Lion Steel "Roundhead" Euro-Barlow

knifeswapper said:
It is no surprise that I love GEC knives. I am a slipjoint guy from a slipjoint background. But after fondling Lion Steel and Viper knives for a couple years, I really wanted their take on a slipjoint. These Italian makers are a lot like CollectorKnives - they are comparatively small companies that try and portray themselves as a bigger entity. Plus, Lion Steel has had the Blade Overall Knife of the Year for three years in a row now. People are giving me a lot of credit, but I just gave them general specs and let them run with it.

As far as specific inspiration, there are 5-6 patterns that I have always wanted to tweak just a little bit and introduce with a universally respected steel. I hope we can continue down that path.
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"These Italian makers are a lot like CollectorKnives - they are comparatively small companies that try and portray themselves as a bigger entity."
Is that what they call "Napoleon Complex?"
:D:p :thumbsdown: Ok I could not resist! Ha ha ha. Now my dryness is coming out!
 
I'm glad to have the CK/LS Roundhead Barlow. It's great to see a traditional pattern with top quality materials and precision manufacturing. The thinner blade stock makes it more useful for my everyday tasks than the thicker stock used on most modern folders.
 
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Has a length of branch that I'd used for removing a wire edge and was messing around making fine 'featherstick' curls on it. The aggressively rounded swedges are just perfect for getting your second thumb onto the blade comfortably to apply pressure for fine cuts. I've said it before but without any doubt, this is the most comfortable slipjoint knife to hold and use that I have ever encountered.


curls.jpg
 
Mike any chance of you having them make a lot of excess scales for people that would like to swap them out?
Would be a neat option. =)
 
I have 3 different versions of the first run. Rams horn is by far my favorite but I keep going back and forth on what to reserve on the clip point. Right now, I'm leaning towards stag since I didn't get that on the first run but I could very easily change my mind tomorrow. What a nice problem to have!
 
knifeswapper said:
It is no surprise that I love GEC knives. I am a slipjoint guy from a slipjoint background. But after fondling Lion Steel and Viper knives for a couple years, I really wanted their take on a slipjoint. These Italian makers are a lot like CollectorKnives - they are comparatively small companies that try and portray themselves as a bigger entity. Plus, Lion Steel has had the Blade Overall Knife of the Year for three years in a row now. People are giving me a lot of credit, but I just gave them general specs and let them run with it.

As far as specific inspiration, there are 5-6 patterns that I have always wanted to tweak just a little bit and introduce with a universally respected steel. I hope we can continue down that path.
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Any chance of hearing what the other 4-5 patterns are that you'd like to possibly tweek & bring to market Mike? If you'd rather not say I totally understand :thumbsup::cool:
 
I really like my stag roundhead. I used it in the field a few days ago to field dress about 30 dove and 15 pigeon. The knife was a mess and I was able to just take my water bottle and give it a quick rinse and forget about it. That was kinda nice to come back to a knife a day later with no rust. I then used it the next day to clean 3 fox squirrel and even used it to chop through the pelvis and ribs and it still is holding the hair shaving edge that I put on it in the first hour of owning it. The super steel is holding up to my mild use/abuse very well so far. It rolls open like butter , so smooth and the half stop is very nice as well. I am really happy with it. I should have ordered a slip for it though. The ones shown in the pictures look like very nice quality.

Burnt Stag.
 
I'll admit that I have the micarta on notify me right now but I am awfully tempted to switch it over to sure. I do love me some micarta.
 
I just left them all on notify because I can't decide and don't know how much money, if any, I will have when they do roll out. Ideally I'd get a ram's horn, a stag, a white carbon fiber, and a natural micarta. But more probably I'll only be able to get two at best, and I really can't decide which ones.
 
I wonder if the scales will be the same as on the roundhead? That way people can mix and match with their current knives and be more experimental with scale choices on this one.
 
Put in a reserve on a white carbon fiber roundhead.
Had put myself on the list for one of the first runs, but was on vacation out of state with no computer access when they appeared. Who woulda thunk?
 
knifeswapper said:
In order to avoid all the complexities that come with that territory, I will refrain ;)
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Totally understand my friend. I thought as much but couldn't help myself :D besides it's fun wondering what's next anyways. There's no denying that lol :thumbsup::cool:
 
madcap_magician said:
I'll admit the first time he directly replied to one of my posts, I wasn't quite sure how to take what he said, and that's coming from someone with a sense of humor as dry as the Sahara. But then I realized that A) he talks like that to everyone but doesn't have a malicious bone in his body, B) he's an upstanding businessman who loves our hobby and the people who share it, and C) regardless of whether you get his humor, he's one of the most engaged dealers on the forums.

Between all that and the fact that he's really dialed in on the niche market identified with the Euro Barlow, I'm definitely a fan.
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I agree 100% with this madcap. When I first was starting to buy knives off the Internet and was checking out the Dealers websites I was blown away at all the extra work that seemed to go into Mike's site. I knew right away that it was run by a fellow knife knut collector for sure. I have only recently been able to start buying his SFOs but I'd say The Roundhead / Shuffler are a beautiful place to begin. :D
 
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