Got my Mantis!

Ken Cook · Jun 6, 1999

Finally, after waiting for 11 years and 3 days, well, okay, it was actually just three months, but it FELT like 11 years and three days,

I went out and checked the mail yesterday and THERE IT WAS!
A priority mail package from Alan Folts!
Calmly (yeah right) I gently opened the package (Sure buddy!) and unvieled Mantis number 4 of 25 with mirror polish blade and green/black micarta scales. Beautiful knife! It came with a GREAT kydex sheath that can be worn 37 different ways, (or something like that, I'm still figuring it out!) and the neck cord was in green and black nylon! Cool, it matches the knife!
Very fine knife, and with it, I now join the two knife carry crowd.
Yup, the AFCK will now be a strictly utility blade and the Mantis is going to be the fighting tool.
Sorry, not product test, this one will cut nothing but BGs! (well, I did make a nice little bald spot (found a place that still had hair on it!) on my forearm and then cleaned the blade.
Thanks Alan, great knife and despite all my whining, good delivery time! Especially considering that you only had a prototype blade when I ordered mine!

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I cut it, and I cut it, and it's STILL too short!

Scott Evans · Jun 5, 1999

Ken ,

I got mine too ! ( 5 of 25) Very nice and all of what you said.

I will have mine at the Blade show if any one wants to see it or Alan for that matter as I believe that he will be spending some of his time at our booth.

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to locate, close with and

Ken Cook · Jun 5, 1999

and destroy the enemy by means of fire and movenemt!
Like your sig file!

BTW, maybe you can answer a Q for me.
The little suspenderstrap hanger that comes with the Kydex sheath looks like it's meant for something specific, but damned if I can figure it out. LOL
What's the deal some sort of anchor for when worn around the neck?
I wore mine all day in the sideways belt carry position and it NEVER moved! No printing under a light weight collared shirt and it STAYED exactly where I put it. (I'm in love!)

Alan Folts · Jun 5, 1999

Ken, thats part of a modified figure 8 "microharness" system.

Use a longer length of cord than with neck carry. Rig the cord in a figure eight with that 4 holed dog bone in the middle. Now loop the cord over each arm, so that the dogbone is in the midle of your back and the knife is under whichever arm you want, using the two top holes, handle down, like in neck carry. If you remove the 2 stem bolts from the paddle, you can attach that elastic peice to the 2 holes closest to the opening of the sheath, clip the clip to your waistband or belt and it will hug your side and not flop around on ya.

Voila a harness...

Anything else creative you figure out for it let me know, I have used one to keep a neck knife under a tshirt so it doesnt flop out when i bend over thus printing in public...

Glad you like the knife.

Alan...

Scott Evans · Jun 5, 1999

Ken,
You must have walked some miles while carrying some weight and dug a few holes to sleep in once upon a time to catch that. (Mission of the Marine rifle squad is to )

The accessories that came with the knife were the sheath; the mini-paddle; and a lightweight shoulder harness. It sounds like you have the Mini-paddle concept down.

The shoulder harness is used as follows. 1) Remove the sheath from the Mini-paddle. ; 2) run the cord through the two eyelet rivets at the end of the sheath so that the handle is hanging down and the point is up. ; 3) form a loop using the small hour glass shaped gizmo with four holes in it that gizmo goes in the center of your back (nice touch by the way Alan). Put your left arm through the loop so the knife hangs under your left armpit. ; 4) Now the other two ends of the cord one goes over your right shoulder and the other under your right arm. ; 5) use that other gizmo (with two holes in and the piece of elastic and clip {also a nice accessory Alan}) as the anchor for the rig. Snap the clip to your belt or waist band on the right side run each end of the cord through one of the two holes and pull to adjust the rig when you have it where you like it tie it off.

This is a nice lightweight comfortable carry. It will take a little adjusting to get it just right but after that you wont even know you have it on.

Alan did some of the sheath work in my shop (I did not help he did it all himself) and I saw some of the things that he has in the works. Very cool stuff !!

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to locate, close with and

Scott Evans · Jun 5, 1999

Sorry Alan,

You posted while I was composing.

Did not mean to be redundant

However, it looks like I am using it differently then you had intended. I have not had any problem with the knife flopping as it is relatively light and small. Using your anchor gizmo on the other side keeps the cord out of my offside armpit.

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to locate, close with and

[This message has been edited by Scott Evans (edited 05 June 1999).]

Alan Folts · Jun 5, 1999

Scott, that works too, I never had much trouble with the cord biting in on the non sheath side so I never thought to use it that way, maybe next time I will make both, the one to secure the cord side wouldnt even have to be that big....

Alan...

gregj62 · Jun 6, 1999

I got mine too 2 of 25
Heck it wasn't even called Mantis when I ordered it

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-Greg Johnson
ICQ#4236341

Mr Blonde · Jun 6, 1999

Where can I find a picture of the mantis?
This sounds like a vey interesting knife!

Never mind, I found a picture. Almost forgot about the 'search' feature.

[This message has been edited by Mr Blonde (edited 06 June 1999).]

gregj62 · Jun 6, 1999

I posted one over in reviews. Mine has a Red handle but most will have black.

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-Greg Johnson
ICQ#4236341

Ken Cook · Jun 6, 1999

I love BladeForums!
I don't know everything about knives yet, but I will soon!

Thanks Scott and Alan! I'm going to try it both ways.
Already got it set up in harness with horizontal carry, perfect for weak hand reverse grip presentation! *Doesn't conceal perfectly though.*
BTW Scott,
Semper Fi!
(and)
All the Way!
I spent six years in US Army and 4 in the Corps. *Didn't learn my lesson the first time!*

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I cut it, and I cut it, and it's STILL too short!