Ok guys need your opinion as always

garrrrrr

i do like the chris reeve knives.... the holy handle design is top notch but... just doesn't do it for me....

the rtak is very tempting....

seems to fit the 10 inch blade range that i want for chopping...

anyone have any experience with it?
 
on brigade quarter masters it shows as 89.99 US

i could buy two......

with the price i pay for the san-mai trailmaster.....

hmmm

also is the sheath that comes with it ok?

does it have some sort of kydex or plastic insert?

btw pitman i'm being dead serious. i want a good chopper that feels good in the hand and so far i thought the san-mai trailmaster was nice. but it seems as though others on this forum have better suggestions.
 
garrrr.. now i can't decide way to many knives out there to choose from T_T.

although i've narrowed down the criteria

looking for 10 inch or longer bowie style chopper
below 400 canadian
must be resistant to salt water (i live on the coast)
must chop well
must be able to pick up from local or from a online retailer that ships to canada.

thanks guys
 
haha, an axe :D


Try the san mai version, and see what you think, you can allways return it correct?

Try it and have fun, if it doesn't cut it for ya (:D pun intended) give the RTAK a try.
 
my friend, i know this breaks a few of your specifications but if you keep clicking next at the busse company store there are muddy cgfbm's with magnum and snakeskin grips available if you can spring another $20 - $40. i also agree with the suggestion of the new rtak 2, it's coated and even stripped won't need as much attention as we give our knives anyway. if that's no good, i thought i saw a used battle rat on the exchange under $300 today.
 
i think i'll take fonly's advice and just pick the damn thing up (trailmaster)

if i dont like it i'll just return it and pick up something else most likely the rtak


thanks for your opinions guys i've made up me mind

thanks fonly you've helped in that process :D
 
Not a problem, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet, and get it. Then If you dont like it, it can allways go back, or be sold on here :D

Have fun.
 
If you must have stainless how about an Entrek Destroyer?
I would still avoid stainless for a chopper though !!!!
 
All 3 maybe?

threex.jpg
 
was lookin in the 10 inch blade range pitman thanks for the suggestion though :D
 
You want a chopper?
You could get several handmade HI Khukris which eat Trailmasters for breakfast for what you're paying.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=739

Cold steel has some decient stuff.
Thier shovels for 20.00 are cool.
So are their spears and War Hammers.
But for 300.00 bucks you could get a custom.

I have a Marine Radier Bowie that's well worth the 50.00 bucks or so it costs.
I'd MUCH rather have a good 50.00 khukuri though.
 
Don't pay $300 for a Trailmaster unless you absolutely have to. You should be able to find one MUCH cheaper once the "new" line of CS carbon steel knives is available. I also strongly advise not ordering a Trailmaster until you've held one... many folks, myself included, find the blade fantastic but the handle horrible. It's a very easy knife to rebuild if you want to put a different handle on it. Also the clip on the TM is beveled but not sharpened, don't know if that matters to you. I haven't bothered to sharpen mine, I rarely get into knife duels ;) But then again, if it's not sharp it may as well be a drop-point.

How come whenever someone asks about a big knife half the posters try to talk him out of it? If he wanted an axe he would have asked for opinions about axes, I bet :D
 
GibsonFan said:
.

How come whenever someone asks about a big knife half the posters try to talk him out of it? If he wanted an axe he would have asked for opinions about axes, I bet :D
Click to expand...


Well said...if the man wants a TM he wants a TM....I guess the other question is what your plans are for the blade. The coffin handle on the Laredo may not be suitable for outdoors work.

Wow, prices in your part of the world are quite high. That is quite a lot for a TM.

It's true about the narrow handle. I wrapped mine with some bike tube and it actually felt much better. I hope to have it re-handled at some point but I have other choppers that can do the job till then.
 
If JC wants a TM he will get one. If he wants it for the sake of owning one then get one.

If he wants a blade for serious use with steel he can trust and a design thats durable and utilitarian he wont get a TM.

For less money he can get 5 times the blade the TM is although there may be a wait for it.

Busse, anything large enough
Swamp Rat, BR, RM, RW,CT
Ranger RD7, RD9
Hell even a Becker BK9 is a better option as far as utility.

JC needs to research and learn about blade quality before dropping that much scratch. I'd start with lifetime warranties and go from there ;). I own CS blades (sold my TM yrs ago) and for the money they are decent but for the amount he is spending there are FAR!!! better options.

Skam
 
skammer said:
If he wants a blade for serious use with steel he can trust and a design thats durable and utilitarian he wont get a TM.
Skam
Click to expand...

With all due respect, I disagree entirely. I'm curious, Skammer, why did you sell your TM? How did it fail you? Please be assured, I'm not starting a fight here, just asking your experience with it. The other knives you recommended are very highly regarded, I wouldn't turn up my nose at any of them. In fact, I think they're all in about the same class as the TM, price not being an issue. Even considering price, I have read nothing but positive reviews of Busse, SwampRat, Ranger and Becker knives. I don't think you could really go wrong with any of those.

I own a CarbonV TM and would gladly recommend it for hard use. Of the knives I already own or am likely to acquire anytime soon, it's my first choice if I had only one blade of any kind. Short of clamping it in a vise, putting a cheater bar on it and seeing how many times I had to reef on it before something bad happened, I have done everything to it that I would EVER be likely to do in the outdoors or other survival situation. With no complaints other than the too-thin, too-slick handle. This includes leaving it in it's leather sheath overnight (in my tent, not a climate-controlled place), wet and filthy from cutting firewood in the rain (the very few <1/8" rust spots buffed off easily with 0000 steel wool and did not leave pits in the steel); chopping green and dry wood as hard as I can without chipping or badly dulling the blade (I'm 6'4, 220# with long arms and lots of leverage on my side, you do the math on the force applied); slicing fine writing paper and shaving arm hair; whacking the flat of the blade against a standing live oak with all my force; using the spine to drive tent pegs into gravel; and so on. Not to mention piddly stuff like peeling apples, cutting steak and "normal" chopping and splitting, with and without a wood baton. I have not attempted to chop through a concrete block or use it as a stair, because that's bloody retarded in my not-so-humble-opinion. But I confidently venture it would hold up at those tasks, although I bet it would need some serious sharpening afterwards. Just as a Busse or custom would.

My only beefs with the TM blade design are: if fighting is not a big concern, you don't really need a clip point. You'd probably be better off with a drop-point for strength if you want to pry or dig with it. And if you want to put a lot of shear pressure near the guard, you'd be well-advised to put a smoother radius on the tang/blade juncture; from the factory it's quite square and that makes it more likely to break.

There are several great knives available that can do the same things as well or better, no question. But to say the TM isn't trustworthy, durable or utilitarian is inaccurate at best. I only hope the "new" CS TM's keep up the standard set before by "CarbonV".

http://www.coldsteel.com/39l16c.html

CS is listing TM's with the "new" SK-5 steel for $160US, although they're not on shelves yet. When they come around, they surely won't be more than that at the usual respected dealers, I betcha.

I think CS is just plain full of baloney (as they often are) when they said a TM will out-perform most custom bowies. A custom smith can properly heat treat his blades so the spine and tang are tougher and the edge is harder.
 
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

i'm in quite the pickle here

i own plenty of hatchets and axes and know what i can do with them so as stated above,
gibsonfan your rite if i wanted advice on an axe i'd ask for it :D

i thought the trailmaster would be a nice chopper because it fit most of my criteria:

stainless
chopper
10inch plus
and can be picked up LOCALLY (vancouver + lower-mainland)

i know many people will recommened me great places to buy online but to be honest i've had bad experiences in the past from online dealers and that kinda leaves me with a bias against them i guess.

also. i like receiving my knives when i pay for them on the spot :D

hmmm, what to do what to do...
 
Well, here it comes again, If you can get the TM, get it. Plain and simple, Plus because you buying it localy, if you dont like it, its going to be much more easier to return.
 
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