So...Dark Ops.

S

Skytorn

Joined
Jan 22, 2010
Messages
110
DO isn't really talked about much here, much like Cold Steel. I always wondered why till I went to their website and took a good look around. Then I didn't wonder anymore.

"9/11 we will not forget"? Shameless.

But, a good knife is objectively a good knife, and being a fan of CS knives I've long since inured myself to lizard-brain marketing. I've got questions, oh accrued wisdom of BF!

1. This proprietary alloy that DO uses, what is it? Can someone comment on it? It's trade secret obviously but surely somebody's gotten hold of a knife and tested it out?

2. Knife quality. Dollar for dollar, pound for pound, can a DO knife match a ZT in performance?

Thanks guys!
 
There's a reason it's commonly called "Dork Ops" around here. It's all mall ninja garbage.
 
Skytorn said:
1. This proprietary alloy that DO uses, what is it? Can someone comment on it? It's trade secret obviously but surely somebody's gotten hold of a knife and tested it out?

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

CTV2 (the steel DO uses) was mentioned in a Knives Illustrated magazine as simply being a modified version of N690Co, which is a fairly common, high performance steel, similar to VG-10, used mostly by European knife manufacturers. What CTV2 actually is, I have no idea.

I have always enjoyed the pictures in this post.:D
 
Psh, pissing matches between knifemakers...reading the description, I thought the guy chopped through the blade.
 
T.K.C. said:
Exactly!!

Now where is that beating a dead horse smilie?
Click to expand...

Not a smilie but close

beating-a-dead-horse.gif
 
I actually own one that a ex bought for me because she though it looked cool. It's a fb and I did some some chopping but it wasn't long before the handle rattled. The tanto edge towards the tip completely rolled and I still have bothered to fix it because I don't care about the knife to be honest.
 
Dark Ops are the "Finest Tactical Fighting Knives in History"

Says so right on the box.

If it was not true, they could not legally say so!!!! :jerkit:
 
Dark Ops is simply the importer and marketing company. I know their scopes are chinese-made by Sun Vector/Vector optics.

If their knives are anything like their scopes, you're better off buying from a different company. You will not get your money's worth.
 
Actually cold steel is talked about far more then dork ops, and with good reason. Cold steel has many good products, dork ops has nothing. They completely ripped off extrema ratio, if I'm not mistaken, one of they key people behind dork ops used to be the only extrema ratio dealer in the country once upon a time.
 
I thought about getting one of the interceptor fixed blades just to see how it is, but odds are I'll wait until they go on a massive sale/clearance somewhere.

Either way, Extrema Ratio isn't much better as a company. Lack of support/customer service overseas (they are based in Europe) and some pretty high prices for the materials (N690 is not a supersteel, and molded rubber handles on their fixed blades?). Might as well get a Strider, Reeve, or ZT for that money.

ER's marketing is also geared at "tactical operators," nor am I a fan of the billboard text on quite a few of their blades. (Albeit they don't have Pyramont doing a hyperbole campaign, I have remembered seeing some ridiculous claims alluding to a Navy Seal and a shark cage: http://www.italianblade.com/SearchResultHarpoon.aspx?&Manufacturer=3)
 
Last edited:
When I first looked at Dark Ops folders, I thought their designs were outlandish, somewhat unergonomic and perhaps make non-knife people recoil in horror when they are used in public.

I own only a MOD CQD Mark 2 which had already made some people uncomfortable when I use it in public. I cannot imagine myself using a Dark Ops when their designs are making me uneasy.

Just my 2 cents worth.
 
jakeyjake4528 said:
Actually cold steel is talked about far more then dork ops, and with good reason. Cold steel has many good products, dork ops has nothing. They completely ripped off extrema ratio, if I'm not mistaken, one of they key people behind dork ops used to be the only extrema ratio dealer in the country once upon a time.
Click to expand...

Cold Steel has ripped off quite a few designs too, but I'll give credit to them having one of the better production balisongs out for some time (the Arc Angel, though it's only available on the secondary market now).
 
Apec said:
Cold Steel has ripped off quite a few designs too, but I'll give credit to them having one of the better production balisongs out for some time (the Arc Angel, though it's only available on the secondary market now).
Click to expand...

Dark ops was "founded" almost entirely on almost identical rip off products from extrema ratio, by a guy who previously sold extrema ratio products. Not even cold steel has hit that low mark.

Extrema ratio isn't for everyone, but to say they aren't much better then dark ops just isn't true. Everything is better then dark ops.
 
Not necessarily defending DOK, but the only ER ripoffs from DOK are their folder (DOK Stratofighter versus ER MPC) and large tanto fixed blade (DOK Raven vs the ER Fulcrum). Unless they have discontinued models that I'm not aware of, none of their other knives seem to match equivalent ER models.

Dark Ops is definitely guilty of extreme mall ninja marketing, but only a few of their models are ER copies. To say that they were founded entirely as an ER ripoff company is a bit of a stretch.

Anyways, I'm not going to go any further on Cold Steel, there's been enough drama regarding LT/CS.
 
I sell them because there are people asking for them and actually want them.

IMHO, stay away from them.

Unless your making a futuristic war movie and need some good props, buy something else. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top