Sharpfinger inspired EDC? CJRB Feldspar or Byrd Harrier 2?

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parsnip

Joined
Jan 8, 2021
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17
Hi All,

I am looking for a compact folder, that has some of the traits I love about my sharpfinger (blade length, some sweep to it, but especially ergonomics). The most important thing for me is the ergonomics where the blade and handle meet: Deep index finger choil very close to the start of the cutting edge, paired with a naturally placed thumb stop, that allows you to have great control no matter how you use the knife (like inverted for field dressing).

I like how the feldspar has d2 and g10, and seems to deploy easy. But I think I'd want to take a dremel to it to get the choil/thumb the way I want it. I like the ergonomics of the byrd harrier. But the steel, deployment and lack of g10 is a bit of a turn off. I could get the same shape w/ better steel and g10, but it starts to get expensive.

Bright color would be a plus. Harrier is black only. Feldspar can be had brighter.

Whatcha think? Get the feldspar and mod it, or get the harrier2 and live w/ the materials it comes with?

Thanks!
 
I've had both versions of the Feldspar. It's a nice enough knife, though I felt the need to smooth up some of the scale edges. The detents were strong and the action was satisfying. They seem to do an okay job with Chinese D2 but it's still Chinese D2. Whether it is issues in heat treatment or the base steel, it nearly always falls short of the edge retention that built the reputation for D2 on American and other knives. Honestly, steels like 9Cr18Mov and 14C28N shouldn't be able to compete on edge retention but they often do and sometimes win.

Another concern is that I've noticed QC issues with Artisan/CJRB. I've had a few lemons, and one of the Feldspars in question was stuck shut and caked with white residue right out of the box. (I was able to fix that one by taking it apart, thoroughly cleaning it, and properly lubricating it.) While it could be luck of the draw, and lots of people have been very happy with products from this company, I've become a little hesitant.

As far as the Harrier, I'm not a fan of 8Cr13Mov either. It's just not a good budget steel relative to what lots of other Chinese-made knives are running, especially at the $50 level. The best 8Cr13Mov is still worse than the worst Chinese D2. Around that price level, you also have access to 9Cr18Mov, 10Cr15CoMov, 14C28N, and N690. All of those steels offer a substantial step up in both edge retention and corrosion resistance. If you want to stick with budget knives, check out Civivi (or less expensive options from Sencut) and Kizer.
 
Chronovore said:
I've had both versions of the Feldspar. It's a nice enough knife, though I felt the need to smooth up some of the scale edges. The detents were strong and the action was satisfying. They seem to do an okay job with Chinese D2 but it's still Chinese D2. Whether it is issues in heat treatment or the base steel, it nearly always falls short of the edge retention that built the reputation for D2 on American and other knives. Honestly, steels like 9Cr18Mov and 14C28N shouldn't be able to compete on edge retention but they often do and sometimes win.

Another concern is that I've noticed QC issues with Artisan/CJRB. I've had a few lemons, and one of the Feldspars in question was stuck shut and caked with white residue right out of the box. (I was able to fix that one by taking it apart, thoroughly cleaning it, and properly lubricating it.) While it could be luck of the draw, and lots of people have been very happy with products from this company, I've become a little hesitant.

As far as the Harrier, I'm not a fan of 8Cr13Mov either. It's just not a good budget steel relative to what lots of other Chinese-made knives are running, especially at the $50 level. The best 8Cr13Mov is still worse than the worst Chinese D2. Around that price level, you also have access to 9Cr18Mov, 10Cr15CoMov, 14C28N, and N690. All of those steels offer a substantial step up in both edge retention and corrosion resistance. If you want to stick with budget knives, check out Civivi (or less expensive options from Sencut) and Kizer.
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This is super helpful. Thank you. Two quick follow ups:

Could you use the forward choil on either feldspar to choke up and get your index finger in?

Also, how would you compare Chinese d2 on the feldspar to Chinese 9Cr18Mov? (Looking at the sencut scepter which seems similar).

Thanks again.
 
parsnip said:
This is super helpful. Thank you. Two quick follow ups:

Could you use the forward choil on either feldspar to choke up and get your index finger in?

Also, how would you compare Chinese d2 on the feldspar to Chinese 9Cr18Mov? (Looking at the sencut scepter which seems similar).

Thanks again.
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It's been a while but I recall the choil being small relative to the where the top of the scales stick out on the Feldspars.

I would take 9Cr18Mov over Chinese D2 any day of the week. Edge retention is often competitive and 9Cr18Mov has vastly superior corrosion resistance. The difference with the Civivi and Sencut knives from WE is that their 9Cr18Mov gets an exceptional heat treatment that bumps their performance up into the next tier.

If you are interested in cut testing, Outpost 76 is worth checking out. Obviously, a test only measures what is being tested. However, he does a decent job with test conditions. His standard method is to sharpen the same way, with the same grit progression, to the same angle on a KME multiple times to test a 1" blade section on cardboard for repeatable results. LMK if you want some links to the testing of the materials in question.
 
Awesome. Thanks. The thing I’m struggling with is finding something in the better steel w the shape/ergonomics I’m looking for. The civivi backlash is the closest but is pretty big. Any favorites out there?
 
I like the feldspar. You can get it in D2 or their proprietary RPM-9 powder steel. You can also get micarta, contoured g-10, or flat g-10 scales. I will say, the Feldspar fullsize is a pretty good size knife and right about the same size as the Backlash from Civivi so if size is a concern you may want to look at the smaller feldspar.

If you are open to looking at other blades in that realm you really do have a wealth of options right now. What size and price are you looking at?
 
Try the Civivi Baby Banter
WE Kitefin
Spyderco Native 5/Lil' Native
Spyderco Cat
Spyderco Sage
Spyderco Para 3
CRKT Pilar/Pilar 2
Fox Baby Core...

Too many to list

Have fun shopping
 
parsnip said:
Awesome. Thanks. The thing I’m struggling with is finding something in the better steel w the shape/ergonomics I’m looking for. The civivi backlash is the closest but is pretty big. Any favorites out there?
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I'm still a fan of the Baklash. That and the larger Naja from their initial line-up have remained in my EDC rotation since they came out. I can carry the Baklash almost anywhere but I'm a big dude. The Naja is restricted to "casual carry" when I'm not at the office.

Here are some smaller knives I like and happen to have on hand. I don't know if any of these will work but they should offer a nice size comparison against the Baklash. From left to right:

Civivi Baklash, Kizer Gemini, Sencut Neches, Civivi Elementum (BHQ Exclusive), Kizer Latt Vind Mini, Civivi Bo (modified), WE Mote (modified)

N5yIEw0.jpg
 
This is all super helpful. I'm leaning towards sencut either neches (a little more than I was wanting to spend) or the scepter.

Looking for blade length 3-3.5, long belly, a solid place for index finger stop close to the blade (either forward choil or in handle design, both of the above are in handle), ideally a thumb rest (both a la sharpfinger), and in pocket no more than 4.5" and closer to 4 if possible. I'm ok to do a little mod.
 
parsnip said:
This is all super helpful. I'm leaning towards sencut either neches (a little more than I was wanting to spend) or the scepter.

Looking for blade length 3-3.5, long belly, a solid place for index finger stop close to the blade (either forward choil or in handle design, both of the above are in handle), ideally a thumb rest (both a la sharpfinger), and in pocket no more than 4.5" and closer to 4 if possible. I'm ok to do a little mod.
Click to expand...

I haven't handled the Scepter but lots of people I know like it. This is totally subjective but I prefer to have a flipper or thumb studs, not both. That's the only reason I didn't pick one up.

The Sencut Neches has been a surprise hit for me. I didn't expect to like it as much as I do but so far, it is my favorite budget knife of 2022. The simplicity, clean lines, and proportions are just right for the size. The ergonomics are mostly neutral with a very slight forward curvature that makes it feel great in my hand. Yeah, it is a little more expensive than the other ones but still only $54 if you get it directly from their website. It probably costs a little more because it uses 10Cr15CoMov, which is the Chinese analog of VG-10.

Even if it doesn't totally scratch the itch, it's a fine little EDC knife.
 
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Neches is definitely where I’m leaning. Considering elementum and scepter though. If anyone has more opinions, let em rip. Only problem now is Amazon’s BS delivery ban on flippers. But I can figure out how to deal w that.
 
parsnip said:
Neches is definitely where I’m leaning. Considering elementum and scepter though. If anyone has more opinions, let em rip. Only problem now is Amazon’s BS delivery ban on flippers. But I can figure out how to deal w that.
Click to expand...

I don't know about this ban. Is this for your specific state or country?

You might try ordering directly from Sencut's website. They sometimes cost less there anyway:

sencut.com

SENCUT Knives

SENCUT has been crafting high-quality knives for over a decade and we recently launched our new brand. Our knives are crafted with exceptional materials and precision, making them perfect for outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking.
sencut.com sencut.com
 
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