Overall Rating: Eh...maybe 4/10.
Recommended? No
Overview:
This was my first (and last) Protech purchase. I have handled them for many, many years but never purchased one because I have always lived in a place that was non-auto friendly and they are a bit on the expensive side. I read many positive reviews on the quality of them and so I decided to jump on the opportunity to get a TR3.
If honesty hurts you, stop reading here.
The lock-up was solid with no blade play.
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Serious issues:
However, the lock face barely made contact across the plane of contact with the tang of the blade. I can't get a picture to explain it, so that is the best I can do. Sorry. The fit of the lock-bar to the tang of the blade was solid but minimal.
This was almost the worst part:
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Terribly sorry for the poor picture, but it's the best I could do to capture the profile of the grind. Not only does it extend back on to the profile of the blade, but both sides are the same and do not meet at an edge that could be sharpened. You can kind of see the hump where the actual sharp point starts. Very disappointing.
I could not get a picture to capture the last issue. But, the fit to the stop pin was so terrible that the tip was exposed past the plane of the handle in the spinal direction. In other words, imagine it in your right pocket. It is tip up, mind you. As you try to fish it out of your pocket, inevitably your pinky finger or other parts of your delicate, cut-prone manflesh could run across the tip.
I handed it to my wife who knows NOTHING about pocket knives OTHER than they are a PITA because I keep sending them back for QC issues. I showed her what I was talking about. That if you ran your finger over the spine while closed it could catch your finger and if I used my nail, I could actually open it by the tip getting caught. She concurred. Her statement was "that looks pretty dangerous."
Rust: I could not capture this with my camera, but along the radius of the tang there was pockets of rust that was visually noticeable. I used a thick-bristle pipe cleaner and CLP to rub and see if it was just surface rust, but alas...it had set in...
I ordered it from Knifecenter for $276 shipped. I e-mailed and left a very polite voice message yesterday with Knifecenter. I was pleasantly awoken to a phone call this morning at 0847 hours with an offer to return for a refund or exchange and an apology.
Wow. Well done knifecenter. I left a very nice message and you woke me up with an apology that I did not ask for. That is superior customer service in my opinion.
Overall:
Disappointed. I was really looking forward to a positive review and an addition to the collection as I have always heard that Protech makes very high quality, well crafted knives. The fact that this even made it out the door is kinda sad. I would not recommend that for this much money you take a gamble on one of these unless you can handle it in the flesh. I know it seems like I am bashing the crap out of this, but that is not my intent. I can not handle knives in the flesh before ordering so I hold them to the quality standard they project.
For the image and claims presented and the product delivered you should be ashamed, Protech. Personally, I will never buy another Protech knife unless I get to handle them in person and pick one out.
1. Surface rust? No thanks
2. Bad lock fit? No thanks
3. Bad grind? No thanks
4. Exposed Tip?????? No thanks!
But major thanks to Knifecenter for letting me return if for a refund.
Recommended? No
Overview:
This was my first (and last) Protech purchase. I have handled them for many, many years but never purchased one because I have always lived in a place that was non-auto friendly and they are a bit on the expensive side. I read many positive reviews on the quality of them and so I decided to jump on the opportunity to get a TR3.
If honesty hurts you, stop reading here.
The lock-up was solid with no blade play.
Serious issues:
However, the lock face barely made contact across the plane of contact with the tang of the blade. I can't get a picture to explain it, so that is the best I can do. Sorry. The fit of the lock-bar to the tang of the blade was solid but minimal.
This was almost the worst part:
Terribly sorry for the poor picture, but it's the best I could do to capture the profile of the grind. Not only does it extend back on to the profile of the blade, but both sides are the same and do not meet at an edge that could be sharpened. You can kind of see the hump where the actual sharp point starts. Very disappointing.
I could not get a picture to capture the last issue. But, the fit to the stop pin was so terrible that the tip was exposed past the plane of the handle in the spinal direction. In other words, imagine it in your right pocket. It is tip up, mind you. As you try to fish it out of your pocket, inevitably your pinky finger or other parts of your delicate, cut-prone manflesh could run across the tip.
I handed it to my wife who knows NOTHING about pocket knives OTHER than they are a PITA because I keep sending them back for QC issues. I showed her what I was talking about. That if you ran your finger over the spine while closed it could catch your finger and if I used my nail, I could actually open it by the tip getting caught. She concurred. Her statement was "that looks pretty dangerous."
Rust: I could not capture this with my camera, but along the radius of the tang there was pockets of rust that was visually noticeable. I used a thick-bristle pipe cleaner and CLP to rub and see if it was just surface rust, but alas...it had set in...
I ordered it from Knifecenter for $276 shipped. I e-mailed and left a very polite voice message yesterday with Knifecenter. I was pleasantly awoken to a phone call this morning at 0847 hours with an offer to return for a refund or exchange and an apology.
Wow. Well done knifecenter. I left a very nice message and you woke me up with an apology that I did not ask for. That is superior customer service in my opinion.
Overall:
Disappointed. I was really looking forward to a positive review and an addition to the collection as I have always heard that Protech makes very high quality, well crafted knives. The fact that this even made it out the door is kinda sad. I would not recommend that for this much money you take a gamble on one of these unless you can handle it in the flesh. I know it seems like I am bashing the crap out of this, but that is not my intent. I can not handle knives in the flesh before ordering so I hold them to the quality standard they project.
For the image and claims presented and the product delivered you should be ashamed, Protech. Personally, I will never buy another Protech knife unless I get to handle them in person and pick one out.
1. Surface rust? No thanks
2. Bad lock fit? No thanks
3. Bad grind? No thanks
4. Exposed Tip?????? No thanks!
But major thanks to Knifecenter for letting me return if for a refund.
