- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,955
Blade is 3.125" combo edge of 13C26. Folder is 4" closed. Its a frame lock with the folder body made of 410 stainless. Folder is made in the USA.
Lock up on this one is perfect. It comes out to meet the blade well, does not allow any blade rocking or vertical play and is quite rigid and strong being nearly .100 thick 410 stainless stock. I do note that the lock relief cut out is on the outside on this model unlike other Onion designs and that the relief is taken down to a .038 thickness which for stainless is actually still quite strong based on some locks I've had in other knives of .040 stainless and titanium .040 thickness liner locks.
Fit and finish is quite nice for a $30 plus or minus folder. I wanted this one to compare it size wise to my much used and carried Storm II that I wrote about some time ago. See here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=396104&highlight=Storm
Most all the things I noted in this review on the SII are also found in the Storm I. I must say this size fits me a lot better than the II. I like the smaller knife and the drop in weight from 5.8 oz to 4.2 oz is also a nice change. I did carry the SII quite a bit this summer and it was noticed at times. I like a lighter weight knife when possible. Both the I and II have very thin profiles and come conveniently equipped with tip up or tip down carry options for pocket clip location. They come shipped for tip down carry. I switched mine to tip up right away and must say my first complaint is the same with this one as it was with the Storm II. Too much sticking out of the pocket in this mode of carry. This one will be sporting a low rider of its very own before long.
On the blade. It is flat ground with a recurve offering a good grip behind it with traction grooves on both the thumb position and the lock release. I notice the pocket clip acts as a lock stabalizer preventing over bending of it to compromise the lock. Not something often seen in stainless knives though but it is a support behind the lock in either position.
Grip is quite good for thumb purchase on the non clip side. It is quite easy to retract from the pocket anyway with all that sticks up out of the pocket because of the clip mounting position but the grip inserts really help and may be appreicated more once I get my low rider pocket clip on it. The lock side is nice and smooth and as a result it is very easy to slide on and off the pocket without needing to look down to check that you have it on there or hit it just right.
As I said, the blade is thin. Just behind the edge right in front of the last serration going toward the tip it measures .032 right above the bevel and at the tip .033 so it is pretty much uniform in thinness and grind. This is slightly thinner than its bigger brother the SII at .038 in both locations. At the top right above the first serration near the pivot it measuers .050. Above the last serration .044 thinning a bit toward the plain edge, again slightly thinner than its bigger brother. My digitial caliper gets .060 in the back middle of the blade and .056 middle at the 3/4 of the length before going into the upsweep of the tip. The blade is .125 stock.
I can tell from owning this one for just a few that I will indeed be happier with it than I have been with my SII. I think it will be my new beater for a good while now. I have learned lately that the word "beater" causes some to react due to the blade steel in this one and some feeling it is not 'beater steel", so for the record I list a 'beater' as a knife I don't hesitate to use, that is the one I'll loan out without worry or need to babysit it if someone asks to use my knife and that is inexpensive and easy to replace while still keeping a good edge with good corrosion resistance. I also note a beater as one that usually has a serration option but many times I refer to a beater as the knife looking at the whole and not just the steel for the blade. I don't use the word to get into a huge debate about the steel not being a beater steel or anything like that. Its just a word I use to describe my user knives in my EDC line up and nothing more.
Off to do some cutting and carrying. Thanks for reading.
STR
EDIT: to correct mistakes.
Lock up on this one is perfect. It comes out to meet the blade well, does not allow any blade rocking or vertical play and is quite rigid and strong being nearly .100 thick 410 stainless stock. I do note that the lock relief cut out is on the outside on this model unlike other Onion designs and that the relief is taken down to a .038 thickness which for stainless is actually still quite strong based on some locks I've had in other knives of .040 stainless and titanium .040 thickness liner locks.
Fit and finish is quite nice for a $30 plus or minus folder. I wanted this one to compare it size wise to my much used and carried Storm II that I wrote about some time ago. See here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=396104&highlight=Storm
Most all the things I noted in this review on the SII are also found in the Storm I. I must say this size fits me a lot better than the II. I like the smaller knife and the drop in weight from 5.8 oz to 4.2 oz is also a nice change. I did carry the SII quite a bit this summer and it was noticed at times. I like a lighter weight knife when possible. Both the I and II have very thin profiles and come conveniently equipped with tip up or tip down carry options for pocket clip location. They come shipped for tip down carry. I switched mine to tip up right away and must say my first complaint is the same with this one as it was with the Storm II. Too much sticking out of the pocket in this mode of carry. This one will be sporting a low rider of its very own before long.
On the blade. It is flat ground with a recurve offering a good grip behind it with traction grooves on both the thumb position and the lock release. I notice the pocket clip acts as a lock stabalizer preventing over bending of it to compromise the lock. Not something often seen in stainless knives though but it is a support behind the lock in either position.
Grip is quite good for thumb purchase on the non clip side. It is quite easy to retract from the pocket anyway with all that sticks up out of the pocket because of the clip mounting position but the grip inserts really help and may be appreicated more once I get my low rider pocket clip on it. The lock side is nice and smooth and as a result it is very easy to slide on and off the pocket without needing to look down to check that you have it on there or hit it just right.
As I said, the blade is thin. Just behind the edge right in front of the last serration going toward the tip it measures .032 right above the bevel and at the tip .033 so it is pretty much uniform in thinness and grind. This is slightly thinner than its bigger brother the SII at .038 in both locations. At the top right above the first serration near the pivot it measuers .050. Above the last serration .044 thinning a bit toward the plain edge, again slightly thinner than its bigger brother. My digitial caliper gets .060 in the back middle of the blade and .056 middle at the 3/4 of the length before going into the upsweep of the tip. The blade is .125 stock.
I can tell from owning this one for just a few that I will indeed be happier with it than I have been with my SII. I think it will be my new beater for a good while now. I have learned lately that the word "beater" causes some to react due to the blade steel in this one and some feeling it is not 'beater steel", so for the record I list a 'beater' as a knife I don't hesitate to use, that is the one I'll loan out without worry or need to babysit it if someone asks to use my knife and that is inexpensive and easy to replace while still keeping a good edge with good corrosion resistance. I also note a beater as one that usually has a serration option but many times I refer to a beater as the knife looking at the whole and not just the steel for the blade. I don't use the word to get into a huge debate about the steel not being a beater steel or anything like that. Its just a word I use to describe my user knives in my EDC line up and nothing more.
Off to do some cutting and carrying. Thanks for reading.
STR
EDIT: to correct mistakes.
