Some threads today had me making an unexpected trip down memory lane. I've been a knife knut for a long time. I certainly didn't know anything about blade steels or much of anything else when I started out. I naively put my faith in a few big name companies, thinking that everything those companies produced MUST be "pretty good"... So... What leaps of faith left you with that sinking feeling?
For me, one of the biggest unpleasant surprises came with my first "one handed knife". I had just gotten a job working offshore and decided I needed a knife that could be use with one hand. Until that time, my EDC knives had been either stockmans, swiss army knives, or multitools.
I started looking, and found an inexpensive Puma. I had ALWAYS lusted after a nice Puma knife and thought this was the perfect opportunity. Boy was I mistaken. It was a liner lock. It was impossible to open with one hand because the pivot was very tight. The pivot seemed to be a brass rivot, so not adjustable. With the blade open, the liner barely touched the blade. There wasn't just blade play, the knife RATTLED. The only things holding the knife together were that one rivet at the pivot and a brass ferrule that acted as a lanyard hole. The blade was chisel ground, dull, and nearly as soft as aluminum. *shakes head*
After that, I paid more attention to materials and tried to do whatever research I could before making another purchase. My next choice was better, but not great. I picked up a Gerber EZ-Out in ATS-34. The blade was great. The handle... was okay... the lock wasn't so great.. the pocket clip SUCKED. I've had excellent Gerbers, good Gerbers, mediocre Gerbers, and downright awful Gerbers... Same with Buck, CRKT, Benchmade, etc.
Sam
For me, one of the biggest unpleasant surprises came with my first "one handed knife". I had just gotten a job working offshore and decided I needed a knife that could be use with one hand. Until that time, my EDC knives had been either stockmans, swiss army knives, or multitools.
I started looking, and found an inexpensive Puma. I had ALWAYS lusted after a nice Puma knife and thought this was the perfect opportunity. Boy was I mistaken. It was a liner lock. It was impossible to open with one hand because the pivot was very tight. The pivot seemed to be a brass rivot, so not adjustable. With the blade open, the liner barely touched the blade. There wasn't just blade play, the knife RATTLED. The only things holding the knife together were that one rivet at the pivot and a brass ferrule that acted as a lanyard hole. The blade was chisel ground, dull, and nearly as soft as aluminum. *shakes head*
After that, I paid more attention to materials and tried to do whatever research I could before making another purchase. My next choice was better, but not great. I picked up a Gerber EZ-Out in ATS-34. The blade was great. The handle... was okay... the lock wasn't so great.. the pocket clip SUCKED. I've had excellent Gerbers, good Gerbers, mediocre Gerbers, and downright awful Gerbers... Same with Buck, CRKT, Benchmade, etc.
Sam
