In honor of the other Hinderer thread...

[Blues]

Sorry Blues . Posted before I saw your message. Would you like me to redact?

No. Discussion of the knives is fine...a rehash of the other thread is not.

Personally, I have no issues with the three that I own, (two previously owned by Roland who was kind enough to make them available to me), and one bought new from a dealer.

But if folks wish to discuss what is good or bad or lacking in the knives, that's fine.

 

[Glenn Goodlett]

Anyone have a guess what the dimples on this Project X are all about. Someone in another thread said it was how RH differentiates the steel types, but as far as I know the Project X only comes in one variety.

 

[Blues]

So why is the heat treat assumed to be optimal?

"Optimal for what?" would probably be a fair question. I think Peters is a well respected heat treating service. So, whether or not the requested Rockwell is optimal would depend on the intended usage. One might question whether any particular steel is optimal for any number of tasks.

Frankly, I think most users never approach having to ask that question of either the steel or the Rockwell.

 

[King of the Cheese]

All these amazing Hinderer pics make me want to buy another Hinderer! Rick’s influence extends beyond his own brand and into others via his designs… as all the best ZT knives happen to be Hinderer designs

We love you, Rick!

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

"Optimal for what?" would probably be a fair question. I think Peters is a well respected heat treating service. So, whether or not the requested Rockwell is optimal would depend on the intended usage. One might question whether any particular steel is optimal for any number of tasks.

Frankly, I think most users never approach having to ask that question of either the steel or the Rockwell.

I agree. I definitely agree with the HT specs for what RHK is going for. A hard use knife. Running it on the “softer” side allows you to pry that car door and possibly not snap it in half.

Also, Peter’s HT is who I use and trust. Not sure why that came up.

 

[Quiet]

All these amazing Hinderer pics make me want to buy another Hinderer! Rick’s influence extends beyond his own brand and into others via his designs… as all the best ZT knives happen to be Hinderer designs

We love you, Rick!

Right? Your mention of the Firetac in that thread that we'll move on from has me looking at them hard. I like everything about those!

 

[awjones]

I always thought it was the little steel flame tabs that gave the knife its strength?

 

[Blues]

Two lazy / crappy photos of my three...

 

[ferider]

I’d say every one I’ve owned (many more than pictured) have all been very easily adjusted to a near-perfect, if not perfect, flipper action. Most have been gtg oob, some have needed a slight tweak to the lock bar.

^^^ This.

I have barely any left after selling a few last year Blues - I know you've been dying to see this

Besides a handful of heavily used work-knives, this is what's remaining:

Still a garbage fan.

Cheers,

Roland.

 

[Blues]

I agree. I definitely agree with the HT specs for what RHK is going for. A hard use knife. Running it on the “softer” side allows you to pry that car door and possibly not snap it in half.

Also, Peter’s HT is who I use and trust. Not sure why that came up.

Probably because I didn't know whether you were questioning the competence of the heat treat itself, or simply the theoretical choice of a particular hardness.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

Just for clarity, I’m not stating, saying or implying that RHK are “garbage knives.”
Just trying to have some discussion.

 

[King of the Cheese]

Right? Your mention of the Firetac in that thread that we'll move on from has me looking at them hard. I like everything about those!

They don’t catch a lot of attention but if you like Hinderers and like something thinner in the pocket, it’s a good fit. The newest generation went to a blade with a recurve and that tends to be unpopular, but I don’t mind it.

 

[Blues]

ferider I foresee a ban in your immediate future...

...simply because.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

Probably because I didn't know whether you were questioning the competence of the heat treat itself, or simply the theoretical choice of a particular hardness.

Sorry, just theoretical choice of particular hardness. But I do understand why he chose it for the intended use of the knife. And I do think it was the right choice…

However, if we do not investigate “new” claims from younger makers, metallurgists and other industry up and comers, maybe we would still be at 420 steel from the past. (Not that anything is wrong with 420.)

 

[Quiet]

Just for clarity, I’m not stating, saying or implying that RHK are “garbage knives.”
Just trying to have some discussion.

The thing is, every single company out there has people who say this type of stuff about them. I know you love CRK knives (you know I do as well), but a common refrain whenever one of those "I totally don't get the big deal about CRK?!?" threads pops up is that they run their S35vn too soft, even though (again) thousands of customers are perfectly satisfied with theirs. Zero Tolerance? Remember the ELMAX debacle? Strider? Dude could design lockface geometry about as well as he could cook up a military experience cover story.

Sure, Hinderer's early models weren't great with their zero pressure detent, but the models for the past several years have been really good. I can say out of the like, five I've had, every one of them was great. I think you're misconstruing some of the comments being made here about lockbar adjustment or adding Skiff bearings. Those seem more like "I just like my knife like this" choices, not "I need to fix a flaw that this knife has" choices.

 

[King of the Cheese]

Sorry, just theoretical choice of particular hardness. But I do understand why he chose it for the intended use of the knife. And I do think it was the right choice…

However, if we do not investigate “new” claims from younger makers, metallurgists and other industry up and comers, maybe we would still be at 420 steel from the past. (Not that anything is wrong with 420.)

Metallurgists develop new steel types so why would anyone “not investigate” them? How many steels has crucible developed internally?

 

[Blues]

I know many makers who were completely satisfied with 440C...but had to satisfy the desires of their customers for the next big thing.

It's great to see the needle moved...but often it is much ado about nothing but for the rare instances where a knife is being used at the limits of its properties and heat treat.

I am not a hard user, so cannot opine too much in that arena. I tend to use my tools as designed unless finding myself in circumstances where all bets are off.

ETA:

Which is to say that when I was taking doors and doing entries, I used a sledge or Halligan bar...and not a USN MK III.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

The thing is, every single company out there has people who say this type of stuff about them. I know you love CRK knives (you know I do as well), but a common refrain whenever one of those "I totally don't get the big deal about CRK?!?" threads pops up is that they run their S35vn too soft, even though (again) thousands of customers are perfectly satisfied with theirs. Zero Tolerance? Remember the ELMAX debacle? Strider? Dude could design lockface geometry about as well as he could cook up a military experience cover story.

Sure, Hinderer's early models weren't great with their zero pressure detent, but the models for the past several years have been really good. I can say out of the like, five I've had, every one of them was great. I think you're misconstruing some of the comments being made here about lockbar adjustment or adding Skiff bearings. Those seem more like "I just like my knife like this" choices, not "I need to fix a flaw that this knife has" choices.

The thing for me is that why run M390 on the low side if S35VN (CRK and RHK use) is great on the low end of HT. Why not use M390 to it’s optimal hardness and brand it as a “cutting machine?”

To me it’s a choice of pleasing the masses with sub-optimal HT choice on a steel that could perform very well at a higher HRC.

 

[Quiet]

They don’t catch a lot of attention but if you like Hinderers and like something thinner in the pocket, it’s a good fit. The newest generation went to a blade with a recurve and that tends to be unpopular, but I don’t mind it.

Well, it's an interesting knife because it reminds me an awful lot of an early Emerson Viper (a design seen again on the ZT 0640). I'd be good with a recurve if I can find one, although the several I've found have been spantos. Not terrible.

 

[ferider]

Well, it's an interesting knife because it reminds me an awful lot of an early Emerson Viper (a design seen again on the ZT 0640). I'd be good with a recurve if I can find one, although the several I've found have been spantos. Not terrible.

TNK has a couple. You're welcome