New to collecting... Hell of a forum you have here! *updated*

[Mecha]

That's what I thought.

 

[Fixall]

I meant to post this yesterday, but I've been feeling a bit under the weather the last couple of days.

The Ontario Rat 2 D2 Carbon Fiber I purchased from a fellow member came in the other day.
Sweet little knife! I can definitely see why they are so popular. The blade FLIES open with a flick of the thumb, and it's SHARP. I think if I was to pay full price for one, I'd save $10 and skip the carbon fiber version and just stick with the nylon. For $37 it seems like it's hard to beat, but the carbon fiber brings it closer to $50, where there's a lot more competition.

 

[Fixall]

Man... Whatever illness got a hold of me has been kicking my butt. I slept for like 16 hours today.

I don't know how, but I somehow missed that link from @4mer_FMF talking about using the KO WorkSharp on harder steels. I bookmarked that for future reference. I actually ordered a SharpMaker today and still plan on going that route for now, but a powered system to play around with (and possibly use for reprofiling) would be pretty cool. Looks like they're pretty cheap to get started with too.

On another note... Two more knives came in today!

First was the Spyderco Delica 4 that I purchased from a fellow BF member. Cool knife and I can definitely see why they've been so popular! Very comfortable handle and it just has a nice everyday knife kind of feel if that makes sense. Compared to the FRN Chapparal, the one big positive the Delica 4 has going for it, is the lockback. The lockback is about 3/4" further down the handle, which gives you a lot more leverage than on the Chapparal. Add the fact that the lockback is thicker and has a small indent, and it becomes much easier to close than the Chapparal. Other than that though (and the fact that the Delica has a more versatile pocket clip with four mounting locations)... I really think the Chapparal is better in every way. It's more comfortable in my hand. It uses a better steel. I like the wide, leaf shaped blade more. And lastly I think the Chapparal has a higher build quality. I hope I didn't make some new enemies on this forum by saying that. I feel like the Delica 4 probably made a lot more sense before the price increases... But as it stands, for only $15 or so more for the FRN Chapparal, I'd go for the Chapparal, no contest. I'm going to spend some more time with it this week... But I have a strong feeling I'm going to end up giving the nod to the Chapparal.

The second knife that came was the Factor Equipment Iconic Titanium Compact. I went back and forth with myself for a couple weeks deciding if I was going to buy this. I'm not really interested in supporting a company that uses someone else's design without permission/credit/reimbursement/whatever. That being said... Stuff happens. Look at the Kershaw/ZT/Microtech infringement allegations. Look at the Kizer/Britton infringement allegations. I do know that Factor Equipment did agree to stop producing the Iconic, so to me at least, it looks like they understand they messed up and are trying to go legit. To be honest... The Giant Mouse 1, isn't a knife I would be interested in buying. It's too damn big and the steel doesn't excite me. The GM1 has a 3.3" N690 (which, if I understand correctly, is similar to 440c) blade and has a 4.7" handle. The Factor Equipment Iconic Titanium Compact has a 3.14" s35vn blade and a 4.25" handle. In the end... The smaller size, awesome steel, titanium scales, $65 price tag, and curiosity won and I purchased it.

Now that that's out of the way... Holy CRAP! This thing is awesome! I am absolutely shocked that I purchased a knife that feels and looks like this for $65. This thing absolutely oozes good build quality. I know I don't own any high end knives, but this is easily the highest quality knife I own... But only the 3rd most expensive (behind the Spyderco Chapparal and Kershaw Blur s30v). The centering is PERFECT. The action is super smooth. It flies open with a flick of a finger, or by using the flipper as both "push button" or a "light switch". It drops shut with just a little wiggle. It fits my hand like a dream... It's just awesome overall. The only negatives I can say about it is that the "F" is gawdy and I'd prefer it a hair thinner. I had given some thought to playing around with the Iconic until I got bored or purchased a higher end knife with titanium scales and then selling it... But now I don't think I'll be doing that. This thing is most definitely staying with me, lol. Factor Equipment is supposed to have several designs in the pipeline coming out soon. I think I'll check out their designs to make sure they learned their lesson and stuck to original work... And if so, I'll be buying more of their knives without hesitation. At the price they are asking, their knives are ridiculously good (or at least this one is).

 

[Fixall]

Cold Steel Code 4 and the SharpMaker come tomorrow!

Any suggestions on a premade strop? I had originally planned on getting a Stropman. :'(

 

[Fixall]

New knife day!!!

The Cold Steel Code 4 that I bought from a fellow Bladeforums member arrived today! Wow, what a nice knife! I'm really surprised and impressed by the build quality. The last time I used a Cold Steel knife was over 15 years ago, back in high school. It seems like they must have come a long way since then. The only real flaw I can find with my untrained eye, is that the grind towards the tip of the blade is slightly uneven. I like the thinness of the handle and the lockup seems REALLY strong. I completely underestimated how BIG the knife is. With a full, four finger grip, there's a good extra inch of handle left in the rear, lol. Damn these tiny hands!

The SharpMaker was delayed unfortunately and won't be here until Friday. No biggie though... I don't really plan on using it until I'm out of this sling in 3 or 4 weeks.

I'm still looking for a strop though. So far, I figured I'd just go with one of the offerings from Sharpeningsupplies or Knivesplus. They seem like decent quality strops for the price.

I've been spending some more time with the Delica 4 too... I'm still finding it hard to come up with a reason to reach for the Delica over the Chapparal. I really just think the Chapparal is a better knife overall.

ALSO!!! I just found out that Bob Kramer of Kramer Knives lives a few blocks away from me! I think I'll be looking into a tour soon. $4,000 (starting) and a multiple year wait list for one of his creations! I can't even comprehend that (but holy crap are they BEAUTIFUL)!

 

[Mr.SATism]

Strops for your pleasure. It's great to see you enjoying knives, and I wouldn't worry too much about using them, some of them will probably last you long enough to cut through the box containing the sharpmaker haha

 

[Fixall]

Strops for your pleasure. It's great to see you enjoying knives, and I wouldn't worry too much about using them, some of them will probably last you long enough to cut through the box containing the sharpmaker haha

Bookmarked! Awesome, thank you! And I think you're right... I pretty sure I'll be paying for a Gold Membership sometime this week and will probably offload the Rat 2 and black Blur... And maybe the Code 4 (so big!) and the Delica (that's a big maybe). I just wanted the experience of owning them and seeing if they were "for me" or not. So far... I'm definitely a "flipper" or "spideyhole" person rather than a thumb stud person, which really surprises me considering I've always owned knives with thumb studs (and loved them) until now.

 

[bhyde]

I just made an account here the other day (although I've been lurking for a few months) and I'm enjoying myself immensely. The sheer amount of knowledge on this forum is astounding and I want to say thanks to everyone who contributes (paid membership incoming to go along with that thanks too).

Going back to when I was a small child, I've always been fascinated with knives (small, folding, every day carries in particular), but I never made it a point to collect them. I just recently had shoulder surgery, so I've decided to take up a less active hobby and since I've always had an interest in knives, I thought this would be perfect! I also work in the Meat Department at Costco so I'm starting to appreciate having better steel (we just use a Victorinox 12" straight butcher and a Victorinox 8" curved breaking knife for the subprimals, but we open dozens of boxes a day so a good folder is highly prized).

My collecting is literally just starting but I'd love a little advice/direction! Here's where I'm at so far with my meager "collection";

Gerber Gator
Given to me by my little brother before he went overseas so it has a lot of sentimental value, but I actually love this thing. The grip is super comfy and the steel is so soft I almost feel like I know what I'm doing when I sharpen it. It sits in my tackle box most of the time. The blade is prone to chipping which is lame.

Opinel No. 7 Carbon
Given to me by one of my college professors after she asked if she could use one of my essays as an example for future classes (she loved Pablo Picasso). This thing is SHARP! I mainly use it for eating apples because it just feels... right?

Gerber Air Ranger (two of these)
SOG Field Pup (my fiance's technically)
SOG Seal Pup Elite (satin, straight edge)
These were an impulse buy from Cabelas for my fiance and myself right before a camping trip a few years ago (before I even knew about this forum, so be merciful). They were having a Christmas/clearance sale and I purchased all four of these for under $73 total... After tax! No regrets! The Air Ranger's were actually a nice surprise. The steel is absolute trash and I hate that they are partially serrated (seemed like a good idea at the time), but they have really smooth action and a great build quality for a $10 knife. I can actually deploy them MUCH faster than any of the assisted openers I own. I paid about $11 for the Field Pup (fiance's full tang for camping) and for that price, I find it a pretty sweet knife! We lucked out and happened to get one with AUS 8 instead of 7Cr17Mov which is cool. It's very comfortable in the hand and most importantly my fiance loves having it (in case of bears or snakes she says). I paid around $36 for the SOG Seal Pup Elite and it's... Ok. Nothing to write home about and I'm sure I could have gotten more for my money, even at that price. It feels good in the hand and is easy to sharpen though. Both SOGs have great wet weather handles which was important to us since we tend to camp year round in the Pacific Northwest.


Now we get to the knives that I picked up over the last few days since I started "collecting"


Kershaw Leek (Sandvick steel)
Wow! What a fun knife! My (soon to be) father in law received one for Christmas and I thought it was pretty cool. I purchased one locally for $26 to open boxes with at work and have quickly fallen in love with it (the pointy tip is great for boxes and it's unintimidating look is perfect for Costco). I really have this knife to thank getting me interested in knives again... I've only been able to use one arm since the surgery so I've been flicking this open a lot and it's a BLAST, lol. Way more fun than a fidget spinner.

Kershaw Leek Carbon Fiber (CPM 154)
My fiance, seeing how much I loved the original Leek, decided to get this for me as a surprise post operation gift (see why I'm marrying her?). It'll be here Monday and I'm very excited! I'll be passing the original Leek down to my fiance of course... Although I think I'll pick up another regular Leek for myself shortly since the CF is a liner lock with a flat grind and the original is a frame lock with a hollow grind.

Kershaw Blur (S30V)
I purchased this as a Birthday (3/28!) gift for myself locally for $64 before tax (what a DEAL) and I LOVE it. I'm a little intimidated by the curve when it comes to sharpening, but the steel should be hard enough that it won't need more than a hone and strop here and there.

Kershaw Blur (black, Sandvick steel)
Saw this for sale for $30 secondhand (but brand new, in box) and I couldn't pass it up. Before I started learning about the different steels, this is the Blur I originally wanted. It should give me a chance to practice sharpening a curved blade without screwing up my S30V Blur.

Victorinox Swiss Army Compact
I always had a Swiss Army on me as a kid, so I wanted something simple, nostalgic, and useful in an urban setting. This fits the bill PERFECT (the pen is such a fantastic addition).

Any ideas of where I should go from here? The next thing I purchase will probably be a Stropman strop as they may be hard to get soon.
After that I think I want to pick up a Spyderco Sharpmaker.

Some of the knives I'm keeping an eye on for flash sales/deep discounts include;

Swiss Army Farmer Alox
Swiss Army 1
Spyderco Delica
Spyderco Paramilitary 2
Spyderco Manix
Kershaw Leek Composite (I know, I know but I love these things)
Benchmade Griptillian
Cold Steel Code 4
Leatherman Wave+ (or Charge TTI if the price is right)
Custom Buck 110 (My great grandfather had one of these when I was a kid and I always thought was a great looking knife).
Buck Vantage Pro
Ontario Rat in D2 (undecided which)
Morakniv Companion or Bushcraft
Svord Peasant Knife


Also... If I'm understanding the tiers of the paid memberships... I can purchase knives from people on the forum with the Basic $10 membership (private message access), but if I wanted to sell a knife, I need the $30 Gold membership. Is that correct?

Thanks everyone!

P.S.
I blame the post operative pain killers for the length of this post.


Edit*
Updated with a picture of the "family"!

View attachment 881893

But are you [H]? That's the real question

 

[Fixall]

But are you [H]? That's the real question

So [H]!

I like this guy already...

How's it going "Scaredy cat"?

 

[bhyde]

So [H]!

I like this guy already...

How's it going "Scaredy cat"?

That's a rabbit hole of another kind. Nice to see another here

 

[Fixall]

That's a rabbit hole of another kind. Nice to see another here

Indeed it is. But such a fun rabbit hole to fall in to.

It's great to see another one of "us" here. Seeing that you're a mod and staff member here... Looks like I should fit in alright.

 

[Fixall]

New Knife Day!

The Kershaw Dividend in m390 and Kershaw Link in m390 that I ordered from KershawGuy arrived today (I ordered them Friday so that's some pretty awesome shipping speed)! Both knives are pretty great! The centering on the Link is dead center and the centering on the Dividend is just a hair away from being perfect. The detent on both is pretty stiff, but I imagine that will lighten up with use (or an adjustment to the screws). The Dividend definitely feels like an evolution of the Leek. If it was slightly smaller, with a less intrusive flipper tab, and had a softer detent... I'd probably forget the Leek even existed. The Link is very similar to the Dividend, just larger. The steel used for the liner lock is thicker than the steel on the Dividend, making it much more comfortable to close in my opinion. Other than the liner lock, I like the Dividend much more than the Link because of it's small size (baby hands), so I'll probably post the Link for sell here shortly (I purchased them both with the intention of selling the one I liked the least). I've decided to only keep one knife of each type of steel in my collection to put a limit on myself, lol.

The Spyderco SharpMaker I ordered also came (finally!)... As well as the Allen handgun cleaning mat, the mineral oil, and a couple screwdriver sets. I'm pretty damn excited to get started with the SharpMaker! I'm going to start off with the cheapy knives I have and then work my way to the kitchen knives before I touch any of my favorites. I've been watching a TON of videos and reading a lot of forums, so I think I've got a solid understanding at this point. I figured the handgun cleaning mat would make for a good, waterproof surface when I'm working on my knives and computers. I wish they would have mailed it rolled up, rather than folded, because there are some creases... But other than that it seems excellent (especially for $11). The mineral oil is food grade and is for use on the blades of my knives. I also have some Daiwa Reel Oil (pen style) on the way to use for the inner workings of my knives, as well as a tube of McGlaughlin Oil petrol gel (food grade) to use on the SpeedSafe torsion bars of the Kershaws. I got the screwdriver sets to work on both my knives and computers. I wanted to go with iFixit, but I couldn't resist at the price I got these for ($11 for the Phanteks set and $13 for the ORIA and it came with a nice roll up case and a bunch of pry tools and whatnot for working on phones/PCs). I also have an XL double sided paddle strop from DLT trading, and some black and white Bark River compounds coming in the mail, so that should keep me busy for awhile.

I figure I'll keep this thread going as it will be kind of cool (to me at least) to see where I started and where I end up.

 

[Mr.SATism]

Don't forget, sharpmaker is for keeping things sharp! Not making them sharp to begin with! Because I think you said that you don't want to commit to reprofiling with the sharpmaker system, if you know how to find the factory angles on your knives, you can always just tilt the knife so it hits the edge. (I am stubborn, so I will reprofile ALL the knives)

 

[Fixall]

Don't forget, sharpmaker is for keeping things sharp! Not making them sharp to begin with! Because I think you said that you don't want to commit to reprofiling with the sharpmaker system, if you know how to find the factory angles on your knives, you can always just tilt the knife so it hits the edge. (I am stubborn, so I will reprofile ALL the knives)

Definitely. I figure the Spydercos I have already have a 30 degree edge so the SharpMaker should work fine for those. If the edge on my Kershaws and Factor Equipment are different (flat grind on the FE, so I imagine it is), I'll probably mail them in until I have a system/confidence for reprofiling. I'll probably end up doing a little reprofiling with the SharpMaker when I first starting out and learning the system as I don't have any idea of the blade angle on the knives I'll be using for fodder (Gerber Air Ranger, Gerber Gator, Jaguar p.o.s., kitchen knives [Pure Komachi 2, Victorinox, and IKEA]). I'm actually thinking of purchasing an EdgePro from bhyde to handle my reprofiling needs though.

Is there an easy way to find out the factory angles on my Kershaws?

*Edit
After looking up more info, it seems all my Kershaw blade are between a 30 and 40 degree angle so I don't think they'll be too bad on the WorkSharp. The Factor Equipment is a flat grind so I'll probably just send that in for sharpening for now.

 

[Mr.SATism]

Is there an easy way to find out the factory angles on my Kershaws?

Haha, that is something for the maintenance forum. What I've tried before is the sharpie trick in order to make sure that I hit the edges while using the rods as croc sticks (not recommended, it's fun, but I'm not as good at freehanding as I think I am).

 

[Fixall]

Haha, that is something for the maintenance forum. What I've tried before is the sharpie trick in order to make sure that I hit the edges while using the rods as croc sticks (not recommended, it's fun, but I'm not as good at freehanding as I think I am).

Yea, I've been reading all kinds of threads in there, lol. A bit of conflicting information here and there unfortunately, so I guess I should post something if I want a straight answer. Looks like I'm good to go with the Kershaws though.

 

[b00n]

Invest in some Boker/Wiha Stubby Torx Kits. Thank me later.

 

[Jack_Burton]

Welcome to the war.

Yes, there is a lot of good info. on this forum but, you should also know that unfortunately, there are also a LOT of jerks on here.

And what's even worse, is that more often than not, the moderators will reward these jerks by covering up and defending their bad behavior. (even to the extent of muzzling and / or banning the other less fortunate party)

It's just a theory but, to me it appears to be largely based in classism. If you're a paying member, you catch less flack.

It's like the adult version of high school, only instead of social cliques based on extra-curricular participation, here it's based on dollars.

Not saying you came to the wrong place, I just think you should have the truth going in...the WHOLE truth.

Anyways, welcome and will be looking forward to hearing of the additions to you collection!

 

[shinyedges]

Welcome to the war.

Yes, there is a lot of good info. on this forum but, you should also know that unfortunately, there are also a LOT of jerks on here.

And what's even worse, is that more often than not, the moderators will reward these jerks by covering up and defending their bad behavior. (even to the extent of muzzling and / or banning the other less fortunate party)

It's just a theory but, to me it appears to be largely based in classism. If you're a paying member, you catch less flack.

It's like the adult version of high school, only instead of social cliques based on extra-curricular participation, here it's based on dollars.

Not saying you came to the wrong place, I just think you should have the truth going in...the WHOLE truth.

Anyways, welcome and will be looking forward to hearing of the additions to you collection!

Horse manure.

I have been a paying member for years. I can attest to the fact jack Burton is INCORRECT. I have received my share of infractions and warnings when I'm out of line.

 

[Pilsner]

Horse manure.

I have been a paying member for years. I can attest to the fact jack Burton is INCORRECT. I have received my share of infractions and warnings when I'm out of line.

Yes, until the post prior to yours the thread had been pleasant. It is almost as if a jerk showed up in order to fling manure.