i hope this is the right place for this post... i know there a few Raid-Ops fans here, so here goes.
anyhoo, this is more about my visit to Korea and meeting with Nam Duk Kim, the owner and maker of Raid-Ops products (link). i didn't think i would be able to meet Kim (he likes to be referred to as Kim), but a phone call on my second last night in Korea had us making arrangements to meet before my flight out the next day. i do not have any affiliation with Raid-Ops, other than being a very satisfied customer.
Kim is a good guy... no, a great guy! we met while he had some time in the morning from his real job. my spoken korean is very poor... VERY VERY poor, so i was relying on Kim to understand english. Kim's english is very good for a native korean. his english is limited though, but this didn't hinder our conversation too much.
Kim is a part time maker tool and knife. he works full time as a manager for a design company in Korea. he explained to me that knife and tool making started out only as a real desire to create the designs he had come up with. it began as a hobby, with Kim gaining knowledge from the internet and from various books he could get his hands on. Kim explained that the 'combat' knife manufacturing in Korea did not exist before he started. there are VERY strict rules in Korea on the carrying and production of 'offensive' styled knives. in Korea, one needs a license to produce 'combat' style blades... and really, this license only covered the production of swords. Kim is a pioneer in Korea, as he went about getting the proper clearances and finding out the proper procedures to allow him to legally make knives. Kim is the first to be licensed to GRIND knives. the previous license only allowed for the forging or pounding method of blade construction. it's kind of weird, but the korean government regulates weapons production by method of how the product is manufactured... i still don't fully grasp why, but it is a different culture and country from what i'm used too.
Kim explained that the authorities were apprehensive about his hobby, but allow him to make knives so long as he follows the guidelines that have been set out. the nice thing is that Kim gets to set some of those guidelines himself as there are no other makers in Korea using the 'grinding' method to produce 'combat' blades.
Kim has a great imagination! he has come up with some rather unique products and i find them very unique and functional. Kim does have a style of his own... kind of an industrial look with artistic chiseled grinds (my description). the impact tools are heavy duty as are his knives. very utilitarian in design... nothing too fancy, but very functional.
Kim has to bring in materials from overseas to Korea. he uses titanium, S30V and M2 pretty much exclusively. he has a friend do the heat treat for him, and this was a challenge at first, as his friend had not heat treated these metals before. Kim explained that S30V was not very difficult to find information on, but M2 needed experimentation as there were several different treatments for this steel. Kim finds that both M2 and S30V are equal when it comes to grinding and shaping them for knives. when i asked why he chose M2 for a knife steel, he said it was because it was a very hard tool steel that could take abuse. as many of you know, Kim works in titanium for making his tools. some of his designs use some very thick pieces of Ti, and i inquired how he was able to get them. he stated he has been fortunate enough to meet people in the metal industry that have helped him buy his steel and Ti. Kim is having difficulty getting G10 though. i suspect that the company he deals with in the US for his G10 has become wary of overseas customers. hopefully Kim can resolve this issue.
Kim stated that most of his tools and knives are sold in Europe, about 80% go there. about 5% stay in country (mostly korean collectors and soldiers), and the rest go to the Americas. Kim works on knives on the weekend when he can find time. he has a family, and family comes first.
i had hoped to buy and pick up a Wild Duck tool and Little John fixed blade from Kim when i visited Korea, but Kim had told me before i left that there wasn't enough time to get them done. i was very surprised when Kim presented to me a Wild Duck 2 when we met! Kim had made a special run of the Wild Duck 2 in order to have it ready for me when i visited Korea. it was very much appreciated! Kim also brought along a Spartan-Anygrip, which i bought on the spot. the next surprise was that Kim gifted me with a Pterosaur tool! Kim's generosity to me was very much appreciated, and he would not take extra money that i offered him. the quality on all the pieces are fantastic! Kim's attention to detail is superb, and although some of the pieces may look like they have sharp edges, they do not chaff or feel sharp at all when gripped. the pointy ends that should be pointy, are.
Kim explained that he learns something new with each piece he completes. this really shows in Wild Duck 2. the finger grooves are well placed and comfortable. the original Wild Duck did not have these finger grooves. Kim jokingly said that some of his customers want to wait to buy his later designs, as they know they will be better than his early products. if i were them, i'd buy what you can now as he doesn't make a lot, and he really doesn't make a lot of money (after all the importation fees for materials). Kim explained he doesn't make tools and knives to make money. for him, it is a hobby he enjoys and feels fortunate that his products have been well received by his customers.
unfortunately, Raid-Ops products are being copied without Kim's authorization. these are mostly Raid-Ops' Skull pendant... just to be aware.
on a brighter note, here are some pics of the stuff i picked up from Kim!
Wild Duck 2:
the Wild Duck 2 is FANTASTIC! it has THICK Ti and is very comfortable in the hand. you can use it in a reverse grip, with the ring on the pointer finger or with the point forward and the pinky finger through the ring. the ring itself can be sued to as a pressure point device or in a hammer strike. i have to say, i REALLY like this design!!!
here's the Pterosaur:
this Pterosaur is a bit different from the ones on Kim's site. it has a wrench on one end with what looks like a screwdriver on the other. Kim showed me how to hold the Pterosaur, and it would most effective in a hammer strike.
next up is the Spartan-Anygrip:
i didn't have intentions on buying the Spartan-Anygrip, but after holding it, i had to have it. it's meant to be carried as a pendant, but used as a knuckle. Kim demonstrated how one could use the Spartan-Anygrip in a hammer grip and on various fingers. it's pretty neat and looks cool to boot!
hope you guys enjoyed!
anyhoo, this is more about my visit to Korea and meeting with Nam Duk Kim, the owner and maker of Raid-Ops products (link). i didn't think i would be able to meet Kim (he likes to be referred to as Kim), but a phone call on my second last night in Korea had us making arrangements to meet before my flight out the next day. i do not have any affiliation with Raid-Ops, other than being a very satisfied customer.
Kim is a good guy... no, a great guy! we met while he had some time in the morning from his real job. my spoken korean is very poor... VERY VERY poor, so i was relying on Kim to understand english. Kim's english is very good for a native korean. his english is limited though, but this didn't hinder our conversation too much.
Kim is a part time maker tool and knife. he works full time as a manager for a design company in Korea. he explained to me that knife and tool making started out only as a real desire to create the designs he had come up with. it began as a hobby, with Kim gaining knowledge from the internet and from various books he could get his hands on. Kim explained that the 'combat' knife manufacturing in Korea did not exist before he started. there are VERY strict rules in Korea on the carrying and production of 'offensive' styled knives. in Korea, one needs a license to produce 'combat' style blades... and really, this license only covered the production of swords. Kim is a pioneer in Korea, as he went about getting the proper clearances and finding out the proper procedures to allow him to legally make knives. Kim is the first to be licensed to GRIND knives. the previous license only allowed for the forging or pounding method of blade construction. it's kind of weird, but the korean government regulates weapons production by method of how the product is manufactured... i still don't fully grasp why, but it is a different culture and country from what i'm used too.
Kim explained that the authorities were apprehensive about his hobby, but allow him to make knives so long as he follows the guidelines that have been set out. the nice thing is that Kim gets to set some of those guidelines himself as there are no other makers in Korea using the 'grinding' method to produce 'combat' blades.
Kim has a great imagination! he has come up with some rather unique products and i find them very unique and functional. Kim does have a style of his own... kind of an industrial look with artistic chiseled grinds (my description). the impact tools are heavy duty as are his knives. very utilitarian in design... nothing too fancy, but very functional.
Kim has to bring in materials from overseas to Korea. he uses titanium, S30V and M2 pretty much exclusively. he has a friend do the heat treat for him, and this was a challenge at first, as his friend had not heat treated these metals before. Kim explained that S30V was not very difficult to find information on, but M2 needed experimentation as there were several different treatments for this steel. Kim finds that both M2 and S30V are equal when it comes to grinding and shaping them for knives. when i asked why he chose M2 for a knife steel, he said it was because it was a very hard tool steel that could take abuse. as many of you know, Kim works in titanium for making his tools. some of his designs use some very thick pieces of Ti, and i inquired how he was able to get them. he stated he has been fortunate enough to meet people in the metal industry that have helped him buy his steel and Ti. Kim is having difficulty getting G10 though. i suspect that the company he deals with in the US for his G10 has become wary of overseas customers. hopefully Kim can resolve this issue.
Kim stated that most of his tools and knives are sold in Europe, about 80% go there. about 5% stay in country (mostly korean collectors and soldiers), and the rest go to the Americas. Kim works on knives on the weekend when he can find time. he has a family, and family comes first.
i had hoped to buy and pick up a Wild Duck tool and Little John fixed blade from Kim when i visited Korea, but Kim had told me before i left that there wasn't enough time to get them done. i was very surprised when Kim presented to me a Wild Duck 2 when we met! Kim had made a special run of the Wild Duck 2 in order to have it ready for me when i visited Korea. it was very much appreciated! Kim also brought along a Spartan-Anygrip, which i bought on the spot. the next surprise was that Kim gifted me with a Pterosaur tool! Kim's generosity to me was very much appreciated, and he would not take extra money that i offered him. the quality on all the pieces are fantastic! Kim's attention to detail is superb, and although some of the pieces may look like they have sharp edges, they do not chaff or feel sharp at all when gripped. the pointy ends that should be pointy, are.
Kim explained that he learns something new with each piece he completes. this really shows in Wild Duck 2. the finger grooves are well placed and comfortable. the original Wild Duck did not have these finger grooves. Kim jokingly said that some of his customers want to wait to buy his later designs, as they know they will be better than his early products. if i were them, i'd buy what you can now as he doesn't make a lot, and he really doesn't make a lot of money (after all the importation fees for materials). Kim explained he doesn't make tools and knives to make money. for him, it is a hobby he enjoys and feels fortunate that his products have been well received by his customers.
unfortunately, Raid-Ops products are being copied without Kim's authorization. these are mostly Raid-Ops' Skull pendant... just to be aware.
on a brighter note, here are some pics of the stuff i picked up from Kim!
Wild Duck 2:
the Wild Duck 2 is FANTASTIC! it has THICK Ti and is very comfortable in the hand. you can use it in a reverse grip, with the ring on the pointer finger or with the point forward and the pinky finger through the ring. the ring itself can be sued to as a pressure point device or in a hammer strike. i have to say, i REALLY like this design!!!
here's the Pterosaur:
this Pterosaur is a bit different from the ones on Kim's site. it has a wrench on one end with what looks like a screwdriver on the other. Kim showed me how to hold the Pterosaur, and it would most effective in a hammer strike.
next up is the Spartan-Anygrip:
i didn't have intentions on buying the Spartan-Anygrip, but after holding it, i had to have it. it's meant to be carried as a pendant, but used as a knuckle. Kim demonstrated how one could use the Spartan-Anygrip in a hammer grip and on various fingers. it's pretty neat and looks cool to boot!
hope you guys enjoyed!
