• The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
    Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
    Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.

  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

Spec Bump "In Hand" [Review]

Nope. That is Alum. handle with G10 "inlay". The limited ed. available at some dealers is S30V with polished g10.
 
Oh, ok. Well, that is the ONLY Leek with "G10" in the description shown at New Graham, on the 4 pages of Kershaws there (near as I can tell). So I'm not sure what Rat Finkenstein was referring to.

Robert, do you happen to know which retailers currently have the limited edition one out?
 
Ahhh, thanks very much, Robert. Can you answer either of my other 2 questions about the Spec Bump, by any chance?:

First:

Also, can someone please clarify one thing for me about the Spec Bump....I've read a ton of threads on it, and still cannot tell the answer to this question about the locking knob device. Is it the case that:

A) the locking knob device is a secondary (backup) device which locks the normal liner lock to keep the liner lock from accidentally failing (kind of like the LAWKS system on a CRKT),

or

B) The locking knob is the ONLY lock on it, and if you accidentally unlock it under hard use, your fingers are in deep doodoo.

???
Click to expand...

I've ordered it sight-unseen, so I dunno.

Second:

Another question: I just ordered mine from here:

http://store.savsonswordsandknives.com/kespbu1.html

and as you can see, the picture there shows the 'star-shaped' texturing, which is supposed to be only on the newer S30V ones, whereas the CPM 154 ones are supposed to have the older, less aggressive, plain checkering. So, do you think I'll get one with the old plain checkering and CPM 154, or one of the new ones with that star pattern and S30V? Or do you think I'll get some kind of hybrid, with the star pattern and CPM 154?
Click to expand...
 
The random leek is by far my favorite leek, but considering that you can get an s30v g10 leek for 40 dollars less, I just can't make myself buy it.
 
The locking thumbstud is the ONLY blade open lock device. Close by rolling the thumbstud forward to bladetip. There is a blade close safety next to the clip on the pivot end of the specb. Safe by pushing to the pivot. I like the design of the locking thumbstud as theres nothing to hang the stuff being cut.
 
Initial thoughts/impressions:

1. Despite SavsOnSwordsAndKnives telling me it would be the CPM 154 one, they in fact sent me one marked S30V - I guess I should be happy about this for the $109 price, but I kinda had convinced myself the 154 would suit my needs better. But OK, S30V good, too.

2. Overall, fantastic knife except for one glaring attribute/deficiency: When the blade is open and lock engaged, there is neither (a) enough spring tension to keep the lock locked in tight, nor (b) enough movement of the lock (enough 'shelf space') to make it solid/safe from accidental closing, in my opinion. Poor design, these two flaws. The spring could be replaced with a stronger one, I suppose, but the degree of movement before disengagement is certainly not enough length of movement for safety, much like the balley-hood axis. This knife will be great for EDC for this city boy, but wholly unacceptable for hard use, given that the slightest push during hard use would result in real bad mojo. When I want to give someone 'the finger' of my own choosing, fine. But I would like to not have to give everyone the lone finger everytime I wave. Needs improvement for an all-purpose knife, IMO.
 
These are surely problems with your individual knife...I have a stud lock knife myself and it works fine. Plenty strong...strong enough that I fully anticipate the blade to break before the lock does. Extremely reliable too...the only problem I run into reliability wise is that sometimes it locks up too much and I have to pop it out of place, which is slightly annoying.

Anyway, send it in to Kershaw and they'll fix it.
 
If the stud is bumped under pressure, only bad things can happen. Anyhow, I *will* be looking for a stronger spring - that would great increase my confidence in it. A stronger spring is the more important of the 2 considerations mentioned above, by far.

One other observation, which is another shortcoming: On the star-patterned checkering, it is nice and grippy near the edges, but in the middle of the starburst pattern, 'on top', so to speak, it is totally smooth for about 2 square centimeters or more, and thus slippery - another 'bah' for this knife.

Still looking for my ultimate... Still, it's a neat knife, looks-wise, grip-wise, and materials-wise. Plus the AO w/flipper is my favorite type.
 
FF, some point I wud beg to differ with.

The thumblock is designed with a serrated thumb rest to prevent the thumb from unlocking. Just tried to unlock by sliding my thumb from thumb rest to the stud, unless u r wearing gloves or the thumb is off center, u will not unlock it. Even unlocked while holding the knife, the flipper/ finger guard prevents the blade from cutting ur self.

I dont have the star pattern but I have the cpm154 and the handle is so ergonomic that even smooth g10 will not slip from your grasp. Wats more with the sculptered line textured g10.

I am planning to get the star patterned and am not worried about the safeties of the knife.
 
For those that want the silver blade version....http://newgraham.com/detail.aspx?ID=5397

I have this knife and have been playing with it for about three weeks. It locks up solid and there is no play at all.....OK, I tried to make this knife fail.

Before the locking "stud" will release the blade, it has to move forward about 1.25 to 1.5mm. (sorry about being metric)

The thumb would have to slip forward in a very specific way in order to move the stud. Proper hammer, sabre or reverse grip is fine.

If held correctly, and the blade is released accidentally, finger will be pinched in the coil and the blade will not move any further.

The blade needs freedom of movement to lock in open position. If it would have a much stronger spring in front of the stud, there may be the possibility that the blade will not lock open. (if you know what I mean)

So, this is my 5c worth.....btw, I love Ken Onions’s handles/grips.
 
I just bought one of the CPM154 Spec Bumps and I'm already in love with it. The only problem that I see is that the pocket clip is too shallow and is very difficult to clip on the pocket of a pair of jeans. The only other time I had handled a Spec Bump before this purchase, I was having a difficult time with the lock getting stuck in the locked open position. I haven't had it do that once with my knife.

I'm not a collector, this will be my EDC knife and I consider the $140 that I paid for it to be a decent chunk of change to drop on a knife. Would I have been better served by getting an S30V version? I really wanted the non-starburst G10 grips, though.
 
I doubt anyone will notice a significant real world difference between the CPM154 and S30V. I wouldn't be surprised if the difference turned out to be positive anyway, with the relatively common reports of chipping on S30V...of course, for all we know, this is an attribute of CPM154 too, but then, maybe not. In any case, it will be fine. I also prefer the original grip, but I've been waiting for a noncoated blade version...I actually gave up and bought a blue bump, but now that they really did come out with it, I have to buy it too. In any case, the non coated bump, which I like to call the Pseudo bump, has the original G10 like we like it...although, the new G10 isn't bad at all either.
 
Well, after a couple days of using it (and playing with it), I am very pleased with this knife. I was hesitant to (don't laugh) pay so much for a knife, but it seems to be well worth the money. I look at some knives and get the impression that their price tag is based on the name or coolness factor instead of on materials and workmanship. With this Spec Bump, I feel like I got every dollar's worth.
 
bugmenot said:
Excellent review!

I love the desing, specially the handdle. I just wish that Kershaw makes a non black blade version.
Click to expand...

The Speed Bump is the same knife bit in Sandvik.
http://newgraham.com/detail.aspx?ID=5397

ks1596svbl.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top