My New Carnivour!

ptpalpha · Oct 14, 1999

Hey everyone! Received my new Carnivour today from Murray at ProEdge. Murray's service and prices were top-notch as usual, and I highly recommend him. Go see his site at www.cgocable.net/~proedge. The Carnivour is quite a knife. So much has been said about it here on BF that this may sound redundant, but here goes: The first thing I thought when I picked it up and opened the blade was "what a workhorse!". The rolling lock is tank-tough, and when you depress the release you can flip open the blade with almost no effort. Too cool! Lock up is as solid as a rock, with zero blade play. The ergonomics of the grip have been praised enough already, suffice it to say I'm very pleased. Blade edge is shaving-sharp, and ground to perfection. The knife was purchased to replace my CQC7 for nightly carry, and it will fill that role perfectly. I wanted something with more beef than the C7, and the Carnivour is mmmmmmmBEEFY! As much as I love the knife, and I love it a lot, I would and will change two things. The bead-blasted G10 scales are very rough. I plan on smoothing them slightly with fine sandpaper. And the clip, while very solid, looks (in the words of a previous review) like it was added at the last minute. I've learned from reading here on BF that such was indeed the case. I'm interested in finding someone who can retrofit a deep-pocket carry clip. Any help regarding this clip would be appreciated. I also would have rather seen a black clip than a silver one. But those are two very minor complaints. All in all, I love the Carnivour. It's shape, construction, appearance, and ergonomics are better than I had hoped for. It is my first REKAT, but not my last. I ordered my Utility from Murr last week, and am looking forward to receiving it. I highly recommend the Carnivour to anyone who is looking for a tough, well-made "defensive" folder, with an incredibly solid lock and construction which is top-grade. Thanks, REKAT, and thanks again Murray at ProEdge.
Paul

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"I'm tired of going over this. They're INVESTMENTS!"

misque · Oct 14, 1999

Well, well I'm glad to see it finally got to you.

I was just thinking about e-mailing you to see if it arrived.
Glad to see you like it. Just wait till it really starts to grow on you!

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The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will inevitably become the captive of others.

ptpalpha · Oct 14, 1999

Thanks, Misque. After playing with it all day (hold the obvious comments, please!), I've thought of a couple of changes I'd make (what did you expect from a BF member!) First, as I stated above, the clip would be black and more deep-pocket designed. Next, I'd incorporate a lanyard hole. They're just plain handy, and can't be a big deal to install. Third, I'd make the slide button for the rolling lock out of titanium or at least ATS-34. The plastic slide is the only potential weak link I can see on the entire knife. I'd be interested in seeing if someone could retrofit a metal/alloy slide without charging an arm and a leg. It would be worth it. These are nit-picky complaints, and are probably just a subconscious excuse for me to continue my quest for the perfect knife. The Carnivour is my new favorite "tac" folder, and without having a Sebenza to compare it to, I'll say it's the toughest folder I've yet handled.

misque · Oct 15, 1999

All sound like good ideas to me.
I've wondered about that plastic slide myself but it seems to be holding up well so far.
A definate yes on the lanyard hole. I've recently been adding lanyards to a LOT of my knives both fixed and folder.
I also want to change mine from tip up to tip down. I'm finding that the tip down is just faster to deploy for me with out having to change my grip during the draw.
Finally, I would like to have a black clip. No need to advertise don't ya know!
BUT! All in all it is still the best game going out there right now. I wouldn't trade my Carnivour for anything. Well, maybe for a 1999 Lexus LS 400 or a GS...

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The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will inevitably become the captive of others.

ptpalpha · Oct 15, 1999

OK, maybe for the Lexus. Maybe.

copfish · Oct 15, 1999

Try Corduroy, he does great work and likes a challenge. I saw pics of an AFCK that he put carbon fiber scales on. I am going to try to get him to lighten up my Carnivore.

Bill McWilliams · Oct 15, 1999

I fixed the clip dilema by removing it

The texture of the grips is fine with me as I will be wearing gloves soon.
I'm very satisfied with my knife as it now exists.
Also, I don't think I'll ever wear out the plastic lock slide based on the thousands of cycles mine has already been through. But if someone made a replacement in aluminum or brass, I'd buy it instantly.
Bill

ptpalpha · Oct 16, 1999

Bill-so would I, and I'll bet so would 90% of Carnivour owners. Anybody listening..?

ptpalpha · Oct 22, 1999

Allright. I've been doing some serious "searching" here on BF, and have come up with the following info. The pocket clip was designed to have the tip of the knife stick out of the pocket for faster draw ability. Good idea, which I now can understand. (I still would like it to be black, but lets move on...) The slide button. We all were wondering why on earth it wasn't metal, and here's the reason. The slide is made out of zytel, which, in addition to being a horrendously tough material, also has self-lubricating properties which I don't pretend to understand. I think self-lubricating actually means less friction, but that's just a guess.The bottom line is that REKAT has cycled this thing thousands of time and have determined that it is TOUGH! In fact, one post I read stated that the spring would wear out way before the slide did, and while that didn't really make me feel any better it did indicate that the slide is tough.
Would I replace it with a metal one if it was available? You bet. Keeping the mechanism lubed is not a problem to me. After dissassembling the Carnivour and giving it a thorough clean/lube job, it cycles much more smoothly, but it is definately not silky. Which is OK. I'm sure with some discriminate dremel work it can be whatever you desire, and I plan on taking it apart again when I do the file work on the liners. The only other item was the lanyard hole, which I still think would have been a good idea, and not a major cost issue. It would however mean the knife would sit even higher in the pocket, unless the clip were re-configured (read "deep pocket clip"). All in all, I have to say that the options and opportunities this knife gives me are endless. This is the Remington 870 of knives, the Chevy 350 of folders. I love it, and it loves me! After a playful bite when it tasted my blood, the Carnivour has acknowledged me as Master! (the dremel helped...) thanks REKAT, for an awesome creation!

Bob Taylor · Oct 22, 1999

This is a repost from the REKAT Forum on the slide bar and the spring hope it explains things
I hear what youre saying but there is a reason behind our madness. We have made aluminum slide bars and Stainless Steel Slide Bars. The glass filled Zytel is superior for that intended purpose. The Zytel has a natural lubricity the steel and aluminum doesnt. Some materials while often viewed as cheaper are in fact stronger or like the Zytel have special qualities that make them the best material for that job. Trust me the mold wasnt cheap.
Another concept we constantly are asked about is why not Titanium Liners. The Stainless we use is far stronger than any Titanium in that thickness range. Titanium Liners would save less than a once and would be far more expensive and the knife would be 40% weaker.
The new spring, which we use with the slide bar now has cycled over 28,000 times in a Pioneer. There is no liner lock that can do that and not show appreciative wear in the lock.

Bob Taylor

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Some days it's not worth chewing through the restraints and escaping.

ptpalpha · Oct 22, 1999

Bob-thank you! I was looking for that post when I wrote mine, but couldn't find it again. Makes sense to me. I once wrote to Remington asking them if they made a steel follower for the 870 magazine tube-they replied as you did, praising the virtues of zytel in a friction application. Congratulations on the Carnivour-you have a winner with this one! I can't wait till my files arrive so I can dress it up! Kind of like putting a tie on a raptor! (Jurrassic Park reference)

Doc Mac · Oct 23, 1999

Hey Bob! Just want you to know that I would not change a thing about my Carnivour, PERIOD! I love the knife just the way it is. Rock solid. The action was a trifle stiff at first but I expected that, since then thru about 3 or 4 hundred open/close cycles it has smoothed out , also some break free helped. It is manifestly obvious that a great deal of thought went into the design of this knife, I'm glad I got it.

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"How do I stop this thing?"