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Jlux21

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Jan 6, 2013
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Is it just me or does it bother anyone else , when a knife " folding" is for instance, a texture G10 handle on one side and plain metal on the other?
That drives me crazy, just makes the whole thing feel and look cheap. I don't care if it's just metal on both sides that seems better to me. That's one reason why I choose CRK over Strider. It's a 400 dollar knife make both sides the same. Many brands do this I just don't like it. I'm not knocking Strider's quality they are great knives.
 
Jlux21 said:
Is it just me or does it bother anyone else , when a knife " folding" is for instance, a texture G10 handle on one side and plain metal on the other?
That drives me crazy, just makes the whole thing feel and look cheap. I don't care if it's just metal on both sides that seems better to me. That's one reason why I choose CRK over Strider. It's a 400 dollar knife make both sides the same. Many brands do this I just don't like it. I'm not knocking Strider's quality they are great knives.
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It is my understanding that companies do this so you aren't marking up (or wearing down) the scale when pulling it from your pocket. Since 99% of the knife market is right handed, that's why you have the bare metal scale on the clip side. I don't mind it at all, myself.
 
I used to hate it. I was all about G-10 over liners on both sides. After handling a few, I realized that I didn't need G-10 on the palm side slab, and appreciated that the metal side wasn't going to destroy my pockets. Once I fully internalized those things (as opposed to just understanding them academically), my perspective changed. That enabled me to see the beauty in them despite lack of symmetry. When it really comes down to it, "making both sides the same" would mean pocket clips on both sides. Naturally, just about everyone is going to respond to that notion by scoffing. Two pocket clips? That's not really a practical need, right? Same basic concept.
 
Jlux21 said:
Is it just me or does it bother anyone else , when a knife " folding" is for instance, a texture G10 handle on one side and plain metal on the other?
That drives me crazy, just makes the whole thing feel and look cheap. I don't care if it's just metal on both sides that seems better to me. That's one reason why I choose CRK over Strider. It's a 400 dollar knife make both sides the same. Many brands do this I just don't like it. I'm not knocking Strider's quality they are great knives.
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It bothers me too.
My only exception is this- I have a ZT 0561 that has textured G10 on one side and similarly textured Ti on the lock side. One side is different color from the other, but both are textured similarly.
 
I used to feel the same way, but came to appreciate the functional beauty of a frame lock knife. Even as a lefty, I now find myself drawn to the mechanical beauty of a frame lock.
 
I don't see why you can't simply texture the left side metal instead of resorting to another material for grip. I don't find that much asymmetry pleasant, either. It just seems like a retrofit, rather than a completed design.
 
RX-79G said:
I don't see why you can't simply texture the left side metal instead of resorting to another material for grip. I don't find that much asymmetry pleasant, either. It just seems like a retrofit, rather than a completed design.
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Many people prefer the better grip and lighter weight of a G10 scale. Look at some of the reviews for the Cryo... the biggest complaints that a lot of people had were the weight and the slippery texture. A G10 scale helps both of those problems. A textured frame can provide some grip, but not as much as G10, plus I suspect that all of that texturing adds more cost than a G10 scale because of the CNC time and the fact that titanium can be hard on tools.

But, since you're not the only person who likes the symmetry, a lot of frame-lock knives are available with a matching titanium scale. Others have them available as aftermarket accessories.
 
I really like it! The stoutness of a frame lock with the "warmth" of G10. Strider gets a pass for not having a Ti liner because of the integral back spacer.
 
Jim85IROC said:
Many people prefer the better grip and lighter weight of a G10 scale. Look at some of the reviews for the Cryo... the biggest complaints that a lot of people had were the weight and the slippery texture. A G10 scale helps both of those problems. A textured frame can provide some grip, but not as much as G10, plus I suspect that all of that texturing adds more cost than a G10 scale because of the CNC time and the fact that titanium can be hard on tools.

But, since you're not the only person who likes the symmetry, a lot of frame-lock knives are available with a matching titanium scale. Others have them available as aftermarket accessories.
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And a liner lock with G10 on both sides is even cheaper than that.

If sandblasted G10 is too rough under the pocket clip, don't sandblast it there.


Mismatched scales just seems like a lazy solution and look unfinished. If a liner lock isn't beefy enough, make the liner thicker. Or go with an exposed lock bar like some Microtech models and put a scale over the rest of the right side.

Just seems like an attempt to solve problems that don't really exist. A Sebenza isn't slippery, and a liner locks don't have to be weak.
 
I prefer all Ti myself, and will go as far as to get a framelock conversion done to get rid of composite scales, or get a Ti presentation scale to match the framelock side.
 
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