Is this knife the cream of the crop?

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Sami P

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Aug 7, 2011
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I will have some money to spare around Christmas and I have been dreaming about going to the very top (folder wise) for a while.

My research lead me to the Japanese Rockstead knives. Watched these videos which pushed me half way towards making a decision

[video=youtube;T6kedsPSBnc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6kedsPSBnc[/video]

[video=youtube;vFGPi3e8LZA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFGPi3e8LZA[/video]

[video=youtube;CC-4zEYP1wA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC-4zEYP1wA&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Then I read about an independent test where they used the knife to make 1000 rope cuts then sliced paper without any sharpening, and that was it for me.

The investment will be massive and any buyer's remorse would be truly painful, so I just want you to tell me if this knife was really the best money can buy or if there is a higher quality folder anywhere.

Thanks.
 
Looks good, I like the design a lot it looks comfy. As far as being the best in the world, that depends on a lot of things. I haven't seen one of those up close, much less held or used one. The truth is, the term "best" is very subjective. There are so many custom makers out there that produce very clean, tough, elegant, utilitarian, artsy, overbuilt knives that there really is no one true best. It varies from one person to the next. That is definitely a nice looking knife though, but for that price I think you can get something that is built to Sebenza like tolerances with even better materials. Aluminum handles for $1700+ = no thanks. I would much rather have Rick Hinderer or Darrel Ralph make something to my exact specs for that kind of money.
 
get signed up for the farid k2 in cpm rex 121. if this can out perform it, then i will be extremely surprised.
shoot, at your price, get the folder, ditch the handle, and have nathan the machinist here on the forum machine you a handle to your liking.
 
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I saw him at Blade a few years back dojng the bamboo thing.
Impressive edge holding, but IMO it is WAY over priced.
 
Don't believe everything you see on a video. If video's were all the truth, the Ginsu knife is the best knife in the world.
 
To each his own I guess. I'd rather have some Reeves and Busse for $1750...

What is the hole in the blade for?
 
Sami P said:
I will have some money to spare around Christmas and I have been dreaming about going to the very top (folder wise) for a while.

My research lead me to the Japanese Rockstead knives. Watched these videos which pushed me half way towards making a decision

[video=youtube;T6kedsPSBnc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6kedsPSBnc[/video]

[video=youtube;vFGPi3e8LZA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFGPi3e8LZA[/video]

[video=youtube;CC-4zEYP1wA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC-4zEYP1wA&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Then I read about an independent test where they used the knife to make 1000 rope cuts then sliced paper without any sharpening, and that was it for me.

The investment will be massive and any buyer's remorse would be truly painful, so I just want you to tell me if this knife was really the best money can buy or if there is a higher quality folder anywhere.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

That's 1000 push cuts, doesn't really mean all that much, there are a lot of knives that can and will do that.

Jerry Busse did over 2000 push cuts with a Battle Mistress in public and it would still shave hair.

It's marketing really.

For that knife I would be suprised if it could do 250 slicing cuts and still cut paper.
 
A very nice knife indeed........that being said, I think there are some much nicer knives in the world for half that price. Get what you want, but don't rule anything out just yet. I'd say look around a bit more.
 
jackknife said:
Don't believe everything you see on a video. If video's were all the truth, the Ginsu knife is the best knife in the world.
Click to expand...
That made me laugh out loud. I am old enough to remember the commercials where the guy would chop a 2x4, cut through a nail, and stabbing a brick, followed by skinning a tomato.:D
 
Speaking from many years of collecting Japanese things, stuff from Japan in general is very overpriced, relatively speaking. CDs, DVDs, coffee, magazines, movies, musical instruments, clothing, knives; almost everything is about twice (or thrice) what you'd pay elsewhere. Especially so now given the abysmal USD/yen exchange rate. I'm not saying this to disparage Rockstead or the quality of their knives; I'm sure they're quite nice. But be aware that you can get a top, top-tier custom maker to make you basically anything you want for that price. Of course, if you have that kind of money and this is your dream knife, go for it :cool:
 
I'd be a hell of a lot more impressed if he actually got through the bamboo instead of taking a few light whacks then cutting slick paper which is easy. I lived in Japan for 3 years and can attest to the high prices of all things quality. Probably is a very nice knife but the survival kit including knife I could put together for $1700 would bring me much more joy.
 
I'm kinda split on Rockstead. Their specs are absolute topgrade, and I've held two on a knife show a few months ago and they looked and felt simply exquisite, better than any folder I've ever handled - and I can't think of a brand I haven't handled. It totally looks and feels like a custom. But I also suspect that the sentiments expressed here that other knives at far lower prices achieve all that too - except of course the absolute aura of exclusivity, which the two Rocksteads I handled did exude.
So yeah, they do make me greedy for them. If I could easily afford it (without sacrificing other knives on the to-get list I mean) I would probably buy one. Only way to be sure. As it stands I am moving more and more upscale anyway, disposing of lower-end stuff. So who knows.
Rockstead might be all hype. It wouldn't be the only brand. Or they could be all they're claiming. That happens as well. :cool:
 
I have seen some of these knives being tested and have handled a couple. They all have well thought out designs, ergonomic, practical,well balanced, with FLAWLESS fit and finish,with a Japanese flair. All pieces I saw were very hard, sometimes laminated Japanese steels in the 1.5-2.0% carbon range, the edge geometry was nearly flat or convex with no secondary bevel and polished to a mirror finish, much like a katana. It was the push cutting phone books reapeatedly that impressed me, Ive found it takes a very polished edge and excellent geometry to do this consistently. I would say they are a superb knife made by a true craftsmen, but the price and the diffuclutly of maintaining that polished bevel during resharpening would lead me toward more conevntial knives.
 
In the end, it is all up to you whether you want to drop nearly 2K on one knife, If i had that kind of money i would buy an umnum, a S90V para2, and a Busse NMFBM, and pocket the rest. There is just no way i could go around carrying that kind of money in my front pocket, and turning a knife like that into a safe queen would be a sin. It's up to you.
 
The video it cutting that bamboo doesn't impress me very much and the price is way way way too much for me to ever justify. I'd rather buy a lot of folders, use them once and throw them away to be honest (Ha I use to actually do this!). the design doesn't really allow for custom carry and I'm sure not everyone likes the tip up only carry and what about lefties?.

BTW: what's the weight of one of these knifes? seems pretty bulky and the all metal construction seems heavy to me. those stingray inlays may look grippy but the rest of the knife seems pretty slick to me, I wonder how it would do if covered with blood or other slippery substance? The best knife in the world? I thinks not...


Either way, If you got the money to blow and want one, I say go for it! Buy it and enjoy it! That's what money is for.


P.S. do they offer lifetime resharpening and warrenty on their blades?
 
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