the thumb studs. The larger thumb studs make the S2 quicker to deploy with either hand.
The S2 is pointier than the Umfaan, and, with its pocket clip, might be the preferred choice for clipping to one's shirt pocket as a fast-access package opener.
You can see and feel, especially as you go about the perimeters of the knives, attention to detail in the Umfaan that isn't there in the S2, and probably can't be expected in the S2's price range.
One difference that your index finger will probably notice when you use the knives is that the cut-out in the handle on the lockup side has is rounded in front of the locking finger on the Umfaan, and is left sharp on the S2. You can correct that very carefully with an emery board or something.
The Clip on the S2 is a major improvement, in my humble opinion, over the clip on the bigger CRKT S2 from a year or two ago. Much more comfortable in your hand when you're using the knife. Likewise, releasing the lock on the newer S2 is less likely to wear a groove in your thumb than on the old larger one. Here and here are a couple of comparitive S2 scans. Note that the new S2 has a double thumb stud.
------------------
- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
The small Columbia River S2, newly issued, and the Y2K incarnation of the Chris Reeve Umfaan.
<A HREF="http://www.chaicutlery.com/chrisreeve/Umfaan-S2.jpg" TARGET=_blank>

<A HREF="http://www.chaicutlery.com/chrisreeve/Umfaan-S2-lockside.jpg" TARGET=_blank>

The Umfaan comes from a first-rate workshop in Idaho. The S2 comes from a good factory in Taiwan. You can buy about 3 of the S2 for the price of one Umfaan. Incremental quality does that to the price with many kinds of merchandise.
The S2 is a good looking knife that operates smoothly and seems to be sturdily built. The Umfaan is a GOOD looking knife that operates SMOOTHLY and is built like a little bank vault. And nobody in the three-digit range does titanium graphics like Chris Reeve's shop.
I believe, but have not independently proven, that Chris Reeve's BG42 should outcut CRKT's ATS34 by at least a small margin.
Each one gives you 2+ inches of sharp edge. The CRKT does it in a larger package that weighs in at about 1 2/3 ounces, versus about 1 1/3 ounces for the Umfaaan. The S2 is a milimeter or two thicker, and more than that at the thumb studs. The larger thumb studs make the S2 quicker to deploy with either hand.
The S2 is pointier than the Umfaan, and, with its pocket clip, might be the preferred choice for clipping to one's shirt pocket as a fast-access package opener.
You can see and feel, especially as you go about the perimeters of the knives, attention to detail in the Umfaan that isn't there in the S2, and probably can't be expected in the S2's price range.
One difference that your index finger will probably notice when you use the knives is that the cut-out in the handle on the lockup side has is rounded in front of the locking finger on the Umfaan, and is left sharp on the S2. You can correct that very carefully with an emery board or something.
The Clip on the S2 is a major improvement, in my humble opinion, over the clip on the bigger CRKT S2 from a year or two ago. Much more comfortable in your hand when you're using the knife. Likewise, releasing the lock on the newer S2 is less likely to wear a groove in your thumb than on the old larger one. Here and here are a couple of comparitive S2 scans. Note that the new S2 has a double thumb stud.
------------------
- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001