JPD1998
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2004
- Messages
- 3,572
This is probably a familiar scenario to some here; you are awestruck by a knife in a cutlery shop that you would never have noticed from a catalog picture or a web site. Thats pretty much what happened to me last weekend when I first saw the LW Loveless Folder. And though I havent bought anything without a thumb-stud or other opening/ locking gizmo I had to have it.
Not knowing anything about LW or if the $200.00 asking price was fair, I memorized Lone Wolf, Loveless and decided to do some research at home.
LW gets mixed reviews here, but when I found the knife for $137.00 shipped from one of my favorite dealers I decided to take a chance. I received the knife yesterday.
Granted, I could pretty much tell from my initial examination in the store that this wasnt a hard use knife, but its a perfect utility / small hunting knife. Its overall footprint is a little smaller than a Buck 110 and lighter. It lacks a pocket clip but comes with a high quality leather belt case. The case is lined on the inside with an extra layer of leather to protect the knife from the users belt; the snap is covered with felt so that it doesnt make contact with the knife.
The knife itself is so well made that I found myself looking for any signs of imperfections. The only thing I could find were a few very light grind marks on the underside of the frame where the lanyard hole is, really, almost non-existent. The knife is designed to look like a classic frame-lock but its a liner-lock with a solid stainless liner. The bolster is brushed stainless on the flat sides, but high polished on the front, top and bottom. The back, which looks like the back spring of a traditional folder is also high polished. The liner lock with detent is so well designed that the blade finishes closing with authority.
I also found the knife to be very well finished in places that usually dont get much attention, looking at the inside of the liner with a small light revealed a very well finished interior.
The blade is finished very well and evenly polished. Ive seen this knife pictured with two different stamps, but mine is like the picture below and I prefer it this way. The name is stamped or cut deeply into the blade not laser etched or any other method that will wear off. The reverse has a tang stamp (a fir tree) and the country of origin (Italy). From what I understand they are made in Italy using US blade steel.
OK so whats bad? Well IMO really nothing because I handled the knife and read any reviews I could find before I bought it. But some of you might not like the two handed opening using your fingernail and the fact that not a lot of blade is showing when you do try to open it. In the closed position, the detent keeps the blade very secure and it must be pulled to break free of the ball. I read a review where the writer complained that part of the nail nick is covered by the frame. Mine is completely exposed so maybe they changed its design.
Incidentally, LW doesnt show this model on their site , so it might be discontinued.
Some stats from the dealer.
Blade Length: 3.25"
Length Closed: 4.25"
Overall Length: 7.50"
Weight: 4.6 oz
Blade Material: 154-CM high-carbon stainless steel
Handle Material: Green canvas Micarta
Fasteners/Rivets: 300 series stainless steel
Not knowing anything about LW or if the $200.00 asking price was fair, I memorized Lone Wolf, Loveless and decided to do some research at home.
LW gets mixed reviews here, but when I found the knife for $137.00 shipped from one of my favorite dealers I decided to take a chance. I received the knife yesterday.
Granted, I could pretty much tell from my initial examination in the store that this wasnt a hard use knife, but its a perfect utility / small hunting knife. Its overall footprint is a little smaller than a Buck 110 and lighter. It lacks a pocket clip but comes with a high quality leather belt case. The case is lined on the inside with an extra layer of leather to protect the knife from the users belt; the snap is covered with felt so that it doesnt make contact with the knife.
The knife itself is so well made that I found myself looking for any signs of imperfections. The only thing I could find were a few very light grind marks on the underside of the frame where the lanyard hole is, really, almost non-existent. The knife is designed to look like a classic frame-lock but its a liner-lock with a solid stainless liner. The bolster is brushed stainless on the flat sides, but high polished on the front, top and bottom. The back, which looks like the back spring of a traditional folder is also high polished. The liner lock with detent is so well designed that the blade finishes closing with authority.
I also found the knife to be very well finished in places that usually dont get much attention, looking at the inside of the liner with a small light revealed a very well finished interior.
The blade is finished very well and evenly polished. Ive seen this knife pictured with two different stamps, but mine is like the picture below and I prefer it this way. The name is stamped or cut deeply into the blade not laser etched or any other method that will wear off. The reverse has a tang stamp (a fir tree) and the country of origin (Italy). From what I understand they are made in Italy using US blade steel.
OK so whats bad? Well IMO really nothing because I handled the knife and read any reviews I could find before I bought it. But some of you might not like the two handed opening using your fingernail and the fact that not a lot of blade is showing when you do try to open it. In the closed position, the detent keeps the blade very secure and it must be pulled to break free of the ball. I read a review where the writer complained that part of the nail nick is covered by the frame. Mine is completely exposed so maybe they changed its design.
Incidentally, LW doesnt show this model on their site , so it might be discontinued.
Some stats from the dealer.
Blade Length: 3.25"
Length Closed: 4.25"
Overall Length: 7.50"
Weight: 4.6 oz
Blade Material: 154-CM high-carbon stainless steel
Handle Material: Green canvas Micarta
Fasteners/Rivets: 300 series stainless steel
Good review, thanks.