Hinderer XM-18 3" Skinny vs. Regular

pikers88

pikers88

Joined
Dec 31, 2019
Messages
82
I've decided that a 3" XM-18 is going to be my next purchase. The only thing that I'm getting hung up on is whether to go with the Skinny or regular version of the XM-18.

I'm new to collecting and I only have a few knives at this point, a TRM Neutron & CRK Mnandi. I have a few local shops that have a decent selection of brands but none of them carry Hinderer. After viewing/handling their inventory, I've found that I definitely gravitate towards smaller knives (3" or less). I also live in an area where several surrounding towns/cities have 2.5" blade limits so keeping things on the smaller side helps with these laws as well. I'm not hard on my knives as I work in an office all week. It will get used around the yard and for basic hiking and outdoor activities on the weekend.

As I see it, here are the pros and cons of the Skinny and Regular:

Skinny
Pros:
  • Lighter and thinner
  • Easier pivot disassembly
  • Thinner edge = better cutter/slicer
  • Sleeker/more cohesive design with G10 on both sides
  • Cheaper
Cons:
  • G10 on both sides = potential pocket destroyer?
  • I've read that some people find the liner lock harder to access vs. the frame lock on the regular version
  • Fewer products for customizing the knife
  • Too similar to my TRM Neutron?

Regular
Pros:
  • Frame lock vs the liner lock
  • More of a "traditional Hinderer"
  • Ti on the lock side so easier to take out of the pocket when clipped
  • More customization options
Cons:
  • Thicker and heavier
  • Thicker edge
  • Proprietary tool for pivot disassembly
  • More expensive
Am I missing anything? I'd love to hear from people that have handled or owned both. I'm leaning towards the Skinny right now just because I like the more cohesive design and the fact that it's lighter and thinner but I'm not 100% sold.

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks!
 
I've kind of decided I'm not a Skinny guy. I like the hand filling geometry of the regular knives. I have skinnie's in both 3 and 3.5, they work great but not as satisfying to me as their thicker brethren.

As to the 3" skinny's foibles, the lock-bar access is easily modified w/a little sandpaper or a stone. I found the 3" skinny to have a lot of hot-spots from the sharp cornered g10 to the underside of the flipper biting into my finger. All were eliminated w/a little file work/sanding and now it fits my hand well w/out any issues except it's skinny :)

For the smaller knives I'm liking the 1/2 track or a 3" Eklipse over the XM a lot, oddly the 3" XM almost feels too small and I like smaller knives. It doesn't seem like much going from 3 to 3.5 but it's a lot. I think my sweet spot is 3.25 which seems like splitting hairs but again it feels a lot different in the hand. An 0566 sized Hinderer would be about the perfect XM size for EDC IMO, sits between the 3 and 3.5. For doing 'real' work I really like the 3.5 size so wouldn't want that to go away.
 
I didn't know they made a 3" skinny. I thought the skinny was only offered in 3.5?
 
Dang, learn something new each day..I just checked and the 3 inch skinny is a thing! Now I gotta have one!
Does filling on it void warranty?
 
Mistman68 said:
I've kind of decided I'm not a Skinny guy. I like the hand filling geometry of the regular knives. I have skinnie's in both 3 and 3.5, they work great but not as satisfying to me as their thicker brethren.

As to the 3" skinny's foibles, the lock-bar access is easily modified w/a little sandpaper or a stone. I found the 3" skinny to have a lot of hot-spots from the sharp cornered g10 to the underside of the flipper biting into my finger. All were eliminated w/a little file work/sanding and now it fits my hand well w/out any issues except it's skinny :)

For the smaller knives I'm liking the 1/2 track or a 3" Eklipse over the XM a lot, oddly the 3" XM almost feels too small and I like smaller knives. It doesn't seem like much going from 3 to 3.5 but it's a lot. I think my sweet spot is 3.25 which seems like splitting hairs but again it feels a lot different in the hand. An 0566 sized Hinderer would be about the perfect XM size for EDC IMO, sits between the 3 and 3.5. For doing 'real' work I really like the 3.5 size so wouldn't want that to go away.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input! The Eklipse and Half Track were on my radar as well. The Eklipse looks VERY similar to the XM-18. I honestly don't really see why they made both of them. The Half Track looks really cool but I think it may be too beefy for me. I often times take the clip off of my knives and throw them in my pocket. I think the XM-18 skinny would be great for that, the Half Track may be too chunky. I do like the looks of it, especially with the USA Made Blades exclusive Wharnie blade. I wish I could handle all of these, that would make life a lot easier :)
 
Feca10ne said:
Dang, learn something new each day..I just checked and the 3 inch skinny is a thing! Now I gotta have one!
Does filling on it void warranty?
Click to expand...

Hinderer should be sending me some referral money! :)

Let me know if you grab one, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
 
Mistman68 said:
For the smaller knives I'm liking the 1/2 track or a 3" Eklipse over the XM a lot, oddly the 3" XM almost feels too small and I like smaller knives. It doesn't seem like much going from 3 to 3.5 but it's a lot. I think my sweet spot is 3.25 which seems like splitting hairs but again it feels a lot different in the hand. An 0566 sized Hinderer would be about the perfect XM size for EDC IMO, sits between the 3 and 3.5. For doing 'real' work I really like the 3.5 size so wouldn't want that to go away.
Click to expand...

I agree with you about the Halftrack and 3" Eklipse being the better small Hinderers. I have the skinny 3" but everything on it just a little too small. OP should definitely consider these two over the 3" XM.

It sounds like the Hinderer Jurassic would be perfect for you Mistman.
 
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