That's right. Part of my planned collection will revolve around "non-steel" knives. A bit of fascination with what is possible from a non-traditional standpoint. To date, this part of my collection only contains 3 knives. A Mad Dog Frequent Flyer (Large), a Mad Dog MirageX EOD, and now, finally, a Boker Orion. Fibre, Ceramic and Titanium. There will be many more additions to this collection, but it will be slow going as the knives are generally more expensive then their steel counterparts. The next planned purchase (somewhere far down the road, after I've paid for my Gerber Paul series 2) will be the Talonite fixed blade offered by Camillus. But for now, I'm partially sated.
I'm not fully sated because the fit and finish of the blade was not very good. I had come to expect better from of my previous purchase of the Boker TopLock. The blade was not shaving sharp out of the box. Sharp enough to slice paper, but not enought to shave. The handle is carbon fibre. It was obviously fitted to the liner and ground to shape, but some of the rounded parts were unevenly ground. The heads of the Allen Key screws were partially rounded, like as though the Allen Key had slipped during tightening. Don't know if I'll be able to dismantle it for cleaning, though there isn't a real need for that, since it is open-backed. Opening and closing is a little bit rough, but not unbearably so. I figure it will run a little smoother after the initial wearing in, or I might put in a Telfon washer.
Apart from those points, the knife feels good and light. The surface finish of the blade is very beautiful and the knife is as advertised, totally non-magnetic. I tried magnets and compasses, but there was no reaction. The clip is also very strong. I'm a little worried about corrosion of the liner as it is steel (I might bring the knife diving), but from what I understand, it will not be very bad if/when it happens.
Just some questions to the more experienced members. Boker uses Allen key screws in all the blades I've seen so far. Is the matter of rounded keyholes a regular failing of Boker knives? Is this a major problem? With all the little details that I mentioned, should I ask for a replacement? Please bear in mind that I'm in Australia, the knife was purchased online from a shop in Germany, first class registered airmail takes 2 weeks and costs a lot, and stuff tends to get lost the more time it spends in transit.
Thanks in advance. I'll withhold blade tests until I decide whether or not to ask for a replacement.
I'm not fully sated because the fit and finish of the blade was not very good. I had come to expect better from of my previous purchase of the Boker TopLock. The blade was not shaving sharp out of the box. Sharp enough to slice paper, but not enought to shave. The handle is carbon fibre. It was obviously fitted to the liner and ground to shape, but some of the rounded parts were unevenly ground. The heads of the Allen Key screws were partially rounded, like as though the Allen Key had slipped during tightening. Don't know if I'll be able to dismantle it for cleaning, though there isn't a real need for that, since it is open-backed. Opening and closing is a little bit rough, but not unbearably so. I figure it will run a little smoother after the initial wearing in, or I might put in a Telfon washer.
Apart from those points, the knife feels good and light. The surface finish of the blade is very beautiful and the knife is as advertised, totally non-magnetic. I tried magnets and compasses, but there was no reaction. The clip is also very strong. I'm a little worried about corrosion of the liner as it is steel (I might bring the knife diving), but from what I understand, it will not be very bad if/when it happens.
Just some questions to the more experienced members. Boker uses Allen key screws in all the blades I've seen so far. Is the matter of rounded keyholes a regular failing of Boker knives? Is this a major problem? With all the little details that I mentioned, should I ask for a replacement? Please bear in mind that I'm in Australia, the knife was purchased online from a shop in Germany, first class registered airmail takes 2 weeks and costs a lot, and stuff tends to get lost the more time it spends in transit.
Thanks in advance. I'll withhold blade tests until I decide whether or not to ask for a replacement.
