Review :Project I

[Cliff Stamp]

Probably most surprising was the handle ergonomics, much better than I expected :

http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sstamp/knives/project_I.html

-Cliff

 

[Will Kwan]

Cliff,

I noticed you used a Lee Valley strop and sand paper. Have you tried the green sand paper Lee Valley carries? I believe the paper and abrasive compound are both 0.5 micron. Did you use water to keep the pores of the sand paper clean?

Will

 

[Cliff Stamp]

I have not used that sandpaper from Lee Valley. I keep meaning to get some finer sandpaper though. I use it dry, because it is easier to handle.

-Cliff

 

[Will Kwan]

How does the Project compare to the Village Khukuri you had in terms of chopping ability? The two knives are probably similar in weight.

Besides better edge retention in the Project did you notice much difference between it and the MPKS?

Will

 

[GREENJACKET]

Cliff Stamp.
I've been using a Project II for some years now, 7 or 8 - well when they first came out. Nothing in your article surprises me. I couldn't have asked for a better knife for soldiering.
A few points that I've leant with my knife over the years are:
1)I use the spine of the blade to hammer nails. Its just wide enough and saves damage to the softer butt cap.
2)Aluminium to steel doesn't bind like steel to steel, so I've never had any problem unscrewing the cap, nor having it
loosen on me.
3)The serration are just the biz for starting the cut on hard shiney nylon rope. But I wouldn't want any more.
4)My sheath is scarred and battered but still going on strong. Kydex wouldn't have lasted any better.
5)The stud keeper is seriousely good especially when drawing and replacing during jobs.
6)I keep my edge keen, but its held up really well when cutting turf, and it has done a lot of that. Rocks and stone will mare the keenness, but won't stop it cutting and are easily enough to put right.
7)The chequered grip has never failed me. I've scorred it so that I've needed to emery paper off the odd burr. But after so long it still gives as good a grip as when I first had it. I can't say that with some other knives that use krayton or other materials.
9)I've never had a corrosion problem.
10)The hollow handle is quite voluminous. I carry some fine nylon cord an a few "Comspeed" secound skin band aids. Both complement this knife; not that its bitten me very often, but its suprising how many cuts one gets when soldiering and how useful cord is.

Though I have a Project II, its always bothered me that the PI would be that little bit better for soldiering. A little bit more weight and body forward.
If I was to loose mine I would go straight out and buy another; probably the PI. One of the best investments I've ever made.

Thanks for the informative write up; but then I already new.

[This message has been edited by GREENJACKET (edited 07-30-2000).]

 

[Cliff Stamp]

Will, from memory I would rank them very similar. Checking back on the chopping table which included the village khukuri and the 18" AK this seems reasonable. It has the half the ability of the AK and the Project has half the ability of the BM and the BM and 18" AK are similar. One harder woods I would prefer the Project as it would bite in easier, and on softer woods the khukuri because it would not bind as readily.

Compared to the MPKS from Mission I think I would prefer the Project overall except for detailed carving type work because the guards on the Project can make such uncomfortable. The edge on the Project is thinner and is should readily outcut and outchop the Mission blade. The Mission may be more durable edge wise. It also has a much better blade coating, but that to me is not an important factor. Of course the handle on the Project is a critical point, it is fairly abrasive and if you can't tolerate it you are probably not going to find the blade to be that usable.

Greenjacket, concerning the spine pounding, the only thing that would make me reluctant to do this is that the blade don't have a softened spine and thus repeated hard contacts off of hard object might cause a problem. Since you have been doing it for quite some time it seems this is probably not something to be concerned about. Your commented about grip stability is very critical, the handle on the Project is just as durable as the blade, since it is steel it will stay just as secure as it is out of the box for a very long time.

Your note about bandaids is an excellent one. you can also add a bar or coins inside the grip to add mass and move the center of balance back, which can help in a variety of ways, this was mentioned in a review on Knifeforums.

-Cliff




[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 08-01-2000).]

 

[GREENJACKET]

Cliff Stamp.
Following from the points raised, here are a few more of my observations:
The bite of the checkered grip has never bothered me, but has to those with clean hands. It seems to give them a bit of a shock. This grip really shines when your hands are covered in grit, gunk, blood, mud, and slime. Seriously good when your hands are stiff with cold and when holding anything is a bit chancy. I sheathed it once with a child's sized rubber cricket bat handle cover for a trip in the Alps. It was a bitch to get the thing on and the sun shone all the way up and down.
Most jobs do not take long. If you have soft hands (have not hardened yet) you will get blisters and or calouses, and I find rubber handles give the most sore blisters. I can't think of having anything much from the Project.
I've only ever really needed it to hammer nails to keep targets up with. The targets were soft plywood, so nothing very difficult there.
Thank you for the coin idea, though I like the ballance the way it is. I carry some US$ in a waterproof bag.
I've cut out some bricks with it. Score out the mortar and the brick comes out; if not crack the brick in half. I've only needed to do this a couple of times, and use the false edge. Forget this method on modern hard cement and cavity walls.
I've already sugested that the PI may be a better choice than PII. Another main reason is digging. Now there is a test for you for any knife being marketed for Soldiering/survival: digging and turf cutting. Its suprising how often the knife is used in this way. KarBar's can do it as well. A great plus point to the Project is the large flat top to the but cap; great for pushing down on with your whole body weight.
I've banged on about the project as a soldiering knife, because that is where it excels. This is all the knife one needs for size and weight. Anything heavier is left in the locker, anything longer gets in the way, anything smaller is compromising what you can do with it as is anything more design specific (ie: angled handle for better chopping ability).
I'm sold on it. I like your objective approach, so keep it up. You never know you might turn up something even better.

[This message has been edited by GREENJACKET (edited 08-02-2000).]

[This message has been edited by GREENJACKET (edited 08-02-2000).]

 

[James Healy]

Nice review Cliff, Up to your usual high standards. Have you had any chance to compare it to the project 2?

James

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The beast we are, lest the beast we become.

 

[muzzleup]

I would realy like to own a Project1 just because I don't have any Cris Reeves knives,however, I sure do not like metal handles because they transer cold to your hand very quickly. If I had a P1 the first thing I would do is wrap the handle with a strong soft leather like I did on my Buchmaster....it still gives a good grip and is not near as cold. If the leather is not "sticky" enough then I just rub some bee's wax on it and it works well and also helps keep moinsture out of the leather.


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Ron,
Now Thets-A-Noif Shop
Bremerton, Washington

 

[Cliff Stamp]

James, no I have never used one.

Muzzleup, I feel the same way about low temperatures, however what I have found that the amount of metal doesn't make much of a difference. For example if it was that cold that I could not hold onto the Project, I could not hold onto the Battle Mistress either.

Greenjacket, for that kind of using knife, the Busse Steel Heart would be a good choice to compare against. Have you used any of the Busse Combat blades?

-Cliff

 

[GREENJACKET]

Cliff Stamp. Only recently have I had some time on my hands; one reason I've been active on the forum. I have been looking at the Busse stuff with interest, but have yet to handle one. Good knives travel slowly over to this side of the Atlantic.
The Busse line has cought my imagination. I really do need to handle one to make any comment. I was thinking of the Basic 9 or Battle Mistress (just because I do not have a 9 inch knife to play with). The Steel Heart would also be good. Interesting the launch of the SH II with angled handle. I am sure that SH chopping ability has been improved, but worry that it has lost on other tasks. Have you tried digging with your palm over the top of the handle? I do believe Europeans generally do better with straight handled knives of this size and below. How anyone gets on with a knife has more to do with what you are used to. Kukri's I'll leave to the Chindits - good knives though.

If you need a CR Project II to compare you can borrow mine, and use it as you will.

As for cold, I find that anything attached close to the body, even a rifle, seems to stay warm. You really would have to go extreme and then any metal would be a threat to exposed flesh; and then you would already be taking the preventative measures.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

GREENJACKET:

The Busse line has cought my imagination. I really do need to handle one to make any comment.

I can solve that easily, my Battle Mistress is currently being looked at by a friend but when he is finished I can send it to you to have a look at, in a couple of months or so say. I might also have an "E" model by then

Interesting the launch of the SH II with angled handle. I am sure that SH chopping ability has been improved, but worry that it has lost on other tasks.

Based on using a lot of angled blades, some with minor slants (TUSK from McClung) some with severe ones (khukuris), there are a number of areas in which a straight blade would be better. This is kind of obvious as if it wasn't the case there would be no more straight blades. However it is mostly in areas that I don't care much about either because they are low stress cutting (food on a chopping board) or something that I don't do a lot of (point work where you want the tip inline with the center of the thrust).

[cold]

You really would have to go extreme and then any metal would be a threat to exposed flesh; and then you would already be taking the preventative measures.

Yes, I thought that the much greater amount of exposed metal on the Project's grip would make for a bigger problem than say a slab tang. However I tried this out several times and in every case where I could not work with the Project I could not work with the slab tang either. Of course in a very *extreme* situation the slab tang will give a much lower area exposed and thus reduce tissue damage - but as you said, if that is the situation then you should be better prepared. If you are not then odds are that a cold handle on your blade is most likely not going to be the worst of your problems.

Thanks for the offer on the Project.

-Cliff

 

[GREENJACKET]

Cliff Stamp. Thank you for the offer of a borrow; if its the battered Mistress that you have posted pictures of I would be delighted to take you up on it. It would give me the opportunity to answer some of my own questions. The Project II is here if you need it.

Big Blades:
"However it is mostly in areas that I don't care much about either because they are low stress cutting (food on a chopping board) or something that I don't do a lot of (point work where you want the tip inline with the center of the thrust)."
Can I take it that your present interest is in larger power blades. I have a Blackjack Marauder II heavy machete that solved my problem of knife before going to a camp axe/hatchet. Still too much weight for soldiering, but just the job for wood clearing. Have you thought of testing small axe against blade?

I find it funny, urbanised, that the rage on the forum is for tactical folders, folders in general, when fixed blades are the solution. They beat folders hands down. Its the times I suppose.

You tested some great knives such as the Reeve and the Busse, but the responses on the forum have not been huge. Are fixed blades that dull? I also wish some of the more main steam stuff such as from SOG, Gerber etc was given more air time.

 

[Deon]

Thanks for another excellent review Cliff.

I have a ProjectII and am now convinced I don't need another big fixed blade.

I would realy like to see you do review on the CR Sable. I think this an excellent medium sized knife and very underrated.

 

[SALTY]

I view my P-1 as possibly the perfect knife.

[This message has been edited by Nimrod (edited 09-09-2000).]

 

[KurtisKurt]

Originally posted by Nimrod:
I view mt P-1 as possibly the perfect knife.

In its size it is that for me too

Kurt

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Money talks...but all mine ever says is good-bye.

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