Knifetests.com-whats YOUR opinion

[theonew]

Well mullet on a sidecar , while some of the sniping was mildly amusing, this thread finally seems to be morphing away from its nasty and cynical tone. I don't hold out much hope that Noss will pay attention to what's being mentioned here but then again I never expected this thread to change either. I've come close to posting a new thread for a discussion more like this but I as well have been too reluctant

I'm gonna go play in the snow now

 

[Guyon]

I've come close to posting a new thread for a discussion more like this but I as well have been too reluctant

If you do, I'll play. And I won't mention noss4 (under any name), knifetests.com, or post a single picture. I'll also blindly ignore any sniping that comes my way because of this thread. Scout's honor.

If anyone wants to make fun of me, they're welcome to post in my man purse thread in W&C.

 

[theonew]

Cool, I'll do my best to keep things civil and on track as well. Sorry, I don't have and don't intend to start my own man-purse thread, but you are welcome to email me your insults instead or I guess you could just post them in Guyon's thread

Here's a quick question. My wife brought home some unshelled hazelnuts, which I love. We can't find our nutcracker, so I've been placing the edge of the blade of my Bark River Little Creek against the shell and hitting the spine of the knife with the spine of a $5 Ikea chef's knife to baton open the shell. It really just takes a light little rap to pop open the nut, and hasn't left a mark in the spine of the LC. Would most here consider this abusive? I'm really just curious, not looking to start anything. Keep in mind the spine thickness of the knife is .14" and the steel is A2 at 58 HRC.

 

[Gator97]

Well, I've done enough railing against noss4 in this thread

Quite frankly, way more then enough.

and while the back-and-forth with others was oddly entertaining

That was obvious, and pointed out by others numerous times.

and mildly illuminating,

We'll see about that

it's really not productive for the greater community,
about which I do have concern regardless of what others believe.

I don't, and I might be wrong. Simply put, posting for the postcount sake, mocking, insults, namecalling, bringing absolutely irrelevant subjects to the posts doesn't fit very well with "concern for the greater community".

noss4 is not going away, so if one is not on board with noss4's efforts, then one can either (a) complain till one is blue in the face, (b) dismiss him entirely, and/or (c) (your suggestion) try to think about how reviews might be different and better. Of course, these choices are not mutually exclusive.

Terrific, although a lot of your actions didn't fit in the above.

I don't know how you'd get noss4 to pay attention to critique.

You can try, but after all your antics I am not so sure he'd listen to you, even if you come up with something very constructive.

I'll skip the rest of your posts, since we're on constructive discussion page.

 

[Guyon]

Starting at the top, it seems to me that one could ask a couple of broad view questions about knife reviews.

1) What content makes for a good review? That is, what kind of information would be most helpful? And what kinds of disclosures build trust for the reviewer? In part, good reviewers (reviewers of anything) pay attention to rhetorical practices that establish logos (a sense of logical reasoning) and ethos (a sense of ethics) for viewers/readers.

2) How can you produce a review that enables valuable cross-comparisons? Qualitative research compares all the time, but as I stated before, good work does so with an eye for methods and standards. What might these standards look like?

The first question set is mainly about make-up; the second is mainly about methods. But certainly, cross-over exists between the two.

theonew, to answer your question: If the BR is supposed to baton wood, then a nut shell shouldn't be an issue. Also, I doubt it qualifies as abusive since you're not leaving a mark, but I'd probably still opt for a plastic/rubber mallet or a wooden spoon of some sort over the cheap kitchen knife. I've just never liked to put metal on metal when a valued knife is involved. And it would be beyond strange for someone to insult you out of the blue in my W&C thread. Maybe I'll go insult Gator97 there though.

 

[theonew]

theonew, to answer your question: If the BR is supposed to baton wood, then a nut shell shouldn't be an issue. Also, I doubt it qualifies as abusive since you're not leaving a mark, but I'd probably still opt for a plastic/rubber mallet or a wooden spoon of some sort over the cheap kitchen knife. I've just never liked to put metal on metal when a valued knife is involved. And it would be beyond strange for someone to insult you out of the blue in my W&C thread. Maybe I'll go insult Gator97 there though.

Well, the idea was they could just go and insult you instead, an irrelevant insult or two doesn't seem too out of character in a W&C thread. I'll swing by there soon anyway just to take a whack at you for old times sake

Fair enough on your abuse assessment. I did try doing it with a block of wood and the problem I had was that it was hard to control the force involved due to the compressive nature of wood. I kept hammering through and/or kind of mushing the nut meat. With metal to metal it is easier to focus the force and just crack the shell. While I do value my Little Creek and use it regularly throughout the week, and would hate to see it broken, I never baby it, it's a very sturdy little knife.

I'd have to think to respond to the rest of your post and since I've had to think a lot for work this week, I'm gonna take a pass for now.

 

[orthogonal1]

...

Fair enough on your abuse assessment. I did try doing it with a block of wood and the problem I had was that it was hard to control the force involved due to the compressive nature of wood. I kept hammering through and/or kind of mushing the nut meat. With metal to metal it is easier to focus the force and just crack the shell. While I do value my Little Creek and use it regularly throughout the week, and would hate to see it broken, I never baby it, it's a very sturdy little knife.

...

See if you can find one of the wooden mallets they use in wood carving.

They are pretty spiffy.

 

[elkins45]

Starting at the top, it seems to me that one could ask a couple of broad view questions about knife reviews.

1) What content makes for a good review? That is, what kind of information would be most helpful? And what kinds of disclosures build trust for the reviewer? In part, good reviewers (reviewers of anything) pay attention to rhetorical practices that establish logos (a sense of logical reasoning) and ethos (a sense of ethics) for viewers/readers.

2) How can you produce a review that enables valuable cross-comparisons? Qualitative research compares all the time, but as I stated before, good work does so with an eye for methods and standards. What might these standards look like?

The first question set is mainly about make-up; the second is mainly about methods. But certainly, cross-over exists between the two.

theonew, to answer your question: If the BR is supposed to baton wood, then a nut shell shouldn't be an issue. Also, I doubt it qualifies as abusive since you're not leaving a mark, but I'd probably still opt for a plastic/rubber mallet or a wooden spoon of some sort over the cheap kitchen knife. I've just never liked to put metal on metal when a valued knife is involved. And it would be beyond strange for someone to insult you out of the blue in my W&C thread. Maybe I'll go insult Gator97 there though.

These seem like worthwhile questions with which to start a new thread.

 

[DennisStrickland]

this is what i like about knife nuts. it's not so much the facuality or lack of but the passion. actually it's our blade passion that's important not the correct conclusions.passion burns long after reason is dead. man does not live by logic alone.

 

[billbill]

Help-old buck 105
My grandfather gave me a Buck many years ago. He worked as a railroad engineer in the 1940's and got the knife then. The only markings are a stamped BUCK on the blade. Handle is black composite with silver/shiny metal at end and next to the blade. There are no additional marking/rings on the handle as there are on the later versions that looks like mine except for the 2 rings on the handle of later versions, I don't have a camera but can have a friend take a photo. Before I do however, if this is a original hand made 1940's 105 with leather sheath in good condition, I would like to know if it is a rare item. I've looked through all the posts and the 105 never seems to appear.

 

[knarfeng]

Help-old buck 105
My grandfather gave me a Buck many years ago. He worked as a railroad engineer in the 1940's and got the knife then. The only markings are a stamped BUCK on the blade. Handle is black composite with silver/shiny metal at end and next to the blade. There are no additional marking/rings on the handle as there are on the later versions that looks like mine except for the 2 rings on the handle of later versions, I don't have a camera but can have a friend take a photo. Before I do however, if this is a original hand made 1940's 105 with leather sheath in good condition, I would like to know if it is a rare item. I've looked through all the posts and the 105 never seems to appear.

billbill,
Welcome to Bladeforums!
You have posted this on the wrong forum.

You want to post this on the Buck forum. Here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=701

 

[stanley_white]

Starting at the top, it seems to me that one could ask a couple of broad view questions about knife reviews.

1) What content makes for a good review? That is, what kind of information would be most helpful? And what kinds of disclosures build trust for the reviewer? In part, good reviewers (reviewers of anything) pay attention to rhetorical practices that establish logos (a sense of logical reasoning) and ethos (a sense of ethics) for viewers/readers.

2) How can you produce a review that enables valuable cross-comparisons? Qualitative research compares all the time, but as I stated before, good work does so with an eye for methods and standards. What might these standards look like?

The context in which I use the majority of my knives is that of being in a deployed environment i.e. Iraq / AFG. Based upon this I would enjoy seeing a two phase review / test system for knives:

- Part I would focus on woods-oriented chores that the folks in the W&SS Forum could talk about i.e. fuzz sticks, batoning, producing sparks with a fire steel, shelter building, hacking etc.

- Part II would focus on combat-oriented tasks such as depth of penetration for a stab, how well the guard works, prying, digging, hacking, etc.

- All tasks would be performed first with a bare hand. Second with a pair of nomex-style gloves on. Third with heavy winter gloves on. Users to be need to know how the knife handles in each scenario. Try using a small handled knife with heavy winter gloves on -- not so good -- ask me how I know.

- The knife would be resharpened using only field-based sharpening methods such as a simple stone and NOT using something fancy like a Sharpmaker or Lansky. Again this is my military context.

At the end of the day IMHO TESTING needs to be based upon the CONTEXT in which the knife will be used. For me the above listed test would meet my needs.

-Stan

 

[trentu]

Have a Merry Christmas NOSS!!

 

[robotboy175]

holy crap - i just found out about this noss dude today, through another forum.

i read about 5 pages of this thread...whoa.

all i really want to know? has anyone bought one of those $10 cheaper than dirt bowie knives?

worth it?

being serious, i could care less about all this other mess

 

[230grains]

holy crap - i just found out about this noss dude today, through another forum.

i read about 5 pages of this thread...whoa.

all i really want to know? has anyone bought one of those $10 cheaper than dirt bowie knives?

worth it?

being serious, i could care less about all this other mess

My friend gave me one because he ordered one as well, absolute garbage. The blade never broke but the handle wobbled after about an hour. It'd be worth a lot more if they put another 10 dollars into the handle and charged 20.

 

[Guyon]

My friend gave me one because he ordered one as well, absolute garbage. The blade never broke but the handle wobbled after about an hour. It'd be worth a lot more if they put another 10 dollars into the handle and charged 20.

How could that knife have gotten such a high rating then? It beat out the Ranger RD-7, the Cold Steel SRK in Carbon V, Strider BT, Rat RC-4, etc.

 

[orthogonal1]

How could that knife have gotten such a high rating then? It beat out the Ranger RD-7, the Cold Steel SRK in Carbon V, Strider BT, Rat RC-4, etc.

Are we starting again?

 

[robotboy175]

230grains -


well, you have actually held one, so i will trust your opinion.

it isn't much different from some of the reviews on cheaperthan. most of the complaints have to do with the handle.

thanks~!

 

[Guyon]

Are we starting again?

Are you monitoring? If so, I wonder why you had so little input about what might make for a good review.

Honest question directed at 230grains. Why would such a cheap knife get such a high rating if it's got handle issues?

It's interesting to me how many folks in the CTD reviews mention knifetests as a reason they purchased.

 

[Guyon]

The context in which I use the majority of my knives is that of being in a deployed environment i.e. Iraq / AFG. Based upon this I would enjoy seeing a two phase review / test system for knives:

- Part I would focus on woods-oriented chores that the folks in the W&SS Forum could talk about i.e. fuzz sticks, batoning, producing sparks with a fire steel, shelter building, hacking etc.

- Part II would focus on combat-oriented tasks such as depth of penetration for a stab, how well the guard works, prying, digging, hacking, etc.

- All tasks would be performed first with a bare hand. Second with a pair of nomex-style gloves on. Third with heavy winter gloves on. Users to be need to know how the knife handles in each scenario. Try using a small handled knife with heavy winter gloves on -- not so good -- ask me how I know.

- The knife would be resharpened using only field-based sharpening methods such as a simple stone and NOT using something fancy like a Sharpmaker or Lansky. Again this is my military context.

At the end of the day IMHO TESTING needs to be based upon the CONTEXT in which the knife will be used. For me the above listed test would meet my needs.

-Stan

Stan, I understand your point here about context-based usage. I suppose someone could argue that context is always going to vary by user. On the flip side, of course, one could also argue that the majority of hard-use, SHTF scenarios might occur with users who do have to depend on gear for life-saving scenarios. These contexts might encompass military, LEO, SAR, survival instructors, etc. In line with the information you provide above, it might be interesting to get up a thread asking a range of such users (a) what they actually find themselves doing with knives regularly (day-to-day tasks), and (b) what are the most extreme usages for which they've deployed a knife. That kind of survey work up front might provide some useful information for designing context-based reviews.