Hinderer Skinny XM-18 3.5 Sheepsfoot

pallid7

pallid7

Joined
Apr 27, 2020
Messages
47
I was able to pickup a practically BNIB Skinny from my local shop. I love the feel vs. the traditional XM-18 3.5"

What's everyone's opinion of the Skinny XM-18? Don't see many of them on the secondary market.

Thanks!
 
One of my faves to be honest. The shape, the feel, it being thinner, all that and a bag chips. I was on a waiting list for a bit... they sold out faster than expected, I'm glad I jumped on it when I did.

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I prefer the regular 3.5" actually. I found the ergonomics to be slightly less comfortable and more awkward. I think it was a mixture of a semi "sharp" edges on the finger groove where the G10 extends past the liner and the handle height vs width just seemed slightly off. The 0.45' handle on the skinny was less comfortable when compared against a similar 'skinny' hindered designed knife (0.44' handle width) the ZT 0566.
 
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I don't find the skinny uncomfortable but I do prefer the width of a std 3.5, fills the hand better.

Oddly the 3" skinny is has a wider body than a std 3".

My 3.5 skinnies are like guillotines which I'm not a fan of, running PB washers improves the action significantly IMO. Most tri-ways only run well on bearings, my skinnies run better on washers. Makes them buttery smooth w/out the loose guillotine affect, they still drop shut but more hydraulically.
 
I have two 3.5" skinny slicers. They are thinner behind the edge than Spyderco PM2 so they should slice even better. Ergo is great, not as hand filling as the regular xm-18, but still great.
 
I have two 3.5" skinnys with my favorite being non-choil slicer in battle black and bronze hardware and the second a red G10 skinner with the choil. Both are one of the best flippers I have experienced when they are running on bearings. I have no trouble with the ergos compared to my Gen6 regular XM-18 slicer. The non-skinny does fill the hand more but you also pay the price for the thicker blade. I do use my non-skinny on the weekends for hacking at backyard bush and olive tree clean-up but it will benefit from a <20dps reprofile on my Gen3 Wicked Edge when I have the time.

Overall I absolutely love the latest XM-18s no matter the blade shape or if it is a skinny or not. Rick and company has really nailed the flipping action lately.
 
Skinny 3.5" XM-18s are my favorite, and arguably a more practical EDC than the regular versions. I love the sheepsfoot. They are difficult to come by and highly coveted which may explain their rarity on the secondary market. My only beef with the skinnies is the even greater rarity of optional scales and hardware. It's been two and a half years since I purchased my skinnies and I've seen only one brief release of skinny G-10 scales and maybe a couple of very brief releases of skinny hardware (of very limited selection). Perhaps part of the unavailability of parts relates to the pandemic, but it has been 2.5 years. This kind of renders Hinderer's catch phrase "Make it yours" rather laughable. Still I hope for skinny "titanium" scales and a greater selection of skinny specific hardware. Hopefully it will happen before I die.
 
I would like to get a skinny slice 3.5 with no chill. I have nor seen one yet though.
 
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