Strider AR

C

ccrunner

Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
6
I'm looking for a tough "fixed blade" that I can fold up and carry in my pocket. I love the huge, fat, fixed blade look of the Strider AR

But, I'm fighting with myself over the price. $350 is a lot of money. I looked at Airkat knives, too. They cost even more than a Strider.

Any thoughts or suggestions?
 
I don't know that a Spyderco Manix is any less tough than a Strider. It's certainly debateable. But it is far cheaper and has a "huge, fat" blade.

I have the SNG and SMF and I love the SNG especially. I don't carry the SMF as much because it is a bit *large*.

You could look at the Buck Strider knives. They are tough and backed up by Buck and no slouches in any department.
 
my suggestion.. just get it over with and cough up the money. You wont stop wanting one, even if you buy another more affordable knife, so just do it. Tell yourself what I always tell myself ... you can always sell it and get most of your money back. Knives like striders always hold a great re-sale value.
 
The AR is an awesome, awesome knife!! If you can, try to get a TAD Gear/Strider AR, it has tritium thumbstuds and it has sculpted Ranger Green G-10. The AR is worth every penny!! There is nothing like a real Strider. The Buck/Striders are great, but you will still want a Strider.
 
I agree with the suggestion of a Manix! I've never been a fan of Strider knives.
 
If you can handle the Manix, check out it. If that isn't big/tough enough for you, go for the AR. The Manix blade is 5/32" and the AR is .200" if I remember correctly.

Also, take a look at the Buck-Strider series. Just ask if you want any more info :)
 
A good Strider AR is IMO the toughest, strongest liner lock $$$ can buy. The liners are generally around .100", that's about as thick as many framelocks, with it's very open construction, it's easy to maintain, and they have very smooth actions and great lockup. They are custom-quality, so given that, $350 shouldn't seem like an unreasonable price when compared with a good custom, or even a Sebenza. Until you have handled one in person, you really can't imagine how overbuilt and robust they really are, you'll just stare at it and smile. :)
 
Manix is a great knife, but if you buy one - it'll just be that much longer before you can get the AR. You will have paid out even more money by the time you get the AR. Just git it, now, and save yourself some bux.
 
i used to think the buck/strider 880 was designed after the AR/GB's till i got one, not much similarity imho, the AR is about 20 or 30% larger which is saying something as the 880 is a big heavy thick knife, but its nothing like the AR, no comparison imho.

the manix is a good knife also but also isnt anywhere near as big/heavy duty as the AR, chinook either. no comparison.

if ya want a large heavy duty folder and dont mind the weight the AR/GB is hard to beat.

imho its worth every penny of the asking price of ~$350.

i have had a lot of big folders, the only ones even remotely comparable to the AR/GB imho is the extrema ratio nemisis and MPC, and they look like dwarves compared to the AR/GB. only con is the ER's are almost as high as the striders (~$300).

if thats what ya are looking for give one a try, they sell like hotcakes so if ya dont like it ya can get your money back fairly well.

but expect a BIG knife, i was and was still suprised at the size of the thing. big & heavy duty as all get out.
 
For the record, I have both the Strider AR and the large Buck/Strider spearpoint. I feel confident that either of them will do ANYTHING I need to do, knifewise. :thumbup:
 
Here is a knife that you don't hear much about but that I like for camp and hunting use. It doesn't cost too much. It doesn't have the latest and greatest steel in its blade. It is easy to sharpen and holds an edge.

It is the Ka-Bar Warthog folder. I like the handle shape and the ease of use best. It doesn't have any funky bumps and curves that hurt you hand when you have to use it for more than five minutes.

http://www.agrussell.com/knives/by_maker/e_through_k/kabar/warthog_folderplain_edge.html
 
Not sure why so many folks are suggestiong the Manix as a substitute; I own a Manix, and am the keeper of an AR for passarounds, and there's NO comparison. The Manix is extremely beefy for a Spyderco, with excellently ergonomics; but the AR is a big brick of a knife, MUCH more strongly built than the Manix. Let's put it this way: the Manix may be a big, tough Ford F-150 in a word full of sedans, but the Strider is a deuce-and-a-half! ;)

Although the blade grinds and profiles are similar, the Strider blade is a lot thicker. The AR's pivot is about three times the diameter of the Manix's, too. And while both have handles with G10-over-steel-liners construction, the liners on the Strider are at least twice as thick.

OK, so the Strider AR is tougher. However, the Manix has about as much usable blade (the huge finger choil on the AR leaves surprisingly little sharpened edge), and a much more comfortable grip -- the AR feels like a brick in your hand, and in your pocket. The AR may be tough, but damn uncomfortable to carry or use for any length of time.
 
I think the AR is the toughest folder out there. The Buck/Strider actually came before the AR/GB knives. The liners on the AR are not steel, they are titanium, and very thick and strong. I own a Buck/Strider 880SP as well as an AR and the AR is surely bulletproof. If you get it, it will not disappoint...Jim
 
Cliff Stamp said:
What have you done with the AR which would break the Manix?
Click to expand...
Since it doesn't belong to me, nothing. :rolleyes:

Not that I go around trying to break my own knives anyway, that's your schtick.

Actually, I base my conclusion on some of your work, Cliff: when you tested a Chinook (built very similarly to the Manix) to destruction, you yourself discovered that the pivot is the weak point of the design. Since the pivot of the Strider is obviously much more stout, as is the rest of the knife, I think it's reasonable to conclude the AR is overall a much stronger design.
 
Comparing my Manix and AR, both have the same length cutting edge with the AR having a bigger choil and bigger overall size than the Manix.
 
I think both are more tough than is practical anyhow.

I've handled an AR and owned a manix, and used a chinook.

I'm not completely convinced the AR is so far beyond the Manix in the indestructability department, but even assuming it were, the usefulness of a manix compared to an AR far, far outweighs any differences in toughness.

The manix has a leaf shaped full flat ground blade that cuts pretty damn well in my opinion, nearly as well as my paramilitary. The grind on the AR looks like a splitting ax. I think the manix beats the strider in the cutting department hands down, NO comparison :D

EDIT This isn't to say I didn't like the AR; I would definitely buy one if it wouldn't fleece the pockets of the owner of Strider knives. I have a strict principle: no giving money to people that reference their genitalia when speaking to customers.
 
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