How does the 524 alumni perform ?

[Hickory n steel]

My 425 minibuck cuts well enough ( not as good as the Gerber ultralight or Case mini executive though ) , while my 383 nano bantam has never really cut very well at all even though I've kept if sharp enough to shave hairs.

Does the the 524 alumni cut similar or potentially better than a 425 or does it cut poorly like the 283 ?
That is of course assuming I didn't just get a bad 283.

 

[plb]

The Alumni and 425 have identical blades and should cut similarly. On the 283 they added a sharpening choil which can sometimes snag . The 2006-2009 283's were made in China and probably have different steel and edge retention properties. I measured blade stock thickness and all 3 are .080 inches and they all are thin behind the edge measuring .020 inches.

 

[Hickory n steel]

The Alumni and 425 have identical blades and should cut similarly. On the 283 they added a sharpening choil which can sometimes snag . The 2006-2009 283's were made in China and probably have different steel and edge retention properties. I measured blade stock thickness and all 3 are .080 inches and they all are thin behind the edge measuring .020 inches.

My 283 is US made but I think maybe it just needs a bit of a an edge tune-up . The shapening notch which I add on my knives anyways is no problem.

I liked the alumni when it came out, and I think a Black one will be my next knife purchase.
The 425 was always good to me, but I do find all the handle a bit busy and ugly.

 

[plb]

I find the 283 to be a little easier to open by pinching the blade, whereas you have to use the nail nick on the other two. The Alumni is really slim and lightweight - almost nothing too it. It also lacks a lanyard/keychain hole, and the rivets protrude above the scales and are not rounded or polished. The rivets do add a little traction on an otherwise slippery aluminum handle.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I find the 283 to be a little easier to open by pinching the blade, whereas you have to use the nail nick on the other two. The Alumni is really slim and lightweight - almost nothing too it. It also lacks a lanyard/keychain hole, and the rivets protrude above the scales and are not rounded or polished. The rivets do add a little traction on an otherwise slippery aluminum handle.

The 283 is definitely a good pinch opener, i never have trouble with lockbacks though as there's very little pull weight required.

 

[Makael]

This knife should be just fine at what it was designed for.

 

[Hickory n steel]

This knife should be just fine at what it was designed for.

Maybe I've just gotten used to my other small blades that are much slicier, I haven't carried the 283 much In the past few years and have noticed it doesn't cut as well since putting it in my pocket on Friday.
I wanna say I bought it 4 years ago, and I remember it not being very sharp when I got it.
I never had any complaints with my 425, so I'll probably love the 524 as much or more because it looks much better.