- Joined
- Jun 6, 2010
- Messages
- 184
Preface
Note, this is a "re-post". This is an account of my first impressions of a knife which I recently acquired. My goal here is to describe a knife that you may have heard of or even seen online, but haven't had the opportunity to look at in detail. My personal observations, photos and short background on the designer/ manufacturer and their objectives will help one get a better idea of the knife and it's key attributes. I will follow up with a review once I have had the opportunity to actually work with the knife over a reasonable length of time. I'm more of an amateur collector than a full-time user and this means, among other things, I am judging a knife from an aesthetic - as well as from a functional and ergonomics point of view. Aesthetics includes the combination of materials chosen as well as the choice of form, grind style and finish. Last but not least ...enjoy!
Intro
I'll be totally honest with you; when a good friend of mine handed his AR to me one day, I thought the thing was a WMD, lol. That's because up 'till that point the heaviest & largest folder in my arsenal had been a 6oz, 4" Fantoni / Harsey HB-01. And I thought that was big... ! Let's face it, any Strider SMF-sized & up is one big & badass folder. Enough to stun even a fellow sporting-cutlery fan, lol. But eventually I got so into Striders that even the large SMF didn't quite do it for me... I just had to super-size my Strider...
click-the-pics for hi-res goodness
Super-size me
Even now as I hold this beast of a folder in my hands I get a bit nervous... this puppy definitely makes a statement, alright... ! Let's get some stats out before we move on...
Action: Thumb-hole assist
Length: Overall 25.4cm (10.0") / Closed: 14.3cm (5.6")
Weight: 200g (7.1oz)
Blade Type: double-ground tanto with secondary-bevel tip, coated
Length: 11.0cm (4.3")
"Usable" 6+3cm (2.4+1.2") for the main and secondary (tanto) edges
Thickness: ~5mm (0.19")
Material: CPM S30V Stainless steel
Frame: Hand-sculpted carbon fiber "frame" & satin titanium frame-lock
Pocket Clip: tip-up
That's roughly 2.5cm/1" longer than an SMF (and about 1.5cm/ .5" longer than my HB-01). That's biiig. And the blade is phaaat. And thick, too... lol. Yes, at 5mm it's the same as the SMF, but most of my folders have a stock thickness of 4mm. That 1mm may not sound like much but for a folder-blade, it is! The blade's a tad longer too, but the cutting surface is almost the same as an SMF/AR/GB. Based on this comparison, I think it's a reasonable assumption that the XL was primarily designed for use with gloves.
Man, that's scary-sharp-lookin'...
Oh yeah, and it's scary-sharp too!!! Every knife can probably be used for multiple chores, but they generally are designed with a specific use in mind, be it bushcraft, hunting, military / L.E. etc. Looking at this blade and the fact that it comes from Duane Dwyer's hand suggests it's not for opening letters...
In any case, it is based on the American Tanto design, with a [double-]hollow-ground main bevel, sharply angling upwards to form a secondary edge which is reinforced by a flat grind. Where it diverges from today's typical tanto is Duane's subtle transition from hollow to flat grind just before the very tip. I would surmise it's not designed for major prying duties, but the tip should easily survive an impact with wood/ bone/ ...
Regarding the general concept of the American Tanto and it's inspiration (the Japanese Tanto - a short sword which was principally designed for stabbing and moreover, for penetrating armor); Some consider it to be a balanced mix of cutting/ stabbing characteristics while others see it as an unnecessary loss of primary cutting area. As for me, I just think it looks badass...
Built Strider-tough
I looked at quite a few XLs before choosing this particular one. I love the combination of materials, textures and "colors" - it's my style. We can't go as far as labeling it as pure tactical, considering the satin-finish frame could double as a signaling mirror. My guess is Duane just put together one of his scary-sharp grinds with a cool mix of materials and finishes.
Make no mistake, this XL is heavy-duty, Despite it's "good looks". Starting with Strider's signature beefy pivots, this one has a solid lockup and no play whatsoever. The frame-lock "face" catches a bit on release - which, I've been assured, is standard with new Striders and needs some break-in. The blade's not quite centered but if you apply Mick's philosophy, it's not supposed to be... in any event, there is no rubbing and the action is smooth and even throughout the full rotation. The combination of the sculpted CF and ample jimping instills confidence. For those who swear by G10-Lego's grippy surface, I think that when wearing gloves you won't need to concern yourself about moisture affecting grip (be it sweat or ah, donor plasma... ).
The XL feels comfortable and secure in the basic grip (even better with gloves, though) but thanks to the generous choil, the XL is perfect for controlled-cutting/ slicing! Reverse grip feels very comfortable but if you have small hands, ymmv. Bottom line - the XL has amazing ergonomics considering it's size - this fact really caught me by surprise! The only problem I found with the ergonomics is that the jimping up front on the CF-side is pretty thin, thin enough that you will need a nicely-calloused thumb not to notice it. That or gloves... .
Not your father's EDC
It's an XL and unless you plan to wear it in a sheath configuration or somehow clip it on the outer-side of your jeans (none to sheeple-friendly, what...), it's really hard to consider it for EDC use. On the other hand, if your job has you standing / walking / hiking more than sitting / crouching, the extra inch (over the SMF) shouldn't be a topic. In terms of blade to handle ratio, forget it. Did I ah, mention it's a glove-friendly design ... ;p
Conclusion
Strider. Duane Dwyer. The American Tanto. Add those together and throw in a little extra (super-size me!) and man, you've got yourself one big, scary, wicked and very awesome knife! It's certainly not going to fit everyone's hand or everyone's needs; it's a tool designed for a specific function and to that extent it has hit the mark :thumbup:
Note, this is a "re-post". This is an account of my first impressions of a knife which I recently acquired. My goal here is to describe a knife that you may have heard of or even seen online, but haven't had the opportunity to look at in detail. My personal observations, photos and short background on the designer/ manufacturer and their objectives will help one get a better idea of the knife and it's key attributes. I will follow up with a review once I have had the opportunity to actually work with the knife over a reasonable length of time. I'm more of an amateur collector than a full-time user and this means, among other things, I am judging a knife from an aesthetic - as well as from a functional and ergonomics point of view. Aesthetics includes the combination of materials chosen as well as the choice of form, grind style and finish. Last but not least ...enjoy!
Intro
I'll be totally honest with you; when a good friend of mine handed his AR to me one day, I thought the thing was a WMD, lol. That's because up 'till that point the heaviest & largest folder in my arsenal had been a 6oz, 4" Fantoni / Harsey HB-01. And I thought that was big... ! Let's face it, any Strider SMF-sized & up is one big & badass folder. Enough to stun even a fellow sporting-cutlery fan, lol. But eventually I got so into Striders that even the large SMF didn't quite do it for me... I just had to super-size my Strider...
click-the-pics for hi-res goodness
Super-size me
Even now as I hold this beast of a folder in my hands I get a bit nervous... this puppy definitely makes a statement, alright... ! Let's get some stats out before we move on...
Action: Thumb-hole assist
Length: Overall 25.4cm (10.0") / Closed: 14.3cm (5.6")
Weight: 200g (7.1oz)
Blade Type: double-ground tanto with secondary-bevel tip, coated
Length: 11.0cm (4.3")
"Usable" 6+3cm (2.4+1.2") for the main and secondary (tanto) edges
Thickness: ~5mm (0.19")
Material: CPM S30V Stainless steel
Frame: Hand-sculpted carbon fiber "frame" & satin titanium frame-lock
Pocket Clip: tip-up
That's roughly 2.5cm/1" longer than an SMF (and about 1.5cm/ .5" longer than my HB-01). That's biiig. And the blade is phaaat. And thick, too... lol. Yes, at 5mm it's the same as the SMF, but most of my folders have a stock thickness of 4mm. That 1mm may not sound like much but for a folder-blade, it is! The blade's a tad longer too, but the cutting surface is almost the same as an SMF/AR/GB. Based on this comparison, I think it's a reasonable assumption that the XL was primarily designed for use with gloves.
Man, that's scary-sharp-lookin'...
Oh yeah, and it's scary-sharp too!!! Every knife can probably be used for multiple chores, but they generally are designed with a specific use in mind, be it bushcraft, hunting, military / L.E. etc. Looking at this blade and the fact that it comes from Duane Dwyer's hand suggests it's not for opening letters...
In any case, it is based on the American Tanto design, with a [double-]hollow-ground main bevel, sharply angling upwards to form a secondary edge which is reinforced by a flat grind. Where it diverges from today's typical tanto is Duane's subtle transition from hollow to flat grind just before the very tip. I would surmise it's not designed for major prying duties, but the tip should easily survive an impact with wood/ bone/ ...
Regarding the general concept of the American Tanto and it's inspiration (the Japanese Tanto - a short sword which was principally designed for stabbing and moreover, for penetrating armor); Some consider it to be a balanced mix of cutting/ stabbing characteristics while others see it as an unnecessary loss of primary cutting area. As for me, I just think it looks badass...
Built Strider-tough
I looked at quite a few XLs before choosing this particular one. I love the combination of materials, textures and "colors" - it's my style. We can't go as far as labeling it as pure tactical, considering the satin-finish frame could double as a signaling mirror. My guess is Duane just put together one of his scary-sharp grinds with a cool mix of materials and finishes.
Make no mistake, this XL is heavy-duty, Despite it's "good looks". Starting with Strider's signature beefy pivots, this one has a solid lockup and no play whatsoever. The frame-lock "face" catches a bit on release - which, I've been assured, is standard with new Striders and needs some break-in. The blade's not quite centered but if you apply Mick's philosophy, it's not supposed to be... in any event, there is no rubbing and the action is smooth and even throughout the full rotation. The combination of the sculpted CF and ample jimping instills confidence. For those who swear by G10-Lego's grippy surface, I think that when wearing gloves you won't need to concern yourself about moisture affecting grip (be it sweat or ah, donor plasma...
).
The XL feels comfortable and secure in the basic grip (even better with gloves, though) but thanks to the generous choil, the XL is perfect for controlled-cutting/ slicing! Reverse grip feels very comfortable but if you have small hands, ymmv. Bottom line - the XL has amazing ergonomics considering it's size - this fact really caught me by surprise! The only problem I found with the ergonomics is that the jimping up front on the CF-side is pretty thin, thin enough that you will need a nicely-calloused thumb not to notice it. That or gloves... .
Not your father's EDC
It's an XL and unless you plan to wear it in a sheath configuration or somehow clip it on the outer-side of your jeans (none to sheeple-friendly, what...), it's really hard to consider it for EDC use. On the other hand, if your job has you standing / walking / hiking more than sitting / crouching, the extra inch (over the SMF) shouldn't be a topic. In terms of blade to handle ratio, forget it. Did I ah, mention it's a glove-friendly design ... ;p
Conclusion
Strider. Duane Dwyer. The American Tanto. Add those together and throw in a little extra (super-size me!) and man, you've got yourself one big, scary, wicked and very awesome knife! It's certainly not going to fit everyone's hand or everyone's needs; it's a tool designed for a specific function and to that extent it has hit the mark :thumbup:
