Gravitator versus Yojimbo?

Artfully Martial

Artfully Martial

Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
4,761
I've long been thinking about picking up one of these guys.

I like the yojimbo's compression lock more than a liner lock. Also, I like its size and spyderhole more.

But I really love the style and beauty of the Gravitator...but I fear it's too large. Also, I already have a ton of spydercos...

So for you, and for what reasons, which?

SC_85GPBK_LARGE_1.jpg


BM425.jpg
 
The Yojimbo is more simple and straightforward. Plus steel-wise i'd go with Yojimbo. Mine is in the blue G-10. Cheers.

Frids
 
I'd go for the bm as i have both. The yo looks like a boxcutter and handles like 1 too. The grav has nice ti liners and the g10 2 tone is fab. 154cm is nothing to sneeze at either even if its not as hyped as s30v.
 
I have been keen on a yojimbo for a while. Is it true that they now only make them with blue handles?
 
After handling them both, I tend to agree with "kevtan" in that the Gravitator is higher quality knife than I had expected. A few seconds in my hand and the finer points were evident. The blade is butter smooth in opening and can be flicked as well. It's a rather unique and robust knife with a very nice blade grind.

I also like the Yojimbo and frankly, have no complaints other than I am still out to lunch on the compression lock. It seems to be a more straigtforward and/or utilitarian design along the lines of a box cutter. Easy to carry and use, and very sharp. It's blade opens effortlessly also.

You can't go wrong with either. I don't see any problem in carrying either as their sizes are similar. Both are very useful as EDC knives - though I slightly prefer the Gravitator.
 
I've never handled the Yohimbo but the Gravitator is definitely nice and beefy. You mention that it's a liner lock but it's basically a framelock considering how thick the lockarm/liner is. I've used mine for some pretty tuff stuff and it always came back for more. My only complaint about the one I own is the edge bevel was uneven and a PITA to fix. Although... I was so impressed with the Gravitator I picked up a Snody Hybrid too. Very nice. :thumbup:

oil
 
If I had to pick one , I'd take the Gravitator. They're almost the same price and IMO the Gravitator is more knife. It's not all that big to carry and I like the custom look it has. Plus it's a Titanium framelock and it has an open design making it easy to clean without taking it apart.

I've considered buying the Yojimbo but the price is a little high ( to me anyway). If I was to buy a Spyderco in that price range I'd get a Manix or Chinook II
 
Never really realized how similar these knives are. I also have never handled either of them.

That being said, if I was going to buy one, it'd probably be the Yojimbo. The compression lock is stronger and more fun to play with that a liner lock, and it has better blade steel.
 
I've played with the yojimbo before, but I never noticed this until that photo...is that a slight finger choil on the yojimbo?
 
Overall the gravitator is a god looking knife with some good materials. However If you consider what Mr. Janich had in mind for the general design when he went to Mr. Snody the Yojimbo wins it has a more secure griping surface/material, and ergos. I also suspect that in a serious situation the compression lock would be less likely to accidently disengage (purely speculation on my part). If you want a knife for utility then get the Yojimbo. If you want a good lookiing knife with good materials get the gravitator. If you want a knife like this for a "knife fight" Get the Ronin.
 
Yojimbo:
And for SD, don't forget the hole in the clip and opposing indentation in the handle for quick, "spinning" grip changes.

But I'm with spyderfan when it comes to SD. I sold my Yohimbo and bought a Ronin. I had to drill a exta hold in the handle for the TekLok, but the knife sits in its Kydex sheath, tilted forward and ready for a less than half second draw, thrust, and return. I'm a fan and practicing student of Pikal style fighting and like the Ronin for this prupose.

Regards
 
Good advice on the SD, but my knives merely serve as box openers, not as weapons. If it doubles as an improvised weapon, all the better, but SD is low on my list of concerns these days. Nonetheless, it's still a good thing to consider.
 
Artfully Martial said:
Good advice on the SD, but my knives merely serve as box openers, not as weapons.
Click to expand...

A lot of you guys know my enthusiasm for the Yojimbo design. However, given your statement, I would defer to the phenomenal Dodo for this application. After all, it was explicitly designed for cutting boxes, if I remember correctly.

As for using the Ronin in the Pakal grip, if this works for you, do so. However, it was not designed for use in this fashion, but for the forward Filipino grip in which it excels. The only reason I'd use the Pakal grip on my Ronin was if I had to draw it in a reverse grip to begin with. The Disciple is vastly superior for Pakal styles, as it was designed for them. If you have machining skill, you can cut out a finger choil into the top of the Ronin so it can function in a Pakal grip, but until this is done, it belongs at home in the forward Filipino grip where it is peerless.
 
Respectfully disagree that the standard Ronin is not a great Pikal blade. The finger "cutout" is a nice addition and I intend to have it done. But until then, the knife is still quite capable. With a "thumb cap", that knife isn't going anywhere. I also like the Disciple and have considered buying one for a long time. But at the moment, I am happy with the Ronin. Besides, there are no finger cutouts in the Disciple.

One Pikal instructor I know of uses the Delica in his instruction. I would not (unless I had to) because to me Pikal partly means a "fast, vicious, immediate response" and drawing a FB is the first part of that response.
 
bladeprince said:
Besides, there are no finger cutouts in the Disciple.
Click to expand...

I thought I perhaps remembered incorrectly, but here is a picture for clarification:
disciple.jpg

Note the finger choil directly above the handle pin. It works much like the Yojimbo's choil, anchoring the index finger(or pinky in the Disciple's case in reverse grip). I really like deep finger choils in designs, which is why I referene this one. All things said and done, if the Ronin is working for you, that is great. You're just one more vocal supporter of this great design.:)

Not to stray too far off topic, Mr. Janich also has a design that is a somewhat of a link between the two designs called the Kalista. It has the aforementioned deep finger choils on both top and bottom of the blade.

Lastly, the Gravitator has one disadvantage that hasn't been mentioned. Because the knife is tip-down only, the rough thumb grooves on top of the blade absolutely carve up your hand when reaching into a pocket that has the knife clipped to it. The tip-down design is the only serious criticism I can levy against the Gravitator. That, and I wish it had a more pronounced finger choil.:cool:
 
Does the gravitator have a finger choil? It doesn't look like it from the pictures...

I do love finger choils though. I think we might be accidentally referring to a cutout though

As per the dodo, I already have one, buying another next week anyway. And it's true, they're fantastic at opening boxes. But opening boxes was my term for mundane knife uses as opposed to martial uses, which my name might lead folks into thinking of...

Actually, I suppose it's rather unfortunate, but my knives see fairly little use at all. They cut little things here and there, but nothing that a 30 dollar Kershaw Centofante couldn't handle for a few years. No, the knives are mostly an appreciation of an art...a unique combination of form and function.
 
I like the look of both knives. The Yohimbo looks like it'll have better ergos. I like the larger blade on the gravitator. I like the compression lock, but the liner is solid on the Gravitator. I'm not really sure which one I choose. Even if I had both, I'd have trouble figuring out which one to carry. These are one of those good burdens in life.
 
eojk said:
I thought I perhaps remembered incorrectly, but here is a picture for clarification:
disciple.jpg

Note the finger choil directly above the handle pin. It works much like the Yojimbo's choil, anchoring the index finger(or pinky in the Disciple's case in reverse grip). I really like deep finger choils in designs, which is why I referene this one. All things said and done, if the Ronin is working for you, that is great. You're just one more vocal supporter of this great design.:)

Not to stray too far off topic, Mr. Janich also has a design that is a somewhat of a link between the two designs called the Kalista. It has the aforementioned deep finger choils on both top and bottom of the blade.

Lastly, the Gravitator has one disadvantage that hasn't been mentioned. Because the knife is tip-down only, the rough thumb grooves on top of the blade absolutely carve up your hand when reaching into a pocket that has the knife clipped to it. The tip-down design is the only serious criticism I can levy against the Gravitator. That, and I wish it had a more pronounced finger choil.:cool:
Click to expand...


I stand corrected. I forgot about the grip reversal of the Disciple's handle. A little incentive to get the finger cutout (I won't call it a choil because it will be farther back) completed. However, I do find that the lower edge of my hand fits quite nicely into the choil on the Ronin during Pikal grip. That adds a little extra grip but admittidly not as good as a finger cutout (or choil as on the Disciple. But the more I look at the Disciple, the more I want one. This thread could end up costing me a lot of money....lol.

Regards
 
I've handled the Benchmade but not the Spyderco, though I've considered buying a Yojimbo. I'd go with it for the better lock, as a liner can be disengaged easily during certain tasks and has been one of the least reliable locking mechanisms I've used. The other thing that makes me favor the Yojimbo is it has a clearly superior grind for pure cutting from the photos.
 
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