- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
- Messages
- 2,823
Note: Pictures were kept to a reasonable size for forum use. If you would like larger pictures of any particular shot, please contact me.
First, a (very) little about myself.
I spent eight years in the army. I spent part of it as an infantry grunt, part of it as an infantry scout / forward observer, and part of it as a scout-sniper. I am NOT some kind of superman by any means, and the military wasn't really for me (hence why i'm no longer there, though I was 100% honorably discharged) but I DO know what I'm talking about when it comes to field gear. NOBODY knows "Will it work?" for stuff like this better than a grunt!
Now, onto something you care about.
You've Got Mail....
I received in the mail last week, after applying for a knife testing position, a very formidable little steel spike from Mr. Koster. Right out of the box I was impressed by the little blade.
Like other reviewers, I do not know what steel this is. I was told the prototypes would be either 1095 or O1. I'm no steel expert, so I'm not going to even try to guess which one this is (1095 maybe? Ha).
Here's a look at it (nearly) fresh out of the box. I did NOT clean it, did NOT polish it, did NOT sharpen it...I am reviewing this nice PRECISELY as I recieved it.
Rough looking? Yes. Comfortable? Effective? Well balanced? Efficient? Read on...
The Specs:
The measurements I was given from Daniel Koster were as follows:
3" blade
4.75" handle
3/32" thickness
The measurements are, as these pictures show, accurate.
Here are a few comparison shots. I thought since many of you probably have or have held at least one of these other three knives in the picture, it would give you a better idea of the scale of this prototype blade. The knives pictured alongside the prototype are for SIZE COMPARISON and nothing else. The knives you see are, in order from left to right:
-Spyderco Endura 4 Folder
-Bail Out Bag Prototype aka "Nasty Spike" (I call it this myself, because that's what it resembles...this is NOT the official name given to it by anyone, it's just my loving nickname for the blade)
-Swamp Rat Warden
-Gerber Fast Draw Folder
It's All In the Details...
A few opinions on this blade.
First off, I love the ergonomics of the handle. I could almost use it a LITTLE teensy bit larger, but for the record I have fairly large hands so most people would probably be just fine with current size of it.
As a sidenote, I initially felt that rounded edges on the handle would be more comfortable. The edges on the Nasty Spike are basically 90 degree angles, and tend to bite a tiny bit into the hand if you hold it too hard. However, it was brought to my attention that this makes it a PERFECT handle for striking a firesteel / magnesium block / etc. Why I didn't think of it, I have no idea. However, it was a wonderful point and upon consideration of the Nasty Spike's handle further, I think the hard edges suit it just fine. In addition, it does help provide for a very firm grip on the relatively slim handle.
With regards to the thickness of the blade itself, I love it. I feel it is just thick enough to provide some real power and support and maybe even be used for light prying of some sort (the handle of course would be better for this than the blade), yet it remains thin enough to be easily concealed, easily carried, and easily stored.
I am PARTICULARLY liking the highly aggressive jimping on the back of the blade. The jimping itself is borderline sharp, and provides excellent thumb grip. In addition, it also provides a little less than half an inch of sawing ability. I know, that isn't a lot (hardly any really) but you never know right? I mean, this is a "bail out" situation we're talking about, you use the tools you can get your hands on. It's not going to be a good dedicated saw at all, but it's there if you get the urge.
The jimping, along with the ergonomics of the handle, provides a great choked up position for more detailed work. You can NEARLY use the blank space below the actual cutting edge of the blade as a choil, but it felt just a bit too tiny for my hands. Again, I have larger hands than most people I know.
(notice the jimping)
First, a (very) little about myself.
I spent eight years in the army. I spent part of it as an infantry grunt, part of it as an infantry scout / forward observer, and part of it as a scout-sniper. I am NOT some kind of superman by any means, and the military wasn't really for me (hence why i'm no longer there, though I was 100% honorably discharged) but I DO know what I'm talking about when it comes to field gear. NOBODY knows "Will it work?" for stuff like this better than a grunt!
Now, onto something you care about.
You've Got Mail....
I received in the mail last week, after applying for a knife testing position, a very formidable little steel spike from Mr. Koster. Right out of the box I was impressed by the little blade.
Like other reviewers, I do not know what steel this is. I was told the prototypes would be either 1095 or O1. I'm no steel expert, so I'm not going to even try to guess which one this is (1095 maybe? Ha).
Here's a look at it (nearly) fresh out of the box. I did NOT clean it, did NOT polish it, did NOT sharpen it...I am reviewing this nice PRECISELY as I recieved it.
Rough looking? Yes. Comfortable? Effective? Well balanced? Efficient? Read on...
The Specs:
The measurements I was given from Daniel Koster were as follows:
3" blade
4.75" handle
3/32" thickness
The measurements are, as these pictures show, accurate.
Here are a few comparison shots. I thought since many of you probably have or have held at least one of these other three knives in the picture, it would give you a better idea of the scale of this prototype blade. The knives pictured alongside the prototype are for SIZE COMPARISON and nothing else. The knives you see are, in order from left to right:
-Spyderco Endura 4 Folder
-Bail Out Bag Prototype aka "Nasty Spike" (I call it this myself, because that's what it resembles...this is NOT the official name given to it by anyone, it's just my loving nickname for the blade)
-Swamp Rat Warden
-Gerber Fast Draw Folder
It's All In the Details...
A few opinions on this blade.
First off, I love the ergonomics of the handle. I could almost use it a LITTLE teensy bit larger, but for the record I have fairly large hands so most people would probably be just fine with current size of it.
As a sidenote, I initially felt that rounded edges on the handle would be more comfortable. The edges on the Nasty Spike are basically 90 degree angles, and tend to bite a tiny bit into the hand if you hold it too hard. However, it was brought to my attention that this makes it a PERFECT handle for striking a firesteel / magnesium block / etc. Why I didn't think of it, I have no idea. However, it was a wonderful point and upon consideration of the Nasty Spike's handle further, I think the hard edges suit it just fine. In addition, it does help provide for a very firm grip on the relatively slim handle.
With regards to the thickness of the blade itself, I love it. I feel it is just thick enough to provide some real power and support and maybe even be used for light prying of some sort (the handle of course would be better for this than the blade), yet it remains thin enough to be easily concealed, easily carried, and easily stored.
I am PARTICULARLY liking the highly aggressive jimping on the back of the blade. The jimping itself is borderline sharp, and provides excellent thumb grip. In addition, it also provides a little less than half an inch of sawing ability. I know, that isn't a lot (hardly any really) but you never know right? I mean, this is a "bail out" situation we're talking about, you use the tools you can get your hands on. It's not going to be a good dedicated saw at all, but it's there if you get the urge.
The jimping, along with the ergonomics of the handle, provides a great choked up position for more detailed work. You can NEARLY use the blank space below the actual cutting edge of the blade as a choil, but it felt just a bit too tiny for my hands. Again, I have larger hands than most people I know.
(notice the jimping)
