laserstrike ?s

G

guntram

Joined
Oct 4, 2010
Messages
276
well, the debut thread is too out of hand to ask questions, so i'll start a new thread. can anyone please explain to me the selling points of this knife? i know a bunch of people would kill for 3/16 5, but is that all there is to this? is there a purpose for the blade/handle shape?

basically, i'm just trying to understand the design. thanks.
 
I believe that it is based on an older design that TOPS produced for them.
It is being resurrected to replace the HEST.
This is the only info I have.
 
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Look at the knives in W&SS and the makers forums labelled "bushcraft". Basic blade shape, minimal handle shaping for maximum different grips, short thin blade for slicing, not prying. Take it camping, food prep, fish & bird cleaning.

Most of their other knives are up for heavier work. The LS is more finesse, like an Izula with greater reach. (Not that any of these are delicate. :) )
 
It's really up to the user (or collector) to decide what they're going to do with the knife. How they use it and for what determines what style, brand, size, shape and steel will suit them best. That's why there really is no "best" knife.

After that, the "selling point" of a knife become clear. If this knife doesn't appeal to you than it doesn't have a selling point.

For me... I use my knives to make fires. So the LS with it's thin blade, full flat grind and zero choil (ideal for choking up on the blade giving me more leverage... the technique I personally prefer) make carving much easier. The spear point and bearing block divot assist in bow drill making.

So, the selling point to me is that this would make a fine fire making tool. :thumbup:
 
Looks to me like it would also make a good defensive blade. Of course any blade you have on you could be used for a defensive blade, but.........
 
what about the exposed tang along the back of the handle? if i remember correctly from the other posts, the tang protrudes out past the scales along the palm side of the handle.
 
Ontario never produced this knife for us. TOPS knives produced this knife for us years ago. It is a bushcraft knife with fire making as it's theme. Thus the bow drill divot and a couple of other things we might do to aid in building the fire like include a small ferro rod in the handle. The original LS built by TOPS had a back strap that sat above the handle slabs a bit so you could use the steel for striking a spark with true flint. However the differential heat treating became a royal pain in the ass since the back strap had to be around 60 or so Rockwell and the blade had to remain at around 56-57. The new one does not have the protruding back strap since we did away with the differential heat treat. We are discussing production and delivery here at SHOT and should have some news in the coming weeks. BUT it is going forward. Mike
 
thanks for chiming in, mike. i love that you guys are so active in here. i know you all are busy right now and i really appreciate you taking time to answer questions we have. we can all come up with answers, but it's always best to hear from you guys. thanks.
 
thank you for starting this thread. i asked the same question on the other thread and didn't get a response.
 
Questions probably got lost in the chaos guys, but I'll add my .02.

Lots of people like a 5" blade. It is a "just right" blade length for a lot of users for many applications. The only 5"-ish blade ESEE offers is the ESEE-5 which is 1/4" thick. The 5 is a great knife but some folks don't like the 1/4" thickness and the weight that comes with it. So, lots of us have been begging for a 3/16" thick (like the 4 and 6) in a 5"-ish blade length.

With the seperation of DPx and ESEE and the HEST leaving the lineup, there was discussion of introducing a new knife to the line to fill the spot (not "replace" because they're different animals) of the HEST. Jeff looked at the wall and there was the old Laser Strike. Rowen did a prototype and here we are.
 
thanks, adaman04. i remember them saying that before. i just posted this as a way to get some questions answered for myself and others. i was mainly looking to understand the blade shape and other features of the knife. i've never used a knife with such a drastic drop point. well, i guess that's what my sak blade looks like, but they are quite different in size. i was wondering if there was a specific design reason to turn away from the shape of all the other blades on this knife.

drumdirty, i know how those threads get... so many people happy to see something and questions just get lost in the mix. i saw questions being posted in there and knew that was going to be overlooked, especially with mike and jeff not here as much as usual. glad i could help.
 
I have a question about Laser Strike : why the pommel of the knife does not leave exceed the tang ?

Yet it is very convenient to knock the knife from back. Many users like this.
 
Hey,

As far as I go, I can see the benefit of having a 5" bushcraft knife. The ESEE-5 can be used for that but really is a bail out knife of overbuilt proportions. It's not something I personally want to take into the woods with me. The 6 is cool but, I'm thinking still more knife than I'd like to carry. The Laser Strike Mk. II fits the bill quite perfectly for me. The handle and blade profile both look like they will do a fine job. A bowdrill divot may make me actually get off my but and try some friction fires.

Jeff,

Please don't put a ferro rod in the knife. I got a HEST, good knife used it for a bit. But at the end of the day it's kind of an ESEE quality gimmick knife. The more time I spend with gimmick knives the less I like them. There are plenty of ways to effectively carry and use a ferro rod. I really don't wan't one in my knife. I think that as time goes on some (at least myself) will find that the ferro rod in handle taints the knife experience without adding any real value. Personally I love that your company makes great knives, and that those knives are just great knives. Let the other guys go gadgeteering. Let RYP make the gimmick knives (nothing against Mr. RYP, great stuff, but it really is a different kind of mentality.)

God bless,
Adam
 
I disagree. Hollowing out the handle completely, sacrificing strength so you can put stuff in there, I agree. Putting a big compass on the side, I agree. Putting the next most important tool in survival in a small space designed for it? Not a gimmick in my opinion.
 
I agree with jumpmonkey on the ferro rod subject. I can understand having a place for it on the sheath (after all, ESEE knives are part of a system that includes their excellent sheaths), but not in the handle. Not that this would ever happen, but I would love a molded plastic sheath, like the ESEE-3, instead of kydex. Feel free to lambast me, but I've never liked kydex.
 
wintermute said:
I agree with jumpmonkey on the ferro rod subject. I can understand having a place for it on the sheath (after all, ESEE knives are part of a system that includes their excellent sheaths), but not in the handle. Not that this would ever happen, but I would love a molded plastic sheath, like the ESEE-3, instead of kydex. Feel free to lambast me, but I've never liked kydex.
Click to expand...

Consider yourself lambasted! :D

I'd still like to see a ferro rod holder on the sheath like the original. I'm not removing my scales to start a fire to cook lunch. It's a small space that has no real affect on the strength of the knife that holds a properly sized fire steel that is there if you need it in an emergency. Now how you get to it without toting an allen wrench (or if they use flat head screws a washer on a lanyard) beats me.

I could take it or leave it but Jeff and Mike don't do gimmicks.
 
adaman04 said:
I'd still like to see a ferro rod holder on the sheath like the original. I'm not removing my scales to start a fire to cook lunch. It's a small space that has no real affect on the strength of the knife that holds a properly sized fire steel that is there if you need it in an emergency. Now how you get to it without toting an allen wrench (or if they use flat head screws a washer on a lanyard) beats me.
Click to expand...

It's probably my eyes again (since you wouldn't donate to my fund for new spectacles :grumpy:) but I wasn't entirely able to follow your previous post. But, this one I can follow. I am totally down with a sheath that will carry a ferro rod. One inside a hollowed handle, like you said, I don't want to deal with that. Also I don't want one that is somehow built into the handle. ESEE and other companies already offer good rods and kits, and there are many good secure ways to carry them (pants pocket/keychain/psk anyone?) So the advent of another space on a knife seems to compromise a good knife by offering an unnecessary feature. But on a sheath, I can stomach, and may even like that, after all a sheath is a tool carrier.

As far as molded plastic, it is not tacticool. This bothers me. But, honestly, while I don't "like" the factory Izula sheaths, let me assess for you all briefly the real problems of those sheaths.
1) Durability, these things are... fine perhaps outstanding in durability.
2) Retention, no, wait, they do fine here too.
3) Mounting options, yep they got that in spades.
4) Kydex, see this is where they really fail, they aren't made out of kydex. (honestly in my limited experience I've had more problems with kydex sheaths than I have with the simple uncool molded plastic.)

God bless,
Adam
 
I'm with adaman04 here.... it'd be nice to have a firesteel tucked away in case of emergency (as long as the handle scales come off with a washer, and doesn't require a dedicated tool). I wouldn't like to take it on and off all the time just to get to a firesteel, but only for emergency. You never know what may happen in an emergency - you may lose the sheath, lose your pack, or whatever.. but having one in the handle means as long as you have the knife, you'll have fire. I like that.

A place for an often-used firesteel on the sheath would be really nice... that way, you can have one that you use regularly right there with the knife, and handy.

I don't really care what the sheath is made of, as long as it's of the exceptional ESEE quality that everything else is in. I have a 5 in Kydex, a 5 in the Eagle sheath, HEST in Kydex, and the Izulas and a 6 in molded plastic... they all work great.

The LS will most probably replace my 5 in the camping pack when I get my hands on one! The 5 gets a bit too heavy sometimes... might just have to leave that for the BOB.
 
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