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One Year EDC, Carson M4
- Thread starter Will York
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2002
- Messages
- 691
Will (hope you don't mind if I use your first name) your Carson is a wonderful little folder. Too bad I couldn't find one to buy. On the site you posted there are M4s but they are way different, and, I think bigger, knives.
May I ask when you purchased it, how, and how much was it?
Thanks
May I ask when you purchased it, how, and how much was it?
Thanks
ARtsig1
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2000
- Messages
- 3,692
I just found a large model 4 with full G-10 handle scales, no bolsters. I should have it tomorrow, provided Fed Ex works today
I hadn;t seen one of these, one without bolsters, except in full titanium handles. I like the clip point blade, but I have an Obenauf model two done the same way and I really like it so I should be okay with the Carson bolsterless 4!
I hadn;t seen one of these, one without bolsters, except in full titanium handles. I like the clip point blade, but I have an Obenauf model two done the same way and I really like it so I should be okay with the Carson bolsterless 4!
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2000
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- 8,888
Originally posted by Bustard
Will (hope you don't mind if I use your first name) your Carson is a wonderful little folder. Too bad I couldn't find one to buy. On the site you posted there are M4s but they are way different, and, I think bigger, knives.
May I ask when you purchased it, how, and how much was it?
Thanks
Bustard-- (hope you don't mind me calling you Bustard
)Thank you for your compliments on my Carson. Finding one like it likely would be a problem--it's the only one I've ever seen, although I belive Kit has done a few others with bolsterless CF handles.
As to your questions about my acquisition of the knife, I special ordered this one from Kit when he was still taking orders--don't know if that's the case now as his work is in such demand and I understand he has a tremendous backlog. I received mine a year ago, after nearly a two-year wait. I'd hesitate to quote price on my knife, since it was a special order placed almost three years ago, but I can say that I recently picked up a medium Carson M16 with 3.5" Stellite 6K drop-point blade, titanium bolsters and micarta handles for $500 from Arizona Custom Knives (azck.com). The medium M16 is just a tad larger (my small M4 has a 3" blade), but is significantly heavier than my M4 due to the difference in handle construction. I really do like the medium M16, though--tough, strong knife in a compact, ergonomic package.
AZCK retails Kit's knives on a regular basis, if you watch their website. You can also get on their mailing list to receive email notices when new knives are offered for sale.
-Will
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2000
- Messages
- 8,888
For anyone who's interested, you'll notice I started this thread in September of 2002, after one year of every-day-carry. I've now been carrying this knife just about every day for two years.
I've steeled the straight part of the edge on a ceramic rod and stropped it on leather exactly ONE more time in the past year (mainly to clean gum and glue off the edge bevel after opening taped packages, etc.) The serrated part has not been touched in the two years I've owned the knife, and parts 1/2" sisal rope just as aggressively as it did when new.
The knife still locks up just as solidly as the day I received it from Kit in 2001, and the lock rests in the same position. Here's a look at the lock-up today, which you may enjoy comparing with the pic in the first post of this thread, taken one year ago:
I've steeled the straight part of the edge on a ceramic rod and stropped it on leather exactly ONE more time in the past year (mainly to clean gum and glue off the edge bevel after opening taped packages, etc.) The serrated part has not been touched in the two years I've owned the knife, and parts 1/2" sisal rope just as aggressively as it did when new.
The knife still locks up just as solidly as the day I received it from Kit in 2001, and the lock rests in the same position. Here's a look at the lock-up today, which you may enjoy comparing with the pic in the first post of this thread, taken one year ago:
- Joined
- Oct 16, 1998
- Messages
- 2,395
Will, looks like you might just get a few more miles out of that one.
It doesn't get any better than this. You set down the parameters of the perfect functional EDC for yourself, get a master like Kit to build in beauty and grace, and over the space of a couple of years, you find out that the knife is greater than the sum of all those parts. Kinda' how I feel about my wife.
How perfect is that?
It's a knife lover's dream.
It doesn't get any better than this. You set down the parameters of the perfect functional EDC for yourself, get a master like Kit to build in beauty and grace, and over the space of a couple of years, you find out that the knife is greater than the sum of all those parts. Kinda' how I feel about my wife.
How perfect is that?
It's a knife lover's dream.
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2003
- Messages
- 494
Hey, Will -- (you don't mind if I call you just Will, do you? ;^)
First of all: great, great knife, great materials choices and incredible design... Also: nice review!!! Long-term reviews are very interesting. At last something based on real experience in this disposable world ;^)
I have a question that might not be very polite to ask... so feel free to answer or not. How much did you pay for that great (incredible) EDC?
Cheers,
David
First of all: great, great knife, great materials choices and incredible design... Also: nice review!!! Long-term reviews are very interesting. At last something based on real experience in this disposable world ;^)
I have a question that might not be very polite to ask... so feel free to answer or not. How much did you pay for that great (incredible) EDC?
Cheers,
David
- Joined
- Sep 30, 1999
- Messages
- 4,229
Will(hope you dont mind if I call you Will),
great review. I've been carrying my medium Carson model 4 for over 2 years and use it nightly in my job in the pressroom of the NY Daily News. It has never let me down, holds a great edge, and locks up as solid as it did when I got it. Except for scratches it is the same as when it was new.
Moine, for regular model 4's(meaning no special handle or blade materials), the bolsterless models go for $375-400 and with bolsters for $425-450. Sometimes if you watch the forums you can get a great deal on one. Believe me, I know. I only carry this one but I have 4 other model 4's.
This is the one I carry:s30v blade, jigbone handles, ti bolsters and liners.
,great review. I've been carrying my medium Carson model 4 for over 2 years and use it nightly in my job in the pressroom of the NY Daily News. It has never let me down, holds a great edge, and locks up as solid as it did when I got it. Except for scratches it is the same as when it was new.
Moine, for regular model 4's(meaning no special handle or blade materials), the bolsterless models go for $375-400 and with bolsters for $425-450. Sometimes if you watch the forums you can get a great deal on one. Believe me, I know. I only carry this one but I have 4 other model 4's.
This is the one I carry:s30v blade, jigbone handles, ti bolsters and liners.
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- Joined
- Sep 30, 1999
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And these are not mine(yet!) but thought you might enjoy the pic.
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- Jan 21, 2000
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- 8,888
Steve-
You're exactly right. A knifelover's dream. Doesn't get any better.
Moine (David)-
Thanks for the nice words. Dave A's prices sound right, although I personally haven't seen any of Kit's stuff for sale in awhile. Add $100 for Stellite 6K over other blade materials.
Dave-
That little jigged bone job is a very handsome knife. One of the nicest-looking M4's I've seen. Congrats!
-w
You're exactly right. A knifelover's dream. Doesn't get any better.
Moine (David)-
Thanks for the nice words. Dave A's prices sound right, although I personally haven't seen any of Kit's stuff for sale in awhile. Add $100 for Stellite 6K over other blade materials.
Dave-
That little jigged bone job is a very handsome knife. One of the nicest-looking M4's I've seen. Congrats!
-w
- Joined
- Nov 3, 1999
- Messages
- 1,685
Gettin' here kind of late (I did read this about a year ago
). As I write this, I am waiting for Kit to give me the nod to send my large M4 into him to retro fit a s30V blade. But in the mean time, I lucked out this summer and scored a mint carbon fiber small M4, hunter blade, s30V.
I usually opt for the medium to large handled knives, cause that's what fits my hand. This little bugger of a knife is so "large", I can't put it down.
Barry H
). As I write this, I am waiting for Kit to give me the nod to send my large M4 into him to retro fit a s30V blade. But in the mean time, I lucked out this summer and scored a mint carbon fiber small M4, hunter blade, s30V. I usually opt for the medium to large handled knives, cause that's what fits my hand. This little bugger of a knife is so "large", I can't put it down.
Barry H
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2000
- Messages
- 8,888
Three years out Ive finally sharpened the Stellite 6K blade on my small Model 4--I still carry it every day.
The serrated edge was still cutting just as aggressively, but the straight portion of the blade would no longer pop hairalthough it would still scrape hair, so technically it was still shaving sharp.
I used a diamond rod to true up the edge, then a fine ceramic rod, and finished by stropping on smooth leather charged with CrO. I stropped the whole blade including serrations, pressing them into the leather a bit, and that treatment actually seemed to help the scalloped teeth of the serrations as well. Other than a little coarser finish right above the edge than what Kit put on it originally , this puppy pops hair like new. The lock still deploys to the same location as shown in the previous two years photos (above), lining up with the left edge of the tang, and whether I nudge the blade open or sling it open hard, the lock-up is rock solid without a hint of wiggle in any direction. In other words I cannot tell any difference in this knife from when it was new, other than my own minor sharpening marks.
I guess Ill hold off another three years before my next review updatethis is starting to sound redundant. Id hate to bore you boys.
The serrated edge was still cutting just as aggressively, but the straight portion of the blade would no longer pop hairalthough it would still scrape hair, so technically it was still shaving sharp.
I used a diamond rod to true up the edge, then a fine ceramic rod, and finished by stropping on smooth leather charged with CrO. I stropped the whole blade including serrations, pressing them into the leather a bit, and that treatment actually seemed to help the scalloped teeth of the serrations as well. Other than a little coarser finish right above the edge than what Kit put on it originally
, this puppy pops hair like new. The lock still deploys to the same location as shown in the previous two years photos (above), lining up with the left edge of the tang, and whether I nudge the blade open or sling it open hard, the lock-up is rock solid without a hint of wiggle in any direction. In other words I cannot tell any difference in this knife from when it was new, other than my own minor sharpening marks.I guess Ill hold off another three years before my next review updatethis is starting to sound redundant. Id hate to bore you boys.