Love my Haddock

S

sonoronos

Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Messages
19
Great knife. The finish makes it very low key. I've been waiting for a titanium framelock like this for years. My BM Mini-Dejavoo is far too blingy to carry around and use in public. My Spydercos are (strangely) universally "scary" to non-knife people regardless of size. This knife, on the other hand, contains all the technical qualities that my inner knife-geek wants, but looks innocuous...almost like a box cutter or a paring knife.

As you can see from the dis-assembly picture, the Haddock isn't a "hard use knife", at least not without making a custom heavy-duty pivot pin. The frame spacers are little gems, and the pocket clip can be moved to tip-up or tip-down carry.

Dis-assembly requires two Torx screwdrivers: T6 and T10. There is no loc-tite on the knife at all from the factory, which is the way I like it.

If the knife does not come centered from the factory (mine didn't) then centering is very easy: Tighten the pivot screw with the T10 Torx to move the tip away from the G10 scale, and loosen the pivot screw to move it towards the G10 scale. Simple.

Bushings are a confusing mix of white plastic, black plastic, and bronze. I imagine a "hard-use" modification of this knife would replace the plastic with bronze.

The blade grind is hollow, but it is asymmetric. One side is a little deeper than the other, which enhances the character of the knife. Something about the "rustic" look of this knife makes it feel very special, almost like art.

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Note: Please, for the love of all that is stainless, never, ever, ever use red Loctite on your knives. At least not on a knife that you sell to somebody else.
 
Thanks for the dissection revelations. That is a small pivot - and cheesy bushing combo. The knife is seriously over-priced - as I thought initially. Of course, I went back months ago and bought mine anyway. I like mine - but it certainly won't get the nod when a heavy-use folder, like a pocket bushcraft knife, is needed. It will certainly cause me to approach big buck Bokers with a bit more trepidation. That pivot pin size was a shock!

Stainz
 
I believe the knife is a production version of Anso's custom Haddocks. It stands to reason that the pivot pin on the Boker is the same dimensions as that used on Anso's custom Haddocks.

I personally don't see an issue with the pivot pin itself (A Sebbie or Benchmade 755's pivot pin isn't much beefier), but I do see an opportunity for "improvement" in the way that the pivot is supported by the scales. Maybe along with a combo frame lock-stop like Anso's other knives.
 
Not to be argumentative, :D, really, I don't really see a problem with the pivot size. It seems to have thick walls, and as long as it is hardened properly, it should stand up to harder use. At least that is what I think, but I've never been considered a "deep-thinker"!:eek::)
 
cutter17 said:
Not to be argumentative, :D, really, I don't really see a problem with the pivot size. It seems to have thick walls, and as long as it is hardened properly, it should stand up to harder use. At least that is what I think, but I've never been considered a "deep-thinker"!:eek::)
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you, cutter17. The pivot pin is very well made. This is definitely a beefy knife, so I should clarify my definition of "hard use."

When I mention "hard use", I don't mean frequent use, nor do I mean cutting cardboard, whittling wood, or chopping. I mean batoning and other abuses that some people do to their knives (there are some videos on the web where people baton knives through 2x4's, stand on them, hit them with hammers - all sorts of nasty things).

I'm in agreement with Chris Reeve's philosophy that the pivot pin diameter itself isn't really as critical as the support of the entire blade/scale/frame by what are essentially whacking large washers on both sides of the knife. Open up an Umnumzaan and you will see what I mean: The pivot pin is really no bigger than the one on the Haddock - but it is supported by very large washers on both sides of the frame which distribute load over a wider area.
 
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sonoronos,

Do you remember the assembly sequence re the blade and washers? I see the black plastic one in your picture is visible on the Ti side - as is mine, which has not been dissected. I assume the Teflon one, which I cannot see, is next, then the blade, followed by the bronze washer and the G10 side. I wonder about the Teflon washer's location as my black plastic washer rotates with the blade. Never entertaining a thought of the washers being plastic, I dripped various lubes on that side particularly to ease the ball detent action - which may have softened and swollen that plastic washer.

I don't feel that a knife in this price range should contain a plastic pivot washer - a properly sized bronze one can't cost that much. Additionally, there is a reason you can see the plastic washer's edge - it is unsupported on the frame-lock side as the pivot hole is drilled close to that edge (See the photos above.). Incidently, this isn't my only gripe re the Haddock's 'heavy duty' construction - the sides are supported by the pivot/blade and one spacer on one end - a 2 5/8" unsupported gap - followed by a spacer on each side of the oblong lanyard hole. It is a neat knife - and I got mine at a great price. Still, it hadn't been that long since I had bought my same cost BM 755 MPR, which really is a stout knife.

The 755 MPR's M390 blade is a little thinner at the spine (.164") and shorter than the Haddock's - but not hollow ground, so it appears more stout. Both it's G10 and Ti sides are thicker, making it thicker overall. The stout construction seems enhanced by several additional bolts through the solid back spacer, too. The 755 is a lot smoother in operation, too - possibly the dual bronze washers.

I carry the Haddock as a GP knife - it 'presents' in a more friendly fashion, as it is a 'two-hander' in both in opening and closing. The 755 is a one hander - and for more dedicated use. Each has it's place - and both have a home here. The BM is a better value, I feel, from an MSRP value point of view.

Stainz
 
Stainz said:
sonoronos,

Do you remember the assembly sequence re the blade and washers?
Click to expand...

Hi Stainz,

Yes, my knife came as follows:

Black plastic only between Framelock and Blade then white plastic next to blade and bronze next to the G10.

Stainz said:
I don't feel that a knife in this price range should contain a plastic pivot washer - a properly sized bronze one can't cost that much.
Click to expand...

I agree. I was surprised by the use of plastic bushings. Perhaps they were used for cost reduction (unlikely, as these knives are expensive, and saving a few pennies on a plastic washer is almost irrelevant) or more likely to prevent wear of the titanium framelock or blade from extended use. It doesn't fit with the "character" of the knife - in my opinion.

Perhaps someone who owns one of Anso's custom Haddocks could chime in. It would make more sense if his custom knives used the same types of washers.
 
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BTW, I see a lot of places calling the blade profile on the Haddock a "Wharncliffe", but it's really a Sheepsfoot as far as I can tell.
 
I took some measurements with a micrometer last night:

Pivot pin diameter: 0.1960"
Blade thickness (at pivot): 0.1968"
Frame spacer #1: 0.2360"
Frame spacer #2: 0.2350"
Combined thickness of all bushings: 0.0400"
Titanium frame thickness: 0.1200" (about 3.048mm)

Amusingly enough, the pivot pin diameter is pretty much the same as the blade thickness (5mm).
 
Thanks for the exploded view! I've read that the detent is very light on this one,
would it help if the blade's detent hole were drilled just a little bit larger to let
the bearing drop in further?
As I prefer tip up carry with a leather lanyard on a knife, but then tip up places
the blade spine to the outside of the pocket, helping to keep the blade in place
and hopefully not prone to being open while in the pocket, as that is NEVER a fun
thing to have happen when you go to grab your knife.

I have one of these on order finally, well, at least I think I do, I inadvertently click
on the smaller slip joint Cox model and didn't realize it until I received the confirmation
email that I ordered a slip joint? Went back and saw my mistake and found the Haddock
one and ordered that, emailed to cancel the other, but now BOTH orders show that the
items are cancelled, no contact available on the weekends so will have to wait until
tomorrow to see where the order stands.

My first jump at changing things would be the plastic washers, as some of you pointed out
they seem to be a strange mix in the knife, but, the manufacturer's usually have a valid
reason for doing things so there may be some 'logic' to the choice of materials.

The blade is certainly not a 'true' wharncliff but not a full sheepsfoot either,
as they have an abrupt drop near the point. It's an Anso :) and I find it appealing and looks
to be a pretty useful blade shape, we shall see!

G2
 
Thanks Cutter, will have to see what washers will replace those plastic ones!
G2
 
I got my first SS retirement check last month - celebrated by buying a Wilson Combat version of the CRK 'Umnumzaan'. Super knife - a great standard to compare others against. My Haddock is no CRK - but it isn't that far off, either. I'd leave it as is - find the 'sweet' spot for your pivot screw - maybe after putting a toothpick dab of blue Loctite in the pivot threaded insert/nut. Find that 'spot' in short order - then, the hardest part, sit it aside for 16-24 hr to let the blue Loctite set.

I pulled mine across the cleaned white file edges of my Sharpmaker (40 degree slots) ~ 10 times per file edge - 30 times total - and it made a real razor edge. It initially had a wire edge - which I removed by stropping on my palm and jeans legs. It feels so much better, as they all do, in the hand without that pocket clip. Yep, I even took the clip off that Umnumzaan!

You'll love the Haddock!

Stainz
 
Well you boys convinced me to order one,:D I was thinking about waiting for the ZT550. I already have a bunch of tactical knives, the Haddock should be more of a crossover slip-joint,that I can carry most places.
 
Gary W. Graley said:
Thanks for the exploded view! I've read that the detent is very light on this one,
would it help if the blade's detent hole were drilled just a little bit larger to let
the bearing drop in further?
Click to expand...

The detente ball definitely does not drop into the blade's detente hole completely. I'm not sure if modifying the blade detente hole to be slightly larger would help the detente's strength, but if you do mod it...let us know how it turns out.

Also, I ended up lapping the bronze washer that came with the knife. My bronze washer was actually slightly conical (probably due to the stamp that made the washer) so I had to lap it flat.

Small details, but the flat washer mod helped.

I think the ZT 0550 looks like a very lovely titanium framelock, but it is tactical looking. The Haddock is definitely something else...very gentlemanly unique and quite pleasing.

Does anybody have production #'s on the Haddock? Are they in the thousands yet?
 
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