Newb Question - Shirogorov

Joined
Jun 25, 2009
Messages
296
Hi Folks, Would someone be able to enlighten me on the difference between a regular Shirogorov knife, and a 3-Bears model? I did a google search but didn't find anything. I appreciate your help!
Thanks,
D
 
Someone may correct me but I think of mainly these three things:
- Multi Row Bearings vs Single Row Bearings
- internal milling of the scales
- premium steel (M390 / S90V) vs elmax or S30V
 
mpjustin mpjustin is correct, though I've not seen S90V in a serial production knife. That steel is reportedly Sergey's favorite and appears in Custom Division and collab models as well as Sergey's full customs. Some 3 Bears knives have been made with Vanax 37, though I've read that Shiro is phasing that out.

A couple other attributes of 3 Bears knives are underlay washers to protect the slabs from bearing wear and blades with jimping.

I've also read that Shiro is dropping the Bears categories designations as some found them confusing. Personally I found them useful or at least interesting. Any of the newer serial production knives bearing (pun intended) the R designation my be considered to be 3 Bears. Only knives sourced directly from Russia had 1, 2, or 3 Bears logos on their horizontal white COA cards. Knives sourced through R1, the US dealer, have black vertical COA's and do not use the Bears categories.
 
mpjustin mpjustin is correct, though I've not seen S90V in a serial production knife. That steel is reportedly Sergey's favorite and appears in Custom Division and collab models as well as Sergey's full customs.

Interesting. I've got an F95T in S90V with jimping on the blade. It's an older SRBS model. Would the S90V and jimping make it a 3 Bears? No CD logo and I can't see anything on the Russian card that would indicate 3 Bears (unless I'm literally looking for three pictures of bears, I'd have no clue).
 
Interesting indeed, AshKramer AshKramer --that's a new piece of the puzzle for me. Must have been a particular run with S90V as Shiro used a lot of different steels back in the day. I've seen Turtles in S30V and have read about them in other steels as well as some early ones on washers.

My Turtle is SRBS with M390 and jimping. That knife pre-dates the Bears categories and I suspect yours does too. All 3 Bears knives are MRBS as Tom, the Shiro rep, has written over at USN.
 
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