Need info: REKAT?

ChrisN

ChrisN

Joined
Feb 16, 2003
Messages
88
Hi all - hope you can help me out here. Just found a pre-loved folder made by REKAT. Have browsed parts of the archives, and searched some web-sites, but can't find the name of this one. Can anyone advise what it was called and when it was made? Thanks.

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This one appears to have been modified in the way of the handle area near its butt. The Pioneer series have a flared dropped butt design as shown in the link. Additionally, the scale perimeters appear to be rounded off whereas the factory originals have a rather sharp edge finish. Could be the same knife though.

N2
 
Nice find Chris. How do you like the knife? From what I have read, the lock is certainly strong and it is a very well made knife. Do you agree? Good luck with is and enjoy.

Richard
 
Thanks for the info.

N2 - you're right: there are file-marks on the liners at the butt showing that someone has done some mods on it at some stage.

Richard - the more I play with it the more I like it. I pulled it apart (almost lost the spring!) to clean it and see how it works. I was pretty impressed with the design and the precision. The action is a bit stiff about 2/3 of the way through the opening rotation, and there's just a smidgeon of vertical play at the tip. It feels rock solid, and has sharpened up nicely without a lot of work. It's missing its pocket clip, and the thumb stud is good for right hand only.

I think I've got my $25 worth!

Chris
 
$25?!?! I got my pioneer I - which unlocks by a swing-bar at the top of the knife rather than a button on the scale like your later-model pioneer II - for $75 back when they came out, and that was a good price. I really like the heat-treat on the ATS-34, it takes a great edge, the lock is impossibly strong, and the handle ergos are very good. the only problem is more stiffness in opening than other locking mechanisms. But with the dual steel liners and rolling lock, the thing has proven to be practically indestructible. My descendants will be able to use the thing, HARD, 100 years from now!
 
I have five or six REKAT folders of various makes, and I've found them to be a very well made knife -- in fact, they are on my "always on the lookout for" list.

I think you got a very good deal.
 
My REKAT Carnivor is my favorite tactical folder. The only problem that occured with REKAT knives was that their rolling lock mechanism was often gritty, and that was a relatively small problem compared to a lot of other things that can go wrong with a knife. It is too bad they went out of business.
 
imho the REKATS were ok, but ther rolling lock aint the best, esp on the bigger knives (ie sifu) seems to work ok on the smaller pioneers/etc but i know way too many folks who had probs with the lock on the sifu model, maybe too much inertia from the big blade?? i know my sifu cut me about 3 times, all from the knife folding up during use. imho ther rolling lock does not lend itself to mass production, tolerances are just too tight, at least in large folders. BM makes a knife w/it now, but they are smaller ones.

another prob is if they do fail, no one works on them anymore, i would not want one myself......esp the larger models

also the individuals who owned/ran rekat were not , shall we say, customer service oriented, but thats another story lol

greg
 
Hi Sifu1a,

Your post is rather troubling to me, as I had not previously known about the failures of rolling locks. Do you know if this happened with any of the other models? I have a Carnivor, and have liked it a lot due to the great handle shape. To me the handle on the Carnivor feels far more comfortable and secure than the handle on my Benchmade AFCK, and is also better than the handle on my Emerson Mini-Commander.

But it does not matter how good a folder is in other respects, if it does not have a reliable locking mechanism.
 
Prevous rolling lock failures seemed to occur mostly on the Sifu. I don't rem reading a lot of issues with the other knives. As someone who does enjoy the REKAT brand, I do rem reading through their forum, back when they had it, and seeing all the trouble brought up.

Overall, my vision maybe hazy, but I think the Carnie's didn't have the same quality/quantity of issues by any means.
 
i have heard of smaller REKATs having lock probs, but the larger versions (ie the sifu in particular) have 50X the problems, it seemed back then that every one of the sifu's had lock probs. sure, they fixed them, but i had to send mine back 2X and just the shipping cost was getting expensive (yes, they charged for return shipping, $25 IIRC) to keep my "21st centurys strongest best lock", well, locking. ya have that big sucker close up on ya and ya wont forget it, let me tell ya lol. happened to me 2 or 3X.

i wouldnt worry too much if i had a smaller one like a carny, i would keep it clean, lightly lubed, DO NOT do any "spine whacks" on it to test the lock, this stresses the heck outta the lock imho, i have seen sketches on how the lock works, and it looks to me (and others) that this is very bad for them. to test the rolling lock lock it then (preferably with gloves on) push back on the blade and try to fold it up and see if its locking - be carefull, if its not it will tend to fold up on your hand, cutting ya, dont ask how i know this lol. my sifu would hold to a point then 'pop' it would fold up. this will at least let ya make sure its locking up ok.

also be carefull not to let sand/etc get into the lock area, this too is not good with this design, can be hard to get out.

good luck

greg
 
fishface5 said:
$25?!?! I got my pioneer I - which unlocks by a swing-bar at the top of the knife rather than a button on the scale like your later-model pioneer II - for $75 back when they came out...
Click to expand...

I got lucky! That's AUD$25, by the way. About US$18.

Chris
 
I have an ATS-34 Carnivore. I wish I had bought at least one more. It's one of my favorite knives.
 
i bought a sifu with g-10 scales and black blade when they first came out as i was trying to find a folder that equaled a fixed blade for strength. i never had a problem with mine ever. it has since been retired because i felt 1/8" blade was to thin for what i wanted in a edc. a friend bought a bm ambush and it has many problems like everyone says the rekats do so maybe i just got lucky with mine or i just never pushed it that hard.
 
K Williams said:
I have an ATS-34 Carnivore. I wish I had bought at least one more. It's one of my favorite knives.
Click to expand...

I love the carnivore design. I would like to see Benchmade make this knife now. Probably wont happen, but I can wish.
 
Thanks for all the info. I sure do like the REKAT handle. That idea about Benchmade reproducing it sure does sound good.
 
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