OilMan
Gold Member
- Joined
- May 6, 2004
- Messages
- 4,292
Went to the Badger Knife Show on Friday, got in early cuz I was helping the local knife dealer set up. Here's some of the stuff I bought and some initial thoughts about them.
First up was the only custom I bought this year. It's a Mike Obenauf Small Model 3 with silver G10 and a almost Wharncliff blade. I like Obenaufs prices for the work you get (cheap for an awesome knife). It came in a shiny leather pouch which I quickly ditched for a Bill's Custom Case. Here's some pics:
Next up is a Kershaw Spec Bump. I really like the handle and blade shape on this one. It's ugly but highly useful. Right out of the box it snagged a little cutting so I evened everything out on my sharpmaker. It was a PITA to do the inside edge and get it right but now it's silky sharp all the way down the blade. The factory grind was so rough it left odd humps on the bevel when I started sharpening it. I'll include the pic so you can see what I'm talking about. The two things I HATE about this one are the pocket clip that's 1 -1 1/2" too long that isn't shaped right and the weird lock. The pocket clip snags on stuff and like I said, it's way too long. The lock already jammed up on me and it's a bear to disengage it when it's super tight like that. It's a large cut in your flesh waiting to happen.:thumbdn: (I read the first stud they used was much easier to use with one hand.)
I'm thinking about reshaping the clip with my dremel, I'll post more pics if I do.
This is the pic of the wavy steel. I used my diamond corners from my SM to smooth these out. They were much more pronounced before I started taking pics so the pic is actually the semi smoothed version. You can still see them a little in the pic above too.
End Part 1
oil
First up was the only custom I bought this year. It's a Mike Obenauf Small Model 3 with silver G10 and a almost Wharncliff blade. I like Obenaufs prices for the work you get (cheap for an awesome knife). It came in a shiny leather pouch which I quickly ditched for a Bill's Custom Case. Here's some pics:
Next up is a Kershaw Spec Bump. I really like the handle and blade shape on this one. It's ugly but highly useful. Right out of the box it snagged a little cutting so I evened everything out on my sharpmaker. It was a PITA to do the inside edge and get it right but now it's silky sharp all the way down the blade. The factory grind was so rough it left odd humps on the bevel when I started sharpening it. I'll include the pic so you can see what I'm talking about. The two things I HATE about this one are the pocket clip that's 1 -1 1/2" too long that isn't shaped right and the weird lock. The pocket clip snags on stuff and like I said, it's way too long. The lock already jammed up on me and it's a bear to disengage it when it's super tight like that. It's a large cut in your flesh waiting to happen.:thumbdn: (I read the first stud they used was much easier to use with one hand.)
I'm thinking about reshaping the clip with my dremel, I'll post more pics if I do.
This is the pic of the wavy steel. I used my diamond corners from my SM to smooth these out. They were much more pronounced before I started taking pics so the pic is actually the semi smoothed version. You can still see them a little in the pic above too.
End Part 1
oil
I couldn't find my dremel and figured out I don't own any c-clamps so this was a vice and a hacksaw and then I smoothed the edge with a 2 x 48" grinder. Tin snips would probably have worked just as well if not better. It's pretty tight right now but I'll adjust the tension and it'll be a dream.:thumbup: Anywho:
Never stop and chit chat right when a show opens.:thumbup: