Codger_64
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- Joined
- Oct 8, 2004
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SQ447 "4x4" Diamond Plate Knife
My new SQ447 arrived this week after another nearly monthlong transaction, and again, I gave it the now familiar "Blankmeister" examination, both from an asthetic and user viewpoint. Conclusion? It is a well made knife and, while I may not use it but add it to my display, it is a very interesting design.
The chromed diamond plate grips are well finished, nicely plated with radiused edges that feel comfortable in the hand. At first, the tapered triangular shape seemed to not offer a very secure grip, but in reality it does, partly because of the raised "diamond" texture. The scalloped choil gives a secure place for the two forward fingers to grip and makes a nice thumbrest for inverted use.
The black coated spring steel pocket clip on the right side of the knife might come in handy for some users, but it is not a feature I personally like on a knife. It is removable though.
The "E-Coat" epoxy finish on the blade is even with a crisp laser etch. The knife came with a small slip of paper stating that this finish was "not guaranteed and may chip over time". I have heard others state that this did occur, but since the blade is 440 stainless, it was only cosmetic and of no real consequence.
The final grind is slick, very finely done. Most of the last production Schrades have had a less than perfect edge, but this one is quite acceptable. Ambidexterous thumb studs allow for easy one handed opening. The studs themself are gear shaped, groved around their circumference, not knurled.
The blade swings cleanly once the initial spring resistance is overcome, and the blade locks firmly open. There is no vertical play and only slight side play (cured by tightening the pivot screw). One gripe here. The knife uses a "linerlock" system, using a spring steel locking bar attached to the inside of the grips. Initially, when locked, the bar did not travel to the extent of it's locked position, but stopped soon after engaging the tang of the blade. Under normal light use, this would not be an issue. Under hard use, it might disengage allowing the blade to close on the user's fingers. A simple remedy is repeated locking and unlocking to wear the end of the lock bar and the tang, allowing clearance for full engagement. A quicker fix is to disassemble the knife and hone the tang face to smooth and add clearance. I have noted others wishing for a thicker lock bar, but a thicker bar would have to be softer metal in order to have the same degree of movement. The spring temper of the bar is adequate as is in my opinion.
Like the others in the X series I already reviewed, it is a well designed knife. And an especially good deal for the $9.50 I paid, 1/6th of the $59.95 MSRP. There are several other small "X" series folders out there and in time, I will acquire examples of them. These knives were a last gasp for Schrade, and they just could not produce them for a lower price point market.
Codger Blankmeister
My new SQ447 arrived this week after another nearly monthlong transaction, and again, I gave it the now familiar "Blankmeister" examination, both from an asthetic and user viewpoint. Conclusion? It is a well made knife and, while I may not use it but add it to my display, it is a very interesting design.
The chromed diamond plate grips are well finished, nicely plated with radiused edges that feel comfortable in the hand. At first, the tapered triangular shape seemed to not offer a very secure grip, but in reality it does, partly because of the raised "diamond" texture. The scalloped choil gives a secure place for the two forward fingers to grip and makes a nice thumbrest for inverted use.
The black coated spring steel pocket clip on the right side of the knife might come in handy for some users, but it is not a feature I personally like on a knife. It is removable though.
The "E-Coat" epoxy finish on the blade is even with a crisp laser etch. The knife came with a small slip of paper stating that this finish was "not guaranteed and may chip over time". I have heard others state that this did occur, but since the blade is 440 stainless, it was only cosmetic and of no real consequence.
The final grind is slick, very finely done. Most of the last production Schrades have had a less than perfect edge, but this one is quite acceptable. Ambidexterous thumb studs allow for easy one handed opening. The studs themself are gear shaped, groved around their circumference, not knurled.
The blade swings cleanly once the initial spring resistance is overcome, and the blade locks firmly open. There is no vertical play and only slight side play (cured by tightening the pivot screw). One gripe here. The knife uses a "linerlock" system, using a spring steel locking bar attached to the inside of the grips. Initially, when locked, the bar did not travel to the extent of it's locked position, but stopped soon after engaging the tang of the blade. Under normal light use, this would not be an issue. Under hard use, it might disengage allowing the blade to close on the user's fingers. A simple remedy is repeated locking and unlocking to wear the end of the lock bar and the tang, allowing clearance for full engagement. A quicker fix is to disassemble the knife and hone the tang face to smooth and add clearance. I have noted others wishing for a thicker lock bar, but a thicker bar would have to be softer metal in order to have the same degree of movement. The spring temper of the bar is adequate as is in my opinion.
Like the others in the X series I already reviewed, it is a well designed knife. And an especially good deal for the $9.50 I paid, 1/6th of the $59.95 MSRP. There are several other small "X" series folders out there and in time, I will acquire examples of them. These knives were a last gasp for Schrade, and they just could not produce them for a lower price point market.
Codger Blankmeister
