Schrade SCHF1 Hollow Handled Awesomeness?

[Omega Leather Works]

Just a quick update.

I took the knife camping for a few days. I probably mentioned before that I'm not a knife abuser, but I processed quite a bit of wood while camping without much fear of breakage. I really thumped the spine and butt cap making kindling and no problems. The edge did roll where I had used it most (about a 6" section) but that is very easily fixed. I also used the spine near the handle for scraping magnesium (good sharpness there) and the serrations for throwing sparks. Normally I wouldn't use the edge for anything but cutting but I don't use the serrations for anything really.

I took pics but the knife looks exactly the same as the earlier pics.

I'm still very impressed with this blade. I haven't really found a use for the hollow handle. The knife would be a better user with a traditional handle, but if you have a use for the small space it's really a no brainer.

Hopefully they keep making these for a long time. It's one of my favorite knives when I want to keep my Fiddleback's and other expensive knives clean, and a decent cutter all its own.

I'll keep updating, especially if I (ever) have an issue.

 

[trentu]

One of the best knives out there for the money! Tough as tough can get for a decent priced survival knife.

 

[Doubletee]

Hey guys if you want to strip off the paint use stripper and it comes right off! Did mine then blued it with Brownells Oxphoblue! I have the Chris Reeve/ Al mar collaboration knife ( it's same as a project) it's A-2 steel.my Shrade is the smaller one without serrations.

 

[Gaston444]

Thanks man.

As far as the ergos go, in my opinion you trade off a lot of comfort for the utility of a storage compartment. Does it spin? Not in my hand. As a realistic heavy use knife I think that a good sheath could carry just as much gear as the handle, maybe more. It also transfers a lot of shock when chopping and batoning. I found myself taking my hand off the handle and just using the baton to do most of the work.

I agree a sheath can carry a lot, but not as well protected for fragile water-sensitive items like matches or pills.

As for the handle, I can't speak for the Schrade, but I did use my Chris Reeves Jereboam extensively, and my conclusions are completely different from your experience with the Schrade: The ergos of the CR's hollow handle are far superior to most knives, particularly for hard use and chopping, including my Randall Model 14's that fits my hand perfectly, which leaves no empty spaces for the energy to go (this remains true for most cylindrical handles vs form-fitting handles: Round all over is the least hurtful shape under impact): The shaped micarta is very painful when using hard, but I still like the looks of it... The Becker BK-9 suffers from a similar "perfect hand-fit" problem, but adds a particularly nasty vibration "bite" that is completely absent from the vibration-free all-metal Jereboam... Heavy chopping performance is the same for each chop, but any heavy chopping job is a pleasure with the Chris Reeves Jereboam, and a daunting task with the BK-9, mostly because of the full-tang vibration, but also because of the "perfect" hand-filling issue...

I found the Jereboam checkering to be completely non-aggressive, so I don't know why you would want to wrap anything around it... In fact, it could even stand to be a little more aggressive!

On the other hand, the one downside of the round handle is that I did find it would roll when not hitting wood grain square...: Cured by gripping a little tighter...:

The Schrade, having a much thinner blade (something which I am grateful to have learned in this thread, in my mind elliminating it instantly from any further consideration), and a far blunter edge apparently (an even worse issue, but at least fixable), cannot in any way be considered as something comparable to a genuine Reeves one piece... Just imagine the horrible chopping performance (hacking performance rather) of this light dull blade... Even if the Schrade was heavily sharpened, they are just completely different knives... Given the low price, the suggestion it makes a good thrower is actually a very useful point, as the design does lend itself to this, and throwers benefit greatly from being handle-heavy...

Gaston

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Thanks for chiming in bud.

I haven't been camping except for a couple of small beach trips since that post above. I'm sure the knife will get more use as it warms up.

The CRK knives look awesome. I've been the proud owner of a few Sebenzas and if the attention to detail is anything like these, there's just no way the Schrade is in the same ballpark. Still, for those unable, or not willing to, hunt down a better knife just to try the handle, I'd suggest trying the lesser blade. Just keep in mind that the low cost option probably doesn't compare from the guard forward.

As for chopping, honestly, I'm not much of a chopper to begin with, so I have little to compare to. If I didn't mention that before, I should have. I don't like the shock transferred to my hand at all. I'd love to compare against the better knife one day though. As it stands I don't have any real choppers aside from an inexpensive machete. That is comfortable to chop with, but the differences between tools are obvious and clear.

I know a great deal more about leather and sheaths since I first posted this thread as StrigaMort. I'm pretty confident that I don't need the handle, but they are still worth looking into as a curiosity. The CRK knives for their quality and originality.

 

[JayGoliath]

I have a question on the magnet/rare earth on the screw cap.
Wouldn't it be delirious to put a compass near it?

 

[Omega Leather Works]

I have a question on the magnet/rare earth on the screw cap.
Wouldn't it be delirious to put a compass near it?

I would think so, but the knife doesn't come with one. You'd end up pulling the compass away from the magnet so I don't think it would be an issue. I just think it's a weird tool kit to include in a survival knife. I removed mine. That said, it doesn't seem low quality so I've hung onto it just to use the bits in my Home Depot handle.