I just received these two knives from Sanrenmu. I prefer slipjoints and it's good to see them making more of them. Seems they are getting a little less flashy and sterile in their designs as well.
Some years ago I started this thread about "cheap carbon steel slipjoints".
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-steel-slipjoint?highlight=cheap+carbon+steel
This thread essentially bemoaned the lack of widely available inexpensive work knives. I'm old enough to remember when you could get an inexpensive Schrade or a (decent) Smith and Wesson at dimestores or hardware stores everywhere.
I had a Case or two as well but everyman had a pocket knife in his pocket and he used it (up). It wasn't a "Sunday go to meeting" knife either, except on Sundays.
Rough Riders are nice but I can't seem to get them to take and keep a fine edge. I've had better luck with 8cr13mov than the budget 440A Rough Riders use.
So I've found Sanrenmu knives to fill a niche for me. I carry a knife at work as a machinist and I want a decent steel but I don't want to be afraid to use my knife to do things like deburr steel in a pinch. A knife is the only thing in my pockets through the day and it's a tool.
I've not been too enamored of their usually tactical-ish designs though. I have bought a few of the "A series" slipjoints which kind of resemble scalpels. They're nice to engrave (Elvish there, I'm an LOTR nerd) but kind of sterile looking.
So, I was interested in these newer designs. They are the normal 8cr steel and are more traditional looking. I actually like trads with a screw pivot so that was a plus. I like the HT-785 the best. (on left in top pic) It's a lockback with a backspring. The slabs seem kind of plasticy but upon close examination are (very) stabilized wood. I'd like the knife a lot if it weren't for the blade shape. Its a bit stabby and I would have preferred a nice drop point. It looks OK, but it's still a bit "modernish" for my tastes. It looks a little like a Klingon Barlow. I like a knife which is sedate enough in design to be non-threatening even if it has some size to it. Still, it's a keeper.
The 7028LUE-XN is an attractive knife. The wood looks and feels more like wood. The blade has more of a mirror finish and a nicer shape, it just looks better. Upon first examination it's the better knife. It's a liner lock though. I just don't like them as much. I'll often drop a knife in my back pocket and I'd rather have a spring keep it shut. And I'm also left handed and like slipjoints to a large degree because they are ambidextrous. The liner lock is workable lefty but not really meant for it. It's a nice knife but I may gift it due to the locking mechanism.
Still, I'm pretty happy to see Sanrenmu move more towards knives like this. They already have a number of slipjoints but these are more purtier.It would be great if Rough Rider would come out with the rumored carbon steel line or would at least use some 8cr13mov.
Some years ago I started this thread about "cheap carbon steel slipjoints".
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-steel-slipjoint?highlight=cheap+carbon+steel
This thread essentially bemoaned the lack of widely available inexpensive work knives. I'm old enough to remember when you could get an inexpensive Schrade or a (decent) Smith and Wesson at dimestores or hardware stores everywhere.
I had a Case or two as well but everyman had a pocket knife in his pocket and he used it (up). It wasn't a "Sunday go to meeting" knife either, except on Sundays.
Rough Riders are nice but I can't seem to get them to take and keep a fine edge. I've had better luck with 8cr13mov than the budget 440A Rough Riders use.
So I've found Sanrenmu knives to fill a niche for me. I carry a knife at work as a machinist and I want a decent steel but I don't want to be afraid to use my knife to do things like deburr steel in a pinch. A knife is the only thing in my pockets through the day and it's a tool.
I've not been too enamored of their usually tactical-ish designs though. I have bought a few of the "A series" slipjoints which kind of resemble scalpels. They're nice to engrave (Elvish there, I'm an LOTR nerd) but kind of sterile looking.
So, I was interested in these newer designs. They are the normal 8cr steel and are more traditional looking. I actually like trads with a screw pivot so that was a plus. I like the HT-785 the best. (on left in top pic) It's a lockback with a backspring. The slabs seem kind of plasticy but upon close examination are (very) stabilized wood. I'd like the knife a lot if it weren't for the blade shape. Its a bit stabby and I would have preferred a nice drop point. It looks OK, but it's still a bit "modernish" for my tastes. It looks a little like a Klingon Barlow. I like a knife which is sedate enough in design to be non-threatening even if it has some size to it. Still, it's a keeper.
The 7028LUE-XN is an attractive knife. The wood looks and feels more like wood. The blade has more of a mirror finish and a nicer shape, it just looks better. Upon first examination it's the better knife. It's a liner lock though. I just don't like them as much. I'll often drop a knife in my back pocket and I'd rather have a spring keep it shut. And I'm also left handed and like slipjoints to a large degree because they are ambidextrous. The liner lock is workable lefty but not really meant for it. It's a nice knife but I may gift it due to the locking mechanism.
Still, I'm pretty happy to see Sanrenmu move more towards knives like this. They already have a number of slipjoints but these are more purtier.It would be great if Rough Rider would come out with the rumored carbon steel line or would at least use some 8cr13mov.