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new member presentation and a Q about Ti-lock handle's finish

Joined
Jun 11, 2011
Messages
22
Hello, new member to this site, i first thanks everybody to excuse my english language. I post a presentation here, cause this is the main place i'll went to read and learn.
I'm french, 43, and interested in knives for as far as i remember. My father bought a knife everytime he was visiting a region in France, Germany or Italy, my grand father had a nice collection of straight razors daily used, swords from his own military grand father : blades is a tradition for the men in the family, as often wathever is the country/culture/civilisation.
*with watch collecting for 25 years and restoring old cars (one by one, not enough money/room to keep more than one or rarely two) i do have a huge 'revival' interest in knives for the last 2 years when i bought my first chris reeve.
I was 16 years old when the first al mar's with their incredible look came to the shops in Paris, wich where before that, full of eclusively hunting knives or traditional folders in blond horn. . . *Rare Randall's where seen in a unique specialized shop, aside custom knives. This shop very early in the 90's sold CRK, but it was a very 'understated' shop for healthy collector's or 'parisian' hunters. It was a shock. The cold steel with it's first tanto, followed by a wide choice of american manufacturers (gerber noticely) made a lot for my generation, at the same time the law about carrying knives became more and more restrictive.
With a now extensive collection of al mar's from all the period, and some americans automatic knives, i now own a cream ivory small 21, a large classic micarta and an umnumzaan tanto. I expect to catch a Ti-lock thanks to holidays i will spend this summer in the USA.

But a question you have probably yet discuss (i do not find the relative thread) : i find 2 kind of handles on Ti-lock's, one with the 'reeve' tumble shiny finish , the other more recently with the traditional beadblasted grey grippy finish found on sebenza's. Are the shiny finish dedicated to a specific/first run ?
Thank for the info, i will read the forum, eventualy post photos but i have to first take them :)
 
Zagoto1600- Welcome to the forum! Can't help with the Ti-lock questions since I only have small, large Sebenza's and Umnumzaan's. But I bet someone will have some info to share, good luck.
 
Zagato

I believe the prototype had stonewashed scales. Once the knife went into production, CRK changed to bead blasted scales.

I have been looking at the Ti Lock ever since it was released for sale, and I haven't seen one distributor with the stone washed version.

All the pictures posted by forum members and all video reviews uploaded show bead blasted scales.

Welcome to the forum.
 
Thanks for quick reply. So, it's ending the question ! I'v seen one 'in the flesh' with stonewashed handle and it looks beautiful, as a piece of metal freshly extracted from a high-end 21st century tool, and acts like a 'signature' of reeve's finish. Still like the 'regular' Ti, his 'urban' look and it's size, but a small insingno or a wilson zaan could beat him in my 'next knife' wish list. Prices in europe, or taxes if you import, +30% at least, are high , and my future travel to usa is an occasion for me. 10 years ago, i would have back a randall . . . ;)
 
On YouTube a stonewashed handle posted by CrzativeOutletHobbie in may 2011, and one sold by Nordic Knives, CA, in february. May be not finally so hard to find ?
 
You got me curious - I was poking around and found a post from a distributor that Chris Reeve Ti-Lock version 2 has the stonewashed scales.

So - it looks like the first run was with bead blasted scales, and the newer ones are stone washed.

Man - I may have to look into getting one again.

Neil (True North Knives) has both posted on his website.
 
i wish you to handle it to make you own opinion : the only one i've seen let me a great impression, really. It enhance, to my opinion, the blue lock bar and the light golden thumblugs. The clip was still in grey beadblast finish. When you are gone to own more and more CRK, with beadblasted titanium as regular basic finish, such a version have i think a lot of interest.
 
I just finished shopping for a T-Lock... every place I could find one said the handles were stonewashed... but some had pics of the 1st run which was oxide blasted. For what it's worth, I ended up buying a Sm. 21. It just seems like a more simple, overall better design.
 
Actually I believe that all production Ti-Locks now come with Stonewashed(shiny) finish. I dont know if they discontinued using the beadblasted finish or if they are using both.
But the only ones Ive seen dealers carrying are the stonewashed ones. If you like the beadblasted finish then you might be able to get one on the exchange on the forum. Thats
how I got my ti-lock. I personally like the beadblasted finish.
 
Enjoy yours, whatever the handle is :) Knowing about when/why in a modification of the production interest me may be more than the aesthetics consideration, so personal.
 
This is straight from Heather from CRK when I got my Ti-Lock and asked about the handle finishes

" Here’s the rundown with the Ti Lock, the prototype had a polished face; the very first production run (50-75?) had a sandblasted face; the current production offers a tumbled face. "

When the Ti-Lock first came out, all I saw was sandblasted finish like the sebenza. When a Ti-Lock came on the forums, I jumped on it and did not really look at the pic that closely to notice the different handle finish. I was kinda surprised when I opened it and saw the stonewashed finish...lol. Thats when I emailed Heather.

I have planned on doing a very thorough review of the Ti-Lock, but my new job is keeping me pretty busy, so will have to do it when I get some free time. I will say I like the Ti-Lock so much that someday, I would like to pick up a blasted finish. CRK states that its not a hard use knife ??? It might not be as tough as a sebenza or umnumzaan, but rest assured, the Ti-Lock is no chinsey knife. I find it to be very robust and very well made and heavy duty personally. Its very easy to open like a sebenza also, so you dont need to struggle with the blade spring bushings like you see in the youtube vids. Chris has a slight bevel right under the spring that kinda acts like a nail nick. Just open it like you would a sebenza and it opens easily......I think $475 is a little high for it, but they have been going on the forums in the low $400 range. Get one, you will really like it.
 
Thanks for info ! This knife appeal to me, also, due to me lock mechanics outside the knife, as a reminiscence of the traditionals regionals knives seen for century here (it's make the knives light but strong) with the notable difference the locking system is this time on the BLADE . .

Happy to learn the tumble finish is finally widely available, and not afraid about the disclaimer about 'hard use', most rely on thin linerlocks working well with even minimal engagement . . And definitly chris reeve knows how to make a knife ;)

What is curious, is that each CRK i own serve and are used, are sharpened and carrried, 'naturally' without an hesitation. It's not the case for numerous other knives - often cheaper - i own. A blend of outstanding customer service if something' may happen and strenght feel given by the knife itself, i think there will be no exception for the Ti-lock. Enjoy yours !
 
I have seen the stonewashed finished also on the thread some where and was confused.
Anyway, I have the prototype 14-25 without beadblasted but more like a satin finished than the stonewashed and also the production with beadblasted.

Here're the pictures of mine.
1300606679_0.04517000.png

1300607129_0.73983100.png

1300607131_0.26667900.png

1300607132_0.04367900.png


Hope that helps
 
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