Newt Livesay G-45 neck knife

B

Bob Irons

Joined
Oct 14, 1998
Messages
1,573
I promised Titan I would do a mini review of the G-45 as soon as it came. Here are my observations:

The G-45 is 7 3/4 inches long in sheath. The knife is 7 inches. The steel is 1/8 inch 1095. The sheath has an adjustable paracord. Both Kytdex sheath and paracord are an unobtrusive brown. The sheath is much smaller than the sheath which comes with the Stiff KISS. The sheath is 1 5/16 inches wides and about 4 inches long. The retention is excellent with a strong, but reasonable pull required to release the knife. The knife has a great belly and nice tip and has about 2 3/4 inches of cutting edge. This blade really contrasts with the Stiff KISS, which is flat tanto style. The blade was reasonably sharp, but not shavin sharp. The Stiff KISS came shavin sharp. I'll have to put this one on the Sharpmaker to get it to where I like it. The paracord on the G-45 is much softer and more comfortable than the paracord on the Stiff KISS. The same softer paracord is wrapped on the handle and provides a nice grip. The handle is approximately 3 3/4 inches long with paracord wrap on the middle 3 inches. The handle flares out from 1/2 inch in the middle of the knife to 1 inch at the butt end with a nice flair out on the last 1/2 inch or so which helps retention and pull. There is a little circled out area with a hole between the handle and the blade which tends to keep your finger off the blade.

This knife is very comfortable to wear either inside shirt or outside. It sits very comfortably and you can easily forget it is there. I find it much more comfortable than my Stiff KISS and quite a bit less obvious.

I like it a lot. Unfortunately, so does the other knife nut in the family.
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Now, I will have to order another one. I made the mistake of giving my daughter the choice between Stiff KISS and G-45. She picked the G-45. That probably says as much as all the above verbage.

Ok, Titan that's it, as promised.
 
Bob - excellent review! Sounds like another nice knife from Newt. Will have to add it to my shopping list.
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Bob -- Salamat (thanks)! I think I will order one from Close Quarter Solutions (www.closequarters.com) as soon as they set up their secure online ordering system in April.

How do you evaluate the rust resistance of the G-45? Is it epoxy coated? Is it southpaw-friendly?
 
Titan,

The evaluation of rust resistance will occur over time - as my daughter carries the knive. It does come with a light coating of some kind of protective grease/oil and I will make sure it has a light coating at all times! I believe this is essential for 1095!

Don't believe it has any epoxy coating, at least nothing obvious.

Close Quarter Solutions does have an 888 number, so you can place an order that way until their secure server is up.
 
Greetings Bob. Thanks for the detailed review. Especially the dimensions which are very helpfull. However, is the G45 ground on both sides and what is its weight with and without sheath? Close quarters website does not indicate. Thanks again.

L8r,
Nakano

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"To earn a million is easy, a real friend is not."
 
Nakano,

I'll check the spec sheet tonight and post the weight and grind. Whatever the weight is, it seems really light to me both with and without sheath. You put it on and forget it is there.

ok, I checked the specs - no weight listed. I don't have a scale, but the G-45 with sheath is somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3 of the weight of the Stiff KISS with sheath. The G-45 sheath is probably about 1/3 the weight of the Stiff KISS sheath - it's extremely light.

The G-45 blade has a dark coating which sparkles a little if you look closely - must be some kind of protective coating. The blade is double grind. It's a little heavier on one side than the other, but definitely double.

All right all you critics
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any other requests?

[This message has been edited by Bob Irons (edited 25 March 1999).]

[This message has been edited by Bob Irons (edited 25 March 1999).]
 
Okay, Bob, you asked for questions...how does it handle, cut, when you slash something like a Pepsi case how does it cut and more importantly, stay in your hand? How about when you hack a 1x2 or something similar wrapped in towels? (simulate bad scenario) reasons I ask is that I have large hands and I like newt's Uji, which is a small tanto with a slight curve to the side down the spine of the blade. It leaves a nasty opening in soft media that sort of gapes open rather than trying to self seal. How does the G-45 do whe steck into a 4x4 post. I understand that this is a last ditch tool or daily utility, not a K-Bar, but I am interested in how it functions in its desperation mode. I will also post a quicky review of the Uji if you like for comparison.
 
Parker - I'd love it if you would post your review of the Uji, I've been eyeballing it for a while as an alternative to my CS Kobun, because the flat handle on the CS just isn't full enough - it's a great knife in every other way than that. Do you find it hazardous to have a knife that large & sharp with no guard? hopeful thanks in advance for your insights.
 
Aargh! double post!
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The beatings will continue until morale improves.

[This message has been edited by fishface (edited 14 April 1999).]
 
*#@^*#\*@##!!!!!
Apologies for the multiple posts. Hal, my computer, seems to be trying to assert itself - a little coke poured in the back should fix things . . . .

[This message has been edited by fishface (edited 14 April 1999).]
 
Parker,

Those are excellent questions. Unfortunately I don't have the hard answers for you as I have not put the G-45 through any real tests yet. I would be interested in knowing this also. Since I don't get to keep the G-45, I won't be able to abuse it at all.
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The G-45 is probably best suited to medium to smaller hands. It's ok in my hand (medium), but I can see where someone with larger hands might want something a little bigger.

I would be very interested in your review of the Uji. Always looking for something better!
 
Okay, I will in fact hopefully find the time this weekend to bash my Uji around. Fishface, in preliminary answer to your question, I found the handle of the Kobun scary. I envisioned my hand sliding right over the handle and guard and becoming much shorter in a hurry. Uji give me no such fear, due to micarta texture and al all around better thought out design. I have not handled a KoBun in some time, no desire to do so.
Bob, go ahead and beat it up a little. If Newt's knives take what I think they might, your daughter needs fear not. If so, better to discover this now, eh? I will see if time to post right on Monday or Tuesday next week. E-mail me if I do not. Biz and all...

Short answer, I have cut lots of pepsi and beer cases apart in basement with it and gone after multiple wine cases (drunk and wired great combo eh?) If held tightly and technique is right, Uji will penetrate to the hilt but is hard to rotate out, my preferred technique. Penetration will require more effort than you might think due to tanto configuration and blade bend (!!!)As I was once asked about a K-Bar rotation size hole, what caliber is that? Leave it in or slash your way out. Sheath requires a bit of clarity on your part, as stock sheath is with a short bit of paracord at the pointy end to attach to a belt, hangs free as you draw. Good marks here when you think about it, as trying to resheath into your pants while full of adrenaline is a great way to bleed a lot. The blade as I mentioned is curved to one SIDE. In something like a roast or other meatlike object, it will leave a gaping hole, not a neat one. This requres determination on your part, but believe me if my knife is ever being used in a non-utility capacity, I will be awfully determined. Came from the factory with an okay edge, not too hard to sharpen to razor, but the curve (appears bent) makes you think. It drags through any fibrous material when hacking through duer to cuuve, but this is due mainly to my being un-used to the curve and also being stubborn. Newt told me it was designed for reverse grip lefty use...I have not figured out how to translate to fencing or hammer grip righty without issue, but what's life without some challenge, eh?
This blade is very light and the whole package was fifty bucks. I feel that it is worth the money and I will happily carry this should I wind up in harm's way, assuming that platoon of Marines is not available and my Bowie cannot make the trip.

Okay, I have done the long answer and if anyone thinks they can tell me in short form how to post this as new review, I will post there as well, properly proofed and spell checked. I will be doing anti-attacking-log type tests this weekend so I will be back to you Monday or so. Lemme know if there is anything else I can add. Bottom line, go buy it.
 
Parker - great! Thanks for the info - look forward to a full recounting of your pitched battle with those logs!
 
Thanks Parker. If all is on schedule, I will be receiving a steel NRG in a matter of days. I have its cousin(?), the non metallic NRG and was immediately impressed with its ergonomics. I will put the steel version thru a few paces and post my findings.

L8r,
Nakano



------------------
"To earn a million is easy, a real friend is not."
 
Hey, that NRG is great. I love it and the muther weighs all of like a paper clip. For those of you who don't know, NRG is a slab of G-10 ground into a blade. Nice point, feels great, can supposedly punch thru a drum (can't they all??) but wil fragment if you insert and snap your hand to one side. Read that twice for full effect. 4" object, blade shaped, in soft tissue with no way to easily extract. Ouch. Took it to the store last night, nice feeling of legal? self defense that I could claim as a letter opener except for kydex. damn thing does not print at all on my clothes, literally wieghs 1/2 ounce. Logs are on the lookout tonight, played plumber all weekend, crappy (ha ha ha )saturday.

[This message has been edited by Parker (edited 22 April 1999).]
 
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