Latest knife you played with and was it what you were expecting?

Kaizen1

Kaizen1

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Jan 4, 2006
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Just went to the knife store the other day and got to play with some models:

I'll start with Cold Steel, and I have to admit, a couple of knives I played with seemed REALLY tough:

-Raja II: This is a folding Kukhri. The Tri-ad lock seemed very secure and the knife overall seemed like it was designed for hard use. It came with a gigantic, but comfortable handle. Seemed like a pretty low price for how solid is felt. I think this knife is a real high value for the dollar deal.

-Black Sable: Very stout knife. Lock back design with no blade play that I could feel. Personally it's too big for EDC in the city and it's definitely overpriced IMO. Nice knife though.

-Triple Action: Felt VERY cheap and weak. I wouldn't be comfortable using this knife very hard at all. Felt like I was holding a plastic toy knife.
-Trailmaster: Didn't handle it, though I used to own a Carbon V Recon Scout, but noticed that the Trailmaster said "China" on it.

I was pretty impressed with the quality of the Black Sable and the Rajah II, particularly with how solid both of them felt. I'm also impressed with the value of the Rajah.

Spyderco:

-Superhawk: It was pretty much what I was expecting from Spyderco. Great knife. And I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it came with a compression lock! For some reason I thought it came with a back lock. The compression lock made me like this that much more. The only thing is, the price is climbing up there for me. I can't imagine why it's getting so high up there since they're using VG-10 steel. Great quality and ergos though.

-Orange Assist: This is a great knife. The Assist has always gotten my attention and now with it coming in such a loud color, it's screaming at me to buy it. Seems like the perfect knife for Fire Fighters, Paramedics or emergency-type tools for the average person. Great ergos, practical tools, just a great knife. Excellent value.

Emerson:

CQC-12: I was expecting to REALLY like this knife and I'm sorry to say that I was disappointed in it. I didn't like the ergos (one of my major deciding factors in a knife), I didn't like that the non-lock side was only G-10 (not that big a deal though) and I really didn't like how incredibly thin the cut out portion on the frame lock was. The cut out was thinner than my CQC-14's (which I love) liner and the CQC-14 comes with a steel liner on the non-lock side.

So I was surprised on how my expectations were way off of what I noticed on these knives. What knives have you played with recently and did they meet your expectations?
 
I demoed a BM960 at a store yesterday. It was exactly what I was expecting.

On the flip side, I demoed a BM530. It's NOT what I was expecting. It's way, way, way lightweight (hence its nickname, I suppose), and it feels cheap. It might actually be otherwise, but it still FEELS cheap.

And on Monday, I received my orders. The Ti-Lite was kinda what I was expecting... The only thing about it I wasn't expecting was that the quillion is REALLY, REALLY rough (I was warned, but didn't think it would be this bad), and I'm afraid it's going to rip up the insides of my pockets (I don't prefer to clip my defense knife; it needs to be loose carry in the pocket).

The Delica I ordered was beyond my expectations. I just love this knife so much.
 
The latest one I played with was a Kershaw Shallot. It turned out to be exactly what I expected. I opened my wallet and bought it.
 
I got to play with a Bradley Alias 1....wow...

This has been called a Sebenza knock-off but it really isn't, it simply follows Chris Reeve's high standards of using great quality components. It is every bit as smooth as a Sebenza, using the same blade steel and with a titanium body but about half the price. One of these is definitely on the list...
 
I don't really have the opportunity to play with before I buy. But the last two I bought were a ZT0500 MUBB and a Boker Wharcom. I had already been exposed to the ZT0500, but the Wharcom was the first of this series of knives I had ever handled and I have been very impressed with this one!
 
Oxforge "black knife".

Gosh, the thing is bigger than a Severtech. Great giggle factor.

But, suprisingly the knife feels good in the hand. And, more important, one of the few such knives wherein the lock engaged over a third of the blade width.

Impressed.
 
Spyderco Tenacious;

I love it, a lot bigger than I thought it would be, solid lock up and just great ergonomics, the first time I opened it I felt it was not as smooth as higher end Spyderco's but after 100+ openings all stiffness disappeared and its now as smooth as silk.

First blade with 8CR13MOV, seems to hold its edge pretty well- lightly used it for the past week and still hair shaving sharp.

Very good value for money, feels and looks far more expensive than it is.
 
Boker Mini Magnum

It was the manual version.

I noticed that it was possible for the blade to hit the pin at the base of the handle if the button was pressed.

After my brother had it for a couple days, I was looking at it and I noticed that in the locked open position, the button was engaging the blade significantly less than it was the last time I saw it. The button was literally engaging the blade for a couple millimeters. I found it disturbing. I wonder if some lint or something worked its way in somewhere.

The safety was a little loose too. It hardly matters on a manual knife, though.

The button was recessed enough so that I don't think it would open accidently.
 
I had always wanted a Boker Subcom and finally bought one without ever toucing it before.

I had it for a couple days before getting rid of it again. It was hard to open and difficult to disengage the lock.
 
I have some KaBars - Bucks - Bark Rivers, etc. Nothing modern and 'tactical'. I had been interested in the Gerber LMFII for a while - especially after finding them going down to $90 - then $60 - at some mail order houses. Yesterday saw my older son meeting me for an early Father's Day lunch - and a goodie. Great lunch - and a new boxed black Gerber LMFII. He had me worried - it was handed to me in a local yuppee sporting good's store's bag... I raised that man (He's 38... that makes me... gads, I'll soon be 60!) better... surely he got it 'right'? Little matter - it's a neat knife.

My impression fell when I pulled the assembly from the box - leg straps?? Last night found me removing the extra straps, leaving a belt-hanger hard sheath - which holds it securely - even has the sharpener, but no 'seat belt cutter', as some models have. Oh yeah, the knife... it's smaller than I thought. Although heavier - and a tad thicker - than a KaBar original, it is quite a bit shorter - and nearly half of it's blade is serrated, making a first of that type here. Also, it is reportedly of a SS rather than the good old 1095 CS of the KaBar, although both are black coated - maybe Parkerized.

I have carried my late Dad's old WWII South Pacific friend with me on many a camping trip, until dropping it on some concrete and breaking the pommel off at the reduced tang. Some Dremel grinding, a monel pommel and a few new leather washers, along with some JB Weld, and it's back together. Doubtfull it will ever see a camping trip again - I since gravitated to Bucks - and now Bark River. My bugout bag may get an LMFII, however. It'll be broken in on my next woods trip first.

So, I have to admit... I have been more elated over some recent new fb buys - my BRK&T Boone, Gameskeeper, etc - my Buck 408 - but this one has one attribute going for it - my son bought it for me! He claims it's a 'utility' knife and I should use it as much as possible. Time will tell.

A Content Stainz
 
I actually bought the CS Rajah II, because I was very impressed with it. I haven't put it to any "hard" use yet, but I'm that it will stand up to anything I'm likely to need it for. If I were forced to chop down a tree with a folding knife, this is definitely the knife I'd choose.
 
I usually don't get to handle a knife prior to buying, so this becomes the last knife I bought, a Buck 301. Actually, it is more than I was expecting. This is the first Buck I have bought since their edge 2000 project. I have my old Buck Camillus 303. The 301 cuts noticeably better.
 
I´m carrying for several months a plain edge Byrd Cara cara as my edc. Last week I used it to open several boxes and a couple of condensed milk cans. It did an excellent job. As expected it no longer passed the "paper cut test". Several passes through the Sharpmaker...good as new. It´s more than I expected for a low cost folder!
 
I can think of 3 right off that i was really exited about but when i finally got to see them major disappointment.
1. crkt sting, actually i liked the knife itself very much but the sheath was designed by a barrel of drunk, government monkeys. kind of reminded me of ford, they took what should have been simple, kydex sheath with clip, and made it have 25 moving parts. and it still didn't work.
2. boker mpt, nice enough knife good feel, flipped it over and it was marked china{or taiwan i'm old and can't remember which} just can't deal with that.
3. boker, this is the reissue of the ww1 boot knife. just really unhappy with the fit and finish of the piece. if it was $40 no problem but for around $120 it should have been much better. I actually happened to see a knockoff in a flea market that had better fit and finish for $10 out the door.
I guess in a way knives are like movies{bare with me i have a point} you hear everyone talking about a new movie and it sounds great but when you go see it for yourself it really can't live up to the hype.
 
Yesterday I checked out a BM 930, mini Dejavoo, and mini Rukus. The 930 surprised me with how small it carries for the length of the blade, and the exposed liners do not seem to be an issue. It's probably the next BM that I will buy. The mini Dejavoo felt good in my hand, but the mini Rukus has a perfect fit in my hand. Too bad it would occupy a lot of real estate in the pocket. For carry I don't think it's very practical, but for using it would be great.
 
The last knife that I really looked at prior to purchasing was the SOG Mini-Vulcan. This was in early June. I bought it on the spot and have not been let down yet. I'm quite impressed with this blade. It gets used a lot unlike many of my blades that just sit hoping for me to pick them up.

I did buy a SOG multi-tool in the last few days. Considered the Leatherman. I really don't consider that to be a knife however. It just happens to have a couple of blades on it. It is probably one of the best multi-tools on the market.
 
Hmm...

Moore Maker Serpentine Stockman. Bought it.

Al Mar Eagle Talon- got it.

Al Mar SERE- liked, but I could only get one knife for my birthday and decided to get the Eagle Talon.

Ditto an Emerson, although the Wave didn't seem to work that well on my thin shorts, a big Benchmade, a couple Mcustas, and some slipjoints made by (I think) Bob May.

Spyderco Cricket- cool little knife. Still wasn't able to use the thumb hole that well, but on a knife that small, I doubt I could use a thumb stud that well either.

Spyderco Native- IIRC, the grip obscured part of the thumb hole. I could still open it with a flick part-way, though. The handle just didn't really fit me.

Spyderco Delica- it had an extremely stiff backspring- it would not even open to where it stayed open with a hard flick. I'm guessing it was a lemon.
 
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