- Joined
- Feb 4, 1999
- Messages
- 5,786
I have owned several REKAT knives, and my latest is a Pioneer II with a Mike Sastre break front sheath. My other REKATs include a Carnivour that I traded a long time ago, a Pioneer I that I still have, and a Fang.
First of all, the new Pioneer is the same shape and size as the old ones. There are a couple of differences, though. First of all, there is the new style Rolling Lock. Everyone knows it is strong, so I won't bother going into it. I like the new style Rolling Lock a bit better than the old one becuse of where the lever is placed. The old style lock is just as effective, though, and if you use knives really hard I can't think of a more out-of-the-way place to put a lock lever! I could see with certain types of use that the new style lever could disengage accidentally.
Another noticeable change is the scales. On the old Pioneers, the scales were very smooth G-10. My Carnvour had highly textured G-10 scales that were rough like sandpaper. Nice texture, but carrying the knife was putting major wear on my pockets! The Pioneer II has just the right amount of texture. More than the smooth old ones, but not as much as the Carnivour. It looks like maybe the texture is from beadblasting, but regardless of what they used, it is just right.
I absolutely LOVE the swept point blade shape. My old one is a clip point, which is cool, but the swept point is very functional and it's unusual, so it's a cool knife to carry and use. I could see this being big with hunters, although it works great for everyday chores. The original edge is super sharp, which impressed me because I don't think that ATS-34 FEELS sharp when testing the edge like a carbon steel does. I know my ATS knives cut well even when they feel dull, but this thing feels like a razor blade!
The Mike Sastre sheath is a nice addition too, since I absolutely hate the way REKAT attaches the clips on the Pioneers. I wish they would attach the clip like other companies, or put it like it comes on the Carnivour. The Pioneers, old and new, have the clip held in place by the pivot screw. When the pivot is adjusted properly, the clip is really loose. When the clip is tight, the blade is impossible to move! Ridiculous. I know the problem can be solved with superglue, but give me a break. Anyway, the sheath holds the knife well and is a cool, lighweight design. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but the sheath does seem to be a little backwards. When I draw the knife from my right side, it is upside down and turned the wrong way. Maybe it was made especially for small of the back carry. Regardless, it holds the knife well and works nicely, but maybe a different carry position would be needed for fast draws.
REKAT has also started using better thumb bobs, which is great because the older ones tear up your thumb. Finally, the action is smoother on the new Pioneers, which is testament to improved quality control. Overall, the Pioneer II has noticeable improvements in many important aspects. I really would like to see a re-engineered clip, but other than that the knife is great. It is smaller than a lot of mid/large size production folders, but still packs a lot of blade into the package. There is no watsed space. It is beefy, but also bombproof! I love the Pioneer II. My only criticism of the sheath, other than the awkward draw is that it tends to tear up the lock lever. Oh...one thing that is really cool about the Rolling Lock is that you can fold the knife up without having any fingers in the way of the blade. Nice safety feature!
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Dr. Steve Agocs
http://www.geocities.com/Chiro75/frames.html
agocs_s@hotmail.com
First of all, the new Pioneer is the same shape and size as the old ones. There are a couple of differences, though. First of all, there is the new style Rolling Lock. Everyone knows it is strong, so I won't bother going into it. I like the new style Rolling Lock a bit better than the old one becuse of where the lever is placed. The old style lock is just as effective, though, and if you use knives really hard I can't think of a more out-of-the-way place to put a lock lever! I could see with certain types of use that the new style lever could disengage accidentally.
Another noticeable change is the scales. On the old Pioneers, the scales were very smooth G-10. My Carnvour had highly textured G-10 scales that were rough like sandpaper. Nice texture, but carrying the knife was putting major wear on my pockets! The Pioneer II has just the right amount of texture. More than the smooth old ones, but not as much as the Carnivour. It looks like maybe the texture is from beadblasting, but regardless of what they used, it is just right.
I absolutely LOVE the swept point blade shape. My old one is a clip point, which is cool, but the swept point is very functional and it's unusual, so it's a cool knife to carry and use. I could see this being big with hunters, although it works great for everyday chores. The original edge is super sharp, which impressed me because I don't think that ATS-34 FEELS sharp when testing the edge like a carbon steel does. I know my ATS knives cut well even when they feel dull, but this thing feels like a razor blade!
The Mike Sastre sheath is a nice addition too, since I absolutely hate the way REKAT attaches the clips on the Pioneers. I wish they would attach the clip like other companies, or put it like it comes on the Carnivour. The Pioneers, old and new, have the clip held in place by the pivot screw. When the pivot is adjusted properly, the clip is really loose. When the clip is tight, the blade is impossible to move! Ridiculous. I know the problem can be solved with superglue, but give me a break. Anyway, the sheath holds the knife well and is a cool, lighweight design. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but the sheath does seem to be a little backwards. When I draw the knife from my right side, it is upside down and turned the wrong way. Maybe it was made especially for small of the back carry. Regardless, it holds the knife well and works nicely, but maybe a different carry position would be needed for fast draws.
REKAT has also started using better thumb bobs, which is great because the older ones tear up your thumb. Finally, the action is smoother on the new Pioneers, which is testament to improved quality control. Overall, the Pioneer II has noticeable improvements in many important aspects. I really would like to see a re-engineered clip, but other than that the knife is great. It is smaller than a lot of mid/large size production folders, but still packs a lot of blade into the package. There is no watsed space. It is beefy, but also bombproof! I love the Pioneer II. My only criticism of the sheath, other than the awkward draw is that it tends to tear up the lock lever. Oh...one thing that is really cool about the Rolling Lock is that you can fold the knife up without having any fingers in the way of the blade. Nice safety feature!
------------------
Dr. Steve Agocs
http://www.geocities.com/Chiro75/frames.html
agocs_s@hotmail.com
