So I received a new Positron in a trade, and I have two things to say.
1) I don't get it.
2) I don't get it.
This was one of my most anticipated releases for the new year. A bunch of horrible reviews later, it completely dropped off my radar. I got one in trade, and after just one day, I have to say that this is a keeper for sure.
I don't get it - Where's the love?
Rather than a formal review, I was thinking I would address some of the things that people have said to turn me off to this knife:
1) It is too wide for its size.
The scales are 3D contoured CF (and beautiful). Most importantly, they feel good in hand. Very good - but more on that later.
As a comparison to other knives considered thin (that I have handy):
Positron - 0.513 inches at the widest
Benchmade 940-1 - 0.45
Skyline - 0.39 (can't beat this...)
Mini-ritter - 0.525
Boker urban trapper - 0.475
So it is barely half an inch thick. Too wide - I don't think so.
2) Flipper is weak.
I acknowledge up front that different knives may be different. That said, my knife is pretty close to perfect. Good detent, fires open and "thwacks" to lock. It does not even sound like a liner lock. I also appreciate that the flipper has some jimping for grip, but all the other corners are rounded so I feel no sharp edges when I reach past it in my pocket.
3) The back tip (butt?) is sharp
Yes, it is a bit sharper than I would prefer. See 4.
4) the clip is eccentric (not crazy, just off center)
This looked odd at first. Some people complained that this made the knife twist around in the pocket. Maybe true. Don't know if it was intended, but placing the clip so far forward really drives the knife into the corner of my pocket. This makes the sharp back tip tucked and out of the way, so I haven't had issues reaching past it. If the sharp back end were centered, and the clip were also centered, then your hand would scrape against the sharp tip everytime. Perhaps in time, I will round the corner off. For now, it is a non-issue. Will post a pic later to better show this.
Some other details I really like:
All the screws are recessed
closed, the blade has a very low profile
the contouring on the carbon fiber makes it oh so comfy
there is an external stop pin
So - what do I not like?
1)The complaint I most agree with is that the clip is horrible for this knife. It creates all sorts of hot spots if you try to death grip the knife. Luckily, it really is a gentleman's folder. I do wish it had a different clip.
2)The pivot looks tiny. I know that understated is a look - but in this case, a bit bigger would look so much nicer.
3) When you close the blade (yes, it has an odd liner lock shape) - usually the liner lock clears the blade. But because of the odd cut-out, the detent ball then engages the blade. So to close the blade, either I need to press really hard and hold the lock bar for longer (so the blade clears both the lock bar and the detent ball), or I need to push on the lockbar twice. Not a huge deal, just a bit odd and makes for slightly slower closing (mostly because it is different from other liner locks). I think that enlarging the relief like this would solve the issue by making it less clumsy to close.
Bottom line - if you were originally considering this knife - please give it a try. It may not be for you. It may not fit your hands (I can see larger hands having some problems). It may still be too wide. Or a poor flipper. But you will never know unless you try...
1) I don't get it.
2) I don't get it.
This was one of my most anticipated releases for the new year. A bunch of horrible reviews later, it completely dropped off my radar. I got one in trade, and after just one day, I have to say that this is a keeper for sure.
I don't get it - Where's the love?
Rather than a formal review, I was thinking I would address some of the things that people have said to turn me off to this knife:
1) It is too wide for its size.
The scales are 3D contoured CF (and beautiful). Most importantly, they feel good in hand. Very good - but more on that later.
As a comparison to other knives considered thin (that I have handy):
Positron - 0.513 inches at the widest
Benchmade 940-1 - 0.45
Skyline - 0.39 (can't beat this...)
Mini-ritter - 0.525
Boker urban trapper - 0.475
So it is barely half an inch thick. Too wide - I don't think so.
2) Flipper is weak.
I acknowledge up front that different knives may be different. That said, my knife is pretty close to perfect. Good detent, fires open and "thwacks" to lock. It does not even sound like a liner lock. I also appreciate that the flipper has some jimping for grip, but all the other corners are rounded so I feel no sharp edges when I reach past it in my pocket.
3) The back tip (butt?) is sharp
Yes, it is a bit sharper than I would prefer. See 4.
4) the clip is eccentric (not crazy, just off center)
This looked odd at first. Some people complained that this made the knife twist around in the pocket. Maybe true. Don't know if it was intended, but placing the clip so far forward really drives the knife into the corner of my pocket. This makes the sharp back tip tucked and out of the way, so I haven't had issues reaching past it. If the sharp back end were centered, and the clip were also centered, then your hand would scrape against the sharp tip everytime. Perhaps in time, I will round the corner off. For now, it is a non-issue. Will post a pic later to better show this.
Some other details I really like:
All the screws are recessed
closed, the blade has a very low profile
the contouring on the carbon fiber makes it oh so comfy
there is an external stop pin
So - what do I not like?
1)The complaint I most agree with is that the clip is horrible for this knife. It creates all sorts of hot spots if you try to death grip the knife. Luckily, it really is a gentleman's folder. I do wish it had a different clip.
2)The pivot looks tiny. I know that understated is a look - but in this case, a bit bigger would look so much nicer.
3) When you close the blade (yes, it has an odd liner lock shape) - usually the liner lock clears the blade. But because of the odd cut-out, the detent ball then engages the blade. So to close the blade, either I need to press really hard and hold the lock bar for longer (so the blade clears both the lock bar and the detent ball), or I need to push on the lockbar twice. Not a huge deal, just a bit odd and makes for slightly slower closing (mostly because it is different from other liner locks). I think that enlarging the relief like this would solve the issue by making it less clumsy to close.
Bottom line - if you were originally considering this knife - please give it a try. It may not be for you. It may not fit your hands (I can see larger hands having some problems). It may still be too wide. Or a poor flipper. But you will never know unless you try...
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