Should I or Shouldn't I ??

[Brendan]

I've got a Strider SNG DGG with black scale, like so:

I'm considering selling it cos I just can't manage to maintain the edge to a sharp enough level that I am happy with. It's got a stunning convex edge and cuts like a laser but it needs constant stropping to keep it so. The catch is that I bought this knife with some insurance money I got from in payment for my Grandfathers Pocket Watch which he reveived for 25 years in the Irish Garda - I swore I wouldn't flip this one.

Reasons I am thinking about selling is to fund the purchase of a small fixed blade which I will buy at the end of the month anyway (seller is holding it for me - very kind) I also live abroad and am worried that when the SNG does need to go to the SPA I will incur big costs on customs and also the risk !! I'm also quite reluctant to properly use this knife for the same reasons... if I eat fruit I am cautious to not get juice in the hinge. I want a knife I don't want to worry about !!

What do you guys think, sell the strider and get the fixed now or keep the strider and wait !!

ta

 

[PropThePolecat]

Keep the Strider and use it. But if youre too worried about getting juice all over it, then put it away and wait...sooner or later youll pull it out from the drawer again and realise that it aint coming with you when you die. Then you'll start using it as it was meant to be. And you'll be happy you did.

 

[Brendan]

Keep the Strider and use it. But if youre too worried about getting juice all over it, then put it away and wait...sooner or later youll pull it out from the drawer again and realise that it aint coming with you when you die. Then you'll start using it as it was meant to be. And you'll be happy you did.

I'm more worried about using it too much and then having to send it to Strider for a spa session and having to pay import duties all over again !!

At least with a small fixed blade there's no hinge concerns !!

 

[zyhano]

I'm more worried about using it too much and then having to send it to Strider for a spa session and having to pay import duties all over again !!

that's a problem you will solve years from now, don't worry about it at the present moment

At least with a small fixed blade there's no hinge concerns !!

Hinges can be cleaned and when well maintained it won't give you a problem.
Striders are meant to be used.

When I got my first strider sng (cc with tiger stripes) I put it in a can of red bull (my first bull kill ) and scratched it up. After my initial shock (I had it for 5 minutes) that the coating came off like that, I realized I was actually liberated. Liberated because I wouldn't have to hold back anymore

I enjoy my strider. You will enjoy yours too

 

[Brendan]

that's a problem you will solve years from now, don't worry about it at the present moment

Hinges can be cleaned and when well maintained it won't give you a problem.
Striders are meant to be used.

When I got my first strider sng (cc with tiger stripes) I put it in a can of red bull (my first bull kill ) and scratched it up. After my initial shock (I had it for 5 minutes) that the coating came off like that, I realized I was actually liberated. Liberated because I wouldn't have to hold back anymore

I enjoy my strider. You will enjoy yours too

good post - thanks mate

 

[Seneschal]

Hi Brendan

Are you based in South Africa? I see the Sharks shirt in the background, so I guess you are in KZN.

If you do tip over into deciding to sell the knife, would you let me know? I am in JHB and would be very keen to add a Strider to my collection.

 

[So-Lo]

Do what you feel you need to do, I say reprofile that badboy and that will make her cut like a champ! Strider ships their knives with a very thick edge... while understand why they do... I HATE thick edges, its nothing you cant fix on the stones.

Strider's heat treat is one of the best IMHO, maybe your thick edge is making it feel dull? Or maybe you have a wire edge? Not saying you do, just saying I have owned many SnGs and have been very happy with their S30V

I say keep it, reprofile it and polish that edge and your going to see a world of difference. As for juice in the pivot.... hahahahah wash her under some running water and shake her off!!! Striders are made for abuse!!!!

 

[Brendan]

how does it handle all that gunk in the hinge !!

Dirk, I grew up in SA and will be returning in March, sick of the weather in the UK. We've been snowed in for 3 days and I had to walk 5 miles in the snow today across fields and sorts of kuk. While it was fun, it wasn't for fun - we ran out of baby milk so had 2 hungry babies waiting for some num nums !!
if I keep hold of it and decide to sell it once I hit SA I'll drop you a line

 

[Seneschal]

Hi Brendan - rush back!!

I saw some recent pics from the Netherlands and Germany, and heard about the weather in the UK!! That can't be good for babies or Striders.

Did you buy the Strider over there? I'd really love to pick one up but can't find anyone that retails them here, not even Stan Gordon at Sharp Edge seems to stock Striders.

 

[FlaMtnBkr]

So you have to pay customs fees even if it is your possession and you did not buy it? That stinks if so.

If you aren't going to use it then get rid of it and get something that you will use and enjoy. That being said, it sounds like you are hesitant to use it because of the cost. If that is the case only you can decide if an expensive knife is worth it to you. But it is just money and like someone said, you can't take any of it with you.

And a question about the knife. Does the pocket clip sit in some kind of recess? It seems like since it is only attached with one screw it would want to rotate?

 

[Brendan]

Good logic - every time the knife comes back into the country it has to go through customs and they take their cut based on it's value! I've got no probs using an expensive knife but if I have to send said knife back to the maker every so often there is a risk of high costs, loss or theft!! That's what's putting me off really beasting the SNG!!

The fixed blade I want will only have to go back to meet it's maker if I deaded it which is very unlikely!!

The main hesitation is the sentimental part!!

Folders don't last forever without getting a little loose-fixed blades do!!

 

[powernoodle]

What do you guys think

I think you should find a time machine and go back and retrieve your grandfather's watch.

If you can't find a time machine, give your Strider the So-Lo treatment. Sweet Mother of Pearl thats a good looking edge.

 

[LUW]

Sorry, but I those scales are far from pretty in my eyes.

 

[spidyman]

keep it and use the heck out of it, once it shows some wear then you will want to use it more.

the pivot is the last thing you will have an issue with, just wash it out with hot water from time to dry let it air dry then relube with a quality teflon based lube like remoil or the like.

 

[MVF]

Lots of issues here!

...Grandfather's watch...swore I'd never flip this one- hmm? That doesn't make your decision for you? Just because you're a bit flustered with it and ready to part with it now, you may regret it later- especially since you'll still get your fixed blade, just a bit later.

I went through the same kind of quandaries with some of my more expensive knives too. I finally got to the point where I told myself there was no point in paying more for a knife and then NOT using it! Screw resale value and mint condition- I buy knives because I like them and I was going nuts worrying about them instead of enjoying them.

Your Strider is a special knife, my guess is that you'll regret parting with it sooner or later. It's also a hard use knife with many hundreds of satisfied customers so I say use it! As much as you move around, you may live here by the time it needs a spa treatment- or know someone who can bring it back for you, or who knows what. Maybe you'll never use it enough to need a treatment, or decide you like the look of it "well-used". Maybe it'll go in a drawer because you'll have other knives to play with, -or you could put it in the drawer now and not let it get beat up.

Anyway, lots of choices/options that all go away the minute you sell or trade that knife away- what would Grandpa say?

 

[cutter17]

Basing your decision on having to send it back and forth every so often is a mistake. Unless you use it hard day in and day out, you'll probably never have to send it back. If your worried about it getting a scratch or two and thinking, "I'll have to send it back now." don't worry about it. If used at all your knives (all) will gather small marks on them despite your best efforts. The only way to keep it pristine is to keep it wrapped up and in the drawer, and that's NO FUN!

 

[PeterPHWS]

Brendan, if you keep your receipt from the Post Office with the tracking number on it when you send it back you will not have to pay duty on it for repair/renovation work.

I have done this myself a few times now. If customs snag it and ask for duty just phone in with the tracking number and they will reasses the duty...

Looking at the edge on your blade it does look a bit obtuse...I would do as So Lo has done and re-profile it on a flat grind firstly at 20 degrees each side or 40 degrees inclusive and then convex it with some wet and dry on a phone directory which is very thick....that gives a good acute secondary appleseed shape and is what I do on my S30V UKPK...and I am very impressed with it's performance.

Use a Lansky system and diamond stones for the re-profile and measure the angle using simple trigonometry maths....

 

[Haze]

I'm more worried about using it too much and then having to send it to Strider for a spa session and having to pay import duties all over again !!

At least with a small fixed blade there's no hinge concerns !!

If you live in the UK (you do right ?) Then you can get a form from one of the main shipping companies that will allow you to sent the knife out and have it come back in with out having to pay duty. You will have to prove you already payed duty on it though IIRC.

Don't trust the P.O. with this though as I have had a couple of nighmares from those guys. It's all "yea, yea, yea it's fine" untill it comes back and you have to pay for the import tax and clearance fees from parcilfarce, again. Then you have to go through the rigmaral of claiming the money back and providing all the paper to prove when you shipped the knife out and prove you have payed already.

I would get shot of the Strider and get a nice wee fixed blade instead any way. :thumbup:

 

[wongKI]

Never owned a Strider, never plan to, but hang on to it. You'll regret it if you sell.

 

[Brendan]

Brendan, if you keep your receipt from the Post Office with the tracking number on it when you send it back you will not have to pay duty on it for repair/renovation work.

I have done this myself a few times now. If customs snag it and ask for duty just phone in with the tracking number and they will reasses the duty...

Looking at the edge on your blade it does look a bit obtuse...I would do as So Lo has done and re-profile it on a flat grind firstly at 20 degrees each side or 40 degrees inclusive and then convex it with some wet and dry on a phone directory which is very thick....that gives a good acute secondary appleseed shape and is what I do on my S30V UKPK...and I am very impressed with it's performance.

Use a Lansky system and diamond stones for the re-profile and measure the angle using simple trigonometry maths....

thanks for the info - I actually had longstrider off British Blades put a very nice convex edge on it, much better for me than factory. I noticed that unless I strop it nearly after every use it gets dull quite quickly !!

If you live in the UK (you do right ?) Then you can get a form from one of the main shipping companies that will allow you to sent the knife out and have it come back in with out having to pay duty. You will have to prove you already payed duty on it though IIRC.

Don't trust the P.O. with this though as I have had a couple of nighmares from those guys. It's all "yea, yea, yea it's fine" untill it comes back and you have to pay for the import tax and clearance fees from parcilfarce, again. Then you have to go through the rigmaral of claiming the money back and providing all the paper to prove when you shipped the knife out and prove you have payed already.

I would get shot of the Strider and get a nice wee fixed blade instead any way. :thumbup:

thanks mate, feeling better about the customs thing already

Never owned a Strider, never plan to, but hang on to it. You'll regret it if you sell.

I might I guess.