GSO 3.5 (2nd Generation)

Standard78 · Jun 10, 2017

I can understand the 3.5 kind of looking like a steak knife.
The 4.1 looked like a modern Kephart done in a saber grind.

Fancier · Jun 10, 2017

I've mentioned this before, but my original interest in Survive was because I wanted a modern version of a Kephart.
Then Guy went and redesigned them and I like them even more, but they are further from the Kephart concept of the ideal woods carry knife.

Hard Knocks · Jun 11, 2017

Silver Needle said:
What would you use a new one for if you caught one?

I think if I did go for a new gen 3.5 that the primary use I'd be after is for field dressing deer. The mid-3" blade length is right in my preferred range for deer, although the 4.1 and the cpk fk are great as well. I'm just really comfortable and familiar with the size of the 3.5 though. But I'm happy with my current 3.5, not much knocks it out for a convenient multi-tasker. So I guess the right deal would need to come up to go after a new one.

Psybull · Jun 11, 2017

Standard, there was an Instagram picture from a several months back showing a box of cut 3.5 blanks back at the shop already, so I think they are just waiting until they catch up on some of the other models. I think the new spec 3.5 will be a totally different knife as far as what it will excel at compared to the 1st gen. As an edc blade and hunting knife I think it will be awesome vs the old spec which can do those as well was more a lightweight hiker/boot knife in my way of thinking. Look forward to getting one in hand.

Silver Needle · Jun 11, 2017

Psybull said:
Standard, there was an Instagram picture from a several months back showing a box of cut 3.5 blanks back at the shop already, so I think they are just waiting until they catch up on some of the other models. I think the new spec 3.5 will be a totally different knife as far as what it will excel at compared to the 1st gen. As an edc blade and hunting knife I think it will be awesome vs the old spec which can do those as well was more a lightweight hiker/boot knife in my way of thinking. Look forward to getting one in hand.

Smart looking! Good point on how the updates in specifications changes the intended use. I think Guy said that if he gets a chance, he'd do a quick video on his ideas behind each model. I'd be really interested to hear the thoughts straight from the designer.

Standard78 · Jun 11, 2017

Psybull said:
Standard, there was an Instagram picture from a several months back showing a box of cut 3.5 blanks back at the shop already, so I think they are just waiting until they catch up on some of the other models. I think the new spec 3.5 will be a totally different knife as far as what it will excel at compared to the 1st gen. As an edc blade and hunting knife I think it will be awesome vs the old spec which can do those as well was more a lightweight hiker/boot knife in my way of thinking. Look forward to getting one in hand.

That's my hope on these also. Something smaller than the 4.1 but still strong and capable.

sfrigon1 · Jun 22, 2017

The 4.1 is on the larger side so I'm really pumped about the new 3.5 . Contemplating an sk

jjweb · Jun 23, 2017

You can now pre order the GSO 3.5

Fancier · Jun 23, 2017

sfrigon1 said:
The 4.1 is on the larger side so I'm really pumped about the new 3.5 . Contemplating an sk

That was my initial impression of the 4.1 when the specifications were published as well. It really isn't that much smaller than the 4.7 at all.
As a result the first two new spec knives that I ordered were a 3.5 and 6.

I foolishly decided that I didn't need the intermediate length knives, but I could not resist buying them as seconds anyway.

scout1sg · Jun 27, 2017

jjweb said:
You can now pre order the GSO 3.5

Would rather see them put more focus on the Starter 3.5s from 2015 than offering up more pre-orders.

Fancier · Aug 30, 2017

Since I really like the textured G10, and it looks like the only way I'll get a GSO D3V 3.5 with camo G10 is to place an order for one, and the preorders are still open, I've committed to another one.
Funny how my tastes changed in the last couple of years, but back then I didn't know that they'd have textured G10 and how much I'd like it...

Hard Knocks · Aug 30, 2017

Textured Camo G10 on a 3.5? I fully endorse that idea!

Silver Needle · Aug 30, 2017

Fancier said:
Since I really like the textured G10, and it looks like the only way I'll get a GSO D3V 3.5 with camo G10 is to place an order for one, and the preorders are still open, I've committed to another one.
Funny how my tastes changed in the last couple of years, but back then I didn't know that they'd have textured G10 and how much I'd like it...

Yes! The microtexturing makes me want to go after ONLY G10 from now on. I love it.

Hard Knocks Ok, there has to be a story there

Hard Knocks · Aug 30, 2017

Silver Needle said:
Hard Knocks Ok, there has to be a story there

I was a little rough on that 3.5 and gouged the original micarta scales. The company still had some 3.5 replacement scales at that time, and they had just started up with the texturing, so I contacted them about the ones you see and they were kind enough to accommodate me :thumbsup:

I love that knife!

Fancier · Aug 31, 2017

That knife is a piece of Survive history!
A bit of the "old" with a some of the flavor of the "new". :thumbsup:

Hard Knocks · Aug 31, 2017

Fancier said:
That knife is a piece of Survive history!
A bit of the "old" with a some of the flavor of the "new".

And my first attempt at a retrofit of torx into G10. Thank goodness it turned out!!

Fancier · Sep 2, 2017

I wonder if the GSO 3.5 in 3V will stay open for orders until the SK blanks are shipped out for assembly?
I'm assuming that the 20CV isn't open for orders because the SK line is all 3V.

Oyster · Sep 5, 2017

G10 is generally a bit heavier than micarta. And I believe there is more variance in micarta than G10 depending on the maker. For those that have had both on a 3.5, was there a noticeable difference (esp. on a smaller model like this one)?

I love S!K's micarta on my 4.1 (thanks again, you know who you are!) but all the gushing about the textured
G10 is making me wonder - especially since I'm not sure how easy it will be to purchase an extra set of G10 scales for the 3.5 I have on order later on.

Hard Knocks · Sep 5, 2017

Oyster said:
For those that have had both on a 3.5, was there a noticeable difference (esp. on a smaller model like this one)?

I had both on that last gen 3.5. It started off with natural micarta before the G10. I'm sure there is a difference, but I don't notice it. On some models of blades, I definitely notice, but like you allude to above, maybe because this is a small knife so less difference??? A scale swap of micarta to g10 on something like the CPK FK has a very noticeable difference.

ETA: The new model 3.5 looks to be a bigger knife than the last gen, so my experience may not help with the yet-to-be-released new model 3.5.

Fancier · Sep 20, 2017

Images from Millit (the new machining contractor for Survive) of the 3.5 landed on Instagram.

squarebox86 said:
Embed the picture for context:

It is extremely worrisome that that it looks like a hollow grind instead of a true flat sabre grind. Been avoiding any knives made by Millit knives as it seems that they only do hollow grinds, afterall the guys behind Millit knives were from Chris Reeves knives.

Will be keeping a very close eye on this. If they aren't truly flat sabre grind, I'll definitely pull out all my orders as I never had a good experience with hollow grinds even on a Sebenza...

I have been a big fan of S!K for a long time and have a nice collection of S!K knives. I am able to tolerate the long waiting times but now getting a totally different knife will be the last straw for me.

Let's hope SurviveKnives will not become the next schradepocalypse, "survivepocalypse" or "skpocalypse"

Oyster said:
I had the same thought when I saw it and am wondering what use I would put it to now. Wouldn't a hollow grind kind of defeat the purpose/attributes of 3V?
I ordered mine in 20CV, but was still expecting it to fulfill a role as an all around utility (and occasionally harder use) knife...

chiral.grolim said:
A second image after blasting (evidently these will NOT be stonewashed?)

I'm including the post from Silver for reference because I thought we'd seen a new spec 3.5 blank already.

Silver Needle said:
Big bump to this thread since this pictured new spec 3.5 blank is the first physical specimen I've seen. I've already posted this same pic in the Instagram thread.