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Next Knife: Lum Chinese or Chinook. Opinions Please
- Thread starter boobar
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2001
- Messages
- 1,068
boobar
These are two dramatically different knives. The Lum Chinese is a sophisticated looking, great cutting, knife. The Chinook on the other hand is a heavy duty knife which also has great martial blade craft potential. If you gave us some indication of your intended use we may be able to direct our opinions better.
These are two dramatically different knives. The Lum Chinese is a sophisticated looking, great cutting, knife. The Chinook on the other hand is a heavy duty knife which also has great martial blade craft potential. If you gave us some indication of your intended use we may be able to direct our opinions better.
Boobar,
I own and have lusted after both of these models before acquiring them, and I like the Chinook better. At least, I tend to use it more. In spite of what many think of as a considerable weight I find it just disappears into my pocket. It looks great, feels sensational, and cuts powerfully.
The Lum Chinese is a beautiful piece, I take mine out and look at it once in awhile and carry it occasionally. It cuts very, very efficiently with it's flat ground VG-10 blade but I find it just a bit difficult to hang onto, or at least to initially grasp when drawing and deploying. This is probably why I don't get around to using it much. I guess I'm just afraid of dropping it; kinda' like a piece of fine jewellery.
Jeff/1911.
I own and have lusted after both of these models before acquiring them, and I like the Chinook better. At least, I tend to use it more. In spite of what many think of as a considerable weight I find it just disappears into my pocket. It looks great, feels sensational, and cuts powerfully.
The Lum Chinese is a beautiful piece, I take mine out and look at it once in awhile and carry it occasionally. It cuts very, very efficiently with it's flat ground VG-10 blade but I find it just a bit difficult to hang onto, or at least to initially grasp when drawing and deploying. This is probably why I don't get around to using it much. I guess I'm just afraid of dropping it; kinda' like a piece of fine jewellery.
Jeff/1911.
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2000
- Messages
- 90
I can certainly speak for the Chinook.
Don't be intimidated by the size and sheer heft of it. I carry it with me all the time and it's not a hindrance, and I do not exaggerate. It is the go-anywhere-do-anything type of knife--for life!
In terms of dependability and sheer performance, Chinook speaks volumes.
And ditto what Jeff/1911 said (as if I didn't already say it
)
At about $100, Chinook is a bargain, IMO.
Don't be intimidated by the size and sheer heft of it. I carry it with me all the time and it's not a hindrance, and I do not exaggerate. It is the go-anywhere-do-anything type of knife--for life!
In terms of dependability and sheer performance, Chinook speaks volumes.
And ditto what Jeff/1911 said (as if I didn't already say it
) At about $100, Chinook is a bargain, IMO.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 1999
- Messages
- 742
i had to make the same decision. for collection i went w/ a blue almite Lum.
but probably this month i'll be getting another (and not trading this time )Chinook.
of course my dream knife right now is a Lum chinese about 20% larger w/ g-10 scales..mmmmm.....
Metis
but probably this month i'll be getting another (and not trading this time )Chinook.
of course my dream knife right now is a Lum chinese about 20% larger w/ g-10 scales..mmmmm.....
Metis
I have both an old Chinook and a Lum Chinese in what I guess is green since I am color blind in the blue-green range(I had ordered another knife and the dealer shipped this one; I liked it so much that I kept it and paid for it as well as the one that I ordered. That in itself says volumes.) I really like the Lum as a dressy over 3" medium blade. It is thin enough to carry with dress pants and dressy enough to use without unduly alarming anyone but a true hoplophobe.
The original Chinook is a James Keating design from Spyderco's Martial Blade Craft line. As such, it is a fine defense tool, the clip point being designed for Keating's famous "Back Cut" technique first developed for Bowie Knife use. But it is one fine heavy duty utility knife as well. It is built like an M2A1 tank and it works like a bank vault, locking up solid as a rock. It is very heavy duty, and it is rather heavy to carry, at least in comparison to some other Spyderco knives, but not so heavy as to require a belt holster. My analogy on the Chinook is that it is like the original, classic Buck 110 in design, but using all modern materials such as G-10 and CPM440V steel. Both are solidly made, use a lock-back system, and are durable as can be, but the Buck is like a fine old Smith & Wesson revolver, deeply blued machined steel with lovely walnut grips while the Chinook is a Glock, equally effective and durable, but thoroughly modern and not appealing to the same aesthetic sense.
The original Chinook is a James Keating design from Spyderco's Martial Blade Craft line. As such, it is a fine defense tool, the clip point being designed for Keating's famous "Back Cut" technique first developed for Bowie Knife use. But it is one fine heavy duty utility knife as well. It is built like an M2A1 tank and it works like a bank vault, locking up solid as a rock. It is very heavy duty, and it is rather heavy to carry, at least in comparison to some other Spyderco knives, but not so heavy as to require a belt holster. My analogy on the Chinook is that it is like the original, classic Buck 110 in design, but using all modern materials such as G-10 and CPM440V steel. Both are solidly made, use a lock-back system, and are durable as can be, but the Buck is like a fine old Smith & Wesson revolver, deeply blued machined steel with lovely walnut grips while the Chinook is a Glock, equally effective and durable, but thoroughly modern and not appealing to the same aesthetic sense.
- Joined
- May 17, 2002
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- 5,757
If you want a bad ass work horse/fighting folder, take the thick, rock-solid Chinook.
If you want a great slicer for light to medium tasks with an original design and a different handle color than standard black, take the Lum.
If you want a great slicer for light to medium tasks with an original design and a different handle color than standard black, take the Lum.
Folks,
I too see the plain edge original-style Chinook as a lovely piece. It is a far nicer looking knife than the newer version, at least in the pictures I've seen. Regarding it's weight, although I agree it feels hefty in the hand it doesn't feel heavy in the least in my pocket, and it's wide handle makes for most comfortable right front jeans pocket carry; at least for me. I'm sure glad I managed to get one while they're still available.
Fuller H, I think that yours is a great analogy; the Chinook and the Glock. This rings true with me.
Jeff/1911.
I too see the plain edge original-style Chinook as a lovely piece. It is a far nicer looking knife than the newer version, at least in the pictures I've seen. Regarding it's weight, although I agree it feels hefty in the hand it doesn't feel heavy in the least in my pocket, and it's wide handle makes for most comfortable right front jeans pocket carry; at least for me. I'm sure glad I managed to get one while they're still available.
Fuller H, I think that yours is a great analogy; the Chinook and the Glock. This rings true with me.
Jeff/1911.
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2002
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- 1,605
Boobar
I can't comment on the Chinook as I don't own that model yet, I do plan on getting 1 as my next Spydie purchase.
I can however tell you about the Lum.
I've got both models the, the green Lum in SE and the gun metal blue in PE.
Would I use them as EDC knives, NO where I think they fit in is a gents knife.
I sometimes wear mine to church functions, and have found that people tend to NOT consider this style a threat.
In fact not long ago I was in a gardening shop with my wife (being dragged kicking and screaming) :barf: looking for orential bonzia trees, up walks this elderly lady and notices the green Lum in my RF pocket.
Her comment was may I see that nice gardening knife, she loved it.
So that's a nice perk in my mind, having misinformed knife people become intrested in a safe looking knife.
Either model will serve you well, so follow your own thinking, OR! do what I do raid the bank account
. Ron
I can't comment on the Chinook as I don't own that model yet, I do plan on getting 1 as my next Spydie purchase.
I can however tell you about the Lum.
I've got both models the, the green Lum in SE and the gun metal blue in PE.
Would I use them as EDC knives, NO where I think they fit in is a gents knife.
I sometimes wear mine to church functions, and have found that people tend to NOT consider this style a threat.
In fact not long ago I was in a gardening shop with my wife (being dragged kicking and screaming) :barf: looking for orential bonzia trees, up walks this elderly lady and notices the green Lum in my RF pocket.
Her comment was may I see that nice gardening knife, she loved it.
So that's a nice perk in my mind, having misinformed knife people become intrested in a safe looking knife.
Either model will serve you well, so follow your own thinking, OR! do what I do raid the bank account
. RonHi!
I own both of them, the chinok plain edge and the blue lum chinese. If I were to go to an island and take only one knife, and it had to be a folder - nothing but the chinook. The lum looks pretty and paeceful. I use it in the office, sometimes. No one complains about that shape. When I use it, I always feel a little like my fingers might slide into the edge, since there's no guard at all.
Generally I use two others as edc's, the rookie G-10 and the police G-10, my hands just want them the most.
So my vote would be for the chinook.
I own both of them, the chinok plain edge and the blue lum chinese. If I were to go to an island and take only one knife, and it had to be a folder - nothing but the chinook. The lum looks pretty and paeceful. I use it in the office, sometimes. No one complains about that shape. When I use it, I always feel a little like my fingers might slide into the edge, since there's no guard at all.
Generally I use two others as edc's, the rookie G-10 and the police G-10, my hands just want them the most.
So my vote would be for the chinook.
glockman99
RIP Dann, you were a good guy.
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2000
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- 21,269
Have you considered a Police model? I received my 3rd one today (one of the new VG-10 models, with a fully-serrated edge), and it IS my favorite Spydie!