s30v Spec Bump Passaround Review

M

MalleusDei

Joined
Aug 17, 2005
Messages
18
Joe Dirt was kind enough to send this around for a passaround. Its the s30v Spec Bump.

I'll get this started with some first impressions and pics. Unfortunatly I only managed to get two good pictures before the batteries in my camera crapped out, so I'll have to put some more up after I send the knife off.

Anyway, first impressions...This knife is bigger than I'm used to, but it carries in my pocket well. It also fills up my hand nicely. I'm really impressed with the handle. The assisted open is awesome! Its really fast, and the lockup is solid. The clip is a little tight for my taste. If it was my knife, I'd probably bend the clip to loosen it up a little. The s30v blade is much more sharp than my usual EDC. I haven't had a chance to cut too much with it, but I hit a little bit of cardboard, a plastic shipping bag and a milk carton with it. Handled all of them no problem.

Heres a pic of it with my CRKT M-18k, Buck and SAK.
DSCF0186.jpg


Heres a pic to get an idea of the size. It doesn't look that much bigger than the CRKT, but in reality its a lot bigger. I'll get more comparison pics in my final review.
DSCF0179.jpg
 
Nice writeup man. Thanks for taking the time to do so. Don't be afraid to use the knife. That's what it's there for. I realize it is going to come back to me with blade coating worn off more or less and probably in need of a sharpening.

:)
 
Thanks for the info! I just was wondering... I've seen pics of the s30v Spec Bump and it seemed to have a radial pattern in the handle, the one that I can see in the pics it's like the CPM154 version... is that model a prototype or something like that or it's just I can't apreciate the pattern in the pics?
 
SanShou,

The version that I sent out is a special model. That's all I can say. :D

You are right. The S30V versions come with a different texture on the handle.
 
Nice review and pics.

Joe Dirt and SanShou, You have my interest up with the handle material and blade steel
:)
HUGE GRIN

Tom
 
Hey guys, had to let the knife go today, too bad for me :). Heres my final thoughts...

Things I liked:
Handle ergonomics - The handle was just about perfect for me. Fit my hand really well. I always felt really secure when I had a grip on it. Heres a few pics of me holding it.
DSCF0185.jpg

DSCF0184.jpg

DSCF0183.jpg

The last pic is probably my favorite grip for this knife. Filled up my palm just perfect.

Blade - I loved the shape, the recurve gave it a lot of cutting ability. This thing cut anything I asked it to, with no problem.
Lock - The knife always locked up solid, and there wasn't any blade play, horizontal or vertical. I never felt like I was in danger of having the lock fail.
Assisted Opening - I've never had an assisted opener before, so this was a new experience for me. The mechanism worked flawlessly. Never failed to pop right open and lock up.

Things I didn't like:
Blade coating - The coating seemed lower quality than the rest of the knife. I don't think you can see it in the pictures I took, but I dinged up the the finish on the tip of the blade. It didn't take much, and it surprised me when it happened. The same activity with my CRKT didn't do any damage to the coating.
Assisted Opening - I listed this in both spots for this reason: With this knife, its either open or closed. This doesn't make the knife ideal for a situation where I might want to keep a lower profile (office). 3/4 open is about as closed as it gets, before you hit the spring for the opener.
Tip down carry - This is a pet peeve of mine. I know my current EDC is the same way, but I'd really prefer a tip down carry.
Clip - The clip on this knife is beefy. It made it kind of a hassle to get out of the pocket.

Overall, I really liked this knife, but the things I didn't like about it are probably enough to keep me from buying one of my own. Thanks again to Joe Dirt for sending this around. Here are some final pics.

DSCF0181.jpg

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I'm interested in the Bumps, but have a couple of questions you (y'all?) might be able to answer, having handled one.

Does the Spec bump's 'thumb stud lock dealy' somehow replace the frame lock (the little slidey deal on my Scallion that holds the blade in the knife until I want it out)? In pictures, I don't see the frame 'safety'; and I note that the NON-Spec Bumps DO mention the safety in their descriptions, whereas the Spec Bump doesn't. So basically, can you tell me how the blade is kept in the knife until you want it out; and how exactly that extra thumbstud thing works? Thanks, and sorry if ought to have been clear from the product descriptions. I just can't make it out, and no-one around here has one to handle that I can find.
 
The safety somehow covers the flipper on the spec bump, I believe. Not sure on the normal Bump. I have used the stud lock, which is that weird thumb stud you're probably talking about.

Basically, it pushes against the handle (due to the spring) until it reaches the open position and can go all the way down. This is the locked position. It can't travel up on its own due to the spring, and the blade can't close because the thumbstud, which travels through it, is pressure squarely (difficult to see) against the g10 and steel liners. To unlock, you just push the thumb stud up and it will let the blade slide forward a little in the unlocked position. You CAN close it one handed, but due to the assisted opening, that could be very challenging and I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

It's actually a pretty neat lock that should be very reliable. The strength probably won't exceed the axis esque locks though. I wish cliff would test them against each other. Not that I think you genuinely need locks to be that strong.
 
Art, I notice you have mentioned a few times about difficulty closing the Stud Lock on a Spec Bump with one hand. As I have mentioned before, I edc a SB, and have for going on a year. Even though the knife is large in stature, there is no issue closing this AO one handed. IMHO, all knives with any kind of lock and size need to be "learned" when closing one handed.
Novices take note here, I have seen many a cut on all styles of knives when a user hasn't put in the time to be in complete control and comfortable closing a knife one handed.
The Stud Lock, and AO's in general can certainly be closed easily with one hand, I and others do it daily.

Thomas
Kershaw Knives
 
Thanks for the answer, AM--and for your input, Thomas. I think I'm gonna have to get my hands on one of these to try out; and if buying it is the only way to make that happen, then so be it! ;)
 
My second EDC was a Kershaw Blackout about 4 years ago.

It was AO and I had no problem operating it with one hand. My only gripe about it was that if i dropped it, it would fling open. Of course, I haven't dropped any of my knives since then.

If I had the funds, I would get a Bump and if I had access to an S30V Spec Bump, I'd be all over it like flies on poop.
 
I can close the Spec Bump one handed with no problem. In fact, after about 20 tries you'll find it's very easy to do. You just have to get used to it.

Nice review and pictures MalleusDei. I'm glad you liked it.

Don't even worry about the blade coating. The knife is made to be used. I'm glad you used it. :D

Oh, one last thing, you can open the Spec Bump with 2 hands not letting the blade fly open when in public and around people it may freak out. I have done that many times. ;) Just don't start the open with the flipper. Grab the blade and slowly bring it out. Or start it with the flipper while your hand is over it looking as if to help the blade out.
 
Well, I can pretty easily close mini mojos one handed--this isn't really a function of the stud lock so much as it is a function of the assisted opening.

This is my point: no one can close any assisted opener like they can close a compression/axis/bb lock.

However, this is not a product of the stud lock--I believe that flicking it closed it possible with stud locks.

But for obvious reasons, flicking closed AOs is very challenging and potentially dangerous if it hypothetically could be done.

So my point being that at no fault of Kershaw or any other company, and with nothing to do with the stud lock itself, and as a pure necessary byproduct of the benefits of AO, they are relatively difficult to close one handed.

I'll see if I can learn any new tricks with an AO Kershaw. I'm trying to pick up a Blue Bump, a mini mojo and a BM 770 for a couple reasonably rare knives this weekend. Maybe a yojimbo too if fate favors me.
 
Art, It sounds like we are talking about different types of closing one handed. You didn't mention in your first post you were comparing closing an AO vs closing a locking mechanism that can be flicked closed. With that said, watch your fingers when flicking closed.

Thomas
Kershaw Knives
 
Well, I've been using my new blue bump and mini mojo for awhile and I'd like to say that these are easier to close one handed than I initially thought, although I do standby the idea that they're hard or impossible to flick closed like other locks (including a hypothetical non ao stud lock). But fine to close one handed nonetheless. Sorry for the misjudgement.
 
Is the offset that black plastic part on the fliper that has to be derpessed without the blade part to open?
 
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